The Clim8
08.22.21-08.28.21
Tumultuous Temperatures: what the Taliban rule means for Afghanistan’s climate (Climate Home News)
Coal played a huge role in the Taliban’s recent rise to power in Afghanistan, as it has provided a stable financial platform for the terrorists to draw from. The Taliban have long had close ties with coal suppliers, who see the extremist group as a means of security and transportation. By imposing taxes on these mining companies, the Taliban slowly collected enough funds for a self-sufficient push to overthrow the government of Afghanistan.
Extinction Rebellion stages a protest in the heart of London (BBC)
The organization built a 13 foot table in Covent Garden and members chained themselves to the table legs in protest. Their message: “climate breakdown is here now.” This protest is Extinction Rebellion’s fifth mass protest, and they plan to hold it for several days. So far, eight people associated with the event have already been arrested.
Penguin Classics to publish the Green Ideas series, an environmental canon (The Guardian)
Inspired by Greta Thunberg's recent publication, "No One Is Too Small To Make a Difference," Penguin Classics is launching a Green Ideas collection of books from activists and writers at the forefront of the climate movement. The series will consist of 20 short books the publisher believes represent the new and modern ways we think view the environment and climate change.
New research analyzes how healthy and environmentally impactful foods are (Medical News Today)
Taking into account the environmental limitations of food production and the healthiness of foods consumed by US adults, researchers have developed a “traffic light system” that categorizes foods dependent on their nutritional and environmental value. The Health Nutritional Index was used to assess how healthy a food was and IMPACT World+ was used as a method to determine each food’s environmental impact. Researchers hope to use the information from their analysis to offer people diet plans and substitutions that would benefit their health and the environment.
Record breaking heat in Europe (BBC)
While 2020 marks Europe’s warmest year to date, new findings show that Europe’s temperature margin over previous years was greater than what was originally thought. As higher temperatures sweep across Europe, countries like Estonia, Finland, and Latvia experience temperature differences of 2.4ºC. Until greenhouse gas emissions are controlled, Dr. Kate Wilett from the Met Office says that our climate is “likely to continue changing.”
Can the Federal Reserve help fight climate change? (NY Times)
As climate change continues to impact our environment, many have questioned what efforts the Federal Reserve should be making to deal with the climate crisis. Some have questioned whether or not Jerome Powell, Chair of the Federal Reserve of the United States, should be reappointed. While there are many contrasting opinions, some climate activists have argued that Powell shouldn’t be reappointed and “should be replaced by someone with stronger credentials as a climate hawk.”
As the climate crisis worsens, Asia and the Pacific suffer from a greater “riskscape” (UN News)
The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) published the Asia-Pacific Disaster Report 2021 in which it detailed how the combining effects of the pandemic and natural disasters have impacted countries. As global temperatures rise, the natural hazards, such as hurricanes, heatwaves and cyclones, are amplified.
"The string of record-breaking weather events show that we do not have the luxury of 'waiting this out,'" UN Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction Mami Mizutori said. “Action must be taken now to address these risks.”
Hazardous Health Levels: Large number of Earth’s health measures sunk, creating record lows (The Washington Post)
In 2020, atmospheric greenhouse gases, which warm the planet, were at their highest concentration in human history, according to researchers. The past year observed a record-breaking annual increase in methane concentrations in addition to unusually high sea levels. As crucial components of human life, the air people breathe and the land people live on, deteriorate in health, greater risks are posed for the future function of the planet.