CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT: Bonn works on ‘Rule Book’, 30% India land lost to droughts, Mars, Nestle, PepsiCo in palm oil mess, Landmark pro-bee ban

Climate ‘rule book’, Action ‘woefully inadequate’, National vs. Paris goals?

At Bonn around 200 countries are working on Paris accord “rule book”. Countries feel climate action must “increase dramatically. To know if countries are doing their bit to meet Paris goals, “rule book” will define ways to count and report emissions, how to step up national actions every five years.

New study has found that all countries who signed Paris accord have at least one law on climate change_106 laws formed post Paris. It’s important to analyze if the new national laws are consistent with Paris accord, the study says.

30% land lost to drought

Centre backed study says about 30% of India’s land was degrading into a desert, 23 hectares is lost per minute to drought. The total cost of land degradation: 2.54% of India’s GDP in 2014-15. Degradation adversely impacts productivity, biodiversity and water availability. India doesn’t have a policy to fix it.

Devouring rainforest with Mars, Nestle, PepsiCo

Greenpeace report has revealed, an area of rainforest half the size of Paris was cleared in Papua, Indonesia by a palm oil supplier to Mars, Nestlé, PepsiCo and Unilever – making a mockery of these companies’ “no deforestation, no peat, no exploitation” policy. Tropical forests are the best “carbon sinks”.

India-China talk climate change at informal meet

China and India in the recent informal bilateral meet discussed climate change, the two largest emitters discussed ways to curb warming in context of technological innovations and markets.

Bloomberg writes climate cheque, Bayer stung by pro-Bee ban

Former New York mayor and billionaire Michael Bloomberg said he will write a $4.5 million cheque to cover this year’s U.S. financial commitment to the Paris accord. Trump pulled the US out, now the only country to oppose the pact.

The EU has banned the outdoor use of pesticides that harm bees: vital pollinators whose current decline can harm our food chain. 5 million signed petition calling for ban. Bayer, the maker of banned neonicotinoids called the ban anti-farmer.

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A team of handpicked and dedicated writers committed to fact check each climate-related statement. Go to the roots and intent of each policy implemented, internationally and at home to help you understand climate better

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