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Cher, Dick Van Dyke, other celebrities evacuate homes as Malibu fire growsThe year 2025 lies ahead, and addressing climate change is high on the list of priorities for countries across the world as well as the global community at large. The 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) ended in the early morning hours of 24 November 2024; the 30th session (COP30) will convene on 10 November 2025. In between these sessions, much work remains to be done to advance climate action at the national and international level, including on a range of topics that include climate finance, the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA), a new round of national commitments, and many more. For many participants and observers, COP29 fell short of expectations. However, the conference still produced several decisions that lay out a roadmap for 2025 and beyond, while other agenda items were postponed until June or November 2025. Arguably the most important decision out of COP29 was the last-minute agreement on a new collective quantified goal on climate finance (NCQG), which sets a goal of “at least USD 300 billion per year by 2035 for developing country Parties for climate action” and calls on all actors “to work together to enable the scaling up of financing to developing country Parties for climate action from all public and private sources to at least USD 1.3 trillion per year by 2035.” The decision text on the NCQG also highlights the importance of reforming the multilateral financial architecture as well as the need to remove barriers faced by developing countries, such as Sri Lanka, for financing their climate action. For example, these barriers could include high costs of capital, limited fiscal space, unsustainable debt levels, high transaction costs, and conditionalities for accessing climate finance. In the same decision, Parties at COP29 launched the “Baku to Belém Roadmap to 1.3T,” which aims to scale up climate finance in line with the ambitions outlined above—through grants, concessional and non-debt-creating instruments, or measures to create fiscal space—throughout the year and until COP30. Other agenda items which made progress include the Global Goal on Adaptation, which will see further technical and political work through 2025 to adopt a set of indicators at COP30; loss and damage, which has seen pledges for the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage; and Article 6, where the framework for carbon trading has been further operationalised. In between now and COP30, there are many other milestone events, workshops, gatherings, and activities that aim to advance climate action across the different workstreams and agenda items. This includes the negotiations at the Bonn Climate Change Conference (SB62) in June; several high-level summits and ministerial meetings (for example, the Copenhagen Climate Ministerial or the Petersberg Climate Dialogue); other relevant events across the United Nations system (such as the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly); and a range of regional gatherings, mandated workshops, and the meetings of technical bodies. Both developed and developing countries are scheduled to submit their new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in February 2025, informed by the outcomes of the first Global Stocktake which concluded in 2023. For most countries, this is the third iteration of their NDCs after the initial round in 2015/2015 and a second one in 2020. Although the NDCs offer all countries a much-needed opportunity to scale up ambition, developing countries will depend on the provision of finance and other means of implementation to make stronger commitments. COP30 will take place in Belém, the capital and largest city of the Brazilian state of Pará, which is considered the gateway to the Amazon. Tens of thousands of participants, including many heads of states and ministers, are expected to attend the conference over two weeks in November, and logistical preparations are ongoing. While the new finance goal is decided, much work is left to be done towards operationalising it; and there are other agenda items as well that will be at the centre of attention. On climate finance, the current goals of providing $ 100 billion per year and doubling adaptation finance will come to an end. The COP29 decision on the NCQG outlines a way forward, but developed countries will need to scale up provision of finance to allow for ambitious action, while developing countries need to access and utilise funds in effective and inclusive ways. Furthermore, the global community must work together to reform the international financial architecture in a way to ensure that it is fit for purpose and reflects the needs and priorities of all countries. The Global Goal on Adaptation will be a critical part of the COP30 agenda, as Parties must define a set of indicators for the seven thematic and four dimensional global adaptation targets. These indicators aim to boost adaptation action across the world and track success across different sectors and dimensions, ultimately building long-term resilience in a holistic way that allows for green growth and sustainable development pathways. The multilateral process is only a piece of the complex puzzle of climate action, but it is an important one. COP30 might be a year away, but work must start now to ensure successful outcomes. In addition, action at the national and regional level is vital to convert decisions and global frameworks into actual implementation that reaches the ground and addresses the needs of vulnerable communities, sectors, and countries.Skylar Vann scored eight of her 12 points in the fourth quarter, including a clutch 3-pointer that gave No. 10 Oklahoma a double-digit lead, in a 72-62 win over No. 20 Michigan in Charlotte, N.C., on Tuesday. Payton Verhulst also scored 12 points, Lexy Keys added 11 and Sahara Williams 10 for the Sooners (10-1), who had been averaging 92.6 points per game, fourth-best in the nation. The game was the nightcap of the Jumpman Invitational. Mila Holloway led all scorers with 20 points but went just 6 of 14 from the floor as Michigan (9-2) had its nine-game winning streak snapped. Jordan Hobbs netted 14 points and Syla Swords 11, but the two combined for 13 of the Wolverines' 26 turnovers. Oklahoma, which shot only 37.5 percent for the game, took a three-point lead into the fourth quarter but went 7 of 13 from the floor in the period and hit all three of its 3-point attempts. Keys and Vann hit treys about 90 seconds apart that pushed the Sooners lead to 62-51, their largest of the game, with 5:47 to play. The Wolverines got no closer than eight the rest of the way. No. 4 UConn 101, Iowa State 68 The Huskies' Sarah Strong, Paige Bueckers and Ashlynn Shade each made 10 field goals, and combined for 83 points to help UConn demolish the Cyclones in the second game of the Basketball Hall of Fame Women's Showcase in Uncasville, Conn. Strong (29 points) went 10-of-18 from the floor and 5-of-9 from deep. The other scorers were even more on-target, as Shade (27 points) finished 10-of-13 and 7-of-10 from distance, while Bueckers (27 points) was 10-of-15 and 5-of-7 on threes. Of the six other Huskies to score, none had more than five points. Shade went 7-of-7 from the field and hit six triples during her 20-point first quarter that propelled UConn ahead 36-10. The Huskies (10-1) shot 52.8 percent from the floor in the first half and led 54-35 at the break. Audi Crooks, Division I's 10th-leading scorer entering Tuesday (21.6 ppg), tallied 22 points on 9-of-14 shooting for Iowa State (9-4). Sydney Harris made 6 of 8 3-point attempts and finished with 17 points. The rest of the Cyclones made just 10 of 32 shots from the floor (31.3 percent). No. 5 LSU 91, Seton Hall 64 Aneesah Morrow finished with 24 points, 19 rebounds and three steals and Mikaylah Williams added 22 points as the Tigers buried the Pirates in the Basketball Hall of Fame Women's Showcase in Uncasville, Conn. Morrow scored six points as the Tigers (13-0) closed the first quarter on a 10-2 run to erase a one-point deficit. Williams, who finished 6-of-11 on 3-point attempts, nailed three straight treys early in the second quarter to power a 17-4 burst that gave LSU a 39-19 lead. The Tigers entered as the third-best scoring team in the nation, averaging 93.7 points per game. Flau'Jae Johnson added 17 points and Kailyn Gilbert scored 14. Faith Masonius netted a career-high 29 points to go with five rebounds and three steals for Seton Hall (8-3), which shot only 31 percent from the floor, including 23.5 percent from deep. LSU hit 53.7 percent overall and 45 percent on 3-pointers. No. 6 Texas 111, La Salle 49 The Longhorns put six scorers in double figures and took control in the second quarter en route to pummeling the Explorers in Austin, Texas. Kyla Oldacre finished with 18 points and nine rebounds, fellow reserve Justice Carlton scored 17 points, and Taylor Jones collected 13 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks for Texas (11-1). Bryanna Preston added 11 points off the bench and Rori Harmon and Madison Booker notched 10 apiece. The Longhorns, who began the night scoring 88.6 points per game, sixth in the country, tallied their second-most points in a game this season. They led by five near the end of the first quarter before going on a 15-0 run that carried over into the second period. Aryss Macktoon and Ivy Fox led the Explorers (6-6) with seven points each. La Salle shot just 26.3 percent from the floor and committed 26 turnovers. No. 11 Ohio State 82, Grand Valley State 57 Cotie McMahon scored nine of her 21 points in the first five-plus minutes and the unbeaten Buckeyes had no problem defeating the Lakers in a matinee in Columbus, Ohio. Chance Gray led Ohio State with 23 points and went 5-of-8 on 3-point shots, including nailing her first three attempts as the Buckeyes jumped to a 22-4 lead with 4:39 left in the first quarter. McMahon and Gray combined to go 17 of 28 from the floor to carry the Buckeyes (11-0), who hit 78.6 of their shots in the first quarter and 52.5 percent for the game. Abrie Cabana led the Division II power Lakers (11-1) with 14 points. She went 4-of-8 from the floor, but the rest of the team was just 16-of-49 to finish at 35.1 percent. No. 12 TCU 103, Samford 64 Madison Conner's season-high 33 points led the onslaught as the Horned Frogs routed the Bulldogs in Fort Worth, Texas. Conner went 8-of-16 on 3-point attempts and 10-of-21 overall, adding six rebounds and four assists. Hailey Van Lith finished with 15 points, eight assists and two blocks for TCU (11-1), which shot 50 percent from the floor and 45.7 percent (16 of 35) from deep. Donovyn Hunter added 14 points and five steals, and Deasia Merrill chipped in 13 points and seven rebounds. Sadie Stetson led Samford with 13 points on 4-of-8 shooting, including 3-of-5 on 3-pointers. Emily Bowman collected 10 points and six rebounds, and Claire Johnson also netted 10 points. The Bulldogs hung within single digits through the first quarter, but Merrill scored four points during an 8-0 run that bridged the first and second periods to push the lead to 13. The margin reached 24 at halftime, 55-31. --Field Level Media
Into the future at the new, reimagined Museo Pambata
Battle at the Bridge Boys & Girls: The Orange girls team scored 125.5 points, finishing top the field ahead of runner-up Woodbridge (107) and third-place Stafford (103) in the girls bracket of the 44-team tournament held at Woodbridge High School on Saturday. In the open meet, the Indians were the top local finisher in the 55-team field with 176 points to take fourth place in the two-day meet held on Friday and Saturday. West Springfield won the event with 228 points, followed by Strasburg (187.5) in second and Midd-west (Pa.) (183) in third. Four Fredericksburg-area wrestlers won their bracket in the open meet with unbeaten records, including Justin Jones (5-0), Jesse Gatto (6-0), William Etu (6-0, all pins) and Timmy Sullivan (5-0). Several wrestlers also finished with one loss, including Sarissa Tucker (6-1), Manley Nalls (5-1), Robert Coleman (5-1), Connor Nielsen (7-1), Jonre Fisher (7-1) and Jack Landauer (6-1). In the girls event, four wrestlers each won first place with pins coming in all their matches — Danika Castrejon (5-0), Abigail Deberry (4-0), Addison Smith (4-0) and Ciyanna Okocha (4-0) — with Sophia Slaughter (4-0) winning three via pin. Finishing with one loss were Kaitlyn Turner (4-1), Julie Gatto (3-1) and Maya Castrejon (4-1). Local open team standings: 4. Stafford 175, 8. Brooke Point 130, 9. Orange 127.5, 13. Spotsylvania 101.5, 14. Courtland 95, t21. Colonial Forge 85.5, t23. Mountain View 82.5, t31. King George 62.5, t47. Louisa 33.5. Local girls' team standings: 1. Orange 125.5, 3. Stafford 107, 5. Mountain View 73.5, 10. Courtland 60.5, 13. Louisa 51, t18. Spotsylvania 32, 38. King George 7, t40. Brooke Point 0. Local open top 4 finishes: 106—3rd place: Sarissa Tucker (MV) md. Mason Kerstetter (Midd-west) 12-4; 113—3rd place: Manley Nalls (Or) md. Joseph Fortunato (St. John Paul the Great) 12-0; 120—1st place: Brandon Cynar (Western Branch) tf. Robert Coleman (BP) 16-1, 3rd place: Connor Nielsen (CF) tb1. Bilegt Arslan (McLean) 7-3; 126—1st place: Justin Jones (Or) md. Isaac Slayter (St. John Paul the Great) 16-4, 3rd place: Jacob Daly (McLean) d. Danny Gatto (St) 14-8; 138—1st place: Jesse Gatto (Stafford) d. Peyton Dean (Strasburg) 4-1; 150—3rd place: Jonre Fisher (BP) utb. Abai Beishembiev (West Springfield) 1-0; 157—3rd place: Jack Landauer (KG) p. Artem Markovets (John Lewis) 1:53; 175—1st place: William Etu (St) p. Kyler Swensen (Western Branch) 2:31; 215—1st place: Timmy Sullivan (Sp) d. Andrew Weippert (J.R. Tucker) 4-2. Local girls top 4 finishes: 100—1st place: Olivia Mancha (Battlefield) p. Kaitlyn Turner (Or) 1:34; 107—3rd place: Julie Gatto (St) p. Gabrielle Garvey (West Springfield); 120—1st place: Danika Castrejon (MV) p. Addison Molina (Kellam) 3:59, 3rd place: Aeryn Ajot (Lightridge) p. Alejandra Miranda (St) 1:19; 126—1st place: Katherine Crockett (Oakton) p. Maya Castrejon (MV) 3:42; 132—1st place: Sophia Slaughter (Or) tf. Alessandra Morales (Woodbridge) 18-1; 138—1st place: Abigail Deberry (St) p. Gabriela Song (West Springfield) 1:21), 3rd place: Madison Arp (Temple) d. Chloe Boseman (Ct) 1-0; 152—1st place: Addison Smith (Or) p. Jazmin Orr (Millbrook) 1:33; 165—1st place: Ciyanna Okocha (Lo) p. Serena Mancuso (Woodson) 1:37; 235—4th place: Jiovana Velasquez (MV) in round-robin format. Richmond Invitational: Riverbend and Louisa each competed in the meet held at the Henrico Sports & Events Center in Glen Allen on Friday and Saturday with Louisa's Lucas Phelps earning the highest Fredericksburg-area finish with second-place effort in the 113-pound weight class. The Bears were the top local team finisher, closing out the meet in a tie for fourth place with Salem (Salem) with 135 points. Frank Cox was the teams champion with 236 points, just ahead of runner-up Westfield (231). Paul VI was third with 182.5 points, while the Lions came in 19th place with 64.5 points. Phelps ended the event with a 4-1 record, his lone loss coming in the final against Frank Cox's Seth Pringle via pin. Luke Rowan added a fourth-place finished for Louisa after finishing with a 5-2 record. Riverbend was led by two third-place finishes. Ben Proper went went 6-1 with all of his victories coming via pins and Cameron Rasmussen went 5-1 at 150 with his lone loss coming in the championship semifinals against eventually champion Karl Ludwig of Frank Cox. JM Holiday Basketball Festival: In the final game of Saturday's Day 2 of the tournament, host James Monroe held off Massaponax in a tightly contested matchup to get a 61-56 win in the championship bracket semifinals. In Game 3 of the day, earned a low-scoring win against Heritage, 48-38, in the first championship bracket semifinal of the day. In the consolation bracket semifinals, Brooke Point exploded for 53 second-half points after holding just a 28-27 lead at the half to get an 81-52 victory over Hytlon in the opening game of Day 2 of the tournament. Lafayette pulled away from Warren County in second game of the day to get a 61-47 win in the other consolation semifinal. Placement games and the tournament championship are set for Monday's Day 3 of the event. Hytlon and Warren County will play for seventh-place at noon with Lafayette and Brooke Point meeting for fifth-place at 1:45 p.m. The third-place game pits Lafayette agains Massaponax at 3:30 p.m., with Courtland and James Monroe squaring off for the championship at 5:15. Godwin Holiday Classic: Culpeper's Allison Gabarrette went 2-0, winning both of her matches via pin, to take first-place in the 235-pound weight class of the girls' portion of the meet held at Mills Godwin High School in Richmond.
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