Page 42 - Climate Change

Oil, industrial firms to commit to decarbonisation at COP28: UAE's Jaber

Jaber did not disclose further details of the measures that had been agreed or identify the executives, but said those who had signed up would be named upon completion of the commitment

COP28: BASIC countries demand equity at centre of Global Stocktake

The principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities (CBDRRC) must be at the centre of the Global Stocktake -- a periodic review of global efforts to achieve goals of the Paris Agreement -- and operationalised in its each and every component, BASIC countries have said. In their submission to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) outlining their expectations from the Global Stocktake (GST) in September, the BASIC group said it should acknowledge the existing implementation gaps, particularly those related to the pre-2020 period. The BASIC group comprises Brazil, South Africa, India, and China. The developed nations either acknowledge their historical responsibilities, take lead in climate action or admit their failure to do so, they said. The Global Stocktake is a two-year UN review process to evaluate collective global progress in meeting the Paris Agreement's goals. Initiated in Glasgow in 2021, the ...

'Developed nations' L&D funding proposals threaten progress at COP28'

Experts from the Global South have expressed concern that developed countries' attempts to narrow the eligibility criteria for receiving loss and damage funding and expand the contributor base may slow down negotiations on the critical issue at COP28. They also stressed that developing countries must present a united front during COP28 -- the annual United Nations climate talks -- in Dubai in December to achieve a substantial decision on the matter. The creation of a Loss and Damage Fund (LDF) marked a significant milestone at COP27 in Egypt's Sharm El Sheikh last year and represented the culmination of years of advocacy by climate-vulnerable developing nations. The fund's primary objective is to offer financial support to countries that are highly vulnerable to severe impacts of climate change. Ministerial consultations held in New York last week on the funding arrangements for loss and damage highlighted stark disagreements between developed and developing nations regarding who ..

Glaciers in Switzerland lose 10% of their ice volume in two years

Swiss glaciers have lost as much ice over this two-year period as was lost over the three decades between 1960 and 1990

Itziar Irakulis Loitxate: The climate sleuth tracking methane leaks for UN

The 27-year-old PhD student isn't a detective but she may be the closest thing the world has to climate police

India slams nations' climate inaction; calls for focus on pre-2020 gaps

India has said that the first-ever Global Stocktake outcome should prioritise addressing pre-2020 gaps, capture equity as an overarching concern and acknowledge the serious lack of ambition among developed nations in combating climate change. Global Stocktake is a two-year UN review to evaluate collective global progress towards achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement. This process will conclude at the end of COP28 in Dubai. In a submission to the UNFCCC outlining its expectations from the Global Stocktake, India emphasised that the outcome should encourage developed nations to reduce their emissions in alignment with their historical responsibilities and provide support to developing countries in terms of finance, technology development and transfer, and capacity building. The Global Stocktake outcome must promote global climate action within the context of poverty eradication, sustainable development, economic diversification efforts, and closing gaps in social and economic ...

Exposure to air pollution linked to increased stroke risk within 5 days

Short-term exposure to air pollution may be linked to an increased risk of stroke, according to a study. The meta analysis, published recently in the the journal Neurology, defined short-term exposure as occurring within five days of the stroke. A stroke can cause lasting brain damage, long-term disability, or even death. Signs of a stroke can range from mild weakness to paralysis or numbness on one side of the face or body. "Previous research has established a connection between long-term exposure to air pollution and an increased risk of stroke," said study author Ahmad Toubasi, from the University of Jordan in Amman. "However, the correlation between short-term exposure to air pollution and stroke had been less clear. For our study, instead of looking at weeks or months of exposure, we looked at just five days and found a link between short-term exposure to air pollution and an increased risk of stroke," Toubasi said. The analysis involved a review of 110 studies that included

IAEA conference: India spells out plans to use N-power to achieve Net Zero

India on Wednesday spelt out plans to generate 22 GW power through nuclear energy to achieve Net Zero emissions for addressing the challenges posed by climate change. At the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Ajit Kumar Mohanty shared India's ambitious plans to step up nuclear power generation during a meeting with IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi. Mohanty is in Vienna to attend the annual IAEA General Conference. Grossi posted on X, "Greetings to Mohanty on India's ambitious plans to reach 22 GW through nuclear energy for Net Zero." Addressing the conference, Mohanty said Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) has been setting records in extended continuous power plant operations and maintaining excellent safety records. Some of its units have operated continuously for more than 365 days (a year) on 42 occasions and more than 700 days on five occasions. One remarkable achievement is that unit-3 at Kakrapar

Climate change pushes Southeast Asia to finally start sharing power

The urgency for Southeast Asian nations to switch to clean energy to combat climate change is reinvigorating a 20-year-old plan for the region to share power. Malaysia and Indonesia inked a deal in Bali, Indonesia last month to study 18 potential locations where cross-border transmission lines can be set up. Those links could eventually generate power roughly equivalent to what 33 nuclear power plants would produce in a year. They are economically and technically feasible, and now are supported by regional governments, said Beni Suryadi a power expert at the ASEAN Centre for Energy in Jakarta, Indonesia. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN is a political and economic gathering of 10 countries across a vast region, from tiny Brunei and Singapore to military-controlled Myanmar and fast-rising economic power Vietnam. Experts describe imports by Singapore of hydroelectric-generated power from Laos via transmissions through Thailand and Malaysia as a pathfinder project,

Brazil's Amazon rainforest drought may affect over 500,000 people

The Amazon rainforest in Brazil is facing a severe drought that may affect around 500,000 people by the end of the year, authorities said on Tuesday. Many are already struggling to access essential supplies such as food and water, because the principal means of transportation in the region is waterways, and river levels are historically low. Droughts also impact fishing, a means of subsistence for many riverside communities. Amazonas state declared an environmental emergency two weeks ago in response to the prolonged drought and launched a response plan valued at USD 20 million. Authorities will also distribute food and water supplies as well as personal hygiene kits, the state's civil defence agency said in a statement. Gov. Wilson Lima was in Brazil's capital, Brasilia, on Tuesday to meet with representatives of the federal government. Lima spoke with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to discuss the drought. The different levels of government will coordinate measures in suppor

Boost in solar energy, EV sales gives hope for climate goals: Research

The window to limit human-caused warming to a globally agreed goal is narrowing but still open because of the huge growth of solar energy and electric vehicles sales worldwide, a report said on Tuesday. For the last two years, the rate of the build up of solar energy and electric vehicle sales were in line with achieving emissions reductions targets that will help cap warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels, the Paris-based International Energy Agency said. But renewable power needs to triple by 2030, the sale of EVs needs to rise much more sharply 70 per cent of all vehicle sales as opposed to the current 13 per cent and methane emissions from the energy sector needs to fall by 75 per cent if global warming is to be curbed to the the Paris Agreement goal. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that is up to 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide in the short term. Investments in climate action also need to rise, from USD 1.8 trillion i

Rabi season: Govt aims 60% of wheat area under climate resilient varieties

Ahead of rabi sowing from next month, the Centre on Tuesday said it targets to bring 60 per cent of the total wheat area of 30 million hectare under the climate-resistant varieties amid strong El Nino conditions. Despite the challenges of climate change, the Union Agriculture Ministry has kept a target of achieving a record wheat output of 114 million tonne in the 2023-24 rabi season against the actual output of 112.74 million tonne in the year-ago period. Sowing of wheat, the main rabi (winter) crop, begins in October, while harvesting starts in March/April. Addressing a national conference held to chalk out a strategy for sowing rabi (winter) crops, Agriculture Secretary Manoj Ahuja said: "There are certain changes in climate change, which is affecting agriculture. Our strategy is climate resilient seeds". Faced with a heatwave in 2021, the government encouraged farmers in 2022 to go for heat-tolerant wheat varieties in 47 per cent of the total wheat acreage of 30 million ...

Researchers found the most intense heat wave ever registered- in Antarctica

Scientists found that the 39-degree temperature anomaly is the largest ever measured anywhere in the world

Net Zero by 2050 still possible with rapid renewables expansion: IEA

The report comes amid concerns of backsliding on climate and environmental commitments in Europe after the UK deferred its own ban on combustion engine cars by five years to 2035

Climate change: How Starbucks may be creating a new waste problem

All reusable cups have a "breakeven point"; If you drink from a ceramic mug 20 times before breaking it or sticking it in the attic, you're almost certainly better off using 20 paper cups instead

Flooding in Libya shows how disasters are man-made and not Acts of God

A rapid attribution study found that climate change played a role in the events

MDBs at the centre of any chance of meeting the climate challenge

Giving a lecture at a Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) event on 'The World is on Fire', Summers spoke about the challenges of overcoming poverty as well as climate change

Delhi joins campaign to build climate resilience, commits to green cover

Delhi has joined the "Race to Resilience", a UN-backed campaign to catalyse a step-change in the global ambition for climate resilience, with pledges including achieving a 25 per cent green cover within the next five years. Delhi's participation in the "Race to Resilience", announced during an event at the Climate Week NYC on Wednesday, comes with a set of commitments aimed at enhancing climate resilience while fostering sustainable development. These include investments in circular economy to re-purpose and reduce waste and in decentralised renewable energy sources to enhance access to clean and sustainable energy. As part of the campaign, the Delhi government has also committed to increasing the green space and tree planting, aiming to achieve a 25 per cent green cover in the next five years. According to the India State of Forest Report, Delhi's green cover currently stands at 23.06 per cent. The government said initiatives, such as the Delhi City of Lakes project, will rejuven

India to clock GDP growth of 6.5% in FY24: NITI Aayog member Arvind Virmani

The Indian economy will grow at around 6.5 per cent in the current fiscal, notwithstanding high crude oil prices and increased uncertainty due climate changes, NITI Aayog member Arvind Virmani said on Thursday. Virmani also asserted that the gross household savings ratio in India has consistently gone up. In an interview with PTI, he said: "My growth projection (of India's GDP growth) is 6.5 per cent plus minus 0.5 per cent... because my experience is that the fluctuations in global GDP more or less has balanced out for us, assuming normal changes." On some US-based economists' claim that India is overstating economic growth, Virmani said he has noticed that certain former officials don't have any idea how GDP is constructed as they have come from academic background. Last week, the Finance Ministry also dismissed the criticism of inflated GDP, saying it has followed the consistent practice of using the income side estimates to compute economic growth, and stressed many internatio

Biden using executive power to create New Deal-style American Climate Corps

After being thwarted by Congress, President Joe Biden will use his executive authority to create a New Deal-style American Climate Corps that will serve as a major green jobs training programme. In an announcement on Wednesday, the White House said the programme will employ about 20,000 young adults who will build trails, plant trees, help install solar panels and do other work to boost conservation and help prevent catastrophic wildfires. The climate corps had been proposed in early versions of the sweeping climate law approved last year but was jettisoned amid strong opposition from Republicans and concerns about cost. Democrats and environmental advocacy groups never gave up on the plan and pushed Biden in recent weeks to issue an executive order authorising what the White House now calls the American Climate Corps. The programme is modelled after the Civilian Conservation Corps, created in the 1930s by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, a Democrat, as part of the New Deal. This