Dealing with climate change: Six global events in January

Six important events are taking place across the globe in January in order to shape how the world discusses climate change.
Sophie Yeo of RTCC ( Climate change news, comments and analysis)  ran a report with a list of five events, where climate change will figure quite prominently. According to the RTCC report, on January 28 the world's most powerful leader will have the attention of the largest audience that he is likely to command all the year. How President Barack Obama chooses to broach the subject of climate change in his 2014 State of the Union speech will set the tone, and guide the actions, of the US attempts to tackle climate change in the coming year.
"If Congress won't act soon to protect the future generations, I will," Obama said in his 2013 speech - a promise which he fulfilled with his Climate Action Plan. This year is his chance to bring those seeds into bloom.
The second on the list is the European Union (EU) 2030 climate package. The EU's 2020 climate goals - already practically achieved - are due to expire in six years, and this is the year when the EU will decide how to replace them. The first draft of its 2030 package is due to be released on January 22. It is expected to set the emissions reduction target anywhere between 35 per cent and 45 per cent - but will it also provide renewable energy and energy efficiency goals?   
Many, including EU Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard, have spoken out in favour of their inclusion. Belgium's environment minister Melchior Wathelet told RTCC: "We have to make real investment, we have to make progress. That's true in CO2 emissions, but especially maybe in energy efficiency because we know what we can do."
The third topic of interest is: Greece takes on EU presidency. Greece, still plagued by its economic trouble, took on the presidency of the EU on the New Year's Day, which means Athens will chair high-level EU meetings for the first half of 2014. While its financial position is already dominating headlines, the country is also planning on putting its unique slant on climate change policy, prioritising renewable energy and marine resources - or "blue growth".
"In Greece, our most valuable asset is climate and nature. We do think Europe could be a leader in a low-carbon economy, if Europe and the neighbouring countries adopt even more and better strategies of renewable sources of energy," Greek MP Dionysia-Theodora Avgerinopoulou told RTCC.
The fourth event is: World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos. The World Economic Forum will have its annual meeting on January 22-25, with one full day dedicated to climate change.
The forum aims to address the challenges posed by a rapidly shifting global system, including politics, economics, social issues and technology.
Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of the UN's climate change body, said, "They have chosen topics where they believe there can be transformational change, in particular in those areas that require the coordination or collaboration of both private and public sector. It's asset owners that can truly make a difference and must make a difference where substantial capital is going to flow over the next 10-20 years."
The fifth on the list of RTCC is: World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi. The World Future Energy Summit will take place on January 20-22 in Abu Dhabi, where world leaders, international policy makers, industry experts and many others will gather to discuss renewable energy, energy efficiency and clean technology. Speakers this year include IEA director Maria van der Hoeven and World Energy Council president Marie-Jose Nadeau. Besides talks, an exhibition on the latest technology will see the launch of dozens of new renewable energy and energy-efficiency products, including an electric plane.
The final event of January is the global forum on climate solutions in Washington, DC organised by US Society of Science and Environment, where a number of climate scientists, policy-makers and key negotiators would be the keynote speakers.
From the perspective of the least developed countries, all these events are quite important as the 49 most vulnerable nations are victims of the runaway climate changes caused by the industrialised rich countries.
The writer is a lead climate negotiator of 49 Least Developed Countries, chairman of FEJB & APFEJ.
 [email protected]