the people’s climate
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

The People’s Climate

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today The People’s Climate

The People’s Climate March on 21 September was a watershed for the emerging global climate movement, with
Kuwait City - Arab Today

The People’s Climate March on 21 September was a watershed for the emerging global climate movement, with more than 400,000 people taking to the streets of New York City. But New York was only the tip of an iceberg. People in 166 countries, from Argentina to Australia, participated in more than 2,800 events and rallies. Two million activists demanded through an online petition that governments shift to 100 percent clean energy. For the first time since the fated 2009 Copenhagen Climate Change Conference, virtual climate activism moved into the real world. Why?

Citizens worry about the impact of climate change, and they know that fossil fuels are the problem. They have come to recognize that powerful interests are blocking the necessary shift to clean energy, and they simply no longer trust that their governments are doing enough to stand up for the future of the planet. This was reflected not only in the record number of people who participated, but also in the diversity of the marchers – urban activists, indigenous groups, adherents of different faiths and political viewpoints, and, most conspicuously, old and young.

People today draw natural connections between climate change and daily life. Teachers stood for schools that run on renewable energy, women supported healthier agriculture, grandmothers demanded clean air for their grandchildren, unions want a green job transition, and city mayors want investments in energy-efficient buildings.

Five years after the Copenhagen conference failed, governments finally need to act responsibly. This week’s climate summit, hosted by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, was aimed at increasing the momentum for action by gathering government, business, and civil-society leaders. The aim was to create favorable conditions for governments to negotiate a climate deal in Paris in 2015. And, though the UN cannot enforce the promises that leaders made, the summit catalyzed a popular demonstration that has moved the political spotlight back to the climate-change challenge, where it is likely to remain until governments take credible action.

What has changed since 2009 is the degree of concern about the impact of climate change. In the interim, New Yorkers faced Hurricane Sandy, while Typhoon Haiyan devastated the Philippines. Climate records continue to be broken worldwide. In 2014 alone, ordinary people suffered from heat waves in Australia, floods in Pakistan, and droughts in Central America, while the collapse of the West Antarctic ice sheet has been shown to be irreversible.
As a result, the global debate has shifted from the costs of action to the costs of inaction. And, though the costs of climate damage are staggering, scientific research indicates that mitigation costs are manageable.

That has become apparent in the growth of renewable energy generation. People want clean energy, the technologies are available and profitable, and, with millions of people lacking access to reliable power, the emergence of renewable sources is a lifesaver. Global wind and solar energy capacity has tripled since 2009, and renewable energy now provides more than one-fifth of the world’s electricity supply.

Indeed, every second megawatt of new electricity that is added globally is green, implying that the share of renewable energy could reach 50 percent in 2030. Clean energy is a game changer, because it puts power over power back into the hands of citizens, posing a direct challenge to the fossil-fuel industry. The obvious next step in the fight against climate change is to phase out all subsidies for that industry.

This week’s UN climate summit may not affect the course of negotiations for an international climate agreement. But it has put the focus back where it should be: real people demanding real change from their governments. Citizens have shown that they are committed and will speak up. The People’s Climate March was only the beginning

Source: KUNA

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

the people’s climate the people’s climate

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

the people’s climate the people’s climate

 



GMT 21:16 2016 Monday ,27 June

Zaki Badr discusses cleaning problem in Giza

GMT 21:46 2017 Saturday ,14 January

Turkey arrests 60 businessmen for alleged Gulen ties

GMT 22:38 2017 Friday ,24 March

Abbas meets with Merkel in Berlin

GMT 09:02 2017 Monday ,27 March

Tunisian Premier Concludes Visit to Sudan

GMT 15:54 2017 Friday ,01 September

Attorney General Directs Prosecutors to inspect Prison

GMT 09:22 2017 Sunday ,31 December

HM King condoles with Afghanistan President

GMT 10:12 2016 Wednesday ,06 April

Strong dollar, mild weather shrink H&M profits

GMT 17:03 2016 Saturday ,24 December

7 police killed in attacks in Afghansitan

GMT 13:51 2017 Friday ,17 March

Israel denies Syria shot down a warplane

GMT 04:08 2017 Thursday ,05 January

Carbon tax can fund clean energy transition

GMT 19:27 2016 Wednesday ,14 September

Alstom to go ahead with plans to shut down Belfort plant

GMT 01:44 2017 Friday ,15 December

Mennat-Allah underlines importance of landscapes

GMT 04:57 2017 Thursday ,14 December

Trump tells NASA to send Americans to Moon

GMT 21:43 2017 Wednesday ,11 October

Qabil discusses with Swiss delegation improving power

GMT 21:06 2017 Sunday ,17 September

OIC condemns suicide attack in Kabul

GMT 08:27 2017 Thursday ,27 April

Nokia reports another loss as networks sag

GMT 19:41 2017 Monday ,06 February

Elina Svitolina Claims Taiwan Open Title

GMT 09:39 2017 Friday ,03 February

Former Brazilian president Lula's wife dies of stroke
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday