wolfyvegan

• Record-breaking forest loss in 2024: Tropical primary rainforest loss surged to 6.7 million hectares—nearly double the previous year—driven primarily by fire for the first time on record.
• Latin America bore the brunt: Brazil accounted for 42% of global tropical forest loss, while Bolivia saw a staggering 200% increase; Colombia experienced rising deforestation linked to land grabs and coca cultivation.
• Global implications intensify: Fires also ravaged boreal forests, pushing fire-related emissions to 4.1 gigatons—more than quadruple the emissions from global air travel in 2023. With just five years left to meet global deforestation pledges, halting forest loss will require urgent political action, strong governance, and leadership from Indigenous communities.
• This post is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

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• Record-breaking forest loss in 2024: Tropical primary rainforest loss surged to 6.7 million hectares—nearly double the previous year—driven primarily by fire for the first time on record.
• Latin America bore the brunt: Brazil accounted for 42% of global tropical forest loss, while Bolivia saw a staggering 200% increase; Colombia experienced rising deforestation linked to land grabs and coca cultivation.
• Global implications intensify: Fires also ravaged boreal forests, pushing fire-related emissions to 4.1 gigatons—more than quadruple the emissions from global air travel in 2023. With just five years left to meet global deforestation pledges, halting forest loss will require urgent political action, strong governance, and leadership from Indigenous communities.
• This post is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

archived (Wayback Machine)

Heat stress is related to temperature.[48] It also increases if humidity is higher. The wet-bulb temperature measures both temperature and humidity. Humans cannot adapt to a wet-bulb temperature above 35 °C (95 °F). This heat stress can kill people. If global warming is kept below 1.5 or 2 °C (2.7 or 3.6 °F), it will probably be possible to avoid this deadly heat and humidity in most of the tropics.

This is one of those cases in which most people will take the sentence apart and keep only the parts that feel comfortable to them and their current inaction. They will read "it will probably be possible to avoid this" and use that to justify business as usual, but they will discard the important caveats in that same sentence.

"If global warming is kept below 1.5 or 2 °C" implies uncertainty as to the threshold. Current warming as of 2024 (+1.6°C), adjusted downward to account for El Niño (-0.2°C) and upward (+0.4°C) to account for as-yet unrealised heating effects of reduced aerosol pollution, is 1.8°C. The current trend will most likely result in warming above 2°C by 2030. Keeping the warming below 1.5°C is already impossible, and keeping it below 2°C may be possible if and only if drastic action is taken immediately.

"in most of the tropics" is an important point that is rarely made. Temperatures in the tropics, while generally warmer on average, are relatively stable. There are fewer extreme heat events. Even if it is "possible to avoid this deadly heat and humidity in most of the tropics" as stated in the article, that doesn't change the fact that people living at "temperate" latitudes are still fucked in the summertime.

June 22 marks World Rainforest Day, launched in 2017 by Rainforest Partnership to highlight the critical role of tropical forests. These ecosystems stabilize the climate, regulate rainfall, store vast amounts of carbon, and support most of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity. Yet despite their importance, 2024 proved to be a devastating year. Fires ravaged millions of hectares, and several regions experienced record levels of primary forest loss.

The outlook is sobering, but not yet hopeless. Many rainforests can still be saved if immediate action is taken. Political will, sustained funding and strong governance are essential. Indigenous and local communities, proven stewards of these ecosystems, must lead the way. On this World Rainforest Day, the message is urgent: time is short, but there is still a path forward.

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• EcoWatch article
• research cited

archived (Wayback Machine):

• EcoWatch article
• research cited

archived (Wayback Machine):

• EcoWatch article
• research cited

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/23646809

The evidence against the Drax power station is damning, yet the government wants to continue its massive public funding, says campaigner Dale Vince

How green is this? We pay billions of pounds to cut down ancient forests in the US and Canada, ship the wood across the Atlantic in diesel tankers, then burn it in a Yorkshire-based power station.

Welcome to the scandal of Drax, where Britain’s biggest polluter gets to play climate hero. [...]

archived (Wayback Machine)

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/23646809

The evidence against the Drax power station is damning, yet the government wants to continue its massive public funding, says campaigner Dale Vince

How green is this? We pay billions of pounds to cut down ancient forests in the US and Canada, ship the wood across the Atlantic in diesel tankers, then burn it in a Yorkshire-based power station.

Welcome to the scandal of Drax, where Britain’s biggest polluter gets to play climate hero. [...]

archived (Wayback Machine)