climate-and-environment5.24 min read
COP29 Host Azerbaijan Criticized for Fossil Fuel Support and Activist Crackdown
1 year ago•Source: The Washington Post
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2.44 min•2 years ago
Addressing Global Climate Action Gaps: Key Discussions at COP28
The upcoming COP28 summit, set to take place in the UAE, must address the gaps in global climate action, according to Deputy-Secretary-General Amina Mohamed. The summit's main focus will be the Global Stocktake, which will assess progress towards the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement. The Pre-COP meeting in Abu Dhabi is a crucial opportunity for countries to lay the groundwork for negotiations at COP28, and UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell emphasized the need for clear and decisive action to combat climate change.
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"Rising Heat Deaths in Phoenix Spark Urgent Call for Assistance"
The Wall Street Journal•2 years ago
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The Trillion-Dollar Cost of Brewing El Nino.
A new study in the journal Science found that the natural warming of the equatorial Pacific known as El Nino causes trillions of dollars in damage worldwide, with longer-lasting economic scars than previously thought. The study authors said the average El Nino costs the global economy about $3.4 trillion, with the strong 1997-1998 one costing $5.7 trillion. The World Bank estimated the 1997-1998 El Nino cost governments $45 billion, which is more than 100 times smaller than the Dartmouth estimate. The study shows a world unprepared for the hurt that’s coming from natural disasters like El Nino and human-caused climate change.
The Trillion-Dollar Threat of El Niño on Global Economies
A new study in the journal Science found that the natural warming of the equatorial Pacific known as El Nino causes trillions of dollars in damage worldwide, with longer-lasting economic scars than previously thought. The study authors said the average El Nino costs the global economy about $3.4 trillion, with the strong 1997-1998 one costing $5.7 trillion. The World Bank estimated the 1997-1998 El Nino cost governments $45 billion, which is more than 100 times smaller than the Dartmouth estimate. The study shows a world unprepared for the hurt that’s coming from natural disasters like El Nino and human-caused climate change.
Biden administration prioritizes climate-friendly low-income housing and energy permitting.
The Biden administration has announced nearly $1 billion in funding for low-income multifamily housing to become more energy-efficient, water-efficient, and resilient to climate disasters. The funding comes from the Inflation Reduction Act, the sweeping climate law that President Biden signed last summer. The program will pay for owners of low-income housing to install rooftop solar panels, heat pumps, and other climate-friendly upgrades. The spending could trickle down to tenants in the form of lower utility bills without increasing their rent.
Washington Governor Jay Inslee Bows Out of Fourth Term Race.
Washington State Governor Jay Inslee, a leading climate hawk, has announced that he will not seek a fourth term as governor after nearly 30 years in elected office. Inslee plans to focus on climate solutions and clean energy, and underscored the need for optimism and confidence in the development of clean energy. He praised President Biden's climate policy, particularly the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes $360 billion in clean energy investment. Inslee did not comment on the possibility of serving in the Biden administration, but expressed confidence in Biden's re-election.
"Unprecedented Ocean Warming Raises Concerns Among Scientists"
The world's oceans have experienced a sudden spike in temperature, well above record levels, in the last few weeks, with scientists trying to figure out what it means and whether it forecasts a surge in atmospheric warming. Some researchers think the jump in sea surface temperatures stems from a brewing and possibly strong natural El Nino warming weather condition plus a rebound from three years of a cooling La Nina, all on top of steady global warming that is heating deeper water below.
Germany to phase out oil and gas heating systems.
The German cabinet has approved a bill that will ban most new oil and gas heating systems from 2024, with the aim of cutting greenhouse gas emissions. The policy has met resistance from critics who warn it could be costly for poorer households. The shift could cost Germans around €9.16bn ($10bn) annually until 2028, according to the draft bill. The government will offer a subsidy of up to 50% for replacement heating systems, with the money coming from the Climate and Transformation Fund. The bill gives some exemptions, for instance for homeowners who are over 80 years old and living in hardship.
Biden Administration Proposes Stricter Emission Rules and Increased EV Sales.
The Biden administration is reportedly planning to propose the most stringent auto pollution limits in the world, with the aim of ensuring that electric cars make up as much as 67% of new passenger vehicles sold in the US by 2032. The proposed regulation would be the federal government’s most aggressive climate regulation and would propel the US to the front of the global effort to reduce greenhouse gases generated by cars. The proposed rule would not mandate that electric vehicles make up a certain number or percentage of sales, but would require automakers to ensure that two-thirds of the vehicles they sold were all-electric by 2032.
UAE's Oil Expansion Plans Clash with Climate Summit Goals
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), which is hosting this year’s UN climate summit, has the third biggest net zero-busting plans for oil and gas expansion in the world, according to new data. Its plans are surpassed only by Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Adnoc, the UAE’s national oil company, has plans to produce oil and gas equivalent to 7.5bn barrels of oil, 90% of which would have to remain in the ground to meet the net zero scenario set out by the International Energy Agency. The UAE’s climate targets and policies are rated as “highly insufficient” by independent experts, and the appointment of Adnoc’s CEO as president of the UN’s Cop28 summit in December has been controversial.
India's Struggle with Heat Waves and Human Survival Limits
Indian authorities need more resources and better preparation to deal with searing heat, particularly for the most vulnerable communities around the country, a New Delhi-based think tank said. At least 26,000 people have died due to heat in the last 30 years in India alone. The Centre for Policy Research found that the heat action plans are not updated regularly, don’t have separate budgets in most cases, have no legal support to implement them and the most vulnerable populations in any given region are not identified in the plans.