COP24: Huge untapped potential in greener construction, says UN environment agency
Dec 08, 2018, at 06:52 am
New York, Dec 8 (IBNS): Noting some progress in greening the global construction industry, the United Nations environment agency (UNEP) co-released a report on Friday at the COP24 climate conference in Katowice, Poland, sounding the alarm on the need for “dramatic action” to reduce the sector’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Taking fast road to ‘e-mobility’ central to a sustainable future: COP24
Dec 07, 2018, at 09:56 am
New York, Dec 7 (IBNS): As the transportation sector continues to be a major culprit in the global rise in temperatures, the urgent need for clean solutions – in particular, powered by electricity or “e-mobility” – is being highlighted at the two-week United Nations climate change conference ‘COP24’ in Katowice, Poland.
Greenland ice sheet melt 'off the charts' compared with past four centuries: Study
Dec 07, 2018, at 09:26 am
Washington, Dec 7 (IBNS): Surface melting across Greenland’s mile-thick ice sheet began increasing in the mid-19th century and then ramped up dramatically during the 20th and early 21st centuries, showing no signs of abating, according to new research published Dec. 5, 2018, in the journal Nature.
Tunisia coastline in need of climate cash boost
Dec 06, 2018, at 02:17 pm
New York, Dec 6 (IBNS): Efforts to mobilize the cash needed to ensure that climate change does not lead to the irreversible damage of Tunisia’s coastline are being undertaken by the North African country’s government, with the support of the UN Development Programme (UNDP).
Air pollution bigger killer than smoking: Study
Dec 06, 2018, at 01:44 pm
New Delhi, Dec 6 (IBNS): Air pollution in India makes more people ill than smoking, The India Express, citing The Lancet Planetary Health estimate on deaths, disease burden, and life expectancy reduction associated with air pollution, said.
Soil pollution ‘jeopardizing’ life on Earth, UN agency warns on World Day
Dec 06, 2018, at 01:37 pm
New York, Dec 6 (IBNS): Soil is a “treasure beneath our feet,” essential to human lives and well-being, a senior United Nations official has highlighted, warning, however, that this invaluable resource is under constant threat from the little-understood phenomenon of soil pollution.
COP24: A million lives could be saved by 2050 through climate action, UN health agency reveals
Dec 06, 2018, at 01:32 pm
New York, Dec 6 (IBNS): Taking bold climate action now, could help save a million lives and a lot of money by the middle of the century, said the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday, launching a special report as part of the ongoing COP24 climate conference in Katowice, Poland.
Assembly President launches new initiative to purge plastics and purify oceans
Dec 05, 2018, at 09:15 am
New York, Dec 5 (IBNS): The President of the UN General Assembly launched a new global call to action on Tuesday, to help end the scourge of plastic pollution in the ocean.
Dec 05, 2018, at 09:01 am
New York, Dec 5 (IBNS): With thousands gathered in Katowice, Poland, for the ‘COP24’ meeting to chart the way forward for climate action, United Nations chief António Guterres presented his longer-term vision on Tuesday for the 2019 Climate Change Summit.
Climate risk Index shows increased impacts of tropical cyclones: Study
Dec 04, 2018, at 06:49 pm
New York, Dec 4 (IBNS): Tropical cyclones have heavy impacts on an increasing number of countries. In 2017, the hurricane season in the Caribbean Sea was particularly strong and left several islands destroyed.
UN launches Facebook Messenger-powered bot to take on climate change
Dec 04, 2018, at 09:15 am
New York, Dec 4 (IBNS): As world leaders and decision-makers get to work on mitigating climate change at the COP24 conference in Katowice, Poland, renowned broadcaster and natural historian Sir David Attenborough launched a new UN campaign to give individuals their say on the key global issue, via social media.
COP24: green, gender focus, as UN's crucial climate change conference gets underway
Dec 03, 2018, at 08:55 am
New York, Dec 3 (IBNS): COP24, the two-week 24th conference of the parties of the United Nations Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC), started on Sunday in Katowice, Poland, with a special focus on carbon neutrality and gender equality.
G20 told crucial COP24 climate change conference 'must succeeed': Guterres
Dec 01, 2018, at 07:50 am
New York, Dec 1 (IBNS): During press briefings at the beginning of the G20 meeting of industrialized nations in Buenos Aires, UN Secretary António Guterres described the event as an essential forum, citing a lack of confidence and high level of confrontation within the international community.
Has World Water Council become hostage to Water mafia?
Nov 30, 2018, at 08:26 pm
Marseille, France, 29 November: Set up in 1996 after a proposal to this effect at the United Nations' International Conference on Environment and Development in Dublin in 1992, the World Water Council is in the eye of a storm. With accusations from its very own members of succumbing to the greed of water mafia, the world’s apex body on water is of late mired in controversies.
Mass pilot whale stranding at Chatham Island: New Zealand Department of Conservation
Nov 30, 2018, at 04:25 pm
Wellington, Nov 30 (IBNS): An overnight stranding of pilot whales has occurred at the southern end of Hanson Bay, near the township of Owenga in the Chatham Islands, officials said.
WB govt fined Rs 5 crore for failing to check pollution
Nov 29, 2018, at 05:37 pm
Kolkata, Nov 29 (IBNS): The National Green Tribunal has slapped a Rs 5-crore fine on the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal for failing to improve air quality in Kolkata and Howrah. The money has to be paid in two weeks, failing which the amount will increase by Rs 1 crore every month.
Cutting emissions, one bog at a time
Nov 28, 2018, at 09:09 am
New York, Nov 28 (IBNS): Farmers and entrepreneurs in rural eastern Europe are helping to tackle climate change while boosting their livelihoods as a result of regenerating ancient wetland peat bogs.
CO2 emissions on the rise for first time in four years, UN agency warns
Nov 28, 2018, at 08:49 am
New York, Nov 28 (IBNS): A new report released on Tuesday by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) shows that global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions rose again during 2017 after a three year hiatus, highlighting the imperative for countries to deliver on the historic Paris Agreement to keep global warming to below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.
5 magnitude earthquake hits Japan, no casualty
Nov 27, 2018, at 09:21 am
Tokyo, Nov 27 (IBNS): An earthquake measuring 5.0 struck Japan's southern Ibaraki Prefecture on Tuesday, weather officials said.
6.2 earthquake hits areas close to Taiwan Strait
Nov 26, 2018, at 10:02 am
Beijing, Nov 26 (IBNS): A 6.2 magnitude earthquake hit areas close to the Taiwan Strait, officials said.
6.3 earthquake hits border area between Iraq and Iran, 350 hurt
Nov 26, 2018, at 09:53 am
Baghdad, Nov 26 (IBNS): At least 350 people were hurt as a 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit the border area between Iraq and Iran on Sunday, as per the US Geological Survey.
Nov 24, 2018, at 08:48 am
New York, Nov 24 (IBNS): To bring the voice of the people to the upcoming Climate Change Conference in Poland (known by the shorthand 'COP 24', from 2 to 14 December), the United Nations has launched the ‘People’s Seat’ initiative, calling millions of change advocates worldwide to submit messages for an address that will be delivered to leaders attending the conference, by renowned naturalist Sir David Attenborough.
Greenhouse gas levels in atmosphere break another record, UN report shows
Nov 23, 2018, at 08:52 am
New York, Nov 23 (IBNS): Levels of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere have reached another new record high, according to a report issued on Thursday by the United Nations weather agency, which reveals that there is no sign of reversal of this trend, responsible for climate change, sea level rise, ocean acidification and extreme weather.
With worst AQI, Kolkata becomes India's most polluted metro
Nov 19, 2018, at 08:51 pm
Kolkata, Nov 19 (IBNS): Surpassing Delhi, Kolkata has become the most polluted metropolitan in India, in last 72 hours, with a 'very poor' and 'hazardous' Air Quality Index (AQI), reports said.
Nov 17, 2018, at 08:39 am
New York, Nov 17 (IBNS): A new generation of green infrastructure which boosts the local economy, ensures water supplies and protects the environment is being built in Timor-Leste thanks to the support of the UN Development Programme (UNDP).
Cyclone Gaja : Storm intensifies, to make landfall in Tamil Nadu today
Nov 15, 2018, at 02:13 pm
Chennai, Nov 15 (IBNS) :The cyclonic storm ‘Gaja’ will make a landfall between Cuddalore and Pamban on Thursday evening bringing heavy rainfall to Tamil Nadu.
Cyclone ‘GAJA’ to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm during next 24 hours
Nov 14, 2018, at 12:51 pm
New Delhi, Nov 14 (IBNS) : The Cyclonic storm ‘GAJA’ over West central and adjoining East central and South Bay of Bengal moved west-southwestwards with a speed of 06 kmph during past 06 hours and lay centred at 0530 hrs IST on Wednesday over Westcentral and adjoining East central & South Bay of Bengal, about 540 km east of Chennai (Tamil Nadu) and 640 km northeast of Nagapattinam (Tamil Nadu).
Climate Change Focus: Cows, coffee and sustainable farming
Nov 13, 2018, at 09:18 am
New York, Nov 13 (IBNS): Small-scale farms in Panama are helping to heal land degraded by extensive cattle ranching and extreme rainfall or drought associated with climate change, thanks to a project supported by the UN Development Programme, (UNDP).
Smartphones may be used to better predict the weather: Study
Nov 12, 2018, at 03:44 pm
Tel Aviv, Nov 12 (IBNS): Flash floods occur with little warning. Earlier this year, a flash flood that struck Ellicott City, MD, demolished the main street, swept away parked cars, pummeled buildings and left one man dead.
Freezing pollutants removes them from indoor air, study finds
Nov 11, 2018, at 08:00 pm
London, Nov 11 (IBNS): An international study, involving Nottingham Trent University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, aimed to address the severe effect that hazardous outdoor air pollution – which is thought to lead to more than 3m premature deaths worldwide every year – was having on indoor air quality.