Issue #4 Climate Change on LinkedIn Newsletter
With COP29 wrapping up in Azerbaijan, and with lots of other climate news, the last two weeks have been busy on LinkedIn. As usual, we’re trying something new for this Newsletter. Specifically, we’ve consolidated most posts into a single “General Interest” section, with the exception of posts covering the wrapping up of COP29. We don’t have a “New Reports” or a “Recent News” section in Issue #4. Why? To the extent that posts do a great job of profiling a new report or news story, we’ve included them in the General Interest section. And to the extent they’re just flagging a new report or news story, we’ve provided links to that report or news story. That said, you can find a lot more posts from the last two weeks in the Climate Change on LinkedIn*^®* Knowledgebase. And while you’ll rarely see the Newsletter editors’ own posts here in the Newsletter, you CAN find them organized in the Knowledgebase!
General Interest Posts
What are some of the LinkedIn conversations that defined the last two weeks? We continue to experiment with how to get ChatGPT to tell a story that links different posts together. Our efforts obviously failed this time! Instead, each post gets its own introduction!
2024/45 Robert Vautard_The Challenges of Event Attribution Studiesilluminates the gaps in weather data and consistency in defining extreme events, underscoring the complexity of linking climate change to specific weather phenomena. As we move towards the IPCC AR7, these insights are pivotal for refining the accuracy of climate impact studies.
2024/46 Donna Lee People Crave an “Easy Button” for Buying Carbon Offsets highlights the frustration companies face when navigating the opaque carbon credit market. With sustainability teams overwhelmed and reputational risks high, the call for a streamlined “easy button” solution resonated widely.
2024/46 John Lang_Detailed Guidance on Corporate Net Zero Strategies provides a timely counterpoint with a focus on robust net-zero strategies presented. His emphasis on reducing reliance on offsets and aligning corporate commitments with IEA timelines showcased how credible strategies can combat the persistent issue of greenwashing. The report's growth in voluntary commitments reminds us of the increasing pressure for accountability.
2024/46 Ken Pucker_Can Companies Drive Decarbonization? questions the widely accepted notion of corporate-led decarbonization. With only 11% of companies having viable 1.5°C-aligned plans, his post challenges whether market mechanisms and reporting alone can deliver the necessary climate outcomes.
2024/46 Nick Robins_Climate Investment Needs and Opportunities Through 2030reveals the staggering $2.4 trillion needed for emerging economies by 2030. His post emphasized that scaling climate finance requires a shift from mobilizing funds to driving systemic, high-impact investments. This sentiment complemented the growing narrative of rethinking climate solutions.
2024/46 Otti Vogt_Climate Change and “Friendly” Fascism warns of the societal risks tied to apocalyptic climate narratives. By linking fear-driven responses to the rise of authoritarianism, he urged the climate community to focus on compassion and inclusive strategies. This nuanced perspective added a layer of sociopolitical complexity to the climate discourse.
2024/47 Charlie Gardner_Should Scientists be LESS Political? advocates for scientists to find a balanced role — engaging proactively without succumbing to partisan politics. His reflections offered a fresh lens on the challenges of maintaining public trust in science.
2024/47 Robert Vautard_We Need to Better Understand Solar Radiation Management profiles the uncertainties surrounding SRM’s ecological impacts and governance, and highlights the urgent need for expanded research. As discussions advance, SRM represents both a frontier and a moral quandary in climate intervention.
2024/47 Richard Black_Is 1.5oC Really Dead? emphasizes that it remains achievable despite overshoot scenarios. His post reaffirmed the moral imperative of this goal, particularly for vulnerable populations.
2024/47 Raz Godelnik_Important to Put EU’s Emissions Reductions Into Context examines the EU’s emissions reductions, cautioning against celebrating production-based achievements without considering consumption emissions, underscoring the importance of holistic approaches to measuring climate progress.
2024/47 Philippe Zaouati_Can Biodiversity Credits Drive Global Restoration Efforts?
introduces the groundbreaking effort with the International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits (IAPB) to create a recognized standard for biodiversity credits. His post highlights the potential of combining carbon and biodiversity credits into “nature credits” to align environmental goals.
2024/47 Ken Pucker_Amazon’s New “Haul” Platform Will Follow Temu In a Race to the Bottomprofiles the environmental toll of shipping cheap, unbranded products with Amazon’s renewable energy achievements.
2024/47 Joseph Gelfer_We Cling to Failed Theories of Change challenges the ineffectiveness of traditional sustainability narratives, labeling them as “sustainability-as-usual.” He called for a shift away from strategies that prioritize moral validation over systemic impact.
2024/47 Jan Rosenow_We’re Underestimating the Speed of Progress injects optimism into the climate conversation by pointing out the underestimated pace of clean energy adoption. His post highlights the rapid scaling of renewable energy technologies.
2024/47 Dana Drugmand_Climate Accountability is Increasingly Up to the Courts spotlights Vanuatu’s case before the International Court of Justice. Her post emphasized how legal avenues are becoming critical for holding nations and corporations accountable.
2024/47 Charlie Gardner_Why is Academia in Denial About the Planetary Emergency?
critiques academia’s slow response to the climate emergency. By pointing out the misalignment between research priorities and urgent conservation needs, he calls for a shift towards solutions-oriented research.
2024/48 Robert Hoglund_What Does a GT of CO2 Look Like? Lays out the staggering logistics of removing one gigaton of CO₂ annually.
2024/48 Nawar Alsaadi_Sustainability Reporting Takes Over the World highlights the exponential growth of sustainability reporting, particularly in emerging markets, suggesting a broader movement towards embedding sustainability into the core of business strategy.
2024/48 Ketan Joshi_CCS Remains a Fig Leaf for Fossil Fuel Projects spotlights failures like Chevron’s Gorgon project in Australia, challenging the narrative that CCS is a viable solution.
2024/48 Jamie Skaar_World’s Most Expensive Electricity Just Went Online highlights Georgia’s new nuclear power plant, which which took 15 years to complete and cost $37 billion dollars.
2024/48 Hans Stegeman_It’s Hard Not to Be Pessimistic, But . . argues for the value of “constructive hope,” rooted in realistic and actionable plans rather than empty optimism.
2024/48 Clover Hogan_A Video to Inspire You showcases achievements in renewable energy and affordable housing, inspiring readers to see grassroots action as a powerful counterbalance to negative climate narratives.
2024/47 Ugo Bardi_The Campaign Against Climate Science is Gaining Steam warns of a growing PR campaign to undermine climate science by reframing CO2 as benign or irrelevant, emphasizing the need for clear and accessible communication to counteract the spread of pseudoscience.
2024/47 Tom Harris_Why Atmospheric CO2 Increased by 3.37 ppm in 2023 sounds the alarm on a record-breaking rise in atmospheric CO2, driven by weakening natural carbon sinks and extreme weather. His analysis highlights the limits of relying on natural systems for mitigation, stressing the urgency of accelerating global decarbonization.
2024/47 Tom Gosling_How Convincing a Financial Case for Transition Finance? underscores the economic and governance challenges in implementing such strategies, particularly in aligning interests across borders. While skeptical of full-scale adoption, he highlights the importance of these ideas in shaping future climate finance discussions.
2024/47 Stefan Rahmstorf_Models Underestimate AMOC Slowing reveals that models have underestimated the rapid slowing of this crucial ocean current, signaling a higher risk of crossing a tipping point, and underscoring the urgency of mitigating climate change to prevent cascading impacts on global systems.
Overall, the past two weeks on LinkedIn brought together diverse voices tackling climate challenges from grassroots action to systemic risks. From the optimism of rapid energy transitions to warnings about misinformation and tipping points, these conversations reveal a dynamic and urgent landscape. As we move forward, the collective call to action remains clear: innovation, accountability, and resilience are essential for a sustainable future.
Special Collection - COP29
COP29, held in Azerbaijan, showcased the highs and lows of international climate diplomacy. One of the most talked-about outcomes was the progress on Article 6, a mechanism for global carbon markets. As 2024/48 Pedro Martins Barata_Article 6.4 Can Be a Win for Nature, Carbon Markets, and the Planetexplains, the finalized deal offers a UN-backed registry system, prioritizes integrity, and acknowledges indigenous governance roles. These elements set the stage for credible nature-based solutions and renewed hope for sustainability. However, transparency concerns lingered, as highlighted by 2024/48 Olga Gassan-zade_Article 6 Never Got a Formal Meeting at COP29, which criticizes the lack of formal discussions in Baku’s closed-door negotiations.
Despite these strides, the broader finance narrative left much to be desired. According to 2024/48 Rana Adib_There Were Glimmers of Hope From COP29, the pledged $300 billion by 2035 annually falls drastically short of the $1.3 trillion/year (!) needed by developing nations for an equitable energy transition. While initiatives like the Grids and Storage Pledge offer promise, scaling up finance from billions to trillions remains imperative. Echoing this sentiment, 2024/48 Wolfgang Obergassel_COP29 Was Not a “Gift from God” highlights the glaring gaps in climate finance, especially in addressing the Global Goal on Adaptation and the Loss and Damage Fund.
The negotiation process itself faced scrutiny. As 2024/48 Ghazali Ohorella_COP29 Showed You Can’t Control Your Way to Consensus points out, Azerbaijan’s centralized approach mirrored the pitfalls of past summits like COP15 in Denmark, hindering trust and transparency. On a broader scale, 2024/48 Anabella Rosemberg_Don’t Throw the COP Baby Out With the Bathwater critiques calls for sweeping COP reforms, emphasizing that without addressing power imbalances and accountability, no structural change can drive genuine progress.
Framing and communication also emerged as critical themes. 2024/48 Joseph Gelfer_Reframing the Climate Finance Conversation suggests repositioning climate finance as a self-interest investment for developed nations, rather than an altruistic gesture for the Global South. This approach could potentially foster broader support and urgency for financial commitments. Yet, the stark reality remains, as outlined by 2024/48 Potsdam Institute_Avoiding a Diplomatic Disaster Does Not Make COP29 a Success, which underscores the inadequacy of current targets in reducing emissions at the pace required to stay below 1.5°C warming.
Still, COP29 wasn’t without its victories. As 2024/47 Darius Nassiry_Questions Remain Regarding the Integrity of Article 6 notes, the adoption of new rules for carbon credit trading under Article 6 is a landmark achievement, potentially reshaping global markets. However, the lack of accountability mechanisms for reporting leaves the system vulnerable. To move forward, civil society must play a vital role in ensuring these mechanisms deliver on their promises.
COP29 may not have been a "gift from God," but as the dust settles, its mixed legacy offers lessons for COP30 and beyond. Collaboration, transparency, and scaled-up ambition remain non-negotiable if the world hopes to achieve meaningful progress in the face of an accelerating climate crisis.
Report and news links
Some of the report and news links that have gotten attention on LinkedIn the last two weeks!
2024/08 The need for pluralism in climate modelling
2024/11 An Early Warning System for Geo-engineering?
2024/11 How Unusual is Current Post-El Nino Warmth?
2024/11 Key outcomes agreed at the UN climate talks in Baku
2024/11 The Hypocrisy of Fossil Fuel Exports
2024/11 Two scenarios for the years ahead
2024/11 What We Really Mean by “The Massive Scale” Required for CDR
CostCarbon – Slow, Stop & Reverse; Warming, Waste & Want
InfluenceMap COP Platform Misinformation Tracker
Net Zero Guidelines for Non-State…
Concluding Thoughts
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Zsolt Lengyeland Dr. Mark Trexler.
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