September, 10 2010, 03:43pm EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Brenda Bowser Soder,bowsersoderb@humanrightsfirst.org,O -202/370-3323, C - 301/906-4460
Human Rights First Statement on 9th Anniversary of 9/11
WASHINGTON
Today, Human Rights First issued the following statement marking the
ninth anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, tragic
events that resulted in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people.
"On this solemn anniversary, we express our heartfelt condolences to
the families of the victims of 9/11, as well as our unwavering support
for the men and women who continue to guard our freedom and security at
home and abroad.
"This year, we urge our country's leaders and all Americans to honor
the memory and sacrifice of those we have lost by restoring America's
commitment to the rule of law and working to reclaim our nation's role
as a world leader in the struggle for human rights, tolerance and
religious freedom. We must come together to see beyond the fear and
bigotry that have provoked some to use this anniversary as a basis for
political stunts or hateful acts such as the planned "Burn a Koran Day"
in Gainesville, Florida. Instead, we must heed the efforts of the many
political, military, religious, and civic leaders who have denounced
acts of intolerance and warned of the danger these activities pose to
our troops. We urge all to use this anniversary as a time to reflect on
the strength we gain from our differences and challenge our leaders to
fully realize our nation's role as a world leader in the struggle for
human rights."
Human Rights First is a non-profit, nonpartisan international human rights organization based in New York and Washington D.C. Human Rights First believes that building respect for human rights and the rule of law will help ensure the dignity to which every individual is entitled and will stem tyranny, extremism, intolerance, and violence.
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The climate crisis will shrink the average global income 19% in the next 26 years compared to what it would have been without global heating caused primarily by the burning of fossil fuels, a study published in Nature Wednesday has found.
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This means that the costs of inaction have already exceeded the costs of limiting global heating to 2°C by six times, the study authors said. However, limiting warming to 2°C can still significantly reduce economic losses through 2100.
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The damages predicted by the study were more than twice those of similar analyses because the researchers looked beyond national temperature data to also incorporate the impacts of extreme weather and rainfall on more than 1,600 subnational regions over a 40-year period, The Guardian explained.
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Unlike previous studies, the research predicted economic losses for most wealthier countries in the Global North, with the U.S. and German economies shrinking by 11% by mid-century, France's by 13%, and the U.K.'s by 7%. However, the countries set to suffer the most are countries closer to the equator that have lower incomes already and have historically done much less to contribute to the climate crisis. Iraq, for example, could see incomes drop by 30%, Botswana 25%, and Brazil 21%.
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Wenz told The Guardian that the results were "devastating."
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Levermann said the paper presented society with a clear choice:
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