After China, it is now the turn of Japan and South Korea: are we on the brink of a domino effect?
The newly appointed Prime Minister, Yoshihide Suga, used his first Diet policy speech to promise net zero emissions by 2050. Reaching this goal will require fundamental changes and reveals a welcome shift in Japanese climate ambition. A move that was soon echoed by President Moon Jae-in who also formally committed to lead South Korea to net zero emissions by 2050.

In late September China announced its intention to become carbon neutral by 2060. This came as welcome news, particularly in light of the new stimulus measures for Covid recovery being deployed. However, even if China manages to abide by its commitments what will this mean for global climate objectives? Is it too little too late?

Climate change leads to an increase in extreme weather events and now scientists are working on ways to predict and prepare for them. New research on megastorms provides tools for forecasting their direction and intensity, thus helping communities better prepare for when they hit.

Major players in the oil industry predict that the demand for plastics will continue to grow exponentially in the coming decades, therefore allocating over 400 billion USD in new investments for petrochemical plants and equipment. However, legislation that aims to regulate plastic use and waste could jeopardise these plans and research indicates that the production of plastics may peak by 2027. The future of plastics has never been so uncertain.

It’s not only about ice melting and rising temperatures. It’s also about a region that is being transformed dramatically by climate change. The way the Arctic is evolving comes with consequences for the environment, biosphere, international relations, and geopolitical balance. Scientists indicate that the recent heatwave in Siberia would have been virtually impossible without anthropogenic climate change. But how are these conclusions drawn, and how accurate is it to make these claims?

In a post-pandemic world greening the cities of the future has emerged as an absolute priority. Reforming surface transport systems is part of this process and can help reach Paris Agreement objectives of keeping warming well below 2ºC. However, this will require policy changes that are systemic, resilient and include nature-based solutions.