Women: at the Heart of Climate Crises and Solutions
Women are more exposed to the effects of climate change and at the same time less represented in climate negotiations and national environmental ministries. Working towards gender equality can also lead to more effective environmental decision making and action, accelerating global efforts to achieve development goals.
The benefits of urban greening
Urban centres hold the majority of the world’s population, yet these man-made environments are often devoid of green spaces. Adequately planned urban greening can not only improve living conditions for city dwellers but also help countries meet their broader climate goals.
Dual-Action, Triple Win: Addressing the Converging Health and Climate Crises
Both weigh on the health systems, both aggravate existing inequalities, both have huge economic impacts. COVID-19 and climate change are crisis that need to be tackled together, because “we do not have the luxury of taking one crisis at a time”. The 2020 Lancet Countdown Report on Health and Climate Change told by one of its authors.
Private Sector: Low Carbon Investments in the Era of Uncertainty
A low carbon world is being shaped, and the private sector is in the spotlight. While the pandemic is teaching the importance of getting prepared to future risks, the big actors of the financial system are refining the criteria for the allocation of capital to get safe from the coming challenges. For businesses, keeping up with the change is not a matter of reputation anymore. Dealing with climate change is now about financial survival.
Heatwave: From Siberia to Global Warming
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 Search of the Climate-Migration Lexicon
A warming world, displacement, migrants, refugees. Not only do words have the power to change popular perceptions, but they also shape legal landscapes, influence policy measures, and determine the fates of the most vulnerable. A collection of voices, definitions, infographics, and numbers provides a snapshot of the complex and multifaced climate-migration nexus.
Decrease in Global Inequality is Threatened by Climate Change
Global inequality between countries has been decreasing over the last few decades, particularly due to rapid economic growth in India and China. In contrast, recent studies highlight the role of climate crisis in reversing the positive trend. The effects of climate change impact poor countries disproportionately, via both a rise in economic damages due to […]
Record Heatwave in Antarctica Confirms the Continent’s Warming Trend
Another record broken in Antarctica. Certainly not one to be proud of. Satellite images released by Nasa have made headlines, revealing the extent of glacial melt over the last few weeks in the southernmost continent. Temperatures reached up to 20.75 degrees Celsius, with scientists indicating that these heatwaves are not only getting more intense but […]
The Most Engaging Climate Change Papers of 2019
Applying altmetrics to climate change papers reveals that they are amongst the most engaging research articles of 2019. Papers on the climate emergency, rising sea levels and the restoration potential of trees gained top spots in the Altmetric.com annual survey, giving a fresh perspective on what research is interesting and popular to broader audiences. Let’s […]
Global Risks Report: Environmental Concerns Take Top Spots Just As Business Leaders Lag Behind
The World Economic Forum’s annual Global Risks Report brings together around 800 experts in business, government and civil society to create a summary of what “the world’s most pressing challenges” for the coming year by likelihood and impact will be. Unsurprisingly, climate-related issues featured in all of the top long-term risks. However, the report also revealed how different global actors perceive these risks and, alarmingly, business leaders are lagging behind other respondents. A finding that was emphasized by the Annual CEO Survey that revealed just how far behind business leaders are in their concern for climate risks.
Wildfires: Compromising A Key Natural Climate Solution
Australia is experiencing the worst wildfires seen in decades, as drought and heatwaves fan the flames. In the summer and Autumn of 2019, a significant increase in wildfires brought the Amazon close to a tipping point with global ramifications. Some of these fires were caused by man as land is cleared to make way for agribusiness, logging, mining and other “development” projects. While climate change is exacerbating bushfire intensity and damages, experts and policymakers are calling for strong measures to save what is one of the planet’s main carbon sinks and a vital natural climate solution.
Climate change and health: get ready for the transition
“It’s not about avoiding the risks. It’s about taking a fantastic opportunity.” Let’s see the bigger picture and seize the moment: costs, assessments, and solutions from The Lancet Countdown 2019: Tracking Progress on Health and Climate Change explained by a data scientist with words, graphs and videos. “It will take the work of the 7.5 billion people […]