Reforestation in Lolo National Forest, Montana, United States. Dave Gardner Creative, National Forest Foundation

Truths about tree-planting, the plastic consumption of blue whales, and mixed expectations for COP27

News to know in our bi-weekly digest
05 November 2022

Brazil will welcome former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva back to office – a result hailed by climate scientists as a victory for the Amazon and the planet.

Lula has pledged to end deforestation in the Amazon during his new term but now faces an uphill battle against a hostile Congress and right-wing state governors.

This week in our bi-weekly digest, find out what other world leaders are up to in the run-up to COP27, plus learn about Africa’s rising megalopolis, the discontents of daylight saving and what to do with used jack-o’-lanterns.

LANDSCAPE NEWS

Bird and water. Dikye Ariani, GLF Climate 2022 Photo Competition

On 11 and 12 November, join us online or in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, for GLF Climate 2022: Frontiers of Change to explore where we stand with the climate crisis right now – and what we can still do to avert disaster.

Is climate change too expensive to solve? How accurate are climate models? Ahead of COP27, learn to separate fact and fiction with this video busting 10 of the most common climate myths.

It’s been 30 years since the first international treaty to address the climate crisis: The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Here’s how the climate has changed since.

Our Routes to Roots series continues with a look at how tree-planting, mosaic landscapes and forest finance can help bring our planet back to good health.

For GLF Climate, we’re running a photo competition to show what climate change looks like from every possible angle. Here are 12 of our favorite entries so far.

What’s the climate cost of your morning coffee? Take this short quiz to find out.

CLIMATE

Acacia plants being planted
Acacia plants being planted for future charcoal production in Yanonge – DRC. Axel Fassio, CIFOR

If you’re reading this, you probably care about climate change. But a new survey shows that fewer and fewer people are seeing it as the threat that it is.

Worryingly, global emissions are set to drop by less than 1 percent this decade, compared to the 45 percent needed to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Moreover, today’s climate pledges rely too much on natural offsets like tree-planting rather than actually reducing emissions.

Large parts of West and Central Africa have been underwater since June. Here’s why.

We’re all familiar with disaster movies, but what if we could inspire action by changing the way we show climate stories on-screen?

PEOPLE

Lake Powell, Wahweap, Arizona, United States.
Dwindling water levels at Lake Powell, Wahweap, Arizona, United States. Udo S, Flickr

Daylight saving time has ended in the northern hemisphere. But is it just a waste of energy to change the clocks for the winter?

As the southwestern U.S. faces its worst drought in 1,200 years, here’s how the region’s cities and Native Peoples are adapting.

In low-lying Bangladesh, farmers are adjusting to rising sea levels by returning to their roots with these floating farms.

A 1,000-kilometer stretch of West Africa is the world’s fastest-urbanizing region. Here’s how it will shape the future of the continent – and the world.

PLANET

A group of high-ranking officials from the Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, UNEP, FAO and several other international organizations conducted a review of peatland restoration managed by PT Mayangkara Tanaman Industri (MTI). Ricky Martin, CIFOR

The world’s second-largest rainforest is being auctioned off for oil and gas. Could that push it past a tipping point – and if so, where would it leave local villagers?

Blue whales, the planet’s largest animals, eat up to 10 million pieces – or 43 kilograms – of microplastics each day.

Illegal fishing is causing billions of dollars in ecological damage across the Global South, while Brexit is contributing to overfishing in the Atlantic.

Wondering what to do with those jack-o’-lanterns from Halloween? Compost them, donate them to a farm, or even feed the birds with them – here are all your options.

BUSINESS

Scrap phones in a shipping container
Collecting scrap phones. Joost de Kluijver on behalf of Fairphone/Closing The Loop, Flickr

Electric planes will revolutionize aviation, but not necessarily as intended: United Airlines is hoping to attract small-town residents away from their cars.

On that note, fossil fuel–powered vehicles will no longer be produced in the E.U. after 2035. Apple will also finally equip iPhones with USB-C connectors to comply with European laws on e-waste.

A group of 330 global businesses are asking world leaders to require them to disclose their impacts on nature. However, some industry groups are lobbying against policies to protect biodiversity.

Climate philanthropy has increased by a quarter in the last two years, though it still only accounts for about 1 percent of all giving.

POLICY

RESIST Trump Greenpeace Banner on a Crane
RESIST Trump Greenpeace Banner on a Crane. Amaury Laporte, Flickr

What will it take for world leaders to finally act on the climate crisis? Widespread death and destruction in rich countries, according to Gabon’s environment minister.

For now, the U.S. is still investing billions of dollars in oil and gas projects in Africa, dwarfing its support for renewable energy on the continent.

Ahead of this month’s COP27 climate summit, Greenpeace has been accused of greenwashing for its silence on human rights violations in host country Egypt.

And a year on from COP26 in Glasgow, here’s where last year’s climate pledges currently stand.

Topics

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