The Clim8
09.27.21-10.02.21
Players for the Planet encourages professional athletes to be more environmentally conscious (The New York Times)
MLB pitcher Brent Suter has recognized that professional sports leagues contribute massively to carbon emissions through travel and flights. Some sports teams have already seen how climate change can affect their seasons: practice venues and games were threatened by the air quality following the California wildfires. Some players, like Chris Dickerson, have chosen to take action; Dickerson created Players for the Planet, a nonprofit organization full of professional athletes eager to carry out green initiatives and practices like electronic waste drives, beach cleanups, tree planting, and recycling encouragement among their sports teams.
Major U.S. companies are pushing back against climate legislation (The Guardian)
Despite their promises to fight the climate crisis, Apple, Disney, Amazon, and Microsoft (among other prominent American corporations) are choosing support groups who stand in opposition to a new U.S. climate bill. This unprecedented bill, put forward by the Democratic party, would allocate $3.5 trillion towards curbing the emission of greenhouse gases. “Major corporations love to tell us how committed they are to addressing the climate crisis and building a sustainable future, but behind closed doors, they are funding the very industry trade groups that are fighting tooth and nail to stop the biggest climate change bill ever,” said Kyle Herrig, a lead analyst of these companies’ inconsistent climate policies.
The Earth is getting darker (Phys)
A new study finds that warming oceans have led to the world dimming. Researchers have discovered that over the last two decades, the Earth’s reflectance (the light the Earth’s surface reflects onto the Moon), or “albedo,” has significantly decreased. Specifically, the Earth is now reflecting about half a watt less light per square meter than it was twenty years ago. This dimming phenomenon is due to rising ocean water temperatures, which are likely connected to a reduction in bright, reflective low-lying clouds.
Further reading: New data released on recent changes in the Earth’s reflectance
Developing countries demand greater action to combat climate change (BBC)
Before world leaders meet at the Glasgow COP26 climate conference, about 50 ministers from different countries meet to discuss obstacles and demand further action in order to curb carbon emissions. As developing countries are already experiencing warming of 1ºC, they feel that “the plans in place just weren't good enough to prevent disaster.” Some delegates have expressed that wealthier countries aren’t as willing to take action because they have the finances to adapt to the changes caused by the climate crisis.
Greta Thunberg motivates Berlin crowd to put pressure on German politicians (The New York Times)
During Friday’s global climate strike, German activists protested with a unique urgency. Germany’s parliamentary elections occur on Sunday September 26th, so the Fridays for Future global protest on Friday served as an opportunity for German citizens to call for climate action. Over a hundred thousand people gathered on the lawn of parliament's meeting place, the Reichstag, hoping to pressure German politicians to make more aggressive plans to combat climate change and reduce Germany’s status as a main polluter and emitter. Greta Thunberg made an appearance and speech at the protest after successfully taking the German government to court over their plans to cut the country’s emissions.
Pope Francis vocalizes support for climate action (Vatican News)
On Wednesday, Pope Francis praised PACE’s (the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe) panel and initiative to discuss action towards saving the planet’s health. He also warned against the trends of modern consumer culture and called for urgent change in regards to our waste practices. The Pope put his faith in PACE to discuss solutions and initiatives to build a more sustainable world.
Click here to read more about PACE’s Autumn Session focusing on a “healthy environment."
World leading nations must set higher goals in order to successfully restrict climate change (Reuters)
Big nations must “stretch to do more” in the fight against the climate crisis, U.S. Climate Envoy John Kerry said. The United States and China have issued new energy and funding pledges, raising hopes for positive change. However, China and India - two major polluters - have not updated their more short-term action plans to solve the climate crisis.
Kerry said that the private sector is needed to help the crisis. He added that he anticipated donors would accomplish the $100 billion pledge, but that post-2025 a finance plan will need trillions to accomplish real change.
Great Lakes battle climate change as intense storms destroy their shorelines (CBS News)
Intense storms are damaging the coastlines and cities of the Great Lakes. Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit, and Cleveland will all need to adapt to the climate crisis. When storming this severe occurs, sewage can get released into Lake Michigan because the Milwaukee stormwater systems become overloaded.
"The highs are getting higher and the lows are getting lower," Melissa Scanlan, Director of the Center for Water Policy at University Wisconsin, Milwaukee, said. "I'm most concerned about flooding and sewage contaminating the drinking water supply for millions of people."