<a href="https://www.wionews.com/bangladesh">Bangladesh</a>'s high court ordered the government Monday to introduce steps by next year broadly banning single-use plastics following a landmark case brought by environmental groups.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-comes-up-with-anger-management-park-to-cope-with-pollution-stress-31071">Pollution</a> from single-use plastics is a major problem in Bangladesh, where nearly 170 million <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/around-445-trespassers-trying-to-return-to-bangladesh-detained-in-last-two-months-bgb-dg-271787">people</a> live in a tiny sliver of low-lying land crisscrossed by hundreds of rivers and tributaries.

Waterways are frequently clogged by plastic garbage, leading to frequent flooding during the monsoon and causing widespread damage to the sensitive coastal mangroves.

"The high court has directed the government to prohibit the use of single-use plastic items in hotels, motels and restaurants throughout Bangladesh within a year," said Rizwana Hasan, a top <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/cold-snap-kills-50-in-bangladesh-270847">environmental</a> lawyer who moved the public interest litigation through the court.

"The government has also been directed to make all coastal areas free of polythene bags and single-use plastic items within the same period," Hasan told sources.

The court also ordered the government to fully implement a landmark 2002 order to ban the use of polythene bags.

Two decades ago Bangladesh became one of the first countries to ban polythene bags, but the order was never enforced - owing partly to lobbying by plastic bag manufacturers.

Still, Hasan called Monday's ruling an "important" step.

Bangladesh's high court ordered the government Monday to introduce steps by next year broadly banning single-use plastics following a landmark case brought by environmental groups.

Bangladesh's high court ordered the government Monday to introduce steps by next year broadly banning single-use plastics following a landmark case brought by environmental groups. Pollution from single-use plastics is a major problem in Bangladesh, where nearly 170 million people live in a tiny sliver of low-lying land crisscrossed by hundreds of rivers and tributaries. Waterways are frequently clogged by plastic garbage, leading to frequent flooding during the monsoon and causing widespread damage to the sensitive coastal mangroves. "The high court has directed the government to prohibit the use of single-use plastic items in hotels, motels and restaurants throughout Bangladesh within a year," said Rizwana Hasan, a top environmental lawyer who moved the public interest litigation through the court. "The government has also been directed to make all coastal areas free of polythene bags and single-use plastic items within the same period," Hasan told sources. The court also ordered the government to fully implement a landmark 2002 order to ban the use of polythene bags. Two decades ago Bangladesh became one of the first countries to ban polythene bags, but the order was never enforced - owing partly to lobbying by plastic bag manufacturers. Still, Hasan called Monday's ruling an "important" step.

Bangladesh court orders government to ban single-use plastics

The community of Eden braced for the worst as fires raged towards their borders on New Year's Eve, and whilst the town itself remains intact, residents will be feeling the effects of the flames for a while to come.

'Don't know what we're going to do': Australians in town ravaged by bushfire

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

Santa Claus village on the Arctic Circle is about as close to a real-life Christmas card scene as it's possible to get.

In search of an authentic Christmas experience record numbers of holidaymakers are now visiting Finland's northern Lapland region in winter creating headwinds for the environment.

Finland tourism boom faces backlash as the environmental implications in the vulnerable Arctic region impacts indigenous Sami people.

New tourism records in Lapland are set every passing winter break, Lapland tourism is now catching on in lucrative new markets.

Managing Director of Visit Rovaniemi, Sanna Karkkainen, said that different travellers groups have big differences in what activities they indulge in.

"We see big differences in what activities the different customer groups like to do here. Dog-sledding and longer hikes are popular with French visitors, for example, British travellers are especially interested in snowmobiles, and the Asian tourists are most keen on seeing the Northern Lights," said Karkkainen.

'Mass tourism' is a growing concern for residents, as European visitors stayed for an all-time high of 3 million nights in 2018.

Heavy emissions are the cost of flying to the arctic. Scientists have announced that the Arctic is heating up twice as fast as the global average.

Santa Claus village on the Arctic Circle is about as close to a real-life Christmas card scene as it's possible to get. In search of an authentic Christmas experience record numbers of holidaymakers are now visiting Finland's northern Lapland region in winter creating headwinds for the environment.

Santa Claus village on the Arctic Circle is about as close to a real-life Christmas card scene as it's possible to get. In search of an authentic Christmas experience record numbers of holidaymakers are now visiting Finland's northern Lapland region in winter creating headwinds for the environment. Finland tourism boom faces backlash as the environmental implications in the vulnerable Arctic region impacts indigenous Sami people. New tourism records in Lapland are set every passing winter break, Lapland tourism is now catching on in lucrative new markets. Managing Director of Visit Rovaniemi, Sanna Karkkainen, said that different travellers groups have big differences in what activities they indulge in. "We see big differences in what activities the different customer groups like to do here. Dog-sledding and longer hikes are popular with French visitors, for example, British travellers are especially interested in snowmobiles, and the Asian tourists are most keen on seeing the Northern Lights," said Karkkainen. 'Mass tourism' is a growing concern for residents, as European visitors stayed for an all-time high of 3 million nights in 2018. Heavy emissions are the cost of flying to the arctic. Scientists have announced that the Arctic is heating up twice as fast as the global average.

Finland's Christmas tourism boom creates headwinds for environment

Australia's most populous state declared its second state of emergency in two months on Thursday (December 19) as extreme heat and strong winds fanned scores of uncontrolled bushfires with aerial vision showing at least three properties on fire in south west Sydney.

Properties destroyed, as state of emergency declared for New South Wales

French envoy Emmanuel Lenain has laided India French ties and have said both countries are all-weather partnership. Speaking to our diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, Lenain said, more pressure should be put on Pakistan so that it full fills its commitments.

PAKISTAN NEEDS TO FULL FILL ITS FATF COMMITMENT: FRENCH ENVOY

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

Swedish activist Greta Thunberg attended the UN Global Climate Conference in Madrid. She said "we no longer have time to leave out the science," She accused the world leader of “clever accounting and creative PR” to avoid action on the climate crisis.

Your Story: Thunberg at Global Climate Conference

For controlling air pollution on the National Highways, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/sterlite-case-national-green-tribunal-allows-access-to-administrative-unit-158077">National Green Tribunal</a> (NGT) has directed Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to make an effective monitoring mechanism for ensuring the maintenance of green belts on both sides of all the highways.

The green tribunal order came after taking note of the steps taken for the maintenance of green belts on both sides of the highways and for removing encroachments were not adequate in absence of an effective institutional mechanism to monitor compliance of such norms.

"Accordingly we direct the Secretary MoEF&amp;CC in collaboration with Secretary Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) to evolve an effective monitoring mechanism at national level with the object of ensuring maintenance of green belts on both sides of all Highways up to specified distance, there is no construction up to specified distance, there is no direct access to the Highway, there is no encroachment and buildings on roadsides are regulated in terms of environmental norms so that no air/water pollution or encroachment of Highway is caused," the NGT said in its order.

The tribunal directed the MoEF&amp;CC to collect the requisite data in respect of National Highways from NHAI and in respect of State Highways from respective States and UTs and said that data may be compiled by the Chief Secretaries of States/UTs in coordination with their respective Environment, Forests, and Public Works Departments.

The data should contain details of extent of encroachment and action plan for its removal, provisions for leaving space up to a particular distance from the road for expansion and for plantation, extent of access directly allowed from Highway to buildings and ensuring that there is no direct access to the road obstructing existing or potential plantation and buildings near roads up to a specified distance are regulated to ensure that no air, water or other pollution is caused and no encroachment takes place or space on roads on account of activities of such buildings.

The NGT said that the monitoring mechanism may deal with the issue in following parts&nbsp;future policy with regard to Highways to be constructed henceforth; policy with regard to Highways already constructed or in progress where space is available; policy with regard to highways where constructions have already been made with regard to division in nature of construction and legality thereof.

The MoEF&amp;CC was directed to file an affidavit within two months. The NGT has asked NHAI to file affidavit about the extent of encroachment on National Highway, action plan for removal of such encroachment, extent of plantations, extent of access directly allowed from highways to buildings, requirement of distance from highways for construction and indicating the status of preparation and execution of action plans by individual teams to ensure green work development and status of removal of encroachment by Task Force constructed by NHIDCL.

The green tribunal was hearing a plea filed by Society for Protection of Culture, Heritage, Environment, Traditions, and Promotion of National Awareness alleging that continuous movement of vehicles caused dust pollution and an increase of PM2.5 and PM10 and consequential health hazards. The applicant also alleged that a large number of structures were built on the sides of highways having direct illegal access to NH8, destroying the space for mandatory green cover.

For controlling air pollution on the National Highways, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to make an effective monitoring mechanism for ensuring the maintenance of green belts on both sides of all the highways.

For controlling air pollution on the National Highways, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to make an effective monitoring mechanism for ensuring the maintenance of green belts on both sides of all the highways. The green tribunal order came after taking note of the steps taken for the maintenance of green belts on both sides of the highways and for removing encroachments were not adequate in absence of an effective institutional mechanism to monitor compliance of such norms. "Accordingly we direct the Secretary MoEF&CC in collaboration with Secretary Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) to evolve an effective monitoring mechanism at national level with the object of ensuring maintenance of green belts on both sides of all Highways up to specified distance, there is no construction up to specified distance, there is no direct access to the Highway, there is no encroachment and buildings on roadsides are regulated in terms of environmental norms so that no air/water pollution or encroachment of Highway is caused," the NGT said in its order. The tribunal directed the MoEF&CC to collect the requisite data in respect of National Highways from NHAI and in respect of State Highways from respective States and UTs and said that data may be compiled by the Chief Secretaries of States/UTs in coordination with their respective Environment, Forests, and Public Works Departments. The data should contain details of extent of encroachment and action plan for its removal, provisions for leaving space up to a particular distance from the road for expansion and for plantation, extent of access directly allowed from Highway to buildings and ensuring that there is no direct access to the road obstructing existing or potential plantation and buildings near roads up to a specified distance are regulated to ensure that no air, water or other pollution is caused and no encroachment takes place or space on roads on account of activities of such buildings. The NGT said that the monitoring mechanism may deal with the issue in following parts future policy with regard to Highways to be constructed henceforth; policy with regard to Highways already constructed or in progress where space is available; policy with regard to highways where constructions have already been made with regard to division in nature of construction and legality thereof. The MoEF&CC was directed to file an affidavit within two months. The NGT has asked NHAI to file affidavit about the extent of encroachment on National Highway, action plan for removal of such encroachment, extent of plantations, extent of access directly allowed from highways to buildings, requirement of distance from highways for construction and indicating the status of preparation and execution of action plans by individual teams to ensure green work development and status of removal of encroachment by Task Force constructed by NHIDCL. The green tribunal was hearing a plea filed by Society for Protection of Culture, Heritage, Environment, Traditions, and Promotion of National Awareness alleging that continuous movement of vehicles caused dust pollution and an increase of PM2.5 and PM10 and consequential health hazards. The applicant also alleged that a large number of structures were built on the sides of highways having direct illegal access to NH8, destroying the space for mandatory green cover.

NGT directs Environment Ministry for maintenance of green belts on National Highways

Extinction Rebellion climate demonstrators glued themselves to the glass store front of a Zara clothes shop on Wednesday (December 4) in central Madrid, host city of the United Nations COP25 summit, to protest against greenwashing and carbon emissions in the textile industry.

Climate protesters glue themselves to Zara store front to demonstrate against "greenwashing"

"Fundamental solutions" are needed in the coming decade to avert uncontrolled climate change that could cause extreme heat waves in Europe, according to a report released on Wednesday (December 3) by the European Union Environmental Agency (EEA).

Without urgent action, yearly extreme heat waves await Europeans, EU agency says

Parties involved in climate negotiations in Madrid are hoping to resolve outstanding issues related to carbon emissions by the end of the two-week United Nations conference, known as COP25.

COP25 talks aim to finalize outstanding rulebook

UN Chief said that'' We've sleepwalked past point of no return." Climate submits to run until December 3.

UN Chief issues warning on climate apocalypse

Refugee crisis is one of the most dangerous problems in today's world and climate change is a major cause for displacement of people.&nbsp;

Refugees are political hot potatoes and their stories are unfortunate. Imagine their plight and the kind of extremes they go to, at the risk of life.&nbsp;

According to the United Nations (UN), there are 13.5 million Syrian refugees in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and other countries. Turkey wants to send them back to Syria, Erdogan threatens to send them to Europe.

Human weapons - that's what these displaced people have become. In India, we're debating the NRC (National Register of Citizens) and the fears over a refugee crisis.

We could go on, but here's the thing - refugees are already a massive problem and add to it, climate refugees.

What can and should we do about this? On WION Edit, that's what we discuss. Because prevention is always better than cure and the time to prevent climate change is fast running out.

According to the Institute for Economics and Peace, natural disasters have left 18 million people homeless in 2017. This is more than 60 per cent of global displacements.

Furthermore, more than a billion people live in areas with 'very high' or 'high' climate change exposure. Eight conflict-ridden countries have 10 per cent people exposed to high climate change.

In a few years, most of them could become refugees and the magnitude is just a part of the problem. Climate change is a risk multiplier. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Natural disasters can trigger wars, conflicts and unrest. Peace and climate action are not standalone entities, they are related to each other directly.

So, it's not just the economic cost, the social cost of climate change can change the world as we know it and for the worse. Resource crunch is not a simple issue. Species have become extinct due to resource crunch and human beings, all said and done, are just another species.

So how do we prevent it? The answer lies in the question - who is trying to prevent it? 
&nbsp; 
Yes, several countries including India have taken steps, but these are baby steps, at best. Is climate change is a serious political issue anywhere in the world?

The political class is intent on continuing with the status quo and activists are scared about the future of humanity. Sadly, there has been no co-ordinated attempt to tackle climate change across the world. Yes, the wealthy, industrialised countries produce the bulk of carbon emissions.

And the developing and under-developed countries are paying the price, but when people ask questions - the leaders point fingers at each other.

Climate change has to become the number 1 election issue. Why? Because we are not equipped to handle the consequences of climate change.

India particularly needs to act faster than others. In five years, India is projected to become the world's most populated country.

If we face a refugee crisis, the society and economy will face huge risks. India has pledged to reduce carbon emissions by 35 per cent by 2030, but are the environmental laws strong enough?

Are politicians making tangible promises matched by data to address the issue? This is an urgent crisis and the faster way to get governments to act is this&nbsp; - vote on the basis of climate action.

(Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world) 
&nbsp;

Refugee crisis is one of the most dangerous problems in today's world and climate change is a major cause for displacement of people. Refugees are political hot potatoes and their stories are unfortunate.

Refugee crisis is one of the most dangerous problems in today's world and climate change is a major cause for displacement of people. Refugees are political hot potatoes and their stories are unfortunate. Imagine their plight and the kind of extremes they go to, at the risk of life. According to the United Nations (UN), there are 13.5 million Syrian refugees in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and other countries. Turkey wants to send them back to Syria, Erdogan threatens to send them to Europe. Human weapons - that's what these displaced people have become. In India, we're debating the NRC (National Register of Citizens) and the fears over a refugee crisis. We could go on, but here's the thing - refugees are already a massive problem and add to it, climate refugees. What can and should we do about this? On WION Edit, that's what we discuss. Because prevention is always better than cure and the time to prevent climate change is fast running out. According to the Institute for Economics and Peace, natural disasters have left 18 million people homeless in 2017. This is more than 60 per cent of global displacements. Furthermore, more than a billion people live in areas with 'very high' or 'high' climate change exposure. Eight conflict-ridden countries have 10 per cent people exposed to high climate change. In a few years, most of them could become refugees and the magnitude is just a part of the problem. Climate change is a risk multiplier. Natural disasters can trigger wars, conflicts and unrest. Peace and climate action are not standalone entities, they are related to each other directly. So, it's not just the economic cost, the social cost of climate change can change the world as we know it and for the worse. Resource crunch is not a simple issue. Species have become extinct due to resource crunch and human beings, all said and done, are just another species. So how do we prevent it? The answer lies in the question - who is trying to prevent it? Yes, several countries including India have taken steps, but these are baby steps, at best. Is climate change is a serious political issue anywhere in the world? The political class is intent on continuing with the status quo and activists are scared about the future of humanity. Sadly, there has been no co-ordinated attempt to tackle climate change across the world. Yes, the wealthy, industrialised countries produce the bulk of carbon emissions. And the developing and under-developed countries are paying the price, but when people ask questions - the leaders point fingers at each other. Climate change has to become the number 1 election issue. Why? Because we are not equipped to handle the consequences of climate change. India particularly needs to act faster than others. In five years, India is projected to become the world's most populated country. If we face a refugee crisis, the society and economy will face huge risks. India has pledged to reduce carbon emissions by 35 per cent by 2030, but are the environmental laws strong enough? Are politicians making tangible promises matched by data to address the issue? This is an urgent crisis and the faster way to get governments to act is this - vote on the basis of climate action. (Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world)

WION Edit: Need to make climate action an election issue

On September 23, the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit was held in New York City to bring about action to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. Three days before the Summit, on September 20, about 4 million people participated in climate strikes worldwide to advocate for increased climate action [1]. The strikes continued till September 27, happening in 4,500 locations across 150 countries [2].&nbsp;

In India, there were 26 events across the country, with more than 14,000 people signing up [3]. The results of the Summit were mostly positive as important commitments were made in many areas. Still, there is much work to be done, especially from the major economies. India did not pledge to reduce its use of coal, while the US did not even speak at the conference.&nbsp;

The conversation on climate change and climate action is complicated. India is forecast to become the fifth-largest economy in the world by the end of 2019 [4]. It is the fastest-growing trillion-dollar economy, with a strong emphasis on manufacturing and services. India also has the second-highest population in the world after China. Its GDP per capita is therefore much lower, only $1,982 [5]. Is it fair for developed countries (who have historically caused the most greenhouse gas emissions) to ask developing countries to cut down their emissions? Even so, how do developing countries commit to climate action without compromising their own development?&nbsp;

This brings us to development and conservation.&nbsp;

These two terms are often assumed to be in conflict with one another, as development, especially economic development, often relates to the process of modernization or industrialisation. To achieve a sustainable future, however, we need both thriving human communities and healthy natural ecosystems. It is important to realise that economic and environmental goals are not mutually exclusive, that we can and need both to survive and thrive. It is through this understanding that we have seen a rise in conservation and sustainable development.&nbsp;

The UN Sustainable Development Goals were developed in 2015 with targets to be met in 2030. Out of the 17 goals, three directly relate to the status of our natural environment: Climate Action, Life Below Water, and Life on Land. These are not isolated challenges; each of the UN Sustainable Development Goals build on one another. About 35 per cent of India’s population lives within 100 km of the coastline, making them especially vulnerable to sea-level rise from climate change. India also accounts for 7-8 per cent of the recorded species of the world, with only 2.4 per cent of the world’s land area, making it critical to conserve natural habitats and protect India’s biodiversity [6].&nbsp;

To meet these targets set by the UN Sustainable Development Goals, there has been a rise in Clean Development Mechanism projects in India, along with the development of State Action Plans on Climate Change, a National Clean Energy Fund, and the National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change [7]. Additionally, India has made progress to the specific goal Life Below Water, as recorded in their 2017 Voluntary National Review Report on Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals [8].&nbsp;

Environmental conservation in India has been around since the 20th century. The most well-known legislation is the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, providing for the protection of wild animals, birds, and plants (amended later multiple times) [9]. There is also the Forest (Conservation) Act of 1980, with amendments made in 1988, the 1986 Environmental Protection Act (EPA) [10], and the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, made to meet the obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) [11].&nbsp;

As I am placed as an AIF Clinton Fellow with the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust (MCBT) this year, I hope to delve deep into the conversation on conservation, climate action, and sustainable development in India. How effective is environmental regulation and policy? What do people think of conservation? What about climate change? What are the most effective steps to climate action in India? How do local environmental organisations fit into all of this? Where is sustainable development headed in the future? I hope to explore all of these questions and more while I am here in India. &nbsp;

(A previous version of<a href="https://aif.org/on-conservation-and-climate-part-1/"> this article</a> was originally published by the American India Foundation)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) &nbsp;

On September 23, the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit was held in New York City to bring about action to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. Three days before the Summit, on September 20, about 4 million people participated in climate strikes worldwide to advocate for increased climate action [1].

On September 23, the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit was held in New York City to bring about action to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. Three days before the Summit, on September 20, about 4 million people participated in climate strikes worldwide to advocate for increased climate action [1]. The strikes continued till September 27, happening in 4,500 locations across 150 countries [2]. In India, there were 26 events across the country, with more than 14,000 people signing up [3]. The results of the Summit were mostly positive as important commitments were made in many areas. Still, there is much work to be done, especially from the major economies. India did not pledge to reduce its use of coal, while the US did not even speak at the conference. The conversation on climate change and climate action is complicated. India is forecast to become the fifth-largest economy in the world by the end of 2019 [4]. It is the fastest-growing trillion-dollar economy, with a strong emphasis on manufacturing and services. India also has the second-highest population in the world after China. Its GDP per capita is therefore much lower, only $1,982 [5]. Is it fair for developed countries (who have historically caused the most greenhouse gas emissions) to ask developing countries to cut down their emissions? Even so, how do developing countries commit to climate action without compromising their own development? This brings us to development and conservation. These two terms are often assumed to be in conflict with one another, as development, especially economic development, often relates to the process of modernization or industrialisation. To achieve a sustainable future, however, we need both thriving human communities and healthy natural ecosystems. It is important to realise that economic and environmental goals are not mutually exclusive, that we can and need both to survive and thrive. It is through this understanding that we have seen a rise in conservation and sustainable development. The UN Sustainable Development Goals were developed in 2015 with targets to be met in 2030. Out of the 17 goals, three directly relate to the status of our natural environment: Climate Action, Life Below Water, and Life on Land. These are not isolated challenges; each of the UN Sustainable Development Goals build on one another. About 35 per cent of India’s population lives within 100 km of the coastline, making them especially vulnerable to sea-level rise from climate change. India also accounts for 7-8 per cent of the recorded species of the world, with only 2.4 per cent of the world’s land area, making it critical to conserve natural habitats and protect India’s biodiversity [6]. To meet these targets set by the UN Sustainable Development Goals, there has been a rise in Clean Development Mechanism projects in India, along with the development of State Action Plans on Climate Change, a National Clean Energy Fund, and the National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change [7]. Additionally, India has made progress to the specific goal Life Below Water, as recorded in their 2017 Voluntary National Review Report on Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals [8]. Environmental conservation in India has been around since the 20th century. The most well-known legislation is the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, providing for the protection of wild animals, birds, and plants (amended later multiple times) [9]. There is also the Forest (Conservation) Act of 1980, with amendments made in 1988, the 1986 Environmental Protection Act (EPA) [10], and the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, made to meet the obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) [11]. As I am placed as an AIF Clinton Fellow with the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust (MCBT) this year, I hope to delve deep into the conversation on conservation, climate action, and sustainable development in India. How effective is environmental regulation and policy? What do people think of conservation? What about climate change? What are the most effective steps to climate action in India? How do local environmental organisations fit into all of this? Where is sustainable development headed in the future? I hope to explore all of these questions and more while I am here in India. (A previous version of this article was originally published by the American India Foundation) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Climate change hits India: Much work needs to be done

Australia will offer farmers hurt by drought up to A$1 billion ($688.10 million) in cheap loans, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Thursday (November 7), as the government seeks to curb rising discontent from rural voters.

Australia offers drought ravaged farmers up to $688 million in cheap loans

By Gabriel Recchia and Haydn Belfield

There’s little that the left and the right agree on these days. But surely one thing is beyond question: that national governments must protect citizens from the gravest threats and risks they face. Although our government, wherever we are in the world, may not be able to save everyone from a pandemic or protect people and infrastructure from a devastating cyberattack, surely they have thought through these risks in advance and have well-funded, adequately practiced plans?

Unfortunately, the answer to this question is an emphatic no.

Not all policy areas are subject to this challenge. National defence establishments, for example, often have the frameworks and processes that facilitate policy decisions for extreme risks. But more often than not, and on more issues than not, governments fail to imagine how worst-case scenarios can come about – much less plan for them. Governments have never been able to divert significant attention from the here and happening to the future and uncertain.

A recent report published by Cambridge University’s Centre for the Study of Existential Risk argues that this needs to change. If even only one catastrophic risk manifests – whether through nature, accident or intention – it would harm human security, prosperity and potential on a scale never before seen in human history. There are concrete steps governments can take to address this, but they are currently being neglected.

The risks that we face today are many and varied. They include:

1. Tipping points in the environmental system due to climate change or mass biodiversity loss. 
2. Malicious, or accidentally harmful, use of artificial intelligence. 
3. Malicious use of, or unintended consequences from, advanced biotechnologies. 
4. A natural or engineered global pandemic. 
5. Intentional, miscalculated, or accidental use of nuclear weapons.

Each of these global catastrophic risks could cause unprecedented harm. A pandemic, for example, could speed around our hyper-connected world, threatening hundreds of millions – potentially billions – of people. In this globalised world of just-in-time delivery and global supply chains, we are more vulnerable to disruption than ever before. And the secondary effects of instability, mass migration and unrest may be comparably destructive. If any of these events occurred, we would pass on a diminished, fearful and wounded world to our descendants.

So how did we come to be so woefully unprepared, and what, if anything, can our governments do to make us safer?

A modern problem 
 
Dealing with catastrophic risks on a global scale is a particularly modern problem. The risks themselves are a result of modern trends in population, information, politics, warfare, technology, climate and environmental damage.

These risks are a problem for governments that are set up around traditional threats. Defence forces were built to protect from external menaces, mostly foreign invading forces. Domestic security agencies became increasingly significant in the 20th century, as threats to sovereignty and security – such as organised crime, domestic terrorism, extreme political ideologies and sophisticated espionage – increasingly came from inside national borders.

Unfortunately, these traditional threats are no longer the greatest concern today. Risks arising from the domains of technology, environment, biology and warfare don’t fall neatly into government’s view of the world. Instead, they are varied, global, complex and catastrophic.

As a result, these risks are currently not a priority for governments. Individually, they are quite unlikely. And such low-probability high-impact events are difficult to mobilise a response to. In addition, their unprecedented nature means we haven’t yet been taught a sharp lesson in the need to prepare for them. Many of the risks could take decades to arise, which conflicts with typical political time scales.

Governments, and the bureaucracies that support them, are not positioned to handle what’s coming. They don’t have the right incentives or skill sets to manage extreme risks, at least beyond natural disasters and military attacks. They are often stuck on old problems, and struggle to be agile to what’s new or emerging. Risk management as a practice is not a government’s strength. And technical expertise, especially on these challenging problem sets, tends to reside outside government.

Perhaps most troubling is the fact that any attempt to tackle these risks is not nationally confined: it would benefit everyone in the world – and indeed future generations. When the benefits are dispersed and the costs immediate, it is tempting to coast and hope others will pick up the slack.

Time to act 
 
Despite these daunting challenges, governments have the capability and responsibility to increase national readiness for extreme events.

The first step is for governments to improve their own understanding of the risks. Developing a better understanding of extreme risks is not as simple as conducting better analysis or more research. It requires a whole-of-government framework with explicit strategies for understanding the types of risks we face, as well as their causes, impacts, probabilities and time scales.

With this plan, governments can chart more secure and prosperous futures for their citizens, even if the most catastrophic possibilities never come to pass.

Governments around the world are already working towards improving their understanding of risk. For example, the United Kingdom is a world leader in applying an all-hazard national risk assessment process. This assessment ensures governments understand all the hazards – natural disasters, pandemics, cyber attacks, space weather, infrastructure collapse – that their country faces. It helps local first responders to prepare for the most damaging scenarios.

Finland’s Committee for the Future, meanwhile, is an example of a parliamentary select committee that injects a dose of much-needed long-term thinking into domestic policy. It acts as a think tank for futures, science and technology policy and provides advice on legislation coming forward that has an impact on Finland’s long-range future.

And Singapore’s Centre for Strategic Futures is leading in “horizon scanning”, a set of methods that helps people think about the future and potential scenarios. This is not prediction. It’s thinking about what might be coming around the corner, and using that knowledge to inform policy.

But these actions are few and far between.

We need all governments to put more energy towards understanding the risks, and acting on that knowledge. Some countries may even need grand changes to their political and economic systems, a level of change that typically only occurs after a catastrophe. We cannot – and do not have to – wait for these structural changes or for a global crisis. Forward-leaning leaders must act now to better understand the risks that their countries face.

(Gabriel Recchia is Research Associate, Winton Centre for Risk and Evidence Communication, University of Cambridge; Haydn Belfield&nbsp;Research Associate, Centre for the Study of Existential Risk, University of Cambridge)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/climate-change-pandemics-biodiversity-loss-no-country-is-sufficiently-prepared-123466">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) &nbsp; 
&nbsp;

By Gabriel Recchia and Haydn Belfield There’s little that the left and the right agree on these days. But surely one thing is beyond question: that national governments must protect citizens from the gravest threats and risks they face.

By Gabriel Recchia and Haydn Belfield There’s little that the left and the right agree on these days. But surely one thing is beyond question: that national governments must protect citizens from the gravest threats and risks they face. Although our government, wherever we are in the world, may not be able to save everyone from a pandemic or protect people and infrastructure from a devastating cyberattack, surely they have thought through these risks in advance and have well-funded, adequately practiced plans? Unfortunately, the answer to this question is an emphatic no. Not all policy areas are subject to this challenge. National defence establishments, for example, often have the frameworks and processes that facilitate policy decisions for extreme risks. But more often than not, and on more issues than not, governments fail to imagine how worst-case scenarios can come about – much less plan for them. Governments have never been able to divert significant attention from the here and happening to the future and uncertain. A recent report published by Cambridge University’s Centre for the Study of Existential Risk argues that this needs to change. If even only one catastrophic risk manifests – whether through nature, accident or intention – it would harm human security, prosperity and potential on a scale never before seen in human history. There are concrete steps governments can take to address this, but they are currently being neglected. The risks that we face today are many and varied. They include: 1. Tipping points in the environmental system due to climate change or mass biodiversity loss. 2. Malicious, or accidentally harmful, use of artificial intelligence. 3. Malicious use of, or unintended consequences from, advanced biotechnologies. 4. A natural or engineered global pandemic. 5. Intentional, miscalculated, or accidental use of nuclear weapons. Each of these global catastrophic risks could cause unprecedented harm. A pandemic, for example, could speed around our hyper-connected world, threatening hundreds of millions – potentially billions – of people. In this globalised world of just-in-time delivery and global supply chains, we are more vulnerable to disruption than ever before. And the secondary effects of instability, mass migration and unrest may be comparably destructive. If any of these events occurred, we would pass on a diminished, fearful and wounded world to our descendants. So how did we come to be so woefully unprepared, and what, if anything, can our governments do to make us safer? A modern problem Dealing with catastrophic risks on a global scale is a particularly modern problem. The risks themselves are a result of modern trends in population, information, politics, warfare, technology, climate and environmental damage. These risks are a problem for governments that are set up around traditional threats. Defence forces were built to protect from external menaces, mostly foreign invading forces. Domestic security agencies became increasingly significant in the 20th century, as threats to sovereignty and security – such as organised crime, domestic terrorism, extreme political ideologies and sophisticated espionage – increasingly came from inside national borders. Unfortunately, these traditional threats are no longer the greatest concern today. Risks arising from the domains of technology, environment, biology and warfare don’t fall neatly into government’s view of the world. Instead, they are varied, global, complex and catastrophic. As a result, these risks are currently not a priority for governments. Individually, they are quite unlikely. And such low-probability high-impact events are difficult to mobilise a response to. In addition, their unprecedented nature means we haven’t yet been taught a sharp lesson in the need to prepare for them. Many of the risks could take decades to arise, which conflicts with typical political time scales. Governments, and the bureaucracies that support them, are not positioned to handle what’s coming. They don’t have the right incentives or skill sets to manage extreme risks, at least beyond natural disasters and military attacks. They are often stuck on old problems, and struggle to be agile to what’s new or emerging. Risk management as a practice is not a government’s strength. And technical expertise, especially on these challenging problem sets, tends to reside outside government. Perhaps most troubling is the fact that any attempt to tackle these risks is not nationally confined: it would benefit everyone in the world – and indeed future generations. When the benefits are dispersed and the costs immediate, it is tempting to coast and hope others will pick up the slack. Time to act Despite these daunting challenges, governments have the capability and responsibility to increase national readiness for extreme events. The first step is for governments to improve their own understanding of the risks. Developing a better understanding of extreme risks is not as simple as conducting better analysis or more research. It requires a whole-of-government framework with explicit strategies for understanding the types of risks we face, as well as their causes, impacts, probabilities and time scales. With this plan, governments can chart more secure and prosperous futures for their citizens, even if the most catastrophic possibilities never come to pass. Governments around the world are already working towards improving their understanding of risk. For example, the United Kingdom is a world leader in applying an all-hazard national risk assessment process. This assessment ensures governments understand all the hazards – natural disasters, pandemics, cyber attacks, space weather, infrastructure collapse – that their country faces. It helps local first responders to prepare for the most damaging scenarios. Finland’s Committee for the Future, meanwhile, is an example of a parliamentary select committee that injects a dose of much-needed long-term thinking into domestic policy. It acts as a think tank for futures, science and technology policy and provides advice on legislation coming forward that has an impact on Finland’s long-range future. And Singapore’s Centre for Strategic Futures is leading in “horizon scanning”, a set of methods that helps people think about the future and potential scenarios. This is not prediction. It’s thinking about what might be coming around the corner, and using that knowledge to inform policy. But these actions are few and far between. We need all governments to put more energy towards understanding the risks, and acting on that knowledge. Some countries may even need grand changes to their political and economic systems, a level of change that typically only occurs after a catastrophe. We cannot – and do not have to – wait for these structural changes or for a global crisis. Forward-leaning leaders must act now to better understand the risks that their countries face. (Gabriel Recchia is Research Associate, Winton Centre for Risk and Evidence Communication, University of Cambridge; Haydn Belfield Research Associate, Centre for the Study of Existential Risk, University of Cambridge) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Climate change, pandemics, biodiversity loss: No country is sufficiently prepared

Is binge-watching bad for the planet? Can an asthma inhaler be bad for the environment? Watch this report from Gravitas on how humans are unknowingly polluting the environment.

Gravitas: Can binge watching cause pollution?

Plastic bottles versus aluminium cans: Who'll win the global water fight?

An Alaska law promoting fossil fuel development infringes on the constitutional rights of young residents to a healthy environment, a lawyer told Alaska Supreme Court justices on Wednesday.

Alaska Supreme Court hears climate change lawsuit

Victor, a nine-year-old white-tailed eagle, has been enlisted to raise awareness of climate change with spectacular images of him soaring over the peaks in his Alpine home which has already been hard hit by the rise in global temperatures.

Victor the eagle's bird's eye view of Alps raises awareness of climate change

Climate change activists placed hundreds of trees outside the British parliament on Tuesday (October 8) to call on the government and members of parliament to plant billions of trees across the UK and support the planting of trillions all over the world.

Climate change activists plant trees outside UK parliament

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-installs-new-cardinals-puts-another-stamp-on-church-future-253982">Pope Francis opened a synod Sunday</a> to champion the Amazon's poverty-stricken and isolated indigenous communities by condemning the destructive "interests" he blamed for the fires that devastated the region.

"The fire set by interests that destroy, like the fire that recently devastated Amazonia, is not the fire of the Gospel," he said before the bishops from the nine countries of the pan-Amazonian region and representatives of indigenous peoples.

"The fire of God is the warmth that attracts and gathers into unity. It is fed by sharing, not by profits... The fire that destroys, on the other hand, blazes up when people want to promote only their own ideas, form their own group, wipe out differences in the attempt to make everyone and everything uniform", he added.

The global spotlight has recently been on the world's largest rainforest, which is vital for the planet but is suffering from its worst outbreak of fires in years, due in part to an acceleration in deforestation.

The working document for the synod denounced in scathing terms social injustices and crimes, including murders, and suggested a Church action plan.

"Listen to the cry of 'Mother Earth', assaulted and seriously wounded by the economic model of predatory and ecocidal development... which kills and plunders, destroys and devastates, expels and discards," the 80-page document said.

The run-up to the three-week synod, or assembly, saw some 260 events held in the Amazon region involving 80,000 people, in a bid to give the local populations a voice in the document.

Among those attending the synod as an observer was Sister Laura Vincuna, a missionary trying to protect the territories of the Caripuna indigenous people in the Brazilian Amazon.

"Help us defend our motherland, we have no other home!" she said on Saturday.

"Earth, water, forest: without these three elements nobody can do anything," she said on the eve of the synod.

'New forms of colonialism'

Sunday's gathering comes as Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, a climate-change sceptic, told the United Nations that the world's media were lying about the Amazon, and attacked indigenous leaders as tools of foreign governments.

In his 2015 encyclical on ecology and climate change "Laudato Si", Francis denounced the destruction of the Amazonian rainforest in the name of "enormous international economic interests".

Last year, the world's first Latin American pope visited Puerto Maldonado, a village in southeastern Peru surrounded by the Amazon jungle, to meet thousands of indigenous Peruvians, Brazilians and Bolivians.

That trip was the first step towards the synod which opened Sunday.

"So many of our brothers and sisters in Amazonia are bearing heavy crosses and awaiting the liberating consolation of the Gospel, the Church's caress of love," the pope said in his homily. "For them, and with them, let us journey together."

He also warned against "the greed of new forms of colonialism".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-francis-to-visit-thailand-japan-in-november-249418">Francis' hopes of bringing the Catholic faith to far-flung populations</a> will also see the bishops gathered in Rome debate a highly controversial proposal -&nbsp;allowing married men to become priests.

The issue deeply upsets some traditionalists, who argue that making an exception for the Amazon would open the door to the end of celibacy for priests, which is not a Church law and only dates back to the 11th century.

The German Catholic Church in particular, which has an influential progressive wing, has been hotly debating the subject.

The synod, which runs until October 27, will also reflect on making official roles for women, who already play a central part in the Amazonian Church.

Of the 184 prelates at the synod, 113 hail from the Amazonian region, including 57 from Brazil.

Others taking part include 17 representatives of Amazonian indigenous peoples and ethnic groups, and 35 women - who will not have the right to vote on the final document.

Pope Francis opened a synod Sunday to champion the Amazon's poverty-stricken and isolated indigenous communities by condemning the destructive "interests" he blamed for the fires that devastated the region.

Pope Francis opened a synod Sunday to champion the Amazon's poverty-stricken and isolated indigenous communities by condemning the destructive "interests" he blamed for the fires that devastated the region. "The fire set by interests that destroy, like the fire that recently devastated Amazonia, is not the fire of the Gospel," he said before the bishops from the nine countries of the pan-Amazonian region and representatives of indigenous peoples. "The fire of God is the warmth that attracts and gathers into unity. It is fed by sharing, not by profits... The fire that destroys, on the other hand, blazes up when people want to promote only their own ideas, form their own group, wipe out differences in the attempt to make everyone and everything uniform", he added. The global spotlight has recently been on the world's largest rainforest, which is vital for the planet but is suffering from its worst outbreak of fires in years, due in part to an acceleration in deforestation. The working document for the synod denounced in scathing terms social injustices and crimes, including murders, and suggested a Church action plan. "Listen to the cry of 'Mother Earth', assaulted and seriously wounded by the economic model of predatory and ecocidal development... which kills and plunders, destroys and devastates, expels and discards," the 80-page document said. The run-up to the three-week synod, or assembly, saw some 260 events held in the Amazon region involving 80,000 people, in a bid to give the local populations a voice in the document. Among those attending the synod as an observer was Sister Laura Vincuna, a missionary trying to protect the territories of the Caripuna indigenous people in the Brazilian Amazon. "Help us defend our motherland, we have no other home!" she said on Saturday. "Earth, water, forest: without these three elements nobody can do anything," she said on the eve of the synod. 'New forms of colonialism' Sunday's gathering comes as Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, a climate-change sceptic, told the United Nations that the world's media were lying about the Amazon, and attacked indigenous leaders as tools of foreign governments. In his 2015 encyclical on ecology and climate change "Laudato Si", Francis denounced the destruction of the Amazonian rainforest in the name of "enormous international economic interests". Last year, the world's first Latin American pope visited Puerto Maldonado, a village in southeastern Peru surrounded by the Amazon jungle, to meet thousands of indigenous Peruvians, Brazilians and Bolivians. That trip was the first step towards the synod which opened Sunday. "So many of our brothers and sisters in Amazonia are bearing heavy crosses and awaiting the liberating consolation of the Gospel, the Church's caress of love," the pope said in his homily. "For them, and with them, let us journey together." He also warned against "the greed of new forms of colonialism". Francis' hopes of bringing the Catholic faith to far-flung populations will also see the bishops gathered in Rome debate a highly controversial proposal - allowing married men to become priests. The issue deeply upsets some traditionalists, who argue that making an exception for the Amazon would open the door to the end of celibacy for priests, which is not a Church law and only dates back to the 11th century. The German Catholic Church in particular, which has an influential progressive wing, has been hotly debating the subject. The synod, which runs until October 27, will also reflect on making official roles for women, who already play a central part in the Amazonian Church. Of the 184 prelates at the synod, 113 hail from the Amazonian region, including 57 from Brazil. Others taking part include 17 representatives of Amazonian indigenous peoples and ethnic groups, and 35 women - who will not have the right to vote on the final document.

Pope blames Amazon fires on destructive 'interests'

By Danilo Ignacio de Urzedo

Last week’s United Nations climate summit may go down in history - but not for the reasons intended. It was not the tipping point for action on global warming that organisers hoped it would be. It will instead probably be remembered for the powerful address by Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg, who castigated world leaders on behalf of the generation set to bear the brunt of inaction.

Young people are not sitting back and waiting for older generations to act on the climate crisis. Days before the summit, school students led a climate strike attended by millions around the world. And at the first-ever UN youth climate summit, more than 500 young people from 60 countries, including myself, explored how to meet the commitments of the Paris Agreement.

This group of activists, innovators, entrepreneurs, and change-makers aged between 18 and 30 showcased potential solutions and put global political leaders on notice: they must fight off the climate crisis at the scale and pace required.

Youth voices matter

Youth aged 15 to 24 years represent 16 per cent&nbsp;of the world population and will reach 1.3 billion people by 2030. Obviously the action (or otherwise) of today’s decision-makers on climate change and other environmental threats will affect generations to come - a principle known as intergenerational equity.

Millions of young people around the world are already affected by climate change. Speaking at the youth summit, Fijian climate action advocate Komal Kumar said her nation was at the frontline of a crisis and worldwide, young people were “living in constant fear and climate anxiety … fearing the future”.

“Stop hindering the work [towards a sustainable future] for short term profits. Engage young people in the design of adaptation plans,” she said. “We will hold you accountable. And if you do not remember, we will mobilise to vote you out.”

UN Secretary-General António Guterres attended the event and his deputy Amina Mohammed took part in a “town hall” with the attendees, alongside senior representatives from government and civil society.

Young people are not sitting idly by

Technological solutions presented by youth summit participants included 3D printing using plastic waste, data storage in plant DNA, a weather app for farmers and an accountability platform for sustainable fashion.

Participants learnt how to amplify their voices using Instagram and how to create engaging videos with their mobile phones. An art workshop taught youth how creativity can help solve the climate emergency, and a networking session showed ways that youth leaders to stay connected and support each other.

Elsewhere, you don’t have to look far to see examples of young climate warriors, including in the developing world.

Programmes funded by the UN development program include in Kazakhstan where youth are helping implement an energy efficiency project in schools, and in Namibia where young people are being trained as tour guides in national parks and nature reserves. In Nepal, young people cultivate wild Himalayan cherry trees as a natural solution to land degradation.

Harness the power of nature 
 
Kenyan environmental activist Wanjuhi Njoroge told the youth summit of her nation’s progress in restoring the country’s forest cover.

Nature-based solutions to the climate crisis - such as conserving and restoring forests, grasslands and wetlands - were a key focus at the summit. Efforts to meet the Paris climate goals often focus on cutting fossil fuel use. But nature has a huge ability to store carbon as plants grow. Avoiding deforestation keeps this carbon from entering the atmosphere.

Thunberg and British writer George Monbiot released a film ahead on the New York summit calling on world leaders protect, restore and fund natural climate solutions.

To date, such solutions have received little by way of investments and funding support. For example in 2015, agriculture, forestry and land-use received just 3 per cent of global climate change finance.

Appearing at the youth summit, the global Youth4Nature network told how it mobilises young people to advocate for nature-based solutions. Their strategy has included collecting and sharing youth stories in natural resources management in more than 35 countries.

Youth ‘will be watching’ their leaders

When it comes to climate change, young people have specific demands that must be acknowledged - and offer solutions that other generations cannot.

But globally there is a lack of youth representation in politics, and by extension, they are largely absent from climate change decision-making.

Some youth summit participants reportedly questioned whether it achieved its aims - including the value of some workshops, why celebrities were involved and whether anything tangible was produced.

Certainly, there was little evidence that world leaders at the climate summit were listening to the demands of young people. This was reflected in the failure of the world’s biggest-polluting countries to offer credible emissions reduction commitments.

But the youth summit went some way to granting young people space and visibility in the formal decision-making process.

Pressure from young people for climate action will not subside. Thunberg said it best when she warned world leaders that youth “will be watching you”.

“The eyes of all future generations are upon you,” she said. “If you choose to fail us, I say we will never forgive you”.

(Danilo Ignacio de Urzedo is PhD candidate, University of Sydney) 
 
(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-will-never-forgive-you-youth-is-not-wasted-on-the-young-who-fight-for-climate-justice-123985">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) &nbsp;

By Danilo Ignacio de Urzedo Last week’s United Nations climate summit may go down in history - but not for the reasons intended. It was not the tipping point for action on global warming that organisers hoped it would be.

By Danilo Ignacio de Urzedo Last week’s United Nations climate summit may go down in history - but not for the reasons intended. It was not the tipping point for action on global warming that organisers hoped it would be. It will instead probably be remembered for the powerful address by Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg, who castigated world leaders on behalf of the generation set to bear the brunt of inaction. Young people are not sitting back and waiting for older generations to act on the climate crisis. Days before the summit, school students led a climate strike attended by millions around the world. And at the first-ever UN youth climate summit, more than 500 young people from 60 countries, including myself, explored how to meet the commitments of the Paris Agreement. This group of activists, innovators, entrepreneurs, and change-makers aged between 18 and 30 showcased potential solutions and put global political leaders on notice: they must fight off the climate crisis at the scale and pace required. Youth voices matter Youth aged 15 to 24 years represent 16 per cent of the world population and will reach 1.3 billion people by 2030. Obviously the action (or otherwise) of today’s decision-makers on climate change and other environmental threats will affect generations to come - a principle known as intergenerational equity. Millions of young people around the world are already affected by climate change. Speaking at the youth summit, Fijian climate action advocate Komal Kumar said her nation was at the frontline of a crisis and worldwide, young people were “living in constant fear and climate anxiety … fearing the future”. “Stop hindering the work [towards a sustainable future] for short term profits. Engage young people in the design of adaptation plans,” she said. “We will hold you accountable. And if you do not remember, we will mobilise to vote you out.” UN Secretary-General António Guterres attended the event and his deputy Amina Mohammed took part in a “town hall” with the attendees, alongside senior representatives from government and civil society. Young people are not sitting idly by Technological solutions presented by youth summit participants included 3D printing using plastic waste, data storage in plant DNA, a weather app for farmers and an accountability platform for sustainable fashion. Participants learnt how to amplify their voices using Instagram and how to create engaging videos with their mobile phones. An art workshop taught youth how creativity can help solve the climate emergency, and a networking session showed ways that youth leaders to stay connected and support each other. Elsewhere, you don’t have to look far to see examples of young climate warriors, including in the developing world. Programmes funded by the UN development program include in Kazakhstan where youth are helping implement an energy efficiency project in schools, and in Namibia where young people are being trained as tour guides in national parks and nature reserves. In Nepal, young people cultivate wild Himalayan cherry trees as a natural solution to land degradation. Harness the power of nature Kenyan environmental activist Wanjuhi Njoroge told the youth summit of her nation’s progress in restoring the country’s forest cover. Nature-based solutions to the climate crisis - such as conserving and restoring forests, grasslands and wetlands - were a key focus at the summit. Efforts to meet the Paris climate goals often focus on cutting fossil fuel use. But nature has a huge ability to store carbon as plants grow. Avoiding deforestation keeps this carbon from entering the atmosphere. Thunberg and British writer George Monbiot released a film ahead on the New York summit calling on world leaders protect, restore and fund natural climate solutions. To date, such solutions have received little by way of investments and funding support. For example in 2015, agriculture, forestry and land-use received just 3 per cent of global climate change finance. Appearing at the youth summit, the global Youth4Nature network told how it mobilises young people to advocate for nature-based solutions. Their strategy has included collecting and sharing youth stories in natural resources management in more than 35 countries. Youth ‘will be watching’ their leaders When it comes to climate change, young people have specific demands that must be acknowledged - and offer solutions that other generations cannot. But globally there is a lack of youth representation in politics, and by extension, they are largely absent from climate change decision-making. Some youth summit participants reportedly questioned whether it achieved its aims - including the value of some workshops, why celebrities were involved and whether anything tangible was produced. Certainly, there was little evidence that world leaders at the climate summit were listening to the demands of young people. This was reflected in the failure of the world’s biggest-polluting countries to offer credible emissions reduction commitments. But the youth summit went some way to granting young people space and visibility in the formal decision-making process. Pressure from young people for climate action will not subside. Thunberg said it best when she warned world leaders that youth “will be watching you”. “The eyes of all future generations are upon you,” she said. “If you choose to fail us, I say we will never forgive you”. (Danilo Ignacio de Urzedo is PhD candidate, University of Sydney) (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

‘We will never forgive you’: Youth is not wasted on the young who fight for climate justice

Tens of thousands of people marched to New Zealand's Parliament and through the streets of Auckland on Friday, launching a second wave of worldwide protests demanding swift action on climate change.

Thousands join 2nd wave of climate protests in NZ

On Wednesday (September 25), smoke filled the air in Santa Elena, choking the few remaining residents that haven't yet evacuated in an effort to hold on to the homes they desperately hope won't be destroyed as blazes sweep through the area.

Bolivians flee as fires engulf forests

A group of foreign reporters on a trip to Syria organised by the Russian Defense Ministry were on Wednesday shown an elaborate network of caves in the strategic northwestern Idlib province said to have been used as a major rebel base.

Journalists see caves formerly used by rebels

&nbsp;Swedish teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg was named on Wednesday as one of four winners of the 2019 Right Livelihood Award, known as Sweden's alternative Nobel Prize.

Thunberg won the award "for inspiring and amplifying political demands for urgent climate action reflecting scientific facts," the Right Livelihood Foundation said in a statement.

Thunberg, 16, denounced world leaders on Monday for failing to tackle climate change in a speech at the start of a climate summit at the United Nations in New York.

She started solitary weekly protests outside the Swedish parliament a year ago. Inspired by her, millions of young people poured onto streets around the world last Friday to demand governments attending the summit take emergency action.

Thunberg shares the award with Brazilian indigenous leader Davi Kopenawa of the Yanomami people, Chinese women's rights lawyer Guo Jianmei and Western Sahara human rights defender Aminatou Haidar.

"With the 2019 Right Livelihood Award, we honour four practical visionaries whose leadership has empowered millions of people to defend their inalienable rights and to strive for a liveable future for all on planet Earth," the foundation said in the statement.

The four laureates will receive a cash award of 1 million Swedish crowns ($103,000) each.

Swedish teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg was named on Wednesday as one of four winners of the 2019 Right Livelihood Award, known as Sweden's alternative Nobel Prize.

Swedish teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg was named on Wednesday as one of four winners of the 2019 Right Livelihood Award, known as Sweden's alternative Nobel Prize. Thunberg won the award "for inspiring and amplifying political demands for urgent climate action reflecting scientific facts," the Right Livelihood Foundation said in a statement. Thunberg, 16, denounced world leaders on Monday for failing to tackle climate change in a speech at the start of a climate summit at the United Nations in New York. She started solitary weekly protests outside the Swedish parliament a year ago. Inspired by her, millions of young people poured onto streets around the world last Friday to demand governments attending the summit take emergency action. Thunberg shares the award with Brazilian indigenous leader Davi Kopenawa of the Yanomami people, Chinese women's rights lawyer Guo Jianmei and Western Sahara human rights defender Aminatou Haidar. "With the 2019 Right Livelihood Award, we honour four practical visionaries whose leadership has empowered millions of people to defend their inalienable rights and to strive for a liveable future for all on planet Earth," the foundation said in the statement. The four laureates will receive a cash award of 1 million Swedish crowns ($103,000) each.

Climate activist Greta Thunberg wins 'alternative Nobel Prize'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been ‘Aladdinising’ India since 2014. The global recognition that he has brought to this country has given many Indians a spring in their steps.&nbsp;

The world’s tallest statue, International Yoga Day, the hug-fest with leaders, are all reasons for this. Added to it are his many master-stroke surgical strikes within the country, the most recent one being abrogating Article 370. These purportedly manifest the decisiveness of his leadership, which many claim India has lacked since independence.

However, behind this sheen, there are challenges that are beginning to pile up. It is not the unemployment at 6.1 &nbsp;per cent, a 45-year-high, or economic growth at 5 per cent which is a 6-year-low that is digging a deep grave for the $5 trillion vision.&nbsp;

The Prime Minister and his Cabinet, need to do the math and appreciate the impact climate change can have on the economy.&nbsp;

Sure, there has been a sea change in Modi’s understanding of climate change — from claiming, “Climate has not changed. We have changed. Our habits have changed,...” to creating the International Solar Alliance with France and other countries to facilitate the implementation of solar energy projects, to now being recognised as a stalwart of environmental protection with the UN Environment Award.

But the question remains — Is India climate change-proof? The answer can be found in the following examples. Responding on February 15, 2019, to an unstarred question No. 310, Minister of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare stated, “Climate change is projected to reduce the timely sown irrigated wheat yields by about 6 per cent in 2020 scenario from existing levels.”&nbsp;

When late and very late sown wheat also were taken into consideration, the impact is projected to be about 18 per cent in 2020 and 23 per cent in 2050.&nbsp;

Further, the Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture has identified 151 out of 572 rural districts to be highly susceptible to climate change.&nbsp;

According to the 2018 Economic Survey of India, annual farm incomes could decrease 15-18 per cent because of Climate Change, which could go up to 20-25 per cent in unirrigated areas.&nbsp;

As per the National Initiative on Climate Change Resilient Agriculture (NICRA), “Since agriculture makes up roughly 15 per cent of India’s GDP, a 4.5 to 9.0 per cent negative impact on production implies a cost of climate change to be roughly at 1.5 per cent of GDP per year.”

But that is not all. According to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), between 2013-17, water shortages caused 61 coal plants to be shut down.&nbsp;

This resulted in a loss of 17,000 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity. However, it is not only that Indian coal-fired thermal power plants have low Plant Load Factors and are polluting, but they are also huge guzzlers of water - beyond permissible limits in many cases, &nbsp;as per the IEEFA report. In fact, 87.8 per cent of industrial water consumption is by these plants.

Will India see a fight between different water consumers — from agriculture to industry and households? Given their dependence on water and the pollution generated from them, one would imagine that coal-fired thermal power plants would be seen less kindly.&nbsp;

However, from 2014-15 to 2018-19, gross electricity generation from coal has increased from 835,838 GWh to 1,021,997 GWh.&nbsp;

In the same period, solar increased from 4,600 GWh to 39,268 GWh. Though the growth in Solar seems to be high 88 per cent versus 18 per cent in coal, the overall contribution of solar to the electricity sector is just 2 per cent.&nbsp;

According to a research paper, India’s economy is 31 per cent smaller than it would have been in a climate change-free scenario.&nbsp;

Already, as per government figures, climate change is costing India $10 billion annually. By 2050 it can cost the country 2.8 per cent of her GDP.&nbsp;

A more recent study claims that climate change may shrink the Indian economy by 10 per cent. So the two main engines of growth in India - agriculture to feed and nourish Indians and electricity to power Indian industry are susceptible to climate change.&nbsp;

In such a scenario, whither the $5 trillion dream? One has not spoken about the fallout from the increase in disease incidence or from extreme weather events etc. So, what has India been doing to adapt to, and prevent climate change?&nbsp;

According to ‘Towards Climate Resilient Agriculture Through Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies’, a NICRA publication, 10 activities have been initiated at the village level.&nbsp;

These vary from building resilience in the soil to projects such as mini weather observatories in villages.&nbsp;

However, because of the unpredictability of climate change, one is not sure whether these efforts will be enough especially when the government is still investing in climate-destroying coal-fired thermal plants and busy cutting 1.09 crore trees in the last five years.&nbsp;

The government has incentivised e-vehicles, but this makes sense only if solar or wind is used to charge their batteries.&nbsp;

That being said, at an individual level there is enough reason to worry and many options available to help the country become climate change resilient.&nbsp;

For example, up to 45 litres per capita of water is wasted per day in India. This is also a waste of electricity because power is needed to pump the water.&nbsp;

Further, 40 per cent of food is wasted in India. This is not only a drain on resources but is a nutritional loss.

If one can reduce wastage, it has a ripple effect that goes far beyond the individual. A stimuli to the economy with a tax bonanza or getting the LIC to prop up failing PSU’s or taking Rs 1.76 lakh crore from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reserves may not be enough to catapult the economy into the big league if climate change is ignored.&nbsp; 
 
(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/after-tax-boost-companies-need-to-stimulate-indian-economy-251704">original article</a>) 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) &nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been ‘Aladdinising’ India since 2014. The global recognition that he has brought to this country has given many Indians a spring in their steps.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been ‘Aladdinising’ India since 2014. The global recognition that he has brought to this country has given many Indians a spring in their steps. The world’s tallest statue, International Yoga Day, the hug-fest with leaders, are all reasons for this. Added to it are his many master-stroke surgical strikes within the country, the most recent one being abrogating Article 370. These purportedly manifest the decisiveness of his leadership, which many claim India has lacked since independence. However, behind this sheen, there are challenges that are beginning to pile up. It is not the unemployment at 6.1 per cent, a 45-year-high, or economic growth at 5 per cent which is a 6-year-low that is digging a deep grave for the $5 trillion vision. The Prime Minister and his Cabinet, need to do the math and appreciate the impact climate change can have on the economy. Sure, there has been a sea change in Modi’s understanding of climate change — from claiming, “Climate has not changed. We have changed. Our habits have changed,...” to creating the International Solar Alliance with France and other countries to facilitate the implementation of solar energy projects, to now being recognised as a stalwart of environmental protection with the UN Environment Award. But the question remains — Is India climate change-proof? The answer can be found in the following examples. Responding on February 15, 2019, to an unstarred question No. 310, Minister of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare stated, “Climate change is projected to reduce the timely sown irrigated wheat yields by about 6 per cent in 2020 scenario from existing levels.” When late and very late sown wheat also were taken into consideration, the impact is projected to be about 18 per cent in 2020 and 23 per cent in 2050. Further, the Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture has identified 151 out of 572 rural districts to be highly susceptible to climate change. According to the 2018 Economic Survey of India, annual farm incomes could decrease 15-18 per cent because of Climate Change, which could go up to 20-25 per cent in unirrigated areas. As per the National Initiative on Climate Change Resilient Agriculture (NICRA), “Since agriculture makes up roughly 15 per cent of India’s GDP, a 4.5 to 9.0 per cent negative impact on production implies a cost of climate change to be roughly at 1.5 per cent of GDP per year.” But that is not all. According to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), between 2013-17, water shortages caused 61 coal plants to be shut down. This resulted in a loss of 17,000 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity. However, it is not only that Indian coal-fired thermal power plants have low Plant Load Factors and are polluting, but they are also huge guzzlers of water - beyond permissible limits in many cases, as per the IEEFA report. In fact, 87.8 per cent of industrial water consumption is by these plants. Will India see a fight between different water consumers — from agriculture to industry and households? Given their dependence on water and the pollution generated from them, one would imagine that coal-fired thermal power plants would be seen less kindly. However, from 2014-15 to 2018-19, gross electricity generation from coal has increased from 835,838 GWh to 1,021,997 GWh. In the same period, solar increased from 4,600 GWh to 39,268 GWh. Though the growth in Solar seems to be high 88 per cent versus 18 per cent in coal, the overall contribution of solar to the electricity sector is just 2 per cent. According to a research paper, India’s economy is 31 per cent smaller than it would have been in a climate change-free scenario. Already, as per government figures, climate change is costing India $10 billion annually. By 2050 it can cost the country 2.8 per cent of her GDP. A more recent study claims that climate change may shrink the Indian economy by 10 per cent. So the two main engines of growth in India - agriculture to feed and nourish Indians and electricity to power Indian industry are susceptible to climate change. In such a scenario, whither the $5 trillion dream? One has not spoken about the fallout from the increase in disease incidence or from extreme weather events etc. So, what has India been doing to adapt to, and prevent climate change? According to ‘Towards Climate Resilient Agriculture Through Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies’, a NICRA publication, 10 activities have been initiated at the village level. These vary from building resilience in the soil to projects such as mini weather observatories in villages. However, because of the unpredictability of climate change, one is not sure whether these efforts will be enough especially when the government is still investing in climate-destroying coal-fired thermal plants and busy cutting 1.09 crore trees in the last five years. The government has incentivised e-vehicles, but this makes sense only if solar or wind is used to charge their batteries. That being said, at an individual level there is enough reason to worry and many options available to help the country become climate change resilient. For example, up to 45 litres per capita of water is wasted per day in India. This is also a waste of electricity because power is needed to pump the water. Further, 40 per cent of food is wasted in India. This is not only a drain on resources but is a nutritional loss. If one can reduce wastage, it has a ripple effect that goes far beyond the individual. A stimuli to the economy with a tax bonanza or getting the LIC to prop up failing PSU’s or taking Rs 1.76 lakh crore from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reserves may not be enough to catapult the economy into the big league if climate change is ignored. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Climate change: PM Narendra Modi realises the danger

Swedish teenager <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/teen-climate-activist-greta-thunberg-protests-at-white-house-249544">Greta Thunberg</a>, who has inspired a global movement for climate change, delivered a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/swedish-climate-activist-thunberg-asks-us-congress-for-action-not-praise-250336">strong message to US&nbsp;lawmakers</a> on Wednesday: "Wake up."

Wrapping up a six-day visit to Washington, DC, the 16-year-old Thunberg rallied a room full of Democratic lawmakers and activists, urging them to follow scientific warnings and push for strong measures to combat climate change.

"This is not the time and place for dreams. This is the time to wake up," Thunberg said behind a lowered podium at the ornate House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee room.

Thunberg spent the day in Congress and on the steps of the Supreme Court, lending her star power to join US and youth activists who were drumming up attention and support ahead of a global climate strike on Friday.

She began with a pointed message before a US&nbsp;congressional hearing: "I don’t want you to listen to me. I want you to listen to the scientists."

Thunberg, founder of the "Fridays For Future" weekly school walkouts to demand government climate-change action, submitted a 2018 report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change at the hearing in lieu of testimony.

It urged rapid, unprecedented changes to the way people live in order to keep temperatures from rising by 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) by 2030.

"People, in general, don't seem to be aware of how severe the crisis" is, Thunberg said, urging lawmakers to "unite behind the science" and take action, saying that people need to treat climate change "like the existential crisis it is."

Thunberg was one of four students invited to a joint hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, Energy and the Environment and the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, to provide the next generation's views on climate change.

 
"BIGGEST CARBON POLLUTER"

Her first appearance took place last Friday in front of the White House, where she encouraged fellow young activists to keep fighting to be heard. She did not mention President Donald Trump, a climate change denier who moved to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Change Agreement early in his tenure, in her remarks.

 
On Wednesday, she called out the United States for being the "biggest carbon polluter in history" and the top producer of oil.

"And yet you are also the only nation in the world who has signalled with strong intention to leave the Paris agreement because it was a bad deal for the US," she said.

Trump earlier in the day announced plans to revoke California's ability https://www.reuters.com/article/us-autos-emissions-trump/trump-confirms-us-will-revoke-california-waiver-to-require-cleaner-cars-idUSKBN1W3257 to set emissions standards for vehicles that are more stringent than the federal standards&nbsp;the latest move in his administration’s multi-pronged attack on California's efforts to reduce vehicle emissions, which could slow the deployment of electric and more efficient vehicles.&nbsp;

A conservative climate-change advocate at Wednesday's hearing, 21-year-old Benji Backer from Wisconsin, told lawmakers that young conservatives also favour climate change action, but through an approach focussed on technology and allowing the continued use of fossil fuels.

"As a proud American, as a life-long conservative and as a young person, I urge you to accept climate change for the reality it is and respond accordingly. We need your leadership," he said.

Backer praised Thunberg and other climate activists for putting the issue at the forefront of politics but said there was time to take more measured action.

In addition to meetings on Capitol Hill, Thunberg met former President Barack Obama on Tuesday.

Obama described the teenager on Twitter as "already one of the planet's greatest advocates."

Though Thunberg mostly addressed admiring Democratic lawmakers, she also spoke to some Republican lawmakers at the House hearing.

Republican representatives praised the students for raising awareness about climate change but disagreed over what action the United States should take when emerging economies continue to emit greenhouse gases as their economies grow.

Representative Garret Graves from Louisiana said his state was affected by rising sea levels and that he supported the US&nbsp;emission reduction target enshrined in the Paris Climate Agreement, but he criticized the pact for how it treats emerging economies like China.

"I think that signing on to an agreement that allows for China to have a 50 per cent increase in greenhouse gas emissions annually by 2030 is inappropriate," he said.

Thunberg responded that in her home country, Sweden, people similarly criticize the United States for not taking enough action. "The same argument is being used against you," she said.

Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg, who has inspired a global movement for climate change, delivered a strong message to US lawmakers on Wednesday: "Wake up." Wrapping up a six-day visit to Washington, DC, the 16-year-old Thunberg rallied a room full of Democratic lawmakers and activists, urging them to follow scientific warnings and push for strong measures to combat climate change.

Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg, who has inspired a global movement for climate change, delivered a strong message to US lawmakers on Wednesday: "Wake up." Wrapping up a six-day visit to Washington, DC, the 16-year-old Thunberg rallied a room full of Democratic lawmakers and activists, urging them to follow scientific warnings and push for strong measures to combat climate change. "This is not the time and place for dreams. This is the time to wake up," Thunberg said behind a lowered podium at the ornate House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee room. Thunberg spent the day in Congress and on the steps of the Supreme Court, lending her star power to join US and youth activists who were drumming up attention and support ahead of a global climate strike on Friday. She began with a pointed message before a US congressional hearing: "I don’t want you to listen to me. I want you to listen to the scientists." Thunberg, founder of the "Fridays For Future" weekly school walkouts to demand government climate-change action, submitted a 2018 report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change at the hearing in lieu of testimony. It urged rapid, unprecedented changes to the way people live in order to keep temperatures from rising by 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) by 2030. "People, in general, don't seem to be aware of how severe the crisis" is, Thunberg said, urging lawmakers to "unite behind the science" and take action, saying that people need to treat climate change "like the existential crisis it is." Thunberg was one of four students invited to a joint hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, Energy and the Environment and the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, to provide the next generation's views on climate change. "BIGGEST CARBON POLLUTER" Her first appearance took place last Friday in front of the White House, where she encouraged fellow young activists to keep fighting to be heard. She did not mention President Donald Trump, a climate change denier who moved to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Change Agreement early in his tenure, in her remarks. On Wednesday, she called out the United States for being the "biggest carbon polluter in history" and the top producer of oil. "And yet you are also the only nation in the world who has signalled with strong intention to leave the Paris agreement because it was a bad deal for the US," she said. Trump earlier in the day announced plans to revoke California's ability https://www.reuters.com/article/us-autos-emissions-trump/trump-confirms-us-will-revoke-california-waiver-to-require-cleaner-cars-idUSKBN1W3257 to set emissions standards for vehicles that are more stringent than the federal standards the latest move in his administration’s multi-pronged attack on California's efforts to reduce vehicle emissions, which could slow the deployment of electric and more efficient vehicles. A conservative climate-change advocate at Wednesday's hearing, 21-year-old Benji Backer from Wisconsin, told lawmakers that young conservatives also favour climate change action, but through an approach focussed on technology and allowing the continued use of fossil fuels. "As a proud American, as a life-long conservative and as a young person, I urge you to accept climate change for the reality it is and respond accordingly. We need your leadership," he said. Backer praised Thunberg and other climate activists for putting the issue at the forefront of politics but said there was time to take more measured action. In addition to meetings on Capitol Hill, Thunberg met former President Barack Obama on Tuesday. Obama described the teenager on Twitter as "already one of the planet's greatest advocates." Though Thunberg mostly addressed admiring Democratic lawmakers, she also spoke to some Republican lawmakers at the House hearing. Republican representatives praised the students for raising awareness about climate change but disagreed over what action the United States should take when emerging economies continue to emit greenhouse gases as their economies grow. Representative Garret Graves from Louisiana said his state was affected by rising sea levels and that he supported the US emission reduction target enshrined in the Paris Climate Agreement, but he criticized the pact for how it treats emerging economies like China. "I think that signing on to an agreement that allows for China to have a 50 per cent increase in greenhouse gas emissions annually by 2030 is inappropriate," he said. Thunberg responded that in her home country, Sweden, people similarly criticize the United States for not taking enough action. "The same argument is being used against you," she said.

Greta Thunberg to US Congress on climate change: 'Wake up'

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-launches-floating-nuclear-reactor-in-arctic-despite-warnings-244918">Russia's world-first floating nuclear power station</a> on Saturday completed a 5,000-kilometre (3,100-mile) Arctic transfer to the country's far east, the Rosatom nuclear agency said.

"The Akademik Lomonosov floating nuclear plant arrived at Pevek, in the autonomous district of Chukotka," where it is to start operating by year-end once connected to the local electricity grid, Rosatom said.

What will be the world's northernmost nuclear power plant left Murmansk in Russia's far north on August 23 after being loaded with combustible nuclear fuel?

The 21-ton, 144-metre (470 feet) long and 30-metre wide platform, which is designed to meet the energy needs of remote communities, was towed into Pevek by a clutch of vessels.

The station houses two 35-megawatt reactors, more in line with the power of nuclear-powered ice breakers than typical new-generation nuclear plants boasting nearer 1,000 MW capacity.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russias-floating-nuclear-reactor-ready-for-arctic-operations-environmentalists-concerned-232605">Akademik Lomonosov</a>&nbsp;is to provide energy for around 100,000 people and also power oil platforms as Russia develops extraction of natural resources in a mineral-rich area whose eastern tip is a few dozen kilometres from Alaska.

"It is perhaps a small step towards sustainable development in the Arctic&nbsp;but it's a giant step towards decarbonisation of remote, off-grid zones and a turning point in the global development of small modular nuclear plants," Rosatom head Alexei Likhachev said in a statement.

Environmental groups led by Greenpeace Russia have, however, long criticised the project warning it will have "serious consequences" for a fragile ecosystem in case of storms or accidents.

Greenpeace has warned of the risk of a "nuclear Titanic" and "Chernobyl on ice" and environmental fears were heightened following an August explosion at a nuclear research facility in Russia's far north which saw local radiation levels briefly spike.

The nuclear industry generally has been looking to reinvent itself in a depressed market, notably by producing small-scale, modular reactors with attractive price tags to win over potential new clients.

The industry has been cheered by strong demand notably for nuclear-powered submarines as well as ice-breakers and aircraft carriers, increasingly destined for isolated and infrastructure-poor regions.

Russia's world-first floating nuclear power station on Saturday completed a 5,000-kilometre (3,100-mile) Arctic transfer to the country's far east, the Rosatom nuclear agency said.

Russia's world-first floating nuclear power station on Saturday completed a 5,000-kilometre (3,100-mile) Arctic transfer to the country's far east, the Rosatom nuclear agency said. "The Akademik Lomonosov floating nuclear plant arrived at Pevek, in the autonomous district of Chukotka," where it is to start operating by year-end once connected to the local electricity grid, Rosatom said. What will be the world's northernmost nuclear power plant left Murmansk in Russia's far north on August 23 after being loaded with combustible nuclear fuel? The 21-ton, 144-metre (470 feet) long and 30-metre wide platform, which is designed to meet the energy needs of remote communities, was towed into Pevek by a clutch of vessels. The station houses two 35-megawatt reactors, more in line with the power of nuclear-powered ice breakers than typical new-generation nuclear plants boasting nearer 1,000 MW capacity. The Akademik Lomonosov is to provide energy for around 100,000 people and also power oil platforms as Russia develops extraction of natural resources in a mineral-rich area whose eastern tip is a few dozen kilometres from Alaska. "It is perhaps a small step towards sustainable development in the Arctic but it's a giant step towards decarbonisation of remote, off-grid zones and a turning point in the global development of small modular nuclear plants," Rosatom head Alexei Likhachev said in a statement. Environmental groups led by Greenpeace Russia have, however, long criticised the project warning it will have "serious consequences" for a fragile ecosystem in case of storms or accidents. Greenpeace has warned of the risk of a "nuclear Titanic" and "Chernobyl on ice" and environmental fears were heightened following an August explosion at a nuclear research facility in Russia's far north which saw local radiation levels briefly spike. The nuclear industry generally has been looking to reinvent itself in a depressed market, notably by producing small-scale, modular reactors with attractive price tags to win over potential new clients. The industry has been cheered by strong demand notably for nuclear-powered submarines as well as ice-breakers and aircraft carriers, increasingly destined for isolated and infrastructure-poor regions.

Russia's world-first floating nuclear plant arrives in port

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