The COVID-19 pandemic has forever changed online shopping behaviours, according to a survey of about 3,700 consumers in nine emerging and developed economies.The survey, entitled “COVID-19 and E-commerce”, examined how the pandemic has changed the way consumers use e-commerce and digital solutions. It covered Brazil, China, Germany, Italy, the Republic …
Leaders of a fledgling U.N. green fund agreed at a first meeting on Saturday to pick a headquarters this year as part of a plan to oversee billions of dollars in aid to help developing nations fight global warming. The three-day meeting in Geneva heard pitches from the six countries …
Global environmental changes affect not only the aboveground but also the belowground components of ecosystems. The effects of seasonal drought and air warming on the genus level richness of Collembola, and on the abundance and biomass of the community of Collembola and mites were studied in an acidic and a …
The World Bank (WB) will provide US$ 12.5 million to Bangladesh as grant to support communities in increasing resilience to the impacts of climate change. To this effect, the government today signed an agreement with the WB. Economic Relations Division (ERD) Additional Secretary Arastoo Khan and Christine Kimes, acting head …
The fund is designed to help channel up to $100 billion a year in climate finance by 2020 to help developing countries adapt to climate change. However, the fund is an empty shell after last year's UN climate talks failed to make solid progress on sources of finance and the …
New Delhi India has jumped to the second position in the Global Innovation Efficiency Index in 2012, from 9th position last year, according to a study. Countries which are strong in producing innovation outputs despite a weaker innovation environment and inputs are poised to rank high in the efficiency index. …
Anthropogenic-induced changes in nutrient ratios have increased the susceptibility of large temperate lakes to several effects of rising air temperatures and the resulting heating of water bodies. First, warming leads to stronger thermal stratification, thus impeding natural complete water turnover (holomixis), which compensates for oxygen deficits in the deep zones. …
A report on the quality of life for mothers around the world put Maldives in 45th place out of 80 developing countries. The 13th Save the Children annual report, released on Tuesday, lists countries based on a range of UN and World Health Organization parameters such as life expectancy, maternity …
Global warming will lead to earlier beginnings and prolongation of growing seasons in temperate regions and will have pronounced effects on phenology and life-history adaptation in many species. These changes were not easy to simulate for actual phenologies because of the rudimentary temporal (season) and spatial (regional) resolution of climate …
Representatives from different federations, confederations and alliance have lodged a formal complaint against the implementation process of the Multi-Stakeholder Forestry Programme (MSFP) worth US $ 62 million. NGO Federation of Nepal, Federation of Drinking Water and Sanitation Users’ Nepal, Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities, Irrigation Water Users’ Federation, Human Rights …
The Matterhorn is the iconic peak of the Alpine mountains on the border of Switzerland and Italy. Its majestic spire soars over 14,600 feet in the air, making it quite a sight to behold. The glaciers at the top of the mountain have been receding due to the changing climate, …
European Union ambassadors failed to resolve a dispute over the allocation of seats on the United Nations' Green Climate Fund (GCF) board on Friday, possibly undermining the bloc's credibility in international climate talks. The EU envoys were meeting for the second time in a week to decide which European nations …
European Union ambassadors failed to resolve a dispute over the allocation of seats on the United Nations' Green Climate Fund (GCF) board on Friday, possibly undermining the bloc's credibility in international climate talks. The EU envoys were meeting for the second time in a week to decide which European nations …
Natural disasters, such as Japan's earthquake and floods in Australia and Thailand, cost the global economy a record $370 billion in 2011, with losses for the insurance industry the second largest ever, Swiss Re (SRENH.VX) said on Wednesday. Insured catastrophe losses more than doubled in 2011 to $116 billion, Swiss …
European Union ambassadors were due to meet on Wednesday in an effort to settle a dispute over the allocation of seats to member states on the United Nations' Green Climate Fund (GCF) board, sources close to the matter said. U.N. climate talks in Durban last year agreed on the design …
The Swiss operator of one of Europe's oldest commercial nuclear reactors says it plans to shut the plant by 2022. BKW Energie AG said on Tuesday that the Muehleberg plant will continue to provide electricity for 10 years despite a Swiss court ruling earlier this month that the reactor's licence …
The crisis that unfolded at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant after Japan's megaquake and tsunami is rewriting the nuclear safety guide. There are some positives. Despite being shaken by an earthquake that exceeded the worst case assumed in their design, the reactors along Japan's Pacific coast suffered no serious damage …
Developing countries with an insatiable thirst for electricity are going full speed ahead with new reactors a year after the Fukushima Daiichi disaster disrupted the growth of nuclear power around the world. Innovations in nuclear design are tackling problems like the ones that contributed to the Fukushima Daiichi disaster in …
The adaptation costs from the increased risks of cyclones and inland monsoon floods in a changing climate in Bangladesh will be approximately US$5.7 billion by 2050, says a new World Bank report. "Bangladesh will require climate-smart policies and investments to make itself more resilient to the effects of climate change," …
The government should remove all constraints in the research and development work of biotech crops and lift moratorium on commercial release of Bt-brinjal, agri-biotech scientists and industry bodies said today. In a day-long conference on ‘Biotech Crops for Food Security in India’, the scientists from the US, Switzerland and India …
India has made rapid strides in cotton production ever since adopting the genetically modified technology 10 years ago. It has also helped the country emerge as a key supplier of the natural fibre to the global market, especially China. However, the large-scale adoption of genetically modified technology is causing concern …
