THE BRIEF [Nov 6-12'23]
Climate change responsible for Middle East drought, Amazon deforestation at 5 year low, how 120 cities can reduce transport emissions and new production gap report.
Welcome to this week’s edition of The Weekly Climate 🎉
References: [1], [2], [3], [4] and [5].
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‼️News you can’t miss
Here’s one important scary/bad (🙀), good (😻), interesting (😼) and fossil (💩) news item.
🙀 Climate change responsible for severe drought through out the Middle East
😻 Amazon deforestation reaches 5 year low
😼 Detailed analysis of how 120 cities could reduce their transport emissions
💩 New Production Gap report is out and governments still love the fossils
This week’s highlights
[#stillhottest] — According to European climate scientists, 2023 is virtually certain to be the hottest year on record globally. October 2023 was the warmest October on record, following the hottest September and summer months. The analysis, based on computer modeling and billions of measurements, shows that global temperatures are currently 1.43 degrees Celsius above the preindustrial average. The United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP28, is set to begin at the end of the month, emphasizing the need for urgent climate action.
[#fossilfuels] — A new United Nations report reveals that the world's top fossil fuel producing nations are planning to increase their output of oil, gas, and coal, far exceeding the climate targets set by the international community. Despite the majority of countries adopting net-zero pledges, their own plans and projections indicate that they are on track to extract more than twice the amount of fossil fuels by 2030 than would be consistent with limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. This "production gap" between planned output and climate goals is a warning that the transition away from fossil fuels is off-course and jeopardizes humanity's future.
[#sewage] — Dutch sewage waste is being explored as a reliable heat source for millions of homes in the Netherlands. The Lieven de Key housing corporation in Amsterdam is planning a sewer warmth project that will tap into a main district sewage pipe to warm 1,600 existing homes. The heat exchanger transfers the source heat from the drain to a working fluid that can be transported to the buildings, and the blocks' heat pumps amplify that heat. Experts believe sewage warmth could play a major role in transitioning away from fossil fuels.
[#mckinsey] — Management consultancy firm McKinsey & Company is allegedly undermining efforts to combat climate change by advocating for the interests of its big oil and gas clients during the UN's COP28 climate talks. Leaked documents reveal that McKinsey's proposed energy scenarios contradict its public stance on climate goals, allowing for continued investments in high-emissions assets and only reducing oil use by 50% by 2050. Critics argue that McKinsey's actions are in conflict with the need to transition to renewable energy and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
That’s it for this week folks!
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