🇦🇺 Australian Climate Change Visas

🇦🇺 Australian Climate Change Visas

A Pacific island nation called Tuvalu has partnered with Australia’s foreign affairs department in a landmark response to the threat of climate-related displacement. Tuvalu is one of the most climate-threatened nations in the world, with scientists from NASA predicting that the majority of the land mass and critical infrastructure will sit below the level of the current high tide by 2050. In June, more than a third of Tuvalu citizens have entered the ballot for a world-first climate visa, which would allow them to permanently migrate to Australia. Only 280 visas are awarded per year to Tuvalu citizens, and if successful, they would be granted indefinite permanent residency in Australia. Visa holders would also have access to the country’s Medicare system, childcare subsidies, and the ability to study at schools and universities.

Tabby Wilson, BBC News

📈 Dramatic Rise in Intense Weather Events

New data from NASA has revealed a dramatic rise in the intensity of weather events such as droughts and floods over the past five years. Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent, lasting longer, and becoming more severe. The study suggests that the intensity of droughts and floods doubled last year compared to the 2003-2020 average. Researchers noted that climate change is most likely responsible for this increase, and the intensity of extreme events was strongly correlated with global mean temperature, more so than with El Nino, influential ocean currents, or other climate indicators, suggesting the continued warming of the planet will cause further increases in extreme weather event intensity.

Roger Harrabin, The Guardian

🌳 Forests Are Now Contributing to Climate Change

Forests have long been considered one of the most cost-effective nature-based solutions to climate change, but that could be changing. Climate change, land degradation, deforestation, and unsustainable land use have caused some forests to now emit more carbon than they absorb. If all forests outside of agricultural and urban areas were allowed to recover globally, they would have the ability to capture 226 gigatons of carbon. That represents 30% of the carbon that needs to be removed from the atmosphere to achieve current climate goals. However, since 1990, 420 million acres of forests have been cut down globally, the equivalent to half of the United States. Some of the forests that remain aren’t functioning like they used to due to decades of human intervention, pollution, and biodiversity collapse. This has led to the reduced photosynthesis, their primary and vital function.

Faelle Dubois, World Economic Forum

Need to Catch Up?

If you’re new here, or if you missed any of our other newsletters in June, here is a recap:

• 🏔️ Swiss Village Buried After Glacier Collapse

• 🇮🇱 Climate Costs of Israel’s War on Gaza

• 🌍 Earth Hit Highest CO2 Level in Millions of Years

• 🇫🇮 World’s Largest Sand Battery