Pope Francis cancels COP28 trip

Pope Francis cancels COP28 trip

Pope Francis told a crowd at his weekly general audience that he is "still not well." On Tuesday, the Vatican announced that the Pope will not attend the COP 28 climate change conference as planned, as he is still recovering from the flu.

November 29, 2023 13

Environment

UAE optimistic for historic outcomes at Cop28 summit

An unprecedented outcome that would keep alive hopes of limiting global temperature rises to 1.5 Celsius, is within reach. This is the view of Sultan Al Jaber, who will lead the talks on behalf of the COP28 climate summit host country, the United Arab Emirates. In an interview with The Guardian, he says significant progress has been made in recent weeks, with countries reaching an important milestone on climate finance. […]

November 29, 2023 8

Business / Economics

In reversal, Mexico calls for moratorium on international deep-sea mining

By Elizabeth Claire Alberts via Mongabay Creature of the deep sea. Image by NOAA. On Nov. 21, Mexico became the latest nation to call for a moratorium on deep-sea mining in international waters. Before this announcement, some Mexican delegates to the International Seabed Authority, the UN-associated body tasked with regulating the activity, had expressed support for fast-tracking mining rules that would enable mining to start. This announcement came two weeks […]

November 29, 2023 10

Africa

Congo’s waters are hotspot for endangered sharks & rays, reveals data from artisanal fishers

By Molly Herring via Mongabay An African wedgefish (Rhynchobatus luebberti) landed by artisanal fishermen and sold in Songolo (Critically Endangered, IUCN Red List). Credit: Godefroy De Bruyne A new shark census off the coast of the Republic of the Congo relied on hard-earned trust between researchers and artisanal fishermen. The team found endangered sharks and rays on potential nursery grounds, including juveniles and two species thought to be gone from the […]

November 29, 2023 27

Environment

Why understanding limits is the key to humanity’s future

Illustration by Kelsey King By Richard Heinberg, @richardheinberg via Ensia We need to view limits not as restrictions to be fought against, but as boundaries that enable systems to work. Recent news articles about a breakthrough in nuclear fusion research heralded the potential for “limitless” energy. Whenever I read that word limitless I wince. The promise of limitlessness is misleading and sometimes deadly. Limits exist everywhere in nature. They enable the functioning of systems […]

November 29, 2023 8

Business / Economics

Flight powered by ‘greener fuel’ on way to New York

A flight running on so-called 'greener fuel' is on its way from London to New York. It's the first transatlantic, commercial airliner powered entirely by sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF. But critics have called the Virgin Atlantic flight a 'gimmick', while others warn of the high costs associated with these fuels. Sally Patterson has more.

November 29, 2023 48

Environment

Namibia attends World Summit on Green Economy

Minister of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism Pohamba Shifeta is participating in the World Green Economy Summit, a global forum dedicated to the green economy. The summit gathers experts from different sectors worldwide, with a specific focus on advancing the global green economy, addressing climate action, and achieving the objectives outlined in the Paris Agreement and Agenda 2030.

November 28, 2023 34

Environment

Al Gore criticises COP28 for oil CEO leadership in climate talks

Former US Vice President Al Gore says the chances for real progress at the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP28, were badly damaged when an oil company CEO was appointed to lead the talks. United Arab Emirates’ COP28 president Sultan al-Jaber is allegedly secretly using his role to push oil trade deals with foreign government officials. Gore says using international climate talks as leverage to shore up support for […]

November 28, 2023 7

Africa

Will ‘Big Oil’ influence COP28 talks as Namibia fights climate change challenges?

With COP28 around the corner, people are worried about the influence of big oil companies on the climate talks. Namibia, a country that is facing climate challenges, has to decide how it will respond, especially with news about the United Arab Emirates planning oil and gas deals during the talks. Recent reports from independent journalists at the Centre for Climate Reporting working with the BBC reveal that the UAE, which […]

November 27, 2023 15