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 15
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 22
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 4
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 11
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 9
insert_link World UN climate conference urges action amid record heat The UN climate conference opens in Dubai today with nations under pressure to increase the urgency of action on global warming and wean off fossil fuels, amid intense scrutiny of oil-rich hosts UAE. The AFP news agency reports that the climate talks come at a pivotal moment, with emissions still rising and this year likely to be the hottest in human history. Scientists say countries must make faster and deeper […] todayNovember 30, 2023 5
insert_link World As disasters and heat intensify, can the world meet the urgency of the moment at the COP28 climate talks? Shutterstock Brendan Mackey, Griffith University Eight years ago, the world agreed to an ambitious target in the Paris Agreement: hold warming to 1.5°C to limit further dangerous levels of climate change. Since then, greenhouse gas emissions have kept increasing – and climate disasters have become front page news, from mega-bushfires to unprecedented floods. In 2023, the world is at 1.2°C of warming over pre-industrial levels. Heatwaves of increasing intensity and duration […] todayNovember 30, 2023 4
insert_link Environment Here’s what you need to know about the Emissions Gap Report 2023 by the UN Environment Programme The UN Environment Programme's Emissions Gap Report 2023 calls attention to the alarming trajectory of global warming and the failure to meet emission reduction goals, stressing the need for urgent action to avert catastrophic climate impacts. The report, titled "Emissions Gap Report 2023: Broken Record – Temperatures Hit New Highs, Yet World Fails to Cut Emissions (again)," underlines the world's deviation from the Paris Agreement goals, with temperatures heading for […] todayNovember 22, 2023 12