Southeast Asia closes island beaches to recover from climate change, tourism

BANGKOK - More popular Southeast Asian islands will be off limits to visitors this year as officials seek to protect eco-systems crumbling from warming seas and unchecked sprawl, despite the risk to tourism revenues and tens of thousands of jobs.

Southeast Asian beaches are being closed to allow
them to recover from the effects of climate change.

Thailand will shut Maya Bay, which famously featured in "The Beach", starring Leonardo DiCaprio, for four months a year, from June. In the Philippines, officials plan to close Boracay island for six months at the end of April.

"Islands have very fragile eco-systems that simply cannot handle so many people, pollution from boats and beachfront hotels," said Thon Thamrongnawasawat, a marine expert in Bangkok.

Read Rina Chandran’s story from ABS/CBN News - “Southeast Asia closes island beaches to recover from climate change, tourism.”

Australian household recycling 'at risk' from China ban

Australia’s entire system of “yellow-lid bin” kerbside recycling is at risk from China’s clampdown on imported recyclables, state and Commonwealth officials have been told during crisis talks with the waste industry and local government.

There are fears for the future of Australia's recycling industry.

Officials have been warned of potentially serious environmental, political and economic fallout from the Chinese move because only months remain before stockpiling limits are reached at recycling stations and no viable alternatives have been proposed for Australia’s heavy reliance on the Chinese market for its waste.

Read the story from The Age by mark Solomons - “Australian household recycling 'at risk' from China ban.”

Top Trump officials signal US could stay in Paris climate agreement

Senior Trump administration officials on Sunday signalled a further softening of America’s resolve to leave the Paris climate accord, amid signs that the issue will be discussed at the United Nations general assembly in New York this week.

A demonstration against Trump’s decision to pull
out of the landmark climate change deal,
which the president announced in June.

Secretary of state Rex Tillerson and national security adviser HR McMaster both indicated that the US is open to negotiations on staying in the landmark international agreement to limit mankind’s role in global warming.

Donald Trump announced the withdrawal from the deal in June, leaving the US with only Syria and Nicaragua for company outside the global agreement. A US withdrawal from a deal made under the Obama administration was a Trump campaign pledge. The rules of the pact do not, however, allow the US to physically pull out until 2020.

Read The Guardian story by Joanna Walters - “Top Trump officials signal US could stay in Paris climate agreement.”

Seemingly nonsensical weather will test the skeptics

What arguments will the skeptics resort to as they attempt to explain the seemingly nonsensical weather in America?

Eastern Americans presently wrestle with brutishly cold weather while in the west they are busy preparing for a drought.

A story published by News10/ABC headed: “California officials preparing for drought in 2014” says officials are preparing for a drought that could result from a “lacklustre end to the winter rainy season”.

Meanwhile a story on News.com headed: “Severe storm blankets US Midwest and Northeast with snow; travel chaos as 2300 flight cancelled” tells us about the chaos the storm has brought.

Beyond that, another story headed: “Floods and storms lash UK and France” tells us that high winds, waves and tides lashed the western coasts of Britain and France, flooding sea-side towns and low-lying areas.