Week in News: 28th September
Welcome to your Week in News, your weekly round-up of the top stories in climate, conservation and green politics. It may seem bleak at times, but hope is always around the corner.
Climate inequality will persist beyond net zero, new study finds
When is too late actually too late? According to new research, nations which have historically contributed the least emissions will suffer heightened impacts of climate change, even beyond net zero.
Poorer nations near the tropics contribute far less carbon dioxide emissions than richer nations; countries with the highest-income add over twice their share of the world population. Yet, tropical regions bear witness to rapidly warming temperatures, extreme weather events and other climate-related impacts at greater rates than wealthier nations at higher latitudes.
Now, research by scientists at the University of Melbourne finds that reaching net zero emissions will not reverse the damage already done. Countries suffering disproportionate effects of climate change will be among the last to reap the benefits, while being at increased risk of displacement and becoming climate refugees.
Marauding baboons set to be relocated after conflict in Cape Town intensifies
Two troops of chacma baboons terrorising Cape Town residents will be sterilised and moved to a sanctuary by the council, after conflict has reached boiling point. Residents battle frequent property damage and food thefts, while the baboons are at risk of retaliatory persecution from frustrated locals.
Animal rights activists claim that alternative solutions have not been properly explored, but University of Cape Town behavioural ecologist, Justin O'Riain, says preventive measures such as boundary fencing will only displace the problem. Baboons naturally seek low-lying land which gives them easier access to water and vegetation. Additionally, population pressure pushes the baboons into the Cape Peninsula, sandwiched between housing developments and Table Mountain national park.
Human-wildlife conflict is costly in more ways than one; managing the troops with dedicated rangers costs approximately £920,000 (20m rand) for just 18 months. Plus, if local authorities don't get a handle on the problem soon, O'Riain and others fear retaliatory persecution against the baboons by desperate locals could be exacerbated, as is already starting to happen.
First sea turtles on record have nested on US West coast, now scientists want to know why
Two olive ridley turtles, identified as distinct individuals using the patterns on their shells, delighted beachgoers as they laid their eggs on Californian beaches, documented for the first time along America's West coast.
Sea turtles normally lay eggs in Mexico and Central America, making their surprise appearance unusual as scientists now search for a cause. Current theories include these headline-worthy turtles being attracted to warming coastal waters as a result of El Niño, or perhaps blown off course by a recent hurricane.
Scientists on the watch for further turtles will seek to determine if the nesting patterns of olive ridleys are evolving in response to climate change, or if their arrival was down to chance. In the meantime, fencing has been erected to prevent disturbance, though the risk of egg predation remains steep.
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About the Author:
Madelaine is a Zoology and Science Communication graduate, now working as Engagement Officer for a natural history and heritage charity. Passionate about engagement with science and nature, and rediscovering a love of writing, she aims to document her experiences with the wild through blogs, wildlife photography, and tales of the natural world.
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