German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in her New Year's message she is fighting climate change with all her strength to enable future generations to live in peace and prosperity.
United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, issued a 2020 New Year’s message, where he explains the importance of the new generations to confront the raising problems that envolves “a warring world and a warming planet”. In front of the 75th anniversary of the UN, the message follows:
Thousands of firefighters were fortifying containment lines on Monday as temperatures were forecast to soar, increasing the danger of a fresh wave of bushfires across Australia's east coast. More than 100 fires remain ablaze in the region, and authorities warned conditions would worsen on Tuesday, when temperatures were predicted to top 40 degrees Celsius.
Fires that destroyed Indonesian rainforests pumped out more carbon dioxide than the blazes in the Amazon this year, according to the European Union's atmosphere observation program.
Brazil’s plans for environmental protection remain unchanged even as deforestation skyrockets, but Environment Minister Ricardo Salles said the country was looking for more money to implement those plans. Salles largely repeated previously announced plans to bring more development, economic zoning and improved enforcement of environmental laws to the Amazon rainforest region, where deforestation has surged to its highest point in 11 years.
The fire danger was elevated across wider swathes of southern Australia on Thursday, with residents warned to avoid at-risk areas as smoke from bushfires choked Sydney and other major cities. Devastating fires along the country's east coast have claimed six lives and destroyed more than 500 homes since mid-October, with climate change and unseasonably hot, dry conditions fuelling the unprecedented blazes.
Sydney was shrouded in dangerous haze on Tuesday as smoke from bushfire blazing along Australia's eastern board sent contamination levels soaring in the country's biggest city.
Spain will host the COP25 climate summit in December, the UN said on Friday, after Chile abandoned plans to hold it due to deadly anti-government protests. Some 25,000 delegates had been expected in Chile for COP25, including teenage Swedish activist Greta Thunberg.
Chile's President Sebastian Piñera said on Thursday that Spain has offered to host the COP25 climate conference in December after he abandoned plans to hold it in Santiago following violent protests.
Chile has withdrawn as host of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) trade summit in November and the COP25 climate conference in December after several weeks of violent unrest, President Sebastian Piñera announced on Wednesday. He described the decision as “deeply painful” but “common sense” dictated the decision to withdraw from the two major international summits.