Happening now: "Beyond COP28 - Advancing Biodiversity Finance for Global Climate Impact" webinar, co-hosted by the Green Growth Knowledge Partnership (GGKP) and Donor Committee for Enterprise Development (DCED).

Join to discuss the critical role of biodiversity finance in achieving essential advancements to stop and reverse the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Urgent Call for Climate Action and Economic Degrowth

Over the past 50 years, the rapid evolution of global warming and environmental degradation is clearly linked to human activity, including the ubiquitous use of fossil fuels and the blind pursuit of infinite economic growth on a finite planet.

Who is responsible for climate change by burning fossil fuels? Energy producers think they should produce more to make more profit when demand is high, while energy consumers think they should consume more to live more comfortably when supply is plentiful. Most people think we should blame others.

But the truth is that any reduction in fossil fuel consumption or production has a positive impact on climate change. That is, the more energy a person consumes above the global average, or the more energy a company produces for overconsuming people, the more responsible that person or company is for climate change.

Naturally, we all want to live comfortably, and money can help us satisfy our needs and desires. Since human happiness is not proportional to increasing wealth when our basic needs are met, it's not wise to pursue endless profits or infinite economic growth at the expense of humanity. For those with a competitive and noble character, it's high time to measure themselves by the number of people they help rather than the amount of wealth they accumulate.

In a climate and environmental emergency, any economy of overconsumption must decline in order for humanity to survive and thrive within planetary boundaries. Why not meet everyone's basic needs, stop making money for overconsumption, and shift our pursuit of happiness from material to intellectual growth? Let's start doing what we can do ourselves instead of waiting for others to do the right thing first.

In my latest episode of Climate Connections - I tackled the issue of killer stoves in #Kenya #Nairobi #Africa

Perhaps for those of us living in urbanised cities, it’s hard to fathom how the simple act of cooking could be deadly.

Hats off to EarthShot Prize winner Charlot Magayi, founder of Mukuru Clean Stoves, who is charting the way forward for low-income and underserved communities, and cleaning our air at the same time.

Find out about her personal story in my latest feature on the plight faced by the people living within these communities and how she’s working very hard at changing that: (link in stories & bio)
Spotify: https://spotify.link/iNb1eIZTSDb
OMNY: https://omny.fm/shows/moneyfm-morning-show/climate-connections-how-afri…

#climate #environment #airpollution #charcoal #climatechange #sustainability #innovation #solutions #nature #air #cleanair

On my latest episode of #ClimateConnections - we explore the issue of whether it’s realistic to dream of a complete fossil fuels phase-out, ahead of #COP28

Take a listen to Dr Swati Sharma from Nanyang Technological University Singapore here:
https://omny.fm/shows/moneyfm-morning-show/climate-connections-is-the-f…

#EUdraftdocument #fossilfuels #cop27 #cop26 #parisagreement #coal #oil #energy #environment #laws #dirtyenergy #cleanenergy #climatechange #climatenegotiations

Dear Colleagues,

There’s still time for your city to enter the AIPH World Green City Awards 2024. The awards celebrate innovation, achievement, and commitment to the globally recognised imperative to embrace nature-orientated solutions that harvest the power of plants and associated ecosystems services to help address the major challenges facing cities.

The 2024 edition of the AIPH World Green City Awards is offered in seven categories, with three finalists in each category from which one category winner is selected, and with one Grand Winner chosen from the seven category winners. Don’t miss this unique opportunity for your city to participate in the only global awards for cities where plants and nature are at the core.

All cities, large and small, are invited to showcase the bold and innovative actions they are taking to build greener, healthier, and more resilient cities. The deadline for submission of entries is 15th September 2023. For your convenience, a Step-by-Step Guide is available to assist in compiling and submitting your city’s https://entry/ies.

Find Out More and Enter Today

If you are a representative of a local government, you are invited to create an account on the online submission portal, which is the first step in compiling your city’s https://entry/ies. After doing so, you will gain access to the online entry form where you can make your city’s submission/s. Get started here.

For queries and assistance, please reach out to [email protected].

Kind Regards,
The AIPH World Green City Awards Team

Have you ever experiences solastalgia?

Solstalgia is the pain experienced when the place where one lives and loves is under immediate destruction. It is felt as a sense of erosion of belonging (identity) to a particular place and a feeling of distress and it is inherently connected with climate change, flooding, droughts and soil exploitation.

Very often, people exposed to environmental change experience a sense of powerlessness or lack of control over the unfolding change.

We are becoming more and more aware of the negative impacts that climate change can have on our mental health - and this is just another reason to work toward a more sustainable economy and society now.

Understanding the gender imbalance at the international climate negotiations

Despite progress in recent years, women are still being held back from participating in international talks on climate.

"With only 37% of women attendees at COP26 in Glasgow forming part of an official national delegation, the UNFCCC’s latest report on gender in the climate change negotiations shows that parity remains a challenge. And figures on women’s roles and engagement during the meetings show that, although they may form part of the delegations, speaking time and decision-making positions are often monopolised by men".

Women and other marginalised groups are the most effected by climate change globally, hence inclusive gender sensitive governance leads to more effective and sustainable adaptation outcomes, reducing vulnerability and climate risks.

Women must have a voice and a seat at the table to ensure negotiations lead toward a gender just transition.