In the Time of COVID-19, China Could Be Pivotal in Swapping Debt for Climate and Health Action
Exacerbated by COVID-19 and building on economic and climate challenges, a major debt crisis is brewing in the developing world. The International Monetary Fund projects that average GDP in emerging market and developing countries will decline 3.3% in 2020. These developments make existing
Leveraging the Ocean’s Carbon Removal Potential
To meet the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting temperature rise to 1.5 degrees C (2.7 degrees F), greenhouse gas emissions must reach net-zero by mid-century. Achieving this will not only require reducing existing emissions, but also removing carbon dioxide already in the
Europe Charts a Course for Sustainable Recovery from COVID-19
On May 27, the European Union unveiled a €750 billion ($826 billion) recovery proposal as a centerpiece of its economic response to the coronavirus crisis, while also increasing its existing budget. EU officials have said that 25% of the stimulus package will be
To Unlock the Potential of Direct Air Capture, We Must Invest Now
Congress recently approved at least $35 million for research and development of direct air capture technology and $60 million overall for research into carbon dioxide removal technologies. This is the first time direct air capture — a type of technology that
5 Visible Signs of Climate Change in Antarctica
“Why did you choose to come to Antarctica?” my fellow passengers asked shortly after we exchanged names. So many answers quickly surfaced in my mind: the wildlife; the icebergs; the history of exploration. But above all, I decided to travel
Resilience After Recession: 4 Ways to Reboot the U.S. Economy
The COVID-19 pandemic is already affecting the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans; it’s poised to get worse before it gets better. Our primary concern is for the health and welfare of all those affected. In the long run,
4 Charts Explain Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Countries and Sectors
Global annual greenhouse gas emissions have grown 41% since 1990, and they are still climbing. While emissions dipped notably in 2016, recent data suggests that carbon dioxide emissions rose each year since then. Where are these emissions coming from, and who is responsible?
How and Where to Plant 60 Billion Trees in the US
The Trillion Trees Initiative has garnered support from business and political leaders around the world. U.S. President Trump highlighted the initiative as the cornerstone of his plan to protect the environment, a rare shift for an administration that has moved to withdraw
Beyond Title: How to Secure Land Tenure for Women
Secure land rights for women is recognized as critical for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly for eradicating poverty and ending hunger and gender equality (Goals 1, 2 and 5). Progress has been made in securing women’s land rights
6 Barriers to Protecting and Restoring Forests — and Strategies to Overcome Them
Forests help stabilize the climate and provide many contributions to Sustainable Development Goals. And we have quite a bit of evidence about what policies and strategies are effective in conserving and restoring forests. So why haven’t such measures been adopted
Water Could Limit Our Ability to Feed the World. These 9 Graphics Explain Why
To feed the world, we need to pay more attention to water. To nourish a growing global population, we’ll need to produce 56% more calories by 2050, while dealing with increasing climate-driven water risks like droughts and competition over resources. If we don’t
Is the World on Track to Cut Food Loss and Waste in Half by 2030?
In 2015, all the member countries of the United Nations unanimously committed to Agenda 2030, including Sustainable Development Goal 12.3, which calls for the world to halve food loss and food waste by 2030. Making significant reductions in food loss