Joe Biden restores US to the Paris climate accord
After only being in office for a few hours, US president Joe Biden has already rolled out numerous executive orders to undo Trump’s policies. First up – the climate crisis. No matter which side of the Trump fence (or border wall) you sat on during his time in office,...
Current in Planet
NGOs demand EU ban on destructive fishing method ‘bottom trawling’
‘Bottom trawling’ is destroying delicate marine ecosystems that are ‘protected’ by the EU. Now, a coalition of NGOs is demanding accountability and increased action. A group of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are pressuring the EU to ban the common commercial fishing method known as ‘bottom trawling’. For those unfamiliar, ‘bottom trawling’ involves...
Activists attempt to convict French state for lack of climate action
In what could become a historic court case of global significance, eco activists and NGOs in Paris are seeking conviction of the French state for its ‘inadequate’ action to combat climate change. A court in Paris will this week hear a landmark case accusing the French government of taking...
Trans-Amazon highway project threatens Brazil’s biodiversity
Plans to bulldoze a 94-mile highway through a biodiverse corner of the Amazon have been backed by President Bolsonaro, despite fears it could have catastrophic consequences for Brazil's environment. Researchers are warning of severe climate repercussions if the Brazilian government proceeds with plans to pave a 94-mile highway through Serra...
Global warming could stabilise if we reach zero emissions
If net zero goals are reached by 2050 then global temperature increases could stabilise within a few decades, giving renewed hope for future control of the climate crisis. New research suggests that global warming could be steadied within a few decades if we reach zero carbon emissions. It’s long been thought...
How Veganuary popularised veganism in the UK
Once relegated to the ranks of Californian hippies on sunny Santa Monica beaches, veganism has now taken the world by storm and we may well have Veganuary to thank. Ah, veganism. The diet that is an all-consuming way of life to some and a complete head-scratcher for others. We all...
The world needs to prepare for exceeding 1.5˚C warming
Falling short of our most ambitious climate targets is a reality that nobody wants to face, but it needn’t be the end of hope. At the Paris Climate Agreement, the world’s leading governments committed to keep global warming well below 2˚C (3.6˚F) above pre-industrial levels while trying to limit temperature increase to 1.5˚C (2.7˚F). Save a miracle, it’s exceedingly unlikely that the global community is going to meet this...
Exclusive – What the Danish mink-cull means for the future of fur production
Humane Society International/Europe's senior director of public affairs Dr Joanna Swabe expands on the looming nationwide mink cull to combat Covid mutation fears, an animal welfare tragedy, but a significant development in the fight to end fur farming. On November 6, the Danish government ordered a cull of every mink in the country due to fears that a Covid-19 mutation spreading from animals to humans could seriously jeopardise future vaccines....
Lawmakers gather to make ecocide an international crime
A group of international lawyers are currently drafting legislation that would make ecological destruction a crime under the International Criminal Court. The court that prosecutes humanity’s worst offences, such as crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide, may soon have the power to prosecute crimes against the natural world. This week, a group of international lawyers are drafting a procedure for the International Criminal Court (ICC) to punitively address what...
Melting Alaskan ice could unleash ‘mega-tsunami’ in matter of months
Scientists warn that glaciated landscapes should be looked at ‘with the same kind of glasses’ as active volcanoes. A group of concerned scientists penned an open letter to the Alaska Department of Natural Resources this May regarding a potentially catastrophic situation brewing in the Prince William sound area on the Alaskan coast. Analysis of satellite imagery suggests that a large glacier is retreating from a rock escarpment at a rate...
