Climate change: “Loss and damage” fund payouts could take decades, scientists warn | The BMJ

The loss and damage fund—agreed at the 27th United Nations climate change conference (COP27) to help poorer countries respond to climate disasters1—could be derailed by arguments over “contested science” and take years to pay out, scientists have warned.Speaking at the World Science Forum in Cape Town on 7 December, Roger Pielke Jr, professor in the environmental studies programme at the University of Colorado Boulder, said, “One reason rich countries were happy to sign the loss and damage framework is because there’s a little bit of a secret there: arguments over loss and damage can go on for years, for decades, before any money changes hands.”The loss and damage fund was agreed as COP27 closed, with a transitional committee expected to …

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‘Climate change: “Loss and damage” fund payouts could take decades, scientists warn’, but decades we and certainly not those who will need these payouts will have decades, for in decades it will be far too late, perhaps this is what those who should be paying out are hoping for.

 

Source: Climate change: “Loss and damage” fund payouts could take decades, scientists warn | The BMJ

Unions and scientists claim Boris is moving ‘too far, too soon’ as rules set to be gone in fortnight | Daily Mail Online

Professor John Edmunds said SAGE, No10’s scientific advisers, ‘haven’t discussed’ ending quarantine.

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Yes, we do need to move forward, but this is the biggest step of all the big steps already taken, as this will mean there are no restrictions, when COVID is still with and while not to the same extent, people are still catching COVID and dying from COVID.

But that is not all, as yet we don’t fully know the implications of the results of Long-COVID, which for a good many of us are very debilitating.

It would also appear that this has not been raised with SAGE, when all along we have been advised we are listening to the Science. So, are we listening to the Science, have we always been listening to the Science and will we continue to listen to the Science. Well, we only have the ‘Word’ of Boris and what does that tell us. Currently, there are the questions around No. Parties and other instances, so, is this listening to Science or just a Boris tactic to gain favour or distract, who knows, only Boris.

During COVID we were assured that persons in Care Homes would be protected, but we now know that was not so, as COVID infected patients were discharged directly into care homes affecting many lives of care home residents and care home staff.

Not everyone is vaccinated as there is still a fair percentage of anti-vaxxers who we know will never be vaccinated, there are some who are still unsure, but they may get vaccinated, then there are those who because of certain conditions are unable to be vaccinated.

The mandatory vaccination of health and social care workers as been put on hold, while the mandatory vaccination of Care Home workers was not.

So it this really the right time to remove that last COVID restriction, on the face of it I feel no it needs to be retained.

Source: Unions and scientists claim Boris is moving ‘too far, too soon’ as rules set to be gone in fortnight | Daily Mail Online

Whale sharks gather at a few specific locations around the world – now we know why

The whale shark is the largest fish in the world, but much of its lifecycle remains shrouded in mystery. These gentle giants gather in just a handful of places around the globe – something which has long baffled scientists – but our new research has started to explain why. Better understanding of whale shark movements could help prevent further population loss in a species that has already experienced a 63% population decline over the past 75 years.

When swimming solo, the whale shark, which can grow up to 18.8 metres in length and 34 tons in weight, travels all over the world. Recently, a group of scientists tracked the remarkable journey of one whale shark across the Pacific from Panama to the Philippines. At more than 12,000 miles it proved to be one of the longest migrations ever recorded.

Yet whale sharks are known to come together at just a few specific locations around the world. Anything from ten to 500 whale sharks may gather at any one time in areas off the coasts of Australia, Belize, the Maldives, Mexico and more.

 

Source: Whale sharks gather at a few specific locations around the world – now we know why

Scientists nearly double sea level rise projections for 2100, because of Antarctica – The Washington Post

If carbon dioxide emissions continue unabated, expanding oceans and massive ice melt would threaten global coastal communities, according to new projections.

Source: Scientists nearly double sea level rise projections for 2100, because of Antarctica – The Washington Post

Gravitational waves announcement: Scientists confirm detection of ripples in spacetime | Science | News | The Independent

Gravitational ripples in the fabric of spacetime, first predicted by Albert Einstein 100 years ago, have now been detected by scientists who believe the discovery opens new vistas into the “dark” side of the Universe. Physicists around the world confirmed that they had detected unambiguous signals of gravitational waves emanating from the collision of two massive black holes 1.5 billion light years away in deep space.

Source: Gravitational waves announcement: Scientists confirm detection of ripples in spacetime | Science | News | The Independent