More Cities Reporting on Climate Efforts; Average Global Temperature Close to 1.5 Degree Limit
Reuters (8/4) said the number of cities reporting on their climate change efforts has risen to 533, a 70 percent increase since the adoption of the Paris climate agreement last December. Reporting includes annual information on greenhouse gas emissions, potential climate hazards, renewable energy targets and risks to water supplies.
The Guardian (8/6) reported that leading climate scientists warn the Earth’s average global temperature is very close to surpassing a 1.5°C warming limit, a target set at the Paris climate talks. Many scientists now believe developing viable technologies to extract carbon from the atmosphere are necessary to maintain this goal.
Mongabay.com (8/5) reviewed and analyzed a new set of climate change-related policies approved by Peru’s National Congress that aim to reduce deforestation, invest in ecosystem services, protect watersheds and biodiversity, mitigate climate change and more. The federal policies have been met with optimism but there are questions as to how they will be implemented on the state and local levels.
The BBC (8/6) wrote about extreme weather events that have been impacting millions in India and South Asia this year, including severe drought that led to water shortages, unseasonal rain and hailstorms, and floods caused by erratic monsoons. The article notes that while these weather events were widely reported, the underlying cause, climate change, was often not mentioned.
The Washington Post (8/3) said coral reefs near Guam have bleached for the past four years as they suffer from a combination of climate-change driven ocean warming and effects of last year’s El-Nino event.
Sputnik News (8/3) covered Secretary of State John Kerry’s announcement that the U.S. plans to spend $15 million to assist five Central-Asian countries in developing clean energy.
Reuters (8/8) said innovative business models could help make clean energy affordable for families in Zimbabwe who currently lack electricity.
The Washington Post (8/5) said the Olympics opening ceremony in Brazil included a somber video on climate change and the challenges facing the planet.