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Earth has just ended a 13-month streak of record heat – here’s what to expect next

A 13-month streak of record-breaking global warmth has ended.
From June 2023 until June 2024, air and ocean surface water temperatures averaged a quarter of a degree Celsius higher than records set only a few years previously. Air temperatures in July 2024 were slightly cooler than the previous July (0.04°C, the narrowest of margins) according to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.

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The Climate Opportunity for the New UK Government

As the new UK government assumes office, it has a pivotal opportunity to steer the country toward stronger climate action. The policies and strategies set in the coming months will determine the UK’s capacity to meet its international climate commitments. This analysis outlines the critical steps the government must take to close the ambition gap and align its actions with the 1.5°C target of the Paris Agreement.

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Hundreds of elephants to be killed in Zimbabwe and Namibia as food and water resources run dry

Zimbabwe and Namibia have announced plans to slaughter hundreds of wild elephants and other animals to feed hunger-stricken residents amid severe drought conditions in the southern African countries.
Zimbabwe said on Monday it would allow the killing of 200 elephants so that their meat can be distributed among needy communities, while in Namibia the killing of more than 700 wild animals – including 83 elephants – is under way as part of a plan announced three weeks ago.

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Climate Change and Human Mobility in the Global South

Fortifying houses, elevating homes, reclaiming land from rising seas, all in the effort to save Tuvalu, and above all, to stay on this Pacific Island State. This is what many Tuvaluans – activists, government officials, and citizens – prioritize despite climate risk media and donor narratives which suggest people have no option but to move to safer ground.
The relationship between climate change and human mobility cannot be reduced to a scenario of displacement and mass migration flows. The reality of climate immobility/mobility in Tuvalu and across the Global South is plural, and, above all, political, characterized by a drive to determine one’s climate im/mobility future, while at the same time often facing obstructions to do so.
Despite the plurality of ways in which the climate-mobility nexus manifests itself, the subject remains haunted by a stereotypical understanding of the climate migrant; often assumed to be a migrant that originates in the Global South and aims to move to the Global North.

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The digital revolution could unlock a green transformation of the global economy

Life has changed almost beyond recognition in the last few decades. Artificial intelligence (AI) has substituted entire job fields – intelligent software can now review legal documents, a job which was previously only carried out by lawyers. Machine learning means technical systems can pull together entire libraries of information in a single handheld device. Virtual spaces now exist where people from all over the world can share, connect and chat instantly.
In 2019, it’s clear that digital innovations will continue to change society and the economy, but it’s uncertain whether these new technologies will benefit the global transformation to sustainability. Will digital technologies allow everyone to live in a world where their development isn’t dependent on exhausting finite resources and increasing emissions?

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Climate Justice in the Context of the Global South

Millions of people in low- and middle-income countries will soon face the extreme effects of climate change – repercussions they had very little hand in creating. Described as the “biggest threat to public health” we will face this century, climate change will disproportionately affect the most vulnerable, who mostly reside in Global South nations.
Much of MDPI’s research is dedicated to climate justice and the issues surrounding this concept.

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Dispelling Myths, Embracing Action: How We Can Own and Resolve the Climate Crisis Together

In the narrative of the climate crisis, a series of pervasive myths shape our perceptions and actions, often limiting our sense of agency and urgency. These myths, rooted in misinformation, resignation, or misunderstanding, suggest that the issue is too vast, too complex, or even too distant to be influenced by individual efforts. However, dismantling these myths is crucial for empowering ourselves and our communities to take meaningful, impactful actions towards a sustainable future. This blog post aims to address these common myths, explore how they shape our behaviour, and offer strategies for breaking free from these limiting beliefs to take ownership of the climate crisis.

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The digital economy’s environmental footprint is threatening the planet

Modern society has given significant attention to the promises of the digital economy over the past decade. But it has given little attention to its negative environmental footprint.
Our smartphones rely on rare earth metals, and cloud computing, data centres, artificial intelligence and cryptocurrencies consume large amounts of electricity, often sourced from coal-fired power plants.
These are crucial blind spots we must address if we hope to capture the full potential of the digital economy. Without urgent system-wide actions, the digital economy and green economy will be incompatible with each other and could lead to more greenhouse gas emissions, accelerate climate change and pose great threats to humanity.

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Shifting discourses of climate security in India: domestic and international dimensions

The Indian perspectives on climate security are influenced by both domestic and international imperatives. The logic followed by India is not typically the same as that adopted by countries of the Global North. India’s discourses on the interconnections between climate change and security are largely conditioned by developmental priorities (domestic) and geopolitical pressures (international), which are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

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