How major oil firms will try to block the world’s first plastic pollution treaty
Global leaders are meeting this week to secure the world’s first global plastic pollution treaty, but big oil companies have major stakes in continuing to produce virgin plastics. There’s sure to be major pushback. The fossil fuel industry is starting to lose its monopoly on the global energy sector. Renewables are...
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Tobacco companies to be billed for clean-up of cigarette waste
Under new environmental regulations in Spain and Ireland, they will be forced to pay for part of the costs associated with ridding the streets of the millions of butts smokers discard annually. In June, the World Health Organisation released a comprehensive report outlining the destructive effects of the tobacco...
Marine biologists are optimising fishing practices in Europe
Oceanologists are using their knowledge to help fishermen increase their income while improving the sustainability of their catches. If implemented across Europe, it could transform the fishing industry in the Mediterranean. Though there’s been a lot of talk about unsustainable fishing in recent years, it’s important to remember that all...
Climate impact labels are encouraging people to eat less meat
According to a new study, information on food packaging that indicates the level of planet-heating gases emitted during production can persuade consumers against carbon-heavy meal options. Of the many things we can do to reduce our carbon footprints, switching to a plant-based diet is pretty high up in terms of...
Why are wildflower lawns experiencing a surge in popularity?
Wildflower lawns are changing what we consider to be a traditional ‘garden’, and could have long term effects on our approach to personal nature projects. Ever heard of a ‘wildflower lawn’? Those familiar with the ins and outs of gardening may already be in the know, but wildflower lawns could...
Coral reef projects receive a major boost in funding
The forests of the ocean are suffering. Warming waters are causing ocean acidification and coral bleaching. Meanwhile, overfishing practices are causing the subsequent collapse of entire ecosystems. Bolstered funding from COP27 is aiming to slow – and hopefully reverse – the process. When we think about nature's ecosystems, coral reefs...
Brazil’s Amazon Fund has been revived thanks to new governance
After a decade of success, Brazil’s internationally-funded rainforest protection program was frozen in 2019 by President Jair Bolsonaro. Now, the nation’s Supreme Court has announced the Amazon Fund will continue operations by 2023. Fridays are for good news, and luckily, there have been some great developments happening in regard to the Amazon Rainforest. Following a close win by left-wing presidential candidate Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Brazil’s Supreme Court has announced...
Delegates at COP15 reach ‘historic’ deal to halt biodiversity loss
Nations have committed to protecting a third of the planet for nature by 2030 in a ground-breaking agreement aimed at reversing decades of environmental destruction. After four years of negotiations, repeated delays due to the pandemic, and a plenary that began on Sunday evening and lasted for more than seven hours, delegates from almost 200 nations at the ‘last chance’ COP15 conference in Montreal have reached a...
UN will use satellites to track down methane gas leaks
At last year’s COP summit, methane was labelled the ‘lowest hanging fruit’ in the race to slow global heating. Now, the UN has announced it will use satellites to locate where methane leaks are and will be publishing the data on a public database. Those clued up on the human-driven process of planetary heating will know that carbon dioxide emissions are only one piece of the puzzle. Despite CO2 being worthy...
What issues will world leaders be focusing on at COP27?
COP27 is kicking off in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, and will be continuing for the next two weeks. What will the summit address since COP26, and what should world leaders focus on? We spoke to Youthtopia’s Melati Wijsen to find out. We’re back. It’s another year of COP, this time in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. World leaders will need to discuss pledges, goals, IPCC reports, the ever-growing natural disasters occurring...
