World leaders missed chance to tackle climate change

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World leaders missed the perfect opportunity to tackle climate change during the global economic crisis, according to the influential economist and academic Lord Stern.

The author of the seminal 2006 Stern review on the economics of climate change also criticised what he called a strange and anti-science wing of the Conservative party for putting the brakes on their leaders making progress on the issue in the UK.

New study finds a hot spot in the atmosphere

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A new study, just published in Environmental Research Letters by Steven Sherwood and Nidhi Nashant, has answered a number of questions about the rate at which the Earth is warming. Once again, the mainstream science regarding warming of the atmosphere is shown to be correct. This new study also helps to answer a debate amongst a number of scientists about temperature variations throughout different parts of the atmosphere.

When someone says “The Earth is warming”, the first questions to ask are (1) what parts of the Earth? and (2) over what time period? The Earth’s climate system is large; it includes oceans, the atmosphere, land surface, ice areas, etc. 

Oceans worth $24 trillion

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Geneva: The world’s oceans are awash in riches, with output rivalling that of some of the world’s largest economies, but over-fishing, pollution and climate change are rapidly eroding those resources, WWF warned on Thursday.

In a new report, the conservation group said oceans each year generate goods and services worth at least $2.5 trillion (Dh9.1 trillion), while their overall value as an asset is worth 10 times that.

Nepal quake toll passes 6,200, $2b needed for reconstruction

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KATHMANDU: The death toll from Nepal’s devastating earthquake rose steadily past 6,200 on Friday as fresh aftershocks and the stench of rotting bodies made it hard for nervous survivors to return to their homes.

Disposal of the hundreds of bodies still being found six days after the 7.9 magnitude quake devastated the Himalayan nation of 28 million people was becoming a problem for officials, who have ordered immediate cremations.