The episode happened recently when Punjab’s Schooling Clergyman, Harjot Singh Bains, paid an unannounced visit to a notable government school in the region. The motivation behind the visit was to survey the school’s framework, showing norms, and the general learning climate. Notwithstanding, the normal review went off in an unexpected direction when the Training Clergyman experienced the school’s foremost in an evident plastered state.
Witnesses present during the visit detailed that the essential’s way of behaving was amateurish and raised worries about the instructive organization’s initiative and the board.
Schooling Office Makes A quick Move
As fresh insight about the chief’s conduct arrived at the higher specialists, the Punjab Training Office quickly interceded and started an investigation into the occurrence. The Training Pastor, Harjot Singh Bains, communicated his profound disillusionment and worry over the matter, promising to make a severe move against the head and anybody tracked down liable for carelessness in the administration of the school.
Following a crisis meeting with senior schooling authorities, it was concluded that the chief would be promptly suspended from his position awaiting additional examination. The division guaranteed the public that an exhaustive request would be led to reveal any breaches in the framework that permitted such a circumstance to happen.
Calls for Rigid Measures to Guarantee Responsibility
This stunning occurrence has lighted discussions and conversations about the requirement for additional hearty measures to guarantee responsibility and amazing skill in the state’s instructive foundations. Pundits have brought up that this is definitely not a disconnected occurrence and that there may be more profound issues with the checking and assessment of school managers and educators.
Unmistakable instruction activists and concerned residents have called for severe measures to be carried out, including ordinary and shock investigations of schools, required preparing and directing for school staff, and stricter rules for arrangement and advancement of regulatory positions.
Because of the episode, Pastor Bains has vowed to reconsider the current conventions for school the board and oversight to forestall any such passes from now on. He focused on that the public authority stays focused on giving quality training to the young people of Punjab and that such episodes wouldn’t go on without serious consequences in the state’s school system.
As the examination unfurls, the spotlight stays on the Punjab Instruction Division’s obligation to guaranteeing a protected, helpful, and trained learning climate for the understudies of the state. The result of this episode will without a doubt shape the fate of instructive organization and responsibility in Punjab.
Colombia, Aug 8, 2023 – In an elating showcase of expertise and assurance, Colombia got a 1-0 triumph over Jamaica in an outright exhilarating match that had fans as eager and anxious as can be until the last whistle. The Colombian group’s victory came because of a hard-taken on conflict on the field, displaying their ability and making way for their headway to the following round of the competition.
Colombians Celebrate as Group Secures a Hard-Battled Triumph
The roads of Colombia emitted in bliss and festivity as the last whistle blew, fixing their group’s triumph. The Colombian players set forth a lively execution, controlling the game’s rhythm and setting out various scoring open doors. The main objective of the match came in the 68th moment when Colombian forward, Miguel Rodriguez, masterfully wound through the Jamaican guard to score a shocking objective, starting festivals in the stands and the country over.
Jamaica Sets Up a Fearless Battle, yet Misses the mark eventually
Notwithstanding confronting a considerable rival, the Jamaican group exhibited excellent strength and relentlessness all through the match. Their guard remained steadfast, disappointing the Colombian assault on different events. Goalkeeper, Andre Blake, displayed his excellent abilities with a few critical recoveries that kept Jamaica in dispute until the last minutes. Despite the fact that Jamaica might not have progressed this time, their vivacious presentation won them the deference of fans around the world.
Key Minutes and Champion Exhibitions in the Exhilarating Match
The game was an enchanting volatile undertaking, with the two groups displaying their abilities. Colombia overwhelmed ownership and sent off a torrent of assaults, yet Jamaica’s safeguard set up an estimable battle. Aside from Rodriguez’s conclusive objective, the match saw a few invigorating close misses and objective line clearances, keeping the fervor levels high. The two groups’ midfielders assumed a urgent part in controlling the game and setting out scoring open doors.
Colombia’s Way to the Following Round and Prospects for the Competition
With this triumph, Colombia gets their position in the following round of the competition. Floated by their presentation against Jamaica, they will hope to expand on this force as they progress further. The Colombian crew flaunts a skilled program and has their sights set on making a profound disagreement the competition. Fans back home and across the globe enthusiastically expect their next match.
Dissatisfaction for Jamaica, however Expectation Stays Alive for Future Competitions
While the misfortune is without a doubt disheartening for Jamaica, the group showed incredible potential and expertise on the field. They can invest heavily in their endeavors and utilize this experience to develop and get to the next level. Jamaica’s public group has shown striking advancement lately, and their exhibition in this competition fills in as a demonstration of their assurance and ability. What’s in store stays splendid for Jamaican soccer.
Fans and Examiners Respond to the Extraordinary Confrontation
Web-based entertainment stages emitted with energetic responses from fans and soccer aficionados the same following the extraordinary match. Messages of congrats poured in for the Colombian group, with fans communicating their help and pride. In the interim, admirers of Jamaica’s fearless exertion showered acclaim in their group’s flexibility and battling soul. Soccer examiners have been breaking down the match, giving their bits of knowledge on key minutes and individual exhibitions.
A Look Forward: What’s Next for The two Groups in the Opposition
Colombia’s way to the competition proceeds, and they will confront considerably harder adversaries in the forthcoming matches. With their certainty taking off after this success, they will mean to exploit their assets and beat the difficulties that lie ahead. Then again, Jamaica will involve this experience as inspiration and return more grounded in later competitions, with a developing faith in their capacities to have an effect on the global stage.
The Colombia versus Jamaica standoff will be recognized as an exciting challenge, with Colombia arising successful and Jamaica showing colossal sportsmanship. As the competition advances, soccer fans overall anxiously anticipate additional completely exhilarating experiences that will characterize the scene of this lofty rivalry.
Previous Lostprophets Vocalist Seriously Harmed in Jail Occurrence
In a stunning and upsetting development, previous Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins has supposedly experienced extreme wounds following a fight with an individual detainee inside the walls of the jail where he is right now imprisoned. The episode has raised worries about jail wellbeing and ignited an examination concerning the conditions encompassing the assault.
Stunning Episode In a correctional facility
Ian Watkins, scandalous for his contribution in deplorable crimes that prompted his detainment, has by and by ended up in the titles, this time as the casualty of a vicious showdown in jail. Subtleties of the episode stay restricted, yet reports demonstrate that Watkins supported serious wounds during the squabble.
Famous Convict’s A conflict
Sources uncover that Watkins was gone after by another detainee, bringing up issues about the intention behind the attack. The character of the aggressor and the occasions paving the way to the squabble stay hazy, leaving space for hypothesis about the variables that might have added to the vicious experience.
Jail Specialists Send off Examination
Jail authorities have sent off an examination concerning the episode to decide the conditions encompassing the assault and whether any omissions in security or convention were involved. The examination expects to reveal insight into how such a savage episode could happen inside the bounds of the restorative office.
Grieved At various times
Ian Watkins’ criminal history has created a dull shaded area over his music vocation and individual life. The previous lead artist of Lostprophets was condemned to jail for shocking offenses, including youngster sex offenses, which prompted the disbandment of the previously well-known musical crew. His ongoing imprisonment, set apart by this new occurrence, fills in as a bleak sign of his disturbed past.
Wellbeing and Legitimate Implications
Following the squabble, Watkins got prompt clinical consideration for his wounds. As his wellbeing is firmly checked, legal procedures are supposed to unfurl as specialists research the occurrence further. The assault might actually prompt extra charges for the aggressor, further confounding their lawful circumstance.
Worries for Wellbeing and Security
The episode has provoked worries about the wellbeing and safety efforts inside the jail framework. Advocates for jail change and prisoner privileges underline the significance of keeping a protected climate for all detainees, no matter what their violations.
Fan Responses and Public Clamor
Insight about Ian Watkins’ wounds has evoked blended responses from fans and the public the same. While some express compassion toward the artist’s situation, others rush to call attention to the gravity of his past violations and their enduring effect on his casualties.
Influence on Music Inheritance
The occurrence has reignited conversations about the discolored tradition of Lostprophets and the ramifications of Watkins’ lawbreaker activities on the band’s music. The sad new development fills in as a sign of the expansive outcomes of his activities, influencing his own life as well as the imaginative and close to home associations he once imparted to his crowd.
As the examination proceeds, the episode reveals insight into the continuous difficulties inside the jail framework and brings up significant issues about restoration, security, and responsibility for all people, even the individuals who have carried out the most terrible of wrongdoings.
Lt Governor highlights the role of youth in offering pragmatic solutions to climate and global challenges for a sustainable development.
Table of Contents
Lt Governor’s Call to Action
Srinagar, May 11, 2023 – Lieutenant Governor Shri Manoj Sinha delivered an inspiring address at the Y20 Consultation Conference on ‘Climate Change & Disaster Risk Reduction: Making Sustainability a Way of Life’ held at the University of Kashmir.
The Lt. Governor urged the youth to put their ideas into practise so that nature and people can coexist peacefully and a better world can be created. The event witnessed a massive participation of national and international delegates, highlighting the global partnership in addressing environmental concerns and promoting equitable development for a better quality of life.
Hon’ble Prime Minister’s Vision
Lt. Governor Sinha stated in his remarks that combating climate change needs a group effort that goes beyond conference rooms. He reaffirmed the remarks made by the Hon. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, who stressed the importance of a widespread movement and an ecologically friendly way of living in order to address climate concerns. Lt. Governor Sinha was adamant that Prime Minister Modi’s leadership will enable India to lead the world in creating a sustainable society that functions as a major economic engine while reestablishing the delicate balance of the natural world.
Youth Leadership and Sustainable Development
The Lt Governor emphasised India’s dedication to sustainable development by mentioning that one of the nation’s top priorities was “Green Growth.” India’s ambition to reach zero carbon emissions by 2070 displays its will to combat climate change effectively. The young were urged by Lt. Governor Sinha to take the lead in developing workable answers to the climatic and global concerns of the twenty-first century. He expressed faith in the young generation’s capacity to coordinate creative thoughts and deeds, protect natural resources, and actively contribute to the formulation of policies for sustainable development.
Ancient Indian Scriptures and Sustainable Living
The Lt Governor also discussed India’s vision for the G20, which emphasises the shared duty of preserving the environment and advancing sustainable development. He stressed the necessity of sustaining the planet for the sake of mankind, highlighting the need for inclusive development to alter the lives of the ordinary people. Lt. Governor Sinha drew attention to the ancient Indian texts that uphold the ideals and guidelines of environmentally friendly living. He emphasised how, even before the idea was widely accepted, these texts had argued for living in harmony with environment and for the wise use of natural resources.
Call to Join Sustainable Development Efforts
In order to tackle the difficulties brought on by fast expansion and ecological sustainability, the Lt. Governor emphasised the importance of taking a balanced and comprehensive approach to development and environment. He exhorted people to understand that future generations’ needs must come first and that their rights to natural resources are merely temporary.
The Lt. Governor pledged support for efforts aimed at combating climate change while reiterating the UT Government’s commitment to sustainable development and climate action.
During the event, Sh Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, Advisor to Lt Governor, encouraged the youth and other stakeholders to join efforts in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Prominent speakers, including Prof Nilofer Khan (Vice Chancellor, University of Kashmir), Sh Pankaj Kumar Singh (Director, Department of Youth Affairs, GoI), Prof Manzoor Shah (Y20 Chair, Kashmir University), Sh Guru Prakash Paswan (Senior Faculty, Patna University), and Sh Akash Jha (Secretary Programs & Logistics, Y20 India), also emphasized the importance of raising awareness and exchanging ideas on pressing global issues.
Conclusion
Lt Governor Sinha gave the event his support by opening the Y20 Exhibition and releasing the Y-20 Chronicle of the University. Additionally, the respective engagement groups for Jan Bhagidari jointly launched the integration of Y20 and U20.
Participants, panellists, and representatives from several nations attended the Y20 Consultation.
What was the focus of Lt Governor Sinha’s address at the Y20 Consultation?
The focus of Lt Governor Sinha’s address was on urging youth to take action for a sustainable world and offering pragmatic solutions to climate and global challenges.
What is India’s commitment to sustainable development and climate action?
India is committed to achieving zero carbon emissions by 2070 through ‘Green Growth’ and aims to lead the world in building a sustainable society under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
How does Lt Governor Sinha view the role of youth in sustainable development?
Lt Governor Sinha believes that youth will lead the world in preserving natural resources, offering innovative ideas, and becoming stakeholders in policymaking for sustainable development.
What was highlighted regarding India’s G20 Presidency and global responsibility?
India’s G20 Presidency focuses on protecting the climate and promoting sustainable development, emphasizing the collective responsibility of the global community to nurture nature for the benefit of humanity.
SRINAGAR: Vice-Chancellor University of Kashmir Prof Nilofer Khan on Monday said that the upcoming Youth20 Consultation meet on climate change at the University of Kashmir on May 11 is a historical occassion and an event of global importance. She said it is a great opportunity to showcase our youth as active contributors in fight against climate change.
Prof Nilofer made the remarks while addressing a pre-event press conference organised regarding the Youth20 Consultation being held on the theme “Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction: Making Sustainability A Way of Life”.
“It is a historical occasion for the University of Kashmir to be organising this event under India’s G20 Presidency. The University considers it as an event of national and global importance and has put in place all necessary logistical and other arrangements well in advance. Our faculty members, officers, research scholars and students have been actively involved in making this event a great success,” she said.
The event will be attended by dignitaries from the Central Government, J&K UT Administration, 17 international delegates, 4 international speakers, 12 national speakers and 26 national delegates, the Vice-Chancellor said.
“To make the event more inclusive and result-oriented, we have invited participants from universities across the Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh. We also have participation of students from the school education department and higher education department,” the VC said, adding that four panel discussions on important aspects of climate change will be held during the technical deliberations.
Highlighting the importance of the theme, the VC said, “We have chosen this theme deliberately in view of its high importance for the country in general, and our youth in particular. Because this engagement and involvement of youth in the conversation and dialogue on climate change is one big intervention that India’s G20 Presidency has made. It is therefore an occasion for our youth to come forward and share their ideas on how they can contribute to addressing and mitigating the impacts of climate change.”.
These ideas will eventually be taken to the G20 platform and shall contribute to policymaking in its critical areas, she said, adding: “We have also opted for this theme in view of enormous research work which our University has been Conducting in the area of climate change. The research work done In this University on climate change has been published and acknowledged globally”.
Third important reason for choosing this theme is the fact that we live in the Himalayan region, Which is prone to various natural disasters like landslides, flooding and avalanches. The J&K UT also falls In Seismic Zone-V and is therefore vulnerable to earthquakes.
“The Youth20 Consultation therefore offers Us an opportunity to deliberate upon these important aspects and see how best our youth can contribute to mitigating the climate change impacts in the region using ‘youth power’ as a means to achieve this goal,” the VC said.
This mega event reflects our deep commitment to further tread the path of academic excellence with great determination and sustained focus, she said.
With 60000 specimens, the 51-year-old Kashmir University Herbarium (KASH) is the only address for studying the diverse plant basket of Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh. In near future, it is planning to get digitized, reports Insha Shirazi
Mrs and Mr Dr Ralph R Stewart, the last major botanist who immensely contributed to the taxonomy in Kashmir.
It has been a phenomenal growth. The Kashmir University Herbarium, founded in 1972 by AR Naqshi with a meagre collection of 500 species in a single room, has now blossomed into a haven of Himalayan plant specimens with a staggering 60,000 plant specimens. Known globally for its unique and endemic plant diversity, the herbarium is a magnet for plant enthusiasts and researchers. As early as 1980, the Herbarium was recognised by the International Bureau for Plant Taxonomy and Nomenclature based in New York, under the acronym KASH. Housed in the University’s Centre for Biodiversity and Taxonomy (CBT), it had only 12,000 plant specimens, then. In the last four decades, the collects have gone up five times.
Index Herbarium puts this herbarium and rank three in the North-Western Himalayas of India. Although Central National Herbarium, Kolkata is home to more than 200000 plant specimens and Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, and IIIM of Jammu have more than 12000 plant specimens each, none of these major herbariums has a collection as diverse and unique as that of the Kashmir University Herbarium.
Professionals associated with the herbarium have collected the plant species from diverse habitats across Jammu and Kashmir. It has plants that grow in Guraze, Tulail, Karnah, Keran, Badherwah, Doda, Kishtwar, Warwun, Marwah, Dachin, Padder, Rajouri, Poonch, Drass, Kargil, Zanskar, and Nubra. Part of the collection was sent to renowned herbaria including the Royal Botanical Garden, Kew, besides various others within India.
The Preservation
“Herbarium is a dried plant specimen collected through different techniques. We go to the field and collect them, dry them in newspapers or blotting paper, depending on the moisture content,” Akhtar H Malik, Junior Scientist and Curator for Biodiversity and Taxonomy (CBT) at the Kashmir University Herbarium (KASH), said while explaining the process of collecting and preserving plant specimens. “After drying, we paste these specimens on specialized sheets called herbarium sheets, which have an international standard size of 29×41.5 cm. On the bottom side of the plant specimen, we paste a special label known as the herbarium label that has data like the spot where it was collected, location, date, habitat, etc. After that, we transfer these plant specimens to the herbarium and arrange them according to the Bentham and Hooker systems. Nowadays, we arrange them in herbarium compactors according to the family of the plant specimens.”
However, preserving these plant specimens for long-term storage requires more care. “We use chemicals to preserve these plant specimens at the time of pasting on specialized Herbarium sheet. Then, the second step is to use a small amount of mercuric chloride with glue because plants that we collect from different places, such as aquatic bodies, can be contaminated by pests. After that, we keep them in fumigation chambers with chemicals like Para dichlorobenzene and naphthalene for 10 days until these chemicals are exposed. Finally, we transfer them to herbarium compactors.” Malik added.
These plant specimens last for a long time. “We have species that are more than 100 years old, collected by British botanists from Kashmir,” Malik said. “They collected a lot of specimens from the Himalayas of Kashmir and kept those specimens in Dehradun. We obtained 10 specimens from them and kept them in our Herbarium.”
These plant specimens are not only important for scientific research but also for education and cultural heritage. “Every year we get students from schools, colleges, and Universities. If this herbarium would not be there a researcher or student might have to go to another place to submit their specimen,” Malik said.
The Importance
KASH (Kashmir University Herbarium) holds a huge collection and has emerged as a valuable resource for identifying unknown and rare plant species.
“We have specimens of Kuth (Saussurea costus) and Kahzaban (Arnebia benthamii) that identify the genuine from similar plants, said Malik. “These specimens are not only useful for researchers and scholars but also for students who visit our herbarium to learn about plant diversity.”
The curator at KASH Herbarium at the University of Kashmir explains things to visitors. KL Image Special Arrangement
Herbariums are crucial for documenting plant diversity. “We can create a flora or inventory of plant species based on herbarium data. We can also determine the location of a particular plant species with the help of herbarium specimens,” added Malik.
Off late, KASH has also become a popular destination for students, scholars, and researchers from different colleges, schools, and universities. Besides, Herbariums represent Kashmir’s natural heritage of plants.
Climate Change
The herbarium can be used as a tool to determine how the phenology of plants changes due to climate change. Now, some plants flower in February. “We can take historical data from the Herbarium of these plants whose flowering was preponing, by one month,” Malik said. “The collectors collected these plants for the herbarium when the flowering was seen in March but now it is February. It clearly explains the climate change impact.”
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has declared at least six medicinal and aromatic plant species on the red list of extinction in Jammu and Kashmir. “We can do mapping of extinct plants. We write the herbaria data of the plant specimens, location, its geo coordinates and make a map about their distribution range then and now,” Malik said. “Suppose we have 50 locations in herbarium specimens but on the ground, we can locate 10 or 15 locations and we go for their In-situ conservation.”
The data on medicinal plants in the herbarium is collected by scholars from different locations of Kashmir like Gulmarg, Kokernag, and Daksum.. When they go to collect the specimens after 30 years and fail to locate the particular specimen, it reflects a shift in climate change, land use patterns, population expansion, habitat fragmentation or any other reason.
A Rich Collection
“I have visited the KASH 8-10 times. In comparison to established herbaria, it is an active herbarium of northwestern Himalaya and houses a rich collection of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh regions. This has a collection of very remote areas which are not found in any other herbariums,” Dr Priyanka, Principal Scientist CSIR, National Botanical Researcher Institute Lucknow (NBRI) said. “If we want to study plant diversity of Jammu and Kashmir and Himalayan you can sit in Kashmir University herbarium and compile a lot of data on plant diversity.”
Priyanka is working on the Himalayas. Though the Herbarium of Kolkata has an almost 200 years old collection, the specimens are not in good condition.
“My 20 students have visited KASH because it is mandatory. It is important for Kashmir and Ladakh flora as they are representing a good amount of plant diversity in India,” Priyanka said. “The main collectors of the KASH are well-renowned taxonomists. The specimens are well-identified and well-researched and represent the Standard reference diversity.”
Plant Collectors In Kashmir
Improvement
With technology shifts in knowledge management, KASH is also changing. “We will go for digitization of all the specimens and we have submitted the proposal also,” Malik said. “We can use a high-end digital scanner and can scan the specimens and we can keep all those scanned images of all the plant specimens on the website by which the student and scholars across the world can asses those scanned images of plant specimens at home. It will take 3-4 years to execute this plan.”
The Financial Assistance for Science and Technology (FIST) grants the Kashmir University herbarium 10 lakh rupees for the herbarium compactors.
“Many herbariums in India and outside India have digitized their herbariums. If the herbarium of Kashmir gets digitized it would be the very fantastic job and it will be very useful for the researcher from outside Kashmir to assess the plant specimens sitting at the home. It will save time and money,” Dr Priyanka said.
SRINAGAR: Chief Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta expressed confidence that India is more than capable of achieving its goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2070 and said that it is high time we shifted away from fossil fuels and made alternate sources our main energy providers.
He was speaking at a workshop organised by the Jammu & Kashmir Pollution Control Committee here at the Convention Centre.
The interactive workshop on ‘Climate Change Mitigation and Green Financing for a Climate Resilient and Carbon Neutral J&K’ was attended by Dr.Mohit Gera, PCCF (HoFF), J&K Forest Department and Chairman, J&K Pollution Control Committee; Dr. Shakil Ahmad Romshoo, Vice Chancellor, Islamic University, Kashmir; HoDs of Forest Department, Dr. Ravindranath, renowned IPCC Author, and resource persons from MoEFCC, TERI, Earnest and Young Climate, World Resources Institute of India besides other eminent guests and environment experts.
Dr Mehta appreciated the efforts of the Pollution Control Committee and Jammu & Kashmir Forest Department for organizing deliberations on Net Zero Carbon by 2070. He informed that J&K has already made a model by developing a climate resilient and carbon neutral Panchayat of village Palliin District Samba which is first of its kind in the country.
According to Dr Mehta, Jammu & Kashmir has always been at the forefront of adopting flagship developmental schemes of the government.
‘The distinction of implementing the 75 Amrit Sarovars in each district amongst first in the entire country is a good example of how well J&K can adapt to the needs of the times with cooperation from its citizens. Similarly, schemes like “Har Gaon Hariyali”, “One Beat Guard, One village Program”, “Van Se Jal, Jal Se Jeevan” have been very effective in building in resilience and adaptation at village level.
J&K has been a leader in adopting transformative steps in the overhaul of sports, agriculture, and tourism sectors in recent years. The Chief Secretary stated that we are planting more trees every year than ever before and this year over one and half crore trees are going to be planted again all over J&K.
In terms of health infrastructure, Jammu & Kashmir ranks among the leading states of India. The Har Ghar Nal Se Jal scheme will also be fully implemented by the end of this financial year, he continued. The scheme aims to mitigate water supply challenges for the coming 50 years at least, in view of climate change.
The Chief Secretary stressed the importance of communicating climate change adaptation measures to the masses in a way that creates a genuine connection with them. To achieve this goal, the Chief Secretary emphasized the need to communicate with the public at all levels, including panchayats, in ways that creates public ownership.
The CS stressed that what is good for the environment is invariably good for the economy and society and underlined that infrastructure development of the states should not hamper our climate change mitigation steps.
Also, the Chief Secretary urged the environmental experts present to work out environmental plans for Jammu & Kashmir for timely intervention on behalf of the UT administration. The Chief Secretary expressed hope that J&K will continue taking a lead in India’s fight against climate change even in the years ahead.
BRUSSELS — China and other powerful countries need to step up to help steer the world away from a potentially “catastrophic” hunger crisis this year, the new head of the United Nations’ World Food Programme said.
Cindy McCain, an American diplomat and the widow of the late U.S. Senator John McCain, also told POLITICO that the EU and U.S. should see world hunger as a national security issue due to its impact on migration. She furthermore accused Russia of using hunger as a “weapon of war” by hindering exports of Ukrainian grain.
McCain, formerly the U.S. ambassador to the U.N. food agencies, took the helm of the WFP on April 5 and begins her five-year term at a time of increasing world hunger. The number of people facing food insecurity around the world rose to a record 345 million at the end of last year, up from 282 million in 2021, according to the WFP’s figures, as Russia’s war in Ukraine deepened a food crisis driven by climate change, COVID-19 and other conflicts.
This year could be worse still, McCain warned, with the Horn of Africa experiencing its worst drought in 40 years and Haiti facing a sharp rise in food insecurity, among other factors. “2023 is going to be catastrophic if we don’t get to work and raise the money that we need,” she said. “We need a hell of a lot more than we used to.”
Non-Western countries, which have traditionally contributed much less to the WFP, need to step up to meet the shortfall, McCain said, pointing specifically to China and oil-rich Gulf Arab countries. China contributed just $11 million to WFP funds last year, compared to $7.2 billion donated by the U.S.
“There are some countries that have just basically not participated or participated in a very low fashion. I’d like to encourage our Middle Eastern friends to step up to the plate a little more; I’d like to encourage China to step up to the plate a little more,” said McCain. “Every region, every country needs to step up funding.”
Her entreaty may fall on deaf ears, however, given rising geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and China. The WFP’s last six executive directors have been American, dating back to 1992, and Beijing may prefer to distribute aid through its own channels. Last summer, for example, China shipped food aid directly to the Horn of Africa following a drought there.
National security
Countries hesitant to throw more money into food aid should think about the alternative, McCain said, particularly those in Europe that are likely to bear the brunt of any new wave of migration from Africa and the Middle East.
“Food security is a national security issue,” she said. “No refugee wants to leave their home country, but they’re forced to because they don’t have enough food, and they can’t feed their families. So it comes down to if you want a stable world, food is a major player in this.”
The WFP is already having to make brutal decisions despite raking in a record $14.2 billion last year — more than double what it raised in 2017. In February, for instance, it said a funding shortfall was forcing it to cut food rations for Rohingya refugees living in camps in Bangladesh.
The problem is compounded by surging costs following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year, which sent already-high food prices soaring further, as grain and oilseed exports through Ukraine’s Black Sea ports plunged from more than 5 million metric tons a month to zero.
A U.N.-brokered deal allowing Ukrainian grain exports to pass through Russia’s blockades in the Black Sea has brought some reprieve, but Moscow’s repeated threats to withdraw from the agreement have kept prices volatile.
Moscow claims that “hidden” Western sanctions are hindering its fertilizer and foods exports and causing hunger in the Global South | Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP via Getty Images
The deal, initially brokered in July last year, was extended for 120 days last month; Russia, however, agreed to extend its side of the Black Sea grain initiative only for 60 days. Last week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov threatened, once again, to halt Moscow’s participation in the initiative unless obstacles to its own fertilizer and food exports are addressed.
Moscow claims that “hidden” Western sanctions — those targeting Russia’s fertilizer oligarchs and its main agricultural bank, as well as others excluding Russian banks from the international SWIFT payments system — are hindering its fertilizer and foods exports and causing hunger in the Global South.
Ukraine and its Western allies have countered that Russia is deliberately holding up inspections for ships heading to and from its Black Sea ports, creating a backlog of Ukraine-bound vessels off the Turkish coast and inflating prices.
These delayed food cargoes are hindering the WFP’s ability to respond to humanitarian crises, said McCain, who did not hold back on the issue.
“Let’s be very clear, there are no sanctions on [Russian] fertilizer,” she said. “It is not sanctioned and never has been sanctioned.”
Russia is “using hunger as a weapon of war,” said McCain. “it’s unconscionable that a country would do that — any country, not just Russia.”
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( With inputs from : www.politico.eu )
The Group of Seven richest countries set higher 2030 targets for generating renewable energy, amid an energy crisis provoked by Russia’s war on Ukraine, but they set no deadline to phase out coal-fired power plants.
At a meeting hosted by Japan, ministers from Japan, the U.S., Canada, Italy, France, Germany and the U.K. reaffirmed their commitment to reach zero carbon emissions by the middle of the century, and said they aimed to collectively increase solar power capacity by 1 terawatt and offshore wind by 150 gigawatts by the end of this decade.
“The G7 contributes to expanding renewable energy globally and bringing down costs by strengthening capacity including through a collective increase in offshore wind capacity … and a collective increase of solar …,” the energy and environment ministers said in a 36-page communiqué issued after the two-day meeting.
“In the midst of an unprecedented energy crisis, it’s important to come up with measures to tackle climate change and promote energy security at the same time,” Japanese industry minister Yasutoshi Nishimura told a news conference, according to Reuters.
The ministers’ statement also condemned Russia’s “illegal, unjustifiable, and unprovoked” invasion of Ukraine and its “devastating” impact on the environment. The ministers vowed to support a green recovery and reconstruction in Ukraine.
They also published a five-point plan for securing access to critical raw materials that will be crucial for the green transition.
Before the meeting, Japan was facing criticism from green groups over its push to keep the door open to continued investments in natural gas, a fossil fuel. The final agreed text said such investments “can be appropriate” to deal with the crisis if they are consistent with climate objectives.
The ministers’ meeting in the northern city of Sapporo comes just over a month before a G7 leaders’ summit in Hiroshima.
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( With inputs from : www.politico.eu )
The EU’s joint presidents flew to last year’s U.N. climate talks in Egypt aboard a private jet, according to data seen by POLITICO that revealed heavy use of private flights by European Council President Charles Michel.
The flight data, received through a freedom of information request, shows that Michel traveled on commercial planes on just 18 of the 112 missions undertaken between the beginning of his term in 2019 and December 2022.
He used chartered air taxis on some 72 trips, around 64 percent of the total, including to the COP27 talks in Egypt last November and to the COP26 summit in Glasgow in 2021. Michel invited Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the flight to Egypt.
The EU presidents’ choice of transportation to the climate talks highlights a long-standing dilemma for global leaders: how to practice what they preach on greenhouse gas emissions while also facing a demanding travel schedule that makes private aviation a tempting option — even a necessary evil.
When Michel, a former Belgian prime minister, arrived in the resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh, he delivered a sober message to the gathered climate dignitaries: “We have a climatic gun to our head. We are living on borrowed time,” he said, before adding: “We are, and will remain, champions of climate action.”
According to the NGO Transport & Environment, a private jet can emit 2 tons of planet-cooking CO2 per hour. That means during the five-hour return flight to Sharm El-Sheikh, Michel and von der Leyen’s jet may have emitted roughly 20 tons of CO2 — the average EU citizen emits around 7 tons over the course of a year.
Most COP27 delegates — including the EU’s Green Deal chief Frans Timmermans, according to a Commission official — took commercial flights normally packed with sun-seeking tourists.
The decision to travel to Egypt by private jet was made after no commercial flights were available to return Michel to Brussels in time for duties at the European Parliament, his spokesperson Barend Leyts told POLITICO.
Staff also explored the option of flying aboard Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo’s plane, but it was scheduled to return before Michel’s work at COP27 would be completed.
Unlike many national governments, the EU does not own planes to transport its leaders. Hiring a private jet was “the only suitable option in the circumstances,” said Leyts. “Given that the president of the Commission was also invited to the COP27, we proposed to share a flight.”
Leyts stressed that the flight complied with internal Council rules, which dictate that officials should fly commercial when possible.
A spokesperson from the Commission confirmed that the famously hostile pair had shared the cabin to Sharm El-Sheikh, noting that reaching the destination by commercial flight was difficult due to the high volume of traffic and von der Leyen’s packed schedule.
“The fact that both presidents traveled together, with their teams, shows that they did what was possible to optimize the travel arrangements and reduce the associated carbon footprint,” added the Commission’s spokesperson.
The Commission previously told POLITICO that von der Leyen’s use of chartered trips is limited to “exceptional circumstances,” such as for security reasons or if a commercial flight isn’t available or doesn’t fit with diary commitments. The institution has previously declined POLITICO’s request to share detailed information on the modes of transportation used by the Commission chief for her foreign trips.
As part of its climate goals, the EU is looking to tighten its rules on staff travel to encourage greener modes of transport and bring down the institution’s emissions.
The Commission is aiming to achieve climate neutrality by 2030 by switching to “sustainable business travel,” favoring greener travel options and encouraging employees to cycle, walk or take public transport to work.
Leyts said Michel’s staff enquired about the possibility of using sustainable aviation fuel, but were “regrettably” told that neither Brussels nor Sharm El-Sheikh airports had provision.
Since 2021, Michel has offset the emissions of his flights through a scheme that funds a Brazilian ceramics factory to switch its fuel from illegal timber to agricultural and industrial waste products, according to Leyts. Since 2022, that has applied to all of his flights.
Erika Di Benedetto contributed reporting.
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( With inputs from : www.politico.eu )
