Give Peace (and the climate) a Chance
Jordan River basin countries are desperately short of water. Israel, Jordan and Palestine have less than a quarter as much water as the common definition of a water-scarce country. Regional climate models predict that unless drastic action is taken to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, rising temperatures will reduce agricultural productivity and make water even harder to come by in this already-dry region. At the same time, population growth is increasing demand for water, food and jobs at a tremendous rate. A decrease in the availability of water needed to feed the Middle East's growing population could raise the stakes for the return or the retention of occupied land. The threat to political stability in the Middle East underlines why the climate talks in Copenhagen in December must conclude with a deal on climate change.
You might also be interested in
How can we improve on freshwater health and prevent plastic pollution?
INC-4 is the fourth meeting in a series of international negotiations that aims to develop a global treaty on plastic pollution, which can and should have big implications for freshwater quality both in Canada and beyond.
G20 Finance Ministerials and World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings: Expert comment
G20 finance ministerials and World Bank/IMF spring meetings will take place this week in Washington. High on the agenda is the need to mobilize trillions of dollars of investment in the transition to clean energy.
IISD Applauds Canada’s Reaffirmation to End Domestic Public Finance for Fossil Fuels in Budget 2024
Today's federal budget announcement delivers new measures to support affordability and reaffirms Canada’s commitments on climate action.
South Africa Fossil Fuel Subsidies Top $6 Billion, Study Shows
South Africa's fossil fuel subsidies rose to a 118 billion rand ($6.3 billion) in the 2023 fiscal year, providing incentives that encourage their continued use, according to a Canadian think tank. Government support for oil and gas consumption, electricity that's largely generated from coal, and carbon tax exemptions has tripled since 2018 in Africa's most industrialized nation, researchers at the Winnipeg-based International Institute for Sustainable Development wrote in a report published Tuesday.