It is difficult to provide an exhaustive and definitive list of the top 10 environmental and climate news stories from around the world, as it can vary depending on regional interests and priorities. Nonetheless, here are ten significant stories that garnered global attention in 2021:
1. COP26 Climate Conference: The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) took place in Glasgow, Scotland, in November. World leaders gathered to discuss climate action, emissions reduction goals, and financial commitments.
2. Extreme Weather Events: Numerous extreme weather events occurred in different parts of the world in 2021, including devastating wildfires in California and Greece, record-breaking heatwaves in the Pacific Northwest, and deadly floods in Europe and China.
3. IPCC Climate Report: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its sixth assessment report in August, highlighting the critical need for urgent action to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and avoid catastrophic consequences.
4. Amazon Rainforest Threats: Deforestation and wildfires continued to pose a severe threat to the Amazon rainforest, with reports indicating increased illegal logging and encroachment on protected territories.
5. Net-Zero Commitments: Several countries, including the United States, China, and Japan, made significant commitments to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 or earlier—a crucial step in combating climate change.
6. Arctic Meltdown: The Arctic region experienced an alarming rate of ice loss, melting glaciers, and record-low sea ice extent, leading to concerns about rising sea levels and biodiversity loss.
7. Biodiversity Crisis: The United Nations’ declaration of 2021-2030 as the “Decade on Ecosystem Restoration” highlighted the urgent need to address the ongoing global biodiversity crisis and protect invaluable ecosystems.
8. Ocean Conservation Efforts: Efforts to protect oceans gained traction, with notable initiatives such as the High Seas Treaty negotiations to establish a legally binding framework on marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction.
9. Electric Vehicle Transition: Major automakers made significant strides towards electrification, announcing ambitious plans to phase out internal combustion engines and invest heavily in electric vehicle production.
10. Green Energy Investments: Investments in renewable energy reached record highs in 2021, with renewable sources surpassing fossil fuels in terms of new capacity additions, signaling a growing global shift towards clean energy.
These stories represent a selection of significant global environmental and climate news in 2021, but there are undoubtedly many more worthy of attention and discussion.
