"We are currently facing major issues that are global in nature such as climate change, inequalities and migration, issues that no one country can solve alone", said Ryder in a recent interview with Xinhua, who is attending the 50th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos. … [Read more...] about Concerted int’l cooperation critical to confront “systemic threats”: ILO Chief
Comet threat
Duck-billed platypus under threat from climate change
SYDNEY: Australia’s devastating drought, and other effects of climate change are pushing the iconic duck-billed platypus, a globally unique mammal, towards extinction, a study published on Monday warned. Platypuses were once considered widespread across the eastern Australian mainland and Tasmania, although not a lot is known about their distribution or abundance because of the species’ secretive and nocturnal nature, according to researchers from the University of New South Wales, Australia. Researchers call for action to minimise the risk of the platypus vanishing due to habitat destruction, dams and weirs. The study, published in the journal Biological Conservation, examined the potentially devastating combination of threats to platypus populations, including water resource development, land clearing, climate change and increasingly severe periods of drought. … [Read more...] about Duck-billed platypus under threat from climate change
Report shows climate is world’s biggest risk
Peter Giger, group chief risk officer at Zurich Insurance Group, which helped to compile the report, warned of the urgent need to adapt faster to avoid the irreversible impacts of climate change and urged more to be done to protect the planet's biodiversity. … [Read more...] about Report shows climate is world’s biggest risk
IMF lowers forecasts for global growth
Gita Gopinath, the IMF's chief economist, said that some risks mentioned in October's report have since partially receded with the announcement of a US-China phase one trade deal, the lower likelihood of a no-deal Brexit and the fact that monetary policy has continued to support growth and buoyant financial conditions. … [Read more...] about IMF lowers forecasts for global growth
Colourful cottages, traditional butter cookies, delicate hand-stitched lace: Venetian islands revamp traditions to counter depopulation
At dalla Lidia, a Burano lace shop, Japanese textile maker Yuka Miyagishima is spending three months to learn the craft practiced today by no more than 100 women, most of them elderly. It’s painstaking work, using a thread and needle to create intricate stitches and knots on paper that is later torn away. … [Read more...] about Colourful cottages, traditional butter cookies, delicate hand-stitched lace: Venetian islands revamp traditions to counter depopulation
