The Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement

A powerful video reminding us that throwing things away without a second thought comes at a high cost for our planet and for future generations.

Great post to celebrate Amazon Rainforest Day. Thank you, Rhett Ayers Butler!

This analysis on how to weigh nature market initiatives by Bronson Griscom for Conservation International offers a helpful roadmap for navigating economic initiatives that claim to be "nature-first" amid increasing concerns about greenwashing. In the interview (linked to in the comments), he offers 5 tips to judge their worthiness: "In summary," said Griscom, who leads Conservation International’s Natural Climate Solutions science team and published a study on this topic in 2017, "natural climate solutions must do the following: [1] Preserve an ecosystem and/or make progress toward returning it to its natural state. For example, some foresters are both protecting their forests from conversion while also transforming their logging and forest management practices to restore their forests from previous degradation. [2] Sustain and improve the resilience of rural economies and biodiversity in the face of a changing climate. For example, planting non-native trees in the African savanna is not a natural climate solution. Why? Those trees capture carbon, but they are more fire prone and would destroy the high biodiversity of the savanna. In contrast, restoration of native trees in places they have been cleared is a natural climate solution. [3] Represent a change in business-as-usual land stewardship practices. In other words, natural climate solutions must be the result of changes in human behavior and provide lasting climate benefits that wouldn’t otherwise occur, such as preventing a forest from being cleared for use as a pasture or a palm oil plantation. [4] Have measurable climate benefits. If we don’t understand how much carbon they capture, we cannot claim they are a real climate solution. [5] Finally, natural climate solutions must respect the rights, knowledge, culture and livelihoods of Indigenous peoples and local communities, which have in the past been overlooked." Does that cover it all? What do you think?

Today is the birthday of an unsung hero of climate change, Dr. Warren Washington. A pioneer in atmospheric computer modeling, he was awarded the Tyler Prize in 2019. Climate computer modeling continues to be a key way scientists and policymakers can work togher on this critical issue. "The research community continues to provide the policymakers worldwide different scenarios, which can potentially influence political issues," Dr. Washington said in a Q&A with us in 2019. "If you cut back fossil fuels too much and increase the price of energy, then people are going to not pay attention and say it is too extreme. If leaders do not do enough, then society is going to get in the future more severe impacts such as increased flooding, increased forest fires, and sea level rise. Numerous scientific studies have shown many serious climate impacts that are already happening, and society has many choices to make. Some will be painful ones. What the climate research community is offering is research on what is happening now and what will happen in the future, depending on which scenario is selected by the world’s leaders."

Biodiversity credits are a hot topic, and here’s why. Do you think these credits are a good way to incentivize action on biodiversity? Why or why not?

Why do you think this video went viral? One word: curiosity. This Basket Star piques our innate, shared human interest in novelty. It is a foreign, alien-like, deep sea creature that 68+ million people (and counting) may not have seen otherwise. These remarkable animals can regenerate limbs, and their network of branching arms can come together like a woven net to capture plankton and other prey, hence the common name ‘Basket’ Star. I’d argue that tapping into our species’ collective curiosity will be crucial to reversing the world’s biodiversity crisis— the first-of-its-kind mass extinction event driven by human activity. An average 69% of known, monitored wildlife has decreased in the past 50 years. We also don’t yet know how undiscovered creatures are being impacted. This is especially true in the vast global ocean, where scientists estimate that 91% of species have yet to be classified. And today marks the start of the Democratic National Convention. How is this related? In the upcoming U.S. election, it is critical we elect leaders who will uphold and abide by the global 30x30 framework (to conserve 30% of land and sea by 2030) as we sit at this inflection point for wildlife and our planet. This summer, the Biden-Harris Administration released the first-ever National Ocean Biodiversity Strategy. It's an exciting moment that shows our current government’s commitment to this global treaty. The incoming administration must move from this strategy toward its implementation. One objective that stood out to me? “Inspire, educate, and involve the public to discover and value ocean life” (beyond commercially valuable species)—which brings me back to the Basket Star video and how it spread online. In the U.S., 40% of the population is coastal. The rest of Americans, especially in the continental heartland, may rely on viral videos like this to inspire a love of weird, wonderful, wild ocean life. If we are to preserve and protect all biodiversity, and lesser-known marine species for future generations, we need everyone to care—politicians and everyday people alike. Share if you agree. (Video courtesy of @mat_jahan via TikTok)

Dans un nouveau TED Talk, en juillet, à Seattle, Johan Rockström, The Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement 2024 qui est à l'origine du concept des "Nine Planet Boundaries" dresse le bilan à date de l'avancement du réchauffement climatique. L'accélération du réchauffement climatique est patente et phénoménale. Nous sommes à un point de bascule. Nous ne parviendrons pas à tenir les 1,5°C de réchauffement d'ici 2100. 😐 Plus que jamais, nous n'avons pas le choix. "Saving the planet is not only necessary, it's also possible. We have the means, we have the proof. We'll all win if we succeed." A regarder jusqu'au bout 😎 https://lnkd.in/dTJitiTa Stockholm Resilience Centre IPCC PIK - Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research Julia Marton-Lefèvre Pavan Sukhdev François Gemenne Marlène DRESCH Romain Poivet Steve Evans Andree-Anne Lemieux Ghislain Boyer Paris Good Fashion Sylvie Ebel Guy Morgan Hélène VALADE Kachen Hong Karine Viel CAMILLE CARON Aude VERGNE Christophe Bocquet 🌱Alessandra Lobba NATHALIE FRANSON Laure Du Pavillon Francois Souchet Marjolaine Courbon Odile Idkowiak Charlotte Perrier Corinne Mosher Kenza Sedjelmaci Sophie Hersan Clarisse REILLE Pascal Morand Pierre-François Le Louët Yohann Petiot Frank BOEHLY Frédérique Gerardin Léonore Garnier #action #concret #collectif #trajectoire #zerocarbon #tippingpoint