UNDP’s “Peoples’ Climate Vote” asked 1.2 million people in 50 countries, many of them young, whether they think climate change is a global emergency, despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and if they support wide-ranging action. Sixty-four per cent of participants agreed and the countries with the highest level of awareness of the climate emergency were Italy and the UK, the hosts of the upcoming UN Climate Conference (COP26).
Horizon scanning, risk awareness, preparedness. Environmental disclosure can become a lever for companies to exit the current crisis and get ready for future ones. A discussion with Pietro Bertazzi, the Global Director – Policy Engagement at CDP, about what the business and policy spheres can learn from the pandemic so that they aren’t taken by surprise in dealing with climate change.
An escape valve for local tensions. An occasion to adapt to the changing climate. In a future with higher temperatures and rarer natural resources, migration arises as an opportunity for many people to find more hospitable places to live in. An opportunity not for everyone, as migrating is expensive, and especially the most vulnerable and poor might find themselves unable to move, blocked into a trap that climate change can, in turn, worsen by keeping worsening inequalities and poverty.
By focusing on climate outcomes in 2100 scenarios used to inform climate policy can lead to risky strategies, potentially ignoring higher-than-acceptable mid-century warming and over
On the 20th October 2019, the Swiss elections came to a close with a surprising outcome: Green parties gained an unprecedented share of the vote and for the first time could get a seat in the coalition that governs Switzerland. After advances by Green parties in the European parliamentary elections, climate change continues to play a key role in politics, as public opinion is ever more influenced by the effective communication of climate science.
Food loss and waste worsen the scarcity of natural resources and greenhouse gas emissions from human activities with no purpose. Reducing food loss and waste can contribute towards environmental sustainability and limit the influence of the food system on climate change, increasing economic efficiency and food security at the same time. A new FAO report suggests how.
The IPCC special report on the impacts of global warming tells us that, although the planet is getting hotter, it is still possible to remain within the 1.5 °C mark set out in the Paris Agreement. However, for this to be achieved nothing short of reaching net zero emissions by 2050 will suffice: policymakers are looking to decarbonise the economy.
Xi Jinping’s official trip to Europe revolved around multi-billion-euro business deals including fourteen large contracts; a Chinese order for 300 Airbus planes worth 30 billion euros; transport and infrastructure plans under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI); and, surprisingly, commitments to invest in renewable energy and fight climate change by upholding the Paris Agreements.
Climate change, wildfires and water scarcity drive forest degradation says a new FAO-Plan Bleu report – The State of Mediterranean Forests.
UNFCCC Executive Secretariat Patricia Espinosa will deliver a keynote speech today, September 24th, to kick-off the 10th annual Climate Week NYC, where government ministers, investors,
Combining environmental science, big data and unprecedented accessibility, this joint effort aims to expand what the world knows about the impacts of human activity on global ecosystems. The partnership will start with an initial focus on fresh-water ecosystems, such as mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes, aiming in the long-term to establish a platform for open-source data and analysis of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
While traditional economic models consider human beings as rational agents that maximize their pleasure (or “utility”), Behavioural Economics questions the rationality of people’s decisions. How can governments promote environmental policies more efficiently? We selected four policy insights from the Behavioural Economics literature.
