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Carbon emissions hit record high in 2017
Carbon emissions reached a historic high in 2017 according to a new report by a major intergovernmental organisation. According to figures released by the International Energy Agency, higher energy demands and a slowing of energy efficiency improvements were responsible for the greater emissions.
After three years of flat lining, carbon dioxide levels around the world increased in 2017 by 1.4 per cent to 32.5 gigatonnes. The increase stands in stark contrast to the demands of the Paris climate agreement, which calls for drastic cuts in global emissions if the world is to meet its ambitious targets.
Under the 2015 agreement, nations agreed to limit the increase in global temperatures to no more than 2C above pre-industrial times. “The robust global economy pushed up energy demand last year, which was mostly met by fossil fuels, while renewables made impressive strides,” said Dr Fatih Birol, the agency’s executive director.
Two-thirds of Britons are living unfulfilled life, says study
Two-thirds of Britons said they are living an unfulfilled life, according to a new poll. Despite an overwhelming majority of people saying they have a bucket list, financial limitations and time restrictions mean most of us have only ticked off between one and five items on it.
Londoners were found to have the most time constraints, having just 83 minutes a day of spare time to do what they want to. That compares to people in the North-west who have the most time (130 minutes), followed by the South-east (108 minutes), Scotland (107 minutes) and Yorkshire (104 minutes).
But, despite being time-poor those in the capital were found to have the richest lives, with 45 per cent considering themselves fulfilled. Those who, overall, have more time and fall into the lower end of the spectrum include the South-west, Scotland and Yorkshire, demonstrating that having more time does not necessarily result in feeling as if you have a fulfilled life.
Tory MP asks if NHS can use traditional Chinese medicine after Brexit
A Conservative MP asked the Health Secretary whether Brexit could provide an opportunity to integrate Chinese medicine into the NHS. David Tredinnick, who has been an outspoken advocate of alternative medicines, asked Jeremy Hunt whether he agreed leaving the EU would “be a good opportunity” to build links with healthcare systems in other countries, before specifically citing China and Chinese medicine.
Speaking in the House of Commons, he said: “Does [Mr Hunt] agree that leaving the EU will be a good opportunity to build links with other countries’ medical systems, particularly those of the Chinese, who have, for instance, integrated Chinese medicine and western medicine to reduce the demand for antibiotics?”
Mr Hunt said Mr Tredinnick was “right to draw attention to antimicrobial resistance because China is one of the big countries that can make a difference on that, and yes, we have had lots of discussion with Chinese health ministers about how we can work together on that”.
Ex-Army sergeant avoids prison over sex attack on teenager
An ex-Army sergeant major who carried out a “terrifying” sex attack on a 14-year-old girl has avoided prison. Jonathan Sword, 55, molested the girl after pulling down her tights and pushing her onto a table.
The former soldier and children’s party company owner thrust his groin towards the victim in an assault which she “fears she will never recover from”. He then told the girl, who cannot be named, not to tell her mother.
In a victim impact statement, the teenager said the incident had affected her trust and capacity for intimacy and she was “no longer as outgoing”. Sword denied a charge of sexual assault but was found guilty by a majority verdict at Worcester Crown Court.