@chris_ndungu
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Chris Ndungu
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https://www.fao.org/newsroom/detail/fao-report--heatwaves-and-floods-affect-rural-women-and-men-differently--widen-income-gap/en Rome - Climate change is disproportionately affecting the incomes of rural women, people living in poverty, and older populations, as their capacity to react and adapt to extreme weather events is unequal, a new report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) finds. The Unjust Climate report highlights a stark reality: each year in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), female heads of households in rural areas suffer significantly greater financial losses than men. On average, female-headed households lose 8 percent more of their income due to heat stress and 3 percent more due to floods compared to male-headed households. This translates to a per capita reduction of $83 due to heat stress and $35 due to floods, totaling $37 billion and $16 billion respectively across all LMICs. If the average temperatures were to increase by just 1°C, these women would face a staggering 34% greater loss in their total incomes compared to men. Considering the significant existing differences in agricultural productivity and wages between women and men, the study suggests that if not addressed, climate change will greatly widen these gaps in the years ahead. FAO analyzed socioeconomic data from over 100,000 rural households (representing more than 950 million people) across 24 LMICs. By integrating this information with 70 years of georeferenced daily precipitation and temperature data, the report examines how various climate stressors impact people's incomes, labour, and adaptation strategies, differentiating based on their wealth, gender, and age. Impacts differ not just by gender but by socioeconomic status, according to the data. Heat stress, or overexposure to high temperatures, exacerbates the income disparity between rural households classified as poor, who suffer a 5 percent greater loss ($17 per capita) than their better-off neighbours, and the figures for flooding are similar. Extreme temperatures, meanwhile, worsen child labour and increase the unpaid workload for women in poor households. ‘’Social differences based on locations, wealth, gender and age have a powerful, yet poorly understood, impact on rural peoples’ vulnerability to the impacts of the climate crisis. These findings highlight the urgent need to dedicate substantially more financial resources and policy attention to issues of inclusivity and resilience in global and national climate actions,” said FAO Director-General QU Dongyu. Indeed, barriers such as access to resources, services and employment opportunities affect rural people’s capacity to adapt to and cope with climate change. For example, discriminatory norms and policies place a disproportionate burden on women for care and domestic responsibilities, limit their rights to land, prevent them from making decisions over their labour and hamper their access to information, finance, technology and other essential services. Similarly, households led by young individuals have an easier time finding off-farm job opportunities during extreme weather conditions compared to older households. This makes their incomes less susceptible to these events. Extreme weather also compels impoverished rural households to resort to maladaptive coping strategies. These may include reducing income streams, selling off livestock, and shifting spending away from their farms. These actions, however, exacerbate their vulnerability to long-term climate changes. Some action to be taken, The report suggests that addressing these challenges requires targeted interventions to empower various rural populations to engage in climate-adaptive measures The study finds rural people and their climate vulnerabilities are barely visible in national climate plans. In the nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and national adaptation plans (NAPs) of the 24 countries analysed in the report, only 6 percent of the 4,164 climate actions proposed mention women, 2 percent explicitly mention youths, less than 1 percent mention poor people and about 6 percent refer to farmers in rural communities. Similarly, of the total tracked climate finance in 2017/18, only 7.5 percent went towards climate change adaptation; less than 3 percent to agriculture, forestry and other land uses, or other agriculture-related investments; only 1.7 percent, amounting to roughly $10 billion, reached small-scale producers. Agricultural policies also miss the opportunity to address gender equality and women's empowerment and intersecting vulnerabilities such as climate change. An analysis of agricultural policies from 68 low- and middle-income countries done by FAO last year showed that about 80 percent of policies did not consider women and climate change. Among several policy highlights, the report calls for investing in policies and programmes that address the multidimensional climate vulnerabilities of rural people and their specific constraints, including their limited access to productive resources. It also recommends linking social protection programmes to advisory services that can encourage adaptation and compensate farmers for losers, such as cash-based social assistance programs. Gender-transformative methodologies that directly challenge discriminatory gender norms, could also tackle the entrenched discrimination that often prevents women from exercising full agency over economic decisions that impact their lives. Inclusive climate actions are embedded in FAO’s Strategy and Action Plan on Climate Change and in the FAO Strategic Framework 2022–2031, where tackling the impact of climate change is mainstreamed in efforts to achieve the four betters: better production, better nutrition, better environment and better life for all. Similarly, FAO’s Global Roadmap for Achieving SDG 2 without breaching the 1.5 °C threshold, establishes that gender inequalities, climate actions and nutrition are simultaneous considerations, and actions must encompass these dimensions and promote inclusivity for women, youth and Indigenous Peoples.
FAO report: Heatwaves and floods affect rural women and men differently, widen income gap
New study shows how the effects of climate change on income and adaptation in rural areas vary with gender, wealth and age
https://www.fao.org/newsroom/detail/fao-report--heatwaves-and-floods-affect-rural-women-and-men-differently--widen-income-gap/en
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Chris Ndungu
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https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/access-finance-women-proves-life-changing-kenyas-mama-karanga Every morning, after sending her grandchildren to school, Mariam Ngare goes to the beach in Msambweni, a small fishing town on the coast of Kenya. There, she buys fresh-caught rabbitfish or parrotfish, cuts them into small pieces and fries them. Carrying the fare on a tin plate on her head, Mariam walks to the town’s main street, where she sells each piece for 50 Kenyan shillings (US$.35) to passersby looking for a quick bite. Mariam is part of a community of women locally known as mama karanga, or fish mongers. Many started their business with support from a project backed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which aims to build sustainable coral reefs fisheries by strengthening the role of women in the management of marine areas. Launched in 2020, the initiative provided women with startup capital and trained them on how to buy mature fish. That second part, experts say, is crucial to maintaining fish stocks and keeping the coral reefs of Kenya’s coast thriving. “This project is a prime example of how providing women with the financial tools they need can both create economic opportunities and protect the biodiversity that makes Kenya’s coast so unique,” says Leticia Carvalho, the head of UNEP’s Marine and Freshwater branch. A UNEP-backed project on Kenya’s coast is creating economic opportunities for women fish mongers and protecting vulnerable coral reef ecosystems. Photo. Women’s lack of access to capital is the focus of this year’s International Women’s Day, celebrated on 8 March. Addressing this issue is seen as essential for dealing with climate change and biodiversity loss, and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. According to UN Women, globally, women are less likely than men to have access to financial institutions or to have a bank account. They are also more likely to work in both informal jobs and in industries vulnerable to climate change, like the fisheries sector. Globally, 340 million women and girls are expected to be living in poverty by 2030. Climate change could raise that number by 158 million by 2050. To help counter that trend, UNEP partnered with Coastal Oceans Research and Development in the Indian Ocean, a research institute based in Mombasa, Kenya. Funded by the United States Department of State, it provided women with seed capital to kick start their fish-selling businesses. The women used the money to buy essentials, such as deep freezers, scales, tables, receipt books and trading licenses. Project officials also trained the women in basic accounting and record keeping. Many opened a group bank account to better handle their finances. Eventually, the women were able to stop buying cheaper juvenile fish and instead purchase large- or medium-sized fish. The shift was considered important: catching too many juveniles removes them from the ocean before they can help replenish stocks, damaging fragile reef ecosystems. The women have also saved 10 per cent of their income in a shared saving plan. They can dip into that for personal emergencies, to buy equipment or start a side business. Some women have been so successful, they have branched out into catering weddings and funerals. Another group of women received funds which they used to buy seedlings and plant 100,000 mangroves in nearby Munje. The group has also received technical advice and training on terrestrial tree planting from the Kenya Forest Service. In all, four groups of women were trained in fish selling, mangrove restoration, beekeeping and operating a fish depot. In total, 81 women benefited from the project directly while an estimated 486 members of the women’s households benefited indirectly. “This project has shown that gender equality and benefit-sharing of natural resources is not only good for the economy, but also good for the environment,” says Carvalho. "The key now is to scale up efforts like these.” She says projects such as those along Kenya’s coast are crucial to realizing the Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity Framework, a landmark pact to protect and restore nature, and the Paris Climate Agreement. Women, she says, play a key role in adopting and promoting sustainable natural resource use practices. However, providing access to financing alone is not sufficient. Women also need financial literacy training and grace periods built into their loans in the event they become pregnant, say experts. Two women selling fish Women received capital and training to get their fish selling businesses off the ground, with some expanding beyond street-side sales and into catering. Photo: UNEP/Habel Lenga This is why the UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP-FI) is encouraging financial institutions to offer loan products that help mitigate the risks that many female entrepreneurs often face when starting their businesses. In Nigeria, Wema Bank, a signatory to UNEP-FI’s Principles for Responsible Banking launched a platform called SARA, specifically for women entrepreneurs. The platform provides discounted health insurance and access to loans at low interest rates. Similarly, in Cambodia, women farmers can obtain low-interest loans through the EmPower programme, a joint initiative between UNEP and UN Women. The loans allow them to buy clean technologies that can help them grow their businesses.
Access to finance for women proves life-changing for Kenya’s ‘mama karanga’
A community-based natural resource management project on the coast of Kenya gives low-income women a chance at financial independence.
https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/access-finance-women-proves-life-changing-kenyas-mama-karanga
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It's inspiring to see how these women are not only thriving as entrepreneurs but also contributing to the conservation of Kenya's precious coral reef ecosystems. 🌊🐟 #WomenEmpowerment #SustainableDevelopment
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Financing women in the climate journey will always prove to have immense value for money. They understand the need for a better world for future generations better than anyone else.
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The role of women in our planet and in climate change cannot be understated, they play an important role in shaping the planet, in ecosystem restoration and in maintaining the balance of nature. We have to support them
Chris Ndungu
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During the UN Climate Conference (COP28) in Dubai last year, the terms “climate migrants” and “climate refugees” echoed loudly across meeting rooms and panels. These labels were passionately used by high-ranking UN officials, external stakeholders, scholars and activists grappling with the consequences of climate change. https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2024/3/2/protecting-climate-refugees-requires-a-legal-definition During a panel discussion, one of the officials emphasized that these terms hold no legal weight and inquired about the need for specific legal protections for those affected by climate-induced displacement. The question from the official was quickly shut down by the panel organizers, surprising attendees. My thoughts ran quickly to the many people displaced by climate change I knew: the Ecuadoran refugees who arrived in New York, seeking sanctuary from environmental turmoil at home, the women in the Sundarban islands of West Bengal facing climate-driven disasters but unable to relocate, and many of my neighbours in Brooklyn, who have experienced recurrent home destruction due to heavy rainfall. All of them do not have any form of international legal protection that can guarantee them dignified life. Shockingly, the dismissive response at COP28 reflects a larger pattern of denial. Legally defining “climate refugees” has been fiercely debated globally on many accounts. Critics often argue that attributing migration solely to climate change oversimplifies a complex web of influences on human mobility. They claim that these terms diminish the role of institutional and human responses, and social conditions in transforming environmental stressors into crises. Thus, this complexity makes it impossible to distinguish between climate refugees and economic migrants. Ironically, this argument actually persists alongside predictions that estimate a possible 1.2 billion people. After COP28, this recurring chorus echoed in my mind: “No legal changes are needed; we have it covered with UN initiatives like the 2018 Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration”, which commits (PDF) parties to creating “conducive political, economic, social and environmental conditions for people to lead peaceful, productive and sustainable lives in their own country and to fulfil their personal aspiration”. Under its second objective, the compact emphasizes the need for cohesive approaches in handling migration challenges amid both sudden and gradual natural disasters, urging the integration of displacement concerns into disaster preparedness strategies. This absence of a specific legally defined framework poses hurdles for individuals seeking migration status due to climate change impacts. Calls to establish international legal frameworks tailored to address migration needs arising from environmental factors have been equated with opening Pandora’s box. Some suggest this could challenge the 1951 Refugee Convention, which defines the term “refugee” strictly along the lines of “fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.”
Protecting climate refugees requires a legal definition
While there is much talk about climate migration, there is still no legal framework to protect climate refugees.
https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2024/3/2/protecting-climate-refugees-requires-a-legal-definition
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Time to stop denying the crisis! Let's fight for a future where everyone has a safe place to call home.
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This is a great step towards protecting the people displaced by climate change effects. These migrants must be protected by all means possible and their rights must be well outlined.
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Climate justice has always been among the terms dropped and used in these discussions.A legal framework is required
Chris Ndungu
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https://news.mongabay.com/2024/02/seabird-poop-is-recipe-for-coral-recovery-amid-climate-driven-bleaching/ On an island chain in the middle of the Indian Ocean lies an invaluable treasure: “white gold.” While it may not be a gem to proposition a prospective fiancée with, it does protect the ocean’s most biodiverse ecosystem: coral reefs. A fellow researcher at Lancaster University in the UK: Casey Benkwitt says she could not be thrilled about it. “It’s exciting to learn and show something new about the world that we didn’t know before,” Casey said “Seabird poop is really exceptional for the islands and the coral reefs around them.” That’s right: poop. Corals absorb nutrients from this treasure trove of guano and it builds their resilience, according to Casey and her team’s recently published paper in Science Advances. Casey and her field assistants rise with the sun, take a small plastic boat to their study site, and disappear into a tropical lagoon for the day to make observations and collect coral samples. Image courtesy of Casey “Corals grow about twice as fast where there are seabirds present compared to areas where we’ve lost seabirds to invasive rats that eat and destroy their populations,” Casey says. From 2018-2021, Casey and her team discovered that increased seabird-derived nutrients doubled coral growth rates and accelerated the recovery of corals in the Acropora genus after bleaching events to less than four years. Within a short period of time, they saw how seabird droppings helped coral reefs become more resilient. Once a year, when the moon and sea temperatures align, they spawn en masse, sending millions of tiny eggs and sperm out into the ocean to connect, develop into larvae, and settle down onto the ocean floor to start a new colony. After establishing itself, a colony can thrive for thousands of years, supporting more than 25% of Earth’s marine life. But our warming world puts all of this at risk. “When oceans get too hot, corals undergo what’s called bleaching, and if it stays too hot for too long, the corals can end up dying, which then affects the fish and everything else that lives on the reef and depends on the corals,” Casey says. In 2018, an Australian research team shared it findings that the average time between coral reef bleaching events had dropped from 27 years in the 1980s to just 5.9 years in 2016 due to warmer oceans. A 2020 report by the U.N. Environment Programme said that unless nations take significant action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, climate change will bleach all of the world’s coral reefs by the end of the century. Emily Darling, a coral reef scientist at the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), recently told Monga bay that while “nature is incredibly resilient, we need to get our act together now if we want to have coral reefs, healthy, functioning oceans, as well as a functioning planet for all of us to live on.” Casey has witnessed bleaching events firsthand, and they concern her, but she says she wants the public to know that there’s hope. “Most coral reef stories are depressing, and as an ecologist, a lot of the time, the patterns you see are not super clear,” Casey says. “But the nutrients from seabird poop can help coral reefs recover after these big die-offs and grow a lot faster. With coral growth, it’s crazy. Year after year, we are snorkeling underwater and seeing such strong results. It’s really encouraging. Rat-free is key Scientists like Casey are just beginning to understand how natural seabird-derived nutrients aid reef recovery following marine heat waves. Birds like sooty terns (Onychoprion fuscatus), lesser noddies (Anous tenuirostris), red-footed boobies (Sula sula) and wedge-tailed shearwaters (Puffinus pacificus) fly out to the open ocean to eat fish and squid. When they return to roost on islands and poop, nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus leech into the water, fertilizing the land, water and coral reefs. When seabirds are abundant nearby, “coral take their nutrients up, grow faster, and this leads to faster recovery times after big bleaching and marine heat waves caused by climate change,” Casey says. Still, for many reefs, it’s a location lottery. After a squall one evening, dozens of disoriented red-footed boobies (Sula) spent the night on and pooped all over the Lancaster University researcher’s boats and dive gear.
Seabird poop is recipe for coral recovery amid climate-driven bleaching
On an island chain in the middle of the Indian Ocean lies an invaluable treasure: “white gold.” While it may not be a gem to proposition a prospective fiancée with, it does protect the ocean’s most biodiverse ecosystem: coral reefs. Casey Benkwitt, a research fellow at Lancaster University in the U.K., says she couldn’t be […]
https://news.mongabay.com/2024/02/seabird-poop-is-recipe-for-coral-recovery-amid-climate-driven-bleaching/
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Dear Chris Ndungu Your climate love has received over 50 agrees! We have reached out to Lancaster University by email and requested a response. I will keep you updated on any progress! To reach more people and increase the chance of a response, click the Share button above to share the review on your social accounts. For every new member that joins We Don't Have Time from your network, we will plant a tree and attribute it to you! /Adam, We Don't Have Time
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This is very good news .Have learned something i never knew that seabird poop is a recipe for coral recovery amid climate-driven bleaching ,thanks to Lancaster university
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This is quite encouraging..in as much as we want to save our habitats...marine ecosystems are equally important as everything that is present on earth is connected at one point.
Chris Ndungu
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https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/speech/finding-super-solutions-super-pollutants Welcome to the 2024 edition of the Climate and Clean Air Conference. It is a pleasure to open this conference alongside H.E. Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya and Nairobi City, Governor Sakaja. This annual meeting is something of a homecoming. Thirteen years ago, here in Nairobi, the environmental capital of the world, we launched the first integrated assessment of black carbon and tropospheric ozone. This report sparked six countries to join UNEP in founding the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) – with a clear vision of creating clean, breathable air for everyone. This meeting is also part of a trend of growing African leadership on the international environmental stage. In this regard, my thanks go to Peter Dery of Ghana, co-chair of the CCAC. And this meeting is taking place a few days ahead of the sixth UN Environment Assembly, during which we will seek strong multilateral solutions to the triple planetary crisis: the crisis of climate change, the crisis of nature and biodiversity loss, and the crisis of pollution and waste. The UNEP-hosted CCAC is living proof of how multilateralism backed by strong science can address environmental challenges. For example, the Global Methane Assessment showed human-caused methane emissions could be reduced 45 per cent by 2030. This sparked action under the Global Methane Pledge, which the CCAC houses as part of the UNEP family. Alongside the CCAC’s work, the UNEP-hosted International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) is driving accountability in the oil and gas sector. But methane is, of course, not the only dog in the show. We have black carbon. N20. Sand and dust storms – a big focus for our dear colleagues at the UN Convention to Combat Desertification. Climate-warming hydrofluorocarbons, on which the UNEP-led Cool Coalition is helping to push action through the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, which is also housed with UNEP. Delivering action on short-lived climate pollutants – or super pollutants as they are increasingly known – will give climate action a fast-acting shot in the arm. And we need this shot. UNEP’s Emissions Gap Report 2023 tells us we are heading for a global temperature rise of 2.5 to 2.9°C this century. Keeping 1.5°C within reach requires ambitious action on super pollutants. We must also remember that this is not just a climate issue. Addressing super pollutants will save millions of lives by reducing the air pollution that blights much of our world. It will bring down health costs by reducing issues such as childhood asthma. It will boost food security by protecting crops from pollutants such as tropospheric ozone. As a solution across the triple planetary crisis, action on super pollutants is the ultimate three-for-one offer. So, we need to push harder. I encourage you to build on the momentum from COP28. Include super pollutants in Nationally Determined Contributions as they are being renewed. Finalize Methane Roadmaps and implement them quickly. And, crucially, find new ways to finance action. While there have been initiatives from multilateral development banks, donors and philanthropies on methane, abatement finance must increase at least 3.5 times by 2030. Action on other less high-profile pollutants, such as N20 and black carbon, remains underfunded. The new CCAC assessment, Making the Business Case for Action, which you will work on this year, will help building understanding and action. As will the operationalisation of the Clean Air Flagship. But, over the next three days, I ask you to consider what else you can do, particularly in the run-up to COP29. How can you formulate ambition to rally communities? How can data and monitoring support further action? How can you spur more private sector action across value chains? Just as we need a superhero to defeat a supervillain, we need super solutions to battle super pollutants. And we need you to mastermind these solutions.
Finding super solutions to super pollutants
Delivering action on short-lived climate pollutants – or super pollutants as they are increasingly known – will give climate action a fast-acting shot in the arm.
https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/speech/finding-super-solutions-super-pollutants
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This is a great development and i know they will hold their inch to make sure it is implemented
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NEMA has a lot of shortcomings but credit where it is due. They always manage to hold their own from banning of plastic paper bags to curbing building near water bodies. They just need more manpower and a little more drive to achieve greater heights
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Although I believe NEMA stills purges below thier weight, I must give them credit on this. Keep it up
Chris Ndungu
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The most polluting companies in the world, Exxon Mobile leading have been exposed. Researchers have found that just 20 different state-owned and multinational companies drive the climate emergency that admonish humanity. https://www.thecorporategovernanceinstitute.com/insights/news-analysis/the-20-most-polluting-companies-in-the-world-esg/ Although these firms are conscious of their industry’s devastating impact on the planet, they have continued to expand their operations. 20 companies have contributed to 35% of all energy-related carbon dioxide and methane worldwide, totaling 480 billion tones of carbon dioxide equivalent (GtCO2e) since 1965. “The great tragedy of the climate crisis is that seven and a half billion people must pay the price – in the form of a degraded planet – so that a couple of dozen polluting interests can continue to make record profits. It is a great moral failing of our political system that we have allowed this to happen,” says Michael Mann, a leading climate specialist. The research by Richard Heed at the Climate Accountability Institute in the US shows that just 20 companies have contributed to 35% of all energy-related carbon dioxide and methane worldwide, totaling 480 billion tones of carbon dioxide equivalent (GtCO2e) since 1965 is, will the leaders of these firms be held accountable? Now the question is, will the leaders of these firms be held accountable?
The 20 most polluting companies in the world - The Corporate Governance Institute
The 20 most polluting companies in the world are all in the fossil fuel industry and contribute 35% of all carbon dioxide worldwide.
https://www.thecorporategovernanceinstitute.com/insights/news-analysis/the-20-most-polluting-companies-in-the-world-esg/
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We need a wall of shame for such companies..We condemn them until they change their ways and do better
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This is good we need to know all the companies that polluted our enivironment
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Keep on listing/exposing them.
Chris Ndungu
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https://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photography-forklift-truck-model-image28624157 Reuters, a Japan's transport ministry is preparing action against a Toyota Motor Corp associate for crooking engine emissions tests, including possibly withdrawing certification for some engine type. This was reported by Nikkei on Monday. The ministry will order Toyota Industries, the world's largest manufacturer of forklift trucks, to take steps to prevent a "recurrence of the misconduct", the newspaper reported, citing people familiar with the matter. However, Toyota did not respond immediate to Reuters request for comments. Toyota Industries, which also makes cars, textiles and electronics, may lose certification for an excavator engine, the report said. "The regulator will weigh the severity of the misconduct before deciding whether to do the same for engines used in Land Cruiser vehicles and HiAce vans," that's what the report said. The company reported to the ministry in January that it had engaged in misconduct that included tampering with performance test data for multiple forklift and automobile engine models, that's what Nikkei added on the report.
Forklift truck model stock image. Image of merchandise - 28624157
Photo about Toyota forklift truck model on white. Image of merchandise, export, hardware - 28624157
https://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photography-forklift-truck-model-image28624157
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This is indeed the height of criminality and must be condemned.
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Toyota Motor Corp associate must take full responsibility for manipulating this engine emission tests. The transport ministry should move on with the litigations and ensure justice for the environment.
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The ramifications for such market manipulation through false reporting and duping systems to fit personal profit goals by an organization should lead to immediate expulsion from the market and financial embargos driving them bankrupt for trying to bankrupt the planet of life.
Chris Ndungu
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UNESCO Green Citizen Martha Ruiz , is a prominent figure in her local community, she is known for generous spirit and commitment to protecting the Sierra Biosphere Reserve. After spending 16 years as a music teacher in Queretaro City, Martha and her husband moved to Agua del in Sierra, to get away from the culture of overconsumption. It was there that they discovered a treasure: The Sierra Biosphere. On the UNESCO Green Citizens podcast, Martha's story unfolds, as she describes this priceless natural treasure: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/journey-biodiversity-discover-patis-story-unesco-green-citizens-podcast
Journey into Biodiversity: Discover Pati’s story on the UNESCO Green Citizens podcast!
https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/journey-biodiversity-discover-patis-story-unesco-green-citizens-podcast
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Martha Ruiz is a shining example of how ordinary citizens can become extraordinary stewards of the environment, and her story serves as an inspiration to climate enthusiasts everywhere.
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Good work Martha .This world need inspirators like her .We should all embrace her step
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A very inspirational story into biodiversity conservation and preservation efforts by this lady. Would like to see more of this
Chris Ndungu
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New York – Climate crisis and conflicts are becoming increasingly intertwined, feeding into one another to perpetuate hunger and poverty. Urgent action and innovative solutions are required to address global food https://www.fao.org/newsroom/detail/fao-proposes-five-key-actions-to-address-climate-conflict-nexus-at-the-united-nations-security-council/en insecurity, said Deputy Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The event entitled “The Impact of Climate Change and Food Insecurity on the Maintenance of International Peace and Security”, the signature event of Guyana’s presidency, was chaired by President Mohamed Irfan Ali of Guyana bringing together over 80 Member States. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres delivered his opening remarks stressing that climate disasters and conflict both inflame inequalities, imperil livelihoods, and force people from their homes. The other briefers included Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Simon and Jimena, the Director of Global Initiatives and Head of Peace, Climate, and Sustainable Development at the International Peace Institute. Farmers bear the brunt of climate impacts. “The climate crisis spares no one, but it does not affect everyone equally or in the same way,” she said. “We know that the populations at greatest risk are those that depend on agriculture and natural resources – they live in rural areas and they are farmers themselves.” The Deputy Director-General added that such populations were also prone to disputes arising from the scarcity of natural resources. According to the 2023 Global Report on Food Crises, 258 million people in 58 countries are facing high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above), with over two-thirds or 174 million people falling under this category because of climate and conflict. “Climate change will undo progress made in alleviating hunger, but as it intensifies it will create further disruptions and continue to be a driver of conflict”, she said, noting that according to some projections, 10 percent of the currently suitable area for major crops and livestock could be climatically unsuitable by mid-century under high emission scenarios. In Yemen, FAO has implemented a water for peace project which has helped to mitigate water-based conflicts – with women as conflict-resolution agents. Through cash for work, participating communities have protected areas where water flows during rainfall and rehabilitated irrigation canals. Farming communities engaged, under the project, to resolve local conflicts over water allocation. The Deputy Director-General outlined five critical actions to address climate-conflict nexus: Prioritize investments to build climate-resilient food systems, drawing on climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and community-based approaches. Request UN entities to regularly analyses, and report on, risks and links associated with climate change. Data and information are key for targeted interventions. Improve strategic coordination at all levels and leverage existing mechanisms – such as, the UN Climate Security Mechanism and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development’s (IGAD) Climate Security Coordination Mechanism. Establish regional climate, peace and security hubs, such as done by the Office of the Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa. He concluded by stressing that agriculture cannot be neglected. It is a key solution to the growing threats from climate change, conflict and their impacts on food security. “It is time to focus on farmers, on pastoralists, on fisherfolk, on foresters – we cannot afford to leave anyone behind,” she said
FAO proposes five key actions to address climate-conflict nexus at the United Nations Security Council
Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol urges game-changing solutions to break the vicious loop between climate crisis, conflict and hunger
https://www.fao.org/newsroom/detail/fao-proposes-five-key-actions-to-address-climate-conflict-nexus-at-the-united-nations-security-council/en
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Such proposals as of sustainable agricultural practices and farmers empowerment are critical to counter hunger among related climate adversities
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We are interested in seeing these new key actions put an end to world hunger. I know we are capable of it, so why do we not do it? We have the funds and resources anyway
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This are great proposals towards creating a sustainable future, especially the focus on food security which is so critical to all of us.
Chris Ndungu
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Historic. Ambitious. A win for the planet. https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/world-making-good-landmark-pact-protect-nature Those were the words used in 2022 to describe the freshly-inked Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, a sprawling pact to protect and restore the natural world. Some 14 months later, countries are in a race against the clock to implement the accord, which comes with the Earth on the cusp of the biggest mass extinction since the time of the dinosaurs. “This is our last chance to get on top of the crisis facing nature,” says Neville Ash, Director of the UNEP & World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). “We only have a few years to ensure we can sustain life on Earth as we know it.” Later this month, delegates are gathering in Kenya for the the United Nations Environment Assembly United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6), the world’s top decision-making body on the environment. Among the issues they are expected to discuss is how to translate the Global Biodiversity Framework’s ambitions into action on the ground. Ahead of those talks, we spoke with Ash about the importance of the accord and whether countries are positioned to deliver on its promise. Why does the world need to act quickly to implement the Global Biodiversity Framework? Neville Ash (NA): Right now, humanity is pushing 1 million species towards extinction. We’re facing the world’s sixth mass extinction; the fifth was that of the dinosaurs. These changes to the natural world are happening faster than at any other time in human history. Their consequences reach to the heart of our societies and our economies. This is not the first time the countries of the world have vowed to protect nature. A previous accord, the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, ended with “limited progress.” What makes this new framework different? NA: This time there is much more focus on action across government and society, and a greater emphasis on transparency of progress. Unlike past accords, there are several common indicators, which all countries have agreed to report on. These indicators cover everything from the state of biodiversity to the resources being allocated for its conservation and sustainable use. This will give a more consistent understanding of international progress based on actions taken at the national level. Tree covered mountains bathed in sunlight Some of the Global Biodiversity Framework’s most ambitious targets come due in 2030, including a provision to protect 30 per cent of the Earth. Photo by UNEP/Duncan Moore Some of the framework’s most ambitious targets come due in 2030. Those include protecting 30 per cent of the Earth, restoring 30 per cent of degraded ecosystems and generating US$200 billion annually in nature-friendly financing. Is all that doable in six short years? NA: Yes. But we need action now if there is any hope of achieving these targets. In most countries, the framework’s targets span many ministries, so engagement across the whole of government is critically important. Governments alone cannot deliver on the ambitions of the Global Biodiversity Framework. The private sector, civil society groups and Indigenous Peoples all have key contributions to make, too. That process of buy-in takes time. Stepping up to protect 30 per cent of the planet can’t be done on New Year’s Eve 2029. Is there a danger in countries rushing through their national biodiversity plans?
Is the world making good on a landmark pact to protect nature?
Historic. Ambitious. A win for the planet. Those were the words used in 2022 to describe the freshly-inked Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, a sprawling pact to protect and restore the natural world.
https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/world-making-good-landmark-pact-protect-nature
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Let's make this our last chance a turning point, not another missed opportunity.
Chris Ndungu
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Pollution is widespread – and often fatal. “Pollution is an urgent global issue, on par with climate change and biodiversity loss,” says Tessa, Principal Coordinator of the (UNEP)-hosted secretariat of the ad hoc open-ended working group, which is tasked with preparing the foundational elements for establishing the panel. “What we’ve been missing is a strong and comprehensive science-policy interface to tackle the pollution pillar of the triple planetary crisis. Now the global community is constructively working towards a panel that can deliver policy impacts that save lives and protect the environment for decades to come.” The new science-policy panel can help to translate scientific findings into action and is expected to work strategically with the recently adopted Global Framework on Chemicals and numerous Multilateral Environmental Agreements. Later this month, delegates will gather in Nairobi, Kenya, for the sixth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6), the world’s top decision-making body on the environment. They are expected to discuss how to strengthen implementation of international environmental accords and re-enforce the link between science and policymaking. Ahead of that gathering, here is what to expect from the new science-policy panel. What is the aim of the new science-policy panel? It seeks to equip policymakers with the best available science, enabling them to make well-informed decisions and develop policies to lessen the toll of toxic chemicals, waste and pollution on human health and the environment. “There’s a lot of information out there but the landscape is quite fragmented because of a tendency to look at issues chemical by chemical,” said Tessa “The panel has the potential to look at chemicals, waste and pollution in a more integrated way and offer the knowledge for more holistic solutions.” Why is the new panel necessary? Chemicals bring many benefits to society. But their unsafe and unsustainable management means hazardous and long-lived chemicals are polluting air, land and water. This threatens human health and ecosystems. For example, pesticides used to kill insects leak into rivers and lakes. Discarded medicines end up in wastewater. Contaminated liquids from waste dumps seep into soil. Those problems are expected to mount. By 2025, the world’s municipalities will produce 2.2 billion tons of waste, more than three times the amount generated in 2009. The size of the global chemical industry is projected to double by 2030. “We need urgent action because worldwide the issues are growing and the risks are wide-ranging,” Tessa said. What are the science-policy panel’s key functions? The panel is expected to conduct assessments of current issues and identify potential solutions, in particular those relevant to developing countries. It will also identify key gaps in scientific research, support communication between scientists and policymakers, and raise awareness. The panel will also assist information-sharing and capacity building. When will the panel be up and running? In 2022, an ad hoc open-ended working group was established to prepare proposals for the panel. The working group aims to complete this task this year. Once that is done, UNEP will convene an intergovernmental meeting where countries would consider the panel’s establishment. Who will be on the panel? The panel will be an independent intergovernmental body which governments will be invited to join. Member governments will make up the panel’s governing body and approve its programme of work. Who else will be involved in the panel? To produce policy-relevant deliverables, the panel will depend on the contributions of thousands of scientists around the world. It will also need to engage with local communities, workers and Indigenous Peoples, since they are often the ones on the receiving end of pollution. Engagement with the private sector is also relevant for addressing the source of pollution and waste, and for coming up with solutions. But careful attention must be paid to potential conflicts of interests. How will the science-policy panel contribute to Multilateral Environmental Agreements? These accords can both contribute to and benefit from the findings of the panel. They could invite the panel to look into specific scientific and technical matters that require global attention. Examples include the use of chemicals in products and the reduction of the footprint of high-impact sectors. Relevant agreements include the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, which set out measures for handling chemicals and waste, and the Minamata Convention to manage the use of mercury. https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/new-body-aims-limit-pollutions-deadly-toll
New body aims to limit pollution’s deadly toll
The science-policy panel aims to provide legislators with independent information on the state of chemicals and waste
https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/new-body-aims-limit-pollutions-deadly-toll
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If this agenda is achieved that will pose a positive impact on climate 💯
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Good news that there is a new body ready to limit pollutions deadly toll . I believe that it is going to achieve its goal .
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Great.. I hope they achieve whatever they intend to achieve
Chris Ndungu
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Today, the UNEP-hosted secretariat for the Convention on Migratory Species is launching The State of the World’s Migratory Species Report, which really does lend urgency to negotiations at this very meeting. This is the first-ever comprehensive assessment of migratory species. It shows how unsustainable human activities are jeopardizing the future of these species, and by extension the future of other species and humanity itself. Some 44 per cent of migratory species listed under the Convention on Migratory Species are showing a population decline and 22 per cent are threatened by extinction – a figure that rises to 97 per cent for CMS-listed fish. This extinction risk grows for all migratory species globally. These worrying trends were already identified some time back by our friends at the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), which members of the press may or not be aware is the biodiversity twin to the IPCC in terms of science. Those drivers are indeed critical – they are overexploitation, they are degradation and fragmentation of land, they are climate change, pollution, and introduction of invasive species. And they do have profound impacts. These drivers are generally the primary causes of biodiversity loss, and of course biodiversity forms part of what we heard again this morning, that triple planetary crisis. The crisis of climate change, the crisis of nature and biodiversity loss, and the crisis of pollution and waste. There are specific decisions and issues on the table at this very COP that could make a difference and must make a difference. These include increasing ecological connectivity, tackling the illegal killings and taking of birds, reducing noise and chemical pollution in marine and other environments, and ensuring that we pay careful attention to commitments and obligations when we are considering potential deep-sea prospecting and mining. But we also need to look beyond individual country decisions to the bigger picture. Migratory species go where they must, without regard for lines that we have drawn on pieces of paper, what we call the human boundaries. That is why the theme of this COP is Nature Knows no Borders. To be effective, we have to look beyond the jurisdiction of the environment ministries, and beyond the jurisdiction of individual nations and beyond the jurisdiction of single agreements. We have to look at whole-of-government, whole-of-society, and whole-of-world approaches. That includes engaging with Indigenous Peoples, who are often the chief stewards of biodiversity globally. It is critical for the CMS Secretariat and Parties to work closely with other multilateral environmental agreements and instruments, such as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, but also the Global Framework on Chemicals, and of course agreements on desertification, climate change and the upcoming plastic pollution instrument. We cannot protect migratory species without multilateralism, unity and transboundary cooperation. So, I am calling on all countries, all parties and all communities to work together, including at the upcoming United Nations Environment Assembly, to protect migratory species so that they survive and thrive. Because when we do, humanity will also survive and thrive. https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/statements/uniting-protect-migratory-species-benefit-all
Uniting to protect migratory species for the benefit of all
Good afternoon to members of the press and those online. My thanks to members of the press for joining us to cover the 14th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species. My thanks also to you Minister and the government of Uzbekistan for such gracious hosting.
https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/statements/uniting-protect-migratory-species-benefit-all
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Such meetings play major role in addressing climate issues and should be encouraged as UNEP is setting the pace
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It's truly uplifting to see global efforts aimed at protecting migratory species!
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@princess_nel_268 Indeed it is inspiring.💚💚
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This is bad and heartbreaking how climate change is hitting women in rural areas.
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Absolutely heartbreaking how climate change is hitting women in rural areas the hardest. They're losing income due to heatwaves and floods, making it even harder to get by. We need to focus on supporting these communities and making sure climate action helps everyone #ClimateJustice
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It is no doubt that women,who contribute largely in world's food production chain account for the largest percentage of people affected by the effects of climate change .This calls for increased efforts to address climate change.