A roadmap to make the land sector carbon neutral by 2040

Land is critical to human livelihoods and wellbeing, while actions related to land use also play an important role in the climate system. Researchers have developed a new roadmap outlining actions on deforestation, restoration, and carbon cuts that could lead to the land sector becoming carbon neutral by 2040 and a net carbon sink by 2050.

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SNAP provides a model for ensuring a right to food

Alleviating food insecurity is often seen as one of the fundamental roles a country should fulfill. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is effective in addressing the right to food in the US, and that the program can serve as an example for countries that struggle to provide food for all citizens.

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Sweetened drinks represented 62% of children's drink sales in 2018

Fruit drinks and flavored waters that contained added sugars and/or low-calorie (diet) sweeteners dominated sales of drinks intended for children in 2018, making up 62% of the $2.2 billion in total children's drink sales. The report also found that companies spent $20.7 million to advertise children's drinks with added in sugars in 2018, primarily to kids under age 12.

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Climate change concerns have largely ignored role of access to effective contraception

Climate change concerns have largely ignored the importance of universal access to effective contraception, despite the impact of population growth on greenhouse gas emissions, argue experts.

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Hydrologic simulation models that inform policy decisions are difficult to interpret

Hydrologic models that simulate and predict water flow are used to estimate how natural systems respond to different scenarios such as changes in climate, land use, and soil management. The output from these models can inform policy and regulatory decisions regarding water and land management practices. Numerical models have become increasingly easy to employ with advances in computer technology and software with graphical user interface (GUI). While these technologies make the models more accessible, problems can arise if they are used by inexperienced modelers.

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CO2 emissions cause lost labor productivity

Extreme high temperatures caused by CO2 emissions could lead to losses in labor productivity. The authors found that every trillion tons of CO2 emitted could cause global GDP losses of about half a percent. They add that we may already be seeing economic losses of as much as 2% of global GDP as a result of what we have already emitted.

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Future intent: Would you let an automated car do the driving?

Researchers have surveyed more than 2000 drivers across Australia, France and Sweden for two separate studies investigating what people think about travelling in automated cars. The first international study found French drivers were more likely to one day buy an automated car than drivers in Australia or Sweden. The second study surveyed local Queensland drivers and identified what they saw as the pros and cons of letting a car drive itself.

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Dual approach needed to save sinking cities and bleaching corals

Local conservation can boost the climate resilience of coastal ecosystems, species and cities and buy them time in their fight against sea-level rise, ocean acidification and warming temperatures, a study by scientists suggests. In all but extreme situations, these interventions significantly buffer the impacts of climate change and can buy sinking cities and bleaching corals time to adapt until the beneficial impacts of global emissions reductions kick in.

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