News, Boost, Updates
4th December, 2023 Faiths4Future, Climate Cafe
A challenging week, with new reports to catch us up for COP28. There is a lot to digest—but there is good news as well. So hang in there to the good news section.
Quick nav links for this week’s weekly(ish):
JustCreation prior weeks of this Weekly and other articles.
Upcoming events, webinars & opportunities - Link here for COP28
Faith voices and Good news this week, scroll down. (See also prior weeks good news in the News Archive.)
A whole lot of Reports this time (scroll for current reports, link to Faiths4Future and Climate Cafe for the archive including recent reports.)
Boost - Events
A special Advent service from the United Methodist Creation Justice Movement on December 20th will bring stories, prayers and communion to rewild Advent. Register.
There’s a lot going on for COP28. Link to those updates and links.
Catch up!
If you missed a couple of the latest webinars, you can still catch up with the recordings.
UCC Creation Justice webinars: From Greenwashing to Environmental Justice addressing COP28 and fossil fuel interests; You Can't Stop Justice - with Rep. Justin J. Pearson and the Rev. Dr. Benjamin Chavis, Jr.; and their series on the farm bill, of which part one is up.
Gas Leaks Webinar - From the well to your home. Methane gas leakage is a problem at every point from extraction to transport and in our homes. Last year a coalition including Interfaith voices found hundreds of leaks in the Washington DC area alone (read about it and read the study). View the recording.
Green Teams Movement Cafe - A conversation with leaders across the US working at the local church and conference level to develop, resource and support the efforts of green teams and creation care groups. Info and video here.
Reports & Studies
Find more reports on the reports page.
COP28 is coming up. As such, big reports are coming out.
Faith and Climate Action. A new report from the Journal of Climate Action, Research, and Policy lays out the benefits of involvement of faith communities is addressing the climate crisis and working toward solutions. Read an article about the study from The Conversation, Faith communities are rallying to check climate change – their size and influence counts. Read the study, From Grassroots to the UN — The Role of Faith in Climate Action.
Oil & Gas NetZero Status Report. A new report from IEA (International Energy Agency) assesses current trajectories and necessary changes in order for the oil and gas industry to meet necessary netzero emissions targets. Read about the report from CNBC, Oil and gas industry needs to let go of carbon capture as solution to climate change, IEA says. Read an article from Common Dreams, Greenpeace reaction to IEA report: The Oil and Gas Industry in Net Zero Transitions. Read the report, The Oil and Gas Industry in Net Zero Transitions.
Emissions still rising. Another report that looks and emissions to see that despite everything, emissions are still RISING. Read an article about the report from the AP, UN report says world is racing to well past warming limit as carbon emissions rise instead of plunge. Read more from Carbon Brief, UNEP: Humanity is still ‘breaking all the wrong records’ in fast-warming world. Read the UN Emissions Gap Report.
Energy Efficiency Status Report. Another report from IEA addresses how efforts toward energy efficiency are progressing toward essential goals. The report speaks to the “profound” transition underway, and the need to further the effort. Read an article about the report from Scientific American (Climatewire), Doubling Energy-Efficiency Gains Is Necessary to Meet Climate Goals. From Reuters, Energy efficiency must double in pace by 2030 to hit climate goals, IEA says. Read the report.
Flooding Worse than Previously Thought. A new study shows that flooding will be a far greater problem than believed. Already there is evidence of that globally, but the trend will be a worsening still of flooding. The warming earth means warming rain as well, with more rain falling instead of snow in upper altitudes. Read about the study from EcoWatch, Extreme Rainfall Increases Drastically With Global Warming, Study Finds. Read more from the AP, Warming causes more extreme rain, not snow, over mountains. Scientists say that’s a problem. Read the study.
Forests - Strategies of Resilience. Efforts to better fight wildfire are a key focus, and an unusual solution involves banana trees. Read an article about the study in Energy Wire, ‘Edible fire buffers’ could become a wildland firefighters best friend, study suggests. From USC Viterbi, Fighting Fire with…Bananas? Based on computer models, Barath Raghavan says the humble banana could prevent wildfire spread—and turn a tidy profit for local communities. Read the study.
Lancet Countdown Report 2023. This is a big annual report focusing on world health in the face of the climate crisis. Read about the report from the World Health Organization, Lancet Countdown report calls for climate-driven health action. Read about the report from the New York Times (gift link), Health Risks Linked to Climate Change Are Getting Worst, Experts Warn. The 8th update to a major international report shows more people are getting sick and dying from extreme heat, drought, and other climate problems. Read the report.
5th National Climate Assessment. In the midst of all the global studies, the 5th National Climate Assessment for the US is now final. Read about the Assessment from CNN, No place in the US is safe from the climate crisis, but a new report shows where it’s most severe. Read from the New York Times (gift link), The Toll of Climate Disasters Is Rising. But a U.S. Report Has Good News, Too. Read the assessment.
US Agricultural Map Updates. The heat is rising and the ranges of plants and animals are disrupted across the US (and globally). As a result, USDA hardiness zones for gardeners and farmers have changed. Those changes are reflected in the new hardiness zone maps. Read about the changes in NPR, 'It feels like I'm not crazy.' Gardeners aren't surprised as USDA updates key map. Read about the changes from Oregon State University Newsroom, New plant hardiness map, used by gardeners nationwide and based on OSU climate data, unveiled.
Malaria Spreading more widely. The World Health Organization has published its 2023 Malaria Report and the results are what researchers have been warning, as the planet warms, mosquito-borne deceases will expand in range. Read about the study in The Guardian, Climate crisis a ‘substantial risk’ to fight against malaria, says WHO. New report says disease-carrying mosquitoes thrive in rising temperatures, leading to transmission in hitherto unaffected areas. Read the report.
Plastic and more Plastic. The scourge of plastic on the planet is only growing according to scientists and recent studies. A few studies and articles here, from USA Today, Clouds are filled with microplastics, perplexing and concerning scientists. From SciTechDaily, New Study: The Ocean Is Emitting Millions of Pounds of Plastic Into the Atmosphere. From Nature, Progress on plastic pollution treaty too slow, scientists say. As national divisions widen over how to address the global waste crisis, researchers fight for more input into the process. And from University of Hawaiʻi News, Rise of microplastics discovered in placentas of Hawaiʻi mothers.
Resources
Emissions Tracking. A tremendous tool for transparency. Climate Trace can pinpoint and track harmful emissions such as carbon and methane. What was invisible is going to be lot harder to hide, fudge, and outright lie about. The technology has been up and testing for a few months, with its official launch at COP. Read an article about Climate Trace from Science, Al Gore’s climate watchdog spots rogue emissions …. View the website and tool. Read an update from Texas Impact/IPL, VP Al Gore Introduces New Climate Data Tool. View the tool, climatetrace.org
Faith Voices in the News This Week
Climate, Resilience, and Community Development. Here’s a story to feel good about. Communities know how important resilience is to wellbeing and strength in challenging times. In Oakland, CA, Black churches are organizing around climate. From The Knee Deep Times, Can churches lift up climate resilience?
Faith Engagement makes a difference. This is something many in the faith community already know. If you are at work in the faith community to bring action and visibility to the climate effort, this will encourage you. This work matters!! A new study and great article from The Conversation, Faith communities are rallying to check climate change – their size and influence counts
COP28. On the eve of COP28, global faith leaders met together at a pre-gathering event, the Talanoa dialogue and interfaith services which began five years ago. Read about the gathering from the Lutheran World Federation, Talanoa dialogue brings faith communities together as COP28 opens.
Link to the latest news from COP28 and the faith community.
Good News
Lots of good news this week!! Find more news in the news archive here.
Land back. Native people the world over are the proven stewards of land and biodiversity. The violent dispossession of ancestral lands from Indigenous communities to be exploited for industry, mining, and deforestation proved the opposite, leaving ruined forests and waterways in its wake. The Land Back movement seems to remedy that destruction, and support the healing and restoration of the planet. Some news on this effort, from The Orange County Register, Indigenous tribes get Bolsa Chica Mesa land return, a first for Orange County. And from The Guardian, ‘A sense of home’: Native American land rights grow in industrial midwest. After Unesco recognized Ohio’s Indigenous ceremonial grounds, Native communities hope to spark a land return movement.
Honoring Forests. The sounds of the forest are their own symphony. Gas powered boats not only destroy that peace, but pollute air and water as well. The Indigenous Achuar people of Ecuador are way ahead in innovation and solution. from NPR, Why solar-powered canoes could be good for the future of the rainforest.
Innovation & Farming. The hardiness zones are moving as the US has experienced an average 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit of warming. This combined with soil degradation means todays farmers—especially young farmers—are at the front lines of innovating to restore the soil. Their efforts are making a difference, from WBEZ Chicago In Illinois, young, conservation-minded farmers race against climate change to save their soil.
Electrification!! Nice work, Alaska. The electric revolution is in full swing in Juneau. From EarthJustice, A Cold Alaska City Has Become a Heat Pump Hub. The ‘electrify everything’ movement is taking off in Juneau, Alaska. Another approach, in the lower 48, the Gila River tribal community is generating green electricity are protecting their water. From PV Magazine, Arizona Tribal community to cut irrigation canal water losses with solar canopy. Gila River Indian Community announced it has broken ground on a solar array that will cover a stretch of irrigation canal south of Phoenix.
Victory over dirty fuels and mining. A few important court wins to celebrate. From Billings Gazette, Coal mine expansion permit vacated by Montana Supreme Court. And in Panama, from the AP, Panama’s Supreme Court declares 20-year contract for Canadian copper mine unconstitutional.
Wildlife restoration. Many great stories here, too! Let’s talk next of frogs and bighorn sheep. From USA Today, Facing an uncertain future, 70 endangered yellow-legged frogs released in California lake. And from CBS Colorado, Rancher, conservationists reach deal to preserve 100,000 acres for native Colorado bighorn herd.
Find the news archive here.
Praying this week for all those in Dubai, for a good, productive and honest discussion, and real outcomes to address the climate crisis. Prayers up.
Richenda
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Just to say… my updates are not endorsements, and links are usually third party. Please make your own determinations. My goal here is to amplify the conversation and encourage engagement, learning, and resilience. And of course, to bless your efforts!