Emergency services have discovered dogs trapped in the middle of the lava flows of the Cumbre Vieja on the Spanish island of La Palma.
The overland route to the animals is cut off by volcanic activity. Helpers now take care of the four-legged friends from the air by drone.

The Cabildo de La Palma thanked two local companies, Ticom Soluciones and Volcanic Life, who had been using a drone to transport food and water for the animals trapped by the lava in the Todoque plateau for five days.

The Councilor for Security and Emergencies, Nieves Rosa Arroyo, said in a statement that this situation was discovered five days ago and that after the relevant security studies were carried out, Ticom Soluciones SL. and Volcanic Life were entrusted with the task of supplying water with the help of drones.

The city councilor also highlighted the work of these companies, which selflessly made themselves available for emergencies and whose work was of fundamental importance in locating and caring for the animals.

📌El agua y la comida está garantizada a los animales atrapados en Todoque

➡️Las empresas Ticom Soluciones S.L y Volcanic Life llevan cinco días alimentando a los animales mediante un dron que transporta comida y agua

🧷Más info: https://t.co/5D3qMjOFhb#MásFuertesQueElVolcán pic.twitter.com/SFaS8sr2AF

— Cabildo de La Palma (@CabLaPalma) October 12, 2021

They also have veterinary advice on how to choose the most appropriate feed and water supply in this type of situation.

Both companies have announced that they will continue this work as long as weather and safety conditions permit, as these areas cannot be reached by land due to the high temperatures near the lava flows.

The steering committee of the Volcanic Emergency Plan of the Canary Islands (Pevolca), once received the formal request for rescue of the dogs trapped in the exclusion zone by the eruption and after analyzing the action plan presented by the entity, has decided to authorize the possible rescue of animals with drones

Leales.org points out that more than two tons of the latest technology worth 60,000 euros have been transferred to La Palma.

There are three drones, one of cargo for the transfer of materials or rescue of the dogs, another drone with a 30x camera to scan the area and verify the safety of the operation, and the third is a specific drone with a thermal camera to know which is the route where there is less heat, in addition to the study of the terrain.

https://www.mallorca-services.es/drohne-bringt-futter-und-wasser-zu-den-von-lava-eingeschlossenen-tieren-auf-la-palma/

https://www.eldiario.es/canariasahora/lapalmaahora/autoridades-dan-luz-verde-rescate-drones-perros-atrapados-lava-palma_1_8410536.html

We want to express great praise to the rescue workers on the island, but also to city councilor Nieves Rosa Arroyo!
Apparently for these people it is not only human life that counts as worthy to save, but every life on the island.
And they did it quickly, effectively and professionally.

Thank you on behalf of the animals!

My best regards to all, Venus

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-58914524

John Kerry says Glasgow COP26 is the last best hope for the world

America’s climate envoy John Kerry says the COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow is the “last best hope for the world to get its act together”.

Mr Kerry told the BBC that key countries were pursuing policies that border on being “very dangerous”.

He said that if greenhouse gas emissions were not reduced enough over the next nine years there was no chance of meeting long-term targets.

The aim is to hold the rise in the earth’s temperature to 1.5C.

Scientists have said that would require global carbon emissions to fall by 45% from 2010 levels by the end of this decade.

But apart from a brief period during Covid-19 lockdowns, emissions are still rising.

China, the world’s biggest emitter, will be key to any hopes of a strong outcome at COP26, when it is held in Glasgow from 31 October to 12 November.

• Scottish climate expert warns ‘clock is ticking’

Leaders and delegates from around the world will attend the summit, including Mr Kerry and US President Joe Biden.

‘Greatest test of global citizenship’

Mr Kerry has previously said the US will push for rapid action after four years of “reckless behaviour” under previous President Donald Trump.

He said the US would now move forward with “humility and ambition” in the global negotiations.

• John Kerry calls Trump ‘reckless’ over climate

A former presidential candidate, Mr Kerry has long been a powerful voice in climate politics. As President Obama’s Secretary of State he played a key role in securing the Paris agreement in 2015.

The US Special Envoy on Climate Change told BBC Radio 4 documentary Glasgow: Our last best hope? that there were a lot of big promises without the necessary action.

“The truth is emissions are going up around the world, not down in enough countries, and key countries are pursuing policies that border on being very dangerous for everybody.”

Mr Kerry has previously called on China to increase the speed and depth of its efforts to cut carbon.

China has promised to peak emissions by 2030 – but the US diplomat said that was not good enough.

• US criticises China over climate change efforts

“If you don’t reduce enough between 2020 and 2030 the scientists tell us we can’t get where we need to go. We will not be able to hold the earth’s temperature rise to 1.5 degrees and we won’t be able to achieve net zero by 2050.”

Mr Kerry said he wanted Glasgow to raise the ambition of the 20 major economies in the world.

He said he would be looking for definite road-maps to net zero and money to help less developed countries also reach their goals without suffering economic hardship.

Mr Kerry called this the “greatest test of global citizenship” he could think of.

“Glasgow is coming at a point where these scientists have told us we have about nine years remaining within which to make the most critical decisions. Those decisions have got to really start in earnest and in a significant sum in Glasgow.”

“We have to get on the road here and we’ve been talking about it for 30 years.

“So this is really what Glasgow is about, the last best hope to do what the scientists tell us we must which is to avoid the worst consequences of climate by making decisions now and implementing them now.”

Glasgow: Our last best hope? is on BBC Radio 4 at 11:00 on Tuesday 19 October.

More on climate change

• Why the COP26 climate summit is important
• Simple guide to climate change
• What will climate change look like for you?
• Will the UK meet its climate targets?
• How extreme weather is linked to climate change

More reading:

John Kerry says Trump was ‘reckless’ over climate – and we agree !

Climate change: Trump’s Paris withdrawal was ‘reckless’ – John Kerry – BBC News

Climate change: US pushes China to make faster carbon cuts

Climate change: US pushes China to make faster carbon cuts – BBC News

Scottish climate expert Jim Skea warns ‘clock is ticking’

Scottish climate expert Jim Skea warns ‘clock is ticking’ – BBC News

Please – Give A Shit !!

Regards Mark

I love these – really tasty ! – Mark

Faux fish: vegan alternatives set to take UK market by storm

Alt-seafood scene is ‘hot’ as booming sales of vegan food draw investment in research and development

Faux fish: vegan alternatives set to take UK market by storm | Vegan food and drink | The Guardian

It is seafood but it does not involve fishing nets or the sea, with plant-based filet-o-fish burgers, smoked salmon and prawns the next big thing in alternative protein.

Dubbed faux fish, a raft of new products are going on sale as new manufacturing techniques produce lifelike prawns from peas and flaky fish fillets from jackfruit.

Analysts describe the alt-seafood scene as “hot”, as companies spurred on by booming sales of plant milks and meat substitutes pour investment into the area. The focus on fish alternatives has also increased due to heightened consumer concern about overfishing, which has been spurred on by the popular Netflix documentary Seaspiracy.

Tesco, which works with the American chef and self-proclaimed “plant pusher” Derek Sarno, is set to expand its plant-based range with a handful of new products including Thai-style fish cakes and New England-style crab cakes.

The Dutch brand Vegan Zeastar has thrown down the gauntlet with its ambition of “veganising every dish that involves fish to fight the destruction of our oceans”. Its latest product is smoked “Zalmon”, made from tapioca starch, that looks uncannily like the real thing and is due to go on sale early next year. Its Shrimpz and Kalamariz are stocked online including by Ocado.

The fact that the food industry is getting serious about the area was highlighted by this month’s launch of Vrimp by Nestlé. Made from seaweed and peas, they promise the “authentic texture and flavour of succulent shrimps”, with the lookalike created using special moulds with a fine seam on the body the only giveaway.

Nestlé, the world’s biggest food group, has 300 people working on plant-based foods. Mark Schneider, its chief executive, said there had been a “significant shift” towards plant-based eating across all age groups.

“This is not just a one season fad,” said Schneider. “This is something that has very solid, longer-term growth rates.” He said people were interested in plant-based foods for different reasons. “With fish it is more health-related, and with beef and chicken it is more about the environment,” he said.

For Britons trying to reduce their environmental footprint, eating plant-based food is becoming more palatable because alternatives to meat and dairy today are so good, according to Schneider. Ahead of the Cop26 climate summit, he said consumer behaviour was a “big part of the equation” because making choices that lowered their carbon footprint was “easier than trying to get the carbon out of the existing products we consume”.

To date, a lot more time and money has been devoted to creating plant-based burgers and nuggets because the markets are so much bigger for beef and chicken. Another factor is that restaurants make up a substantial share of fish and seafood sales. When eating out, taste and experience were more important, making it more difficult for alternatives to be on par, said Thijs Geijer, a senior economist at ING.

Geijer said the huge variety in taste and texture within fish meant companies had to “invent the wheel” for a large range of products, with some of them – mainly startups – focused on tuna, which is sold in vast quantities in supermarkets. Nonetheless the category was “hot”, he said.

Continued on next page.

Scott Morrison: Australia PM to attend COP26 summit after global pressure

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-58907526

Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he will now attend the COP26 UN climate conference after weeks of initial hesitation.

Global leaders will meet in Glasgow next month to negotiate a new deal to stall rising global temperatures.

Mr Morrison drew criticism when he indicated last month that he might skip the meeting.

Australia, a large producer of coal and gas, is under pressure to commit to stronger climate action.

Its climate policies and emissions reductions are ranked among the worst in the OECD.

“I confirmed my attendance at the Glasgow summit, which I’m looking forward to attending. It is an important event,” Mr Morrison told reporters on Friday.

Climate activists had slated Mr Morrison for not committing to attend, and it was being seen as a diplomatic snub to the UK, a close ally of Australia.

In an interview to the BBC, Prince Charles earlier expressed surprise at Mr Morrison’s comments, urging leaders to act urgently to combat climate change.

COP26 will be held between 31 October and 12 November in Scotland’s largest city.

It will be the biggest climate change conference since landmark talks in Paris in 2015.

The COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow in November is seen as crucial if climate change is to be brought under control. Almost 200 countries are being asked for their plans to cut emissions, and it could lead to major changes to our everyday lives.

Why the COP26 climate summit is important

Simple guide to climate change

How extreme weather is linked to climate change

Mr Morrison had cited the challenges of Covid as a reason he might not attend, saying he had already served a great deal of quarantine.

But Australia is beginning to make plans to end quarantine requirements.

Many countries have set ambitious targets to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, but Australia has REFUSED to do so.

Analysis: By Justin Rowlatt, BBC climate editor

In poker they call it a “tell”: a tiny change in a player’s behaviour that signals something crucial about the cards they holding.

Now, the Glasgow climate conference isn’t a poker game. Most world leaders do actually understand the huge risks climate change presents and would prefer to minimise its impact.

But they also know doing so could impose real costs on their economies. They would like to see the maximum global action on the issue with the minimum cost to their people.

And for many of them they believe the best way to achieve that is to keep the cards in their hand hidden: to make sure there are no “tells”.

Deciding whether or not your leader is going to attend is part of that, it is a way of putting other nations under pressure.

It makes it very difficult for the organisers and – to be honest – isn’t helpful for negotiations. But it is a fact of global diplomacy. Let’s just hope that they decide to play a more open game when the conference begins.

Australia has committed to a 26% cut on its 2005 emissions by 2030 – a target frequently criticised as too weak.

Experts say it needs to commit to a 47% cut by 2030 if it is to meet the UN goal of keeping temperature rise below or within 1.5C.

Australia is one of the largest emitters on a per capita basis because its energy grid is still largely reliant on coal power.

The conservative government has faced months of pressure, both at home and overseas, to improve its climate policies. It is expected to reveal higher emission targets next week.

“The government will be finalising its position to take to the summit. We’re working through those issues,” Morrison said on Friday.

Many rural parts of Australia are dependent on coal, gas and farming.

Coal is Australia’s second-most lucrative export and it expects demand to continue for at least the next decade.

“The plan that I am taking forward together with my colleagues is about ensuring that our regions are strong, that our regions jobs are not only protected but have opportunities for the future,” Mr Morrison said.

Regards Mark

Can we suggest a bigger one to cover your entire head ?

Enjoy !