I wrote about the EU meetings here earlier this week and about the UN gathering here last week.

Brussels , The leaders of the 27 EU nations gathered today to go over a number of critical matters, not the least among them, energy and climate change.  For the full agenda, see this from the EU.  The first big part of the pie that's been concluded is an agreement on renewables.  AFP said in this article that negotiators from the member states, the European Commission and the European Parliament had worked out a deal that "will mean significant European investment in wind, wave, solar and, where possible geothermal power."

Biofuels, a point of considerable contention by environmentalists given the net negatives for global warming, at least as this industry is presently constituted, remain in the mix, but with an eye toward sustainability and a low-carbon presence.  In this from "NewEnergyFocus," we learn that "Biofuels used towards the target, which must be met by fuel suppliers, will have to save 35% of greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil fuels, but from 2017 will have to save at least 50% of emissions." 

See this video from the EU on the target of 20% renewables by 2020. 

There's still the final negotiating to be done on the climate change agreement.  EurActiv reports that they're getting close.  In this report today, it appears that diplomats have "have paved the way for a compromise deal on the EU's climate package during the summit."  Some of the higher polluting industries, such as the electric utilities in Eastern and Central Europe, and particularly energy-intensive industries like cement, steel and aluminum, may see more than their fair share of free "pollution rights."  (EurActiv's climate change page, not incidentally, is a terrific information resource.)  For an excellent summary of the issues, see this from the "FT" today.

Poznan , The UN meetings, designed to further progress towards a final international agreement in Copenhagen next year, have been ongoing since December 1 and finish up tomorrow.  Top ministers from around the world have begun their "high-level" talks in Poznan and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told them "he may stage a summit to spur a treaty on climate change as he called for a "Green New Deal' that would both curb global warming and salvage the world economy."  See AFP here.

All during the negotiations, there have been scores of "side events" at which researchers and policymakers, scientists and activists, business leaders and NGO wallahs, have gathered to hear all sorts of creative and finely crafted solutions.  It's been really hard to try to keep up on some of the ones that grab me, but here are a few that might interest you as well:

The International Biochar Initiative (IBI) was there.  I wrote about biochar and terra preta at The Earth in August.  This is a truly exciting approach to renewing agriculture , including weaning it from the deluge of nitrogen that has been creating dead zones in waters throughout the world.

Very excitingly, there are trials set for next year in both England and Belize.  Ancient skills "could reverse global warming' is the story from "The Independent."  One arresting bit:  this effort is being led by two highly successful British entrepreneurs and the goal is to get this up to commercial scale in a few years.  "They aim to grow trees and plants to absorb CO2 and then trap the carbon by turning the resulting biomass into "biochar,' keeping it safely locked up for thousands of years." 

India's TERI has quite a few interesting things to say about Low carbon pathways: challenges and technological options for India.  This one was flagged by the Worldwatch Institute here.  They said "In TERI's most ambitious scenario for energy transformation, two-thirds of India's electricity sector, roughly 800 GW, could be served by solar energy (both photovoltaics and solar thermal) by 2031 or 2032. Large and small hydropower could produce almost 200 GW, followed by wind at slightly over 100 GW and nuclear at 100 GW. Other fuels could be used to a lesser extent. Fossil fuels would account for a much smaller portion of the pie." 

The OECD had a presence in Poland.  Here's the study they released:  Climate Change Mitigation - What Do We Do?  Take a look at some of the other serious work they've been doing on the economics of climate change, including the economics of adaptation.

Here is a list of all the many and diverse side events.  There's a ton of useful material at most of these listings.