Many moving events are happening in the build up to the most important conference ever on the future of this planet. Last week parliament's Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs devoted one and a half days to holding Climate Hearings. Here was a bumper full hall of colourful people from our rainbow nation – from all sectors and walks of life – pleading with the … [Read more...]
Don’t get lost in a sea of climate information
There was a gathering of the Climate Knowledge Brokers Group to road-test the forthcoming ‘Manifesto’ on climate knowledge. Read the highlights of the event and get a preview of the themes of the Manifesto – which will be launched on 17 September. The Climate Knowledge Brokers Group (CKB) is a network of organisations and professionals focused on improving the quality and … [Read more...]
Archbishop Thabo calls for worldwide climate justice prayer
The Primate of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, has called on Anglicans everywhere to join Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Lutheran and other Christians in a World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation on 1 September. The first day of September has become a significant date for Christians caring for the environment. The Orthodox Church has … [Read more...]
Africa advised to take DIY approach to climate resilience
African countries would do well to take their own lead in finding ways to better adapt to and mitigate the changes that climate may impose on future generations instead of relying only on foreign aid. This was one of the messages that rang out during the international scientific conference on ‘Our Common Future under Climate Change’ held earlier this month in Paris, six … [Read more...]
Enter the 2015 Eco-Logic Awards today
The time has come for the Eco-Logic Awards 2015. Through these awards, The Enviropaedia recognises and honours organisations and individuals that provide products or services that nurture Planet Earth. Due to the rising popularity of the awards, the deadline for entries has been extended to 14 August. Be sure to tell them about your green activities, project, business or … [Read more...]
Multi-faith organisation seeks youth ambassador
SAFCEI is a multi-faith organisation committed to increasing awareness, understanding and action-taking on environmental justice, sustainable living and climate change, by faith leaders and their communities throughout Southern Africa. They are seeking to appoint a dynamic young person, with excellent communication, networking and interpersonal skills and a passion for the … [Read more...]
Eco bishops meet to uphold dignity and integrity of creation
Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, Chair of the Anglican Communion Environmental Network called together a group of bishops from various countries impacted by climate change. Bishops have been chosen from countries reflecting the great challenges we face, from the sea level rise of Fiji, the deforestation of Argentina, the droughts of Namibia, the tsunamis of the Philippines and the … [Read more...]
Social cost of carbon six times higher than thought
The economic damage inflicted by climate change could be six times worse than previously thought, US scientists have warned. The US government takes climate policy decisions on the basis that emitting one tonne of carbon dioxide incurs US$37 of social costs. In a study published in Nature Climate Change, researchers from Stanford University reached a figure of US$220 a … [Read more...]
Save food - follow consumption best practice this season
More than 9 million tonnes of food is wasted in our country every year, whilst 12 million South Africans are food insecure, says the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Food wastage happens all the way along the value chain – from production and transport to storage and retail. Food is one of the 3 core building blocks of sustainability, hence this wastage … [Read more...]
COP20 closes with even weaker climate pact
After two weeks of negotiations, the world community has yet again failed to take any meaningful actions to prevent landmark global warming and instead has produced a "roadmap to global burning," leading climate campaigners lamented upon the close of the United Nations COP20 climate talks in Lima, Peru on Sunday. In the wee hours of the morning, two days past the intended … [Read more...]
Adaptation is the only fair way to tackle climate change
As COP20 concludes, climate consultant Mike Edwards argues that delegates need to consider the need for ‘adaptation’ as well as ‘mitigation’. In early November 2013, I was in San Francisco teaching a cohort of business graduates a course I had cheerily titled: 'Global Crises'. As it was early in the course, I was setting the scene with an introduction to climate … [Read more...]
First ever climate summit in heart of the planet
This year’s U.N. Climate Change Conference in Peru marks the first time the talks have been held in an Amazon country. More than 70 percent of Peru’s national territory is within the Amazon Basin. The founder and executive director of Amazon Watch, Atossa Soltani, talks about the significance of the U.N. climate summit taking place in Peru amidst long-term threats to the … [Read more...]
Last decade saw greatest emission volumes ever
Climate change is unequivocal, affects all continents and will continue to the end of the century regardless of even the toughest emissions cuts, warned a landmark UN science report today. Greenhouse gases released by human activity have caused sea levels to rise, Arctic ice to melt and oceans to become more acidic, the report said. One of climate science’s greatest … [Read more...]
