Tag Archives: climate change

‘Green scam’: At UN, watched by drowning nations’ leaders, Trump assails the ethos of climate change

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NEW YORK (AP) — Some countries’ leaders are watching rising seas threaten to swallow their homes. Others are witnessing their citizens die in floods, hurricanes, and heat waves, all exacerbated by climate change.

But the world U.S. President Donald Trump described in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday didn’t match the one many world leaders in the audience are contending with. Nor did it align with what scientists have long been observing.

“This ‘climate change,’ it’s the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world, in my opinion,” Trump said. “All of these predictions made by the United Nations and many others, often for bad reasons, were wrong. They were made by stupid people that have cost their countries fortunes and given those same countries no chance for success. If you don’t get away from this green scam, your country is going to fail.”

Trump has long been a critic of climate science and policies aimed at helping the world transition to green energies like wind and solar. His speech Tuesday, however, was one of his most expansive to date. It included false statements and made connections between things that are not connected.

Ilana Seid, an ambassador from the island nation of Palau and head of the organization of small island states, was in the audience. She said it’s what they’ve come to expect from Trump and the United States. She added that not acting on climate change will “be a betrayal of the most vulnerable,” a sentiment echoed by Evans Davie Njewa of Malawi, who said that “we are endangering the lives of innocent people in the world.”

For Adelle Thomas, a climate scientist who has published more than 40 studies and holds a doctorate, climate change disasters are personal, too. A vice chair of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the world’s top body on climate science, Thomas is from the Bahamas and said she experienced firsthand “the devastation of the climate disaster” when Hurricane Sandy hit the Caribbean and New York City, the city Trump was speaking from, in 2012.

“Millions of people around the world can already testify to the devastation that climate change has brought to their lives,” she said. “The evidence is not abstract. It is lived, it is deadly, and it demands urgent action.”

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### A Look at Some of Trump’s Statements, the Science Behind Them, and the Reaction

#### On Renewable Energy

**What He Said:**
Trump called renewable sources of energy like wind power a “joke” and “pathetic,” falsely claiming they don’t work, are too expensive, and too weak.

**The Backstory:**
Solar and wind are now “almost always” the least expensive and the fastest options for new electricity generation, according to a July report from the United Nations. That report also said the world has passed a “positive tipping point” where those energy sources will only continue to become more widespread.

The three cheapest electricity sources globally last year were onshore wind, solar panels, and new hydropower, according to an energy cost report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

Subsidies endorsed by Trump and the Republican party are artificially keeping fossil fuels viable, said University of Pennsylvania climate scientist Michael Mann. “If one were truly in favor of the ‘free market’ to determine this, then fossil fuels would be disappearing even faster,” he wrote in an email.

Relatedly, Trump falsely claimed European electricity bills are now “two to three times higher than the United States, and our bills are coming way down.” In fact, retail electricity prices in the United States have increased faster than the rate of inflation since 2022, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, which expects prices to continue increasing through 2026.

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#### On the International Politics of Climate, the UN, and the Paris Accord

**What He Said:**
Trump blasted the U.N.’s climate efforts, saying he withdrew America from the “fake” Paris climate accord because “America was paying so much more than every country, others weren’t paying.”

**The Backstory:**
The Paris Agreement, decided by international consensus in 2015, is a voluntary but binding document in which each country is asked to set its own national goal to curb planet-warming emissions and decide how much money it will contribute to countries hit hardest by climate change.

Because carbon dioxide stays in the atmosphere for more than a century, the United States has emitted more of the heat-trapping gas than any other nation, even though China is now the No. 1 carbon polluter.

Since 1850, the U.S. has contributed 24% of the human-caused carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, according to Global Carbon Project data. The entire continent of Africa, with four times the population of the U.S., is responsible for about 3%.

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#### On Coal Being Referred to as Clean

**What He Said:**
“I have a little standing order in the White House. Never use the word ‘coal.’ Only use the words ‘clean, beautiful coal.’ Sounds much better, doesn’t it?”

**The Backstory:**
Coal kills millions of people a year. “The president can pretend coal is clean, but real people—mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters—will die for this lie,” said Stanford University climate scientist Rob Jackson.

Trump also called the carbon footprint “a hoax made up by people with evil intentions,” a contention that Texas A&M University climate scientist Andrew Dessler agreed with. Dessler said the term was coined by oil companies and may have been designed to shift the responsibility for combatting climate change away from corporations to individuals.

—

#### The Science of Climate Change

The science of climate change started 169 years ago when Eunice Foote conducted simple experiments with flasks and sunlight, showing that carbon dioxide trapped more heat than regular air. It is an experiment that can be repeated at home and has been replicated in laboratories and greenhouses worldwide every day. It is basic physics and chemistry with a long history.

“It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean, and land,” reported the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, composed of hundreds of scientists with doctorates in the field.

In 2018, Trump’s own government stated: “The impacts of global climate change are already being felt in the United States and are projected to intensify in the future.”

—

#### On Cows and Methane

**What He Said:**
In “the United States, we have still radicalized environmentalists and they want the factories to stop. Everything should stop. No more cows. We don’t want cows anymore.”

**The Backstory:**
Cows belch methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. Around the world, cattle are often raised on lands where forests have been cut down. Since forests capture carbon dioxide, cutting them to raise cattle results in a double whammy.

Still, no one is suggesting that cows be eliminated, said Nusa Urbancic, CEO of the Changing Markets Foundation. “This polarizing and divisive language misrepresents the environmental message,” Urbancic wrote. “What is true, however, is that cutting methane emissions is a quick win to slow global heating and meet climate targets.”

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Trump also blamed dirty air blowing in from afar, floating garbage in the ocean coming from other countries, and “radicalized environmentalists.” Although the United States does indeed now have cleaner air than it has had in decades, the pollution affecting communities is primarily caused by local dirty energy and industry projects, not by other countries.

Many experts have said the biggest blow to local air and water quality comes from the Trump administration’s wide-ranging rollbacks of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s power and other foundational environmental laws.

“It is sad to see marine debris, a globally important issue, being misrepresented so completely,” said Lucy Woodall, an associate professor of marine conservation and policy at the University of Exeter.

—

**Associated Press reporters Matthew Daly, Jennifer McDermott, and Annika Hammerschlag contributed to this report.**

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters, and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
https://wgntv.com/politics-3/ap-politics/ap-green-scam-at-un-watched-by-drowning-nations-leaders-trump-assails-the-ethos-of-climate-change/

Melting glaciers, displaced lives

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The warming of Hunza and the recent glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) devastation in Ghizer are stark indicators of a shifting climate in Gilgit-Baltistan. In August 2025, floods displaced over 3,000 residents of Talidas village, where three new glacial lakes have formed since the Rawshan GLOF episode—turning many families into climate refugees.

Nestled among towering, ice-capped peaks, the Hunza Valley was once a breathtaking tapestry of pristine snowfields, hardy alpine flora, and crisp cool air. However, this balance has been profoundly disrupted by massive deforestation that transformed the valleys into warmer environments. Widespread deforestation has exposed these once-shimmering icy landscapes to higher temperatures, causing massive melting.

“As a result, solar radiation is now absorbed, raising temperatures at the bottom of the valley,” says Dr. Ghulam Rasool, a former Director General of the Pakistan Meteorological Department and a renowned glaciologist.

Hardy plants once thrived at elevations above 4,000 metres, even in freezing temperatures. Many had needle-like leaves with stomata that remained open in sub-zero conditions. According to Dr. Rasool, between 3,000 and 4,000 metres, broad-leaf trees would survive freezing winters down to -5°C and enjoy summer temperatures as high as 20°C. Below 3,000 metres, fruit-bearing trees such as cherries, plums, and apricots prospered. They withstood 3 to 3.5 months of below-freezing temperatures annually, thriving in warmer conditions for the remainder of the year.

These species thrived until rising global temperatures and widespread deforestation severely undermined the region’s natural resilience. Forests play a vital regulatory role; their dense canopy helps to retain snow and modulate melting rates, stabilising glaciers. As forests diminished, the snowline pushed ever higher into the upper reaches, removing a critical natural buffer and exposing larger areas to rapid erosion and instability.

The deforestation was the first step towards making Hunza an environmental hotspot. Invasive water-consuming trees like poplar and eucalyptus replaced native species, damaging the region’s ecology, says Dr. Rasool. These trees prefer higher and warmer temperatures and have spread across Hunza, contributing to the warming of the once-cooler valleys.

Rising valley temperatures have invited insects that ruin fruit crops, robbing cherries, apricots, and plums of their sweetness and slashing yields. Temperature-sensitive plants, such as olives, have been particularly affected. In Babusar and Shinkiari in neighbouring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, olive trees once enjoyed luxurious growth, producing high yields of black olives. Locals had even established oil extraction units to process olive oil for cooking and skincare. Today, only some remnants of indigenous olive species continue to bear fruit at higher altitudes. Other varieties have stopped bearing fruit.

Markhors were once abundant in high-elevation grasslands. Now, as valley-bottom temperatures have risen, markhors only descend briefly to drink from rivers before returning to their mountain-peak habitats, explains Dr. Rasool. This shift shows how rising heat is shrinking habitable zones for mountain wildlife.

Loss of snow cover and indigenous vegetation has not only altered temperature regimes but also diminished the region’s ability to support its unique biodiversity and the vibrant natural beauty that once defined Hunza.

According to the Forests, Wildlife and Environment Department, the region once boasted 249,205 hectares of forest cover. However, in recent decades, widespread deforestation and unchecked development have drastically reduced this cover. The result has been serious ecological fallout, including more frequent landslides, flooding, and worsening environmental degradation.

Deforestation, heavy rains, and high temperatures are destabilising glaciers with increasing episodes of glacial lake outburst floods. The 48-year-old mother of three watched helplessly as a biblical deluge roared down the mountains, destroying 80 percent of her village. “The mountains were crying,” she recalls.

The region experienced record-breaking summer temperatures in June and July this year across Gilgit-Baltistan. In Chilas and Bunji, temperatures soared past 47°C, accelerating snow and glacier melt. This was followed by torrential rains—70 percent above the monthly average in July. This combination is a primary driver for GLOFs.

This season saw widespread floods triggered by glacial melt and heavy rains from Ishkoman to Shigar and Babusar Top.

In Hassanabad, Hunza, the situation is more complex. It experienced a surge of Shishper glacier melt in 2018, which resulted in the formation of a glacier-dammed lake by obstructing the water stream originating from Muchuhur glacier in Hassanabad nullah. Four consecutive years of floods from 2019 to 2022 followed due to the formation and bursting of this lake.

However, no flooding occurred in 2023 and 2024 as the glacier surge stopped, and the water channel within Shishper glacier allowed water to flow more calmly. But 2025 triggered havoc for the Hassanabad community as large pieces of the Shishper glacier—almost 2 kilometres long and 80 feet thick—broke off due to calving, partially blocking river flow resulting from increased temperatures. These ice chunks have since fragmented further.

Multiple GLOF events from Shishper glacier caused massive flooding in Hassanabad nullah affecting Dain village, triggered by higher temperatures and extensive rains in the last fortnight of July and the first 15 days of August.

The fourth confirmed glacial lake flooding of this season took place in July in Rawshan village, Ghizer, says Prof. Karamat Ali of the Karakoram International University, Gilgit. This event, stemming from a glacial lake formed in 2022, created another perilous 7-kilometre-long lake by obstructing Ghizer River that displaced 3,000 people from Talidas village. This is the second-largest number of internally displaced persons in the region since the 2010 Attabad disaster, says Prof. Ali.

In Ghizer, Amina Bibi’s life crumbled as a glacial lake outburst flood devastated Talidas village on August 22. The 48-year-old mother of three watched helplessly as a biblical deluge roared down the mountains, destroying 80 percent of the village. “The mountains were crying,” she recalls.

Her family, among 3,000 climate refugees, lost their home, apricot trees, and olive oil stores. “Our hearth, our history—all gone,” Amina says, clutching her late husband’s photo.

According to experts, the discharge from the lake is currently more than the inflow. This is seen as a positive sign; it may drain out on its own if the embankments hold. “The temperatures will fall from September onwards. This will also reduce the inflow to a trickle, easing pressure on the lake,” says Prof. Ali.

With four other glacial lakes in Rawshan posing risk, this underscores the region’s need for vigilance.

The flooding has once again raised questions about reliable early warning systems. Such systems are deployed in the 24 smaller valleys of Gilgit-Baltistan. Prof. Ali says satellite-linked sensors are costly, fragile, and unreliable in large, steep valleys like Ishkoman. Advocating empowering local communities in Gilgit-Baltistan, highlighting their deep knowledge of local terrain and weather, he suggests low-cost, community-operated manual alarm systems—like sirens or bells—to serve as effective early warnings.

Triggered by watchmen upon detecting flood signs, these systems could provide crucial time for evacuation and damage control.

The recent events in Hunza and Ghizer serve as stark warnings of the accelerating climate crisis in Gilgit-Baltistan. Urgent action through reforestation and community-led warning systems is needed to help these valleys regain their resilience and thrive once again.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/tns/detail/1345107-melting-glaciers-displaced-lives

International treaty protecting world’s oceans to take effect

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**Multinational Treaty to Protect Vast Expanses of the World’s Oceans Set to Become Law in January 2026**

*United Nations* — A groundbreaking multinational treaty aimed at protecting vast expanses of the world’s oceans is finally set to become law in January 2026. Environmentalists hailed the announcement made this Friday as a crucial step toward safeguarding fragile marine ecosystems.

The move by Morocco and Sierra Leone to join the UN treaty on the high seas pushed the number of ratifications past the required threshold of 60, enabling the treaty to be enacted as international law.

### Protecting Valuable, Fragile Marine Areas

The treaty seeks to protect biodiverse areas in international waters—those beyond countries’ exclusive economic zones. These high seas, covering more than two-thirds of the ocean, are teeming with plant and animal life vital to the planet’s health.

Conservationists emphasize the oceans’ critical role in creating half of the globe’s oxygen supply and combating climate change by absorbing a significant portion of carbon dioxide emissions produced by human activities.

Despite their importance, these waters face multiple threats, including pollution, overfishing, and the emerging challenges posed by deep-sea mining. This new industry is exploring previously untouched seabeds for valuable minerals such as nickel, cobalt, and copper.

### Binding Rules to Conserve Marine Biodiversity

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres stated, “Covering more than two-thirds of the ocean, the agreement sets binding rules to conserve and sustainably use marine biodiversity.”

Currently, only about one percent of high seas waters have legal protections. The new treaty aims to change that by establishing comprehensive safeguards for roughly 60 percent of the world’s oceans that lie outside any national jurisdiction.

The treaty is expected to take effect in 120 days. However, Lisa Speer, director of the International Oceans Program at the US-based Natural Resources Defense Council, noted that it may take until late 2028 or 2029 before the first marine protected areas are officially established.

### Coordinated Global Efforts and Ongoing Challenges

Once the treaty is in force, a dedicated decision-making body will collaborate with existing regional and global organizations that oversee various ocean activities. These include regional fisheries bodies and the International Seabed Authority—a key forum where nations are negotiating rules for the deep-sea mining industry.

While no commercial mining licenses have yet been issued for high seas waters, some countries have begun or are preparing to explore mineral resources within their own exclusive economic zones.

The treaty also introduces principles for sharing the benefits derived from marine genetic resources collected in international waters. This issue had been a major sticking point during years of complex negotiations.

Developing countries, which often lack funding for research expeditions, advocated strongly for fair benefit-sharing to avoid being sidelined in what is considered a lucrative future market, particularly for pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.

### Toward Global Ratification

As of mid-September, 143 countries had joined the treaty. Ocean conservationists are now urging more nations to ratify it to ensure the treaty’s effectiveness.

Rebecca Hubbard, head of the High Seas Alliance coalition, stressed, “It’s really important that we move towards global or universal ratification for the treaty to be as effective as possible.” She encouraged small island states, developing countries, and even landlocked nations to participate.

### Potential Obstacles

Ratification efforts may face resistance from major maritime and industrial powers. For instance, Russia has neither signed nor ratified the treaty, citing objections to certain provisions. Meanwhile, the United States signed the treaty under President Joe Biden, but it remains unlikely that the administration under former President Donald Trump would seek to ratify it.

### Conclusion

The enactment of this treaty marks a significant leap toward the sustainable and equitable management of the world’s oceans. Protecting the high seas is essential not only for marine biodiversity but also for the health and well-being of the global community.

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*Follow us on social media for more updates on environmental news and ocean conservation.*
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/international-treaty-protecting-worlds-oceans-to-take-effect/articleshow/124009294.cms