Environment

WELLINGTON, Dec 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) – New Zealand will phase out more single-use plastics, the government announced today (Sunday).

A report, Rethinking Plastics in Aotearoa New Zealand, was released by the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Adviser, Prof Juliet Gerrard, which highlighted New Zealand’s position in plastics use, and gave recommendations for further changes.

VICTORIA FALLS (Zambia), Dec 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — For decades Victoria Falls, where southern Africa’s Zambezi river cascade down 100 metres into a gash in the earth, have drawn millions of holidaymakers to Zimbabwe and Zambia for their stunning views.

But the worst drought in a century has slowed the waterfalls to a trickle, fuelling fears that climate change could kill one of the region’s biggest tourist attractions.

SYDNEY, Dec 6 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Several Australian bushfires have combined to form a “mega fire” that is burning out of control across a swathe of land north of Sydney, authorities said Friday, warning they cannot contain the blaze.

New South Wales Rural Fire Service deputy commissioner, Rob Rogers said “there are probably more than eight fires in all” that have merged to form what has been dubbed a “mega fire” in an area of national park forest.

SYDNEY, Dec 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Australia clocked its driest spring in 120 years of recorded history, the country’s Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), revealed.

In its spring climate wrap-up, the BoM said, the majority of Australia received rainfall which was well below average, and that a number of recording stations, right across the country, observed their driest spring ever.

Spring 2019 was also Australia’s fifth hottest on record, with the highest temperature at 47.1 degrees Celsius, recorded in mid-Nov, in Western Australia.

MOSCOW, Dec 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping launch Monday a gas pipeline that is the first of three ambitious projects intended to cement Moscow’s role as top gas exporter.

Putin and Xi are to inaugurate by video link-up the “Power of Siberia” pipeline, sending Siberian gas to China in a move that will strengthen their ties amid Moscow’s confrontation with the West.

Russia is also planning to soon launch two more gas pipelines that will ramp up supplies to Europe while bypassing Ukraine.

MADRID, Dec 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Political leaders and climate diplomats are to meet in Madrid for two weeks of talks amid a growing sense of crisis.

According to UN Secretary General António Guterres, “the point of no return is no longer over the horizon”.

Meanwhile, Save the Children says that climate shocks have left millions in Africa facing hunger.

The charity says 33 million people are at emergency levels of food insecurity due to cyclones and droughts.

Berlin, Nov 30 (AFP/PTI) Tens of thousands of protesters, primarily in Europe and Asia, hit the streets on Friday to make a fresh call for action against global warming, hoping to raise pressure on world leaders days before a UN climate summit.

Carrying signs that read "One planet, one fight" and "The sea is rising, so must we", thousands flocked to Berlin's Brandenburg Gate for the latest "Fridays for Future" protest inspired by 16-year-old activist Greta Thunberg.

BRASÍLIA, Nov 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Brazil released revised statistics showing deforestation in the Amazon rainforest surpassed 10,000 sq km in the year to July 2019, the highest in more than a decade.

The National Institute for Space Research (INPE) said last week that satellite data showed 9,762 sq km were cleared of trees in the 12-month period, an increase of 29.5 per cent.

STRASBOURG (France), Nov 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The European Parliament voted on Thursday to declare a “climate and environment emergency” in a symbolic gesture just ahead of the latest UN global crisis summit.

The legislature, sitting in Strasbourg, backed the motion by a comfortable 429 to 225 majority, increasing pressure on EU capitals and the European Commission to take more drastic action.

Guwahati, Nov 27 (PTI) The Assam Government on Wednesday announced to set up 100 organic markets for selling such products, grown in the state.

At a meeting of the state agriculture department, chaired by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, the government also decided to roll out different schemes for promotion of direct selling of the organic products.