World water woes, Somalia’s deadly drought, and a new deal for the high seas

News to know in our bi-weekly digest

Mississippi River flooding. Kelly Sikkema, Unsplash
27 March 2023
Ming Chun Tang
27 March 2023
Ming Chun Tang

Last week, scientists released a survival guide to get us through the climate crisis. Here are five things you need to know about the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

The Landscape News bi-weekly round-up is back – and in this edition, we cover a historic high seas treaty, new nature reserves, the collapse of a top climate tech financier, and much more.

LANDSCAPE NEWS

World water woes, Somalia’s deadly drought, and a new deal for the high seas
Vertical urban farms could be an alternative to traditional agriculture. Dan Magatti, Pink Farms

On 7 March, we hosted GLF–Luxembourg Finance for Nature 2023, convening 4,500 participants in Luxembourg and online to explore how finance can solve the climate and biodiversity crises. Read the wrap-up and listen back to some of our favorite speakers on YouTube.

For International Women’s Day, we honored these 16 incredible women leading the fight against the climate and biodiversity crises through science, policy, finance, art, activism and more.

As global temperatures rise, climate tech is growing into a multi-billion-dollar industry. Here are three green startups to keep an eye on in 2023.

And in our latest podcast episode, we count the climate cost of war and conflict with Ukraine’s deputy environment minister.

PEOPLE

World water woes, Somalia’s deadly drought, and a new deal for the high seas
One in four people globally have no access to clean water. Joshua Lanzarini, Unsplash

One in four people globally have no access to clean water. Here’s what that looks like in the world’s most water-stressed region: the Middle East and North Africa.

Around 43,000 people died from drought in Somalia last year, half of them children. At least a further 18,000 will likely die in the first half of this year.

Informal waste pickers don’t just keep cities clean across the Global South: they’re also an important climate change solution.

A four-day workweek could make us happier and more productive. Could it also help us reduce our carbon footprints?

PLANET

World water woes, Somalia’s deadly drought, and a new deal for the high seas
Zebra in Kruger National Park, South Africa. David Tomaseti, Unsplash

Take a glimpse inside South Africa’s newest game reserve, freshly rewilded by local Zulu communities and conservationists.

One of Europe’s last wild rivers has been declared a national park. Here’s how it fought off the hydropower industry – and why the battle isn’t over yet.

There are more than 170 trillion tiny bits of plastic in the ocean. That number could triple by 2040 unless we act quickly.

As COVID fades from the headlines, bird flu is infecting sea lions and other mammals in Peru. Could humans be next in line?

CLIMATE

World water woes, Somalia’s deadly drought, and a new deal for the high seas
Wildfires in Boreal forests pose a significant risk. Babette Landmesser, Unsplash

Despite the climate emergency, humanity emitted more carbon dioxide in 2022 than ever before.

At this rate, Latin America could lose up to 16 percent of its GDP by the end of the century, and some of Asia’s largest cities could find themselves underwater.

Here are 1,000 huge methane leaks that could tip global warming over the edge, plus the ticking time bomb that is the world’s boreal forests.

Nonetheless, we can still avert climate oblivion if we act quickly. Six experts explain how.

BUSINESS

World water woes, Somalia’s deadly drought, and a new deal for the high seas
Virunga National Park, DRC 2016. Joseph King, Flickr

Silicon Valley Bank was a lifeline for U.S. climate tech startups. Here’s what its demise means for the future of climate finance.

All of our smartphones, laptops and electric vehicles contain cobalt, a precious metal extracted by Congolese miners under barbaric conditions.

In nearby Virunga National Park, an investment firm is bidding for oil concessions. But rather than drilling, it wants to turn these lands into conservation projects.

Are fossil fuel companies committing homicide? A new paper makes the case for prosecuting Big Oil.

POLICY

World water woes, Somalia’s deadly drought, and a new deal for the high seas
Cargo ship close to Moreton island, QLD, Australia. Borderpolar Photographer, Unsplash

After almost 20 years of negotiations, world leaders have finally agreed on a deal to protect the high seas. Here’s what the historic agreement means for the climate and biodiversity.

China built half the world’s new renewable energy capacity last year. Unfortunately, it also built six times as many coal plants as the rest of the world.

And if you live in the E.U., you might soon get free repairs for appliances like televisions, fridges and washing machines for up to 10 years.


Leave a Reply