Garry Peterson

Whither Global Development? Ones and Tooze · Episode

Adam Tooze podcast on state of UN's SDGs -

"At the global level, none of the 17 goals are currently on course to be achieved by 2030"
dashboards.sdgindex.org/chapters

discussion of failure of public attempts to "de-risk" investments to catalyze private finance.
foreignpolicy.com/podcasts/one...

Figure 6. Long-Run Change in Real GDP Level from 2025 Tariffs to Date - on world's countries

Yale Budget Lab - August 1, 2025 State of U.S. Tariffs:

US "Consumers face an overall average effective tariff rate of 18.3%, the highest since 1934"

"Canada has borne the brunt of the damage from US tariffs so far"
budgetlab.yale.edu/research/sta...

Limited carbon sequestration potential from global ecosystem restoration - Nature Geoscience The maximum carbon sequestration potential from global terrestrial ecosystem restoration efforts until 2100 is 96.9 Gt, which is equivalent to 3.7–12.0% of anthropogenic emissions until then, accordin...

"if we plan restoration targets to match future climatic conditions and consider state transitions of currently natural ecosystems due to climate change, the potential for natural climate solutions related to ecosystem restoration is close to zero." www.nature.com/articles/s41...

title of a new paper - Historical model biases in monthly high temperature anomalies indicate under-estimation of future temperature extremes https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02579-5

graph of monthly max temperature and ln of area burned for ecozone 5 in canada https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10584-005-5935-y

New paper out that suggests that we under-estimate future temperature extremes and this is not good news for fire. www.nature.com/articles/s43... Temperature is strongly related to area burned - the warmer we get the more fire we see. Also, extremes are important - 3% of fires burn 97% of the area

If the author of a dystopian climate novel wrote these words from the US department of Energy, they would be accused of fantasy alarmism or fossil fuel sexism. But here we are…

<<21. ...the undertaking shall report metrics related to its material impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems>>

"the disclosure of metrics connected to material IRO are required for all material subtopics ...while at the same time keeps the flexibility for preparers to identify the material
metrics"

<<16. In addition the undertaking shall describe disclose the biodiversity offsets used in its action plans, if any, including the aim of offsets, the financing effects in monetary terms, area, type, the quality criteria applied and the standards that the biodiversity offsets comply with>>

Log of Amendments
ESRS E4 Biodiversity and ecosystems
www.efrag.org/sites/defaul...

<15. The undertaking shall disclose its key biodiversity and ecosystems-related actions and significant resources allocated to their implementation, in accordance with the provisions of Amended ESRS 2 GDR-A>

EFRAG Releases Proposed Simplified European Sustainability Reporting Standards - ESG Today The European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) announced the publication of its revised Exposure Drafts of the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), significantly simplifying an...

EFRAG's Proposed 'Ammended'
European Sustainability Reporting Standards
www.efrag.org/en/amended-e...

news
www.esgtoday.com/efrag-releas...

"new standards remove all voluntary disclosures, and reduce reporting datapoints by 68%"

igure 2  Ecological functions (gold arrows) and feedbacks (teal arrows) of contemporary place-based coastal ocean societies. These reciprocal relationships, which develop over time through trial and error from ancestral practices, are mediated by governance principles, social norms, decision-making protocols, and intentional caretaking (i.e., management and conservation) actions. Illustration inspired by Bliege Bird & Nimmo (2018) and created by Arianna Augustine, Stz'uminus Nation.

Insights Gained from Including People in Our Models of Nature and Modes of Science
Salomon+
doi.org/10.1146/annu...

"ecological functions performed by people ...illustrating their roles as ecosystem engineers, dispersers, bioturbators, nutrient cyclers, predators, and herbivores"

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY SARAH ROGERS / MITTR | PHOTOS GETTY

With federal involvement in the next IPCC report uncertain, AGU joined 10 U.S. universities to help keep U.S. scientists engaged.

Together, we formed the U.S. Academic Alliance for the IPCC.

📰 via @technologyreview.com : buff.ly/tmTeiWm #AGU #IPCC #ClimateScience

Applications are open for SFI's 2026 Complexity Postdoctoral Fellowships

If you’ve recently earned a Ph.D. in any scientific field and want to pursue independent, transdisciplinary research, consider applying.

Deadline: October 1, 2025
Apply here: santafe.edu/sfifellowship

New this morning, a Comment I contributed to Nature Computational Science on the interaction between large language models and the humanities. 🧪 🤖 #MLSky

rdcu.be/etk07

The link above will be open-access for a month — plus, I'll reply to this post with a link to a permanently open preprint. +

Beaver on land

Beaver by shore

Urban beavers calmly hanging out a few meters from busy bars in Södermalm, Stockholm a few days ago

The ICJ’s climate ruling goes far beyond legal battles between small states and big polluters Written by Professor Friederike Otto, Professor in Climate Science at the Centre for Environmental Policy and Dr Alaa Al Khourdajie, Research Fellow at Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London. O...

🌍📜 Licensing and subsidising fossil fuels can now "constitute internationally wrongful acts,” write Dr @frediotto.bsky.social and ‪Dr Alaa Al Khourdajie.

Read their commentary on why The ICJ's new advisory marks a turning point for climate accountability: ow.ly/7aix50WvkuM

Welcome to the Great Bear Sea After decades of discord, Canada and First Nations are working together to build a network of marine protected areas stretching from Vancouver Island to Alaska.

First Nations in British Columbia were instrumental in protecting the Great Bear Rainforest from logging. And given the ecological threads connecting everything from the mountaintops to the seafloor, Indigenous elders have long advocated to extend the protections of the rainforest out to sea... 🧵

Inside the movement to recognize nature as an artist Musicians have long sampled nature sounds. Now, they have a way to share credit — and share their royalties with conservation efforts.

Inside the movement to recognize nature as an artist.

Musicians have long sampled nature sounds. Now, they have a way to share credit — and share their royalties with conservation efforts.

grist.org/looking-forw...

#Art #Artist #Climate #Nature #Music #Musicans

On Controlling Fire, New Lessons from a Deep Indigenous Past For centuries, the Native people of North America used controlled burns to manage the continent's forests. In an e360 interview, ecologist Loris Daniels talks about the long history of Indigenous burn...

The 1874 Bush Fire Act outlawed controlled burns in British Columbia. Some Indigenous people were hanged for setting fires on their land.

In a new interview, ecologist Lori Daniels explains how the law helped give rise to today's devastating wildfires.

World court says failure to meet climate goals could lead to damages International Court of Justice finds that countries have an obligation to cut greenhouse gas emissions

<<Philippe Sands, a specialist in international law who represented Mauritius at the ICJ, said it was a “coming of age” moment for writing environmental protection into the international legal order>>

World court says failure to meet climate goals could lead to damages
on.ft.com/4mbKvme

States have legal duty to stop producing and using fossil fuels, top UN court rules Landmark opinion says those that fail to prevent climate harm could be liable for compensation and restitution

“States have legal duty to stop producing and using fossil fuels, top UN court rules”
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

52/🚨The Court then delivers a powerful statement: failure of a state to take appropriate action to regulate fossil fuel consumption, the granting of fossil fuel licences, fossil fuel subsidies may constitute an internationally wrongful act which is attributable to that state

🔥 ⚖️ 🌐HAPPENING NOW: Historic #ClimateJustice Ruling being delivered by the 🇺🇳 🧑‍⚖️ International Court of Justice.
🚨This ruling could signal a new dawn for climate law & accountability
📝 🧵 Live thread below with context, summary & analysis 👇
#ClimateJusticeAO #AOLetsGo

Photo of a main in a bright orange jacket and helmet standing in front of a railway line, pointing at the line with one hand and holding a lump of clay in the other

Crewkerne station in Somerset is closed until further notice because the ground is so dry that the railway embankments can't support trains running at normal speeds

Another example of how our infrastructure isn't resilient to climate change - adaption needed!

www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-...

Map of Canadian wildfire location and status https://www.ciffc.ca/

500 mb anomaly map of north america showing a ridge over Alberta and Saskatchewan https://www.pivotalweather.com/model.php?m=ecmwf_full&p=500h_anom&rh=2025072312&fh=loop&r=na&dpdt=&mc=

🚩Potential for another fire weather/fire episode in Canada Starting next Tue-Wed (Jul 29-30) in AB then shifting to SK – MB – NWRN ON (Wed – Sat Aug 2). This is concerning as 2025 is very active fire season with 280 Out of Control fires - many in the regions mentioned. 500mb anomaly forecast below.

Top U.N. Court Says Countries Must Act on Climate Change

<<the failure of nations to take action to protect the climate system may constitute “an internationally wrongful act.” …
protection of the environment is “a precondition” for ensuring human rights>>
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/23/c...

Scientific jargon can be ‘satisfying’ — but misleading Research shows that jargon can make weak explanations feel complete by masking their gaps. What can experts do to communicate science effectively to laypeople?

"Jargon can be useful, but it is not neutral. It can enhance the appearance of understanding while eroding the real thing. Clarity should be the default. If people are to trust science, they should also be able to follow it.
doi.org/10.1038/d415...

New renewable power outcompetes fossil fuels on cost, offering a clear path to affordable, secure, and sustainable energy.

Renewable power Image protects consumers from fossil fuel price shocks directly reduces physical supply shortages enhances energy security and market resilience creates tangible savings for communities

report: www.irena.org/Publications...

infographics:
www.irena.org/News/article...

Fossil fuels ‘running out of road’ as clean energy catches up, says UN chief Renewables made up 92.5 per cent of all new electricity capacity additions in 2024, report shows

“Fossil fuels still enjoy a 9 to 1 advantage in consumption subsidies globally — a clear market distortion"

"Countries that cling to fossil fuels are not protecting their economies — they are sabotaging them”
-UN's António Guterres

on.ft.com/450PU8K
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

On 17 July 2025, a large wildfire broke out in the municipality of Méntrida, located in the province of Toledo, within Spain’s Castilla-La Mancha region. Driven by strong winds, the fire burnt over 3,000 hectares of land by the end of the day, prompting road closures and the evacuation of residents from nearby areas. Winds carried the smoke over Madrid, where skies turned orange and thick with haze during the afternoon. This image, acquired by one of Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 18 July 2025, shows the burn scar caused by the fire. Data from the Copernicus Sentinel satellites is key to monitoring and mapping the extent of wildfires around the world, helping to assess their impacts on affected communities.

17 July 2025
a large wildfire broke out in Méntrida, Spain
driven by strong winds
the fire burnt over 3,000 hectares of land
prompting road closures and the evacuation of residents from nearby areas.

EU Copernicus Sentinel-2 image
www.copernicus.eu/en/media/ima...

Opinion | The Icelandic Landscape Is Changing, and It’s Changing Us It is impossible to separate our language from its island at the edge of the Arctic.

“When the glaciers are all gone, what do you call an island that used to be Iceland? Just … Land?” asks Andri Snær Magnason, an Icelandic writer and filmmaker.