Category:

Climate, Environment, Renewable Energy

More at risk of losing homes as climate change outpaces response, Fiji warns

Mami Mizutori, who leads the U.N. Office for Disaster Risk Reduction said globally, there had been a notable reduction in the loss of life caused by extreme weather events like storms and floods, as governments stepped up efforts over the past five years to evacuate millions of people to safer places. But the number of people affected by disasters remained “chronically high”, with displacement one of the harshest consequences, pushing many into crowded city slums or to other countries where they do not always get a friendly reception.

Only about 100 countries have so far put formal strategies in place to cut the risk of disasters, she said. Such plans can include things like early warning systems, stronger building codes and a ban on construction in flood-prone areas.

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Aviva investors threatens to ditch top carbon emitters over climate inaction

Among the actions Aviva said it expects of the companies are that they commit to net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and ensure their plan to do so is in line with the Science-Based Targets Initiative, an NGO-led group that signs off on corporate climate plans.

The companies would need to integrate the climate goals into their business strategy, including capital expenditure plans; set short- and medium-term targets; align management pay with the goals; and ensure lobbying efforts supported the goals.

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India to come out of COVID-19 pandemic as one of the global winners: Danish envoy

Svane told PTI that foreign ministers of the two countries are working on an ambitious action plan comprising specific targets to achieve the goals broadly mentioned in the ‘India-Denmark Green Strategic Partnership’.

The green partnership, finalised at a virtual summit between the prime ministers of the two countries, aims to create a framework for significant expansion of cooperation in areas of renewable energy, environment, economy, climate change and science and technology.

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U.N. chief urges business to take the lead on COVID-19, climate and global recovery

“We count on businesses to play an important role by themselves and to put pressure on governments to do the right thing,” he said. “We need you more than ever to help us change course, end fragility, avert climate catastrophe and build the equitable and sustainable future we want and we need.”

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NGT junks Punjab govt plea to recover penalty from defaulting farmers for burning crop residue

The plea sought to recover the amount of environmental compensation (pending dues and future liabilities) from the payment of sale proceeds of food grains of the defaulting farmers who have burnt paddy residue.

The NGT had in 2015 directed state governments to take coercive and punitive action against persistent defaulters of its crop residue burning order and asked them to withdraw the assistance provided to those farmers.

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Air pollution can permanently harm eyes, may result in irreversible blindness

The researchers, including those from the University College London, UK, noted that AMD is the leading cause of irreversible blindness among the over 50s in high-income countries, with the numbers of those affected projected to reach 300 million by 2040.

Known risk factors include older age, smoking, and genetic make-up, they said.

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Two-thirds of world see ‘climate emergency’: UN survey

“Concern about the climate emergency is far more widespread than we knew before,” Stephen Fisher, a sociologist at Oxford who helped design the survey and process the data, told AFP in an interview.

“And the large majority of those who do recognise a climate emergency want urgent and comprehensive action.”

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