Climate change is altering weather patterns, killing wildlife and increasing the temperature of the planet everyday. But that’s not all. Its far-reaching consequences are still slowly coming to light.

Now, ancient art is also succumbing to the disastrous effects of climate change. Rock art in Indonesia is decaying at an alarming rate, scientists pointed out in a new study.&nbsp;This way, changes in climate threaten artefacts from different historical junctions located in remote locations across the globe.

Researchers say that a picture of a wild pig which was drawn over 45,500 years ago on the island of Sulawesi is now decaying everyday. The picture is considered the world’s oldest animal cave painting. This particular piece of art is not the only one under threat. Reportedly, similar cave works of art in the region are also deteriorating at a scary rate with increase in temperatures.

Study lead Dr Jillian Huntley from the Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research in a press statement said that the findings signal the need for protecting&nbsp;such old works of art which may be lost to climate change in the coming years. “[The art] is disappearing before our eyes”, Huntley said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/millions-at-risk-as-cities-fail-to-adapt-to-climate-change-report-384466" hreflang="en">Millions at risk as cities fail to adapt to climate change: Report&nbsp;</a>

The art in question depicts a Sulawesi pig and is considered part of a larger narrative found in the Leang Tedongnge cave. The art shows the earliest evidence of human settlement in the valley in Sulawesi.

The study which observed the deterioration of the world’s oldest cave painting was published in Scientific Reports last week. It included a team of Australian and Indonesian researchers who ascertained that extreme weather patterns clubbed with constantly increasing temperatures have caused salts to accumulate in caves that host the art.

The salts in question change form depending on the weather conditions. During extremely hot conditions, the salts can expand to thrice their original size, according to the team’s findings. When left unchecked, the salts grow on top of the rock art, forcing parts of it to chip off the wall. Eventually, it can destroy complete works of art.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/humans-dont-stand-a-chance-against-artificial-intelligence-a-nobel-winning-scientist-explains-why-385856" hreflang="en">Humans don't stand a chance against artificial intelligence. A Nobel-winning scientist explains why</a>

Climate change is altering weather patterns, killing wildlife and increasing the temperature of the planet everyday. But that’s not all. Its far-reaching consequences are still slowly coming to light.

Climate change is altering weather patterns, killing wildlife and increasing the temperature of the planet everyday. But that’s not all. Its far-reaching consequences are still slowly coming to light. Now, ancient art is also succumbing to the disastrous effects of climate change. Rock art in Indonesia is decaying at an alarming rate, scientists pointed out in a new study. This way, changes in climate threaten artefacts from different historical junctions located in remote locations across the globe. Researchers say that a picture of a wild pig which was drawn over 45,500 years ago on the island of Sulawesi is now decaying everyday. The picture is considered the world’s oldest animal cave painting. This particular piece of art is not the only one under threat. Reportedly, similar cave works of art in the region are also deteriorating at a scary rate with increase in temperatures. Study lead Dr Jillian Huntley from the Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research in a press statement said that the findings signal the need for protecting such old works of art which may be lost to climate change in the coming years. “[The art] is disappearing before our eyes”, Huntley said. Also read: Millions at risk as cities fail to adapt to climate change: Report The art in question depicts a Sulawesi pig and is considered part of a larger narrative found in the Leang Tedongnge cave. The art shows the earliest evidence of human settlement in the valley in Sulawesi. The study which observed the deterioration of the world’s oldest cave painting was published in Scientific Reports last week. It included a team of Australian and Indonesian researchers who ascertained that extreme weather patterns clubbed with constantly increasing temperatures have caused salts to accumulate in caves that host the art. The salts in question change form depending on the weather conditions. During extremely hot conditions, the salts can expand to thrice their original size, according to the team’s findings. When left unchecked, the salts grow on top of the rock art, forcing parts of it to chip off the wall. Eventually, it can destroy complete works of art. Also read: Humans don't stand a chance against artificial intelligence. A Nobel-winning scientist explains why

Climate change is killing world's oldest animal cave painting in Sulawesi

Pope Francis is a "convincing moral authority" in the fight against climate change, the US' special climate envoy&nbsp;John&nbsp;Kerry&nbsp;told Vatican News Saturday after a meeting with the pontiff.&nbsp;

"The Holy Father is one of the most powerful voices on the planet, if not the most powerful,"&nbsp;Kerry&nbsp;told the Vatican's information portal in an interview.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-francis-backs-waivers-on-intellectual-property-rights-for-vaccines-384028">Pope Francis backs waivers on intellectual property rights for vaccines</a>

"But because he is above politics and outside of national conflicts, I think he can shake people up a little bit and bring them to the table of dialogue with a better sense of our common duty."

Kerry, who is on a European tour that will take him to Britain and Germany after Rome, met with the Argentine pope at the Vatican a day after a meeting with Prime Minister Mario Draghi.

"The Pope is one of the great voices of reason and a convincing moral authority on the issue of the climate crisis,"&nbsp;Kerry&nbsp;said, adding he believed the pontiff would be attending November's United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/stop-clashes-pope-francis-calls-for-end-to-violence-in-jerusalem-383901">'Stop Clashes': Pope Francis calls for end to violence in Jerusalem</a>

"We need everybody in this fight. All the leaders of the world need to come together and every country needs to do its part," he said.

The pope has called climate change "one of the principal challenges facing humanity" today. He has rebuked industrialised countries most responsible for the crisis while speaking up for the poor in developing countries who will feel its worst effects. &nbsp;

Last month, US President Joe Biden announced that the world's largest economy would cut emissions blamed for climate change by 50 to 52 per cent by 2030 compared with 2005 levels, doubling the country's previous commitments.

Kerry, a former senator who served as secretary of state under President Barack Obama, has said the next six months will be critical in shoring up support to upgrade commitments in the 2015 Paris Agreement.

The summit in Glasgow, he said in April, was "our last best hope to be able to coalesce the world in the right direction."

Pope Francis is a "convincing moral authority" in the fight against climate change, the US' special climate envoy John Kerry told Vatican News Saturday after a meeting with the pontiff.

Pope Francis is a "convincing moral authority" in the fight against climate change, the US' special climate envoy John Kerry told Vatican News Saturday after a meeting with the pontiff. "The Holy Father is one of the most powerful voices on the planet, if not the most powerful," Kerry told the Vatican's information portal in an interview. Also read | Pope Francis backs waivers on intellectual property rights for vaccines "But because he is above politics and outside of national conflicts, I think he can shake people up a little bit and bring them to the table of dialogue with a better sense of our common duty." Kerry, who is on a European tour that will take him to Britain and Germany after Rome, met with the Argentine pope at the Vatican a day after a meeting with Prime Minister Mario Draghi. "The Pope is one of the great voices of reason and a convincing moral authority on the issue of the climate crisis," Kerry said, adding he believed the pontiff would be attending November's United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow. Also read | 'Stop Clashes': Pope Francis calls for end to violence in Jerusalem "We need everybody in this fight. All the leaders of the world need to come together and every country needs to do its part," he said. The pope has called climate change "one of the principal challenges facing humanity" today. He has rebuked industrialised countries most responsible for the crisis while speaking up for the poor in developing countries who will feel its worst effects. Last month, US President Joe Biden announced that the world's largest economy would cut emissions blamed for climate change by 50 to 52 per cent by 2030 compared with 2005 levels, doubling the country's previous commitments. Kerry, a former senator who served as secretary of state under President Barack Obama, has said the next six months will be critical in shoring up support to upgrade commitments in the 2015 Paris Agreement. The summit in Glasgow, he said in April, was "our last best hope to be able to coalesce the world in the right direction."

US envoy Kerry calls pope 'powerful voice' on climate

Tesla Inc boss&nbsp;Elon&nbsp;Musk has&nbsp;denounced the "insane" amount of energy used to produce bitcoin, doubling down on his sudden rejection of the cryptocurrency as a means of payment over environmental concerns.

Musk, one of bitcoin's most ardent backers, tweeted a graph of bitcoin's power consumption and said: "Energy usage trend over past few months is insane."&nbsp;

Obtaining&nbsp;bitcoin&nbsp;is an energy-intensive endeavour, and the chart showed the evolution of its power usage, rising constantly from 2016 and accelerating sharply in 2020 on an annualized basis to hit its current level of 149 terawatt-hours (TWh), an all-time high.

That's compared to Google's entire energy usage of 12.2 TWh, and the approximately 200 TWh used by all data centers in the world except those that mine&nbsp;bitcoin, according to George Kamiya, an analyst at the International Energy Agency (IEA).

"If&nbsp;Bitcoin&nbsp;was a country, it would use around the same amount of electricity a year to mine as Switzerland does in total," Deutsche Bank analysts said in a note.

Indeed, the IEA predicts the situation could worsen: if miners used the most energy intensive equipment, their consumption could rise to 500 TWh.

Citing its energy consumption particularly by miners who use coal, Musk on Wednesday said Tesla would no longer accept&nbsp;bitcoin&nbsp;as a means of payment for its electric cars.

The announcement sent the cyrptocurrency's value down 15 percent to a two-and-a-half month low, a reversal from late March, when Tesla announced it would accept the digital currency as payment after announcing a $1.5 billion investment in&nbsp;bitcoin.

The promise of a juicy reward has fueled the rise in giant data centers dedicated to&nbsp;bitcoin, which reached a $1 trillion market capitalization earlier this year, before falling back.

The cryptocurrency is earned by participants in the network called "miners," who solve deliberately complicated equations using brute force processing power under the so-called "proof of work" protocol.

"Proof of work" was one of the founding principles of the best-known cryptocurrency, created in 2008 by an anonymous person or group that wanted a decentralized digital currency.

The system is designed so that around every 10 minutes, the network awards some&nbsp;bitcoin&nbsp;to those who have successfully cracked the puzzle.&nbsp;

But as the price of&nbsp;bitcoin&nbsp;has risen, interest in obtaining it has followed, along with electricity consumption.

Last month, scientific journal Nature published a study saying that emissions from mining in China, which powers nearly 80 percent of the global cryptocurrency trade, could compromise the country's climate goals.

That country relies on a particularly polluting type of coal, lignite, to power some of its mining.

Bloomberg predicts that it will take until 2060 before China can meet its cryptocurrency industry's needs through renewable energy.

One way to reduce energy consumption would be to move away from the processor-intensive "proof of work" model, similar to changes being considered for the Ethereum cryptocurrency.

But it's hard to imagine&nbsp;bitcoin&nbsp;making such a change, which could make its network less secure and decentralized.

"Tesla's move might serve as a wake-up call to businesses and consumers using&nbsp;Bitcoin, who hadn't hitherto considered its carbon footprint," said Laith Khalaf, a financial analyst at AJ Bell.

"This highlights that the long-term adoption of cryptocurrencies by businesses, consumers and investors is still highly uncertain."

(With inputs from agencies)

Tesla Inc boss Elon Musk has denounced the "insane" amount of energy used to produce bitcoin, doubling down on his sudden rejection of the cryptocurrency as a means of payment over environmental concerns.

Tesla Inc boss Elon Musk has denounced the "insane" amount of energy used to produce bitcoin, doubling down on his sudden rejection of the cryptocurrency as a means of payment over environmental concerns. Musk, one of bitcoin's most ardent backers, tweeted a graph of bitcoin's power consumption and said: "Energy usage trend over past few months is insane." Obtaining bitcoin is an energy-intensive endeavour, and the chart showed the evolution of its power usage, rising constantly from 2016 and accelerating sharply in 2020 on an annualized basis to hit its current level of 149 terawatt-hours (TWh), an all-time high. That's compared to Google's entire energy usage of 12.2 TWh, and the approximately 200 TWh used by all data centers in the world except those that mine bitcoin, according to George Kamiya, an analyst at the International Energy Agency (IEA). "If Bitcoin was a country, it would use around the same amount of electricity a year to mine as Switzerland does in total," Deutsche Bank analysts said in a note. Indeed, the IEA predicts the situation could worsen: if miners used the most energy intensive equipment, their consumption could rise to 500 TWh. Citing its energy consumption particularly by miners who use coal, Musk on Wednesday said Tesla would no longer accept bitcoin as a means of payment for its electric cars. The announcement sent the cyrptocurrency's value down 15 percent to a two-and-a-half month low, a reversal from late March, when Tesla announced it would accept the digital currency as payment after announcing a $1.5 billion investment in bitcoin. The promise of a juicy reward has fueled the rise in giant data centers dedicated to bitcoin, which reached a $1 trillion market capitalization earlier this year, before falling back. The cryptocurrency is earned by participants in the network called "miners," who solve deliberately complicated equations using brute force processing power under the so-called "proof of work" protocol. "Proof of work" was one of the founding principles of the best-known cryptocurrency, created in 2008 by an anonymous person or group that wanted a decentralized digital currency. The system is designed so that around every 10 minutes, the network awards some bitcoin to those who have successfully cracked the puzzle. But as the price of bitcoin has risen, interest in obtaining it has followed, along with electricity consumption. Last month, scientific journal Nature published a study saying that emissions from mining in China, which powers nearly 80 percent of the global cryptocurrency trade, could compromise the country's climate goals. That country relies on a particularly polluting type of coal, lignite, to power some of its mining. Bloomberg predicts that it will take until 2060 before China can meet its cryptocurrency industry's needs through renewable energy. One way to reduce energy consumption would be to move away from the processor-intensive "proof of work" model, similar to changes being considered for the Ethereum cryptocurrency. But it's hard to imagine bitcoin making such a change, which could make its network less secure and decentralized. "Tesla's move might serve as a wake-up call to businesses and consumers using Bitcoin, who hadn't hitherto considered its carbon footprint," said Laith Khalaf, a financial analyst at AJ Bell. "This highlights that the long-term adoption of cryptocurrencies by businesses, consumers and investors is still highly uncertain." (With inputs from agencies)

Here is why Elon Musk decried bitcoin's 'insane' energy use after Tesla payment U-turn

UK's COP26 President Alok Sharma said on Friday that the world must act now to slow global warming otherwise there will be a climate catastrophe. He also said that if we do not act now, the science tells us these effects will become more frequent and more brutal, that we will witness a scale of global catastrophe the likes of which the world has not seen.

UK's COP26 Chief says world must act now to avoid climate catastrophe

Observing an increase in climate-harming emissions, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/elon-musk?page=1">Elon Musk’s</a> electric car company, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/tesla">Tesla</a>, has decided to temporary suspend payment for cars with bitcoin.

"Tesla has suspended vehicle purchase using Bitcoin. We are concerned about the rapidly increasing use of fossil fuels for Bitcoin mining and transactions, especially coal, which has the worst emissions of any fuel," Musk&nbsp;said in a statement.

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Tesla &amp; Bitcoin <a href="https://t.co/YSswJmVZhP">pic.twitter.com/YSswJmVZhP</a>
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Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-elon-musk-reveals-he-has-asperger%E2%80%99s-syndrome-on-%E2%80%98saturday-night-live%E2%80%99-383885" hreflang="en">Elon Musk reveals he has Asperger’s syndrome on ‘Saturday Night Live’</a>

Recently, Tesla shifted towards fulfilling its owner’s dream of making electric cars mainstream and tried to drive people away from combustion engines pumping out emissions contributing to climate change.

In a bid to give a boost to digital currency, in March, the electric car company started accepting bitcoin in exchange for electric cars from Tesla.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/elon-musks-tesla-says-it-appears-driver-was-at-the-wheel-in-crash-380728" hreflang="en">Elon Musk's Tesla says it appears driver was at the wheel in crash</a>

"Cryptocurrency is a good idea on many levels and we believe it has a promising future, but this can not come at great cost to the environment," the statement read.

Musk also said that Tesla will not be selling any of its bitcoin and will wait to resume bitcoin purchases and sales only after "mining transitions to more sustainable energy".

Meanwhile, the company is also looking at other options in digital currency that do not harm the environment like bitcoin.

Observing an increase in climate-harming emissions, Elon Musk’s electric car company, Tesla, has decided to temporary suspend payment for cars with bitcoin. "Tesla has suspended vehicle purchase using Bitcoin.

Observing an increase in climate-harming emissions, Elon Musk’s electric car company, Tesla, has decided to temporary suspend payment for cars with bitcoin. "Tesla has suspended vehicle purchase using Bitcoin. We are concerned about the rapidly increasing use of fossil fuels for Bitcoin mining and transactions, especially coal, which has the worst emissions of any fuel," Musk said in a statement. Tesla & Bitcoin pic.twitter.com/YSswJmVZhP — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 12, 2021 × Also read | Elon Musk reveals he has Asperger’s syndrome on ‘Saturday Night Live’ Recently, Tesla shifted towards fulfilling its owner’s dream of making electric cars mainstream and tried to drive people away from combustion engines pumping out emissions contributing to climate change. In a bid to give a boost to digital currency, in March, the electric car company started accepting bitcoin in exchange for electric cars from Tesla. Also read | Elon Musk's Tesla says it appears driver was at the wheel in crash "Cryptocurrency is a good idea on many levels and we believe it has a promising future, but this can not come at great cost to the environment," the statement read. Musk also said that Tesla will not be selling any of its bitcoin and will wait to resume bitcoin purchases and sales only after "mining transitions to more sustainable energy". Meanwhile, the company is also looking at other options in digital currency that do not harm the environment like bitcoin.

Elon Musk's Tesla halts bitcoin purchases amid concerns of increasing carbon emissions

As climate activists raise concerns about the disappearing greens from the face of the Earth, research has revealed that an area of forest the size of France has been regrown over the years.

As per research conducted by Trillion Trees led by WWF, nearly 59 million hectares of forests have regrown since the year 2000 all over the world.

This study was commissioned in 2018 and used satellite imaging data and also conducted on-ground surveys in dozens of countries. Through this, the researchers identified areas such as the Atlantic forest in Brazil where greens gave regrown the size of the Netherlands.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/marine-animals-thought-extinct-for-273-million-years-found-in-pacific-ocean-384121" hreflang="en">Marine animals thought extinct for 273 million years found in Pacific Ocean!</a>

"The&nbsp;Mata Atlântica, or Atlantic Forest, along the coast of South America was once one of the natural wonders of the world. Stretching from Northern Brazil to Argentina, it occupied more than a million square kilometres, harbouring an unparalleled variety of life," the study read.

The boreal forests of Mongolia have also seen regrowth of nearly 1.2mn hectares of forest. This has been possible solely due to the Mongolian government and a group of conservationists. Similarly, central Africa and Canada have also seen the regrowth of forests.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/deforestation-of-brazilian-amazon-hits-record-in-april-383654" hreflang="en">Deforestation of Brazilian Amazon hits record in April</a>

Researchers are hoping this research will help experts "understand the local parameters that may have allowed or encouraged natural regeneration," stated the report.

While the regrowth has come as a good sign, the researchers have warned that the Earth is still losing forests "at a terrifying rate".

A few previous researchers have warned that due to deforestation, the world is losing at least forest area as big as the UK every year, which is mainly to fulfil the demand for timber and for agricultural activities.

"The science is clear – if we are to avoid dangerous climate change and turn around the loss of nature, we must both halt deforestation and restore natural forests," said William Baldwin-Cantello, director of nature-based solutions at WWF. "We've known for a long time that natural forest regeneration is often cheaper, richer in carbon and better for biodiversity than actively planted forests, and this research tells us where and why regeneration is happening, and how we can recreate those conditions elsewhere."

However, he also warned that regeneration cannot be taken for granted as deforestation is still one of the biggest problems the Earth faces.

As climate activists raise concerns about the disappearing greens from the face of the Earth, research has revealed that an area of forest the size of France has been regrown over the years.

As climate activists raise concerns about the disappearing greens from the face of the Earth, research has revealed that an area of forest the size of France has been regrown over the years. As per research conducted by Trillion Trees led by WWF, nearly 59 million hectares of forests have regrown since the year 2000 all over the world. This study was commissioned in 2018 and used satellite imaging data and also conducted on-ground surveys in dozens of countries. Through this, the researchers identified areas such as the Atlantic forest in Brazil where greens gave regrown the size of the Netherlands. Also read | Marine animals thought extinct for 273 million years found in Pacific Ocean! "The Mata Atlântica, or Atlantic Forest, along the coast of South America was once one of the natural wonders of the world. Stretching from Northern Brazil to Argentina, it occupied more than a million square kilometres, harbouring an unparalleled variety of life," the study read. The boreal forests of Mongolia have also seen regrowth of nearly 1.2mn hectares of forest. This has been possible solely due to the Mongolian government and a group of conservationists. Similarly, central Africa and Canada have also seen the regrowth of forests. Also read | Deforestation of Brazilian Amazon hits record in April Researchers are hoping this research will help experts "understand the local parameters that may have allowed or encouraged natural regeneration," stated the report. While the regrowth has come as a good sign, the researchers have warned that the Earth is still losing forests "at a terrifying rate". A few previous researchers have warned that due to deforestation, the world is losing at least forest area as big as the UK every year, which is mainly to fulfil the demand for timber and for agricultural activities. "The science is clear – if we are to avoid dangerous climate change and turn around the loss of nature, we must both halt deforestation and restore natural forests," said William Baldwin-Cantello, director of nature-based solutions at WWF. "We've known for a long time that natural forest regeneration is often cheaper, richer in carbon and better for biodiversity than actively planted forests, and this research tells us where and why regeneration is happening, and how we can recreate those conditions elsewhere." However, he also warned that regeneration cannot be taken for granted as deforestation is still one of the biggest problems the Earth faces.

France-sized forest regrown over 20 years: Study

Hundreds of cities have no climate adaptation plans in place despite rising threats like floods, heatwaves and pollution, according to a report on Wednesday that said this could put 400 million people at risk across the world.&nbsp;

Fast-expanding urban areas are home to more than half the population of the planet and are increasingly exposed to climate-fuelled disasters, economic shocks and health crises as the world warms, with fears that vulnerable communities will be hardest hit. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

CDP, a global non-profit that collects data disclosed by companies, cities, states and regions on environmental impact, analysed over 800 global cities and found that 43 per cent do not yet have a plan to adapt to the challenges of climate change. &nbsp;

With more and more people drawn to live in urban areas, CDP estimated that by 2030 around 400 million people will be living in poorly prepared cities. &nbsp;

"The urgent need to act and have adaptation measures in place to keep the citizens safe, is increasing together with (the growing urban population)," said Mirjam Wolfrum, CDP's Policy Director for Europe. &nbsp;

She said that 93 per cent of the cities included in the report were facing 'significant threats', while 60 per cent highlighted 'substantive' water security issues. &nbsp;

The top five hazards are flash and surface flooding, including from rising sea levels, heat waves, rainstorms, extreme hot days and droughts, she said, adding that air pollution is also a major health concern. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Ongoing adaptation strategies in the municipalities that reported to CDP include tree planting (20 percent), flood mapping (18 per cent) and developing crisis management plans like evacuation systems (14 per cent). &nbsp;&nbsp;

With cities responsible for some 70 per cent of global emissions, the report said urban centres are also looking at schemes like increasing the use of renewable energy and improving green spaces, transport infrastructure and recycling.&nbsp;

Hundreds of cities have no climate adaptation plans in place despite rising threats like floods, heatwaves and pollution, according to a report on Wednesday that said this could put 400 million people at risk across the world.

Hundreds of cities have no climate adaptation plans in place despite rising threats like floods, heatwaves and pollution, according to a report on Wednesday that said this could put 400 million people at risk across the world. Fast-expanding urban areas are home to more than half the population of the planet and are increasingly exposed to climate-fuelled disasters, economic shocks and health crises as the world warms, with fears that vulnerable communities will be hardest hit. CDP, a global non-profit that collects data disclosed by companies, cities, states and regions on environmental impact, analysed over 800 global cities and found that 43 per cent do not yet have a plan to adapt to the challenges of climate change. With more and more people drawn to live in urban areas, CDP estimated that by 2030 around 400 million people will be living in poorly prepared cities. "The urgent need to act and have adaptation measures in place to keep the citizens safe, is increasing together with (the growing urban population)," said Mirjam Wolfrum, CDP's Policy Director for Europe. She said that 93 per cent of the cities included in the report were facing 'significant threats', while 60 per cent highlighted 'substantive' water security issues. The top five hazards are flash and surface flooding, including from rising sea levels, heat waves, rainstorms, extreme hot days and droughts, she said, adding that air pollution is also a major health concern. Ongoing adaptation strategies in the municipalities that reported to CDP include tree planting (20 percent), flood mapping (18 per cent) and developing crisis management plans like evacuation systems (14 per cent). With cities responsible for some 70 per cent of global emissions, the report said urban centres are also looking at schemes like increasing the use of renewable energy and improving green spaces, transport infrastructure and recycling.

Millions at risk as cities fail to adapt to climate change: Report 

They say climate change is a global issue, something that the entire world is responsible for. But for more that two centuries, western countries went on a pollution spree. The West was a powerhouse of emmissions with its trains, factories, oil refineries and much more.

Most of the pollution we see today is from that era. This is because climate change doesn't take place immediately. Today's pollution builds up for disaster in future.

We are told that every country is equally responsible. It's an&nbsp;excellent bit of propaganda. US and Europe polluted the world and made big money. But now, China is out-polluting the world.

China accounted for 27 per cent of Greenhouse gas emissions in 2019. This is more than the US, India, the EU and Japan put together. In fact if we leave India and developed nations, they would fall short of China.

Where is China headed? Where does this leave the battle against climate change? And what role will the West play?

Question number one: Where is china headed?

President Xi Jinping says China's emissions will peak by 2030. So to answer the question. China's emissions are heading up. In 2020 they surged 1.7 per cent. Notably, this surge was recorded during the pandemic year. Global emmissions during this period dropped. But China's went up.

What about per capita numbers?

China usually scores well on this indicator. It helps when you have 1.4 billion people to share the massive load. But in 2019, that wasn't the case. The developed world reported 10.5 tonnes per capita. China came close with 10.1 tonnes.

They were at 7.18 tonnes in 2016. So the rise has been exponential. In the last two decades, Chinese per capita emission tripled.

If this trend holds,&nbsp;China will overtake the US before 2030.

Where does this leave China's climate commitments? Peak emissions by 2030. Net zero by 2050. That's what Xi Jinping has promised.

How realistic is this?

Last year, Beijing cleared coal power projects worth 474 million dollars. These are all investments outside China.

What about inside the country? More than half the energy demand is still met using coal. So Beijing is using the western playbook.

In fact they are perfecting it. Exporting pollution. And at the same time, burning coal at home.

Question number two, where does this leave the battle against climate change?

Chinese officials have ranked their priorities. Economic growth beats pollution. On this, most of the developing world is in agreement. But China's pace is worrying. It makes up nearly 18 per cent of world population. But 27% of emissions. A climate change conversation without China is pointless.

So far, they have promised a lot. But with China, promises don't matter.&nbsp;Which brings us to the third question.

What can the West do?

To be honest, they have done enough damage. So it would be better for them to stay away. We are still paying for their centuries of pollution.

A graph of cumulative emmissions from 1750 to 2019 shows developed world accounting for 1,000 gigatonnes of emissions.

What about China? Somewhere around 200. That's how far ahead the West is. The developing world would take decades to catch up.

But here's the thing, countries like India don't want to catch up. They are exploring green alternatives. But China is steaming ahead with coal. There are 1,058 coal plants in the country. More than half the global capacity is in China.

What about their Paris Accord goals?

Climate trackers have called the progress highly insufficient. So that's where things stand. The West is still the big villain. They must foot the bill for reversing climate change. But China is catching up fast. If they don't turn away from coal. You can add climate change to the list of things China must pay for.

They say climate change is a global issue, something that the entire world is responsible for. But for more that two centuries, western countries went on a pollution spree.

They say climate change is a global issue, something that the entire world is responsible for. But for more that two centuries, western countries went on a pollution spree. The West was a powerhouse of emmissions with its trains, factories, oil refineries and much more. Most of the pollution we see today is from that era. This is because climate change doesn't take place immediately. Today's pollution builds up for disaster in future. We are told that every country is equally responsible. It's an excellent bit of propaganda. US and Europe polluted the world and made big money. But now, China is out-polluting the world. China accounted for 27 per cent of Greenhouse gas emissions in 2019. This is more than the US, India, the EU and Japan put together. In fact if we leave India and developed nations, they would fall short of China. Where is China headed? Where does this leave the battle against climate change? And what role will the West play? Question number one: Where is china headed? President Xi Jinping says China's emissions will peak by 2030. So to answer the question. China's emissions are heading up. In 2020 they surged 1.7 per cent. Notably, this surge was recorded during the pandemic year. Global emmissions during this period dropped. But China's went up. What about per capita numbers? China usually scores well on this indicator. It helps when you have 1.4 billion people to share the massive load. But in 2019, that wasn't the case. The developed world reported 10.5 tonnes per capita. China came close with 10.1 tonnes. They were at 7.18 tonnes in 2016. So the rise has been exponential. In the last two decades, Chinese per capita emission tripled. If this trend holds, China will overtake the US before 2030. Where does this leave China's climate commitments? Peak emissions by 2030. Net zero by 2050. That's what Xi Jinping has promised. How realistic is this? Last year, Beijing cleared coal power projects worth 474 million dollars. These are all investments outside China. What about inside the country? More than half the energy demand is still met using coal. So Beijing is using the western playbook. In fact they are perfecting it. Exporting pollution. And at the same time, burning coal at home. Question number two, where does this leave the battle against climate change? Chinese officials have ranked their priorities. Economic growth beats pollution. On this, most of the developing world is in agreement. But China's pace is worrying. It makes up nearly 18 per cent of world population. But 27% of emissions. A climate change conversation without China is pointless. So far, they have promised a lot. But with China, promises don't matter. Which brings us to the third question. What can the West do? To be honest, they have done enough damage. So it would be better for them to stay away. We are still paying for their centuries of pollution. A graph of cumulative emmissions from 1750 to 2019 shows developed world accounting for 1,000 gigatonnes of emissions. What about China? Somewhere around 200. That's how far ahead the West is. The developing world would take decades to catch up. But here's the thing, countries like India don't want to catch up. They are exploring green alternatives. But China is steaming ahead with coal. There are 1,058 coal plants in the country. More than half the global capacity is in China. What about their Paris Accord goals? Climate trackers have called the progress highly insufficient. So that's where things stand. The West is still the big villain. They must foot the bill for reversing climate change. But China is catching up fast. If they don't turn away from coal. You can add climate change to the list of things China must pay for.

China is out-polluting the world

Climate change could demolish Kenya’s tea production as temperatures continue to rise.&nbsp; Kenya is the world’s largest exporter of tea which has been deeply affected by unpredictable rainfall and infestations of insects, as per a report by the&nbsp;charity Christian Aid.

After water, tea is the most consumed drink in the world and has been affected by disruption in tea supplies from the country, which might have global impact.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/kenya-farmers-are-fighting-back-locusts-by-turning-insects-into-protein-rich-animal-feed-369663/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The Christian Aid charity said that the country’s black tea crop is currently under threat. This is just the tip of the iceberg, scientists believe,&nbsp;for climate change will cause shortages of such crops across the world as the planet warms.

The report cited a peer-reviewed study which stated that the threat of rising temperatures and unpredictable weather patterns has multiplied tremendously. By 2050, droughts and insect infestations could destroy 26.2 per cent of the country’s tea growing areas.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/pandemic-war-climate-change-fuel-fears-of-global-hunger-food-scarcity-383200" hreflang="en">Pandemic, war, climate change fuel fears of global hunger, food scarcity</a>

During the same time frame, climate change will reduce areas with growth capability by 40 per cent. "For generations we have carefully cultivated our tea farms and we are proud that the tea that we grow here is the best in the world," Richard Koskei, a tea farmer from Kenya told AFP.

According to the head of Christian Aid’s Africa division, Karimi Kinoti, tea was an example of how countries that contributed least to climate change will suffer its most dire consequences.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/climate-change-the-action-is-missing-despite-the-high-profile-summits-379354" hreflang="en">Climate change: The action is missing despite the high-profile summits</a>

"Africans make up 17 percent of the world's population but we generate just four percent of the greenhouse gas emissions that have caused the climate crisis… And yet it is we who are suffering the brunt of the impacts of climate change”, she said.

According to the report, the livelihoods of over 3 million people in the country’s tea industry are now under threat.

(With inputs from agencies)

Climate change could demolish Kenya’s tea production as temperatures continue to rise. Kenya is the world’s largest exporter of tea which has been deeply affected by unpredictable rainfall and infestations of insects, as per a report by the charity Christian Aid.

Climate change could demolish Kenya’s tea production as temperatures continue to rise. Kenya is the world’s largest exporter of tea which has been deeply affected by unpredictable rainfall and infestations of insects, as per a report by the charity Christian Aid. After water, tea is the most consumed drink in the world and has been affected by disruption in tea supplies from the country, which might have global impact. The Christian Aid charity said that the country’s black tea crop is currently under threat. This is just the tip of the iceberg, scientists believe, for climate change will cause shortages of such crops across the world as the planet warms. The report cited a peer-reviewed study which stated that the threat of rising temperatures and unpredictable weather patterns has multiplied tremendously. By 2050, droughts and insect infestations could destroy 26.2 per cent of the country’s tea growing areas. Also read: Pandemic, war, climate change fuel fears of global hunger, food scarcity During the same time frame, climate change will reduce areas with growth capability by 40 per cent. "For generations we have carefully cultivated our tea farms and we are proud that the tea that we grow here is the best in the world," Richard Koskei, a tea farmer from Kenya told AFP. According to the head of Christian Aid’s Africa division, Karimi Kinoti, tea was an example of how countries that contributed least to climate change will suffer its most dire consequences. Also read: Climate change: The action is missing despite the high-profile summits "Africans make up 17 percent of the world's population but we generate just four percent of the greenhouse gas emissions that have caused the climate crisis… And yet it is we who are suffering the brunt of the impacts of climate change”, she said. According to the report, the livelihoods of over 3 million people in the country’s tea industry are now under threat. (With inputs from agencies)

Climate change to destroy over 20% of tea growing areas in Kenya by 2050

Limiting global warming to 1.5°C could halve how much sea levels rise due to melting ice sheets this century, according to a major new study modelling how Earth's frozen spaces will respond to ever-increasing greenhouse gas emissions.

Since 1993, melting land ice has contributed to at least half of global sea level rise and scientists have previously warned that the vast ice sheets of Antarctica were disappearing faster than worst-case scenarios.

An international team of more than 50 climate scientists combined hundreds of melt simulations of the Antarctica and Greenland ice sheets, which contain enough frozen water to raise the world's seas some 65 metres (213 feet).

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/california-sequoia-still-smoldering-after-2020-fires-383159" hreflang="en">California sequoia still smoldering after 2020 fires</a>

They also included melt modelling from Earth's more than 220,000 glaciers, which make up only one percent of ice on the planet but contribute as much as a fifth of sea level rise.

The team analysed the models to come up with probability estimates of how much melting ice would raise oceans under a variety of emissions pathways.

They found that if mankind successfully limits warming to 1.5°C -- the goal set down in the Paris climate deal -- it could halve ice's contribution to sea level rise by 2100.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/study-finds-air-pollution-spikes-may-impair-older-mens-thinking-382739" hreflang="en">Study finds air pollution spikes may impair older men’s thinking&nbsp;</a>

This is compared with the roughly 3C of warming Earth would undergo if countries' current emissions-cutting pledges played out.

"Global sea level is going to continue to rise," said lead study author Tamsin Edwards, from King's College London's department of geography.

"But we could halve that contribution from ice melting if we limit warming to 1.5°C, relative to current pledges."

Antarctic uncertainty

The study, published in the journal Nature, found that the average contribution to sea level rise from melting ice at 1.5°C was 13 centimetres (five inches) by 2100, compared to the 25 centimetres currently projected.

The analysis showed that sea level rise attributed to the Greenland ice sheet would fall 70 percent if the 1.5°C target was met, and land-based glaciers' contribution would roughly halve.

However the projections were less clear and varied widely when it came to Antarctica.

Co-author Sophie Nowicki, from the NASA Goddard Flight Center, said the uncertainty in the models was largely down to what extent increased snowfall across a warming continent would offset melting from the ice shelves.

"Greenland is really sensitive to atmospheric changes, and so in a warmer world you get more melting on the surface of the ice sheets," said Nowicki.

"In Antarctica it is very complex. A warmer world could mean more snowfall, but it could also mean more melt at the side of the icesheet."

The calculations showed a 95 percent chance that Antarctica would contribute less than 56 centimetres to sea level rise by 2100.

But under a "pessimistic scenario", the study showed, Antarctica could raise global oceans by more than that even if humanity manages to cap warming at 1.5°C.

'Irreversible' melt

A second study, also published Wednesday in Nature, found that limiting warming to 2C above industrial levels was likely to maintain the current rate of ice melt in Antarctica.

However, if current emissions-cutting pledges are not intensified by 2060, the models showed that the continent could contribute half a centimetre to sea levels every year by 2100.

Furthermore, the study warned that if emissions continue at their current levels, a tipping point will be reached around 2060 which would lead to Antarctic melt that would be "irreversible on multi-century timescales".

The research, led by a team from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, modelled how the ice shelves that keep the Antarctic ice sheet from collapsing into the sea were likely to respond to temperature changes this century.

With greater warming, the ice shelves thin and become more fragile, the models showed, risking accelerated melt from the ice sheet, as well as "calving", which is when large chunks of ice break off into the sea, as has happened already in parts of the Arctic.

"Global warming above 2C increases risk of exceeding a tipping point- where ice shelves thin or collapse, allowing a major acceleration in ice loss- and sea level rise," lead author Robert DeConto told AFP.

"Once set in motion, the ice retreat is unstoppable, because the buttressing ice shelves don't easily regrow in a warming ocean."

Limiting global warming to 1.5°C could halve how much sea levels rise due to melting ice sheets this century, according to a major new study modelling how Earth's frozen spaces will respond to ever-increasing greenhouse gas emissions.

Limiting global warming to 1.5°C could halve how much sea levels rise due to melting ice sheets this century, according to a major new study modelling how Earth's frozen spaces will respond to ever-increasing greenhouse gas emissions. Since 1993, melting land ice has contributed to at least half of global sea level rise and scientists have previously warned that the vast ice sheets of Antarctica were disappearing faster than worst-case scenarios. An international team of more than 50 climate scientists combined hundreds of melt simulations of the Antarctica and Greenland ice sheets, which contain enough frozen water to raise the world's seas some 65 metres (213 feet). Also read | California sequoia still smoldering after 2020 fires They also included melt modelling from Earth's more than 220,000 glaciers, which make up only one percent of ice on the planet but contribute as much as a fifth of sea level rise. The team analysed the models to come up with probability estimates of how much melting ice would raise oceans under a variety of emissions pathways. They found that if mankind successfully limits warming to 1.5°C -- the goal set down in the Paris climate deal -- it could halve ice's contribution to sea level rise by 2100. Also read | Study finds air pollution spikes may impair older men’s thinking This is compared with the roughly 3C of warming Earth would undergo if countries' current emissions-cutting pledges played out. "Global sea level is going to continue to rise," said lead study author Tamsin Edwards, from King's College London's department of geography. "But we could halve that contribution from ice melting if we limit warming to 1.5°C, relative to current pledges." Antarctic uncertainty The study, published in the journal Nature, found that the average contribution to sea level rise from melting ice at 1.5°C was 13 centimetres (five inches) by 2100, compared to the 25 centimetres currently projected. The analysis showed that sea level rise attributed to the Greenland ice sheet would fall 70 percent if the 1.5°C target was met, and land-based glaciers' contribution would roughly halve. However the projections were less clear and varied widely when it came to Antarctica. Co-author Sophie Nowicki, from the NASA Goddard Flight Center, said the uncertainty in the models was largely down to what extent increased snowfall across a warming continent would offset melting from the ice shelves. "Greenland is really sensitive to atmospheric changes, and so in a warmer world you get more melting on the surface of the ice sheets," said Nowicki. "In Antarctica it is very complex. A warmer world could mean more snowfall, but it could also mean more melt at the side of the icesheet." The calculations showed a 95 percent chance that Antarctica would contribute less than 56 centimetres to sea level rise by 2100. But under a "pessimistic scenario", the study showed, Antarctica could raise global oceans by more than that even if humanity manages to cap warming at 1.5°C. 'Irreversible' melt A second study, also published Wednesday in Nature, found that limiting warming to 2C above industrial levels was likely to maintain the current rate of ice melt in Antarctica. However, if current emissions-cutting pledges are not intensified by 2060, the models showed that the continent could contribute half a centimetre to sea levels every year by 2100. Furthermore, the study warned that if emissions continue at their current levels, a tipping point will be reached around 2060 which would lead to Antarctic melt that would be "irreversible on multi-century timescales". The research, led by a team from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, modelled how the ice shelves that keep the Antarctic ice sheet from collapsing into the sea were likely to respond to temperature changes this century. With greater warming, the ice shelves thin and become more fragile, the models showed, risking accelerated melt from the ice sheet, as well as "calving", which is when large chunks of ice break off into the sea, as has happened already in parts of the Arctic. "Global warming above 2C increases risk of exceeding a tipping point- where ice shelves thin or collapse, allowing a major acceleration in ice loss- and sea level rise," lead author Robert DeConto told AFP. "Once set in motion, the ice retreat is unstoppable, because the buttressing ice shelves don't easily regrow in a warming ocean."

1.5C warming cap could 'halve' sea level rise from melting ice

Climate Change is a global threat. The Mobius Foundation got the best minds in the world to brainstorm solutions at the International Council on Sustainability Education 2019. Watch it on 'Mission Sustainability-Population vs Planet'

Mission Sustainability: Population vs Planet | Fighting climate change

Greenhouse gases are warming the world. Why is it considered to be one of the biggest problems faced by humankind? How can we reduce our carbon footprint? Watch 'Mission Sustainability - Population vs Planet'

Mission Sustainability: Population vs Planet | Effects of Carbon footprint

Climate change is triggering an unprecedented crisis as ice sheets continue to melt. Now, a new study posits that global sea levels could rise by 20 per cent by the end of this century owing to the continuous melting of West Antarctic Ice Sheet.

On multiple occasions, scientists have warned of the dangers posed by expedited melting of ice caps and sheets which could drown towns and cities across the world.&nbsp;But the potential threat of the increase in sea levels from the West Antarctic Ice Sheet was downplayed till now. This implies that the increase in sea level would be much higher than previously estimated.

The study was published in the journal “Science Advances” and was undertaken by researchers from Harvard University in the United States. They used new calculations based on what they witnessed along the ice sheet, which they’ve referred&nbsp;as a “water expulsion mechanism”.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/scientists-reveal-how-hot-antarctica-will-be-by-2044-due-to-climate-change-371098" hreflang="en">Scientists reveal how hot Antarctica will be by 2044 due to climate change</a>

Simply put, the mechanism happens when&nbsp;the solid base of the ice sheet begins to move upwards, decreasing the total weight of the ice sheet. In usual circumstances, the solid base or “bedrock” remains below sea level. But when it lifts itself, the water from the surrounding area is pushed into the ocean, contributing to the global increase in sea levels.

A simulation undertaken by the scientists showed that by the end of the ongoing century, a 20 per cent increase in the water expulsion mechanism could take place along the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. In case the ice sheet completely collapses, the global rise in sea levels would be amplified by an additional metre within 1,000 years.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/scientists-discover-life-where-it-shouldnt-exist-in-antarctica-363842" hreflang="en">Scientists discover life where it shouldn't exist in Antarctica</a>

Scientists hope that others would follow suit in including the scope of water expulsion effect in further enquiries into the potential collapse of ice sheets on the planet.

(With inputs from agencies)

Climate change is triggering an unprecedented crisis as ice sheets continue to melt. Now, a new study posits that global sea levels could rise by 20 per cent by the end of this century owing to the continuous melting of West Antarctic Ice Sheet.

Climate change is triggering an unprecedented crisis as ice sheets continue to melt. Now, a new study posits that global sea levels could rise by 20 per cent by the end of this century owing to the continuous melting of West Antarctic Ice Sheet. On multiple occasions, scientists have warned of the dangers posed by expedited melting of ice caps and sheets which could drown towns and cities across the world. But the potential threat of the increase in sea levels from the West Antarctic Ice Sheet was downplayed till now. This implies that the increase in sea level would be much higher than previously estimated. The study was published in the journal “Science Advances” and was undertaken by researchers from Harvard University in the United States. They used new calculations based on what they witnessed along the ice sheet, which they’ve referred as a “water expulsion mechanism”. Also read: Scientists reveal how hot Antarctica will be by 2044 due to climate change Simply put, the mechanism happens when the solid base of the ice sheet begins to move upwards, decreasing the total weight of the ice sheet. In usual circumstances, the solid base or “bedrock” remains below sea level. But when it lifts itself, the water from the surrounding area is pushed into the ocean, contributing to the global increase in sea levels. A simulation undertaken by the scientists showed that by the end of the ongoing century, a 20 per cent increase in the water expulsion mechanism could take place along the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. In case the ice sheet completely collapses, the global rise in sea levels would be amplified by an additional metre within 1,000 years. Also read: Scientists discover life where it shouldn't exist in Antarctica Scientists hope that others would follow suit in including the scope of water expulsion effect in further enquiries into the potential collapse of ice sheets on the planet. (With inputs from agencies)

Melting of Antarctic ice sheet could raise sea levels by 20%, new study finds

India's external affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar will visit the United Kingdom tomorrow for the G7 Foreign Minister's meet. The United Kingdom has invited India for an in-person G7 foreign ministers meeting, for which FMs of Australia, South Korea, South Africa, and the Chair and Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have also been invited.&nbsp;

"External Affairs Minister will be visiting London from May&nbsp;3-6,&nbsp;2021 to participate in the G7 Foreign Ministers Meeting, at which India has been invited as a guest country. He will thereafter undertake a bilateral visit to the UK," the ministry of external affairs release said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jaishankar-to-visit-london-to-discuss-global-medical-supply-chain-in-g7-ministerial-381800" hreflang="en">Jaishankar to visit London to discuss global medical supply chain in G7 ministerial</a>

The meet takes place in London from May 3&nbsp;to 5&nbsp;and will be the first physical G7 FMs meet to take place in over two years. The last such G7 FMs meet took place in Dinard and Saint-Malo, France in April 2019.&nbsp;

Ahead of the visit, EAM and UK Foreign secretary Dominic Raab both spoke to each other on a range of issues including the ongoing covid pandemic in India. The UK is sending supplies to India to deal with the devastating covid pandemic. These supplies include 495 oxygen concentrators, that can extract oxygen from the air, 120 non-invasive ventilators, and 20 manual ventilators.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-needs-to-take-some-decisions-to-ease-pandemic-situation-381794" hreflang="en">India needs to take some decisions to ease pandemic situation</a>

The visit by EAM will not only see him taking part in G7 FMs meet but also many bilaterals as well. US Secretary of state Antony Blinken will also travel to London and a bilateral between the two is likely. This will the first physical meet between the 2 ministers since the new Biden administration took charge.

"Secretary Blinken will attend the G7 Foreign and Development Minister’s Meeting in London, the United Kingdom, from May 3-5, 2021," the US State Department said.

G7 is a grouping of 7 industrialized countries--Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, US &amp; UK - plus the EU. The key focus of the meet obviously will be on the ongoing covid crisis that continues to ravage large parts of the world but also Climate Change with the UK set to host the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) meet later this year.

The meet will also talk about the agenda of the upcoming G7 leaders meet under UK's chairmanship. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited to the 47th G7 summit that will take place in Carbis Bay, Cornwall, the UK from 11th to 13th June. India has been regularly invited for the G7 summit since 2019--first by France, then in 2020 by the US, and now by the UK this year. The physical G7 meet last year, under the then US President Donald Trump never happened, for reasons not known but perhaps due to covid pandemic.&nbsp;

The then Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was first invited for the G8 grouping in 2005, back then by the UK in Gleneagles. Group became G7 after Russia was "disinvited" in 2014 over the Crimea crisis.

India's external affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar will visit the United Kingdom tomorrow for the G7 Foreign Minister's meet. The United Kingdom has invited India for an in-person G7 foreign ministers meeting, for which FMs of Australia, South Korea, South Africa, and the Chair and Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have also been invited.

India's external affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar will visit the United Kingdom tomorrow for the G7 Foreign Minister's meet. The United Kingdom has invited India for an in-person G7 foreign ministers meeting, for which FMs of Australia, South Korea, South Africa, and the Chair and Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have also been invited. "External Affairs Minister will be visiting London from May 3-6, 2021 to participate in the G7 Foreign Ministers Meeting, at which India has been invited as a guest country. He will thereafter undertake a bilateral visit to the UK," the ministry of external affairs release said. Also read | Jaishankar to visit London to discuss global medical supply chain in G7 ministerial The meet takes place in London from May 3 to 5 and will be the first physical G7 FMs meet to take place in over two years. The last such G7 FMs meet took place in Dinard and Saint-Malo, France in April 2019. Ahead of the visit, EAM and UK Foreign secretary Dominic Raab both spoke to each other on a range of issues including the ongoing covid pandemic in India. The UK is sending supplies to India to deal with the devastating covid pandemic. These supplies include 495 oxygen concentrators, that can extract oxygen from the air, 120 non-invasive ventilators, and 20 manual ventilators. Also read | India needs to take some decisions to ease pandemic situation The visit by EAM will not only see him taking part in G7 FMs meet but also many bilaterals as well. US Secretary of state Antony Blinken will also travel to London and a bilateral between the two is likely. This will the first physical meet between the 2 ministers since the new Biden administration took charge. "Secretary Blinken will attend the G7 Foreign and Development Minister’s Meeting in London, the United Kingdom, from May 3-5, 2021," the US State Department said. G7 is a grouping of 7 industrialized countries--Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, US & UK - plus the EU. The key focus of the meet obviously will be on the ongoing covid crisis that continues to ravage large parts of the world but also Climate Change with the UK set to host the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) meet later this year. The meet will also talk about the agenda of the upcoming G7 leaders meet under UK's chairmanship. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited to the 47th G7 summit that will take place in Carbis Bay, Cornwall, the UK from 11th to 13th June. India has been regularly invited for the G7 summit since 2019--first by France, then in 2020 by the US, and now by the UK this year. The physical G7 meet last year, under the then US President Donald Trump never happened, for reasons not known but perhaps due to covid pandemic. The then Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was first invited for the G8 grouping in 2005, back then by the UK in Gleneagles. Group became G7 after Russia was "disinvited" in 2014 over the Crimea crisis.

EAM to visit London for the G7 FMs meet tomorrow; meet with US secretary of state likely

India’s External affairs minister&nbsp;S Jaishankar will be heading to London on Monday to attend the two-day long G7 plus 3 ministerial meeting amid a Covid crisis in India.

The focus of this meet will be on the importance of global supply chains in fighting the deadly coronavirus pandemic that has taken millions of lives all across the globe. Jaishankar is aiming to use this opportunity to plan a path for the recovery of economies that have been negatively affected due to the pandemic and to find ways to battle climate change.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jaishankar-speaks-to-blinken-on-covid-19-situation-in-india-381784" hreflang="en">Jaishankar speaks to Blinken on COVID-19 situation in India</a>

Jaishankar will be meeting ministers in the UK on May 03 and 04, in a bid to lay the groundwork for the G7 plus 3 summit, which is scheduled for June 11-13. He will also be meeting foreign ministers of Australia and France during the same visit.

India will, once again, be aiming to come up with a positive solution to delicensing of the coronavirus vaccines in order to make the vaccines available for people, all over the world, at a lower cost and in significant quantities.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-covid-19-vaccine-coverage-surpasses-154800000-381783" hreflang="en">India's COVID-19 vaccine coverage surpasses 154,800,000</a>

The participants of this meeting will also try to establish routes and an arrangement through which countries will be able to provide help to other nations suffering in the coronavirus pandemic in a swift and efficient manner.

Another major issue that will be discussed during Jaishankar’s UK visit will be climate change and a plan to reduce carbon footprint. India has, in the past, taken several steps to fight against the increasing danger of climate change. However, the country is hoping to come up with more measures after the Cornwall Summit.

India’s External affairs minister S Jaishankar will be heading to London on Monday to attend the two-day long G7 plus 3 ministerial meeting amid a Covid crisis in India.

India’s External affairs minister S Jaishankar will be heading to London on Monday to attend the two-day long G7 plus 3 ministerial meeting amid a Covid crisis in India. The focus of this meet will be on the importance of global supply chains in fighting the deadly coronavirus pandemic that has taken millions of lives all across the globe. Jaishankar is aiming to use this opportunity to plan a path for the recovery of economies that have been negatively affected due to the pandemic and to find ways to battle climate change. Also read | Jaishankar speaks to Blinken on COVID-19 situation in India Jaishankar will be meeting ministers in the UK on May 03 and 04, in a bid to lay the groundwork for the G7 plus 3 summit, which is scheduled for June 11-13. He will also be meeting foreign ministers of Australia and France during the same visit. India will, once again, be aiming to come up with a positive solution to delicensing of the coronavirus vaccines in order to make the vaccines available for people, all over the world, at a lower cost and in significant quantities. Also read | India's COVID-19 vaccine coverage surpasses 154,800,000 The participants of this meeting will also try to establish routes and an arrangement through which countries will be able to provide help to other nations suffering in the coronavirus pandemic in a swift and efficient manner. Another major issue that will be discussed during Jaishankar’s UK visit will be climate change and a plan to reduce carbon footprint. India has, in the past, taken several steps to fight against the increasing danger of climate change. However, the country is hoping to come up with more measures after the Cornwall Summit.

Jaishankar to visit London to discuss global medical supply chain in G7 ministerial

Dismissed a decade ago as far-fetched and dangerous, schemes to tame the effects of global warming by engineering the climate have migrated from the margins of policy debates towards centre stage.

"Plan A" refers to solving&nbsp;the problem at its source. But the UN's top climate science body has made it clear that slashing carbon pollution won't be enough to keep Earth from overheating. That has opened the door to a host of&nbsp;geoengineering&nbsp;schemes, from building underwater walls to shore up an Antarctic glacier the size of Britain to injecting a giant sunscreen into the stratosphere.

Here is a menu of "Plan B"&nbsp;geoengineering&nbsp;solutions, along with their potential drawbacks:

Direct CO2 capture&nbsp;

Experiments have shown it is possible to suck planet-warming carbon dioxide directly from the air, converting it into fuel pellets or storing it underground.

A company backed by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates launched a pilot facility in Canada in 2015, and another company operates one in Iceland.

Drawback: The technology is currently prohibitively expensive and might take decades to operate at scale.

Solar radiation management

Unlike other strategies, solar radiation management does not target CO2. The goal is simple: prevent some of the sun's rays from hitting the planet's surface, forcing them back up into space.

One idea is to inject or spray tiny reflective particles into the stratosphere, possibly with balloons, aircraft or through giant tubes.

Nature sometimes does the same: Debris from the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines lowered the planet's average surface temperature for a year or two afterwards.

Sixty-six million years ago, a ten-kilometre wide asteroid strike threw up so much debris that it wiped out land-based dinosaurs built for steamy tropical climes.&nbsp;

In April, a balloon test flight in Sweden for the Harvard-led project SCoPEx, short for "Stratospheric Controlled Perturbation Experiment", was postponed amid concerns over the implications for the environment and people in the country.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In Australia, trials of a controversial technique to spray microscopic salt crystals into the air above the threatened Great Barrier Reef to make the clouds brighter began last year.&nbsp;

Australian scientists say if successful and combined with other climate and protection measures this could help slow the decline of the reef.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Afforestation

Extensive planting of trees could significantly slow the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere, which currently stands at more than 510 parts per million, 50 per cent more than 150 years ago.

Drawback: Even if deforestation could be reversed, more than 100,000 square kilometres of tropical forests have disappeared each year since 2013,&nbsp;the huge number of trees needed to put a dent in CO2 emissions would clash with food and biofuel crops.

BECCS&nbsp;

Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) marries a natural process with a high-tech one.&nbsp;

The first step is to plant rapeseed, sugarcane, corn or "2nd-generation" biofuel crops such as switchgrass, which pull CO2 from the air while growing. The second step is while burning the harvested plants for energy to sequester the CO2 produced.

In theory, the result is less CO2 in the atmosphere than when the process started. Virtually all climate change models projecting a future consistent with the Paris Agreement's temperature targets assume a key role for BECCS.

Drawback: Studies calculate that up to twice the area of India would need to be given over to biofuels, putting BECCS in conflict with food crops. Such schemes would also require vast amounts of freshwater.

Ocean fertilisation&nbsp;

Microscopic ocean plants called phytoplankton gobble up CO2 and drag it to the bottom of the ocean when they die. Their colony size is limited by a lack of natural iron, but experiments have shown that sowing the ocean with iron sulphate powder creates large blooms.

Drawbacks: Scientists worry about unintended impacts. Die-offs of plankton, for example, use up oxygen, which could create massive "dead zones" in the oceans, something already on the rise.

Enhanced weathering&nbsp;

Natural weathering of rocks removes about one billion tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere every year, about two per cent of total man-made C02 emissions.&nbsp;

Spreading a powdered form of a greenish iron silicate called olivine across certain landscapes can mimic that process, experiments have shown.

Drawbacks: It would be expensive to mine and mill enough olivine to make a difference.

Biochar&nbsp;

Biochar is charcoal made by heating plant waste, rice straw, peanut shells, wood scraps, over long periods in low-oxygen conditions. It can store CO2 for long periods, and also enriches soil.

Drawback: The scientific jury is still out on how quickly this method could be scaled up, and on the stability of biochar used as a fertiliser.

(With inputs from agencies)

Dismissed a decade ago as far-fetched and dangerous, schemes to tame the effects of global warming by engineering the climate have migrated from the margins of policy debates towards centre stage.

Dismissed a decade ago as far-fetched and dangerous, schemes to tame the effects of global warming by engineering the climate have migrated from the margins of policy debates towards centre stage. "Plan A" refers to solving the problem at its source. But the UN's top climate science body has made it clear that slashing carbon pollution won't be enough to keep Earth from overheating. That has opened the door to a host of geoengineering schemes, from building underwater walls to shore up an Antarctic glacier the size of Britain to injecting a giant sunscreen into the stratosphere. Here is a menu of "Plan B" geoengineering solutions, along with their potential drawbacks: Direct CO2 capture Experiments have shown it is possible to suck planet-warming carbon dioxide directly from the air, converting it into fuel pellets or storing it underground. A company backed by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates launched a pilot facility in Canada in 2015, and another company operates one in Iceland. Drawback: The technology is currently prohibitively expensive and might take decades to operate at scale. Solar radiation management Unlike other strategies, solar radiation management does not target CO2. The goal is simple: prevent some of the sun's rays from hitting the planet's surface, forcing them back up into space. One idea is to inject or spray tiny reflective particles into the stratosphere, possibly with balloons, aircraft or through giant tubes. Nature sometimes does the same: Debris from the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines lowered the planet's average surface temperature for a year or two afterwards. Sixty-six million years ago, a ten-kilometre wide asteroid strike threw up so much debris that it wiped out land-based dinosaurs built for steamy tropical climes. In April, a balloon test flight in Sweden for the Harvard-led project SCoPEx, short for "Stratospheric Controlled Perturbation Experiment", was postponed amid concerns over the implications for the environment and people in the country. In Australia, trials of a controversial technique to spray microscopic salt crystals into the air above the threatened Great Barrier Reef to make the clouds brighter began last year. Australian scientists say if successful and combined with other climate and protection measures this could help slow the decline of the reef. Afforestation Extensive planting of trees could significantly slow the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere, which currently stands at more than 510 parts per million, 50 per cent more than 150 years ago. Drawback: Even if deforestation could be reversed, more than 100,000 square kilometres of tropical forests have disappeared each year since 2013, the huge number of trees needed to put a dent in CO2 emissions would clash with food and biofuel crops. BECCS Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) marries a natural process with a high-tech one. The first step is to plant rapeseed, sugarcane, corn or "2nd-generation" biofuel crops such as switchgrass, which pull CO2 from the air while growing. The second step is while burning the harvested plants for energy to sequester the CO2 produced. In theory, the result is less CO2 in the atmosphere than when the process started. Virtually all climate change models projecting a future consistent with the Paris Agreement's temperature targets assume a key role for BECCS. Drawback: Studies calculate that up to twice the area of India would need to be given over to biofuels, putting BECCS in conflict with food crops. Such schemes would also require vast amounts of freshwater. Ocean fertilisation Microscopic ocean plants called phytoplankton gobble up CO2 and drag it to the bottom of the ocean when they die. Their colony size is limited by a lack of natural iron, but experiments have shown that sowing the ocean with iron sulphate powder creates large blooms. Drawbacks: Scientists worry about unintended impacts. Die-offs of plankton, for example, use up oxygen, which could create massive "dead zones" in the oceans, something already on the rise. Enhanced weathering Natural weathering of rocks removes about one billion tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere every year, about two per cent of total man-made C02 emissions. Spreading a powdered form of a greenish iron silicate called olivine across certain landscapes can mimic that process, experiments have shown. Drawbacks: It would be expensive to mine and mill enough olivine to make a difference. Biochar Biochar is charcoal made by heating plant waste, rice straw, peanut shells, wood scraps, over long periods in low-oxygen conditions. It can store CO2 for long periods, and also enriches soil. Drawback: The scientific jury is still out on how quickly this method could be scaled up, and on the stability of biochar used as a fertiliser. (With inputs from agencies)

Here are some climate engineering schemes that can act as 'Plan B' for Earth

Corals are essential for the health of Oceans and our planet. Widespread pollution and climate change has caused great damage to corals in oceans around the world. This is especially true in case of the Great Barrier Reef. The huge wall of corals is in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Australia. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The reef faces "precipitous declines" in coral cover over the next five decades due to "intense pressure" from climate change, a study published in the peer-reviewed journal Royal Society Open Science said.

But a new, experimental "cloud brightening" technology and introduction of heat-tolerant corals can help slow down the damage to the reef

Climate change is causing marine heatwaves, more intense cyclones and flooding -- all of which are damaging the health of the reef.

"Coral reefs are some of the most climate-vulnerable ecosystems on Earth," lead author Scott Condie told AFP.

"The model projections suggest that coral cover on the Great Barrier Reef could fall below 10 per cent within 20 years."

Condie and his co-authors modelled the potential impact of interventions such as "cloud brightening", which was first trialled by scientists on the reef last year.

The technology sends salt crystals into the air, making clouds reflect more sunlight to cool waters around the reef.

They also modelled expanded measures to control the predatory crown-of-thorns starfish, which consume the corals and proliferate when bleaching forces bigger fish to leave an area.

"The results suggest that combinations of interventions may delay decline of the Great Barrier Reef by two decades or more," Condie said.

He said there was "clear urgency" to act but acknowledged that the scale of the work required was "much larger than anything that has previously been deployed on coral reefs".

"Any large-scale interventions would require a major financial investment and need to be acceptable to local communities," he added.

The modelling assumes global temperatures will not rise beyond 1.8 degrees Celsius by 2100, which would require governments to follow through on their Paris climate agreement pledges.

(With inouts from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Corals are essential for the health of Oceans and our planet. Widespread pollution and climate change has caused great damage to corals in oceans around the world.

Corals are essential for the health of Oceans and our planet. Widespread pollution and climate change has caused great damage to corals in oceans around the world. This is especially true in case of the Great Barrier Reef. The huge wall of corals is in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Australia. The reef faces "precipitous declines" in coral cover over the next five decades due to "intense pressure" from climate change, a study published in the peer-reviewed journal Royal Society Open Science said. But a new, experimental "cloud brightening" technology and introduction of heat-tolerant corals can help slow down the damage to the reef Climate change is causing marine heatwaves, more intense cyclones and flooding -- all of which are damaging the health of the reef. "Coral reefs are some of the most climate-vulnerable ecosystems on Earth," lead author Scott Condie told AFP. "The model projections suggest that coral cover on the Great Barrier Reef could fall below 10 per cent within 20 years." Condie and his co-authors modelled the potential impact of interventions such as "cloud brightening", which was first trialled by scientists on the reef last year. The technology sends salt crystals into the air, making clouds reflect more sunlight to cool waters around the reef. They also modelled expanded measures to control the predatory crown-of-thorns starfish, which consume the corals and proliferate when bleaching forces bigger fish to leave an area. "The results suggest that combinations of interventions may delay decline of the Great Barrier Reef by two decades or more," Condie said. He said there was "clear urgency" to act but acknowledged that the scale of the work required was "much larger than anything that has previously been deployed on coral reefs". "Any large-scale interventions would require a major financial investment and need to be acceptable to local communities," he added. The modelling assumes global temperatures will not rise beyond 1.8 degrees Celsius by 2100, which would require governments to follow through on their Paris climate agreement pledges. (With inouts from agencies)

'Cloud brightening' technology can save Great Barrier Reef

The melt was significantly impacting sea levels by about 0.74 millimetres a year, or 21% of overall sea level rise observed during the period.

As climate changes, study finds world's glaciers melting faster

25,000 barrels of toxic DDT waste has been discovered in the pacific. It was dumped for years by Californian industries, putting marine life at severe risk. Shouldn't U.S. 'clean up' before preaching Climate Action?

Gravitas: 25,000 barrels of DDT discovered in Pacific

Scientists said on Monday they have detected a large gap, equal to about what the United States emits annually, between the amount of climate-warming emissions that countries report and the amount that independent models say reaches the atmosphere. 
 
The gap of about 5.5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide per year arises not because any country is doing anything wrong. Rather, it is due to differences between scientific methods used in national inventories that countries report under the 2015 Paris agreement on climate change and methods used by international models. 
 
"If models and countries speak a different language, assessing country climate progress will be more difficult," said Giacomo Grassi, an author of a study on the gap and a scientific officer at the Joint Research Center of the European Commission. "To address the problem, we need to find a way to compare these estimates." 
 
The emissions gap, explained in the study&nbsp;published on Monday in the monthly journal Nature Climate Change, could mean some countries will have to adjust their emissions reductions. For instance, the country models done by the United States and other nations show more carbon-absorbing managed forest land than the independent models indicate. The study finds the national estimates, which allow more flexible definitions for those lands, show about 3 billion hectares more of managed forest land around the world than in the independent models. 
 
The risk is that some countries could claim managed forests are absorbing large amounts of emissions and not do enough to cut emissions from cars, homes and factories. 
 
"We are lucky to have those natural carbon sinks," Christopher Williams, an expert on forests at Clark University told the Washington Post, about the study. "However, that carbon uptake is a freebie from nature for which we do not really get to take credit in our battle against climate change." 
 
As countries work to keep their commitments to cut emissions as part of the Paris agreement to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the discrepancy could become a larger issue. 
 
The Biden administration is urging countries to advance their goals on cutting emissions ahead of UN&nbsp;climate talks in Scotland in November. Under the Paris agreement, countries will review their collective progress every five years, a process called "Global stocktake" that will start next year. 
 
The study said further work is required to develop country-specific adjustments, "but countries that had previously used an incomparable benchmark may eventually need to update their target."

Scientists said on Monday they have detected a large gap, equal to about what the United States emits annually, between the amount of climate-warming emissions that countries report and the amount that independent models say reaches the atmosphere.

Scientists said on Monday they have detected a large gap, equal to about what the United States emits annually, between the amount of climate-warming emissions that countries report and the amount that independent models say reaches the atmosphere. The gap of about 5.5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide per year arises not because any country is doing anything wrong. Rather, it is due to differences between scientific methods used in national inventories that countries report under the 2015 Paris agreement on climate change and methods used by international models. "If models and countries speak a different language, assessing country climate progress will be more difficult," said Giacomo Grassi, an author of a study on the gap and a scientific officer at the Joint Research Center of the European Commission. "To address the problem, we need to find a way to compare these estimates." The emissions gap, explained in the study published on Monday in the monthly journal Nature Climate Change, could mean some countries will have to adjust their emissions reductions. For instance, the country models done by the United States and other nations show more carbon-absorbing managed forest land than the independent models indicate. The study finds the national estimates, which allow more flexible definitions for those lands, show about 3 billion hectares more of managed forest land around the world than in the independent models. The risk is that some countries could claim managed forests are absorbing large amounts of emissions and not do enough to cut emissions from cars, homes and factories. "We are lucky to have those natural carbon sinks," Christopher Williams, an expert on forests at Clark University told the Washington Post, about the study. "However, that carbon uptake is a freebie from nature for which we do not really get to take credit in our battle against climate change." As countries work to keep their commitments to cut emissions as part of the Paris agreement to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the discrepancy could become a larger issue. The Biden administration is urging countries to advance their goals on cutting emissions ahead of UN climate talks in Scotland in November. Under the Paris agreement, countries will review their collective progress every five years, a process called "Global stocktake" that will start next year. The study said further work is required to develop country-specific adjustments, "but countries that had previously used an incomparable benchmark may eventually need to update their target."

Actual carbon emissions are more than what countries are reporting: Study

How is it linked to population growth? How should the world tackle it? Watch 'Mission Sustainability - Population vs Planet'

Climate Change: The biggest environmental challenge of our times

Load of s**t! Activists dump crap outside White House to protest climate change

The US state of California is planning to end issuing new permits for fracking in the state starting 2024. State governor Gavin Newsom on Friday announced the move as the state works to limit extraction of fossil fuel over the next few decades.

“Hydraulic fracturing”, or is it is commonly called “fracking” is a way to extract hydrocarbons. Largely, it has been criticised for its negative environmental impact. Even then, fracking amounts for over 17 per cent of California’s production, AFP reported.

"The climate crisis is real, and we continue to see the signs every day," governor Newsom said in a statement.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/entertainment/caitlyn-jenner-joins-republican-fray-seeking-to-unseat-california-governor-379640" hreflang="en">Caitlyn Jenner joins Republican fray seeking to unseat California governor</a>

"As we move to swiftly decarbonize our transportation sector and create a healthier future for our children, I've made it clear I don't see a role for fracking in that future and, similarly, believe that California needs to move beyond oil”, Newsom added.

Oil and gas regulator for California intends to stop handing out fracking permits from 2024. The work will be overseen by California’s Department of Conservation’s Geologic Energy Management.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/start-conserving-california-governor-declares-drought-emergency-in-2-counties-379278" hreflang="en">Start conserving: California governor declares drought emergency in 2 counties</a>

In addition, Newsom urged California to work out ways to eliminate oil extraction by 2045. California is hoping to be carbon neutral by 2045 and under Newsom intends to ban combustion-engine vehicles by 2035.

(With inputs from agencies)

The US state of California is planning to end issuing new permits for fracking in the state starting 2024. State governor Gavin Newsom on Friday announced the move as the state works to limit extraction of fossil fuel over the next few decades.

The US state of California is planning to end issuing new permits for fracking in the state starting 2024. State governor Gavin Newsom on Friday announced the move as the state works to limit extraction of fossil fuel over the next few decades. “Hydraulic fracturing”, or is it is commonly called “fracking” is a way to extract hydrocarbons. Largely, it has been criticised for its negative environmental impact. Even then, fracking amounts for over 17 per cent of California’s production, AFP reported. "The climate crisis is real, and we continue to see the signs every day," governor Newsom said in a statement. Also read: Caitlyn Jenner joins Republican fray seeking to unseat California governor "As we move to swiftly decarbonize our transportation sector and create a healthier future for our children, I've made it clear I don't see a role for fracking in that future and, similarly, believe that California needs to move beyond oil”, Newsom added. Oil and gas regulator for California intends to stop handing out fracking permits from 2024. The work will be overseen by California’s Department of Conservation’s Geologic Energy Management. Also read: Start conserving: California governor declares drought emergency in 2 counties In addition, Newsom urged California to work out ways to eliminate oil extraction by 2045. California is hoping to be carbon neutral by 2045 and under Newsom intends to ban combustion-engine vehicles by 2035. (With inputs from agencies)

No new fracking permits in California starting 2024

Climate change is the punching bag of world politics and is the footnote of every joint diplomatic statement.

When rivals cannot find common ground, they talk about climate instead.

That's what the US and China are doing as they can't agree on anything, so they are discussing climate change.

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-can-the-world-unite-against-climate-change-379350/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The same is the case with Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin attended US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden's </a>climate summit, but he is silent on a proposed one-on-one meeting.

Politicians love to call themselves allies of nature, but can they unite to deal with climate change?

The question arises as their track record is not impressive.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-nation-can-solve-this-crisis-on-their-own-says-biden-as-he-opens-virtual-climate-summit-379286">'No nation can solve this crisis on their own,' says Biden as he opens virtual climate summit</a>

Look at the Wuhan virus pandemic, thousands of people are dying every day.

It's been more than a year and we are still waiting for a coordinated global response.

We talk about a globalised world, but when the tragedy struck it was every country for itself.

From travel bans to now vaccines, every decision has been unilateral.&nbsp;The world has more than enough resources to crush this pandemic.

But there is neither a plan nor a joint approach. While Europe has extra vaccines, and Sub-Saharan Africa on the other hand has none.

When most of the world was staying at home, people in Yemen and Syria were fleeing from bombs.

Ideally, this should not have happened as, to avoid the virus there needs to be social distancing for individuals, not countries.

The Wuhan virus is a pressing issue, but climate change, on the other hand, is a long-term problem.

And we know how much politicians love the backburner.

If it's not on their calendar, it is not a pressing matter.

That's one reason why climate change is relegated to talking shops.

But why is climate action such a difficult issue?

A United Nations survey found that 64 per cent of people believe climate change is a global emergency.

The number sounds impressive, 60 per cent of people also believe the earth is round.

Science is not a matter of opinion, it is based on facts.

But politicians have used climate change to rally their support base.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;did that during his presidency and Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro continues to do it in Brazil.

Denying climate change has become a political strategy and scientists have not been able to bust these theories.

They say the bigger tsunamis and hurricanes are caused by climate change. But proving this link is difficult.

For instance, the oceans are rising, that's a fact, but it's not something you can see by going to the beach every day.

So the first challenge is to accept the problem. The second one is to accept responsibility.&nbsp;

Temperatures aren't rising themselves, so who triggered climate change in the first place?

Most of the pollution we see today is courtesy the West.

Even now, they make up more than half the global emissions. So it is a crisis that the West created, but now they want the whole world to solve it.

And this has created friction between the global north and south.

A lot of these people don't know where their next meal is coming from. Climate change is not their top priority and that should hardly be surprising.

If the choice is between fighting poverty and climate change, it is a no-brainer for the developing world.

So the solution lies in the developed world footing the bill.

They must transfer technology to developing nations, something which was the spirit of the 1992 Rio Declaration. It called for common, but differentiated responsibilities.

Is the West doing that? It isn't.&nbsp;Instead of transferring technology and money, it is outsourcing its pollution to the global south. And then telling countries to set up better targets. There is also no denying that our modern lifestyle is part of the problem and we prefer cars over walking or biking.

We pack most of our groceries in polythene, instead of paper. These may appear small, but imagine seven billion people doing the same every day.&nbsp;

Climate change is unlike any challenge humanity has faced because unlike pandemics and wars, here we have a warning.&nbsp;

We have time to prepare for the impending disaster, but we are not exactly making good use of it.

We're arguing and grandstanding, instead of acting.

We end this argument with this observation that with masks and vaccines, we can beat the Wuhan virus. But when the oceans rise, there is no fix.

When the air becomes unbreathable, masks will not work.

So it's time for world leaders to pull up their socks as we have had more than enough summits on climate change.

What we need now is concrete and legal action.

Climate change is the punching bag of world politics and is the footnote of every joint diplomatic statement. When rivals cannot find common ground, they talk about climate instead.

Climate change is the punching bag of world politics and is the footnote of every joint diplomatic statement. When rivals cannot find common ground, they talk about climate instead. That's what the US and China are doing as they can't agree on anything, so they are discussing climate change. Watch | The same is the case with Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin attended US President Joe Biden's climate summit, but he is silent on a proposed one-on-one meeting. Politicians love to call themselves allies of nature, but can they unite to deal with climate change? The question arises as their track record is not impressive. Also read | 'No nation can solve this crisis on their own,' says Biden as he opens virtual climate summit Look at the Wuhan virus pandemic, thousands of people are dying every day. It's been more than a year and we are still waiting for a coordinated global response. We talk about a globalised world, but when the tragedy struck it was every country for itself. From travel bans to now vaccines, every decision has been unilateral. The world has more than enough resources to crush this pandemic. But there is neither a plan nor a joint approach. While Europe has extra vaccines, and Sub-Saharan Africa on the other hand has none. When most of the world was staying at home, people in Yemen and Syria were fleeing from bombs. Ideally, this should not have happened as, to avoid the virus there needs to be social distancing for individuals, not countries. The Wuhan virus is a pressing issue, but climate change, on the other hand, is a long-term problem. And we know how much politicians love the backburner. If it's not on their calendar, it is not a pressing matter. That's one reason why climate change is relegated to talking shops. But why is climate action such a difficult issue? A United Nations survey found that 64 per cent of people believe climate change is a global emergency. The number sounds impressive, 60 per cent of people also believe the earth is round. Science is not a matter of opinion, it is based on facts. But politicians have used climate change to rally their support base. Donald Trump did that during his presidency and Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro continues to do it in Brazil. Denying climate change has become a political strategy and scientists have not been able to bust these theories. They say the bigger tsunamis and hurricanes are caused by climate change. But proving this link is difficult. For instance, the oceans are rising, that's a fact, but it's not something you can see by going to the beach every day. So the first challenge is to accept the problem. The second one is to accept responsibility. Temperatures aren't rising themselves, so who triggered climate change in the first place? Most of the pollution we see today is courtesy the West. Even now, they make up more than half the global emissions. So it is a crisis that the West created, but now they want the whole world to solve it. And this has created friction between the global north and south. A lot of these people don't know where their next meal is coming from. Climate change is not their top priority and that should hardly be surprising. If the choice is between fighting poverty and climate change, it is a no-brainer for the developing world. So the solution lies in the developed world footing the bill. They must transfer technology to developing nations, something which was the spirit of the 1992 Rio Declaration. It called for common, but differentiated responsibilities. Is the West doing that? It isn't. Instead of transferring technology and money, it is outsourcing its pollution to the global south. And then telling countries to set up better targets. There is also no denying that our modern lifestyle is part of the problem and we prefer cars over walking or biking. We pack most of our groceries in polythene, instead of paper. These may appear small, but imagine seven billion people doing the same every day. Climate change is unlike any challenge humanity has faced because unlike pandemics and wars, here we have a warning. We have time to prepare for the impending disaster, but we are not exactly making good use of it. We're arguing and grandstanding, instead of acting. We end this argument with this observation that with masks and vaccines, we can beat the Wuhan virus. But when the oceans rise, there is no fix. When the air becomes unbreathable, masks will not work. So it's time for world leaders to pull up their socks as we have had more than enough summits on climate change. What we need now is concrete and legal action.

Climate change: The action is missing despite the high-profile summits

World leaders failed to unite against the Wuhan Virus pandemic. Can they redeem themselves in the battle against climate change? Why does climate action remain a footnote on diplomatic statements? WION’s Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: Can the world unite against climate change?

The US is the biggest carbon polluter in history. It now wants countries like India to set ambitious targets and reduce emissions. Will Washington's approach work? WION’s Palki Sharma decodes the Leaders Climate Summit for you.

Gravitas: Will the world's biggest polluters unite to tackle climate change? 

The Biden administration has applauded India for stepping up its climate change commitment including the partnership with the US to deploy 450 gigawatts of renewable power to meet the ambitious 2030 target for climate action and clean energy.

At the Leaders Summit on Climate on Thursday, the two countries launched a new high-level US-India Climate and Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership&nbsp;to create stronger bilateral cooperation on actions in the current decade to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.

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The partnership will proceed along two main tracks,&nbsp;the Strategic Clean Energy Partnership, co-chaired by Secretary of Energy Granholm, and the Climate Action and Finance Mobilisation Dialogue, co-chaired by Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, a joint statement said.

''India, in partnership with the United States, to deploy 450 gigawatts of renewable power. Why is that important? Because if we can do that,&nbsp;which is where our finance component of this is so critical,&nbsp;if we do that, India is on track to hold the 1.5 degrees centigrade,''&nbsp;White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters at her daily news conference.

Describing the partnership as one of the core venues for the US-India collaboration, the joint statement said that its focus would be on driving urgent progress in this critical decade for climate action.

Both the United States and India have set ambitious 2030 targets for climate action and clean energy. In its new nationally determined contribution, the US has set an economy-wide target of reducing its net greenhouse gas emissions by 50-52 percent below 2005 levels in 2030.

While India, as part of its climate mitigation efforts, has set a target of installing 450 GW of renewable energy by 2030.

Through the partnership, the United States and India are firmly committed to working together in achieving their ambitious climate and clean energy targets and to strengthening bilateral collaboration across climate and clean energy, the statement said.

''India is formally stepping up its commitment to accelerate renewable energy deployment,''&nbsp;State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said.

The joint statement said the partnership will aim to mobilise finance and speed clean energy deployment, demonstrate and scale innovative clean technologies needed to decarbonise sectors including industry, transportation, power, and buildings, and build capacity to measure, manage, and adapt to the risks of climate-related impacts.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Biden administration has applauded India for stepping up its climate change commitment including the partnership with the US to deploy 450 gigawatts of renewable power to meet the ambitious 2030 target for climate action and clean energy.

The Biden administration has applauded India for stepping up its climate change commitment including the partnership with the US to deploy 450 gigawatts of renewable power to meet the ambitious 2030 target for climate action and clean energy. At the Leaders Summit on Climate on Thursday, the two countries launched a new high-level US-India Climate and Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership to create stronger bilateral cooperation on actions in the current decade to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. The partnership will proceed along two main tracks, the Strategic Clean Energy Partnership, co-chaired by Secretary of Energy Granholm, and the Climate Action and Finance Mobilisation Dialogue, co-chaired by Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, a joint statement said. ''India, in partnership with the United States, to deploy 450 gigawatts of renewable power. Why is that important? Because if we can do that, which is where our finance component of this is so critical, if we do that, India is on track to hold the 1.5 degrees centigrade,'' White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters at her daily news conference. Describing the partnership as one of the core venues for the US-India collaboration, the joint statement said that its focus would be on driving urgent progress in this critical decade for climate action. Both the United States and India have set ambitious 2030 targets for climate action and clean energy. In its new nationally determined contribution, the US has set an economy-wide target of reducing its net greenhouse gas emissions by 50-52 percent below 2005 levels in 2030. While India, as part of its climate mitigation efforts, has set a target of installing 450 GW of renewable energy by 2030. Through the partnership, the United States and India are firmly committed to working together in achieving their ambitious climate and clean energy targets and to strengthening bilateral collaboration across climate and clean energy, the statement said. ''India is formally stepping up its commitment to accelerate renewable energy deployment,'' State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said. The joint statement said the partnership will aim to mobilise finance and speed clean energy deployment, demonstrate and scale innovative clean technologies needed to decarbonise sectors including industry, transportation, power, and buildings, and build capacity to measure, manage, and adapt to the risks of climate-related impacts. (With inputs from agencies)

Biden administration applauds India for stepping up its climate change commitment

Penning an open letter on the occasion of Earth Day, Dalai Lama and more than 100 other Nobel laureates have urged the world leaders to take immediate action on the climate crisis.

Laureates from areas of peace, literature, medicine, physics, chemistry, and economic sciences urged world leaders to take urgent and concrete steps to control and phase out the current production of fossil fuel and invest more in renewable energy.

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His Holiness the <a href="https://twitter.com/DalaiLama?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DalaiLama</a> and 100 other Nobel Laureates have just delivered our open letter to world leaders at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeadersClimateSummit?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LeadersClimateSummit</a> with these 3 demands: 
 
1️⃣ No new coal, oil &amp; gas 
2️⃣ Phase out existing production 
3️⃣ Support a global <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JustTransition?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JustTransition</a> to clean energy <a href="https://t.co/ipRmA6RqNz">pic.twitter.com/ipRmA6RqNz</a>
— Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty (@fossiltreaty) <a href="https://twitter.com/fossiltreaty/status/1384761469556826114?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2021</a></blockquote>
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"Climate change is threatening hundreds of millions of lives, livelihoods across every continent and is putting thousands of species at risk," the letter read. "The burning of fossil fuels – coal, oil, and gas – is by far the major contributor to climate change."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-nation-can-solve-this-crisis-on-their-own-says-biden-as-he-opens-virtual-climate-summit-379286" hreflang="en">'No nation can solve this crisis on their own': Biden opens climate summit</a>

The laureates urged the leaders to invest in "transformational plan"&nbsp;that will help the dependent economies to diversify from gas and coal. It would also allow all countries to “flourish through a global just transition”.

This has come as the recent UN Environment Programme report stated an expected production of 120 per cent more of coal, gas, and oil by 2030.

It also points out that the Paris agreement has no mention of the coal, gas, and oil industry, which seems to be rapidly expanding, and has asked countries to lend continued support to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Paris Agreement.

Penning an open letter on the occasion of Earth Day, Dalai Lama and more than 100 other Nobel laureates have urged the world leaders to take immediate action on the climate crisis.

Penning an open letter on the occasion of Earth Day, Dalai Lama and more than 100 other Nobel laureates have urged the world leaders to take immediate action on the climate crisis. Laureates from areas of peace, literature, medicine, physics, chemistry, and economic sciences urged world leaders to take urgent and concrete steps to control and phase out the current production of fossil fuel and invest more in renewable energy. His Holiness the @DalaiLama and 100 other Nobel Laureates have just delivered our open letter to world leaders at the #LeadersClimateSummit with these 3 demands: 1️⃣ No new coal, oil & gas 2️⃣ Phase out existing production 3️⃣ Support a global #JustTransition to clean energy pic.twitter.com/ipRmA6RqNz — Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty (@fossiltreaty) April 21, 2021 × "Climate change is threatening hundreds of millions of lives, livelihoods across every continent and is putting thousands of species at risk," the letter read. "The burning of fossil fuels – coal, oil, and gas – is by far the major contributor to climate change." Also read | 'No nation can solve this crisis on their own': Biden opens climate summit The laureates urged the leaders to invest in "transformational plan" that will help the dependent economies to diversify from gas and coal. It would also allow all countries to “flourish through a global just transition”. This has come as the recent UN Environment Programme report stated an expected production of 120 per cent more of coal, gas, and oil by 2030. It also points out that the Paris agreement has no mention of the coal, gas, and oil industry, which seems to be rapidly expanding, and has asked countries to lend continued support to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Paris Agreement.

Dalai Lama, 100 other Nobel laureates urge stop on fossil fuel expansion

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday highlighted how India is battling climate change and called for altering "lifestyle" to battle this global menace.&nbsp;

"For humanity to combat climate change, concrete action is needed. We need such action at a high speed, at a large scale, and with a global scope," Modi said as he addressed the virtual climate summit.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

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"Humanity is battling a global pandemic right now and this event is a timely reminder that grave threat of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ClimateChange?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ClimateChange</a> hasn't disappeared. It is a lived reality for millions around the world," says Indian PM <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeadersClimateSummit?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LeadersClimateSummit</a> <a href="https://t.co/ncsrwS6h4L">pic.twitter.com/ncsrwS6h4L</a>
— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1385215560347099141?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2021</a></blockquote>
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He said that India's renewable energy target of 450 GW by 2030 shows the nation's "commitment".&nbsp;

"Despite our developmental challenges, we have taken many bold steps on clean energy, energy efficiency, afforestation, and biodiversity," Modi said.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-nation-can-solve-this-crisis-on-their-own-says-biden-as-he-opens-virtual-climate-summit-379286">'No nation can solve this crisis on their own,' says Biden as he opens virtual climate summit</a>

He also said New Delhi has encouraged global initiatives on this issue, including International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilience Infrastructure.

Modi asked other countries to "create templates of sustainable development in India," adding that this can also help other developing nations to get affordable access to green finance and clean technology.&nbsp;

"That is why President Biden and I are launching the India-US Climate and Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership," Modi said, adding that it will help in investment, demonstrating green technologies, among others.&nbsp;

Modi also said, "India's per capita carbon footprint is 60 per cent lower than the global average."

"It is because of our lifestyle still rooted in sustainable traditional practices," the Indian PM said, underscoring the importance of lifestyle change in battling climate change.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday highlighted how India is battling climate change and called for altering "lifestyle" to battle this global menace.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday highlighted how India is battling climate change and called for altering "lifestyle" to battle this global menace. "For humanity to combat climate change, concrete action is needed. We need such action at a high speed, at a large scale, and with a global scope," Modi said as he addressed the virtual climate summit. Watch | "Humanity is battling a global pandemic right now and this event is a timely reminder that grave threat of #ClimateChange hasn't disappeared. It is a lived reality for millions around the world," says Indian PM @narendramodi at #LeadersClimateSummit pic.twitter.com/ncsrwS6h4L — WION (@WIONews) April 22, 2021 × He said that India's renewable energy target of 450 GW by 2030 shows the nation's "commitment". "Despite our developmental challenges, we have taken many bold steps on clean energy, energy efficiency, afforestation, and biodiversity," Modi said. Also read | 'No nation can solve this crisis on their own,' says Biden as he opens virtual climate summit He also said New Delhi has encouraged global initiatives on this issue, including International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilience Infrastructure. Modi asked other countries to "create templates of sustainable development in India," adding that this can also help other developing nations to get affordable access to green finance and clean technology. "That is why President Biden and I are launching the India-US Climate and Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership," Modi said, adding that it will help in investment, demonstrating green technologies, among others. Modi also said, "India's per capita carbon footprint is 60 per cent lower than the global average." "It is because of our lifestyle still rooted in sustainable traditional practices," the Indian PM said, underscoring the importance of lifestyle change in battling climate change.

Indian PM Modi calls for 'lifestyle' change to battle climate crisis

There are 7.8 billion people on the planet and the world's population continues to grow unsustainably. Are we exceeding earth's carrying capacity?

Mission Sustainability: Population vs Planet | Climate Change - A Global Crisis

The world’s largest iceberg - A68 has finally succumbed to melting. A68 became famous as one of the most well-documented icebergs in history. Now, it has melted into the Atlantic Ocean.

A68 broke off from the Larsen C Ice Shelf in 2017 and measured&nbsp;upto 6,000 square kilometres. For a few years, the iceberg stayed put at its place, but soon began to float away from Antarctica as summer set in 2018.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/worlds-biggest-iceberg-in-the-antarctic-364582/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Since then, the iceberg had&nbsp;undergone quite the journey - moving from South Atlantic to the South Georgia Island where it was met with warmer temperatures. This effectively broke the iceberg into multiple smaller parts.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/explainer-wheres-the-worlds-largest-iceberg-a68-headed-and-should-we-be-worried-352906" hreflang="en">Explainer: Where's the world's largest iceberg A68 headed, and should we be worried?</a>

Since then, those pieces have become too small to be tracked, as stated by the US National Ice Center.

Satellite imagery facilitated the scientists in studying the iceberg whose first crack was caught by researchers. They also kept a note of water temperatures around the iceberg as it steadily moved.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/iceberg-about-size-of-greater-london-breaks-off-in-antarctica-367652" hreflang="en">Iceberg about size of Greater London breaks off in Antarctica</a>

Long ago, the A68 was enormous, almost the size of Prince Edward Island and the US state of Delaware.

While intact, it was largely seen as the world’s largest iceberg. It was momentarily upped by the B15 iceberg which boasted an area of 11,000 square kilometres after breaking off from the Ross Ice Shelf 2000.

Since then, B15 has also scattered into smaller pieces of ice.

The world’s largest iceberg - A68 has finally succumbed to melting. A68 became famous as one of the most well-documented icebergs in history. Now, it has melted into the Atlantic Ocean.

The world’s largest iceberg - A68 has finally succumbed to melting. A68 became famous as one of the most well-documented icebergs in history. Now, it has melted into the Atlantic Ocean. A68 broke off from the Larsen C Ice Shelf in 2017 and measured upto 6,000 square kilometres. For a few years, the iceberg stayed put at its place, but soon began to float away from Antarctica as summer set in 2018. Since then, the iceberg had undergone quite the journey - moving from South Atlantic to the South Georgia Island where it was met with warmer temperatures. This effectively broke the iceberg into multiple smaller parts. Also read: Explainer: Where's the world's largest iceberg A68 headed, and should we be worried? Since then, those pieces have become too small to be tracked, as stated by the US National Ice Center. Satellite imagery facilitated the scientists in studying the iceberg whose first crack was caught by researchers. They also kept a note of water temperatures around the iceberg as it steadily moved. Also read: Iceberg about size of Greater London breaks off in Antarctica Long ago, the A68 was enormous, almost the size of Prince Edward Island and the US state of Delaware. While intact, it was largely seen as the world’s largest iceberg. It was momentarily upped by the B15 iceberg which boasted an area of 11,000 square kilometres after breaking off from the Ross Ice Shelf 2000. Since then, B15 has also scattered into smaller pieces of ice.

Once known as world's largest iceberg, A68 has now completely melted

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