Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil is in the midst of devastating flooding, with more than 100 lives lost and thousands displaced. This tragedy hits particularly close to home for WRI Brasil, where our Porto Alegre office hosts dozens of friends, collaborators and partners. With little hope of floodwaters receding anytime soon and new reports of water and power shortages continuing to roll in, uncertainty and fear are still rampant.
While the situation is due in part to the lack of risk mitigation and disaster prevention measures nationally, Brazil is also on the frontlines of a crisis it alone did not make. Communities around the world are increasingly battered by droughts, floods and withering heat caused largely by wealthy nations’ greenhouse gas emissions.
Analysis and action are necessary now more than ever. WRI Brasil’s Executive Director Cristiane Fontes weighs in. Read more. |
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A rescue effort in Igrejinha, Brazil. Flooding in the state of Rio Grande do Sul has left more than 100 dead and thousands injured and displaced. Photo by Rafa Campez/Shutterstock |
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Donny Sophandi/Shutterstock |
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Wildfires have hit Canada once more after a record-breaking season last year. Thousands of residents of Alberta and British Columbia have been forced to evacuate after blazes ignited following months of unseasonably warm temperatures and drought. And the fires’ full impacts extend far beyond their burn sites — threatening water supplies, fueling climate change and driving economic losses near and far. Read more.
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The U.S. aviation industry set a target to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 through so-called ‘sustainable’ aviation fuels. Yet new guidance allows for biofuels made from corn ethanol or vegetable oils, despite strong evidence that these crop-based fuels actually increase emissions and divert valuable farmland away from food production. Read more.
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Like most places around the world, Mexico’s streets can be described as vehicle-forward, prioritizing fast-moving traffic over pedestrian safety and accessibility. But with the country recently declaring safe mobility a human right, changes are afoot. WRI research shows how seven relatively simple interventions can help Mexico and other countries make their streets safer and greener. Read more.
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Forests and trees increase infiltration and reduce rates of erosion. But after a wildfire, there are fewer trees to intercept and filter water runoff after storms. This ultimately creates more polluted and erosion-prone soil that can make its way to lakes, rivers and reservoirs. |
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