The United Kingdom passed a law on Thursday that prescribes cutting greenhouse gas emissions in the country to net zero by 2050, the UK government said, adding that it, thus, became the first major economy to legislate lowering its contribution to global warming

LONDON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th June, 2019) The United Kingdom passed a law on Thursday that prescribes cutting greenhouse gas emissions in the country to net zero by 2050, the UK government said, adding that it, thus, became the first major economy to legislate lowering its contribution to global warming.

"The UK today became the first major economy in the world to pass laws to end its contribution to global warming by 2050. The target will require the UK to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050, compared with the previous target of at least 80% reduction from 1990 levels," the government said in a statement.

According to the statement, the initiative to reach "net zero" target by 2050 was proposed by the Committee on Climate Change, the UK independent climate advisory body.

London has already managed to reduce emissions by 42 percent in comparison with the year of 1990, while growing the economy by 72 percent, the government stated.

The statement added that the government expected the number of workers employed in the environmental sectors of economy to grow to 2 million people alongside the value of exports from the low carbon economy to increase to 170 billion Pounds ($216 million) a year by 2030, the statement said.

"Net zero" implies offsetting any emissions of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere by such measures as planting more trees or using technology like carbon capture and storage. </s> Greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere reached a record not seen since sea levels were 10 meters to 20 meters higher than they are now, the World Meteorological Organization said in a report.

The UN organization says globally averaged concentrations of carbon-dioxide reached 405.5 parts per million in 2017, up slightly from the previous year and from 400.1 in 2015. Concentrations of other heat-trapping gases, like methane and nitrous oxide, also rose.

Concentrations of carbon dioxide and other Earth-warming gases rose last year and are 41 per cent higher than in 1990, driving a long-term increase in the global temperature, the organization said.

The last time the Earth had similar concentration of CO2 was 3 million to 5 million years ago, when the temperature was 2-3 degrees Celsius warmer and and sea levels were at least 10 meters higher. A sea level rise of that magnitude would wipe out low-lying island nations and much of Manhattan.

The findings add to pressure on envoys from almost 200 nations gathering next month in Poland to discuss ways of reining in climate change. The WMO said higher CO2 concentrations are melting ice caps and leading to more violent weather events, which the Bank of England Wednesday said were responsible for a record $140 billion in insurance losses in 2017.

“The science is clear,” WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas said in a statement on Thursday. “Without rapid cuts in CO2 and other greenhouse gases, climate change will have increasingly destructive and irreversible impacts on life on Earth. The window of opportunity for action is almost closed.”

Concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere rose 0.5 per cent from 2016. Among the increased emissions, there has been a resurgence of CFC-11, a supposedly regulated greenhouse gas that depletes ozone.

The UN goal is hold the global average temperature increase to well below 2 degrees Celsius, which would still represent the quickest shift in the climate since the last ice age ended some 10,000 years ago. A report earlier this year by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said that net emissions must reach zero by 2050 to keep temperatures increases to 1.5 degrees Celsius, which is the goal of many developing nations.

Carbon dioxide “remains in the atmosphere for hundreds of years and in the oceans for even longer,” WMO Deputy Secretary-General Elena Manaenkova said in a report being presented to the United Nations on Thursday. “Every fraction of a degree of global warming matters, and so does every part per million of greenhouse gases.”

With files from the Associated Press
• The clock is ticking to stop catastrophic global warming, top climate scientists say
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• What’s really in that ‘dire’ new IPCC climate report </s> GENEVA: The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere hit a new record last year with emissions showing no sign of slowing down, the UN World Meteorological Organization said on Thursday. The annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin dashed hopes for a slowdown in emissions of CO2 — the byproduct of burning fossil fuels that scientists say is the main cause of the greenhouse effect causing global warming.

 “The science is clear. Without rapid cuts in CO2 and other greenhouse gases, climate change will have increasingly destructive and irreversible impacts on life on Earth. The window of opportunity for action is almost closed,” WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas said in a statement.

 The report found CO2 levels of 405.5 parts per million in 2017, up from 403.3 ppm in 2016.

 The rate of increase is in line with the average growth rate over the last decade, which was the fastest rate for 55 million years, the WMO said. Carbon dioxide levels have risen 46 per cent since the pre-industrial era, around 1750.

 “The most alarming thing is that… half of the increase from pre-industrial times comes within the last 30 years,” said Oksana Tarasova, head of WMO’s atmospheric environment research.

 The rise was expected to be much lower in 2017, because the previous year saw “El Nino” weather conditions, which are normally followed by a big slowdown in the growth of CO2 concentrations.

 UN climate talks in Poland next month are meant to agree a rule book for the 2015 Paris agreement on climate change, which set a sweeping goal of ending the fossil fuel era this century.

 UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet has sent a letter to all states, telling them they have legal obligations under international human rights law to prevent climate change and try to mitigate its effects. — Reuters </s> The amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere hit a new record last year with emissions showing no sign of slowing down, the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Thursday.

The annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin dashed hopes for a slowdown in emissions of CO2 —the by-product of burning fossil fuels that scientists say is the main cause of the greenhouse effect causing global warming.

“The science is clear. Without rapid cuts in CO2 and other greenhouse gases, climate change will have increasingly destructive and irreversible impacts on life on earth. The window of opportunity for action is almost closed,” WMO secretary general Petteri Taalas said in a statement.

The report found CO2 levels of 405.5 parts per million (ppm) in 2017, up from 403.3 ppm in 2016.

The rate of increase is in line with the average growth rate over the last decade, which was the fastest rate for 55 million years, the WMO said. Carbon dioxide levels have risen 46% since the pre-industrial era, around 1750.

“The most alarming thing is that ... half of the increase from pre-industrial times comes within the last 30 years,” said Oksana Tarasova, head of WMO’s atmospheric environment research.

The rise was expected to be much lower in 2017, because the previous year saw “El Niño” weather conditions, which are normally followed by a big slowdown in the growth of CO2 concentrations.

UN climate talks in Poland next month are meant to agree a rule book for the 2015 Paris agreement on climate change, which set a sweeping goal of ending the fossil fuel era this century.

UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet has sent a letter to all states, telling them they have legal obligations under international human rights law to prevent climate change and try to mitigate its effects.

The US is the only country to have announced its intention to withdraw from the Paris accord, and President Donald Trump has cast doubt on the science underpinning it.

“Brutal and Extended Cold Blast could shatter ALL RECORDS-Whatever happened to Global Warming?”, President Donald Trump tweeted on Wednesday.

WMO chief scientist Pavel Kabat said unusually cold weather was consistent with climate change.

“On the longer timescale we are not that much worried about the current political disturbance,” he said.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. </s> Hawaii Signs Legislation To Implement Goals Of Paris Climate Accord Anyway

Hawaii's governor has signed a bill that adopts goals of the Paris climate agreement, despite President Trump's announcement last week that the U.S. is pulling out of the global accord.

"Reducing greenhouse emissions in Hawaii is now the law — the state law," reports Hawaii Public Radio's Bill Dorman. "While the specifics are a bit vague, the political message is clear: to keep pace with environmental commitments made as part of the Paris accord."

Gov. David Ige signed the Senate bill on Tuesday, saying he was motivated by the evidence of climate change visible every day in Hawaii.

"We are the testing grounds. ... We are especially aware of the limits of our natural environment," Ige said before signing the document. "Tides are getting higher, biodiversity is shrinking, coral is bleaching, coastlines are eroding, weather is becoming more extreme. We must acknowledge these realities at home. That is why Hawaii is united in its political leadership on tackling climate change."

The law commits the state to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in order to align with the principles and goals of the Paris Agreement.

State Sen. J. Kalani English, who introduced the bill, said the measure "gives us legal basis to continue adaptation and mitigation strategies for Hawai'i, despite the Federal government's withdrawal from the treaty."

It also creates a commission to establish strategies to combat climate change and develop plans to manage the impact of rising sea levels.

Ige signed a separate bill Tuesday establishing a Carbon Farming Task Force, aimed at identifying "agricultural and aquacultural practices to improve soil health and promote carbon sequestration."

While the state says it is the first to pass legislation in support of Paris after Trump's withdrawal announcement, other governors have pledged to uphold the agreement inside their states. Hawaii is joining at least 12 other states that have formed the U.S. Climate Alliance and promised to remain committed to the goals in the Paris deal.

In 2015, 195 countries agreed in Paris to set individual targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, with the shared goal of limiting the rise in average global temperatures to less than 2 degrees Celsius.

While announcing his controversial decision, Trump said he was motivated by a campaign pledge to put American workers first. As The Two-Way reported, he stated that the agreement gives other countries "an economic edge over the United States."

Only two countries are not part of the global agreement — Syria and Nicaragua.

Trump's announcement also prompted more than 1,200 business leaders, mayors and college presidents to stress that they planned to continue working towards the goals set in Paris.

The state of Hawaii is also challenging Trump's travel ban in federal court, saying it violates the Constitution and discriminates against travelers on the basis of religion. </s> On Saturday, officials from nearly 200 countries agreed to a set of guidelines to implement the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change at the 2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Katowice, Poland.

Here’s what you need to know about the agreement, which is being called the Katowice Climate Package.

What exactly is it?

The new agreement lays out specific measures to fulfil the promises of the Paris Agreement. The terms of the agreement were hotly debated over several days by member countries before being agreed upon.

The UN celebrated the Katowice Climate Package as the beginning of a “new era of global climate change action,” saying it will promote international cooperation on climate change, boost transparency among countries and benefit people from all walks of life.

The new measures will be implemented in 2020.

What was agreed to?

The main achievements of the Katowice Climate Package include an agreement on how to report greenhouse gas emissions and efforts to reduce to them as well as a commitment from wealthy countries to provide financial assistance to poorer countries to help them in cutting emissions, prepare for things such as rising sea levels and pay for damages already caused by climate change.

Officials from 196 countries have agreed to the Katowice Climate Package. Representing every corner of the globe, they include everyone from the world’s worst greenhouse gas emitters, such as China and the United States, to middling powers like Canada to tiny Pacific island nations like Tuvalu.

Wait, the U.S. is onboard?

Although U.S. President Donald Trump has questioned the existence of climate change, pulled his country out of the Paris Agreement and promoted the use of coal, the U.S. not only agreed to the Katowice Climate Package but was also one of the biggest champions of creating transparency rules to ensure that no country will be able to shirk their emission-cutting commitments.

Who represented Canada at the conference?

Canada was primarily represented by Environment Minister Catherine McKenna. “Global problems require global solutions,” McKenna tweeted after the Katowice Climate Package had been finalized.

“And somewhat unbelievably, countries around the world came together at (the 2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference) and stepped up. These days that isn't always the case. It should be celebrated and replicated!”

Were there any sticking points?

Many countries differed sharply in their views of how to make a functioning carbon credit market, which would aim to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions while raising money to help limit global warming. Talks on how to create an emissions trading system will be resumed at the 2019 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Chile.

What else was left out?

Large oil exporters like the U.S., Russia, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait successfully blocked an attempt to include language about weaning the world off fossil fuels in the agreement. The final text of the agreement also lacks specific 2030 greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. </s> HONOLULU (AP) - Hawaii has passed a law to document sea level rise and set strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The bill signed by Gov. David Ige aligns the state's goals with the Paris climate accord.

President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from that agreement last week.

Ige says Hawaii is the first state to enact legislation implementing parts of the Paris climate agreement.

Ige says the islands are seeing the impacts of climate change first-hand. He says tides are getting higher, biodiversity is shrinking, coral is bleaching and coastlines are eroding.

At least a dozen states including Hawaii have signed pledges to continue reducing fossil-fuel emissions despite Trump's decision.

Ige also signed a bill Tuesday to reduce carbon emissions in the agriculture sector. </s> GENEVA – The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere hit a new record last year with emissions showing no sign of slowing down, the U.N. World Meteorological Organization said on Thursday.carbon dioxide

READ MORE: Reality check: Maxime Bernier says CO2 isn’t a pollutant. Climate scientists say he’s wrong

The annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin dashed hopes for a slowdown in emissions of CO2 – the byproduct of burning fossil fuels that scientists say is the main cause of the greenhouse effect causing climate change.

“The science is clear. Without rapid cuts in CO2 and other greenhouse gases, climate change will have increasingly destructive and irreversible impacts on life on Earth,” said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas in a statement.

WATCH: Trudeau says critics of carbon tax want to ‘make pollution free again’

The report found CO2 levels of 405.5 parts per million in 2017, up from 403.3 ppm in 2016.

The rate of increase is in line with the average growth rate over the last decade, which was the fastest rate for 55 million years, the WMO said. Carbon dioxide levels have risen 46 per cent since the pre-industrial era, around 1750.

READ MORE: Rachel Notley unveils carbon tax break for oil and gas drilling companies

“The most alarming thing is that … half of the increase from pre-industrial times comes within the last 30 years,” said Oksana Tarasova, head of WMO’s atmospheric environment research.

The rise was expected to be much lower in 2017, because the previous year saw “El Nino” weather conditions, which are normally followed by a big slowdown in the growth of CO2 concentrations.

U.N. climate talks in Poland next month are meant to agree to a rule book for the 2015 Paris agreement on climate change, which set a sweeping goal of ending the fossil fuel era this century.

U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet has sent a letter to all states, telling them they have legal obligations under international human rights law to prevent climate change and try to mitigate its effects.

WATCH: Trump says California wildfires have not changed his mind on climate change

The United States is the only country to have announced its intention to withdraw from the Paris accord, and President Donald Trump has cast doubt on the science underpinning it.

“Brutal and Extended Cold Blast could shatter ALL RECORDS – Whatever happened to Global Warming?,” Trump tweeted on Wednesday.

READ MORE: Trump just hinted that cold weather disproves global warming. Here’s why he’s wrong

WMO chief scientist Pavel Kabat said unusually cold weather was consistent with climate change.

“On the longer timescale we are not that much worried about the current political disturbance,” he said.

— Reporting by Tom Miles; editing by Stephanie Nebehay and Robin Pomeroy </s> Pavel Kabat, WMO Chief Scientist and Research Director, speaks about the release of WMO Greenhouse Gas Bulletin with details on annual average concentration of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, during a press conference, at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, Nov. 22, 2018. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP)

Pavel Kabat, WMO Chief Scientist and Research Director, speaks about the release of WMO Greenhouse Gas Bulletin with details on annual average concentration of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, during a press conference, at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, Nov. 22, 2018. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP)

GENEVA (AP) — A top U.N. scientist on Thursday shrugged off an online quip from U.S. President Donald Trump that questioned global warming, saying a U.S. government report will show the “fundamental impacts of climate change on the U.S. continent.”

Officials at the World Meteorological Organization also said environmentally minded efforts by the state of California, in parts of the financial sector, among grassroots activists and others will have more of an impact to help the fight against climate change than “political disturbance” and “discourse” will impede it.

The science, they said, will have the last word.

Some of that science comes Friday in a new U.S. federal climate change assessment report, from agencies including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Department of Energy.

“It’s very interesting what you will see tomorrow,” said Pavel Kabat, WMO’s chief scientist. “That is a major report coming supported by all agencies ... under the administration of President Trump ranging from NOAA to NASA, from NASA to DOE, showing the fundamental impacts of climate change on the U.S. continent.”

Kabat was speaking at a news conference to present WMO’s latest greenhouse gas bulletin, which said levels in the atmosphere climbed to a record last year. In a statement, WMO secretary-general Petteri Taalas warned “the window of opportunity” to act against climate change has nearly closed.

WMO says globally averaged concentrations of carbon dioxide reached 405.5 parts per million in 2017, up slightly from the previous year and from 400.1 in 2015. Concentrations of other heat-trapping gases, like methane and nitrous oxide, also rose.

The findings come ahead of next month’s meeting of world leaders in Katowice, Poland, for the annual global climate summit where they hope to find ways to implement the 2015 Paris climate accord that aims to keep global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, which lies about 2,000 kilometers northeast of Australia, is one of those countries already suffering severe effects of climate change.

Its foreign minister, Ralph Regenvanu, said his government is exploring the possibility of suing fossil fuel companies responsible for most man-made greenhouse gas emissions over the damage they have caused.

“By hiding what they knew and misrepresenting the dangers of unabated fossil fuel use, the fossil fuel industry and supportive governments protected their high-emissions profits and obstructed the changes needed to prevent or at least minimize the impacts of climate change,” he told a ‘virtual’ summit of nations that are vulnerable to climate change.

WMO’s Taalas said the last time Earth had such high levels of carbon dioxide concentration was 3-5 million years ago.

Without cuts in greenhouse gases, Taalas said, “climate change will have increasingly destructive and irreversible impacts on life on Earth.”

That came just hours after Trump, who once called global warming a “hoax” and has pulled the United States out of the Paris climate agreement, floated a new question about climate change on Twitter: “Brutal and Extended Cold Blast could shatter ALL RECORDS - Whatever happened to Global Warming?”

Despite that, Kabat cited a “global transformation” underway in thinking about global warming, saying “the point of no return has been passed.” He said efforts by some industries, in civil society and by local officials could “overtake” governmental agreements or statements on the issue.

“I think on the longer timescale we are not that much worried about the current political disturbance,” he said.

“Despite the statements of President Trump, there is still a very concrete and specific movement by the agencies under the administration to actually make the case of action against climate change,” Kabat said.

___

Frank Jordans contributed from Berlin.
The House of Representatives of the Netherlands passes the final bill of the climate agreement. The goal of the accord is to have the level of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere in 2030 the same as the level of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere in 1990.