Key Impact Points: Goldman Sachs Exits NZBA Amid Political Pressures Goldman Sachs, a prominent member of the Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA), has decided to leave the coalition. The alliance, established three years ago, united over 140 global banks to align financial operations with net-zero emissions goals by 2050. However, rising
Key Impact Points: A Shift in U.S. Climate Policy President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement, marking a major shift in climate policy. He has called Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) a “green new scam” and vowed to ramp up oil and gas
Key Impact Points: Inspiring Change Through Innovation The UNCCD’s 2024 Land Heroes showcase groundbreaking solutions to combat desertification. These leaders, all under 35, are using their expertise to protect land, restore ecosystems, and empower communities globally. Mali: Rokiatou Traoré A “green entrepreneur,” Rokiatou has trained 100 women to create products
Key Impact Points: Ad Agencies Under Fire for Climate Conflicts The world’s largest advertising agencies are facing scrutiny for their dual roles in promoting climate-friendly initiatives while maintaining lucrative contracts with fossil fuel companies. Major firms like WPP, Omnicom, and Publicis have been called out for conflicts of interest in
Landmark Decisions at COP29 COP29, held in Baku, Azerbaijan, focused on scaling investments for climate solutions and justice. Key agreements included: These outcomes underscore the importance of collaboration between public and private sectors to meet urgent climate goals. The U.S. Private Sector Steps Up The U.S. private sector plays a
Key Impact Points The Growing Threat of Land Degradation Healthy soil is the foundation of life on Earth, yet 40% of the planet’s land is degraded, with 100 million hectares lost annually. This decline threatens not only agriculture—95% of the global food supply relies on healthy soil—but also biodiversity and
Key Impact Points The Climate Cost of Meat-Based Meals Meat has long been a central element in festive and daily meals worldwide, but its environmental cost is staggering. “Food systems are responsible for a third of global greenhouse gas emissions, which is huge,” says Stacy Blondin, a behavioral science associate
Key Impact Points: Transparency Challenges in Article 6.2 Despite efforts to strengthen oversight, the agreement on Article 6.2 at COP29 offers only marginal improvements. Countries are now required to publish some information on Internationally Traded Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs), but the timing remains problematic. The lack of a robust review process
Baku, Azerbaijan—COP29, November 22, 2024 As the dust settles on the seismic global shift in climate politics, the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) in Baku has become a historic turning point for the international climate movement. Following the election of President-elect Donald Trump in the United States and his
Baku, Azerbaijan – November 22, 2024 As COP29 concludes, a sense of disappointment hangs in the air. Despite high expectations and the urgency of the global climate crisis, the outcomes of this year’s conference fell short of delivering the bold and decisive action many had hoped for. Yet, amid the
