Latest news with #GlobalEnvironmentalChange
E&E News
27-05-2025
- Business
- E&E News
Energy companies fuel environmental conflicts in poor nations — study
International corporations in extractive industries such as mining and oil production are overwhelming linked to environmental conflicts in low- and middle-income countries. Over 100 companies, largely headquartered in wealthy Western nations and China, are involved in 20 percent of documented conflicts, such as social disputes over mines, pipelines or power plants, according to a study published in the journal Global Environmental Change. The companies include Shell, Exxon Mobil and Rio Tinto. The analysis examined more than 3,300 environmental conflicts worldwide and 5,500 companies listed in the Global Atlas of Environmental Justice, a database of disputes over resources such as water, land and minerals. Advertisement Half of the conflicts linked to companies in the so-called Global North occur in the Global South, where corporations involved in commodities such as critical minerals, oil and plantation agriculture account for a larger presence than other companies. Social conflicts involving foreign companies often lead to damaging outcomes, such as land dispossession, loss of livelihoods and deforestation, the analysis found.
Irish Times
28-04-2025
- Irish Times
Frequent-flyer rewards should be replaced with a frequent-flyer levy
Are you a member of a frequent flyer programme? It's hard to believe that schemes that reward people for warming the planet still exist. It's been more than 40 years since the first frequent-flyer programmes were introduced in 1980s America. The schemes were fairly straightforward – you'd take some flights and earn a free flight. These days, the programmes are among the most complicated loyalty schemes in the world. Alongside flying, now you can earn rewards for many different types of consumption including car rental, hotel stays and shopping. The basic tenet has remained the same since the 1980s, however: fly more and get more free flights, or get a seat upgrade to a section of the cabin with fewer passengers. Frequent-flyer programmes have undergone a bit of a rebrand since the 1980s, however. Even though they still reward those who fly frequently, phrases such as 'frequent flyer' and 'air miles' seem to have been scrubbed from airline marketing materials. It's all about 'loyalty' and 'points' now. READ MORE It's probably because flying frequently and clocking up air miles – one of the most glamorous things you could do back in the 1980s – is no longer a good look. Flying causes more of the pollution that's heating up our climate than any other form of transport, and it has contributed about 4 per cent to global warming to date, according to research from Our World in Data. The data can be a bit tricky to get your head around. Flying is one of the most carbon-intensive activities – yet it contributes just 2.5 per cent of the world's carbon emissions. How does this add up? Well, most of the world's population don't fly, according to Our World in Data. Studies estimate that just 10 per cent of the world flies in most years. For example, North Americans flew 50 times further than Africans in 2018, according to one study published in the journal, Global Environmental Change. [ Dublin Airport generates the same carbon emissions as 1.4 million cars every year Opens in new window ] So it's a relatively small number of relatively wealthy people who are doing the flying and creating most of the emissions. As incomes rise, this will change. Frequent flyers are responsible for a disproportionately large share of flights and emissions, according to climate charity The charity argues that frequent-flyer programmes encourage and reward very high levels of consumption of highly polluting flights. [ Ireland risks fine of up to €26bn if EU-agreed climate targets missed Opens in new window ] It points to anecdotal evidence from frequent-flyer club members which shows how the programmes encourage them to maximise their points by taking unnecessary and even unwanted flights, such as making a 'tier point run'. This is the term used to describe a long and convoluted journey featuring multiple flights, taken only to collect points to reach or maintain levels of membership. Frequent-flyer programmes also incentivise consumers to pay for the most carbon-intensive seating options in business or first class, says Possible – and to fly more than they otherwise would. It has called for an immediate end to frequent flyer programmes. Tanning, smoking, driving without a seat belt – there are plenty of things we did in the past that we do far less of these days. When the penny dropped that these things weren't good for us, or those around us, they became less socially acceptable. Last year was the world's hottest on record , according to data from the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service. It's well past time to replace frequent-flyer rewards with a frequent flyer levy.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Researchers reveal overlooked cause of student struggles: '[They] seemed to bear the brunt'
Losing trees in cities might be affecting students in those areas more than experts previously expected, according to new research. According to Futurity, researchers from the University of Utah found that when nearby trees are lost to pests, disease, or development, school attendance drops and test scores suffer. This "concrete jungle" impact is hitting low-income students the hardest. In the Chicago metro area, an invasive beetle called the emerald ash borer wiped out tens of thousands of ash trees over the last decade. A recent study co-authored by Alberto Garcia and Michelle Lee and published in the journal Global Environmental Change looked at how this affected students in the area. The researchers found that test scores dropped by about 1.22% in places where tree loss was highest. The decline was even more noticeable among low-income students attending schools in wealthier neighborhoods where tree cover had been lost. "We don't think that the low-income students in unaffected areas are impacted, but the low-income students at these impacted schools seem to be affected more than better-off students at these same schools," Garcia, an economics professor and social scientist, told Futurity. Without trees, neighborhoods get hotter, air quality worsens, and the environment feels less inviting. Trees help cool down city playgrounds and sidewalks by providing shade. Without the shade, pavement and buildings hold on to heat, making schools in tree-sparse areas much hotter than those in greener parts of the city. "The low-income students at wealthier schools, where infestations were more common, seemed to bear the brunt of the impacts," Garcia said, according to Futurity. "Some possible explanations are just that those students don't have the same resources to go home and recover from, for example, extreme temperatures or pollution-induced headaches the same way that higher-income students at the same schools might have." Extreme heat has already been linked to learning difficulties. Researchers have found that when classrooms get too hot, the heat makes it tougher to focus, and as temperatures rise, more kids end up missing school. Trees also help absorb harmful pollutants. That's especially important in cities with high levels of car traffic and industrial pollution. Do you worry about air pollution in and around your home? Yes — always Yes — often Yes — sometimes No — never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Research from the American Lung Association has found that, in addition to other obstacles, students have a harder time focusing and attending class regularly due to poor air quality that can lead to respiratory problems. In areas with fewer trees, children are exposed to more airborne pollutants, which can exacerbate asthma and other health conditions that keep them out of the classroom. The Our Roots Chicago program is planting thousands and thousands of trees in neighborhoods that are in need of more greenery. The initiative has been planting trees (at least 47,000) since 2022 and aims to add 75,000 total. New York City and Los Angeles are also bringing back trees to schools and public spaces. Groups like TreePeople and Friends of the Urban Forest in California work with local schools to add greenery and provide students much-needed shade and breathable air. The Trees Atlanta initiative has helped to restore canopy loss and improve green spaces around schools in Georgia. As more cities recognize the link between tree cover and student success, planting and preserving trees in urban areas is becoming a key strategy for improving education outcomes. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
