Environment

U.S. FOREST SERVICE PUSHES AHEAD TO GUT PROTECTIONS FOR AMERICA’S CLIMATE FOREST

Tongass National Forest jeopardized by push to abandon Roadless Rule and allow new logging

Despite the ongoing and overwhelming COVID-19 crisis, the U.S. Forest Service has not slowed its push to allow a new wave of logging in Alaska’s Tongass National Forest. On Sept 24, the agency announced a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) advancing its proposal to eliminate the Roadless Rule in the Tongass, opening vast swaths of irreplaceable old-growth temperate rainforest to clearcut logging.

Carbon emissions of richest 1 percent more than double the emissions of the poorest half of humanity

The richest one percent of the world’s population are responsible for more than twice as much carbon pollution as the 3.1 billion people who made up the poorest half of humanity during a critical 25-year period of unprecedented emissions growth.

The report assesses the consumption emissions of different income groups between 1990 and 2015 – 25 years when humanity doubled the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

New study identifies opportunities for increasing textile circularity in the Baltics

The Baltic states have a good starting point for integrating more circularity into the clothing and textile industry. Consumption levels of new textiles are significantly lower than, for example, in the Nordic countries and the purchase of second-hand clothing is an established element of household consumption. Second-hand textiles make up 29% of total consumption in Latvia and Lithuania and 16% in Estonia.

Young people around the world join UNESCO to #TrashHack their lives on World Cleanup Day

UNESCO is launching the Trash Hack campaign to encourage young people to learn about sustainability through tackling waste.

TRIBAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS SUE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OVER METHANE EMISSIONS ROLLBACKS

Gutting two of the most vital methane pollution protections in the midst of a global pandemic would further jeopardize public health

Earthjustice, on behalf of Clean Air Council, Fort Berthold Protectors of Water and Earth Rights (POWER), and Sierra Club, filed lawsuits challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) final rules on methane emissions standards. Last month, as cases of COVID-19 continued to rise across the country, EPA gutted vital methane emissions standards for oil and gas companies that reduce toxic pollution and protect public health.

IUCN World Conservation Congress 2020 postponed

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IUCN Standard to support global action on invasive alien species

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OECD countries make partial progress updating rules on international shipping of plastic waste

OECD countries have agreed to update rules on the export of hazardous plastic waste for recycling in line with international changes so that advance consent from destination countries will be required ahead of shipping. However, they did not reach consensus on updated arrangements for the export of non-hazardous plastic waste. OECD countries have agreed to review the situation for non-hazardous plastic waste in 2024.

Farmers could substantially boost productivity by conserving soil biodiversity – IUCN report

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CLIMATE, PROGRESSIVE GROUPS DEMAND THE CLIMATE CRISIS BE A MAJOR FOCUS OF PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES

Leaders from dozens of prominent organizations request debate moderators focus on the climate crisis in the presidential debates

On Sept.3, the leaders of 43 prominent progressive, climate, and environmental groups called on newly-announced debate moderators Chris Wallace, Steve Scully, Kristen Welker, and Susan Page to make climate change a central issue in the upcoming presidential and vice-presidential debates.