Well, there you go, the Weekend Reads has been going for 200 weeks – how’s that huh? I suppose this offers an opportunity to talk about why I do it. The world is in a critical phase (the polycrisis) and with so much noise on social media and in the media – all competing for eyeballs and algorithm attention – we are all in a constant state of overwhelm. So, my goal is to sort through the noise, so you don’t have to, bringing attention to what really matters.
Here is an example of something that matters. In the Guardian, Trees and land absorbed almost no CO2 last year. Is nature’s carbon sink failing?
There’s a very big red flag about this piece of news – the sudden collapse of carbon sinks was not factored into climate models – which could mean a rapid acceleration of global heating.
“We’re seeing cracks in the resilience of the Earth’s systems. We’re seeing massive cracks on land – terrestrial ecosystems are losing their carbon store and carbon uptake capacity, but the oceans are also showing signs of instability,” Johan Rockström, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, ‘none of the models have factored this in.’
Another important quote from the article: “Climate scientists [are] worried about climate change not because of the things that are in the models but the knowledge that the models are missing certain things.”
This is something I talk about A LOT, because it’s what we don’t know that raises alarm bells for me. It’s also critical in this case, because at least 118 countries are relying on the land to meet national climate targets. That means these countries are not doing the other actions that will make a massive difference, because nature will do the job, except it isn’t.
A very important read.
The International Energy Agency released this video, which shows some very promising data about the global energy transition. But of course, we still need to move faster, much faster!
Onto another important thought – how did your country handle the pandemic? Well? Poorly? Well guess what, if it did a poor job during that time, you can almost guarantee it is not preparing for the significant adaptation changes required to tackle climate change. Read more here, specifically for the UK: The UK could turn as cold as Scandinavia. Why aren’t we preparing?
Here’s another wider view – Climate emergencies threaten our collective security, but governments are flying blind into the storm.
Check out the floods hitting France – an area not usually hit by floods. Things are changing dramatically and we are not ready.
Equally, are we paying attention to the concerns of our young people? Because they are terrified for their future and every time I talk to youngins’, they tell me they are scared for their future, because they are not seeing anything being done to change our trajectory, nor are they hearing their leaders speak about the risk the climate crisis poses to their futures. It’s time we act for them and please, do not vote for climate deniers. Your children and grandchildren deserve that. Read: Overwhelming majority of young Americans worry about climate crisis
In war, Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas, was killed by Israeli forces with Netanyahu saying it’s not the end of the war, but the start of the end. Over in Ukraine, Zelensky said if the West doesn’t support his country, it will have to get nuclear weapons as a deterrent. Terrific! Meanwhile, North Korea has reportedly sent 10,000 troops to Russia to support the war – World War III anyone?
Did you watch the Fox News interview between Bret Baier and Kamala Harris? It was certainly unpleasant (him, not her), but if you read right wing media coverage apparently it was a disaster for Harris, and if you read left wing media, it was a great success. No wonder people are so divided, but Baier did admit to a big mistake and conceded he did not do a great job. Truly it was not pleasant viewing.
And some breaking news this week, Jordan Peterson and Tucker Carlson are apparently being paid by Russia. It’s never boring is it?
Get stuck in, lots going on!
Favorite visual
Friends content and my own
The Know Show was on this week, and we discussed the woke mind virus. Great to have Graham Harvey join us.
Dig into the news
Plenty more to read, listen to or watch, so do click through to the reads at the image below, and a reminder, this platform (elink.io) means the articles go back weeks, so have a scan and read/watch/listen to whatever jumps out at you.
Let me know what caught your attention? Or share with me what has your attention now? There’s a lot going on, which means none of us can cover everything. Besides, it’s always great to get feedback so I know I’m delivering something of value.
Cheers
Andrea
All my contact information is here.
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Uncommon Courage: an invitation
Uncommon Courage is an invitation to be your courageous best self every day. It’s also an antidote to the overwhelm, fear, and rage rolling around the world. But it’s more than a book; it’s an invitation to join an inclusive community that wants to better understand humanities challenges – both global and personal – in order to take courageous action and create a better world for everyone.
You can buy it on Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, Booktopia, Smashwords, Kobo, Gardners, Odilo, Indie Bound, BookShop by BookTrib and Scribd.
Better yet, order it from your local bookstore, so you can #SupportLocal.
You can read the reviews, including a new five-star review on Book Commentary, another five-star review on ReaderViews, a review on BookTrib, and three more on Booklife, another on Book Commentary and Blue Ink Reviews. I’m also collating reviews on my Website too. Have a look and grateful to everyone who has written or recorded one.
Come and join the conversation in my Facebook Group One Billion People with Uncommon Courage.
Listen in to the Uncommon Courage, the podcast on Apple, Spotify and everywhere podcasts are published.
The Know Show
Check out The Know Show. It’s a fortnightly wrap up of the news.
Climate Courage
A fortnightly conversation on issues that matter to you and I, focusing on the actions we can all take.
18 Steps to an All-Star LinkedIn Profile
Listed by Book Authority in the 100 Best LinkedIn Books of All Time and 22 Best New LinkedIn eBooks To Read In 2021 and 2022 categories. Grab it today if you want to take your professional presence to the next level! When it comes to LinkedIn, it really is time to ask — can you really afford not to have this book in the hands of every employee?
Are you a Social CEO? The Social CEO: How Social Media Can Make You A Stronger Leader.
Want to claim your stage? Unleash Your Voice – Powerful Public Speaking for Every Woman
Feedback
Have I done a great job for you? Can you write a reference on my LinkedIn profile or on my Google Business page? If not for me, why not write one for someone else who inspires you or has helped you? Join the #GivingEconomy.