Local chapter of Fossil Free Movement at Northern Arizona University
Episode 96: Exploring Rachel Carson’s Life and The Divestment Movement
In this episode of Citizens’ Climate Radio, hosts Horace Mo and Erica Valdez bring together diverse voices to discuss current efforts to address climate change. Horace Mo speaks with Ann E. Burg, a celebrated author known for compelling historical novels for young readers, about her newly published novel, “Force of Nature–A Novel of Rachel Carson,“ which opens a new door for readers to experience the life of Carson, a well-known environmental pioneer in the U.S., by reading her field notes and Ann’s innovative writing.
Erica Valdez discusses the American fossil fuel divestment movement, highlighting the work of younger generations. She has a conversation with Aly Horton, another student taking the initiative to promote the fossil fuel divestment movement on their campus at Northern Arizona University.
In the Resilience Corner, Tamara Staton speaks on mastering the banjo and how this uniquely relates to addressing climate change. Finally, we have a Good News story from Peterson Toscano regarding South Africa’s energy supply.
Ann E. Burg Explores Rachel Carson’s Life
In this episode, author Ann E. Burg dives into her latest work, “Force of Nature.” This novel is inspired by Rachel Carson’s groundbreaking environmental book Silent Spring. It is beautifully illustrated by Sophie Blackall.
After World War II, DDT became a common pesticide in neighborhoods and farms; however, it had dire consequences for ecosystems, entering the food chain and harming various species. This alarming situation inspired Rachel Carson to write and publish her now-famous book, “Silent Spring”, in 1962. Ann E Burg tells us how Carson’s book “explored DDT but also started with a fable for tomorrow. It suggested what life would be like if spring came and no birds were there to sing.”
Ann E. Burg considers Rachel Carson a role model for her scientific rigor and environmental advocacy. Carson’s ability to illuminate the beauty and complexity of nature-inspired Burg to see the world differently. This novel, “Force of Nature,” is not merely a recounting of Carson’s life but an immersive experience of her world. Burg hopes readers will see the world through Carson’s eyes and appreciate the interconnectedness of all life.
About Ann E. Burg
Ann Burg
Ann E. Burg’s debut novel, “All the Broken Pieces,” was named an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, a Jefferson Cup award winner, and an IRA Notable Book for a Global Society, among its many honors. Her subsequent novels in verse have garnered multiple awards and starred reviews. “Serafina’s Promise” was named an ALA Notable, a Parents’ Choice Gold Award Winner, and an NAACP Image Award finalist. “Unbound“ won the New York Historical Society Children’s History Book Prize, the Christopher Award, and an Arnold Adoff Poetry Honor. “Flooded–A Requiem for Johnstown” was a Bank Street College Claudia Lewis Award winner, a Bank Street College Best Children’s Book (with outstanding merit), and a Junior Library Guild selection. Before becoming a full-time writer, Burg worked as an English teacher for ten years. She lives in Rhinebeck, New York, with her family. To learn more about Ann E. Burg, visit her online at anneburg.com
The Student-Led Drive for Fossil Fuel Divestment
Erica Valdez discusses the fossil fuel divestment movement, highlighting the efforts on her campus, Northern Arizona University (NAU). Climate change is a human-caused phenomenon in which the fossil fuel industry plays a significant role. Erica dives into what divestment is and how it may be one of the most effective steps that institutions can take to slow climate change.
Erica invites Aly Horton, president of Fossil Free NAU, a student-led group demanding complete divestment. Aly explains the club’s efforts and goals to hold the university accountable to its environmental commitments.
Aly and Erica also discuss recent pushback from the university administration. Nevertheless, Fossil Free NAU remains determined to continue its mission because it is just a small chapter of an international movement. Although it may be difficult, many institutions have already divested from fossil fuels. Aly shares inspiring advice to organizers worldwide who are working towards divestment.
Listen Now!
Resilience Corner
For this month’s Resilience Corner, Tamara Staton draws parallels between her desire to master the banjo and the overwhelming task of addressing climate change. When practicing banjo, she faces common emotional barriers like fear, perfectionism, imposter syndrome, and information overload. We also face these barriers when we talk about climate change. Tamara discusses why it is important to recognize these feelings, encouraging listeners to embrace imperfections and persistent efforts.
To learn more about building resilience in the face of climate challenges, visit the Resilience Hub. You can also email Tamara at radio @ citizensclimate.org or text or leave a message at 619-512-9646.
Good News!
Peterson Toscano shares a good news story from Limpopo Province, South Africa, where earlier this month he was staying in a game reserve. He reflects on the progress in South Africa’s energy sector since his previous stay, highlighting the severe scheduled power outages known as load-shedding issues caused by unreliable coal-powered plants. He notes that significant changes have occurred since President Cyril Ramaphosa raised the licensing threshold for private power generation, leading to over 1,000 registered renewable energy projects. These projects, primarily solar and wind, are now providing nearly 4,500 megawatts of new capacity, significantly reducing power outages and transforming the country’s energy landscape.
Take a Meaningful Next Step
Each month, we will suggest meaningful, achievable, and measurable next steps for you to consider. We recognize that action is an antidote to despair. If you are struggling with what you can do, visit our Action Page.
Listener Survey
We want to hear your feedback about this episode. After you listen, feel free to fill in this short survey. Your feedback will help us make new decisions about the show’s content, guests, and style. You can fill it out anonymously and answer whichever questions you like. You can also reach us by email: radio@citizensclimatelobby.org
Special Thanks to the following people and groups for the ways they promote us through social media: Robert D. Evans, Pete Marsh, Bill Nash, 1.5, EG Hibdon, Mats Söderlund, Justin D’Atri, and last month’s guest, Rob Hopkins.Earthbased.Soul, FCWC, CCL Alameda, Alaska, and the CCL Young Conservative Caucus.
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Read the Transcript
Episode 96: Exploring Rachel Carson’s Life and Our New Divestment Story
SPEAKERS
Erica Valdez, Horace Mo, Peterson Toscano, Aly Horton, Ann E Burg, Tamara Staton,
Horace Mo 00:02
Welcome to Citizens Climate Radio, your climate change podcast.
Erica Valdez 00:08
In the show, we highlight people’s stories, we celebrate your successes. And together we share strategies for talking about climate change.
Horace Mo 00:15
I am your co-host, Horace Mo.
Erica Valdez 00:18
And I’m your other co-host, Erica Valdez.
Horace Mo 00:21
Welcome to Episode 96 of Citizens Climate Radio, a project of Citizens Climate Education.
Erica Valdez 00:28
This episode is airing on Friday, June 28th 2024. Okay, listeners, so this is a very new setup that we’re used to.
Horace Mo 00:39
Yeah we’re both excited because we have completely written, produced, and our hosting this miles episode by ourselves.
Erica Valdez 00:49
Yeah, which is very different, but I’m super excited for it. We have a lot of great things in this episode, Horace. What are you most excited for?
Horace Mo 00:56
Oh wow. I mean, we just have so much great conten covering this episode. But you asked me that question, which one I’m most excited about. It’s going to be my interview with Ann E Berg. The interview is about any Berg’s book, Force of Nature.
Erica Valdez 01:12
Yeah, it’s a great story. I’m really excited to hear it.
Horace Mo 01:14
As usual, you’ll hear from Tamar Staten, who is the host of Resilience Corner.
Erica Valdez 01:20
To finish off today’s episode, I also brought a story about fossil fuel divestment, and how students are organizing and empowering themselves to get their university to divest. Coincidently, I talk a little bit about my group that I was involved in on my university campus, so stay tuned for that. I’m
Horace Mo 01:37
I’m on the same side with you Erica. Go divestment. So stay tuned for Erica’s port.
Horace Mo 01:47
When you hear a book named Silent Spring, who and what we think of right off the bat? For many the image of Rachel Carson will spontaneously pop up in your mind, right? However, we’re not only talking about Silent Spring or the life of Rachel Carson today. Instead, on today’s show, we have a special guest Ann E Berg. She’s a celebrated author known for her compelling historical novels for young readers. Her work explores themes of resilience, just as in the human spirit, making her a beloved voice in children’s literature. I met with Anne to talk about her recently published book Force of Nature. It is a verse novel that presents Rachel Carson’s view of the world and nature. Ann told me about DDT and how its effects inspired Rachel Carson to publish one of the most recognized environmental books Silent Spring.
Ann E Burg 02:56
During World War Two, there was a pesticide known as DDT that was used by the military to keep disease from spreading, that when the war was over. They brought that pesticide to neighborhoods and backyard gardens to get rid of bugs and to get rid of the pests in the farms. The use was so prevalent they were crazy using DDT. What they didn’t realize was that DDT sinks into the soil and lives under the soil. Soon it became part of our food chain, and that meant the worms were digesting it. And soon then the birds were digesting it. And soon, just about when Rachel was starting to think about her book, birds were falling from their nests with their claws splayed. Fish were dying, and it occurred to Rachel that if we didn’t get a grip on this, these species wouldn’t be the only ones to suffer from DDT. She wrote a book called Silent Spring which examines the effect of DDT on life, on nature. The book explained all of that explored DDT, but also started with a fable for tomorrow it suggested, what would life be like if spring came and no birds were there to sing?
Horace Mo 04:25
While the Silent Spring reveals nature’s woes and alerts people to stop using DDT and says she had a different purpose, right a Force of Nature. She wants to allow the audience to experience Rachel’s world through her eyes.
Ann E Burg 04:43
The beauty of Rachel Carson was that she didn’t see us as separate from nature. She sees people, humans, humankind as a part of nature.
Ann E Burg 05:00
Of course, she was sorry to leave the world. She looked to nature and saw that everything leaves the world and comes back in another way that gave her hope. She found her place in nature, she does still live on in her words, and in her thoughts and in the love she had for our planet. In Force of Nature, we’re not reading about Rachel Carson. We’re not learning that she grew up in Pennsylvania, this was the day in 1907. We’re not learning that. We are not learning about her. And we’re not learning about her world. We are experiencing her world. It was my way of experiencing the world through Rachel’s eyes, and through her experiences. And in this case, I wanted to say that here was an amazing person that grew up in his sheltered life and went on to change the world.
Horace Mo 06:05
After researching and knowing about Rachel Carson, Ann shared the deep impression that Rachel’s life and the work have left on her as a person, and as a writer,
Ann E Burg 06:15
She is a role model. I mean, she’s a scientist, she’s a writer, she’s an environmentalist, but most of all, she’s a role model for all of us to live our lives that way, and maybe to see the world that way. And maybe if we did see the world that way, we would treat nature and all of her creatures more kindly.
Ann E Burg 06:35
When I looked at life, that way, you see a puddle and you see a puddle, but there’s life teeming in that puddle. It’s like she lit a light in my mind. As beautiful as things are, we don’t know half of how beautiful things are, how beautiful things are in ways that we don’t see. In that way. She awakened something in me that had never existed before. I mean, I didn’t really think of that ever. I didn’t like biology, I didn’t like learning about frogs. There is nothing about that. That appealed to me. But when I saw it through her eyes, the fascination and also the connection she had that we are all connected, she’s changed how I see the world.
Horace Mo 07:22
Lastly, Ann generously read a small section for book to give us a sneak peek of a book and the lubricin optimistic and the inspiring message to the world.
Ann E Burg 07:35
A drop of pond water holds within it an unseen universe teeming with life microscopic creatures, water fleas, water worms and all types of larvae squiggled through the silky threads of underwater plants. There is so much to see and learn.
Ann E Burg 08:01
I would like to tell the whole world that we are lucky to live on such a beautiful place. It is imperative that each of us recognize we’re part of this world. We should take good care of it stop fighting and take care of beautiful planet.
Horace Mo 08:22
That was Ann E Burg reading from her novel Force of Nature. And he’s available wherever you get books, Angel reading force of nature, and I highly recommend you to get a copy of it. You will experience the mystery of nature’s Rachel Carson’s eyes. Learn more about Ann and her other books by visiting her website anneburg.com
Erica Valdez 09:11
Now I’m going to share a story of how students on university campuses are working towards a fossil free future. We know that climate change is a human-caused phenomenon, and that the effects are being felt by communities all over the world. We also hear about an infamous contributor to climate change the fossil fuel industry; although they’re known to be very harmful to the environment, fossil fuels have become a huge part of our lives. It’s not practical for every person to boycott fossil fuels, but there are other ways that we can become less reliant on them. One of these is complete divestment from fossil fuels.
Erica Valdez 09:48
So what is divestment? Simply put, divestment is the opposite of investment. Imagine you have money invested in companies like Shell, Exxon Mobil or Chevron, but you decide you don’t want to invest in them anymore. So you sell your stocks or assets. These companies profit by exploiting natural resources and accelerating climate change. So this movement calls for simply removing yourself as a shareholder in fossil fuel companies and companies that are fossil fuel intensive. Students and Northern Arizona University or any you are organizing and working towards a fossil-free future. Leading the initiative is a club called Fossil Free NAU or FFNAU. This chapter is just a small part of an international divestment movement. I decided to invite my good friend and president of Fossil Free NAU Aly Horton to talk more about the initiative.
Aly Horton 10:50
Fossil Free NEU has been around for several years back in 2014 is when there was the initial movement, which phased out a little bit and has on and off flourished throughout the time at NAU, but within the past two to three years that has been when the movement has really taken off and started to flourish to what it is today.
Erica Valdez 11:14
Ali also explains how and why FFNAU is holding the university accountable, and what actions were taking like drafting a letter to the board of the demands, and getting signatures from the students, staff, faculty and alumni.
Aly Horton 11:27
Fossil Free NAU’s demands of divestment would encourage any you to align their actions with their commitments, especially with their elevating excellence strategy, which includes the effective utilization of our financial resources with an emphasis and environmental stewardship. So with this, we are just encouraging them to actually commit to those commitments and follow through with their actions. Our demands to the NAU Foundation Board include the divestment from the top 200 coal, oil and gas reserve owners evaluate all carbon intensive companies for the existence and quality of a low-carbon transition plan. gather feedback from any use students, faculty, alumni and staff on priorities for socially responsible investment policy. And lastly, disclose endowment holdings and investment policy annually.
Erica Valdez 12:18
Unfortunately, there are also people who are fighting against these efforts this semester as a venue has faced some pushback from powerful administration. I told us a little bit about some recent events.
Aly Horton 12:29
In February Fossil Free NAU began strategizing who we wanted to reach out to to gain support on our letter to the NAU Foundation Board, we decided to reach out to the Faculty Senate of NAU. We had met with them initially in March for about 10 minutes, which resulted in them requesting for us to come back to further our discussion. We came back in April to discuss the letter again with the faculty members and the senators. However, we weren’t given an opportunity really to speak at this engagement they had allotted only 15 to 25 minutes initially on the agenda. However, they allowed the conversation to go over 35 minutes, but unfortunately the first 15 of that was taken by a representative from the NLU Foundation Board, which was unfortunate for us in our time and our voice as students. We were not given time to speak at this event.
Aly Horton 13:28
This event resulted in the Faculty Senate deciding to not sign on to our letter so we began strategizing what we wanted to do. We met later that night after the faculty senate meeting to discuss our actions which resulted in us writing a response to the faculty senate and began organizing to contact the NTU Foundation Board and Investment Committee. We’re hoping that they follow through with their open door policy that they said in that meeting and begin this conversation with us.
Erica Valdez 13:59
The signature would have been a great addition to the letter, but FFNAU is pushing through this challenge and continuing our mission to present the letter to the foundation board and then your future. FFNEU is an example of how groups are taking huge strides towards a fossil free future.
Erica Valdez 14:15
Complete fossil fuel divestment is a very difficult thing to accomplish in higher education or any institution. We may always rely on fossil fuels. But this group, along with countless others show the progress we’re making to become less reliant on them. 1000s of institutions have already divested over $40 trillion. Talk about progress. And in recent years, other universities have demanded for divestment as well, including New York, Boston, Cornell, Harvard, and the whole California State and University of California systems. For those starting divestment movements are facing similar struggles as FF NAU ally shares great advice about how we can keep moving forward and why this is so important.
Aly Horton 14:55
We recognize that staff members need to align with the school those missions safety and analysis of risk to protect their students. But they’re not doing that with their investments. By divesting, they’re taking power away from industries and corporations that are only perpetuating the climate crisis. divestment is an intersectional way to advocate divesting, not only from fossil fuels, but other carbon-intensive companies is protecting our planet in more ways than people realize that’s going to impact not only our generation but theirs and is currently it is currently impacting everyone on the planet. This movement is only growing because of the unfortunate impacts of climate change. Our movement is only going to continue to grow.
Aly Horton 15:41
As long as we continue to outreach, to educate and to be passionate about what we’re doing. I would suggest to new organizers to recognize their passion, look to others for help. And since this movement is intersectional there is so much community to be found in this issue because it overarching every issue and every person on this planet. People just need to realize that find that community and push on.
Horace Mo 16:18
Now it’s time for the resilience corner was Tamra Staden. Hi,
Tamara Staton 16:24
I’m Tamra Staton. CCL’s education and resilience coordinator. And this is resilient climatateering through unexpected Climate Connections. This isn’t a series about weather or science or graphs or data, though I do reference some of those from time to time. Instead, it’s a series about things that help us worry less and act more on climate explored through a lens of playful curiosity. Together, we’ll explore how to enjoy what matters so deeply so that we can be as effective as possible for as long as we’re needed.
Tamara Staton 16:57
Today’s topic is banjos and climate, two seemingly unrelated concepts that I care about deeply. But both of which, at times overwhelming. You and I likely have something in common. We’re both engaged in climate work and we want to do it well. I wonder though, do we also share a love of music, maybe you play an instrument? Maybe you sing, or consider yourself musically inclined in some way. Or maybe like me, you’d love to feel a sense of pride or confidence in your musical ability. Instead, I end up focusing on how I’d like to be better at banjo or taking action on climate.
Tamara Staton 17:44
I would love to be a good banjo player, a great banjo player for that matter. It would be so fun to play Dueling Banjos with my husband on guitar. I dream of kicking it like Kermit in the woods connecting rainbows. Every time I hear banjo in a song, I want to turn it up, Howard, I want to create those sounds, feel my fingers fly, and make people smile and dance. I feel like I’ve been a banjo beginner forever though, dipping every so often into intermediate. I practice my roles. I learned some songs, I get a taste of that competence even and then a dragon of fear and doubt steps in. I think I won’t ever be that good. So it’s really not worth trying.
Tamara Staton 18:25
I worry sometimes that we won’t ever solve climate change, so my actions aren’t going to matter. fear and doubt paralyze me. What are your dragons? What breathes fire into your face and shuts you down? In the face of good intentions? Is it anger? resentment? Overwhelmed? Maybe. There’s so many obstacles in the world hindering progress on climate action. Why do I also end up face-to-face with obstacles inside me? These feelings are common, and no, I’m not the only one. But why do we feel this way? Sometimes. Maybe it’s the scale of the challenge. Both mastering the banjo and tackling climate change are formidable tasks. The enormity of these challenges can make one’s efforts seem insignificant, leading to feelings of helplessness.
Tamara Staton 19:16
It could be perfectionism, the desire to achieve perfection can lead to constant self criticism and fear of making mistakes, which can paralyze progress. It might well be impostor syndrome. This is the feeling that one is not as competent as others perceive them to be leading to self doubt and fear of failure. What about the lack of immediate results? In both cases, results are not immediately visible. This delayed gratification can be discouraging, and lead to doubts about the effectiveness of one’s efforts. And there’s also social comparison. constantly comparing oneself to others who may seem more successful or effective, can amplify feelings of inadequacy and fear this especially true in the world of social media. And no doubt, it may have to do with information overload. With climate change the overwhelming amount of information, and the often dire predictions can lead to paralysis by analysis, and a sense of futility.
Tamara Staton 20:22
Does any of this sound familiar to you? Well, knowing about these underlying causes does not make the dragons go away. It does help to lessen their power over me. It affirms when I’m feeling that learning an instrument like the banjo is challenging. Taking on climate change is massive. I’m gonna mess up sometimes and play the wrong note, I might not see the results right away, and may get overwhelmed by the weight of it all. But that’s because I’m human. It’s normal to feel this way. It’s perfectly imperfect, just like you and me.
Tamara Staton 21:02
So in our next episode, I’ll dive into another set of unexpected Climate Connections. So unexpected, in fact that I’m not completely sure which direction to go.
Tamara Staton 21:12
Do you have any ideas, any Climate Connections you’d like me to dive into? I’m Tamra Staton with Resilience Corner, thank you for listening and for your commitment to progress. To learn more about tools, trainings, and resources for staying strong. Through the climate challenge, check out our resilience hub at CCL usa.org Ford slash resilience. And until next month, remember this, find your passion, let it guide you, and you’ll do amazing things for the world.
Erica Valdez 21:48
Thank you, Tamara, do you have questions for Tamara. She’s very happy to consider your resilience questions, conundrums, and suggestions. Do send an email to radio at citizens climate.org That’s radio at citizens climate.org or text us at 619-512-9646.
Horace Mo 22:08
The resilience corner is made possible with Tamra Staton, education and resilience coordinator for Citizens Climate Education, the resiliency Hub website is CCO usa.org/resilience.
22:48
Hi there I’m Peterson Toscano. And our good news story is from South Africa. Actually, I’m coming to you from Limpopo Province in the north of the country. At the moment, I’m at my in-laws house, which is located right in the middle of a game reserve that was recorded outside but I need to keep my eyes open in case a lion or an elephant passes by. And I am not kidding. Horace and Erica, thank you so much for all the hard work you’ve done on this episode, so that I could travel to be here with my family.
Peterson Toscano 23:23
I arrived in South Africa curious to know how things were going in the energy sector. In June 2020 to two years ago, my husband Glen and I left the country after living here for 18 months. Because not enough energy was generated to supply power to all the homes and businesses in the country. We routinely experienced daily power outages.
Peterson Toscano 23:48
Here in South Africa, they call the scheduled outages load shedding the state run energy company, Eskom turned off the power for a municipality for two hours at a time. Sometimes they did this four times a day. As you can imagine, Eskom became a dirty word. Everyone I knew loaded an app that alerted us when we could expect the power cuts.
Peterson Toscano 24:16
But I hoped that loadshedding would soon become a thing of the past. South Africa is rich in sunshine and wind. Many homes like my inlaws already have solar panels or solar water heaters; wind and solar are the smartest ways to get the country off of the unreliable coal powered energy supply. They need to break away from failing power plants and instead turn to cleaner alternatives to fill in the gaps.
Peterson Toscano 24:45
In 2021, President Cyril Ramaphosa made a groundbreaking announcement. He raised the licensing threshold for private power generation from one megawatt to 100 megawatts. This change opened the door for significant private investment in renewable energy projects. Fast forward to today, June 2024, over 1000 private power generation projects have been registered. These projects contribute nearly 4500 megawatts of new capacity. This surge in private power driven primarily by solar and wind energy is helping to reduce the frequency of power outages and lessen the burden on Eskom.
Peterson Toscano 25:34
In fact, in over three weeks here, we have not experienced a single bit of loadshedding. This may be in part because I arrived just during the election season. But even after the elections, the power has stayed on. significant investments in renewable energy are transforming the energy landscape in South Africa and bringing cleaner, more reliable power to homes and businesses across the country.
Peterson Toscano 26:06
Do you have a good news story you want to share from your own community? Let us know about it contact us by email. The email address is radio at citizens climate.org That’s radio at citizens climate.org.
Peterson Toscano 26:31
Over the last month many of you have shared our posts on social media and more people have joined us on social media. Here are some people and organizations that have shown us some love. Thank you to Robert D. Evans, Pete Marsh Bill Nash 1.5, EG Hibdon, Mats Söderlund, Justin D’Atri, and last month’s guest, Rob Hopkins. Earthbased.Soul, FCWC, and CCL Alameda, Alaska, And the CCL Young Conservative Caucus. Thank you so much for reposting and sharing our content with your followers.
Peterson Toscano 27:15
And we welcome some new social media followers. Hello to Mary Francis, Wendy Bayer and Bill Buffington. You can follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and TikTok. We also have a listener voicemail line where you can leave us a message that we could play on the next episode. The number is 619-512-9646 plus one if you’re calling from outside the USA, that number again 619-512-9646. And now back to Erica and Horace and I think I’m about to go for a game drive. See you next month.
Horace Mo 28:08
Thank you for joining us for episode 96 of Citizens Climate Radio.
Erica Valdez 28:13
If you like what you hear, and you want to support the work that we do, visit CitizensClimateEducation.org To learn how you can make a tax-deductible contribution.
Horace Mo 28:23
Here at a Citizens Climate Education will want you to be effective in the climate work you do. So we provide training, local group meetings and many resources. They’re all designed to help you build the confidence and skills needed to pursue climate solutions. Find out how you can learn and grow and connect with others who are engaged in a meaningful work. Visit CCL usa.org. That’s CCO usa.org.
Erica Valdez 28:55
We want to hear your feedback about this episode. After you listen feel free to fill out a short survey. You will find a link to the survey in our show notes or just email me radio at Citizens Climate lobby.org Citizens Climate Radio is written and produced by Peterson Toscano, Horace Moe and Eric about this other technical support from Ricky Bradley and Brett cease social media assistance from Flannery Winchester and moral support from Madeline Para.
Horace Mo 29:21
The music on today’s show comes from epidemicsound.com. Please share Citizens Climate Radio with your friends and colleagues. You can find Citizens Climate Radio wherever you listen to podcasts. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners suggest program ideas and respond to programs in the Citizens Climate Radio Facebook group from x previously know on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, or TikTok at climate change podcast. Visit CCL usa.org/radio. To see our show notes and find links to our guests. Citizens Climate Radio. He’s a project of Citizens Climate Education
The post Episode 96: Exploring Rachel Carson’s Life and The Divestment Movement appeared first on Citizens' Climate Lobby.
Episode 96: Exploring Rachel Carson’s Life and The Divestment Movement
Greenhouse Gases
Cropped 13 August 2025: Fossil-fuelled bird decline; ‘Deadly’ wildfires; Empty nature fund
We handpick and explain the most important stories at the intersection of climate, land, food and nature over the past fortnight.
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Key developments
‘Deadly’ wildfires
WINE BRAKE: France experienced its “largest wildfire in decades”, which scorched more than 16,000 hectares in the country’s southern Aude region, the Associated Press said. “Gusting winds” fanned the flames, Reuters reported, but local winemakers and mayors also “blam[ed] the loss of vineyards”, which can act as a “natural, moisture-filled brake against wildfires”, for the fire’s rapid spread. It added that thousands of hectares of vineyards were removed in Aude over the past year. Meanwhile, thousands of people were evacuated from “deadly” wildfires in Spain, the Guardian said, with blazes ongoing in other parts of Europe.
MAJOR FIRES: Canada is experiencing its second-worst wildfire season on record, CBC News reported. More than 7.3m hectares burned in 2025, “more than double the 10-year average for this time of year”, the broadcaster said. The past three fire seasons were “among the 10 worst on record”, CBC News added. Dr Mike Flannigan from Thompson Rivers University told the Guardian: “This is our new reality…The warmer it gets, the more fires we see.” Elsewhere, the UK is experiencing a record year for wildfires, with more than 40,000 hectares of land burned so far in 2025, according to Carbon Brief.
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WESTERN US: The US state of Colorado has recorded one of its largest wildfires in history in recent days, the Guardian said. The fire “charred” more than 43,300 hectares of land and led to the temporary evacuation of 179 inmates from a prison, the newspaper said. In California, a fire broke out “during a heatwave” and burned more than 2,000 hectares before it was contained, the Los Angeles Times reported. BBC News noted: “Wildfires have become more frequent in California, with experts citing climate change as a key factor. Hotter, drier conditions have made fire seasons longer and more destructive.”
FIRE FUNDING: “Worsening fires” in the Brazilian Amazon threaten new rainforest funding proposals due to be announced at the COP30 climate summit later this year, experts told Climate Home News. The new initiatives include the Tropical Forests Forever Facility, which the outlet said “aims to generate a flow of international investment to pay countries annually in proportion to their preserved tropical forests”. The outlet added: “If fires in the Amazon continue to worsen in the years to come, eligibility for funding could be jeopardised, Brazil’s environment ministry acknowledged.”
Farming impacts
OUT OF ORBIT: US president Donald Trump moved to “shut down” two space missions which monitor carbon dioxide and plant health, the Associated Press reported. Ending these NASA missions would “potentially shu[t] off an important source of data for scientists, policymakers and farmers”, the outlet said. Dr David Crisp, a retired NASA scientist, said the missions can detect the “glow” of plant growth, which the outlet noted “helps monitor drought and predict food shortages that can lead to civil unrest and famine”.
FARM EXTREMES: Elsewhere, Reuters said that some farmers are considering “abandoning” a “drought-hit” agricultural area in Hungary as “climate change cuts crop yields and reduces groundwater levels”. Scientists warned that rising temperatures and low rainfall threaten the region’s “agricultural viability”, the newswire added. Meanwhile, the Premium Times in Nigeria said that some farmers are “harvest[ing] crops prematurely” due to flooding fears. A community in the south-eastern state of Imo “has endured recurrent floods, which wash away crops and incomes alike” over the past decade, the newspaper noted.
SECURITY RISKS: Food supply chains in the UK face “escalating threats from climate impacts and the migration they are triggering”, according to a report covered by Business Green. The outlet said that £3bn worth of UK food imports originated from the 20 countries “with the highest numbers of climate-driven displacements” in 2024, based on analysis from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit. The analysis highlighted that “climate impacts on food imports pose a threat to UK food security”. Elsewhere, an opinion piece in Dialogue Earth explored how the “role of gender equity in food security remains critically unaddressed”.
Spotlight
Fossil-fuelled bird decline
This week, Carbon Brief covers a new study tracing the impact of fossil-fuelled climate change on tropical birds.
Over the past few years, biologists have recorded sharp declines in bird numbers across tropical rainforests – even in areas untouched by humans – with the cause remaining a mystery.
A new study published this week in Nature Ecology and Evolution could help to shed light on this alarming phenomenon.
The research combined ecological and climate attribution techniques for the first time to trace the fingerprint of fossil-fuelled climate change on declining bird populations.
It found that an increase in heat extremes driven by climate change has caused tropical bird populations to decline by 25-38% in the period 1950-2020, when compared to a world without warming.
In their paper, the authors noted that birds in the tropics could be living close to their “thermal limits”.
Study lead author Dr Maximilian Kotz, a climate scientist at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center in Spain, explained to Carbon Brief:
“High temperature extremes can induce direct mortality in bird populations due to hyperthermia and dehydration. Even when they don’t [kill birds immediately], there’s evidence that this can then affect body condition which, in turn, affects breeding behaviour and success.”
Conservation implications
The findings have “potential ramifications” for commonly proposed conservation strategies, such as increasing the amount of land in the tropics that is protected for nature, the authors said. In their paper, they continued:
“While we do not disagree that these strategies are necessary for abating tropical habitat loss…our research shows there is now an additional urgent need to investigate strategies that can allow for the persistence of tropical species that are vulnerable to heat extremes.”
In some parts of the world, scientists and conservationists are looking into how to protect wildlife from more intense and frequent climate extremes, Kotz said.
He referenced one project in Australia which is working to protect threatened wildlife following periods of extreme heat, drought and bushfires.
Prof Alex Pigot, a biodiversity scientist at University College London (UCL), who was not involved in the research, said the findings reinforced the need to systematically monitor the impact of extreme weather on wildlife. He told Carbon Brief:
“We urgently need to develop early warning systems to be able to anticipate in advance where and when extreme heatwaves and droughts are likely to impact populations – and also rapidly scale up our monitoring of species and ecosystems so that we can reliably detect these effects.”
There is further coverage of this research on Carbon Brief’s website.
News and views
EMPTY CALI FUND: A major voluntary fund for biodiversity remains empty more than five months after its launch, Carbon Brief revealed. The Cali Fund, agreed at the COP16 biodiversity negotiations last year, was set up for companies who rely on nature’s resources to share some of their earnings with the countries where many of these resources originate. Big pharmaceutical companies did not take up on opportunities to commit to contributing to the fund or be involved in its launch in February 2025, emails released to Carbon Brief showed. Just one US biotechnology firm has pledged to contribute to the fund in the future.
LOSING HOPE: Western Australia’s Ningaloo reef – long considered a “hope spot” among the country’s coral reefs for evading major bleaching events – is facing its “worst-ever coral bleaching”, Australia’s ABC News reported. The ocean around Ningaloo has been “abnormally” warm since December, resulting in “unprecedented” bleaching and mortality, a research scientist told the outlet. According to marine ecologist Dr Damian Thomson, “up to 50% of the examined coral was dead in May”, the Sydney Morning Herald said. Thomson told the newspaper: “You realise your children are probably never going to see Ningaloo the way you saw it.”
‘DEVASTATION BILL’: Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, signed a “contentious” environmental bill into law, but “partially vetoed” some of the widely criticised elements, the Financial Times reported. Critics, who dubbed it the “devastation bill”, said it “risked fuelling deforestation and would harm Brazil’s ecological credentials” just months before hosting the COP30 climate summit. The newspaper said: “The leftist leader struck down or altered 63 of 400 provisions in the legislation, which was designed to speed up and modernise environmental licensing for new business and infrastructure developments.” The vetoes need to be approved by congress, “where Lula lacks a majority”, the newspaper noted.
RAINFOREST DRILLING: The EU has advised the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) against allowing oil drilling in a vast stretch of rainforest and peatland that was jointly designated a “green corridor” earlier this year, Climate Home News reported. In May, the DRC announced that it planned to open the conservation area for drilling, the publication said. A spokesperson for the European Commission told Climate Home News that the bloc “fully acknowledges and respects the DRC’s sovereign right to utilise its diverse resources for economic development”, but that it “highlights the fact that green alternatives have facilitated the protection of certain areas”.
NEW PLAN FOR WETLANDS: During the 15th meeting of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, held in Zimbabwe from 23 to 31 July, countries agreed on the adoption of a new 10-year strategic plan for conserving and sustainably using the world’s wetlands. Down to Earth reported that 13 resolutions were adopted, including “enhancing monitoring and reporting, capacity building and mobilisation of resources”. During the talks, Zimbabwe’s environment minister announced plans to restore 250,000 hectares of degraded wetlands by 2030 and Saudi Arabia entered the Convention on Wetlands. Panamá will host the next COP on wetlands in July 2028.
MEAT MADNESS: DeSmog covered the details of a 2021 public relations document that revealed how the meat industry is trying to “make beef seem climate-friendly”. The industry “may have enlisted environmental groups to persuade people to ‘feel better’ about eating beef”, the outlet said, based on this document. The strategy was created by a communications agency, MHP Group, and addressed to the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef. One of the key messages of the plan was to communicate the “growing momentum in the beef industry to protect and nurture the Earth’s natural resources”. MHP Group did not respond to a request for comment, according to DeSmog.
Watch, read, listen
MAKING WAVES: A livestream of deep-sea “crustaceans, sponges and sea cucumbers” has “captivated” people in Argentina, the New York Times outlined.
BAFFLING BIRDS: The Times explored the backstory to the tens of thousands of “exotic-looking” parakeets found in parks across Britain.
PLANT-BASED POWER: In the Conversation, Prof Paul Behrens outlined how switching to a plant-based diet could help the UK meet its climate and health targets.
MARINE DISCRIMINATION: Nature spoke to a US-based graduate student who co-founded Minorities in Shark Science about her experiences of racism and sexism in the research field.
New science
- Applying biochar – a type of charcoal – to soils each year over a long period of time can have “sustained benefits for crop yield and greenhouse gas mitigation”, according to a Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences study.
- New research, published in PLOS Climate, found that nearly one-third of highly migratory fish species in the US waters of the Atlantic Ocean have “high” or “very high” vulnerability to climate change, but the majority of species have “some level of resilience and adaptability”.
- A study in Communications Earth & Environment found a “notable greening trend” in China’s wetlands over 2000-23, with an increasing amount of carbon being stored in the plants growing there.
In the diary
- 18-29 August: Second meeting of the preparatory commission for the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction | New York
- 24-28 August: World Water Week | Online and Stockholm, Sweden
- 26-29 August: Sixth forum of ministers and environment authorities of Asia Pacific | Nadi, Fiji
Cropped is researched and written by Dr Giuliana Viglione, Aruna Chandrasekhar, Daisy Dunne, Orla Dwyer and Yanine Quiroz. Please send tips and feedback to cropped@carbonbrief.org
The post Cropped 13 August 2025: Fossil-fuelled bird decline; ‘Deadly’ wildfires; Empty nature fund appeared first on Carbon Brief.
Cropped 13 August 2025: Fossil-fuelled bird decline; ‘Deadly’ wildfires; Empty nature fund
CCL submits a formal comment on EPA’s proposed endangerment finding rollback
By Dana Nuccitelli, CCL Research Manager
On July 29, the EPA proposed to rescind its 2009 endangerment finding that forms the basis of all federal climate pollution regulations.
Without the endangerment finding, the EPA may not be allowed or able to regulate greenhouse gas pollution from sources like power plants or vehicle tailpipes, as they have done for years. News coverage has framed this as a “radical transformation” and a “bid to scrap almost all pollution regulations,” so it has appropriately alarmed many folks in the climate and environment space.
At CCL, we focus our efforts on working with Congress to implement durable climate policies, and so we don’t normally take actions on issues like this that relate to federal agencies or the courts. Other organizations focus their efforts on those branches of the government and are better equipped to spearhead this type of moment, and we appreciate those allies.
But in this case, we did see an opportunity for CCL’s voice — and our focus on Congress — to play a role here. We decided to submit a formal comment on this EPA action for two reasons.
First, this decision could have an immense impact by eliminating every federal regulation of climate pollutants in a worst case scenario. Second, this move relates to our work because the EPA is misinterpreting the text and intent of laws passed by Congress. Our representatives have done their jobs by passing legislation over the past many decades that supports and further codifies the EPA’s mandate to regulate climate pollution. That includes the Clean Air Act, and more recently, the Inflation Reduction Act. We at CCL wanted to support our members of Congress by making these points in a formal comment.
There has been a tremendous public response to this action. In just over one week, the EPA already received over 44,000 public comments on its decision, and the public comment period will remain open for another five weeks, until September 15.
To understand more about the details and potential outcomes of the EPA’s actions, read my article on the subject at Yale Climate Connections, our discussion on CCL Community, and CCL’s formal comment, which represents our entire organization. As our comment concludes,
“In its justifications for rescinding the 2009 endangerment finding, the Reconsideration has misinterpreted the text of the Clean Air Act, Congress’ decadeslong support for the EPA’s mandate to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles and other major sources, and the vast body of peer-reviewed climate science research that documents the increasingly dangerous threats that those emissions pose to Americans’ health and welfare. Because the bases of these justifications are fundamentally flawed, CCL urges the EPA to withdraw its ill-conceived Reconsideration of the 2009 endangerment finding. The EPA has both the authority and the responsibility to act. Americans cannot afford a retreat from science, law, and common sense in the face of a rapidly accelerating climate crisis.”
After the EPA responds to the public comment record and finalizes its decision, this issue will ultimately be decided by the Supreme Court several years from now.
In the meantime, CCL will continue to focus our efforts on areas where we can make the biggest difference in preserving a livable climate. Right now, that involves contacting our members of Congress to urge them to fully fund key climate and energy programs and protect critical work at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and Department of Energy. We’ve set an ambitious goal of sending 10,000 messages to our members of Congress, so let’s all do what CCL does best and make our voices heard on this critical issue.
This action by the EPA also reminds us that federal regulations are fragile. They tend to change with each new administration coming into the White House. Legislation passed by Congress – especially when done on a bipartisan basis – is much more durable. That’s why CCL’s work, as one of very few organizations engaging in nonpartisan advocacy for long-lasting climate legislation, is so critical.
That’s especially true right now when we’re seeing the Trump administration slam shut every executive branch door to addressing climate change. We need Congress to step up now more than ever to implement durable solutions like funding key climate and energy programs, negotiating a new bipartisan comprehensive permitting reform bill, implementing healthy forest solutions like the Fix Our Forests Act, and advancing conversations about policies to put a price on carbon pollution. Those are the kinds of effective, durable, bipartisan climate solutions that CCL is uniquely poised to help become law and make a real difference in preserving a livable climate.
For other examples of how CCL is using our grassroots power to help ensure that Congress stays effective on climate in this political landscape, see our full “Holding the Line on Climate” blog series.
The post Holding the line on climate: EPA appeared first on Citizens' Climate Lobby.
Greenhouse Gases
Analysis: England’s most ethnically diverse areas are 15 times more likely to face extreme heat
Neighbourhoods in England that are home to the most minority-ethnic people are 15 times more likely to face extreme heat than the least diverse areas, according to Carbon Brief analysis.
People with the lowest carbon footprints – who therefore contribute less to climate change – are also more likely to live in areas that experience high temperatures.
This is based on Carbon Brief analysis that combines satellite data on heat exposure with data on per-capita emissions, ethnicity and levels of deprivation across England.
Thousands of deaths in the UK have been attributed to heat in recent years and the threat is expected to grow as climate change worsens.
But heat is also felt differently across the country, with certain groups both more exposed and more vulnerable to dangerous temperatures.
Broadly, the analysis shows how those subject to the “urban heat island” effect in English cities, often in low-quality housing and with little access to green space, are more likely to experience extreme heat.
Experts tell Carbon Brief that policymaking should reflect the reality of climate change “amplifying” inequalities across society and provide help to those most in need, such as more heat-resilient social housing.
Heat threat
As greenhouse gas emissions and global temperatures rise, more people in the UK are likely to become ill or even die due to extreme heat.
Heat has killed around 6,000 people in England over the past three years, according to government figures. This is roughly double the number killed over the same period between 2016 and 2018.
Scientists have repeatedly linked extreme heat – and the resulting deaths – to climate change.
In June 2025 alone, more than 260 people died in London due to a heatwave, according to a recent attribution study that linked the event to climate change.
Government advisor the Climate Change Committee (CCC) estimates that the number of heat-related fatalities in the UK each year is set to triple by 2050, without adaptation measures.
Around half of homes in the country are already at risk of overheating and the CCC expects this to reach 90%, if global temperatures rise by 2C above pre-industrial levels.
However, these risks will not fall equally across society, with children, the elderly and disabled people more vulnerable to heat-related illness. There is also evidence that poorer communities and people of colour are more vulnerable to extreme heat.
Such communities also tend to have lower carbon footprints than those that are whiter and wealthier.
This fits with the broader concept of climate justice, which describes how people who are least responsible for climate change often end up bearing the brunt of its effects.
Carbon footprints
To investigate these issues, Carbon Brief combined detailed satellite data on heat exposure across England, provided by 4 Earth Intelligence, with neighbourhood-level carbon footprints compiled by the Centre for Research in Energy Demand Solutions (CREDS).
The CREDS dataset provides estimates of per-person carbon footprints, indicating how much the average person in each neighbourhood is contributing to climate change.
Due to data availability, this analysis focuses exclusively on England, the nation that experiences the most extreme heat in the UK.
Every neighbourhood is scored based on its “heat hazard”, meaning the likelihood that it will experience higher relative temperatures during hot weather, compared to surrounding areas.
The analysis then zooms in on the 10% worst-affected neighbourhoods in England. These neighbourhoods have a heat hazard score of 4 or 5, meaning that they face higher exposure to heat than 90% of areas around the country. (For a full explanation, see Methodology.)
The figure below shows that neighbourhoods with lower carbon footprints are twice as likely to face high heat hazard scores than areas with higher carbon footprints.
Specifically, it shows that 13.4% of neighbourhoods with the lowest carbon footprints are among the English areas most exposed to heat hazards. In contrast, only 7.0% of neighbourhoods with the highest carbon footprint are among the most heat-exposed areas.
Neighbourhoods in England with lower carbon footprints are often in dense, urban areas, where people tend to be less reliant on cars and more likely to live in energy-efficient flats.
Areas with higher carbon footprints are commonly found in rural areas, where travelling by car can be a necessity due to limited public transport.
Also, particularly in south-east England, people in these rural neighbourhoods are often wealthier, meaning they spend more money on flights and other high-emitting luxuries.
Ethnicity and deprivation
Carbon Brief also analysed the heat threat facing deprived neighbourhoods in England and those that are home to more people of colour.
Information about how many people identify as black, Asian and other minority ethnicities in each neighbourhood is based on 2021 census data, via the Office for National Statistics.
As the chart below shows, there is a clear correlation between the number of people of colour living in a neighbourhood and the likelihood of it facing extreme heat during periods of hot weather.
The most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods – where roughly half or more of the population are people of colour – are 15 times more likely to have high heat hazard scores than the least ethnically diverse neighbourhoods, where almost everyone is white.
Among the most diverse areas are parts of Newham in east London, Saltley in Birmingham and Spinney Hills in Leicester, all of which are inner-city areas.
The least diverse neighbourhoods range from coastal parts of Redcar and Cleveland in North Yorkshire to the rural villages of south Somerset. None of England’s hottest 1% of neighbourhoods are in this bracket.
Additionally, Carbon Brief assessed the relationship between levels of poverty and heat risk, based on England’s indices of deprivation dataset. This covers several measures of deprivation, including income, employment and health.
People living in the most deprived English neighbourhoods are more than three times as likely to face high levels of heat hazard as those in the least deprived neighbourhoods, as shown in the figure below.
The correlation between poverty and extreme heat is less extreme than the one between heat exposure and ethnicity.
While many of England’s most deprived areas are in cities, they are also clustered in some rural and coastal areas – such as parts of Cornwall and Lincolnshire – which tend to be cooler.
Urban heat island
The key phenomenon captured by this analysis is the urban heat island effect. This describes how cities – and particularly areas with dense buildings, roads and stretches of concrete that absorb heat – tend to be hotter than the surrounding countryside.
Cities such as London, Manchester and Birmingham have reached temperatures up to 5C hotter than the surrounding areas in recent decades, due to this effect.
The diagram below shows how air flows circulate between rural and urban areas, forming “heat domes” over cities.
Inner-city areas in England are also home to many people facing high levels of deprivation, as well as large black and Asian communities. Many of these communities are therefore exposed to more dangerous temperatures due to the urban heat island effect.
Access to green spaces, even within cities, also influences exposure to the urban heat island effect. Research has shown how people in deprived areas and people of colour – particularly black people – are more likely to live in areas with less access to green spaces.
There is already extensive scientific literature that uses satellite data to demonstrate the urban heat island effect in cities and other locations.
A number of studies have also used this data to show how people of colour and those living in poverty are more exposed to extreme heat. Much of this research has come from the US, where historic housing inequalities have created stark patterns of segregation in many cities.
A project led by environmental policy researcher Dr Angel Hsu of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill shows how, globally, “cities are burdening lower-income populations with higher heat exposure”, as she tells Carbon Brief.
Given this, Hsu adds that “it’s not surprising to us to see similar disproportionate exposure patterns among UK neighbourhoods”.
Other researchers tell Carbon Brief that it is important to be wary of satellite data, as it does not precisely capture the air temperatures experienced in these neighbourhoods.
Dr Charles Simpson, who researches the health and economic impacts of climate change at University College London (UCL), notes:
“Satellite-measured surface temperature does not always correlate with the air temperature – what you are measuring includes a lot of road surfaces and rooftops. The air temperature is thought to be more directly relevant to people’s health and their cooling needs.”
Previous research has found that satellite data can therefore overestimate the urban heat island effect compared to data from weather stations.
These stations, however, are not widespread enough to allow comparisons with detailed neighbourhood data. They are particularly lacking in more deprived areas in England, potentially making measurements there less reliable.
Other scientists tell Carbon Brief that, in the absence of a comprehensive ground monitoring network, satellite measurements can serve as a stand-in to estimate heat exposure. Dr Chloe Brimicombe, an extreme-heat researcher based at the University of Graz, explains:
“Although it’s not a good indicator of perceived [temperature], it is a good indicator of what regions are most built up and have the environments that are most vulnerable to heat.”
‘Amplifying’ inequalities
There is a growing body of evidence gathered by activists, scientists and local governments around the UK revealing the unequal burden of climate change.
Dr Charles Ogunbode, an assistant professor of applied psychology at the University of Nottingham who specialises in how people experience climate change, tells Carbon Brief that this kind of data helps to clarify the links between climate change and inequalities:
“We can’t avoid dealing with the issue of social inequalities and climate change is just basically amplifying those things. It’s highlighting them, it’s revealing them. So whatever policies we put in place – be it in the health sector, be it in the climate sector – addressing those inequalities has to be an essential part of whatever those responses are.”
There are many factors influencing how people experience heat that are not captured in Carbon Brief’s analysis.
Previous work by researchers at the University of Manchester and Friends of the Earth has explored this issue, including an analysis of more than 40 indicators that could make neighbourhoods more “socially vulnerable” to heat.
This reveals similar outcomes, with people of colour and those contributing the least to climate change generally more vulnerable to its impacts.
One of the biggest factors that contributes to people’s exposure to heat extremes in the UK is the country’s housing stock, which is “not fit for the future”, according to the CCC.
UK homes have generally not been built for hotter conditions and poorer people are more likely to live in badly adapted housing. Those living in small homes, flats and social housing in England all “suffer significantly more overheating” during heatwaves, according to one study.
Dr Giorgos Petrou, a researcher in building physics modelling at UCL, tells Carbon Brief that it is also vital to consider whether households have the ability to adapt to climate change. “Amongst other factors, their capability will depend on their financial means and whether they own or rent their home,” he says.
Experts tell Carbon Brief that the government should act across its policy agenda to not only address extreme heat, but also support those who are most affected by it. This could involve expanding tree cover and renovating old social housing stock in at-risk communities.
Emma Howard Boyd, a former chair of the Environment Agency who also chaired the London Climate Resilience Review, tells Carbon Brief:
“I do think that with [the Labour] government focusing on house building and retrofit, this is a fantastic opportunity to get this right…For those communities that have had the least impact on the environment and climate change themselves.”
Methodology
This analysis collates several datasets that cover England at a neighbourhood level, with “neighbourhoods” defined as lower-layer super output areas (LSOAs). These are small statistical areas used by the UK government, covering populations of about 1,500-3,000 people. There are 33,755 LSOAs in England.
Data on vulnerability to heat comes from 4 Earth Intelligence (4EI), which analyses land surface temperature to generate “heat hazard” information at a 30m resolution. This detailed information has been converted into LSOAs by 4EI.
Heat hazard scores are calculated by 4EI, based on the likelihood that a given neighbourhood will experience high temperatures during hot weather, relative to the surrounding area.
Each score corresponds to a different percentile of English neighbourhoods. The bar below shows the percentage breakdown across all LSOAs in England.
The two hottest scores – those coloured in red – correspond to the 10% of English neighbourhoods that have higher heat hazard scores than the remaining 90%.
For simplicity, Carbon Brief’s analysis focuses on the red bars above, meaning neighbourhoods in either the top 90th-99th percentile or 99th percentile of heat hazard. (Neighbourhoods in the 90th-99th percentile have higher heat hazard scores than 90% of areas in England. Neighbourhoods in the 99th percentile have higher heat hazard scores than 99% of areas.)
It shows how these two scores are overrepresented in LSOAs that have lower carbon footprints, more diverse communities and higher levels of deprivation.
Carbon-footprint data is from the CREDS “place-based carbon calculator”, which estimates the average per-person carbon footprint for every LSOA in England. It accounts for emissions-producing activities ranging from electricity use to “consumption of goods and services”.
CREDS assigns the grades “A” to “F” (low carbon footprint to high carbon footprint) to neighbourhoods. Carbon Brief has based its carbon-footprint analysis on these grades.
LSOA-level data on black, Asian and other minority-ethnic populations comes from 2021 census data. English LSOAs were broken down into deciles, based on the percentage of the population that identified as non-white ethnicities.
The lowest decile covered the tenth of LSOAs with between 0 and 2% non-white minority-ethnic populations and the highest covered the tenth with more than 51%.
England’s indices of multiple deprivation dataset also includes LSOA-level information. It provides relative measures of deprivation for LSOAs in England, based on income, employment, education, health, crime, living environment and barriers to housing and services. Carbon Brief broke the LSOAs down into deciles based on the total deprivation scores, from the most deprived to the least deprived.
The post Analysis: England’s most ethnically diverse areas are 15 times more likely to face extreme heat appeared first on Carbon Brief.
Analysis: England’s most ethnically diverse areas are 15 times more likely to face extreme heat
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