African countries would do well to take their own lead in finding ways to better adapt to and mitigate the changes that climate may impose on future generations instead of relying only on foreign aid. This was one of the messages that rang out during the international scientific conference on ‘Our Common Future under Climate Change’ held earlier this month in Paris, six … [Read more...]
Archbishop Tutu wants renewable energy target of 100% by 2050
Climate change is one of the greatest moral challenges of our time. It threatens the health of our planet and people; especially the poorest and most vulnerable. It threatens our children’s future and everything we hold dear. It is time for all of us to wake up and take action together — in our local communities, nationally and globally, as well as in our daily lives. Moral … [Read more...]
Man-made climate change: 4 continents hit by historic droughts
Four continents around the world are currently experiencing historic droughts affecting millions of people, and experts warn that this is the effect of man-made climate change. Severe dry spells are being felt not only in North America, but also in South America, Asia and Africa. Peter Gleick, president of the global water think tank Pacific Institute based in Oakland, … [Read more...]
Join People’s Climate March: end fossil fuels for good!
A leading scientist broke down in tears during an interview on carbon pollution, describing a dark future where the oceans are ruined. Whether her nightmare comes true depends on us. The biggest climate summit of the decade is just four months away, and our leaders could agree to a revolutionary target to get the world off fossil fuels. It would be a guiding star to navigate … [Read more...]
Climate change threatening booming coastal cities
Governments across the world have failed to grasp the risk that population booms in coastal cities pose as climate change continues to cause rises in sea levels and extreme weather events. This was indicated by a recent study led by Georgina Mace, ecosystem professor at University College London. Mace is director of the UCL Centre for Biodiversity and Environment … [Read more...]
US companies pledge $140 billion to slash carbon emissions
The Obama Administration has rallied some of the largest companies in the nation to commit billions of dollars to slash their environmental footprints to help combat climate change, in an effort to gain momentum before the Paris climate talks in December. Today, the White House launched the “American Business Act on Climate Pledge,” with 13 U.S. businesses—Alcoa, Apple, Bank … [Read more...]
Join the climate fast
Elma Pollard and the Green Times has joined the Climate Fast on the first day of every month to stand with thousands of others fasting for action on climate change. A growing movement of youth, environmentalists and people of faith are showing their strength of commitment by going without food once a month to call for world leaders to do more to solve the climate crisis. Why … [Read more...]
The end of capitalism has begun
Without us noticing, we are entering the post-capitalist era. At the heart of further change to come is information technology, new ways of working and the sharing economy. The old ways will take a long while to disappear, but it’s time to be utopian. The red flags and marching songs of Syriza during the Greek crisis, plus the expectation that the banks would be … [Read more...]
Al Gore criticizes Obama for allowing ‘insane’ Arctic drilling
The former US vice-president and climate champion Al Gore has made a rare criticism of Barack Obama as Royal Dutch Shell prepares to drill an exploratory well in the Arctic Ocean, denouncing the venture as “insane” and calling for a ban on all oil and gas activity in the polar region. With Shell planning to begin drilling in the oil-rich Chukchi Sea within days, Gore said in … [Read more...]
Why reports about Earth’s upcoming ‘mini ice age’ are dead wrong
U.K. tabloids, conservative media, and others are (mis)reporting that the Earth will enter a “mini ice age” in the 2030s. In fact, not only is the story wrong, the reverse is actually true. The Earth is headed toward an imminent speed-up in global warming, as many recent studies have made clear, like this June study by NOAA. Indeed, a March study, entitled “Near-term … [Read more...]
Al Gore and Pharrell Williams talk music, optimism and Live Earth 2015
Al Gore and Pharrell Williams want us - one billion of us - to "take climate action now" by signing a petition that they will submit to the UN's Climate Change Conference in December. To that end, they've announced Live Earth Road to Paris, a day of linked concerts, taking place this fall, that will span all seven continents. The two environmentalists (Pharrell works with … [Read more...]
Shell accused of strategy risking catastrophic climate change
Royal Dutch Shell has been accused of pursuing a strategy that would lead to potentially catastrophic climate change after an internal document acknowledged a global temperature rise of 4C, twice the level considered safe for the planet. A paper used for guiding future business planning at the Anglo-Dutch multinational assumes that carbon dioxide emissions will fail to limit … [Read more...]
Experts flay Nigeria’s dalliance with coal
Nigeria’s decision to adopt coal as alternative source of generating electricity has attracted several reactions among industry players over the long term health and environmental effects on host communities. The stakeholders who gathered on Tuesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, to brainstorm the preferred energy mix for the country raised worrisome questions, particularly … [Read more...]
