Climate Horizons 21 (David Attenborough: My witness statement)
News, Views and Solutions in an All-of-the-Above World
Greetings!
We’ve vetted and selected a range of worthwhile climate-related news and information and resources for you.
This issue starts out with a little differently, as we share a link to a 2020 film that is at once beautiful, informative, sad and ultimately hopeful.
David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet
Perhaps asking you to take an hour and twenty minutes to watch this is asking a lot. But, if you do, you may not think so. Please consider carving out some time to watch this free of distractions.
Toward the end of this film, David Attenborough notes that “we've come this far because we are the smartest creatures that have ever lived. But to continue we require more than intelligence. We require wisdom.”
”The natural world is fading. The evidence is all around. It's happened in my lifetime. I've seen it with my own eyes.
This film is my witness statement, and my vision for the future. The story of how we came to make this, our greatest mistake. And how, if we act now, we can yet put it right.”
He has earned a modest amount of our undivided attention!
Watch on:
If you want to see the Netflix Trailer first, here it is, with this text:
In this unique feature documentary, titled David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet, the celebrated naturalist reflects upon both the defining moments of his lifetime and the devastating changes he has seen. Coming to Netflix October 4 2020, the film addresses some of the biggest challenges facing life on our planet, providing a snapshot of global nature loss in a single lifetime. With it comes a powerful message of hope for future generations as Attenborough reveals the solutions to help save our planet from disaster.
More about David Attenborough:
The advancement of his age has done little to slow the intrepid Attenborough, who into his 80s has continued both his globetrotting and his prolific output.
Biography Sir David Attenborough
In recent years David has become increasingly outspoken on issues such as environmental damage, global warming and extinction of particular species. He has stated that human overpopulation and global warming (caused by human activity) are the root cause of much of the world’s growing environmental problems. He has lent his voice to organisations such as WWF in their fight to protect certain species and campaign for wildlife. In the last episode of “State of the Planet”, he summed up his feelings with this statement:
“The future of life on earth depends on our ability to take action. Many individuals are doing what they can, but real success can only come if there’s a change in our societies and our economics and in our politics. I’ve been lucky in my lifetime to see some of the greatest spectacles that the natural world has to offer. Surely we have a responsibility to leave for future generations a planet that is healthy, inhabitable by all species.”
Finally, as a David Attenborough bonus, here is a link to his short speech at COP26, in Glasgow, Scotland, in 2021:
“COP26: 'Not fear, but hope' - Attenborough speech in full”
Sir David Attenborough has told delegates at COP26 that they are powerful enough to save the planet, if they work together.
In an impassioned speech to leaders, the naturalist and COP26 people's advocate brought together video of the natural world and voices of young people to warn that, because of rising carbon dioxide levels, "the stability we all depend on is breaking".
NOTE that President Biden was in the audience for this speech.
“The climate crisis is both the easiest and the hardest issue we have ever faced. The easiest because we know what we must do. We must stop the emissions of greenhouse gases. The hardest because our current economics are still totally dependent on burning fossil fuels, and thereby destroying ecosystems in order to create everlasting economic growth.”
— Greta Thunberg…in an address to the British Parliament on April 23, 2019.
• SELECTED NEWS and INFORMATION:
A few recent news items, usually in the form of a headline and link, along with a short description or excerpt.
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Covering Climate Now (January 4, 2024)
US Voters Want More Climate Coverage in 2024
56% of the public is either concerned or alarmed, and they need information about voting accordingly
A clear majority of the American public — 56% — is now either “concerned” or outright “alarmed” about climate change. That’s according to a new study by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, the gold standard in US climate polling. Yale’s findings are essential reading for US journalists in particular in an election year when voters will decide who governs the country that, more than any other, influences climate policy and outcomes around the world.
The percentage of Americans who want more coverage of climate change is “actually much higher than [56%],” Anthony Leiserowitz, the director of the Yale program, told Covering Climate Now. Only the 11% of the public that still denies climate change doesn’t want more information. The overwhelming majority of Americans do “want to learn more about the causes, consequences and solutions to climate change,” Leiserowitz added. (Separate surveys show that many Americans don’t recognize that burning oil, gas, and coal is the main cause of climate change, underscoring the importance of making that connection in news coverage.)
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Washington Post (February 5, 2024)
Hurricanes are getting so intense, scientists propose a Category 6
When meteorologists began using the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale to measure hurricane intensity in the 1970s, a Category 5 storm represented oblivion. Such a cyclone, with sustained winds of at least 157 mph, could flatten any structure of the era, so there was no reason to give the most ferocious tier of hurricanes an upper bound.
But as the planet warms, storms are increasingly surpassing what was once considered extreme, according to research published Monday. Now, two scientists are proposing a new label they say a growing number of storms already merit: Category 6.
RELATED:
The Climate Journal (February 7, 2024)
Could Hurricanes Reach Category 6? New Study Says Yes
Study Examines Potential for Category 6 Hurricanes
Recent research suggests that hurricanes could become even more intense in the future, potentially reaching a devastating Category 6 designation on the Saffir-Simpson scale. While this highest category is currently theoretical, climate change and warming oceans provide the conditions for hurricanes to continue intensifying.
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CNN (February 8, 2024)
The world just marked a year above a critical climate limit scientists have warned about
Global warming surpassed 1.5 degrees Celsius over the past 12 months for the first time on record, new data shows, breaching a critical threshold that, if it continues, will push the limits of life on Earth to adapt.
The past year was 1.52 degrees hotter on average than temperatures before industrialization, according to data from Copernicus, the European Union’s climate and weather monitoring service. That 12-month average was boosted by the hottest January on record, which was 1.66 degrees warmer than the average January temperature in pre-industrial times.
Keeping global warming below 2 degrees, but preferably 1.5, was the centerpiece goal of the Paris Agreement, which most of the world’s nations signed onto in 2015.
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GRIST (February 2, 2024)
A Superfund for climate change? States consider a new way to make Big Oil pay.
Vermont joins three others in trying to make the fossil fuel industry finance climate action.
Vermont is now joining Maryland, Massachusetts, and New York in a multi-state effort to hold Big Oil accountable for the expensive damage wrought by climate change. Bills on the docket in all four states demand that oil companies pay states millions for such impacts by funding, as Vermont’s proposal outlines, energy efficiency retrofits, water utility improvements, solar microgrids, and stormwater drainage, just to name a few resiliency programs.
…
One 2023 poll showed that over 60 percent of voters nationwide support making polluters pay for the consequences of their actions.
“The environment and the economy are really both two sides of the same coin. If we cannot sustain the environment, we cannot sustain ourselves.”
— Wangari Maathai
• GOOD NEWS and SOLUTIONS:
One or two or a few items that highlight either real and notable progress being made somewhere or information about a few of the many solutions that are out there and available today.
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electrek (February 6, 2024)
In a ‘monumental shift’, EU coal and gas collapse as wind and solar ascend
Europe’s coal electricity generation tanked by 26% and gas by 15% in 2023, according to a new report from energy think tank Ember.
That collapse resulted in an impressive 19% reduction in the EU’s power sector emissions. What’s more, for the first time, wind power, which grew by 18%, surpassed gas, which only accounted for 17% of Europe’s electricity.
Wind and solar power are now taking center stage. Together, they hit a new high, generating 27% of the EU’s electricity in 2023. Solar covered 9% of the EU’s electricity needs. With hydroelectric power also bouncing back, renewables reached a record 44% share of the EU’s power mix.
…
Interestingly, Europe’s shift away from fossil fuels wasn’t just about swapping coal and gas for wind and solar. People and businesses used less electricity overall, with demand dropping by 3.4% compared to 2022. A significant chunk of this reduction came from industries dialing back their power use.
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The Guardian: Bill McKibben ( (February 8, 2024)
Joe Biden just did the rarest thing in US politics: he stood up to the oil industry
The Biden administration suspended new permits for natural gas terminals. Can we see more of this kind of backbone?
Ten days ago Joe Biden did something remarkable, and almost without precedent – he actually said no to big oil.
His administration halted the granting of new permits for building liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminals, something Washington had been handing out like M&Ms on Halloween for nearly a decade. It’s a provisional “no” – Department of Energy experts will spend the coming months figuring out a new formula for granting the licenses that takes the latest science and economics into account – but you can tell what a big deal it is because of the howls of rage coming from the petroleum industry and its gaggle of politicians.
And you can tell something else too: just how threadbare their arguments have become over time. Biden has called their bluff, and it’s beautiful to watch.
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Green Climate Fund (February 5, 2024)
Launch of Green Guarantee Company to mobilise billions in climate finance
The world’s first climate-focused guarantee company is set to unlock billions in climate finance for developing countries by providing guarantees for institutional investors buying green bonds issued and listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and green loans issued in the private credit market.
The Green Guarantee Company (GGC), developed by the Development Guarantee Group, which was co-founded with Cardano Development, celebrated the launch of its operations with a Market Closing Ceremony at the LSE on Friday, 2 February 2024. GGC will use guarantees to help borrowers in developing countries improve their credit ratings to access global capital markets like the LSE.
The company is receiving capital from the United Kingdom’s Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) through its MOBILIST programme, the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) with Prosper Africa, and Norfund.
GGC will leverage an initial USD 100 million from these investors to provide up to USD 1 billion of guarantees underpinned by an investment grade rating of BBB/Stable from Fitch Ratings. Initially, it will focus on private credit and the LSE green bond market but plans to expand to other major exchanges. It will seek to raise additional capital from the private sector as it scales its operations, targeting a guarantee capacity of USD 5 billion or more by 2035.
RELATED:
USAID Press Release (December 4, 2023)
The U.S. Government Joins Public-Private Partnership to Create New Billion-Dollar Guarantee Company to Tackle Global Climate Crisis
Today at COP28 the U.S. government, including USAID and the U.S. Presidential initiative Prosper Africa, announced its investment in a public-private partnership to create the Green Guarantee Company (GGC), the first ever privately run guarantee company devoted to catalyzing green bonds and loans in partner countries, focusing on Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
• THINGS YOU CAN DO:
This week we’re sharing a short and solid piece from Emma Reed.
Emma Reed (February 2, 2024)
5 Effective Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint and Live More Sustainably
We are all very much aware that climate change is already posing a significant threat, much earlier than many could have imagined. I know that sounds very heavy as an opener for a blog but we have just seen the hottest year on record and more frequent unusual weather patterns. However, there is hope, we know we have time to change and we know exactly what is required to reduce our carbon footprint. Now, I know a lot of people hate the carbon footprint term and the responsibility it puts onto the individual and I get that, there are companies and celebs contributing to climate change at a huge rate but I still believe that every little bit helps and if we can change just a handful of things in our lives that will make a difference then I am more than happy to do that… And I hope you’ve come here because you want to make a difference too. So, how can you do that and what is a carbon footprint?
Click the link to read a little about each of these recommendations:
1. Reduce Energy Consumption
2. Opt for Sustainable Transportation
3. Minimise Waste and Recycle
4. Conserve Water
5. Adopt Sustainable Eating Habits
Reducing your carbon footprint is an achievable goal and it can be a fun one (I promise!) Tackle the areas that feel doable at first and once you begin to see how they pay off, move onto the next ones. Remember, it’s all about those small sustainable steps. By implementing these five strategies you can most definitely make a positive impact on the environment.
• INTERNET RESOURCES & SOCIAL MEDIA CONNECTIONS:
There are a lot of great resources on the web and social media — people, groups and pages. In each newsletter, we suggest one or two you might want to check out (on the web or Facebook or Threads or Instagram or any number of other sites).
In light of the David Attenborough film we highlighted atop this issue, here are a few links to various pieces (some more recent than others) that list and describe (and some link to) other films and television series related to the environment and climate change.
PBS (April 21, 2017)
EARTH DAY WATCH LIST: 17 FILMS ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE
We count on indie filmmakers to sniff out the conspicuous absences in mainstream media. Journalist and investigative reporter Amy Goodman once said, “The role of independent media is to go to where the silence is.” To environmentalists and scientists, the silence around climate change is deafening. And as environmental themes and issues are always on everyone’s mind when Earth Day rolls around, we compiled a list of very worthwhile independent films that tell stories about sustainability and climate change. [updated April 2020]
EARTH.ORG (March 11, 2023)
10 Climate Change Movies To Watch in 2023
Talks about climate change can be overwhelming and anxiety-inducing, so addressing the issue in movies can help reach a broader public and raise awareness among people that might otherwise not be interested in learning about such a crucial topic. From older documentaries to the latest blockbusters, here is a list of our favourite climate change movies to watch this year.
The Guardian (July 30 2023)
Emergency viewing: 15 must-see films about the climate crisis
These unflinching documentaries, indie thrillers and anime fables can help us to understand the climate emergency, and how to respond
Because for all its frippery and Marvellous nonsense, some more valuable parts of the movie industry are trying to tell us the truth.
NETFLIX (August 16, 2023)
Celebrate (and Save) Our Planet with These Climate-Focused Movies and TV Series
From star-studded thrillers to eye-opening docs.
You don’t have to wait until Earth Day comes around to celebrate our planet. And with the looming threat of climate change ever-present, there’s no better time to learn how we can protect endangered species, natural ecosystems, and even ourselves. Luckily, movies and TV shows can help you do just that.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a docuseries fanatic, film connoisseur, or parent looking for a family-friendly movie night idea: Eco-friendly programming transcends genre, and there’s something for everyone to enjoy. To kick off your climate-conscious viewing, here’s a sampler of the best comedies, docs, and thrillers that center around the environment — and highlight international efforts to fight global warming.