How to Restore World's Trust in US

Obama urges a tougher stance on Iran, N. Korea nuclear programs

(NEWSER) - World leaders gathered in L’Aquila, Italy, today for the G8 summit. Highlights from the day's meetings:

• A forum organized by President Obama for the world’s 17 biggest polluters failed to approve a proposal to cut global emissions by 50% by 2050, the New York Times reports. The group did agree to set a goal of preventing global temperatures from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius.

President issues nuclear warnings to North Korea, Iran

(NEWSER) - President Obama still thinks we could stand to get rid of a bunch of our nukes, and has promised a renewed effort to cut American and Russian nuclear arsenals following 2010's START treaty . "We can already say with confidence that we have more nuclear weapons than we need," the president said during a speech in Seoul, noting that he and Vladimir Putin will discuss nuclear cuts when they meet in May. "I firmly believe that we can ensure the security of the United States and our allies, maintain a strong deterrent against any threat, and still pursue further reductions in our nuclear arsenal." More»

Carbon dioxide emissions take biggest jump on record

(NEWSER) - Carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases continued to build in the atmosphere last year, a federal report finds: Between 2009 and 2010, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s yearly index of greenhouse gases—which measures said gases' combined heating effect—jumped 1.5%, to 1.29. It has climbed 29% since 1990, the Los Angeles Times reports. That number isn't the equivalent to a change in our temperature in degrees, but as it rises, so too does our warming potential, says a NOAA director. More»

Farmers already hit by hurricanes, new rainfall patterns

(NEWSER) - Melting ice caps, unpredictable weather, and ... no more coffee? Starbucks says climate change could put your morning joe in jeopardy. Global warming creates "a potentially significant risk to our supply chain, which is the Arabica coffee bean," the company's sustainability director tells the Guardian . Coffee farmers are already grappling with devastating hurricanes, shifting rain patterns, and more intense bug threats, which Jim Hanna says are associated with the changing climate. More»

Multimedia presentation will cross 24 time zones

(NEWSER) - For those who just can't get enough Al Gore, this might be overkill even for you: The former vice president will attempt to take over the globe this week, by way of a 24-hour worldwide multimedia presentation aimed at winning over climate-change skeptics. "24 Hours of Reality" will have an emphasis on the link between climate change and "cataclysmic" weather, and will come to life as a presentation by Gore that will air every hour for 24 hours through 24 time zones this Wednesday to Thursday, Reuters reports. More»