WASHINGTON – When it comes to their views on climate change, Americans are looking at natural disasters and their local weather, according to a new poll. Lately, that means record deadly wildfires in California, rainfall by the foot in Houston when Hurricane Harvey hit and the dome of smog over Salt Lake City that engineer Caleb Gregg steps into when he walks out his door in winter. "I look at it every day," Gregg said from Salt Lake City, where winter days with some of the country's worst air starting a few years ago dinged the city's reputation as a pristine sports city and spurred state leaders to ramp up clean-air initiatives. "You look out and see pollution just sitting over the valley." "I've never really doubted climate change - in the last five-ish years it's become even more evident, just by seeing the weather," the 25-year-old said. "We know we're polluting, and we know pollution is having an effect on the environment." The poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for … [Read more...] about AP-NORC Poll: Disasters influence thinking on climate change
Climate change
Dublin failing to fulfil human rights obligations on climate change, court told
News / UK and world by Press Association January 22, 2019, 2:37 pm Send us a story Sign up to our Daily newsletter The Irish Government is failing to “fulfil its human rights obligations” and protect its citizens from the impact of climate change, the High Court in Dublin has heard. At the opening of a landmark case against the Irish state, the court heard of the “devastating consequences” of climate change. In 2017, Friends of the Irish Environment obtained leave from the High Court for a judicial review of the Government’s approval of its National Mitigation Plan (NMP) on the basis that the decision was inconsistent with national, EU and international obligations. It came after the Government published its mitigation plan detailing its goal to achieve an 80% reduction in emissions by 2050 compared to 1990 levels. Climate Case Ireland is calling for the state to be more ambitious in its plans to tackle climate change, and is … [Read more...] about Dublin failing to fulfil human rights obligations on climate change, court told
Never mind climate change, Davos prefers private jets
The Davos elite say they are more worried than ever about climate change. But that isn't stopping them chartering private jets in record numbers. The convenience and comfort of flying privately rather than commercially appears to outweigh any concerns about the outsized carbon footprint it involves, judging by a number-crunching exercise by the company Air Charter Service (ACS). It forecast nearly 1,500 private jet flights over the week of the World Economic Forum (WEF) to airports near Davos in the Swiss Alps. That would be up from the more than 1,300 aircraft movements seen at last year's forum, despite climate change registering as the top risk factor identified for the global economy in a survey of WEF movers and shakers last week. In a blog post, the website privatefly.com forecast an even higher number of private flight movements related to Davos this week, of around 2,000 in and out of local airports. And while most people reach Davos by car or train after alighting from … [Read more...] about Never mind climate change, Davos prefers private jets
Armenia, United Arab Emirates to cooperate in environmental sector, including climate change
YEREVAN, JANUARY 22, ARMENPRESS. Armenia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in environmental issues, the Ministry of Nature Protection said. The memorandum was signed between the Armenian Ministry of Nature Protection and the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment during Minister of Nature Protection Erik Grigoryan’s January 14-16 visit to Abu Dhabi. The memorandum envisages cooperation in climate change, preservation of biodiversity, ecotourism, rational use of natural resources etc. Grigoryan invited his UAE counterpart Thani Al Zeyoudi to visit Armenia for the events dedicated to the Caucasian Leopard Year. The Armenian minister also held a number of meetings with other UAE ministers during the visit. He also participated at the Future Summit as part of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan … [Read more...] about Armenia, United Arab Emirates to cooperate in environmental sector, including climate change
President Higgins’ warning of ‘ugly’ nationalism and climate change
President Higgins' warning of 'ugly' nationalism and climate change BelfastTelegraph.co.uk The Irish President has said the world is witnessing the return of an "ugly xenophobic" corruption of nationalism. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/republic-of-ireland/president-higgins-warning-of-ugly-nationalism-and-climate-change-37735298.html https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/republic-of-ireland/article37735297.ece/ff73b/AUTOCROP/h342/2019-01-22_new_47384477_I2.JPG Email The Irish President has said the world is witnessing the return of an "ugly xenophobic" corruption of nationalism. Michael D Higgins also said that climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing Ireland. Mr Higgins made the remarks during a keynote address to mark the centenary of the first sitting of Dail Eireann. He said: "Across the world, we are witnessing the return of an ugly, xenophobic corruption of nationalism, long since thought vanquished from our political life. "The duty to … [Read more...] about President Higgins’ warning of ‘ugly’ nationalism and climate change