(VOVworld) – President Obama on Monday issued a global call for urgent action to address climate change, during his historic trip to Alaska, the US state most affected by the issue. Addressing an international conference on the Arctic in Alaska, Obama said that the US recognized its role in creating the problem, and embraced its responsibility to help resolve it. A UN conference on climate change will be held in Paris, France, in December. … [Read more...] about Obama calls for greater effort in climate change adaptation
Obama climate change
Thousands of people join climate change marches worldwide
(VOVworld) - Masses of people joined a worldwide wave of marches on Saturday demanding leaders craft a pact to avert a climate catastrophe when they gather in Paris. From Australia to New Zealand, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Japan, people rallied at the start of a weekend of popular protests urging world powers to seal a deal at the UN climate summit that officially opens in Paris on Monday. Some 150 leaders, including US President Barack Obama, China's President Xi Jinping, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin, will attend the start of the Paris conference. The goal is to limit average global warming to two degrees Celsius or less over pre-Industrial Revolution levels by curbing fossil fuel emissions blamed for climate change. … [Read more...] about Thousands of people join climate change marches worldwide
Obama to unveil more ambitious climate change plan
President Barack Obama will unveil on Monday the final version of his plan to tackle greenhouse gases from coal-fired power plants as he aims to cement his legacy on climate change, a senior administration official said. The revised Clean Power Plan will seek to slash carbon emissions from the power sector 32 percent from 2005 levels in 2030, a 9 percent increase over a previous proposal. The regulation will usher in a sweeping transformation of the U.S. electricity sector, encouraging an aggressive shift toward more renewable energy away from coal-fired electricity. Industry groups and some lawmakers from states that have relied on coal-based energy have said they will challenge it in the courts and through Congressional maneuvers, accusing the administration of a regulatory assault that will drive up energy prices. The White House was defiant, and said the release of the plan was "the starting gun for an all-out climate push" by the president and his cabinet. "My administration will … [Read more...] about Obama to unveil more ambitious climate change plan
US, China reach anti-hacking and climate change agreement
(VOVworld) – The US and China have reached consensus on the joint fight against cyber crimes and climate change. The agreement was reached at a meeting between President Barack Obama and the visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House on Friday. But the leaders still differed on issues relating to territorial disputes and human rights. Obama said at a joint press conference after the talks that the US and China “neither country’s government will conduct or knowingly support cyber-enabled theft of intellectual property, including trade secrets or other confidential business information, with the intent of providing competitive advantages to companies or commercial sectors.” In return, Xi confirmed the deal, adding that relevant agencies of the two sides agreed on exploring the formulation of appropriate norms of behavior in cyber space. … [Read more...] about US, China reach anti-hacking and climate change agreement
COP21: countries contribute money to climate change response
(VOVworld) – Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has pledged 224.5 million USD for a clean energy development project on the sidelines of COP21 in Paris. His pledge seconded a joint initiative by US President Barack Obama, French President Francois Hollande, and Microsoft founder Bill Gates. Meeting with leaders of island countries on Tuesday President Obama said the US will contribute 30 million USD to insurance plans for climate change risks in Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa. The US State Department said the money will be used to pay insurance to support people in those areas cope with the effects of climate change such as droughts, floods, storms, the melting of glaciers and ice caps, and rising sea waters. … [Read more...] about COP21: countries contribute money to climate change response