Environmental stories from around the globe this week
Ireland on track for €225m climate finance target - what can other European countries learn?
Ireland is set to meet its pledge of providing €225 million in climate finance per year to poorer nations by 2025. Tánaiste (deputy prime minister of the Republic) Micheál Martin shared the positive news with the publication of Ireland’s climate and environmental finance report for 2022. It’s a rare bit of punctuality from developed countries, which have long disappointed developing nations on this front.
Scientific evidence points to Indigenous peoples’ forest management as key to climate change mitigation
Indigenous peoples have shaped and managed vast rainforest territories for millennia. These rainforests regulate rainfall, store carbon, and shelter immense biodiversity and sociocultural diversity. In recent years, several studies have provided statistical evidence confirming that lands legally titled to Indigenous peoples are the most efficient models for forest protection.
Psychology study unearths ways to bolster global climate awareness and climate action
An international team of scientists has created a tool that can aid in increasing climate awareness and climate action globally by highlighting messaging themes shown to be effective through experimental research. The tool stems from a study involving nearly 250 researchers that drew more than 59,000 participants from 63 countries.
Landmark UN report: The world’s migratory species of animals are in decline, and the global extinction risk is increasing
The first-ever State of the World’s Migratory Species report was launched 12 February. Until now, no such comprehensive assessment on migratory species has been carried out. The report provides a global overview of the conservation status and population trends of migratory animals, combined with the latest information on their main threats and successful actions to save them.
Polar bears unlikely to adapt to longer summers
More time stranded on land means greater risk of starvation for polar bears, a new study indicates. Some have speculated that polar bears might adapt to the longer ice-free seasons due to climate warming by acting like their grizzly bear relatives and either rest or eat terrestrial food. The polar bears in this study tried versions of both strategies — with little success.
