climate displacement
Newsletter
Credit: UN Women Asia and the Pacific/Flickr
A new climate fund aims to aid developing countries
The new UN Loss and Damage Fund aims to be a game-changer in climate finance by providing quick and direct relief to regions affected by climate disasters like floods, droughts, and heatwaves.
In short:
- The new climate fund board will include 14 members from developing countries and 12 from developed nations, with the World Bank acting as its temporary host.
- Concerns persist regarding the World Bank's history and potential influence, though progress has been made toward meeting UNFCCC conditions.
- With no clear funding goal set, the fund is expected to raise substantial amounts and has received pledges totaling $661 million so far.
Key quote:
“If you don’t have a vision of a trillion dollar fund, if you create a fund which is just channeling a couple of millions, sorry, it’s a disrespectful waste of time.”
— Harjeet Singh, Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative
Why this matters:
The fund represents a pivotal shift toward addressing climate damage in developing nations, which have contributed the least to climate change but face disproportionate consequences. Read more: Mourning family and climate change in the age of loss and damage.
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Credit: Virginia Sea Grant/Flickr
Rising sea levels pose new challenges for southern US coasts
A rapid increase in sea levels across the southern U.S. is compelling coastal communities to adapt to unprecedented environmental changes.
Chris Mooney, Brady Dennis, Kevin Crowe, and John Muyskens report for The Washington Post.
In short:
- Tide gauges from Texas to North Carolina show a sea level rise of at least 6 inches since 2010, mirroring the previous half-century's rise.
- The region faces multiple secondary effects, such as failing septic systems and higher insurance rates, alongside increased flooding.
- Local efforts to adapt are underway, including infrastructure enhancements and federal funding initiatives to mitigate future risks.
Key quote:
“Storm water flooding is getting worse and is unsustainable. Almost all our systems are gravity fed, and they were built out a long time ago.”
— Renee Collini, director of the Community Resilience Center at the Water Institute
Why this matters:
Persistent, inexorable sea level rise challenges existing infrastructure and increases risks by, among other things, contaminating water supplies and limiting access to essential services. Read more: Severe flooding increasingly cutting people off from health care.
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Credit: Erin Magee, DFAT/Sarah Boyd/Flickr
The Marshall Islands aren’t giving in to sea level rise
The precariously placed island nation has put together a comprehensive—if expensive—plan to survive sea level rise.
Credit: 2C2K Photography/Flickr
How a Black Miami neighborhood became ‘ground zero for climate gentrification’
A documentary, Razing Liberty Square, examines the plight of families in Liberty City as developers ‘revitalize’ community on desirable higher land.
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Credit: VA Institute of Marine Science (VIMS)/Flickr
Flooding drives millions to move as climate-driven migration patterns emerge
Flood risk and climate change are pushing millions of people to move from their homes, according to a new study by the risk analysis firm First Street Foundation.
Credit: van.ike/Flickr
‘We can’t afford to wait’: a Cornish town faces climate threat head on
How an image of the projected high tide in 2050 swung the people of Bude into action.
Newsletter
The naturalist and the wonderful, lovable, so good, very bold jay
Canada jays thrive in the cold. The life’s work of one biologist gives us clues as to how they’ll fare in a hotter world.
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