Climate Action

From Limits to Growth to Regeneration 2030

Viewpoint by Jeffrey D. Sachs

This article was published in Il Sole 24 Ore for the Trento Festival of Economics, June 4, 2022, and is being republished with the author's permission.

NEW YORK (IDN) — Fifty years ago, Italian business leaders in the Club of Rome gave a jolt to the world in their path-breaking report Limits to Growth. That thought leadership continues today as Italian business leaders launch Regeneration 2030, a powerful call for more holistic, ethical, and sustainable business practices to help the world achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreement.

: UN Bureau; OPINION; 05 June 2022

Photo: Mingo Distribution in The Philippines. Greenpeace donated Mingo (an instant moringa rice & mongo blend for 6 to 30 months old babies) in Dolores, The Philippines, as a solution to address malnutrition that exists in the area. CREDIT: © Alanah Torralba / Greenpeace

Cultivating The Flowers of Hope

Viewpoint by Anabella Rosemberg

The writer is International Programme Director at Greenpeace International.

AMSTERDAM (IDN) — On days like World Environment Day, intriguing, outraging and surprising data about the damage being done to the environment are often shared and spoken of. Too often these stories about our ailing planet only further eco-anxiety and stunt rather than spur action. After all, there are plenty of terrifying facts to choose from. An awful lot. Scarily too many.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 04 June 2022

Image: Pornpipat Charoenthai / Shutterstock

IPCC Mitigation Report, 2022: What it Implies for Developing Countries

This article was issued by the Toda Peace Institute and is being republished with their permission.

Viewpoint by Robert Mizo

NEW DELHI (IDN) — There is no doubt that climate change needs to be addressed by all countries in a concerted manner. The fact remains, however, that there is a wide variance among countries both in terms of capacity to address and culpability for the problem. Developing and least developed countries are likely to suffer disproportionately the effects of climate change.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 01 June 2022

Achieving SDGs by 2030 in Peril

By Kalinga Seneviratne

SYDNEY (IDN) — After two issues focusing mainly on the impact of the Ukraine-Russia war on the achievement of SDGs, this month we wanted to shift the focus, but it was not as easy as reflected in the articles published here.

The United Nations has revised its global growth estimates due to the war, and the Security Council holds an emergency session on food security, while Southern Africa feels the pinch of the war because of its widespread economic relations with Russia and food imports from Ukraine. Meanwhile, global leaders keep on talking about the loss of lives and livelihood but are impotent to do anything about it.

: Kalinga Seneviratne; SUSTAINABILITY; Food security, nutrition & sustainable agriculture; 30 May 2022

Photo: Barrister Chima Williams. Credit: Environmental Rights Action.

Environmental Lawyer Bags Award for Niger Delta Legal Win

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network

NEW YORK (IDN) — A Nigerian lawyer who took up the cause for delta communities harmed by a subsidiary of the oil conglomerate Royal Dutch Shell will be recognized this year with a “Nobel Prize for grassroots advocacy to protect the environment,” formally known as the Goldman Environmental Prize for 2022.

: Global Information Network; SUSTAINABILITY; Climate Action; 29 May 2022

Photo: Former Prime Minister of India, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, addresses the 1972 Stockholm Conference. Credit: UN Photo/Yutaka Nagata.

Stockholm Conference to Help Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals

By Devendra Lamarajan

NAIROBI (IDN) — An international meeting to drive action towards a healthy planet for the prosperity of all will take place on June 2 and June 3 in Stockholm, Sweden. Participants will be world leaders and representatives from government, business, international organizations, civil society and youth.

The significance of the event comes at a crucial time as the Earth is in emergency mode, and urgent action is needed to address the triple planetary crisis.

: Devendra Kamarajan; UN INSIDER; 28 May 2022

New Report Focuses on Security Risks of Environment Crisis

By Thalif Deen

UNITED NATIONS (IDN) — The world’s growing environmental crisis—including climate change, which has resulted in widespread droughts, floods and heatwaves threatening major food crops—is escalating security risks worldwide.

A new policy report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), titled Environment of Peace: Security in a New Era of Risk,‘ points out that between 2010 and 2020 the number of state-based armed conflicts roughly doubled (to 56), as did the number of conflict deaths. At the same time, the number of refugees and other forcibly displaced people also doubled, to 82.4 million.

: Thalif Deen; SUSTAINABILITY; Climate Action; 24 May 2022

Image: River Pripyat, Polesia / Fedor Lysenko/Shutterstock

Grave Concern for Environmental and Climate Damage Caused by Russian Invasion of Ukraine

Viewpoint by Kazuo Matsushita

This article was issued by the Toda Peace Institute and is being republished with their permission.

TOKYO (IDN) — War is the worst destruction of the environment and human rights.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine is truly a humanitarian crisis. In addition, the war has caused extensive damage to the environment, the effects of which are feared to be long-lasting. Even if the war were to end, the environmental devastation and pollution will make reconstruction difficult.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 22 May 2022

Ukraine War Constraints UN To Revise Global Growth Estimates

By J Nastranis

NEW YORK (IDN) — The latest United Nations forecast warns that growth prospects have weakened significantly amid the war in Ukraine, upending the fragile economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, triggering a devastating humanitarian crisis in Europe, increasing food and commodity prices and exacerbating inflationary pressures worldwide.

: J Nastranis; UN INSIDER; 18 May 2022

Image: Tuvalu Airport and Lagoon. Credit: M

The Latest IPCC Report: No Good News for Pacific Islands Countries

Viewpoint by Volker Boege

This article was issued by the Toda Peace Institute and is being republished with their permission.

QUEENSLAND, Australia (IDN) — The latest IPCC report on Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability shows that the effects of climate change are more severe than previously thought, that the situation will deteriorate globally faster than expected if no decisive action is taken now, and it highlights that low-lying island nations and islands will be hardest hit and be faced with truly existential threats. This is bad news, particularly for the Pacific Island Countries (PICs).