Changemakers of the week: Third Act and HeartMath
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Every day on the Optimist Daily, we report on solutions from around the world. Though we love solutions big and small, the ones that emerge from our local communities often have the greatest impact. Welcome to the fifth round of The Optimist Daily’s Read More...
The case for taxing big fossil fuel firms: a solution for funding climate resilience
A fresh report argues that imposing a tax on fossil fuel firms operating in the wealthiest countries may dramatically boost climate finance, delivering much-needed assistance to countries dealing with the effects of the climate catastrophe. The plan, presented in the Climate Damages Tax study, Read More...
Empowered youth launch 'Green New Deal for Schools' to combat climate change
In response to rising ecological concerns and political repression, students across the United States are leading a bold movement known as the 'Green New Deal for Schools.' This program, spearheaded by the Sunrise Movement, a youth-led climate justice collective, is laying the groundwork for a Read More...
TEMPO Satellite: Harnessing air pollution data to combat environmental injustice
Air pollution is a major hazard to public health in the United States. Pollutants like nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, ground-level ozone, and fine particles are associated with a variety of ailments, including respiratory and cardiovascular issues. Despite significant progress in reducing Read More...
Youth activists in Vanuatu score a major climate win
BY SIRI CHILUKURI, Grist This story was originally published by Grist. Subscribe to its weekly newsletter here. Young environmental activists from a small South Pacific island earned a climate win that could cause major problems for the world's largest polluters. The nation of Vanuatu Read More...
Climate justice is intrinsic to COP27’s success. Here’s how to address it
The Conference of the Parties (COP) in Egypt this year is crucial. In Glasgow last year, countries pledged increased climate financing and committed to raising their goals, but in the end, fell short of the 1.5 degree Celsius global warming limit. COP27 is an opportunity to fix that problem Read More...
Denmark pledges millions to nations disproportionately affected by climate change
Last week, Denmark made a historic move for climate justice by pledging 100 million Danish crowns ($12.9 million) to developing nations damaged by the climate crisis. This makes it the first United Nations member state to offer “loss and damage” compensation. Denmark joins Scotland and the Read More...
Rihanna donates $15 million to organizations championing climate justice
The world-famous singer, actress, fashion designer, and businesswoman Robyn “Rihanna” Fenty is donating a grand total of $15 million to organizations in the US and the Caribbean focused on climate justice. This charitable act is in part a response to the devastating hurricanes that have Read More...
Public libraries are climate justice tools
We’ve written about how libraries should double as food banks, but did you know that public libraries are also essential to climate justice? As more regions face extreme temperatures due to climate change, libraries are increasingly serving as refuges for heat-vulnerable residents. For Read More...
Black environmentalists are uniting to fight climate injustice
"I can’t breathe." These were among the final words that George Floyd and Eric Garner gasped before their deaths at the hands of white police officers. That plea has become part of the current rallying cry for racial justice and an end to police brutality in the United States. But for Black Read More...