Hawaii Becomes First US State To Adopt Goals in Paris Climate Accord

One degree may not sound like much, but Stefan Rahmstorf, a climate scientist at the Potsdam Institute in Germany, says, “Every tenth of a degree increases the number of unprecedented extreme weather events considerably”. The decision is a blow to global efforts to halt climate change, but it won’t stop the growth of clean energy.

Some 294 cities throughout the United States have joined the group, which in a June 1 statement committed to “adopt, honor, and uphold the commitments to the goals enshrined in the Paris Agreement”.

“Many of the greatest challenges of our day hit us first, and that means that we also need to be first when it comes to creating solutions”, Ige said. “From automotive companies that have led the way in electric cars and low-emission vehicles to innovative renewable fuel companies, MI has emerged as an engine that can drive the world forward in addressing climate change”. We are increasing investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency. The energy department predicts that almost two-thirds of new power-generation capacity added this year will come from solar and wind.

Countries that pledge to be green could move away from fossil fuels to renewable energy, said Gabriel Chan, assistant professor in the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. This makes the US one of three countries outside of the pact that aims to slow Earth’s temperature climb before it reaches two degrees Celsius higher than its preindustrial average.

South Africa, hereby, joins countries as diverse as North Korea and USA neighbour, Canada.

That inventory makes it possible for the federal government to measure total emissions, and also to see changes in emissions by industry and by region. Foreign governments could penalize American firms in retaliation for Trump’s decision. The reason is basic economics: Not only are renewables cheap and getting cheaper, but low-priced and abundant natural gas have pushed down energy prices to the point that coal plants are hardly needed anymore. The primary cause has been competition from cleaner-burning natural gas, which has been made cheaper and more abundant by hydraulic fracturing.

“Maybe some coal plants won’t be retired as quickly as they otherwise would have, but it’s not going to bring coal jobs back”, Van Nostrand said. That mine, however, will only employ 70 to 100 miners, according to the company.

Its continuous short-range ballistic missile tests in defiance to worldwide sanctions have also caused great concern around the wold, with U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis warning that a potential war between the U.S. and North Korea would be “catastrophic”.

LOTS OF CORPORATE CEOs ENDORSED THE ACCORD; WERE ANY BUSINESS SECTORS SCARED?