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Scientists around the world agree that the planet’s climate requires immediate action to avert catastrophe. Recently, the Breakthrough National Centre for Climate Restoration in Melbourne, Australia, estimated that a “near- to mid-term existential threat to human civilization” could take place in the next 30 years if the issue isn’t addressed. According to a survey by The Economist, consumers believe that brands have as much responsibility as governments to create positive environmental change. [Related: What Is Corporate Social Responsibility?]
Over the past five years, there has been a 71% rise in online searches for sustainable goods globally, according to The Economist Intelligence Unit. Consumers are engaging with sustainable businesses in ways that they previously ignored. This trend isn’t just in first-world countries. Consumer satisfaction in developing and emerging economies is also tied to concerns around climate change, and many want businesses to commit to protecting nature and natural systems. Learn from companies like PayPal that prioritize social responsibility, setting an example for employees and customers.
According to a survey from McKinsey & Co., 66% of all respondents and 75% of millennial respondents say that they consider sustainability when they make a purchase. Customers now align themselves with brands that are compatible with their values and priorities. With environmental stability as a high priority for many people, it’s important that businesses do their part to lower their carbon footprint.
While the data suggests that more consumers form relationships with brands that pay attention to their products’ environmental impact, researchers at Accenture were quick to point out that affordability and quality were still the main driving factors behind a vast majority of purchases.
Among the respondents, 89% said they cared the most about the quality of a product when choosing a product to buy, with price coming in at 84%. While consumers are right to consider the financial impact of a product, researchers said 49% cited health and safety and 37% cited environmental impact as factors they consider before purchase.
Furthermore, researchers said 72% of respondents reported that they were actively buying more environmentally friendly products than they did five years ago, while 81% said they expected to buy even more over the next five years.
“The shift in consumer buying, with more consumers willing to pay extra for environmentally friendly products, reinforces the need for companies to increase their commitments to responsible business practices,” said Jessica Long, managing director of strategy and sustainability at Accenture. “Companies across industries have started to lead with purpose, including embracing the circular economy as a greater opportunity to drive growth and competitive agility.”
Many customers are willing to pay more for sustainable products with high-quality, environmentally friendly packaging.
In addition to consumers’ growing awareness of how their products are packaged, the survey’s findings show that people are paying attention to the global climate crisis.
Approximately 1 in 4 respondents – 26% – said they believe that of the nine industries included in the survey, the chemical industry is the least worried about its environmental impact. Participants also ranked the chemical industry lowest in terms of communicating how its products affect the environment, with 72% stating they were “not very confident or not confident at all.”
The chemical industry is considered a major driver of recycled and reusable materials around the world. Plastics, widely thought to be a major global pollutant, are manufactured by some of the chemical industry’s biggest companies. We’ve outlined a number of eco-friendly business ideas for entrepreneurs.
“While some of the survey results are encouraging, there are also implications for chemical companies, including the need to overcome negative consumer sentiment and to produce sustainable materials at a competitive price,” said Rachael Bartels, a senior managing director at Accenture who leads its chemicals and natural resources practice. “The chemical industry is a critical enabler to the circular economy and can speed up its adoption, and the reality is the industry must get in front of this now, or risk being left behind.”
Asked which of the packaging materials widely used today is the least environmentally friendly, 77% of respondents said plastic. Paper was considered the most environmentally friendly by 55% of participants.
If the chemical industry can rise to the challenge, American Chemistry Council (ACC) officials estimate that the recyclable nature of plastics could create 38,500 new jobs and add billions of dollars to the U.S. economy. It could do that, ACC said, by “expanding the use of pyrolysis and other advanced plastic recycling technologies.”
Consumers are generally interested in doing what they can to live more sustainably and expect businesses to play a part in that. While many consumers actively seek out brands and businesses that align with their values, they’re also willing to switch products or companies when something violates their ethics. Consumers are also willing to be outspoken about these transgressions in public forums. Many take to social media to address their concerns and complaints, and some are willing to protest companies at their physical locations. It becomes bad business for companies to ignore the values and concerns of the most loyal and active customers, as they could face a decline in sales and PR backlash. [Related: How to Drive More Sales]
Sustainably sourced goods also create an opportunity for profit. In the United Kingdom, the market for these products was worth £41 billion (about $56 billion) in 2019. In India, sales of organic and sustainable products have increased by 13% since 2018.
Consumers are more attracted to brands with sustainable practices and products – and those businesses turn a profit.
Industries and companies are listening to their consumers about what they want. Over 50% of C-level executives in the fashion and textile industry have claimed that consumer demand is driving their brands to create sustainable products and best practices. Many of these companies have been sourcing sustainably produced raw materials to create their apparel.
The trend of sourcing organic and sustainable materials has also been seen in the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical sectors. These industries have been making a concerted effort to use sustainable materials. Consumers have the ability to drive entire industries to change, and the benefit for those companies is that they have a positive increase on their market sector.
Sean Peek contributed to the writing and reporting in this article.
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Mitigation and Adaptation – Science@NASA
NASA is a world leader in climate studies and Earth science. While its role is not to set climate policy or prescribe particular responses or solutions to climate change, its purview does include providing the robust scientific data needed to understand climate change. NASA then makes this information available to the global community – the public, policy- and decision-makers and scientific and planning agencies around the world.
Climate change is one of the most complex issues facing us today. It involves many dimensions – science, economics, society, politics, and moral and ethical questions – and is a global problem, felt on local scales, that will be around for thousands of years. Carbon dioxide, the heat-trapping greenhouse gas that is the primary driver of recent global warming, lingers in the atmosphere for many thousands of years, and the planet (especially the ocean) takes a while to respond to warming. So even if we stopped emitting all greenhouse gases today, global warming and climate change will continue to affect future generations. In this way, humanity is “committed” to some level of climate change.
How much climate change? That will be determined by how our emissions continue and exactly how our climate responds to those emissions. Despite increasing awareness of climate change, our emissions of greenhouse gases continue on a relentless rise. In 2013, the daily level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere surpassed 400 parts per million for the first time in human history. The last time levels were that high was about three to five million years ago, during the Pliocene Epoch.
Because we are already committed to some level of climate change, responding to climate change involves a two-pronged approach:
Mitigation – reducing climate change – involves reducing the flow of heat-trapping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, either by reducing sources of these gases (for example, the burning of fossil fuels for electricity, heat, or transport) or enhancing the “sinks” that accumulate and store these gases (such as the oceans, forests, and soil). The goal of mitigation is to avoid significant human interference with Earth’s climate, “stabilize greenhouse gas levels in a timeframe sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, ensure that food production is not threatened, and to enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner” (from the 2014 report on Mitigation of Climate Change from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, page 4).
Adaptation – adapting to life in a changing climate – involves adjusting to actual or expected future climate. The goal is to reduce our risks from the harmful effects of climate change (like sea-level rise, more intense extreme weather events, or food insecurity). It also includes making the most of any potential beneficial opportunities associated with climate change (for example, longer growing seasons or increased yields in some regions).
Throughout history, people and societies have adjusted to and coped with changes in climate and extremes with varying degrees of success. Climate change (drought in particular) has been at least partly responsible for the rise and fall of civilizations. Earth’s climate has been relatively stable for the past 10,000 years, and this stability has allowed for the development of our modern civilization and agriculture. Our modern life is tailored to that stable climate and not the much warmer climate of the next thousand-plus years. As our climate changes, we will need to adapt. The faster the climate changes, the more difficult it will be.
While climate change is a global issue, it is felt on a local scale. Local governments are therefore at the frontline of adaptation. Cities and local communities around the world have been focusing on solving their own climate problems. They are working to build flood defenses, plan for heat waves and higher temperatures, install better-draining pavements to deal with floods and stormwater, and improve water storage and use.
According to the 2014 report on Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability (page 8) from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, governments at various levels are also getting better at adaptation. Climate change is being included into development plans: how to manage the increasingly extreme disasters we are seeing, how to protect coastlines and deal with sea-level rise, how to best manage land and forests, how to deal with and plan for drought, how to develop new crop varieties, and how to protect energy and public infrastructure.
NASA, with its Eyes on the Earth and wealth of knowledge on Earth’s climate, is one of the world’s experts in climate science. NASA’s role is to provide the robust scientific data needed to understand climate change. For example, data from the agency’s Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), its follow-on mission (GRACE-FO), the Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat), and the ICESat-2 missions have shown rapid changes in the Earth’s great ice sheets. The Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich and the Jason series of missions have documented rising global sea level since 1992.
NASA makes detailed climate data available to the global community – the public, policy-, and decision-makers and scientific and planning agencies around the world. It is not NASA’s role to set climate policy or recommend solutions to climate change. NASA is one of 13 U.S. government agencies that form part of the U.S. Global Change Research Program, which has a legal mandate to help the nation and the world understand, assess, predict, and respond to global change. These U.S. partner agencies include the Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Energy, each of which has a different role depending on their area of expertise.
Although NASA’s main focus is not on energy-technology research and development, work is being done around the agency and by/with various partners and collaborators to find other sources of energy to power our needs.
For further reading on NASA’s work on mitigation and adaptation, take a look at these pages:
Explore Earth Science
Earth Science in Action
Earth Science Data
Facts About Earth
NASA explores the unknown in air and space, innovates for the benefit of humanity, and inspires the world through discovery.
6 tips for marketing the benefits of electric vehicles and other eco-friendly cars – CBT Automotive News
Your #1 source for auto industry news and content
Your dealership is or will become an expert on electric vehicles. Take advantage of this mastery by promoting what you know.
Electric vehicles (EVs) are increasingly gaining favor with eco-conscious consumers looking for more sustainable transportation. However, marketing the environmental benefits of EVs to this audience requires a well-thought-out approach. These efforts need to include highlighting the ‘green’ aspects of EVs. With this in mind, let’s review effective techniques that dealerships can use to appeal to environmentally-minded buyers.
More and more consumers think about environmental impact in their purchase decisions. This is especially the case with car buyers. According to the Pew Research Center, 72% of shoppers considering an EV say helping the environment is a key motivator. Meanwhile, 70% see saving money on fuel as another advantage, and 12% like keeping up with the latest vehicle trends.
These preferences work well with clearly identifiable EV benefits, including:
There are also several eco-friendly EV features that can be promoted in marketing. These are ‘green’ attributes that demonstrate a dealer’s environmental consciousness and build trust about a commitment to sustainability.
Along with being eco-conscious, EV buyers tend to be tech-oriented, and drawn to innovation. Savvy dealer marketers will build off these interests by accentuating the high-tech features integral to all-electric cars. Examples include:
Be sure that your messaging isn’t just about environmental benefits and technical specs. EV buying still involves emotions, so marketing should reflect this. Here’s an opportunity to get creative as cleverly worded campaigns capture the excitement of car buying while citing EVs’ underlying benefits.
We’ve covered what to say to EV-minded shoppers. Here’s how to say it.
Creating a simple and memorable phrase will anchor the related marketing efforts, whether you’re thinking of a long-term tagline or a short-term slogan. If your creative juices aren’t flowing, give artificial intelligence a try. Head over to ChatGPT (you’ll need to set up a free account) and ask, “What are some taglines that can be used for a car dealer wanting to promote electric vehicles?
You’ll get many responses, like “Driving Green Has Never Been Easier” and “Take Charge of Your Commute.” Searching Google and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office database should confirm if you’re treading on someone else’s efforts.
Creativity will also have to prevail in the content your dealership produces to market its EVs. Not only will these videos, social media posts, and emails have to be visually engaging, they’ll need to educate and inform. Use infographics to break down complex data into more digestible information. Show real-world scenarios to demystify unfamiliar EV activities (like vehicle charging or one-pedal driving).
Identify environmental organizations that can lend credibility when marketing an EV’s sustainability benefits. Look for branches of national operations or local green nonprofits. These tie-ups can promote an eco-friendly brand image and help forge connections with environmental advocates who might not otherwise step foot into your showroom.
Ensure that your digital outreach is crafted to target eco-conscious consumers. This starts with dedicated landing pages highlighting the environmental advantages of your dealership’s EV offerings. A revamped SEO strategy and focused social media and email campaigns must also come into play.
Test drive events enable dealers to get eco-conscious and EV-curious shoppers behind the wheel. These hands-on experiences build engagement by demonstrating the real-world practicality of EVs. While activities associated with Earth Day are natural, look for other venues, like farmers’ markets, that also have a green values connection.
Your dealership is or will become an expert on electric vehicles. Take advantage of this mastery by promoting what you know.
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In Indonesia, deforestation is intensifying disasters from severe weather and climate change – The Associated Press
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
A woman walks near logs swept into a neighborhood affected by a flash flood in Pesisir Selatan, West Sumatra, Indonesia, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Mavendra JR)
A woman walks near logs swept into a neighborhood affected by a flash flood in Pesisir Selatan, West Sumatra, Indonesia, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. In Indonesia, environmental groups continue to point to deforestation and environmental degradation worsening the effects of natural disasters such as floods, landslides, drought and forest fires. (AP Photo/Mavendra JR)
A woman walks near logs swept into a neighborhood affected by a flash flood in Pesisir Selatan, West Sumatra, Indonesia, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. In Indonesia, environmental groups continue to point to deforestation and environmental degradation worsening the effects of natural disasters such as floods, landslides, drought and forest fires. (AP Photo/Mavendra JR)
A deforested hill is visible near an area affected by a flash flood in Pesisir Selatan, West Sumatra, Indonesia, Thursday, March 14, 2024. In Indonesia, environmental groups continue to point to deforestation and environmental degradation worsening the effects of natural disasters such as floods, landslides, drought and forest fires. (AP Photo/Sutan Malik Kayo)
A deforested hill is visible near an area affected by a flash flood in Pesisir Selatan, West Sumatra, Indonesia, Thursday, March 14, 2024. In Indonesia, environmental groups continue to point to deforestation and environmental degradation worsening the effects of natural disasters such as floods, landslides, drought and forest fires. (AP Photo/Sutan Malik Kayo)
A boy crawls on logs swept into a neighborhood affected by a flash flood in Pesisir Selatan, West Sumatra, Indonesia, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. In Indonesia, environmental groups continue to point to deforestation and environmental degradation worsening the effects of natural disasters such as floods, landslides, drought and forest fires. (AP Photo/Mavendra JR)
A boy crawls on logs swept into a neighborhood affected by a flash flood in Pesisir Selatan, West Sumatra, Indonesia, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. In Indonesia, environmental groups continue to point to deforestation and environmental degradation worsening the effects of natural disasters such as floods, landslides, drought and forest fires. (AP Photo/Mavendra JR)
Logs that were swept into a village after a flash flood are visible in Pesisir Selatan, West Sumatra, Indonesia, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. In Indonesia, environmental groups continue to point to deforestation and environmental degradation worsening the effects of natural disasters such as floods, landslides, drought and forest fires. (AP Photo/Sutan Malik Kayo)
Logs that were swept into a village after a flash flood are visible in Pesisir Selatan, West Sumatra, Indonesia, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. In Indonesia, environmental groups continue to point to deforestation and environmental degradation worsening the effects of natural disasters such as floods, landslides, drought and forest fires. (AP Photo/Sutan Malik Kayo)
A man walks past a log swept into a neighborhood affected by a flash flood in Pesisir Selatan, West Sumatra, Indonesia, Sunday, March 10, 2024. In Indonesia, environmental groups continue to point to deforestation and environmental degradation worsening the effects of natural disasters such as floods, landslides, drought and forest fires. (AP Photo/Mavendra JR)
A man walks past a log swept into a neighborhood affected by a flash flood in Pesisir Selatan, West Sumatra, Indonesia, Sunday, March 10, 2024. In Indonesia, environmental groups continue to point to deforestation and environmental degradation worsening the effects of natural disasters such as floods, landslides, drought and forest fires. (AP Photo/Mavendra JR)
Homes damaged by a flash flood sit in Pesisir Selatan, West Sumatra, Indonesia, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. In Indonesia, environmental groups continue to point to deforestation and environmental degradation worsening the effects of natural disasters such as floods, landslides, drought and forest fires. (AP Photo/Sutan Malik Kayo)
Homes damaged by a flash flood sit in Pesisir Selatan, West Sumatra, Indonesia, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. In Indonesia, environmental groups continue to point to deforestation and environmental degradation worsening the effects of natural disasters such as floods, landslides, drought and forest fires. (AP Photo/Sutan Malik Kayo)
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Roads turned to murky brown rivers, homes were swept away by strong currents and bodies were pulled from mud during deadly flash floods and landslides after torrential rains hit West Sumatra in early March, marking one of the latest deadly natural disasters in Indonesia.
Government officials blamed the floods on heavy rainfall, but environmental groups have cited the disaster as the latest example of deforestation and environmental degradation intensifying the effects of severe weather across Indonesia.
“This disaster occurred not only because of extreme weather factors, but because of the ecological crisis,” Indonesian environmental rights group Indonesian Forum for the Environment wrote in a statement. “If the environment continues to be ignored, then we will continue to reap ecological disasters.”
A deforested hill is visible near an area affected by a flash flood in Pesisir Selatan, West Sumatra, Indonesia, Thursday, March 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Sutan Malik Kayo)
A vast tropical archipelago stretching across the equator, Indonesia is home to the world’s third-largest rainforest, with a variety of endangered wildlife and plants, including orangutans, elephants, giant and blooming forest flowers. Some live nowhere else.
For generations the forests have also provided livelihoods, food, and medicine while playing a central role in cultural practices for millions of Indigenous residents in Indonesia.
Since 1950, more than 74 million hectares (285,715 square miles) of Indonesian rainforest — an area twice the size of Germany — have been logged, burned or degraded for development of palm oil, paper and rubber plantations, mining and other commodities according to Global Forest Watch.
Indonesia is the biggest producer of palm oil, one of the largest exporters of coal and a top producer of pulp for paper. It also exports oil and gas, rubber, tin and other resources. And it also has the world’s largest reserves of nickel — a critical material for electric vehicles, solar panels and other goods needed for the green energy transition.
Indonesia has consistently ranked as one of the largest global emitters of plant-warming greenhouse gases, with its emissions stemming from the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation and peatland fires, according to the Global Carbon Project.
A boy crawls on logs swept into a neighborhood affected by a flash flood in Pesisir Selatan, West Sumatra, Indonesia, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Mavendra JR)
It’s also highly vulnerable to climate change impacts, including extreme events such as floods and droughts, long-term changes from sea level rise, shifts in rainfall patterns and increasing temperatures, according to the World Bank. In recent decades the country has already seen the effects of climate change: More intense rains, landslides and floods during rainy season, and more fires during a longer dry season.
But forests can help play a vital role in reducing the impact of some extreme weather events, said Aida Greenbury, a sustainability expert focusing on Indonesia.
Flooding can be slowed by trees and vegetation soaking up rainwater and reducing erosion. In dry season, forests release moisture that helps mitigate the effects of droughts, including fires.
But when forests diminish, those benefits do as well.
Logs that were swept into a village after a flash flood are visible in Pesisir Selatan, West Sumatra, Indonesia, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Sutan Malik Kayo)
A 2017 study reported that forest conversion and deforestation expose bare soil to rainfall, causing soil erosion. Frequent harvesting activities — such as done on palm oil plantations — and the removal of ground vegetation leads to further soil compaction, causing rain to run off the surface instead of entering groundwater reservoirs. Downstream erosion also increases sediment in rivers, making rivers shallower and increasing flood risks, according to the research.
After the deadly floods in Sumatra in early March, West Sumatra Gov. Mahyeldi Ansharullah said there were strong indications of illegal logging around locations affected by floods and landslides. That, coupled with extreme rainfall, inadequate drainage systems and improper housing development contributed to the disaster, he said.
Experts and environmental activists have pointed to deforestation worsening disasters in other regions of Indonesia as well: In 2021 environmental activists partially blamed deadly floods in Kalimantan on environmental degradation caused by large-scale mining and palm oil operations. In Papua, deforestation was partially blamed for floods and landslides that killed over a hundred people in 2019.
A man walks past a log swept into a neighborhood affected by a flash flood in Pesisir Selatan, West Sumatra, Indonesia, Sunday, March 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Mavendra JR)
There have been some signs of progress: In 2018 Indonesian President Joko Widodo put a three-year freeze on new permits for palm oil plantations. And the rate of deforestation slowed between 2021-2022, according to government data.
But experts warn that it’s unlikely deforestation in Indonesia will stop anytime soon as the government continues to move forward with new mining and infrastructure projects such as new nickel smelters and cement factories.
“A lot of land use and land-based investment permits have already been given to businesses, and a lot of these areas are already prone to disasters,” said Arie Rompas, an Indonesia-based forestry expert at Greenpeace.
President-elect Prabowo Subianto, who is scheduled to take office in October, has promised to continue Widodo’s policy of development, include large-scale food estates, mining and other infrastructure development that are all linked to deforestation.
Environmental watchdogs also warn that environmental protections in Indonesia are weakening, including the passing of the controversial Omnibus Law, which eliminated an article of the Forestry Law regarding the minimum area of forest that must be maintained at development projects.
“The removal of that article makes us very worried (about deforestation) for the years to come,” said Rompas.
Homes damaged by a flash flood sit in Pesisir Selatan, West Sumatra, Indonesia, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Sutan Malik Kayo)
While experts and activists recognize that development is essential for Indonesia’s economy to continue to go, they argue that it should be done in a way that considers the environment and incorporates better land planning.
“We can’t continue down the same path we’ve been on,” said sustainability expert Greenbury. “We need to make sure that the soil, the land in the forest doesn’t become extinct.”
Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Eco Hotels and Resorts appoints Akash Bhatia as CEO – People Matters
Eco Hotels and Resorts has announced the appointment of Akash Bhatia as Chief Executive Officer. In this role, Bhatia will be responsible for driving strategic initiatives, overseeing operations, and spearheading the company’s expansion plans.
With over 18 years of experience, Bhatia has joined Eco Hotels and Resorts from Amritara Hotels & Resorts where he worked as Vice President. Previously, he worked with Ramee Hotels & Resorts in Bahrain as Cluster General Manager and Lemon Tree Hotels as Regional General Manager.
He comes with a wealth of expertise in sales, accommodation management, food and beverage operations, revenue and billing management, cost control exercises, financial planning, administrative controls, and ensuring guest satisfaction.
Bhatia holds a Post Graduate Diploma (PGDMM) in Marketing Management and a bachelor’s degree in hospitality administration/management, further underlining his commitment to professional excellence and continuous learning.
“Akash Bhatia’s extensive experience, proven track record, and passion for enhancing guest experiences align perfectly with our company’s vision for sustainable growth and exceptional hospitality,” said Vinod K Tripathi, Executive Chairman of Eco Hotels and Resorts.
“I am looking forward to utilise my expertise and industry insights to further boost the company’s reputation for delivering exceptional guest experiences and driving positive growth,” said Bhatia.
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UN climate weeks cancellation hinders worst-hit communities – Climate Home News
Comment: The UNFCCC has said it will not hold regional climate weeks in 2024 due to a funding shortfall – which means less inclusion for developing-country voices
A woman of the Turkana tribe waits with plastic containers to get water from a well, amid the worst drought in East Africa’s history, February 17, 2023. (Photo: Simone Boccaccio / SOPA Images/Sipa USA)
By Dulce Marrumbe
If the world’s most vulnerable are not at the table, then UN climate talks are no longer fit for purpose.
This week, the UN climate change body (UNFCCC) confirmed that this year’s Regional Climate Weeks will be cancelled until further notice due to lack of funding.
The update comes shortly after UNFCCC chief Simon Stiell made an urgent plea at the Copenhagen Climate Ministerial last week to plug the body’s funding gap, stating that it is facing “severe financial challenges” – putting a rising workload at risk due to “governments’ failure to provide enough money”.
The suspension of the Regional Climate Weeks is hugely disappointing news.
It means that a vital platform to express the concerns of people and communities most affected by climate change has been taken away.
UN’s climate body faces “severe financial challenges” which put work at risk
The climate weeks are a vital opportunity to bring a stronger regional voice – those who are footing the bill in developing countries for a crisis they have done the least to cause – to the international table in the lead-up to the UN COP climate summits.
Last year we saw four regional climate weeks: Africa Climate Week in Nairobi, Kenya; Middle East and North Africa Climate Week in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Latin America and the Caribbean Climate Week in Panama City, Panama; and Asia-Pacific Climate Week in Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
These attracted 26,000 participants in 900 sessions and brought together policymakers, scientists and other experts from the multiple regions, with fundamental contributions feeding into the COP28 agenda.
At Africa Climate Summit alone, over 20 commitments were made by African heads of state – commitments and announcements that equated to a combined investment of nearly $26 billion from public, private sector and multilateral development banks, philanthropic foundations and other financing partners.
This is the right way forward because, while extreme weather events affect all of us, we know their impacts are not felt equally.
Extremes of both drought and floods are threatening people’s access to the three essentials they need to survive – clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene – as boreholes run dry, floods wash away latrines, and supplies are contaminated by silt and debris.
Around the world, ordinary people – farmers, community leaders, family members – are doing everything they can to adapt to the realities of life on the frontlines of climate change.
They’re working together to monitor water reserves, conserving supplies to make every drop last. They’re sowing crops that can withstand droughts, and planting trees to protect them from floods. And they’re building with future threats in mind, raising homes and toilets off the ground and making them safe from floodwaters.
Expectations mount as loss and damage fund staggers to its feet
Each Regional Climate Week provides a vital platform for those shouldering the heaviest burden of the climate crisis – such as women and girls, people experiencing marginalisation, and Indigenous communities – to share their experiences, expertise, and unique perspectives.
The climate crisis is a water crisis, and the people on the frontlines of this crisis are vital to solving it.
With leadership and participation from those vulnerable communities and groups, we are all better equipped to adapt to our changing climate – and to ensure that everyone, everywhere has climate-resilient water, sanitation and hygiene.
Each and every UN climate conference matters. We urgently need global governments to fuel their words with action, open their wallets and prioritise the voices, experiences and solutions of those most affected by the climate crisis. If not, we’ll continue to see climate change wash away people’s futures.
Dulce Marrumbe is head of partnerships and advocacy at WaterAid’s regional office for Southern Africa.
Read more on: Climate justice | Climate politics | Comment | UN climate talks | Water | UN climate talks | UNFCCC | Water Climate justice
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The subtle art of scaling up climate adaptation
Climate Week NYC: Clean technologies are racing to the future
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Expectations mount as loss and damage fund staggers to its feet
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New Environmental Social Sciences Department formed | Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability – Stanford University
The new department within the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability incorporates the human element into interdisciplinary efforts to tackle humanity’s greatest sustainability challenges.
The Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability has formed a new Department of Environmental Social Sciences, with William Barnett as chair and Marshall Burke as associate chair. The department, which was approved by the Board of Trustees at its December meeting, elevates the critical role of the social sciences in sustainability scholarship and education.
“The formal approval of this new department represents a major step forward in the school’s ambitions to realize global impact in sustainability,” said Dean Arun Majumdar. “Given the urgency and magnitude of the challenge, helping create a sustainable future requires leveraging our full potential as a university. It goes without saying, that dedicated research and education in the social sciences is essential to fostering the knowledge, innovations, and leaders necessary for real and lasting solutions.”
Barnett helped envision the structure for the school as it was forming and was an advocate for the importance of including social sciences. “When we created the vision for what would become this school, one of the things that made it so different is that it not only includes the sciences and engineering, but also the social sciences,” he said. “We imagined a school that is broader in scope than anything that exists at any other university. We all acknowledge that the world is going through a revolution, and the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability is dedicated to advancing knowledge on the sustainability of humanity in our research, teaching, and impact across disciplines.”
Combating climate change and advancing sustainability cannot be done with technological and scientific solutions alone, Barnett said. Creating large-scale economic and social transformation requires changes in human behaviors at the individual, organizational, and broader institutional levels. That’s where anthropology, business, economics, education, human health, law, political science, psychology, and sociology come in.
“A wide variety of disciplines in the social sciences are addressing questions central to sustainability,” said Barnett, who is also the Thomas M. Siebel Professor in Business Leadership, Strategy, and Organizations at Stanford Graduate School of Business. “The beauty of having social sciences within the school is that we’re interacting directly with scientists and engineers, so our research and teaching is informed by them, and theirs is informed by us.”
The beauty of having social sciences within the school is that we’re interacting directly with scientists and engineers, so our research and teaching is informed by them, and theirs is informed by us. ”
Social science research and coursework has been part of the school since its launch in September 2022 through a social science division. However, there were initially not enough dedicated faculty to form an official department with degree offerings. Today, 23 faculty are affiliated with the new Environmental Social Sciences Department, and it is recruiting more.
Over the next year, the department’s faculty will work on developing their first degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Additionally, the department will offer courses in support of other majors within the school.
Studies within Environmental Social Sciences fall in two broad focus areas: Global Environmental Policy (GEP) and Environmental Behavioral Sciences (EBS). Barnett oversees the EBS area, while Burke heads up GEP.
“Most of the sustainability challenges we face are a result of human actions and choices, and so addressing these challenges will require us to make different choices,” Burke said. “Social scientists are central in understanding these choices – why we behave the way we do, and how we can develop policies and institutions that lead to outcomes that we want.”
Degrees in the new department will focus on examining the role institutions and individuals play in sustainability, effecting change, environmental economics, democracy and capitalism, and policy development. Many of the department’s courses are cross-listed with other departments and schools, highlighting the interdisciplinary nature of the work.
Students have gotten a taste of this approach in the course COLLEGE 106: Environmental Sustainability: Global Predicaments and Possible Solutions, co-taught by Barnett and Professor Chris Field.
“How you think about sustainability depends on the lens through which you view the world,” Barnett said. “We often view it through a technical lens – we view it as an engineering problem. That’s a legitimate way of looking at sustainability, but at the same time, sustainability also can be understood as a set of behavioral and ethical challenges. Only by seeing sustainability through all three lenses – the technical, behavioral, and ethical – do we fully understand humanity’s greatest challenges.”
Barnett is also a senior fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment. Burke is also a senior fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute, the Woods Institute for the Environment, and the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR).
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Canadian scientists to develop decision making tool for sustainability goals – Pig Progress
Scientists at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan are developing a tool that supports on farm decision making to reach welfare and sustainability goals.
Funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the University of Saskatchewan and 14 industry partners fubd the tool’s development.
Dr. Yolane Seddon, the NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Swine Welfare, leads the research. She is also an adjunct research scientist with the Prairie Swine Centre.
The research team, including 4 scientists and technicians, will gather data for the tool’s development from interviewing 2 sources, producers and pig herd veterinarians in Canada and the US.
“We aim to produce a tool that will support decision making on the farm that will influence animal welfare. We will also reserch how it interacts with business, profitability and environmental emissions and therefore, overall business sustainability goals that could influence market access,” Seddon explained to local media.
Each interview will address a wide range of topics, including what indicators producers use to monitor welfare and how production decisions relates to animal welfare as well as environmental, profit and staff sustainability.
Seddon noted that this sort of data has not been gathered before, and she believes “it is really valuable to hear the industry’s side of the story.”
As the tool is developed, information will first be shared with participants. They will also get to try the tool after a demonstration. Seddon and her colleagues aim to have the final version finished by early 2025.”
There are 4 other main NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Swine Welfare research goals. One is to examine whether enrichment in the form of extra space, physical enrichments and positive human contact during lactation and/or the nursery period will result in improved pig stress resilience, behavioural development and growth rate.
Another goal is to identify methods that effectively stimulate play behaviour in growing pigs, and the potential physiological benefits of play.
Goal 3 addresses improved understanding of biomarkers of pig welfare, and Goal 4 addresses how carcass assessment at slaughter inform about animal welfare at different stages of the value chain.
fair for Latin American poultry/swine industry
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These Young Eco-Warriors Are Leading The Charge For Climate Action! – Swachh India NDTV
The youngsters have diverted 5,870 Kg of waste from the landfills with their small acts, in the last one year, under project Yuwa, an intiative by Waste Warriors
New Delhi: “I used to think that taking out the trash was just a chore, but now I see it as an act to make a difference,” says Prince, a 12-year-old environment enthusiast from Dehradun. Prince knows nothing about environmental issues. Even a simple thing as waste disposal was an alien concept to him. He thought the method of disposing off garbage was to simply toss it into the nearby pit. But little did he know about the colossal impact of this little daily practice.
However, this was only until yesterday. Today, he is well-versed with the impact of human activist on the environment.
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He knows how to properly dispose off waste. He also knows about recycling . Prince has created several products out of e-waste and other discarded materials, such as windmills and table lamps.
And he has not kept this information confined to himself. Not only does he ensure the garbage from his home is dumped in the dedicated area, he also makes sure his neighbours follow the a garbage routine.
Talking about his newly discovered social passion, Prince said,
Now I understand my involvement in this larger cause. I strongly feel that this should be taught in schools right from Class 1.
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Vansh, 15, who is a resident of Dehradun, was completely oblivious to the reason behind recurrent diarrhoea cases and other infections in his family. Little did he know that it was because of the open garbage dumping.
Prince and Vansh are only two of the many teenage environment warriors attached to Project Yuwa.
Their families now dump garbage in the dedicated area. They need to see the doctor less. There has not been a Diarrhoea case in Vansh’s family for the past two months.
The teenagers educate families, friends and neighbours about solid waste management. They do it through Nukkad Natak, cleanliness drives, and ‘Swachhata Chaupals’. These young environmentalists have diverted 5,870 Kg of waste from the landfills with their small acts, in the last one year.
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NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which in its Season 10 is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Ayushmann Khurrana. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – the LGBTQ population, indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In a world post COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fight malnutrition, mental well-being, self-care, science and health, adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
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Since 2014, NDTV-Dettol have been at the forefront of a ‘Swasth’ change. For nine remarkable years, the campaign touched lives, changed habits, and inspired a healthier nation, to emerge as one of India’s longest running public health campaigns. As the campaign moves forward into the tenth season, Banega Swasth India embarks on a journey of transformation. Introducing the campaign’s heartbeat, ‘One World Hygiene — Fostering global unity for a healthier tomorrow’.
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