Climate Change Is For Real & The Impact Is Huge. But Who Is Accountable For This? ExtinctionRebellion just highlighted that the world is facing a climate emergency. Now study shows that people around the world are holding governments and corporations accountable. In fact governments and corporations across 28 countries are facing climate class action lawsuits. Here's a report

Gravitas: Climate justice: Citizens hold government accountable

Four years after the landmark Paris deal, international consensus on strong action to tackle climate change risks crumbling, with the issue among the biggest sticking points at this week's G20 summit.

While tensions over trade were expected at the talks in Japan's Osaka, reaching agreement on language about climate action has proved just as contentious.

Negotiators known as sherpas were stuck working into the small hours of Saturday morning, trying frantically to find wording that both climate sceptics and those looking for strong commitments could agree on.

Part of the issue is the 2015 Paris climate deal itself, which nearly 200 nations have signed up to. The agreement commits signatories to work to reduce emissions, but Washington plans to withdraw from it.

The process of withdrawing will take several years and in the meantime, the US has refused to endorse statements backing the deal.

At the last two G20 meetings, in Buenos Aires and Hamburg, a workaround was found: a reference to the Paris deal as "irreversible" was endorsed by 19 members, and Washington added its own line reiterating its plans to quit.

'Extremely difficult'

This time around, Japan hoped to find a formulation everyone would agree on but EU countries demanded strong language and Washington tried to recruit allies to its climate-sceptic cause.

"The US pushed some governments, including Saudi Arabia, Brazil and Turkey, to water down the text," said Yuki Tanabe of the Japan Center for a Sustainable Environment and Society (JACSES).

"I am very concerned about the situation," he told AFP.

After marathon negotiations that led to cancelled press conferences and delayed departures, the leaders endorsed a statement that once again used the so-called 19+1 formula, but sources said the language was hard-won.

"Climate was the most difficult," a French presidency source said, adding that talks ground to a halt overnight because of US objections, with a deal reached only thanks to a united front among other G20 members.

"This shows two things: that it's an extremely difficult subject and that we can get there but we must show increasing determination and European unity," the source added.

'Best possible' outcome

Experts said that, under the circumstances, the deal could be seen as something of a victory.

"In light of the current situation, especially with the United States, maybe the 19-plus-one formulation... is the best possible scenario that we could agree," said Yukari Takamura, a professor of international law at the University of Tokyo.

"But of course in light of the increasing concern about climate impact and the risks, it's not the ideal agreement," she told AFP.

Takamura said the discord at the G20 was evidence of growing polarisation on the climate issue, with countries including some in Europe coming under pressure from their citizens to take more aggressive action as sceptics like Washington, Saudi Arabia and Brazil waver on their commitments.

But she said the scepticism was balanced out in some ways by the growing pressure from businesses, activists and countries committed to combatting global warming.

Even before the G20 began, France's President Emmanuel Macron said strong climate change language would be a "red line" for Paris.

And China, one of the world's top emitters, joined France and the United Nations to issue its own statement, with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi saying countries must "strengthen our action."

"All countries must remain firm in their confidence and deliver on the commitments in the Paris agreement," Wang added.

But the divisions are unlikely to disappear soon, and the issue may prove even harder to resolve when international leaders gather next year: the 2020 G7 meeting will be chaired by the United States, and the next G20 summit will be held in oil-producer Saudi Arabia.

Four years after the landmark Paris deal, international consensus on strong action to tackle climate change risks crumbling, with the issue among the biggest sticking points at this week's G20 summit.

Four years after the landmark Paris deal, international consensus on strong action to tackle climate change risks crumbling, with the issue among the biggest sticking points at this week's G20 summit. While tensions over trade were expected at the talks in Japan's Osaka, reaching agreement on language about climate action has proved just as contentious. Negotiators known as sherpas were stuck working into the small hours of Saturday morning, trying frantically to find wording that both climate sceptics and those looking for strong commitments could agree on. Part of the issue is the 2015 Paris climate deal itself, which nearly 200 nations have signed up to. The agreement commits signatories to work to reduce emissions, but Washington plans to withdraw from it. The process of withdrawing will take several years and in the meantime, the US has refused to endorse statements backing the deal. At the last two G20 meetings, in Buenos Aires and Hamburg, a workaround was found: a reference to the Paris deal as "irreversible" was endorsed by 19 members, and Washington added its own line reiterating its plans to quit. 'Extremely difficult' This time around, Japan hoped to find a formulation everyone would agree on but EU countries demanded strong language and Washington tried to recruit allies to its climate-sceptic cause. "The US pushed some governments, including Saudi Arabia, Brazil and Turkey, to water down the text," said Yuki Tanabe of the Japan Center for a Sustainable Environment and Society (JACSES). "I am very concerned about the situation," he told AFP. After marathon negotiations that led to cancelled press conferences and delayed departures, the leaders endorsed a statement that once again used the so-called 19+1 formula, but sources said the language was hard-won. "Climate was the most difficult," a French presidency source said, adding that talks ground to a halt overnight because of US objections, with a deal reached only thanks to a united front among other G20 members. "This shows two things: that it's an extremely difficult subject and that we can get there but we must show increasing determination and European unity," the source added. 'Best possible' outcome Experts said that, under the circumstances, the deal could be seen as something of a victory. "In light of the current situation, especially with the United States, maybe the 19-plus-one formulation... is the best possible scenario that we could agree," said Yukari Takamura, a professor of international law at the University of Tokyo. "But of course in light of the increasing concern about climate impact and the risks, it's not the ideal agreement," she told AFP. Takamura said the discord at the G20 was evidence of growing polarisation on the climate issue, with countries including some in Europe coming under pressure from their citizens to take more aggressive action as sceptics like Washington, Saudi Arabia and Brazil waver on their commitments. But she said the scepticism was balanced out in some ways by the growing pressure from businesses, activists and countries committed to combatting global warming. Even before the G20 began, France's President Emmanuel Macron said strong climate change language would be a "red line" for Paris. And China, one of the world's top emitters, joined France and the United Nations to issue its own statement, with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi saying countries must "strengthen our action." "All countries must remain firm in their confidence and deliver on the commitments in the Paris agreement," Wang added. But the divisions are unlikely to disappear soon, and the issue may prove even harder to resolve when international leaders gather next year: the 2020 G7 meeting will be chaired by the United States, and the next G20 summit will be held in oil-producer Saudi Arabia.

G20 summit lays bare growing climate change division

This year is on track to be among the hottest ever and that would make 2015-2019 the world's hottest five-year period on record, the World Meteorological Organization said on Friday.

It is too soon to definitely attribute <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/new-june-temperature-records-europe-swelters-in-heatwave-230846">Europe</a>'s current blistering heatwave to climate change but it is "absolutely consistent" with extremes linked to the impact of greenhouse gas emissions, the United Nations agency said.

"<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/europeans-on-alert-as-heatwave-intensifies-230994">Heatwaves</a> will become more intense, they will become more drawn out, they will become more extreme, they will start earlier and they will finish later," WMO spokeswoman Clare Nullis told a briefing in Geneva.

"We are still only the end of June, but it seems like the earth is set to experience its five warmest years on record, so that is 2015 to 2019 inclusive," she said. From January to May, 2019 ranked as the third warmest year, she added.

Watch: Germany's temperature record smashed as Europe's heatwave intensifies

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G20 negotiators in Osaka, Japan are wrangling over the wording of a summit communique on fighting climate change, with the United States seeking to dilute the language against European opposition, according to sources and drafts of the text.

This year is on track to be among the hottest ever and that would make 2015-2019 the world's hottest five-year period on record, the World Meteorological Organization said on Friday.

This year is on track to be among the hottest ever and that would make 2015-2019 the world's hottest five-year period on record, the World Meteorological Organization said on Friday. It is too soon to definitely attribute Europe's current blistering heatwave to climate change but it is "absolutely consistent" with extremes linked to the impact of greenhouse gas emissions, the United Nations agency said. "Heatwaves will become more intense, they will become more drawn out, they will become more extreme, they will start earlier and they will finish later," WMO spokeswoman Clare Nullis told a briefing in Geneva. "We are still only the end of June, but it seems like the earth is set to experience its five warmest years on record, so that is 2015 to 2019 inclusive," she said. From January to May, 2019 ranked as the third warmest year, she added. Watch: Germany's temperature record smashed as Europe's heatwave intensifies × G20 negotiators in Osaka, Japan are wrangling over the wording of a summit communique on fighting climate change, with the United States seeking to dilute the language against European opposition, according to sources and drafts of the text.

Europe's heatwave consistent with climate change, more to come: UN

G20 leaders expected to wrangle over Climate Change.

G20 Summit: Big Focus on Climate Change

With both houses of Parliament convening on Thursday, the Lok Sabha will be taking up five bills for discussion. Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will likely table the Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019. He is expected to also move amendments to the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. In Rajya Sabha, Union minister Piyush Goyal will likely move for passage of the Special Economic Zones (Amendment) Bill, 2019, which seeks to allows trusts to set up units in special economic zones by amending the SEZ law. Stay tuned to IndiaToday.in for all the live updates of the proceedings.

India Watch: Debate on climate change in parliament

Investors Managing $34 Trillion In Assets Demand Action Against Climate Change The clock is ticking really fast. And more and more people are demanding action against climate change. Earlier, only activists raised their concerns against global warming. Now an investors group managing $34 Trillion in assets have stepped up demands to address the issue. Here's a report

Gravitas: A group of 477 investors demands action against climate change

In this segment of WION World Order, the concern is G20 summit and its outcomes. Well while asked to the Ambassador of Argentina to India Daniel Chuburu about the G20 summit and the possible outcomes.

WION World Order: Marine plastic waste is the biggest issue at G20 Summit: Argentina Ambassador

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that progress achieved in combating global challenges like terrorism and climate change will be discussed at the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-to-leave-for-g20-summit-today-first-bilateral-meeting-with-japan-pm-shinzo-abe-230584">G20 Summit in Japan</a> and it will also be a platform to share India's development experience of the past five years.

In his departure statement ahead of his visit to Osaka in Japan for the G20 Summit, PM Modi said he looked forward to discussing major challenges and opportunities faced by the world with other global leaders.

"Women empowerment, issues related to digitalisation and artificial intelligence, and progress in achieving Sustainable Development Goals and in our common efforts to address major global challenges such as terrorism and climate change form the rich agenda of the Summit," he said.

The prime minister said that the summit will provide an important opportunity to reinforce India's strong support to "reformed multilateralism", which is crucial for preserving rule-based international&nbsp;order in the fast-changing world.

Watch:&nbsp;What awaits India at the G-20 summit in Japan&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-what-awaits-india-at-the-g-20-summit-in-japan-230696/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"The summit will also be a platform for sharing India's strong developmental experience of the last five years, which provided the basis for a resounding mandate by the people to the government to continue on the path to progress and stability," he said.

PM Modi said Osaka Summit will also be an important stepping stone for India hosting the G-20 Summit in 2022, when a 'New India' will be ushered in, in the 75th anniversary year of Independence.

The prime minister, who will have several meetings on the sidelines of the summit, said he looked forward to engaging with leaders of India's major partner countries on important issues of bilateral and global importance.

"I also look forward to host the next Russia, India and China (RIC) Informal Summit on the sidelines and also to participate in the next informal meetings of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) and JAI (Japan, America and India) leaders," he said. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that progress achieved in combating global challenges like terrorism and climate change will be discussed at the G20 Summit in Japan and it will also be a platform to share India's development experience of the past five years.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that progress achieved in combating global challenges like terrorism and climate change will be discussed at the G20 Summit in Japan and it will also be a platform to share India's development experience of the past five years. In his departure statement ahead of his visit to Osaka in Japan for the G20 Summit, PM Modi said he looked forward to discussing major challenges and opportunities faced by the world with other global leaders. "Women empowerment, issues related to digitalisation and artificial intelligence, and progress in achieving Sustainable Development Goals and in our common efforts to address major global challenges such as terrorism and climate change form the rich agenda of the Summit," he said. The prime minister said that the summit will provide an important opportunity to reinforce India's strong support to "reformed multilateralism", which is crucial for preserving rule-based international order in the fast-changing world. Watch: What awaits India at the G-20 summit in Japan "The summit will also be a platform for sharing India's strong developmental experience of the last five years, which provided the basis for a resounding mandate by the people to the government to continue on the path to progress and stability," he said. PM Modi said Osaka Summit will also be an important stepping stone for India hosting the G-20 Summit in 2022, when a 'New India' will be ushered in, in the 75th anniversary year of Independence. The prime minister, who will have several meetings on the sidelines of the summit, said he looked forward to engaging with leaders of India's major partner countries on important issues of bilateral and global importance. "I also look forward to host the next Russia, India and China (RIC) Informal Summit on the sidelines and also to participate in the next informal meetings of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) and JAI (Japan, America and India) leaders," he said. (ANI)

G20 Summit to discuss progress in tackling terrorism, climate change: PM Modi

G20 negotiators are wrangling over the wording of a summit communique on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-g20-agreement-if-paris-climate-change-not-mentioned-macron-230595">combatting climate change</a>, with the United States pushing to downgrade the language against European opposition, according to sources and drafts of the text.&nbsp;

The arguments are a reprise of tussles over global warming that have stymied talks in multilateral forums since US President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of a landmark agreement to limit the effects of climate change.&nbsp;

The latest draft, seen by Reuters, includes language supporting implementation of the 2015 Paris Agreement, and saying the accord signed by 200 nations is "irreversible".&nbsp;

An earlier draft, also seen by Reuters, did not include such language at the insistence of the United States, two sources familiar with the discussions over the communique told Reuters.&nbsp;

Further changes to the communique are likely before the final adoption of the text on Saturday by Group of 20 leaders in Osaka for this week's summit, but the inclusion of stronger language came as French President Emmanuel Macron said France will not accept a text that does not mention the Paris agreement.&nbsp;

"If we don't talk about the Paris Agreement and if we don`t get an agreement on it amongst the 20 members in the room, we are no longer capable of defending our climate change goals and France will not be part of this," he said in Tokyo on Wednesday before heading to Osaka.&nbsp;

France was one of the main drivers behind the Paris accord and the French parliament is now debating an energy bill that targets net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.&nbsp;

"Negotiations on the topic of climate will be especially difficult this time," a German government official said on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Nations in Paris agreed to limit the global average rise from pre-industrial temperatures to well below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit).&nbsp;

Current policies, though, put the world on track for at least a 3C rise by the end of the century, according to a United Nations report in 2016.&nbsp;

Investors managing more than $34 trillion in assets, nearly half the world`s invested capital, piled pressure on G20 leaders on Wednesday, demanding urgent action from governments on climate change.&nbsp;

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday also urged G20 countries to back more ambitious climate goals, among other international initiatives.&nbsp;

Summit host Japan has been criticized for backing the continued use of coal for power generation, one of the biggest sources of gas emissions that cause global warming.&nbsp;

G20 leaders will meet on Friday and Saturday.&nbsp;

G20 negotiators are wrangling over the wording of a summit communique on combatting climate change, with the United States pushing to downgrade the language against European opposition, according to sources and drafts of the text.

G20 negotiators are wrangling over the wording of a summit communique on combatting climate change, with the United States pushing to downgrade the language against European opposition, according to sources and drafts of the text. The arguments are a reprise of tussles over global warming that have stymied talks in multilateral forums since US President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of a landmark agreement to limit the effects of climate change. The latest draft, seen by Reuters, includes language supporting implementation of the 2015 Paris Agreement, and saying the accord signed by 200 nations is "irreversible". An earlier draft, also seen by Reuters, did not include such language at the insistence of the United States, two sources familiar with the discussions over the communique told Reuters. Further changes to the communique are likely before the final adoption of the text on Saturday by Group of 20 leaders in Osaka for this week's summit, but the inclusion of stronger language came as French President Emmanuel Macron said France will not accept a text that does not mention the Paris agreement. "If we don't talk about the Paris Agreement and if we don`t get an agreement on it amongst the 20 members in the room, we are no longer capable of defending our climate change goals and France will not be part of this," he said in Tokyo on Wednesday before heading to Osaka. France was one of the main drivers behind the Paris accord and the French parliament is now debating an energy bill that targets net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. "Negotiations on the topic of climate will be especially difficult this time," a German government official said on Wednesday. Nations in Paris agreed to limit the global average rise from pre-industrial temperatures to well below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit). Current policies, though, put the world on track for at least a 3C rise by the end of the century, according to a United Nations report in 2016. Investors managing more than $34 trillion in assets, nearly half the world`s invested capital, piled pressure on G20 leaders on Wednesday, demanding urgent action from governments on climate change. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday also urged G20 countries to back more ambitious climate goals, among other international initiatives. Summit host Japan has been criticized for backing the continued use of coal for power generation, one of the biggest sources of gas emissions that cause global warming. G20 leaders will meet on Friday and Saturday.

G20 members at odds over climate change for summit meeting: Sources

How climate change is taking a toll on Greek monuments

Climate change could wreak "irreversible damage" on the world's most precious ancient monuments and other cultural sites, experts warned Saturday as they pushed for UN protection for major global sites.

Academics and policymakers gathered in Athens for a meeting on the threats to world heritage called for an array of tools to predict, measure and counter the effects of climate change.

They are campaigning to have the issue included on the agenda at the UN Summit for Climate Change in New York in September.

Dimitrios Pandermalis, director of the city's Acropolis Museum said that while environmental damage and deterioration has always been a challenge for monuments, these threats are accelerating.

"The scale of things is different and the destruction can be irreversible," he said.&nbsp;

The UN Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) warned in October that warming was on track towards a catastrophic 3C or 4C rise, and that avoiding global chaos would require a major transformation.

"Climate change is a threat to our future, but also to our heritage, natural and cultural," said UN Secretary-General Anthony Guterres ahead of the summit.

"Extreme weather events and shifts in climate are taking a toll on ancient monuments and sites."

The Athens meeting called for improved tools to help gauge the threat posed by climate change and mitigate risks, like threat maps based on climatic projections.

The conference highlighted the challenges in preserving underwater heritage such as shipwrecks.

The Head of the Research Centre for Atmospheric Physics and Climatology at the Academy of Athens warned that "with man-made global warming everything will become more acid in the atmosphere but also in the seas" posing a threat to submarine monuments. &nbsp;

The conference was jointly hosted by the Greek government, the UN and the UN's cultural agency UNESCO.

Climate change could wreak "irreversible damage" on the world's most precious ancient monuments and other cultural sites, experts warned Saturday as they pushed for UN protection for major global sites.

Climate change could wreak "irreversible damage" on the world's most precious ancient monuments and other cultural sites, experts warned Saturday as they pushed for UN protection for major global sites. Academics and policymakers gathered in Athens for a meeting on the threats to world heritage called for an array of tools to predict, measure and counter the effects of climate change. They are campaigning to have the issue included on the agenda at the UN Summit for Climate Change in New York in September. Dimitrios Pandermalis, director of the city's Acropolis Museum said that while environmental damage and deterioration has always been a challenge for monuments, these threats are accelerating. "The scale of things is different and the destruction can be irreversible," he said. The UN Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) warned in October that warming was on track towards a catastrophic 3C or 4C rise, and that avoiding global chaos would require a major transformation. "Climate change is a threat to our future, but also to our heritage, natural and cultural," said UN Secretary-General Anthony Guterres ahead of the summit. "Extreme weather events and shifts in climate are taking a toll on ancient monuments and sites." The Athens meeting called for improved tools to help gauge the threat posed by climate change and mitigate risks, like threat maps based on climatic projections. The conference highlighted the challenges in preserving underwater heritage such as shipwrecks. The Head of the Research Centre for Atmospheric Physics and Climatology at the Academy of Athens warned that "with man-made global warming everything will become more acid in the atmosphere but also in the seas" posing a threat to submarine monuments. The conference was jointly hosted by the Greek government, the UN and the UN's cultural agency UNESCO.

Experts raise alarm over climate change threat to cultural heritage

Candidates from China, France and Georgia are vying to head the UN's food agency, as the fight to eradicate world hunger takes a blow from global warming and wars.

The election of the new chief of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) will be held Sunday at the headquarters in Rome during the agency's 41st conference, which brings together 194 member countries.

Global hunger has risen for the past three years due to the combined effects of extreme and erratic weather, economic slowdowns, and conflicts, particularly in Africa and the Middle East.

FAO has sounded the alarm over rising food insecurity and high levels of malnutrition, and the new head will have to ramp up support for small-holder farms and fisheries to combat the ills of intensive farming, food waste and poverty.

Whoever takes over the four-year posting from Brazil's Jose Graziano da Silva will have to put policies in place now in preparation for feeding a world population expected to increase from 7.7 billion people to 9.7 billion in 2050.

The UN agency tackles issues that are "important for both advanced and developing countries," Manuel Lafont Rapnouil, from the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), told AFP.&nbsp;

They include "food security, (and) agricultural development, but also agro-business, trade, biotechnology and, increasingly, climate and environment", he said.

Epidemic, trade war

The candidates -- who for the first time include a woman -- each boast extensive experience in the sector.

China has nominated its agricultural deputy minister, 55-year-old Qu Dongyu, who many analysts see as the frontrunner.

"Beijing has made a big push to get more senior jobs at the UN in the last few years," Richard Gowan, an analyst at the Brussels-based International Crisis Group, told AFP.

The country is currently grappling with a swine fever epidemic that is decimating its livestock, as well as a trade war with the United States that is forcing it to go elsewhere for cereals and soya.

The crises have pushed the food sector to the top of the government's priorities, Beijing said in its bid letter, seen by AFP.&nbsp;

Qu, a biologist by training, has 30 years experience, from developing digital technologies in agriculture to introducing micro-credit in rural areas.

'Know hunger personally'

Georgia's candidate, Davit Kirvalidze, is a former minister of agriculture who believes the private sector has a key role to play in eliminating global hunger, he said in a telephone interview.

It is vital that small family farmers have market access, with FAO acting as a "broker" of change to launch "public-private" partnerships to that end, he said.

"I know hunger personally, and it drew me to farm. Eventually I was able to feed my family, my community, and this is what led me here today," he added.

In an apparent nod to criticisms of the UN agency over management practices in recent years, Kirvalidze said his tenure would be "one marked by unprecedented transparency".

French candidate Catherine Geslain-Laneelle, former head of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), has spent her entire career in the agricultural and agri-food sectors at the highest level in France.

She says FAO should help "develop value chains around agriculture, fisheries and forestry", a reference to the storage, processing and distribution of food.

As well as tackling the red-button issue of food waste, such chains would also help combat poverty by creating jobs for young people, in particular in rural areas and developing countries, she added.

Candidates from China, France and Georgia are vying to head the UN's food agency, as the fight to eradicate world hunger takes a blow from global warming and wars.

Candidates from China, France and Georgia are vying to head the UN's food agency, as the fight to eradicate world hunger takes a blow from global warming and wars. The election of the new chief of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) will be held Sunday at the headquarters in Rome during the agency's 41st conference, which brings together 194 member countries. Global hunger has risen for the past three years due to the combined effects of extreme and erratic weather, economic slowdowns, and conflicts, particularly in Africa and the Middle East. FAO has sounded the alarm over rising food insecurity and high levels of malnutrition, and the new head will have to ramp up support for small-holder farms and fisheries to combat the ills of intensive farming, food waste and poverty. Whoever takes over the four-year posting from Brazil's Jose Graziano da Silva will have to put policies in place now in preparation for feeding a world population expected to increase from 7.7 billion people to 9.7 billion in 2050. The UN agency tackles issues that are "important for both advanced and developing countries," Manuel Lafont Rapnouil, from the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), told AFP. They include "food security, (and) agricultural development, but also agro-business, trade, biotechnology and, increasingly, climate and environment", he said. Epidemic, trade war The candidates -- who for the first time include a woman -- each boast extensive experience in the sector. China has nominated its agricultural deputy minister, 55-year-old Qu Dongyu, who many analysts see as the frontrunner. "Beijing has made a big push to get more senior jobs at the UN in the last few years," Richard Gowan, an analyst at the Brussels-based International Crisis Group, told AFP. The country is currently grappling with a swine fever epidemic that is decimating its livestock, as well as a trade war with the United States that is forcing it to go elsewhere for cereals and soya. The crises have pushed the food sector to the top of the government's priorities, Beijing said in its bid letter, seen by AFP. Qu, a biologist by training, has 30 years experience, from developing digital technologies in agriculture to introducing micro-credit in rural areas. 'Know hunger personally' Georgia's candidate, Davit Kirvalidze, is a former minister of agriculture who believes the private sector has a key role to play in eliminating global hunger, he said in a telephone interview. It is vital that small family farmers have market access, with FAO acting as a "broker" of change to launch "public-private" partnerships to that end, he said. "I know hunger personally, and it drew me to farm. Eventually I was able to feed my family, my community, and this is what led me here today," he added. In an apparent nod to criticisms of the UN agency over management practices in recent years, Kirvalidze said his tenure would be "one marked by unprecedented transparency". French candidate Catherine Geslain-Laneelle, former head of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), has spent her entire career in the agricultural and agri-food sectors at the highest level in France. She says FAO should help "develop value chains around agriculture, fisheries and forestry", a reference to the storage, processing and distribution of food. As well as tackling the red-button issue of food waste, such chains would also help combat poverty by creating jobs for young people, in particular in rural areas and developing countries, she added.

UN food agency to elect chief as climate change ups hunger

The British government on Wednesday presented draft legislation to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2050 in what it said would be a first for a major economy.

The new target was broadly welcomed across the political spectrum but environmental groups said it would require radical action to decarbonise the entire economy.

The deadline is far more ambitious than Britain's current policy of cutting emissions by 80 per cent over the same period and Finance Minister Philip Hammond has reportedly warned it could cost more than £1.0 trillion.

The 2050 date will be introduced in existing climate change laws through a piece of legislation known as a statutory instrument that parliament is expected to approve.

"As the first country to legislate for long-term climate targets, we can be truly proud of our record in tackling climate change," Prime Minister Theresa May said.

In one of her final acts before she steps down next month, she said Britain "must lead the world to a cleaner, greener form of growth".

"Standing by is not an option," she added.

'A strong signal'

Britain's top advisory body on climate change this year said the net zero target could be achieved within a budget of 1.0-2.0 per cent of gross domestic product by 2050.

But the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) added that the deadline would require the rapid rollout of new policies such as making all new cars and vans electric by 2035 and quadrupling low-carbon electricity production.

"This step will send a strong signal to other countries to follow suit," said John Gummer, the committee's chief.

Carolyn Fairbairn, head of the Confederation of British Industry big business lobby, said companies were "squarely behind" the commitment but she urged the government to come up with long-term policies to decarbonise the economy.

The deadline would put Britain on track to fully meet its commitments under The Paris Agreement, under which countries have pledged to keep the global average temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius.

If replicated across the world and coupled with near-term emissions reductions, there would be a greater than 50 per cent chance of limiting the temperature increases to just 1.5 degrees Celsius -- the "safe" upper limit identified by the UN's International Panel on Climate Change last October, the CCC said.

Other EU countries have also pencilled in various emission reduction deadlines, although none have been adopted into law.

In France, the government introduced a bill in April setting a 2050 target date, while Norway is discussing 2030.

The world's net carbon emissions grew by an "unsustainable" rate of 2.0 per cent last year, according to a closely-watched review by energy giant BP published on Tuesday.

The review also found that global energy demand grew by 2.8 per cent, with the United States recording the biggest increase of any country.

'Crucial first step'

The UK government's move was quickly welcomed by environmental campaigners from Greenpeace, which called it "a big moment for everyone in the climate movement".

"While the loopholes being woven into the legislation by the Treasury will need to be unpicked, and the date moved forward, this decision fires the starting gun for a fundamental transformation of our economy," the group's chief UK scientist Doug Parr said.

Craig Bennett, UK chief executive of Friends of the Earth, said May's premiership had been "characterised by chronic inaction on climate breakdown" and 2050 was "still too slow to address catastrophic climate change".

Gareth Redmond King, head of climate change at the environmental charity WWF, said the announcement was a "crucial first step" that would be helped by technological advances in solar panel and wind turbine technology.

The British government on Wednesday presented draft legislation to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2050 in what it said would be a first for a major economy.

The British government on Wednesday presented draft legislation to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2050 in what it said would be a first for a major economy. The new target was broadly welcomed across the political spectrum but environmental groups said it would require radical action to decarbonise the entire economy. The deadline is far more ambitious than Britain's current policy of cutting emissions by 80 per cent over the same period and Finance Minister Philip Hammond has reportedly warned it could cost more than £1.0 trillion. The 2050 date will be introduced in existing climate change laws through a piece of legislation known as a statutory instrument that parliament is expected to approve. "As the first country to legislate for long-term climate targets, we can be truly proud of our record in tackling climate change," Prime Minister Theresa May said. In one of her final acts before she steps down next month, she said Britain "must lead the world to a cleaner, greener form of growth". "Standing by is not an option," she added. 'A strong signal' Britain's top advisory body on climate change this year said the net zero target could be achieved within a budget of 1.0-2.0 per cent of gross domestic product by 2050. But the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) added that the deadline would require the rapid rollout of new policies such as making all new cars and vans electric by 2035 and quadrupling low-carbon electricity production. "This step will send a strong signal to other countries to follow suit," said John Gummer, the committee's chief. Carolyn Fairbairn, head of the Confederation of British Industry big business lobby, said companies were "squarely behind" the commitment but she urged the government to come up with long-term policies to decarbonise the economy. The deadline would put Britain on track to fully meet its commitments under The Paris Agreement, under which countries have pledged to keep the global average temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius. If replicated across the world and coupled with near-term emissions reductions, there would be a greater than 50 per cent chance of limiting the temperature increases to just 1.5 degrees Celsius -- the "safe" upper limit identified by the UN's International Panel on Climate Change last October, the CCC said. Other EU countries have also pencilled in various emission reduction deadlines, although none have been adopted into law. In France, the government introduced a bill in April setting a 2050 target date, while Norway is discussing 2030. The world's net carbon emissions grew by an "unsustainable" rate of 2.0 per cent last year, according to a closely-watched review by energy giant BP published on Tuesday. The review also found that global energy demand grew by 2.8 per cent, with the United States recording the biggest increase of any country. 'Crucial first step' The UK government's move was quickly welcomed by environmental campaigners from Greenpeace, which called it "a big moment for everyone in the climate movement". "While the loopholes being woven into the legislation by the Treasury will need to be unpicked, and the date moved forward, this decision fires the starting gun for a fundamental transformation of our economy," the group's chief UK scientist Doug Parr said. Craig Bennett, UK chief executive of Friends of the Earth, said May's premiership had been "characterised by chronic inaction on climate breakdown" and 2050 was "still too slow to address catastrophic climate change". Gareth Redmond King, head of climate change at the environmental charity WWF, said the announcement was a "crucial first step" that would be helped by technological advances in solar panel and wind turbine technology.

Britain sets deadline for carbon neutrality by 2050

Canada plans to ban some single-use plastics like straws, bags and cutlery by early 2021 to reduce waste and litter and protect the world's oceans, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Monday.

Trudeau announced the move from the banks of a lake in Gault Nature Reserve in Quebec less than five months before a national election in which climate change and pollution are widely expected to be among the top campaign issues.

"To be honest, as a dad, it's tough trying to explain this to my kids. How do you explain dead whales washing up on beaches around the world, their stomachs jam-packed with plastic bags?" Trudeau said.

"As parents, we're at a point when we take our kids to the beach and we have to search out a patch of sand that isn't littered with straws, Styrofoam or bottles. That's a problem, one that we have to do something about."

Canada's move follows one by the European Union, which late last year announced a similar ban.

Last year, Canada sponsored a G7 ocean plastics charter intended to spur a reduction in plastics use, and in May the United Nations said 180 countries reached a deal to sharply reduce the amount of plastic that gets washed into the oceans.

Exactly which types of plastics will be targeted will be a science-based decision, Trudeau said. The initiative includes requiring manufacturers of plastics to be responsible for the entire life cycle of their products, he added.

Canada plans to ban some single-use plastics like straws, bags and cutlery by early 2021 to reduce waste and litter and protect the world's oceans, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Monday.

Canada plans to ban some single-use plastics like straws, bags and cutlery by early 2021 to reduce waste and litter and protect the world's oceans, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Monday. Trudeau announced the move from the banks of a lake in Gault Nature Reserve in Quebec less than five months before a national election in which climate change and pollution are widely expected to be among the top campaign issues. "To be honest, as a dad, it's tough trying to explain this to my kids. How do you explain dead whales washing up on beaches around the world, their stomachs jam-packed with plastic bags?" Trudeau said. "As parents, we're at a point when we take our kids to the beach and we have to search out a patch of sand that isn't littered with straws, Styrofoam or bottles. That's a problem, one that we have to do something about." Canada's move follows one by the European Union, which late last year announced a similar ban. Last year, Canada sponsored a G7 ocean plastics charter intended to spur a reduction in plastics use, and in May the United Nations said 180 countries reached a deal to sharply reduce the amount of plastic that gets washed into the oceans. Exactly which types of plastics will be targeted will be a science-based decision, Trudeau said. The initiative includes requiring manufacturers of plastics to be responsible for the entire life cycle of their products, he added.

Plastic straws and bags no more: Canada aims to clean up its act

Under pressure from frequent flyers alarmed over climate change, the airline industry says it is "hellbent" on reducing emissions — but the technology needed to drastically reduce its carbon footprint is still out of reach.

In recent months climate activists have stepped up efforts to convince travellers to boycott air travel, with Swedish schoolgirl and campaigner Greta Thunberg spearheading the trains-over-planes movement and making "flygskam", or flight shame, a buzzword in the Scandinavian country.

"The sector is under considerable pressure," admitted Alexandre de Juniac, chief executive of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), whose members met this week in Seoul.

The industry has been under fire over its carbon emissions, which at 285 grams of CO2 emitted per kilometre travelled by a passenger far exceed all other modes of transport. Road transportation follows at 158 and rail travel is at 14, according to European Environment Agency figures.

De Juniac said the industry was "hellbent" on lowering emissions but the sector is also accused of underestimating its environmental impact, with the IATA chief lobbying heavily against a "green tax" on aviation backed by several countries including the Netherlands.&nbsp;

"Often these taxes are absorbed in the budgets of states and are spent on whatever they want, except the environment," he said.&nbsp;

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) estimates that air transport is responsible for two per cent of global CO2 emissions -- roughly equivalent to the overall emissions of Germany, according to consulting firm Sia Partners.

But aircraft also emit particles such as nitrogen oxides, which can trap heat at high altitude, meaning the industry is actually responsible for five per cent of global warming, according to the Climate Action Network, an umbrella group of environmental NGOs.

The industry has committed to improving fuel efficiency by 1.5 per cent per year from 2009 to 2020 and stabilising its CO2 emissions in preparation for a 50 percent reduction by 2050 compared to 2005.

It is a major challenge given that the number of passengers is expected to double over the next two decades to reach 8.2 billion in 2037.

- Biofuels, electric engines - 
Companies are banking on a new generation of less polluting planes with updated engines, aerodynamic modifications and fittings that weigh less -- among them tablets to replace heavy pilot manuals.

However Shukor Yusof, analyst with Malaysia-based Endau Analytics, told AFP the industry had made progress but "that all these technological advances to cut emissions are tough to implement quickly due to the nature of the industry hemmed by high costs and the fact that planes typically take decades before they are replaced".

Philippe Plouvier, associate director of consulting firm Boston Consulting Group in Paris, said "the constant renewal of the fleet is a major part of it (cutting emissions)", explaining that the latest models of large aircraft reduce CO2 by 20 to 25 per cent.&nbsp;

"But that only solves around 30 per cent of the problem," he said. The rest, he added, can only be resolved by developing sustainable biofuels or turning to electric power -- technology which is currently impractical.

Several airlines have begun testing biofuels but production costs remain high and industry experts do not believe electric engines will be rolled out commercially for another two decades.

"Batteries today are still too big and heavy to be used as the main source of power for aircraft," said Leithen Francis, managing director of Singapore-based aviation public relations agency Francis &amp; Low.

"Aircraft today take off heavy -- because the aircraft is carrying a full load of fuel -- but then the aircraft uses up its fuel during the flight and lands light.

"Aircraft powered by batteries will take off heavy and then have to land heavy, so developing aircraft that can do that -- without having a hard landings or causing structural damage to the airframe -- will be a challenge," Francis told AFP.

The ICAO says better management of air traffic can help and a new generation of more fuel-efficient plane designs is predicted within five or ten years.

But time is not on the aviation industry's side.

A landmark UN report last year concluded that CO2 emissions must drop 45 per cent by 2030 -- and reach "net zero" by 2050 -- if the rise in Earth's temperature is to be checked at the safer limit of 1.5C.

Plouvier of the Boston Consulting Group said to meet the 2050 goal, the aviation industry "must start today and very quickly". 
&nbsp;

Under pressure from frequent flyers alarmed over climate change, the airline industry says it is "hellbent" on reducing emissions — but the technology needed to drastically reduce its carbon footprint is still out of reach.

Under pressure from frequent flyers alarmed over climate change, the airline industry says it is "hellbent" on reducing emissions — but the technology needed to drastically reduce its carbon footprint is still out of reach. In recent months climate activists have stepped up efforts to convince travellers to boycott air travel, with Swedish schoolgirl and campaigner Greta Thunberg spearheading the trains-over-planes movement and making "flygskam", or flight shame, a buzzword in the Scandinavian country. "The sector is under considerable pressure," admitted Alexandre de Juniac, chief executive of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), whose members met this week in Seoul. The industry has been under fire over its carbon emissions, which at 285 grams of CO2 emitted per kilometre travelled by a passenger far exceed all other modes of transport. Road transportation follows at 158 and rail travel is at 14, according to European Environment Agency figures. De Juniac said the industry was "hellbent" on lowering emissions but the sector is also accused of underestimating its environmental impact, with the IATA chief lobbying heavily against a "green tax" on aviation backed by several countries including the Netherlands. "Often these taxes are absorbed in the budgets of states and are spent on whatever they want, except the environment," he said. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) estimates that air transport is responsible for two per cent of global CO2 emissions -- roughly equivalent to the overall emissions of Germany, according to consulting firm Sia Partners. But aircraft also emit particles such as nitrogen oxides, which can trap heat at high altitude, meaning the industry is actually responsible for five per cent of global warming, according to the Climate Action Network, an umbrella group of environmental NGOs. The industry has committed to improving fuel efficiency by 1.5 per cent per year from 2009 to 2020 and stabilising its CO2 emissions in preparation for a 50 percent reduction by 2050 compared to 2005. It is a major challenge given that the number of passengers is expected to double over the next two decades to reach 8.2 billion in 2037. - Biofuels, electric engines - Companies are banking on a new generation of less polluting planes with updated engines, aerodynamic modifications and fittings that weigh less -- among them tablets to replace heavy pilot manuals. However Shukor Yusof, analyst with Malaysia-based Endau Analytics, told AFP the industry had made progress but "that all these technological advances to cut emissions are tough to implement quickly due to the nature of the industry hemmed by high costs and the fact that planes typically take decades before they are replaced". Philippe Plouvier, associate director of consulting firm Boston Consulting Group in Paris, said "the constant renewal of the fleet is a major part of it (cutting emissions)", explaining that the latest models of large aircraft reduce CO2 by 20 to 25 per cent. "But that only solves around 30 per cent of the problem," he said. The rest, he added, can only be resolved by developing sustainable biofuels or turning to electric power -- technology which is currently impractical. Several airlines have begun testing biofuels but production costs remain high and industry experts do not believe electric engines will be rolled out commercially for another two decades. "Batteries today are still too big and heavy to be used as the main source of power for aircraft," said Leithen Francis, managing director of Singapore-based aviation public relations agency Francis & Low. "Aircraft today take off heavy -- because the aircraft is carrying a full load of fuel -- but then the aircraft uses up its fuel during the flight and lands light. "Aircraft powered by batteries will take off heavy and then have to land heavy, so developing aircraft that can do that -- without having a hard landings or causing structural damage to the airframe -- will be a challenge," Francis told AFP. The ICAO says better management of air traffic can help and a new generation of more fuel-efficient plane designs is predicted within five or ten years. But time is not on the aviation industry's side. A landmark UN report last year concluded that CO2 emissions must drop 45 per cent by 2030 -- and reach "net zero" by 2050 -- if the rise in Earth's temperature is to be checked at the safer limit of 1.5C. Plouvier of the Boston Consulting Group said to meet the 2050 goal, the aviation industry "must start today and very quickly".

Pressure mounts on aviation industry over climate change

Stark Warning From Australia's Climate Experts On The World Environment Day It's the World Environment Day. But stark climate warning continues to threaten the future of humankind in the planet. A group of Australia's climate experts say that humans will perish in 31 years due to climate change. Palki breaks down the report

Gravitas: Key points to ponder upon on World Environment Day

More than 200 of the world's largest listed companies forecast that climate change could cost them a combined total of almost $1 trillion, with much of the pain due in the next five years, according to a report published on Tuesday.

Even so, the findings by charity CDP suggested many companies still underestimated the dangers as scientists warn that earth's climate system is on course to hit catastrophic tipping points without rapid cuts in carbon emissions.

"Most companies still have a long way to go in terms of properly assessing climate risk," said Nicolette Bartlett, CDP's director of climate change, who authored the report.

Founded in the early 2000s, CDP - formerly known as Carbon Disclosure Project - is a respected voice in a growing coalition of pressure groups, fund managers, central bankers and politicians who believe global warming poses a systemic risk to the financial system.

By pushing chief executives to confront risks to their operations, advocates of greater disclosure hope to spur enough investment in cleaner industries to cut carbon emissions in time to meet global climate goals.

In its latest study, CDP analysed survey data from 215 of the largest companies, ranging from Apple and Microsoft to Unilever, UBS, Nestle, China Mobile, Infosys, Sony and BHP.

The companies anticipated a total of $970 billion in extra costs due to factors including hotter temperatures, chaotic weather, and pricing of greenhouse gas emissions. About half of these costs were seen as "likely to virtually certain."

Many companies also saw a huge potential upside if the world can de-carbonise in time to avert the bleakest climate scenarios, which scientists see as an existential risk to industrial civilisation.

The companies in the CDP study, which have a combined market capitalisation of roughly $17 trillion, saw potential opportunities worth $2.1 trillion, spanning faster-than-expected demand for electric vehicles to investments in renewables.

The great transition

Investor concerns over climate risk have risen sharply in parallel with an upsurge in climate activism in many countries as the heat waves, droughts, wildfires and super-storms fuelled by climate change have become harder to ignore.

In April, Bank of England Governor Mark Carney and Francois Villeroy de Galhau, head of the French central bank, warned of the risk of a climate-driven "Minsky moment" – a sudden collapse in asset prices - unless business embraced greater disclosure.

The CDP aligns its questionnaires with the reporting requirements of the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, a voluntary initiative launched by the G20 in 2015, which is due to publish a status report on Wednesday.

British-based CDP acknowledges its research cannot provide a perfect snapshot of companies' thinking since a lack of mandatory reporting requirements on climate risk means it has to rely on whatever figures executives are willing to share.

The charity argues, however, that the degree to which companies are willing to engage provides a yardstick to judge the relative transparency of different sectors and generates peer pressure for greater disclosure.

Although no sector was entirely transparent on climate risk, financial services companies tended to be among the most forthcoming respondents, CDP said, accounting for about 70-80 per cent of the estimated costs and opportunities.

Fossil fuel companies who submitted responses to the study reported $140 billion of potential opportunities in the drive towards a low-carbon economy - more than five times the $25 billion value of the risks they identified, CDP said.

With climate action focused on limiting the burning of coal, oil and gas, CDP urged investors to question why fossil players seemed so confident of benefiting from an energy transition that would render their existing business models obsolete.

"The financial sector seems to be identifying more risks than the real economy," said Pedro Faria, a strategic advisor to CDP. "This raises the question: who is managing these risks?"

More than 200 of the world's largest listed companies forecast that climate change could cost them a combined total of almost $1 trillion, with much of the pain due in the next five years, according to a report published on Tuesday.

More than 200 of the world's largest listed companies forecast that climate change could cost them a combined total of almost $1 trillion, with much of the pain due in the next five years, according to a report published on Tuesday. Even so, the findings by charity CDP suggested many companies still underestimated the dangers as scientists warn that earth's climate system is on course to hit catastrophic tipping points without rapid cuts in carbon emissions. "Most companies still have a long way to go in terms of properly assessing climate risk," said Nicolette Bartlett, CDP's director of climate change, who authored the report. Founded in the early 2000s, CDP - formerly known as Carbon Disclosure Project - is a respected voice in a growing coalition of pressure groups, fund managers, central bankers and politicians who believe global warming poses a systemic risk to the financial system. By pushing chief executives to confront risks to their operations, advocates of greater disclosure hope to spur enough investment in cleaner industries to cut carbon emissions in time to meet global climate goals. In its latest study, CDP analysed survey data from 215 of the largest companies, ranging from Apple and Microsoft to Unilever, UBS, Nestle, China Mobile, Infosys, Sony and BHP. The companies anticipated a total of $970 billion in extra costs due to factors including hotter temperatures, chaotic weather, and pricing of greenhouse gas emissions. About half of these costs were seen as "likely to virtually certain." Many companies also saw a huge potential upside if the world can de-carbonise in time to avert the bleakest climate scenarios, which scientists see as an existential risk to industrial civilisation. The companies in the CDP study, which have a combined market capitalisation of roughly $17 trillion, saw potential opportunities worth $2.1 trillion, spanning faster-than-expected demand for electric vehicles to investments in renewables. The great transition Investor concerns over climate risk have risen sharply in parallel with an upsurge in climate activism in many countries as the heat waves, droughts, wildfires and super-storms fuelled by climate change have become harder to ignore. In April, Bank of England Governor Mark Carney and Francois Villeroy de Galhau, head of the French central bank, warned of the risk of a climate-driven "Minsky moment" – a sudden collapse in asset prices - unless business embraced greater disclosure. The CDP aligns its questionnaires with the reporting requirements of the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, a voluntary initiative launched by the G20 in 2015, which is due to publish a status report on Wednesday. British-based CDP acknowledges its research cannot provide a perfect snapshot of companies' thinking since a lack of mandatory reporting requirements on climate risk means it has to rely on whatever figures executives are willing to share. The charity argues, however, that the degree to which companies are willing to engage provides a yardstick to judge the relative transparency of different sectors and generates peer pressure for greater disclosure. Although no sector was entirely transparent on climate risk, financial services companies tended to be among the most forthcoming respondents, CDP said, accounting for about 70-80 per cent of the estimated costs and opportunities. Fossil fuel companies who submitted responses to the study reported $140 billion of potential opportunities in the drive towards a low-carbon economy - more than five times the $25 billion value of the risks they identified, CDP said. With climate action focused on limiting the burning of coal, oil and gas, CDP urged investors to question why fossil players seemed so confident of benefiting from an energy transition that would render their existing business models obsolete. "The financial sector seems to be identifying more risks than the real economy," said Pedro Faria, a strategic advisor to CDP. "This raises the question: who is managing these risks?"

World's biggest firms foresee $1 trillion climate cost hit

Democratic presidential hopeful Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard on Thursday congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was sworn in as India's Prime Minister for a second term.

"I extend my congratulations to Narendra Modi on the occasion of his being sworn in to serve a second term as India's Prime Minister," she said. She said India is the world's largest democracy, where the recent elections saw over 500 million people cast their votes all across India at nearly one million polling places.

"Through the last several years, we have seen the US-India partnership has continued to grow in areas like regional security and trade," she said.&nbsp;

"It is very important that the US and India continue to work together to solve some of the most pressing issues facing our worlds, such as combating<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/main-european-union-parties-adopt-climate-change-as-rallying-cry-221214"> climate change</a>, preventing nuclear war and nuclear proliferation, protecting our oceans and rivers, improving the economic well-being of our people, as well as protecting individual freedoms and rights," she said in a statement.

Gabbard is the first ever Hindu lawmaker in the US Congress. She is also the first ever Hindu to run for presidential elections. Currently, there are nearly 20 Democratic presidential aspirants in the race to challenge incumbent Donald Trump for the 2020 elections.

A former Co-Chair of the powerful India Caucus in the US House of Representatives, Gabbard has been a close friend of India and a supporter of a string India US relationship.&nbsp;

Democratic presidential hopeful Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard on Thursday congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was sworn in as India's Prime Minister for a second term.

Democratic presidential hopeful Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard on Thursday congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was sworn in as India's Prime Minister for a second term. "I extend my congratulations to Narendra Modi on the occasion of his being sworn in to serve a second term as India's Prime Minister," she said. She said India is the world's largest democracy, where the recent elections saw over 500 million people cast their votes all across India at nearly one million polling places. "Through the last several years, we have seen the US-India partnership has continued to grow in areas like regional security and trade," she said. "It is very important that the US and India continue to work together to solve some of the most pressing issues facing our worlds, such as combating climate change, preventing nuclear war and nuclear proliferation, protecting our oceans and rivers, improving the economic well-being of our people, as well as protecting individual freedoms and rights," she said in a statement. Gabbard is the first ever Hindu lawmaker in the US Congress. She is also the first ever Hindu to run for presidential elections. Currently, there are nearly 20 Democratic presidential aspirants in the race to challenge incumbent Donald Trump for the 2020 elections. A former Co-Chair of the powerful India Caucus in the US House of Representatives, Gabbard has been a close friend of India and a supporter of a string India US relationship.

Tulsi Gabbard congratulates PM Modi

Can you sue a government for climate change? The French govt is facing a lawsuit for air pollution in Paris. This report from Gravitas tells you where India stands on combating pollution.

Gravitas: Mother & daughter sue France for failing to protect them against air pollution

Swedish teenage activist Greta Thunberg urged European politicians on Friday to focus on a climate crisis instead of "bickering", as children walked out of classes around the world to back her demands for urgent action to curb carbon emissions.

Thunberg, 16, said the threat of societal breakdown posed by runaway climate change should overshadow every other campaign issue in the<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/european-union-elections-five-things-to-watch-220958"> European Union's parliamentary elections </a>this week.

"If the EU were to decide to seriously fight the climate crisis, it would mean a decisive global change. And the EU election should reasonably only be about this. But it isn't," Thunberg told thousands gathered in Kungstradgarden square in Stockholm's banking district.

By 2200 GMT, more than 1.8 million people in 2,350 cities across 125 countries had joined the strike, according to a tally on the Facebook page of the Fridays for Future movement, a network of young climate protesters.

An estimated 1.5 million young people took part in a previous global school strike on March 15.

In New York, several hundred children and teenagers marched from Columbus Circle to Times Square, shouting their support for a "Green New Deal" proposed in Congress that calls among other things for 100 per cent of US power demand to be met through renewable energy sources within 10 years.

The protesters held a "die-in" in Times Square, lying on the ground for 11 minutes to represent the 11 years scientists have said it may take for earth's temperature to rise to an irreversible tipping point if carbon emissions are not substantially cut.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/main-european-union-parties-adopt-climate-change-as-rallying-cry-221214">Climate change</a> has moved up the political agenda this year, especially among young, first-time voters who fear that they will bear the brunt of global warming, spurring a wave of support for Green candidates.

But much of the debate during European campaigning has focused on issues such as immigration and austerity.

The single most effective weapon in the fight against climate change - imposing taxes on those who emit greenhouse gases - can be politically fraught, however. France was forced to delay a plan to raise taxes on diesel oil last December in response to weeks of sometimes violent protests.

FRIDAYS FOR FUTURE

Thunberg has emerged as a leading figure in the movement since she first protested in favour of climate action alone in August outside the Swedish parliament. She was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, featured on the cover of Time magazine and travelled to Europe by train to lambaste senior figures in government and industry.

Children, teenagers and adults who had felt powerless in the face of the climate crisis have rallied behind Fridays for Future in the hope of forcing politicians and business leaders to heed scientists' warnings.

"We are putting pressure on the governments and we want them to act fast and now," said David Wicker, 14, who joined some 7,500 young protesters in Brussels.

Young people who took time off school to protest on Friday urged adults to heed calls by climate activists for a global general strike on Sept. 20.

In Paris, Celia Benmessaoud, 15, held up a sign saying "There's Is No Planet B," and said she hoped the school strike would change the world - echoing participants around the world, from India, Turkey and Gambia to countries across Europe.

Global warming caused by heat-trapping greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels has already led to droughts and heatwaves, melting glaciers, rising sea levels and floods, scientists say.

Carbon emissions hit a record high last year, despite a warning from the UN-backed Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in October that output of the gases will have to be slashed over the next 12 years to stabilise the climate.

Swedish teenage activist Greta Thunberg urged European politicians on Friday to focus on a climate crisis instead of "bickering", as children walked out of classes around the world to back her demands for urgent action to curb carbon emissions.

Swedish teenage activist Greta Thunberg urged European politicians on Friday to focus on a climate crisis instead of "bickering", as children walked out of classes around the world to back her demands for urgent action to curb carbon emissions. Thunberg, 16, said the threat of societal breakdown posed by runaway climate change should overshadow every other campaign issue in the European Union's parliamentary elections this week. "If the EU were to decide to seriously fight the climate crisis, it would mean a decisive global change. And the EU election should reasonably only be about this. But it isn't," Thunberg told thousands gathered in Kungstradgarden square in Stockholm's banking district. By 2200 GMT, more than 1.8 million people in 2,350 cities across 125 countries had joined the strike, according to a tally on the Facebook page of the Fridays for Future movement, a network of young climate protesters. An estimated 1.5 million young people took part in a previous global school strike on March 15. In New York, several hundred children and teenagers marched from Columbus Circle to Times Square, shouting their support for a "Green New Deal" proposed in Congress that calls among other things for 100 per cent of US power demand to be met through renewable energy sources within 10 years. The protesters held a "die-in" in Times Square, lying on the ground for 11 minutes to represent the 11 years scientists have said it may take for earth's temperature to rise to an irreversible tipping point if carbon emissions are not substantially cut. Climate change has moved up the political agenda this year, especially among young, first-time voters who fear that they will bear the brunt of global warming, spurring a wave of support for Green candidates. But much of the debate during European campaigning has focused on issues such as immigration and austerity. The single most effective weapon in the fight against climate change - imposing taxes on those who emit greenhouse gases - can be politically fraught, however. France was forced to delay a plan to raise taxes on diesel oil last December in response to weeks of sometimes violent protests. FRIDAYS FOR FUTURE Thunberg has emerged as a leading figure in the movement since she first protested in favour of climate action alone in August outside the Swedish parliament. She was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, featured on the cover of Time magazine and travelled to Europe by train to lambaste senior figures in government and industry. Children, teenagers and adults who had felt powerless in the face of the climate crisis have rallied behind Fridays for Future in the hope of forcing politicians and business leaders to heed scientists' warnings. "We are putting pressure on the governments and we want them to act fast and now," said David Wicker, 14, who joined some 7,500 young protesters in Brussels. Young people who took time off school to protest on Friday urged adults to heed calls by climate activists for a global general strike on Sept. 20. In Paris, Celia Benmessaoud, 15, held up a sign saying "There's Is No Planet B," and said she hoped the school strike would change the world - echoing participants around the world, from India, Turkey and Gambia to countries across Europe. Global warming caused by heat-trapping greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels has already led to droughts and heatwaves, melting glaciers, rising sea levels and floods, scientists say. Carbon emissions hit a record high last year, despite a warning from the UN-backed Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in October that output of the gases will have to be slashed over the next 12 years to stabilise the climate.

Sweden's Thunberg demands climate action on day of global school strikes

In a shift since the last <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/european-union-elections-five-things-to-watch-220958">European Parliament elections</a>, mainstream parties have adopted climate change as a rallying cry -- spurred in part by a wave of student strikes.

With the "Fridays for Future" protest due to continuing in cities across the continent on the second day of voting, the growing consensus for urgent climate action has raised hopes of cross-party cooperation.

But there are also fears populists could torpedo this if they make strong gains.

A Eurobarometer poll shows climate change is now a leading concern for European Union voters, not far behind economic issues and rivalling worries about migration.

And, amid weekly protests over what activists now term the climate emergency, Europe's mainstream political parties have finally grasped the issue.

"It is fair to say that climate and environmental policies now are embedded in all the political parties," said Dara Murphy, campaign director for the European People's Party (EPP), the largest bloc in the outgoing European Parliament.

"If you compare it to 2014, it has really become one of the top issues in the European elections," Murphy told AFP from his native Ireland after trips to other EU countries.

He said the centre-right EPP added climate change to its campaign programme over the last two years based on research showing growing environmental concerns.

But analyst Stella Schaller and Laurence Tubiana, an architect of the Paris climate deal, said global warming's rise to major political prominence is more recent.

"We saw the debate tipping in the last four to six months," Schaller, an analyst at Berlin's Adelphi environmental policy think tank, told AFP.

The shift has occurred, Schaller said, like droughts, fires and floods hurt farmers, scientists multiply dire warnings, street protests increase and the media highlight it all.&nbsp;

'Fridays for Future'&nbsp;

Among the loudest proponents for urgent action are the recent "Fridays for Future" boycott of classes worldwide, with more mass protests set for Berlin later Friday.

Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old Swede behind the boycott, has warned politicians in Brussels they will be "remembered as the greatest villains of all time" if they fail to act.

Udo Bullmann, who heads the Socialists and Democrats in the assembly, told AFP there is "a historic momentum" for decisive action thanks in part to the student activists.

"We hear their call," Bullmann said in an email.

"Climate change has never been as central to a European election and to our campaign at this time," the German political leader added.

His centre-left group, the second biggest in the outgoing parliament, has reformed its agenda in the past two years to meet the climate challenge in a "holistic" way.

Bultmann said the agenda sought to ensure the poor and unemployed do not carry the burden and to avoid fuelling unrest like the yellow vest protests in France.

The Socialists reject an economic model Bullmann says is "driven by greed and based on the exploitation of people and the planet."

The EPP's Murphy also called for supporting the most vulnerable in society while boosting research and easing the "regulatory burden" on small and medium-sized firms.

Murphy said the climate has risen to the fore because it is a cross-border policy challenge also linked to economic problems and migration, which is partly driven by drought.

He said the problem represents an opportunity for Europe to lead, such as on job-creating, low-carbon technology.

'Jury still out'&nbsp;

Echoing scientists and the student activists, Bullmann said: "We have only ten years left before the damage becomes irreversible."

Under the 2015 Paris deal to limit global warming to well below two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the 28-nation EU has pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 per cent by 2030, compared to 1990.

But many scientists and climate activists say Europe must sharply raise its ambition.

The UN Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) warned in October that warming is on track towards a catastrophic 3C or 4C rise, and avoiding global chaos will require a major transformation.

But there is also a powerful backlash.

Joining some other far-right groups, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) has discovered climate change denial as a key topic in their campaign for the May 23-26 elections.

They have their sights on voters who see ecological issues as an elitist concern that kills jobs and hurts the industry.

Berlin-based analyst Schaller voiced fears "liberal and conservatives groups will water down proposals" and pander to nationalists, as conservatives did with migration.

But the EPP's Murphy insists "we will not be doing business with the far-right" on climate or other issues.

Greens candidate Bas Eickhout expressed guarded hope for cross-party cooperation in the next parliament on issues like carbon pricing, cutting aviation subsidies and allocating more funds to environmental issues.

But Eickhout, a candidate for the new European Commission, asked whether the centrists have made an "intrinsic change" on climate or are simply trying to win seats.&nbsp; "The jury is still out," the Dutchman told AFP.

In a shift since the last European Parliament elections, mainstream parties have adopted climate change as a rallying cry -- spurred in part by a wave of student strikes.

In a shift since the last European Parliament elections, mainstream parties have adopted climate change as a rallying cry -- spurred in part by a wave of student strikes. With the "Fridays for Future" protest due to continuing in cities across the continent on the second day of voting, the growing consensus for urgent climate action has raised hopes of cross-party cooperation. But there are also fears populists could torpedo this if they make strong gains. A Eurobarometer poll shows climate change is now a leading concern for European Union voters, not far behind economic issues and rivalling worries about migration. And, amid weekly protests over what activists now term the climate emergency, Europe's mainstream political parties have finally grasped the issue. "It is fair to say that climate and environmental policies now are embedded in all the political parties," said Dara Murphy, campaign director for the European People's Party (EPP), the largest bloc in the outgoing European Parliament. "If you compare it to 2014, it has really become one of the top issues in the European elections," Murphy told AFP from his native Ireland after trips to other EU countries. He said the centre-right EPP added climate change to its campaign programme over the last two years based on research showing growing environmental concerns. But analyst Stella Schaller and Laurence Tubiana, an architect of the Paris climate deal, said global warming's rise to major political prominence is more recent. "We saw the debate tipping in the last four to six months," Schaller, an analyst at Berlin's Adelphi environmental policy think tank, told AFP. The shift has occurred, Schaller said, like droughts, fires and floods hurt farmers, scientists multiply dire warnings, street protests increase and the media highlight it all. 'Fridays for Future' Among the loudest proponents for urgent action are the recent "Fridays for Future" boycott of classes worldwide, with more mass protests set for Berlin later Friday. Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old Swede behind the boycott, has warned politicians in Brussels they will be "remembered as the greatest villains of all time" if they fail to act. Udo Bullmann, who heads the Socialists and Democrats in the assembly, told AFP there is "a historic momentum" for decisive action thanks in part to the student activists. "We hear their call," Bullmann said in an email. "Climate change has never been as central to a European election and to our campaign at this time," the German political leader added. His centre-left group, the second biggest in the outgoing parliament, has reformed its agenda in the past two years to meet the climate challenge in a "holistic" way. Bultmann said the agenda sought to ensure the poor and unemployed do not carry the burden and to avoid fuelling unrest like the yellow vest protests in France. The Socialists reject an economic model Bullmann says is "driven by greed and based on the exploitation of people and the planet." The EPP's Murphy also called for supporting the most vulnerable in society while boosting research and easing the "regulatory burden" on small and medium-sized firms. Murphy said the climate has risen to the fore because it is a cross-border policy challenge also linked to economic problems and migration, which is partly driven by drought. He said the problem represents an opportunity for Europe to lead, such as on job-creating, low-carbon technology. 'Jury still out' Echoing scientists and the student activists, Bullmann said: "We have only ten years left before the damage becomes irreversible." Under the 2015 Paris deal to limit global warming to well below two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the 28-nation EU has pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 per cent by 2030, compared to 1990. But many scientists and climate activists say Europe must sharply raise its ambition. The UN Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) warned in October that warming is on track towards a catastrophic 3C or 4C rise, and avoiding global chaos will require a major transformation. But there is also a powerful backlash. Joining some other far-right groups, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) has discovered climate change denial as a key topic in their campaign for the May 23-26 elections. They have their sights on voters who see ecological issues as an elitist concern that kills jobs and hurts the industry. Berlin-based analyst Schaller voiced fears "liberal and conservatives groups will water down proposals" and pander to nationalists, as conservatives did with migration. But the EPP's Murphy insists "we will not be doing business with the far-right" on climate or other issues. Greens candidate Bas Eickhout expressed guarded hope for cross-party cooperation in the next parliament on issues like carbon pricing, cutting aviation subsidies and allocating more funds to environmental issues. But Eickhout, a candidate for the new European Commission, asked whether the centrists have made an "intrinsic change" on climate or are simply trying to win seats. "The jury is still out," the Dutchman told AFP.

Main European Union parties adopt climate change as rallying cry

Scientists in the United States have detected the highest levels of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/iceland-turns-carbon-dioxide-to-rock-to-clean-the-air-217059">planet-warming carbon dioxide</a> in Earth's atmosphere since records began, sounding the new alarm over the relentless rise of man-made greenhouse gas emissions.

The Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii, which has tracked atmospheric CO2 levels since the late 1950s, on Saturday morning detected 415.26 parts per million (ppm).&nbsp;

It was also the first time on record that the observatory measured a daily baseline above 415 ppm.

The last time Earth's atmosphere contained this much CO2 was more than three million years ago when global sea levels were several metres higher and parts of Antarctica were blanketed in the forest.&nbsp;

"It shows that we are not on track with protecting the climate at all. The number keeps rising and it's getting higher year after year," Wolfgang Lucht, from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), told AFP. &nbsp;

"This number needs to stabilise."

But far from stabilising, levels of CO2 -- one of a trinity of greenhouse gases produced when fossil fuels are burnt -- are climbing ever more rapidly.

Ralph Keeling, director of Scripps Institution of Oceanography's CO2 Programme, said the trend would probably continue throughout 2019 -- likely to be an El Nino year in which temperatures rise due to warmer ocean currents.

"The average growth rate is remaining on the high end. The increase from last year will probably be around three parts per million whereas the recent average has been 2.5 ppm," he said.&nbsp;

"Likely we're seeing the effect of mild El Nino conditions on top of ongoing fossil fuel use."

'Increasing at increasing rate'&nbsp;

The 2015 Paris Agreement calls on humanity to block the rise in Earth's temperature at "well below" 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) compared to preindustrial levels, and 1.5C if possible.

The last four years were the four hottest on record and, in spite of the Paris deal and increasing public awareness of the problem, mankind continues to break its own emissions records, year on year.

Earth's average surface temperature has already increased 1.0C since pre-industrial times due to man-made emissions.

"All of human history has been in a colder climate than now," said Lucht.

"Every time an engine runs we emit CO2 and it has to go somewhere. It doesn't miraculously disappear, it stays in the atmosphere.

"Despite the Paris climate agreement, despite all the speeches and the protests -- we are not seeing that we are bending the curve yet," he added.

While there is some disagreement over what would constitute "safe" atmospheric CO2 levels, there is a broad consensus that 350 ppm -- a level surpassed in the late 1980s -- would stave off runaway global warming.

"350 ppm is a precautionary value because some of the consequences of being above 400 may still be evolving," Lucht said.

"But since we're not on track anyhow, any value that we can manage to stabilise it is a win."&nbsp;

The 415 ppm threshold was first surpassed earlier this month and has already risen further.

"I'm old enough to remember when passing 400ppm was a big deal," Gernot Wagner, a research associate at Harvard University, said on Twitter.&nbsp;

"Two years ago we hit 410ppm for the first time. By now, it's 415ppm. And oh, the increase is increasing at an increasing rate!"&nbsp;

Scientists in the United States have detected the highest levels of planet-warming carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere since records began, sounding the new alarm over the relentless rise of man-made greenhouse gas emissions.

Scientists in the United States have detected the highest levels of planet-warming carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere since records began, sounding the new alarm over the relentless rise of man-made greenhouse gas emissions. The Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii, which has tracked atmospheric CO2 levels since the late 1950s, on Saturday morning detected 415.26 parts per million (ppm). It was also the first time on record that the observatory measured a daily baseline above 415 ppm. The last time Earth's atmosphere contained this much CO2 was more than three million years ago when global sea levels were several metres higher and parts of Antarctica were blanketed in the forest. "It shows that we are not on track with protecting the climate at all. The number keeps rising and it's getting higher year after year," Wolfgang Lucht, from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), told AFP. "This number needs to stabilise." But far from stabilising, levels of CO2 -- one of a trinity of greenhouse gases produced when fossil fuels are burnt -- are climbing ever more rapidly. Ralph Keeling, director of Scripps Institution of Oceanography's CO2 Programme, said the trend would probably continue throughout 2019 -- likely to be an El Nino year in which temperatures rise due to warmer ocean currents. "The average growth rate is remaining on the high end. The increase from last year will probably be around three parts per million whereas the recent average has been 2.5 ppm," he said. "Likely we're seeing the effect of mild El Nino conditions on top of ongoing fossil fuel use." 'Increasing at increasing rate' The 2015 Paris Agreement calls on humanity to block the rise in Earth's temperature at "well below" 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) compared to preindustrial levels, and 1.5C if possible. The last four years were the four hottest on record and, in spite of the Paris deal and increasing public awareness of the problem, mankind continues to break its own emissions records, year on year. Earth's average surface temperature has already increased 1.0C since pre-industrial times due to man-made emissions. "All of human history has been in a colder climate than now," said Lucht. "Every time an engine runs we emit CO2 and it has to go somewhere. It doesn't miraculously disappear, it stays in the atmosphere. "Despite the Paris climate agreement, despite all the speeches and the protests -- we are not seeing that we are bending the curve yet," he added. While there is some disagreement over what would constitute "safe" atmospheric CO2 levels, there is a broad consensus that 350 ppm -- a level surpassed in the late 1980s -- would stave off runaway global warming. "350 ppm is a precautionary value because some of the consequences of being above 400 may still be evolving," Lucht said. "But since we're not on track anyhow, any value that we can manage to stabilise it is a win." The 415 ppm threshold was first surpassed earlier this month and has already risen further. "I'm old enough to remember when passing 400ppm was a big deal," Gernot Wagner, a research associate at Harvard University, said on Twitter. "Two years ago we hit 410ppm for the first time. By now, it's 415ppm. And oh, the increase is increasing at an increasing rate!"

415.26 parts per million: CO2 levels hit historic high

This segment offers you global round-up of top stories of 14 May 2019.

Global Round-up: Watch major global headlines of the day

Indigenous residents of low-lying islands off northern Australia will submit a landmark complaint with the United Nations on Monday accusing the government of violating their human rights by failing to tackle climate change.

The Torres Strait Islanders will tell the UN Human Rights Committee in Geneva that rising seas caused by global warming are threatening their homelands and culture, lawyers representing the group said.

The lawyers, from the non-profit ClientEarth, said the case was the first of its kind to be lodged with the UN equating government inaction on climate change to a<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/un-rights-experts-cite-concern-at-disproportionate-assange-detention-215668"> human rights violation</a>.

In their complaint, the islanders ask the UN to find that international human rights law requires Australia to reduce its emissions to at least 65 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030.

The country should become carbon neutral by 2050, phasing out its use and export of coal completely, they say.

The complaint also demands the government allocate Aus$20 million (US$14 million) for emergency infrastructure like sea walls to protect Torres Strait communities.

"Advancing seas are already threatening homes, as well as damaging burial grounds and sacred cultural sites," the claimants said in a statement.

"Many Islanders are worried that their islands could quite literally disappear in their lifetimes without urgent action."

Kabay Tamu of Warraber island said that his community had a "right to practice our culture in our traditional homeland".&nbsp;

"Our culture starts here on the land. It is how we are connected with the land and the sea. You wash away the land and it is like a piece of us you are taking away," he said in a statement.

The complaint is being lodged just days before Australian elections in which the conservative government of Prime Minister Scott Morrison trails in opinion polls.

Climate change has been a key campaign issue, with Morrison's government accused of dragging its feet on emission reduction efforts while backing the expansion of coal mining.

John Knox, a law professor at Wake Forest University in the US and a former UN Special Rapporteur on human rights, called the Torres Islanders to claim "potentially groundbreaking".&nbsp;

The UN committee late last year determined that states' duty to safeguard human rights also meant protection against environmental harm, including climate change, Knox said on Twitter.

"This case gives the Human Rights Committee its first chance to give specific application" to that determination "by assessing and explaining what Australia should do to protect the human rights of the Torres Strait Islanders," he said.

While the UN committee's rulings are non-binding, "its decision may increase pressure on Australia to do the right thing", he said.&nbsp;

Indigenous residents of low-lying islands off northern Australia will submit a landmark complaint with the United Nations on Monday accusing the government of violating their human rights by failing to tackle climate change.

Indigenous residents of low-lying islands off northern Australia will submit a landmark complaint with the United Nations on Monday accusing the government of violating their human rights by failing to tackle climate change. The Torres Strait Islanders will tell the UN Human Rights Committee in Geneva that rising seas caused by global warming are threatening their homelands and culture, lawyers representing the group said. The lawyers, from the non-profit ClientEarth, said the case was the first of its kind to be lodged with the UN equating government inaction on climate change to a human rights violation. In their complaint, the islanders ask the UN to find that international human rights law requires Australia to reduce its emissions to at least 65 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030. The country should become carbon neutral by 2050, phasing out its use and export of coal completely, they say. The complaint also demands the government allocate Aus$20 million (US$14 million) for emergency infrastructure like sea walls to protect Torres Strait communities. "Advancing seas are already threatening homes, as well as damaging burial grounds and sacred cultural sites," the claimants said in a statement. "Many Islanders are worried that their islands could quite literally disappear in their lifetimes without urgent action." Kabay Tamu of Warraber island said that his community had a "right to practice our culture in our traditional homeland". "Our culture starts here on the land. It is how we are connected with the land and the sea. You wash away the land and it is like a piece of us you are taking away," he said in a statement. The complaint is being lodged just days before Australian elections in which the conservative government of Prime Minister Scott Morrison trails in opinion polls. Climate change has been a key campaign issue, with Morrison's government accused of dragging its feet on emission reduction efforts while backing the expansion of coal mining. John Knox, a law professor at Wake Forest University in the US and a former UN Special Rapporteur on human rights, called the Torres Islanders to claim "potentially groundbreaking". The UN committee late last year determined that states' duty to safeguard human rights also meant protection against environmental harm, including climate change, Knox said on Twitter. "This case gives the Human Rights Committee its first chance to give specific application" to that determination "by assessing and explaining what Australia should do to protect the human rights of the Torres Strait Islanders," he said. While the UN committee's rulings are non-binding, "its decision may increase pressure on Australia to do the right thing", he said.

Indigenous Australians take government to UN over climate change

Ireland's parliament has become the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/climate-change-protesters-target-london-stock-exchange-and-canary-wharf-213437">second after Britain's to declare</a> a climate emergency, a decision hailed by Swedish teenage environmental campaigner Greta Thunberg as "great news".

An amendment to a parliamentary report declaring a "climate emergency" and calling on parliament "to examine how (the Irish government) can improve its response to the issue of biodiversity loss" was accepted without a vote late Thursday.

Irish Green Party leader Eamon Ryan, who moved the amendment, called the decision "historic".

Thunberg, the 16-year-old activist who has spearheaded protests across Europe and is becoming one of the most passionate voices of the green movement, urged more nations to follow suit.

"Great news from Ireland!! Who is next?" Thunberg tweeted.

Britain's parliament became the first in the world to declare a climate emergency, passing the largely symbolic motion on May 1.

The step followed 11 days of street protests in London by the Extinction Rebellion environmental campaign group.

Extinction Rebellion's ultimate goal is to slash global greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2025 and to end biodiversity loss, steps that have won the backing of left-leaning politicians across the world.

The British government is currently eyeing a 2050 target date, which it says can be achieved without causing substantial economic damage and at a relatively low cost.

Ireland's parliament has become the second after Britain's to declare a climate emergency, a decision hailed by Swedish teenage environmental campaigner Greta Thunberg as "great news".

Ireland's parliament has become the second after Britain's to declare a climate emergency, a decision hailed by Swedish teenage environmental campaigner Greta Thunberg as "great news". An amendment to a parliamentary report declaring a "climate emergency" and calling on parliament "to examine how (the Irish government) can improve its response to the issue of biodiversity loss" was accepted without a vote late Thursday. Irish Green Party leader Eamon Ryan, who moved the amendment, called the decision "historic". Thunberg, the 16-year-old activist who has spearheaded protests across Europe and is becoming one of the most passionate voices of the green movement, urged more nations to follow suit. "Great news from Ireland!! Who is next?" Thunberg tweeted. Britain's parliament became the first in the world to declare a climate emergency, passing the largely symbolic motion on May 1. The step followed 11 days of street protests in London by the Extinction Rebellion environmental campaign group. Extinction Rebellion's ultimate goal is to slash global greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2025 and to end biodiversity loss, steps that have won the backing of left-leaning politicians across the world. The British government is currently eyeing a 2050 target date, which it says can be achieved without causing substantial economic damage and at a relatively low cost.

After UK, Ireland declares climate emergency

Top diplomats from the United States, Russia and other nations which border the Arctic meet in Finland on Monday to discuss policies governing the polar region, as tensions grow over how to deal with global warming and access to mineral wealth.

Countries have been scrambling to claim territory or, like China, boost their presence in the region as thawing ice raises the possibility of exploiting much of the world's remaining undiscovered reserves of oil and gas, plus huge deposits of minerals such as zinc, iron and rare earth metals.

With time-saving Arctic shipping routes also opening up, the Pentagon warned on May 2 of the risk of Chinese submarines in the Arctic.

That followed a sharp statement by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo - who will give a speech at the Arctic Council meeting in Rovaniemi, Finland on May 6 - rejecting a role for China in shaping Arctic policy.

"The US has realized that they cannot leave the Russians and Chinese to carve up the Arctic as they see fit," said Niklas Granholm, deputy director of studies at Sweden's Defence Research Agency.

The Arctic Council is made up of the United States, Canada, Russia, Finland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland, with the region's indigenous populations also represented.

China has had observer status at the Council since 2013 and has been increasingly active in the region, outlining a plan for a "Polar Silk Road" last year.

Russia has reopened military bases closed after the Cold War and is modernizing its powerful Northern Fleet. In response, the US has reconstituted its Second Fleet, whose area of responsibility will include the North Pole.

The Arctic Council's remit excludes military matters, but participants have already clashed, with the Washington Post reporting that the US had refused to sign off on a final declaration, disagreeing with the wording on climate change.&nbsp;

Melting the ice

"There are different tones with which different countries want to approach climate change," Finland's Arctic Ambassador Aleksi Harkonen said.

"It's not about whether climate change can be mentioned or not. It will be there, in the final declaration."

Surface air temperatures in the Arctic are warming at twice the rate of the rest of the globe, and the ocean could be ice-free during the summer months within 25 years, according to some researchers.

That could have a profound effect on the world's weather as well as on wildlife and indigenous populations in the polar region.

President Donald Trump has frequently expressed scepticism about whether global warming is a result of human activity and has withdrawn the U.S. from the Paris climate accord.

That agreement aimed to limit a rise in average global temperatures to "well below" 2C (3.6F) above pre-industrial times by 2100.

Another flashpoint in Finland could be the meeting between Pompeo and his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who will discuss the political crisis in Venezuela.

Russia has accused the United States of trying to engineer a coup against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, one of its closest allies in Latin America.

US national security adviser John Bolton told Russia to stop interfering in what he called America's "hemisphere".

India, South Korea, Singapore, Italy and Japan have observer status at the Arctic Council in addition to China.

Top diplomats from the United States, Russia and other nations which border the Arctic meet in Finland on Monday to discuss policies governing the polar region, as tensions grow over how to deal with global warming and access to mineral wealth.

Top diplomats from the United States, Russia and other nations which border the Arctic meet in Finland on Monday to discuss policies governing the polar region, as tensions grow over how to deal with global warming and access to mineral wealth. Countries have been scrambling to claim territory or, like China, boost their presence in the region as thawing ice raises the possibility of exploiting much of the world's remaining undiscovered reserves of oil and gas, plus huge deposits of minerals such as zinc, iron and rare earth metals. With time-saving Arctic shipping routes also opening up, the Pentagon warned on May 2 of the risk of Chinese submarines in the Arctic. That followed a sharp statement by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo - who will give a speech at the Arctic Council meeting in Rovaniemi, Finland on May 6 - rejecting a role for China in shaping Arctic policy. "The US has realized that they cannot leave the Russians and Chinese to carve up the Arctic as they see fit," said Niklas Granholm, deputy director of studies at Sweden's Defence Research Agency. The Arctic Council is made up of the United States, Canada, Russia, Finland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland, with the region's indigenous populations also represented. China has had observer status at the Council since 2013 and has been increasingly active in the region, outlining a plan for a "Polar Silk Road" last year. Russia has reopened military bases closed after the Cold War and is modernizing its powerful Northern Fleet. In response, the US has reconstituted its Second Fleet, whose area of responsibility will include the North Pole. The Arctic Council's remit excludes military matters, but participants have already clashed, with the Washington Post reporting that the US had refused to sign off on a final declaration, disagreeing with the wording on climate change. Melting the ice "There are different tones with which different countries want to approach climate change," Finland's Arctic Ambassador Aleksi Harkonen said. "It's not about whether climate change can be mentioned or not. It will be there, in the final declaration." Surface air temperatures in the Arctic are warming at twice the rate of the rest of the globe, and the ocean could be ice-free during the summer months within 25 years, according to some researchers. That could have a profound effect on the world's weather as well as on wildlife and indigenous populations in the polar region. President Donald Trump has frequently expressed scepticism about whether global warming is a result of human activity and has withdrawn the U.S. from the Paris climate accord. That agreement aimed to limit a rise in average global temperatures to "well below" 2C (3.6F) above pre-industrial times by 2100. Another flashpoint in Finland could be the meeting between Pompeo and his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who will discuss the political crisis in Venezuela. Russia has accused the United States of trying to engineer a coup against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, one of its closest allies in Latin America. US national security adviser John Bolton told Russia to stop interfering in what he called America's "hemisphere". India, South Korea, Singapore, Italy and Japan have observer status at the Arctic Council in addition to China.

Arctic nations to meet amid tensions over environment, resources

Revamping global food production, retooling the financial sector, moving beyond GDP as a measure of progress and other "transformative changes" are needed to save nature and ourselves, a major UN biodiversity report is set to conclude.

Delegates from 130 nations wrap up week-long negotiations in Paris Saturday on the executive summary of a 1,800-page tome authored by 400 scientists, the first UN global assessment of the state of nature -- and its impact on humanity -- in 15 years.

The bombshell Summary for Policymakers, to be unveiled on May 6, makes for very grim reading.

Up to a million of Earth's estimated eight million species face extinction, many of them within decades, according to a draft version obtained by AFP.&nbsp;

All but seven per cent of major marine fish stocks are in decline or exploited to the limit of sustainability. At the same time, humanity dumps up to 400 million tonnes of heavy metals, toxic sludge and other waste into oceans and rivers each year.

Since 1990, Earth has lost 2.9 million hectares -- an area more than eight times the size of Germany or Vietnam -- of forests that play a critical role in absorbing record-level CO2 emissions.

The heavily negotiated text does not make explicit policy recommendations, but will serve "as a basis for redefining our objectives" ahead of a key meeting of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in China next Fall, said Yunne Jai Shin, a researcher at the Research Institute for Development in Marseilles.

But the pressure to set clear targets -- similar to the cap on global warming in the 2015 climate treaty inked in the French capital -- has sparked calls for a "Paris moment" on biodiversity.

'Harmful subsidies'

The new report details how humans are undermining Earth's capacity to produce fresh water, clean air and productive soil, to name a few "ecosystem services".

The direct causes of nature's degradation -- in order of importance -- are shrinking habitat and land-use change, hunting for food or illicit trade in body parts, climate change, pollution, and predatory or disease-carrying alien species such as rats, mosquitoes and snakes.

"There are also two big indirect drivers of biodiversity loss and climate change -- the number of people in the world and their growing ability to consume," Robert Watson, chair of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), told AFP ahead of the meeting.

The way humanity produces, distributes and consumes food -&nbsp;accounting for a third of land, 75 per cent of freshwater use and a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions -- is especially destructive, the report shows.

Fertiliser use, which degrades the soil's ability to grow plants and absorb CO2, has risen four-fold in just 13 years in Asia, and doubled worldwide since 1990.

"Feeding the world in a sustainable manner entails the transformation of food systems," the report notes.

Local food production, less demand for meat, fewer chemical inputs, use of renewable power, sustainable limits for fisheries, a sharp decline in tropical deforestation -- all are feasible and would help restore nature.

The report also spotlights "harmful subsidies" that encourage environmentally damaging fishing, agriculture, livestock raising, forestry and mining.&nbsp;

A downward spiral&nbsp;

The report cites estimates that tax havens finance about 70 per cent of vessels implicated in unregulated fishing and an equal share of the soy and beef sectors that are ravaging the Amazon.

The summary for policymakers maps out what Watson calls "several plausible futures," some inviting, others less so.

One labelled "economic optimism" sees burgeoning international trade unfettered by regulation. Population growth slows, but per capita consumption is high, leading to more climate change and pollution.&nbsp;

A "reformed markets" variant would feature more policies aimed at poverty alleviation and protecting the environment, but consumer demand remains high if more equally distributed.

"Global sustainable development" would see politicians and the public prioritise environmental issues and strict regulations. Policies and education promote low population growth, sustainable production and a concept of progress based on well-being, not just gross domestic product (GDP). People eat a lot less meat, and energy consumption declines.&nbsp;

"All variations of this archetype are beneficial for biodiversity," the underlying report says.

In a kindred world, international institutions weaken, but regional ones pick up the slack toward the same ends.

Finally, the last two scenarios -- "business-as-usual" and "regional competition" -- plunge the planet into a nightmarish, downward spiral of conflict, growing inequality and continuing degradation of nature.

Revamping global food production, retooling the financial sector, moving beyond GDP as a measure of progress and other "transformative changes" are needed to save nature and ourselves, a major UN biodiversity report is set to conclude.

Revamping global food production, retooling the financial sector, moving beyond GDP as a measure of progress and other "transformative changes" are needed to save nature and ourselves, a major UN biodiversity report is set to conclude. Delegates from 130 nations wrap up week-long negotiations in Paris Saturday on the executive summary of a 1,800-page tome authored by 400 scientists, the first UN global assessment of the state of nature -- and its impact on humanity -- in 15 years. The bombshell Summary for Policymakers, to be unveiled on May 6, makes for very grim reading. Up to a million of Earth's estimated eight million species face extinction, many of them within decades, according to a draft version obtained by AFP. All but seven per cent of major marine fish stocks are in decline or exploited to the limit of sustainability. At the same time, humanity dumps up to 400 million tonnes of heavy metals, toxic sludge and other waste into oceans and rivers each year. Since 1990, Earth has lost 2.9 million hectares -- an area more than eight times the size of Germany or Vietnam -- of forests that play a critical role in absorbing record-level CO2 emissions. The heavily negotiated text does not make explicit policy recommendations, but will serve "as a basis for redefining our objectives" ahead of a key meeting of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in China next Fall, said Yunne Jai Shin, a researcher at the Research Institute for Development in Marseilles. But the pressure to set clear targets -- similar to the cap on global warming in the 2015 climate treaty inked in the French capital -- has sparked calls for a "Paris moment" on biodiversity. 'Harmful subsidies' The new report details how humans are undermining Earth's capacity to produce fresh water, clean air and productive soil, to name a few "ecosystem services". The direct causes of nature's degradation -- in order of importance -- are shrinking habitat and land-use change, hunting for food or illicit trade in body parts, climate change, pollution, and predatory or disease-carrying alien species such as rats, mosquitoes and snakes. "There are also two big indirect drivers of biodiversity loss and climate change -- the number of people in the world and their growing ability to consume," Robert Watson, chair of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), told AFP ahead of the meeting. The way humanity produces, distributes and consumes food - accounting for a third of land, 75 per cent of freshwater use and a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions -- is especially destructive, the report shows. Fertiliser use, which degrades the soil's ability to grow plants and absorb CO2, has risen four-fold in just 13 years in Asia, and doubled worldwide since 1990. "Feeding the world in a sustainable manner entails the transformation of food systems," the report notes. Local food production, less demand for meat, fewer chemical inputs, use of renewable power, sustainable limits for fisheries, a sharp decline in tropical deforestation -- all are feasible and would help restore nature. The report also spotlights "harmful subsidies" that encourage environmentally damaging fishing, agriculture, livestock raising, forestry and mining. A downward spiral The report cites estimates that tax havens finance about 70 per cent of vessels implicated in unregulated fishing and an equal share of the soy and beef sectors that are ravaging the Amazon. The summary for policymakers maps out what Watson calls "several plausible futures," some inviting, others less so. One labelled "economic optimism" sees burgeoning international trade unfettered by regulation. Population growth slows, but per capita consumption is high, leading to more climate change and pollution. A "reformed markets" variant would feature more policies aimed at poverty alleviation and protecting the environment, but consumer demand remains high if more equally distributed. "Global sustainable development" would see politicians and the public prioritise environmental issues and strict regulations. Policies and education promote low population growth, sustainable production and a concept of progress based on well-being, not just gross domestic product (GDP). People eat a lot less meat, and energy consumption declines. "All variations of this archetype are beneficial for biodiversity," the underlying report says. In a kindred world, international institutions weaken, but regional ones pick up the slack toward the same ends. Finally, the last two scenarios -- "business-as-usual" and "regional competition" -- plunge the planet into a nightmarish, downward spiral of conflict, growing inequality and continuing degradation of nature.

'Move beyond GDP,' suggests UN report to fix nature and avoid human misery

UK Parliament MPs have approved a motion to declare an environment and a climate emergency. Watch the full video to know more.

UK Parliament declares climate change emergency

The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) maintains this can be done at no added cost from previous estimates. Its report says that if other countries follow the UK, there’s a 50-50 chance of staying below the recommended 1.5C temperature rise by 2100.

UK MP's backs historic motion on Climate change

After 11 days of protests over climate change in London, protesters announce a pause to their campaign.

WION Gravitas: 'Pause' in climate change protests in London

Environmental activists glued themselves to the London Stock Exchange and climbed onto the roof of a train at Canary Wharf on the final day of <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/climate-change-protesters-halt-london-street-blockade-212665&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwio87iJlOvhAhVFq48KHVH-C0YQFjAAegQIBBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1ph_91LWh9OdOwtR3IpEY4">protests</a> aimed at forcing Britain to take action to avert what they cast as a global climate cataclysm.

The Extinction Rebellion group has caused mass disruption in recent weeks across London, blocking Marble Arch, Oxford Circus and Waterloo Bridge, smashing a door at the Shell building and shocking lawmakers with a semi-nude protest in parliament.

At London Stock Exchange's headquarters on Thursday, six protesters dressed in black suits and red ties were blocking the revolving doors of the building.

At the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) station in Canary Wharf, five protesters from the group climbed aboard a train and unfurled a banner which read: "Business as usual = Death".

One glued herself to a train.&nbsp;

"Extinction Rebellion to focus on the financial industry today," the group said in a statement.

The "aim is to demand the finance industry tells the truth about the climate industry and the devastating impact the industry has on our planet."&nbsp;

Police said 1088 arrests have been made since the main protests began last Monday.&nbsp;

The group advocates non-violent civil disobedience to force governments to reduce carbon emissions and avert what it says is a global climate crisis that will bring starvation, floods, wildfires and social collapse.

The group is demanding the government declare a climate and ecological emergency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025 and create a citizen`s assembly of members of the public to lead on decisions to address climate change. 
&nbsp;

Environmental activists glued themselves to the London Stock Exchange and climbed onto the roof of a train at Canary Wharf on the final day of protests aimed at forcing Britain to take action to avert what they cast as a global climate cataclysm.

Environmental activists glued themselves to the London Stock Exchange and climbed onto the roof of a train at Canary Wharf on the final day of protests aimed at forcing Britain to take action to avert what they cast as a global climate cataclysm. The Extinction Rebellion group has caused mass disruption in recent weeks across London, blocking Marble Arch, Oxford Circus and Waterloo Bridge, smashing a door at the Shell building and shocking lawmakers with a semi-nude protest in parliament. At London Stock Exchange's headquarters on Thursday, six protesters dressed in black suits and red ties were blocking the revolving doors of the building. At the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) station in Canary Wharf, five protesters from the group climbed aboard a train and unfurled a banner which read: "Business as usual = Death". One glued herself to a train. "Extinction Rebellion to focus on the financial industry today," the group said in a statement. The "aim is to demand the finance industry tells the truth about the climate industry and the devastating impact the industry has on our planet." Police said 1088 arrests have been made since the main protests began last Monday. The group advocates non-violent civil disobedience to force governments to reduce carbon emissions and avert what it says is a global climate crisis that will bring starvation, floods, wildfires and social collapse. The group is demanding the government declare a climate and ecological emergency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025 and create a citizen`s assembly of members of the public to lead on decisions to address climate change.

Climate change protesters target London Stock Exchange, Canary Wharf

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