Free Republic

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has said that if the world doesn't change course by 2020, we run the risk of runaway climate change. Mr Guterres said he was alarmed by the paralysis of world leaders on what he called the "defining issue" of our time. He wants heads of government to come to New York for a special climate conference next September. The call comes amid growing concerns over the slow pace of UN negotiations. Mr Guterres painted a grim picture of the impacts of climate change that he says have been felt all over the world this year,...

Environmentalists have held protests around the world demanding stepped up measures against climate change, ahead of a summit in California next week. Politicians, business leaders and celebrities will attend the Global Climate Action Summit, whose sponsors include the UN, Facebook and Google. Thousands protested in Paris, days after France's environment minister quit over perceived policy failures. The demonstrations have been organised by the group 350.org. In all, more than 900 protests were held in 95 countries, the group said. On Friday, Pacific island nations declared climate change to be the "single biggest threat" they face. The protests began on Saturday...

Air pollution is set to cause increasing numbers of early deaths in the coming decades, including in rich countries, a “grim” report on the environment has warned. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) also cautioned yesterday that without changes to government policies, emissions would rise by 50 per cent by 2050, putting the world on course for three- to six-degree rises by 2100. The organisation’s outlook to 2050 projected further losses in wildlife and pressure on natural resources, including fresh water. “This is a very grim report. It suggests that we are not steering in the right direction,”...