25 February 2021 - NPWJ News Digest on Environmental Justice & Human Rights

Articles

Climate Change: Wales could be 'first deforestation free nation'
BBC News, 25 Feb 2021

Every year an area of woodland about nine times the size of Wales is lost globally. Charities say the Welsh Government must curb the use of some goods in a bid to make Wales the "world's first deforestation-free nation". The Welsh Government said tackling deforestation was "vital".

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Judge suspends construction on Mexico's 'Mayan Train' pending environmental review
Reuters, 24 Feb 2021

Various legal challenges have been filed against the Mayan Train, the government’s flagship infrastructure project that is meant to link tourist zones around remote towns of the Yucatan Peninsula. The case in the southeastern state of Yucatan marks the first time a judge has ordered a stay on new construction for the duration of legal hearings. It was unclear how long the case could take to resolve.

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US, Canada pledge to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050
Aljazeera, 24 Feb 2021

United States President Joe Biden says that he and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have agreed to work towards achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. “We’re launching a high-level, climate-ambition ministerial and to align our policies and our goals to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050,” Biden said in a speech on Tuesday following a bilateral meeting with the Canadian leader.

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EU bets on data to prepare for climate change impacts
Reuters, 24 Feb 2021

The European Commission on Wednesday said it would create an arsenal of data tools to anticipate and adapt to the increasing impacts of climate change. As European Union countries attempt to eliminate their net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, they will still face decades of climate-related impacts, locked in from previous years’ emissions. Last year was Europe’s hottest on record, rounding out the world’s hottest decade. As temperatures climb, the EU expects its economic losses from weather and climate stresses - already roughly 12 billion euros ($14.6 billion) per year - to spiral.

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Climate crisis and economic shocks leave millions food insecure across Central America
UN News, 23 Feb 2021

According to WFP, the economic crisis caused by COVID-19 pandemic and years of extreme climate events have left almost 8 million people in Central America chronically hungry so far this year.

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World risks ‘collapse of everything’ without strong climate action, Attenborough warns Security Council
UN News, 23 Feb 2021

The UK holds the rotating presidency of the 15-member Council this month, and renowned British naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough issued a sobering warning to leaders. “If we continue on our current path, we will face the collapse of everything that gives us our security: food production, access to fresh water, habitable ambient temperature, and ocean food chains,” he said, adding “and if the natural world can no longer support the most basic of our needs, then much of the rest of civilization will quickly break down.”

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