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Climate Summit 2014

Clean energy is possible for every country: UAE

Every country in the world can achieve the goal of using clean energy, according to the ambassador of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to the United Nations.

The use of fossil fuels is responsible for the emissions of greenhouse gases that cause global warming and climate change.

The UAE is a pioneer in the field of renewable energy and Masdar city is home to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service NGLS

Nepali women on “frontline of climate change”, says activist

Women in Nepal are “on the frontlines of climate change” because as subsistence farmers, they are the ones who are most affected.

Alina Saba, research and community organizer in Nepal, made the remarks on the sidelines of an event at the UN Climate Summit.

A member of the indigenous Limbu community, she has been working with women in her country to build their resilience to the climate challenges they face.

Natural disasters like flash floods, mudslides occur often and pose a huge challenge for people.

Pacific Island youth do not want to become “climate refugees”

Climate refugee is not a label a young person would want to be given, an activist with the Pacific Island Youth Council said.

Christina Ora, from the Solomon Islands, was in New York as a youth delegate during the UN Climate Summit representing her region.

According to the UN, many of these low-lying areas are increasingly forced to deal with rising sea levels, inundations and oceans becoming more “acidic” and therefore destroying coral reefs and other species that live in water.

UN Photo/Sean Sprague

Africa Clean Energy Corridors to reduce pollution on continent

An initiative to deliver cleaner energy to African households will help reduce pollution and dependency on diesel and other fossil fuels says

Elijah Sichone, Executive Secretary of RERA (The Regional Electricity Regulators Association of Southern Africa).

Nineteen Ministers from the southern African region endorsed the Africa Clean Energy Corridor initiative or ACEC at the United Nations Climate Summit on Tuesday.

According to the UN, four-fifths of all electricity in eastern and southern Africa is generated from gas, oil or coal.

UN Photo/Cia Pak

Estonian President says small countries can fight climate change

Estonia doubled its gross domestic product in 20 years and halved its carbon emissions, according to the country’s President.

Speaking after his speech at the UN Climate Summit on Tuesday, President Toomas Hendrik Ilves said Estonia doesn’t measure its responsibility to fight climate change based on its size or wealth.

Although repercussions of climate change have not yet impacted the small European country too gravely, the President is concerned about the rest of the world.

UN Photo/Mark Garten

Cities are working together to fight climate change: Mayor of Bonn

The cities of the world are united and speaking with one voice, according to the Mayor of Bonn, Germany.

Jürgen Nimptsch says he’s at the UN for the Climate Summit wearing a second hat, that of vice chair of the World Mayors Council on Climate Change.

Under the auspices of this Council, an initiative called “Carbonn” is the world’s largest database on local climate action.

New commitments to reduce deforestation expected at UN

Countries are due to announce new commitments to reduce deforestation at the UN Climate Summit on Tuesday.

That’s according to the Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), a global agreement covering all aspects of biodiversity or the variety of life on Earth.

Thirteen million hectares of forests continue to be lost each year, the UN says.

The loss of tress means that less of the harmful carbon dioxide or CO2 emissions can be removed from the environment.

UN Photo/Mark Garten

Cost of climate change “unbearable”: UN chief

The human, environmental and financial cost of climate change is becoming increasingly unbearable, the UN Secretary-General told world leaders on Tuesday.

Ban Ki-moon was speaking as he opened a one-day Climate Summit at UN headquarters in New York to galvanize international action on the issue.

It’s expected the summit will provide momentum for a global agreement which it’s hoped will be signed by world governments next year.

Daniel Dickinson reports from the United Nations

Duration: 3’15”

300,000 people march in New York to halt climate change

An estimated 300,000 people have taken to the streets of New York City to highlight concerns about a lack of international action to stop climate change.

The People’s Climate March is part of a worldwide campaign to persuade global leaders to act decisively on the issue.

The march comes two days ahead of a heads of state summit at the United Nations which it’s hoped will lead to a global agreement of climate change.

Daniel Dickinson reports from the streets of New York City.

Duration:2'43"