Policies of Most Countries Do Not Meet Objectives of Paris Agreement, Expert Says

Hundreds of environmentalists arrange their bodies to form a message of hope and peace in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, December 6, 2015 | Benoit Tessier/ Reuters
Hundreds of environmentalists arrange their bodies to form a message of hope and peace in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, December 6, 2015 | Benoit Tessier/ Reuters
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Policies of Most Countries Do Not Meet Objectives of Paris Agreement, Expert Says

Hundreds of environmentalists arrange their bodies to form a message of hope and peace in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, December 6, 2015 | Benoit Tessier/ Reuters
Hundreds of environmentalists arrange their bodies to form a message of hope and peace in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, December 6, 2015 | Benoit Tessier/ Reuters

Fatih Birol, a Turkish economic expert and the executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), said that "the environmental policies adopted by most countries, whether industrial or developing, do not help achieve the goals set in the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and may even contribute to exacerbating the climate crisis if urgent and effective measures are not taken to reverse the current situation."

In an exclusive interview with Asharq Al-Awsat after presenting the Agency's annual report to the climate summit held in Madrid, Birol said: "The support of many governments for fossil fuels is three times higher than the support for renewable fuels, making the choice clear for consumers who automatically shift to less expensive energy, and will not change their behavior as long as this equation is not changed. Think about the electric cars that have made headlines for years, they are still expensive, while the four-wheel drive cars, considered a major environmental problem, are invading global markets."

"Environmental awareness about climate change risks and consumer behavioral decisions are important, but government policies are more important, particularly in the energy sector, which accounts for 80 percent of CO2 emissions. Without addressing this problem, there is absolutely no hope of achieving the goals of Paris Agreement," he added.

IEA Director expressed concerns about the divergence between the scientific evidence provided by experts and the foundations on which governments base their policies and use when negotiating actions to combat climate change. "Experts sound alarm bells and call for accelerating the adoption of ambitious measures before it is too late, while the governments are maneuvering to extend deadlines and loosen goals related to greenhouse gas emissions, although they are aware of the enormity of the crisis and the urgency of addressing it. It would be enough to recall the Paris agreement and its ambitious goals set in 2015, and admit that since then, gas emissions have not stopped rising."

Birol saw that the four-wheel-drive cars are causing "environmental chaos" on the global level.

He said: "In 2010, these cars accounted for 18 percent of all cars in the world, and now 10 years later, they account for 42 percent, and are expected to hit 50 percent in the US before the end of the coming decade. The four-wheel-drive cars consume 25 percent more oil than regular cars, but all indicators suggest the global demand on these cars is increasing."

This invalidates the importance of electric cars and shows us how setting goals without actions cannot lead to the desired results.

"Good intentions alone are not enough. Consumers are looking for a quick and effective response to the climate change crisis as it directly affects our lives and the future of our children. I live in Paris, where this year we have seen an unprecedented rise in temperatures that has led to the deaths of hundreds of elderly and sick people. In Africa, food crops failed in many countries because of drought, but government measures are still moving in the opposite direction," said the economist, who does not hesitate to criticize his country's consumer patterns.

"I regret to say that I don't expect much from this summit. The world powers are focusing on the trade war, feverish competition on markets, and undermining multilateralism. These are not the best conditions for confronting such a global crisis that requires everyone's contribution to successfully address it," Birol concluded.

In a related context, researchers have scooped up and measured tens of thousands of birds that died after crashing into buildings in Chicago during spring and fall migrations. Their work has documented what might be called the incredible shrinking bird.

A study published on Wednesday involving 70,716 birds killed from 1978 through 2016 in such collisions in the third-largest US city found that their average body sizes steadily declined over that time, though their wingspans increased.

The results suggest that a warming climate is driving down the size of certain bird species in North America and perhaps around the world, the researchers said. They cited a phenomenon called Bergmann's rule, in which individuals within a species tend to be smaller in warmer regions and larger in colder regions. The study focused on 52 species, mostly songbirds that breed in cold regions of North America and spend their winters in locations south of Chicago. The researchers measured and weighed a parade of birds that crashed into building windows and went splat onto the ground.

Over the four decades, body size decreased in all 52 species: the average body mass fell by 2.6%, and the leg bone length dropped by 2.4%. The wingspans increased by 1.3%, possibly to enable the species to continue to make long migrations even with smaller bodies.

"This means climate change seems to be changing both the size and shape of these species," said Biologist Brian Weeks of the University of Michigan's School for Environment and Sustainability, lead author of the study published in the journal Ecology Letter.

For his part, Dave Willard, collections manager emeritus at the Field Museum in Chicago who measured all the birds, said: "Virtually everyone agrees that the climate is warming, but examples of just how that is affecting the natural world are only now coming to light."



Myanmar Earthquake Death Toll Rises to 3,085 as More Bodies Found

People look at the collapsed Maha Myat Muni Pagoda following an earthquake in Mandalay, Myanmar, 28 March 2025 (issued 29 March 2025). EPA/STRINGER
People look at the collapsed Maha Myat Muni Pagoda following an earthquake in Mandalay, Myanmar, 28 March 2025 (issued 29 March 2025). EPA/STRINGER
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Myanmar Earthquake Death Toll Rises to 3,085 as More Bodies Found

People look at the collapsed Maha Myat Muni Pagoda following an earthquake in Mandalay, Myanmar, 28 March 2025 (issued 29 March 2025). EPA/STRINGER
People look at the collapsed Maha Myat Muni Pagoda following an earthquake in Mandalay, Myanmar, 28 March 2025 (issued 29 March 2025). EPA/STRINGER

The death toll from the massive earthquake that hit Myanmar nearly a week ago rose Thursday to 3,085 as search and rescue teams found more bodies, the military-led government said, and humanitarian aid groups scrambled to provide survivors medical care and shelter.
In a short statement, the military said another 4,715 people have been injured and 341 are missing.
The epicenter of Friday's 7.7 magnitude earthquake was near Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city. It brought down thousands of buildings, buckled roads and destroyed bridges in multiple regions, The Associated Press said.
Local media reports of casualties have been much higher than the official figures and with telecommunications widely out and many places difficult to reach, it's thought the numbers could rise sharply as more details come in.
The World Health Organization said that according to its initial assessment, four hospitals and one health center had been completely destroyed while another 32 hospitals and 18 health centers had been partially damaged.
“With infrastructure compromised and patient numbers surging, access to health care has become nearly impossible in many of the worst-hit areas,” the UN said. “Thousands of people are in urgent need of trauma care, surgical interventions and treatment for disease outbreaks.”
A mobile hospital from India and a joint Russian-Belarusian hospital also were now operating in Mandalay.
With many left homeless by the earthquake, and many others staying away from their homes over fears ongoing aftershocks will bring them down, workers in Naypyitaw labored in the 40 degree Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) busily erected big tents in open fields to provide some shelter.
In Mandalay, local residents gave slices of watermelon to Chinese volunteers taking a break from the heat.
More than 1,550 international rescuers were operating alongside locals on Thursday, according to a statement from the military. Rescue supplies and equipment have been sent by 17 countries.
Myanmar’s military seized power in 2021 from the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, sparking what has turned into a civil war.
The quake worsened an already dire humanitarian crisis, with more than 3 million people displaced from their homes and nearly 20 million in need even before it hit, according to the United Nations.
As concerns grew that ongoing fighting could hamper humanitarian aid efforts, the military declared a temporary ceasefire Wednesday, through April 22. The announcement followed unilateral temporary ceasefires announced by armed resistance groups opposed to military rule.
The military said it would still take “necessary” measures against those groups if they use the ceasefire to regroup, train or launch attacks.
Already on Thursday there were reports from local media in Kachin state in the north of Myanmar that military attacks continued in several areas, but they could not be independently confirmed.
Prior to the earthquake the military was battling the Kachin Independence Army group. The KIA on Wednesday also declared a ceasefire but reserved the right to defend itself. It was unclear how the reported fighting broke out.
The earthquake shook Kachin, but there have been no reports of damage there.
In Bangkok, where the quake brought down a skyscraper under construction, the search for survivors and bodies continued as Gov. Chadchart Sittipunt said a possible sound of life was detected in the rubble. By near day's end, however, nobody was found.
Twenty-two people were killed and 35 injured in the city, mostly by the collapse of the unfinished building.