The International Day to End Violence against Women is being observed on 25th November and to mark the event, two Monaco associations are banding together to show boys and men how they can help stop aggressive behaviour towards girls and women.
As most violence against women and girls is inflicted by the opposite sex, their participation and support are vital in reminding people that the vast majority of men and boys are against such behaviour.
COP26 was the most significant climate conference since 2015, a unique opportunity to finalise the Paris Agreement to drive tangible action on the climate emergency. National leaders were urged to take the necessary steps to reduce emissions, mobilise funding, and boost adaptation and resilience across multiple, beautifully constructed sites in Glasgow city centre on the banks of the River Clyde.
The result was an important step in the fight against climate change; a new pact that talks about the world’s use of fossil fuels for the first time. Yet there is still much to do to build a positive human future and now is the time to turn all these high level “conversations” into actions.
Implementing change with the necessary pace and scale will require unprecedented commitment, innovation, collaboration and partnerships across governments, industry, financiers and innovators. To avoid the worst impacts of climate change, global carbon emissions need to fall by 45% by 2030. But the recent IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change) report shows emissions are set to rise by 16% during this period.
Methane has a global warming potential of more than 80 times that of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, making it a powerful heat trapper. But it only stays in the atmosphere for 12 years, far less than carbon dioxide. In practice, this means reducing methane emissions can have a faster impact on reducing global warming and buy us some valuable time. Over 60 countries have joined the Global Methane Pledge to cut methane emissions by 30% by 2030.
Current commitments put the world on track for a global temperature rise of 2.7°C by the end of the century. To stand a chance of limiting global warming to even 1.5°C, the next eight years will be crucial. Greenhouse gases need to be halved and drastic changes need to occur through international policies.
Any temperature increase approaching 2.7°C would be a disaster for humanity and many of the planet’s species. According to the IPCC, even an increase of 2°C would have a major impact on food, security and human health. Insects, vital for pollination of crops and plants, are likely to lose half their habitat at 1.5°C. This becomes twice as likely at 2°C. The frequency and intensity of droughts, storms and extreme weather events will rise with every increment in temperature, as we are already seeing with a global temperature increase over pre-industrial levels of around 1.2°C.
We must all work together to accelerate and scale the climate response through financing and technological innovation. But how can we achieve this?
It is all well and good highlighting the issues and it is a huge step forward by just making the environment part of our vernacular. But it is action that counts, and unless we all make changes to our lives then we will still be having the same conversations in decades to come when it will all be too little, too late.
The world leaders at COP26 are capable of large scale change, which in turn can see almost immediate results. But it is us mere mortals that need to change our daily habits to make a real difference. And unless we make them habits, then how do we ever expect this situation to improve?
Let’s see how many of the conversations had this November will have been actioned by COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh next year.
Click on the photos below to see more pictures from COP26…
The Covid incidence rate in the Principality has reached over 100, up from 55 a week earlier, a worrying indicator heading into winter.
As the weather turns cooler, more people begin congregating indoors. This normal seasonal transition is fine under normal circumstances, but in times of Covid, it means that numbers start to rise again.
In Monaco on Monday, eight new cases were revealed, putting the Principality’s total Covid count since the start of the pandemic at 3,486 people. It was also announced that the incidence rate had gone from 54.76 at the previous count to 106.71 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the past seven days, almost twice the number.
Nine infected people are currently being treated at the Princess Grace Hospital. Eight, including three residents, are under normal care, whilst one non-resident is in intensive care. Thirty people are being followed by the Home Monitoring Care system, which invites patients with few symptoms to receive medical support from home.
Meanwhile, seven additional people were reported to be fully recovered bringing the total number to 3,407.
There were 3,596 PCR or antigen tests carried out in the Principality between 8th and 14th November, with a positivity rate of 2.45%.
In Monaco’s neighbouring Alpes-Maritimes region, the incidence rate currently stands at 122 per 100,000, higher than the French overall incidence rate of 100.
The positivity rate from tests in the region sits at 3.1%.
The hospitals are seeing intensive care occupancy for Covid in PACA hit 31%, again higher than the French national average of 25%.
Vigilance is being asked for as cases rise and temperatures plummet. Observing the standard protocols, such as mask-wearing, hand washing and social distancing, can assist in keeping numbers down, while vaccinations help keep the number of people going into hospital with severe cases to a minimum.
Photo source: Pixabay
AS Monaco basketball responded to their recent disappointing displays with two dominant performances over the weekend, putting them back in contention on the European and domestic fronts.
The Roca team backed up their drubbing of Bayern Munich on Friday, with an even more comprehensive win over Cholet on Sunday.
Nearly 4,000 Monaco fans crammed into the Salle Gaston Médecin in Fontvieille for Friday’s fixture, and they didn’t have to wait long before their team hit the front. Leo Westermann, who was consistently finding himself in space on the left touchline, began the game in emphatic style, scoring the opening eight points of the match with 100% accuracy.
Will Thomas then got in on the act, firstly with a two pointer when he did well to manufacture space in a tight area and then find great accuracy with the shot on the spin. He then found himself with time outside the arc to accurately dispatch another three pointer for La Roca side.
Monaco had an unrelenting intensity, both in attack and in defence, that went unmatched throughout the game. Having won the first quarter 27-20, they pushed on to increase that lead in the second, aided by two Danilo Andjusic three pointers, as well as a flurry of two pointers by Dwayne Bacon to go in at half-time 55-43 up.
From there, Monaco consolidated their lead, drawing the third quarter, before closing the game out with a dominant fourth quarter, ultimately securing the win 94-71. Mike James finished as the top scorer with 18, closely followed by Andjusic and Bacon with 16.
Not wishing to dwell on the win, Coach Zvezdan Mitrovic’s thoughts turned immediately to Sunday’s fixture against Cholet, a team that they struggled against last year, and who have since improved further. Mitrovic acknowledged the short turnaround for all Euroleague sides this year. “There are lots of problems with consistency for all Euroleague teams. Bayern are also struggling in their domestic championship.”
There was, however, no such hangover for Mitrovic’s men as they backed up their Euroleague win with an even more emphatic display at home against Cholet. A tightly-contested first quarter, which was edged 24-25 by Cholet, gave the false illusion of a tight encounter; what followed was a complete annihilation.
AS Monaco basket took the second quarter by an impressive 18-point margin (27-9), and this display then set the tone for a dominant second-half as wins in both quarters (30-13 and 21-12) gave Mitrovic’s men a resounding 102-59 victory. Yakuba Outtara and Brock Motum this time the outstanding points scorers with 23 and 22 points respectively.
Keen to avoid over-analysis after two impressive weekend displays, Mitrovic succinctly summarised, without embellishment, his side’s performance after the match. “It was a very good collective display”.
The victories not only put them back in contention on both the domestic and European fronts, but the manner of them was an emphatic sign of strength that is sure to disturb their rivals.
Photo source: AS Monaco Basket
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