A digest of interesting news about climate change from around the world, compiled by us.
Global Carbon Inequality over 1990–2019
'All humans contribute to climate change but not equally. Here I estimate the global inequality of individual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions between 1990 and 2019 using a newly assembled dataset of income and wealth inequality, environmental input-output tables and a framework differentiating emissions from consumption and investments.' (Nature Sustainability journal) >
Introducing Nuclear Power into Australia
'The bill would amend the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998 to remove the prohibition on the construction or operation of certain nuclear installations; and Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to remove the prohibition on the Minister for Environment and Water declaring, approving or considering actions relating to the construction or operation of certain nuclear installations.' (The Senate, Parliament of Australia, Canberra) >
Capturing the Climate Opportunity in Insurance
'The world’s transition to net-zero emissions will cost trillions of dollars and present new kinds of risks. Here’s the role insurers can play.' (McKinsey Insights, McKinsey & Company - management consultants) >
Disruption of Cultural Burning and Unprecedented Wildfires
'Combined with climate-change impacts on fire weather and drought, the widespread absence of Indigenous fire management practices likely preconditioned fire-prone regions for wildfires of unprecedented extent.' Fifteen authors - including David Bowman, University of Tasmania. (Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment journal) >
The Largest Ocean Cleanup in History
'Every year, millions of tons of plastic enter the oceans, of which the majority spills out from rivers. A portion of this plastic travels to ocean garbage patches, where it gets caught in a vortex of circulating currents alongside plastic from other sources (e.g. offshore fishing activities). If no action is taken, plastic will increasingly impact our ecosystems, health, and economies.' (The Ocean Cleanup, Rotterdam, The Netherlands) >
Compostable Clothes
Compostable clothes: a solution to fast fashion's waste problem? 'What if you could put your old knickers in the compost bin with your potato peels and coffee grinds?' (Positive News, London) >
Climate Despair
Mobilising hope to overcome climate despair. (British Medical Journal, London) >
Emissions are no longer following the worst case scenario
'due to the rapidly accelerating energy transition' ... BUT ... 'important to note that emissions are only one of three sources of uncertainty' (The Climate Brink) >
Reducing Urban and Suburban Heat
Phoenix's 'Cool Pavement' program. 'Surface solar reflectivity declined over 10 months from a range of 33 to 38 percent to a range of 19 to 30 percent across all eight neighborhoods. Untreated asphalt has a reflectivity of only 12 percent'. (City of Phoenix, USA) >
Greenwashing legal cases in Australia
'This Policy Brief provides analysis of the 30 greenwashing cases documented in the Australian and Pacific Climate Litigation Database. The database includes climate cases commenced in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. It includes examples of not only litigation (i.e. cases brought in judicial forums) but also legal interventions beyond the courtroom such as legal letters or regulator interventions. The rise of and growth of greenwashing cases in particular in Australia portends a number of lessons for claimants, regulators and defendants.' (University of Melbourne) >