Are you enjoying the intensity of the news around Cop28? It’s coming in thick and fast, so surprise, surprise, it’s hard to keep up. There is both optimism and massive cynicism around the event this year, for very good reasons, but regardless, significant announcements must happen, including a path to ending fossil fuels.
It did kick off with some good news – the loss and damage fund was approved and announced at the UN’s COP28 opener in Dubai. Just that is an unusual start for a Cop, but they were obviously looking to kick proceedings off with a bang, although I’m not sure it landed that way!
This is what countries are contributing to this fund so far. You can find more details here:
- The UAE $100 million
- Germany $100 million
- EU €225 million (including Germany’s pledge)
- UK £40 million
- The United States $17.5 million
- Japan $10 million
Great news, except the United Nations estimates that up to $387 billion will be needed ANNUALLY to help developing countries adapt to climate change. So, if they want us to get excited, this number needs to ramp up exponentially.
The critical piece of this story – that does not get nearly enough attention – is what happens if we don’t raise this money for the countries on the front line of climate catastrophe? And there are two clear eventualities – we witness utter devastation and death of millions of people, along with ecosystems collapsing, OR we face millions if not billions of climate refugees on our doorsteps, and that migration has already started. Both are a disaster.
If the leaders at Cop28 want to get something right, focus on doing everything within their power to invest in poorer countries around the world, not just on adaptation (which is desperately needed), but also invest in energy infrastructure, which is heavily dependent on fossil fuels, especially coal, which means if this is not addressed, we are all going to get cooked. Emissions over there don’t stay there, right?
My despondence about whether or not we will get our actions right is really because of a lack of long-term thinking we are seeing in those who lead us today, which is also our responsibility, because we are voting them in.
We must look ahead and build a world for the future we have coming, and we need to think through all the implications we are facing, and plan ahead to ensure we don’t face absolute chaos. I am not seeing this yet, let’s hope Cop28 can deliver on a true vision that helps us radically prepare for a more challenging future, but we must also prepare our minds for this too. It’s not easy, I appreciate that.
Onto the reads…
Friends content and mine
Congratulations to Dr. David Ko and Richard Busellato for a successful launch of #Its4U – have a listen to understand what it’s all about.
It’s been a privilege to meet Inger-Mette Stenseth, co-founder of the World Climate School, and we discuss the importance of education and creativity.
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If everyone gave #just10percent of their time, talent, money or voice, we’ll change the world. Can you donate? Why not make a regular donation to the World Food Programme. Or donate to the UN Refugee Program, Medicine Sans Frontier, PowerOf, Kiva.org, Red Cross, and so many more, including urgent fundraising and those supporting animals, like the Soi Dog Foundation. A fabulous organisation I support is B1G1 – check it out and set up an account. It’s a time for giving and taking care of each other.
Content to read
And here’s the content I’ve been reading, listening to or watching. Scan the headlines, read the ones that jump out at you, read, listen to or watch them all. It’s time to pay attention to the information that matters.
Cop 28
The Climate Summit Is a Sick Joke. You Should Be Angry and Afraid | Opinion (newsweek.com)
Nations Launch Loss and Damage Fund on First Day of COP28 | TIME
Eye-catching climate donations put spotlight on China at COP climate talks – POLITICO
Cop28: King Charles warns of ‘vast, frightening experiment’ on natural world | Cop28 | The Guardian
COP28: United Nations Calls 2023 Hottest Year Ever – Bloomberg
Southeast Asia’s voices of COP28 | News | Eco-Business | Asia Pacific
Australia set to face heat at COP28 climate summit (yahoo.com)
Plans to present meat as ‘sustainable nutrition’ at Cop28 revealed | Meat industry | The Guardian
Everything you need to know about the COP28 climate change meeting : NPR
UAE planned to use COP28 climate talks to make oil deals – BBC News
Planetary emergency
ChatGPT – ClimatePal by Palau (openai.com)
4 in 5 people around the world support ‘whatever it takes’ to limit climate change | Grist
New York’s Near Zombie Apocalypse – WSJ
Our Global Economy Won’t Survive | Sandy Trust (planetcritical.com)
EPA Announces Mandate to Replace All Lead Pipes Within 10 Years – Earthjustice
When to Give Up on Climate – by Kimberly Nicholas (substack.com)
The climate crisis explained in 10 charts | Climate crisis | The Guardian
Carbon dioxide becomes more potent as climate changes, study finds (phys.org)
Provisional State of the Global Climate in 2023 (wmo.int)
A Taste of an Approaching Dystopia: The Death of the Amazon River Dolphin – DER SPIEGEL
What the U.S. will look like if the world heats up beyond 1.5 degrees : NPR
Major snowstorm spawns travel chaos in US – BBC News
The Climate Contradiction That Will Sink Us – The Atlantic
The Weirdest Reason the Poles Are Warming So Fast? Invisible Clouds | WIRED
We Traced the Forever Chemicals Getting Into Ocean Ecosystems | Scientific American
Scientists ‘Surprised’ by Antarctic Glacier Suddenly Doubling Its Speed (newsweek.com)
Two Billion People Are Prepared to Lose Their Homes (newsweek.com)
The cost of climate policies: Hard-pressed consumers are pushing back | CNN Business
No easy way to communicate the impacts of climate change, says study (phys.org)
Climate change is happening. Why do we still act like it’s not? (fastcompany.com)
Extreme rainfall increases exponentially with global warming: Study (phys.org)
The libertarian developer looming over West Maui’s water conflict | Grist
NOAA report says declining snowpack means worldwide food disruptions – UPI.com
Too little, too late: the desperate search for cod babies | Fishing | The Guardian (ampproject.org)
A climate of trauma – Prof Jem Bendell
Fire Season in Australia Starts Early – The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Incredible images that show the true impact of climate change | loveexploring.com
High-ranking Climate Scientists Rebel against the IPPC (pressenza.com)
Deadly floods throughout history | loveexploring.com
Worst impacts of sea level rise will hit earlier than expected – AGU Newsroom
Suffolk holiday park evacuated after road collapse at beach | Suffolk | The Guardian
Americans think the American dream is dying (axios.com)
The “Keeling Curve” for the Earth Energy Imbalance – Watching the World Go Bye (climatecasino.net)
Global politics
Israeli strikes kill more than 175 people in Gaza as truce ends, health officials say | Euronews
Gaza’s fear and anger as ceasefire ends and fighting erupts – BBC News
Untreated diseases could kill more than bombings in Gaza, WHO warns – BBC News
Freed Hamas captives tell of fear, squalor and hunger – BBC News
Anger and despair as Palestinians queue for supplies during truce – BBC News
Hamas offered ‘option’ to extend truce, says Israel | Euronews
Emily Hand among the 13 Israeli hostages released by Hamas – BBC News
Can Keir Starmer plant the seeds of growth? (prospectmagazine.co.uk)
Russia’s ominous warning about ‘next victim in war’ (msn.com)
Fundraiser by Colleen Hickman : Round-the-Clock Coverage of Ukraine (gofundme.com)
Argentina election: Javier Milei’s radical proposals face test of reality – BBC News
In a Shaky Oil Market, OPEC Has Bitter Decisions to Make – The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Undercover filming highlights Saudi plan to artificially raise oil demand – Channel 4 News
George Santos expelled from Congress in historic vote – BBC News
George Santos: Former allies speak of their disillusionment with the Congressman – BBC News
The Daily: Ending Roe Was Supposed to Reduce Abortions. It Didn’t. on Apple Podcasts
Koch network endorses Nikki Haley for president as it looks to stop Trump – The Washington Post
Henry Kissinger: Divisive diplomat who shaped world affairs – BBC News
Quiet Competence Could Cost Joe Biden the Election – The Atlantic
Trump’s second term would be a climate change disaster (ampproject.org)
My 1994 warning about Trumpism, and the crap I got from the White House for it (substack.com)
Why My Disdain for Trump Won’t Stop Me From Being a Republican (thedailybeast.com)
Trump is Booed Pulling Up to Clemson-SC Game – MeidasTouch Network
The viral $16 McDonald’s meal that might explain voter anger at Biden (ajc.com)
Rachel Maddow Reveals A Secret Nazi Campaign In America In ‘Prequel’ (rollingstone.com)
Business and technology
Elon Musk launches profane attack on X advertisers – BBC News
What is fast fashion, and why is it so controversial? | CNN
The Mega Trends That Will Shape Our Future World (ampproject.org)
Social issues
Precarious finances: 38% of Europeans no longer eat three meals a day | Euronews
Don’t press ‘pandemic panic button’ scientists caution on China pneumonia report | Reuters
Opinion | A Battle Over China’s Reproductive Future Is Underway – The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Do not ignore the suffering of Sudanese women | Women’s Rights | Al Jazeera
The homeless handyman and the wealthy widow: Love or something darker? – BBC News
Philly ‘Moms For Liberty’ Leader Is Convicted Sex Offender – Comic Sands
Passion/humour/history/celebs
Shane MacGowan: Pogues singer dies aged 65 – BBC News
Dr. Warns Not To Put Target X-Mas Decor ‘Where They Don’t Belong’: VIDEO – Comic Sands
The last of their kind: The unique life of Pakistan’s Wakhi shepherdesses – BBC News
So, what did you read? What jumped out at you? Or share with me what you’re reading? I love that!
Cheers
Andrea
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