Positive climate stories in November
As December comes around and the cold kicks in, it’s time to warm you up with these positive climate stories. From nature restoration to sperm whale conservation, here are some nuggets of optimism to welcome in the new month!
1. New EU legislation is a win for biodiversity
The EU has passed two pieces of environmental legislation this month, one reducing methane emissions and the other committing member states to nature restoration.
A large part of fighting climate change is nature-based solutions. Despite heavy pushback from the conservative European Peoples Party, a deal was finally struck between the European Council and the parliament to pass the Nature Restoration Law.
This win for biodiversity commits member states to restore 20% of land and seas by 2030 and 100% of degraded areas by 2050. Given the European Environment Agency found two years ago that 81% of European protected areas were in ‘poor’ or ‘bad’ condition, such legislation has never been more important.
On the side of climate, new EU regulations on methane emissions stand to curb emissions of the gas that has more than 80 times the global heating power of carbon dioxide. The new rules will:
Make companies based in member states responsible for monitoring and plugging methane leaks.
Put limits on methane emissions from 2030 on fossil fuels imports into the EU, forcing non-EU producers to comply with these standards.
2. Fishing communities band together to protect local ecosystems
More in ecosystem protection: on World Fisheries Day, November 15th, fishing communities from Senegal, Indonesia and Thailand set up a coalition to advocate for protecting their waters. Groups coordinated to demand action to set up marine reserves. They sought to protect coastal waters from pollution and encroachment by large trawlers in local fishing spots that threaten livelihoods, economic stability, and ultimately local culture.
Beyond the demands made upon their respective governments, which include ratifying the Global Oceans Treaty, communities are taking initiative with local solutions including:
In Chana, Thailand, artificial coral reefs are being crafted to encourage the recovery of fish populations.
In Senegal communities are monitoring, reporting and confronting trawlers’ intrusion into their waters.
The Indonesian island Sangihe’s supreme court victory at the beginning of this year saw a mining company’s license revoked to protect the island’s environment.
3. New trial challenges Norway’s oil excavation
A new court case has been levelled in Norway by Greenpeace and Nature and Youth claiming the government has failed to consider future consequences of emissions resulting from three gas and oil projects set to be launched.
The organisations argue that the Norwegian government’s decision to open the new oil fields violates both the Norwegian constitution and its international human rights obligations. This relates to the rights of children, since the future effects of the released emissions on today’s youth has not been considered.
The argument was backed-up by Dr David Boyd, UN special rapporteur on human rights and the environment. He said that Norway should prohibit “further exploration for additional fossil fuels, since not all existing reserves can be burned while still meeting the commitments of the Paris Agreement”.
While Greenpeace and partner organisations lost a similar case against oil field expansion in 2020, it remains to be seen if this recent challenge will yield victory for climate accountability.
4. Mother Nature takes her seat in the boardroom
The past year’s wave of increased environmental consciousness has seen businesses grappling with how to get their practices on board with nature. Some companies have come up with a solution – get nature on the board! This month, House of Hackney became the second company to formalise environmental considerations with a 'nature guardian’ with a vote on corporate decisions.
This unorthodox business decision is just the latest in a trend of businesses giving the environment a bigger role in their company. Most notably in September last year, Patagonia CEO Yvon Chouinard made Earth the “only shareholder” of the multibillion-dollar clothing company.
5. Dominica sets up a Sperm Whale Conservation Reserve
Due to its unique climate, Dominica is the only place on earth where sperm whales can be found all year round – making it the perfect place for the world’s first reserve. But it is much more than just an environmental win for biodiversity. As our Shipping Manager Ana Laranjeira says:
“These lovely, intelligent, empathetic animals are actually also wonderful at carbon sequestration! (250 sperm whales could sequester 4,200 metric tonnes of carbon every year – equivalent to the carbon sequestered by 18,000 acres of U.S. forests in one year!).”
The need for such a reserve is clear. Dr Shane Gero, Founder of the Dominica Sperm Whale project, explains that sperm whales “are entangled in fishing gear, ingest our plastic trash that washes into the sea, engulfed in our noise which radiates deep into the ocean where they hunt for squid, and are hit by ships”. The threat these problems pose could even become existential.
The plan will ultimately involve designating specific corridors for shipping, reducing their interference with the local sperm whale population.
6. Chinese CO2 emissions set to fall in 2024
China’s extraordinary investment in clean energy production could prove its worth next year. The world’s second largest annual greenhouse gas emitter is expected to see a decline in CO2 emissions in 2024.
This success comes from China’s efforts establishing a low-carbon energy supply, generated through solar, hydro and wind power, great enough to exceed the country’s energy demand. The transition is a clear example of how much governments can reduce carbon emissions with strong investment into green innovation and technology.
What positive climate stories have lifted your spirits this month? Share it with us on Twitter or LinkedIn and we’ll help to spread the word.
