Ipcc climate change definition

The EU and scores of developing countries have pledged to toughen their existing commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to enable the world to stay within a 1.5C rise in global warming. The promise, which follows increasingly dire scientific warnings, was the most positive message yet to come from the ongoing talks in Poland. The announcement came at the end of a day in which the UN secretary general made an impassioned intervention to rescue the talks, which have been distracted by US, Russian and Saudi moves to downgrade scientific advice. “We’re running out of time,” António Guterres told the plenary. “To waste this opportunity would compromise our last best chance to stop runaway climate change. It would not only be immoral, it would be suicidal.” The talks have centred on devising a rulebook for implementing the 2015 Paris agreement and raising countries’ level of ambition to counter climate change, but progress has been slow on … [Read more...] about Climate change talks lead to heightened pledge to cut emissions

“There are no climate change deniers around I can assure you,” Rupert Murdoch said last month at News Corp’s annual general meeting. His declaration that the publisher of the Daily Telegraph, the Australian and owner of Sky News was free of climate deniers was widely greeted with mirth. The next day the geologist Ian Plimer proved Murdoch’s doubters correct when he published an opinion piece in the Australian claiming the major pollution in western nations was “the polluting of minds about the role of carbon dioxide”. “There are no carbon emissions,” he wrote. “If there were, we could not see because most carbon is black. Such terms are deliberately misleading, as are many claims.” That piece of commentary attracted the usual round of applause from pundits certain they knew better than climate scientists. Where once ignoring scientists and experts would result in a failing subject grade, in some sectors it’s now … [Read more...] about Rupert Murdoch says ‘no climate change deniers around’ – but his writers prove him wrong

A senior minister has reprimanded a state colleague for breaking ranks and criticising the federal government's policy platform on climate change. Nationals Deputy Leader Bridget McKenzie today blasted the New South Wales Environment Minister Matt Kean for making a link between the bushfires and climate change. The two are now involved in a very public stoush over the issue, a reflection of the growing tensions within the Coalition over environmental policy platforms. Nationals Deputy Leader Bridget McKenzie slammed NSW Environment Minister Matt Kean for his comments linking the Sydney smoke and climate change The federal agriculture minister went on the attack - blasting the MP as 'irrational' after months of silence from both state and federal ministers about changes to climate policy. Until Mr Kean's intervention, state and federal coalition ministers spent weeks arguing there was no direct link between climate change and the bushfire crisis. RELATED ARTICLES Previous 1 Next … [Read more...] about Minister SLAMS her Liberal MP colleague for linking bushfire smoke in Sydney to climate change – and asks ‘do we need to shut down everything, turn off the lights and go back to grass huts?’ in extraordinarily spray

"We are the most vulnerable, we are the least responsible but we will suffer the most," Seyni Nafo, spokesman of the African delegation at the World Climate Conference summed up in an interview with DW. The African continent is already experiencing the effects of climate change. In many places drought, torrential rainfall or flooding are regular occurrences. The damage done amounts to five and 10 percent of individual countries' Gross Domestic Product(GDP). "The person on the street does not see the impact of what is decided at the COP meetings. But people are seeing the real impact of global warming every day," said Nigerian environmental activist Nnimmo Bassey. Read more: Crunch time for the climate at COP24 Nnimmo Bassey was one of the recipients of the 2010 Right Livelihood Award Pledges must be fulfilled The worst is still to come, the UN warns. In 2020 up to 250 million people could be affected by serious water shortages as a result of rising … [Read more...] about COP24: Africans expect real action on climate change

The Trump administration is rolling back a climate change regulation that restricted new coal plants. The change is mostly symbolic – but nevertheless sends a strong signal. Companies in the US are not building plants that burn coal because burning natural gas is cheaper and creates less pollution. Renewable power has also eaten into coal’s market share. But the Obama-era rule for new coal plants has long been a target of the industry. It would have effectively required technology to capture the carbon dioxide that traps heat on earth and causes climate change. That technology is not in use on a commercial scale. A draft replacement rule would allow new coal plants that meet certain efficiency requirements. The acting Environmental Protection Agency administrator, Andrew Wheeler, said the Obama administration was “disingenuous” when it decided coal-plant carbon capture technologies were adequately demonstrated. He said the change to require efficiency efforts … [Read more...] about Trump rolls back climate change rule that restricted new coal plants