skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, September 28, 2023

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

UAW strike continues: Officials say EPA standards must catch up; Mississippians urged to register to vote ahead of the Nov. 7 general election; NYers worry about impacts of government shutdown.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Senate leaders advance a plan to avoid a government shutdown, an elections official argues AI could be a threat to democracy and voting rights advocates look to states like Arizona to rally young Latino voters.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

A small fire department in rural Indiana is determined not to fail new moms and babies, the growing election denial movement has caused voting districts to change procedures and autumn promises spectacular scenery along America's rural byways.

Minnesotans in Bonn Say Climate Progress is Up to States

play audio
Play

Friday, November 10, 2017   

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Several Minnesotans are among 25,000 delegates from all over the world seeking global solutions to climate change. The 23rd session of the Conference of the Parties, or COP 23, is meeting this week and next in Bonn, Germany, to compare progress on reducing carbon emissions.

President Donald Trump announced in June that the United States would opt out of the 2015 Paris accord, which set goals to reduce the rate of global warming.

Minnesota is one of 14 states to say they will meet those goals on their own, and delegates such as the University of Minnesota's executive director of the Energy Transition Lab, Ellen Anderson, say there is a reason for hope.

"We are looking to meet the goals of the Clean Power Plan in the United States," she says. "There will be more of a patchwork. But the fact is that overall the United States is moving forward on reducing carbon emissions."

Anderson calls progress a patchwork because some states, such as Minnesota, will do more than others.

Anderson told the conference in a presentation that climate leadership in the United States will now come from states and cities. She says it's been helpful to compare notes with policymakers from other states and countries, and inspiring to learn what some of them are working on.

"Tomorrow I'm going to an all-day session that involves people from literally countries all over the world that are trying to figure out pathways to 100 percent renewable energy," she explains.

To date, 195 nations have signed the United Nations Convention on Climate Change and 169 have become party to it.

Most of the Minnesotans at the conference belong to a group called Climate Generation, which was started by polar explorer Will Steger.

Climate Generation's executive director, Nicole Rom, says delegates are blogging daily, as though they're on an expedition. Followers include teachers and students who want to learn more and do something about climate change.

"Now we recognize that we're all eyewitnesses," notes. "We all have a story to tell when it comes to how we're experiencing climate change and engaging in solutions."

Besides Climate Generation, Macalester College, The High School of Environmental Studies, the Humphrey School at the University of Minnesota, Fresh Energy and the Science Museum have also sent delegates to Bonn. The conference wraps up November 17.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
Montana has more than 30 million acres of state and federal lands, nearly one third of the state. Conservation advocates are holding a photo contest featuring people and their dogs to celebrate being outdoors. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

This is the last weekend to get involved in a photo competition designed to encourage Montanans to explore the wilderness with their pets. There …


play sound

In a new poll, about a quarter of Hispanic students in post-high school education and training programs report feeling discriminated against…

Social Issues

play sound

New Yorkers are preparing for an impending government shutdown. State officials are worried about how it could impact the work state agencies have …


In 1920, Black people made up 14% of all farmers. It is estimated Black farmers lost around $326 billion worth of land within the 20th century. BIPOC farmers now make up less than 5% of all U.S. farmers. (Heather Craig/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Advocates are drawing attention to systemic racism in farming across North Carolina and the nation. The National Farm Worker Ministry is hosting its …

Social Issues

play sound

This weekend marks the kickoff of National Bullying Prevention Month. Those raising awareness hope schools in South Dakota and elsewhere work toward …

Agrivoltaics is defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as the use of land for both agriculture and solar-energy generation. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

The arrival of fall has farmers transitioning to the harvest season, but what if some gathered their crops with rows of solar panels right alongside …

Environment

play sound

A new report finds more than half of the sewage facilities in Idaho had pollution violations in 2022. The sixth annual analysis by the Idaho …

Environment

play sound

Amid the United Auto Workers strike, some advocates argued it is time to implement clean car standards. Gary Schlack, a city council member in Allen …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021