Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Natalie Jones

Rebecca Solnit @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social · 6d

Jane Goodall's work insisting, with evidence from her brilliant and tenacious fieldwork, that we were not so separate from animals, and they were much more like us than the Eurocentric theorists asserted, was so important.

33 510 2.1K

Reposted by Natalie Jones

POLITICO Europe @politico.eu · 7d

Pope Leo XIV denounced people who deny climate change today, arguing that they are contributing to the destruction of God's creation.

Pope Leo rebukes climate skeptics after Trump calls warming a ‘con job’

The Illinois native’s comments come a week after the U.S. president derided the fight against climate change.

www.politico.eu

24 380 1.1K

Natalie Jones @nataliejones.bsky.social · 7d

Ciao for now!

(pictured with my most favourite of Italian trees, the stone pine)

1 1

Natalie Jones @nataliejones.bsky.social · 7d

As we pass the 10 year anniversary of the Paris Agreement later on this year, all eyes will be at the political level.

What remains to be done, indeed.

1 1

Natalie Jones @nataliejones.bsky.social · 7d

As I go into the rest of the conference I’ll be holding with me this question the Pope asked: “We remember the past with gratitude, but we also ask ourselves, what remains to be done?”

1

Natalie Jones @nataliejones.bsky.social · 7d

Finally, Pope Leo was clear about where responsibility lies. “The most effective solutions will come not from individual efforts but from political decisions at the international, national and local levels.”

He urged citizens around the world to get involved in politics.

1 1 2

Natalie Jones @nataliejones.bsky.social · 7d

As Lorna Gold pointed out, Laudato Si is a message for all people of the world—whether or not they’re Catholic (I’m not).

1 1

Natalie Jones @nataliejones.bsky.social · 7d

And it’s clear Pope Leo is continuing his predecessor’s mission of Laudato Si.

Not just by implementing a solar-powered plan to make the Vatican a carbon-neutral state, but through empowering people around the world.

1

Natalie Jones @nataliejones.bsky.social · 7d

And as someone pointed out to me in the break, the Catholic Church is also one of, if not the largest landholders globally.

If the Catholics rewild, in other words, that’s huge for the planet.

1

Natalie Jones @nataliejones.bsky.social · 7d

Second, the Catholic Church is an incredibly powerful force. As @schwarzenegger.bsky.social pointed out, there are 1.4 billion Catholics in the world, 200,000 churches. What potential.

1 1

Natalie Jones @nataliejones.bsky.social · 7d

It’s also the most focused on collective action.

“How do we dare raise hope?”

“We do it together.”

1

Natalie Jones @nataliejones.bsky.social · 7d

First, the clue is in the name. This is the most extraordinarily hopeful climate conference I’ve ever been to (in over a decade of climate conference-going).

(And the one with the most singing!)

1 1 1

Natalie Jones @nataliejones.bsky.social · 7d

I’m at the #LaudatoSi #RaisingHope Conference in Castel Gandolfo this week—today we all got literally blessed by the Pope—and here are my top takeaways from day 1 🧵

1 1 4

Natalie Jones @nataliejones.bsky.social · 7d

the original announcement: www.beehive.govt.nz/release/secu...

www.beehive.govt.nz

Natalie Jones @nataliejones.bsky.social · 7d

I don’t often post about New Zealand politics but this piece about the recent energy reforms is too spot on not to share. theintegrityinstitute.substack.com/p/integrity-...

Integrity Briefing: The Govt's energy reforms are a cowardly capitulation to the gentailers

After months of anticipation, the Government has unveiled its electricity market reforms.

theintegrityinstitute.substack.com

1 3 4

Natalie Jones @nataliejones.bsky.social · 8d

and check out Reuters coverage here: www.reuters.com/sustainabili...

Green energy pact has curbed fossil fuel funding

Public funding for international fossil fuel deals fell by up to 78% last year across a coalition of 35 countries, though members of the group, including Germany and the United States, approved new projects, research by a group of NGOs showed on Tuesday.

www.reuters.com

1 3

Natalie Jones @nataliejones.bsky.social · 8d

Read the full report here: www.iisd.org/publications....

Holding Course, Missing Speed

This report analyzes progress by Clean Energy Transition Partnership (CETP) signatories in shifting international public finance from fossil fuels to clean energy in 2024.

www.iisd.org

1 1 2

Natalie Jones @nataliejones.bsky.social · 8d

✅ Support a just transition by delivering public clean energy finance on fair terms

❌ End subsidies and approvals for new domestic oil and gas projects. The CETP's success depends on integrity at home.

1 1

Natalie Jones @nataliejones.bsky.social · 8d

We recommend CETP members should:

💪 Strengthen implementation of fossil fuel finance restrictions

🤝 Commit to a USD 42 billion annual collective clean energy finance target by 2026 (see report for how we calculate this)

1 1 1

Natalie Jones @nataliejones.bsky.social · 8d

But CETP members can change this story. At COP29 they adopted the Clean Energy Action Plan, committing to set a joint ambition for scaling up their clean energy finance to EMDEs.

1 1

Natalie Jones @nataliejones.bsky.social · 8d

As seen above, many signatories actually reduced their clean energy financing in 2024 compared with the pre-CETP baseline (although others drastically increased it!)

1 1

Natalie Jones @nataliejones.bsky.social · 8d

Even more concerning is that clean energy finance has not kept pace. In 2024, CETP countries increased their support for clean energy by only USD 3.2 billion, meaning that less than a fifth of the finance shifted out of fossil fuels has been redirected to clean energy.

1 1

Natalie Jones @nataliejones.bsky.social · 8d

But some countries continue to violate the agreement. Countries led by Germany, Italy, Switzerland and the United States have approved USD 10.9 billion in fossil fuel financing in 2023-2024 in violation of the pledge.

1 1

Natalie Jones @nataliejones.bsky.social · 8d

...compared with pre-CETP levels. That's a USD 11.3-16.3 billion drop.

Many countries are doing even better, as seen in the chart above, ending their fossil fuel finance entirely.

1 1

Natalie Jones @nataliejones.bsky.social · 8d

I'm writing today to share some (rare) good climate news!

New research released today by @energy.iisd.org @oilchange.bsky.social @foeus.bsky.social shows that members of the Clean Energy Transition Partnership have cut their international public finance for fossil fuels by up to 78%.

1 24 62