[GWSG] Biodiversity pledge; China's ambitious plan; an inspiration; ocean stratification; spreading ash; plants at risk

[Tilley, Al]

1. Leaders of over 60 countries have signed a pledge to put recovery of biodiversity at the heart of their covid-19 recovery plans. The agreement preceded the opening of a virtual UN biodiversity conference on Wednesday. The US, Brazil, and China did not sign the pledge, though China is leading development of the talks. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/sep/28/world-leaders-pledge-to-halt-earth-destruction-un-summit

2. China has pledged to reach peak carbon by 2030, and to achieve zero emissions by 2060. The pledge is regarded as appropriately ambitious.  https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/sep/27/china-carbon-pledge-put-energy-system-reverse-wind-solar

3. China’s pledge has been an inspiration to other large economies. https://phys.org/news/2020-09-china-carbon-big-economies-radical.html

4. The oceans are increasingly stratified by temperature and density. The implications include stronger hurricanes, less C absorbed by the waters, and less O and nutrients to sustain ocean life. It also means that the worst-case figures for atmospheric heating become more likely.  https://climatecrocks.com/2020/09/28/ocean-stratification-is-not-good-news-very-not-good/

5 . A promising way to sequester carbon is to spread volcanic ash on the ocean floor. https://phys.org/news/2020-09-volcanic-ash-carbon-dioxide-climate.html

6. 40% of the world’s plant species are at risk of extinction. A great many are still unidentified and their properties unknown.  https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/sep/30/world-plant-species-risk-extinction-fungi-earth
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