Despite a boom in renewables, especially solar and wind, "the necessary energy revolution is still happening too slowly," the Climate Change Performance Index 2017 reported on the margins of UN climate talks in Marrakesh. France took top honours, in part due to its role in ushering in the landmark Paris Agreement, signed in the French capital last December. Even China -- which has drastically slowed its consumption of CO2-intense coal even as it builds out solar and wind energy capacity -- got a poor mark, coming in 48th among nations. "National governments have no more excuses not to enshrine the Paris Agreement into national law," said Jan Burck of Germanwatch, lead author of the report. The 196-nation Paris Agreement calls for curbing global warming at well below 2.0C (3.6F), and 1.5C (2.7F) if possible.

Source: The Nation Bangkok November 16, 2016 11:34 UTC