Eco Minute 13:30

BULLETIN 4 January 1:30 pm

Good afternoon, here is your Eco Minute:

# Farmers in sub-Saharan Africa are receiving advice to diversify their crop production to adapt to climate change. A study led by the University of Leeds’, Stewart Jennings, suggests shifting focus to fruits, vegetables, sorghum, millet, and cassava to enhance nutritional security for optimal health. With the current Sub-Saharan population of 1.2-billion expected to increase by 740-million by 2050, the need to produce more food is evident. Jennings emphasises that climate change’s impact on weather patterns will limit the range of crops that can be cultivated.

# A report in the journal, Nature Climate Change emphasises the crucial role of addressing inequality in achieving a net-zero future. The report argues that existing inequalities, such as wealth, income, political influence, and access to low-carbon options like public transport, constrain the feasibility of adopting low-carbon behaviors. Researchers highlight a lack of political recognition hindering individuals from transitioning to more climate-friendly behaviors. Policymakers are urged to create equal opportunities for low-carbon behaviors across all income levels, ensuring that everyone has capacity to make sustainable changes.

# And finally: Sweden recorded its coldest January night in 25 years yesterday, with a reading of minus 43.6 degrees Celsius in the far north as a cold snap hit the country and neighbouring Finland. In January 1999, a temperature of minus 49 degrees Celsius was recorded in Sweden, which then tied the record set in 1951. Several other weather stations recorded temperatures of below minus 40 degrees in Sweden’s northern parts.

Stay tuned for more news………….