Evelyn Acham is a climate justice activist and Ugandan coordinator of the Rise Up movement, founded by fellow organiser Vanessa Nakate.
Europe’s response to the energy and cost of living crises must not be to promote new oil and gas extraction and export infrastructure.
An EU-led “dash for gas” in Africa would be dangerous and short-sighted, threatening communities in both Africa and Europe.
As we look back at 2022, it’s not all doom and gloom when it comes to climate action.
Progress has been made on a number of fronts, with the growth in renewable energy leading the charge – in the EU, solar power soared by almost 50 per cent this year.
Sustainable transport has also topped the agenda, with cities adapting for cyclists, countries cracking down on short haul flights, and zero emissions innovations gaining momentum.
COP27 ended with an agreement to provide loss and damage funding for countries hit by climate disasters – a breakthrough step towards justice for developing nations.
Continue reading “‘Ray of hope’: Climate action professionals share why 2022 was an optimistic year”
Ireland’s citizens’ assembly on biodiversity loss has called on the government to hold a referendum on protecting biodiversity.
If it goes ahead it could enshrine the protection of biodiversity in the Irish constitution. This would mean granting nature rights comparable to people.
With COP15 agreeing an historic new deal to protect nature, it’s proven timely. But how significant is this? And could other countries follow?
Continue reading “Could Ireland hold a referendum on giving nature the same rights as people?”
Brazil has officially launched a bid for the northeastern city of Belem to host the COP30 international climate summit in 2025.
The UN climate talks are held annually with the last event, COP27, taking place in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt in November. COP28 will be held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates later this year with oil company boss Sultan Al Jaber recently named as president of the talks.
The venue for COP29 hasn’t vet been confirmed but Australia is currently the main candidate.
Made exclusively with renewable power, green hydrogen is emerging as a promising alternative to polluting fossil fuels. But this much-touted fuel of the future may have a pitfall.
Some scientists say the lack of data on leaks and the potential harm they could cause is a blind spot for the nascent industry.
At least four studies published this year say hydrogen loses its environmental edge when it seeps into the atmosphere. This is because it reduces the concentration of molecules that destroy the greenhouse gases already there, potentially contributing to global warming.
Your electronics could soon be powered by an ultra cheap sea salt battery.
Researchers have built a new cheap battery with four times the energy storage capacity of lithium.
Constructed from sodium-sulphur – a type of molten salt that can be processed from sea water – the battery is low-cost and more environmentally friendly than existing options.
Scientists for ExxonMobil predicted climate change with “shocking skill and accuracy” in the 1970s, according to new research.
Despite this, they continued to cast doubt on climate science and lobby against action on global warming.
Confidential documents and emails, including recent internal messages revealed by a US congressional investigation, have previously shown that the company was aware of the link between fossil fuels and climate change.
Last summer was Europe’s hottest on record, according to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S).
Northern and western Europe were hit with prolonged, intense heat waves. Many countries saw drought and wildfires as temperatures soared and rainfall was low. Crops suffered, rivers dried up and thousands of deaths were caused by the extreme weather.
Climate change is drastically impacting agriculture.
Rising temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns and longer dry spells are altering what crops Europe can grow and where it can grow them.
In England, a country famed for its wet, dreary landscapes, farmers are now choosing to grow one surprising food due to soaring temperatures: nuts.
Inspired by a trip to Sub-Saharan Africa, where he saw some interesting “agro-ecological combinations”, Guy Singh-Watson is one of these trailblazers.
A single freshwater bass or catfish contains the same amount of dangerous ‘forever chemicals’ as a month’s worth of drinking water, a new study warns.
So-called forever chemicals – also known as PFAs, or Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances – are hazardous manmade substances used in everything from cosmetics to frying pans.
According to scientists at the Environmental Working Group – a non-profit research organisation – people who eat freshwater fish are ingesting very high amounts of the toxic chemicals.