THE HAGUE, Dec 17 (IPS) – When it comes to international environmental diplomacy, America has a chequered past. It stood at the forefront of the international battle to fix the ozone hole and has shaped many key international agreements.
Sadly, US positions are not always built on solid political ground at home. Twice, in the climate change process, this has led to the United States forging an agreement, only to then walk away. This happened with the 1997 Kyoto Protocol which then Vice-President Gore flew to Japan to sign in the full knowledge that a Republican dominated Senate would never ratify the deal. It happened again five years ago, with former President Obama closing that landmark deal (and John Kerry signing at the UN), only for President Trump to tear it up a few weeks later.
In National Geographic’s “Expedition: Saving Our Seas,” it’s all hands on deck 
The ‘hell chicken’ dinosaur was a real terror — to fruit 
The brain’s fear center moonlights as the save button for memories 
Europe’s Hera mission is ready to double down on asteroid science 
Stone Age children left fingerprints on ancient art projects 
This magic mushroom can kill 
When the rains fail: Preparing for drought in Central America 
‘Here, you can eat until you’re full’: Oleshky evacuees savour first proper meals in years 
COP31: National Oil Companies Must Lead Global Shift Away from Fossil Fuels, Says NRGI Expert 
COP31: Climate finance falls short as calls grow for polluters to pay