Will Paris 2024 Olympics be the greenest ever? This and other nature and climate stories you need to read this week
Sustainability is high on the agenda at this year's Olympics - so what are they doing differently to previous Games? Image: REUTERS/Marko Djurica
- This weekly round-up contains the key nature and climate news from the past week.
- Top nature and climate news: 2024 Olympics set for sustainability; Hottest day record broken; Philippines to host ‘loss and damage’ fund board.
1. Paris Olympics sets its sights on sustainability
This year's Olympics has an ambitious goal: to halve the carbon footprint of the Games compared with the average for London 2012 and Rio 2016.
The aim is not to exceed 1.75 million tonnes of CO2.
Even indirect emissions such as spectator travel will be taken into account in these measurements, according to the organizers.
So what measures has Paris taken to reduce emissions? These stats show some of the efforts in place:
95%
of venues are existing or temporary
100%
of venues are connected to the public electricity network
50%
reduction in single-use plastics for food and beverages
90%
of Games' signage elements redeployed, reused or recycled
100%
of uneaten food recycled
Despite these efforts, challenges remain for achieving the event's lofty ambitions.
For example, 80% of a sporting event's emissions typically come from spectator travel, the BBC reports. This will be the first Olympics where tickets have been sold centrally to all fans worldwide, at the same time, which could increase air travel.
2. World breaks hottest day record
On Monday 22 July, the world once again experienced its hottest day on record. This came just 24 hours after breaking temperature records on Sunday, according to data from Copernicus, the European Union's Climate Change Service.
The new high of 17.15°C is 0.06°C higher than Sunday's record, exceeding the typical day-to-day variations observed, according to Copernicus.
"We are now in truly uncharted territory and as the climate keeps warming, we are bound to see new records being broken in future months and years," said Copernicus Director, Carlo Buontempo.
This new record comes at a time when heatwaves plague much of the world, with wildfires engulfing areas in the Mediterranean, Russia and Canada, Reuters reports.
3. News in brief: Other top nature and climate stories this week
The Philippines has been selected to host the board of a global loss and damage fund that seeks to aid vulnerable nations harmed by the climate crisis.
A new study finds tree bark can help remove methane from the atmosphere.
Heavy rain has caused mudslides in Ethiopia, leaving at least 229 people dead, The Guardian reports.
Environmental campaigners challenged Britain's climate change plan in a landmark court case on 23 July. The group argued that the government failed to set proper objectives in its climate adaptation strategy, Reuters reports.
A heatwave in the west of the United States has raised the risk of wildfires, with windy and dry conditions putting millions of Americans at risk.
A Brazilian cattle rancher has reportedly been ordered to pay more than $50 million for damaging the Amazon rainforest by illegally felling trees and clearing vegetation to create pastures for his livestock.
The world's first hydrogen-powered commercial passenger ferry will begin operating In San Francisco Bay along the waterfront between Pier 41 and the city's downtown ferry terminal. The service will be free for the first six months, according to Euronews.
More than half of Kew Gardens' 11,000 trees could be at risk before 2100 due to the climate crisis, a new report shows. It offers insights into how succession planning could shape the future of Kew.
How is the World Economic Forum fighting the climate crisis?
4. More on the nature and climate crisis on Agenda
The United Nations' Summit of the Future will be held on 22-23 September 2024.
Here's why it's important and what will be discussed.
Global sales of ‘pre-loved’ clothing look set to account for 10% of global fashion industry sales in 2024. Uncover 4 innovations helping the fashion industry embrace the circular economy.
Asia is experiencing significant health crises due to climate change. Impact investing and innovative financial tools could help transform Asia's future by tackling the climate crisis in the continent, here's why.