US Declares State of Emergency in Puerto Rico for Zika Virus

The U.S. government declared a state of emergency in Puerto Rico on Friday responding to widespread transmission of the Zika virus.

Marshall Islands takes world nuclear powers to ICJ

The tiny Republic of the Marshall Islands in Micronesia is taking on the world's nuclear powers with an unprecedented legal case that is being heard at The Hague-based International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Mozambique: Planting a Future (video Al Jazeera)

According to the UN, South America and Africa lose forests at a faster rate than anywhere else in the world. After years of civil war Mozambique is trying to rebuild itself from the ruins, but the development comes at a great cost to the country's natural resources.

Spain could face 50 degree heatwaves by 2050

Spain could face heatwaves with temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius by the year 2050, according to a report on the effects of climate change published on Tuesday.

The document, "1950-2050: The Impact of Climate Change in Spain and Europe: perception and impact," was drawn up for the environmentalist party Equo by Spanish climatologist, Jonathan Gomez Cantero.

Solar Impulse 2 Pilot appeals for clean future

Solar Impulse 2 Round-The-World fuel-free flight pilot, Bertrand Piccard, paid a visit and delivered a speech on the importance of a clean energy future at ABB Chongqing Transformer Company in Chongqing, on April 2.

China to ban use of Tibetan sky burial for tourism. (Some travel agents have shown disrespect to the tradition)

China has set out to make a new law to regulate the traditional Tibetan practice of sky burial, which involves feeding bodies of the dead to birds. Official sources in Tibet have indicated that the use of sky burial sites as tourist attraction may be banned.

Tibet's intangible heritage well-protected, says official

LHASA, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government's efforts to preserve intangible heritage in Tibet and other ethnic regions have proven effective, said sources at the first Tibet development forum Wednesday.

"Of the 386 million yuan (62.7 million U.S. dollars) for cultural heritage preservation allocated by the central treasury between 2002 and 2009, about a quarter was spent in ethnic regions including Tibet," said Li Jianhui, a culture promotion official with the State Ethnic Affairs Commission.

"One planet, one ocean – together, we must protect them", urges UN on World Oceans Day

UN,  8 June 2014 – To commemorate World Oceans Day, the United Nations family is encouraging the international community to reflect on the multiple benefits of oceans and commit to keeping them healthy and productive for current and future generations.

“We have to ensure that oceans continue to meet our needs without compromising those of future generations,” stressed Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a message marking the Day, adding “their depths hold current and future solutions to humanity's energy needs.”

ICRI 2014 – A conference with a view to the future...

The 2^nd International Conference on Research Infrastructures (ICRI 2014) is taking place at the Megaron Athens International Conference Centre on 2-4 April 2014, in the framework of the Greek Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The conference is organised by the European Commission and the Greek General Secretariat of Research & Technology (Ministry of Education & Religious Affairs) with the organisational support of the “Athena” Research and Innovation Center.
The strategic aim of ICRI 2014 is to highlight how global Research Infrastructures may respond to the local and global challenges the world is facing today (environment, poverty, sustainability, security), what lessons have been learnt from the past and what the priorities and directions for the future should be.

Negotiators told ‘the world is ready’ for climate change deal, as UN conference opens in Warsaw

11 November 2013 – The United Nations Climate Change Conference opened today in Warsaw, Poland, with a call to reach a new agreement to cut climate-altering greenhouse gas emissions during what is seen as a pivotal point in the negotiating process, made all the more urgent by the devastation in Philippines from Typhoon Haiyan.
“We must win the Warsaw opportunity,” Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), told participants at this 19th session.
She noted that “the world is ready” and there is a groundswell of climate action, not only for the environment, but also for security, energy, economic and governance reasons.

Climate Talks Open in Warsaw. -"We are loosing this unequal struggle of men and nature".

"Only two days ago a powerful typhoon swept through the Philippines claiming thousands of lives and leaving hundreds of thousands of people displaced from their homes. A great human tragedy. Unforgettable, painful, awakening. I said awakening because it's another proof that we are loosing this unequal struggle of men and nature that beset us yet again and will continue in the future if we do not close ranks and act together to strike back."

U.N. climate chief Christiana Figueres also referenced the "devastating impact'' of the typhoon in her opening speech. She urged delegates to guarantee greater climate security for the generations to come.