Feed aggregator

A twice-weekly summary of our biodiversity news plus bite-sized updates from around the world. All articles in this edition are free to read (no subscription required).

Microsoft has concluded its biggest deal to date for nature based carbon credits, agreeing to buy afforestation, reforestation and revegetation (ARR) units from a Brazilian startup that has ambitions to replant parts of the Amazon with native species, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday.

Norwegian politicians have won a preliminary parliamentary majority for a proposal to open up deep-sea mining in the Arctic region, triggering outrage from environmentalists, although the plans have yet to be given final approval.

Woman was reported to have just gotten married and the man paddleboarding with her as her groom

A shark attacked and killed a Boston newlywed off the coast of the Bahamas on Monday, according to authorities and reports.

Local police said the woman, 44, was bit by a shark at about 11.15am in New Providence. The woman was paddleboarding with a man at the time of the attack, presumed to be her husband.

Continue reading...

A new flow of money was announced on Tuesday to help the Global South step away from oil and gas, from a growing number of members of international coalition Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance (BOGA).

While COP28 negotiating parties grapple with language surrounding the phaseout versus phasedown of fossil fuels, industry delegates demonstrated limited enthusiasm to reduce production of oil and gas amid activist calls for otherwise during the summit’s thematic Energy and Industry day.

The UAE has joined a group of around 180 countries, cities, regions, and organisations aiming to accelerate the phaseout of coal-fired power and transition to clean energy, as the COP28 host helps to strengthen a common call to end the era of new coal power.

Singapore-based Climate Impact X (CIX) is set to launch a set of standard spot contracts based on the Core Carbon Principle (CCP) mark of integrity from the ICVCM, as it seeks to establish the key benchmark for the voluntary carbon market.

A Chinese company has teamed up with the Lao government to assess the feasibility of a REDD+ project in the Southeast Asian country, local media reported.

Exclusive: Under current policies, Britain could fall short of internationally agreed goal of 68% cut in emissions by 2030

• What is Cop28 and why does it matter?

The UK government is likely to miss its targets under the Paris climate agreement by a wide margin, analysis shows, dealing a devastating blow to Britain’s standing on the international stage.

Under current policies, the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions are likely to be 59% lower in 2030 than they were in 1990 – but the country’s internationally agreed target is for a 68% reduction by the end of this decade. The gap is likely to leave Britain in breach of these commitments.

Continue reading...

A Montreal-based carbon removals developer has partnered with a UK-based direct air capture (DAC) company to deploy its technology in Canada.

Many in the global movement are divided on whether or how to take a stand on the conflict

• Israel-Hamas war – live updates

When Greta Thunberg posted a photo of herself holding a “stand with Gaza” sign on Instagram in October, the backlash in Israel and Germany came hard and fast.

An Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson initially told Politico that “whoever identifies with Greta in any way in the future, in my view, is a terror supporter,” although later retracted his comments. The official X account of Israel said “Hamas doesn’t use sustainable materials for their rockets” and told Thunberg to speak up for its victims. The Israeli education ministry said it would strike any reference to the Swedish climate activist from its curriculum.

Continue reading...

The Ugandan government launched its Energy Transition Plan (ETP) at COP28 on Tuesday, aiming to boost energy security, environmental protection, and attractiveness to private sector investors in the East African nation.

A voluntary biodiversity credit market would come with a number of risks, and nations should instead require corporates to pay towards climate adaptation and nature measures, a representative for the African Development Bank (AfDB) said on the sidelines of COP28 Tuesday, as the bank hopes to get the adaptation mechanism it has pushed for years to get approved at the talks.

The EU Commission has signed a forest partnership with Honduras to restore 1.3 million hectares of degraded forests by 2030.

European carbon came under more pressure on Tuesday morning, falling below a "formidable" price support as sellers continued to dominate, while energy markets fell for a second day as weather remained mild and renewables output was healthy.

Deforestation and peat loss driven by the expansion of agricultural production is generating a vast carbon footprint that requires stronger action from world leaders particularly in importing nations, according to a report published on Tuesday.

As the days shorten and cool, the sea offers up its secrets. Those who stick around to enjoy it are truly blessed

Once my work is done, and as long as the winds aren’t whipping up the valley, I head into Aberystwyth to dip into the sea. Some days I try to swim far; others I lie on my back and watch the clouds. Then I wander up to the Prom Diner and, depending on the time, order a cortado, an ice-cream or, if the day lends itself to it, a beer. I find a seat facing the sea and bask in all of it. This is a very good life.

But I cannot stay smug, because the sea has other ideas. Aberystwyth’s beaches, like those of Borth and Aberdyfi to the north, are storm beaches, which move with the sea’s weather and moods. At this time of year, they shift daily – sometimes even more often. The largely slate shingle beach that holiday folk know from summer is gone and replaced with sand.

Continue reading...

Madagascar has received nearly $9 million from the World Bank for emissions reductions worth 1.76 mln tonnes of CO2 from REDD+ forestry activities in 2020, according to an announcement this week.

A meaty Global Stocktake (GST) negotiation text was published overnight - a document seen by some as a litmus test for success at COP28 - with all options seemingly still on the table and battles lines starting to be carved out, particularly over who wants what regarding the contentious question of a fossil fuel phaseout.