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COP26: PM Modi, UK counterpart discuss Afghanistan, counter-terrorism, Indo-Pacific

Posted on by SAT News Desk

Glasgow — Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Boris Johnson discussed regional and global challenges including Afghanistan, counter-terrorism, Indo-Pacific, supply chain resilience and post-Covid global economic recovery here on Monday.
The two leaders held talks on the sidelines of the COP26 Summit.
During the bilateral talks, Prime Minister Modi congratulated PM Johnson for successfully organising the COP26 and for his personal leadership in championing global action for climate change mitigation and adaptation, according to a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs.
“Marching ahead on Roadmap 2030. PM @narendramodi met UK PM @BorisJohnson in Glasgow today. Congratulated him for successfully organising @COP26. Discussed cooperation in areas like green hydrogen, renewables and cleantech. Also exchanged views on the economy, defence, P2P ties,” Ministry of External Affairs’ spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted.

PM Modi reiterated India’s commitment to closely working with the UK on climate finance, technology, innovation and adaptation of green hydrogen, renewables and clean technologies including joint initiatives under ISA and CDRI.
The two Prime Ministers reviewed the implementation of the Roadmap 2030 priorities particularly in the trade and economy, people-to-people, health, defence and security areas.
They expressed satisfaction at the progress in delivering the Enhanced Trade Partnership including steps taken towards the launch of FTA negotiations.
“Both leaders also discussed regional and global challenges including Afghanistan, Counter-Terrorism, Indo-Pacific, supply chain resilience and post-Covid global economic recovery,” the statement read.
Prime Minister Modi reiterated his desire to welcome PM Johnson in India soon. (ANI)

Nepal PM Deuba welcomed by MPs in the United Kingdom

Posted on by SAT News Desk

London — Prime Minister of Nepal, Sher Bahadur Deuba, attended and addressed the welcome reception organized in his honour by All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Nepal and UK-Nepal Trade and Investment Forum in London.

Addressing the gathering on Saturday,  PM Deuba  stated that he was encouraged by the goodwill and solidarity expressed in the UK Parliament towards Nepal on various occasions and it was a warm reminder that Nepal had great friends in difficult times.

MP Virendra Sharma Chair of All Party Parliamentary Group(APPG) for Nepal, Lord Sheikh, Vice Chair of APPG and President of UK Nepal Trade and Investment Forum, Lord Lancaster and Catherine West MP also spoke in the programme.

Earlier yesterday , Lord Sheikh,  Lord Paul , Chairman of Britain-Nepal Society and Col. Nick Hinton, Chairman of Britain-Nepal NGO Network paid courtesy calls on the Prime Minister.

In a program to honour PM Deuba by U.K. Nepal trade and Investment forum and APPG U.K., there were almost 20 MPs along with the prominent British and overseas friends and well wishers of Nepal were present. “This was one of the historic program ever organised for PM of Nepal with sucha a huge participation of MPs and the investors of the United Kingdom. The evening was fruitful to maintain friendly relationships and promote tourism and trade of Nepal” Vice Presiden of Nepal trade and investment forum Mr. Rabindra Jung Lammichhane stated.

Office bearers of Non Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) and other members of Nepali community also met the Prime Minister.

On November 1, Prime Minister Deuba  attended the official opening ceremony of COP26. He addressed the World Leaders’ Summit. In the evening, Prime Minister Deuba  attended a reception to be hosted by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in honor of the participating heads of state and government, Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said in a statement.

He  also hold bilateral meetings with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other heads of state and governments on the sidelines of COP26, officials said.

LDCs call for climate finance scaled up to support climate action

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Glasgow, Scotland – Ahead of COP26 in Glasgow, the LDC Group – consisting of the 46 least developed countries (LDCs)– has called for real progress that will see emissions halved by 2030 and climate finance scaled up to support climate action in developing countries.

 

Sonam P. Wangdi, Chair of the LDC Group said, “Raising global ambition and increasing climate finance is paramount to our survival. We have come to Glasgow in full knowledge of the climate crisis. It is not just future generations at risk. Already homes are being lost to sea level rise in the Pacific. Climate change-induced famine is taking lives in Madagascar. And floods have displaced millions in Bangladesh.”

 

On the need to prevent further warming to mitigate climate change, Mr Wangdi said, “Deep, sustained emissions reductions are urgently needed. Countries’ pledges so far come nowhere near to halving emissions by 2030, as the IPCC has made clear is necessary for limiting warming to 1.5°C. Scientists have been ringing alarm bells for 30 years now, but it doesn’t seem like everyone is hearing them. This crisis isn’t being treated like a crisis. That has to change here in Glasgow.”

 

“At the World Leader’s Summit, we expect to hear enhanced commitments for bolder 2030 emissions reductions targets. These commitments must be consistent with limiting warming to 1.5°C and reflect each country’s fair share of the global effort. Leaders must also put forward long-term strategies that map the path to net zero global emissions by 2050.”

 

“But of course words alone are not enough. Leaders must back their commitments with plans and policies that lead to real action, and real emissions reductions, phasing out fossil fuels and accelerating a just transition to the clean energy future we need for a safe and fair world. We cannot leave Glasgow without strong commitments that will ensure the survival of the billion people living in the LDCs, now and in the future.”

 

On climate finance, Mr Wangdi said, “Climate finance is critical to addressing the climate crisis and achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement.” Commenting on the Climate Finance Delivery Plan released earlier this week, he went on to say that “while the plan provides some reassurance of efforts to make up the shortfall of $100 billion per year by 2020, the delay in the delivery of the promised amount is disappointing, given the urgency of the climate crisis, the needs of our countries, and a full decade passing since the commitment was made. To benefit our countries, climate finance needs to be accessible, delivered as grants, and a much greater proportion of it must be dedicated to adaptation actions.”

 

At COP26 deliberations will begin on a new quantified climate finance goal. Mr Wangdi said: “The new goal for climate finance must be based on the actual needs of our countries and the scale of action that is needed to leapfrog to low-carbon technologies, adapt to the impacts of climate change, and to address the inevitable and unavoidable loss and damage that climate change is increasingly causing.

 

The Issue of Loss and Damage

 

On the issue of loss and damage, Mr Wangdi said, “Dealing with the loss and damage caused by the climate crisis is a top priority for vulnerable countries. Years of inadequate action on climate change means that it is no longer possible to mitigate or adapt to wholly avoid irrevocable harms, costs, and losses from climate change. Finance and technical support to address loss and damage is urgently needed. We need to see loss and damage prioritized at COP 26 and beyond.”

On the negotiations of the market mechanisms under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, Mr Wangdi said, “It is imperative that the market mechanisms we deliver in Glasgow will not undermine progress towards the goals of the Paris Agreement. Loopholes and bad rules that allow units to be double counted, to be carried over from the Kyoto Protocol, and that lack environmental integrity could see global emissions go up, not down. We need robust rules that ensure the mechanisms lead to overall reductions in global emissions, and generate proceeds for adaptation actions.”

 

The 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is being held in Glasgow between 31 October 2021 and 12 November 2021.

 

Delegates from the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) arrived in Glasgow to meet on 24 and 25 October for their preparatory meeting ahead of the climate talks. The meeting was designed to bring delegates from the LDCs together to coordinate and share updates on the state of play of various issues, solidify group positions, and strategize to ensure fair and ambitious outcomes from the negotiations, to prepare for effective participation of the LDC Group at COP26.

 

Climate commitments fall far short of the Paris Agreement goals

Posted on by SAT News Desk

London– New and updated climate commitments fall far short of what is needed to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, leaving the world on track for a global temperature rise of at least 2.7°C this century, according to the UN Environment Programme’s (UNEP) latest Emissions Gap Report 2021: The Heat Is On.

The report, now in its 12th year, finds that countries’ updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) – and other commitments made for 2030 but not yet submitted in an updated NDC – only take an additional 7.5 per cent off predicted annual greenhouse gas emissions in 2030, compared to the previous round of commitments. Reductions of 30 per cent are needed to stay on the least-cost pathway for 2°C and 55 per cent for 1.5°C.

Released ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), the latest round of climate talks taking place in Glasgow, the report finds that net-zero pledges could make a big difference. If fully implemented, these pledges could bring the predicted global temperature rise to 2.2°C, providing hope that further action could still head off the most-catastrophic impacts of climate change. However, net-zero pledges are still vague, incomplete in many cases, and inconsistent with most 2030 NDCs.

“Climate change is no longer a future problem. It is a now problem,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. “To stand a chance of limiting global warming to 1.5°C, we have eight years to almost halve greenhouse gas emissions: eight years to make the plans, put in place the policies, implement them and ultimately deliver the cuts. The clock is ticking loudly.”

As of 30 September 2021, 120 countries, representing just over half of global greenhouse gas emissions, had communicated new or updated NDCs. In addition, three G20 members have announced other new mitigation pledges for 2030.

To have any chance of limiting global warming to 1.5°C, the world has eight years to take an additional 28 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent (GtCO2e) off annual emissions, over and above what is promised in the updated NDCs and other 2030 commitments. To put this number into perspective, carbon dioxide emissions alone are expected to reach 33 gigatonnes in 2021. When all other greenhouse gases are taken into account, annual emissions are close to 60 GtCO2e. So, to have a chance of reaching the 1.5°C target, we need to almost halve greenhouse gas emissions. For the 2°C target, the additional need is lower: a drop in annual emissions of 13 GtCO2e by 2030.

Alok Sharma, incoming COP26 President, said the report underlined why countries need to show ambitious climate action at COP26: “As this report makes clear, if countries deliver on their 2030 NDCs and net zero commitments which have been announced by the end of September, we will be heading towards average global temperature rises of just above 2C. Complementary analyses suggest that the commitments made in Paris would have capped the rise in temperature to below 4°C.

“So there has been progress, but not enough,” he added.” That is why we especially need the biggest emitters, the G20 nations, to come forward with stronger commitments to 2030 if we are to keep 1.5c in reach over this critical decade.”

Zeroing in on net-zero

Net-zero pledges – and their effective execution – could make a big difference, the authors find, but current plans are vague and not reflected in NDCs. A total of 49 countries plus the EU have pledged a net-zero target. This covers over half of global domestic greenhouse gas emissions, over half of GDP and a third of the global population. Eleven targets are enshrined in law, covering 12 per cent of global emissions.

If made robust and implemented fully, net-zero targets could shave an extra 0.5°C off global warming, bringing the predicted temperature rise down to 2.2°C. However, many of the national climate plans delay action until after 2030, raising doubts over whether net-zero pledges can be delivered. Twelve G20 members have pledged a net-zero target, but they are still highly ambiguous. Action also needs to be frontloaded to make it in line with 2030 goals.

“The world has to wake up to the imminent peril we face as a species,” Andersen added. “Nations need to put in place the policies to meet their new commitments, and start implementing them within months. They need to make their net-zero pledges more concrete, ensuring these commitments are included in NDCs, and action brought forward. They then need to get the policies in place to back this raised ambition and, again, start implementing them urgently.

“It is also essential to deliver financial and technological support to developing nations – so that they can both adapt to the impacts of climate change already here and set out on a low-emissions growth path.”

The potential of methane and market mechanisms

Every year, the Emissions Gap Report looks at the potential of specific sectors. This year, it focuses on methane and market mechanisms. Reduction of methane emissions from the fossil fuel, waste and agriculture sectors can contribute to closing the emissions gap and reduce warming in the short term.

Methane emissions are the second largest contributor to global warming. The gas has a global warming potential over 80 times that of carbon dioxide over a 20-year horizon; it also has a shorter lifetime in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide – only twelve years, compared to up to hundreds for CO2 – so cuts to methane will limit temperature increase faster than cuts to carbon dioxide.

Available no- or low-cost technical measures alone could reduce anthropogenic methane emissions by around 20 per cent per year. Implementation of all measures, along with broader structural and behavioural measures, could reduce anthropogenic methane emissions by approximately 45 per cent.

Carbon markets, meanwhile, have the potential to reduce costs and thereby encourage more ambitious reduction pledges, but only if rules are clearly defined, are designed to ensure that transactions reflect actual reductions in emissions, and are supported by arrangements to track progress and provide transparency.

Revenues earned through these markets could fund mitigation and adaptation solutions domestically and in vulnerable nations where the burdens of climate change are greatest.

COVID-19 recovery opportunity largely missed

Finally, the report finds that the opportunity to use COVID-19 fiscal rescue and recovery spending to stimulate the economy while backing climate action has been missed in most countries.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a drop in global CO2 emissions of 5.4 per cent in 2020. However, CO2 and non-CO2 emissions in 2021 are expected to rise again to a level only slightly lower than the record high in 2019.

Only around 20 per cent of total recovery investments up to May 2021 are likely to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Of this spending, almost 90 per cent is accounted for by six G20 members and one permanent guest.

COVID-19 spending has been far lower in low-income economies (USD 60 per person) than advanced economies (USD 11,800 per person). Gaps in finance are likely to exacerbate gaps in vulnerable nations on climate resilience and mitigation measures.

The full report can be accessed at:

https://www.unep.org/resources/emissions-gap-report-2021

Nepal ranks 8th in Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel Destination List

Posted on by SAT News Desk

London — Nepal has been named as one of the top 10 countries in the world  to visit in 2022.

Nepal ranks eighth in the Lonely Planet’s ‘Best in Travel destination list’ published on Thursday. The publisher releases the volume annually that ranks the planet’s must-visit countries, cities, and regions.

 

As much of the world is slowly reopening following the coronavirus pandemic, travel is in front of mind for so many of travellers. The hope is that 2022 will see families reunited, loved ones catching up after long stretches apart and hoarded vacation time used on once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

 

Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2022 book is now on sale. “We have a sneak preview of the places they think you should have on your bucket list, from the hidden gems of the Oman desert to the brilliant blue waters of Belize,” the publisher said.

 

“After an enforced hiatus, it’s time to take those long-postponed travel plans off the shelf and make them a reality,” Tom Hall, Lonely Planet’s VP of Experience, said in a statement. “The lists celebrate the world in all its wonderful enticing variety.”

 

  1. Egypt

 

Egypt is home to the Pyramids of Giza, one of the seven wonders of the world.

 

  1. Malawi

 

At just 45,747 square miles, Malawi can sometimes be overshadowed by its larger neighbors like Mozambique and Tanzania.

 

  1. Nepal

It’s nearly impossible to discuss Nepal without talking about Mount Everest. But this Himalayan nation has so much more on offer for travelers who aren’t climbing the world’s highest mountain.

 

In the remote region of Mustang (which means “fertile plain”), trekkers can explore the high desert and meet locals at homestays along the way, dining on Nepali specialties like coffee with yak butter and momos served “kothey” style – half-fried and half-steamed.

 

Other countries on the list:

 

  1. Oman
  2. Anguilla
  3. Slovenia
  4. Belize
  5. Mauritius
  6. Norway
  7. Cook Islands

 

Nepal PM Deuba departs for UK to attend COP26

Posted on by SAT News Desk

London — Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba departed for United Kingdom on Friday to attend the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, in his first foreign visit since  assuming office in July.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Deuba will attend and address the welcome event being hosted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Nepal (APPG-N) and the UK-Nepal Trade and Investment Forum in London. Prime Minister Deuba will receive the representatives of the Britain-Nepal Society, Non-Residential Nepali Association, and representatives of the Nepali community living in the UK, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).

On Sunday, the prime minister will attend a reception hosted in his honor by the Chargé d’affaires a.i. at the Embassy of Nepal in London. He will meet with the representatives of Gurkha veterans’ organizations, members of the British Parliament, and other members of the Nepali diaspora.

On November 1, Prime Minister Deuba will attend the official opening ceremony of COP26. He will deliver Nepal’s national statement at the World Leaders Summit. In the evening, Prime Minister Deuba will attend a reception to be hosted by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in honor of the participating heads of state and government, the MoFA said in a statement.

He will also hold bilateral meetings with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other heads of state and government on the sidelines of COP26.

India-Nepal BCGSI meeting discusses security concerns

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KATHMANDU — A meeting of the India-Nepal Bilateral Consultative Group on Security Issues (BCGSI) was held in Bengaluru on Thursday.

On this 14th meeting of the group Indian delegation was led by Anurag Srivastava, Joint Secretary (North), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, and the Nepalese delegation was led by Tirtha Raj Wagle, Joint Secretary (South Asia), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Nepal.

The delegations comprised officials from respective Ministries of Defence, Foreign Affairs, Home Affairs, Directorates of the Indian Army and the Nepal Army and from the National Disaster Management Authority.

Discussions covered issues relating to mutual security concerns, training and capacity building requirements of defence forces of Nepal, according to a statement issued by India’s Ministry of External Affairs.

Likewise, the meeting also discussed cooperation in disaster management, requirements of Nepal Army for various defence stores, exchange of experts/instructors, exchange of high level and functional level visits, joint expeditions and adventure sports activities and information sharing, it said.

Nepal cabinet recommends envoys to India, the US and the UK

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Kathmandu:  A meeting of Council of Ministers of Nepal held on Thursday afternoon recommended ambassadors to The USA , U.K. and India.
According to Prime Minister press aide Dr Shankar Sharma has been recommended for India, Shreedhar Khatri for the USA and Gyan Chandra Acharya for the UK.

Dr Sharma previously served as Nepal’s ambassador to the USA, Khatri is a renowned expert of international relations. Acharya served as Under Secretary General of the United Nations after retiring from Foreign Service of the Government of Nepal.

Earlier, the government had recalled all the ambassadorial appointments made by the erstwhile government on political grounds.

As per the Constitutional provision, President appoints ambassadors following endorsement of names from the Parliamentary Hearing Committee

10-year-old Amol Neupane bags British Citizen Youth Award

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London — Amol Neupane, Age 10 from Kent, has been presented the British Citizen Youth Award with the Medal of Honour at the Palace of Westminster.

Dame Mary Perkins, Founder of Specsavers, presented the award to Amol amidst a ceremony.  The British Citizen Youth Award in association with Specsavers is now in its fifth year and recognises exceptional under 18’s who have positively impacted their communities through the county.

During lockdown, Amol cycled a staggering 400km over a three-week period, raising over £3,300 for the Oxford University Coronavirus Vaccine Research Project, which today is saving thousands of lives. Having seen what he can achieve through self-discipline and motivation Amol is undertaking a 1,000 km fundraising challenge for school children in rural Nepal, to raise money for education and technology.

The money raised will go to Friends of NIC-Nepal charity, which helps to build low-cost solar powered interactive computers at The National Innovation Centre Nepal, which will be loaded up with the necessary school curriculum and learning materials. Amol’s passion for cycling has encouraged many other children within his school to take this up, promoting healthy living and positive mental health.

Since the age of seven Amol has been involved with various local charities, actively involved in fundraising and volunteering with Greenwich Rotary Club and Bexley Rotary Club, helping them in their local community projects, such as the Safe Cycling to school campaign, Healthy eating in school and a fundraising walk. He has self-taught video editing skill and helps different rotary clubs create x-mas videos to promote their individual fundraising activities. Amol is always keen learning about saving our environment. He recently enjoyed participating in litter picking event along the canal in Sheffield organized by Planet Patrol which aims to protect our planet by addressing the pressing threats of litter and the single-use culture.

Young People Making A Difference

Despite the pandemic, The British Citizen Youth Award continued to receive nominations from around the UK for young, inspirational members of the community who were making a difference.  In a daunting and unprecedented year, these selfless young people continued to show kindness and a commitment to their community.  A total of 23 extraordinary young people have been honoured with The British Citizen Youth Award for the 2021 Roll of Honour.

Host the event Television presenter, Anthea Turner, said, “This group of British Citizen Youth Award medalists represented community leadership, tech for good, climate campaigns and social conscience. Having met them all, it made me more confident of the future than I have felt for some time. These are amazing young people who deserve this recognition and I hope others aspire to be like them

Dame Mary Perkins, Patron of the BCA said: “The British Citizen Youth Award recipients are very special individuals. These young people all go above and beyond for others with selfless acts of kindness and community spirit with no thought or expectation of praise or reward. These awards are a great opportunity to shine a light on what they do and give them the recognition they so thoroughly deserve. They are the nation’s true unsung heroes and the rising stars of the future.”

Each Medal of Honour bears the words ‘For the Good of the Country’ and are presented to only a small number of exceptional young individuals annually. The British Citizen Youth Award is widely viewed as the nation’s way of recognising extraordinary, everyday young people for exceptional endeavor and are truly representative of today’s multicultural Britain.

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2022 medal presentations, register online at www.britishcitizenyouthawards.co.uk.

‘Ayla : A feast of Nepali dishes from Terai, hills and Himalayas’ – Booking available

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London — The rich and diverse flavours of Nepal have often been overshadowed by the noise of cuisines from neighbouring countries, India and China.

‘Ayla: A feast of Nepali dishes from Terai, hills and Himalayas’ is the debut cookbook from Nepali chef and MasterChef: The Professionals finalist Santosh Shah. This true celebration and exploration of Nepali food offers plenty of inspiration to fill your plate with the vibrant flavours of this underexplored cuisine.

Having grown up in Nepal, Santosh is an experienced chef who has worked in some of London’s best restaurants, including Cinnamon Kitchen and Michelin-starred Benares. Throughout his career, Santosh’s aim has been to put Nepali cuisine firmly on the map. As a finalist in 2020’s MasterChef: The Professionals, Santosh wowed the judges with his unique takes on the dishes he grew up eating, and won the hearts of the nation in the process with his passion for showcasing authentic Nepali flavours.

Ayla will transport you from the Far Western states to Nepal’s most Eastern points, as Santosh shares his culinary wisdom and recipes inspired by the produce of Nepal’s rivers and mountains.

Perfect for beginners and adventurous homecooks alike, over 60 easy to follow, flavourful recipes include tasty snacks, street and festival foods, delicious mains, sweets and drinks.
Experience a taste of Nepali and Himalayan cuisine with mouthwatering Chicken Momos with Ginger and Chilli, Kacho Kera ko tarkari (plantain curry), Okra Masala ‘Home style’, Machha ko jhol (river fish with mustard and onion sauce), Pork and Bamboo Shoot Curry, Charred Spiced Himalayan Yam, fried Sherpa Bread, and Nepali masala tea. And Santosh’s spice mixes, pickles, chutneys and garnishes, from zingy Green Mango and Coconut Chutney to Sesame and Green Chilli pickle, will bring something truly special to your plate.
On the meaning of ‘Ayla’, Santosh said, ‘Ayla has many meanings, but to me it means celebrations. It is technically a traditional Nepali spirit, made from fermented sugarcane molasses with malt or grains. Ayla is served as a Sagoon (something auspicious) at joyous occasions like festivals, events and celebrations.

Santosh Shah is an experienced chef who has worked in some of London’s best restaurants. From growing up in Nepal to winning the nation’s hearts as a finalist in 2020’s MasterChef: The Professionals, Santosh is putting Nepali cuisine on the global map. He now shares his recipes with over 130k followers across social media.

Mayor of London has expanded the Ultra Low Emission Zone to clean up London’s toxic air and tackle the climate emergency

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London — The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan expanded the area covered by the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) from central London up to, but not including, the North Circular (A406) and South Circular (A205) Roads on Monday.

 

The new zone is 18 times the size of the central London zone and now covers 3.8 million people. Measuring 380km2 it covers one quarter of London and is the largest zone of its kind in Europe. It will bring the health benefits of cleaner air to millions more Londoners, both inside and outside the newly expanded zone. The scheme will operate 24 hours a day, every day of the year except Christmas Day.

The ULEZ expansion, alongside tighter Londonwide Low Emission Zone (LEZ) standards for heavy vehicles introduced in March, are expected to reduce nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions from road transport by 30 per cent across London in 2021.

 

The ULEZ is also a crucial step towards the Mayor’s ambitions to tackle the climate emergency and put London on the path to be a net zero carbon city by 2030. It is also an issue of social justice with the poorest Londoners, and Londoners from ethnic minority backgrounds least likely to own a car but also worst affected by toxic air.

A major awareness campaign has been underway over the past three years to ensure drivers and businesses are ready for the ULEZ expansion, with Transport for London’s (TfL) online vehicle checker being used more than 20 million times since 2018. Over a million letters have been sent to owners of non-compliant vehicles seen inside the zone, a press release from the Mayors’s office states.

The Mayor has provided £61 million in funding for grants for small businesses, charities operating minibuses and low-income and disabled Londoners to scrap their older, more polluting vehicles. However, unlike other Clean Air Zones, London has had no Government support for its scrappage schemes. Despite this, these schemes have helped remove over 12,000 more polluting vehicles from London’s roads, the single biggest such programme in the UK.

The existing ULEZ and the Londonwide LEZ have shown that charging to incentivise emissions reductions works and its impacts on air quality and health are rapid. Before the pandemic, there had been a 44 per cent reduction in roadside nitrogen dioxide concentrations in central London compared to in February 2017 when changes associated with the ULEZ began. The compliance rate for heavy vehicles covered by the Londonwide LEZ is an impressive 95 per cent up, from 48 per cent in February 2017 when the scheme was announced.

Many Londoners have already taken action to prepare ahead of of this announcement. Early indications show that 87 per cent of vehicles travelling in the zone already meet the ULEZ standards. This is a dramatic increase in compliance compared to 39 per cent in February 2017, when changes associated with the ULEZ began. This means Londoners are already experiencing the benefits of cleaner air. This is supported by new data, published last week by the Clean Cities Campaign, that London drivers are ditching diesel cars six times faster than the rest of UK*.

This high compliance rate also means that, as the scheme launches, it is expected only 110,000 vehicles each day are likely to need to pay the £12.50 charge. There are a number of options to avoid paying the charge including, walking, cycling, taking public transport, using shared mobility such as a car club or upgrading to a cleaner vehicle.

The expanded ULEZ has the most stringent emission standards, operates for longer hours and covers the largest area of any charging scheme in Europe. It is also a huge technical feat. Together, the Congestion Charge, LEZ and ULEZ require the processing of millions of images and tens of thousands of payments every day.

Crucially these benefits are felt beyond the zone and even beyond London. Environmental Defense Fund analysis found that vehicles that passed through London’s Low Emission Zone for heavy vehicles went on to drive through 95 per cent of the major towns and cities in England and Wales, bringing air quality benefits to a combined population of 18 million people**.

Everyone must take action to help make London’s air safe to breathe and today, to launch the scheme, the Mayor is bringing together Londoners representing communities, emergency services, boroughs, businesses and charities to celebrate the action they’ve taken to help clean up London’s air at an event at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

The vehicles and organisations represent the many ways Londoners can comply with the ULEZ, including by walking, cycling or using public transport, joining a car club or upgrading to a compliant vehicle. Whilst the Mayor is pleased to see so many organisations showing leadership by moving to electric vehicles, there is no need to purchase a brand-new or electric vehicle to meet the ULEZ standards. Petrol vehicles that meet the standards have been widely available since 2006 and compliant diesel vehicles have been wide

Queen Elizabeth II won’t visit COP26 UN climate conference after health scare

Posted on by SAT News Desk

LONDON: Queen Elizabeth II has canceled her planned engagement at the UN climate conference, accepting doctors’ advice to rest, Buckingham Palace said Tuesday.
The 95-year-old monarch has “regretfully’’ decided that she will no longer travel to Glasgow to attend the reception on Nov. 1 — a move that will dash the hopes of Britain’s Conservative government, which is hosting the event. The climate conference runs from Oct. 31 to Nov. 12.
“Her Majesty is disappointed not to attend the reception but will deliver an address to the assembled delegates via a recorded video message,’’ the palace said.
The news came after the sovereign held virtual audiences Tuesday at Windsor Castle — the first work obligations since revelations that her doctors ordered her to rest last week.
The 95-year-old sovereign greeted the ambassador of the Republic of Korea during her first technology-aided appearance since she was driven to London’s King Edward VII’s Hospital on Oct. 20 for “preliminary investigations.” She returned to her Windsor Castle home at lunchtime the next day.
The queen underwent the medical tests after she canceled a scheduled trip to mark 100 years since the creation of Northern Ireland, and the palace said she had “reluctantly” accepted advice to rest for a few days. The matter was not related to COVID-19.
The period of rest followed a hectic few days for the monarch in which she held audiences with diplomats, had a reception at Windsor Castle for global business leaders and attended the horse races at Ascot.
Her hospital visit last week came amid general disquiet about Elizabeth’s health. Days earlier, she was seen using a walking stick at a Westminster Abbey service marking the centenary of the Royal British Legion, an armed forces charity. Though she had used a cane in 2003, it was after she underwent knee surgery.
The queen’s husband, Prince Philip, died in April 2021 at age 99. Though Elizabeth has enjoyed robust health throughout her life, she is Britain’s longest-lived and longest-reigning monarch. She is due to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee — 70 years on the throne — next year. (AP)

Bangladesh to launch Myanmar curriculum for Rohingya refugee children

Posted on by SAT News Desk

Dhaka — Bangladeshi authorities and the UN are preparing to introduce formal education using a Myanmar curriculum for hundreds of thousands of Rohingya children living in refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar.

The fishing port in southeastern Bangladesh, hosts more than 1.1 million Rohingya Muslims — members of an ethnic and religious minority group who fled persecution in neighboring Myanmar during a military crackdown in northern Rakhine state in 2017.

The children, who constitute half of the refugee population, now attend 6,250 informal learning centers run by UN agencies and aid partners at 34 camps in Cox’s Bazar, which provide basic education to more than 354,000 students.

The Bangladeshi government in January 2020 agreed with the UN that the Rohingya children should be provided with Myanmar education to prepare them for a future return to their country. Stalled by coronavirus disease pandemic lockdowns for one-and-half years, a pilot program is now set to be launched as Bangladeshi schools reopened last month, the Arabnews reports.

Regina de la Portilla, UN refugee agency spokesperson at Cox’s Bazar, recently told Arab News: “The Myanmar curriculum is to be introduced in learning centers, as per the government of Bangladesh request, with the objective that children can restart their education when they are able to safely and voluntarily return to their home country. Preparations are completed to roll out the pilot.”

The foreign ministry expected the program to be launched soon as final preparations are underway. A ministry official, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “We are working on it and are currently busy with last-minute preparations. We hope to roll out the curriculum anytime soon.

“We have made some observations in the curriculum to incorporate Myanmar culture. Our objective is to prepare them to integrate with the Myanmar society once they are repatriated,” he said.

BRAC, the largest development organization based in Bangladesh, which has been running learning centers for 65,000 Rohingya children in Cox’s Bazar, plans to teach them in Myanmar’s main language, Burmese.

Khan Mohammed Ferdous, BRAC’s education program chief at Cox’s Bazar, told Arab News: “Teachers at our learning centers have received basic training but are yet to be trained for the new curriculum.

“Currently, we are following a learning competence framework and approach, a government-approved guideline for the informal education system. Gradually, the framework will jump into the Myanmar curriculum.”

Rohingya parents in Cox’s Bazar are waiting for the introduction of the new curriculum, which would help prepare them for future repatriation.

Fatema Begum, 35, said she had been worrying about her four children as formal education was not available at the camps.

“The introduction of the Myanmar curriculum in the camps is inspiring news to me because my children will have the opportunity to learn more about their homeland. They will have the eligibility to pursue higher education,” she added.

Abdur Rahim, 41, a father-of-three, was also hoping for a better future for his children.

He said: “The boys and girls at Rohingya camps have nothing to do except roam around. When the Myanmar curriculum is launched, they will be able to receive some quality education, which will help them to pursue a better career in Myanmar.”

Prof. Amena Mohsin from the University of Dhaka’s international relations department described the move as a “message” to the world that Rohingya refugees were Myanmar citizens whose opportunities in Bangladesh were limited.

She said: “There is no point in teaching the refugee children with the Bangladeshi curriculum since they are not allowed to get engaged in any formal job in Bangladesh. The Myanmar curriculum will help them prepare for livelihoods when they return to Myanmar.” ( Arabnews)

US donated 100,000 Pfizer Covid-19 vaccines arrive in Nepal

Posted on by SAT News Desk

KATHMANDU: A total of 100,620 doses of

Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine donated by the United States of America arrived in Kathmandu on Monday.

Sepideh Keyvanshad, Mission Director for US Agency for International Development (USAID) in Nepal, handed the shipment of coronavirus vaccines given to

Nepal on a grant. The shipment was received by Health Secretary Dr Roshan Pokhrel.

Climate threat over South Asia

Posted on by SAT News Desk

Jawed Naqvi

HOW badly are SAARC countries already affected by climate change, and what is the hope the damage could be contained before it becomes an unmitigated disaster? With these paramount questions, there should have been a common strategy, a shared concern representing the eight member states at the Climate Change Conference starting in Glasgow on Sunday. It didn’t happen because the group is largely frozen in time over shortsighted agendas and seasonal military skirmishes between India and Pakistan.

The Maldives is one of the more vulnerable Saarc members. It could literally disappear under the rising waters of the Indian Ocean if global warming is not reined in very urgently. And then there’ll be seven Saarc countries left. But, as Agatha Christie would ask, for how long can the remaining seven survive? The populous low-lying delta region of Bangladesh is primed to be inundated if the oceans continue to rise, thus presaging a demographic catastrophe.

If the looming threat were not vacated post-haste to thwart the inevitable, the impact would not spare Indian states surrounding Bangladesh, as well as other countries in the neighbourhood. The controversial Indian citizenship act would mutate into something more sinister, not least because a scientific discussion, which should be about the tussle between human greed and human need from nature, has been discarded to drive a myopic and divisive politics.

Afghanistan, whose mountains boast of the second highest snow cover after the Arctic ice, is gazing at a dark future independent of any ruler’s conservative or puritan worldview. Climate change affects the hydrological cycle, influencing both water availability and demand. Climatic variability, several studies say, is inevitably “greater in the Hindu Kush–Himalaya (HKH) mountainous region of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan, than in other parts of the world. Glaciers are one of the most important indicators of climate change, and the HKH region is host to some of the world’s largest glaciers, which are the major water source of the Indus, Brahmaputra, and Ganges rivers”.

Water shortages, drought, floods or landslides and tsunamis are not constrained by national boundaries.

These river basins remain very sensitive to changes in climate. The glaciers in this region are also feared to be among the world’s fastest thinning glaciers. Turning them into war zones and battlefields as India and Pakistan have been doing since the 1980s in Siachen is not prescribed. The temperature is apparently set to increase in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region by 1.7 degrees Centigrade to 6.3°C by the end of this century. In many parts, monsoonal precipitation may increase, and it is predicted that extreme precipitation events will occur more frequently.

Band-aid approaches won’t do. The aerial survey of Indian Home Minister Amit Shah last week over the Uttarakhand state will remain cosmetic and hypocritical if lessons are not learnt. Incessant rains have caused massive landslips and floods in which dozens have perished in the BJP-ruled state, among the most ecologically sensitive Himalayan regions to have experienced disasters and untold misery in the recent past from nature’s fury.

Clearly, the South Asian club could do well to suspend its chronic political differences between India and Pakistan to jointly vacate the threat the member states are facing. Water shortages, drought, floods or landslides and tsunamis are not constrained by national boundaries. A climate-driven crisis can be like a locust invasion. It leaps over the barbed wires and slips past armed sentries that are supposed to keep boundaries securely demarcated. A water crisis can trigger a bitter political row between regions within national boundaries as it does between sovereign neighbours. Tamil Nadu and Karnataka in India, or Sindh and Punjab in Pakistan are excellent examples of how things could go seriously wrong politically and socially within domestic boundaries if climate change is not addressed on a war footing.

As water becomes scarce its demand also increases. The Chinese Communist Party has mandated its government to construct a dam on the Brahmaputra, considered a lifeline for northeastern India and Bangladesh. The plan envisages building the dam at Medog county, bordering India, where the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon is located. Yarlung Zangbo is the Tibetan name for Brahamaputra. Medog in Tibet abuts India’s Arunachal Pradesh.

The Chinese plan is not constrained by any pact as India and Pakistan are by the Indus Waters Treaty. However, the quest for scarce water has found India and Pakistan at loggerheads even over their internationally brokered treaty. One remembers filing a report for Dawn quoting former Indian foreign secretary, the late S.K. Singh, during a rough patch in bilateral ties. “Switch off the Indus waters,” Singh had demanded. Early morning the next day, Dr Mubashir Hasan was on the phone from Lahore. As Z.A. Bhutto’s water resources minister he knew the implication of Singh’s call. “What have you published? It will be an act of war,” the long-time advocate of peace and friendship between India and Pakistan had cautioned.

In a 2014 report, the Asian Development Bank underscored the impact of climate change in South Asia. It said a “warming trend of about 0.75°C has been observed in annual mean temperatures in South Asia over the past century. Unless there is a concerted effort worldwide to cut greenhouse gas emissions, South Asia will suffer huge economic, social, and environmental damage from the consequences of climate change”.

ADB had said that “between 1990 and 2008, over 750 million people in South Asia were affected by at least one natural disaster, resulting in almost 230,000 deaths”. It stated that “the livelihoods of more than 200 million people in Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka are threatened by the rapid loss of snow cover in the Himalayas and rising sea levels”.

Without joint action, “the collective economy of six countries — Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka — could shrink by up to 1.8 per cent every year by 2050 and 8.8pc by 2100, on average”.

Pakistan and Afghanistan are not far behind. Wake up Saarc.

This article was originally published in Dawan.com.  

 

Asia had hottest year on record in 2020 – UN

Posted on by SAT News Desk

AFP– Asia suffered its hottest year on record in 2020, the United Nations has said ahead of the CoP26 summit, with extreme weather taking a heavy toll on the continent’s development.

The mean temperature pushed 1.39C above the 1981-2010 average, according to a report by the UN’s World Meteorological Organization.

It said every part of the region had been affected with the 38C registered at Verkhoyansk in Russia recorded provisionally as the highest known temperature anywhere north of the Arctic Circle.

“Extreme weather and climate change impacts across Asia in 2020 caused the loss of life of thousands of people, displaced millions of others and cost hundreds of billions of dollars, while wreaking a heavy toll on infrastructure and ecosystems,” the WMO said in its State of the Climate in Asia report.

“Sustainable development is threatened, with food and water insecurity, health risks and environmental degradation on the rise.”

The report comes days before CoP26, the UN climate change conference being held in Glasgow from Sunday 31 October to November 12.

The report also laid bare the total annual average losses due to climate-related hazards.

China suffered an estimated $238bn, followed by India at $87bn, Japan with $83bn and South Korea on $24bn.

But when the size of the economy is considered, the average annual losses are expected to be as high as 7.9% of gross domestic product for Tajikistan, 5.9% for Cambodia and 5.8% for Laos.

Increased heat and humidity are forecast to lead to an effective loss of outdoor working hours across the continent, with a potential cost of many billions of dollars.

“Weather and climate hazards, especially floods, storms, and droughts, had significant impacts in many countries of the region,” said WMO chief Petteri Taalas.

“Combined, these impacts take a significant toll on long-term sustainable development.”

Many weather and climate-related displacements in Asia are prolonged, with people unable to return home or integrate locally, the report said.

In 2020 floods and storms affected approximately 50 million people in Asia, resulting in more than 5,000 fatalities.

This is below the annual average of the last two decades (158 million people affected and about 15,500 fatalities) “and is testimony to the success of early warning systems in many countries in Asia”, with around seven in 10 people covered.

In 2020, average sea surface temperatures reached record high values in the Indian, Pacific and Arctic Oceans.

Sea surface temperatures and ocean warming in and around Asia are increasing more than the global average.

They have been warming at more than triple the average in the Arabian sea, and parts of the Arctic Ocean.

Arctic sea ice minimum extent (after the summer melt) in 2020 was the second lowest on the satellite record since 1979.

There are approximately 100,000 square kilometres of glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau and in the Himalayas – the largest volumes of ice outside the polar regions and the source of 10 major Asian rivers.

“Glacier retreat is accelerating and it is projected that glacier mass will decrease by 20 percent to 40 percent by 2050, affecting the lives and livelihoods of about 750 million people in the region,” the report said.

“This has major ramifications for global sea level, regional water cycles and local hazards such as landslides and avalanches.”

A quarter of Asia’s mangroves are in Bangladesh. However, the tropical storm-exposed country’s mangroves decreased by 19 percent from 1992 to 2019, the report said.