Search Climate Insights Directory

Friends of the Earth calls on President Obama to reject the Keystone XL pipeline, citing widespread public opposition and the political failure of candidates who supported fossil fuel infrastructure.

The author contends that 'corporate capture' of the UN and EU has prioritised profit over climate action, leading to ineffective market-based policies and rising emissions. The text advocates for a binding international agreement based on scientific evidence and historical responsibility, rather than political compromise. It calls for the abandonment of coal—which accounted for 43% of CO2 emissions from fuel combustion in 2012—and the adoption of 'energy sovereignty' through decentralized, democratically controlled renewable energy. The author argues that the EU should lead by replacing market mechanisms like the EU-Emissions Trading Scheme with regulation, taxation, and subsidies to achieve necessary emission cuts.

The author describes a shift in the climate movement following the failure of the 2009 Copenhagen summit, noting the emergence of a 'green, circular economy' and decentralized energy projects. It urges Green parties to represent these citizen-led demands—specifically the abandonment of fossil fuels and the increase of renewable energy—during the run-up to COP 21 in Paris to ensure that alternative, sustainable models become the political norm.

The author contends that Africa's future depends on the intersection of its youth demographics and climate change, asserting that the impacts of climate change threaten to undermine the 'demographic dividend' by devastating the agriculture sector, which is a primary source of employment for young Africans. The text calls for a global climate agreement based on distributive justice and equity, specifically demanding increased funding for climate change adaptation and the transfer of technology for climate-smart agriculture.

The document provides a comprehensive review of empirical studies demonstrating that compact, transit-oriented, and walkable urban design leads to lower greenhouse gas emissions, reduced infrastructure costs, and increased labor productivity. It highlights specific findings from China, such as the negative energy impacts of 'superblocks' in Jinan and the property value premiums associated with Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in Beijing and Guangzhou. The report also emphasizes the cost-effectiveness of BRT over light rail and the public health benefits of non-motorized transit, while identifying research gaps in developer-side profit data and the specific productivity effects of density in Chinese cities.

An analysis of 52 tide gauges along the US East and Gulf Coasts indicates a steep increase in tidal flooding events over the next 30 years. By 2030, over half of the studied communities are projected to experience at least 24 tidal floods annually. By 2045, one-third of these locations could face flooding more than 180 times per year, with some areas in the mid-Atlantic potentially inundated more than 10 percent of the time. The report argues that while local flood-proofing and federal resilience investments are necessary, the only long-term solution to slow sea level rise is the swift reduction of global warming pollution.

The report analyzes 59 tide gauges along the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts to project the impact of sea level rise on tidal flooding. Using an Intermediate-High scenario from the National Climate Assessment, the analysis finds that at least 40 locations will see a doubling of coastal flooding events by 2030, with the majority experiencing a 10-fold increase by 2045. Additionally, nearly half of the evaluated locations are projected to experience moderate coastal floods by 2045 from tides that currently only cause minor flooding.

The text calls for world leaders to move beyond declarations and establish a binding global climate pact, citing the IPCC's findings on human-induced warming and the scale of the People’s Climate Mobilization on September 21, 2014, as evidence of the urgent need for coordinated international action on emissions and renewable energy.

The event highlighted how climate change negatively impacts health through food insecurity, physical inactivity, and air pollution, while arguing that focusing on health co-benefits can overcome political inertia. Key recommendations include transitioning to sustainable diets, redesigning cities for active transportation, and divesting the healthcare sector from fossil fuels.

The document frames climate change as a mainstream public health crisis and advocates for a transition to clean energy and active transport to reduce early deaths and healthcare costs. It highlights the importance of health-aligned investment choices, citing the British Medical Association's divestment from fossil fuels and HESTA's restrictions on thermal coal. The guide also lists several high-level events in New York, including a WHO-ILO session on 'Climate, Health and Jobs' and a forum on sustainable diets.

The author asserts that climate change threatens to reverse development gains and undermine efforts to end poverty. The text emphasizes that the UN Climate Summit and the transition from Millennium Development Goals to Sustainable Development Goals are critical opportunities to integrate climate resilience with poverty eradication. It highlights specific solutions, such as renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies, as drivers of economic growth and public health.

A coalition of conservation organizations petitioned the New York Department of Environmental Conservation to ban second generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs), arguing that these chemicals bioaccumulate in the environment and cause widespread mortality among non-target wildlife, pets, and children. The petitioners provide evidence of over 225 lethal poisoning incidents across 31 wildlife species in New York and highlight the disproportionate impact of rodenticide exposure on minority and disadvantaged communities in New York City. The petition asserts that SGARs violate state and federal wildlife protection laws, including the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and argues that safer, effective alternatives such as first-generation anticoagulants, non-anticoagulant chemicals, and mechanical trapping are available.

The March 2014 Bonn Climate Change Conference served as a critical session for the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP) to define the elements of a post-2020 universal climate agreement. A primary point of contention emerged regarding the scope of intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs), with developed nations viewing them as mitigation-only commitments while the G77/China sought to bundle them with adaptation and finance. The session also included technical workshops on renewable energy and energy efficiency to address the pre-2020 ambition gap and encourage subnational engagement.

A joint statement from the Attorneys General of New York, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish formal emission standards and guidelines for methane in the oil and gas sector following the publication of five technical white papers.

The report argues that sugar interests employ strategies similar to those of the tobacco industry to deceive the public and policymakers about the health risks of added sugar. It details tactics such as attacking scientific research, spreading misinformation through front groups, and using political contributions and lobbying to prevent the implementation of strict nutrition standards and sugar taxes. The document highlights the gap between actual American sugar consumption and recommended limits, while providing examples of local and international efforts to implement science-informed nutrition policies.

The report describes the National Khoi San Council's presentation at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the subsequent friction with the South African government. It also highlights a global diplomatic conflict where several states, including Russia, China, and most African governments, oppose the equal participation of indigenous peoples alongside heads of state at the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, leading to a new proposal for the UN General Assembly President to chair the event with advisors from both governments and indigenous groups.

The document identifies five critical areas for designing the HLPF review mechanism: the entities to be reviewed and frequency, the scope of what is reviewed, incentives for voluntary participation, the methodology for national and systemic reviews, and the integration of outputs with other global sustainable development frameworks. It argues that the mechanism should focus on positive learning and scalability rather than finger-pointing, and must assess both goals and the means of implementation together.

The report examines the vulnerability of iconic U.S. landmarks to climate change, highlighting risks such as sea level rise in coastal cities and increased wildfire activity in the Southwest. It argues for urgent national priority in climate resilience and carbon emission reduction to protect cultural heritage.

The report argues that 'sugar interests' employ multi-billion dollar advertising budgets to manipulate public perception, targeting vulnerable demographics such as children, women, and low-income populations. It details how companies use 'health buzzwords' and front groups like the Center for Consumer Freedom to frame sugar consumption as a matter of personal choice rather than a public health issue, while actively undermining scientific recommendations from bodies like the World Health Organization.

The document describes the effort by the Green vice mayor of Vienna to transform Mariahilferstrasse, the city's most congested shopping street, into a pedestrian area. Despite exhaustive planning and a test run from August 2013 to February 2014, the project faced significant public opposition and 'collective hysteria' regarding safety. The author argues that the resistance stemmed from a clash of urban visions: one seeking a 'liveable city' with a 'radical limitation of cars' and another viewing the city merely as a place of work. Ultimately, a referendum saw 53% of citizens in the two adjacent districts vote in favour of the project. The author concludes that for the green transformation to succeed, the movement must move beyond its 'small green microcosm' and develop narratives of 'gain and of abundance' to convince majorities rather than preaching abstinence.