insert_link Environment Climate change made 2023 Amazon drought 30 times more likely, scientists say The river that supplies water to the Kokama Indigenous People of the Porto Praia community was mostly dry in October of 2023. Image © Marizilda Cruppe / Greenpeace. By Carla Ruas via Mongabay Global warming was the main driver of the severe drought that parched the Amazon River Basin in 2023. That is the alarming conclusion of a new report from World Weather Attribution (WWA), a team of international climate scientists […] todayJanuary 29, 2024 8
insert_link Uncategorized Dennis Francis, General Assembly President, Wants to Help Small States. Here’s How. Dennis Francis, president of the United Nations General Assembly for the 78th sesssion, photographed in his office, overlooking the East River, on Dec. 21, 2023. A quarter of the way into his yearlong tenure, the Caribbean diplomat has shifted his priorities because of the Israel-Hamas war, but he remains focused on sustainable development and enabling small states to use the multilateral system to their advantage. Some of them, he said, […] todayJanuary 12, 2024 4
insert_link Environment Copernicus: 2023 is the hottest year on record Global temperatures reached exceptionally high levels in 2023. The Copernicus Climate Change Services, implemented by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts on behalf of the European Commission with funding from the EU, monitored several key climate indicators throughout the year, reporting on record-breaking conditions such as the hottest month on record and daily global temperature averages briefly surpassing pre-industrial levels by more than 2°C. Unprecedented global temperatures from June […] todayJanuary 11, 2024 13
insert_link Environment How 2023’s record heat worsened droughts, floods and bushfires around the world By Albert Van Dijk, Australian National University 2023 was a year of record-breaking heat, devastating storms and floods, deepening droughts and raging wildfires. These events showed how climate change is affecting the global water cycle and our livelihoods. Our international team of researchers today released a report, the Global Water Monitor, documenting the impact of the record heat in 2023 on the water cycle. We used data from thousands […] todayJanuary 11, 2024 10
insert_link Opinion Pieces South Africa’s new plan to end power cuts is seriously flawed. Here’s why By Hartmut Winkler, University of Johannesburg South Africa experienced unprecedented electricity shortages in 2023 as ageing coal plants became increasingly prone to breakdowns. The country urgently needs to develop new electricity generation facilities and reduce reliance on coal power. In the first week of 2024, the South African energy minister, Gwede Mantashe, released a proposed roadmap for the future of electricity in South Africa. Unfortunately, the draft Integrated Resource […] todayJanuary 11, 2024 3
insert_link World Global temperatures to reach 1.7°C increase by May Global heating caused by the burning of fossil fuels, and the El Niño climatic event, will push global temperatures to about 1.7 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by May. According to the Guardian, the warning comes from former National Aeronautics and Space Administration scientist James Hansen. Hansen says there needs to be purposeful actions to affect the planet’s energy balance. todayJanuary 10, 2024 16
insert_link Environment Hard-fought COP28 agreement suggests the days of fossil fuels are numbered – but climate catastrophe is not yet averted Shutterstock Matt McDonald, The University of Queensland As negotiators stagger towards their beds in Dubai and another year’s climate talks come to a close, it’s time to take stock. Did COP28 achieve the big breakthrough the world needs on climate change? Probably not. But the final agreement – met with an ovation – includes a first call for nations to transition away from fossil fuels. It’s a step short of […] todayDecember 14, 2023 3
insert_link Environment Disagreements over fossil fuels threaten COP28 success The UN climate summit in Dubai faces potential failure as delegates disagree on the role of fossil fuels. Oil-rich nations are advocating for increased use of carbon capture technology to mitigate emissions, while scientists and developed countries argue that reducing fossil fuel usage is crucial to combating global warming. Bruce Douglas, CEO of the Global Renewables Alliance, addresses the issue at COP28. todayDecember 12, 2023 2
insert_link Africa COP28: Report recommends young people get a fair share of climate finance Young people, who are among those most at risk to the impacts of climate change, are not accessing the funds they need to tackle the challenges posed by global warming, according to a report published on 9 December. The joint report by the Commonwealth Secretariat and YOUNGO, the children and youth constituency of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), analysed 100 climate finance initiatives targeted at young people. While it […] todayDecember 12, 2023 5
Paying it forward: Kenyan coastal doctor Bashrahil Mohammed Mafudh has made it his life’s work to care for the most vulnerable in his community, at no cost.
