A new study by the University of Leeds reveals that 52 million tonnes of plastic entered the environment in 2020, with two-thirds stemming from uncollected waste. The research highlights that 1.2 billion people, particularly in low- and middle-income countries like India, Nigeria, and Indonesia, lack access to proper waste collection.
These nations contributed over half of the world’s plastic pollution, with 30 million tonnes burned in the open, posing severe risks to human health due to harmful chemical additives in plastics. This study underscores the urgent need for global waste management reforms. Read More
Heavy rains have turned tranquil streams into raging rivers across central Europe, causing deadly floods that have killed at least 15 people and devastated towns from Austria to Romania. This comes after similar flooding in Myanmar and Nigeria, where millions have been affected.
Climate scientists are not surprised by the intensity of the floods, citing that warmer air holds more moisture, leading to more extreme rainfall. Sonia Seneviratne of ETH Zürich noted that warmer seas, such as the Black and Mediterranean, contributed to the increased water vapour fueling the heavy downpours. The events highlight how unprepared the world remains for climate-induced disasters. Read More
Southeast Asia faces significant climate threats, and digital solutions are crucial to enhancing resilience. A recent Google and Deloitte report highlights that digital transformation can help the region prepare for weather-related disasters, reduce economic losses, and strengthen climate defences. The report, Digital as a Key Enabler for Climate Action: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations Perspective, stresses the interconnectedness of climate change and digital progress, particularly in developing APAC nations with fewer resources.
In 2022, nearly 13 million people in Southeast Asia were affected by floods, typhoons, wildfires, and extreme temperatures, and the region is recognized as the most hazard-prone globally. Southeast Asia’s dual challenge is adapting to climate change driven by emissions from advanced economies while also rethinking development strategies that exacerbate global warming.
The UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) highlights digital transformation as essential to future-proofing cities and economies. Failing to embrace digital technologies will hinder disaster preparedness and socioeconomic progress. Weather-related disasters are projected to reduce Southeast Asia’s GDP by 11% by the end of the century, with markets facing severe economic losses if climate change remains unchecked. In the worst scenario, countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand could lose more than seven times their 2019 GDP by 2050. Read More
A team from the University of Córdoba recently conducted a comparative study of sustainability reports from 100 agri-food companies in Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, and Germany, published in the Journal of Policy Modeling. Despite the European Union’s long-standing commitment to harmonizing regulations, the study reveals that sustainability reporting in the agri-food sector remains inconsistent, even ten years after the implementation of Directive 2014/95/EU (NFRD).
This directive, introduced to standardize how European companies report on sustainability, aimed to ensure that businesses could be effectively measured, monitored, and compared across social, economic, governance, and environmental factors. However, the directive’s flexibility, allowing companies to choose their preferred reporting standards, has led to significant variation in the quality and content of sustainability disclosures.
The research team, comprising Carlos Anguiano, Melania Salazar, Rossana Tornel, and Macario Rodríguez, found that the lack of a unified reporting model has hindered the goal of achieving transparency and comparability across the sector in Europe’s leading agri-food countries. Despite the directive’s audits and sanctions for non-compliance, the absence of a mandatory reporting framework has left the sustainability landscape fragmented, raising concerns about the effectiveness of regulatory efforts in driving meaningful environmental and social progress. Read More
News Credit: Phys.Org
Image: Comparison of the quantity of information disclosure by country and status (voluntary vs mandatory). Credit: Journal of Policy Modeling (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.jpolmod.2024.01.008
As climate change stresses the rainforests where cocoa beans thrive, companies are exploring innovative ways to meet the growing demand for chocolate. Scientists and entrepreneurs are working on methods to grow cocoa beyond the traditional tropical regions, from Northern California to Israel, and even developing cocoa substitutes.
California Cultured, a plant cell culture company, is pioneering the growth of cocoa from cell cultures in West Sacramento. By placing cocoa bean cells in a vat with sugar water, they can reproduce quickly, reaching maturity in just a week—far faster than the traditional six to eight months. This process also uses less water and reduces the need for intensive labour.
Cocoa trees typically grow in regions near the equator with warm weather and abundant rainfall, including West Africa and South America. However, climate change is expected to dry out these lands, leading scientists and entrepreneurs to find new ways to make cocoa crops more resilient and pest-resistant.
They are also developing chocolatey-tasting alternatives to cocoa to keep up with the massive demand, which saw U.S. chocolate sales surpass $25 billion in 2023. With demand expected to outpace supply, companies are betting on cell-based cocoa and alternatives made from ingredients like oats and carob to satisfy chocolate lovers worldwide. Read More
Scorching temperatures across Europe have claimed tens of thousands of lives in recent years, with those living in poverty disproportionately affected. According to Julio Díaz Jiménez, a professor at Madrid’s Carlos III Health Institute, the impact of a heatwave varies dramatically depending on living conditions: “A heatwave is not the same when you’re in a shared room with no air conditioning, as when you’re in a villa with a pool.”
Díaz Jiménez’s research, examining 17 districts in Madrid, revealed that heatwaves significantly increased mortality in only three districts—those with below-average household incomes. People with lower incomes often endure overcrowded, poorly ventilated housing, limited access to healthcare, and work in high-risk sectors like agriculture and construction, which increase their vulnerability to extreme heat. Even when air conditioning is available, many cannot afford to use it. Earlier this year, Save the Children reported that one in three children in Spain were unable to stay cool at home, posing severe risks to their physical and mental health. Read More
Scientists have uncovered more than 1,700 viruses from deep within a glacier on the Tibetan Plateau, most of which are new to science. These viruses, extracted from a 1,000-foot ice core in the Guliya Glacier, date back 41,000 years and span three major climate shifts. Researchers found that viral communities differed significantly between cold and warm periods, suggesting a potential link between viruses and climate change.
Warming may have eliminated some viruses while introducing new ones from distant regions like the Arctic. These ancient viruses could provide insights into how life evolved through past climate changes and help understand whether ancient ecosystems were carbon sinks or sources. Although some dormant viruses released from melting glaciers might pose risks, the viruses from the Guliya glacier do not threaten humans, according to the study published in Nature Geoscience. Researchers emphasize the importance of studying these viruses before glaciers disappear. Read More
Legal experts say the outcome of an international court case on climate change obligations could bolster the legal position of Caribbean islands seeking damages from developed nations after natural disasters.
The case, brought before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) by the UN General Assembly, aims to clarify the extent of state liability in relation to climate change. It has garnered global attention, with a record 91 written submissions ahead of a landmark oral hearing in The Hague this December.
While the ICJ only provides an advisory opinion, human rights lawyer Nikki Reisch emphasized that the court’s interpretation of international law could strengthen the legal grounds for holding countries accountable for current and historical environmental damage. Reisch noted that “any clarity the ICJ provides on the obligations of major polluters will enhance the basis for climate justice and accountability, influencing global climate litigation and negotiations.” Read More
The 2024 sustainability landscape marks a significant era of ESG capacity building, with companies increasingly embedding sustainability into their core operations. Deloitte’s 2024 Sustainability Action Report reveals that 98% of executives have made progress toward their sustainability goals, driven by the creation of cross-functional ESG working groups and the rise of specialized roles like Chief Sustainability Officers (CSOs).
This strategic shift signals a deep integration of ESG into corporate strategies. However, data quality remains a significant challenge, particularly in measuring Scope 3 emissions, with 57% of companies identifying it as their top concern. Despite these hurdles, companies recognize the internal and external benefits of robust ESG practices, which are becoming essential for enhancing business performance. Read More
Tucked away in an office park hundreds of miles from the southeast Florida coast, where North America’s only barrier reef is at dire risk, a collection of brain corals performed a once-a-year feature: producing a constellation of egg sacks, each a bundle of hope.
The brain corals, with their geometric groove design, are among more than 500 coral specimens arranged within rows of tanks inside the Florida Coral Rescue Center. This facility is staffed by SeaWorld and funded by Disney, the Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida, and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Located a few miles from the theme parks, off a congested highway, this nondescript facility plays a crucial role in coral conservation.
A half-dozen conservationists gathered here on a recent evening and invested a year’s worth of work in this event. They calibrated the lighting to emulate the days, nights, and seasons of the Florida Keys, from where many of the corals were rescued. They meticulously maintained the water inside the tanks, ensuring the chemistry and temperature were precise to recreate conditions that would signal to the corals it was time to spawn.
Their efforts paid off. Slowly, the egg bundles, each no larger than a pea and filled with 10 to 15 eggs, rose to the surface, where they were collected with nets. In time, the eggs would be fertilized, and baby corals would be raised in hopes of eventually transplanting them back to the reefs, giving them a fighting chance against the heat and disease that threaten their existence. Read More
