International Housing Coalition
Weekly Update
December 18, 2015
In this Update 
 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM ALL OF US AT IHC!
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Update on UN Climate Summit COP21

The world was watching last week as global leaders agreed on a landmark agreement to reduce global greenhouse gasses. The agreement resulted from two full weeks of negotiations at the United Nations Climate Summit, or COP21. 

Cities and local governments were highly involved in the summit, participating in advocacy efforts throughout the two weeks highlighting the role that cities play in addressing global climate change.  In addition, with greater concentrations of people living in cities, the effects of climate change are often being felt most acutely by those most vulnerable. Many cities are already thinking about how to implement the agreements made at the summit. 

Coverage of the summit has been robust. Read urban coverage from CitiScope here, a statement from ICLEI here and a statement Eduardo Paes, Mayor of Rio de Janeiro and the Chair of the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group here.  More coverage can be found below. 

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U.S. International Affairs Funding for FY2016

Congressional leadership introduced a $1.15 trillion omnibus spending package this week, which would fund the US Government through September 2016. The measure offers mixed success for those interested in international affairs spending. 

While the overall FY16 funding level for international affairs has increased over the previous year, the shift in funding from the safer "base funding" to the less sure "Overseas Contingency Operations" funds, which cover special military and security operations, is worrisome. Base funding has not been this low since FY2009. 

Read a full overview of the international affairs budget from the US Global Leadership Coalition here. 
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Save the Date: Making Paris Happen - Policy Solutions for Climate Change

Please save the date for a January event sponsored by the Center for Global Development. The event will discuss practical policy-based solutions to address climate change in response to the declaration signed in Paris last week. 

The event will feature representatives from the IMF, the California Air Resources Board, R Street Institute, the Climate Change Group and the Center for Global Development. 

WHEN: Monday January 11th 11:30 AM
WHERE: Center for Global Development 

Sign up and receive more information here.

Read a post from the Center for Global Development about the results of the COP21 here.  
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In the News and Around the Web
  • Read an article from CitiScope arguing the importance of Habitat III in continuing the momentum of COP21 and the passage of the SDGs here.
  • Read an article from CityLab arguing that climate change cannot be addressed without cities here.
  • Read articles from the Economist and the World Resources Institute giving details on the COP21 agreement here and here. 

International Housing Coalition
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