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DGI Brief - July 22, 2016


Happy Friday to all. Today's top 5 global issues news are about #climatechange #cancer #migration #Iraq and a #GoodStoryFriday about #NewYorkCity

- The WORLD Meteorological Organization (WMO) tracked June to be the 14th consecutive month of record heat – both for land & oceans – w/ average temperature 1.3°C warmer than pre-industrial era. Also, levels of green house gas carbon in the earth’s atmosphere reached new highs. In the words of WMO’s David Carlson (I’m capitalizing for effect): “What we’ve seen for the first 6 months of 2016 is really quite ALARMING. We would have thought it would take several years to warm up like this. WE DON’T HAVE AS MUCH TIME AS WE THOUGHT.”

- HEALTH: The conclusions from several of the world’s leading research institutions point to alcohol causing cancer of the oropharynx, larynx, oesophagus, liver, colon, rectum & breast. Smoking & drinking creates even greater risk of cancer. You can read more in the following article http://bit.ly/29X7U8v

- EUROPE: According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the deaths of migrants crossing the Mediterranean route between Libya & Italy will top 3,000 in coming days. 2014 & 2015 reached the figure of 3,000 in September & October respectively. Meanwhile agencies say the flow of migrants between Turkey & Greece “have almost disappeared.” Those are concerning trends.

- IRAQ: Donor states has pledged contributions as follows: $590 mil for humanitarian assistance that meets the needs of the UN 2016 Humanitarian Response Plan for Iraq; $350 mil for UNDP’s Funding Facility for Immediate Stabilization; $80 mil for demining efforts; $50 mil for new UNDP Funding Facility for Expanded Stabilization and over $200 mil for 2017 & 2018. It’d be interesting to know the concrete plans Iraq has for its own people – starting w/ politicians getting along?

- #GoodStoryFriday USA: Anticipating significant rise in sea levels, NYC worked with Dutch firm to remodel its Governors Island with built-in climate change mitigation measures & unveiled the new project “the Hills”. It is an important initiative that expands – creatively & sustainably – past the usual ideas of levees, floodwalls etc. Diversity in mitigating what is inevitable will be crucial. More on http://bit.ly/2a5SEqH

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