Top Environmentalists and Climatologists Want an African as New UN Climate Chief

Top Environmentalists and Climatologists Want an African as New UN Climate Chief Feb 25 2016 by Henry Mcdonald The researchers estimate that saving these lives could benefit the U.S. economy to the tune of $250bn per year - more than it would cost to put the policies in place. Those expenses aren't the whole picture, however. To be consistent with a global temperature rise of no more than 2C above pre-industrial levels, as laid out in the Paris agreement, the United States is committed to reducing emissions by "80% or more by 2050". The proposed budget accounts for a warming of all human activities and greenhouse gases and is based on detailed scenarios that simulate low-carbon futures. The value of the lives saved would vastly outstrip the implementation costs. The study has its roots in a 2014 agreement between the US and China. "This is doable", Shindell said. Landfills should be left out of any future emissions trading scheme and instead, achieve GHG reductions by selling carbon offsets, the Australian Landfill Owners Association (ALOA) has told a climate policy review panel. Carbon dioxide - and pollution in general - comes from a lot of sources. The new study provides a comprehensive analysis of these differences. As air pollution can be carried to across the world by the wind, cutting emissions in one country can, therefore, benefit the health of another. The study "adds to the growing body of literature of the health co-benefits of addressing climate change", says Jonathan Buonocore, program leader of climate, energy and health at Harvard University's Center For Health and the Global Environment. While the United States would feel the benefit of cutting air pollution, the positive effect would also be felt more widely. They found that reducing the given level of carbon emission from transportation could prevent up to 120,000 premature deaths by 2030. Similarly, about 29,000 kids each year wouldn't have to go to the emergency room for their asthma attacks. National economic benefits are valued at about $250 billion per year. More than 200 Republican senators and House representatives on Tuesday filed a legal brief asking a DC court to overturn the Clean Power Plan, saying Congress has not authorised the EPA to reform the nation's electricity sector. Yuhna Lee, a former research scientist at Duke's Nicholas School, and Greg Faluvegi of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies co-authored the new study. The findings show how that moving to cleaner energy and transport have immediate health benefits for the USA, in addition to the longer-term benefits for the global climate, says Shindell. A change in government rhetoric could pave the way for a "soft start" carbon market in Australia even without any changes to current policies, analysts said Wednesday. And gases like nitrogen oxide actually help break down methane. "Climate science also supports bushfire responses by providing the knowledge underpinning high fire danger weather warnings and fire behaviour predictions", Steffen said. Researchers estimate that 295,000 premature deaths from heart and lung disease could be prevented by 2030, and about 36,000 every year after that - if the nation markedly cuts back on power plant and vehicle emissions that contribute to air pollution. Greater Patchogue News http://greaterpatchoguenews.com/2016/02/top-environmentalists-and-climatologists-want-an-african-as/