no. 104: UN calls for the end of fossil ads

Hey friend,

On Wednesday, I was invited to a special address on climate action by António Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, which took place at the American Museum of Natural History directly beneath a gigantic whale.

It was an aggressive, impassioned speech with a total of 33 calls to action...! The entire speech was themed around the fact that we don't have any more time to waste. We must act swiftly, strongly and immediately. My top three takeaways:

1. We have the solutions we need to solve this existential problem of our time, but we still lack collective political will to get it done.
2. Fossil fuel executives are the "godfathers of climate chaos" and fossil fuel ads must be banned worldwide.
3. Those making their voices heard are on the right side of history.

I've done a lot of great work with Clean Creatives aiming to end fossil fuel advertising (and successfully getting over 1,000 ad & PR agencies on board), and hearing those words from the mouth of one of the most influential people in the world was an incredible moment.

In a Q&A after, the Secretary-General said this speech is different than his others because he hopes and believes it will catalyze into real, urgent action. Let's do our part in making sure that's the case!

And as a reminder, the leader of 193 nations and member states says we're on the right side of history. Let's keep going...

And now, enjoy this week's good news <3

Some hope on Monday, June 3

🧑‍⚖️ Audio from a plastics industry event reveals that a huge wave of lawsuits are coming against PFAs which attorneys say could surpass the litigation scale of tobacco and asbestos combined, hopefully meaning the beginning of the end for these harmful forever chemicals. (NYT)

🏆 The winners of National Geographic’s Slingshot Challenge were announced where young students submitted climate solutions for their communities with the top honors going to a food expiration tracker, a clean energy STEM kit, a protection plan for the green macaw, a tree-planting robot, and a registry for native pollinator plants. (Natgeo)

🦦 Documented footage shows that sea otters use tools like rocks to pry open their food in order to protect their teeth and access new types of prey beyond their typical diet, both of which are essential to avoid starvation and survive long term. (The Guardian)

🔥 Scientists have developed and published a solar-powered system called solar thermal trapping which can heat to over 1,000 degrees Celsius and be used for industrial processes that are historically very carbon intensive like melting metal (Ecowatch).

Some hope on Tuesday, June 4

🔋 The designer behind the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa, has prototyped a gravity storage battery system that could supply more than enough energy to fully power skyscrapers at cheaper costs than lithium ion. (Bloomberg) 

🌱 A native UK plant called rosy saxifrage went extinct in the wild around 1962 but has been nurtured and kept alive in private and was just reintroduced to the wild in a secret location bringing this delicate “mountain jewel” back to mother nature. (BBC)

🧑‍🌾 A new study shows that indoor gardening with microbial rich soil helps regulate our immune systems and literally make us physically and mentally healthier… and a little known secret, many public libraries offer you free seeds to get started. (Ecowatch)

🏦 The European Central Bank is set to impose fines on several banks for failing to address climate impacts with maximum penalties up to 5% of daily revenue until they complete more adequate risk assessments (Bloomberg).

Some hope on Wednesday, June 5 (World Environment Day)

🦋 Italian scientists have created a stunning Butterfly Forest full of native plants, birds, reptiles, and even cliffs and a waterfall within the Italian Alps to combat declining populations. (ABC)

💰 Vermont has officially become the first state to enact the Climate Superfund Act that makes Big Oil and other top emitters pay for and repair damages they’ve knowingly created for the public. (NBC)

🫧 The Great Bubble Barrier has just launched their third version in Portugal which pumps an underwater curtain of air bubbles to move plastic to the surface to collect and remove without obstructing wildlife or boats showing promising expansion of this tech that was an Earthshot Prize Finalist in 2022 (Earthshot Prize)

🛢️ A group of high school students called the Youth Climate Initiative raised $11,000 to plug an abandoned oil well that was leaking methane gas by partnering with the nonprofit Well Done Foundation to plug and clean up their 45th well. (NYT)

Some hope on Thursday, June 6

🚫 UK companies can no longer advertise sustainability claims without data to back it up, according to new rules set by the Financial Conduct Authority which require evidence-based product labels that are fair, clear, and not misleading. (Bloomberg)

🗽 New York has now become the first state to implement rebates up to $14,000 for home efficiency upgrades to low and middle income families for better insulation, heat pumps, and electrification of appliances. (Gothamist)

🍃 Almost all major European cities are now utilizing nature-based solutions like creating parks and green spaces, tree planting, and expanding infrastructure like green roofs which not only mitigates climate impacts but also improves health and biodiversity. (WEF & EEA)

📸 A new nonprofit media library is making meaningful marine images and videos available for free to environmental nonprofits, scientists, activists, and impact-focused storytellers like us to better communicate nature conservation stories. (Grist)

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See you again soon,

Jacob

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