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REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File PhotoJuly 27 (Reuters) - The number of court cases related to climate change has more than doubled in five years as impacts ranging from shrinking water resources to dangerous heatwaves hit home for millions, a report said on Thursday. Some 2,180 climate-related lawsuits have been filed across 65 jurisdictions over the past five years, according to the report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and New York's Columbia University, which tracks ongoing climate cases in a global database. Many cases involve claims based on accusations of corporate greenwashing or advocating for greater climate disclosures. Youth climate activists have already played a central role, with 34 cases brought forward on behalf of children, teens, and young adults. Litigation targeting the disruptive actions of climate activists is also on the rise, Tigre said.

Persons: Remo Casilli, Maria Antonia Tigre, Andrew Raine ,, Shell, Tigre, Gloria Dickie, Conor Humphries Organizations: della, REUTERS, UN, Programme, New York's Columbia University, Columbia's, European, of Human, Thomson Locations: Italy, Rome, New, United States, Brazil, Indonesia, Toronto

REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File PhotoJuly 27 (Reuters) - The number of court cases related to climate change has more than doubled in five years as impacts ranging from shrinking water resources to dangerous heatwaves hit home for millions, a report said on Thursday. Some 2,180 climate-related lawsuits have been filed across 65 jurisdictions over the past five years, according to the report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and New York's Columbia University, which tracks ongoing climate cases in a global database. While the United States still dominates with more than 1,500 cases, other countries are seeing increases. About 17 percent of cases have been filed in developing countries, according to the report, with rainforest-rich Brazil and Indonesia among the countries seeing the most. Youth climate activists have already played a central role, with 34 cases brought forward on behalf of children, teens, and young adults.

☆ Russian businessman loses appeal against UK over detained superyacht
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Sam Tobin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Detained Russian-owned superyacht Phi is seen in West India and Millwall Docks in London, Britain March 29, 2022. REUTERS/Tom Nicholson/File PhotoLONDON, July 21 (Reuters) - A wealthy Russian businessman on Friday lost a legal challenge against Britain over the detention of his $50 million superyacht. Sergei Naumenko's 58.5 metre yacht Phi was detained in London under the government's Russian sanctions in March 2022, the first time the regulations had been used to detain a ship. He said he was targeted simply because he was a wealthy Russian, despite the fact that he had no involvement in Russian politics or any connection with Putin. Cranston accepted Shapps was wrong to describe Naumenko as a friend of Putin, but said it was "excusable political hyperbole".

Persons: Tom Nicholson, Sergei Naumenko's, Grant Shapps, Vladimir Putin, Naumenko, Putin, Judge Ross Cranston, Mr Naumenko, Cranston, Shapps, Paul Dickie, Sam Tobin, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: Millwall Docks, REUTERS, Britain, Phi, St, Britain's Department of Transport, London's, Thomson Locations: Russian, West India, London, Britain, St Kitts, Nevis, Ukraine, Russia

In June, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) declared that an El Nino is now under way. Meteorologists expect that this El Nino, coupled with excess warming from climate change, will see the world grapple with record-high temperatures. Here is how El Nino will unfold and some of the weather we might expect:WHAT CAUSES AN EL NINO? El Nino could offer a reprieve to the Horn of Africa, which recently suffered five consecutive failed rainy seasons. Historically, both El Nino and La Nina have occurred about every two to seven years on average, with El Nino lasting 9 to 12 months.

Persons: Kim Hong, heatwaves, El, El Nino, Michelle L'Heureux, Tom DiLiberto, DiLiberto, La Nina, Nina, Gloria Dickie, Jake Spring, Angus MacSwan, Sandra Maler Organizations: REUTERS, Nino, Reuters, El Nino, U.S . National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, El, Graphics, el nino, NINO, U.S . West, La, Sao Paulo, Thomson Locations: Cheongju, South Korea, China, United States, Beijing, Rome, Americas, Asia, El, Pacific, Peru, Philippines, Canada, Central, South America, Australia, of Africa, Eastern Pacific, El Nino, London, Sao

☆ What people are saying about Ant Group's $984 mln fine and share buyback
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

July 10 (Reuters) - China's Ant Group has announced a surprise share buyback that values the fintech giant at $78.5 billion, well below the $315 billion touted in an abandoned IPO in 2020, in a move that may let some investors exit. "And second, of course, we're talking about the share buyback plan. DICKIE WONG, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT KINGSTON SECURITIES IN HONG KONG:"Their share prices have strongly rebound today mainly driven by the expectation that regulatory pressure from mainland government will ease. Ant Group is on the right track to achieve their final target of an IPO." According to the company, the reason for the buyback is providing liquidity to existing investors and attracting and retaining talented individuals through employee incentives.

Persons: GARY NG, KENNY NG, DICKIE WONG, SUMEET SINGH, Xie Yu, Yantoultra, Scott Murdoch, Anne Marie Roantree, Jamie Freed Organizations: Alibaba, HK, ASIA PACIFIC, CHINA, HONG, People's Bank of, Ant Group, KINGSTON, SINGAPORE WHO, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, People's Bank of China, SINGAPORE, COLOMBO, Hong Kong, Singapore, Sydney

HONG KONG, July 10 (Reuters) - Alibaba Group (9988.HK) and Tencent (0700.HK) shares rose in Hong Kong on Monday after China's $984 million fine against the Jack Ma-founded Ant Group appeared to signal the end of a regulatory crackdown on the country's technology sector. Alibaba's Hong Kong-listed shares were up nearly 4% by 0230 GMT on Monday, outpacing a 1.3% gain for the broader market (.HSI), while Tencent's shares were up 1%. ANT GROUP VALUATION SLASHEDAlibaba, which spun off Ant 11 years ago and has a 33% stake, said on Sunday it was considering whether to participate in the buyback. Alibaba's U.S.-listed shares rose 8% on Friday after the penalty, one of the largest-ever fines for an internet company in China, was delivered. ($1 = 7.2310 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Scott Murdoch in Sydney and Donny Kwok in Hong Kong; Editing by Anne Marie Roantree, Muralikumar Anantharaman and Jamie FreedOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jack Ma, Ant, Dickie Wong, Oshadhi Kumarasiri, Scott Murdoch, Donny Kwok, Anne Marie Roantree, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Jamie Freed Organizations: Alibaba, HK, Ant, People's Bank of China, Kingston Securities, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, Hong Kong, Beijing, Alibaba's U.S, China, Sydney

☆ Chinese yuan could stabilize at its current levels, says Kingston Securities
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailChinese yuan could stabilize at its current levels, says Kingston SecuritiesDickie Wong of the securities brokerage and research services company says China's A-share market will stabilize as as long as the yuan holds at its current level.

Persons: Kingston Securities Dickie Wong, China's Organizations: Kingston Securities

July 4 - Monday, July 3, was the hottest day ever recorded globally, according to data from the U.S. National Centers for Environmental Prediction. The average global temperature reached 17.01 degrees Celsius (62.62 Fahrenheit), surpassing the August 2016 record of 16.92C (62.46F) as heatwaves sizzled around the world. Ukraine's Vernadsky Research Base in the white continent's Argentine Islands recently broke its July temperature record with 8.7C (47.6F). "This is not a milestone we should be celebrating," said climate scientist Friederike Otto of the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment at Britain's Imperial College London. Scientists said climate change, combined with an emerging El Nino pattern, were to blame.

Persons: Friederike Otto of, Zeke Hausfather, Gloria Dickie, Mark Potter Organizations: U.S . National Centers for Environmental, Vernadsky Research, Argentine Islands, Grantham Institute, Climate, Britain's Imperial College London, El Nino, Thomson Locations: U.S, China, North Africa, Antarctica, Argentine, El, Berkeley

☆ World hits record land, sea temperatures as climate change fuels 2023 extremes
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( David Stanway | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Sea temperatures also broke April and May records. Global average sea surface temperatures hit 21C in late March and have remained at record levels for the time of year throughout April and May. Australia's weather agency warned that Pacific and Indian ocean sea temperatures could be 3C warmer than normal by October. Though this year's high sea temperatures are caused by a "perfect combination" of circumstances, the ecological impact could endure, she said. The Worldwide Fund for Nature, however, warned of a "worrying lack of momentum" during climate talks in Bonn this month, with little progress made on key issues like fossil fuels and finance ahead of November's COP28 climate talks in Dubai.

Persons: Cpl Marc, Andre Leclerc, Kerry, Sarah Perkins, Kirkpatrick, Piers Forster, El Nino, Annalisa Bracco, Li Shuo, John Kerry, Li, David Stanway, Ali Withers, Gloria Dickie, Jamie Freed Organizations: Canadian Forces, REUTERS, EU, Australia's University of New, U.S ., World Meteorological Organization, El Nino, University of Leeds, Georgia Institute of Technology, DUBAI, The, Nature, Thomson Locations: Mistissini, Quebec, Canada, Beijing, SINGAPORE, Bonn, Australia's University of New South Wales, United States, North America, U.S . East Coast, India, Spain, Iran, Vietnam, Paris, 1.5C, California, Africa, November's, Dubai, China, Copenhagen, London

☆ Climate nears point of no return as land, sea temperatures break records, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( David Stanway | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Persons: Kerry, Sarah Perkins, Kirkpatrick, Piers Forster, El Nino, Annalisa Bracco, Li Shuo, John Kerry, Li, David Stanway, Ali Withers, Gloria Dickie, Jamie Freed Organizations: EU, Australia's University of New, U.S ., World Meteorological Organization, El Nino, University of Leeds, Georgia Institute of Technology, DUBAI, The, Nature, Thomson Locations: Beijing, SINGAPORE, Bonn, Australia's University of New South Wales, United States, North America, Canada, U.S . East Coast, India, Spain, Iran, Vietnam, Paris, 1.5C, California, Africa, November's, Dubai, China, Copenhagen, London

This year's wildfire season is the worst on record in Canada, with some 76,000 square kilometres (29,000 square miles) burning across eastern and western Canada. "The difference is eastern Canada fires driving this growth in the emissions more than just western Canada," said Copernicus senior scientist Mark Parrington. The carbon they have released is roughly equivalent to Indonesia's annual carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels. It's estimated that Canada's northern boreal forest stores more than 200 billion tonnes of carbon — equivalent to several decades worth of global carbon emissions. Canada's wildfire season typically peaks in late July or August, with emissions continuing to climb throughout the summer.

Persons: Cpl Marc, Andre Leclerc, Copernicus, Mark Parrington, Parrington, there's, David Evans, Ed Osmond Organizations: Canadian Forces, REUTERS, Atmospheric Monitoring, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire, New, Thomson Locations: Mistissini, Quebec, Canada, Alberta, British Columbia, New York City, Toronto, Ontario, Europe

Despite a recent global pledge to reach zero deforestation by 2030, tropical forest loss last year exceeded 2021 levels. Global Forest Watch assessed 'primary forests', which includes mature forests that have not been cleared or regrown in recent history. The Democratic Republic of the Congo and Bolivia suffered the greatest losses of tropical forest after Brazil. The Global Forest Watch analysis found deforestation in 2022 was more than 10,000 sq km (3,900 sq miles) in excess of what would be needed to halt it by 2030. The world lost 10% less forest in 2022 than 2021, as fewer big fires burned in the Russian boreal forest, though the country still lost 43,000 sq km (16,600 sq miles) of tree cover last year.

Persons: Jair, Francis Seymour, Rod Taylor, Gloria Dickie, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: Global Forest Watch, World Resources Institute, University of Maryland, Watch, Democratic, Thomson Locations: Switzerland, Brazilian, Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, Democratic Republic of, Congo, Bolivia

☆ 75 Years After ‘The Lottery’ Was Published, the Chills Linger
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( Scott Heller | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

David SedarisAuthor, “Happy-Go-Lucky”If I’m not mistaken, my seventh-grade teacher showed us the movie of “The Lottery” before having us read it, which is unfortunate. I remember sitting in the dark when it flickered to an end, completely destroyed. I reread “The Lottery” every few years and have listened to many audio versions, none of which get the last line right in my opinion (the closest is Maureen Stapleton for The Caedmon Short Story Collection). When I first read the story it seemed fresh — was fresh, I suppose, only 23 years old. I was a kid when I first read “The Lottery,” and a weird kid at that.

Persons: David Sedaris, I’m, Maureen Stapleton, Bobby, Dickie, Old Man Warner, “, ”, Rob Savage, Carmen Maria Machado, Shirley Jackson’s, …, ” — Organizations: Old Man, Lottery

The Hindu Kush Himalaya stretches 3,500 km (2,175 miles) across Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan. At 1.5 degrees Celsius or 2C of warming above preindustrial temperatures, glaciers across the entire region will lose 30% to 50% of their volume by 2100, the report said. At 3C of warming — what the world is roughly on track for under current climate policies — glaciers in the Eastern Himalaya, which includes Nepal and Bhutan, will lose up to 75% of their ice. THE FULL PICTUREScientists have struggled to assess how climate change is affecting the Hindu Kush Himalaya. “We have a better sense of what the loss will be through to 2100 at different levels of global warming.”LIVELIHOODS AT RISKWith this newfound understanding comes grave concern for the people living in the Hindu Kush Himalaya.

Persons: Tika Gurung, “ We’re, we’re, ”, Philippus Wester, Wester, Tobias Bolch, “, “ We’ve, Amina Maharjan, Gloria Dickie, Frances Kerry Organizations: Integrated Mountain Development, United, “, Graz University of Technology, Thomson Locations: Langtang, Nepal, 1.5C, Asia’s, Kathmandu, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Pakistan, North, Rocky, United States, it’s, Austria, Wester, ”, London

Some 75 of the world's largest 112 fossil fuel companies have now committed to reaching net-zero - the point at which greenhouse gas emissions are negated by deep cuts in output elsewhere and methods to absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide. But most targets do not fully cover or lack transparency on Scope 3 emissions — which include the use of a company's products, the biggest source of emissions for fossil fuel companies — or don't include short-term reduction plans, the report added. The report also found that none of the fossil fuel companies were making the needed commitments to move away from fossil fuel extraction or production. As it stands, some 4,000 countries, states, regions, cities and companies globally have now committed to net-zero. A study published last week in the journal Science found that about 90% of countries' net-zero targets were unlikely to be achieved.

Persons: Thomas Hale, Daisy Streatfield, Gloria Dickie, Simon Jessop, Jan Harvey Organizations: Climate Intelligence Unit, University of Oxford, Science, Thomson Locations: Britain, London

☆ This Is Ischia’s Moment in the Sun
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Ondine Cohane | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

I fell for Ischia well before I ever visited it in person. The couple’s beautiful, tanned physiques and relaxed smiles, the perfect sand and tranquil sea, were a cinematic ad to move to Italy, and to Ischia, immediately. Ischia is one of a trio of islands (known as the Phlegraeans) off Naples that also includes Capri and Procida. There are simple bars, beach clubs and harbors more likely to dock fishing boats than megayachts. Add in natural thermal spas, lush vineyards and deserted coves, and it’s easy to see why Ischia is quickly become one of Italy’s rising destinations.

Persons: Ripley, Tom, Marge, Dickie, Procida, Marie, Louise Sció Locations: Ischia, Italy, Naples, —

On Thursday, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) declared that an El Nino is now underway. The last time a strong El Nino was in full swing, in 2016, the world saw its hottest year on record. Meteorologists expect that this El Nino, coupled with excess warming from climate change, will see the world grapple with record-high temperatures. Here is how El Nino will unfold and some of the weather we might expect:WHAT CAUSES AN EL NINO? Historically, both El Nino and La Nina have occurred about every two to seven years on average, with El Nino lasting 9 to 12 months.

Persons: El Nino, Michelle L'Heureux, El, Tom DiLiberto, DiLiberto, La Nina, Nina, Gloria Dickie, Angus MacSwan Organizations: El Nino, U.S . National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, El, Graphics, el nino, NINO, U.S . West, Nino, La, El Ninos, Thomson Locations: Americas, El, Pacific, Peru, Philippines, United States, Canada, Central, South America, Australia, of Africa, Eastern Pacific, El Nino, London

The last time an El Nino was in place, in 2016, the world saw its hottest year on record. DECLARING EL NINOMost experts look to two agencies for confirmation that El Nino has kicked off — NOAA and Australia's Bureau of Meteorology (BOM). The two agencies use different metrics for declaring El Nino, with the Australian definition slightly stricter. On Tuesday, Australia issued their own bulletin, noting a 70% chance of El Nino developing this year. Experts say that a strong El Nino could hit sugar production in India and Thailand, and possibly disrupt the sugarcane harvest in Brazil.

Persons: El Nino, El, John Vizcaino, Arcodia, Gloria Dickie, Seher Dareen, Marcelo Teixeira, Angus MacSwan Organizations: U.S . National Oceanic, El, El Nino, NINO, NOAA, Australia's, Meteorology, REUTERS, El Ninos, Colorado State University, Central Pacific, Central Pacific El Nino, Nino, Thomson Locations: South America, Australia, Asia, Nino, El Nino, Pacific, Magdalena, Colombia, Honda, Central, Hawaii, Central Pacific, El, India, Thailand, Brazil, Vietnam, New York, U.S, Indonesia, Malaysia, London

"(This) creates a very good defending position for Russians who expect Ukrainian offensive activity,” Matysiak said. Russia has denied responsibility and accused Ukraine of sabotaging the dam to deflect from what Moscow said were Ukrainian military failures. "For Russians the reason to do it would have been to stop the Ukrainian counteroffensive, obviously. For Ukraine, the breach might have provided a way of distracting the Russians while Kyiv launches its counteroffensive, she added. Patricia Lewis, Research Director for International Security at the Chatham House think tank, said the situation helps Russia even if the Ukrainian counteroffensive later makes inroads.

Persons: Ruslan Strilets, Ben Barry, Maciej Matysiak, ” Matysiak, Strilets, Mohammad Heidarzadeh, Heidarzadeh, Dmytro Kuleba, Marina Miron, Patricia Lewis, they're, Aiden Nulty, Ben Tavener, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Kyiv, International Institute for Strategic Studies, Stratpoints Foundation, University of Bath, Civil, Engineering, University of Warwick, Reserve, Nova Kakhovka, King's College, International Security, Chatham House, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Dnipro, Kyiv, Nova, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Russia, Kherson, Crimea, Britain, London

[1/5] An eight-year-old male African lion rests on the plains of Kafue National Park, Zambia, September 19, 2020. In the recent assessment, scientists found that more lion cubs were born into Kafue prides from 2018 to 2021. A half-century of intensive poaching has decimated wildlife populations in Africa's third-largest national park, as it has across much of the continent, with Kafue's free-roaming big cats among the victims. Bushmeat poachers have targeted the lions' grass-eating prey, leaving too little behind for the park's 200 or more of these hungry carnivores. "African white-backed vultures will come in really large numbers," said Corinne Kendall, curator of conservation and research at North Carolina Zoo which is leading the program.

Persons: Sebastian Kennerknecht, Kim Young, Overton, Panthera's, Andrew Loveridge, Corinne Kendall, It's, it's, Kendall, Gloria Dickie, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Reuters, Leopards, Africa Parks, Zambia's Department of National Parks and Wildlife, North Carolina Zoo, Thomson Locations: Park, Zambia, Handout, Kafue, Africa, West Africa, London

In the recent assessment, scientists found that more lion cubs were born into Kafue prides from 2018 to 2021. A half-century of intensive poaching has decimated wildlife populations in Africa's third-largest national park, as it has across much of the continent, with Kafue's free-roaming big cats among the victims. [1/5] An eight-year-old male African lion rests on the plains of Kafue National Park, Zambia, September 19, 2020. But the carcasses also attract the critically endangered white-backed vultures, whose population has declined by more than 90% across West Africa in the past 40 years, largely due to poisoning. "African white-backed vultures will come in really large numbers," said Corinne Kendall, curator of conservation and research at North Carolina Zoo which is leading the program.

Persons: Kim Young, Overton, Panthera's, Andrew Loveridge, Sebastian Kennerknecht, Corinne Kendall, It's, it's, Kendall, Gloria Dickie, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Reuters, Leopards, REUTERS, Africa Parks, Zambia's Department of National Parks and Wildlife, North Carolina Zoo, Thomson Locations: Kafue, Park, Zambia, Handout, Africa, West Africa, London

Climate change drove heat in the city to a record-breaking 48C (118F) in 2016. While traditional insurance can take months to pay, with so-called "parametric" insurance there is no need to prove losses. At annual climate talks in Egypt last year, nonprofits urged richer nations to help finance parametric insurance as a way of compensating victims of worsening weather extremes. At the moment, insurance schemes in the developing world are largely subsidized by nonprofit groups, national governments, or wealthy countries. Insurance payouts allow them to buy things like gloves to protect their hands from scorching hot metal tools, or fans to stay cool and avoid heat exhaustion.

LONDON, May 18 (Reuters) - More than half of the world's large lakes and reservoirs have shrunk since the early 1990s, chiefly because of climate change, intensifying concerns about water for agriculture, hydropower and human consumption, a study published on Thursday found. Climate scientists generally think that the world's arid areas will become drier under climate change, and wet areas will get wetter, but the study found significant water loss even in humid regions. Scientists assessed almost 2,000 large lakes using satellite measurements combined with climate and hydrological models. Scientists and campaigners have long said it is necessary to prevent global warming beyond 1.5 degrees Celisus (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) to avoid the most catastrophic consequences of climate change. Water levels rose in a quarter of the lakes, often as a result of dam construction in remote areas such as the Inner Tibetan Plateau.

LONDON, May 17 (Reuters) - For the first time ever, global temperatures are now more likely than not to breach 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7F) of warming within the next five years, the World Meteorological Organization said on Wednesday. But that did not necessarily mean the world would cross the long-term warming threshold of 1.5C above preindustrial levels set out in the 2015 Paris Agreement. Partially responsible for boosting the chance of hitting 1.5C is an El Niño weather pattern expected to develop in the coming months. During this natural phenomenon, warmer waters in the tropical Pacific heat the atmosphere above, spiking global temperatures. The El Niño "will combine with human-induced climate change to push global temperatures into uncharted territory", said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas in a press statement.

The discord between Russia and the other Arctic Council members means that an effective response to these changes is far less likely. Recently, it has taken steps to expand cooperation in the Arctic with non-Arctic states. On April 24, Russia and China signed a memorandum establishing cooperation between the countries' coast guards in the Arctic. "We need to safeguard the Arctic Council as the most important international forum for Arctic cooperation and make sure it survives," Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Eivind Vad Petersson told Reuters. "I don't see an Arctic Council without Russia in the future," said Larsen, a Greenland lawmaker at the Danish Parliament and the Chair of Arctic Parliamentarians, a body including MPs from across the Arctic countries.

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