We Need to Talk About Adaptation

by khristian méndez // As the President of Guatemala walked out the room, the First National Congress on Climate Change came to an end. Behind the President, Otto Pérez Molina, came a parade of political figures: the Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources, the President of the Guatemalan Congress, a German Ambassador, and several […]

Divided before a Changing Climate

by khristian méndez // Bright eyed and still a little weary from a charged first day, the First National Congress on Climate Change carried on today in Guatemala City. As I wrote yesterday, there’s quite a spectrum of political actors and stakeholders regarding climate change. Today, the voices began to show stronger colors, some in […]

Weaving Climate Knowledge in a Torn-Apart Country: the First Guatemalan Congress on Climate Change

by khristian méndez //   History was made today in Guatemala City: Government entities, private sector representatives, all but one of the universities in the country, international organizations, NGOs and indigenous peoples all came together for the First National Congress on Climate Change. To top off a rare collaboration: the presence and keynote address of […]

You Could Have It All – Day 5 and Report of OWG12

by khristian méndez // The 12th session of the Open Working Group on the Sustainable Development Goals has come to an end. At 5pm on friday, co-chair Kamau wrapped up the informal session of negotiations of the OWG, and opened the formal consultations, to be wrapped up 30 minutes later. During all of Friday, we heard the positions […]

Heat in the Room – Day 4 OWG12

by khristian méndez // Temperature has risen in New York City, both on all of the concrete and glass surfaces of this giant man-made complex, as well as in the negotiation rooms. Everybody can agree that we need to eradicate poverty, have access to food, education and health, but as we descend down the list of […]