It is now six years since Fossil Free SA first called on the University of Cape Town (UCT) to phase out all investments in climate-destroying fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas. In those six years, the global fossil fuel divestment movement has grown from a handful of institutions to well over a thousand, including New York, Paris, London, our own city of Cape Town; a whole … [Read more...]
Least developed countries launch vision for climate resilient future
More than two-thirds, about 69%, of people killed in climate-related disasters in the past 50 years were living in 47 of the world's poorest nations, according to findings released by the group of least developed countries (LDCs) ahead of the United Nations Climate Action Summit, which took place this past weekend. The LDCs, which make up 13% of the global population, … [Read more...]
ACA youth respond to President Ramaphosa’s withdrawal from UN Summit
On 16th Sept, the African Climate Alliance was honoured with the Amnesty Ambassador of Conscience Award in South Africa, which was given to Greta Thunberg and youth climate strikers all over the world simultaneously on Monday. On Friday 20th Sept, youth in cities nationwide are asking their parents to join them on the streets at the Global Strike to call attention to the … [Read more...]
What are directors’ duties in respect to climate change?
Directors need to factor climate change into their governance deliberations about strategy, risk management, products and services. So said Sue Lund, member of the Institute of Directors in SA (IODSA) at a recent discussion on directors’ duty of care for the current and long-term sustainability of their organisations – which should translate into measures that both mitigate … [Read more...]
What to do about our plastic-chocked oceans
Imagine an area 34 times the size of Manhattan. Now imagine it covered ankle-deep in plastic waste — piles of soda bottles and plastic bags, takeout containers by the mile, drinking straws as far as the eye can see. That’s a total of about 19 billion pounds of garbage. And according to one of the best estimates available, that’s how much plastic waste ends up in our oceans … [Read more...]
The CEO and the activist: meet renewable energy’s odd couple
One wears an impeccably tailored navy blue suit. The other sports a giraffe-print dashiki shirt. Meet the renewable-energy odd couple, the environmental activist and his onetime target, the chief of Italy’s largest utility. A year ago, Kumi Naidoo, the head of Greenpeace International, and Francesco Starace were sworn enemies, after the group said Enel SpA’s coal plants … [Read more...]
11-year-old pledges vow of silence for climate action
I am writing to tell you about a brave 11-year-old boy named Itzcuauhtli (eat-squat-lee). I first saw him in videos with his brother Xiuhtezcatl (shoe-tez-cot), performing hip-hop inspired by their love for the Earth and their indigenous roots. In September, I had an opportunity to meet him at the People’s Climate March in New York City, and I was impressed by his passionate … [Read more...]
The biggest climate march ever!
Months ago, the Avaaz community decided on a crazy goal - the largest mobilisation on climate change in history. Last week, they blew past their wildest expectations, with a climate march 6 times the size of anything before it! Over 675,000 of us marched around the world. It was a beautiful expression of our love for all that climate change threatens, and our hope that we … [Read more...]
Pushing every button for sustainability
Imagine opening a newspaper and reading that across the world, fish stocks are recovering, that forests are growing back, that droughts and extreme weather events are declining, that carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are dropping, that oceanic dead zones are regenerating and that threatened species are bouncing back. That’s what John Elkington (pictured) describes when … [Read more...]
Obama back in climate change denial
Environmentalists aren't too impressed with President Obama heading into his second term. In his first press conference since re-election, Obama conceded that climate change legislation was not a top priority. And on Thursday, before Obama toured storm-battered New York City, White House press secretary Jay Carney acknowledged that despite pushing from liberals, "We would … [Read more...]
New Yorkers against fracking
As scientists and physicians continue outlining the disastrous health impacts of fracking, New Yorkers Against Fracking recently began a new effort to outline the negative economic impacts of fracking. In a new television ad airing in the Binghamton and Elmira markets, Pennsylvania residents detail lies the gas industry told and the devastating impacts on property values … [Read more...]
World leaders urged to do more to solve crises
Citing widespread insecurity, the squandering of vast funds on deadly weapons instead of economic development, and the growing impact of climate change, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned the world last month that it is in a race against time to save itself. “This year, I am here to sound the alarm about our direction as a human family,” he told the 67th … [Read more...]
Jodi Bieber: Abuse is Abuse ambassador
'I am excited and look forward to representing the Abuse is Abuse campaign as an ambassador against abuse,' says world acclaimed photographer Jodi Bieber. Jodi will act as an ambassador for the campaign aimed at raising awareness of abuse and highlighting the importance of taking action against all forms of abuse. The Abuse is Abuse campaign was started by Sappi, … [Read more...]
