A new report reveals that people who are forced to leave their homes as an impact of climate crisis are at risk of modern slavery and human trafficking in the coming times.

A new report reveals that people who are forced to leave their homes as an impact of climate crisis are at risk of modern slavery and human trafficking in the coming times. The climate crisis and the increasing frequency of extreme weather disasters including floods, droughts and mega fires are having a devastating effect on the livelihoods of people already living in poverty and this is making them more vulnerable to slavery, says the report. Researchers from the International Institute for Environment and Development and Anti-Slavery International have found that drought in northern Ghana had led young men and women to migrate to major cities. The report further reveals that many women begin working as porters and are at risk of trafficking, sexual exploitation and debt bondage. A woman who migrated to Accra from northern Ghana, used to farm until the land was ruined by flooding. She was then forced to move. Also read | Police, anti-vaccine protesters clash in Melbourne For a period of seven years she has worked as a porter (kayayie), carrying items on her head. She was quoted by The Guardian as saying, “Working as a kayayie has not been easy for me. When I came here, I did not know anything about the work. I was told that the woman providing our pans will also feed us and give us accommodation. However, all my earnings go to her and only sometimes will she give me a small part of the money I’ve earned.” Fran Witt, a climate change and modern slavery adviser at Anti-Slavery International said that the research shows the domino effect of climate change on millions of people’s lives. "Extreme weather events contribute to environmental destruction, forcing people to leave their homes and leaving them vulnerable to trafficking, exploitation and slavery.” As per an estimate by The World Bank estimates that by the year 2050, the impact of the climate crisis will force more than 216 million people across six regions, including sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Latin America, from their homes.

Climate crisis may increase trafficking and slavery, says report

World leaders are returning to the United Nation for the general assembly. The UNGA will be looking to build momentum to reach an ambitious climate agreement with the focus will be on boosting efforts to fight the covid-19 pandemic, seek unity after the Taliban took over Afghanistan, all this in the shadow of tensions between the United States, China and Russia.

WION USA Direct: Climate, Covid-19, Afghanistan Crisis- top agenda at 76th UNGA meet

World leaders are returning to the United Nation for the general assembly. The UNGA will be looking to build momentum to reach an ambitious climate agreement. The focus will be on boosting efforts to fight the covid-19 pandemic, seek unity after the Taliban took over Afghanistan and much more.

WION USA Direct: Action-packed week at the UNGA begins; climate, Covid-19 pandemic on agenda

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has warned that a failure to cut global emissions is setting the world on a “catastrophic” path to 2.7 degrees Celsius heating. Watch this video for more details.

UN warns nations over climate plans

Facebook has announced various new efforts to combat climate crisis misinformation on its platform. These include expanding its climate science centre to provide more reliable information, investing in organizations that fight misinformation, and launching a video series to highlight young climate advocates on both Facebook and Instagram.

However, as per critics, the new push falls short and will allow vast amounts of climate misinformation to slip through the cracks.

During the 2021 April congressional hearing, the CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg admitted that climate misinformation is “a big issue”.&nbsp;

Also, in the past, the company has said such misinformation accounts for “a very low percentage of total misinformation on the service” but declined to share figures.

As per the climate change and misinformation experts, the lies on the platform can spread quickly.&nbsp;

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The climate denial watchdog groupInfluenceMap in October 2020 found dozens of climate denial ads had been viewed more than 8m times after slipping through the social network’s filters.

In March, 13 environmental groups, including the Union of Concerned Scientists and Greenpeace, sent a letter to Zuckerberg, calling on him to commit to monitoring climate disinformation and provide more transparency about the scale of the problem.

A recent study by Friends of the Earth, an environmental organization, has revealed that about 99 per cent of climate misinformation about the February 2021 power outages in Texas went unchecked.

The study further found misleading reports that wind turbines were at fault in the outage that had run rampant on the social media platform.

It also showed how such theories make their way from the fringes of Facebook to the mainstream.

Facebook rejected the study’s findings, calling its characterization “misleading”.&nbsp;

However, Michael Khoo, co-chair of the climate disinformation coalition for Friends of the Earth, argues that the data “shows that

Facebook and other tech platforms must take far stronger action to limit the super-spreaders, and not put the burden on ordinary users”.

There have been various other stories that have revealed that other climate crisis-denying posts and resources outpacing accurate information on the platform.

Facebook has announced various new efforts to combat climate crisis misinformation on its platform. These include expanding its climate science centre to provide more reliable information, investing in organizations that fight misinformation, and launching a video series to highlight young climate advocates on both Facebook and Instagram.

Facebook has announced various new efforts to combat climate crisis misinformation on its platform. These include expanding its climate science centre to provide more reliable information, investing in organizations that fight misinformation, and launching a video series to highlight young climate advocates on both Facebook and Instagram. However, as per critics, the new push falls short and will allow vast amounts of climate misinformation to slip through the cracks. During the 2021 April congressional hearing, the CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg admitted that climate misinformation is “a big issue”. Also, in the past, the company has said such misinformation accounts for “a very low percentage of total misinformation on the service” but declined to share figures. As per the climate change and misinformation experts, the lies on the platform can spread quickly. Also read | Facebook documents show how toxic Instagram is for teens: Reports The climate denial watchdog groupInfluenceMap in October 2020 found dozens of climate denial ads had been viewed more than 8m times after slipping through the social network’s filters. In March, 13 environmental groups, including the Union of Concerned Scientists and Greenpeace, sent a letter to Zuckerberg, calling on him to commit to monitoring climate disinformation and provide more transparency about the scale of the problem. A recent study by Friends of the Earth, an environmental organization, has revealed that about 99 per cent of climate misinformation about the February 2021 power outages in Texas went unchecked. The study further found misleading reports that wind turbines were at fault in the outage that had run rampant on the social media platform. It also showed how such theories make their way from the fringes of Facebook to the mainstream. Facebook rejected the study’s findings, calling its characterization “misleading”. However, Michael Khoo, co-chair of the climate disinformation coalition for Friends of the Earth, argues that the data “shows that Facebook and other tech platforms must take far stronger action to limit the super-spreaders, and not put the burden on ordinary users”. There have been various other stories that have revealed that other climate crisis-denying posts and resources outpacing accurate information on the platform.

Facebook steps up its fight against climate misinformation, critics say efforts fall short

America's Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry would travel to India next week, during which the two countries would launch the Climate Action and Finance Mobilisation Dialogue, the State Department has said.

As part of America's efforts to engage with international counterparts on actions to address the climate crisis, the State Department said Kerry will meet with Indian counterparts and private sector leaders to discuss efforts to raise global climate ambition and speed up India's clean energy transition.

"During his visit, the United States and India will launch the Climate Action and Finance Mobilisation Dialogue (CAFMD), one of the two main tracks of the US-India Agenda 2030 Partnership that

President (Joe) Biden and Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi announced at the Leaders Summit on Climate in April 2021,? the State Department said on Friday.

Kerry will bolster the US' bilateral and multilateral climate efforts ahead of the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which will be held from October 31 to November 12, 2021, in Glasgow, United Kingdom, the media release said.&nbsp;

America's Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry would travel to India next week, during which the two countries would launch the Climate Action and Finance Mobilisation Dialogue, the State Department has said.

America's Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry would travel to India next week, during which the two countries would launch the Climate Action and Finance Mobilisation Dialogue, the State Department has said. As part of America's efforts to engage with international counterparts on actions to address the climate crisis, the State Department said Kerry will meet with Indian counterparts and private sector leaders to discuss efforts to raise global climate ambition and speed up India's clean energy transition. "During his visit, the United States and India will launch the Climate Action and Finance Mobilisation Dialogue (CAFMD), one of the two main tracks of the US-India Agenda 2030 Partnership that President (Joe) Biden and Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi announced at the Leaders Summit on Climate in April 2021,? the State Department said on Friday. Kerry will bolster the US' bilateral and multilateral climate efforts ahead of the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which will be held from October 31 to November 12, 2021, in Glasgow, United Kingdom, the media release said.

India and US to launch Climate Action and Finance Mobilisation Dialogue

The world's poorest countries have said that they are worried about getting to the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow in November.

Twenty are on the UK's Covid red list, which means hotel quarantine for arrivals. They say the fortnight-long talks may involve being away for seven weeks as they will also have to isolate themselves on return.

Also, the countries have warned that the flights from Pacific islands have virtually stopped and that some transit hubs are refusing non-residents.

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The warning comes from the group made up of the world's 46 poorest countries which are on the United Nations' list of least developed countries.&nbsp;

The 20 countries that are also on the UK's foreign red travel list include Afghanistan, Ethiopia and Nepal.

The chairman of the LDC group, Bhutan's Sonam Phuntsho Wangdi, said, "It's our people who are hardest hit by this ever worsening crisis. They must be well represented in the climate talks".

He added, "The world cannot risk unambitious and unfair decisions being taken at COP26, there is far too much at stake."

The world's poorest countries have said that they are worried about getting to the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow in November. Twenty are on the UK's Covid red list, which means hotel quarantine for arrivals.

The world's poorest countries have said that they are worried about getting to the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow in November. Twenty are on the UK's Covid red list, which means hotel quarantine for arrivals. They say the fortnight-long talks may involve being away for seven weeks as they will also have to isolate themselves on return. Also, the countries have warned that the flights from Pacific islands have virtually stopped and that some transit hubs are refusing non-residents. Also read | 'Clearly unconstitutional': US Justice Department sues Texas over restrictive abortion law The warning comes from the group made up of the world's 46 poorest countries which are on the United Nations' list of least developed countries. The 20 countries that are also on the UK's foreign red travel list include Afghanistan, Ethiopia and Nepal. The chairman of the LDC group, Bhutan's Sonam Phuntsho Wangdi, said, "It's our people who are hardest hit by this ever worsening crisis. They must be well represented in the climate talks". He added, "The world cannot risk unambitious and unfair decisions being taken at COP26, there is far too much at stake."

Poorest countries fear not reaching for UK climate summit

Global warming is already affecting people's health so much that emergency action on&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change cannot be put on hold while the world deals with the Covid-19 pandemic, medical journals across the globe warned on Monday.

"Health is already being harmed by global temperature increases and the destruction of the natural world," read an editorial published in more than 220 leading journals ahead of the Cop26&nbsp;climate&nbsp;summit in November.

Since the pre-industrial era, temperatures have risen around 1.1 degrees Celsius (34 degrees Fahrenheit).

The editorial, written&nbsp;by the editors-in-chief of over a dozen journals including the Lancet, the East African Medical Journal, Brazil's Revista de Saude Publica and the International Nursing Review, said this had caused a plethora of health problems.

"In the past 20 years, heat-related mortality among people older than 65 years has increased by more than 50 percent," it read.

"Higher temperatures have brought increased dehydration and renal function loss, dermatological malignancies, tropical infections, adverse mental health outcomes, pregnancy complications, allergies, and cardiovascular and pulmonary morbidity and mortality."

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It also pointed to the decline in agricultural production, "hampering efforts to reduce undernutrition."

These effects, which hit those most vulnerable like minorities, children and poorer communities hardest, are just the beginning, it warned.

As things stand, global warming could reach +1.5C on pre-industrial levels around 2030, according to the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on&nbsp;Climate&nbsp;Change.

And that, along with the continued loss of biodiversity, "risk catastrophic harm to health that will be impossible to reverse," the editorial warned.

"Despite the world's necessary preoccupation with Covid-19, we cannot wait for the pandemic to pass to rapidly reduce emissions."

In a statement ahead of the publication of the editorial, World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: "The risks posed by&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change could dwarf those of any single disease."

"The Covid-19 pandemic will end, but there is no vaccine for the&nbsp;climate&nbsp;crisis.

"Every action taken to limit emissions and warming brings us closer to a healthier and safer future."

The editorial pointed out that many governments met the threat of Covid-19 with "unprecedented funding" and called for "a similar emergency response" to the environmental crisis, highlighting the benefits.

"Better air quality alone would realise health benefits that easily offset the global costs of emissions reductions," it read.

The authors also said "governments must make fundamental changes to how our societies and economies are organised and how we live."

Global warming is already affecting people's health so much that emergency action on climate change cannot be put on hold while the world deals with the Covid-19 pandemic, medical journals across the globe warned on Monday.

Global warming is already affecting people's health so much that emergency action on climate change cannot be put on hold while the world deals with the Covid-19 pandemic, medical journals across the globe warned on Monday. "Health is already being harmed by global temperature increases and the destruction of the natural world," read an editorial published in more than 220 leading journals ahead of the Cop26 climate summit in November. Since the pre-industrial era, temperatures have risen around 1.1 degrees Celsius (34 degrees Fahrenheit). The editorial, written by the editors-in-chief of over a dozen journals including the Lancet, the East African Medical Journal, Brazil's Revista de Saude Publica and the International Nursing Review, said this had caused a plethora of health problems. "In the past 20 years, heat-related mortality among people older than 65 years has increased by more than 50 percent," it read. "Higher temperatures have brought increased dehydration and renal function loss, dermatological malignancies, tropical infections, adverse mental health outcomes, pregnancy complications, allergies, and cardiovascular and pulmonary morbidity and mortality." Also read | Suspected thief of winning scratch card stopped at Rome airport It also pointed to the decline in agricultural production, "hampering efforts to reduce undernutrition." These effects, which hit those most vulnerable like minorities, children and poorer communities hardest, are just the beginning, it warned. As things stand, global warming could reach +1.5C on pre-industrial levels around 2030, according to the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. And that, along with the continued loss of biodiversity, "risk catastrophic harm to health that will be impossible to reverse," the editorial warned. "Despite the world's necessary preoccupation with Covid-19, we cannot wait for the pandemic to pass to rapidly reduce emissions." In a statement ahead of the publication of the editorial, World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: "The risks posed by climate change could dwarf those of any single disease." "The Covid-19 pandemic will end, but there is no vaccine for the climate crisis. "Every action taken to limit emissions and warming brings us closer to a healthier and safer future." The editorial pointed out that many governments met the threat of Covid-19 with "unprecedented funding" and called for "a similar emergency response" to the environmental crisis, highlighting the benefits. "Better air quality alone would realise health benefits that easily offset the global costs of emissions reductions," it read. The authors also said "governments must make fundamental changes to how our societies and economies are organised and how we live."

More than 200 medical journals call for urgent action on climate change

New&nbsp;Zealand&nbsp;saw its&nbsp;warmest&nbsp;winter&nbsp;on record this year as&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change&nbsp;fuelled rising temperatures, a government scientific agency said Friday.

Temperatures in the June-August period were 1.32 degrees Celsius&nbsp;above average, exceeding the previous record set last year, the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) said.

The agency said the data meant seven of the top 10 hottest winters in&nbsp;New&nbsp;Zealand&nbsp;had occurred since 2000.

It said the last time the country recorded back-to-back record winters was in 1970 and 1971, but those years now stood at 18th and 13th respectively on the all-time list, which dates back to 1909.

"What was considered to be unusually warm at the time is no longer considered unusual," NIWA meteorologist Nava Fedaeff said.

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Fedaeff said natural weather patterns played a role in both record-setting periods but a key difference was the amount of carbon dioxide now polluting the atmosphere.

She said one measuring station near Wellington recorded a carbon dioxide concentration of 320 parts per million in the early 1970s but the level was now 412 parts per million, up almost 30 percent.

"These similar winters, decades apart, show us that there are key natural ingredients to getting a warm&nbsp;winter, but adding&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change&nbsp;to the mix is like taking the same recipe and swapping plain flour for self-raising," she said.

The country's centre-left Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern declared a 'climate&nbsp;emergency' last year, saying urgent action was needed for the sake of future generations.

New&nbsp;Zealand&nbsp;has committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2050 and generating all of its energy from renewable sources by 2035.

New Zealand saw its warmest winter on record this year as climate change fuelled rising temperatures, a government scientific agency said Friday. Temperatures in the June-August period were 1.

New Zealand saw its warmest winter on record this year as climate change fuelled rising temperatures, a government scientific agency said Friday. Temperatures in the June-August period were 1.32 degrees Celsius above average, exceeding the previous record set last year, the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) said. The agency said the data meant seven of the top 10 hottest winters in New Zealand had occurred since 2000. It said the last time the country recorded back-to-back record winters was in 1970 and 1971, but those years now stood at 18th and 13th respectively on the all-time list, which dates back to 1909. "What was considered to be unusually warm at the time is no longer considered unusual," NIWA meteorologist Nava Fedaeff said. Also read | Cuba starts vaccinating children in order to re-open schools amid Covid surge Fedaeff said natural weather patterns played a role in both record-setting periods but a key difference was the amount of carbon dioxide now polluting the atmosphere. She said one measuring station near Wellington recorded a carbon dioxide concentration of 320 parts per million in the early 1970s but the level was now 412 parts per million, up almost 30 percent. "These similar winters, decades apart, show us that there are key natural ingredients to getting a warm winter, but adding climate change to the mix is like taking the same recipe and swapping plain flour for self-raising," she said. The country's centre-left Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern declared a 'climate emergency' last year, saying urgent action was needed for the sake of future generations. New Zealand has committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2050 and generating all of its energy from renewable sources by 2035.

Climate change blamed for New Zealand's warmest winter

The UN has warned that extreme weather conditions are becoming more frequent and costly. Calling for better mitigation plans, experts said that the situation continues to worsen.

UN says weather disasters becoming costlier, calls for better mitigation plan

According to the United Nations, Madagascar is on the brink of experiencing the world's first "climate change famine" as thousands of people are already suffering "catastrophic" levels of hunger and food insecurity.

UN World Food Programme's Shelley Thakral was quoted by the BBC as saying, "These are famine-like conditions and they're being driven by climate not conflict".

She added, "This is unprecedented. These people have done nothing to contribute to climate change. They don't burn fossil fuels… and yet they are bearing the brunt of climate change".

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The UN estimates that 30,000 people are currently experiencing the highest internationally recognised level of food insecurity, which is level five.

Also, there are concerns the number affected could rise sharply as Madagascar enters the traditional "lean season" before harvest.

In the remote village of Fandiova, in Amboasary district, families recently showed a visiting WFP team the locusts that they were eating.

The impact of the current drought is now being felt in larger towns in southern Madagascar too as many children are forced to beg on the streets for food.

According to the United Nations, Madagascar is on the brink of experiencing the world's first "climate change famine" as thousands of people are already suffering "catastrophic" levels of hunger and food insecurity.

According to the United Nations, Madagascar is on the brink of experiencing the world's first "climate change famine" as thousands of people are already suffering "catastrophic" levels of hunger and food insecurity. UN World Food Programme's Shelley Thakral was quoted by the BBC as saying, "These are famine-like conditions and they're being driven by climate not conflict". She added, "This is unprecedented. These people have done nothing to contribute to climate change. They don't burn fossil fuels… and yet they are bearing the brunt of climate change". Also read | Former Afghanistan minister now delivers pizzas in Germany: Report The UN estimates that 30,000 people are currently experiencing the highest internationally recognised level of food insecurity, which is level five. Also, there are concerns the number affected could rise sharply as Madagascar enters the traditional "lean season" before harvest. In the remote village of Fandiova, in Amboasary district, families recently showed a visiting WFP team the locusts that they were eating. The impact of the current drought is now being felt in larger towns in southern Madagascar too as many children are forced to beg on the streets for food.

Madagascar on brink of famine, says UN

A Swiss foundation has built a new kind of power plant. It buys or barters household waste for biogas. This initiative is supported by the foundation ReBin. Its aim is to encourage a circular economy and to show the population that waste is a resource.

Biogas changes attitudes towards waste in rural Benin

When some 200 scientists convened by the United Nations all but demanded on Monday that the nations immediately band together to cut emissions, they portrayed it as a brief window to avert the most catastrophic impacts of climate change.

But as their call ricocheted around the planet, it only underscored the challenge ahead: getting the world’s biggest polluters and its most vulnerable countries to cooperate against a grave global threat.

In unequivocal terms, the new UN&nbsp;report said that the world has been so slow to cut emissions, it was certain to miss one of its basic goals to limit warming. It said atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide had not been this high in at least 2 million years, and the past decade is likely the hottest the planet has been in 125,000 years. And in unusually direct terms, it said that human activity — burning oil, gas and coal — was squarely to blame.

The report prompted outrage among some of the world’s most vulnerable countries, whose leaders demanded that rich, industrialized powers immediately reduce their planet-warming pollution, compensate poor countries for the damage caused and help fund their preparations for a perilous future.

“What science is now saying is actually happening in front of our eyes,” said Malik Amin Aslam, special assistant on climate change to the prime minister of Pakistan, where temperatures exceeded 122 degrees Fahrenheit (50 degrees Celsius) last year. “It’s like a hammer hitting us on the head every day.”

Tensions over the report’s findings are likely to course through negotiations taking place ahead of a major U.N. climate conference set for November in Glasgow.

The report concluded that essentially all of the rise in global average temperatures since the 19th century has been driven by humans burning fossil fuels, clearing forests and loading the atmosphere with greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane that trap heat.

Environmental groups said those findings will bolster international legal strategies to try to hold fossil fuel companies and governments accountable. The report may prove particularly valuable because, unlike previous reports, it focuses extensively on regional effects of climate change. That may allow environmental groups to fashion stronger, more specific legal arguments.

“It’s like a turbocharge” for some of the legal strategies that Greenpeace and other organizations have been pursuing in courts for years, said Jennifer Morgan, the executive director of Greenpeace International. Earlier this year, Greenpeace successfully sued Royal Dutch Shell in a Dutch court using evidence from an earlier U.N. report.

“I just expect the pace and the scale of the calls for action, whether they be in the courtrooms or on the streets or in the committee hearing rooms, to be clearer louder, bigger than ever before,” Morgan said.

Hours after the report was published, demonstrations were being planned for later this month in London and other cities.

The report shows that if emissions of greenhouse gases continue at the same levels or are only slightly reduced, the outcome will be continued warming and worsening effects for at least the rest of the century. But if governments make immediate, drastic cuts in emissions, they can stabilize the climate at about 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming compared to preindustrial levels.

The Earth has already warmed by about 1.1 degrees Celsius.

Despite the jolt the report sent through world capitals, it was clear that some of the biggest polluters, including China and the United States, were unlikely to make the kind of immediate pivot away from fossil fuels that scientists say is needed to hold the rise in global average temperatures to 1.5 or even 2 degrees Celsius, the higher limit set by the 2015 Paris climate accord, an agreement among nations to fight global warming. Nearly every nation that signed the accord is far off track to meet its commitment.

At this point, every fraction of a degree of warming would bring ever more destructive floods, deadlier heat waves and worsening droughts as well as accelerating sea-level rise that could threaten the existence of some island nations, the report said.

The United States, which historically has pumped more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than any other country, in April pledged to roughly halve its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. While that is an ambitious goal, it is slightly below the target enshrined in law by the European Union and significantly below that of Britain.

John Kerry, President Joe Biden’s climate envoy, said the U.N. report showed that “we need all countries to take the bold steps required” to limit global warming to relatively safe levels. Unmentioned was the fact that current U.S. laws and regulations are insufficient to meet its own climate goals.

China, the world’s biggest current producer of greenhouse gases, is still increasing its emissions from power plants, transportation and industry. It plans to hit peak emissions by 2030 before starting to cut back until it no longer produces a net increase of carbon dioxide by 2060.

The Chinese government didn’t respond to the U.N. findings. But in a recent talk, the country’s top climate negotiator, Xie Zhenhua, objected to proposals to set new goals to cut global emissions beyond the level agreed upon by nations in 2015 as part of the Paris climate accord.

“As we’ve already achieved this consensus, there’s no need to ignite fresh controversy now over this goal,” Xie told an event organized by a Hong Kong foundation, adding, “Our issue now is taking action and stepping up.”

And in India, where emissions per capita are a fraction of those of wealthy nations yet growing at a rapid pace, the government said the U.N. findings point to the need for industrialized nations to do more. India also has been resistant to new language demanding all nations take stronger action to hold global temperatures to a 1.5 degree Celsius increase, arguing wealthy countries have not yet made good on their own targets.

“Developed countries have usurped far more than their fair share of the global carbon budget,” Bhupender Yadav, India’s environment minister, said in a statement. The report “vindicates India’s position that historical cumulative emissions are the source of the climate crisis that the world faces today,” he said.

Referring to the report as “a code red for humanity,” U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres renewed his call for an end to the construction of new coal-burning plants as well as an end to fossil fuel subsidies by governments. “This report must sound a death knell for coal and fossil fuels, before they destroy our planet,” he said in a statement.

The American Petroleum Institute, which represents major oil and natural gas producers in the United States, said in a statement that “reducing methane emissions and addressing the risks of climate change are top priorities for our industry.” It added that the industry has already made gains but said, “we have more work to do.”

A representative from Shell declined to comment; Exxon Mobil did not respond to a request for comment.

For the most vulnerable countries, the report may have given new life to a fight that they have waged with mixed success in recent years to persuade wealthy nations to pay for the climate-change-related damages they are suffering.

“What’s happening in the science affects us immediately,” said Tina Stege, a climate envoy for the Republic of the Marshall Islands, a nation of coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean, much of which is only about 6 feet above sea level. Wealthier polluting countries need to step up their assistance “not just to protect our future generations, but current generations,” she said.

Vulnerable island nations said they require financial assistance for relocation efforts, early warning systems and other critical steps to adapt to a changing climate.

Wealthy nations agreed in 2009 to deliver $100 billion annually by 2020 in public and private finance to help developing countries adapt to climate change and transition to clean, renewable energy like wind and solar. That promise hasn’t been met. At the same time, poor countries have sought money to address the climate-fueled disasters happening now.

“People are suffering and somebody needs to pay for this,” said Saleemul Huq, director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development at the Independent University, Bangladesh. Noting that Germany’s Cabinet recently approved $472 million to help its citizens recover from recent devastating floods, he questioned why nations could not find money for disasters being suffered by the countries that did the least to cause climate change.

Sveinung Rotevatn, Norway’s minister of climate and the environment, sidestepped the issue of whether wealthy nations would agree to pay compensation to vulnerable countries. Europe and the United States have resisted calls for climate compensation to poor nations.

“It remains of vital importance that the limited funding should be directed at saving lives, adapting to climate change and also to mitigation efforts,” Rotevatn said.

Mohamed Adow, the director of Power Shift Africa, a climate think tank based in Nairobi, said the U.N. report predicts a dire future that some are already experiencing. “Those of us who live in Africa have been aware of the urgency of the climate crisis for many years,” he said. “Lives and livelihoods have been shattered. It was time, Adow added, “for us to act on the scientific words.”

When some 200 scientists convened by the United Nations all but demanded on Monday that the nations immediately band together to cut emissions, they portrayed it as a brief window to avert the most catastrophic impacts of climate change.

When some 200 scientists convened by the United Nations all but demanded on Monday that the nations immediately band together to cut emissions, they portrayed it as a brief window to avert the most catastrophic impacts of climate change. But as their call ricocheted around the planet, it only underscored the challenge ahead: getting the world’s biggest polluters and its most vulnerable countries to cooperate against a grave global threat. In unequivocal terms, the new UN report said that the world has been so slow to cut emissions, it was certain to miss one of its basic goals to limit warming. It said atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide had not been this high in at least 2 million years, and the past decade is likely the hottest the planet has been in 125,000 years. And in unusually direct terms, it said that human activity — burning oil, gas and coal — was squarely to blame. The report prompted outrage among some of the world’s most vulnerable countries, whose leaders demanded that rich, industrialized powers immediately reduce their planet-warming pollution, compensate poor countries for the damage caused and help fund their preparations for a perilous future. “What science is now saying is actually happening in front of our eyes,” said Malik Amin Aslam, special assistant on climate change to the prime minister of Pakistan, where temperatures exceeded 122 degrees Fahrenheit (50 degrees Celsius) last year. “It’s like a hammer hitting us on the head every day.” Tensions over the report’s findings are likely to course through negotiations taking place ahead of a major U.N. climate conference set for November in Glasgow. The report concluded that essentially all of the rise in global average temperatures since the 19th century has been driven by humans burning fossil fuels, clearing forests and loading the atmosphere with greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane that trap heat. Environmental groups said those findings will bolster international legal strategies to try to hold fossil fuel companies and governments accountable. The report may prove particularly valuable because, unlike previous reports, it focuses extensively on regional effects of climate change. That may allow environmental groups to fashion stronger, more specific legal arguments. “It’s like a turbocharge” for some of the legal strategies that Greenpeace and other organizations have been pursuing in courts for years, said Jennifer Morgan, the executive director of Greenpeace International. Earlier this year, Greenpeace successfully sued Royal Dutch Shell in a Dutch court using evidence from an earlier U.N. report. “I just expect the pace and the scale of the calls for action, whether they be in the courtrooms or on the streets or in the committee hearing rooms, to be clearer louder, bigger than ever before,” Morgan said. Hours after the report was published, demonstrations were being planned for later this month in London and other cities. The report shows that if emissions of greenhouse gases continue at the same levels or are only slightly reduced, the outcome will be continued warming and worsening effects for at least the rest of the century. But if governments make immediate, drastic cuts in emissions, they can stabilize the climate at about 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming compared to preindustrial levels. The Earth has already warmed by about 1.1 degrees Celsius. Despite the jolt the report sent through world capitals, it was clear that some of the biggest polluters, including China and the United States, were unlikely to make the kind of immediate pivot away from fossil fuels that scientists say is needed to hold the rise in global average temperatures to 1.5 or even 2 degrees Celsius, the higher limit set by the 2015 Paris climate accord, an agreement among nations to fight global warming. Nearly every nation that signed the accord is far off track to meet its commitment. At this point, every fraction of a degree of warming would bring ever more destructive floods, deadlier heat waves and worsening droughts as well as accelerating sea-level rise that could threaten the existence of some island nations, the report said. The United States, which historically has pumped more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than any other country, in April pledged to roughly halve its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. While that is an ambitious goal, it is slightly below the target enshrined in law by the European Union and significantly below that of Britain. John Kerry, President Joe Biden’s climate envoy, said the U.N. report showed that “we need all countries to take the bold steps required” to limit global warming to relatively safe levels. Unmentioned was the fact that current U.S. laws and regulations are insufficient to meet its own climate goals. China, the world’s biggest current producer of greenhouse gases, is still increasing its emissions from power plants, transportation and industry. It plans to hit peak emissions by 2030 before starting to cut back until it no longer produces a net increase of carbon dioxide by 2060. The Chinese government didn’t respond to the U.N. findings. But in a recent talk, the country’s top climate negotiator, Xie Zhenhua, objected to proposals to set new goals to cut global emissions beyond the level agreed upon by nations in 2015 as part of the Paris climate accord. “As we’ve already achieved this consensus, there’s no need to ignite fresh controversy now over this goal,” Xie told an event organized by a Hong Kong foundation, adding, “Our issue now is taking action and stepping up.” And in India, where emissions per capita are a fraction of those of wealthy nations yet growing at a rapid pace, the government said the U.N. findings point to the need for industrialized nations to do more. India also has been resistant to new language demanding all nations take stronger action to hold global temperatures to a 1.5 degree Celsius increase, arguing wealthy countries have not yet made good on their own targets. “Developed countries have usurped far more than their fair share of the global carbon budget,” Bhupender Yadav, India’s environment minister, said in a statement. The report “vindicates India’s position that historical cumulative emissions are the source of the climate crisis that the world faces today,” he said. Referring to the report as “a code red for humanity,” U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres renewed his call for an end to the construction of new coal-burning plants as well as an end to fossil fuel subsidies by governments. “This report must sound a death knell for coal and fossil fuels, before they destroy our planet,” he said in a statement. The American Petroleum Institute, which represents major oil and natural gas producers in the United States, said in a statement that “reducing methane emissions and addressing the risks of climate change are top priorities for our industry.” It added that the industry has already made gains but said, “we have more work to do.” A representative from Shell declined to comment; Exxon Mobil did not respond to a request for comment. For the most vulnerable countries, the report may have given new life to a fight that they have waged with mixed success in recent years to persuade wealthy nations to pay for the climate-change-related damages they are suffering. “What’s happening in the science affects us immediately,” said Tina Stege, a climate envoy for the Republic of the Marshall Islands, a nation of coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean, much of which is only about 6 feet above sea level. Wealthier polluting countries need to step up their assistance “not just to protect our future generations, but current generations,” she said. Vulnerable island nations said they require financial assistance for relocation efforts, early warning systems and other critical steps to adapt to a changing climate. Wealthy nations agreed in 2009 to deliver $100 billion annually by 2020 in public and private finance to help developing countries adapt to climate change and transition to clean, renewable energy like wind and solar. That promise hasn’t been met. At the same time, poor countries have sought money to address the climate-fueled disasters happening now. “People are suffering and somebody needs to pay for this,” said Saleemul Huq, director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development at the Independent University, Bangladesh. Noting that Germany’s Cabinet recently approved $472 million to help its citizens recover from recent devastating floods, he questioned why nations could not find money for disasters being suffered by the countries that did the least to cause climate change. Sveinung Rotevatn, Norway’s minister of climate and the environment, sidestepped the issue of whether wealthy nations would agree to pay compensation to vulnerable countries. Europe and the United States have resisted calls for climate compensation to poor nations. “It remains of vital importance that the limited funding should be directed at saving lives, adapting to climate change and also to mitigation efforts,” Rotevatn said. Mohamed Adow, the director of Power Shift Africa, a climate think tank based in Nairobi, said the U.N. report predicts a dire future that some are already experiencing. “Those of us who live in Africa have been aware of the urgency of the climate crisis for many years,” he said. “Lives and livelihoods have been shattered. It was time, Adow added, “for us to act on the scientific words.”

Climate change is a ‘hammer hitting us on the head,’ developing nations say

The UK government's climate chief Alok Sharma has warned that the world is "dangerously close" to running out of time to stop a climate change catastrophe. Sharma, who is leading COP26, the climate summit hosted by the UK this year, said that the effects were already clear with floods, fires and heatwaves.

The UK government's climate chief Alok Sharma has warned that the world is "dangerously close" to running out of time to stop a climate change catastrophe. Sharma, who is leading COP26, the climate summit hosted by the UK this year, said that the effects were already clear with floods, fires and heatwaves. "This is going to be the starkest warning yet that human behaviour is alarmingly accelerating global warming and this is why COP26 has to be the moment we get this right", Sharma said. He added, "We can't afford to wait two years, five years, 10 years -– this is the moment," he added, explaining that unless nations "act now, we will, unfortunately, be out of time". Meanwhile, a report recently revealed that Sharma has flown to 30 countries in the past seven months. Also read | Climate change summit Cop26's president Alok Sharma flew to 30 countries in 7 months According to Daily Mail, Ashok Sharma was appointed as president of Cop26 in January and has visited countries including Brazil, Indonesia and Kenya since February. He visited India in March, as well as Costa Rica, Qatar and the UAE. In April, he saw trips to the Far East, before he travelled to Bangladesh in June. Not all of the 30 known journeys were return flights to the UK. Sharma also visited a group of countries on one trip. However, travel to and from all the destinations Sharma has visited would stretch to 200,000 miles. The aviation industry produced 915m tonnes of CO2 in 2019, which is equivalent to 2 per cent of all human-made CO2 emissions.

Time running out to stop 'catastrophe', warns UK's climate chief

There is still time to prevent "runaway climate change" but only if the world implements carbon net zero policies, the EU's vice president in charge of climate action said Monday.

"It's not too late to stem the tide and prevent runaway climate change, but only if we act decisively now and all act together," Frans Timmermans tweeted after the release of an alarming report by the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

He stressed that the European Union is proposing a sweeping climate plan, unveiled last month, that aims to ditch dependency on fossil fuels to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

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"But this is a global crisis: keeping 1.5 degrees within reach requires net zero emissions worldwide and faster rollout of policies to get there. COP26 must be where the world says 'enough'!," Timmermans tweeted, referring to a global climate conference to take place in November.

"The IPCC climate report shows the immense urgency of acting now to tackle the climate crisis," he added.

The IPCC concluded that the 1.5C temperature goal of the Paris Agreement would likely be breached around 2030 -- a decade earlier than it projected just three years ago.

There is still time to prevent "runaway climate change" but only if the world implements carbon net zero policies, the EU's vice president in charge of climate action said Monday.

There is still time to prevent "runaway climate change" but only if the world implements carbon net zero policies, the EU's vice president in charge of climate action said Monday. "It's not too late to stem the tide and prevent runaway climate change, but only if we act decisively now and all act together," Frans Timmermans tweeted after the release of an alarming report by the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). He stressed that the European Union is proposing a sweeping climate plan, unveiled last month, that aims to ditch dependency on fossil fuels to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Also read | TikTok tests disappearing videos feature, but with a twist "But this is a global crisis: keeping 1.5 degrees within reach requires net zero emissions worldwide and faster rollout of policies to get there. COP26 must be where the world says 'enough'!," Timmermans tweeted, referring to a global climate conference to take place in November. "The IPCC climate report shows the immense urgency of acting now to tackle the climate crisis," he added. The IPCC concluded that the 1.5C temperature goal of the Paris Agreement would likely be breached around 2030 -- a decade earlier than it projected just three years ago.

'Not too late' to prevent 'runaway climate change': EU

UK PM Boris Johnson’s climate spokesperson Allegra Stratton reveals she drives a 'third-hand' diesel Volkswagen Golf, a report by the Guardian said. &nbsp;

Stratton, who is the prime minister’s former press secretary, has criticised the critical infrastructure needed to run an electric car, by saying, it is not letting people like her switch to an electric car.&nbsp;

She also cited the time taken to recharge on long journeys to be an issue even as average electric vehicle now has range of over 200 miles.&nbsp;

In an interview with Times Radio, Stratton explained she needed to visit elderly relatives '200, 250 miles away', and having to stop the vehicle to charge it would slow her down, particularly with two young children, who might otherwise remain asleep during the ride.&nbsp;

The spokesperson, who lives in north London, said, “I don’t fancy it just yet,” because of the length of time, it takes to make trips to visit her father in south Scotland, her mother in Gloucestershire, her grandmother in north Wales, and her in-laws in the Lake district.&nbsp;

Stratton said, “They’re all journeys that I think would be at least one quite long stop to charge,” while adding an electric car would become a more viable option for her if 'the stop times for recharging improve so much that it’s half an hour'.&nbsp;

UK PM Boris Johnson’s climate spokesperson Allegra Stratton reveals she drives a 'third-hand' diesel Volkswagen Golf, a report by the Guardian said. Stratton, who is the prime minister’s former press secretary, has criticised the critical infrastructure needed to run an electric car, by saying, it is not letting people like her switch to an electric car.

UK PM Boris Johnson’s climate spokesperson Allegra Stratton reveals she drives a 'third-hand' diesel Volkswagen Golf, a report by the Guardian said. Stratton, who is the prime minister’s former press secretary, has criticised the critical infrastructure needed to run an electric car, by saying, it is not letting people like her switch to an electric car. She also cited the time taken to recharge on long journeys to be an issue even as average electric vehicle now has range of over 200 miles. In an interview with Times Radio, Stratton explained she needed to visit elderly relatives '200, 250 miles away', and having to stop the vehicle to charge it would slow her down, particularly with two young children, who might otherwise remain asleep during the ride. The spokesperson, who lives in north London, said, “I don’t fancy it just yet,” because of the length of time, it takes to make trips to visit her father in south Scotland, her mother in Gloucestershire, her grandmother in north Wales, and her in-laws in the Lake district. Stratton said, “They’re all journeys that I think would be at least one quite long stop to charge,” while adding an electric car would become a more viable option for her if 'the stop times for recharging improve so much that it’s half an hour'.

UK PM’s climate spokesperson says diesel car suits better than electric 

China's climate envoy on Tuesday said the world's most populous nation would release its updated plans to reduce carbon emissions "in the near future" as nations prepare to meet later this year for a pivotal global conference.

Climate negotiators from 196 countries and the European Union as well as businesses, experts and world leaders will gather in Glasgow in November for the COP26 summit.&nbsp;

The meeting is the crucial next step in getting the world's nations to agree to the kind of reduction in carbon emissions needed to stave off catastrophic climate change.

Under the Paris Agreement, countries are meant to have submitted updated 2030 climate targets ahead of COP26.&nbsp;

But nearly half have yet to do so, including key global emitters like China and India.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-provinces-face-lockdown-amid-rise-in-delta-virus-cases-402412">Also read |&nbsp;Chinese provinces face lockdown amid rise in Delta virus cases</a>

On Tuesday, China's top climate negotiator said Beijing's updated plans would soon be released, potentially before the Glasgow meet.&nbsp;

"In the near future relevant policy papers will be out there, there will be detailed implementation plans," Xie Zhenhua told an online webinar organised by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.&nbsp;

"Then we're going to talk about that support to the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow," he added, according to a simultaneous English translation of his speech.

The United Nations is pushing for a global coalition committed to net zero carbon emissions by 2050 which will cover all countries. China has said it will aim for carbon neutrality by 2060.

The 2015 Paris Agreement adopted a collective promise to cap the planet's rising surface temperature at "well below" two degrees Celsius and an aspirational limit on 1.5 degrees.&nbsp;

Beijing's reluctance

Many scientists now say 1.5 degrees must be reached to effectively tackle climate change and say huge emitters like China will be crucial in making that a reality.&nbsp;

Record-smashing heatwaves, floods and drought across three continents in recent weeks -- all amplified by global warming -- have added pressure for decisive action in Glasgow.

China is reluctant to commit to 1.5 degrees.

"Some countries are pushing to rewrite the Paris Agreement," Xie said. "That is, they want to strive to change the target of control for the rise of temperature from two degrees Celsius to 1.5 degrees Celsius."

"We have to understand the different situations in different countries, and strive to reach a consensus," he added.&nbsp;

China argues that industrialised nations, especially in the West, were able to get wealthy before carbon reduction controls came in and that it and other developing economies should not be expected to make as heavy reductions.

Critics of that view say the world cannot afford for huge populous nations like China and India to be slow on reducing their own carbon footprints.

"While China has pledged carbon neutrality in mid-century, which is great, it has not so far announced plans to do enough in the 2020s in my judgment," Todd Stern, President Barack Obama's former climate negotiator, who has often sat opposite Xie at summits, told the same webinar.

China's climate envoy on Tuesday said the world's most populous nation would release its updated plans to reduce carbon emissions "in the near future" as nations prepare to meet later this year for a pivotal global conference.

China's climate envoy on Tuesday said the world's most populous nation would release its updated plans to reduce carbon emissions "in the near future" as nations prepare to meet later this year for a pivotal global conference. Climate negotiators from 196 countries and the European Union as well as businesses, experts and world leaders will gather in Glasgow in November for the COP26 summit. The meeting is the crucial next step in getting the world's nations to agree to the kind of reduction in carbon emissions needed to stave off catastrophic climate change. Under the Paris Agreement, countries are meant to have submitted updated 2030 climate targets ahead of COP26. But nearly half have yet to do so, including key global emitters like China and India. Also read | Chinese provinces face lockdown amid rise in Delta virus cases On Tuesday, China's top climate negotiator said Beijing's updated plans would soon be released, potentially before the Glasgow meet. "In the near future relevant policy papers will be out there, there will be detailed implementation plans," Xie Zhenhua told an online webinar organised by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. "Then we're going to talk about that support to the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow," he added, according to a simultaneous English translation of his speech. The United Nations is pushing for a global coalition committed to net zero carbon emissions by 2050 which will cover all countries. China has said it will aim for carbon neutrality by 2060. The 2015 Paris Agreement adopted a collective promise to cap the planet's rising surface temperature at "well below" two degrees Celsius and an aspirational limit on 1.5 degrees. Beijing's reluctance Many scientists now say 1.5 degrees must be reached to effectively tackle climate change and say huge emitters like China will be crucial in making that a reality. Record-smashing heatwaves, floods and drought across three continents in recent weeks -- all amplified by global warming -- have added pressure for decisive action in Glasgow. China is reluctant to commit to 1.5 degrees. "Some countries are pushing to rewrite the Paris Agreement," Xie said. "That is, they want to strive to change the target of control for the rise of temperature from two degrees Celsius to 1.5 degrees Celsius." "We have to understand the different situations in different countries, and strive to reach a consensus," he added. China argues that industrialised nations, especially in the West, were able to get wealthy before carbon reduction controls came in and that it and other developing economies should not be expected to make as heavy reductions. Critics of that view say the world cannot afford for huge populous nations like China and India to be slow on reducing their own carbon footprints. "While China has pledged carbon neutrality in mid-century, which is great, it has not so far announced plans to do enough in the 2020s in my judgment," Todd Stern, President Barack Obama's former climate negotiator, who has often sat opposite Xie at summits, told the same webinar.

China to release updated climate plans 'in near future', says Chinese envoy

Has the British Royal family become a royal burden? Reports reveal the Queen has been lobbying to secure her private interests. She recently exempted herself from a climate law. Palki Sharma has the details.

Gravitas: The Queen's secret lobbying and climate hypocrisy

What is climate change doing to us? It is changing the way we play sports, it is interfering with our cup of coffee, also threatening our lives. Palki Sharma brings you 3 stories that show the impact of climate change.

Gravitas: Here's what climate change is doing to us

Climate change has killed over 160 people in India in just one week. A study claims 83 million people will die over the next 80 years because of global warming. The pollution emitted by every 3 US residents in their lifetime will kill another person. Palki Sharma brings you a report.

Gravitas: Heavy rains kill over 160 people in India

On the heels of jaw-dropping heat and flooding across three continents, nearly 200 nations gather Monday to validate a critical UN&nbsp;climate&nbsp;science report 100 days ahead of a political summit charged with keeping Earth liveable. &nbsp;

The world is a different place than in 2014 when the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on&nbsp;Climate&nbsp;Change (IPCC) issued its fifth comprehensive assessment of global heating, past and future.

Lingering doubts that warming was gathering pace or almost entirely human in origin, along with the falsely reassuring notion that&nbsp;climate&nbsp;impacts are tomorrow's problem, have since evaporated in the haze of record heat, wildfires and crippling droughts.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/why-are-climate-mysteries-puzzling-worlds-leading-scientists-400037">Why are climate 'mysteries' puzzling world's leading scientists?</a>

Indeed, an unprecedented cascade of lethal weather this summer -- Death Valley-like temperatures in western Canada, flash floods across western Europe, people drowning in rain-filled subway carriages in central China -– could make 2021 the year that&nbsp;climate&nbsp;predictions become a reality impossible to ignore.

Another milestone since the last IPCC tome: the Paris Agreement has been adopted, setting a collective target of capping the planet's surface temperature at "well below" two degrees Celsius (35.6 Fahrenheit) above late-19th century levels.

Carbon pollution from burning fossil fuels, methane leaks and agriculture has driven up the thermometer 1.1C so far.

The 2015 treaty also tacked on an aspirational limit of 1.5C, with many parties to the talks assuming it would remain just that -- aspirational, and thus easy to set aside.

"But then countries turned around and asked the IPCC to do a special report on it, and that changed the framing absolutely," IPCC lead author and palaeoclimatologist Peter Thorne of Maynooth University in Ireland, told AFP.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/many-leaders-slept-on-climate-crisis-will-they-act-on-what-they-feel-on-their-skins-now-398704" hreflang="en">Many leaders slept on climate crisis. Will they act on what they feel on their skins now?</a>

The resulting 2018 analysis revealed just how devastating an extra half-degree of warming would be, and today 1.5C is the only number on the table.&nbsp;

Low-balling the threat&nbsp;

"It became the de facto target", and proof of the IPCC's influence in shaping global policy, Thorne said in a Zoom interview. &nbsp;

A third sea change over the last seven years is in the science itself.

"Today we have better&nbsp;climate&nbsp;projection models, and longer observations with a much clearer signal of&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change," climatologist Robert Vautard, also an IPCC lead author and director of France's Pierre-Simon Laplace Institute, told AFP.&nbsp;

Arguably the biggest breakthrough is so-called attribution studies, which for the first time allow scientists to rapidly quantify the extent to which&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change has boosted an extreme weather event's intensity or likelihood.

Within days, for example, of the deadly "heat dome" that scorched Canada and the western US last month, the World Weather Attribution consortium calculated that the heatwave would have been virtually impossible without manmade warming.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/poland-faces-first-citizen-lawsuits-over-climate-change-390695">Poland faces first citizen lawsuits over climate change</a>

But after-the-fact analysis is not the same as foresight, and the IPCC -- set up in 1988 to inform UN&nbsp;climate&nbsp;negotiations -- has been criticised by some for low-balling the danger, a pattern that Harvard science historian Naomi Oreskes has called "erring on the side of least drama".

"First, there is the general conservatism of science -- in many ways that's a good thing," she told AFP.

"But in the&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change arena, scientists have had to deal with an enormous political and cultural pressure not to 'exaggerate' the threat."

The IPCC, she added, must contend with direct interference from the governments on whose behalf it works.

"I think there's little doubt that the effect of outside pressure, overall, has been to cause its statements to fall on the 'less alarmed' rather than 'more alarmed' side of things."

From Monday, representatives from 195 nations, with scientists at their elbow, will vet a 20- to 30-page "summary for policymakers" line-by-line, word-by-word. &nbsp;

Low-probability, high-risk'&nbsp;

The virtual meeting for this first instalment -- covering physical science -- of the three-part report will take two weeks rather than the usual one, with the document's release slated for August 9.

Part two of the report, to be published in February 2022, covers impacts.

A leaked draft obtained by AFP warns that&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change will fundamentally reshape life on Earth in the coming decades even if planet-warming carbon pollution is tamed, and calls for "transformational change" lest future generations face far worse.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/heres-an-idea-to-reverse-climate-change-alter-the-orbit-of-the-moon-390689">Here's an idea to reverse climate change: Alter the orbit of the Moon</a>

Part three, to be unveiled the following month, examines solutions for reducing emissions.

The part one report will project global temperature to 2100 under different emissions scenarios, some consistent with Paris Agreement goals and others that would, by the century's end, plunge today's children into a deeply uncomfortable world, three or four degrees above preindustrial levels.

Based almost entirely on published research, it could forecast -- even under optimistic scenarios -- a temporarily "overshoot" of the 1.5C target, and upwardly revised estimates for long-term sea-level rise.

If the International Energy Agency (IEA) projections this week of record carbon pollution by 2023 are right, such an overshoot could last a long time.&nbsp;

There will also be a new focus on so-called "low-probability, high-risk" events.&nbsp;

"Feedbacks which amplify change are stronger than we thought and we may be approaching some tipping point," said Tim Lenton, Director of the University of Exeter's Global Systems Institute.&nbsp;

Beyond yet-to-be-defined temperature thresholds, parts of the&nbsp;climate&nbsp;system could pass a point-of-no-return, including ice sheets holding metres' worth of sea-level rise and permafrost laden with twice more greenhouse gases than in the atmosphere.&nbsp;

On the heels of jaw-dropping heat and flooding across three continents, nearly 200 nations gather Monday to validate a critical UN climate science report 100 days ahead of a political summit charged with keeping Earth liveable.

On the heels of jaw-dropping heat and flooding across three continents, nearly 200 nations gather Monday to validate a critical UN climate science report 100 days ahead of a political summit charged with keeping Earth liveable. The world is a different place than in 2014 when the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued its fifth comprehensive assessment of global heating, past and future. Lingering doubts that warming was gathering pace or almost entirely human in origin, along with the falsely reassuring notion that climate impacts are tomorrow's problem, have since evaporated in the haze of record heat, wildfires and crippling droughts. Also read | Why are climate 'mysteries' puzzling world's leading scientists? Indeed, an unprecedented cascade of lethal weather this summer -- Death Valley-like temperatures in western Canada, flash floods across western Europe, people drowning in rain-filled subway carriages in central China -– could make 2021 the year that climate predictions become a reality impossible to ignore. Another milestone since the last IPCC tome: the Paris Agreement has been adopted, setting a collective target of capping the planet's surface temperature at "well below" two degrees Celsius (35.6 Fahrenheit) above late-19th century levels. Carbon pollution from burning fossil fuels, methane leaks and agriculture has driven up the thermometer 1.1C so far. The 2015 treaty also tacked on an aspirational limit of 1.5C, with many parties to the talks assuming it would remain just that -- aspirational, and thus easy to set aside. "But then countries turned around and asked the IPCC to do a special report on it, and that changed the framing absolutely," IPCC lead author and palaeoclimatologist Peter Thorne of Maynooth University in Ireland, told AFP. Also read| Many leaders slept on climate crisis. Will they act on what they feel on their skins now? The resulting 2018 analysis revealed just how devastating an extra half-degree of warming would be, and today 1.5C is the only number on the table. Low-balling the threat "It became the de facto target", and proof of the IPCC's influence in shaping global policy, Thorne said in a Zoom interview. A third sea change over the last seven years is in the science itself. "Today we have better climate projection models, and longer observations with a much clearer signal of climate change," climatologist Robert Vautard, also an IPCC lead author and director of France's Pierre-Simon Laplace Institute, told AFP. Arguably the biggest breakthrough is so-called attribution studies, which for the first time allow scientists to rapidly quantify the extent to which climate change has boosted an extreme weather event's intensity or likelihood. Within days, for example, of the deadly "heat dome" that scorched Canada and the western US last month, the World Weather Attribution consortium calculated that the heatwave would have been virtually impossible without manmade warming. Also read | Poland faces first citizen lawsuits over climate change But after-the-fact analysis is not the same as foresight, and the IPCC -- set up in 1988 to inform UN climate negotiations -- has been criticised by some for low-balling the danger, a pattern that Harvard science historian Naomi Oreskes has called "erring on the side of least drama". "First, there is the general conservatism of science -- in many ways that's a good thing," she told AFP. "But in the climate change arena, scientists have had to deal with an enormous political and cultural pressure not to 'exaggerate' the threat." The IPCC, she added, must contend with direct interference from the governments on whose behalf it works. "I think there's little doubt that the effect of outside pressure, overall, has been to cause its statements to fall on the 'less alarmed' rather than 'more alarmed' side of things." From Monday, representatives from 195 nations, with scientists at their elbow, will vet a 20- to 30-page "summary for policymakers" line-by-line, word-by-word. Low-probability, high-risk' The virtual meeting for this first instalment -- covering physical science -- of the three-part report will take two weeks rather than the usual one, with the document's release slated for August 9. Part two of the report, to be published in February 2022, covers impacts. A leaked draft obtained by AFP warns that climate change will fundamentally reshape life on Earth in the coming decades even if planet-warming carbon pollution is tamed, and calls for "transformational change" lest future generations face far worse. Also read | Here's an idea to reverse climate change: Alter the orbit of the Moon Part three, to be unveiled the following month, examines solutions for reducing emissions. The part one report will project global temperature to 2100 under different emissions scenarios, some consistent with Paris Agreement goals and others that would, by the century's end, plunge today's children into a deeply uncomfortable world, three or four degrees above preindustrial levels. Based almost entirely on published research, it could forecast -- even under optimistic scenarios -- a temporarily "overshoot" of the 1.5C target, and upwardly revised estimates for long-term sea-level rise. If the International Energy Agency (IEA) projections this week of record carbon pollution by 2023 are right, such an overshoot could last a long time. There will also be a new focus on so-called "low-probability, high-risk" events. "Feedbacks which amplify change are stronger than we thought and we may be approaching some tipping point," said Tim Lenton, Director of the University of Exeter's Global Systems Institute. Beyond yet-to-be-defined temperature thresholds, parts of the climate system could pass a point-of-no-return, including ice sheets holding metres' worth of sea-level rise and permafrost laden with twice more greenhouse gases than in the atmosphere.

Climate cataclysms set stage for key UN science report

What worries one of the world's leading climate scientists the most?&nbsp;

Heatwaves -- and particularly the tendency of current models to underestimate the intensity of these bursts of deadly, searing temperature.&nbsp;

This is one of the "major mysteries" science still has to unravel, climatologist Robert Vautard told AFP, even as researchers are able to pinpoint with increasing accuracy exactly how human fossil fuel pollution is warming the planet and altering the climate.

"Today we have better climate projection models, and longer observations with a much clearer signal of climate change," said Vautard, one of the authors of an upcoming assessment by the United Nations' panel of climate experts.&nbsp;

"It was already clear, but it is even clearer and more indisputable today."

The assessment, the first part of a trio of reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), will be released on August 9 at the end of meetings starting Monday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/climate-crisis-overfishing-threaten-access-to-nutrients-in-fish-399386">Also read |&nbsp;Climate crisis, overfishing threaten access to nutrients in fish</a>

It focuses on the science underpinning our understanding of things like temperature increases, rising ocean levels and extreme weather events.&nbsp;

This has progressed considerably since the last assessment in 2014, but so has climate change itself, with effects being felt ever more forcefully across the planet.&nbsp;

&nbsp;'Phenomenal' heat

Scientists now have a greater understanding of the mechanisms behind "extreme phenomena, which now occur almost every week around the world", said Vautard, adding that this helps better quantify how these events will play out in the future.

In almost real time, researchers can pinpoint the role of climate change in a given disaster, something they were unable to do at all until very recently. &nbsp;

Now, so-called "attribution" science means we can say how probable an extreme weather event would have been had the climate not been changing at all.&nbsp;

For example, within days of the extraordinary "heat dome" that scorched the western United States and Canada at the end of June, scientists from the World Weather Attribution calculated that the heatwave would have been "almost impossible" without warming.&nbsp;

Despite these advances, Vautard said "major mysteries remain".&nbsp;

Scientists are still unsure what part clouds play "in the energy balance of the planet" and their influence on the climate's sensitivity to greenhouse gases, he said.&nbsp;

But it is "phenomenal temperatures", like those recorded in June in Canada or in Europe in 2019, that preoccupy the climatologist.&nbsp;

"What worries me the most are the heat waves" and the "thousands of deaths" they cause, said Vautard, who is director of France's Pierre-Simon Laplace Institute, a climate research and teaching centre.&nbsp;

With rainfall, scientists have a physical law that says water vapour increases by seven percent for every degree of warming, he said, with intense precipitation increasing by about the same amount.&nbsp;

But extreme heat is harder to predict.&nbsp;

"We know that heatwaves are more frequent, but we also know that our models underestimate the increasing intensity of these heatwaves, particularly in Europe, by a factor of two," he said.

Climate models have come a long way, even since 2014, but there is still room for improvement to reduce these uncertainties.&nbsp;

"Before we had models that represented the major phenomena in the atmosphere, in the oceans," said Vautard.&nbsp;

Today the models divide the planet's surface into grids, with each square around 10 kilometres (six miles).&nbsp;

But even now he said the "resolution of the models is not sufficient" for very localised phenomena.&nbsp;

The next generation of models should be able to add even more detail, going down to an area of about a kilometre.&nbsp;

That would give researchers a much better understanding of "small scale" events, like tornadoes, hail or storm systems that bring intense rain like those seen in parts of the Mediterranean in 2020.

Tipping points

Even on a global scale, some fundamental questions remain.&nbsp;

Perhaps one of the most ominous climate concepts to have become better understood in recent years is that of "tipping points".&nbsp;

These could be triggered for example by the melting of the ice caps or the decline of the Amazon rainforest, potentially swinging the climate system into dramatic and irreversible changes.&nbsp;

There are still "a lot of uncertainties and mysteries" about tipping points, Vautard said, including what level of temperature rise might set them off.&nbsp;

Currently, they are seen as low probability events, but he said that it is still crucial to know more about them given the "irreversible consequences on the scale of millennia" that they could cause.&nbsp;

Another crucial uncertainty is the state of the world's forests and oceans, which absorb about half of the CO2 emitted by humans.&nbsp;

"Will this carbon sink function continue to be effective or not?" Vautard said.

If they stop absorbing carbon -- as has been found in areas of the Amazon, for example -- then more C02 will accumulate in the atmosphere, raising temperatures even further.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"It is a concern," said Vautard.&nbsp;&nbsp;

What worries one of the world's leading climate scientists the most? Heatwaves -- and particularly the tendency of current models to underestimate the intensity of these bursts of deadly, searing temperature.

What worries one of the world's leading climate scientists the most? Heatwaves -- and particularly the tendency of current models to underestimate the intensity of these bursts of deadly, searing temperature. This is one of the "major mysteries" science still has to unravel, climatologist Robert Vautard told AFP, even as researchers are able to pinpoint with increasing accuracy exactly how human fossil fuel pollution is warming the planet and altering the climate. "Today we have better climate projection models, and longer observations with a much clearer signal of climate change," said Vautard, one of the authors of an upcoming assessment by the United Nations' panel of climate experts. "It was already clear, but it is even clearer and more indisputable today." The assessment, the first part of a trio of reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), will be released on August 9 at the end of meetings starting Monday. Also read | Climate crisis, overfishing threaten access to nutrients in fish It focuses on the science underpinning our understanding of things like temperature increases, rising ocean levels and extreme weather events. This has progressed considerably since the last assessment in 2014, but so has climate change itself, with effects being felt ever more forcefully across the planet. 'Phenomenal' heat Scientists now have a greater understanding of the mechanisms behind "extreme phenomena, which now occur almost every week around the world", said Vautard, adding that this helps better quantify how these events will play out in the future. In almost real time, researchers can pinpoint the role of climate change in a given disaster, something they were unable to do at all until very recently. Now, so-called "attribution" science means we can say how probable an extreme weather event would have been had the climate not been changing at all. For example, within days of the extraordinary "heat dome" that scorched the western United States and Canada at the end of June, scientists from the World Weather Attribution calculated that the heatwave would have been "almost impossible" without warming. Despite these advances, Vautard said "major mysteries remain". Scientists are still unsure what part clouds play "in the energy balance of the planet" and their influence on the climate's sensitivity to greenhouse gases, he said. But it is "phenomenal temperatures", like those recorded in June in Canada or in Europe in 2019, that preoccupy the climatologist. "What worries me the most are the heat waves" and the "thousands of deaths" they cause, said Vautard, who is director of France's Pierre-Simon Laplace Institute, a climate research and teaching centre. With rainfall, scientists have a physical law that says water vapour increases by seven percent for every degree of warming, he said, with intense precipitation increasing by about the same amount. But extreme heat is harder to predict. "We know that heatwaves are more frequent, but we also know that our models underestimate the increasing intensity of these heatwaves, particularly in Europe, by a factor of two," he said. Climate models have come a long way, even since 2014, but there is still room for improvement to reduce these uncertainties. "Before we had models that represented the major phenomena in the atmosphere, in the oceans," said Vautard. Today the models divide the planet's surface into grids, with each square around 10 kilometres (six miles). But even now he said the "resolution of the models is not sufficient" for very localised phenomena. The next generation of models should be able to add even more detail, going down to an area of about a kilometre. That would give researchers a much better understanding of "small scale" events, like tornadoes, hail or storm systems that bring intense rain like those seen in parts of the Mediterranean in 2020. Tipping points Even on a global scale, some fundamental questions remain. Perhaps one of the most ominous climate concepts to have become better understood in recent years is that of "tipping points". These could be triggered for example by the melting of the ice caps or the decline of the Amazon rainforest, potentially swinging the climate system into dramatic and irreversible changes. There are still "a lot of uncertainties and mysteries" about tipping points, Vautard said, including what level of temperature rise might set them off. Currently, they are seen as low probability events, but he said that it is still crucial to know more about them given the "irreversible consequences on the scale of millennia" that they could cause. Another crucial uncertainty is the state of the world's forests and oceans, which absorb about half of the CO2 emitted by humans. "Will this carbon sink function continue to be effective or not?" Vautard said. If they stop absorbing carbon -- as has been found in areas of the Amazon, for example -- then more C02 will accumulate in the atmosphere, raising temperatures even further. "It is a concern," said Vautard.

Climate 'mysteries' still puzzle scientists, despite progress

Amid floods in Germany, Turkey, and China, wildfires in Western America, environment ministers from the G20 countries met in Naples, Italy for a summit on climate change.

G20 environment ministers meet in Italy amid spate of climate disasters

Researchers have warned that overfishing could threaten the world’s supply of essential vitamins and minerals gained from fisheries.&nbsp;

Globally, 1 billion people rely on fish and seafood as their primary source of protein. Also, fish is a key source of micronutrients.&nbsp;

Overfishing and the climate crisis are two of the most prominent threats to marine life. They affect the size, distribution and abundance of the marine species globally.

In order to determine how these growing pressures influence the nutritional contribution of global fisheries, a team of researchers led by Lancaster University combined data on the micronutrient content of species with a vulnerability index. This indicates species' susceptibility to climate change and overfishing.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/despite-recent-recovery-great-barrier-reef-may-not-be-able-to-survive-climate-change-398988">Also read |&nbsp;Despite recent recovery, Great Barrier Reef may not be able to survive climate change</a>

Also, the researchers applied these metrics to more than 800 fish species across 157 countries.

Dr Eva Maire, a senior research associate at Lancaster University and lead author of the study was quoted by The Guardian saying, "When we look at the country level, climate change is the most pervasive threat to the supply of vital micronutrients, and in particular in the tropics".&nbsp;

It was concluded that in just 40 per cent of the countries which were studied, fisheries are highly vulnerable to climate change, threatening food security for millions of people.&nbsp; 
Maire explained, "A key reason for why climate change is such a threat comes down to the species of fish that these countries are targeting as part of the catches".&nbsp;

Researchers have warned that overfishing could threaten the world’s supply of essential vitamins and minerals gained from fisheries. Globally, 1 billion people rely on fish and seafood as their primary source of protein.

Researchers have warned that overfishing could threaten the world’s supply of essential vitamins and minerals gained from fisheries. Globally, 1 billion people rely on fish and seafood as their primary source of protein. Also, fish is a key source of micronutrients. Overfishing and the climate crisis are two of the most prominent threats to marine life. They affect the size, distribution and abundance of the marine species globally. In order to determine how these growing pressures influence the nutritional contribution of global fisheries, a team of researchers led by Lancaster University combined data on the micronutrient content of species with a vulnerability index. This indicates species' susceptibility to climate change and overfishing. Also read | Despite recent recovery, Great Barrier Reef may not be able to survive climate change Also, the researchers applied these metrics to more than 800 fish species across 157 countries. Dr Eva Maire, a senior research associate at Lancaster University and lead author of the study was quoted by The Guardian saying, "When we look at the country level, climate change is the most pervasive threat to the supply of vital micronutrients, and in particular in the tropics". It was concluded that in just 40 per cent of the countries which were studied, fisheries are highly vulnerable to climate change, threatening food security for millions of people. Maire explained, "A key reason for why climate change is such a threat comes down to the species of fish that these countries are targeting as part of the catches".

Climate crisis, overfishing threaten access to nutrients in fish

European Union policymakers on Wednesday unveiled their most ambitious&nbsp;plan&nbsp;yet to tackle&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change, aiming to turn green goals into concrete action this decade, and in doing so lead the way for the world's other big economies.

The&nbsp;European Commission, the&nbsp;EU&nbsp;executive body, set out in painstaking detail how the bloc's 27 countries can meet their collective goal to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by 55% from 1990 levels by 2030 - a step towards "net-zero" emissions by 2050.

This will mean raising the cost of emitting carbon for heating, transport and manufacturing, taxing high-carbon aviation fuel and shipping fuel that has not been taxed before, and charging importers at the border for the carbon emitted in making products such as cement, steel and aluminium abroad. It will consign the internal combustion engine to history.

"We're going to ask a lot of our citizens. We're also going to ask a lot of our industries, but we do it for good cause,"&nbsp;EU&nbsp;climate&nbsp;policy chief Frans Timmermans said.

"We do it to&nbsp;give humanity a fighting chance."

The "Fit for 55" measures will require approval by member states and the&nbsp;European parliament, a process that could take two years.

They are also likely to face intense lobbying from some industrial sectors, from poorer&nbsp;European member states that want to protect their citizens from price rises, and from more polluting countries facing a costly transition.

A diplomat from one&nbsp;EU&nbsp;country said the success of the package would rest on its ability to be realistic and socially fair, while not destabilising the economy.

"The aim is to put the economy on a new level, not to stop it," the diplomat said.

EYES ON GLASGOW

The&nbsp;EU&nbsp;produces only 8% of global emissions but hopes its example will elicit ambitious action from the world's other major economies when they meet in November in Glasgow for the next milestone U.N.&nbsp;climate&nbsp;conference.

"Europe was the first continent to declare to be&nbsp;climate&nbsp;neutral in 2050, and now we are the very first ones to put a concrete roadmap on the table,"&nbsp;European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

The package arrives days after California suffered one of the highest temperatures recorded on earth, the latest of a series of brutal heatwaves that have hit Russia, Northern&nbsp;Europe and Canada.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-reaches-out-to-eu-member-countries-for-exemption-on-india-made-vaccines-395049">Also read |&nbsp;India reaches out to EU member countries for exemption on India-made vaccines</a>

As&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change makes itself felt from the typhoon-swept tropics to the blowtorched bushlands of Australia, Brussels proposed a dozen policies to target most big sources of the fossil fuel emissions that trigger it, including power&nbsp;plants, factories, cars,&nbsp;planes and heating systems in buildings.

The&nbsp;EU&nbsp;has so far cut emissions by 24 per cent from 1990 levels, but many of the most obvious steps, such as reducing reliance on coal to generate power, have been taken already.

The next decade will require bigger adjustments, with a long-term eye on 2050, by which date scientists say the world must have reached net-zero carbon emissions to prevent&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change from becoming catastrophic.

The measures follow a core principle: to make polluting more expensive and green options more attractive to the&nbsp;EU's 25 million businesses and nearly half a billion people.

PLANES, SHIPS AND AUTOMOBILES

Tighter emission limits for cars will in effect end new petrol and diesel car sales in the&nbsp;EU&nbsp;by 2035 - the earliest of the possible dates that had been touted.

An overhaul of the&nbsp;EU&nbsp;Emissions Trading System, the biggest carbon market in the world, will force factories, power&nbsp;plants and airlines to pay more when they emit CO2. Ships will also be added to the ETS, requiring shipowners to pay for their pollution for the first time.

A new&nbsp;EU&nbsp;carbon market will impose CO2 costs on the transport and construction sectors - with some of the revenues put in a fund to curb low-income households' fuel bills.

The commission also unveiled its&nbsp;plan&nbsp;for the world's first carbon border tariff, requiring manufacturers abroad to pay for the CO2 they have produced when they sell goods such as steel and cement into the&nbsp;EU.

Meanwhile, a tax overhaul will impose an&nbsp;EU-wide tax on polluting aviation fuels, which currently dodge such levies.

EU&nbsp;member states will also be required to build up forests and grasslands - the carbon sinks that keep carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.

For some&nbsp;EU&nbsp;countries, the package is a chance to cement the&nbsp;EU's global leadership in fighting&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change, and to be at the forefront of those developing the technologies needed.

Danish&nbsp;climate&nbsp;and energy minister Dan Jorgensen said it would signal to the rest of the world that "it is possible to both set ambitious goals and introduce the concrete necessary measures to reach them".

But the&nbsp;plans have exposed familiar rifts. Poorer member states are wary of policies that will raise costs for the consumer, while regions that depend on coal-fired power&nbsp;plants and mines want guarantees of more support for a transformation that will cause dislocation and require mass retraining.

European Union policymakers on Wednesday unveiled their most ambitious plan yet to tackle climate change, aiming to turn green goals into concrete action this decade, and in doing so lead the way for the world's other big economies.

European Union policymakers on Wednesday unveiled their most ambitious plan yet to tackle climate change, aiming to turn green goals into concrete action this decade, and in doing so lead the way for the world's other big economies. The European Commission, the EU executive body, set out in painstaking detail how the bloc's 27 countries can meet their collective goal to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by 55% from 1990 levels by 2030 - a step towards "net-zero" emissions by 2050. This will mean raising the cost of emitting carbon for heating, transport and manufacturing, taxing high-carbon aviation fuel and shipping fuel that has not been taxed before, and charging importers at the border for the carbon emitted in making products such as cement, steel and aluminium abroad. It will consign the internal combustion engine to history. "We're going to ask a lot of our citizens. We're also going to ask a lot of our industries, but we do it for good cause," EU climate policy chief Frans Timmermans said. "We do it to give humanity a fighting chance." The "Fit for 55" measures will require approval by member states and the European parliament, a process that could take two years. They are also likely to face intense lobbying from some industrial sectors, from poorer European member states that want to protect their citizens from price rises, and from more polluting countries facing a costly transition. A diplomat from one EU country said the success of the package would rest on its ability to be realistic and socially fair, while not destabilising the economy. "The aim is to put the economy on a new level, not to stop it," the diplomat said. EYES ON GLASGOW The EU produces only 8% of global emissions but hopes its example will elicit ambitious action from the world's other major economies when they meet in November in Glasgow for the next milestone U.N. climate conference. "Europe was the first continent to declare to be climate neutral in 2050, and now we are the very first ones to put a concrete roadmap on the table," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. The package arrives days after California suffered one of the highest temperatures recorded on earth, the latest of a series of brutal heatwaves that have hit Russia, Northern Europe and Canada. Also read | India reaches out to EU member countries for exemption on India-made vaccines As climate change makes itself felt from the typhoon-swept tropics to the blowtorched bushlands of Australia, Brussels proposed a dozen policies to target most big sources of the fossil fuel emissions that trigger it, including power plants, factories, cars, planes and heating systems in buildings. The EU has so far cut emissions by 24 per cent from 1990 levels, but many of the most obvious steps, such as reducing reliance on coal to generate power, have been taken already. The next decade will require bigger adjustments, with a long-term eye on 2050, by which date scientists say the world must have reached net-zero carbon emissions to prevent climate change from becoming catastrophic. The measures follow a core principle: to make polluting more expensive and green options more attractive to the EU's 25 million businesses and nearly half a billion people. PLANES, SHIPS AND AUTOMOBILES Tighter emission limits for cars will in effect end new petrol and diesel car sales in the EU by 2035 - the earliest of the possible dates that had been touted. An overhaul of the EU Emissions Trading System, the biggest carbon market in the world, will force factories, power plants and airlines to pay more when they emit CO2. Ships will also be added to the ETS, requiring shipowners to pay for their pollution for the first time. A new EU carbon market will impose CO2 costs on the transport and construction sectors - with some of the revenues put in a fund to curb low-income households' fuel bills. The commission also unveiled its plan for the world's first carbon border tariff, requiring manufacturers abroad to pay for the CO2 they have produced when they sell goods such as steel and cement into the EU. Meanwhile, a tax overhaul will impose an EU-wide tax on polluting aviation fuels, which currently dodge such levies. EU member states will also be required to build up forests and grasslands - the carbon sinks that keep carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. For some EU countries, the package is a chance to cement the EU's global leadership in fighting climate change, and to be at the forefront of those developing the technologies needed. Danish climate and energy minister Dan Jorgensen said it would signal to the rest of the world that "it is possible to both set ambitious goals and introduce the concrete necessary measures to reach them". But the plans have exposed familiar rifts. Poorer member states are wary of policies that will raise costs for the consumer, while regions that depend on coal-fired power plants and mines want guarantees of more support for a transformation that will cause dislocation and require mass retraining.

EU aims to "give humanity a fighting chance" with catch-all climate plan

New Zealand recorded its hottest June on record as temperatures continued to soar in a pattern consistent with global warming, a government scientific agency said Tuesday.

Daily temperatures averaged 10.6 Celsius (51.1 Fahrenheit) -- 1.9C above average despite a cold snap late in the month, the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) said.

"It's huge. There's only been 13 times since 1909 that we've had such an anomaly," NIWA scientist Chris Brandolino told public radio.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/florida-building-collapse-death-toll-rises-to-28-with-117-missing-396088">Also read |&nbsp;Florida building collapse: Death toll rises to 28, with 117 missing</a>

"What's alarming is that over the past 10 years that's happened six times."

Brandolino said that while shorter-term factors such as warmer ocean temperatures helped heat the air over New Zealand, climate change was a constant underlying factor.

"We've had more north-easterly air flows than normal (from the Pacific), so they're coming from a warm place, and ocean temperatures are also warmer than average," he said.

"Then you throw in the background of climate change and it adds up to a record warm month for June."

New Zealand had its seventh-hottest year in 2020, which was also the seventh year in a decade that temperatures have been in the top 10 highest ever recorded.

The country's centre-left Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern declared a 'climate emergency' last year, saying urgent action was needed for the sake of future generations.

New Zealand has committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2050 and to generating all its energy from renewable sources by 2035.

New Zealand recorded its hottest June on record as temperatures continued to soar in a pattern consistent with global warming, a government scientific agency said Tuesday.

New Zealand recorded its hottest June on record as temperatures continued to soar in a pattern consistent with global warming, a government scientific agency said Tuesday. Daily temperatures averaged 10.6 Celsius (51.1 Fahrenheit) -- 1.9C above average despite a cold snap late in the month, the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) said. "It's huge. There's only been 13 times since 1909 that we've had such an anomaly," NIWA scientist Chris Brandolino told public radio. Also read | Florida building collapse: Death toll rises to 28, with 117 missing "What's alarming is that over the past 10 years that's happened six times." Brandolino said that while shorter-term factors such as warmer ocean temperatures helped heat the air over New Zealand, climate change was a constant underlying factor. "We've had more north-easterly air flows than normal (from the Pacific), so they're coming from a warm place, and ocean temperatures are also warmer than average," he said. "Then you throw in the background of climate change and it adds up to a record warm month for June." New Zealand had its seventh-hottest year in 2020, which was also the seventh year in a decade that temperatures have been in the top 10 highest ever recorded. The country's centre-left Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern declared a 'climate emergency' last year, saying urgent action was needed for the sake of future generations. New Zealand has committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2050 and to generating all its energy from renewable sources by 2035.

Climate change link as New Zealand records warmest June on record

In a new revelation, a study found that planting extra trees could help in contributing to rainfall in the UK. The study says that converting agricultural land to the forest would boost summer rains by 7.6 per cent on average.

Also, researchers found that adding trees changed rainfall patterns far downwind of the new forests. The authors believe that extra rain could partially offset the rise in dry conditions expected with climate change.

As per Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the UK is aiming to plant some 30 million new trees every year by 2025.

In this study, the authors used an observation-based statistical model to estimate how changes to forest cover would impact rainfall across the continent.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/six-school-kids-among-nine-hong-kongers-arrested-for-bomb-plot-396124">Also read |&nbsp;Six school kids among nine Hong Kongers arrested for ‘bomb plot’</a>

It was then concluded that there was a 20 per cent increase in the forest, uniformly across Europe. Also, this would boost local rainfall, especially in winter and with greater impacts felt in coastal regions.

However, in the case of local rain, the planting of new forests causes impacts downwind. It was found that rainfall in these locations was increased particularly in the summer months.

Ronny Meier from ETH Zurich deemed it as a 'significant finding'.&nbsp;

While speaking to BBC News, he said, "Probably the most threatening climate change signal that we expect in relation to percipitation, is this decrease in summer precipitation that is expected in the southern parts of Europe like the Mediterranean".&nbsp;

He further added, "And there, according to our study, forestation would lead to an increase in precipitation. So the forestation would probably be very beneficial in terms of adapting to the adverse effects of climate change".&nbsp;

In a new revelation, a study found that planting extra trees could help in contributing to rainfall in the UK. The study says that converting agricultural land to the forest would boost summer rains by 7.

In a new revelation, a study found that planting extra trees could help in contributing to rainfall in the UK. The study says that converting agricultural land to the forest would boost summer rains by 7.6 per cent on average. Also, researchers found that adding trees changed rainfall patterns far downwind of the new forests. The authors believe that extra rain could partially offset the rise in dry conditions expected with climate change. As per Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the UK is aiming to plant some 30 million new trees every year by 2025. In this study, the authors used an observation-based statistical model to estimate how changes to forest cover would impact rainfall across the continent. Also read | Six school kids among nine Hong Kongers arrested for ‘bomb plot’ It was then concluded that there was a 20 per cent increase in the forest, uniformly across Europe. Also, this would boost local rainfall, especially in winter and with greater impacts felt in coastal regions. However, in the case of local rain, the planting of new forests causes impacts downwind. It was found that rainfall in these locations was increased particularly in the summer months. Ronny Meier from ETH Zurich deemed it as a 'significant finding'. While speaking to BBC News, he said, "Probably the most threatening climate change signal that we expect in relation to percipitation, is this decrease in summer precipitation that is expected in the southern parts of Europe like the Mediterranean". He further added, "And there, according to our study, forestation would lead to an increase in precipitation. So the forestation would probably be very beneficial in terms of adapting to the adverse effects of climate change".

Planting extra trees will boost rainfall across Europe

Scientists at the United Nations have recorded the hottest ever temperature reading in Antarctica. The world meteorological organisation announced on Thursday that the new record for the maximum temperature for the southernmost continent is 18.3 degrees Celsius or 64.9 degrees Fahrenheit.

Climate Crisis: Antartica logs highest temperature on record

Climate change will fundamentally reshape life on Earth in the coming decades, even if humans can tame planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, according to a landmark draft report from the UN's climate science advisors obtained by AFP.&nbsp;

Species extinction, more widespread disease, unliveable heat, ecosystem collapse, cities menaced by rising seas -- these and other devastating climate impacts are accelerating and bound to become painfully obvious before a child born today turns 30.&nbsp;

The choices societies make now will determine whether our species thrive or simply survives as the 21st century unfolds, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says in a draft report seen exclusively by AFP.

But dangerous thresholds are closer than once thought, and dire consequences stemming from decades of unbridled carbon pollution are unavoidable in the short term.&nbsp;

"The worst is yet to come, affecting our children's and grandchildren's lives much more than our own," the report says.

By far the most comprehensive catalogue ever assembled of how climate change is upending our world, the report reads like a 4,000-page indictment of humanity's stewardship of the planet.

But the document, designed to influence critical policy decisions, is not scheduled for release until February 2022 -- too late for crunch UN summits this year on climate, biodiversity and food systems, some scientists say.

In response to AFP's reporting, the IPCC released a statement saying it "does not comment on the contents of draft reports while work is still ongoing".

Allies into enemies&nbsp;

The draft report comes at a time of global "eco-awakening" and serves as a reality check against a slew of ill-defined net-zero promises by governments and corporations worldwide.&nbsp;

The challenges it highlights are systemic, woven into the very fabric of daily life.&nbsp;

They are also deeply unfair: those least responsible for global warming will suffer disproportionately, the report makes clear.

And it shows that even as we spew record amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, we are undermining the capacity of forests and oceans to absorb them, turning our greatest natural allies in the fight against warming into enemies.

It warns that previous major climate shocks dramatically altered the environment and wiped out most species, raising the question of whether humanity is sowing the seeds of its own demise. &nbsp;

"Life on Earth can recover from a drastic climate shift by evolving into new species and creating new ecosystems," it says.&nbsp;

"Humans cannot."

'Irreversible consequences'&nbsp;

There are at least four main takeaways in the draft report, which may be subject to minor changes in the coming months as the IPCC shifts its focus to a key executive summary for policymakers.

The first is that with 1.1 degrees Celsius of warming clocked so far, the climate is already changing.&nbsp;

A decade ago, scientists believed that limiting global warming to two degrees Celsius above mid-19th century levels would be enough to safeguard our future.

That goal is enshrined in the 2015 Paris Agreement, adopted by nearly 200 nations who vowed to collectively cap warming at "well below" two degrees Celsius -- and 1.5 degrees if possible.&nbsp;

On current trends, we're heading for three degrees Celsius at best.&nbsp;

Earlier models predicted we were not likely to see Earth-altering climate change before 2100.&nbsp;

But the UN draft report says that prolonged warming even beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius could produce "progressively serious, centuries' long and, in some cases, irreversible consequences".&nbsp;

Last month, the World Meteorological Organization projected a 40 percent chance that Earth will cross the 1.5-degree threshold for at least one year by 2026.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/socialists-are-terrorists-describes-us-military-training-manual-393303">Also Read |&nbsp;Socialists are 'terrorists', describes US military training manual&nbsp;</a>

For some plants and animals, it could be too late.

"Even at 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming, conditions will change beyond many organisms' ability to adapt," the report notes.&nbsp;

Coral reefs -- ecosystems on which half a billion people depend -- are one example.&nbsp;

Indigenous populations in the Arctic face cultural extinction as the environment upon which their livelihoods and history are built melts beneath their snow shoes.

A warming world has also increased the length of fire seasons, doubled potential burnable areas, and contributed to food systems losses.

Get ready

The world must face up to this reality and prepare for the onslaught -- a second major takeaway of the report.

"Current levels of adaptation will be inadequate to respond to future climate risks," it cautions.&nbsp;

Mid-century projections -- even under an optimistic scenario of two degrees Celsius of warming -- make this an understatement.

Tens of millions more people are likely to face chronic hunger by 2050, and 130 million more could experience extreme poverty within a decade if inequality is allowed to deepen.

In 2050, coastal cities on the "frontline" of the climate crisis will see hundreds of millions of people at risk from floods and increasingly frequent storm surges made more deadly by rising seas.&nbsp;

Some 350 million more people living in urban areas will be exposed to water scarcity from severe droughts at 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming -- 410 million at two degrees Celsius.&nbsp;

That extra half-a-degree will also mean 420 million more people exposed to extreme and potentially lethal heatwaves.

"Adaptation costs for Africa are projected to increase by tens of billions of dollars per year with warming greater than two degrees," the report cautions.

Point of no return

Thirdly, the report outlines the danger of compound and cascading impacts, along with point-of-no-return thresholds in the climate system known as tipping points, which scientists have barely begun to measure and understand.&nbsp;

A dozen temperature tripwires have now been identified in the climate system for irreversible and potentially catastrophic change.

Recent research has shown that warming of two degrees Celsius could push the melting of ice sheets atop Greenland and the West Antarctic -- with enough frozen water to lift oceans 13 metres (43 feet) -- past a point of no return.

Other tipping points could see the Amazon basin morph from tropical forest to savannah, and billions of tonnes of carbon leech from Siberia's permafrost, fuelling further warming.

In the more immediate future, some regions -- eastern Brazil,&nbsp;Southeast Asia, the Mediterranean, central China -- and coastlines almost everywhere could be battered by multiple climate calamities at once:&nbsp;drought, heatwaves, cyclones, wildfires, flooding.

But global warming impacts are also amplified by all the other ways that humanity has shattered Earth's equilibrium.

These include "losses of habitat and resilience, over-exploitation, water extraction, pollution, invasive non-native species and dispersal of pests and diseases," the report says.

There is no easy solution to such a tangle of problems, said Nicholas Stern, former chief economist at the World Bank and author of the landmark Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change.&nbsp;

"The world is confronting a complex set of interwoven challenges," said Stern, who did not contribute to the IPCC report.&nbsp;

"Unless you tackle them together, you are not going to do very well on any of them."

'Transformational change'&nbsp;

There is very little good news in the report, but the IPCC&nbsp;stresses that much can be done to avoid worst-case scenarios and&nbsp;prepare for impacts that can no longer&nbsp;be averted, the final takeaway.

Conservation and restoration of so-called blue carbon ecosystems -- kelp and mangrove forests, for example -- enhance carbon stocks and protect against storm surges, as well as providing wildlife habitats, coastal livelihoods and food security.

Transitioning to more plant-based diets could also reduce food-related emissions by as much as 70 per cent by 2050.

But simply swapping a gas guzzler for a Tesla or planting billions of trees to offset business-as-usual isn't going to cut it, the report warns.

"We need transformational change operating on processes and behaviours at all levels: individual, communities, business, institutions and governments," it says.&nbsp;

"We must redefine our way of life and consumption."

Climate change will fundamentally reshape life on Earth in the coming decades, even if humans can tame planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, according to a landmark draft report from the UN's climate science advisors obtained by AFP.

Climate change will fundamentally reshape life on Earth in the coming decades, even if humans can tame planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, according to a landmark draft report from the UN's climate science advisors obtained by AFP. Species extinction, more widespread disease, unliveable heat, ecosystem collapse, cities menaced by rising seas -- these and other devastating climate impacts are accelerating and bound to become painfully obvious before a child born today turns 30. The choices societies make now will determine whether our species thrive or simply survives as the 21st century unfolds, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says in a draft report seen exclusively by AFP. But dangerous thresholds are closer than once thought, and dire consequences stemming from decades of unbridled carbon pollution are unavoidable in the short term. "The worst is yet to come, affecting our children's and grandchildren's lives much more than our own," the report says. By far the most comprehensive catalogue ever assembled of how climate change is upending our world, the report reads like a 4,000-page indictment of humanity's stewardship of the planet. But the document, designed to influence critical policy decisions, is not scheduled for release until February 2022 -- too late for crunch UN summits this year on climate, biodiversity and food systems, some scientists say. In response to AFP's reporting, the IPCC released a statement saying it "does not comment on the contents of draft reports while work is still ongoing". Allies into enemies The draft report comes at a time of global "eco-awakening" and serves as a reality check against a slew of ill-defined net-zero promises by governments and corporations worldwide. The challenges it highlights are systemic, woven into the very fabric of daily life. They are also deeply unfair: those least responsible for global warming will suffer disproportionately, the report makes clear. And it shows that even as we spew record amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, we are undermining the capacity of forests and oceans to absorb them, turning our greatest natural allies in the fight against warming into enemies. It warns that previous major climate shocks dramatically altered the environment and wiped out most species, raising the question of whether humanity is sowing the seeds of its own demise. "Life on Earth can recover from a drastic climate shift by evolving into new species and creating new ecosystems," it says. "Humans cannot." 'Irreversible consequences' There are at least four main takeaways in the draft report, which may be subject to minor changes in the coming months as the IPCC shifts its focus to a key executive summary for policymakers. The first is that with 1.1 degrees Celsius of warming clocked so far, the climate is already changing. A decade ago, scientists believed that limiting global warming to two degrees Celsius above mid-19th century levels would be enough to safeguard our future. That goal is enshrined in the 2015 Paris Agreement, adopted by nearly 200 nations who vowed to collectively cap warming at "well below" two degrees Celsius -- and 1.5 degrees if possible. On current trends, we're heading for three degrees Celsius at best. Earlier models predicted we were not likely to see Earth-altering climate change before 2100. But the UN draft report says that prolonged warming even beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius could produce "progressively serious, centuries' long and, in some cases, irreversible consequences". Last month, the World Meteorological Organization projected a 40 percent chance that Earth will cross the 1.5-degree threshold for at least one year by 2026. Also Read | Socialists are 'terrorists', describes US military training manual For some plants and animals, it could be too late. "Even at 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming, conditions will change beyond many organisms' ability to adapt," the report notes. Coral reefs -- ecosystems on which half a billion people depend -- are one example. Indigenous populations in the Arctic face cultural extinction as the environment upon which their livelihoods and history are built melts beneath their snow shoes. A warming world has also increased the length of fire seasons, doubled potential burnable areas, and contributed to food systems losses. Get ready The world must face up to this reality and prepare for the onslaught -- a second major takeaway of the report. "Current levels of adaptation will be inadequate to respond to future climate risks," it cautions. Mid-century projections -- even under an optimistic scenario of two degrees Celsius of warming -- make this an understatement. Tens of millions more people are likely to face chronic hunger by 2050, and 130 million more could experience extreme poverty within a decade if inequality is allowed to deepen. In 2050, coastal cities on the "frontline" of the climate crisis will see hundreds of millions of people at risk from floods and increasingly frequent storm surges made more deadly by rising seas. Some 350 million more people living in urban areas will be exposed to water scarcity from severe droughts at 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming -- 410 million at two degrees Celsius. That extra half-a-degree will also mean 420 million more people exposed to extreme and potentially lethal heatwaves. "Adaptation costs for Africa are projected to increase by tens of billions of dollars per year with warming greater than two degrees," the report cautions. Point of no return Thirdly, the report outlines the danger of compound and cascading impacts, along with point-of-no-return thresholds in the climate system known as tipping points, which scientists have barely begun to measure and understand. A dozen temperature tripwires have now been identified in the climate system for irreversible and potentially catastrophic change. Recent research has shown that warming of two degrees Celsius could push the melting of ice sheets atop Greenland and the West Antarctic -- with enough frozen water to lift oceans 13 metres (43 feet) -- past a point of no return. Other tipping points could see the Amazon basin morph from tropical forest to savannah, and billions of tonnes of carbon leech from Siberia's permafrost, fuelling further warming. In the more immediate future, some regions -- eastern Brazil, Southeast Asia, the Mediterranean, central China -- and coastlines almost everywhere could be battered by multiple climate calamities at once: drought, heatwaves, cyclones, wildfires, flooding. But global warming impacts are also amplified by all the other ways that humanity has shattered Earth's equilibrium. These include "losses of habitat and resilience, over-exploitation, water extraction, pollution, invasive non-native species and dispersal of pests and diseases," the report says. There is no easy solution to such a tangle of problems, said Nicholas Stern, former chief economist at the World Bank and author of the landmark Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change. "The world is confronting a complex set of interwoven challenges," said Stern, who did not contribute to the IPCC report. "Unless you tackle them together, you are not going to do very well on any of them." 'Transformational change' There is very little good news in the report, but the IPCC stresses that much can be done to avoid worst-case scenarios and prepare for impacts that can no longer be averted, the final takeaway. Conservation and restoration of so-called blue carbon ecosystems -- kelp and mangrove forests, for example -- enhance carbon stocks and protect against storm surges, as well as providing wildlife habitats, coastal livelihoods and food security. Transitioning to more plant-based diets could also reduce food-related emissions by as much as 70 per cent by 2050. But simply swapping a gas guzzler for a Tesla or planting billions of trees to offset business-as-usual isn't going to cut it, the report warns. "We need transformational change operating on processes and behaviours at all levels: individual, communities, business, institutions and governments," it says. "We must redefine our way of life and consumption."

Crushing climate impacts to hit sooner than feared: Draft UN report

In an attempt to tackle climate change, G7 leaders are facing the most important decisions in human history, said naturalist Sir David Attenborough, who will be addressing world leaders gathered at Cornwall for the G7 summit.

In an attempt to tackle climate change, G7 leaders are facing the most important decisions in human history, said naturalist Sir David Attenborough, who will be addressing world leaders gathered at Cornwall for the G7 summit. Sir David has warned that humans could be "on the verge of destabilizing the entire planet". The group of seven countries, which includes, the UK, US, Canada, Japan, France, Germany, and Italy, are expected to increase their climate finance contributions. This will help in meeting an overdue spending pledge of $100 billion a year, in order to help poorer countries cut carbon emissions and cope with global warming. As quotes by BBC, Sir David said, "The natural world today is greatly diminished. That is undeniable. Our climate is warming fast. That is beyond doubt. Our societies and nations are unequal and that is sadly plain to see". Also Read | Our response to climate change is missing something big, scientists say He added, "But the question science forces us to address specifically in 2021 is whether as a result of these intertwined facts we are on the verge of destabilizing the entire planet. If that is so, then the decisions we make this decade - in particular, the decisions made by the most economically advanced nations - are the most important in human history". G7 leaders are also expected to make amends to cut carbon emissions. These will involve measures such as ending almost all direct government support for the fossil fuel energy sector overseas and ruling out parol and diesel cars. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is the host of the summit has said the G7 wanted to "drive a global Green Industrial Revolution to transform the way we live". He further added, "There is a direct relationship between reducing emissions, restoring nature, creating jobs and ensuring long-term economic growth".

G7 leaders face biggest climate change decisions, says naturalist Sir David Attenborough

Leading thousands of protest marchers through central Sydney and joining a landmark class action lawsuit aren’t the usual activities for most 14-year-olds. 
 
But Australian student Izzy Raj-Seppings has abandoned more frivolous extracurricular activities in favour of stepping up pressure on the country`s leadership to battle climate change. 
 
Raj-Seppings has become one of the country's most prominent environmental activists since her tear-stained face made global headlines in late 2019 when she stared down riot police threatening to arrest her outside the prime minister's home. 
 
"I think a lot of people look at us and just say, 'oh, they're kids, they don't know what they're talking about," she said in an interview on April 6. 
 
"But I think they are underestimating us and they don't realise how powerful we are and how much work we're putting in. We're listening to scientists who have been trying to get people's attentions for generations and people haven't been listening to them about climate change." 
 
Australia is the highest per capita carbon emitter among the world's richest nations and, according to Raj-Seppings, Prime Minister Scott Morrison's inaction on climate change shows the need for a change in leadership. 
 
Her brush with police in 2019 came when the then 13-year-old joined angry protestors outside Morrison's official residence in Sydney in the wake of devastating bushfires - her first protest. The incident saw Raj-Seppings dubbed "Australia's Greta Thunberg" by local media. 
 
She stepped further into the spotlight this month, leading thousands of fellow students in 'School Strike 4 Climate' protest march through central Sydney. 
 
She was also one of eight teenagers,&nbsp;who brought a class action lawsuit against the federal government, arguing that the expansion of a coal mine in New South Wales state would contribute to climate change and endanger their future. 
 
The case resulted in a landmark ruling last week that the country's environment minister has so-called duty of care, or moral obligation to children to consider the harm caused by climate change. 
 
Raj-Seppings had her own message for Morrison, should she have the opportunity to meet him one day. 
 
"I'd definitely tell him that he does need to wake up, that the time is coming for action and we need it now," she said in the April 6 interview. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Leading thousands of protest marchers through central Sydney and joining a landmark class action lawsuit aren’t the usual activities for most 14-year-olds. But Australian student Izzy Raj-Seppings has abandoned more frivolous extracurricular activities in favour of stepping up pressure on the country`s leadership to battle climate change.

Leading thousands of protest marchers through central Sydney and joining a landmark class action lawsuit aren’t the usual activities for most 14-year-olds. But Australian student Izzy Raj-Seppings has abandoned more frivolous extracurricular activities in favour of stepping up pressure on the country`s leadership to battle climate change. Raj-Seppings has become one of the country's most prominent environmental activists since her tear-stained face made global headlines in late 2019 when she stared down riot police threatening to arrest her outside the prime minister's home. "I think a lot of people look at us and just say, 'oh, they're kids, they don't know what they're talking about," she said in an interview on April 6. "But I think they are underestimating us and they don't realise how powerful we are and how much work we're putting in. We're listening to scientists who have been trying to get people's attentions for generations and people haven't been listening to them about climate change." Australia is the highest per capita carbon emitter among the world's richest nations and, according to Raj-Seppings, Prime Minister Scott Morrison's inaction on climate change shows the need for a change in leadership. Her brush with police in 2019 came when the then 13-year-old joined angry protestors outside Morrison's official residence in Sydney in the wake of devastating bushfires - her first protest. The incident saw Raj-Seppings dubbed "Australia's Greta Thunberg" by local media. She stepped further into the spotlight this month, leading thousands of fellow students in 'School Strike 4 Climate' protest march through central Sydney. She was also one of eight teenagers, who brought a class action lawsuit against the federal government, arguing that the expansion of a coal mine in New South Wales state would contribute to climate change and endanger their future. The case resulted in a landmark ruling last week that the country's environment minister has so-called duty of care, or moral obligation to children to consider the harm caused by climate change. Raj-Seppings had her own message for Morrison, should she have the opportunity to meet him one day. "I'd definitely tell him that he does need to wake up, that the time is coming for action and we need it now," she said in the April 6 interview. (With inputs from agencies)

'Australia's Greta Thunberg' steps up climate change activism

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