Posts tagged with 'local action'
For three decades, the world has convened at the annual United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties (COP) to negotiate climate commitments, mobilize finance and chart pathways toward a climate-resilient future. Over this period, the role ...
As the UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) beckons, it’s easy to question whether climate conferences actually achieve anything, or to wonder why global emissions continue to rise despite decades of negotiations and scientific consensus. These are fair questions. While some ...
Urbanization and rising transport demand are putting real strain on Kenya’s transport systems. Road transport already accounts for about 13% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions, and this share is projected to rise to around 17% by 2030 as the population and ...
In large and geographically diverse countries like Brazil, India and Indonesia, climate risks vary greatly across regions — from wildfire threats in forest communities to severe flooding in coastal villages to intensifying extreme heat in major cities — requiring locally ...
The effects of climate change are being felt on every continent, from biodiversity loss to heat waves, floods to droughts. Acting quickly is essential for avoiding even more dangerous impacts. Yet at the same time, we face a global landscape increasingly shaped by geopolitical tensions, ...
Climate change is severely affecting cities worldwide. But before measures to reduce climate risks and emissions can be implemented, a great deal must first happen inside city governments. This includes coordinating across departments, planning, financing and aligning priorities. In Colombia, these ...
As the federal government advances rollbacks of more than 100 environmental and climate policies and resources, it is redefining the U.S. government’s role in protecting communities disproportionately impacted by pollution — and diminishing opportunities for communities to make decisions that impact their ...
Momentum for electric vehicles (EVs) in the United States is starting to slip. After years of rapid growth — fueled by federal incentives and nearly $200 billion in announced EV manufacturing investments — EV sales fell 4% in 2025 following a record-breaking 2024. Since ...
On a hot day in February 2024, volunteers dispersed across Cape Town, South Africa, with sensors affixed to their cars. Their aim was to measure heat differences across the city. In Cape Town’s dense, highly developed center, they recorded air temperatures ...
Cities are on the front line of climate impacts. They are home to most of the world’s population and economic activity and generate the majority of global emissions. Yet they’re also hubs of innovation and implementation, putting them at the center of ...
Cities and states have aimed higher and moved faster on climate action than national governments. The reason is simple: To local leaders, climate problems and solutions matter because their constituencies are directly impacted by them. Extreme heat, flooding and air ...
Every spring, Johannesburg’s streets are transformed by a sea of purple as thousands of jacaranda trees burst into bloom. The lavender canopy is a defining feature of the city, as well as of nearby Pretoria. But few know this ...
Nations around the world are ushering in a new decade of climate action through revised nationally determined contributions (NDCs), due this year. The urgency for climate action has never been greater, especially with 2024 marking the warmest year on record globally. While ...
In Gauteng Province, the Jukskei River winds its way through the heart of Johannesburg’s inner-city neighborhoods, informal settlements and suburban areas, eventually joining the Crocodile and Limpopo rivers before emptying into the Indian Ocean. One of the biggest waterways in ...
Resilience in cities is often framed around large-scale infrastructure projects and sweeping policy shifts. We see headlines about billion-dollar climate adaptation plans, smart cities leveraging AI for disaster response and ambitious net-zero pledges. But some of the most impactful solutions ...
