![]() The last time the Earth experienced a comparable concentration of CO2 was 3-5 million years ago, when the temperature was 2-3C warmer and sea level was 10-20m higher than now. He says: “CO2 remains in the atmosphere for centuries and in the ocean for even longer. However, it does provide us with a platform for more sustained and ambitious climate action to reduce emissions to net-zero through a complete transformation of our industrial, energy and transport systems.” The Independent also reports comments from Taalas. We need a sustained flattening of the curve.” He adds that “the Covid-19 pandemic is not a solution for climate change. BBC News reports that “CO2 will continue to increase this year, but that rise will be reduced by 0.08 to 0.23ppm” and that this value “falls within the 1ppm natural variability that occurs from year to year.” The WMO secretary-general Petteri Taalas tells the outlet that “the lockdown-related fall in emissions is just a tiny blip on the long-term graph. However, there is still a clear increase in CO2 levels measured this year when compared to those measured last year – the average CO2 level in the atmosphere this September was 411.3ppm, “up from 408.5ppm in September 2019”. The Guardian says that “there is estimated to have been a cut in emissions of between 4.2% and 7.5% in 2020 due to the shutdown of travel and other activities”. There is widespread media coverage of the annual greenhouse gas bulletin released by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) yesterday which states that, despite the global coronavirus lockdowns, levels of CO2 in the atmosphere have reached a new record high. The Wall Street Journal , Axios, MailOnline and the Independent also report on this story, whilst Mother Jones runs a story on “seven ways that Biden can fight climate change without any help from Congress”. It reports that he “met president Xi Jinping in 2014 during a six-day visit to advance collaboration on climate action between the world’s two largest emitters.” The New York Times reports that “those who have worked with him describe Mr Kerry as having real understanding of the science of climate change, a grasp of the economic costs and benefits of moving to clean energy and a close working relationship with dozens of leaders in the field.” Reuters also reports on this story, adding that Biden has named former Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen as US Treasury secretary. It adds that “Kerry will report directly to Biden as part the White House’s National Security Council, underscoring how the incoming administration views the warming planet as an issue with implications for both national defense and foreign policy.” The Hill and Climate Home News refer to Kerry as a “climate czar”, with the latter highlighting Kerry’s work with the Chinese government. The Washington Post reports that Kerry has spent much of his career working to reduce the impacts of climate change and that he “has represented the United States at every pivotal international climate conference in the past three decades”. ![]() The newpaper also reports that Kerry was part of a “climate taskforce the Biden campaign used to develop its carbon-cutting policies” over the summer, and that, according to the Biden transition team, “this elevation shows the president-elect sees the climate crisis as an ‘urgent national security issue’”. The Guardian reports that since leaving government in 2017 “Kerry has been sharply critical of Donald Trump’s dismantling of climate policies and the decision to remove the US from the Paris agreement”, adding that the Biden team plans to reenter the Paris Agreement. The news comes as the Trump administration finally gives the “green light” for government officials to proceed with the Biden transition, according to Reuters. Kerry “served as secretary of state during Barak Obama’s second term as president” and is now set to be the “first official dedicated to climate change to sit on the National Security Council.” The outlet reports that “Kerry signed the Paris climate agreement on behalf of the US in 2016” and that in 2019 he launched “World War Zero” – a “coalition of world leaders and celebrities” who called for net-zero carbon emissions and action on climate change. Former US secretary of state John Kerry will act as climate envoy when US president-elect Joe Biden takes office in January, the BBC reports.
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