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Countries pledge to raise $US12 billion to fund coral reef protection

Fish swim at a coral reef garden in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, on 28th May, 2021.

Singapore Reuters An alliance of nations said on Tuesday members would raise $US12 billion to protect coral reefs from threats such as pollution and overfishing, but experts warned the funding would only be a drop in the ocean unless broader climate risks are addressed.  The International Coral Reef Initiative said it would secure public and […]

Plastic entering oceans could nearly triple by 2040 if left unchecked – research

FILE PHOTO: A plastic bottle is seen floating in an Adriatic sea of the island Mljet, Croatia, May 30, 2018. Picture taken May 30, 2018. REUTERS/Antonio Bronic

Singapore Reuters Plastics entering the world’s oceans have surged by an “unprecedented” amount since 2005 and could nearly triple by 2040 if no further action is taken, according to research published on Wednesday.  An estimated 171 trillion plastic particles were afloat in the oceans by 2019, according to peer-reviewed research led by the 5 Gyres […]

Explainer – Why did past targets to protect nature fail over the last decade?

Japan Nagoya COP10

Montreal, Canada Reuters This month’s UN biodiversity talks in Montreal aim to hammer out a new, global agreement. But this isn’t the first time governments have tried to halt environmental loss through agreed targets.  In fact, many of the 24 conservation targets under discussion now aim to avoid past mistakes and improve on the world’s […]

“Every breath you take”: Air pollution stifles Europe’s health targets

France Paris pollution 2016

Reuters Air quality in Europe is improving but still poses high risks, the European Environment Agency said on Thursday, as fine particles exposure led to at least 238,000 premature deaths in the 27-nation EU in 2020. “Air pollution is still the largest environmental health risk in Europe,” the EEA said. “While emissions of key air […]

Polluters must pay, says UN chief, urges taxes to help climate victims

UN 77th Session Antonio Guterres

United Nations Reuters UN chief Antonio Guterres on Tuesday urged rich countries to tax windfall profits of fossil fuel companies and use that money to help countries harmed by the climate crisis and people who are struggling with rising food and energy prices. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addresses the 77th Session of the United […]