I have found it difficult to write my climate news blog this week as I wanted to reflect the above title and the season of joy! This Is difficult as you probably realise, with regard to the climate news as most of this type of news is usually not good. I assure you I always try to include as much good climate news as I can find. As they say no news is good news so you will be getting that as I am having a break from my blog. I would like to thank everyone that has given me feedback on my blog both by email and personally. This is my 62nd weekly climate blog and they have helped me keep up to date with the climate news and I hope they have helped you do the same. I would also like to thank all those that came to the Seed Cafe on Thursday mornings through the year. I greatly enjoyed our discussions. The big news at the end of the year was of course COP28 and there have been more media summaries listed at the end of my blog if you have managed to avoid them so far and want to catch up by watching or listening to them.
The only Christmas climate news I have been able to find this week is How to eat, drink and … have a very sustainable Christmas and Glitter is ready-made microplastic pollution – time to ditch it this Christmas.
Good News
- National Grid and Scottish Power project to bring renewable power from Scotland to England awarded £1.8bn | STV News. The companies plan to begin building the ‘transformative’ £2.5bn high-voltage power line along the east coast.
- Orsted to proceed with mega Hornsea 3 North Sea wind farm project | Reuters
- Breakthrough battery powers electric car 1,000 km from single charge | The Independent
- New report reveals a stunning fact about the future of wind and solar power: ‘The more you install, the cheaper it gets’
- Bollards and ‘superblocks’: how Europe’s cities are turning on the car. In Paris, Barcelona and Brussels, authorities are adopting varied approaches to the task of reducing congestion and pollution.
- I used to fly around the world in all-expenses-paid luxury – but I couldn’t face my conscience. Quitting flying as a travel writer was easier than I expected. Now for the hard part: convincing my family to do the same.
- Vaccinating livestock against common diseases is a form of direct climate action
- COP28: Progress Made, Challenges Remain – Navigating the Road Ahead – Nature’s Advocates – Our work. The RSPBs view on COP28.
Not so Good News
- Advertising toys to children is an environmental nightmare — here’s how parents can deal with it
- Climate summits are too big and key voices are being crowded out – here’s a better solution
- Genetically modified crops aren’t a solution to climate change, despite what the biotech industry says
- COP28 agreement on adapting to climate change kicks the real challenge down the road
- UK government facing legal action for failing to tackle climate change – but it could backfire
- Environmental campaigners filmed, threatened and harassed at Cop28. Indigenous campaigners, human rights defenders and climate activists say they are being silenced by fear of reprisals.
- British Museum’s BP sponsorship deal ‘astonishingly out of touch’. Campaigners criticise £50m tie-up with fossil fuel firm to help fund ‘masterplan’ redevelopment project.
- The health cost of burning wood to warm homes. Experts say wood-burning is not cheaper or truly renewable and constitutes a major health risk.
Bad News
Other Media News
Watch The INSANE numbers of a global climate conference! For a great 17 minute summary of COP28 and a Christmas Fairy Tale from Dubai and the 6 minute The Wildlife Trusts COP28 update. BBC Sounds ‘The Climate Question’ also has a 27 minute summary of COP28 entitled ‘Was This year’s climate summit a game-changer?’