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As coronavirus infects markets, sustainable funds prove their mettle

by Naveena Sadasivam, Grist Highlights: Clean energy-based investments, known as Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) funds, are performing better than fossil fuel backed investments during the current financial decline. ESG funds were not considered safe investments by naysayers, but the hits taken throughout the year are not nearly as bad as their fossil fuel counterparts  $30 … Read more

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Coronavirus: ‘Nature is sending us a message’, says UN environment chief

Suburbia_by_David_Shankbone

by Damian Carrington, The Guardian Highlights Destruction of wildlife and the climate crisis is hurting humanity. Covid-19 a ‘warning from nature, according to the UN’s environment chief, Inger Andersen. To prevent further outbreaks, both climate change and the destruction of the natural world for farming, mining and housing have to end, as both drive wildlife … Read more

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As Congress debates an economic stimulus, where should the money be spent?

by Ken Kimmel, President of the Union of Concerned Scientists Highlights Current situation: Federal government response to COVID-19: In Washington DC a bi-partisan effort to help the country cope with COVID-19 is underway. So far, one immediate emergency bill appropriated approximately $8 billion designed to treat and prevent the virus. A second bill has also … Read more

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Op-ed: Coronavirus pandemic—the consequences of sidelining science

by Derrick Z. Jackson, Union of Concerned Scientists Highlights: Journalist Derrick Z. Jackson explains how the current administration is ignoring the science behind the COVID-19 outbreak, and jeopardizing many lives in the process. Wealthy corporations such as Target and Walgreens have offered support during this time as locations for potential drive-in style testing facilities The … Read more

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We are on track with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s worst-case climate warming scenario

Melting glacier

by the European Space Agency Highlights: A new report from an international team of polar scientists concludes that ice losses from Antarctica and Greenland are rising faster than expected, leading the region to the IPCC’s worst-case climate warming scenario: Greenland and Antarctica lost 6.4 trillion tonnes of ice which has pushed global sea levels up … Read more

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Coronavirus shutdowns are lowering greenhouse gas emissions; history shows they’ll roar back

by Tony Barboza, The Los Angeles Times Highlights: As the world shelters-in-place due to the pandemic of COVID-19, greenhouse gas emissions have lowered. However, this reduction in emissions is temporary and emissions will rise again once the pandemic reaches an end: Once self-isolation and quarantines end, more people will travel by car and airplane, ruining … Read more

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CCOF releases roadmap to an organic California policy report

Farmers in Rockingham County, Virginia check the results of no-till farming in their fields on September 9, 2008, as part of their participation in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative (CBWI).

by California Certified Organic Farmers Highlights: California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) recently released a Roadmap to an Organic California policy report.  The report highlights the personal and environmental health benefits of adopting 100% organic farming practices: Benefits of organic farming include: Sequestration – organic farming removes 14 times more CO2 from the atmosphere compared to … Read more

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‘Tip of the iceberg’: Is our destruction of nature responsible for Covid-19?

by John Vidal, The Guardian Highlights: As humans continue to encroach on wildland for development, the exposure to more zoonotic diseases increases, which could cause more pandemics:  As more people log, mine, and develop roads and towns in tropic forests and other important wildlife habitats, humans increase their chances of contracting diseases and unknown viruses … Read more

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Traffic and pollution plummet as U.S. cities shut down for Coronavirus

by Brad Plumer and Nadja Popovich, The New York Times Highlights: Major cities across the United States are experiencing decreases in traffic and, subsequently, decreases in air pollution due to self-isolation mandates in various areas. Nitrogen dioxide emissions have dropped dramatically and traffic jams have virtually stopped in Los Angeles. Traffic was reportedly moving 71 percent faster than … Read more

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How changes brought on by coronavirus could help tackle climate change

by Glen Peters, The Conversation Highlights: Carbon emissions are dropping due to reduced energy consumption, but previous financial crises and events have led to lower emissions only temporarily. At best, a financial crisis delays emissions growth a few years.  So far forecasts still indicate the global economy will grow in 2020. For example, the Organization … Read more