Women from and Indigenous group in Amazon's Maranhão state. Increasingly, the survival of Indigenous tribes in the Amazon are coming under threat. Junior Reis, Unsplash

Pakistan’s flooding, energy updates, and the extinction of an isolated Indigenous group

News to know in our bi-weekly digest
02 September 2022

Europe’s heatwave smashed records this summer, but such extreme heat could be the continent’s ‘new normal’ by 2035 â€“ and occur up to 10 times more often globally by 2100

This week on Landscape News, find out why scientists are risking arrest to draw attention to the climate crisis, and discover some of the latest techno-fixes, from edible wind turbines to hydrogen-powered trains.

LANDSCAPE NEWS

Patrick Tomasso, Unsplash
Patrick Tomasso, Unsplash

On 15 September, join us at the GLF Africa 2022 Digital Conference to discover how Africa can safeguard itself against the global food and climate crises through the power and wisdom of local communities. Tickets are free for all African residents.

And as summer draws to a close in the northern hemisphere, here’s our pick of our best long reads to relaxto take actionto discoverto be in-the-know and to learn something new.

If you’re in New York, swing by the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum to see a mobile app that helps African farmers restore land. It was proudly developed by one of our partners and is one display in an exhibition about peace. 

On the GLF Live podcast, we’re exploring the overlap between the climate and racial justice movements. Next up is our recent live stream about the relationship between narratives, Africa and power.

CLIMATE

The current flooding in Pakistan is believed to be even worse than the deadly 2010 floods, pictured here. Abdul Majeed Goraya, IRIN
The current flooding in Pakistan is believed to be even worse than the deadly 2010 floods, pictured here. Abdul Majeed Goraya, IRIN

A third of Pakistan is under water, affecting over 33 million people and killing more than 1,100. Rich countries have a responsibility to send help, says the country’s planning minister.

Elsewhere, floods have claimed more than 180 lives in Afghanistan and at least 40 in India. Europe is experiencing its worst drought in 500 years, and China is bracing for floods after its worst heatwave on record.

Globally, floods and other water-related disasters could cost some USD 5.6 trillion by 2050, and sea levels are set to rise by at least 27 centimeters due to the melting of Greenland’s ice cap.

PEOPLE

California's Yosemite National Park, meaning "killer" in the Indigenous Miwok language. Jorge Láscar, Flickr
California’s Yosemite National Park, meaning “killer” in the Indigenous Miwok language. Jorge Láscar, Flickr

It’s time for scientists to engage in civil disobedience against the climate crisis, argue a group of climate experts.

The last member of an isolated Amazonian group has died, more than 25 years after the rest of his people were massacred by cattle ranchers.

Ukrainian grain has arrived in Africa for the first time since the Russian invasion. The wheat shipment is bound for drought-hit Ethiopia, where around 20 million people need food aid.

In California, water rights and civil rights are one and the same for these Indigenous nations, who are taking the fight to the state government.

PLANET

Early springs due to climate change are threatening the survival of the bumblebee in certain parts of the world. S@ndrine, Flickr
Early springs due to climate change are threatening the survival of the bumblebee in certain parts of the world. S@ndrine, Flickr

Can booze help plants survive drought? Ethanol can keep them going for up to two weeks without water, scientists in Japan have found.

Around 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are littered each year. Here’s what happens when they end up in our water.

Last year, forest fires wiped out an area the size of Portugal â€“ nearly double that of 20 years ago. The climate crisis is killing bumblebees, too, by waking them up early from hibernation.

What’s the quietest place on Earth? Take a break and tune into some natural ambiance here.

BUSINESS

Could this be the sweet solution to eliminate wind turbine waste? Asif A. Ali, Flickr
Could this be the sweet solution to eliminate wind turbine waste? Asif A. Ali, Flickr

Would you eat gummy bears made from… wind turbines? Researchers are developing plant-based turbine blades that can be recycled into chewy candies at the end of their lifespan.

India’s motorcyclists may not have to grapple with toxic air for much longer: this new anti-smog helmet features a built-in air purifier to keep riders healthy.

The world’s first hydrogen-powered trains have entered service in Germany – but are they really as climate-friendly as they seem?

As energy bills soar across Europe, locals on the Italian island of Sardinia are embracing a more self-sufficient solution: community energy.

POLICY

By offering a low-price unlimited train ticket, Germany has saved emissions the equivalent of powering 350,000 homes. Harshil Shah, Flickr
By offering a low-price unlimited train ticket, Germany has saved emissions the equivalent of powering 350,000 homes. Harshil Shah, Flickr

European countries channeled billions into Russia’s oil and gas industry before its invasion of Ukraine (but after its annexation of Crimea). Today, Russia is burning off the gas that it can’t sell.

Germany’s three-month experiment with EUR 9 train tickets saved around 1.8 million tons of carbon emissions. California will ban the sale of gasoline-powered cars by 2035.

And for the fifth time, countries have failed to agree to protect the world’s oceans and marine life by 2030.

Topics

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