Environment
Need some good news about the environment? The Optimist Daily is your go-to herald of positive environmental news, highlighting eco-friendly solutions and scientific progress around climate action, circularity, conservation, and more. Learn about everything eco in our Environment section.
Climate change will wipe $2.5tn off global financial assets: study
Climate change could cut the value of the world’s financial assets by $2.5tn (£1.7tn), according to the first estimate from economic modelling. In the worst case scenarios, often used by regulators to check the financial health of companies and economies, the losses could soar to $24tn, or 17% Read More...
Carbon farming is a zero-risk strategy for curbing climate change
Now that 195 nations, including the U.S., have agreed to ambitious greenhouse gas emission reductions to slow the pace of climate change, the question everyone is asking is: How will we actually meet our targets set for 2035? Given past performance, many don't think we will get there without Read More...
Coral reefs highlight the key role of existing biodiversity for climate change adaptation
New research on coral reefs led by the University of Southampton suggests that existing biodiversity will be essential for the successful adaptation of ecosystems to climate change. About 25% of all marine biodiversity depends on coral reefs, the three-dimensional calcareous framework laid down by Read More...
A renewable energy boom in developing countries as solar beats coals
Some world leaders, especially in developing countries like India, have long said it’s hard to reduce the emissions that are warming the planet because they need to use relatively inexpensive — but highly carbon-intensive — fuels like coal to keep energy affordable. That argument is losing Read More...
This program will make cutting carbon emissions lucrative for farmers
Farmers make their profits from the food they produce, but what if they received an extra sum of money for the emissions they didn’t produce? Under a new program run by the California Air Resources Board, 21 of the state’s rice farmers have an extra incentive to think green. The program has Read More...
An international deal to limit aviation emissions may soon be ready for takeoff
Aviation was controversially left out of the final Paris Agreement, but now it seems a much-needed deal to tackle global aviation emissions is set to be delivered this coming September. The deal, led by the U.N-backed International Civil Aviation Organization, would set the first limits on flight Read More...
Hundreds of UK churches set to go green, switch to renewable energy-charities
More than 400 churches in the United Kingdom plan to switch to clean energy providers for their light and heat, shifting spending of 1 million pounds ($1.4 million) to renewables from fossil fuels, two Christian charities said on Wednesday. The move is part of the Big Church Switch, an initiative Read More...
You can eat this algae-based water bottle when you're done with your drink
The world has a massive plastic pollution problem fueled by consumers’ habit of purchasing bottled water, so what if we replaced conventional plastic bottles with biodegradable ones? In Iceland, a product design student has created an algae-based water bottle that starts to decompose immediately Read More...
Better fishing practices would help recover fish populations, support fishermen
After decades of declines, most of the world's fish populations could recover in just ten years while fishermen make more money at the same time, scientists reported in a new study. The solution is for more countries to adopt systems for sharing rights to harvesting fish, which have been Read More...
The enormous carbon footprint of food that we never even eat
Discussions about how to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions frequently center on clean energy, more efficient transportation and sustainable agriculture. But research suggests that if we really want to pay attention to our carbon footprints, we should also be focusing on another, less-talked-about Read More...