Laura MacKenzie
@mslauramack.bsky.social
41 followers 93 following 20 posts
Some bookmarks. Some wetlands, water, nature, climate policy. Trains. Wellbeing economics and post-growth appreciation. Parliamentary nerdery never dies🧛‍♀️
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mslauramack.bsky.social
Essential and inspiring reading for everyone heading to #IUCNCongress where Rights of Nature - including rights of #rivers and #wetlands- will be a hot topic of discussions and motions to be debated & adopted, including Motion 067: iucncongress2025.org/assembly/mot...
insideclimatenews.org
The rights of nature is one of the fastest-growing movements on the planet. Now, scientists are increasingly signing on, working with Indigenous communities and others to advance laws and philosophies on behalf of the more-than-human world.
The Scientists Making the Case for Nature’s Rights - Inside Climate News
A growing number of scientists are backing laws recognizing that nature has inherent rights and intrinsic value. A group of wetlands scientists wants the critical ecosystems they study to be next.
insideclimatenews.org
mslauramack.bsky.social
"F-gas producer Chemours is using the boom in AI and datacenters as justification for increasing production at its ...West Virginia and ...North Carolina, plants. Both... have been accused of polluting their regions’ water, soil and air, and poisoning drinking water"
mslauramack.bsky.social
V useful stakeholderbijeenkomst organised by super talented international biodiversity team of #LVVN on #SBSTTA27 and many key decisions being prepared for adoption at biodiversity #COP17 in Armenia to boost #GBF implementation. Nice end to long week despite brainstrain of Dutch at 9am on a Friday 😆
mslauramack.bsky.social
Thanks @runblueofficial.bsky.social for organising #WorldRiverRun yesterday - raising awareness (and funds!) for river restoration and protection, which needs to be a much higher priority for action on water security, climate resilience, and biodiversity and nature #nederrijn #uiterwaarden 💦🦩🐟
mslauramack.bsky.social
“Are the societal benefits of chatbots and deepfakes really worth sacrificing progress towards a safe climate and dependable water supply?”
globalactionplan.bsky.social
Together with Foxglove, we’re launching a legal challenge against the government’s decision to force construction of a hyperscale data centre in Buckinghamshire.

Read the coverage in today's Guardian: www.theguardian.com/environment/...

@theguardian.com
Angela Rayner hit with legal challenge over datacentre on green belt land
Exclusive: Campaigners complain no environmental assessment made for 90MW Buckinghamshire facility
www.theguardian.com
Reposted by Laura MacKenzie
bas.ac.uk
Changes to ocean currents offer serious uncertainties for scientists trying to predict our future climate.

This new paper finds that even a moderate slowdown of the AMOC could lead to a 40% reduction in annual rainfall in the Amazon rainforest.

Find out more: www.nature.com/articles/s41...

🧵 2/2
Tropical response to ocean circulation slowdown raises future drought risk - Nature
An Atlantic meridional overturning circulation slowdown drives widespread shifts in tropical rainfall through the propagation of high-latitude cooling into the tropical North Atlantic.
www.nature.com
mslauramack.bsky.social
Hello, thanks for all the awesome reporting! Don't supposed you actually found a final version of the Vic Falls Declaration?! Cannae find online anywhere!
mslauramack.bsky.social
May also need to have some conversations about the right trees in the right places #peatlands #trees #toplantornottoplant #mangroves #wetlandsCOP15 #COP15Zimbabwe
mslauramack.bsky.social
Exciting to hear at press conf before day 1 #WetlandsCOP15 Zimbabwe's determination to harness wetlands as #climate solutions & AMCEN declaration African group to bring wetlands to the heart of global negotiations on wide ranging topics #RamsarCOP15 #ZimbabweCOP15
Reposted by Laura MacKenzie
birdlifeafrica.bsky.social
Join us in our mission to build a future where wetlands and all life thrive

🗓 24 July | 13:30-14:30 CAT(UTC+2)
📍 Room Kalala, Elephant Hills Resort #RamsarCOP15 Venue
🎙️ With WWF, WWT, Wetlands International, IUCN, IWMI & GEF

Register here: www.surveymonkey.com/r/BYQWHFY

#RamsarCOP15 #Wetlands
mslauramack.bsky.social
It remains to be seen whether 'what's your favourite DR' is as splendid a conversation opener as 'what's your favourite wetland' over the coming days...
mslauramack.bsky.social
As the anticipation builds, check out the proposed running order for the no fewer than 25 DRs to be negotiated, which is on the agenda for SC65 on Wednesday, with a flow diagram and everything 🥳 www.ramsar.org/sites/defaul... #WetlandsCOP #RamsarCOP #COP15Zimbabwe
Reposted by Laura MacKenzie
cobracollective.bsky.social
Sri Lanka is at the forefront of developing the Rights of Wetlands. Want to learn about their journey, the challenges and future plans? Join colleagues of our #DarwinInitiative project on Tuesday 15th April 2025 at 14:00 Sri Lanka time, 9:30 UK time
Register now: us02web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
Poster of webinar on The Ramsar Convention and Sri Lanka with images and names of the five speakers
mslauramack.bsky.social
Come for the amazing pictures of birds, stay for the sectoral leadership 🦉 "And this is why we will speak out on topics which may at first glance seem out of our lane, to some too overtly political, and perhaps even risky."
birdlifeglobal.bsky.social
We remain united in our belief that governments make better decisions when civil society voices are heard.🗣️

This is not the time to despair. It is the time to be clear, confident and stand together with those that share our values. 🤝

Read more here: www.birdlife.org/news/2025/03...
Nature Needs Healthy Civil Societies
Nature Needs Healthy Civil Societies, Martin Harper, BirdLife CEO, on Conservation & Civil Society
www.birdlife.org
mslauramack.bsky.social
CISL playbook aims to shape proactive response to ESG backlash 'These challenges can be further complicated by competing agendas within an organisation, internal rivalries, and a fixation on addressing technicalities over driving real world progress" www.businessgreen.com/news/4411893...
'Silence isn't neutrality - it's a strategic risk': CISL playbook aims to shape proactive response to ESG backlash
New study explores how businesses can respond to volatile geopolitical pressures, while continuing to advance sustainability efforts
www.businessgreen.com
Reposted by Laura MacKenzie
rebeccasolnit.bsky.social
I wish people who want to be defeatists would start by defeating their own urge to spread their spirit of surrender. It's not helpful and it's not an accurate assessment of the present or the possibilities. Yes, we're in a hideous crisis. Yes, there's lots to do and lots of people trying to do it.
mslauramack.bsky.social
Peatland power in the spotlight during #WorldWetlandsDay youth webinar with RePEAT, Youth Engaged with #Wetlands (YEW), Wetlands International, and speakers from other youth-led organisations and initiatives from across the globe
mslauramack.bsky.social
And back: Gland 🚆 Neuchâtel 🚊 Olten 🚆 Basel (time for a wander, some Ethiopian food, and a local ale) then #OBB #nightjet back to Utrecht all perfectly smooth and to schedule. With some ⛰️ tips for next time in Switzerland from other woman in very comfy sleeper compartment 🌟
mslauramack.bsky.social
Bonsior Nyon and your very picturesque bibliotheek! 12 hours door to door more or less. Lekker chill (and super productive) Sunday #TrainNotPlane
mslauramack.bsky.social
Too heavily in the flow of work so forgot to visit buffet car + short change in Bern + queues for food outlets = survive final 1h45 double decker direct to Nyon on the superfood that is leftover xmas cake. Made connection sans stress tho 😎 Both ICEs, 4h each, super smooth & on schedule 🙌 🚆 🩵 🎂
mslauramack.bsky.social
Relaxed change onto ICE173 departed Frankfurt bang on time having started in Berlin and going whole way to Interlaken Ost 😎 meaning an (8min…) change in Bern rather than Basel, then <2 hrs to go….Only disadvantage being that Kaffeemacher appears to be Basel-only phenomenon! ☕️ #TrainNotPlane
mslauramack.bsky.social
So here instead then… #TrainNotPlane this time Ede-Wageningen 🇳🇱 to Nyon 🇨🇭 for Ramsar Convention on Wetlands standing committee 64 #SC64 Stage 3 underway Utrecht - Frankfurt 🇩🇪 on the ICE153 after beautiful frosty tranquil cycle to station and regular train to Utrecht… You can do it #DeutscheBahn 😅