World

Ukraine war thrusts German climate action into spotlight

Published

2 years ago

September 19, 2022

Ukraine war thrusts German climate action into spotlight

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Germany stays dedicated to phasing out coal as a supply of energy by 2030 even because it reactivates coal-fired energy crops, the nation’s local weather envoy mentioned Monday. Germany says it took the step to get via the approaching winter amid vitality shortages on account of Russia’s struggle in Ukraine.

“We’re at a crossroads proper now,” Jennifer Morgan mentioned, including that the struggle in Ukraine reveals how interlinked vitality safety and independence are with local weather safety and peace. Morgan spoke with The Related Press on the sidelines of the U.N. Common Meeting.

The U.S.-born former worldwide head of Greenpeace stepped into the position of Germany’s particular envoy for worldwide local weather motion in March. Now a German citizen, she can be state secretary.

Ten months in the past, in her position at Greenpeace, she chastised world leaders for being “weak” on phasing down coal slightly than phasing it out altogether. Extra circumspect as a authorities official, she now says the soiled gasoline is bitter drugs that her nation is compelled to take this winter, echoing the sentient of the nation’s Inexperienced celebration.

“We’re within the center a Russian struggle of aggression,” she mentioned. “We have to guarantee that our residents have sufficient warmth for the winter.”

She mentioned the choice to burn extra coal is “a tough tablet to swallow.” She did, nevertheless, emphasize that the struggle in Ukraine “has made it ever extra clear why we have now to part out fossil fuels.”

European Union international locations are spending billions this 12 months on fossil gasoline subsidies to offset excessive costs. The bloc has drawn fierce criticism for together with pure gasoline, a fossil gasoline, and nuclear energy in a listing of sustainable actions. The bloc additionally signed a deal this 12 months with Egypt and Israel to assist with new gasoline exploration.

Morgan mentioned Germany’s first precedence stays renewable vitality and vitality effectivity, with a goal to succeed in carbon neutrality by 2045. The second precedence, she mentioned, is changing Russian gasoline, oil and coal.

In a sign of its intention to do that, Berlin introduced final week that it seized Russian state-controlled firm Rosneft’s stakes in refineries in Germany below a legislation permitting the seizure of property deemed key to nationwide vitality provide which are owned by probably hostile overseas entities, based on danger consultancy Eurasia Group.

Germany had beforehand seized property of Russian state-controlled gasoline agency Gazprom, which has disrupted pure gasoline deliveries to Germany as a consequence of what it says are technical issues — an evidence German officers reject as political maneuvering.

Due to the struggle in Ukraine, Germany has halted dialogue with Russia and isn’t having local weather conversations with the most important vitality producer, which is among the many 5 prime greenhouse gasoline emitters.

Traditionally, the USA, China and the European Union — of which Germany is a weighty member — have emitted 53% of the carbon dioxide within the air since 1959. That greenhouse gasoline stays within the ambiance for 100 years, based on the World Carbon Venture, a bunch of worldwide scientists who observe carbon emissions.

In distinction, all of Africa and South America have every emitted simply 3% of CO2 within the ambiance over the identical time frame.

Current devastating flooding in Pakistan and drought within the Horn of Africa, together with looming famine in Somalia, have been blamed partially on local weather change.

As worldwide govt director of Greenpeace, Morgan had referred to as on holding main greenhouse gasoline emitting nations to account, and compelling them to foot the invoice for the vitality transition below the “polluter pays precept.”

In her new position as Germany’s local weather envoy, she mentioned the nation has been listening to probably the most susceptible international locations and helps local weather financing to help communities around the globe which are grappling with the impacts of local weather change.

“The world is actually on fireplace,” she mentioned. “We have to take this very severely.”

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Dubai-based AP correspondent Aya Batrawy is on project protecting the U.N. Common Meeting. Comply with her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ayaelb

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World

Italian state railways plans 1.3 bln euro investment in solar plant

Published

3 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Press Room

Italian state railways plans 1.3 bln euro investment in solar plant

Italian state railways Ferrovie dello Stato plans to invest 1.3 billion euros ($1.36 billion) in a photovoltaic plant with an initial 1 gigawatt (GW) capacity that would cover 19% of its energy needs by 2029, the CEO said in a newspaper interview.

World

Christmas in Puerto Rico is a 45-day celebration with caroling, festive decorations, family feasts and more

Published

4 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Press Room

Christmas in Puerto Rico is a 45-day celebration with caroling, festive decorations, family feasts and more

Christmas, Navidad in Puerto Rico, extends far beyond Dec. 25.

The island proudly proclaims itself as having the “longest holiday season in the world,” according to the website Discover Puerto Rico.

On average, the holiday festivities in Puerto Rico last about 45 days, per the source, commencing right after Thanksgiving, and stretching all the way through mid-January.

The Christmas season in Puerto Rico typically lasts around 45 days. (iStock)

HOW TO SAY ‘MERRY CHRISTMAS’ IN 10 LANGUAGES TO FRIENDS AROUND THE WORLD

The holiday season in Puerto Rico is full of rich traditions beloved by families.

One tradition those who visit Puerto Rico will immediately notice during the holiday season is decorations.

In Puerto Rico, decorations are typically put up by Thanksgiving, and kept up until the season concludes in mid-January, with opportune picture moments at every corner.

Parrandas, Christmas caroling, is a holiday staple.

17 SECRET TRAVEL TIPS FOR FALL AND WINTER THAT AREN’T SO SECRET AFTER ALL

Carolers choose houses of family and friends to visit, typically starting around 10 p.m., performing aguinaldos (traditional Christmas songs), with not only their voices, but often with instruments as well, according to Discover Puerto Rico.

The group you begin caroling with is likely not the same group you end with.

In Puerto Rico, when carolers visit a house, they’ll often stop inside for conversation, food and drink before moving to the next residence.

Coquito is a popular beverage enjoyed during the holiday season in Puerto Rico. Coconut, vanilla and rum are among the ingredients. (Mayra Beltran/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)

Usually, the residences of the house visited will join the group for the next house, according to Discover Puerto Rico.

CHRISTMAS TREES IN GERMANY WERE DECORATED WITH APPLES INSTEAD OF ORNAMENTS IN THE 1600S FOR ‘ADAM AND EVE DAY’

A night of serenading loved ones can last quite a while, often stretching into the early morning hours of the following day, according to the source.

The biggest day of the holiday season in Puerto Rico actually isn’t Christmas, but instead, the night before.

In Puerto Rico, Dec. 24 is Nochebuena. On that day, loved ones gather for the exchange of gifts, caroling and a large feast.

Many families will also attend a midnight Mass on the day, known as Misa de Gallo.

FLIGHT ATTENDANTS REVEAL THE SURPRISING DAY TO TRAVEL AHEAD OF THE CHRISTMAS RUSH

After Christmas passes, the festivities go on in Puerto Rico.

Another big event in the holiday lineup is Three Kings Day on Jan. 6, a holiday that “commemorates the visit that the Three Wise Men paid to Jesus after his birth,” according to Discover Puerto Rico.

On the eve of the day, children fill up a shoebox with grass to be left for camels to munch on while the Three Kings leave behind gifts for them, according to PuertoRico.com.

For a particularly festive Three Kings Day, Juana Díaz is the place to go, as it hosts the largest celebration in Puerto Rico for the holiday. In Juana Díaz, there is an annual festival and parade in honor of Three Kings Day that brings together over 25,000 people every year, according to Discover Puerto Rico.

Gifts are primarily exchanged between loved ones on Christmas Eve in Puerto Rico. (iStock)

Then, eight days later is Octavitas, a post-holiday celebration where families get together and celebrate one last time for the season.

The end of the holiday season is marked with the San Sebastián Street Festival.

This festival, spanning over multiple days, takes place in Old San Juan, and is filled with live music, dancing, shopping and parades.

Ashlyn Messier is a writer for Fox News Digital.

World

Small plane crashes into Brazil town popular with tourists, killing 10

Published

4 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Press Room

Small plane crashes into Brazil town popular with tourists, killing 10

Twin-engine plane crashed in largely residential neighborhood of Gramado shortly after takeoff, authorities say.

A small plane has crashed into a tourist hotspot in southern Brazil, killing all 10 people on board and injuring more than a dozen people on the ground, officials have said.

The twin-engine Piper PA-42-1000 hit the chimney of a home and the second floor of a different house before crashing into a shop in a largely residential neighbourhood of Gramado shortly after takeoff from Canela, Brazil’s Civil Defense agency said on Sunday.

Rio Grande do Sul Governor Eduardo Leite told a news conference that the aircraft’s owner and pilot, Luiz Claudio Galeazzi, was killed along with nine members of his family.

Leite said that 17 people on the ground were injured, 12 of whom were still receiving treatment in hospital.

Galeazzi’s company, Galeazzi & Associados, confirmed that its CEO and Galeazzi’s wife and three daughters had died in the crash.

“Luiz Galeazzi will be forever remembered for his dedication to his family and for his remarkable career as a leader of Galeazzi & Associados,” the company said in a post on LinkedIn.

“In this moment of immense pain, Galeazzi & Associados is deeply grateful for the expressions of solidarity and affection received from friends, colleagues and the community. We also sympathize with all those affected by the accident in the region.”

Gramado, located in the Serra Gaucha mountains, is a popular destination for vacationers, especially during the Christmas season.

The crash comes a little more than a year after Brazil suffered its worst air disaster in nearly two decades when a twin-engine plane crashed in the southeastern city of Vinhedo, killing all 62 people on board.