AFED at MCSD Steering Committee 22/4/2024

The Steering Committee of the Mediterranean Commission on Sustainable Development (MCSD) held its 23rd meeting in Athens. Main item on the agenda was to review the implementation status of the Mediterranean Strategy on Sustainable Development (MSSD) for 2016-2025 and set guidelines for updating the strategy for the coming period. This includes identifying main directions, thematic working groups and elements of a sustainability dashboard. ...more

World Bank wins $11 bln in pledges to boost lending for climate, global crises 22/4/2024

The World Bank on Friday said that 11 countries have pledged to contribute over $11 billion to new hybrid capital and portfolio guarantee instruments designed to expand the bank's financing capacity by $70 billion over a decade to tackle climate change, pandemics and other global challenges. ...more

Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say 22/4/2024

Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering "moderate to severe" levels of subsidence, putting millions of people at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise, according to a study of nationwide satellite data released on Friday. ...more

Finance firms urge ambitious action on plastic pollution 22/4/2024

A group of 160 financial companies on Friday urged governments to agree a treaty to end plastic pollution that would help spur private sector action, ahead of the next round of global talks in Canada. ...more

Ocean spray emits more PFAS than industrial polluters, study finds 22/4/2024

Ocean waves crashing on the world’s shores emit more PFAS into the air than the world’s industrial polluters, new research has found, raising concerns about environmental contamination and human exposure along coastlines. ...more

What caused Dubai floods? Experts cite climate change, not cloud seeding 19/4/2024

A storm hit the United Arab Emirates and Oman this week bringing record rainfall that flooded highways, inundated houses, grid-locked traffic and trapped people in their homes. ...more

Climate change damage could cost $38 trillion per year by 2050, study finds 19/4/2024

Damage to farming, infrastructure, productivity, and health from climate change will cost an estimated $38 trillion per year by 2050, German government-backed research finds, a figure almost certain to rise as human activity emits more greenhouse gases. ...more

Scotland to ditch 2030 greenhouse gas reduction target, says BBC report 19/4/2024

Scotland's devolved government will abandon its target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2030, the BBC reported on Wednesday, adding that Scotland would keep a separate goal to reach net zero by 2045. ...more

Transition to Renewables Calls for New Approach to Energy Security 19/4/2024

Evolving concept of energy security must address energy demand, system flexibility, technology access and infrastructure development, says IRENA ...more

Kale, watermelon and even some organic foods pose high pesticide risk, analysis finds 19/4/2024

Watermelon, green beans and bell peppers are among the many common fruits and vegetables found in US supermarkets that contain potentially unsafe levels of pesticides, according to an analysis published today by Consumer Reports. ...more