Climate Conference Makes Progress, Despite US Paris Pullout
The 2017 UN climate change summit finished on Friday with significant progress made toward converting the landmark 2015 Paris deal into a rule-based framework. Coming amidst growing scientific alarm about global warming, the chair of the event had called for “the vision of Paris” to shine through given growing concerns that the process at a critical crossroads.

It is fitting that the Fiji prime minister chaired the meeting given that the very existence of low lying islands is threatened by sea level rises due to climate change, redrawing the map of the world with key cities like Rio de Janeiro, Shanghai, Osaka, Miami, Alexandria and The Hague threatened too. On October 30, the World Meteorological Organisation warned the last time carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere were as high as now was three to five million years ago, and that temperatures could continue to spike, hitting dangerous levels by 2100 — unless world leaders take major action.

In what was a tough backdrop for the first Pacific island nation to chair the event — the first time the annual summit has convened since Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the Paris deal — moving forward with implementation of Paris was the major point of discussion. This includes delivering on the targets that were decided by each country referred to as the nationally determined contributions (NDCs).

The importance attached to the NDCs reflects the fact that Paris is a flexible, ‘bottom-up’ treaty whereby countries develop bespoke plans to realise emissions targets with national and sub-national governments working in partnership with business. In other words, while Paris created a global architecture for tackling global warming, it recognises that diverse, often decentralised policies will be required by different types of economies to meet climate commitments.

While the wisdom of this may appear obvious, it represents a breakthrough from the more rigid ‘top-down’ Kyoto Protocol framework. Kyoto worked in 1997 for the 37 developed countries and the EU states who agreed it. But a different way of working is needed for the more complex Paris deal which involves more than 170 diverse developing and developed states which agreed to reduce global carbon dioxide emissions by 80% by 2050.

That this approach makes good sense is reflected in the diversity of climate measures that countries, pre-Paris, had started to make in response to global warming. This has been illustrated in reports by the Grantham Institute at the London School of Economics, including in 2015, which focused on 98 countries plus the EU, together accounting for 93% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and revealed there are more than 800 climate-change laws and policies in place across the world, rising from 54 in 1997.

Approximately half of these (398) were legislative measures, and half (408) executive actions (e.g. decrees). And 46 new laws and policies were passed in the 12 months prior to the 2015 Paris summit alone — highlighting that domestic measures to address global warming are being approved at a strong clip.

Some 45 countries, including the 28 EU members as a bloc, have economy wide targets to reduce their emissions. Together, they account for over 75% of global emissions.

In addition, 41 states have economy-wide targets up to 2020, and 22 have targets beyond 2020. Moreover, 86 countries have specific targets for renewable energy, energy demand, transportation or land-use, land-use change and forestry, while some 80% of countries have renewable targets; the majority of them are executive policies.

This underlines that the best way to tackle climate change, going forward, is a decentralised approach with nations meeting their target commitments in innovative and effective ways that builds on this momentum. Take the example of Morocco, the host of last November’s summit, which has become a leader in renewables.

The country gets nearly 30% of its energy from renewable energy and is aiming for a goal of 50% by 2030. It is an agenda setter on renewables for other emerging economies, including in North Africa, and one of the highlights of that summit was a pledge by almost 50 emerging markets from Africa to the Americas to try to become zero carbon societies by 2050 driven by these ‘new’ energies.

A key part of the drive here is harnessing how renewables could drive a remarkable new industrial revolution potentially becoming a key source of economic growth and sustainable development. In Morocco, the drive toward renewables relies not just on big infrastructure projects like solar and wind plants, but also less expensive local, small-scale initiatives to encourage key eco-friendly projects including in agriculture.

Thus as well as major power projects, such as the Energipro initiative which has provided Africa’s largest wind farm, and what will become the largest concentrated solar power plant in the world at Ouarzazate, there is emphasis on encouraging the agricultural sector (which employs more than 40% of the workforce) to become more climate-conscious. There are big plans underway, for instance, with irrigation systems to reduce use of water and energy.

Morocco’s moves here are underpinned, in part, through international collaboration which highlights that another key strength of Paris’s emphasis on decentralised solutions is the international partnerships spawning between regions, cities and institutions right across the world. For instance, the University of Hull in England has forged a relationship with the International University of Agadir, Universiapolis, to share climate research insights and technological solutions to help realise Morocco’s goals to promote lower carbon growth.

Take overall, implementing Paris will require diverse, often decentralised policies by different types of economies. If countries now leverage the flexibility of the framework, it can become a key foundation stone of future sustainable development for billions across the world in the 2020s and potentially beyond.

Lord Prescott is a former UK Deputy Prime Minister and was Europe’s Chief Negotiator for the Kyoto Protocol. Andrew Hammond is an Associate at LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/andrew-hammond/climate-conference-makes-_b_18593124.html

Robert Mugabe Sacked As Zimbabwe’s ZANU-PF Party Leader
Zimbabwe’s ruling party has begun the recall of Robert Mugabe as party leader, to replace him with the fired vice president.

While he still refuses to step aside as president, the removal of him as head of the ruling Zanu-PF puts the end of his 37-rule in the country closer.

The removal is a move to force a peaceful end to his 37 years in power following a de facto military coup.

He was replaced by Emmerson Mnangagwa, the deputy he sacked this month, Reuters reported.

“He has been expelled,” one of the delegates said. “Mnangagwa is our new leader.”

Mugabe’s wife Grace, who had harboured ambitions of succeeding her husband, was also expelled from the party.

Speaking before the meeting, Chris Mutsvangwa, a leader of influential group of war veterans, said the 93-year-old Mugabe was running out of time to negotiate his departure and should leave the country while he could.

“He’s trying to bargain for a dignified exit,” he said.

Mutsvangwa followed up with threat to call for street protests if Mugabe refused to go, telling reporters: “We will bring back the crowds and they will do their business.”

Mnangagwa, a former state security chief known as “The Crocodile,” is now in line to head an interim post-Mugabe unity government that will focus on rebuilding ties with the outside world and stabilising an economy in freefall.

On Saturday, hundreds of thousands of people flooded the streets of Harare, singing, dancing and hugging soldiers in an outpouring of elation at Mugabe’s expected overthrow.

His stunning downfall in just four days is likely to send shockwaves across Africa, where a number of entrenched strongmen, from Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni to Democratic Republic of Congo’s Joseph Kabila, are facing mounting pressure to quit.

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/robert-mugabe-sacked-zanu-pf_uk_5a1175d5e4b0dd63b1aaf0ab

Yes, Fashion Does Have A Diversity Problem
Is the fashion industry racist? In light of recent talk, you could be forgiven for thinking so. Ex-Vogue editor, Alexandra Shulman, has faced criticism for comments about her successor, Edward Enninful, the ethnic composition of her team and the models she chose to grace her covers. And then there’s the debate about whether actor, Lupita Nyong’o, and singer-songwriter, Solange, had their cover image hair digitally altered by magazines with the effect of diluting their ethnicity.

I’m something of an outlier within fashion – a middle-aged woman of South Asian heritage from a working class background who only recently career changed into the industry. I’m an anomaly, perched on the periphery, which strangely enough provides quite a good vantage point.

To suggest fashion magazines should more actively embrace diversity within their ranks and in their copy is true. But it’s not just as simple as getting the numbers up. It’s about what sells. And the evidence shows that conventional-looking white models are the most commercial.

When I first started my label, I made a conscious decision that we would celebrate and champion differences in ethnicity, age and ability. Our models would be truly representative and would express only positive, assertive body language. We wanted to create genuine role models. It’s been a struggle from day one. Why? Because customers don’t buy from these images.

A number of people actually warned me against the idea. A colleague, who’d previously worked at a pre-eminent fashion model agency, told me outright – “Don’t hire black models, they’re not commercial. That’s why brands don’t use them.” I refused to believe it. As a woman of colour, I knew what I wanted to see and I knew I wasn’t alone.

But it turned out to be true. Our sales lagged. So I decided to experiment. I took images of our most conventional-looking, white model (Rosie) and our size 16, black model (Cris). Both wore the same outfit, bar the colour of the blouse. As part of a promotional email, I sent it to our customer base. Over 90% of the hits were on the image of the white model. I tried similar experiments and saw the same results. The heat maps on our website also returned the same pattern. The most interesting test was one in which I sent an image of an older, disabled model alongside Cris. The click-through rate collapsed.

I’m not a psychologist but I wonder if we have all been conditioned only to react to the types of images we’re most used to seeing and to ignore those that are unfamiliar. Without realising it are we subconsciously programmed to reinforce the stereotypical beauty standards we claim to reject?

Change must ultimately come from the customer because they have the purchasing power to direct the industry’s behaviour. Companies will always do what’s good for their bottom line. However, the leading lights of the fashion industry and the fashion media could give the process a helpful nudge by taking more of a risk and increasing the diversity of their imagery.

The industry argues that it has already taken great strides in its efforts to do this. But, however well intentioned, this has sometimes misfired. Perhaps the lack of representation within the offices and studios of the fashion industry also needs to be addressed so that it can better relate to its audience.

Data is lacking but a glance around the industry shows minimal representation of ethnic minorities. One of my former designers, of Afro-Caribbean heritage, was strongly advised by her parents not to pursue a career in fashion due to the lack of any successful, black female fashion designer role models. “Why make it harder for yourself?”, was their advice.

The media industry is similar. According to a City University survey, the British journalism industry is 94% white and only 0.2% black. Other research showed that among leading print journalists, 51% had been to private school and 54% to Oxford or Cambridge.

How can this change? Take down one of the main barriers to entry for most BAME journalists and fashion creatives – unpaid internships. Internships are the only way to secure the relevant work experience needed to gain a foothold in the industry. If they’re unpaid they automatically reduce the talent pool to one that is economically self-selecting. Only the privileged can work for free.

The fashion industry is aware that it needs to up its game. Many labels and magazines are trying but it’s not easy to get right and many fall into the trap of tokenism or worse, offer up caricatures. If the industry wants to be seen as genuinely inclusive it will need to open a few doors.

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/yes-fashion-does-have-a-diversity-problem_uk_5a103849e4b0e30a95850736

David Cassidy In Critical Condition After Hospitalisation With Organ Failure

David Cassidy is said to be in a critical condition, after being hospitalised with organ failure. 

The singer and former ‘Partridge Family’ star is suffering from kidney failure and is in a desperate need of a liver transplant, according to his publicist. 

Jo-Ann Geffen told various publications David is “is conscious and surrounded by family and friends”.

“Nothing is imminent and we are taking it day by day,” she added to CNN. 

pics with fans beforehand and now her privacy should be respected. Stay strong KC.”

Speaking to People magazine, he revealed his grandfather and mother had previously battled the disease, adding: “I was in denial, but a part of me always knew this was coming.

“I want to focus on what I am, who I am and how I’ve been without any distractions. I want to love. I want to enjoy life.”

He has also spoken candidly in recent years about his struggles with alcohol. 

After being arrested for driving under the influence for the fourth time, he told Piers Morgan in 2014: “If I take another drink, I’m going to die, physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. I’m dead.”

He explained: “It’s very painful, especially when I spent most of my life being what I would consider a very loving, caring charitable man and someone who has always protected my own image until the time, not wanting to disappoint the millions of fans that I have around the world. And, and it’s very humbling and it’s also humiliating.”

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/david-cassidy-hospital-organ-failure-transplant_uk_5a114337e4b045cf4371e20a

International Men’s Day: 5 Men Celebrate The Most Important Guys In Their Lives

Five men have opened up about the most important guys in their lives in a heartwarming video commissioned to coincide with International Men’s Day (19 November).

James Edgington, who stars in the video, says his father Graham is the most important man in his life. “He lost his wife, my mum, when I was 14 months old,” he explains. “He’s been incredible, he’s been there through every stage of my life.”

Meanwhile Andre Charles-Foster says his son is the most important male in his life: “By having him, I’ve been inspired to do so much more with my life, help more people and try and create a fairer society that he will end up coming into.”

Who are you celebrating this International Men’s Day? Let us know in the comments below.

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/men-celebrate-most-important-guys-in-their-lives_uk_5a0ef10ae4b0e97dffececaa