Legendary conversationist and filmmaker Sir David Attenborough has warned the world of challenges&nbsp;far more severe than COVID-19, in the next five to 10 years.

“The epidemic has shown us how crucial it is to find agreement among nations if we are to solve such worldwide problems. But the problems that await us within the next 5-10 years are even greater. It is crucial that these meetings in Glasgow, COP26, have success, and that at last, the nations will come together to solve the crippling problems that the world now faces,” Attenborough said.

On May 10, Britain has tasked&nbsp;Attenborough with inspiring action to tackle the issue of climate change as its People’s Advocate ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in November in Glasgow, Scotland.&nbsp;

Alok Sharma, an Indian-origin Cabinet-level minister in the British government, will be the president of the COP26. Sharma termed climate change as the greatest threat facing mankind.

COP26 could accelerate measures by the world's biggest polluters to tackle climate change, which activists, scientists and world leaders say could ultimately endanger the planet. &nbsp;

Attenborough, who is 95 years old, exhorted world leaders to seize the moment given by this pandemic to reach and operationalize international agreements on major issues that concern climate change.

(With inputs from agencies)

Legendary conversationist and filmmaker Sir David Attenborough has warned the world of challenges far more severe than COVID-19, in the next five to 10 years. “The epidemic has shown us how crucial it is to find agreement among nations if we are to solve such worldwide problems.

Legendary conversationist and filmmaker Sir David Attenborough has warned the world of challenges far more severe than COVID-19, in the next five to 10 years. “The epidemic has shown us how crucial it is to find agreement among nations if we are to solve such worldwide problems. But the problems that await us within the next 5-10 years are even greater. It is crucial that these meetings in Glasgow, COP26, have success, and that at last, the nations will come together to solve the crippling problems that the world now faces,” Attenborough said. On May 10, Britain has tasked Attenborough with inspiring action to tackle the issue of climate change as its People’s Advocate ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in November in Glasgow, Scotland. Alok Sharma, an Indian-origin Cabinet-level minister in the British government, will be the president of the COP26. Sharma termed climate change as the greatest threat facing mankind. COP26 could accelerate measures by the world's biggest polluters to tackle climate change, which activists, scientists and world leaders say could ultimately endanger the planet. Attenborough, who is 95 years old, exhorted world leaders to seize the moment given by this pandemic to reach and operationalize international agreements on major issues that concern climate change. (With inputs from agencies)

World will soon see challenges more severe than COVID-19: David Attenborough

Britain has tasked naturalist David Attenborough with inspiring action to tackle the issue of climate change as its People’s Advocate ahead of the United Nations’ Climate Change Conference (COP26) in November in Glasgow, Scotland.&nbsp;

COP26 could accelerate measures by the world's biggest polluters to tackle climate change, which activists, scientists and world leaders say could ultimately endanger the planet. &nbsp;

Britain holds the presidency of the conference this year.&nbsp;

Attenborough, 95, the world's most influential wildlife broadcaster, will exhort leaders at events over the next six months to put climate and the protection of nature at the top of their agenda, including at the Group of Seven summit in Cornwall, southwest England, in June, the UK government said on Monday.&nbsp;

He has also been invited to address world leaders and the public at the Glasgow summit, which has been billed as the most important climate meeting since the Paris Agreement in 2015.&nbsp;

“David Attenborough has already inspired millions of people in the UK and around the world with his passion and knowledge to act on climate change and protect the planet for future generations. There is no better person to build momentum for further change as we approach the COP26 climate summit in November,” said Prime Minister Boris Johnson.&nbsp;

Johnson, who is keen to burnish his environmental credentials, has said he will push leaders at the G7 summit he will chair to make firm climate commitments.&nbsp;

Attenborough said COP26 had to succeed.&nbsp;

“There could not be a more important moment that we should have international agreement. The epidemic has shown us how crucial it is to find agreement among nations if we are to solve such worldwide problems," he said.&nbsp;

In February, Attenborough told the UN Security Council that climate change is the biggest security threat that modern humans have ever faced. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Britain has tasked naturalist David Attenborough with inspiring action to tackle the issue of climate change as its People’s Advocate ahead of the United Nations’ Climate Change Conference (COP26) in November in Glasgow, Scotland.

Britain has tasked naturalist David Attenborough with inspiring action to tackle the issue of climate change as its People’s Advocate ahead of the United Nations’ Climate Change Conference (COP26) in November in Glasgow, Scotland. COP26 could accelerate measures by the world's biggest polluters to tackle climate change, which activists, scientists and world leaders say could ultimately endanger the planet. Britain holds the presidency of the conference this year. Attenborough, 95, the world's most influential wildlife broadcaster, will exhort leaders at events over the next six months to put climate and the protection of nature at the top of their agenda, including at the Group of Seven summit in Cornwall, southwest England, in June, the UK government said on Monday. He has also been invited to address world leaders and the public at the Glasgow summit, which has been billed as the most important climate meeting since the Paris Agreement in 2015. “David Attenborough has already inspired millions of people in the UK and around the world with his passion and knowledge to act on climate change and protect the planet for future generations. There is no better person to build momentum for further change as we approach the COP26 climate summit in November,” said Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Johnson, who is keen to burnish his environmental credentials, has said he will push leaders at the G7 summit he will chair to make firm climate commitments. Attenborough said COP26 had to succeed. “There could not be a more important moment that we should have international agreement. The epidemic has shown us how crucial it is to find agreement among nations if we are to solve such worldwide problems," he said. In February, Attenborough told the UN Security Council that climate change is the biggest security threat that modern humans have ever faced. (With inputs from agencies)

David Attenborough named COP26 People’s Advocate ahead of key climate summit 

NASA's new administrator is big on tackling climate and diversifying the agency's workforce, but hedging on whether the US can put astronauts on the moon by 2024.&nbsp;

In his first interview since becoming NASA's top official this week, former Sen Bill Nelson said on Friday that tracking climate change is a top issue.&nbsp;

He also wants to diversify the space agency's workforce so it reflects America. &nbsp;

As for landing astronauts on the moon, Nelson said the goal remains 2024, a deadline set by the Trump administration. But he cautions space is hard and he needs more time to review the matter, especially with a contract protest over the lunar lander for astronauts.&nbsp;

"We all know that space is hard," he said, noting there are often delays developing new technologies.&nbsp;

"But the goal is 2024.?&nbsp;

His underlying vision for NASA 'to explore the heavens with humans and machines'.&nbsp;

Nelson said he did not seek the NASA administrator job and had recommended three women to lead the space agency.&nbsp;

He said he told the Biden administration he would accept the nomination only if one of the women could serve as his deputy selected for the job: former space shuttle commander Pam Melroy.&nbsp;

Nelson, 78, is NASA's 14th administrator, the third to fly in space and the first to grow up in the shadow of rockets.&nbsp;

He was sworn in on Monday by Vice President Kamala Harris, who will head the National Space Council.&nbsp;

In a show of bipartisan space support, the two previous administrators took part in the ceremony, representing the Obama and Trump administrations.&nbsp;

Nelson steps into NASA's top job after 44 years of public service, 42 of them in an elected public office.&nbsp;

Nelson grew up near Cape Canaveral, graduating from high school a year before Mercury astronaut Alan Shepard became the first American in space 60 years ago this week.&nbsp;

He went on to law school and served in the US Army Reserve during the Vietnam War.&nbsp;

After a few terms in the Florida legislature, Nelson, a Democrat, won election to Congress, first in the House and then the Senate, before a 2018 defeat ended his political career.&nbsp;

It was while Nelson was a congressman that he rocketed into orbit aboard space shuttle Columbia in January 1986, just two weeks before Challenger's astronauts perished during liftoff. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

NASA's new administrator is big on tackling climate and diversifying the agency's workforce, but hedging on whether the US can put astronauts on the moon by 2024.

NASA's new administrator is big on tackling climate and diversifying the agency's workforce, but hedging on whether the US can put astronauts on the moon by 2024. In his first interview since becoming NASA's top official this week, former Sen Bill Nelson said on Friday that tracking climate change is a top issue. He also wants to diversify the space agency's workforce so it reflects America. As for landing astronauts on the moon, Nelson said the goal remains 2024, a deadline set by the Trump administration. But he cautions space is hard and he needs more time to review the matter, especially with a contract protest over the lunar lander for astronauts. "We all know that space is hard," he said, noting there are often delays developing new technologies. "But the goal is 2024.? His underlying vision for NASA 'to explore the heavens with humans and machines'. Nelson said he did not seek the NASA administrator job and had recommended three women to lead the space agency. He said he told the Biden administration he would accept the nomination only if one of the women could serve as his deputy selected for the job: former space shuttle commander Pam Melroy. Nelson, 78, is NASA's 14th administrator, the third to fly in space and the first to grow up in the shadow of rockets. He was sworn in on Monday by Vice President Kamala Harris, who will head the National Space Council. In a show of bipartisan space support, the two previous administrators took part in the ceremony, representing the Obama and Trump administrations. Nelson steps into NASA's top job after 44 years of public service, 42 of them in an elected public office. Nelson grew up near Cape Canaveral, graduating from high school a year before Mercury astronaut Alan Shepard became the first American in space 60 years ago this week. He went on to law school and served in the US Army Reserve during the Vietnam War. After a few terms in the Florida legislature, Nelson, a Democrat, won election to Congress, first in the House and then the Senate, before a 2018 defeat ended his political career. It was while Nelson was a congressman that he rocketed into orbit aboard space shuttle Columbia in January 1986, just two weeks before Challenger's astronauts perished during liftoff. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA's new chief big on climate, hedges on 2024 moon landing 

The&nbsp;French&nbsp;parliament&nbsp;is set to&nbsp;vote&nbsp;through a&nbsp;new&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change&nbsp;law&nbsp;on Tuesday intended by President Emmanuel Macron to reinforce his&nbsp;green&nbsp;credentials one year ahead of national&nbsp;elections.

The draft legislation is almost certain to be approved in a first reading by the lower house of&nbsp;parliament, where Macron has a working majority, but it has been heavily&nbsp;criticised&nbsp;by environmental&nbsp;groups.

Campaigners see it as too timid given the pace of&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change globally and accuse the&nbsp;French&nbsp;leader of half-hearted commitment to a cause he has admitted to embracing belatedly.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="As Macron opens attack on Islamic State, France faces a potential military rebellion">As Macron opens attack on Islamic State, France faces a potential military rebellion</a>

France's environment minister, Barbara Pompili, has defended the text, saying it "will affect the daily life of all of our citizens" and is "one of the biggest&nbsp;laws&nbsp;of the (president's) term".

Measures include bans on domestic flights under two and half hours that can be done by train, restrictions on renting badly insulated properties, or the creation of a&nbsp;new&nbsp;"ecocide" crime to punish polluters.

The overall aim is to put in place measures that will enable France to meet its target of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent compared with 1990 levels by a deadline of 2030.

Lobby&nbsp;groups&nbsp;such as Greenpeace have called it a "lost opportunity of Macron's term", while even the president's own environmental advisory council said it would "have a potentially limited impact".

It is also less ambitious than&nbsp;new&nbsp;targets for 55 per cent cuts agreed at the EU level and falls short of a German plan which was rejected last week by the country's constitutional court as "insufficient".

Climate&nbsp;change and protection of the environment are likely to be bigger themes in next year's presidential&nbsp;election&nbsp;than the last one in 2017, which Macron won while barely campaigning on the issue.

The main&nbsp;Green&nbsp;party in France made major gains in cities such as Strasbourg, Bordeaux and Lyon in local&nbsp;elections&nbsp;last year, mirroring a Europe-wide trend in favour of environmental&nbsp;groups.

In Germany, the&nbsp;Green&nbsp;party has overtaken Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives in recent polls.

The&nbsp;climate&nbsp;law&nbsp;has also been a test of what Macron billed as a more inclusive form of government that has seen members of the public invited to help draft the legislation.

After anti-government riots by so-called "yellow vest" protesters in 2018, he pledged to change his leadership style which was seen by critics as too centralised and removed from the wider public.

A hundred and fifty people were chosen at random to form a "Citizen's Convention on&nbsp;Climate" which was tasked with recommending measures that would enable the country to meet its emissions targets.

But after seeing the legislation submitted to&nbsp;parliament, many members felt let down and accused Macron of reneging on a commitment to adopt their ideas.

Cyril Dion, a leading figure from the convention, attended a protest rally calling for bolder action in March and said the&nbsp;law&nbsp;"absolutely does not enable France to meet its objectives."

The government counters that is trying to find a balance between reducing emissions while protecting workers and industry at a time when the economy has been battered by the Covid pandemic.

"With the&nbsp;law, we are walking a fine line, making big changes while keeping it economically and socially acceptable," Pompili told the Financial Times last week.

Macron was stung by the "yellow vest" protests which were initially sparked by environmental policies such as raising taxes on diesel as well as old, polluting cars.

His predecessor Francois Hollande was forced into a U-turn by truck drivers, known as the "red hats", who protested against his efforts to impose an environmental tax on heavy-goods vehicles.

Even if passed by the lower house and the Senate, the&nbsp;new&nbsp;law&nbsp;will almost certainly need to be updated in order for France to keep up with evolving European Union targets for emissions reductions.

The European&nbsp;Parliament&nbsp;and EU member states agreed a target in late April of cuts of at least 55 per cent by 2030 from 1990 levels -- compared to the 40 per cent target set in the&nbsp;French&nbsp;law.

The French parliament is set to vote through a new climate change law on Tuesday intended by President Emmanuel Macron to reinforce his green credentials one year ahead of national elections.

The French parliament is set to vote through a new climate change law on Tuesday intended by President Emmanuel Macron to reinforce his green credentials one year ahead of national elections. The draft legislation is almost certain to be approved in a first reading by the lower house of parliament, where Macron has a working majority, but it has been heavily criticised by environmental groups. Campaigners see it as too timid given the pace of climate change globally and accuse the French leader of half-hearted commitment to a cause he has admitted to embracing belatedly. Also read: As Macron opens attack on Islamic State, France faces a potential military rebellion France's environment minister, Barbara Pompili, has defended the text, saying it "will affect the daily life of all of our citizens" and is "one of the biggest laws of the (president's) term". Measures include bans on domestic flights under two and half hours that can be done by train, restrictions on renting badly insulated properties, or the creation of a new "ecocide" crime to punish polluters. The overall aim is to put in place measures that will enable France to meet its target of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent compared with 1990 levels by a deadline of 2030. Lobby groups such as Greenpeace have called it a "lost opportunity of Macron's term", while even the president's own environmental advisory council said it would "have a potentially limited impact". It is also less ambitious than new targets for 55 per cent cuts agreed at the EU level and falls short of a German plan which was rejected last week by the country's constitutional court as "insufficient". Climate change and protection of the environment are likely to be bigger themes in next year's presidential election than the last one in 2017, which Macron won while barely campaigning on the issue. The main Green party in France made major gains in cities such as Strasbourg, Bordeaux and Lyon in local elections last year, mirroring a Europe-wide trend in favour of environmental groups. In Germany, the Green party has overtaken Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives in recent polls. The climate law has also been a test of what Macron billed as a more inclusive form of government that has seen members of the public invited to help draft the legislation. After anti-government riots by so-called "yellow vest" protesters in 2018, he pledged to change his leadership style which was seen by critics as too centralised and removed from the wider public. A hundred and fifty people were chosen at random to form a "Citizen's Convention on Climate" which was tasked with recommending measures that would enable the country to meet its emissions targets. But after seeing the legislation submitted to parliament, many members felt let down and accused Macron of reneging on a commitment to adopt their ideas. Cyril Dion, a leading figure from the convention, attended a protest rally calling for bolder action in March and said the law "absolutely does not enable France to meet its objectives." The government counters that is trying to find a balance between reducing emissions while protecting workers and industry at a time when the economy has been battered by the Covid pandemic. "With the law, we are walking a fine line, making big changes while keeping it economically and socially acceptable," Pompili told the Financial Times last week. Macron was stung by the "yellow vest" protests which were initially sparked by environmental policies such as raising taxes on diesel as well as old, polluting cars. His predecessor Francois Hollande was forced into a U-turn by truck drivers, known as the "red hats", who protested against his efforts to impose an environmental tax on heavy-goods vehicles. Even if passed by the lower house and the Senate, the new law will almost certainly need to be updated in order for France to keep up with evolving European Union targets for emissions reductions. The European Parliament and EU member states agreed a target in late April of cuts of at least 55 per cent by 2030 from 1990 levels -- compared to the 40 per cent target set in the French law.

French parliament to vote new climate law criticised by green groups

The&nbsp;Brazilian&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;released nearly 20 per cent more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere over the last decade than it absorbed, according to a stunning report that shows humanity can no longer depend on the world's largest tropical forest to help absorb man-made carbon pollution. &nbsp;&nbsp;

From 2010 through 2019, Brazil's&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;basin gave off 16,600,000,000 tonnes of CO2, while drawing down only 13,900,000,000 tonnes, researchers reported on Thursday in the journal Nature Climate Change.

The study looked at the volume of CO2 absorbed and stored as the forest grows, versus the amounts released back into the atmosphere as it has been burned down or destroyed.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="UK space agency hunts for 'Moon Trees' from seeds brought back by mission 50 years ago">UK space agency hunts for 'Moon Trees' from seeds brought back by mission 50 years ago</a>

"We half-expected it, but it is the first time that we have figures showing that the&nbsp;Brazilian&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;has flipped, and is now a net emitter," said co-author Jean-Pierre Wigneron, a scientist at France's National Institute for Agronomic Research (INRA).

"We don't know at what point the changeover could become irreversible," he told AFP in an interview.

The study also showed that deforestation -- through fires and clear-cutting -- increased nearly four-fold in 2019 compared to either of the two previous years, from about one million hectares (2.5 million acres) to 3.9 million hectares, an area the size of the Netherlands.

"Brazil saw a sharp decline in the application of environmental protection policies after the change of government in 2019," the INRA said in a statement.

Brazilian&nbsp;President Jair Bolsonaro was sworn into office on January 1, 2019.&nbsp;

Terrestrial ecosystems worldwide have been a crucial ally as the world struggles to curb CO2 emissions, which topped 40 billion tonnes in 2019.&nbsp;

Over the last half century, plants and soil have consistently absorbed about 30 per cent of those emissions, even as those emissions increased by 50 per cent over than period.&nbsp;

Oceans have also helped, soaking up more than 20 per cent.

The&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;basin contains about half of the world's tropical rainforests, which are more effective at soaking up and storing carbon that other types of vegetation.

If the region were to be come a net source rather than a "sink" of CO2, tackling the climate crisis will be that much harder.

Using new methods of analysing satellite data developed at the University of Oklahoma, the international team of researchers also showed for the first time that degraded forests were a more significant source of planet-warming CO2 emissions that outright deforestation.

Over the same 10-year period, degradation -- caused by fragmentation, selective cutting, or fires that damage but do not destroy trees -- caused three times more emissions that outright destruction of forests.

The data examined in the study only covers Brazil, which holds some 60 per cent of the Amazonian rainforest.

Taking the rest of region into account, "the&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;basin as a whole is probably (carbon) neutral," said Wigneron.

"But in the other countries with&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;rainforest, deforestation is on the rise too, and drought has become more intense."

Climate change looms as a major threat, and could -- above a certain threshold of global warming -- see the continent's rainforest tip into a much drier savannah state, recent studies have shown.

This would have devastating consequences not only to the region, which currently harbours a significant percentage of the world's biodiversity, but globally as well.

The&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;rainforest is one of a dozen so-called "tipping points" in the climate system.

Ice sheets atop Greenland and the West Antarctic, Siberian permafrost loaded with CO2 and methane, monsoon rains in South Asia, coral reef ecosystems, the jet stream -- all are vulnerable to point-of-no-return transitions that would radically alter the world as we know it. &nbsp;

The Brazilian Amazon released nearly 20 per cent more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere over the last decade than it absorbed, according to a stunning report that shows humanity can no longer depend on the world's largest tropical forest to help absorb man-made carbon pollution.

The Brazilian Amazon released nearly 20 per cent more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere over the last decade than it absorbed, according to a stunning report that shows humanity can no longer depend on the world's largest tropical forest to help absorb man-made carbon pollution. From 2010 through 2019, Brazil's Amazon basin gave off 16,600,000,000 tonnes of CO2, while drawing down only 13,900,000,000 tonnes, researchers reported on Thursday in the journal Nature Climate Change. The study looked at the volume of CO2 absorbed and stored as the forest grows, versus the amounts released back into the atmosphere as it has been burned down or destroyed. Also read: UK space agency hunts for 'Moon Trees' from seeds brought back by mission 50 years ago "We half-expected it, but it is the first time that we have figures showing that the Brazilian Amazon has flipped, and is now a net emitter," said co-author Jean-Pierre Wigneron, a scientist at France's National Institute for Agronomic Research (INRA). "We don't know at what point the changeover could become irreversible," he told AFP in an interview. The study also showed that deforestation -- through fires and clear-cutting -- increased nearly four-fold in 2019 compared to either of the two previous years, from about one million hectares (2.5 million acres) to 3.9 million hectares, an area the size of the Netherlands. "Brazil saw a sharp decline in the application of environmental protection policies after the change of government in 2019," the INRA said in a statement. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was sworn into office on January 1, 2019. Terrestrial ecosystems worldwide have been a crucial ally as the world struggles to curb CO2 emissions, which topped 40 billion tonnes in 2019. Over the last half century, plants and soil have consistently absorbed about 30 per cent of those emissions, even as those emissions increased by 50 per cent over than period. Oceans have also helped, soaking up more than 20 per cent. The Amazon basin contains about half of the world's tropical rainforests, which are more effective at soaking up and storing carbon that other types of vegetation. If the region were to be come a net source rather than a "sink" of CO2, tackling the climate crisis will be that much harder. Using new methods of analysing satellite data developed at the University of Oklahoma, the international team of researchers also showed for the first time that degraded forests were a more significant source of planet-warming CO2 emissions that outright deforestation. Over the same 10-year period, degradation -- caused by fragmentation, selective cutting, or fires that damage but do not destroy trees -- caused three times more emissions that outright destruction of forests. The data examined in the study only covers Brazil, which holds some 60 per cent of the Amazonian rainforest. Taking the rest of region into account, "the Amazon basin as a whole is probably (carbon) neutral," said Wigneron. "But in the other countries with Amazon rainforest, deforestation is on the rise too, and drought has become more intense." Climate change looms as a major threat, and could -- above a certain threshold of global warming -- see the continent's rainforest tip into a much drier savannah state, recent studies have shown. This would have devastating consequences not only to the region, which currently harbours a significant percentage of the world's biodiversity, but globally as well. The Amazon rainforest is one of a dozen so-called "tipping points" in the climate system. Ice sheets atop Greenland and the West Antarctic, Siberian permafrost loaded with CO2 and methane, monsoon rains in South Asia, coral reef ecosystems, the jet stream -- all are vulnerable to point-of-no-return transitions that would radically alter the world as we know it.

Climate change: Amazon may be turning from friend to foe

Joe Biden kick-started leaders summit on climate crisis. 40 world leaders including Narendra Modi, Presidents of Russia & China joined. Each leader pledged their part of 'climate action' on the summit which coincides with Earth Day 2021. Here's a roundup from day 1.

World leaders address climate crisis in a virtual summit

The&nbsp;European Union clinched a&nbsp;deal&nbsp;in the early hours of Wednesday on a landmark&nbsp;law&nbsp;to make its&nbsp;climate-change&nbsp;goals legally binding, including a target to slash its net greenhouse gas&nbsp;emissions&nbsp;by at least 55 per cent this decade.

The&nbsp;deal&nbsp;arrives just in time for a summit of world leaders hosted by the US&nbsp;government on Thursday and Friday, where the&nbsp;EU&nbsp;and other global powers will promote their pledges to protect the planet.

The&nbsp;European&nbsp;climate&nbsp;law&nbsp;sets the framework that will guide&nbsp;EU&nbsp;climate-related regulations in the coming decades, steering it towards reaching zero net&nbsp;emissions&nbsp;by 2050 - a pathway which, if adopted globally, would limit global temperature increases to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels and avoid the worst impacts of&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change.

More than a year after the&nbsp;European Commission proposed the bill, negotiators representing the&nbsp;European Parliament and the 27&nbsp;EU&nbsp;governments finally finished its contents on Wednesday, after all-night talks.

The target to cut&nbsp;EU-wide net&nbsp;emissions&nbsp;by at least 55 per cent by&nbsp;2030, from 1990 levels, replaces a previous&nbsp;goal&nbsp;for a 40 per cent&nbsp;cut. By 2019,&nbsp;EU&nbsp;emissions&nbsp;were already 24 per cent&nbsp;lower than in 1990.

EU&nbsp;lawmakers had wanted to go further to 60 per cent&nbsp;by&nbsp;2030. Environmental campaigners had said the cut should be 65 per cent.

Negotiators agreed to limit the amount of&nbsp;emissions&nbsp;removals that can be counted towards the&nbsp;2030&nbsp;target, to 225 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent.

That aims to ensure the&nbsp;goal&nbsp;is met by cutting&nbsp;emissions&nbsp;from polluting sectors, rather than relying on removing CO2 from the atmosphere through carbon-absorbing forests and wetlands.

"This is a landmark moment for the&nbsp;EU. We have reached an ambitious agreement to write our&nbsp;climate&nbsp;neutrality target into binding legislation, as a guide to our policies for the next 30 years," Commission vice-president Frans Timmermans said in a statement.

The European Union clinched a deal in the early hours of Wednesday on a landmark law to make its climate-change goals legally binding, including a target to slash its net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 per cent this decade.

The European Union clinched a deal in the early hours of Wednesday on a landmark law to make its climate-change goals legally binding, including a target to slash its net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 per cent this decade. The deal arrives just in time for a summit of world leaders hosted by the US government on Thursday and Friday, where the EU and other global powers will promote their pledges to protect the planet. The European climate law sets the framework that will guide EU climate-related regulations in the coming decades, steering it towards reaching zero net emissions by 2050 - a pathway which, if adopted globally, would limit global temperature increases to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels and avoid the worst impacts of climate change. More than a year after the European Commission proposed the bill, negotiators representing the European Parliament and the 27 EU governments finally finished its contents on Wednesday, after all-night talks. The target to cut EU-wide net emissions by at least 55 per cent by 2030, from 1990 levels, replaces a previous goal for a 40 per cent cut. By 2019, EU emissions were already 24 per cent lower than in 1990. EU lawmakers had wanted to go further to 60 per cent by 2030. Environmental campaigners had said the cut should be 65 per cent. Negotiators agreed to limit the amount of emissions removals that can be counted towards the 2030 target, to 225 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent. That aims to ensure the goal is met by cutting emissions from polluting sectors, rather than relying on removing CO2 from the atmosphere through carbon-absorbing forests and wetlands. "This is a landmark moment for the EU. We have reached an ambitious agreement to write our climate neutrality target into binding legislation, as a guide to our policies for the next 30 years," Commission vice-president Frans Timmermans said in a statement.

EU clinches deal on climate law, tougher 2030 emissions goal

Russian President Vladimir Putin will deliver a speech on Thursday at an online climate change summit hosted by US President Joe Biden, the Kremlin said, despite a deep crisis in relations between Moscow and Washington.&nbsp;

Putin's attendance signals he is still open to dialogue with the United States even though the two countries have imposed new sanctions on each other in the past few days. He has yet to accept or decline a separate invitation from Biden to a bilateral summit.&nbsp;

Biden has invited 40 world leaders to the climate summit, part of his effort to make the fight against global warming a top priority.&nbsp;

Putin, in his speech, will "outline Russia's approaches in the context of forging broad international cooperation aimed at overcoming the negative effects of global climate change," the Kremlin said.&nbsp;

Washington imposed new sanctions on Russia on last Thursday for alleged malign activity including interfering in last year's US election, cyber hacking and bullying neighbouring Ukraine.&nbsp;

Russia denied the accusations and retaliated with sanctions of its own the following day.&nbsp;

The United States has warned Russia, there will be further consequences if Alexei Navalny, an opposition politician, who has been on hunger strike in prison for nearly three weeks, were to die. Russia has said it is ready to impose more 'painful' measures against Washington if tensions escalate further.&nbsp;

Relations slumped to a new post-Cold War low last month after Biden said he thought Putin was a 'killer' and Moscow recalled its ambassador to Washington for consultations.&nbsp;

Russian President Vladimir Putin will deliver a speech on Thursday at an online climate change summit hosted by US President Joe Biden, the Kremlin said, despite a deep crisis in relations between Moscow and Washington.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will deliver a speech on Thursday at an online climate change summit hosted by US President Joe Biden, the Kremlin said, despite a deep crisis in relations between Moscow and Washington. Putin's attendance signals he is still open to dialogue with the United States even though the two countries have imposed new sanctions on each other in the past few days. He has yet to accept or decline a separate invitation from Biden to a bilateral summit. Biden has invited 40 world leaders to the climate summit, part of his effort to make the fight against global warming a top priority. Putin, in his speech, will "outline Russia's approaches in the context of forging broad international cooperation aimed at overcoming the negative effects of global climate change," the Kremlin said. Washington imposed new sanctions on Russia on last Thursday for alleged malign activity including interfering in last year's US election, cyber hacking and bullying neighbouring Ukraine. Russia denied the accusations and retaliated with sanctions of its own the following day. The United States has warned Russia, there will be further consequences if Alexei Navalny, an opposition politician, who has been on hunger strike in prison for nearly three weeks, were to die. Russia has said it is ready to impose more 'painful' measures against Washington if tensions escalate further. Relations slumped to a new post-Cold War low last month after Biden said he thought Putin was a 'killer' and Moscow recalled its ambassador to Washington for consultations.

Putin to address Biden's climate summit despite crisis in US-Russia ties 

China and the United States agree that stronger pledges to fight climate change should be introduced before a new round of international talks at the end of the year, the two countries said in a joint statement on Sunday. &nbsp;

The statement came after a meeting between Chinese climate envoy Xie Zhenhua and his US counterpart, John Kerry, in Shanghai on Thursday and Friday, China’s environment ministry said.&nbsp;

"The United States and China are committed to cooperating with each other and with other countries to tackle the climate crisis," their joint statement said. The two countries will continue to discuss "concrete actions in the 2020s to reduce emissions aimed at keeping the Paris Agreement-aligned temperature limit within reach."&nbsp;

Kerry arrived in Shanghai on Wednesday night under tight Covid-19 protocols and was transferred to a secluded hotel not open to the public. He subsequently traveled to Seoul.&nbsp;

His stop in Shanghai was the first high-level visit to China by a Biden administration official since the new president took office, and followed a contentious exchange between officials from the two countries in March in Alaska.&nbsp;

The talks also mark a resumption of climate dialogue between the world's two biggest greenhouse gas emitters. Bilateral discussions ground to a halt during the administration of Donald Trump, who withdrew from the 2015 Paris agreement after claiming it unfairly punished US businesses.&nbsp;

The United States is expected soon to deliver a new pledge to reduce US greenhouse gas emissions in a bid to win back trust from foreign allies. Biden brought the United States back into the Paris climate accord.&nbsp;

Li Shuo, senior climate adviser for the environmental group Greenpeace, said China could soon respond to a new US pledge with one of its own, building on the 'momentum' of the Shanghai talks.&nbsp;

"The statement in my view is as positive as the politics would allow: It sends a very unequivocal message that on this particular issue (China and the United States) will cooperate. Before the meetings in Shanghai this was not a message that we could assume," Li said.&nbsp;

Biden will hold a virtual summit for dozens of world leaders this week to discuss climate change, to be livestreamed for public viewing. Global climate talks are scheduled for November 1-12 in Glasgow. &nbsp;

The statement said the two countries also agreed to discuss specific emission reduction actions including energy storage, carbon capture and hydrogen. They said they would take action to maximise financing for developing countries to switch to low-carbon energy sources.&nbsp;

The Paris agreement encourages countries to submit more ambitious climate pledges if they are able to do so. China has already promised enhanced actions as it tries to meet its goal to become 'carbon neutral’ by 2060.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

China and the United States agree that stronger pledges to fight climate change should be introduced before a new round of international talks at the end of the year, the two countries said in a joint statement on Sunday.

China and the United States agree that stronger pledges to fight climate change should be introduced before a new round of international talks at the end of the year, the two countries said in a joint statement on Sunday. The statement came after a meeting between Chinese climate envoy Xie Zhenhua and his US counterpart, John Kerry, in Shanghai on Thursday and Friday, China’s environment ministry said. "The United States and China are committed to cooperating with each other and with other countries to tackle the climate crisis," their joint statement said. The two countries will continue to discuss "concrete actions in the 2020s to reduce emissions aimed at keeping the Paris Agreement-aligned temperature limit within reach." Kerry arrived in Shanghai on Wednesday night under tight Covid-19 protocols and was transferred to a secluded hotel not open to the public. He subsequently traveled to Seoul. His stop in Shanghai was the first high-level visit to China by a Biden administration official since the new president took office, and followed a contentious exchange between officials from the two countries in March in Alaska. The talks also mark a resumption of climate dialogue between the world's two biggest greenhouse gas emitters. Bilateral discussions ground to a halt during the administration of Donald Trump, who withdrew from the 2015 Paris agreement after claiming it unfairly punished US businesses. The United States is expected soon to deliver a new pledge to reduce US greenhouse gas emissions in a bid to win back trust from foreign allies. Biden brought the United States back into the Paris climate accord. Li Shuo, senior climate adviser for the environmental group Greenpeace, said China could soon respond to a new US pledge with one of its own, building on the 'momentum' of the Shanghai talks. "The statement in my view is as positive as the politics would allow: It sends a very unequivocal message that on this particular issue (China and the United States) will cooperate. Before the meetings in Shanghai this was not a message that we could assume," Li said. Biden will hold a virtual summit for dozens of world leaders this week to discuss climate change, to be livestreamed for public viewing. Global climate talks are scheduled for November 1-12 in Glasgow. The statement said the two countries also agreed to discuss specific emission reduction actions including energy storage, carbon capture and hydrogen. They said they would take action to maximise financing for developing countries to switch to low-carbon energy sources. The Paris agreement encourages countries to submit more ambitious climate pledges if they are able to do so. China has already promised enhanced actions as it tries to meet its goal to become 'carbon neutral’ by 2060. (With inputs from agencies)

US, China find common ground over need for stronger climate commitments 

China's electricity-hungry bitcoin mines that power nearly 80 per cent of the global trade in cryptocurrencies risk undercutting the country's climate goals, a study in the journal Nature said on Tuesday.

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are minted by solving puzzles using powerful computers that consume enormous amounts of electricity -- much of it produced by coal plants.

The Nature study found that unchecked, China's bitcoin mines will generate 130.50 million metric tons of carbon emissions by 2024 -- close to the annual greenhouse gas emissions from Italy or oil-rich Saudi Arabia.

Chinese companies with access to cheap electricity and hardware handled 78.89 per cent of global bitcoin blockchain operations as of April 2020, the study said.

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This involves minting new coins and keeping track of cryptocurrency transactions.

About 40 per cent of China's bitcoin mines are powered with coal, while the rest use renewables, the study said.

But the coal-guzzling rigs are so large they could end up undermining Beijing's pledge to peak carbon emissions before 2030 and become carbon neutral by 2060, it warned.

"The intensive bitcoin blockchain operation in China can quickly grow as a threat that could potentially undermine the emission reduction effort," co-author Wang Shouyang from the Chinese Academy of Sciences told AFP.

The government should focus on upgrading the power grid to ensure a stable supply from renewable sources, Wang said.

"Since energy prices in clean-energy regions of China are lower than that in coal-powered regions... miners would then have more incentives to move to regions with clean energy."

This year the crypto-mining industry is expected to use 0.6 percent of the world's total electricity production, or more than the annual use of Norway, according to Cambridge University's Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index.

The price of a bitcoin has surged fivefold in the past year, reaching a record high of over $61,000 in March, and is now hovering just below the $60,000 mark.

Given the profits available, Wang said imposing carbon taxes was not enough to deter miners.

China banned trading in cryptocurrencies in 2019 to prevent money laundering, but mining is permitted.

Coal-rich regions are now pushing out bitcoin miners as they struggle to curb emissions.

Last month, Inner Mongolia announced plans to end the power-hungry practice of cryptocurrency mining by the end of April after the region failed to meet annual energy consumption targets.

The region accounted for eight per cent of the computing power needed to run the global blockchain -- a set of online ledgers to record bitcoin transactions.

That is higher than the amount of computing power dedicated to blockchain in the United States.

Nasdaq-listed Bitmain, which operates one of the biggest cryptocurrency mining pools in the world, said they were shifting operations in Inner Mongolia to areas with more hydropower like Yunnan.

China's electricity-hungry bitcoin mines that power nearly 80 per cent of the global trade in cryptocurrencies risk undercutting the country's climate goals, a study in the journal Nature said on Tuesday.

China's electricity-hungry bitcoin mines that power nearly 80 per cent of the global trade in cryptocurrencies risk undercutting the country's climate goals, a study in the journal Nature said on Tuesday. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are minted by solving puzzles using powerful computers that consume enormous amounts of electricity -- much of it produced by coal plants. The Nature study found that unchecked, China's bitcoin mines will generate 130.50 million metric tons of carbon emissions by 2024 -- close to the annual greenhouse gas emissions from Italy or oil-rich Saudi Arabia. Chinese companies with access to cheap electricity and hardware handled 78.89 per cent of global bitcoin blockchain operations as of April 2020, the study said. Also read | Cryptocurrency market value crosses $2 trillion mark for first time This involves minting new coins and keeping track of cryptocurrency transactions. About 40 per cent of China's bitcoin mines are powered with coal, while the rest use renewables, the study said. But the coal-guzzling rigs are so large they could end up undermining Beijing's pledge to peak carbon emissions before 2030 and become carbon neutral by 2060, it warned. "The intensive bitcoin blockchain operation in China can quickly grow as a threat that could potentially undermine the emission reduction effort," co-author Wang Shouyang from the Chinese Academy of Sciences told AFP. The government should focus on upgrading the power grid to ensure a stable supply from renewable sources, Wang said. "Since energy prices in clean-energy regions of China are lower than that in coal-powered regions... miners would then have more incentives to move to regions with clean energy." This year the crypto-mining industry is expected to use 0.6 percent of the world's total electricity production, or more than the annual use of Norway, according to Cambridge University's Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index. The price of a bitcoin has surged fivefold in the past year, reaching a record high of over $61,000 in March, and is now hovering just below the $60,000 mark. Given the profits available, Wang said imposing carbon taxes was not enough to deter miners. China banned trading in cryptocurrencies in 2019 to prevent money laundering, but mining is permitted. Coal-rich regions are now pushing out bitcoin miners as they struggle to curb emissions. Last month, Inner Mongolia announced plans to end the power-hungry practice of cryptocurrency mining by the end of April after the region failed to meet annual energy consumption targets. The region accounted for eight per cent of the computing power needed to run the global blockchain -- a set of online ledgers to record bitcoin transactions. That is higher than the amount of computing power dedicated to blockchain in the United States. Nasdaq-listed Bitmain, which operates one of the biggest cryptocurrency mining pools in the world, said they were shifting operations in Inner Mongolia to areas with more hydropower like Yunnan.

China's bitcoin mining rush risks derailing climate goals

US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry praised India as a world leader in renewables as he began talks with government leaders aimed at cutting carbon emissions faster to slow global warming.

India is the world’s third biggest emitter behind the United States and China and is under pressure to commit itself to net zero emissions by 2050, in line with pledges made by several other countries.

"India is getting the job done on climate, pushing the curve," Kerry said.&nbsp;

"You (India) are indisputably a world leader already in the deployment of renewable energy."

Government sources said that India was unlikely to bind itself to a goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 as its energy demand was projected to grow more than that of any other nation over the next two decades.

Kerry is leading efforts to get countries to step up commitments ahead of a summit of 40 leaders on April 22-23 called by US President Joe Biden.&nbsp;

Later this year, world leaders are due to gather for a UN climate summit to build on the 2015 Paris accord to limit global warming.&nbsp;

Kerry said India was setting a ‘very strong example’ for other nations on powering a growing economy with clean energy.

"That kind of urgency is exactly what we need to confront global climate change," he said.

India points to its target of generating 450 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030 - five times its current capacity and two and half times its Paris pledge.&nbsp;

But officials in India argue against adopting tougher emission goals, noting that its per capita emissions are still only an eighth of those of the United States and less than a third of China’s, even as it tries to bridge a development gap.

Kerry said it was ‘absolutely critical’ that India, the United States and others scale up investments in areas including energy storage, clean fuels and decarbonising industries.

"India, in particular, is a red-hot investment opportunity because of its clean energy transition," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry praised India as a world leader in renewables as he began talks with government leaders aimed at cutting carbon emissions faster to slow global warming.

US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry praised India as a world leader in renewables as he began talks with government leaders aimed at cutting carbon emissions faster to slow global warming. India is the world’s third biggest emitter behind the United States and China and is under pressure to commit itself to net zero emissions by 2050, in line with pledges made by several other countries. "India is getting the job done on climate, pushing the curve," Kerry said. "You (India) are indisputably a world leader already in the deployment of renewable energy." Government sources said that India was unlikely to bind itself to a goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 as its energy demand was projected to grow more than that of any other nation over the next two decades. Kerry is leading efforts to get countries to step up commitments ahead of a summit of 40 leaders on April 22-23 called by US President Joe Biden. Later this year, world leaders are due to gather for a UN climate summit to build on the 2015 Paris accord to limit global warming. Kerry said India was setting a ‘very strong example’ for other nations on powering a growing economy with clean energy. "That kind of urgency is exactly what we need to confront global climate change," he said. India points to its target of generating 450 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030 - five times its current capacity and two and half times its Paris pledge. But officials in India argue against adopting tougher emission goals, noting that its per capita emissions are still only an eighth of those of the United States and less than a third of China’s, even as it tries to bridge a development gap. Kerry said it was ‘absolutely critical’ that India, the United States and others scale up investments in areas including energy storage, clean fuels and decarbonising industries. "India, in particular, is a red-hot investment opportunity because of its clean energy transition," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

US envoy Kerry says India is ‘getting job done’ on climate

Scientists in the Antarctic are close to finalising a location to start drilling that could reveal the continuous record of Earth's climate dating back 1.5 million years.&nbsp;

After about 10 years of work, scientists at the Australian Antarctic Division are close to finding a place to drill an ice core as deep as almost 3,000 metres, reports The Guardian.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-antarcticas-decade-long-mystery-solved-306937/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

&nbsp;

If the mission succeeds, scientists would able to get a reliable record of the Earth's climate records that could be older than half a million years.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/international-lawyers-propose-ecocide-to-criminalise-environmental-destruction-363340">International lawyers propose 'ecocide' to criminalise environmental destruction</a>

The location, known as Little Dome C, has an average temperature of -51 degrees C on a daily basis.

The area around Little Dome C is nearly 40 kms far from Dome C, the site of the longest continuous ice core record thus far, going back about 800,000 years.

A Europe-backed effort that has operated closely with the Australian researchers has already suggested a drill site in the Little Dome C region.

Ice cores hold significance the climate scientists to assess what happened to the Blue Planet's climate in the past and what could happen in the future with the rise in greenhouse levels due to burning of the fossil fuels.

Scientists in the Antarctic are close to finalising a location to start drilling that could reveal the continuous record of Earth's climate dating back 1.5 million years.

Scientists in the Antarctic are close to finalising a location to start drilling that could reveal the continuous record of Earth's climate dating back 1.5 million years. After about 10 years of work, scientists at the Australian Antarctic Division are close to finding a place to drill an ice core as deep as almost 3,000 metres, reports The Guardian. Watch | If the mission succeeds, scientists would able to get a reliable record of the Earth's climate records that could be older than half a million years. Also read | International lawyers propose 'ecocide' to criminalise environmental destruction The location, known as Little Dome C, has an average temperature of -51 degrees C on a daily basis. The area around Little Dome C is nearly 40 kms far from Dome C, the site of the longest continuous ice core record thus far, going back about 800,000 years. A Europe-backed effort that has operated closely with the Australian researchers has already suggested a drill site in the Little Dome C region. Ice cores hold significance the climate scientists to assess what happened to the Blue Planet's climate in the past and what could happen in the future with the rise in greenhouse levels due to burning of the fossil fuels.

Researchers close in to find drilling spot of Antarctic ice core 1.5 mn years old

A French court on Wednesday held the state responsible for its alleged failure to take sufficient measures to halt climate change, handing NGOs victory in a landmark case backed by over two million citizens.&nbsp;

The administrative court in Paris ruled that the government's failure to convert its commitments on reducing greenhouse gas emissions into policy made it "responsible... for some ecological damage seen".&nbsp;

The judges said however they would take a further two months to decide whether it was necessary to force President Emmanuel Macron's government to take steps to ensure it met its targets on greening the economy.

Oxfam France, in a Tweet, hailed the ruling as a "historic victory for the climate".

"The state's climate action has been recognized as ILLEGAL," it added.

Oxfam France, Greenpeace France and two other groups accused the government of failing to keep Macron's stated promise to "make our planet great again". The case is part of a mounting push by climate campaigners across the world to use courts to pressure governments into action.

An international accord signed in Paris five years ago aims to limit global warming to less than two degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) over pre-industrial levels, and preferably to 1.5 degrees. But experts say governments are far from meeting their commitments and anger is growing among younger generations over inaction, symbolised by the campaigns of Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg.

In a separate but similar case in November, France's top administrative court gave the government a three-month deadline to show it was taking action on global warming.

That case was brought by Grande-Synthe, a low-lying northern coastal town that is particularly exposed to the effects of climate change.

A French court on Wednesday held the state responsible for its alleged failure to take sufficient measures to halt climate change, handing NGOs victory in a landmark case backed by over two million citizens.

A French court on Wednesday held the state responsible for its alleged failure to take sufficient measures to halt climate change, handing NGOs victory in a landmark case backed by over two million citizens. The administrative court in Paris ruled that the government's failure to convert its commitments on reducing greenhouse gas emissions into policy made it "responsible... for some ecological damage seen". The judges said however they would take a further two months to decide whether it was necessary to force President Emmanuel Macron's government to take steps to ensure it met its targets on greening the economy. Oxfam France, in a Tweet, hailed the ruling as a "historic victory for the climate". "The state's climate action has been recognized as ILLEGAL," it added. Oxfam France, Greenpeace France and two other groups accused the government of failing to keep Macron's stated promise to "make our planet great again". The case is part of a mounting push by climate campaigners across the world to use courts to pressure governments into action. An international accord signed in Paris five years ago aims to limit global warming to less than two degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) over pre-industrial levels, and preferably to 1.5 degrees. But experts say governments are far from meeting their commitments and anger is growing among younger generations over inaction, symbolised by the campaigns of Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg. In a separate but similar case in November, France's top administrative court gave the government a three-month deadline to show it was taking action on global warming. That case was brought by Grande-Synthe, a low-lying northern coastal town that is particularly exposed to the effects of climate change.

'Historic victory': Court finds France liable for inaction on climate change

Climate activists on Tuesday (September 22) protested outside the office of Conde Nast, publisher of Vogue, Glamour and GQ magazines, demading the fashion media to "tell the truth" about the industry's impact on the environment.

Climate activists target Vogue, GQ publisher

Swedish activist Greta Thunberg urged German Chancellor Angela Merkel "to be brave enough to think long-term" in a meeting on Thursday where they discussed the climate crisis and measures to fight global warming.

During a 90-minute conversation in the chancellery, Merkel explained her climate policy priorities for Germany's European Union presidency, the goal of achieving EU climate neutrality by 2050 and interim targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, a government spokesman said.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Thunberg said Merkel had been nice and very friendly, but that the chancellor had a great responsibility and huge opportunity to become a world leader in the fight against climate change.

"What it comes down to is that we all start to treat the climate crisis like we treat any other crisis," Thunberg said, adding that she and her fellow activists had asked Merkel to tackle climate change with more urgency.

"What we want is leaders. We want people to step up, to dare to step out of their comfort zones, to prioritize the future ahead of us now and to be brave enough to think long-term," she said.

Thunberg was joined by fellow members of the Fridays for Future campaign group, among them Luisa Neubauer.

"She at least confirmed that she is willing to get stuff done during the presidency," Neubauer said. "Yet eventually, at the end of the day, it's about common budgets, it's about very clear targets, it's about numbers and figures and that we need action, more than really nice and big words."

The government spokesman said Merkel and the activists agreed that global warming posed a challenge for the world and that industrialized countries had a special responsibility to tackle it.

"The basis for this is the consistent implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement," the spokesman said.

The German government admitted earlier this week that it would have missed its climate target for 2020 if the economic havoc wrought by the coronavirus pandemic had not caused a large drop in greenhouse gas emissions.

Swedish activist Greta Thunberg urged German Chancellor Angela Merkel "to be brave enough to think long-term" in a meeting on Thursday where they discussed the climate crisis and measures to fight global warming.

Swedish activist Greta Thunberg urged German Chancellor Angela Merkel "to be brave enough to think long-term" in a meeting on Thursday where they discussed the climate crisis and measures to fight global warming. During a 90-minute conversation in the chancellery, Merkel explained her climate policy priorities for Germany's European Union presidency, the goal of achieving EU climate neutrality by 2050 and interim targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, a government spokesman said. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Thunberg said Merkel had been nice and very friendly, but that the chancellor had a great responsibility and huge opportunity to become a world leader in the fight against climate change. "What it comes down to is that we all start to treat the climate crisis like we treat any other crisis," Thunberg said, adding that she and her fellow activists had asked Merkel to tackle climate change with more urgency. "What we want is leaders. We want people to step up, to dare to step out of their comfort zones, to prioritize the future ahead of us now and to be brave enough to think long-term," she said. Thunberg was joined by fellow members of the Fridays for Future campaign group, among them Luisa Neubauer. "She at least confirmed that she is willing to get stuff done during the presidency," Neubauer said. "Yet eventually, at the end of the day, it's about common budgets, it's about very clear targets, it's about numbers and figures and that we need action, more than really nice and big words." The government spokesman said Merkel and the activists agreed that global warming posed a challenge for the world and that industrialized countries had a special responsibility to tackle it. "The basis for this is the consistent implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement," the spokesman said. The German government admitted earlier this week that it would have missed its climate target for 2020 if the economic havoc wrought by the coronavirus pandemic had not caused a large drop in greenhouse gas emissions.

Greta Thunberg urges Merkel to get out of climate 'comfort zone'

India sends assistance to Mauritius to contain the oil spill on its south-east coast and to deal with the environmental crisis arising off it, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement on Sunday (August 16, 2020).

India sends 30 tonnes of technical equipment as assistance to Mauritius to contain oil spill

A ship that has leaked tons of oil off the coast of Mauritius has split apart, authorities said on Saturday.

Why the Mauritius oil spill is threatening | MV Wakashio | Climate Change | Aquatic ecosystem

Polar bears may be gone by 2100, a new trajectory followed by scientists has revealed. They additionally found how and where the extinction will take place.

If greenhouse gas emissions are not controlled soon, all polar bears except a handful few in the Arctic will be gone over the course of time leading upto 2100.

Reproductive failure

The scientists asserted that by 2040, the bears will be unable to reproduce, which will cause sporadic local extinctions in colonies.&nbsp;The study, published in Nature Climate Change takes a look at how the animals will be affected primarily attributing it to climate change.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/should-cow-burps-be-blamed-for-global-warming-313838" hreflang="en">Should cow burps be blamed for global warming?</a>

If the emissions go on uninterrupted, by the end of the century, the bears will only survive on the Queen Elizabeth Islands, which falls in Canada’s Arctic archipelago.

However, we are already at a point of no return. Even if the effects of global warming are reversed and contained, the polar bears in the Arctic will be unable to reproduce by 2080.

<h6><img alt="This file photo taken on October 31, 2018 shows polar bears feeding at a garbage dump near the village of Belushya Guba, on the remote Russian northern Novaya Zemlya archipelago, a tightly-controlled military area where a village declared a state of emergency in February after dozens of bears were seen entering homes and public buildings. Climate change is starving polar bears into extinction, according to research published on July 20, 2020 that predicts the apex carnivores could all but disappear within the span of a human lifetime. In some regions they are already caught in a vicious downward spiral, with shrinking sea ice cutting short the time bears have for hunting seals, while dwindling body weight undermines their chances of surviving Arctic winters without food, scientists reported in Nature Climate Change. The study calculates &quot;timelines of risk&quot; for different polar bear demographics, exploring two alternative futures with different levels of greenhouse gas emissions and atmospheric concentrations of CO2. If business-as-usual greenhouse gas emissions continue, it’s likely that all but a few polar bear populations will collapse by 2100. " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="48d88e10-bded-453a-8858-89ba74c23174" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-3_29.jpg" /> 
This file photo taken on October 31, 2018 shows polar bears feeding at a garbage dump near the village of Belushya Guba, on the remote Russian northern Novaya Zemlya archipelago, a tightly-controlled military area where a village declared a state of emergency in February after dozens of bears were seen entering homes and public buildings. Climate change is starving polar bears into extinction, according to research published on July 20, 2020 that predicts the apex carnivores could all but disappear within the span of a human lifetime. In some regions they are already caught in a vicious downward spiral, with shrinking sea ice cutting short the time bears have for hunting seals, while dwindling body weight undermines their chances of surviving Arctic winters without food, scientists reported in Nature Climate Change. The study calculates "timelines of risk" for different polar bear demographics, exploring two alternative futures with different levels of greenhouse gas emissions and atmospheric concentrations of CO2. If business-as-usual greenhouse gas emissions continue, it’s likely that all but a few polar bear populations will collapse by 2100. | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

The world right now has less than 26,000 polar bears. These include 19 subpopulations spread across Norway to Canada to Siberia. The bears rely on ice to find food, fishing out seals from the holes in the ice. Sometimes this can take hours, or even days.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/habitat-loss-in-an-australian-state-may-drive-koalas-to-extinction-by-2050-309664" hreflang="en">Habitat loss in an Australian state may drive koalas to extinction by 2050</a>

Very recently, images of skeletal polar bears that were starving went viral on social media, highlighting the animal’s plight.&nbsp;The sea ice that they depend on is currently melting, which will in turn cause a decline in polar bear populations.

Way more than what was expected

The researchers claim that this drop in the reproduction rates was way over what they that expected. Even though the bears are used to fasting for months, after one point they will be unable to reproduce if they can’t find food for long periods of time.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/emissions-of-planet-warming-methane-have-risen-by-9-in-the-last-decade-313383" hreflang="en">Emissions of planet-warming methane have risen by 9% in the last decade</a>

As part of the study, the researchers looked at 13 out of 19 polar bear subpopulations, which account for 80 per cent of the total species population. They did, however exclude bears from the Archipelago ecoregion in the Canadian Arctic, for the geography of the region makes it difficult to offer predictions.

The bears in Hudson Bay and Davis Strait in Canada will most likely fail to reproduce by 2040, if emissions are left unchecked. By 2080, bears in Alaska and Russia will start to perish. Leading up to 2100, the whole global population might collapse and disappear.

Polar bears may be gone by 2100, a new trajectory followed by scientists has revealed. They additionally found how and where the extinction will take place. If greenhouse gas emissions are not controlled soon, all polar bears except a handful few in the Arctic will be gone over the course of time leading upto 2100.

Polar bears may be gone by 2100, a new trajectory followed by scientists has revealed. They additionally found how and where the extinction will take place. If greenhouse gas emissions are not controlled soon, all polar bears except a handful few in the Arctic will be gone over the course of time leading upto 2100. Reproductive failure The scientists asserted that by 2040, the bears will be unable to reproduce, which will cause sporadic local extinctions in colonies. The study, published in Nature Climate Change takes a look at how the animals will be affected primarily attributing it to climate change. Also read: Should cow burps be blamed for global warming? If the emissions go on uninterrupted, by the end of the century, the bears will only survive on the Queen Elizabeth Islands, which falls in Canada’s Arctic archipelago. However, we are already at a point of no return. Even if the effects of global warming are reversed and contained, the polar bears in the Arctic will be unable to reproduce by 2080. This file photo taken on October 31, 2018 shows polar bears feeding at a garbage dump near the village of Belushya Guba, on the remote Russian northern Novaya Zemlya archipelago, a tightly-controlled military area where a village declared a state of emergency in February after dozens of bears were seen entering homes and public buildings. Climate change is starving polar bears into extinction, according to research published on July 20, 2020 that predicts the apex carnivores could all but disappear within the span of a human lifetime. In some regions they are already caught in a vicious downward spiral, with shrinking sea ice cutting short the time bears have for hunting seals, while dwindling body weight undermines their chances of surviving Arctic winters without food, scientists reported in Nature Climate Change. The study calculates "timelines of risk" for different polar bear demographics, exploring two alternative futures with different levels of greenhouse gas emissions and atmospheric concentrations of CO2. If business-as-usual greenhouse gas emissions continue, it’s likely that all but a few polar bear populations will collapse by 2100. | AFP The world right now has less than 26,000 polar bears. These include 19 subpopulations spread across Norway to Canada to Siberia. The bears rely on ice to find food, fishing out seals from the holes in the ice. Sometimes this can take hours, or even days. Also read: Habitat loss in an Australian state may drive koalas to extinction by 2050 Very recently, images of skeletal polar bears that were starving went viral on social media, highlighting the animal’s plight. The sea ice that they depend on is currently melting, which will in turn cause a decline in polar bear populations. Way more than what was expected The researchers claim that this drop in the reproduction rates was way over what they that expected. Even though the bears are used to fasting for months, after one point they will be unable to reproduce if they can’t find food for long periods of time. Also read: Emissions of planet-warming methane have risen by 9% in the last decade As part of the study, the researchers looked at 13 out of 19 polar bear subpopulations, which account for 80 per cent of the total species population. They did, however exclude bears from the Archipelago ecoregion in the Canadian Arctic, for the geography of the region makes it difficult to offer predictions. The bears in Hudson Bay and Davis Strait in Canada will most likely fail to reproduce by 2040, if emissions are left unchecked. By 2080, bears in Alaska and Russia will start to perish. Leading up to 2100, the whole global population might collapse and disappear.

Polar bears will be gone by 2100 if greenhouse emissions are left unchecked

Scientists have created the first large-scale map of microscopic algae on the Antarctic peninsula. The map showed the surface turning green and&nbsp;potentially creating a source of nutrition for other species.

The team of biologists from the University of Cambridge and the British Antarctic Survey spent six years on this research. They detected and measured the green snow algae using a combination of satellite data and ground observation.

The study was published in the journal Nature Communications on Wednesday.

Describing the algae map as a missing piece of the carbon cycle jigsaw in the Antarctic, Matt Davey, one of the scientists on the team said, “It’s a community. This could potentially form new habitats. In some place, it would be the beginning of a new ecosystem.” He also explained that the&nbsp;algae have formed close bonds with small fungal spores and bacteria.&nbsp;

In some areas, these single-cell life-forms are so dense, they turn the snow bright green. these can also be spotted from the space, according to the study. This large-scale map of the algae will be used to assess the speed at which Antarctica is turning green and maybe providing sustenance to other species.

It identifies 1,679 separate blooms of green snow algae. This, together, will cover an area of 1.9 sq. km and equals 479 tonnes per year carbon sink. While this will not make much of a difference in the planet's carbon budget, Matt explained this to&nbsp;equal to emissions of about 875,000 car journeys in the UK.

Almost two-thirds of the green algal blooms were found on islands around Peninsula, but these were small islands. These have&nbsp;experienced the most intense heating in the world. The snow algae were less conspicuous in colder and&nbsp;southern regions.

This is not the first time green has been spotted. Scientists say that earlier michen and mass was spotted, however, those grow&nbsp;extremely slowly in comparison to&nbsp;algae. The scientists also plan to measure&nbsp;red and orange algae to&nbsp;calculate the effect of the&nbsp;presence of these colourful forms on&nbsp;the heat-reflecting albedo quality of the snow.

Andrew Gray, the lead author of the paper, said, “I think we will get more large blooms in the future. Before we know whether this has a significant impact on carbon budgets or bio albedo, we need to run the numbers.”

Scientists have created the first large-scale map of microscopic algae on the Antarctic peninsula. The map showed the surface turning green and potentially creating a source of nutrition for other species.

Scientists have created the first large-scale map of microscopic algae on the Antarctic peninsula. The map showed the surface turning green and potentially creating a source of nutrition for other species. The team of biologists from the University of Cambridge and the British Antarctic Survey spent six years on this research. They detected and measured the green snow algae using a combination of satellite data and ground observation. The study was published in the journal Nature Communications on Wednesday. Describing the algae map as a missing piece of the carbon cycle jigsaw in the Antarctic, Matt Davey, one of the scientists on the team said, “It’s a community. This could potentially form new habitats. In some place, it would be the beginning of a new ecosystem.” He also explained that the algae have formed close bonds with small fungal spores and bacteria. In some areas, these single-cell life-forms are so dense, they turn the snow bright green. these can also be spotted from the space, according to the study. This large-scale map of the algae will be used to assess the speed at which Antarctica is turning green and maybe providing sustenance to other species. It identifies 1,679 separate blooms of green snow algae. This, together, will cover an area of 1.9 sq. km and equals 479 tonnes per year carbon sink. While this will not make much of a difference in the planet's carbon budget, Matt explained this to equal to emissions of about 875,000 car journeys in the UK. Almost two-thirds of the green algal blooms were found on islands around Peninsula, but these were small islands. These have experienced the most intense heating in the world. The snow algae were less conspicuous in colder and southern regions. This is not the first time green has been spotted. Scientists say that earlier michen and mass was spotted, however, those grow extremely slowly in comparison to algae. The scientists also plan to measure red and orange algae to calculate the effect of the presence of these colourful forms on the heat-reflecting albedo quality of the snow. Andrew Gray, the lead author of the paper, said, “I think we will get more large blooms in the future. Before we know whether this has a significant impact on carbon budgets or bio albedo, we need to run the numbers.”

Scientists prepare a map of Antarctica turning green due to climate change

The Swiss government's coronavirus aid package should be used to make the country's economy more sustainable and help tackle climate change, environmentalists said on Monday (May 4).

Swiss environmentalists demand green reconstruction after coronavirus crisis

Amid the global lockdown imposed in view of the coronavirus pandemic, there is some good news!

The ozone layer seems to be recovering, a new study claims.

As the global efforts to contain the virus intensify, industries across the world have been abruptly shut. Even the economic costs of such an unplanned global shutdown are expected to be higher even than the Great Depression, there was simply no other way!

Our planet’s ozone layer protects living beings from ultraviolet radiation emerging from the sun. Over the last few decades, the layer had deteriorated tremendously.

In essence: no ozone layer means no life.

The use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) exasperated the ruination of the ozone layer. In fact, the damage was so intense that “Montreal protocol”, an international treaty was adopted to ban the unprecedented use of the gas.

Amid the shutdown, the whole world is experiencing lesser pollution, with videos of animals returning to their natural habitats making the rounds.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/italy-tops-9000-coronavirus-deaths-overtakes-china-in-cases-289043" hreflang="en">Italy tops 9,000 coronavirus deaths, overtakes China in cases</a>

The study claims that new climate changes have been noticed in the southern atmosphere, especially pertaining to air circulation patterns.&nbsp;

The study is led by Antara Banerjee, a CIRES visiting fellow at the University of Colorado, who also works with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

<h6><img alt="ppp" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a2ee7187-c77c-4363-b14d-14431e8d341a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%286%29_32.jpg" /> 
Ozone later | AFP</h6>

In a conversation with The Independent, Banerjee claimed that the Montreal Protocol had immense positive effects on the reclamation of the ozone layer.

“The jet stream in the southern hemisphere was gradually shifting towards the south pole in the last decades of the 20th century due to ozone depletion… Our study found that movement has stopped since 2000 and might even be reversing. The pause in movement began around the same time that the ozone hole started to recover”, she told The Independent.

 
Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-us-virus-cases-exceed-100000-doctors-decry-scarcity-of-drugs-and-equipment-289041" hreflang="en">As US virus cases exceed 100,000, doctors decry scarcity of drugs and equipment</a>

The emissions, which primarily came from CFCs witnessed a sharp decline around the year 2000.

“It’s not just ozone that affects the jet stream – CO2 also has an effect. What we are seeing is that there is a ‘tug-of-war’ between ozone recovery, which pulls the jet stream one way (to the North), and rising CO2, which pulls the other way (to the South)”, she added.

In conversation with The Independent, she added: “The second most important point of the study, which I would say is a very good finding, is further evidence that the ozone hole is shrinking and that is thanks to the Montreal Protocol.&nbsp;

“It shows that this international treaty has worked and we can reverse the damage that we’ve already done to our planet. That’s a lesson to us all that can hopefully be applied to our greenhouse gas emissions to tackle climate change.

“If we keep adhering to this protocol then the ozone hole is projected to recover – at different times, in different parts of the atmosphere. In some regions, we think it might happen in the next couple of decades and in others much later in the century.”

Amid the global lockdown imposed in view of the coronavirus pandemic, there is some good news! The ozone layer seems to be recovering, a new study claims. As the global efforts to contain the virus intensify, industries across the world have been abruptly shut.

Amid the global lockdown imposed in view of the coronavirus pandemic, there is some good news! The ozone layer seems to be recovering, a new study claims. As the global efforts to contain the virus intensify, industries across the world have been abruptly shut. Even the economic costs of such an unplanned global shutdown are expected to be higher even than the Great Depression, there was simply no other way! Our planet’s ozone layer protects living beings from ultraviolet radiation emerging from the sun. Over the last few decades, the layer had deteriorated tremendously. In essence: no ozone layer means no life. The use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) exasperated the ruination of the ozone layer. In fact, the damage was so intense that “Montreal protocol”, an international treaty was adopted to ban the unprecedented use of the gas. Amid the shutdown, the whole world is experiencing lesser pollution, with videos of animals returning to their natural habitats making the rounds. Also read: Italy tops 9,000 coronavirus deaths, overtakes China in cases The study claims that new climate changes have been noticed in the southern atmosphere, especially pertaining to air circulation patterns. The study is led by Antara Banerjee, a CIRES visiting fellow at the University of Colorado, who also works with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Ozone later | AFP In a conversation with The Independent, Banerjee claimed that the Montreal Protocol had immense positive effects on the reclamation of the ozone layer. “The jet stream in the southern hemisphere was gradually shifting towards the south pole in the last decades of the 20th century due to ozone depletion… Our study found that movement has stopped since 2000 and might even be reversing. The pause in movement began around the same time that the ozone hole started to recover”, she told The Independent. Also read: As US virus cases exceed 100,000, doctors decry scarcity of drugs and equipment The emissions, which primarily came from CFCs witnessed a sharp decline around the year 2000. “It’s not just ozone that affects the jet stream – CO2 also has an effect. What we are seeing is that there is a ‘tug-of-war’ between ozone recovery, which pulls the jet stream one way (to the North), and rising CO2, which pulls the other way (to the South)”, she added. In conversation with The Independent, she added: “The second most important point of the study, which I would say is a very good finding, is further evidence that the ozone hole is shrinking and that is thanks to the Montreal Protocol. “It shows that this international treaty has worked and we can reverse the damage that we’ve already done to our planet. That’s a lesson to us all that can hopefully be applied to our greenhouse gas emissions to tackle climate change. “If we keep adhering to this protocol then the ozone hole is projected to recover – at different times, in different parts of the atmosphere. In some regions, we think it might happen in the next couple of decades and in others much later in the century.”

The ozone layer is healing!

Nestle SA is launching a reforestation project to plant at least 3 million trees in Mexico and Brazil in the next year and a half as the Swiss food group strives for carbon neutrality by 2050.

Nestle vows to plant 3 million trees in Mexico

Environmental activists performed a flashmob on Saturday (February 29) at Berlin's International Film Festival to demand greater climate protection.

Activists occupy Berlinale red carpet to demand climate action

Pejo 3000 ski resort in Trentino has become Italy's first ski area to ban single-use plastic items.

Ski resort becomes first in Italy to ban plastic

British endurance swimmer and United Nations patron of oceans Lewis Gordon Pugh braved the freezing temperatures of East Antarctica, swimming in its icy rivers, to raise awareness about climate change.

Swimmer raises awareness on climate change in freezing Antarctic waters

Decarbonisation is the name of the game for the next ten years and the world is still not doing enough to fight climate change, international scientists said on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on Monday (January 20).

Decarbonisation is name of the game, climate experts tell Davos leaders

The global public overwhelmingly blames global warming on human activities with trust level declining in climate science, but Indians are the most trusting people in this regard, a new opinion poll showed on Tuesday.

Indians and Bangladeshis have topped the charts when it comes to trust in climate science as also for keeping themselves abreast about news and current affairs, while <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nobody-knows-origins-of-global-climate-change-putin-in-annual-press-conference-269149">Russia </a>and Ukraine are among the laggards on both counts.&nbsp;The new public opinion poll published by the World Economic Forum here at its 50th annual meeting called for better climate education and urgent upskilling.

The global public overwhelmingly blames global warming on human activity, with some regions less trusting of climate science in 2020, according to the survey. The findings reinforce the urgent need for a collective approach from business, government and civil society to advance societal and environmental agendas, the WEF said.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-ranks-ninth-on-climate-change-performance-index-267757">India ranks ninth on Climate Change Performance Index</a>

The survey also found that the majority of people in the world believe schools are under-preparing students for jobs. Outside of the Americas and South Asia, education is still viewed as a privilege for half of the population or less. The WEF said the world urgently needs to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/climate-crisis-to-be-part-of-school-education-in-new-zealand-273868">start implementing policies</a> and strategies that advance societal and environmental agendas,&nbsp;from reskilling the population for the future to ensuring strong education and leadership on climate change from all sectors.

The global public-opinion poll, prepared in collaboration with SAP and Qualtrics, surveyed more than 10,500 people in 30 countries accounting for around 76 per cent of the global population. The findings have been presented in two parts - Toward a More Sustainable World and Toward a More Cohesive World - which forms the theme of this year's annual meeting.

Toward a More Sustainable World survey found that while more than half of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/climate-change-pm-narendra-modi-realises-the-danger-251948">respondents reportedly trust climate science</a>, those in India are the most trusting whereas 86 per cent said they trusted scientists "a great deal" or "a lot". India was followed by Bangladesh (78 per cent) and Pakistan (70 per cent).

China and Turkey (both 69 per cent) complete the top five. By region, almost a fifth of North American adults expressed "little" (12 per cent) or "no" (6 per cent) trust in climate science, compared to South Asia, expressing "little" trust (4 per cent), and "no" trust (2 per cent). Respondents were also asked whether they believed global warming exists and what causes it.

Overall, more than two-thirds of people agreed that it is caused mostly by human activity. In Latin America and the Caribbean (78 per cent) agreed.

"We look forward to the Annual Meeting 2020 being a breakthrough moment for climate change. Our participants committing to help tackle this urgent issue is in line with the stakeholder imperative of the 2020 Davos Manifesto and the theme of the 50th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting: Stakeholders for a Cohesive and Sustainable World," said Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum.

Toward a More Cohesive World found that outside of the Americas and South Asia, majorities believe a "good education" is the privilege of half of the population or less. Respondents also believe local schools are underperforming in terms of training students for the future workforce.

A key focus for the World Economic Forum's 50th Annual Meeting this week will be driving change to reskill and upskill the global population for future jobs, it said.

Forum research has found education systems have "become increasingly disconnected from the realities and needs of global economies and societies, with a need to adapt to provide future generations with the right skills. Only together can government, business, the scientific community, and NGOs can solve the world's most pressing challenges, and only if they put a relentless focus on what to achieve and how to achieve it," said SAP co-chief executive officers, Jennifer Morgan and Christian Klein.

"It's the people of this world who can help bring this focus to the areas of greatest urgency. Giving them a voice and acting on their feedback is an important duty of every leader from every corner of the globe," Klein said.

A specific platform focused on upskilling and reskilling will be launched at this week's Annual Meeting. The initiative will create a more cohesive world by providing 1 billion people with new, more relevant skills for accessing decent jobs within the next 10 years.

The global public overwhelmingly blames global warming on human activities with trust level declining in climate science, but Indians are the most trusting people in this regard, a new opinion poll showed on Tuesday.

The global public overwhelmingly blames global warming on human activities with trust level declining in climate science, but Indians are the most trusting people in this regard, a new opinion poll showed on Tuesday. Indians and Bangladeshis have topped the charts when it comes to trust in climate science as also for keeping themselves abreast about news and current affairs, while Russia and Ukraine are among the laggards on both counts. The new public opinion poll published by the World Economic Forum here at its 50th annual meeting called for better climate education and urgent upskilling. The global public overwhelmingly blames global warming on human activity, with some regions less trusting of climate science in 2020, according to the survey. The findings reinforce the urgent need for a collective approach from business, government and civil society to advance societal and environmental agendas, the WEF said. Also Read: India ranks ninth on Climate Change Performance Index The survey also found that the majority of people in the world believe schools are under-preparing students for jobs. Outside of the Americas and South Asia, education is still viewed as a privilege for half of the population or less. The WEF said the world urgently needs to start implementing policies and strategies that advance societal and environmental agendas, from reskilling the population for the future to ensuring strong education and leadership on climate change from all sectors. The global public-opinion poll, prepared in collaboration with SAP and Qualtrics, surveyed more than 10,500 people in 30 countries accounting for around 76 per cent of the global population. The findings have been presented in two parts - Toward a More Sustainable World and Toward a More Cohesive World - which forms the theme of this year's annual meeting. Toward a More Sustainable World survey found that while more than half of respondents reportedly trust climate science, those in India are the most trusting whereas 86 per cent said they trusted scientists "a great deal" or "a lot". India was followed by Bangladesh (78 per cent) and Pakistan (70 per cent). China and Turkey (both 69 per cent) complete the top five. By region, almost a fifth of North American adults expressed "little" (12 per cent) or "no" (6 per cent) trust in climate science, compared to South Asia, expressing "little" trust (4 per cent), and "no" trust (2 per cent). Respondents were also asked whether they believed global warming exists and what causes it. Overall, more than two-thirds of people agreed that it is caused mostly by human activity. In Latin America and the Caribbean (78 per cent) agreed. "We look forward to the Annual Meeting 2020 being a breakthrough moment for climate change. Our participants committing to help tackle this urgent issue is in line with the stakeholder imperative of the 2020 Davos Manifesto and the theme of the 50th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting: Stakeholders for a Cohesive and Sustainable World," said Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum. Toward a More Cohesive World found that outside of the Americas and South Asia, majorities believe a "good education" is the privilege of half of the population or less. Respondents also believe local schools are underperforming in terms of training students for the future workforce. A key focus for the World Economic Forum's 50th Annual Meeting this week will be driving change to reskill and upskill the global population for future jobs, it said. Forum research has found education systems have "become increasingly disconnected from the realities and needs of global economies and societies, with a need to adapt to provide future generations with the right skills. Only together can government, business, the scientific community, and NGOs can solve the world's most pressing challenges, and only if they put a relentless focus on what to achieve and how to achieve it," said SAP co-chief executive officers, Jennifer Morgan and Christian Klein. "It's the people of this world who can help bring this focus to the areas of greatest urgency. Giving them a voice and acting on their feedback is an important duty of every leader from every corner of the globe," Klein said. A specific platform focused on upskilling and reskilling will be launched at this week's Annual Meeting. The initiative will create a more cohesive world by providing 1 billion people with new, more relevant skills for accessing decent jobs within the next 10 years.

World losing trust in climate science, Indians most-trusting: World Economic Forum survey

Thailand began the year on Wednesday (January 1) with a ban on single-use plastic bags at major stores, continuing a campaign launched by the government and retailers towards a complete ban in 2021 to reduce waste and debris in the sea.

Thai supermarkets join effort to reduce plastic waste

Oodnadatta, a South <a href="https://www.wionews.com/australia-and-new-zealand">Australian</a> town of about 200 people on an old Aboriginal trading route, is forecast to record peak temperatures of 47 Celsius (116.6 Fahrenheit) on Wednesday, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), making it one of the hottest places on Earth.

"It's just another very hot day," said resident Hayley Nunn, who is the manager of the town's distinct pink roadhouse where tourists stop on their way to and from the Simpson Desert.

"People say to me they love summer. If you love summer, come out and experience this because you will not love it," Nunn said in a phone interview.

Nunn said Oodnadatta falls into a rhythm in the summer with people doing jobs early in the morning and late in the afternoon while sheltering from the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/australian-towns-among-hottest-spots-on-earth-with-temperatures-nearing-50-degrees-celsius-191051">heat</a> in the middle of the day.

"I grew up here, I'm used to the heat. You cope but it's not fun."

The unrelenting heat in Oodnadatta, forecast to repeat every day for at least the next week, is expected to fall just shy of the 50.7C (123.26F) temperature recorded there in 1960, a long-standing national record.

But other <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australian-towns-among-hottest-spots-on-earth-with-temperatures-nearing-50-degrees-celsius-190992">heat records</a> are tumbling in the first month of the Southern Hemisphere summer.

Australia recorded its warmest day on record on Tuesday, according to BOM's preliminary results, with an average maximum temperature across the country of 40.9C (105.62F), just above the previous record set in January 2013.

But the mark could be exceeded again on Wednesday and possibly on Thursday and Friday, according to BOM data.

The hot weather is stretching across the continent and fuelling fires that have been ravaging Australia's east for weeks, since late in the southern spring.

Fire authorities in the state of New South Wales (NSW) said on Wednesday there were 100 fires, half of them not contained.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/smoke-haze-settles-over-australian-capital-as-bushfires-burn-266894">Fires</a> have killed six people, destroyed more than 680 homes and burnt nearly 3 million acres (1.2 million hectares) of bushland.

&nbsp;

BATTLE ON TWO FRONTS

Australia is being hit with two separate climate-driving events off its western and southern coasts - a positive Indian Ocean Dipole and negative Southern Annulare Mode - that are reducing rainfall and increasing temperatures.

"They have combined together to create this situation of a particularly nasty heatwave event," said BOM meteorologist Sarah Scully.

The extreme conditions have been exacerbated by a warming climate, which is triggering large-scale protests in a country that is committed to exploiting its vast coal reserves.

The combination of thick smoke settling over populated areas and intense heat has triggered numerous health warnings, especially for the young and the old, and those with respiratory conditions.

"People should take those conditions seriously and do what they can to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sydneysiders-urged-to-stay-indoors-as-australian-bushfire-smoke-blankets-city-263900">keep out of the heat</a> as much as possible," said Richard Broome, the director of environmental health in New South Wales state.

In Oodnadatta, where the temperature is only expected to drop to around 30C (86F) overnight, residents are warning travellers to take plenty of water on their car trips in case they break down on isolated roads.

"Between most towns, it's 200 kilometres (124 miles)," said Nunn.

Oodnadatta, a South Australian town of about 200 people on an old Aboriginal trading route, is forecast to record peak temperatures of 47 Celsius (116.6 Fahrenheit) on Wednesday, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), making it one of the hottest places on Earth.

Oodnadatta, a South Australian town of about 200 people on an old Aboriginal trading route, is forecast to record peak temperatures of 47 Celsius (116.6 Fahrenheit) on Wednesday, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), making it one of the hottest places on Earth. "It's just another very hot day," said resident Hayley Nunn, who is the manager of the town's distinct pink roadhouse where tourists stop on their way to and from the Simpson Desert. "People say to me they love summer. If you love summer, come out and experience this because you will not love it," Nunn said in a phone interview. Nunn said Oodnadatta falls into a rhythm in the summer with people doing jobs early in the morning and late in the afternoon while sheltering from the heat in the middle of the day. "I grew up here, I'm used to the heat. You cope but it's not fun." The unrelenting heat in Oodnadatta, forecast to repeat every day for at least the next week, is expected to fall just shy of the 50.7C (123.26F) temperature recorded there in 1960, a long-standing national record. But other heat records are tumbling in the first month of the Southern Hemisphere summer. Australia recorded its warmest day on record on Tuesday, according to BOM's preliminary results, with an average maximum temperature across the country of 40.9C (105.62F), just above the previous record set in January 2013. But the mark could be exceeded again on Wednesday and possibly on Thursday and Friday, according to BOM data. The hot weather is stretching across the continent and fuelling fires that have been ravaging Australia's east for weeks, since late in the southern spring. Fire authorities in the state of New South Wales (NSW) said on Wednesday there were 100 fires, half of them not contained. Fires have killed six people, destroyed more than 680 homes and burnt nearly 3 million acres (1.2 million hectares) of bushland. BATTLE ON TWO FRONTS Australia is being hit with two separate climate-driving events off its western and southern coasts - a positive Indian Ocean Dipole and negative Southern Annulare Mode - that are reducing rainfall and increasing temperatures. "They have combined together to create this situation of a particularly nasty heatwave event," said BOM meteorologist Sarah Scully. The extreme conditions have been exacerbated by a warming climate, which is triggering large-scale protests in a country that is committed to exploiting its vast coal reserves. The combination of thick smoke settling over populated areas and intense heat has triggered numerous health warnings, especially for the young and the old, and those with respiratory conditions. "People should take those conditions seriously and do what they can to keep out of the heat as much as possible," said Richard Broome, the director of environmental health in New South Wales state. In Oodnadatta, where the temperature is only expected to drop to around 30C (86F) overnight, residents are warning travellers to take plenty of water on their car trips in case they break down on isolated roads. "Between most towns, it's 200 kilometres (124 miles)," said Nunn.

Australian Outback records another 'very hot day' in Oodnadatta

NGO delegates at the UN's COP25 conference expressed anger on Sunday (December 15) at the lack of progress by participating world governments to act on climate change.

"Our lives...future generations are in your hands and you are failing us," says NGO at COP25

Climate change is biggest challenge for 21st century, India jumps to rank 9 from 11. Watch this video to know more. #ClimateChange #ClimateIndex

Climate change is biggest challenge for 21st century, India jumps to rank 9 from 11

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