UN International Day of Peace 2013 (playlist)

How to Achieve Peace via Meditative Prayer? Ambassador Zara Jane Juan We...

America and China agreed to work together to develop cleaner trucks, expanding joint efforts against climate change by the two greatest emitters and raising prospects for a global climate deal. The US secretary of state, John Kerry, speaking before the announcement, said such co-operation would resonate far beyond the two countries, boosting prospects for a global climate agreement....US and China to extend co-operation in effort to curb climate change | Environment | guardian.co.uk

US and China to extend co-operation in effort to curb climate change | Environment | guardian.co.uk: "America and China between them account for more than 40% of greenhouse gas emissions, but signs of co-operation between the two big emitters could help unlock a global deal to cut emissions, Kerry suggested earlier on Wednesday. "I want to underscore that when we make a decision … it ripples beyond our borders," Kerry said. "How will we curb climate change? How will we pioneer new energy technology that is in fact the solution to climate change?" Kerry said in his opening remarks at the fifth annual US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue. A State Department fact sheet on the new initiatives underlined Kerry's point, noting that the two countries pledged to work together to advance the United Nations' efforts to reach an international climate accord. "Recognising the importance of working through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the United States and China are committed to enhancing our policy dialogue on all aspects of the future agreement," the fact sheet said." CLICK LINK TO READ MORE

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RENEWABLE ENERGY: Will support more than 1,000 jobs! New Biofuels Plant will be UK's biggest buyer of wheat and the biggest supplier of animal feed. Vivergo's plant at Saltend in the Humber estuary, opened with £350m investment, will take in 1.1m tonnes annually of wheat that would otherwise be used for animal feed and produce an estimated 420m litres a year of ethanol, to be mixed with petrol and used in vehicles. A byproduct of the process is high-protein feed for livestock, with about 500,000 tonnes expected a year. Vivergo said the construction and implementation of the plant had already created or helped support more than 1,000 jobs in the area, and there will be 80 full-time employees at the site.....Biofuels plant opens to become UK's biggest buyer of wheat | Environment | guardian.co.uk

Biofuels plant opens to become UK's biggest buyer of wheat | Environment | guardian.co.uk: "The National Farmers' Union said the plant would not only provide wheat farmers with more certainty in terms of a local market for their products, but would allow livestock farmers to buy locally produced high-protein feed, cutting the imports of soy from the US. Brett Askew, an NFU board member, said: "It's a boost to farmers to hear that Vivergo will be maximising their potential capacity in the run-up to harvest. The industry's troubles have been well documented over the past year and the latest noises emerging from Brussels on Common Agricultural Policy reform have done little to lighten the mood."" CLICK LINK TO READ MORE

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Carbon tax moves from words to deeds - "The Independent member for New England, Tony Windsor has played a crucial role in securing the passage of the Federal Government's carbon tax. This morning we spoke to him about his role, his views on how the polls appear to remain opposed to its introduction and whether it's all been worth it. We also spoke to the Nationals MP for Parkes, Mark Coulton who told us he remains opposed to the package of clean energy bills and believes the Coalition will repeal them if it wins the next election. You can listen to both of the interviews here:" ABC New England North West NSW - Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Carbon tax moves from words to deeds - ABC New England North West NSW - Australian Broadcasting Corporation: click link to hear interview http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2011/10/12/3338125.htm

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RENEWABLE ENERGY: Solar-powered aircraft completed the final leg of a history-making cross-country flight Saturday night, gliding to a smooth stop at New York's John F Kennedy International Airport. The Solar Impulse touched down at JFK at 11.09pm ET, completing the final leg of the cross-continental journey that started in California in early May. For Saturday's final leg, the aircraft left Dulles International Airport outside Washington, DC, a little before 5am. The flight plan for the revolutionary plane, powered by some 11,000 solar cells on its oversized wings, had called for it to pass the Statue of Liberty before landing early Sunday at New York. But an unexpected tear discovered on the left wing of the aircraft Saturday afternoon forced officials to scuttle the fly-by and proceed directly to JFK for a landing three hours earlier than scheduled. Pilot Andre Borschberg trumpeted the milestone of a plane capable of flying during the day and night, powered by solar energy, crossing the U.S. without the use of fuel.

Solar-powered plane lands in New York to complete cross-country trip | World news | guardian.co.uk: ""It was a huge success for renewable energy," Borschberg said while standing in front of Solar Impulse on the runway at JFK. "The only thing that failed was a piece of fabric."

Bertrand Piccard, the other pilot who took turns flying the Solar Impulse across the United States, said the flight across the country tested the entire project team." CLICK LINK TO READ MORE

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UPDATE: With Climate Change, Wildfires: Bigger, Fiercer Blazes Expected In West..A draft federal report released earlier this year said climate change is stressing Western forests, making them more vulnerable to fires. What's happening now "is not new to us," said climate scientist Don Wuebbles of the University of Illinois, one of the main authors of the federal report. "We've been saying this for some time." Communities nestled next to wilderness are used to girding for fire season, which typically occurs in the summer. Compared with decades past, however, the traditional fire season now lasts two months longer and first responders sometimes find themselves beating back flames in the winter...

Climate Change And Wildfires: Bigger, Fiercer Blazes Expected In West: "More than two dozen wildland fires are burning from Alaska to New Mexico, fueled by triple-digit temperatures and arid conditions. In the Arizona mountain town of Yarnell, a blaze apparently sparked by lightning killed 19 members of an elite firefighting squad who had deployed their emergency shelters Sunday when erratic monsoon winds sent flames racing in their direction.

While no single wildfire can be pinned solely on climate change, researchers say there are signs that fires are becoming bigger and more common in an increasingly hot and bone-dry West." CLICK LINK ABOVE TO READ MORE

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