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    UN Asks International Court of Justice to Weigh in on Climate Crisis for First Time, in Diplomatic Victory for Vanuatu

    UN Asks International Court of Justice to Weigh in on Climate Crisis for First Time, in Diplomatic Victory for Vanuatu

    In a major diplomatic win for a Pacific nation extremely vulnerable to the climate crisis, the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday adopted a resolution to ask the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to deliver a first-ever advisory opinion on climate change and human rights.  The resolution, championed by Vanuatu, will ask the ICJ to […]

    The Inside Story of ‘the Largest Conservation Agreement in the History of the World’

    The Inside Story of ‘the Largest Conservation Agreement in the History of the World’

    On Saturday, March 4, world leaders finally agreed on a treaty to protect the high seas.  The accord reached by the Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction establishes a mechanism for sharing the benefits of scientific discoveries from marine life, enforces environmental impact assessments for new human activities in international waters […]

    ‘Polluters Must Pay’: UN Chief Calls for Windfall Tax on Fossil Fuel Profits to Address Climate and Cost-of-Living Crises

    ‘Polluters Must Pay’: UN Chief Calls for Windfall Tax on Fossil Fuel Profits to Address Climate and Cost-of-Living Crises

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued a bold proposal during his opening remarks to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday: tax fossil fuel companies to help those suffering from the climate and cost-of-living crises.  Guterres’ proposal, also known as a windfall tax, comes at the close of a summer that saw extreme weather events worldwide and […]

    What Is the IPCC and What Does It Do?

    What Is the IPCC and What Does It Do?

    By Ajit Niranjan and Stuart Braun Its findings influence governments, business leaders and even young protesters on arguably the biggest issue facing the planet: the climate crisis. But many people may never have heard of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The IPCC is a UN body that evaluates climate science. Its scientists look […]

    Arctic Now ‘Locked In’ for Serious Warming, UN Report Warns

    Arctic Now ‘Locked In’ for Serious Warming, UN Report Warns

    Arctic temperatures are now “locked in” for increased wintertime warming, with winter temperatures set to rise 3-5 degrees C by 2050 even if the world meets the goals set out in the Paris agreement, a new UN Environment report says. The region’s thawing rapidly thawing permafrost also poses a major risk, and the report warns […]

    7 Reasons Why #Mountains Matter

    7 Reasons Why #Mountains Matter

    December 11 is International Mountain Day, an annual occasion designated by the United Nations to celebrate Earth’s precious mountains. Mountains aren’t just a sight to behold—they cover 22 percent of the planet’s land surface and provide habitat for plants, animals and about 1 billion human beings. The vital landforms also supply critical resources such as […]

    The Last Four Years Were Likely the Hottest on Record

    The Last Four Years Were Likely the Hottest on Record

    2018 will likely be the fourth hottest year on record, according to the United Nations’ authoritative voice for weather and climate. The three years that were warmer? 2016, 2015 and 2017. Furthermore, the 20 warmest years on record have been in the past 22 years, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said Thursday in its 2018 […]