Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Patricia Espinosa, has said that the assignment of Fiji’s presidency of the 23rd Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP23) to UNFCCC highlights the importance of addressing the vulnerability small island states. Espinosa, who made the remarks at the close of a three-day Planning Meeting for COP23 ...

As the world celebrated the 2017 World Wetlands Day on Thursday, February 2 2017, the focus this time around was on the role played by wetlands in reducing the impact of natural disasters. Defined as land areas that are flooded with water, either seasonally or permanently, wetlands are said to be a natural buffer against disasters. However, no governmental and ...

Falling costs of electric vehicles and solar panels could halt worldwide growth in demand for oil and coal by 2020, a new report has suggested. A scenario that takes into account the latest cost reduction projections for the green technologies, and countries’ pledges to cut emissions, finds that solar power and electric vehicles are “gamechangers” that could leave fossil fuels stranded. Polluting ...

On Thursday, 02 February 2017, the world celebrated its wetlands – complex ecosystems that provide a wide variety of services and benefits for people and nature. Wetlands such as estuaries, mangroves, marshes, and swamps play beyond their biological role, a key part in helping people cope with disasters. Yet wetlands are said to be in danger; threatened with drainage for agriculture, degradation, pollution, and destruction ...

The Government of Angola has ratified the Abidjan Convention, making it the 19th nation out of the 22 countries in the Convention area to do so. The ratification instrument, transmitted by the Ivorian Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (depository of the Convention) to the Convention Secretariat in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire last August, was signed by the President of the ...

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday, January 1 2017 voted to confirm Rex Tillerson as the next Secretary of State. The former chairman and chief executive of ExxonMobil faced a tough series of confirmation hearings and votes before being approved for the position. The 56-43 vote across party lines makes it arguably the most contentious secretary of state confirmation in recent ...

As the world celebrates the 2017 World Wetlands Day on Thursday, February 2 2017, the focus this time around is on the role played by wetlands in reducing the impact of natural disasters. Defined as land areas that are flooded with water, either seasonally or permanently, wetlands are said to be a natural buffer against disasters. Along the coastline, wetlands ...

Speaker, Benue State House of Assembly, Terkimbi Ikyange (Ushongo/APC), has acknowledged the contributions of Community and Social Development Project (CSDP) to the development of rural communities in the state. Making this acknowledgement against the backdrop of the completion and inauguration of seven World Bank assisted projects spread across seven council wards in Ushongo Local Government Area on Wednesday, February 1 2017, ...

The Benue State House of Assembly has accused Dangote Cement Company for treating the House and the Benue people with levity, contempt and ridicule. This followed the non-appearance of the Plant Director, Dangote Cement, Gboko Plant, Jacinto Miranda, on Wednesday, February 1, 2017 during plenary, albeit for the second time after on invitation by the House to appear before it ...

Deutsche Bank, the biggest bank in Germany, has said it will stop financing coal projects as part of its commitments under the Paris agreement to tackle global warming. “Deutsche Bank and its subsidiaries will not grant new financing for greenfield thermal coal mining and new coal-fired power plant construction,” it said in a statement. Existing exposure to such projects will ...