What’s going on here? The International Seabed Authority (ISA) missed an important deadline last week to agree exploitation regulations for deep-sea mining. The UN authority is now racing to finalise them or find another plan before the mining industry starts applying for exploitation permits. What does this mean? The missed deadline means companies could rush to the ocean floor to dig up…
Whatʼs going on here? Air quality monitoring stations dotted around the planet have been inadvertently collecting airborne environmental DNA (eDNA) without anybody noticing, finds a new report. The remarkable discovery reveals that thousands of filters routinely testing for pollutants are unintentionally breathing in trace eDNA shed by animals, plants, and fungi. What does this mean? In recent years, researchers have discovered eDNA…
What’s going on here? Indigenous leaders are putting pressure on clean energy mining projects to consult them before they extract minerals on their lands. At the 22nd session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, they are calling for binding policies. Mining projects should have to obtain their ‘free, prior, and informed consent’ (FPIC) before breaking ground. What does this mean? …
Whatʼs going on here? The planet will likely reach 1.5C in the early 2030s but humanity has the tools to stay within that limit. The hurdle is a lack of political ambition. This is all according to the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report released on Monday. What does this mean? Going over 1.5C is dangerous because it may trigger…
What’s going on here? Conservation zones are not providing enough protection for over three-quarters of insect species, finds a new study. As a result, 76% of bug species, from butterflies and bees to stick insects and stink bugs, are at greater risk of habitat loss. What does this mean? The study, published in the One Earth journal last week, stresses that while…
What’s going on here? The UN biodiversity conference COP15 closes on 19 December and there’s mounting pressure for the agreement to require companies to disclose their harm to nature. What does this mean? Target 15 in the draft Global Biodiversity Framework would require all large business and financial institutions to disclose their impacts and dependencies on nature. It also contains an objective…
What’s going on here? New research has revealed that climate anxiety is common in young people on almost every continent – not just in western countries. What does this mean? The most international study on climate anxiety ever asked over 10,000 university students in 32 countries to disclose their feelings about climate change. The recently published findings found that climate breakdown scares…
What’s going on here? Last week young climate campaigners called on rich countries to pay ‘climate reparations’ to developing nations. The calls came from Fridays for Future on its latest day of action, 23 September, with strikes in about 450 places around the world. What does this mean? The concept at the heart of the activists’ call is for richer nations, the…
What’s going on here? Escalating energy bills have boosted solar panel sales in the UK, reports the BBC. The trade association Solar Energy UK says “more solar panels are being put on British roofs than ever before.” What does this mean? Solar panel providers are carrying out more than 3,000 installations a week, according to Solar Energy UK. Those 3,000 setups are…
