World leaders: The fight for climate change

W O R L D L E A D E R S The fight for climate change

Shanna Embery

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Introduction: Why? The impact of Covid-19: Effects on climate change Greta Thunberg: Hero and Villain Donald Trump: The business man Xi Jinping: Hidden secrets Angela Merkel: Climate Chancellor

Boris Johnson: Get net zero done Kim Jong-un: The Supreme Leader Vladimir Putin: Russia’s plans Narendra Modi: India’s saviour Emmanuel Macron: Broken promises Contacts: Your actions

WHY?

Throughout this magazine I will be talking about the people who run the world and exactly what they are doing surrounding climate change. Climate change is a scary crisis that not everyone is taking seriously; we have to take action now. The purpose of this magazine is to depict (as best I can) exactly what the ‘world leaders’ are doing to prevent global warming and how they manage this crisis- good or bad. Before the Coronavirus effected the world, we all had just began the journey of saving our planet.

How will our leaders help us get back on track?

WHO? 01

Climate Change

THE IMPACT OF COVID-19

Due to the outbreak, all physical meetings to discuss climate change has been cancelled so all actions to control global warming has been stopped. Fortunately this awful pandemic has had some benefits, due to the population ordered to stay at home there has been less pollution, less fumes, more wildlife evolving and the earth has started to heal.

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Some workers are having to work from home which is decreasing carbon emission as well as their carbon footprints- the stop of daily commutes has significantly improved the air quality. According to ‘The Climate Group’, working from home has the potential to reduce over 300 MILLION tonnes of carbon emissions per year.

There has also been reports that the air quality has improved immensely in both Italy and China since residents have been staying home due to the outbreak.

In fact experts believe that the pandemic exposes how we can do things differently, so will these type of actions take place once the outbreak is over or will we go back to ‘normal’ and ignore the global crisis.

The actions taken to suppress the spread of the virus have revealed what measures are possible in an emergency and many experts are urging governments to apply the same momentum to the climate emergency.

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Climate Change

GRETA THUNBERG

Greta Thunberg. The amazing 17 year old who inspired millions around the world to take part in protests and strikes to raise awareness of climate change. This girl has not only opened millions of peoples eyes to the danger of global warming, but also made many world leaders active in this fight for climate change; although there are still some leaders who do not want to accept this dilemma, many other have made brilliant progress.

At just 16 she made a motivational speech which caught people’s attention to focus on the effects of climate change and the harm it is causing to the world.

Many didn’t listen to begin with because of her age and appearance- ‘she is too young to understand’, ‘how does she know? she’s only 16’.

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Her famous speech, “You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words”, was met with various disappointing responses from different leaders. Trump added that ‘she should be more happy at that age and less dramatic’ and later tweeted a sarcastic tweet- ‘She seems like a very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future’.

As you probably know yourself, Greta is 100% right with everything she has expressed over the past year and has made amazing progress with the fight of global warming. Hopefully everyone will stand up in this fight.

[FRSGS]

‘HERO & VILLAIN’ “People are suffering. People are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing.

We are in the beginning of a mass extinction. And all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth.”

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Climate Change

DONALD TRUMP

Unfortunately the President of America doesn’t seem as bother about this crisis as some other leaders; he has called climate change “mythical”, “nonexistent” and “an expensive hoax.”

Trump is a business man who thrives on the flow of money and wealth so sadly his loyalty is with the people who make him the most dollars. Hopefully he will see that without a healthy earth there will be no money to worry about. There will be an extinction of US, if there aren’t drastic changes put in place.

“If we fail to act now, it is scientifically irrefutable that there will be catastrophic and irreversible consequences for humanity and our planet.”

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[Jonathan Ernst]

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Many of the actions roll back Obama-era policies that aimed to curb climate change and limit environmental pollution, while others threaten to limit federal funding for science and the environment. In recent events, the Trump administration announced it would be dismantling the 2015 Sage Grouse Conservation Plans. The sage grouse (bird) has become a symbol of land conflict between environmentalists and energy companies, is again at risk of losing some of its habitat- once numbering as many as 16 million, only about 500,000 are thought to exist today.

The new directive, led by acting Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, now gives states more control over which habitats they can open for fossil fuel extraction.

They are destroying many habitats and species for their own benefits and are completely ignoring the climate change crisis which has been warmed about by millions and Donald Trump doesn’t seem to be bothered.

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After receiving negative opinions about the actions he has made over the past year, he has suddenly changed his view of this crisis and wants to do everything he can to help planet Earth. He has now surprisingly described climate change as a “serious subject” which is “very important” to him. President Donald Trump has also signed a bill that provides protections to over two million acres of lands across the United State (the same month he agreed to destroy the Sage grouse habitats). As you can tell he has expressed mixed emotions within the global warming crisis, whether he actually cares or not, so what will he do next?

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Climate Change

XI JINPING

China is now in the lead from being the first country to recover from Covid-19 and is now tackling the crisis of climate change. With its move toward a clean-energy future, China has become the de facto leader in international climate efforts.

The country, now responsible for almost 30 percent of global CO2 emissions, is sending increasingly mixed signals about its commitments to reduce greenhouse gases.

Beijing has been seen as an enthusiastic advocate for action to halt climate change since Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Barack Obama reached a deal on curbing their nations’ emissions in 2014.

That agreement became the cornerstone of the Paris accord a year later. But in Bonn, China lapsed into what old hands saw as old ways. Things ended so badly that UN climate chief Patricia Espinosa scheduled an extra week of negotiations, in Bangkok in September, to try and break the deadlock.

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There are still reports which depict that Xi Jinping still wants to be a lead role in fighting this crisis and wants to continue to work alongside France.

China is currently the biggest contributor to global warming- at the moment, a lot of China’s emissions come from producing stuff for other countries; about 22% of China’s carbon dioxide emissions are the result of goods and services that are exported.

China will eventually propose 150 new initiatives to mitigate annual carbon emissions by as much as 10 billion to 12 billion tonnes through the use of natural solutions, such as reforestation- China has championed the use of “nature-based solutions”, such as the expansion of forests, grasslands and wetlands, as well as the use of biomass energy. Xi Jinping has planned various ways to battle the global crisis- a lot more than other leaders, especially more than Donald Trump.

“Some countries have become more inward-looking and less willing to take part in international cooperation, and the spillovers of their policy adjustments are deepening.”

[Mark Schiefelbien]

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Climate Change

ANGELA MERKEL

German leader Angela Merkel has been nicknamed “Climate Chancellor” for her long-standing international engagement for emissions cuts and the drastic changes she has made to fight the global warming crisis. Merkel has been a key figure throughout this crisis and has been fighting for a change since 1995; she was one of the first world leaders to take drastic action to save the planet.

In 1995, she was made Federal Environment Minister and presided over the first UN Climate Conference in Berlin, which put Germany at the forefront of the global movement to cut CO2 emissions.

“I have been fighting for climate action for over ten years now and I consider it to be a tough struggle.”

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Since then the chancellor of Germany has proceeded to fight global warming, however she has had minor set backs due to new government policies, disagreements with other world leaders (especially Trump) as well as the major disaster of Covid-19- which we are all still fighting.

The chancellor has repeatedly said that international cooperation is required if anything is to be achieved. Merkel has also called on Germans to think out of the box to cope with the challenges arising from global warming as she has big plans to help this crisis.

Angela Merkel and the German government has agreed to a $60 billion climate policy package to help aid tackling climate change to ensure Germany reaches its 2030 targets by the end of 2019. Although Merkel has set up stricter policies involving climate change, France and other neighbouring countries’ call for more ambitious climate action and climate neutrality- by 2050.

[Michele Tantussi/Pool]

“It will be our children and grandchildren who have to live with the consequences of what we do or refrain from doing today. That is why I use all my strength to ensure that Germany makes its contribution - ecologically, economically, socially - to getting climate change under control.�

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Climate Change

BORIS JOHNSON

The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has called on every country to set long-term goals in 2020 to reach net zero emissions at the formal launch of UK plans to host UN climate talks in November.

The UK was the first major economy to set a net zero emissions target by 2050 in law last summer and Johnson said he would “lead a global call to reach net zero”.

Johnson has commented that it is important to link the issues of biodiversity and climate change, suggesting that the climate issue can only be solved when the “balance between humanity and nature” is restored- deforestation, extinctions.

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Countries are under pressure to increase their climate plans to bridge the gap between current emissions reduction pledges and what is necessary to limit global warming “well below 2C” above pre-industrial times; like the Covid-19 crisis, we all have to work together to overcome this fight for survival.

[Niklas Halle’n/AFP/Getty Images]

Every country has had major set back surrounding their plans for climate change due to the virus, but now more than ever we have to get back on track to save the planet- climate change must be a top priority for our government to succeed.

Boris has always wanted England to be the ‘cleanest and greenest place in the world’ but to do this, we all need to act fast and work with other countries as well as the people in our country. There are many people who are still not looking after our home- by cutting down trees, over fishing and farming, using their vehicles for unnecessary journeys (driving to the shops when it’s a 15 minute walk).

Boris Johnson won the election campaign with his promise to “Get Brexit Done.” His legacy may depend on another slogan he didn’t use during the election: whether he can help the world to “Get Net Zero Done.”

“Of course it’s expensive, of course it’s difficult, it will require thought and change and action, people will say it’s impossible and it can’t be done, and my message to you all this morning is that they are wrong. I hope it will be a defining year of action for our country, and indeed for our planet, on tackling climate change but also on protecting the natural world.”

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Climate Change

KIM JONG-UN

It seems to be that Kim Jong-un’s biggest worry is his new ski resorts that he has built, fearing they might go bust due to lack of tourists and the major issue of the snow melting- due to climate change. North Korea is falling victim to changing Arctic weather patterns that are warming winters and reducing the levels of snow on lower slopes.

The supreme leader has invested in various ski resorts in North Korea to attract winter-sports enthusiasts and hard currency, to increase tourism.

Since the coronavirus spreading throughout China, Kim has shut the border cutting off the largest source of tourists to North Korea.

Has the supreme leader made any actions himself to fight climate change?

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Over the past few years, North Korea has suffered severe droughts, record heat and damaging floods caused by climate change; declining availability of food, water and energy, sea level rise, migration, and extreme weather events – pile more stress onto countries already at risk from internal instability and economic weakness.

But from my research, the supreme leader has made no drastic actions to fight climate change, but has however set up various plans and meetings to resolve this crisis. From my understanding, his main concerns are2 with Trump and the actions he has planned surrounding nuclear weapons and economic sanctions; focusing on power and not survival.

North Korea has strong incentives to fight climate change and its potential to erode government control.

The fact that the nation has become more compliant over time suggests that the objectives of the international climate change regime come together with the survival imperatives of Kim Jong-un’s government.

There is compelling evidence that the North Korean government is motivated by domestic power games to co-operate globally on climate change- Kim has initiated tree-planting campaigns to take place over next decade, and said all mountains will be turned into “golden and thickly wooded with trees.”

“Let us launch a revolutionary general offensive to achieve fresh victory on all fronts of building a powerful socialist country!”

[Conor Finnegan]

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Climate Change

VLADIMIR PUTIN

Russia is warming 2.5 times faster than the planet as a whole and the twoyear “first stage” plan is an indication the government officially recognises this as a problem, even though Vladimir Putin denies human activity is the cause- “Nobody knows the origins of global climate change”, seeming to cast doubt over whether global warming is of man-made origin and stating it could be blamed on cosmological processes.

Even though he has many scientists on his team which has proved him wrong on this matter with physical proof, he is still in denial. Putin has also also criticised the Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, describing her as an uninformed, impressionable teenager possibly being “used” in someone’s interest and understands he may be hated for not being as ‘enthusiastic’ as everyone else.

Russia has published a plan to adapt its economy and population to climate change, aiming to mitigate damage but also “use the advantages” of warmer temperatures.

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[Andrew Osborn, Polina Devitt]

“We know that in the history of our Earth there have been periods of warming and cooling and it could depend on processes in the universe. A small angle in the axis in the rotation of the Earth or its orbit around the Sun could push the planet into serious climate changes.”

All countries are under pressure to announce more ambitious policies on climate change in 2020, the first five-year milestone of the Paris climate agreement, with calls to link stimulus packagesto combat the coronavirus to a greener economy.

Despite the negative trends, Russia has made some progress in reducing its coal and oil consumption. From 2015-2018, these products’ share as energy sources has fallen by 4%, while natural gas has risen by about 3.5% per year.

Edelgeriev (Putins top climate advisor) has said that arguing over the causes of climate change is pointless: “The climate has changed and is changing, so the questions are how can we influence it so that it doesn’t change further, how to adapt to what has changed and determining what to do next.”

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Climate Change

NARENDRA MODI

Narendra Modi is known for his peace and humanity spirit and his passion for equality and care in the world; therefore of course the Prime minister of India will be one of the first to help tackle climate change... Surely? His modest personality has inspired his people to focus on the importance of life and not obsess over greed and money.

Reinforcing India’s commitment to combat climate change, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announces the setting up of a major global coalition to promote setting up of disaster-resilient infrastructure in the wake of rising extreme climatic events- “The time for talking is over. The world needs to act now.� He has preached from the beginning that we, as one, must live with nature and not battle against it- which some world leaders disagree on.

The Prime minister of India, who is leading efforts to scrap single-use plastics in India, said that this move will also be adopted at the global level and hopes other world leaders will be made aware of the dangers of single use plastics.

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The Prime minister of India, who is leading efforts to scrap single-use plastics in India, said that this move will also be adopted at the global level and hopes other world leaders will be made aware of the dangers of single use plastics. Modi has also preached about the importance of using renewable sources of energy, not to be wasteful and not to take advantage of our earth.

Although Modi has played a strong role in this fight for climate change, he argues that, “Climate has not changed. We have changed. Our habits have changed. Our habits have got spoiled. Due to that, we have destroyed our entire environment.”

Therefore he does not necessarily believe the science behind climate change, similar to Vladimir Putin.

He has pronounced many times that the world must do something in order to prevent further damage caused by global warming but has avoided questions in interviews when asked about his own plans and actions he is willing to take; so Modi has created confusion about his views on climate change.

“The respect for nature, the judicious use of resources, reducing our needs and living within our means have all been important aspects of both our traditions and present-day efforts. ‘Need, not greed’ has been our guiding principle.”

[Times of India]

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Climate Change

EMMANUEL MACRON

A lot of promises. Emmanuel Macron has explained his plans and promises on fighting this world wide crisis, even throughout the Covid-19 pandemic he was still thinking about global warming and sticking to his ‘plans’, but a lot of people (especially world leaders) are saying they are just empty words and that he hasn’t physically done anything to help the planet.

French environment campaigners have warned Emmanuel Macron is doing too little to combat climate change and must radically rethink his environment policy if he is to honour his promise to “make this planet great again”.

Although Macron did not make environmental issues a major part of his election manifesto last year, he later attempted to push them to the forefront as a symbol of progressive politics and to counter Donald Trump’s decision to take the US out of the Paris climate accord.

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[Ludovic Marin]

“France will be active and mindful of peace, of the balance of power, of international cooperation, of respect for the commitments made on development and the fight against global warming.”

Addressing the US Congress in April, Macron told American lawmakers: “There is no Planet B.” Macron, though disappointed by Trump’s earlier Paris decision, has also paradoxically been one of its largest political beneficiaries, seizing the symbolic climate leadership position vacated by the United States. Climate has offered Macron a relatively low-cost, popular, way to raise his profile as an international player, early on in his presidency.

After visiting a melting glacier in the French Alps, he is now calling the battle against climate change and environmental destruction “the fight of the century”. But President Emmanuel Macron’s tour of the Mer de Glace glacier and an ice cave carved into it near the mountain town of Chamonix was condemned as an electoral stunt by environmental campaigners; used as a photo-op to encourage people to believe his care for this world issue.

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Climate Change

Thank you for reading this magazine about world leaders and their views of climate change. If you would like to find out more about these so called leaders, then check out my blog. Not only have I disscussed what they are doing for climate change, I have also spoke about the world wide threat, which we are still fighting, the coronavirus. The blog will be updated each week with different theories and views of these specific leaders- so keep checking! https://shannaembery4.wixsite.com/website

CONTACT: Email- Shannaembery@icloud.com S.embery1@uni.brighton.ac.uk Instagram- Shanna_embery

(Illustartions by Shanna Embery)

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What can you do to help prevent climate change?

Conserve water!

Not using it? Turn it off.

Reduce your waste!

Make a habit of recycling.

Walk & travel green!

Less pollution, more benefits.

Generate clean green energy!

Install renewable energy in your homes.

Stand up & get involved!

Voice out your concerns.

Climate Change

For more information on what you can do to help prevent climate change, go to- https:// www.greenpower-technology.co.uk/climatechange/what-can-i-do-to-help-preventclimate-change

“You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words and yet I'm one of the lucky ones. People are suffering. People are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing. We are in the beginning of a mass extinction and all you can talk about is money and fairytales of eternal economic growth. How dare you!

For more than 30 years, the science has been crystal clear. How dare you continue to look away and come here saying that you're doing enough when the politics and solutions needed are still nowhere in sight.

You say you hear us and that you understand the urgency, but no matter how sad and angry I am, I do not want to believe that. Because if you really understood the situation and still kept on failing to act then you would be evil and that I refuse to believe.

The popular idea of cutting our emissions in half in 10 years only gives us a 50 percent chance of staying below 1.5 degrees and the risk of setting off irreversible chain reactions beyond human control.

Fifty percent may be acceptable to you, but those numbers do not include tipping points, most feedback loops, additional warming hidden by toxic air pollution or the aspects of equity and climate justice.� - Greta Thunberg