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Why U.S. airstrikes in Syria may be bad for the environment Why U.S. airstrikes in Syria may be bad for the environment
(about 1 hour later)
The United States and its partners expanded its war against Islamic State on Tuesday, with airstrikes against the extremist group striking within Syria for the first time. It's a dramatic escalation: Strikes in Syria have been a subject of heated debate for months, and a lesser-known but widely feared group linked to al-Qaeda, known as Khorasan, is being targeted for the first time.The United States and its partners expanded its war against Islamic State on Tuesday, with airstrikes against the extremist group striking within Syria for the first time. It's a dramatic escalation: Strikes in Syria have been a subject of heated debate for months, and a lesser-known but widely feared group linked to al-Qaeda, known as Khorasan, is being targeted for the first time.
The strikes in Syria are clearly a big deal. It's also possible, however, that they may overshadow an issue with an even wider importance.The strikes in Syria are clearly a big deal. It's also possible, however, that they may overshadow an issue with an even wider importance.
On Tuesday, more than 120 world leaders were gathering at the United Nations General Assembly in New York for an unusual one-day summit on climate change. While there have been some notable absences, the scale of the event is hard to ignore: It's one of the largest one-day meetings of world leaders in history, and it's certainly the largest-ever summit on climate change.On Tuesday, more than 120 world leaders were gathering at the United Nations General Assembly in New York for an unusual one-day summit on climate change. While there have been some notable absences, the scale of the event is hard to ignore: It's one of the largest one-day meetings of world leaders in history, and it's certainly the largest-ever summit on climate change.
However, despite a push for publicity from U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and a huge climate change march in New York City on Sunday, it's hard not to feel like attention is elsewhere at the United Nations.However, despite a push for publicity from U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and a huge climate change march in New York City on Sunday, it's hard not to feel like attention is elsewhere at the United Nations.
In the U.N. Correspondents Lounge, much of the talk focuses on the strikes in Syria, and while President Obama is due to speak at the summit later, his comments on the Syria strikes were dominating the news durinh the mid-morning. In the U.N. Correspondents Lounge, much of the talk focuses on the strikes in Syria, and while President Obama is due to speak at the summit later, his comments on the Syria strikes were dominating the news during the mid-morning.
Online data seem to confirm that the strikes in Syria are winning the war for attention: According to social analytics firm Topsy,  the number of people tweeting about "Syria" on Tuesday morning was twice the number tweeting about "climate change." Google Trends shows a spike of search traffic for Syria, but topics related to climate change are not mentioned.Online data seem to confirm that the strikes in Syria are winning the war for attention: According to social analytics firm Topsy,  the number of people tweeting about "Syria" on Tuesday morning was twice the number tweeting about "climate change." Google Trends shows a spike of search traffic for Syria, but topics related to climate change are not mentioned.
Many nations justifiably consider the Islamic State a major threat. When Obama spoke about Syria early Tuesday, he talked not only of the coalition of Arab "partner nations" who participated in or supported the strikes, but of "more than 40 nations" who have offered some kind of commitment to the fight against the militant Islamist group.Many nations justifiably consider the Islamic State a major threat. When Obama spoke about Syria early Tuesday, he talked not only of the coalition of Arab "partner nations" who participated in or supported the strikes, but of "more than 40 nations" who have offered some kind of commitment to the fight against the militant Islamist group.
That's a lot of nations, but the Climate Summit has attracted leaders from more. This is largely due to the nature of the United Nations, but it is also because smaller nations that have less clout in military matters are often the most affected by climate change. At the opening ceremony of the Climate Summit, a poet from the Marshall Islands called for action from the wider world. "Climate change affects not only us islanders," Kathy Jefnil-Kijiner said. "It threatens the entire world." The Marshall Islands are just one of a number of Pacific Island nations at risk from climate change.That's a lot of nations, but the Climate Summit has attracted leaders from more. This is largely due to the nature of the United Nations, but it is also because smaller nations that have less clout in military matters are often the most affected by climate change. At the opening ceremony of the Climate Summit, a poet from the Marshall Islands called for action from the wider world. "Climate change affects not only us islanders," Kathy Jefnil-Kijiner said. "It threatens the entire world." The Marshall Islands are just one of a number of Pacific Island nations at risk from climate change.
Meanwhile, the United States is the second largest producer of carbon dioxide emissions in the world, behind China and ahead of India. Despite this, in studies that measure how the public perceives the threat of global warming, Americans have returned lower results. In a 2013 study by Pew Global Research, 4 in 10 Americans said that climate change was a major threat to their nation, among the lowest rates in all of the 39 countries surveyed. Notably, Pew's study found that Americans were more concerned about military threats, pointing toward North Korea, Islamist groups and Iran, as subjects that worried them.Meanwhile, the United States is the second largest producer of carbon dioxide emissions in the world, behind China and ahead of India. Despite this, in studies that measure how the public perceives the threat of global warming, Americans have returned lower results. In a 2013 study by Pew Global Research, 4 in 10 Americans said that climate change was a major threat to their nation, among the lowest rates in all of the 39 countries surveyed. Notably, Pew's study found that Americans were more concerned about military threats, pointing toward North Korea, Islamist groups and Iran, as subjects that worried them.
It can be hard to gain momentum with an issue as vast, complicated and disputed as climate change, and despite a big push, the Climate Summit has struggled with keeping attention: The absence of China's Xi Jinping and India's Narendra Modi, leaders of the two largest nations on Earth, was a blow, and a glitzy, Clinton-led event that took place the night before clearly outshone the more formal, bureaucratic U.N. event. High-profile global health problems such as Ebola complicate matters further.It can be hard to gain momentum with an issue as vast, complicated and disputed as climate change, and despite a big push, the Climate Summit has struggled with keeping attention: The absence of China's Xi Jinping and India's Narendra Modi, leaders of the two largest nations on Earth, was a blow, and a glitzy, Clinton-led event that took place the night before clearly outshone the more formal, bureaucratic U.N. event. High-profile global health problems such as Ebola complicate matters further.
Strikes in Syria may be the final blow. In contrast to climate change, war has a habit of dominating political bandwidth and public attention. For more than 10 years, critics have complained that the war on terror has overshadowed international efforts to address a climate change crisis. History tends to repeat itself, unfortunately.Strikes in Syria may be the final blow. In contrast to climate change, war has a habit of dominating political bandwidth and public attention. For more than 10 years, critics have complained that the war on terror has overshadowed international efforts to address a climate change crisis. History tends to repeat itself, unfortunately.