China has successfully created the world’s first production line to turn coal into ethanol, or drinking alcohol, the Chinese Academy of Sciences said on Friday. Created by Shaanxi Yanchang Petroleum and the academy’s Dalian Institute of Chemical Physi… read more
In response to the unprecedented public support for the Disasters Emergency Committee East Africa Crisis Appeal, this weekend the UK Government will match pound for pound the next £5 million donated by the public.
This is in addition to the £5 million match funding already donated by the UK Government which helped Britain raise a phenomenal £12 million for the DEC appeal in just 24 hours.
I want to say a huge thank you to the British people. Once again, the life-saving generosity of the British public has exceeded all expectations with their response to this vital cause. I’ve seen first-hand how every penny really does make a huge difference to saving lives across East Africa. That’s why the Government will double donations up to £5 million this weekend to make your money go even further.
The Great British public has acted without hesitation to stop people dying of famine and hunger. Right now UK funded aid is reaching those most in need with food, water and emergency healthcare. Now it’s time for the international community to step up and follow Global Britain’s lead before it’s too late.
This new support will double the impact of the public’s own donations up to an additional £5 million and ensure that charities working on the ground can reach even more people in need.
This brings total UK Government match funding for the DEC Appeal to £10 million.
The UK’s support will go directly to the Disasters Emergency Committee Appeal and provide vital and life-saving emergency supplies.
The Disasters Emergency Committee brings together 13 leading UK aid agencies to raise money at times of humanitarian crisis in poorer countries. By working together we can raise more money to save lives and rebuild shattered communities.
Donations can be made at www.dec.org.uk or by calling 0370 60 60 610.
£25 could provide a month’s supply of life-saving peanut paste to a malnourished child.
£60 could provide clean drinking water for two families for a month.
£100 could provide supplies to a clinic treating severely malnourished children for a week.
The situation in South Sudan is dire. Children will die tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after that, until the South Sudanese authorities allow food and life-saving aid to reach those most in need.
Famine has now been officially declared in some parts of South Sudan – the first declaration of famine anywhere in the world for 6 years. 100,000 people in Unity State (Leer and Mayendit Districts) are now at risk of starvation.
Almost 5 million face the daily threat of going without enough food and water and 3 million people have been forced from their homes because of ruthless violence and widespread rape.
The UK was one of the first major donors to respond to the UN’s appeal to South Sudan and we are leading the way by making sure millions of people in South Sudan get urgently needed food, water and medicine, as well as longer term support to provide much-needed education.
17 March 2017 – The United Nations has found that smarter and more efficient use of the world’s natural resources today can yield an “environmental win-win’ by injecting $2 trillion into the global economy by 2050 while also offsetting the costs of ambitious climate change action.
Citing new research from the International Resource Panel in anews release today, Erik Solheim, Head the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), called it “an environmental win-win.”
The global population, which is set to grow by 28 per cent, is predicted to use 71 per cent more resources per capita by 2050. Without urgent steps to increase efficiency, the global use of metals, biomass, minerals – such as sand – and other materials will increase from 85 to 186 billion tonnes per year by 2050.
The report, “Resource Efficiency: Potential and Economic Implications,” which was commissioned in 2015 and released in Berlin at the G20 meeting, found that while investment in ambitious climate action would cause a 3.7 per cent fall in per capita gross world product by 2050, more sustainable use of materials and energy would not only cover the cost of keeping global warming below 2 degrees Celsius, but also add an extra $2 trillion to the global economy by 2050.
“By making better use of our planet’s natural gifts, we will inject more money into the economy to create jobs and improve livelihoods,” Mr. Solheim stressed. “At the same time we will create the necessary funds to finance ambitious climate action,” he added.
Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Erik Solheim. UN Photo/JC McIlwaine
The report analyzed four paths that countries could take over the next three decades, ranging from ‘business as usual’ to a scenario where they adopt both ambitious climate policies and improve resource efficiency.
For example, between 2005 and 2010, a programme in the United Kingdom recycled or reused seven million tonnes of trash destined for the landfill. This move saved six million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, close to 10 million tonnes of virgin materials and 10 million tonnes of water. It also increased business sales by £176 million, reduced business costs by £156 million and created 8,700 jobs.
Although other key findings point to uneven economic gains of resource efficiency and slower resource extractions, which would reduce revenues and affect jobs in some industries – such as mining and quarrying – countries still stand to gain more by implementing compensation and transfer policies to ease the transition to more efficient practices, than by continuing to support inefficient activities, according to the report.
In addition to economic benefits, the analysis illustrates that resource efficiency and climate action would reduce global resource use by around 28 per cent in 2050 compared to current trends.
For G7 countries, resource efficiency, coupled with ambitious climate action, would increase Gross Domestic Product by $600 billion in 2050 ($600 per person, or 1 per cent).
The International Resource Panel is a group of experts in natural resource management hosted by UN Environment.
read moreThe following summary of planned new and ongoing road improvements over the coming week is correct as of 17 March 2017 but could be subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances. All our improvement work is carried out with the aim of causing as little disruption as possible.
Work to maintain safety by carrying out bridge investigations will start this week. The northbound entry slip road will be closed overnight, between 10pm and 5am, from Monday 20 March for 5 nights. Work on Friday will start at 11pm. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the A1 and A41 to M1 junction 4.
Work to maintain safety by carrying out electrical repairs continues this week. The southbound link roads to the M25 in both directions will be closed overnight, between 10pm and 5am, on Monday 20 March. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the M1 junction 6, A405 eastbound and M25 junction 21a.
Work to reduce congestion and improve journey times continues this week between junctions 2 and 4a with narrow lanes and a 50mph speed limit in place on both carriageways, with a free recovery service operating 24 hours a day.
The northbound carriageway between junctions 3 and 2 will be closed overnight, between 8pm and 5.30am, from Monday 20 March for 5 nights. Work on Saturday will finish at 7am. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the A322, A30, M25 junction 13 and M25 junction 12.
The southbound carriageway between junctions 4 and 5 will be closed overnight, between 8pm and 5.30am, from Monday 20 March for 5 nights. Work on Saturday will finish at 7am. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via M3 junction 4, A331, A30 and A287 to M3 junction 5.
The southbound carriageway between junctions 2 and 3 will be closed overnight, between 8pm and 5.30am, from Wednesday 22 March for 3 nights. Work on Saturday will finish at 7am. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via M25 junction 13, A30, A322 to M3 junction 3.
The northbound exit slip road at junction 4a will be closed overnight, between 8pm and 5.30am, from Monday 20 March for 4 nights. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via M3 junction 4, A331 and the M3 southbound to junction 4a.
The northbound carriageway between junctions 4a and 4 will be closed overnight, between 8pm and 7am, on Saturday 25 March 2017. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the A327, A30 and A331 to M3 junction 4.
The scheme is due to be completed in June 2017. For further information visit the scheme website.
Work to improve safety by carrying out electrical installation continues this week. The carriageway in both directions, including Heston Services and junction 2, will be closed overnight, between midnight and 5.30am, from Monday 20 March for 5 nights. Work on Saturday morning will finish at 6am. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the A312 and A4.
Work to maintain safety by carrying out carriageway surveys will start this week. The dedicated link roads from the M4 in both directions to the M25 anti-clockwise will be closed overnight, between 10.30pm and 5am, on Sunday 26 March. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the M25 clockwise to M40 junction 1 and return.
Work to improve journeys by carrying out resurfacing will start this week. The dedicated link road from the M25 anti-clockwise to the A2 westbound will be closed overnight, between 10pm and 5am, on Sunday 26 March. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the junction 2 roundabout.
Work to maintain safety by carrying out communications work will start this week. The anti-clockwise carriageway between the slip roads will be closed overnight, between 10pm and 5am, on Thursday 23 March. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the exit and entry slip roads.
Work to improve journeys by carrying out carriageway repairs will start this week. The anti-clockwise exit and entry slip roads will be closed overnight, between 10pm and 5am, from Monday 20 March for 3 nights. A clearly signed diversion will be in place for the exit slip road via junction 9 and return. A clearly signed diversion will be in place for the entry slip road via junction 11 and return.
The anti-clockwise carriageway will be closed overnight, between 10pm and 5.30am, from Thursday 23 March for 2 nights. Work on Friday will start at 11pm. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the exit and entry slip roads.
Work to improve journeys by carrying out bridge joint replacement on the structure that carries the M25 over the River Wey and the South West Trains railway line continues this week. The clockwise carriageway and junction 10 entry slip road will be closed overnight, between 9pm and 8am, on Saturday 25 March. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the A3, A245, B374 and A317 to junction 11.
Work to improve journeys by carrying out smart motorway improvement continues this week. The dedicated link roads from the M25 in both directions to the M3 southbound will be closed overnight, between 8pm and 5.30am, from Wednesday 22 March for 3 nights. On Saturday work will finish at 7am. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via M25 junction 13, A30, A322 to M3 junction 3.
Work to maintain safety by carrying out inspections continues this week. The anti-clockwise exit slip road will be closed overnight, between 10pm and 5am, on Sunday 26 March. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the M25 clockwise to junction 13 and return.
Work to maintain safety by carrying out electrical repairs continues this week. The clockwise carriageway will be closed overnight, between 10pm and 5am, on Wednesday 22 March. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the M1 northbound to junction 8, M1 southbound to junction 6, A405 eastbound to M25 junction 21a.
Work to maintain safety by carrying out street lighting maintenance continues this week. The clockwise carriageway will be closed overnight, between 10pm and 5.30am, from Monday 20 March for 2 nights. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the dedicated link road between junctions 30 and 31.
The dedicated link roads between junction 30 and 31 in both directions will be closed overnight, between 10pm and 5.30am, on Wednesday 22 March. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the A13, Wennington Interchange and the A1306 and vice versa.
Work to maintain tunnel safety by carrying out repairs will start this week. The northbound carriageway will be closed overnight, between 10pm and 5am, on Saturday 25 March. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via A1001.
Work to maintain safety by carrying out tunnel maintenance will continue this week. The northbound entry slip road will be closed overnight, between 9pm and 5.30am, from Monday 20 March for 4 nights and on Saturday 25 March. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the A282 southbound to junction 1b and return.
Work to improve journeys by carrying out routine maintenance at the Dartford Crossing continues this week. The following closures will be in place overnight, between 9pm and 5.30am, with fully signed diversions in place during the northbound east tunnel closures for oversized vehicles.
Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.
Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.
read moreThe work, which will include installing road signs along a section of the M11 in both directions between junctions 8 for Bishop’s Stortford and Stansted airport and 9 for the A11, will make journeys safer and more reliable, and improve journey times.
To minimise disruption, the work will be carried out overnight between 10pm and 6am Monday to Friday only, with the hard shoulder and lane 1 closed to keep drivers and road workers safe. It is planned for completion by the end March.
Once the signs are in place, vehicles weighing more than 7.5 tonnes and travelling through the sections of the M11 where signage is displayed will not be allowed to drive in lane 2 of the two-lane carriageway between 7am and 7pm.
Highways England project manager Steve Cox said:
We are committed to getting the best use out of the road network, making journeys more reliable and improve safety. Our research, based on a trial we carried out between April 2010 and September 2011, has shown us that implementing lorry overtaking restrictions on uphill sections of the M11 between junctions 8 and 9 during the daytime would be beneficial to road users, reducing congestion and improving journey times.
Highways England provides up-to-date traffic information via its website, local and national radio travel bulletins, electronic road signs and mobile platforms.
Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.
Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.
read more