Population Matters

State of the Climate in the Arab Region 2024

Temperatures in Arab region are rising at twice the global rate, says @wmo-global.bsky.social

- "Extreme weather causes massive social and economic disruption"

But Arab group were key blockers of a roadmap to transition away from fossil fuels at #COP30

#climatecrisis
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wmo.int/publication-...

The food industry must face up to nature-related risk Boardrooms need to acknowledge that without healthy soils and reliable seasons the system could face collapse

"An anonymous group of food industry executives released a memo claiming the sector had reached “a moment of threat to food security like none other we have seen” — one that would lead to food shortages, the collapse of supply chains and business failures."

www.ft.com/content/5094...

UK farmers lose £800m after heat and drought cause one of worst harvests on record Many now concerned about ability to make living in fast-changing climate after one of worst grain harvests recorded

This is scary. "Three of the five worst harvests on record have now occurred since 2020, leaving some farmers asking whether the growing impacts of the climate crisis are making it too financially risky to sow their crops." www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Private jet tax should be sky high Possible is calling on British chancellor Rachel Reeves to start taxing private jets fairly in the upcoming budget, a move which could raise up to £2.7bn in tax revenue.

We need a tax on the destructive lifestyles of the ultra-wealthy

Trump wants Americans to make more babies. Critics say his policies won’t help raise them | CNN The administration’s embrace of the pronatalist movement often doesn’t include support for programs traditionally associated with the health and well-being of women, children, and families.

“The religious right wants more white Christian babies and is trying to curtail women’s reproductive freedom in order to achieve that aim."

Great inputs from @popconnect.bsky.social on why policies don't work and rights are at risk.

edition.cnn.com/2025/11/26/h...

Africa’s forests transformed from carbon sink to carbon source, study finds Alarming shift since 2010 means planet’s three main rainforest regions now contribute to climate breakdown

The ocean remains the only true carbon sink. 🥲

Chris Packham urges MPs to ‘listen to the science’ on climate change The TV presenter and naturalist made his remarks during a speech at an ’emergency climate change summit’.

Our patron Chris Packham attended an “emergency climate change summit” on Thursday, where MPs, peers, business leaders and celebrities heard from experts about how the UK was unprepared for rising temperatures.

www.thenational.scot/news/nationa...

NEW OCEANA STUDY: 🦑Half of the squid products analysed in Brussels & Milan lack basic consumer information.

🧬DNA tests show that many came from high-risk fisheries linked to illegal fishing & labour abuses.

We need clear labels on all seafood products. europe.oceana.org/reports/the-...

More North Sea exploration to be allowed in new Labour plan The chancellor will unveil the North Sea Strategy in her Budget speech, the BBC understands.

Profoundly infuriating. Every single barrel of oil pumped moves us deeper into dangerous climate change. The science is absolutely clear about this: the carbon budget to limit to 1.5°C is practically gone. Tipping points loom. We need rapid fossil fuel PHASE OUT.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

“The biggest barrier to equal opportunity is child poverty,” said Reeves, as she abolishes the two-child cap on child benefit

"Reflections from #COP30" | I and other @upenn.edu climate experts offer our thoughts about the latest U.N. climate conference and where we go from here. Via @perryworldhouse.bsky.social & @kleinmanenergy.bsky.social:
perryworldhouse.upenn.edu/news-and-ins...

One in seven English bathing spots rated as polluted in latest testing Scarborough and Bognor Regis among places where water is so polluted it is not recommended for swimming One in seven (13%) of England’s bathing waters are rated as polluted, and one in 14 so polluted they are not recommended for swimming. Famous beaches including Bognor Regis, Scarborough’s South Bay and Littlehaven Beach in South Shields were all rated “poor” in the latest classifications from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), which means they are not recommended for swimming. Continue reading...

One in seven English bathing spots rated as polluted in latest testing

Fire Threatens Iran’s Ancient Forest, a World Heritage Site

These are among the oldest forests on earth, but they're running up against the new world of climate change--firefighting help badly needed!
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/23/w...

We need to move away from our current, human exceptionalism stance

As our population increases, so does the demand for food, housing and the goods we consume. Meeting these needs leads to cutting down forests.

Agricultural expansion is the biggest driver of deforestation, but climate change, wildfires and insect outbreaks are accelerating that loss.

Personal tipping points: Four people share their climate journeys From US President Donald Trump's all-out push for fossil fuels to political squabbles in Europe, governments are retreating on their climate promises. But most people around the world still see global...

It's always interesting to hear the personal stories that come out of the data.

Personal tipping points: Four people share their climate journeys

www.france24.com/en/live-news...

The world lost the climate gamble. Now it faces a dangerous new reality The world bet on collective but voluntary action to keep global warming at a safe level.

"Warming is going to exceed 1.5°C. We are heading into overshoot within the next few years": a stark message by PIK Director Rockström & James Dyke in @theconversation.com. Yet, science shows a way back: fossil-fuel phase-out, nature protection, carbon removal.
theconversation.com/the-world-lo...

Small-scale fishers are vital for coastal economies, but still left behind when quotas are allocated.

The #CommonFisheriesPolicy recognises them, but EU countries fail to ensure fair access.

On #WorldFisheriesDay, we stand with small-scale fishers & call for fair quotas 🎣

There’s a catastrophic black hole in our climate data – and it’s a gift to deniers | George Monbiot Climate sceptics tell us that more people die of extreme cold than extreme heat. What’s the truth? asks Guardian columnist George Monbiot

Researching this week's column, I stumbled across something that amazed me:
the near-absence of reliable data about climate impacts over most of the
world. Due to the rich world's failure to fund research. We don't know
because our governments don't care. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

3 massive changes you'll see as the climate careens toward tipping points Scientists are increasingly concerned that the planet is headed for massive, irreversible changes due to global warming. In some cases, those changes have already begun.

If we don't rapidly phase out fossil fuels, we can say goodbye to coral reefs, the Greenland and Antarctic icesheets, and permafrost. The results will not be pretty.

Global Approaches to Abortion as Health Care - O'Neill The O’Neill Institute believes that the law is a fundamental tool for solving critical health problems.

The World Health Organization & human rights bodies recognise abortion as "a simple health care intervention.” Doing so supports abortion being treated in the same way as other essential reproductive health services.

oneill.law.georgetown.edu/global-appro...

and unfortunately we're only likely to see more and more water shortages globally as time goes on

these are great, really clear and insightful

Increasing risk of mass human heat mortality if historical weather patterns recur - Nature Climate Change The authors couple calculations of historical heatwave intensity at present and future global temperatures with exposure–response functions to quantify mortality from extreme heat events in Europe. Th...

Increasing risk of mass human heat mortality if historical weather patterns recur

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Zimbabwe is due to reform its abortion law - Safe Abortion Action Fund Zimbabwe is on the brink of a transformative moment for reproductive rights.

Unsafe abortions are common in Zimbabwe. 40% of women who undergo them experience complications, yet many do not receive the post-abortion care they need due to stigma, lack of resources, and restrictive laws.

saafund.org/zimbabwe-is-...

Iceland deems possible Atlantic current collapse a security risk Iceland has designated the potential collapse of a major Atlantic Ocean current system a national security concern and an existential threat, enabling its government to strategize for worst-case scenarios, the country's climate minister told Reuters.

Iceland Climate Minister Johannsson: "It is a direct threat to our national resilience and security. (This) is the first time a specific climate-related phenomenon has been formally brought before the National Security Council as a potential existential threat."
www.reuters.com/sustainabili...

Renewable energy is cheaper and healthier – so why isn’t it replacing fossil fuels faster? Politics is just one challenge. The cost of borrowing to build wind and solar farms is another, especially in fast-growing developing countries. There are solutions.

We need to mandate the decline, then total phase out, of fossil fuels.

theconversation.com/renewable-en...

beautiful visualisation!