com/2025/12/12/paris-agreement-ten-years-later-failed/ By AUDREY STREB At the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) on Dec. 12, 2015, 195 parties signed the Paris Agreement, vowing to cut their emissions in an effort to stave off global warming. Nonetheless, global emissions have increased over the last 10 years, according to recent data from the European Commission’s Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR). Though the European Union led the world in lowering emissions, they have still hit a record high, according to EDGAR. President Donald Trump exited the Paris Agreement through a day-one executive order. Some energy experts told the Daily Caller News Foundation the Paris Agreement was “unconstitutional” and celebrated Trump’s move to decouple from the UN’s climate agenda. “Today marks the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Paris Climate Accord. Despite the world spending $10 trillion dollars trying to implement the agreement over the past 10 years, emissions have increased 12% while the weather and climate remained the same,” Steve Milloy, senior fellow at the Energy and Environment Legal Institute, told the DCNF. “More than just waste, fraud and abuse, the agreement was an unconstitutional effort by the Obama administration to saddle Americans with a UN climate treaty without the required Senate ratification. In the US, efforts to implement the Paris agreement have pointlessly raised energy prices, fueled inflation and weakened national security by making the energy grid dependent on Communist China-made wind, solar and battery equipment. President Trump is to be commended for pulling the U. out of the Paris treaty and for taking steps to terminate its offspring known as the Green New Scam. ” (RELATED: Trump Takes Firm Stand, Exits Paris Agreement Again) Jason Isaac, CEO of the American Energy Institute, told the DCNF that “more than a decade after the Paris Climate Agreement was adopted, its results are impossible to ignore. ” “The accord has failed to achieve its stated objectives while fueling policies that have driven deindustrialization across Europe, weakened energy security, and sent electricity and manufacturing costs soaring for households and businesses,” Isaac continued. “Global emissions, erroneously treated as a political control knob for the climate, have continued to rise as energy production and heavy industry shift to countries with lower environmental and human rights standards, leaving working families poorer and supply chains more vulnerable. Paris ultimately delivered higher costs, greater dependence on adversarial nations, and a cautionary lesson in the consequences of politicizing energy policy

Geminid meteor shower set to light up sky during weekend peak 22 hours ago Share Save Maddie Molloy , Climate & Science reporter and Stav Danaos , BBC Weather Share Save Getty Images The Geminid meteor shower - one of the most spectacular in the celestial calendar - is set to peak this weekend and astronomers say conditions could make for an especially striking show if weather permits. The meteors are visible all over the world, though people in the Northern Hemisphere will get the best views. In the UK, if the skies are clear, a waning crescent Moon will only rise after midnight which should mean several hours of dark skies to see the meteors more clearly. Here's the science behind the Geminids and how to get the best chance of seeing them. What is the Geminid meteor shower? Arecibo/NASA/NSF Multiple views of asteroid 3200 Phaethon - the source of the Geminids meteor shower We get treated to meteor showers when Earth passes through the trails of comets - icy objects which Nasa calls 'cosmic snowballs' - or in rarer cases, including the Geminids, asteroids, which are rocky. When dust and gases from these objects enter our atmosphere, they burn up and create the bright streaks we know as shooting stars. While most meteors appear white, some can glow green, yellow, red, or blue, depending on the elements in the material as it burns up in Earth's atmosphere. Metals such as sodium, magnesium, and calcium produce colours similar to those seen in fireworks. The Geminids shower comes from the remnants of an asteroid called 3200 Phaethon. Until recently, scientists thought the Geminids were a result of dust escaping from 3200 Phaethon. But two years ago scientists revealed that Phaethon's tail is actually made of glowing sodium gas. So there is still some uncertainty about how and when the Geminids dust was formed. The Geminids offer one of the year's best chances, weather-permitting, of seeing a shower, due to the volume and frequency of its 'shooting stars'. "What you'd be looking at in a nice dark sky without clouds would be, say, 100 an hour, which is amazing, said Dr Robert Massey of the Royal Astronomical Society. "It's pretty much the strongest meteor shower of the year. " Will moonlight spoil the show this year? Getty Images Bright moonlight can make it more difficult to see meteors and other objects in the night sky. But weather-permitting, we could have close to ideal viewing conditions as the Geminids peak. The crescent Moon is in its final waning phases, with the bulk of it in shadow, and in the UK it also won't rise until the early hours of the morning, potentially giving us a nice dark sky in which to watch the spectacle. Do keep in mind that visibility is still heavily influenced by weather conditions, so check your local forecast for the clearest possible window. Finding somewhere without light pollution and with an open view of the sky will give you the best chance of seeing something. Tips for night-sky enthusiasts The Geminids are a naked-eye event, best enjoyed under dark, open skies, so you won't need a telescope or binoculars. "There aren't that many entirely free natural treats. And this is one of them. So go out and enjoy it. You know, it's a way of connecting with the sky, taking a moment to sort of forget our more earthly or more worldly concerns," said Dr Massey. The meteors appear to radiate from the constellation of Gemini, but looking slightly away from that point often provides a wider field of view. Dress warmly and take a blanket or reclining chair to get comfortable, and let your eyesight adapt to the dark. "You just basically need to have reasonable eyesight to see this and I think that is incredible. " What will the weather be like for the Geminids peak?

com/2025/12/10/opinion/insurance-companies-are-making-record-profits-off-climate-change-panic-not-facts/ By Roger Pielke Jr. The headlines are relentless, loudly proclaiming that ­climate-fueled extreme weather has caused an insurance crisis, reflected in dramatic rate increases for homeowners and businesses. Some warn that total economic collapse may soon follow. But as is often the case when it comes to apocalyptic warnings related to climate change, real-world data don’t support the narrative. In reality, the insurance industry, which provides coverage related to hurricanes, fires and other extreme events, is enjoying a streak of record profits. Defenders of high premiums say it’s because it’s much more expensive to insure homes because of climate change. But the recent spike in insurance prices is much more likely due, in significant part, to political requirements across the industry that financial companies consider “climate risk,” and the corresponding suite of risk modelers established to meet the newly ­created demand. … As far as the actual effects of changes in climate on expected annual losses in the insurance industry, Verisk, a catastrophe modeling firm long pre-dating the “climate risk” industry, estimates an annual impact of just 1%. Insurance companies have spent many decades estimating risk. Perhaps regulators should allow them to come to their own conclusions, rather than insisting they use dodgy science and charge customers even more. is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute who writes at the Honest Broker on Substack

com/columnists/gabriellahoffman/2025/12/11/dear-unesco-hands-off-okefenokee-swamp-n2667688 By Gabriella Hoffman Excerpt: The Trump administration announced its withdrawal from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in July. But a holdover Biden-Harris decision to designate the Okefenokee Swamp as a World Heritage Site (WHS) could threaten President Trump’s true conservation agenda. In my new CFACT Conservation Country report, I investigated this December 2024 Biden-Harris administration policy. Currently, 92 percent of Okefenokee Swamp- or 407,000 acres – is a federally-managed national wildlife refuge overseen by the U. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). It’s also open to hunting and fishing opportunities. All three Georgia counties bordering the swap – Charlton, Ware, and most recently Clinch County in October – adopted ordinances opposing the UNESCO bid. Some UNESCO bid supporters argue that U. sovereignty won’t be threatened. Other proponents dismissed concerns, claiming the UNESCO WHS designation is akin to a “five-star Yelp review” and nothing else. Yet the concerned citizens I interviewed – those closest to Okefenokee Swamp – are skeptical of the United Nations coming into their backyard. “I went and saw one of the presentations they had out at the fairground, and I wasn’t pleased with what I saw,” Ware County Commissioner Barry Cox explained. “All of my constituents…they contacted me, and they [were] all against it. So I did their will, and we created a resolution against it. ” In a May 2024 Ware County ballot, Question 11 asked voters if they favored the UNESCO bid. Over 2,400 (78 percent) residents overwhelmingly voted against it, while over 700 – or about 22 percent – supported it. “I don’t like any organization that I would consider an entangling alliance,” Drew Jones, Charlton County Commissioner, added. “Many of the UNESCO members are adversarial nations. China, Russia, Afghanistan– all would sit around a table and potentially vote on what should be domestic issues. ” Commissioner Jones conveyed his concerns about public access, stating, “There could be concerns about the property adjacent to the swamp. They could come along and say no hunting, no clear-cutting, no herbiciding outside the refuge boundary. They could say, ‘Oh, we need a buffer zone. ’ You know, ‘there’s hunting too close. There’s logging too close. ” Some UNESCO World Heritage Sites have a mixed track record here and abroad. Last year, Leiden University in the Netherlands warned that UNESCO WHS status “comes at a cost to the local population’s human rights” because international interests frequently clash with impacted individuals and communities. Even the New York Times warned in 2023 that being inscribed in the World Heritage List can be “a curse,” citing a case study involving Fort Jesus in Mombasa, Kenya. The NYT reports the touted tourism benefits of the WHS designation hadn’t materialized in Fort Jesus

Scientists have captured rare footage of killer whales and Pacific white-sided dolphins hunting together near the coast of British Columbia, Canada. Despite their common name 'killer whale', orca are actually the largest species of dolphin. The findings, published in the journal Nature Scientific Reports, is the first recorded evidence of the two working together, according to researchers. They studied the mammals using drones and camera tags to understand feeding behaviour. "Not only were the killer whales orienting [themselves] towards the dolphins at the surface, but when the dolphins started to dive, our tagged killer whales would start to dive," lead researcher Dr Sarah Fortune from Dalhousie University in Canada said

How monogamous are humans? Scientists compile 'league table' of pairing up 23 hours ago Share Save Helen Briggs Environment correspondent Share Save Getty Meerkats are incredibly social animals and live in large groups known as 'mobs' or 'clans' Humans are a bit like meerkats when it comes to pairing up, according to a study that examined the monogamous lifestyles of different species. In our romantic life, we more closely resemble these social, close-knit mongooses than we do our primate cousins, a "league table" of monogamy compiled by scientists suggests. At 66% monogamous, humans score surprisingly highly, far above chimps and gorillas – and on a par with meerkats. However, we are by no means the most monogamous creature. Top spot goes to the Californian mouse - rodents that form inseparable, lifelong bonds. Getty Chimpanzees are highly social and form strong bonds but have very different social structures from humans "There is a premier league of monogamy, in which humans sit comfortably, while the vast majority of other mammals take a far more promiscuous approach to mating," said Dr Mark Dyble at the University of Cambridge. In the animal world, pairing up has its perks, which may be why it has evolved independently in multiple species, including us. Experts have proposed various benefits to so-called social monogamy, where mates match up for at least a breeding season to care for their young and see off rivals. Dr Dyble examined several human populations throughout history, calculating the proportions of full siblings – where individuals share the same mother and father – compared with half-siblings, individuals who share either a mother or a father, but not both. Similar data was compiled for more than 30 social monogamous and other mammals. Humans have a monogamy rating of 66% full siblings, ahead of meerkats (60%) but behind beavers (73%). Meanwhile, our evolutionary cousins fall at the bottom of the table - with mountain gorillas at 6% rating, while chimpanzees come in at just 4% (alongside the dolphin). In last place is Scotland's Soay sheep, where females mate with multiple males, with 0. The Californian mouse came top, at 100%. However, being ranked alongside meerkats and beavers doesn't mean our societies are the same - human society is poles apart. "Although the rates of full siblings we see in humans are most similar to species like meerkats or beavers, the social system that we see in humans is very different," Dr Dyble told BBC News. "Most of these species live in colony-like social groups or perhaps live in solitary pairs that go around together. Humans are very different from that. We live in what we call multi-male, multi-female groups, within which we have these monogamous, or pair-bonded, units. " Getty Soay sheep are the most promiscuous of all the animals studied

Shell facing first UK legal claim over climate impacts of fossil fuels 6 hours ago Share Save Matt McGrath Environment correspondent Share Save Getty Images Victims of a deadly typhoon in the Philippines have filed a legal claim against oil and gas company Shell in the UK courts, seeking compensation for what they say is the company's role in making the storm more severe. Around 400 people were killed and millions of homes hit when Typhoon Rai slammed into parts of the Philippines just before Christmas in 2021. Now a group of survivors are for the first time taking legal action against the UK's largest oil company, arguing that it had a role in making the typhoon more likely and more damaging. Shell says the claim is "baseless", as is a suggestion the company had unique knowledge that carbon emissions drove climate change. Typhoon Rai, known locally as Odette, was the most powerful storm to hit the Philippines in 2021. With winds gusting at up to 170mph (270km/h), it destroyed around 2,000 buildings, displaced hundreds of thousands of people - including Trixy Elle and her family. She was a fish vendor on Batasan island when the storm hit, forcing her from her home, barely escaping with her life. "So we have to swim in the middle of big waves, heavy rains, strong winds," she told BBC News from the Philippines. "That's why my father said that we will hold our hands together, if we survive, we survive, but if we will die, we will die together. " Trixy is now part of the group of 67 individuals that has filed a claim that's believed to be the first case of its kind against a UK major producer of oil and gas. Getty Images A family take shelter in the wake of Typhoon Rai which left hundreds of thousands of people homeless In a letter sent to Shell before the claim was filed at court, the legal team for the survivors says the case is being brought before the UK courts as that is where Shell is domiciled – but that it will apply the law of the Philippines as that is where the damage occurred. The letter argues that Shell is responsible for 2% of historical global greenhouse gases, as calculated by the Carbon Majors database of oil and gas production. The company has "materially contributed" to human driven climate change, the letter says, that made the Typhoon more likely and more severe. The survivors' group further claims that Shell has a "history of climate misinformation," and has known since 1965 that fossil fuels were the primary cause of climate change. "Instead of changing their industry, they still do their business," said Trixy Elle. "It's very clear that they choose profit over the people. They choose money over the planet. " Getty Images Shell's global headquarters is in London which is why the claim has been lodged at a UK court

Available for over a year COP30, the big meeting where countries discuss climate change annually, has finished. This year it was hosted in the city of Belem in Brazil, in the Amazon forest, which is directly affected by it. The role of the two biggest emitters has also made headlines. The United States hasn’t taken part in the talks and China has kept a very low profile. This summit has ended without a clear commitment to phase out fossil fuels and that has angered protesters and activists, who participated in demonstrations showing their opposition to this plan. We wrap up the highlights of COP30 with our resident climate expert, Georgina Rannard and also hear from Natalia Tsuyama, a Brazilian climate activists who shares with us how her first COP has been. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc. uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler and Maria Clara Montoya Editor: Verity Wilde Programme Website

Iain Douglas-Hamilton, pioneering elephant conservationist, dies aged 83 2 hours ago Share Save Yang Tian Share Save Indianapolis Zoo The Prince of Wales has paid tribute to pioneering elephant conservationist Iain Douglas-Hamilton, who died aged 83 at his home in Nairobi on Monday. Douglas-Hamilton spent his life studying and campaigning to protect African elephants, becoming a world-leading expert on their behaviour in the wild. His groundbreaking research exposed the devastating effects of poaching - often at great risk to his own safety - and was instrumental in the banning of the international ivory trade. Prince William praised the zoologist as "a man who dedicated his life to conservation and whose life's work leaves lasting impact on our appreciation for, and understanding of, elephants". "The memories of spending time in Africa with him will remain with me forever," added Prince William, who is a royal patron for the African wildlife conservation charity, Tusk, of which Douglas-Hamilton was an ambassador. "The world has lost a true conservation legend today, but his extraordinary legacy will continue," the charity's founder Charles Mayhew said in a statement. Oria Douglas-Hamilton Born in 1942 to an aristocratic British family in Dorset, England, Douglas-Hamilton studied biology and zoology in Scotland and Oxford before moving to Tanzania to research elephant social behaviour. It was there at Lake Manyara National Park that he began documenting every elephant he encountered, eventually becoming so familiar with the herds he could recognise them by the unique shapes of their ears and wrinkles on their skin. "The thing about elephants is that they have a lot in common with human beings," he said in a 2024 documentary about his work, A Life Among Elephants. Friend and fellow conservationist Jane Goodall, who died in October, was featured in the documentary, and said he had shown the world that elephants are capable of feeling just like humans. "I think his legacy will be one of a man who did so much to help people understand how majestic, how wonderful elephants are, and to learn more about their way of life," Goodall said. Oria Douglas-Hamilton

UN environment report 'hijacked' by US and others over fossil fuels, top scientist says 21 hours ago Share Save Matt McGrath Environment correspondent Share Save Getty Images A key UN report on the state of the global environment has been "hijacked" by the United States and other countries who were unwilling to go along with the scientific findings, the co-chair has told the BBC. The Global Environment Outlook, the result of six years' work, connects climate change, nature loss and pollution to unsustainable consumption by people living in wealthy and emerging economies. It warns of a "dire future" for millions unless there's a rapid move away from coal, oil and gas and fossil fuel subsidies. But at a meeting with government representatives to agree the findings, the US and allies said they could not go along with a summary of the report's conclusions. As the scientists were unwilling to water down or change their findings, the report has now been published without the summary and without the support of governments, weakening its impact. Researchers say the objections to this new report reflect similar concerns expressed by countries at the recent COP30 talks. The BBC has approached the relevant US government departments for comment. Issued every six or seven years, the Global Environment Outlook is a significant scientific analysis of the major threats to the planet. Developed under the auspices of the UN, the normal practice for studies like this is to have the key conclusions and recommendations agreed word by word with governments and published as a "summary for policymakers". These summaries are seen as critical because they show that governments agree with the science and are prepared to put the findings into action. But this new version of the Global Environment Outlook does not have this type of summary, as the authors and the political representatives of around 70 countries could not agree one at a "stormy" meeting in Nairobi in October. Compiled by nearly 300 scientists worldwide, the report argues that the food we eat, the clothes we wear, and the energy we consume all involve the extraction of resources in a highly unsustainable manner. To solve the connected issues of climate change, pollution, nature and biodiversity loss, the report has many recommendations including a rapid move away from coal, oil and gas and a massive reduction in subsidies for farming and fossil fuels. The authors acknowledge this type of action will drive-up prices for consumers. But that short term pain will bring long term economic benefits for the whole world, the report says. These strong measures, especially on fossil fuels and plastics, were too much for the United States, Saudi Arabia and Russia among others at the approval meeting, which usually work by consensus. Getty Images Sir Robert Watson is co-chair of the report