As Congress holds state and district work periods the week of April 29, the first full round of 2013 U.N. climate change negotiations will take place April 29-May 3 in Bonn amid hopes that countries will make progress on reaching an international agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions beginning in 2020.

As detailed in an April 22 Energy and Climate Change Report article, expectations for progress were raised after the 49-member group of Least Developed Countries (LDC) announced April 3 that they would agree to binding targets to reduce emissions.

"For some time now there has been a standoff, where developed countries refuse to move unless poor countries move with them, and poor countries say the developed countries should go first," Quamrul Chowdury, a senior LDC negotiator, said. "Now we have gone first and it is up to the developed world to match our ambition."

However, U.N. officials downplayed expectations, with one official calling the talks a "steppingstone" toward a significant outcome at the year-end summit in Poland.

At the 2012 summit in Doha, Qatar, officially titled the 18th Conference of the Parties (COP-18) to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, negotiators agreed to launch two "work streams" on the scope and structure of a global deal that would require all nations to commit by 2015 to reduce global warming emissions. The agreement would go into effect in 2020 after ratification.

Also, COP-18 extended the Kyoto Protocol for another eight years after its first commitment period expired Dec. 31, 2012, though it mainly covers only European countries and Australia. Details of COP-18, which also included discussions on financing to help poorer nations adapt to the effects of climate change and technology issues, are included in a Dec. 7, 2012, article. 

Hurricane Katrina Court Case

On May 1, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit will hear oral arguments in a proposed class action lawsuit filed by homeowners and businesses claiming greenhouse gas emissions from energy and chemical companies contributed significantly to the intensity of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and subsequent property damage.

As covered in an April 9 article, the lawsuit was filed against Murphy Oil, Exxon, Shell Oil, BP Plc, and other major oil, chemical, power, and coal companies.

If the Fifth Circuit dismisses the proposed class action case, a lower court's ruling that found residents and businesses had no standing to bring their lawsuit, and that the lawsuit presented non-justiciable political questions, would be upheld.

The plaintiffs claim that greenhouse gas emissions increased global surface air and water temperatures that in turn caused sea levels to rise, adding to the ferocity of Katrina and the extent of property loss.

GSA to Hold Green Building Meeting

The General Services Administration will hold an advisory committee meeting May 1 on increasing the sustainability of federal government buildings in Washington, D.C.

The meeting will focus on climate change adaptation and GSA's green building certification system review.

As detailed in a Feb. 5 article, GSA is charged with making a recommendation to the federal government on which third-party green building rating system to use for federal buildings. The agency may recommend the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program, another third-party program, or no program at all.

Commerce Department Advisory Committee to Meet

Also on May 1, the Commerce Department's Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Advisory Committee will hold a public meeting to receive presentations from four energy-specific teams on market dynamics and challenges affecting their respective industry sectors, key export markets, and opportunities for further federal support and coordination.

The teams represent the renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy storage and transmission, and biofuels sectors.

As covered in a April 9 article, representatives from the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and the Export-Import Bank of the United States will make a presentation. The Department of Defense will give a presentation on renewable energy and energy efficiency supply chains.

EPA to Hold Webcast

The Environmental Protection Agency's State and Local Climate and Energy Program will hold a webcast May 1 on "Attracting Funding for Adaptation." The webcast will include examples of how communities of various sizes have attracted funding and provide ways to identify appropriate funds. Discussion will also include how to maximize funding by mainstreaming adaptation planning.

Energy Regulatory Framework on Agenda

Johns Hopkins University's Environment, Energy, Sustainability, and Health Institute will hold a forum April 29 in Washington, D.C., on "The U.S. Offshore Energy Regulatory Framework." In addition to offshore oil and gas development, the forum will provide an overview of the leasing and regulatory framework associated with offshore wind and wave energy and cover the new National Ocean Policy Initiative as it relates to offshore energy regulation.

Amadeep Dhanju, senior ocean policy analyst with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, will be the featured speaker.

The Global Environmental Politics Program at American University’s School of International Service also is a sponsor of the forum.