Lockdowns in response to the coronavirus mean quieter cities, clearer skies and easier breathing. For many city dwellers the lack of cars has been a revelation amid the suffering and loss inflicted by Covid-19.

The International Council of Nurses (ICN) have said that at least 90,000 healthcare workers worldwide are believed to have been infected with Covid-19, and possibly twice that, amid reports of continuing shortages of protective equipment, the Guardian reports. The disease has killed more than 260 nurses. The ICN urges authorities to keep more accurate records to help prevent the virus from spreading among staff and patients.

Global private capital renewable energy investments are still above $250 billion for 2013. While the final numbers are not in yet, 3rd quarter global renewable energy investments, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance’s latest data on deals and projects, notes slightly lower global investment than in 2012 due faltering “political will to decarbonise energy mix.” They further note that the third quarter’s decline in investment will push the year’s overall investment in renewable energy and energy-smart technologies down below 2012's $281 billion. But $250+ billion ain’t shabby.

The European Union is poised to take its first formal steps to expand the world’s most ambitious limits on fossil fuel pollution. That may widen a rift in how it balances green policies with the need for cheaper power.

The U.K. risks power shortages because utilities may react to Europe’s toughest carbon emissions rules by closing plants without replacing them.

The European Union needs an ambitious emissions-reduction goal, targets for energy- efficiency and renewables as well as tools to foster investment under its planned 2030 policies, an advisory panel to 14 ministers said.

The European Union threatened to renew tariffs on biodiesel from the U.S. for another five years in a sign of persistent trade tensions over renewable energy.

President Barack Obama pledged deeper U.S. cuts in greenhouse-gas emissions and China will for the first time set a target for capping carbon emissions under an agreement between the world’s two biggest economies.

India, the world’s third-largest polluter, will spend at least $100 billion on climate-related projects but isn’t ready to follow China and the U.S., the top two emitters, in promising to limit its fossil-fuel emissions.

Global emissions were unchanged last year, the first time that’s happened amid economic growth in four decades, according to the International Energy Agency.

President Barack Obama ordered the federal government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent from 2008 levels over the next 10 years by shifting to renewable energy sources such as solar power.

European Union negotiators are endorsing an accelerated overhaul of the bloc’s carbon market after the price of emission rights fell to levels that fail to deter polluters.

Executives from 13 major U.S. corporations are announcing at least $140 billion in new investments to decrease their carbon footprints as part of a White House initiative to recruit private commitments ahead of a United Nations climate-change summit later this year in Paris.

Companies including Apple Inc., Berkshire Hathaway Energy Co., and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. will join Secretary of State John Kerry and top administration officials at the White House for the announcement. In addition to pledges to cut emissions, provide financing to environmentally-focused companies, and reduce water consumption, the companies have said they will procure at least 1,600 MW of new, renewable energy. The White House said in a statement that it expects to announce a second round of similar pledges later this fall from additional companies.

The commitments are being announced as President Barack Obama is looking to build momentum toward a legacy-defining global climate accord in Paris. In addition to company-specific commitments, the corporate leaders on Monday will signal their support for a strong climate agreement out of the United Nations talks. They administration is using the pledges to set an example for companies to find ways to eliminate their carbon emissions.

Climate Talks

“As the world looks toward global climate negotiations in Paris this December, American leadership at all levels will be essential,” the White House said in a fact sheet detailing the announcement.

The administration’s actions are pushing the issue into the 2016 presidential debate. Hillary Clinton, the front-runner for the Democratic nomination, released an energy strategy saying she would both defend and go beyond Obama’s efforts. Republican candidates have criticized the administration’s initiatives as costly to the economy and unnecessary.

Among the pledges, aluminum manufacturer Alcoa Inc. has agreed to reduce emissions by 50 percent from its 2005 levels, while agricultural giant Cargill Inc. says 18 percent of its total energy use will come from renewable sources.

Coca-Cola Co. said it would drive down the carbon footprint of its beverage production by 25 percent over the next five years, while Google says it plans to triple its purchases of renewable energy over the next decade. Berkshire Hathaway says it plans to invest up to an additional $15 billion in the construction and operation of renewable energy generators, while Bank of America Corp says it will increase its environmental business initiative by $75 billion over the next decade, according to the White House

Other participating firms include Wal-Mart, United Parcel Service Inc., PepsiCo Inc., Microsoft Corp., General Motors Inc.

The corporate commitments won’t be the administration’s only major climate announcement in the next few weeks. The Environmental Protection Agency is set to present final regulations that aim to reduce carbon emissions from power plants by 30 percent from 2005 levels by 2030 later this week.

While visiting Kenya over the weekend, Obama repeatedly praised the country for its efforts to address climate change, saying its efforts tor educe emissions “has put it in the position of being a leader on the continent.” And next month, the president will travel to Alaska for an international summit on Arctic climate issues.

©2015 Bloomberg News

For more, see Big Companies, Big Renewable Investments.

It’s never been more important to put powerful AI tools in the hands of the world’s leading medical researchers. That’s why we’re introducing MONAI, our latest initiative with King’s College London. This open-source AI framework for healthcare builds on the best practices from existing tools, including NVIDIA Clara, NiftyNet, DLTK and DeepNeuro. MONAI is user-friendly, Read article >

The post NVIDIA and King’s College London Announce MONAI Open Source AI Framework for Healthcare Research appeared first on The Official NVIDIA Blog.

Check here each week to keep up with the latest from John MacArthur's pulpit at Grace Community Church.

Check here each week to keep up with the latest from John MacArthur's pulpit at Grace Community Church.

The lockdown announced by the President on 23 March 2020 left many parents who are co-holders of parental responsibilities and rights uncertain as to what the position is in regard to their right to exercise contact and care to their children during...

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A Planning Inspector has decided that ‘event fees’ should be taken into account in assessing the viability of retirement living developments and their ability to contribute to planning gain. Usually due on the death of a resident, the In...

Wearing delicate makeup, a traditional hairstyle and the ancient Chinese clothing Hanfu, a young lady posed for a vintage photoshoot.

In Edenred (UK Group) Ltd v (1) Her Majesty’s Treasury (2) Her Majesty’s Commissioners for Revenue and Customs (HMRC) (3) National Savings and Investments [2015] UKSC 45, the Supreme Court unanimously dismissed Edenred’s challenge ...

In Edenred (UK Group) Ltd v (1) Her Majesty’s Treasury (2) Her Majesty’s Commissioners for Revenue and Customs (3) National Savings and Investments [2015] UKSC 45, the Supreme Court unanimously dismissed Edenred’s challenge to Her ...

On 23 April 2020, the President announced that from 1 May 2020, lockdown would be extended at level 4 – which provides for reduced restrictions. On 29 April 2020, the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, published and is...

A record decline in greenhouse gas could be followed by a larger increase as the economy rebounds, energy experts warn.

  Introduction Regulation (EU) 2019/2089, known as the Low Carbon Benchmarks Regulation, (the “Regulation”) was published in the Official Journal on 9 December 2019 and entered into force on 10 December 2019. The Regulation amends ...

Introduction For many years the FCA has considered whether to apply an overarching standard of care that should be applied to authorised firms. In July 2018 they concluded that there was not “a sufficient basis for making changes to primary l...

The Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC), a cap and trade scheme that aims to reduce the UK's carbon dioxide emissions, is due to come into force in only twelve months' time. On 12 March 2009, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) publish...

The Carbon Tax Act No. 15 of 2019 | Effective as of 1 June 2019 “Reducing the impacts of climate change through facilitating a viable and fair transition to a low-carbon economy is essential to ensure an environmentally sustainable economic gr...

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Summary In this case certain E&Y entities based in London were ordered to pay USD10.8 million for loss of earnings to a whistleblowing former auditor employed by an E&Y entity that was not based in the UK and not party to the proceedings. Th...

Retroactive reduction of advance tax payments for 2019 ... Due to the coronavirus crisis, many taxpayers can expect their income to collapse considerably in 2020, leading to losses that can be offset against tax payments. Such losses can be off...

On 28 May 2009 the Solicitors Regulation Authority announced to the legal profession that 11,000 law firms throughout England and Wales would receive warning cards alerting them to potential fraudulent activity. 130,000 of these warning cards have n...

The Government has now responded fully to the 290 recommendations made by the Francis Inquiry earlier in the year. Since the publication of the report in February of this year, members of our team who acted as a part of the team acting as Solicitors...

The Commercial Court was asked to consider whether a cargo of LNG could be a cargo injurious to the Vessel. The Facts By way of a Time-Charterparty dated 3 January 2011 AOM chartered the LNG Gemini (the “Vessel”) to Golar Commodities Ltd...

The Court of Appeal’s decision in The South West Strategic Health Authority v Bay Island Voyages [2015] EWCA Civ 708 provides guidance on the application of the Athens Convention 1974 in contribution claims against carriers. The Facts On 26 Au...

Auto production in Mexico and Brazil, Latin America's top producers, plunged by an unprecedented 99% in April as a result of the coronavirus crisis, with the two countries building a total of just 5,569 vehicles.

The Cross River border taskforce had earlier intercepted and sent back five trucks with goods and almajiri children.

The post COVID-19: Cross River taskforce intercepts, sends back trucks carrying almajiri children appeared first on Premium Times Nigeria.

La enseñanza bíblica en profundidad de John MacArthur lleva la verdad transformadora de la Palabra de Dios a millones de personas cada día.

La enseñanza bíblica en profundidad de John MacArthur lleva la verdad transformadora de la Palabra de Dios a millones de personas cada día.

La enseñanza bíblica en profundidad de John MacArthur lleva la verdad transformadora de la Palabra de Dios a millones de personas cada día.

La enseñanza bíblica en profundidad de John MacArthur lleva la verdad transformadora de la Palabra de Dios a millones de personas cada día.

La enseñanza bíblica en profundidad de John MacArthur lleva la verdad transformadora de la Palabra de Dios a millones de personas cada día.

La enseñanza bíblica en profundidad de John MacArthur lleva la verdad transformadora de la Palabra de Dios a millones de personas cada día.

La enseñanza bíblica en profundidad de John MacArthur lleva la verdad transformadora de la Palabra de Dios a millones de personas cada día.

La enseñanza bíblica en profundidad de John MacArthur lleva la verdad transformadora de la Palabra de Dios a millones de personas cada día.

Mauro Icardi is being used as bait to prise Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang away from Arsenal, according to reports in Italy. The Gunners captain has little over a year remaining on his contract at the Emirates, and the north London club could be forced to sell him rather than risk losing him for nothing in 12 months. […]

The post Arsenal ‘offered  Icardi’ for  Aubameyang appeared first on Nigerian Pilot News.

Roberts, who is an author and was last seen in a telenovela five years ago, says this new role is so meaty that she couldn't resist it.