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☆ World hits record land, sea temperatures as climate change fuels 2023 extremes
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( David Stanway | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Sea temperatures also broke April and May records. Global average sea surface temperatures hit 21C in late March and have remained at record levels for the time of year throughout April and May. Australia's weather agency warned that Pacific and Indian ocean sea temperatures could be 3C warmer than normal by October. Though this year's high sea temperatures are caused by a "perfect combination" of circumstances, the ecological impact could endure, she said. The Worldwide Fund for Nature, however, warned of a "worrying lack of momentum" during climate talks in Bonn this month, with little progress made on key issues like fossil fuels and finance ahead of November's COP28 climate talks in Dubai.

Persons: Cpl Marc, Andre Leclerc, Kerry, Sarah Perkins, Kirkpatrick, Piers Forster, El Nino, Annalisa Bracco, Li Shuo, John Kerry, Li, David Stanway, Ali Withers, Gloria Dickie, Jamie Freed Organizations: Canadian Forces, REUTERS, EU, Australia's University of New, U.S ., World Meteorological Organization, El Nino, University of Leeds, Georgia Institute of Technology, DUBAI, The, Nature, Thomson Locations: Mistissini, Quebec, Canada, Beijing, SINGAPORE, Bonn, Australia's University of New South Wales, United States, North America, U.S . East Coast, India, Spain, Iran, Vietnam, Paris, 1.5C, California, Africa, November's, Dubai, China, Copenhagen, London

☆ Half a Year After the COP Agreement on Nature, Companies Are Increasingly Looking at Their Biodiversity Impact
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Joshua Kirby | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +8 min

While mandatory reporting on nature may still be a long way off, for some companies, measuring their impact on nature makes good business sense. “Not enough companies are actually measuring their corporate biodiversity impact,” said Steve Kennedy, associate professor in business sustainability at the Rotterdam School of Management. Biodiversity impact, on the other hand, remains a more nebulous concept, with widespread uncertainty about what to measure and how to measure it. While biodiversity impact remains difficult to assess, more complete data can help, said Zoe Balmforth, co-founder of biodiversity-data startup Pivotal. And companies will soon have a final framework on which to base their voluntary biodiversity reporting.

Persons: Jennifer Motles, Philip Morris, Motles, Katie Critchlow, Rémy Cointreau, Eric Vallat, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, ”, Steve Kennedy, Kennedy, “ It’s, “, ” Philip Morris International’s, Nicolo Filippo Rosso, Zoe Balmforth, Balmforth, Cameron Frayling, Frayling, U.N, JULIAN HABER, Kering, PMI’s Motles, Joshua Kirby Organizations: Philip Morris International, Data, Sustainable Business, Fund, Nature, PMI, Rotterdam School of Management . Companies, SAS, Bloomberg, World Bank, REUTERS Governments, United Nations ’, pharma, GSK, Gucci Locations: Montreal, American, of Mexico, Lake Erie, Colombia, Kunming, Canada, joshua.kirby

☆ Portugal to swap $153 million Cape Verde debt for nature investments
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Sergio Goncalves | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LISBON, June 20 (Reuters) - Portugal plans to swap the entire 140 million euro ($152.91 million) debt it is owed by Cape Verde for investments in the archipelago's environmental and climate fund, Prime Minister Antonio Costa said on Tuesday. The two countries had already agreed in January to swap 12 million euros of debt repayments scheduled until 2025 and then assess the effectiveness of this mechanism in concrete projects. "We are sure the assessment we will make in 2025 will be positive and that we will be able to extend this mechanism to all 140 million euros of debt throughout its maturity," Costa said. Cape Verde's Silva said the investments will increase the country's resilience and achieve sustainable development goals. Cape Verde is 80% dependent on imported fossil fuel energy, which has risen sharply in price following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Persons: Antonio Costa, Costa, Ulisses Correia e Silva, Cape Verde's Silva, Sergio Goncalves, Inti Landauro, Susan Fenton Organizations: Cape Verde's, Thomson Locations: LISBON, Portugal, Cape Verde, Lisbon, Cape, Africa, Portuguese, Ukraine

☆ Countries back weakened EU nature law, seek more biodiversity funding
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Kate Abnett | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Germany, Lithuania and Romania were among countries that had raised concerns over funding. POLITICAL PUSHBACKEU climate chief Frans Timmermans told reporters he was not worried by countries' tweaks to make the law more flexible. But he criticised lawmakers in the European Parliament who are trying to block the law and are refusing to negotiate. EU countries and the European Parliament must both approve the final bill. A motion by EU lawmakers to reject the entire proposal last week failed by a razor-thin margin, ahead of a full EU Parliament vote in July.

Persons: Eamon Ryan, Christianne van der Wal, Frans Timmermans, Timmermans, Kate Abnett, Jonathan Oatis, Gareth Jones Organizations: Sierra, EU, Union, European Commission, Reuters, EU Parliament's, Thomson Locations: Andalusia, Nieves, Brussels, LUXEMBOURG, Germany, Lithuania, Romania, Ireland, Netherlands

☆ Gunmen kill two rangers in Congo's Virunga National Park
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BENI, Democratic Republic of Congo, May 28 (Reuters) - Gunmen killed two rangers in Congo's Virunga National Park on Sunday, the Congo Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN) said in a statement, the second attack this month in the country's restive east. Fighters from the Mai Mai militia were likely to blame, the ICCN said, based on its sources. Reuters was unable to confirm this and the Mai Mai could not be reached for comment. The Mai Mai comprise several armed bands that formed to resist two invasions by Rwandan forces in the late 1990s. The ICCN warned of a resurgence of violence in February after suspected Mai Mai militants killed a ranger in a third attack.

☆ Gucci-Owner Kering, Drugmaker GSK and Others Are Developing Global Targets on Nature Loss
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-25 | by ( Dieter Holger | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +6 min

Luxury group Kering and biopharma company GSK are among more than a dozen companies preparing targets to develop a gold standard for how businesses can protect nature. Yet the issues surrounding nature loss are complex and many companies are unsure how to measure it or what to do. The Taskforce on Nature-Related Financial Disclosures, a business-backed effort to protect biodiversity, is working on a reporting framework, and SBTN is developing standards to evaluate companies’ nature targets. “We expect that the landscapes will be similar [to the ones under the SBTN targets], ” Gonçalves Krebsbach said. In 2020, GSK started to map out stressed water basins in its supply chain.

☆ Vodafone and Nestlé Created Panels to Avoid ‘Greenwashing’ Allegations
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-23 | by ( Dieter Holger | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +4 min

Vodafone Group and Nestlé have set up panels of experts to double check environmental claims before they appear on products and marketing, a move by the multinationals to avoid allegations of so-called greenwashing. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is updating its environmental marketing guidelines and the EU has proposed that businesses need to offer scientific evidence. The panels at Nestlé and Vodafone are examples of how companies are stepping up their due diligence of green claims in response to mounting scrutiny, tighter regulation, shifting consumer preferences and the threat of lawsuits. So far, that hasn’t happened, Mr. Reiter said. The packaged-foods company’s panels are staffed by employees from marketing, regulatory, scientific affairs, sustainability, legal and communications.

☆ Platypus returns to Australian national park for first time in half a century
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-13 | by ( James Redmayne | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] A platypus is released by CEO of Taronga Zoo Cameron Kerr and Scientists back into Sydney's Royal National Park for the first time in over fifty years, in Sydney, Australia, May 12, 2023. ... Read moreSYDNEY, May 14 (Reuters) - The platypus, a species unique to Australia, was reintroduced into the country’s oldest national park just south of Sydney on Friday in a landmark conservation project after disappearing from the area more than half a century ago. Four females were released on Friday into the Royal National Park, which was established in 1879 and is the second oldest national park in the world. No confirmed platypus sightings have been reported in the park, located about 35 kilometres or one hour’s drive south of Sydney, since the 1970s. The platypuses, which live along Australia's east coast and in Tasmania, were collected from various locations across south-eastern New South Wales state and subjected to various tests before relocation.

☆ Why 2023 is the year to visit Mongolia
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Breanna Wilson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia CNN —Due to its remoteness and short summer season, Mongolia has long been a destination overlooked by travelers. Here are 10 reasons travelers should start planning their long-dreamed-of Mongolia visit now. A growing visa-free listWith the government of Mongolia declaring 2023 through 2025 the “Years to Visit Mongolia,” citizens from an additional 34 countries can now visit the country visa-free through the end of 2025. Celebrate Naadam as it turns the centuryThe annual Naadam event has always been a great reason to visit Mongolia, but now that the festival has just celebrated its 100 year anniversary, 2023 is as good a time as ever to attend. Yeruu LodgeNestled in the heart of Selenge province on the Yeruu River, Yeruu Lodge is the brainchild of Norwegian founder Eirik Gulsrud Johnsen, who first visited Mongolia in 2017.

☆ World’s top climate scientists issue ‘survival guide for humanity,’ call for major course correction
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The 1.5 degrees Celsius temperature threshold is widely recognized as crucial because so-called tipping points become more likely beyond this level. In short, our world needs climate action on all fronts — everything, everywhere, all at once. But it will take a quantum leap in climate action." He added, "In short, our world needs climate action on all fronts — everything, everywhere, all at once." "Climate justice is crucial because those who have contributed least to climate change are being disproportionately affected," said Aditi Mukherji, one of the 93 authors of this Synthesis Report.

☆ Nations reach accord to protect marine life on high seas
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea came into force in 1994, before marine biodiversity was a well-established concept. The treaty will create a new body to manage the conservation of ocean life and establish marine protected areas in the high seas. "For the first time, we are getting a binding agreement for the high seas, which until now have hardly been protected," Lemke said. Several marine species — including dolphins, whales, sea turtles and many fish — make long annual migrations, crossing national borders and the high seas. The high seas have long suffered exploitation due to commercial fishing and mining, as well as pollution from chemicals and plastics.

☆ Countries gather to thrash out U.N. ocean protection treaty
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( David Stanway | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SINGAPORE, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Delegations from hundreds of countries will meet in New York this week in an attempt to hammer out a new legally binding ocean protection treaty that green groups believe will decide whether efforts to safeguard global biodiversity can succeed. Last August, an earlier round of talks on the new United Nations ocean conservation treaty were suspended, with countries unable to reach an agreement on financing. Sharing the proceeds of "marine genetic resources" and the establishment of ocean environmental impact assessment rules for development were also major sticking points. "There seems to be an appetite to actually finalise the treaty now," said Jessica Battle, ocean expert at the Worldwide Fund for Nature. "Genetic resources and the issue of finance will be the end game," said Greenpeace's Li.

☆ The most dangerous cruise routes, ports, and destinations are in parts of the world where conditions are unpredictable — and help is nowhere nearby, travel analysts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

But some cruise destinations and routes are prone to dangerous conditions and risky activity. These are some of the most dangerous cruise locations around the world. AntarcticaThe world's southernmost continent is among the most beautiful — and dangerous — cruise destinations, according to Chiron and Klein. Cruise passengers during a lifeboat drill in the Northwest Passage near Nunavut, Canada. National Park Service via APCruise lines avoid dangerous portsWhile rough seas and high winds can make ocean travel dangerous, uncertainties on land pose their own risks for visitors.

☆ Scientists can spike startup bets in Planet A's new $172 million climate tech fund even if they have a good business case. Check out the 20-slide LP deck it used to raise the fresh cash.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Tasmin Lockwood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

German VC Planet A has just closed its first 160 million euros (around $172 million) fund. Planet A, a European venture capital firm, has just closed its inaugural 160 million euros (around $172 million) fund to back startups doing just that. Founded in 2020, Planet A is looking for market-ready tech startups with significant impact potential in climate change mitigation, waste reduction, resource savings, and biodiversity protection. The early-stage investor will write checks of between 500,000 euros to 3 million euros to startups in Europe, the UK, and Israel. The Planet A team intended to raise 100 million euros, Detzner said, so the fund was oversubscribed.

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☆ Bayer says chemicals farmers use to fight insects are safe, but it's more complicated than that, says its ESG head
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The European Union, also in 2018, banned some pesticides that Bayer makes because scientists and regulators linked them to deaths of bees. "It felt like we were on the grill at a barbecue," Kunz, Bayer's head of environmental, social, and governance strategy, told Insider. Beyond neonicotinoids, Kunz said Bayer's strategy to meet its environmental targets involved what he called a more systems-based approach. Bayer also makes digital tools that help farmers apply fertilizer and pesticides more precisely, which can dramatically reduce how much they're needed, Kunz said. Bayer's sustainability efforts are attracting at least some ESG investors and ratings firms.

☆ This startup that connects conservation projects with funders just raised $8 million. Check out the 30-slide pitch deck Lemu used to secure the fresh capital.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Tasmin Lockwood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A startup hoping to channel more cash into conservation via its app just raised $8 million. Chilean startup Lemu is developing a marketplace that ranks conservation projects on priority and impact. A Chilean startup connecting conservation projects with funders just raised $8 million. It plans to list and rank high-priority and high-impact conservation projects in the hope that the app's users will donate money, or "invest," in them. It will have two ranking features: LemiImpact, a local-level impact ranking based on potential project outcomes, and LemuRank, which is a global ranking of high-priority conservation efforts.

☆ Travel companies are ‘greenwashing’ — here are 3 ways to find ones that aren't
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

But finding companies that are serious about sustainability isn't easy, said James Thornton, CEO of tour company Intrepid Travel. "You see hotels saying they're sustainable, and then you're using these little travel bottles for shampoos and shower gels," he said. "The honest truth is that every travel company is ultimately contributing towards the climate crisis," he said. "So the best thing any travel company can start to do is measure the greenhouse gas emissions it creates." Other companies with B Corp status include Seventh Generation, Ben & Jerry's, Aesop — and Patagonia, which Thornton called "arguably the most famous B Corp in the world."

☆ 7 places to visit and tours to experience Portland's cannabis culture, according to an Oregon local
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Jules Rogers | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

The Electric Lettuce dispensary is a stop on the Potlandia experience bus tour. The business has tours every Friday through Sunday, and has two different tours: The Potlandia Experience, and the Weed and Waterfalls tour. On the Potlandia Experience, attendees are driven to visit several dispensaries around the city, and also stop by local microbreweries and food cart pods. I think one of the best stops on the Potlandia experience tour is Electric Lettuce in the Lloyd District, one of four of the chain's locations around town. I always recognize an Electric Lettuce shop from its rainbow branding, which is usually painted on the building's steps or as a mural.

LONDON, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs Asset Management, the fund arm of Goldman Sachs (GS.N), said on Tuesday it had raised $1.6 billion for its first private equity fund focused on investing in companies providing climate and environmental solutions. The final close of GSAM's Horizon Environment & Climate Solutions I comes as investors increasingly turn their attention to companies that can help in the world's fight against global warming. The fund, launched in 2021, provides so-called "growth capital" to companies further along in developing solutions in clean energy, sustainable transport, waste and materials, sustainable food and agriculture and ecosystem services. While investors have long invested in real assets such as wind and solar, or in early stage venture capital, the demand for the fund showed they were increasingly willing to back bigger companies, Pontarelli said. In December private equity firm General Atlantic launched a $3.5 billion climate fund while a month earlier Morgan Stanley Investment Management launched a $1 billion private equity strategy to invest in companies that will help reduce 1 gigatonne of carbon dioxide emissions.

WASHINGTON, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Albert Gore III, a former Tesla public policy employee, has been named executive director of the Zero Emission Transportation Association (ZETA), the Washington-based group said on Wednesday. Congress in 2021 approved $5 billion for EV charging stations and in August passed new electric vehicle tax credits. "Lots of work ahead, starting with implementation of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program and new industrial policies in the Inflation Reduction Act," said Gore in a LinkedIn post. Gore worked for Tesla for nearly seven years in public policy and business development. The IRA lifts the 200,000-vehicle per manufacturer cap that had made Tesla and General Motors (GM.N) ineligible for EV tax credits.

The World Bank management aims to have specific proposals to change its mission, operating model and financial capacity ready for approval by the joint World Bank and International Monetary Fund Development Committee in October, according to the document. A World Bank spokesman said that the document aimed to provide details on the scope, approach, and timetable for the evolution, with regular updates for shareholders and decisions later in the year. A U.S. Treasury spokesperson declined comment on the World Bank document. Development experts say this shift would greatly increase the amount of lending compared to the current capital structure, which only utilizes paid-in capital. "The challenges the world is facing call for a massive step up in the international community's support," the bank said in the document.

Focusing on environmental, social or governance-related issues, ESG in industry parlance, could hit returns to investors, critics said. Other states followed, with Texas accusing BlackRock and banks including Bank of America (BAC.N) of 'boycotting' fossil fuel companies in the transition to a greener economy. WHY IT MATTERSThe criticism comes at a critical time for global climate efforts. A landmark U.N. report earlier this year said time was running out to cap global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2050. With a number of investigations into finance-linked ESG activities still in train across various states, the prospect of a let-up in pressure in 2023 is slim.

NEW DELHI, Dec 27 (Reuters) - India is planning a $2 billion incentive programme for the green hydrogen industry, three sources told Reuters, in a bid to cut emissions and become a major export player in the field. The United States and the European Union have already approved incentives worth billions of dollars for green hydrogen projects. GREEN AMMONIA, TOOThe Indian government expects industry to invest 8 trillion rupees in green hydrogen and its derivative green ammonia by 2030, said the industry manager and another government official. The green hydrogen proposal is likely to be called "Strategic Intervention for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT)" and will be split into 45 billion rupees for electrolyser manufacturing for five years and the 135 billion rupees for green hydrogen and green ammonia production for three years, the manager and second official said. The incentive for making green hydrogen is likely to be 50 rupees per kg for three years, they said.

Investors have for years considered Pemex a laggard as rivals worldwide moved to dramatically decrease emissions from energy production and consumption over climate change concerns. In its updated business plan for 2023 to 2027, Pemex said its environmental, social and governance (ESG) record risked hurting its financing. "Limitations from ESG financing" are posing a threat, as is the "acceleration in energy transition that is decreasing the market for Pemex's crude oil and products," the company said. Further weaknesses are "important gaps in reaching net-zero-emissions" and operational challenges, particularly in gas exploration and production. "Pemex has to make significant efforts if it intends to access financing," said Gonzalez.

☆ Analysis: U.N. nature deal can help wildlife as long as countries deliver
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Gloria Dickie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Conservationists praised the deal's ambition, saying it amounted to a Paris Agreement for nature in setting out 23 specific targets against which countries can measure their progress. "This is equivalent to the 1.5 degrees Celsius global goal for climate," said Marco Lambertini, director-general of World Wildlife Fund International. "Otherwise, there is a big risk that the cheapest areas are protected rather than those that matter most for biodiversity." During the talks, delegates discussed whether protected areas should be entirely off-limits to human settlement and development, or if some resource extraction should be allowed if managed sustainably. Canada, one of the world's largest nations, is expanding protected land and marine areas in the Arctic.

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