Latest News
COP21 to be extended by a day. -
As negotiators continue to work through controversial aspects of the agreement, the climate change conference is expected to wrap up tomorrow, rather than today, as planned. Laurent Fabius, president of the talks, says he is “optimistic” about reaching a deal. Reuters
Study finds plastic and human food in the guts of deep-sea fish. -
Beef and microplastics were among the snacks eaten by fish living 6,500-plus feet beneath the Mediterranean. Five to six percent of the fish’s diet originated from human activity, and the researchers think it could be be an underestimated factor in deep-sea ecology worldwide. New Scientist
Beijing’s smog crisis piques city-dwellers’ interest in electric cars. -
As part of the city’s “red alert” on pollution this week, owners of conventional cars are only allowed to drive every other day. Electric cars, however, can hit the road any time, and dealers say inquiries about these models have shot up by nearly 10 percent. Reuters
Report calls for increased regulation of tar sands oil. -
A National Academy of Sciences study finds that diluted bitumen behaves differently than conventional oil when spilled from pipelines and recommends that response plans be tailored to oil type. The finding confirms concerns raised by environmental groups (including NRDC) after major dilbit disasters. Inside Climate News
These people are so out of touch with science that they believe rising sea levels don’t matter, because in their view the extra water is going to just spill over the sides of a flat earth.
—John Kerry calls out climate change deniers in a speech delivered at COP21 today. The secretary of state announced that the United States will double its commitment to grant-based funding that helps developing countries adapt to climate change, from $430 million to $860 million.
Carbon emissions dropped slightly in 2015. -
Emphasis on slightly: less than one percent. But even a small decline is a promising sign that we’re capable of turning things around. In the past year emissions stalled for the first time after decades of steady rise, and the global economy continues to grow. Imagine that. NPR