Gina McCarthy, EPA administrator in the Obama administration, speaks during the Climate Action 2016 Summit on May 6, 2016 in Washington, DC, two weeks after the signing ceremony of the Paris agreement. Mark Wilson / Getty Images
President-elect Joe Biden is currently considering the former head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under former President Barack Obama to be the domestic "climate czar," Reuters reported.
<p>The appointment of Gina McCarthy would put her in charge of federal policy on <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-crisis">climate</a> across agencies. Biden has made the climate crisis a main focus for his upcoming administration, tapping former Obama secretary of state <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/23/politics/john-kerry-biden-climate-envoy/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">John Kerry</a> to be its special presidential envoy on climate, as a cabinet-level official who will sit on the National Security Council.</p>
<p>McCarthy currently serves as the president of the Natural Resources Defense Counsel, an environmental advocacy organization with broad reach. She would be Kerry's counterpart, where she would run domestic policy, with Kerry in charge of international diplomacy with regard to climate.</p><p>In an interview with <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/11/14/934920666/joe-bidens-options-to-combat-climate-change" target="_blank">NPR</a> in November, McCarthy said Biden's climate strategy consisted of re-entering the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/paris-climate-agreement-biden-2648649350.html">Paris agreement</a> immediately, and moving to clean energy by 2035. She mentioned how under President Trump the administration was stacked with fossil fuel executives, which stalled policy on clean energy to move forward. It also stalled on the job front, as clean energy jobs are more likely to produce more employment through creating infrastructure.</p>
<p>She said in the interview that if people who may be skeptical about climate change, or rely on the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/fossil-fuels">fossil fuel</a> industry for employment understood the potential of the job market in <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/12/10/22167938/governors-us-climate-change-alliance-clean-energy-jobs" target="_blank">renewable energy</a> — and the jobs would be more secure — then it could be massive step forward in combating climate change in the U.S.</p><p>And Michael Regan, the current secretary of North Carolina's Department of Environmental Quality, is a <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-14/biden-team-considering-north-carolina-official-to-lead-u-s-epa" target="_blank">top contender</a> to head the upcoming administration's EPA office, according to Bloomberg News. One of his largest achievements while in office was in January, where he held Duke Energy Corp accountable for its pollution production, forcing the company to agree to the largest <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/coal">coal</a> cleanup in the U.S.</p>
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The coal-fired Belchatow Power Station is seen on November 29, 2018 in Rogowiec, Poland. Sean Gallup / Getty Images
European Union leaders reached an eleventh-hour agreement Friday to reduce the bloc's collective greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent of 1990 levels by 2030.
<p>The deal, hashed out over a negotiation all-nighter, managed to reconcile differences between wealthier Western European countries and Eastern European countries such as Poland that are still heavily dependent on <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/coal" target="_self">coal</a>, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/11/world/europe/eu-climate-emissions.html#:~:text=E.U.-,Agrees%20to%20Slash%20Carbon%20Emissions%20by%202030,substantial%20reduction%20than%20previously%20proposed" target="_blank">The New York Times reported</a>.</p><p>"Europe is the leader in the fight against <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change/" target="_self">climate change</a>," European Council President Charles Michel tweeted Friday morning, <a href="https://twitter.com/eucopresident/status/1337296150580383744" target="_blank">announcing the news</a>.</p>
<div id="9cdc2" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="97b83cd67a1260727f1519ae627fa752"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1337296150580383744" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Europe is the leader in the fight against climate change. We decided to cut our greenhouse gas emissions of at lea… https://t.co/65Pq9FHyn1</div> — Charles Michel (@Charles Michel)<a href="https://twitter.com/eucopresident/statuses/1337296150580383744">1607671222.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>The deal comes after the European Commission, the EU's executive branch, <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/greta-thunberg-eu-climate-law-2645391457.html?rebelltitem=1" target="_self">drafted a law</a> in March that would make the 27-country bloc carbon neutral by 2050. Activists like Greta Thunberg criticized the plan for setting a benchmark so far in the future. While Thunberg also thought 2030 was too far of a target, analysts told The New York Times that Friday's deal makes the EU's 2050 target more credible.</p><p>European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen championed the new deal.</p><p>"Today's agreement puts us on a clear path to climate neutrality in 2050," The Guardian reported her saying. The agreement was also reached in time for von der Leyen to announce it at a virtual <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/virtual-climate-summit-2020-2649465278.html" target="_self">UN climate meeting Saturday</a>, The New York Times reported.</p><p>The deal came after the bloc failed to agree to a less-ambitious 40 percent emissions reduction target in October. Two key factors bridged the gap between coal-dependent members and the rest.</p>
<ol><li>The deal was reached after the EU agreed on a $2.2 trillion budget Thursday evening that includes funds for transitioning away from <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/fossil-fuels" target="_self">fossil fuels</a>.</li><li>The negotiators agreed to make the target a collective one so that each country will not be held to the same standards, and countries with more diverse energy sources can compensate for slower transitions from coal-dependent states.</li></ol><p>"We have an agreement which on the one hand allows us to realize the E.U. target, and on the other creates conditions for a just transition of the Polish economy and the energy sector," Polish minister of climate and environment Michal Kurtyka told The New York Times.</p><p>The deal will also focus on accelerating the transition to <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/electric-vehicle" target="_self">electric vehicles</a> and mandate an investment of $420 billion a year this decade for decarbonizing the energy sector, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/eu-summit-climate/eu-leaders-clinch-deal-on-tougher-2030-climate-goal-idUSKBN28L0N3" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Reuters reported</a>.</p>
<p>The deal will now need to be approved by the European Parliament, which supports a more ambitious emissions reduction of 60 percent by 2030.</p><p>"It is important not to be fooled into thinking that a net target of 55 percent is sufficient," Jytte Guteland, the parliament member taking the lead on climate legislation, <a href="https://twitter.com/JytteGuteland/status/1337317060376932352" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">tweeted Friday</a>. "I have a strong mandate from the elected representatives in the European Parliament to push for more climate ambition. I intend to do that when we meet and negotiate."</p><p>The Guardian reported that the new commitment means that the EU now has one of the leading climate plans of any major economy. Still, several activists agreed with Guteland that the deal did not go far enough.</p><p>"Governments will no doubt call it historic, but the evidence shows this deal is only a small improvement on the emissions cuts the EU is already expected to achieve. It shows that political convenience takes precedence over climate science, and that most politicians are still afraid to take on big polluters," <a href="https://www.greenpeace.org/eu-unit/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Greenpeace EU</a> policy advisor Sebastian Mang told The Guardian.</p><p>Colin Roche, <a href="https://www.foeeurope.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Friends of the Earth Europe</a> climate justice coordinator, also said the EU should be more ambitious in its goals in order to meet its commitments under the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/paris-agreement" target="_self">Paris agreement</a>.</p><p>"Our leaders must go further to deliver Europe's fair share of global action to cut carbon and live up to the agreement they made in Paris five years ago," Roche told <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/11/eu-leaders-agree-on-55percent-greenhouse-gas-emissions-reduction-target.html" target="_blank">CNBC</a>. "Meanwhile if this new target is to be meaningful, planned new EU infrastructure spending must cut out all fossil fuels now."</p>
<p><br/></p><p><br/></p><p><span></span></p>From Your Site Articles
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Catherine Falls Commercial / Moment / Getty Images
In the past several years, CBD has earned a reputation as one of America's go-to sources for natural health and wellness. CBD stands for cannabidiol, and is one of the most prominent, active ingredients found in cannabis. Though CBD is a critical component in medical marijuana, most commercially available CBD products are derived from the hemp plant. These products are said to offer a range of personal health benefits, and one of the most significant of those benefits is relief from anxiety.
<p>Indeed, <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/cannabidiol-cbd-what-we-know-and-what-we-dont-2018082414476#:~:text=CBD%20is%20commonly%20used%20to,different%20types%20of%20chronic%20pain." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a Harvard report notes</a> that CBD is commonly prescribed as a cure for anxiety symptoms, and that those who struggle with various mental health concerns may use CBD to help them combat sleeplessness. </p><p>But what does the science really say about using CBD oil for anxiety? And for those who wish to use cannabis products to ease their stress or their worry, which CBD brands are the most reliable and recommendable?</p><p><em>Each product featured here has been independently selected by the writer. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.</em><em><br/></em></p>
<p class=""><em><strong>Josh Hurst</strong> is a journalist, critic, copywriter, and essayist. He lives in Knoxville, TN, with his wife and three sons. As a writer </em><em>and independent reviewer of CBD products, Josh covers the relationship between cannabis-based products and the human body. His writing has appeared in Health, Shape, and Remedy Review.</em></p><em><p><strong>* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.</strong></p></em>
<h2>Editor's Choice</h2><h3><a href="https://naternal.com/collections?rfsn=3223660.54af73&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=3223660.54af73&subid=EW_Anxiety" target="_blank">Naternal Full Spectrum CBD</a></h3><ul> <li>Best-priced full spectrum product</li><li>Strong hemp oil extracts</li><li>Regularly tested for impurities</li></ul><h2>What Science Says About CBD for Anxiety</h2><p><span></span>First, let's consider what clinical researchers have found about the use of CBD as a possible treatment for anxiety disorders.<br></p><p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4604171/" target="_blank">Studies have shown that</a>, while CBD doesn't necessarily alter a person's baseline anxiety level, it can be useful for reducing experiential anxiety. Indeed, research points to CBD as a potentially effective way to address the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), general anxiety disorder (GAD), and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). <a href="https://www.japha.org/article/S1544-3191(19)30514-X/fulltext" target="_blank">Additional research confirms</a> that, while more clinical testing is needed to verify safe dosage levels, CBD "has a promising role as alternative therapy in the management of anxiety disorders."</p><p>There is also <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5412699/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">clinical evidence to suggest</a> that CBD can be a tool for managing panic attacks. Panic disorder (PD) impacts about five percent of the total global population, making the anxiolytic effects of CBD products potentially impactful on a widespread level.</p><p>There is even <a href="https://psychcentral.com/news/2019/06/02/can-cannabinoids-help-treat-ocd/147472.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">clinical evidence</a> that CBD can help minimize the symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), a nervous condition that can be debilitating. Currently, OCD is treated primarily through cognitive behavioral therapy and antidepressants, but the recovery rate is exceedingly low. The prospect of CBD as an alternative intervention is potentially game-changing.</p><p>But how exactly does CBD impact those with anxiety conditions? The short answer is that products from the cannabis plant tend to have a strong, reactive effect with the endocannabinoid system, a molecular system that regulates many core functions of the body… including emotions. Cannabinoids can bind to receptors in the endocannabinoid system and modify the way they function, yielding a range of possible health benefits.</p><p>Indeed, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2241751/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">one study notes</a> that "modulating the activity of the endocannabinoid system turned out to hold therapeutic promise in a wide range of disparate diseases and pathological conditions, ranging from mood and anxiety disorders, movement disorders such as Parkinson's and Huntington's disease, neuropathic pain, multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury, to cancer, atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, stroke, hypertension, glaucoma, obesity/metabolic syndrome, and osteoporosis, to name just a few." Based on the available evidence, anxiety disorders deserve their place near the top of this list.</p>
The Best CBD Oil for Anxiety & Depression
<ol><li><a href="https://naternal.com/collections?rfsn=3223660.54af73&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=3223660.54af73&subid=EW_Anxiety" target="_blank">Naternal</a> - Best overall value</li><li><a href="https://takespruce.com/?rfsn=2546834.ac5974&subid=EW_Anxiety" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Spruce</a> - Strongest hemp oil</li><li><a href="https://shop.nuleafnaturals.com/eyDy1" target="_blank">NuLeaf Naturals</a> - Best full spectrum </li><li><a href="https://cbdistillery.vxoy.net/rkV9j" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CBDistillery</a> - Best product variety</li><li><a href="https://medterracbd.com/traffic.asp?affid=5212&d=tincture&utm_source=remedy&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=EW_Anxiety" target="_blank">Medterra</a> - Best THC-free</li></ol><h3>Detailed Reviews on the Best CBD Oils For Anxiety 2020</h3>1. Naternal Full Spectrum
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0ODI3NC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNTE4NDY1NX0.M9Bgu4FXjsMC1MuOQ-330b30WpGABdHa_CTyT3B8O_w/img.png?width=980" id="b7eda" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9e73a43331d122b9b11884df16b31290" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><p>Naternal is made from hemp grown in the USA. And, importantly, these products are very affordable. You can get this lab-grade tincture in 20, 40, or 80 mg per serving. All concentrations have the same light natural flavor in a nearly-clear oil. Once you find the right dose of Naternal, the strong effects can put you to sleep easily or allow you to kick back and relax with a strong body relaxation. It's a great product at a hard-to-beat price. </p><h3>Pros:</h3><ul><li>Good, strong products</li><li>Regularly tested for quality</li><li>Simple dosing instruction on every package</li></ul><h3>Cons:</h3><ul><li>More for mood and sleep than pain</li></ul>2. Spruce CBD Oil
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDg1MDIzOC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNTA5OTMxNn0.vuUiJuaneM1w4nzZyf2grLLELU_1EcEkj1RD3L_MeXQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="f698a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="83d51fe8c74147f1dd6d749575dfd127" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />Spruce CBD Oil<p>Spruce CBD checks all the right boxes: It's all-natural. It's from USA-sourced hemp. It has low THC, and thus won't get you high. And it's backed by rigorous third-party lab testing. You can get this lab-grade CBD oil tincture in a range of potencies, ranging from 750mg to 2,400mg, and there are also some fun flavors to choose from. (Our seasonal favorite: Pumpkin spice!) And if you find that Spruce CBD oil offers the desired health and wellness effects, you may also want to check into their other products, like CBD topical creams and lotions. </p><h3>Pros:</h3><ul> <li>Very strong products</li><li>Consistent quality </li><li>Very in-depth customer reviews and testimonials on website</li></ul><h3>Cons:</h3><ul><li>More expensive than some products</li><li> Too strong for entry-level consumers</li></ul>
$89
3. NuLeaf Naturals CBD Oil
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDgwNTUxNi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxMzgzNDY4NH0.MW4A_WHgJAb4yk-LRgM_b8-hwdDOB4KBh9YZLqkHuVo/img.jpg?width=980" id="0a2d6" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d34a95f44d8cc0236f1c954f821919a6" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />NuLeaf Naturals CBD Oil<p>Our final recommendation is for NuLeaf CBD oil, which is about as natural as a CBD tincture can get: It's made from organic hemp, it's additive- and pesticide-free, and it's carefully lab-tested. This Colorado-grown, full-spectrum CBD offers anti-anxiety effects without any risk of getting you high.</p><h3>Pros:</h3><ul><li>Industry leader </li><li>Consistent products make dosing easier</li><li>Strong full spectrum effects</li></ul><h3>Cons:</h3><ul><li>Very earthy flavor profile</li><li>Too "natural" tasting for some beginners</li></ul>
$39
4. CBDistillery Full Spectrum Tinctures
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0MjA4MS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMDI5MTQ3M30.4E51_GeRRw3D0zFdslcZU9NkfY5T_JemTFPkrubj0zk/img.png?width=980" id="31e11" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="81975de814cc0ab8f2466fd87d3d5602" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />CBDistillery 2500mg Full Spectrum Tincture<p>CBDistillery is renowned for their high-quality, pure CBD products, including full spectrum and 0 percent THC drops. All are vigorously lab-tested and confirmed by third parties to be safe and effective. There are a ton of options, both in terms of potency and price, but the main thing we love is that this product line is very no-nonsense: If you need CBD oil help for your anxiety issues, here's a brand that offers clinically-tested, thoroughly-vetted treatment options. </p><h3>Pros:</h3><ul><li>Great website selection and experience</li><li>Strong products plus THC-free options</li><li>Hemp Authority approved</li></ul><h3>Cons:</h3><ul><li>Need to catch sales and discounts at the right time </li><li>Hard to open lid (could be good if kids around)</li></ul>
$130
5. Medterra THC-free CBD Oil
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDg1MDQyOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NjY0NTQ4MH0.A-l2N48AH9WbtAcda23u9mGkApQ0P-hZspeijEYPuXQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="63055" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="48ffe0f2634aa7971d34f05acdcc61c3" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />Medterra<p>Medterra offers a wide range of CBD products, including topicals, pet products, and more. We like the THC-free oil, which is made with organically-grown, CO2-extracted hemp. Their oils only contain CBD and MCT oil (basically a saturated fatty acid), and they meet rigorous third-party testing standards. 500mg, 1000mg, and 3000mg options are available, and the cost starts at around $60.</p><h3>Pros:</h3><ul><li>Kentucky-grown hemp</li><li>Industry leader for many years</li><li>Simple online checkout experience</li></ul><h3>Cons:</h3><ul><li>THC-free options lack full hemp potential</li><li>Many oil types to choose from</li></ul>
$35
How much CBD oil should you take for anxiety?
<p><span style="background-color: initial;">For those who are eager to try CBD products to help ease anxiety, the next question is: How much should you take?</span><br></p><p>There's not a single, clear answer to this question, as the amount of CBD needed may vary from person to person, based on their level of anxiety and other health concerns. One thing that holds true across the board is that using CBD <em>consistently </em>is best for improving stress levels, as the compound builds up within the body, amplifying its effect. In other words: CBD may help with anxiety symptoms, but don't expect it to be an immediate cure.</p><p>Those who are new to CBD will likely want to start at the lower end of the dosing spectrum and work their way up; this can be the wisest way to gauge efficacy and also to avoid any adverse effects..</p>Should you try CBD oil for anxiety?
<p><span style="background-color: initial;">If you're looking for a natural way to combat the effects of anxiety, CBD oil drops may be a good place to start. Note that none of these products are cleared by the FDA to treat anxiety disorders, so if you have any apprehension, you may want to chat with your doctor first.</span><br></p>F.A.Q
<h2><strong><span style="background-color: initial; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(90, 88, 88);">Q: How fast does a hemp CBD work for anxiety?</span><br></strong></h2><p>A: Depending on the way you use CBD products such as the amount you take, how do you consume it in, and where you got your CBD from can affect the time it takes to give its benefits. </p><p><strong>Q: Do you need to take hemp CBD products daily?</strong></p><p>A: Some people notice that taking a daily dose will help sustain a level of hemp CBD in your body, which could stimulate your endocannabinoid system to make it react a lot more to cannabinoids like CBD products.</p><p><strong>Q: What is plant-based CBD hemp oil products?</strong></p><p>A: Cannabinoid oil products contain no psychoactive drugs so they won't get your high or produce that high feeling. </p><p><strong>Q: What anxiety issues can it improve?</strong></p><p>A: It can help with post-traumatic stress disorder, social stresses, work-related stress, depression, and many other issues related to stress </p><p><strong>Q: How do I use it to treat my anxiety?</strong></p><p>A: You should first figure out what kind of tincture you would like to try and then from there figure out the ideal dose for you. </p>From Your Site Articles
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Secretary-General António Guterres delivers a speech at the United Nations Climate Ambition Summit 2020 taking place virtually with world leaders invited to make pre-recorded statements outlining their new and ambitious commitments. UN Photo / Mark Garten
World leaders should declare a "climate emergency" in their countries to spur action to avoid catastrophic global warming, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in opening remarks at a climate summit on Saturday.
On the fifth anniversary of the 2015 Paris Agreement, more than 70 world leaders are due to address the one-day virtual meeting in the hope of galvanizing countries into stricter actions on global warming emissions.
<p>Guterres said that current commitments across the globe did not go "far from enough" to limit temperature rises.</p><p>"Can anybody still deny that we are facing a dramatic emergency?" Guterres said. "That is why today, I call on all leaders worldwide to declare a State of Climate Emergency in their countries until carbon neutrality is reached."</p>
Fossil Fuel Investment 'Unacceptable'
<p><span style="background-color: initial; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(90, 88, 88);">The UN chief said economic recovery packages launched in the wake of </span><a href="https://www.dw.com/en/opinion-endng-covid-new-dawn-for-climate/a-55807185" target="_blank" style="background-color: initial; font-size: 14px;">the coronavirus pandemic</a><span style="background-color: initial; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(90, 88, 88);"> represented an opportunity to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon future — but warned so much more needs to be done to ward off catastrophic consequences.</span><br></p><div id="2be5e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="92e2a543e89ed7c59a62c0080ea6ba48"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1337760413426003969" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Watch live: Global leaders meet virtually at the Climate Ambition Summit to commit to renewed and increased… https://t.co/NYQyo4wYKB</div> — United Nations (@United Nations)<a href="https://twitter.com/UN/statuses/1337760413426003969">1607781911.0</a></blockquote></div><p>"So far, the members of the G20 are spending 50% more in their stimulus and rescue packages on sectors linked to fossil fuel production and consumption, than on low-carbon energy," Guterres said.</p><p>"This is unacceptable. The trillions of dollars needed for COVID recovery is money that we are borrowing from future generations," he said. "We cannot use these resources to lock in policies that burden future generations with a mountain of debt on a broken planet," he added.</p>
China and India Promises
<p>China and India vowed to advance their commitment to lower carbon pollution at the summit.</p><p>President Xi Jinping was one of the first leaders to address the virtual conference and he said China will boost its installed capacity of wind and solar power to more than 1,200 gigawatts over the next decade. Xi also said China will increase its share of non-fossil fuels in primary energy consumption to around 25% during the same period.</p><p>And "China always honors its commitments," Xi promised.</p><p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India was ramping up its use of clean energy sources and was on target to achieve the emissions norms set under the 2015 Paris agreement.</p><p>India, the second-most populous nation on Earth and the world's fourth-largest greenhouse gas emitter, is eyeing 450 gigawatt of renewable energy capacity by 2030, Modi said.</p><p><em>Reposted with permission from </em><em><a href="https://www.dw.com/en/un-urges-world-leaders-to-declare-climate-emergency/a-55918020" target="_blank">Deutsche Welle</a>.</em><a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/r/entryeditor/2649465278#/" target="_self"></a></p>Related Articles Around the Web
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Youth activist Greta Thunberg speaks at the Climate Action Summit at the United Nations on September 23, 2019 in New York City. Stephanie Keith / Getty Images
By Andrea Germanos
Teen climate leader Greta Thunberg on Thursday reiterated her demand that humanity end its inaction on the planetary emergency as she warned—five years after the Paris agreement was signed—the world is "speeding in the wrong direction" in terms of emission reductions.
<p>With nothing less than a total "system change" needed, the 17-year-old Swede told viewers in a new video that she's "inviting you to be part of the solution."</p><p>Thunberg shared the 3-minute video on Twitter Thursday—two days before the Paris climate agreement's five-year <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/12/12/historic-climate-deal-reached-campaigners-say-work-just-beginning" target="_blank">anniversary</a>.</p>
<div id="55a74" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="00cadf04f5611b6d1e8acbdac77c10f5"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1337091285182803968" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">My name is Greta Thunberg and I am inviting you to be a part of the solution. As #ParisAgreement turns 5, our lead… https://t.co/kBVPEYilco</div> — Greta Thunberg (@Greta Thunberg)<a href="https://twitter.com/GretaThunberg/statuses/1337091285182803968">1607622378.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>While "a lot has happened" since the accord was finalized December 12, 2015 to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius and pursue a goal of a 1.5 degrees Celsius temperature threshold, "the action needed is still nowhere in sight," said Thunberg.</p><p>In fact, she warned, "We are still speeding in the wrong direction."</p><p>Thunberg denounced global leaders' "hypothetical targets" for emissions reductions and "big speeches," because "when it comes to the immediate action we need, we are still in a state of complete denial."</p><p>She further stressed that the "climate and ecological crisis cannot be solved without system change. That's no longer an opinion. That's a fact."</p>
<p>"For too long," Thunberg continued, "we have been distancing ourselves from nature, mistreating the planet—our only home—living as if there was no tomorrow," and are now poised to blow past the 1.5 warming threshold "within 7 years, long before we will even have a chance to deliver on our 2030 or 2050 targets."</p><p>Despite that projection, Thunberg said that "there is hope because the people have not yet been made aware."</p><p>"We cannot solve a crisis without treating it as a crisis. Nor can we treat something like a crisis unless we understand the emergency. So let's make this our main priority. Let's unite and spread awareness," she said.</p><p>"Once we become aware, then we can act," Thunberg continued. "Then change will come."</p><p>"This is the solution," she said. "We are the hope. We, the people."</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/10/must-watch-video-greta-thunberg-warns-humanity-still-speeding-wrong-direction" target="_blank">Common Dreams.</a></em></p>From Your Site Articles
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Environmental activists protest during the UN Climate Action Summit, aimed at reinvigorating the faltering Paris agreement, on Sept. 23, 2019 in Washington, DC. MANDEL NGAN / AFP via Getty Images
By Morgan Bazilian and Dolf Gielen
This month marks the fifth anniversary of the Paris climate agreement – the commitment by almost every country to try to keep global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius.
It's an ambitious goal, and the clock is ticking.
<p>The planet has already warmed by about 1°C since the start of the industrial era. That might not sound like much, but that first degree is <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/" target="_blank">changing the planet</a> in profound ways, from more extreme heat waves that put human health and crops at risk, to rising sea levels.</p><p>Bold visions for slowing global warming have emerged from all over the world. Less clear is how countries will meet them.</p><p>So far, countries' individual plans for how they will lower their greenhouse gas emissions don't come close to adding up to the Paris agreement's goals. Even if every country meets its current commitments, the world will still be on track to warm by more than 3°C this century, according to the United Nations Environment Program's latest <a href="https://www.unenvironment.org/emissions-gap-report-2020" target="_blank"><em>Emissions Gap Report</em></a>, released Dec. 9. And many of those commitments aren't yet backed by government actions.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0NDk2MS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwOTM0MjQ4M30.Aa2L16MdG-1-eHqVyBPYPI9tI3AsW5rhq6tTq_S2ecY/img.png?width=980" id="88ac7" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="014a46ced9a02b15969e012191d1ca8f" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
<p>The COVID-19 pandemic's economic slowdown likely reduced global carbon dioxide emissions by <a href="https://www.unenvironment.org/emissions-gap-report-2020" target="_blank">about 7% this year</a>, but that temporary dip will have very little effect, the report notes – unless countries prioritize a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/may/28/eu-green-recovery-package-sets-a-marker-for-the-world" target="_blank">green recovery</a>.</p><p>This fifth anniversary of the Paris agreement was intended to be a progress check, with countries expected to increase their commitments. But because of the pandemic, the meeting and negotiations were postponed to November 2021. A smaller online <a href="https://www.cas2021.com/latest/events/2020/12/12/climate-ambition-summit" target="_blank">Climate Ambitions Summit</a> is planned this year on Dec. 12 instead.</p><p>Despite the delay, some big goals have been announced. In particular, more countries are now committing to reach net zero carbon emissions by midcentury. The U.S. is also expected to rejoin the agreement next year under President-elect Joe Biden.</p><p>But how well-grounded are these climate commitments in actual budgets, policies and regulations? As <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=sfI-c0YAAAAJ&hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">energy</a> <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=DAwwVkwAAAAJ&hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">policy experts</a>, we have both been involved in global climate negotiations, technology analysis and policy design for the last two decades, and we have watched the national commitments for signs of progress.</p>
<h2>Ambitious Goals, But Missing Actions</h2><p>The Paris agreement's formal goal is to stay "well below" 2 degrees of warming. That's based on political negotiations and scientific research <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">that models the increasingly harmful effects</a> rising temperatures will have on today's economies, agriculture and environment.</p><p>The sooner the world's emissions trajectory starts downward, the smoother the transition will be.</p><p>The leaders of China, Japan and South Korea each announced goals in recent weeks for reaching net zero carbon emissions by mid-century. But the detailed plans for how they will get there are largely missing.</p><p>Chinese President Xi Jinping drew global praise when he announced in September that his country's emissions – the highest in the world – would <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/24/china-carbon-emissions-420967" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">peak earlier than expected</a>, before 2030, and that China would strive to be carbon neutral by 2060. How and whether that happens will depend heavily on <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-politics-carbon-plan/xis-carbon-neutrality-vow-to-reshape-chinas-five-year-plan-idUSKBN27B08B" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the country's next Five Year Plan</a>, due in March. The leadership's priorities include expanding clean energy, but right now, China is still the world's largest coal user, and coal accounts for three-fifths of its energy supply.</p><p>South Korean President Moon Jae-in offered <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-southkora-environment-greenewdeal/south-koreas-moon-targets-carbon-neutrality-by-2050-idUSKBN27D1DU" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">more detailed goals</a> in November when he ordered government officials to develop a road map for transitioning to cleaner energy and carbon neutrality by 2050. He said his country would invest $7 billion in green projects, launch a carbon tax to encourage companies to reduce their emissions, and stop financing overseas coal plants. But those ideas, too, fall short of carbon neutrality in an economy that relies on energy-intensive industries.</p><p>The European Union is farther ahead. It established a net zero objective some time ago along with scenarios for how to get there. This summer, the EU also put climate-friendly projects at the heart of its <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-eu-summit-climate-change-factbox/factbox-how-green-is-the-eus-recovery-deal-idUSKCN24M19V" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">pandemic recovery strategy</a>. EU member states are now expected to develop long-term strategies for 2050 and revise their <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/energy/topics/energy-strategy/national-energy-climate-plans_en" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">integrated national energy and climate plans</a> through 2030.</p><p>The UK has announced a new 68% emissions reduction target for 2030. Meeting <a href="https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/sixth-carbon-budget/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">this target</a> will require the UK to double its efforts compared to the last three decades.</p>
Progress Toward Net Zero
<p>Two countries have achieved net zero emissions, largely due to their tiny populations and thick forests that store more carbon than the country emits. Six countries have net zero carbon targets in law. Five plus the EU have proposed legislation. Several others have targets in policy documents or under discussion.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0NDk5OC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMDk0ODkxOX0.WCJtg5MvjOM2N4yLisZnwcABEoGXSquVGoXtrQMCjYU/img.png?width=980" id="86d0c" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0588bbcc45be451b74466ecedfcb5fab" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0NDk5OS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNzgyMjQyNH0.ZWM2rpj_h7Ep7JjYpDBFktzyQKoRHULfDHm797_eiKQ/img.png?width=980" id="8cc0e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8f20bb4afec5c3e8d4df0cac66faaea8" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Data as of Dec. 7, 2020. Table: The Conversation / CC-BY-ND. Source: Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit Net Zero Tracker. Get the data
<h2>The Big Picture</h2><p>Overall, the current "nationally determined contributions" – the plans that countries submit to the UN spelling out how they will meet the Paris agreement – fall far short. A <a href="https://climateactiontracker.org/global/cat-emissions-gaps/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">five-fold acceleration in emissions reductions</a> is needed to come close.</p><p>Just days before the Ambitions Summit, <a href="https://climateactiontracker.org/climate-target-update-tracker/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">only 13 countries had submitted new targets</a>, and seven had announced they would not update their targets or resubmitted old targets. However, nearly half of high-emitting countries have indicated they will raise their mitigation ambitions by the end of next year.</p><p>Twenty-one states and regions have set <a href="https://www.theclimategroup.org/AnnualDisclosure2020" target="_blank">long-term targets</a> to reduce their emissions by 75%-90%, but how these will be met is not clear, a recent analysis found. Most <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2020/10/22/cities-are-pledging-to-confront-climate-change-but-are-their-actions-working/" target="_blank">pledges by cities</a> are similarly aspirational.</p>
Countries With the Most CO2 Emissions From Fossil Fuels
<p>In 2019, the world's six largest CO2 emitters together accounted for 51% of the global population and 67% of total CO2 emissions from fossil fuels.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0NTA0MC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMDYyOTUzNX0.5E0QJkVAhSXI56gRcCHYzLAxKu6x7-KBkNngebchYyY/img.png?width=980" id="1c95f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="cff1f463d90cea8b32f3cfad1690ddb1" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Chart: The Conversation / CC-BY-ND. Source: European Commission. Get the data
<h2>Ramping up Fast</h2><p>Even if established clean technologies like renewable energy are at the core of the transition, the pace of change required to meet the Paris goals remains daunting. Socioeconomic issues will also have to be put front and center.</p><p><a href="https://www.irena.org/publications/2020/Sep/Reaching-Zero-with-Renewables" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Net-zero solutions</a> are technically conceivable for a range of energy-intensive industries, agriculture and transport methods, but the speed and scale at which they would have to ramp up to meet a 2050 deadline is formidable.</p><p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esr.2019.01.006" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Our analysis</a> found the deployment of renewable power would need to accelerate two- to three-fold. Global renewable energy use would need to go from around 20% of energy today to 65% by 2050, and from 28% to 85% of the power sector. Electric vehicle use would have to skyrocket, from less than 10 million EVs today to more than 1.5 billion by 2050.</p>
<h2>Filling in the Gaps</h2><p>To finance these transformations, investors need to be confident that the world is committed to a cleaner future. Perceived risk will drive up costs, and uncertain or delayed government action <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-019-01312-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">are big risks</a>. International financial organizations, along with green banks and development banks, have an important role to play in encouraging private investment.</p><p>Moving from a focus on high-level goals to detailed pathways will help.</p><p>The global climate talks can continue to help by focusing on the specifics of the national commitments, ensuring they are detailed, well-designed and budgeted, and updated regularly.</p><p>The international community will also need to support countries that need assistance. Climate change is not the primary priority for most jurisdictions – though it is an existential crisis for some, including some small island states. That needs to be acknowledged and built in to the goals and planning.</p>
<p>
<em>Morgan Bazilian is a professor of public policy and director of the Payne Institute, Colorado School of Mines.<br/>
</em><em>Dolf Gielen is a Payne Institute fellow, at the Colorado School of Mines.</em>
</p><p>
<em>Disclosure statements: Dolf Gielen works for IRENA, an Intergovernmental Agency that advises its members on energy transition and climate. Morgan Bazilian does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</em>
</p><p>
<em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/5-years-after-paris-how-countries-climate-policies-match-up-to-their-promises-and-whos-aiming-for-net-zero-emissions-151722" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.</em>
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Xi 'an, China, is seen covered in air pollution at dusk on Nov. 11, 2020. Costfoto / Barcroft Media / Getty Images
By Ajit Niranjan
World leaders could use the coronavirus pandemic to shave 25% off their greenhouse gas emissions with green recovery packages, according to a report released today by the UN Environment Program (UNEP).
<p>But they have so far continued to make choices that <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/climate-change-performance-index-how-far-have-we-come/a-55846406" target="_blank">push them further away from targets</a> they agreed upon five years ago to protect the climate and their citizens. By burning fossil fuels and <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/brazil-amazon-deforestation-races-to-12-year-high-under-bolsonaro/a-55779726" target="_blank">chopping down rainforests</a>, countries are on track to heat the world by 3.2 degrees Celsius this century, despite committing to keep it well under 2C.</p><p>The annual emissions gap report, now in its 11th year, assesses the gap between what countries committed to doing under the Paris Agreement and what they need to do to keep temperatures in check. Despite recent pledges from major polluters to cut their emissions, the report describes concrete commitments as "woefully inadequate." </p><p>"The wealthy bear the greatest responsibility," wrote Inger Andersen, executive director of the United Nations Environment Program. The richest 1% of people, who emit more than double that of the poorest half of the global population, "will need to reduce their footprint by a factor of 30 to stay in line with the Paris Agreement targets." </p>
<h2>Emissions Gap Wide Open</h2><p>With factories closed, flights grounded and people buying fewer things, the pandemic is expected to lower carbon dioxide emissions by up to 7% this year, the report found. But <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/opinion-endng-covid-new-dawn-for-climate/a-55807185" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the coronavirus</a> pandemic will do little to help governments meet temperature targets unless world leaders prioritize a green recovery. </p><p>By investing in green jobs and infrastructure and choosing climate-friendly policies, world leaders could lower emissions by a quarter of what they would otherwise be by 2030, according to the report. Among the suggested solutions are ending fossil fuel subsidies, banning new coal plants and planting trees in deforested landscapes. </p><p>But the report says most rich countries are instead supporting a "high-carbon status quo" with some putting money into new fossil fuel projects. </p><p>"There's been a perception that, because we've been stuck at home and not able to travel, we were doing great and moving in the right direction," said Martina Caretta, assistant professor of geography at West Virginia University in the US and <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/what-is-the-ipcc-and-what-does-it-do/a-50552119" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">IPCC</a> author, who was not involved in the report. "But the truth that comes out is that this is just like a blip." </p><p>The report also calls for more action on planes and ships, which together account for 5% of global emissions and growing. About two-thirds of these emissions are international and not directly covered by national climate action plans under the Paris Agreement. </p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0MTA3Ny9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NDY2ODM0OX0.YYptZcKyM38nUM1ybkhkyHdpe67jZPNVE83OMNF17Qw/img.png?width=980" id="901b0" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d41895eb453701732a60351b8095e257" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
<h2>Increase in Carbon-Neutral Pledges </h2><p>Several countries have upped their ambitions in recent months. </p><p>China, the world's biggest polluter, said in October it will be carbon neutral by 2060. South Africa and South Korea have now committed to doing so by 2050, and US president-elect Joe Biden — who has promised to <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/bidens-climate-policy-what-does-john-kerrys-appointment-mean-for-the-environment/a-55721147" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">bring the US back into the Paris Agreement</a> — has agreed to the same goal. </p><p>Japan has joined the EU in aiming for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by the middle of the century, which would mean also cutting down other pollutants like methane. Last week, the UK set itself the most ambitious short-term goal of any major economy, pledging to slash emissions by 68%— compared to 1990 levels — within this decade. </p><p>But none of these commitments have yet been translated into climate action plans known under the Paris Agreement as nationally determined contributions. </p>
<p>Burning fossil fuels has already warmed the Earth by more than 1C and this has made storms stronger, heat waves hotter and droughts longer. By emitting more CO2 with <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/climate-change-hottest-november-ever/a-55842640" target="_blank">each passing year</a>, world leaders are locking in deeper cuts to emissions in the future.</p><p>The level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere in 2019 reached the equivalent of 59.1 gigatons of CO2. While the pandemic has tightened the carbon tap, slowing the flow of pollutants temporarily, it did not stop it. </p><p>"Are we on track to bridging the gap?" the authors write. "Absolutely not." </p><p>Acting sooner rather than later will decrease the amount of CO2 that would need to be removed from the atmosphere. The negative emissions technologies needed to keep warming below 2C — without rapidly cutting emissions now — do not yet exist at scale. </p><p>The Paris Agreement temperature targets are a long way away but "actions in the form of emission reductions to achieve them need to start immediately," said Alaa Al Khourdajie, research fellow at the Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial College London and IPCC senior scientist, who was not involved in the report. </p>
<h2>Personal and Policy Change Not Mutually Exclusive </h2><p>The 132-page report also explores how to make lifestyles less carbon-intensive. </p><p>It highlights that two-thirds of greenhouse gas emissions come from private households. This includes activities like eating beef, driving cars and heating homes. For instance, <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/eating-meat-is-no-longer-a-private-matter/a-55515722" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">cutting meat out</a> of a diet lowers emissions by about half a ton of CO2 a year — and going vegan reduces it by almost double that. </p><p>The report proposes policies for enabling lifestyle change that include laws restricting adverts for high-carbon foods, giving subsidies to people retrofitting homes with heat pumps and placing a levy on frequent flying. </p><p>Stopping climate change through personal choices or government policies is often "presented as a trade-off between two choices," the authors write. "However, system change and behavior change are two sides of the same coin."</p>
<p>
<em>Reposted with permission from </em><em><a href="https://www.dw.com/en/un-report-woefully-inadequate-climate-pledges-spell-32c-temperature-rise/a-55878680" target="_blank">Deutsche Welle.</a></em><a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/r/entryeditor/2649427245#/" target="_self"></a>
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Europe's Copernicus Climate Change Service has released a report on the world's record heat in November 2020. Anton Petrus / Getty Images
By Timothy Jones
The world experienced the hottest November on record in 2020, while Europe has had its warmest fall weather in history, the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said in a monthly report on Monday.
<p>C3S' analysis of surface and air temperatures found that the month was 0.8 degrees Celsius (1.44 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than the 30-year average of 1981-2010. This November also broke the previous record by more than 0.1 C, set in 2016.</p><p>The data showed temperatures in the boreal fall (September-November) in Europe were 1.9 C above the 1981-2010 norm, and 0.4 C higher than the average temperature for 2006, the previous warmest fall.</p><p>The average temperature in November in Europe was 2.2 C above that in Novembers of the 1981-2010 reference period and the joint second-highest on record. The highest was in November 2015, at 2.4 C.</p>
<h2>'Alarm Bells'</h2><p>"These records are consistent with the long-term warming trend of the global climate," said C3S director Carlo Buontempo.</p><p>"All policymakers who prioritize mitigating climate risks should see these records as alarm bells," he added.</p><p>Earth is seeing an increase in the frequency and strength of extreme weather events as human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels contribute to a rise in average global temperatures. The changing climate has resulted in devastating wildfires and led to ever more violent tropical storms in many regions of the world.</p><p>The five hottest years in history have all come since 2015. A landmark deal struck in that year, <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/are-international-pledges-bold-enough-to-stop-global-warming/a-41343653" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the Paris Agreement,</a> aims to limit temperature rises to "well below" 2 C (3.6 F) above pre-industrial levels. Currently, the Earth is seeing just over 1 C of warming.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/climate-change-hottest-november-ever/a-55842640" target="_blank">Deutsche Welle</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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Young Climate Leaders Conclude Mock COP26 With Calls for Green Recovery, Recognition of Ecocide
02 December
Politics
The youth-led Mock COP26 virtual conference concluded Tuesday with a treaty they hope world leaders will sign ahead of the official COP26 in November 2021.
<p>Mock COP26 participants presented the 18-point treaty, which includes calls for climate education at all levels, a legally recognized crime of ecocide and a green recovery from the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/coronavirus" target="_self">coronavirus</a> pandemic, to UK <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/nigel-topping-appointed-uk-high-level-climate-action-champion" target="_blank">High Level Climate Action Champion Nigel Topping</a> in a closing ceremony, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/dec/01/mock-cop26-activists-vote-on-treaty-ahead-of-2021-climate-summit" target="_blank">The Guardian reported</a>.</p><p>"Mock COP26 sends a strong message to world leaders that young people can coordinate global negotiations and we have the solutions. Now is the time for us to have a seat at the table," Guyana delegate Suphane Dash-Alleyne told The Guardian.</p>
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<p>The Mock COP26 conference included 330 delegates from 140 countries, according to the <a href="https://www.mockcop.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/20200112-MOCK-COP-Declaration.pdf" target="_blank">conference declaration</a>. The delegates were aged 11 to 30 and were 63 percent female or non-binary. Seventy-two percent of delegates hailed from the Global South, and the conference was designed to prioritize their voices. When voting for policies, each vote from a Global South delegate was weighted 1.1 if it would impact the outcome of the vote. Global South countries were also allowed up to five delegates each compared to three for Global North countries.</p><p>"My country is very vulnerable to the impact of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change/" target="_self">climate change</a>, particularly rising sea levels and coastal erosion, so I feel like Mock COP26 has really helped us raise our concerns and speak for the voiceless," Sainey Gibba, a 23-year-old delegate from the Gambia, told The Guardian.</p><p>The final treaty, which the delegates hope will be adapted into law by the countries participating in COP26 next year, is crafted around six themes: climate education, climate justice, climate resilient livelihoods, physical and mental health, and nationally determined contributions under the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/paris-agreement" target="_self">Paris agreement</a>, and protecting <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/biodiversity" target="_self">biodiversity</a>.</p>
<p>Its demands are as follows:</p><ol><li>Up-to-date education about the climate crisis for all children.</li><li>Education about our connection with nature for all children.</li><li>Legal protections for <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/indigenous-rights" target="_self">Indigenous rights</a>.</li><li>UN recognition of a right to a healthy environment and the implementation of a UN Universal Declaration on the Rights of Nature.</li><li>A legal mandate that all polluting or extractive industries must operate sustainably, follow regulations and respect the rights of workers and surrounding communities.</li><li>The implementation of a law defining and penalizing ecocide.</li><li>The development of a mechanism to involve young people in national decision-making relating to the climate crisis.</li><li>The passing or enforcing of rights for people involved in environmental or social justice activism.</li><li>The implementation of a National Adaptation Plan to help communities adapt to the climate crisis and retrain in climate-safe jobs.</li><li>The passing of policies that support sustainable <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/agriculture" target="_self">agriculture</a>.</li><li>A Green Recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.</li><li>Ensuring children's right to spend time in nature by protecting or restoring wild areas.</li><li>Ensuring safe and breathable air.</li><li>Ensuring access to child-friendly mental health services, including for the treatment of eco-anxiety.</li><li>Cutting emissions enough to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.</li><li>Establishing detailed timetables for when countries will phase out different <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/fossil-fuel" target="_self">fossil fuels</a>.</li><li>Committing to and funding plans to restore at least 30 percent of marine and land ecosystems by 2030.</li><li>Phasing out all unnecessary single-use <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/plastics" target="_self">plastics</a> while ensuring people with disabilities can access the tools they need.</li></ol>
<p>The treaty was developed with the help of lawyers from charity <a href="https://www.clientearth.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ClientEarth</a>.</p><p>"The youth behind Mock COP26 have created a powerful statement calling on governments to take action to protect future generations from the worst impacts of climate change," ClientEarth chief executive and founder James Thornton told The Guardian. "Decisions taken by governments now will affect the youngest generation for many years to come."</p><p>The question now remains whether world leaders will accept the young activists' treaty as legally binding.</p><p>"It's an uphill fight, but I'm optimistic that it's going to get a lot of attention," ClientEarth legal researcher Ellie Gold told <a href="https://grist.org/climate/the-un-canceled-its-2020-climate-summit-youth-held-one-anyway/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Grist</a>.</p><p>However, Iris Zhan, a 16-year-old high school junior from Columbia, Maryland who was also a Mock COP26 volunteer, said she also hoped the conference would show the effectiveness of young climate leaders and offer lessons for the adult organizers of the official COP, even if the treaty does not become law.</p><p>"If COP was youth-led, we would make so much more progress than we have in the last decade," Zhan told Grist.</p>
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Protesters shouting slogans on megaphones during the climate strike on September 25 in Lisbon, Portugal. Hugo Amaral / SOPA Images / LightRocket / Getty Images
By Dana Drugmand
An unprecedented climate lawsuit brought by six Portuguese youths is to be fast-tracked at Europe's highest court, it was announced today.
The European Court of Human Rights said the case, which accuses 33 European nations of violating the applicants' right to life by disregarding the climate emergency, would be granted priority status due to the "importance and urgency of the issues raised."
<p>This is the first climate lawsuit to be filed with the <a href="https://www.echr.coe.int/Pages/home.aspx?p=home&c=" target="_blank">international court in Strasbourg, France</a>, and campaigners say the decision represents a major step towards a potential landmark judgment.</p>
‘Protect Our Future’
<p>Cláudia Agostinho (21), Catarina Mota (20), Martim Agostinho (17), Sofia Oliveira (15), André Oliveira (12) and Mariana Agostinho (8) are <a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/2020/09/03/youth-climate-lawsuit-portugal-33-european-countries" target="_blank">bringing the case</a> with nonprofit law firm Global Legal Action Network (<span style="background-color: initial;">GLAN</span>), arguing that none of the countries have sufficiently ambitious targets to cut their emissions.</p><p>Portugal recently sweltered through its <a href="https://www.ipma.pt/pt/media/noticias/news.detail.jsp?f=/pt/media/noticias/textos/resumo-clima-julho-20.html" target="_blank">hottest July in 90 years</a> and has seen a rise in devastating heatwaves and wildfires over recent years due to rising temperatures. Four of the applicants live in Leiria, one of the regions worst-hit by the forest fires that killed more than 120 people in 2017. </p><p>Responding to the development, André Oliveira, 12, said: "It gives me lots of hope to know that the judges in the European Court of Human Rights recognise the urgency of our case." </p><p>"But what I'd like the most would be for European governments to immediately do what the scientists say is necessary to protect our future. Until they do this, we will keep on fighting with more determination than ever."</p>‘Highly Significant'
<p>The decision represents a "highly significant" step, <a href="https://www.glanlaw.org/about-us" target="_blank">GLAN</a> Director Dr. Gearóid Ó Cuinn said in a <a href="https://youth4climatejustice.org/" target="_blank">press release</a>.</p><p>"This is an appropriate response from the Court given the scale and imminence of the threat these young people face from the climate emergency," he added. </p><p>By suing the 33 countries all together, the youths aim to compel these national governments to act more aggressively on climate through a single court order, which would potentially be more effective than pursuing separate lawsuits or lobbying policymakers in each country.</p><p>If successful, the defendant countries would be legally bound not only to ramp up emissions cuts, but also to tackle overseas contributions to climate change including those of their multinational enterprises.</p>‘Major Hurdle’
<p>The <a href="https://youth4climatejustice.org/the-case/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">countries targeted</a> include all of the European Union member states as well as Norway, Russia, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom, none of which are currently aligned with <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/paris-agreement">Paris agreement</a> target to limit global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees C (3.6 degrees F) and pursue a limit of 1.5 degrees C (2.7 degrees F).<a href="https://climateactiontracker.org/countries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> </a></p><p><a href="https://climateactiontracker.org/countries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Climate Action Tracker rates</a> most of Europe as "insufficient" in terms of its emissions reduction policies based on the Paris target, while Ukraine, Turkey and Russia are assessed as "critically insufficient" – meaning they are on track for a warming of 4 degrees C or higher.</p><p>The European Union has pledged to slash its emissions by <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/eu-climate-action/2030_ctp_en" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">at least 55 percent by 2030</a>. But the Portuguese youth plaintiffs are calling for cuts of at least 65 percent by 2030, a level that <a href="http://www.caneurope.org/energy/climate-energy-targets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">European climate campaigners say</a> is necessary to meet the 1.5 degrees warming limit.</p><p> The 33 countries must each respond to the youths' complaint by the end of February, before lawyers representing the plaintiffs will respond to the points of defense. </p><p>"Nothing less than a 65 percent reduction by 2030 will be enough for the EU member states to comply with their obligations to the youth-applicants and indeed countless others," Gerry Liston, legal officer with GLAN, said in a press release.</p><p>"These brave young people have cleared a major hurdle in their pursuit of a judgment which compels European governments to accelerate their climate mitigation efforts."</p><p><span></span><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/2020/11/29/court-advances-landmark-youth-climate-lawsuit-against-33-european-nations" target="_blank">DeSmog</a>. </em></p>From Your Site Articles
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Former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is seen on October 19, 2015 in Madrid, Spain. Denis Doyle / Getty Images
President-elect Joe Biden announced Monday that former Secretary of State John Kerry will sit on his National Security Council (NSC) as Special Presidential Envoy for Climate.
<p>Kerry's appointment was announced alongside other key foreign policy and national security roles and signals that the Biden administration plans to make fighting the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change/" target="_self">climate crisis</a> an integral part of its foreign policy.</p><p>"This marks the first time that the NSC will include an official dedicated to climate change, reflecting the president-elect's commitment to addressing climate change as an urgent national security issue," the transition team said in a statement.</p>
<div id="7aab6" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4bff71c40172c15736f73fe73ed18078"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1330967606585593857" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Today, I’m announcing the first members of my national security and foreign policy team. They will rally the world… https://t.co/bAisIQk5P6</div> — Joe Biden (@Joe Biden)<a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/statuses/1330967606585593857">1606162380.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>Kerry has a long history of engaging in climate diplomacy, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2020/11/23/kerry-climate-change/" target="_blank">The Washington Post reported</a>. He has represented the U.S. at every major climate conference for the past 30 years and, as Secretary of State under President Barack Obama, played a key role in negotiating the 2015 <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/paris-agreement" target="_self">Paris agreement</a>. More recently, he started the organization <a href="https://worldwarzero.com/" target="_blank">World War Zero</a> to unite people from all political persuasions and walks of life around the goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. Kerry also co-chaired the Biden campaign's climate task force with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), which was designed to make policy suggestions and bridge the gap between party moderates and supporters of Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.</p><p>"The work we began with the Paris Agreement is far from done," Kerry <a href="https://twitter.com/JohnKerry/status/1330945088080457731" target="_blank">tweeted</a> in response to his appointment. "I'm returning to government to get America back on track to address the biggest challenge of this generation and those that will follow. The climate crisis demands nothing less than all hands on deck."</p><p>Biden's choice of Kerry won wide approval from environmental groups.</p><p>"The big question has been, 'How serious is the new administration about climate change?'" senior <a href="https://www.edf.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Environmental Defense Fund</a> (EDF) vice president Nathaniel Keohane told <a href="https://grist.org/politics/with-john-kerry-envoy-biden-plans-to-tackle-climate-change-abroad/?utm_campaign=sprout&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=1606165955" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Grist</a>. "This is a tremendously important signal. It says that the Biden administration is committed to making climate change front and center in terms of how we engage with the world."</p>
<p>While Kerry is seen as a moderate, according to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/nov/23/john-kerry-biden-climate-envoy-appointment?CMP=fb_gu&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1606170161" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>, his role on the campaign's climate task force has earned him the respect of the more progressive wing of the climate movement.</p><p>"He was quite the diplomat in terms of trying to make sure that all sides were represented and that we could reach compromises that we could all live with," Alabama environmental activist and panel member Catherine Coleman Flowers told The Washington Post. "He had a good understanding of the climate crisis."</p><p><a href="https://www.sunrisemovement.org/?ms=SunriseMovement" target="_blank">Sunrise Movement</a> co-founder Varshini Prakash also spoke favorably of Kerry's role on the panel.</p><p>"I served with Sec. Kerry this summer on the Biden-Sanders taskforce and one thing is clear: he really does care about stopping climate change. That's something we can work with," she <a href="https://twitter.com/VarshPrakash/status/1330948342776557568?s=20" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">tweeted</a>. "An encouraging move from the Biden team — now I'm keeping my eyes peeled for a domestic equivalent!"</p>
<p>Biden is expected to name a White House climate policy coordinator in December who will focus on domestic climate policy, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/23/climate/john-kerry-climate-change.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The New York Times reported</a>.</p><p>However, the effectiveness of both roles may depend on whether Republicans retain control of the Senate after the Georgia runoff elections in January. Kerry's position does not require Senate confirmation, but he may have a harder time convincing other countries to take more aggressive action if the U.S. does not seem to be pulling its weight. Diplomatically, he faces a challenge no matter what, given President <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/donald-trump" target="_self">Donald Trump</a>'s decision to <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/paris-agreement-us-withdrawal-2648618695.html" target="_self">withdraw the U.S.</a> from the Paris agreement Kerry helped negotiate. While Biden intends to <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/paris-climate-agreement-biden-2648649350.html" target="_self">rejoin the agreement</a> immediately upon taking office, the U.S. departure still burned the international community.</p><p>"Kerry's challenge is 'fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me,'" Rachel Kyte, dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, told The New York Times.</p>
<p class=""><em>Correction: A previous version of the headline stated that John Kerry is the first-ever climate envoy. That is incorrect, as the Obama administration also had a climate envoy. Kerry is the first full-time climate official to sit on the National Security Council. </em></p>From Your Site Articles
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Young climate leaders. Biel Calderon / Greenpeace
The official 26th Conference of Parties (COP26) to discuss the international response to the climate crisis has been delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic. But young people aren't letting that stop them from taking action.
<p>A <a href="https://www.mockcop.org/about-us/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">group</a> of 18 student staff members and 216 volunteers from 118 countries is launching an event today called <a href="https://www.mockcop.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mock COP26</a>, a two-week, virtual conference that will conclude with a statement addressed to world leaders with suggestions for the official COP26.</p><p>"We decided we had to do something because we are in a climate emergency," co-organizer 21-year-old Dom Jaramillo of Ecuador told <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-54990281" target="_blank">BBC News</a>. "We want to raise ambitions and show world leaders how a COP should be run. We are not the leaders of the future. We are the leaders of today."</p>
<p>COP26, which was supposed to take place this November, was billed as the most important international climate crisis since the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/paris-agreement" target="_self">Paris agreement</a> was reached in 2015. Each participating country was supposed to come to the table with more ambitious plans for reducing their greenhouse gas emissions. However, it was <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/cop26-delayed-2646106662.html" target="_self">pushed back</a> a full year to November of 2021.</p><p>This frustrated Jaramillo and other young activists, who argued that there was no time for delay.</p><p>"I was very disappointed because it showed that political leaders think we can give ourselves a year more, when we just can't do that; the climate crisis is happening right now," 14-year-old Mock COP26 delegate Lavinia Iovino told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/nov/10/we-want-real-action-young-activists-aim-to-fill-void-on-climate-with-mock-cop26" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>.</p>
<p>So the young activists decided to organize their own conference, and to improve on the COP26 model in two key ways.</p><p>1. Lower Emissions</p><p>The Mock COP26 event will take place entirely online, featuring a combination of keynote speeches, panels, workshops and regional caucuses, the website explained. As an online event, it will lower emissions by 1,500 times compared with a traditional COP, organizers told BBC News.</p><p>"At a normal COP summit, delegates fly in from around the world. They can emit more than 50,000 tonnes of CO2 – whereas ours will emit around 39 tonnes of CO2," 18-year-old Josh Tregale of the UK said. "If each year those carbon savings were made by government meetings that could have a huge impact."</p><p>2. Centering Frontline Communities</p><p>Mock COP26 also seeks to be more inclusive and to center the voices of young people in the Global South, who will bear the brunt of the climate crisis. It was pushed back from the start time of the original COP26 to take place after Diwali, The Guardian reported. It is also allowing up to five delegates from Global South countries vs. three from countries in the Global North and giving the Global South delegates more time to speak.</p><p>"They're making sure that the voices of the most affected areas are amplified, and making sure that we have a space and we're not just tokenised," 22-year-old volunteer Mitzi Jonelle Tan from Manilla in the Philippines told The Guardian.</p>
<p>The two-week event will feature more than 350 delegates from more than 145 countries and last until Dec.1, according to a <a href="https://www.mockcop.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Mock_COP26_press_release_October.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">press release</a>. Its events are available to watch on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/mockcop26" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">YouTube</a>.</p><p>However, the event aims to influence the climate debate long after it concludes. Delegates will receive mentorship in how to put pressure on their countries in the leadup to COP26. In addition, participants will vote on a final statement to world leaders, The Guardian explained. Charity <a href="https://www.clientearth.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ClientEarth</a> will then help them to write that statement into a treaty that can be adapted by national governments.</p><p>"We can show world leaders that young people can do more than just protest, we can come up with ideas and put things in place as well," Tregale told BBC News.</p>
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A member of the Tsitts Gitanee clan of the Haida Nation on Haida Gwaii, Haana Edenshaw, 16, is one of 15 Canadian youth suing the Canadian government for its contributions to climate change. Brower Youth Awards / YouTube
By Martin Kuebler
More than 700 climate lawsuits have been filed around the world since 2015, according to the Climate Change Litigation Databases. That's a huge increase, considering there have only been about 1,700 of these types of cases since the late 1980s, most of them in the U.S.
<p>In a recent long-running case, the Dutch Supreme Court — citing the European Convention on Human Rights — <a href="https://www.urgenda.nl/wp-content/uploads/ENG-Dutch-Supreme-Court-Urgenda-v-Netherlands-20-12-2019.pdf" target="_blank">ruled in favor of environmental group the Urgenda Foundation</a> and 900 citizens and ordered the Dutch government to reduce its greenhouse emissions by at least 25% by the end of 2020. A few months later, the government announced €3 billion ($3.5 billion) in measures to drastically cut coal use and fund renewable energy projects.</p><p>Urgenda director Marjan Minnesma called it "an enormous win," telling The Guardian that the move would show "it is possible to use the law as a strategic instrument for change."<br></p><p>Here's an overview of this tactic, and others, that environmentalists are using to force climate action.</p>
<h2>1. Defending Human Rights</h2><p>UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet believes the Urgenda case will set a precedent. "This landmark ruling provides a clear path forward for concerned individuals in Europe — and around the world — to undertake climate litigation in order to protect human rights," she said after the decision. The International Bar Association even released <a href="https://www.ibanet.org/Climate-Change-Model-Statute.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a model statute for such cases</a> challenging government failure to act on climate change in early 2020.</p><p>Citizen groups have filed similar human rights cases in several EU countries over the past five years, including in <a href="https://notreaffaireatous.org/press-release-two-million-signatures-in-support-of-french-climate-litigation-case-of-the-century/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">France</a>, <a href="https://www.klimaatzaak.eu/en" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Belgium</a> and <a href="https://www.climatecaseireland.ie/amidst-a-climate-and-biodiversity-crisis-hope-emerges-friends-of-the-irish-environment-win-historic-climate-case-ireland-in-the-irish-supreme-court/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ireland</a> — the latter decided in the activists' favor in July 2020.</p><p>In February 2020, <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/activists-head-to-germanys-top-court-to-protect-the-climate/a-52008252" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a group of nine young Germans led by Fridays for Future activist Luisa Neubauer</a> filed a human rights challenge to Germany's Federal Climate Protection Act (KSG). They're arguing that these targets — which aim to reduce emissions by 55% over the next decade — don't go far enough.</p><p>And in September 2020, six young Portuguese activists between the ages of 8 and 21 <a href="https://youth4climatejustice.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">launched an unprecedented climate case</a> at the European Court of Human Rights against the 27 EU member states, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine. <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/portugal-youthprotest-legal-humanrights-emissions-strasbourg-climatechange/a-54799620" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Backed by the Global Legal Action Network</a>, their aim is to force the nations to respect the 2015 Paris climate agreement and cut their emissions at home and abroad, where their multinational companies operate.</p><p>With many of the cases still ongoing, it's too soon for activists to know whether their strategy will prove successful in the long run. But they say wins in Ireland and the Netherlands have given them hope.</p>
<h2>2. Standing up for Indigenous Rights</h2><p>Another strategy focuses on the violation of Indigenous rights and racial discrimination, arguing that climate change exacerbates these contentious issues.</p><p>In November 2020, a group of political parties backed by NGOs <a href="http://climatecasechart.com/non-us-case/brazilian-socialist-party-and-others-v-brazil/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">filed a complaint against the Brazilian government</a> for alleged failures to curb deforestation in the Amazon rainforest, a major contributor to climate change. They argue that government inaction has "violated the fundamental rights of Indigenous peoples" present and future. The case was in part inspired by a <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/colombias-top-court-orders-government-to-protect-amazon-for-future-generations/a-43288343" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">2018 ruling by Colombia's highest court</a>, which found that the Colombian rainforest was entitled to "protection, conservation, maintenance and restoration."</p><p>Earlier in 2020, <a href="http://climatecasechart.com/non-us-case/gagnon-et-al-v-her-majesty-the-queen/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">representatives of the Wet'suwet'en Indigenous group in British Columbia</a> filed a legal challenge against the Canadian government for failing to meet its commitments under several climate accords since the late 1980s.<br></p><p>"None of Canada's international commitments […] even if met, would have or will enable it to make its equitable contribution to reducing global warming to non-catastrophic levels," they said, arguing that this failure had breached their constitutional and human rights.</p><p>Legal challenges by Indigenous groups have met with less success over the years, especially in North America. But as the effects of climate change become more apparent, that could change.</p>
<h2>3. Holding Major Polluters to Account</h2><p>Activists and municipalities, especially in the U.S., are increasingly targeting major oil and gas companies directly, aiming in some cases to use awarded fines to fund climate mitigation plans.</p><p>In early 2018, New York City took five of the world's largest oil companies — BP, Chevron Corp., ConocoPhillips, Exxon Mobil Corp. and Royal Dutch Shell PLC — to court for billions of dollars in compensation for the effects of climate change. Referencing devastation caused by <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/power-outages-fuel-scarcity-slow-sandy-recovery/a-16351569" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Hurricane Sandy in 2012</a>, Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city was seeking damages to fund climate-resilient infrastructure and heat mitigation measures.</p><p>"The city is standing up and saying we will take our own action to protect our people," he told reporters. A federal judge threw out the lawsuit later that year, though the city has launched an appeal.</p><p>Local cases like these have also gone international. In 2015, <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/peruvian-farmer-takes-on-german-energy-giant-rwe/a-51546216" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Peruvian farmer Saul Luciano Lliuya</a> filed a claim against German electricity producer RWE, alleging it had "willingly and knowingly" contributed to climate change and was responsible for increased flooding caused by glacial melt near his mountain home. He has asked the court to order RWE to reimburse him for 0.47% of the costs he is expected to incur for flood protection — RWE's estimated share in global total emissions from 1751 to 2010.</p><p>"Fossil fuel companies, like tobacco companies before them, have allowed governments to pay for the harms caused by their products," Korey Silverman-Roati, a climate law fellow at the Sabin Center, told Bloomberg in a recent interview. "As climate harms and costs continue to rise, more jurisdictions are likely to attempt to recoup their costs in court, and the pressure on courts to apportion those costs in a just way will only grow."</p>
<h2>4. Protecting Livelihoods</h2><p>Chevron, Exxon Mobil and other fossil fuel companies are tied up in another climate case on the U.S. West Coast, where a fishing industry trade group took them to court in late 2018 for damaging their "productive livelihood and way of life."</p><p>The fishers <a href="http://climatecasechart.com/case/pacific-coast-federation-of-fishermens-associations-inc-v-chevron-corp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">allege the oil giants have contributed to increased ocean temperatures</a> which have led to prolonged closures of the Dungeness crab fisheries, "the most lucrative and reliable fisheries on the West Coast."</p><p>Also in 2018, a group of families from across the EU, Kenya and Fiji <a href="https://peoplesclimatecase.caneurope.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">filed a lawsuit against the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union</a> for failing to protect citizens from the impacts of climate change and the threat to their livelihood.</p><p>Among the plaintiffs are lavender farmers from France, beekeepers in Portugal, an Italian family who works in the Alpine winter tourism industry and a group of Indigenous Sami youth from Sweden, who fear their reindeer herding culture is at risk. The group claims the EU's existing climate targets don't protect fundamental "rights to life, health, occupation and property."</p><p>The goal of court cases like this isn't always to win — in fact, the plaintiffs in the EU case aren't seeking compensation. Stefan Küper, press spokesperson for the NGO Germanwatch, <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/families-hit-by-climate-change-sue-the-eu/a-43933608" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">told DW</a> that such cases "draw attention to the issue and show other people suffering from the negative impacts of climate change that they are not alone."</p>
<h2>5. Influencing Climate Investments</h2><p>But financial incentives are still a proven path to success, as seen most recently in <a href="https://rest.com.au/why-rest/about-rest/news/rest-reaches-settlement-with-mark-mcveigh" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a landmark case in Australia</a> where a $41 billion pension fund was sued by a fund member for investing in fossil fuels, an increasingly risky venture. The case was settled in early November 2020, with the pension fund pledging to achieve a "net zero carbon footprint for the fund by 2050."</p><p>Analysts expect the case to spur similar litigation around the world. "If investors are legally required to apply a climate risk lens to their portfolios, this could, for example, result in a significant reduction in investments in fossil fuels, many of which are already being viewed as stranded assets in a low-carbon future," said David Barnden, of the law firm that argued the case.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/5-legal-tactics-environmentalists-are-using-to-fight-climate-change/a-55593003?maca=en-VAM_volltext_ecowatch-28485-html-copypaste" target="_blank">DW</a>.</em><br/></p>From Your Site Articles
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