OHPA Weekly Newsletter #1
Week of April 12th 2024
Welcome to the first issue of The Open Society Hub for the Politics of the Anthropocene weekly newsletter. In addition to producing our own articles regarding important climate issues, we will be releasing a compiled list of interesting resources relevant to issues in climate politics and economics.
Biden races to commit billions to climate action as election looms
Thearticle discusses President Biden's efforts to prioritize climate change policies amid the 2024 election landscape. Despite facing challenges and criticism from both Republicans and some Democrats, Biden remains committed to his climate agenda, which includes ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and investing in clean energy initiatives. The article highlights the importance of climate policy as a key issue in the upcoming election and examines the political dynamics surrounding Biden's environmental agenda.
Source: The Guardian
UN climate chief presses for faster action, says humans have 2 years left ‘to save the world’
United Nations Climate Chief Simon Stiell says humanity has only two years left “to save the world” by making dramatic changes in the way it spews heat-trapping emissions and it has even less time to act to get the finances behind such a massive shift. He suggested that climate action is not just for powerful people to address — in a not-so-veiled reference to the electoral calendar this year.
Source: AP
Coal power grew in 2023 driven by China’s expansion and a slowdown of US plant closures
This article examines China's plans to increase coal-fired power generation despite global efforts to combat climate change. Despite pledges to reduce carbon emissions, China's continued reliance on coal raises concerns about its impact on global warming. The expansion of coal power contradicts international goals to transition to cleaner energy sources and highlights the challenges of balancing economic growth with environmental sustainability.
Source: CNN
Climate target group in turmoil over carbon offsetting plan
The article explores the implications of the decision for corporate sustainability efforts and the broader climate agenda. It discusses a new development where companies are permitted to use offsets to address emissions generated from their supply chains. This approach allows companies to compensate for their carbon footprint by investing in projects that reduce emissions elsewhere. While some argue that offsets enable businesses to continue polluting without making meaningful changes, proponents suggest that they provide a practical way to achieve emission reduction goals.
Source: Reuters
The rise of eco-anxiety: scientists wake up to the mental-health toll of climate change
In this article, researchers set out to unravel how climate change is affecting mental health around the world - from lives disrupted by catastrophic weather to people worried about the future. Young people are likely to experience the greatest psychological distress from climate change caused by older generations. Groups of people already experiencing poverty, disease or inequality are most at risk of worsening mental health.
Source: Nature
We also recommend reading climate change expert Simon Sharpe's interview with CSW in which he explains the role officials can play in addressing climate risks and making progress towards net zero.
We encourage you to read our first research blog article dedicated to the success of the Bulgarian Green Party and how sustainable the model they offer is.
See the inaugural OHPA Seminar by the Head, Professor Alexander Etkind, on the topic Securitization Beyond Constructivism: How to Understand Petroaggression in the Era of Decarbonization.
If you would like to learn more, we urge you to check Professor Etkinds' lecture at King's College London on ‘How to understand 'petro-aggression' in the era of decarbonisation’.
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