Wellness Update: Asia: PH to become ‘must-experience destination’ under new tourism plan

PH to become ‘must-experience destination’ under new tourism plan: "“Our vision for tourism is anchored on nature, culture, MICE and health and wellness tourism, among other selling points. The NTDP has outlined three strategic directions for achieving this vision, namely improving market access and connectivity, developing and marketing competitive tourist destinations and products, and improving tourism institutional and human resources capabilities,” Secretary Alberto Lim said.

The new plan will serve as a framework for both national and local government agencies to determine tourism development areas, infrastructure requirements, human resources development programs, and marketing and promotions directions, among other goals. It will also re-evaluate industry accomplishments under the National Tourism Master Plan for 1991-2010.

Improvements in transportation connectivity and infrastructure emerged as chief concerns of regional stakeholders during month-long consultations for the new NTDP last February. Other concerns raised during the talks, conducted in all 16 regions and NCR, include product and service quality, stakeholder coordination, and peace and order in the Philippines."

Climate Change Update: Impassioned Turnbull defends climate change science - ABC Melbourne - Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Impassioned Turnbull defends climate change science - ABC Melbourne - Australian Broadcasting Corporation:

"'Don't abandon the science'

Mr Turnbull said parties with vested interests were trying to muddy the waters on climate science to prolong the export of coal, comparing their actions to tobacco companies discrediting the connection between smoking and lung cancer.
'It is undoubtedly correct that there has been a very effective campaign against the science of climate change by those opposed to taking action to cut emissions, many because it does not suit their own financial interests, and this has played into the carbon tax debate,' he said.
'Normally, in our consideration of scientific issues, we rely on expert advice [and] agencies like CSIRO or the Australian Academy of Science, are listened to with respect.
'Yet on this issue there appears to be a licence to reject our best scientists both here and abroad and rely instead on much less reliable views.
'So in the storm of this debate about carbon tax, direct action and what the right approach to climate change should be, do not fall into the trap of abandoning the science.'"

Climate Change Update: Coral reef species may adjust to climate change

Coral reef species may adjust to climate change: "Ocean acidification occurs when excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is absorbed by the ocean. Too much carbon dioxide reduces the availability of calcium carbonate, the building block of coral skeletons.

The rate of adaptation for many species could be increased if human activities such as fishing and runoff were managed appropriately.

To increase the ability for a species to adapt to one stress, others needed to be reduced, Professor Connolly said.

'The organisms that have an unusually good ability to cope with high temperatures and ocean acidification have to be able to survive and reproduce offspring that also have those tolerances. But if there is also a lot stress from coastal development [and] runoff then they can die out,' he said.

Authorities also needed to ensure populations of marine species did not decline dramatically."

Climate Change Update: Global warming slowed by aerosols

Global warming slowed by aerosols: "When released into the atmosphere, sulphate aerosols reflect incoming sunlight, cooling the climate system as a result - a phenomenon known as global dimming.

The two main sources of the molecules are man-made activities, such as burning fossil fuels, and natural events such as volcanic eruptions.

American researchers used satellite data to measure the change in sulphate aerosol concentration in the stratosphere, which extends above 15 kilometres, over the past 60 years.

The team, whose findings are published in the journal Science, then used these measurements to estimate the contribution the molecules made to global temperature and sea level rise.

They found an increase in aerosols in the upper atmosphere has decreased the global warming that would have otherwise occurred by 20 per cent over the past decade."

Climate Change Update: Climate Change Brings More Deadly Heat Waves

Sarah Lovinger: Climate Change Brings More Deadly Heat Waves: "Chances are that if you are living in the United States right now, you are experiencing sweltering heat.

Blazing hot temperatures are blanketing much of the US. While July is always a warm month, the extent and duration of this year's heat is unusual and deadly. News reports indicate that people are dying in this protracted heat wave. Climate change most likely has a hand in this long, hot and dangerous summer."

Climate Change Update: Polar Bear Cubs Drowning Due To Climate Change | Planetsave

Polar Bear Cubs Drowning Due To Climate Change | Planetsave: "A group of biologists that have been studying polar bears off the coast of Alaska have determined that polar bear cubs are drowning, due to loss of sea ice. They are being forced to make longer swims than normal just to find land or stable ice sheets.
Source: Planetsave (http://s.tt/12T0u)The researchers have been tracking the bears with GPS tracking collars in order to determine the extent of their journeys. Of the bears that were tracked, eleven bears that swam long distances had young cubs at the time of the collar deployment. Five of those bears lost their cubs while swimming, a 45 percent mortality rate. Among cubs not compelled to swim long distances, the mortality rate was 18 percent."

Climate Change Update: UN council turns around on climate change

UN council turns around on climate change: "UNITED NATIONS — The UN Security Council expressed concern Wednesday that climate change may aggravate threats to international peace and security after what diplomats described as intense negotiations between Germany and Russia, which initially opposed any council action.
Germany, which holds the council presidency this month and initiated the daylong debate, pressed for the first-ever council statement linking climate change to global peace and security.

Diplomats said after Russia blocked consensus on Germany’s proposed statement Wednesday morning, Germany initiated high-level contacts with Moscow that produced agreement on a weaker version. The diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity because negotiations were private.

“This is a good day today for climate security,” German Ambassador Peter Wittig said, characterizing climate change as “one of the most important challenges to international peace and security of this century.”"

“We had quite extensive discussions,” Wittig said. “We wanted to get everyone on board. And we did.”

The turnaround came after a day of speeches by representatives of more than 60 countries, including small islands such as the Pacific state of Nauru endangered by rising seas that scientists blame on climate change. U.S. Ambassador Susan E. Rice had called failed attempts to reach consensus in the morning “pathetic” and “shortsighted.”

“The Security Council expresses its concern that possible security implications of loss of territory of some states caused by sea-level-rise may arise, in particular in small low-lying island states,” read the statement approved in the late afternoon.

The statement also asked the Secretary-General to include the security implications of climate change in his reports.

“I would like to thank all members of the council for their cooperation and flexibility shown in those intensive negotiations over the last days,” Wittig said after reading the statement. “It led to an outcome of our debate, which is good news.”

During an open debate earlier in the day, Russia and several other council members argued that climate change shouldn’t be discussed in the UN body responsible for world peace, but rather by other UN bodies such as its General Assembly, Economic and Social Council, Environment Program, and Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Britain joined the U.S. in arguing that it was appropriate for the council to address the climate change’s security implications, saying that dramatically changing weather patterns are leading to flooding, drought, dwindling food stocks and other crises that threaten global security and peace.

The latest such crisis is the famine that the UN declared Wednesday in two regions of southern Somalia.

In the morning, Nauru President Marcus Stephen expressed disappointment the council was initially failing to reach consensus. “The Security Council must reflect current geopolitical realities if it is to remain relevant,” Stephen told council members.

Germany brought the issue before the body to shine a spotlight on the potentially devastating consequences caused by rising sea levels and temperatures and disruptions in weather patterns.

The council had failed to agree on whether climate change was an issue of world peace in 2007, when Britain brought up the issue.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that as the effects of climate change grow, so do threats to global peace and security.

“Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent, more intense and affecting ever more people,” Ban said. “The consequences include massive loss of life, human suffering and economic loss.

“Megacrises are becoming the new normal,” said Ban.

Russian Ambassador Alexander Pankin, his country’s deputy permanent representative to the U.N., said in the morning that involving the Security Council in the debate could lead to “increased politicization” of the issue.