Environmental news 2019

Here are some of the most significant environmental news stories from 2019:

Climate Change

  1. Record-breaking heatwaves: 2019 saw record-breaking heatwaves in several parts of the world, including Europe, Asia, and North America.
  2. Climate strikes: The global climate strike movement, led by Greta Thunberg, gained momentum in 2019, with millions of people participating in protests worldwide.
  3. IPCC Special Report: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a special report in October 2019, warning that the world has just 12 years to take action to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

Wildlife and Conservation

  1. Extinction crisis: The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) reported that the world is facing an extinction crisis, with over 27,000 species threatened with extinction.
  2. Plastic pollution: The impact of plastic pollution on wildlife continued to make headlines in 2019, with reports of plastic waste harming marine life and contaminating the food chain.
  3. Last Sumatran Rhino: In September 2019, it was reported that there were only two Sumatran rhinos left in the wild, highlighting the urgent need for conservation efforts.

Environmental Policy and Politics

  1. Green New Deal: The Green New Deal, a comprehensive plan to address climate change and promote sustainable development, was introduced in the US Congress in February 2019.
  2. European Green Deal: The European Union launched its European Green Deal in December 2019, a package of policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting sustainable development.
  3. Climate lawsuits: Several countries, including the Netherlands, France, and the UK, launched climate lawsuits against oil companies and governments in 2019, seeking compensation for climate-related damages.

Environmental Disasters

  1. Amazon wildfires: The Amazon rainforest experienced a devastating wave of wildfires in August and September 2019, with many countries contributing to the firefighting efforts.
  2. Australian bushfires: Australia faced a severe bushfire season in 2019-2020, with millions of acres of land burned and thousands of animals killed.
  3. Oil spills: Several major oil spills occurred in 2019, including a spill in the Gulf of Mexico and another in the Amazon rainforest.

Sustainable Energy and Technology

  1. Renewable energy growth: Renewable energy continued to grow in 2019, with solar and wind power becoming increasingly cost-competitive with fossil fuels.
  2. Electric vehicle adoption: Electric vehicle sales continued to rise in 2019, with many countries setting targets for electric vehicle adoption.
  3. Carbon capture and storage: Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology made progress in 2019, with several new projects launched and existing ones expanded.

These are just a few of the many environmental news stories from 2019. It was a year marked by both progress and challenges in the fight against climate change and environmental degradation.