The Clim8
07.18.21-07.24.21
Report finds that water-related dangers account for most of the listed top 10 devastating disasters (UN News)
Water shortage and storms have some of the most destructive natural disasters on record. Droughts have become the most dangerous natural hazard, causing over 650,000 deaths around the globe per the The Atlas of Mortality and Economic Losses from Weather, Climate and Water Extremes (1970-2019). On the other hand, extreme rainfall and storms prove just as catastrophic, with unprecedented flooding tearing apart regions. The loss of property, economic stability and life can be traced back to climate change.
Water thieves: As droughts in California persist, people are robbing water resources (CNN)
Due to California’s dangerous water shortages, some are resorting to water theft to meet their own needs. By breaking into secure water stations, drilling water lines, tapping into fire hydrants and even inflicting violence upon farmers in possession of truckloads of water– water scarcity is quickly becoming a dangerous issue for a drought-ridden California.
Fighting the climate crisis: Chief heat officer appointed in Greece (The Guardian)
Athens is the first European city to design a new role with the purpose of establishing cooling methods to combat rising temperatures. The position includes creating strategies to help the city adapt to heatwaves and extreme weather that is brought on by climate change. Heating poses a great risk for both Athens’ citizens and tourists, which is a concern for their economy.
Vineyards in the Burgundy region of France affected by frosts (The Washington Post)
This year, Burgundy expects its lowest crop yields since 2003. While Burgundy’s vineyards were damaged as a result of a heat wave in 2003, they are now being affected by the frosts that had swept over Western Europe in April of this year. The BIVB, Bourgogne Wine Board, find themselves turning to new methods as they are forced to adapt to the ever-changing climate.
Disregard for climate change in new infrastructure plans (BBC)
In an attempt to combat climate change, policies in the United Kingdom are called under review, but in the meantime city planners are allowed to work under the existing guidelines. This has sparked debate as some people believe that Grant Shapps, Transport Secretary, should be stopping all new initiatives until the new policies have been developed. Though these new policies have been promised to be reviewed by Grant Shapps, it could take as long as two years before he actually begins his review.
Israel’s plan to cut carbon emissions by 2050 (BBC)
Adhering to the goals they set forward for themselves in the Paris Climate Agreement, Israel hopes to decrease its emissions by 85% from their 2015 levels. The nation’s newly-elected prime minister, Naftali Bennett, declared that the plan would lead to a “clean, efficient, and competitive economy” for Israel, putting them at the forefront of the fight against climate change.
The UN calls on wealthy nations to invest money back into the planet (UN News)
In a meeting with officials from the G20 nations, head of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Qu Dongyu, urged these countries to address water shortage issues and make attempts to reverse deforestation and biodiversity loss. He also declared that actively working to combat declining biodiversity rates now could amount to $1.4 billion a year in global savings.
Displaced Cameroonians turn to aquaculture for income (UN News)
Upwards of 300,000 of Cameroon’s citizens have been displaced by conflicts and climate change in their nation, and in early 2021 it was estimated that around 2.7 million inhabitants of the country are food insecure. Many of these Cameroonians have turned to breeding fish as means of income and to protect their livelihood.
Further reading: Check out more details on the UN’s work in Cameroon here.