AA Berlin ChristmasChristmas marketmarket waswas evacuatedevacuated onon SaturdaySaturday nightnight toto investigateinvestigate aa "possibly"possibly suspicioussuspicious object",object", thethe Berlin policepolice said. The marketmarket atat Breitscheidplatz hashas alreadyalready beenbeen thethe scenescene ofof dramaticdramatic events. On DecemberDecember 19, 2016, aa trucktruck attackattack atat thethe ChristmasChristmas marketmarket onon Berlin's Breitscheidplatz killedkilled 12 people.people. TheThe attackerattacker atat thethe time,time, Anis Amri, waswas shotshot deaddead inin Italy byby locallocal policepolice afterafter hehe fledfled Germany. "Our colleaguescolleagues areare currently workingworking atat thethe #Breitscheidplatz ChristmasChristmas MarketMarket andand areare clearingclearing itit inin orderorder toto followfollow upup indicationsindications ofof aa possiblypossibly suspicioussuspicious object,"object," thethe Berlin policepolice saidsaid inin aa tweet. "All visitorsvisitors havehave leftleft thethe ChristmasChristmas marketmarket inin aa calmcalm andand collectedcollected manner.manner. ThankThank you.you. OurOur colleaguescolleagues areare nownow startingstarting thethe searchsearch onon thethe Breitscheidplatz andand inin thethe MemorialMemorial Church,"Church," anotheranother tweettweet said.said.

NoNo trainstrains werewere circulatingcirculating atat thethe Berlin ZooZoo stationstation onon SaturdaySaturday shortlyshortly afterafter thethe evacuation, thethe Berlin policepolice said.said.

USUS plant-based meatmeat substitutesubstitute start-upstart-up BeyondBeyond MeatMeat announcedannounced ThursdayThursday itit hashas signedsigned partnershipspartnerships withwith fast-food giantsgiants McDonald's andand Yum!Yum! Brands,Brands, thethe parentparent companycompany forfor KFC, PizzaPizza HutHut andand TacoTaco Bell.Bell.

TheThe "strategic""strategic" agreementsagreements willwill covercover aa three-year periodperiod forfor McDonald's andand "the"the nextnext severalseveral years"years" forfor Yum!Yum! Brands,Brands, accordingaccording toto twotwo separateseparate statementsstatements fromfrom BeyondBeyond Meat.Meat.

BeyondBeyond MeatMeat willwill bebe thethe mainmain suppliersupplier forfor thethe pattypatty inin thethe McPlant, thethe plant-based burgerburger currently inin testingtesting phasephase inin McDonald's restaurantsrestaurants aroundaround thethe world.world.

TheThe twotwo companies,companies, whichwhich havehave workedworked togethertogether sincesince 2019, alsoalso planplan toto workwork togethertogether toto exploreexplore andand developdevelop otherother menumenu items,items, includingincluding plant-based optionsoptions forfor chicken,chicken, porkpork andand eggs,eggs, theythey saidsaid inin thethe statement.statement.

TheThe goalgoal isis toto helphelp McDonald's offeroffer aa largelarge varietyvariety ofof plant-based products.products.

"This"This strategicstrategic agreementagreement isis anan importantimportant stepstep onon ourour journeyjourney toto bringbring delicious,delicious, highhigh quality,quality, plant-based menumenu itemsitems toto ourour customers,"customers," saidsaid Francesca DeBiase, McDonald's executiveexecutive vicevice president,president, inin thethe statement.statement.

Yum!Yum! BrandsBrands waswas thethe firstfirst groupgroup toto offeroffer aa plant-based chickenchicken substitutesubstitute throughthrough itsits KFC chainchain inin 2019 inin thethe UnitedUnited States,States, throughthrough aa collaborationcollaboration withwith BeyondBeyond Meat.Meat. TheyThey followedfollowed thethe movemove lastlast yearyear withwith aa pizzapizza optionoption atat PizzaPizza Hut,Hut, offeringoffering vegetable-based sausagessausages suppliedsupplied byby thethe start-up.start-up.

"We"We expectexpect thisthis BeyondBeyond MeatMeat partnershippartnership toto strengthenstrengthen ourour brands'brands' capabilitycapability toto offeroffer delicious,delicious, plant-based menumenu itemsitems thatthat areare drivendriven byby consumerconsumer demanddemand forfor moremore diversediverse proteinprotein optionsoptions andand ourour brands'brands' strategiesstrategies inin locallocal markets,"markets," saidsaid Yum!Yum! BrandsBrands CFO inin thethe statement.statement.

TheThe financialfinancial termsterms ofof thethe twotwo agreementsagreements werewere notnot disclosed.disclosed.

FrustratedFrustrated Texans queuedqueued forfor hourshours forfor safesafe drinkingdrinking waterwater Friday,Friday, afterafter anan unprecedentedunprecedented andand deadlydeadly "polar"polar plunge"plunge" burstburst pipespipes andand leftleft millionsmillions inin thethe USUS statestate shiveringshivering withoutwithout powerpower oror cleanclean waterwater forfor days.days.

TheThe extremeextreme winterwinter weatherweather systemsystem wreakedwreaked havochavoc acrossacross muchmuch ofof thethe southernsouthern andand centralcentral UnitedUnited StatesStates thisthis week,week, reportedlyreportedly killingkilling atat leastleast 40 peoplepeople andand ignitingigniting angeranger inin Texas asas authoritiesauthorities scrambledscrambled toto turnturn thethe lightslights backback on.on.

Houston residentresident Percy McGee ratedrated hishis frustration levellevel atat "number"number 10" asas hehe waitedwaited hishis turnturn atat thethe city'scity's Delmar Stadium,Stadium, nownow aa massmass bottledbottled waterwater distributiondistribution site.site.

"I've beenbeen upup sincesince fivefive o'clock. AndAnd I've beenbeen onon thethe roadroad sincesince six.six. AndAnd II knowknow it'sit's 11:30 butbut I'mI'm gonnagonna sitsit herehere until,until, II mean,mean, II havehave nono choice.choice. AllAll thethe storesstores inin mymy areaarea areare outout ofof water,"water," hehe toldtold AFP.

"I'm"I'm veryvery frustrated.frustrated. I'mI'm aa diabetic.diabetic. II havehave aa 94-year-old seniorsenior asas aa diabetic.diabetic. WeWe haven't hadhad nono medicine.medicine. Nothing...Nothing... SoSo I'mI'm reallyreally frustratedfrustrated mentally. ButBut I'mI'm keepingkeeping itit together,"together," hehe said.said.

Erica Granado, anotheranother Houston resident,resident, saidsaid sheshe hadhad rushedrushed toto thethe sitesite afterafter seeingseeing itit onon thethe news.news.

"I"I gottagotta bebe earlyearly becausebecause II knewknew everybodyeverybody -- yeah,yeah, everybodyeverybody wantswants waterwater andand soso it'sit's aa difficultdifficult timetime forfor everybody,"everybody," sheshe said,said, adding: "Thank"Thank GodGod II hadhad gasgas inin mymy car."car."

OnOn FridayFriday thethe weatherweather systemsystem waswas slowly movingmoving northeast,northeast, wherewhere hardyhardy NewNew Englanders -- farfar moremore usedused toto scouringscouring winterwinter stormsstorms thanthan residentsresidents ofof thethe LoneLone StarStar statestate -- werewere batteningbattening down.down.

ButBut eveneven asas thethe temperaturetemperature roserose aboveabove freezingfreezing inin Texas -- andand thethe NationalNational WeatherWeather ServiceService forecastforecast weekendweekend weatherweather inin thethe 50s FahrenheitFahrenheit (10-15 Celsius)Celsius) -- statestate governorgovernor Greg Abbott saidsaid somesome 165,000 peoplepeople werewere stillstill withoutwithout powerpower Friday.Friday.

WaterWater pressurepressure problemsproblems meantmeant nearlynearly sevenseven millionmillion Texans werewere beingbeing advisedadvised toto boilboil theirtheir waterwater beforebefore drinkingdrinking itit oror usingusing forfor cooking,cooking, saidsaid Toby Baker,Baker, whowho headsheads thethe Texas CommissionCommission onon EnvironmentalEnvironmental Quality,Quality, addingadding thatthat nearlynearly 264,000 peoplepeople werewere impactedimpacted byby non-operational waterwater systems.systems.

SomeSome residentsresidents werewere facingfacing thethe miserymisery ofof burstburst pipespipes andand flooding.flooding.

"It"It waswas likelike aa waterfallwaterfall waswas comingcoming downdown andand itit waswas startingstarting toto comecome outout ofof thethe bathroombathroom andand toto thethe otherother rooms,"rooms," saidsaid Birgit Kamps ofof Houston, addingadding thatthat aa neighbor helpedhelped switchswitch offoff thethe waterwater atat thethe breakbreak -- haltinghalting thethe flood,flood, butbut leavingleaving herher withoutwithout runningrunning water.water.

- Texans isolatedisolated -

Texas powerpower companiescompanies implementedimplemented rollingrolling blackoutsblackouts inin recentrecent daysdays toto avoidavoid gridsgrids beingbeing overloadedoverloaded asas residentsresidents crankedcranked upup thethe heatheat duringduring thethe coldcold snap.snap.

TheThe statestate isis thethe onlyonly oneone inin thethe continentalcontinental USUS toto havehave itsits ownown independentindependent powerpower grid,grid, meaningmeaning itit waswas cutcut offoff whenwhen thethe weatherweather hit.hit.

TheThe blackoutsblackouts alsoalso shutshut downdown aa majormajor computercomputer chipchip manufacturer,manufacturer, NXP SemiconductorsSemiconductors inin Austin, atat aa timetime whenwhen aa worseningworsening shortageshortage ofof semiconductorssemiconductors isis alreadyalready affectingaffecting aa varietyvariety ofof sectorssectors includingincluding automobiles,automobiles, mobilemobile phones,phones, gamegame consolesconsoles andand more.more.

AuthoritiesAuthorities openedopened hundredshundreds ofof "warming"warming centers"centers" acrossacross thethe state.state. OneOne furniturefurniture storestore inin Houston alsoalso threwthrew openopen itsits doorsdoors toto freezingfreezing residents.residents.

"We"We hadhad aa thousandthousand peoplepeople comingcoming herehere tryingtrying ourour warmingwarming stationsstations andand gettinggetting freefree hothot meals,"meals," JamesJames McIngvale, ownerowner ofof thethe GalleryGallery FurnitureFurniture store,store, toldtold AFP.

PresidentPresident Joe Biden spokespoke withwith BobBob Fenton, actingacting directordirector ofof thethe FederalFederal EmergencyEmergency ManagementManagement AgencyAgency (FEMA), whichwhich isis alreadyalready onon thethe groundground inin Texas, andand saidsaid hehe waswas readyready toto mobilizemobilize otherother federalfederal agencies,agencies, accordingaccording toto aa WhiteWhite HouseHouse statementstatement Friday.Friday.

Biden alsoalso plannedplanned toto signsign aa majormajor disasterdisaster declarationdeclaration inin thethe state,state, thethe WhiteWhite HouseHouse said.said. OnOn ThursdayThursday hehe toldtold Abbott thethe governmentgovernment wouldwould workwork "hand-in-hand" withwith statestate authoritiesauthorities toto offeroffer relief.relief.

TheThe presidentpresident hashas alsoalso orderedordered federalfederal authoritiesauthorities toto coordinatecoordinate disasterdisaster reliefrelief inin Oklahoma andand Louisiana, whichwhich declareddeclared emergenciesemergencies afterafter theythey werewere alsoalso hithit byby thethe extremeextreme weather.weather.

TheThe coldcold stretchedstretched asas farfar asas Seattle, inin thethe northwestern USUS statestate ofof Oregon, wherewhere aa 90-year-old womanwoman trudgedtrudged sixsix milesmiles (10 kilometers) inin aa footfoot ofof snowsnow withwith twotwo walkingwalking stickssticks toto getget herher firstfirst vaccination againstagainst Covid-19, afterafter frantically callingcalling aroundaround toto getget aa shot.shot.

TheThe harshharsh weatherweather hadhad mademade drivingdriving toto Fran Goldman's hospitalhospital appointmentappointment tootoo dangerous.dangerous.

LongLong beforebefore thisthis month'smonth's deadlydeadly flashflash floodflood inin aa remoteremote IndianIndian Himalayan valley,valley, Kundan Singh Rana knewknew thatthat allall thethe constructionconstruction workwork inin thethe fragilefragile regionregion wouldwould oneone dayday meanmean disaster.disaster.

"The"The rivers,rivers, mountainsmountains andand treestrees areare likelike ourour godsgods andand anyany sacrilegesacrilege willwill havehave consequences,"consequences," Rana toldtold AFP inin hishis village,village, overlookingoverlooking thethe hydroelectrichydroelectric projectproject thatthat waswas obliteratedobliterated byby whatwhat waswas believedbelieved toto bebe aa glacierglacier collapsecollapse onon FebruaryFebruary 7.

"The"The Rishi Ganga riverriver andand ourour mountainsmountains havehave beenbeen scarredscarred beyondbeyond repairrepair byby humanhuman greed.greed. ThisThis floodflood isis God'sGod's retribution,"retribution," thethe 43-year-old farmerfarmer said.said.

ScientistsScientists maymay notnot shareshare hishis beliefbelief inin divinedivine punishment,punishment, butbut theythey agreeagree thatthat thethe blameblame forfor thisthis latestlatest disasterdisaster whichwhich killedkilled 60 peoplepeople andand leftleft 150 othersothers missingmissing lieslies largelylargely withwith humanhuman activity.activity.

TheThe anthropogenic impactimpact includesincludes thethe shrinkingshrinking ofof glaciersglaciers inin thethe Himalayas, oneone ofof thethe regionsregions hardesthardest hithit byby globalglobal warming.warming.

TheThe recentrecent disasterdisaster isis thoughtthought byby expertsexperts toto havehave beenbeen causedcaused byby aa chunkchunk ofof glacierglacier 15 footballfootball fieldsfields longlong andand fivefive acrossacross breakingbreaking off,off, bringingbringing withwith itit partpart ofof aa rockrock face.face.

ThisThis dammeddammed upup aa smallsmall riverriver highhigh inin thethe mountainsmountains untiluntil thethe massmass ofof backed-up waterwater brokebroke throughthrough withwith awesomeawesome ferocityferocity andand speed.speed.

TheThe roaringroaring delugedeluge ofof water,water, rocksrocks andand soilsoil hurtledhurtled downdown aa V-shaped valley,valley, sweepingsweeping awayaway homes,homes, roadsroads andand bridgesbridges asas wellwell asas aroundaround 200 people,people, manymany ofof whomwhom havehave stillstill notnot beenbeen foundfound almostalmost twotwo weeksweeks on.on.

- ClimateClimate changechange andand developmentdevelopment -

TheThe latestlatest catastrophecatastrophe "is"is clearly aa falloutfallout ofof climateclimate changechange andand inin itselfitself aa tell-taletell-tale ofof ourour future",future", H.C. Nainwal, oneone ofof thethe severalseveral glaciologists whowho visitedvisited thethe site,site, toldtold AFP.

InIn thethe IndianIndian Himalayas, somesome 10,000 glaciersglaciers areare recedingreceding atat aa raterate ofof 100 toto 200 feetfeet (30 toto 60 metres)metres) perper decade.decade.

TheThe runoffrunoff cancan formform glacialglacial lakeslakes whichwhich cancan thenthen burstburst theirtheir banksbanks inin spectacularspectacular andand destructivedestructive fashion.fashion.

TheThe otherother factorfactor cancan bebe heardheard inin thethe regularregular thudsthuds ofof dynamitedynamite ringingringing throughthrough thethe valleysvalleys ofof Uttarakhand state,state, wherewhere thethe recentrecent floodflood struck.struck.

SomeSome ofof thisthis explosiveexplosive activityactivity isis forfor newnew roadsroads toto beefbeef upup thethe disputeddisputed borderborder withwith ChinaChina followingfollowing lastlast year'syear's clashclash thatthat leftleft 20 IndianIndian soldierssoldiers dead.dead.

AnAn 800-kilometre (500-mile) highwayhighway isis alsoalso beingbeing builtbuilt toto connectconnect fourfour religiousreligious sitessites -- aa petpet projectproject ofof HinduHindu nationalistnationalist PrimePrime MinisterMinister Narendra Modi.

ButBut thethe biggestbiggest problemproblem isis thethe constructionconstruction ofof hydroelectrichydroelectric plantsplants acrossacross thethe vastvast networknetwork ofof Himalayan rivers,rivers, partpart ofof India's drivedrive toto boostboost renewablerenewable energy.energy.

OverOver 75 smallsmall andand largelarge powerpower projectsprojects areare operationaloperational inin Uttarakhand andand dozensdozens moremore areare plannedplanned -- manymany withoutwithout properproper attentionattention toto thethe potentialpotential risks,risks, expertsexperts say.say.

- NoNo trusttrust inin thethe governmentgovernment -

ExpertsExperts saysay thatthat thesethese projectsprojects makemake otherother devastatingdevastating flashflash floodsfloods moremore likely,likely, whilewhile alsoalso increasingincreasing thethe riskrisk ofof landslides.landslides.

TheThe dangersdangers werewere plainplain toto seesee inin 2013 whenwhen aa flashflash floodflood killedkilled 6,000 peoplepeople inin Uttarakhand andand devastateddevastated thethe region.region.

InIn itsits wake,wake, India's toptop courtcourt appointedappointed aa scientificscientific committeecommittee thatthat recommendedrecommended nono moremore hydro plantsplants bebe builtbuilt inin thethe areaarea -- adviceadvice whichwhich isis beingbeing ignored.ignored.

LocalsLocals inin thethe areaarea -- homehome toto aa famousfamous 1970s campaigncampaign toto protectprotect treestrees -- saysay thatthat theythey havehave seenseen nonenone ofof thethe promisedpromised economiceconomic benefitsbenefits ofof thethe developmentdevelopment andand thatthat theirtheir concernsconcerns havehave beenbeen ignored.ignored.

TheyThey launchedlaunched aa campaigncampaign inin 2019 andand petitionedpetitioned aa courtcourt overover illegalillegal sandsand miningmining andand thethe dumpingdumping ofof muckmuck inin thethe Rishi Ganga riverriver thatthat theythey saidsaid waswas contributingcontributing toto landslideslandslides andand floods.floods.

ButBut deforestation forfor infrastructureinfrastructure projects,projects, sandsand miningmining andand quarryingquarrying continues.continues.

"We"We usedused toto trusttrust thethe governmentgovernment andand believedbelieved thatthat itit waswas workingworking forfor ourour welfarewelfare butbut that'sthat's notnot thethe case,"case," Surinder Singh, 55, toldtold AFP.

"Any"Any damdam oror roadroad thatthat threatensthreatens ourour liveslives andand thethe mountainsmountains willwill bebe foughtfought toothtooth andand nail."nail."

ClimateClimate change,change, biodiversitybiodiversity lossloss andand pollutionpollution posepose aa tripletriple threatthreat toto humanhuman healthhealth andand prosperityprosperity thatthat maymay bebe avertedaverted onlyonly byby transformingtransforming howhow wewe powerpower ourour economieseconomies andand feedfeed ourselves,ourselves, thethe UnitedUnited NationsNations saidsaid Thursday.Thursday.

AA scientificscientific assessmentassessment byby thethe UNUN EnvironmentEnvironment ProgrammeProgramme foundfound thatthat gallopinggalloping economiceconomic growthgrowth hashas comecome atat aa devastatingdevastating costcost toto thethe planetplanet andand urgedurged governments,governments, businessesbusinesses andand peoplepeople aroundaround thethe worldworld toto actact toto reversereverse thethe damagedamage beforebefore itit isis tootoo late.late.

DrawingDrawing onon findingsfindings fromfrom otherother majormajor assessmentsassessments onon climateclimate andand biodiversitybiodiversity fromfrom expertexpert internationalinternational panels,panels, thethe reportreport titledtitled "Making"Making PeacePeace WithWith Nature"Nature" saidsaid aa rapidrapid shiftshift toto renewablerenewable energyenergy andand eliminatingeliminating habitathabitat lossloss areare essentialessential toto preventingpreventing "unacceptable"unacceptable risk"risk" forfor futurefuture generations.generations.

"For"For tootoo long,long, wewe havehave beenbeen wagingwaging aa senselesssenseless andand suicidalsuicidal warwar onon nature,"nature," saidsaid UNUN SecretarySecretary GeneralGeneral Antonio Guterres.

"The"The resultresult isis threethree interlinkedinterlinked environmentalenvironmental crises: ClimateClimate disruption,disruption, biodiversitybiodiversity lossloss andand pollutionpollution threatenthreaten ourour viability asas aa species."species."

LeadLead reportreport authorauthor Robert Watson toldtold AFP thatthat thethe threethree crisescrises threatenedthreatened farfar moremore thanthan nature.nature.

"They"They undermineundermine foodfood security,security, waterwater securitysecurity andand humanhuman health,"health," hehe said.said.

TheThe reportreport foundfound thatthat thethe globalglobal economyeconomy hadhad growngrown nearlynearly fivefold inin thethe lastlast 50 yearsyears fuelledfuelled byby aa triplingtripling inin extractionextraction ofof naturalnatural resourcesresources andand energy.energy.

YetYet amidamid suchsuch prolificprolific growth,growth, thethe burdenburden ofof thethe environmentalenvironmental falloutfallout isis borneborne byby thethe poorestpoorest andand mostmost vulnerable,vulnerable, itit said.said.

AlthoughAlthough averageaverage prosperityprosperity hashas doubleddoubled overover thethe lastlast fivefive decades,decades, aroundaround 1.3 billionbillion peoplepeople areare classedclassed asas poorpoor andand 700 millionmillion gogo toto bedbed hungryhungry eacheach night.night.

TheThe assessmentassessment saidsaid thatthat environmentalenvironmental degradationdegradation waswas underminingundermining progressprogress onon endingending povertypoverty andand hungerhunger andand warnedwarned thatthat pandemicspandemics suchsuch asas Covid-19 werewere increasinglyincreasingly likelylikely inin futurefuture asas wewe continuecontinue toto stripstrip awayaway species'species' naturalnatural habitats.habitats.

"This"This isis notnot thethe firstfirst pandemicpandemic causedcaused byby animalanimal toto humanhuman infection,infection, soso wewe reallyreally havehave toto thinkthink howhow wewe cancan preventprevent thethe nextnext one,"one," saidsaid Watson, aa veteranveteran climateclimate andand biodiversitybiodiversity researcher.

"By"By cuttingcutting downdown vegetation,vegetation, wewe humanshumans gogo intointo areasareas wewe didn't usedused toto gogo intointo andand thereforetherefore wewe interactinteract withwith wildwild animals."animals."

- 'Low-hanging fruit'fruit' -

DespiteDespite aa recordrecord dropdrop inin emissionsemissions lastlast yearyear asas thethe pandemicpandemic curbedcurbed internationalinternational travel,travel, thethe worldworld isis onon tracktrack toto bebe atat leastleast threethree degreesdegrees CelsiusCelsius aboveabove pre-industrialpre-industrial levelslevels byby 2100.

ThatThat isis aa farfar crycry fromfrom thethe aimsaims ofof thethe Paris climateclimate deal,deal, inin whichwhich nationsnations promisedpromised toto limitlimit warmingwarming toto "well"well below"below" 2C andand toto aa safersafer capcap ofof 1.5C ifif possible.possible.

NoneNone ofof thethe goalsgoals thethe worldworld setset itselfitself aa decadedecade agoago forfor haltinghalting naturenature lossloss hashas beenbeen met,met, withwith oneone millionmillion speciesspecies ofof plantsplants andand animalsanimals currently threatenedthreatened withwith extinction.extinction.

TheThe assessmentassessment recommendedrecommended thatthat protectedprotected areasareas bebe expandedexpanded toto allowallow forfor moremore spacespace forfor wildwild species,species, asas wellwell asas addressingaddressing thethe driversdrivers ofof forestforest loss,loss, suchsuch asas unsustainable farmingfarming andand foodfood waste.waste.

ItIt alsoalso foundfound thatthat governmentsgovernments paypay outout aa staggeringstaggering $5-7 trilliontrillion inin subsidiessubsidies toto fossilfossil fuelfuel andand large-scalelarge-scale farmingfarming operations.operations.

TheseThese contributecontribute toto airair pollutionpollution thatthat killskills anan estimatedestimated eighteight millionmillion peoplepeople eacheach year.year.

Co-authorCo-author Ivar BasteBaste saidsaid thatthat reducingreducing fossilfossil fuelfuel subsidiessubsidies -- whichwhich afterafter allall mostmost benefitbenefit richer,richer, high-polluting firmsfirms -- shouldshould bebe consideredconsidered "low-hanging fruit"fruit" inin thethe fightfight againstagainst climateclimate change.change.

"We"We havehave toto dodo thethe obvious,"obvious," hehe toldtold AFP, whilewhile notingnoting thatthat "vested"vested interests"interests" areare pushingpushing forfor continuedcontinued fossilfossil fuelfuel use.use.

WithWith 2021 setset toto seesee twotwo majormajor UNUN summitssummits onon biodiversitybiodiversity lossloss andand climateclimate change,change, thethe authorsauthors saidsaid "piecemeal"piecemeal andand uncoordinated"uncoordinated" responsesresponses wouldwould fallfall wellwell shortshort ofof whatwhat thethe planetplanet needs.needs.

"While"While II applaudapplaud allall thethe countriescountries inin thethe worldworld thatthat havehave setset zerozero netnet carboncarbon dioxidedioxide emissionsemissions byby 2030, thethe realreal issueissue isis whatwhat willwill countriescountries dodo betweenbetween nownow andand 2030," Watson said.said.

"Action"Action reallyreally isis neededneeded inin thethe shortshort term,term, notnot justjust aspirationalaspirational goalsgoals forfor thethe middlemiddle ofof thethe century."century."

SeriousSerious pollutionpollution causedcaused aroundaround 160,000 prematurepremature deathsdeaths inin thethe world'sworld's fivefive mostmost populouspopulous citiescities lastlast year,year, eveneven asas airair qualityquality improvedimproved inin somesome placesplaces duedue toto coronavirus lockdowns, anan environmentalenvironmental groupgroup saidsaid Thursday.Thursday.

TheThe worst-affected waswas NewNew Delhi, thethe mostmost pollutedpolluted capitalcapital onon Earth,Earth, wherewhere aroundaround 54,000 deathsdeaths areare estimatedestimated toto havehave occurredoccurred duedue toto hazardoushazardous PM2.5 airborneairborne particles,particles, accordingaccording toto aa reportreport fromfrom Greenpeace SoutheastSoutheast Asia.

InIn Tokyo, thethe figurefigure waswas 40,000 withwith thethe restrest spreadspread acrossacross Shanghai, Sao Paulo andand Mexico City,City, accordingaccording toto thethe report,report, whichwhich lookedlooked atat thethe impactimpact ofof microscopicmicroscopic PM2.5 mattermatter producedproduced byby burningburning fossilfossil fuels.fuels.

"When"When governmentsgovernments choosechoose coal,coal, oiloil andand gasgas overover cleanclean energy,energy, it'sit's ourour healthhealth thatthat payspays thethe price,"price," saidsaid Avinash Chanchal, climateclimate campaignercampaigner atat Greenpeace India.

PM2.5 particlesparticles areare consideredconsidered thethe mostmost harmfulharmful forfor health.health. TheyThey damagedamage thethe heartheart andand lungs,lungs, andand increaseincrease thethe chanceschances ofof severesevere asthmaasthma attacks.attacks.

SomeSome studiesstudies havehave linkedlinked PM2.5 exposureexposure toto aa higherhigher riskrisk ofof dyingdying fromfrom Covid-19.

TheThe reportreport usedused anan onlineonline tooltool thatthat estimatesestimates thethe impactsimpacts ofof PMPM 2.5 byby takingtaking airair qualityquality datadata fromfrom monitoringmonitoring sitesite IQAir andand combiningcombining itit withwith scientificscientific riskrisk models,models, asas wellwell asas populationpopulation andand healthhealth data.data.

TheThe tooltool isis aa collaborationcollaboration betweenbetween Greenpeace, IQAir, andand thethe CentreCentre forfor ResearchResearch onon EnergyEnergy andand CleanClean Air.Air.

DespiteDespite thethe highhigh numbersnumbers ofof deaths,deaths, coronavirus lockdowns imposedimposed acrossacross thethe worldworld -- thatthat tooktook traffictraffic offoff thethe streetsstreets andand shutshut downdown pollutingpolluting industriesindustries -- diddid temporarily clearclear thethe skiesskies aboveabove bigbig cities.cities.

Delhi, forfor instance,instance, underwentunderwent aa dramaticdramatic transformation forfor aa periodperiod lastlast yearyear whenwhen curbscurbs werewere imposed,imposed, withwith residentsresidents revellingrevelling inin azureazure skiesskies andand cleanclean air.air.

ScientistsScientists saysay thatthat massivemassive dropsdrops inin somesome pollutantspollutants duedue toto lockdowns areare boundbound toto havehave preventedprevented deaths.deaths.

Nevertheless,Nevertheless, Greenpeace urgedurged governmentsgovernments toto putput investmentinvestment inin renewablerenewable energyenergy atat thethe heartheart ofof plansplans toto recoverrecover fromfrom thethe pandemic-triggered economiceconomic downturn.downturn.