AAN Editors 17 September, 2015 Share Twitter + Facebook + Email + Land degradation costs the world up to $10.6tn a year, report says Land degradation is costing the world as much as $10.6tn every year, equivalent to 17% of global gross domestic product, a report has warned. More than half of the world’s arable land is moderately or severely degraded, according to a report published on Tuesday by the Economics of Land Degradation (ELD) Initiative (pdf). The report estimates the cost of this environmental destruction. Furthermore, decreased vegetation cover and increased soil erosion also means that land is less able to store carbon, contributing to climate change. Land use changes represent the second biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions after fossil fuel combustion, the study says. If sustainable land management was rolled out around the world, as much as $75.6tn could be added to the global economy every year through jobs and increased agricultural output. The Guardian has more on the new research and it’s implications. SHARE THIS
17Sep US and Australian taxpayers pay billions a year to fund coal - report Coal subsidies are costing US and Australian taxpayers billions of dollars a year - amounting to almost a quarter of the sale price in some cases - according to a new report. And ending them would lead to cuts in coal use equivalent to shutting up to 32 coal-fired power stations. The Guardian
17Sep Interview: Craig Bennett, the new CEO of Friend’s of the Earth The new boss at Friends of the Earth discusses energy, climate and politics in an in-depth interview with Carbon Brief. Carbon Brief
17Sep China: Coal data confusion as US/China negotiators meet http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/16/us-climatechange-carbon-china-exclusive-idUSKCN0RF1QT20150916 Read More
17Sep Pope Francis faces challenge persuading US’s Catholic leaders on climate change There is a disconnect on climate change between leaders of the US Catholic church and its activists and community groups, says the Guardian, in a preview of the Pope's forthcoming US visit. Read More
17Sep Joss Garman: What would a successful Paris summit mean for the battle against climate change? Joss Garman argues that positive effects of the Paris negotiations are already being seen in unilateral commitments by major polluting nations, including China and the US, and that the foundations are in place to reach a vital agreement on how progress is measured and compared. IPPR
17Sep EU negotiating plan for Paris to back long term goal, 2C target Europe’s playbook for December’s UN climate talks in Paris this December – due out on Friday – will contain few shocks, a UK government source said on Wednesday. Read More
17Sep Wind industry says could supply 25 percent of EU electricity by 2030 Wind farms could supply a quarter of the European Union’s electricity needs by 2030 if member states come good on energy and climate pledges, an industry report said on Wednesday. Reuters
17Sep More people die from air pollution than Malaria and HIV/Aids, new study shows More than 3 million people a year are killed prematurely by outdoor air pollution, according to a landmark new study, more than malaria and HIV/Aids combined. The Guardian
17Sep Land degradation costs the world up to $10.6tn a year, report says Land degradation is costing the world as much as $10.6tn every year, equivalent to 17% of global gross domestic product, a report has warned. The degradation also means that land is less able to store carbon, contributing to climate change. Read More
