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Email Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to stop Woodside Burrup Hub gas expansion, just approved by the Western Australian Government. The NWS development is set to produce 6 billion tonnes of climate pollution over the project’s lifespan, which is 13 times Australia’s total current annual emissions. Plibersek now has 30 days to respond to the state based approval of the North West Shelf, so we can expect a decision over the holiday period. Greenpeace have an email template to help write to Environment Minister Plibersek to Stop the Woodside Burrup Hub gas expansion. (12 December)

Victorian government has released draft regulations to effectively end the installation of gas heaters and hot water services in Victorian homes. This is an important move to electrify major gas appliances at end of life, and save people money and save gas for essential uses while phasing it out. Consultation is open 13 December 2024 – 28 February 2025 (Engage Victoria) (See 13 December)

ACF Petition to Prime Minister, Environment Minister and Climate Minister to end coal and gas (ACF)

Explore Merri-bek Nature Map, add comments to highlight features missed or that are simply stunning. (12 December 2024) (Conversations Merri-bek)

Extreme heat days are on us. Check out Tips to Keep Cool This Summer (Zero Carbon Merri-bek)(10 December)

Christmas season will generate substantial microplastics pollution adding to health and environmental impacts. Reduce or eliminate tinsel as this is composite plastic, cannot be recycled, incredibly damaging as microplastics in the environment.

Check out Tips for a low waste Festive Season (Merri-bek Council)(4 December) This blog from the Australian Marine Conservation Society is full of tips for a plastic free christmas.

Timeline

31 December 2024 – Melbourne city temperatures in 2024, from the Is It Hot Right Now website: “We’ve compared every day this year at Melbourne City to similar times of year in the past. Red days were hot compared to records; blue days were cold.” 4 days were in the coldest 5%, while 29 were in the warmest 5% of days compared to historical records.

31 December 2024 – David Spratt’s astute analysis of the year past: A year of scientific shock and awe (Pearls and Irritations)

31 December 2024 – rising seas displace tens of thousands in Papua New Guinea. This is problematic as all land is customarily owned so authorities can’t just relocate people. PNG Government has turned a blind eye to the problems of sea level rise adapatation and population relocation. (Guardian)

31 December 2024 – Australian bushfire smoke detected over Antarctica for first time since black summer. (Guardian) Particles recorded by scientists at the Chilean research station, the Profesor Julio Escudero Base, as recently as Sunday. Note: The Grampians National Park Fire on December 20 produced the first Pyrocumulonimbus cloud of this Australian summer bushfire season, lifting smoke particles into the stratosphere. (NASA Earth Observatory)

30 December 2024 – Grampians National Park fire will have long term impacts on ecosystems. and species. “While the full extent of the damage from the fires isn’t yet known, Wildlife Victoria expects “catastrophic and long-term impacts” for wildlife, including substantial loss of life, burns, blindness, dehydration and starvation due to loss of habitat and food sources.” (Guardian)

27 December 2024 – Climate crisis exposed people to extra six weeks of dangerous heat in 2024 (Guardian) Analysis shows fossil fuels are supercharging heatwaves, leaving millions prone to deadly temperatures (World Weather Attribution analysis of 2024)

27 December 2024 – New Australian study on chidren’s vulnerability to heat highlights health risk. Here’s how to protect them this summer. (The Conversation)

26 December 2024 – Inciteful article from NSW on how vertical seawalls are snatching the beachfront. Storm surges on top of Sea level Rise are producing climate maladaptations such as vertical concrete seawalls that add temporary value to coastal property holders while robbing the community of shore space. In the end they fail. Less damaging environmental solutions are available such as use of rock revetments for reinforced sand dunes, or proper state and Council managed retreat planning. (Michael West Media) We should keep in mind that Catastrophic sea level rise is possible within our lifetime. Isabelle Bond from the Australian Security Policy Institute (ASPI) explains how (ASPI) See also: 22 November 2024 – Early career Polar scientists issue emergency warning on sea level rise from Antarctica (Statement) 

25 December 2024 – Extreme heat and bushfire risk across Australia’s south-east on Christmas and Boxing days as Grampians blaze rages. (Guardian) Victoria faces its worst fire risk since 2019’s black summer, with extreme fire dangers in all but one region, leading to a total fire ban for the state on Boxing Day. Melbourne was expected to reach the high 30s and low 40s in some suburbs on Christmas Day, rising into the 40s on Thursday before a cold front arrived at around 8pm. Victorians were being urged to prepare for outages, with provider AusNet warning power faults could be triggered to prevent bushfires starting.

Ambulance Victoria have issued a warning regarding heat health risk. Elevated risks of heat-related health issues are expected, including heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke, Ambulance Victoria emergency management director Dale Armstrong warned according to the Age Report. “Most at risk are elderly people, young children and those with medical conditions, however, heat and heat-related illnesses can affect anybody,” Armstrong said.

Heat stroke is fatal in up to 80 per cent of cases.

23 December 2024 – Immediate fire threat moves to NSW as Victoria continues to battle Grampians blaze. Authorities warn travellers and tourists to be alert to emergency warnings with extreme fire danger forecast over much of NSW, Victoria, WA and SA. Victorian and South Australian authorities are preparing for catastrophic and extreme conditions on Boxing Day. (Guardian)

22 December 2024 0- Sea Forest seaweed cow feed pioneer laments government exclusion from carbon credit scheme (ABC News)

21 December 2024 – The Coalition’s coal-keeper plan. The Coalition’s nuclear proposal offers no outlook for lower household bills, and the political debate obscures the fact that the plan is undeliverable. (Saturday Paper) See also: Coalition ‘not serious’ about nuclear policy and Dutton’s plan is ‘political fix’, Quensland Liberal National Party Senator Matt Canavan says (Guardian)

21 December 2024 – Climate 200 puts Coalition in crosshairs, with only one Labor seat on election hitlist. (Yeah, nah, its not Wills) (Guardian)

19 December 2024 – USA releases its 2035 climate target of 61-66% reduction on 2005 levels. “The United States is communicating an economy-wide target of reducing its net greenhouse gas emissions by 61-66 percent below 2005 levels in 2035. The entire 2035 range is on a straight line or steeper trajectory to net zero emissions by 2050 for all greenhouse gases.” Emphasis is on America is all in, with US cities, states and businesses continuing the transition despite a drawback on regulation under a Trump administration. (UNFCCC USA NDC | Whitehouse.gov)

Oil Change International, US Climate Alliance & others comment (Click to open)

In response to the release of the U.S. Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), Oil Change International U.S. Campaign Manager Collin Rees said:

“We welcome President Biden’s acknowledgment that fossil fuels must be phased out. Elements of this plan can serve as a blueprint for climate progress on the state, local, and international levels – crucial for climate action during Donald ‘drill, baby, drill’ Trump’s term.

“But other elements of this NDC utterly fail to deliver. The NDC ignores scientists’ clear warning that halting new fossil fuel projects is essential to keep warming below 1.5°C. Instead, it doubles down on the failed strategy of counting on clean energy to displace fossil fuels without simultaneous efforts to stop fossil fuels. Under Biden, even as clean energy surged, America became the world’s planet wrecker in chief, planning the largest oil and gas expansion of any country over the next decade.” Read more (OIl Change International)

The new US target has been endorsed by the US Climate Alliance (24 state governors representing approximately 55% of the U.S. population and 60% of the U.S. economy) who pledge to meet it in their states (US Climate Alliance). See also positive statements by the America is all in alliance:  and Climate Mayors.

There is important analysis here at the University of Maryland – showing the range of emissions reductions could be between 54-62%. 

19 December 2024 – Low-interest electric vehicle loans offered for workers earning less than $100k, as part of a Federal Government program to make the upfront cost of EVs more affordable (ABC News | Ministerial media release) Also of note, Australian Government through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), is providing $4.8 million in funding to facilitate development of unique battery technology based on sulphur battery cell technologies that could revolutionise the clean energy transition, through delivering longer ranges for EVs. (Ministerial media release)

19 December 2024 – Extreme heat, Flood warnings and bushfire evacuations amid more weather chaos across Australia. (New Daily) This is a symptom of rising temperatures due to climate change driver more energy in the climate system.

19 December 2024 – Albanese Government delivers 3 coal mine approvals for Christmas with 880 million tonnes of emissions. (Climate Action Merribek) There are currently 36 coal mining projects and 6 gas projects currently awaiting decision on Minister Plibersek’s desk under Australia’s environment laws. Yes, the decision made on the thursday before Christmas has been called putting out the trash. The Albanese government’s fossil fuel approval tally has now risen to 16 since election in May 2022.

Details on Coal approvals (Click to open)

When fossil fuel projects are referred for assessment, Australia’s environment law does not require consideration of how carbon pollution caused by these projects can harm the environment. Less than 10% of emissions from coal mines are considered under Australia’s climate laws and Safeguard Mechanism because it only considers direct emissions produced during mining and ignores the emissions produced from the burning of the coal.

The Albanese government has refused ‘reconsideration requests’ for three coal mines, Boggabri, Caval Ridge and Lake Vermont Meadowbrook, ignoring climate change. The requests were made by the Environment Council of Central Queensland (ECoCeQ) represented by lawyers from Environmental Justice Australia as part of the Living Wonders legal intervention. ECoCeQ asked the Albanese government to reconsider the assessment of the coal mines, to assess their climate harm and how the climate pollution they would create will impact Australia’s environment and threatened species. A fourth project is Vulcan South, which is also close to an approval decision but under criminal investigation for illegal clearing and mining. It’s likely a decision on this mine will be made together with the other three or shortly afterwards. 

All four coal mines are now listed on the EPBC public portal as ‘considering final decision’ and ‘final recommendation report completed’, meaning a draft decision has been made and we can expect publication of a final decision soon.  

Key Messages on Coal approvals (click to open)

1. This decision denies climate science. The Albanese Government’s new coal mines will emit 880 million tonnes of carbon pollution, close to double Australia’s total annual emissions. The vast majority of the pollution from these mines will be emitted when the coal is exported and burnt overseas: these emissions are ignored by the Australian Government and not considered in decision making.
   1. Scientists say new coal and gas must be stopped to protect Australians from dangerous climate change. Pacific leaders are demanding Australia stop approving new coal and gas to give their islands a fighting chance.
   2. Coal is the leading cause of global climate change and Australia’s emissions are not going down. The Albanese Government’s approval of three new coal mines is an absolute disaster for Australia’s climate and environment. 
   3. The International Energy Agency has warned that not a single new coal mine can be approved if we are to limit the worst impacts of dangerous climate change. 
   4. The Albanese Government has now approved 11 new coal mining projects, 17 new gas and 3 new oil projects since taking office – and there are 42 coal and gas projects currently awaiting decision.

2. 2024 has been Earth’s hottest year on record. The impacts of climate change are here and have been devastating communities all over the world. We have the solutions and the tools needed to prevent the worst climate impacts and secure a safe future. But we need the political will. Despite the Australian government’s failure to take real climate action, we won’t give up. We will continue to stand up for communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis and demand action from the Albanese government, too much is at stake not to act. 

3. Australians are facing a climate-fuelled cost of living crisis and the Albanese Government’s new coal approvals will make it worse. The Albanese Government’s new coal mine approvals will cause more intense bushfires and more powerful floods, driving up the cost of food and insurance. The Labor and Liberal parties need to stop handing out billions of public funds to billionaire coal and gas companies and start standing up for everyday Australians facing cost of living pressures.

4. This is a cowardly decision by the Albanese Government who is protecting the profits of coal billionaires and polluters instead of taking real climate action to protect our communities from worsening fires, floods, and extreme weather. Prime Minister Albanese claims to be committed to climate action, but his government is in climate change denial. 

5. Anthony Albanese is signing a death sentence for Pacific islands with every new coal mine his government approves. Pacific leaders have loudly and repeatedly called for Australia to do what’s necessary to save their islands, and stop approving new coal and gas projects.  Each year, the emissions of these coal projects will contribute more than 2.5 times the combined emissions from all 14 Pacific Island nations in one year. Every new coal mine approval is a brutal betrayal of the Pacific Islands that undermines Australia’s credibility on climate change. Australia does not deserve to host the upcoming COP31 climate change conference in partnership with Pacific Island states unless it starts acting like a true partner on climate action by rejecting new coal mines.

6. Anthony Albanese’s Labor Government was elected with a mandate to act on climate after 10 years of denial and delay. Approving new coal mines is the opposite of climate action. The Labor Party risks angering millions of voters by failing to stand up to the billionaire coal companies making the climate and cost of living crises worse. The Labor Party is failing to show it’s different to the climate-denying Dutton opposition because approving coal mines is an act of climate denial itself.
   1. Every new coal and gas project that is approved by the Albanese undermines any progress being made on renewable energy. Emissions from Australia’s coal and gas exports are three times greater than our domestic emissions, the Albanese government’s climate policy isn’t credible while it ignores these emissions and expands coal and gas mining.

7. The Albanese Government’s approval of three more coal mines highlights why Australia’s environment laws are stuck in climate change denial and failing to protect Australian communities and the environment. Australia’s environment laws need urgent fixing so they can stop new coal mines digging climate wrecking coal. Australia’s environment laws are destroying not protecting our environment.
   1. The Albanese Government refused to consider the climate impacts of these massive coal projects, and is refusing to fix Australia’s environment laws to consider climate change and protect nature. 
   2. Every new coal and gas approval is a deliberate decision to harm people today and in the future. The world’s scientists and the International Energy Agency say to keep global heating to safer levels there can be no new coal and gas.

8. The Albanese Government pledged ‘no new extinctions’ but is approving new coal mines that will clear critically important habitat for endangered koalas and critically endangered Swift parrots. The only way to stop the extinction of our endangered wildlife is to stop destroying their habitat. The Albanese government’s approval of these mines is a global embarrassment.

9. Approving new coal mines is an act of climate denial that puts our communities at risk. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has said there can be no new or expanded coal mines, including metallurgical coal, in order to achieve the Paris Agreement goals of limiting global warming to 1.5’C. Furthermore, the IEA says existing sources of metallurgical coal production “are sufficient to cover demand through to 2050.” (Page 103 of the IEA NZ2050 report )

19 December 2024 – Professor Terry Hughes highlighted at Bluesky: “Due to the impeccable timing of a delayed official press release, you probably haven’t heard that 40% of corals on the southern Great Barrier Reef died in 2024 due to record-breaking heat exposure. (VOA)

18 December 2024 – Fossil Fuels are being ‘eaten alive’ by the solar rush. Satellite imagery reveals the staggering rise of solar farms around the world in recent years. Can Australia get on board? (ABC News) Goes into detail on China, Pakistan, India, United States, and Australia. At current rates, solar is on track to provide 12 per cent of global electricity in three years, 24 per cent in six years, and 48 per cent in less than a decade.

18 December 2024 – Pakistan and the Bahamas have joined a growing bloc of climate-vulnerable countries seeking to broker a global pact to phase out fossil fuels in an equitable way. (Guardian) Pakistan’s decision is particularly significant as the world’s fifth-most populous country and the first South Asian country to engage in discussions towards a just and equitable transition. As they face catastrophic floods, extreme heatwaves, and glacial melting, their leadership highlights the urgency of tackling the main cause of the climate crisis: fossil fuels. The Bahamas joins a coalition of island nations on the frontlines of the climate crisis, demonstrating resilience and leadership in the face of rising seas and hurricanes. With the support of these two nations, there are now 16 countries from 4 continents engaged in discussions around a Fossil Fuel Treaty. Momentum is building, and the fight for a fossil-free future is gaining real traction. (Fossil Fuel Treaty)

18 December 2024 – Urban planners need to also consider UV radiation when planning urban surfaces and reducing urban heat. A push to cool Australian cities may inadvertently increase our skin cancer risk, unless we act (The Conversation)

17 December 2024 – Japan and Australia’s gas-fuelled obsession endures under Asia Zero Emission Community (Australia Institute)

16 December 2024 – UniSuper dumps $840 million of shares in APA Pipeline Group. Gas fracking in the Northern Territory’s Beetaloo basin threatens to become the biggest gas project in Australia. APA Group, an Australian gas pipeline company, is critical to these dangerous plans. APA could either enable widespread fracking in the Beetaloo by building major gas pipelines, or refuse to build the pipelines and stop the project in its tracks. (Market Forces)

16 December 2024 – Gardening for a healthier life and a healthier planet. Don’t underestimate the power of backyard or balcony gardening (Australia Institute)

15 December 2024 – Victoria set to swelter through extreme fire danger day (the Age | Guardian)

14 December 2024 – Australia’s Clean Energy Transition Partnership a ‘huge win’ on climate (The Saturday Paper) “Representatives will meet at the OECD to finalise an agreement between a group of Western economies to end major public subsidies for international oil, gas and coal projects. The path for this Clean Energy Transition Partnership (CETP) was cleared in the final sitting week of parliament, when Labor and the Greens struck a deal to pass the Future Made in Australia legislation – a suite of policies to rebuild Australia’s industrial base to take advantage of the zero-carbon economy. The new laws include a commitment to ending public finance for new fossil fuel projects. Under the agreement, Australia will stop its export credit agency, Export Finance Australia (EFA), from investing public money in new fossil fuel projects overseas.”

14 December 2024 – Energy generators poke holes in Dutton’s nuclear plan as questions over costings pile up. ‘No one really has the foggiest idea of what it will cost to develop nuclear in Australia,’ one expert says. (Guardian)

13 December 2024 – Victorian government releases draft regulations to effectively end the installation of gas heaters and hot water services in Victorian homes. This is an important move to electrify major gas appliances at end of life, and save people money and save gas. Consultation is open 13 December 2024 – 28 February 2025(Engage Victoria)

13 December 2024: The Coalition reveals the cost of its nuclear power plan – but the devil is in the missing detail. “The Frontier Economics report does not contain a levelised-cost estimate or a “capacity factor”, which captures how often a plant is running at maximum power. This makes it difficult to probe the figures it provides.” The costings are at odds with the latest CSIRO Gencost draft report (The Conversation) The Australian Conservation Foundation responded with analysis that found for just one-fifth of the Coalition’s nuclear price tag, the government could install rooftop solar on every house in the country that doesn’t already have it. And for less than half (42%) of the $331 billion, the government could also install a battery system on every Australian house that doesn’t already have one.(ACF)

The Smart Energy Council’s analysis shows that even operating at a minimum 60% capacity, Peter Dutton’s nuclear proposal could force 6.6 Gigawatts of eye-wateringly expensive energy into the grid and power bills of 7 million Australians and displace the equivalent solar power generation from between 1.8 – 2.9 million homes. (Smart Energy Council)

More coal, more gas, higher prices, higher emissions: What Coalition’s nuclear plan will do to the grid. (Renew Economy)

Read more on The Coalition’s nuclear power folly, particularly cherry picking data in the comparison to electricity costs in Ontario.

13 December: Canada announces 2035 target of by 45 to 50 per cent reduction on 2005 levels. In a report published in September, Canada’s Net-Zero Advisory Body recommended an emissions reduction target of 50 to 55 per cent. The report says a target in the government’s chosen range of 45 to 50 per cent would risk “putting Canada too far behind its net-zero goal and would likely represent insufficient ambition” compared to its partners, including other G7 countries. (Toronto Star) Read further analysis : ‘Pathetic, Painful’: Canada Sets 45-50% Emissions Target for 2035, Looks to Provinces for More (Energy Mix)

12 December 2024 – Bowen declares new wind zone in Bass Strait. This aims to support up to 20 gigawatts of renewable energy. New zone is reduced in size and located at least 30 km off Tasmania’s coast, in response to feedback from local stakeholders including community groups and industries. Developers can apply for feasibility licenses for projects in this zone until March 2025, focusing on delivering economic and community benefits. (Renew Economy)

12 December 2024 – Merri-bek Nature Map (Conversations Merri-bek)

12 December 2024 – Woodside gains Western Australian government approval for massive 50-year Karratha gas plant extension. It is a critical part of the $30 billion Browse joint venture between Woodside, BP, Mitsui, Mitsubishi and PetroChina, which hinges on its ability to pipe gas 1000 kilometres from the field to the 40-year-old plant for processing. (The Age | Renew Economy). The NWS development is set to produce 6 billion tonnes of climate pollution over the project’s lifespan, which is 13 times Australia’s total current annual emissions. Plibersek now has 30 days to respond to the state based approval of the North West Shelf, so we can expect a decision over the holiday period. Greenpeace have an email template to help write to Environment Minister Plibersek to Stop the Woodside Burrup Hub gas expansion.

11 December 2024 – Surging global tourism emissions are driven by just 20 countries, including Australia, says major new study, which highlights (again) the importance of demand management particularly for long haul international flights to reduce aviation emissions. (The Conversation)

11 December 2024 – New report by Action Aid Australia on Financing Climate Destruction: How Australian banks are eroding women’s rights. It shows how finance from Australian banks to fossil fuel giants such as Santos and Woodside is having devastating impacts on women in developing countries, by violating their rights and causing unimaginable climate destruction. These negative impacts will continue unless Australian banks implement more stringent policies to prevent finance being used for fossil fuel expansion. (Action Aid)

10 December 2024 – Australia’s Circular Economy Framework published by the Federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water (DCCEEW)

10 December 2024 – Small island nations face climate-induced ‘catastrophe’, warn experts. First comprehensive study on health and climate change in small island developing states lays bare impact of the crisis and calls for action from richer countries (Guardian). The Lancet Global Health: The 2024 small island developing states report of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change

10 December 2024 – Tips to Keep Cool This Summer (Zero Carbon Merri-bek)

9 December 2024 – Catch up on the new proposed minimum standards for rental properties (Zero Carbon Merri-bek)

9 December 2024 – CSIRO reaffirms nuclear power likely to cost twice as much as renewables. This takes into account firmed capacity (energy storage) and upgraded energy transmission. (ABC News)

“After we evaluated these three topics, potential for longer life, how often nuclear generates throughout the year, when we applied those numbers, we are still finding that large-scale nuclear would be 1.5 to 2.5 times the cost of generating from firmed solar and wind,” Mr Graham said. Battery costs had tumbled 20 per cent in the 12 months to June 30, while there had been back-to-back decreases of 8 per cent for large-scale solar.

9 December 2024 – Three-Quarters of Earth’s Land Became Permanently Drier in Last Three Decades according to a UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) report. It highlights that increasing Aridity is an ‘existential crisis’ redefining life on Earth and this is being driven by increasing temperatures of climate change. South Eastern Australia and Western Australia identified as global hotspots for increasing aridity with the threat of widespread biodiversity loss with loss of habitat.(press Release | UNCCD Report)

“Large parts of southern Africa and the east and west coasts of southern Australia
are projected to transform from non-drylands (i.e., humid) to drylands by 2100 for the SSP3-7.0 and the SSP5-8.5 scenarios (Figure 14).”

“In Australia, for example, a scenario of just moderate warming is expected to increase drought related tree die-offs by 160 per cent, as the frequency of these extreme dry-weather events increases (Mitchell and others, 2014).”

Some 77.6% of Earth’s land experienced drier conditions during the three decades leading up to 2020 compared to the previous 30-year period, according to the landmark report from the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

9 December 2024 – These six charts tell the story of Australia’s (slow) progress on climate change (ABC News)

8 December 2024 – Updated assessment of Bushfire Risk across Australia by CSIRO – The maps that could ‘revolutionise’ how Australia handles bushfire risk. Incorporates climate trends. Includes a mapping tool to put in your postcade to see future bushfire risk for that location. (ABC News)

6 December 2024 – Northern Territory a Sacrifice Zone – Junkee spoke to Danggalaba Kulumbirgin Tiwi woman, Mililma May, who said that the Northern Territory is essentially a “sacrifice zone” for the government, where its people are pushed to the side in favour of fossil fuel companies. Discusses Beetaloo Basin gas fracking and Middle Arm Industrial hub (Junkee)

5 December 2024 – New Analyst report on Petrochemical Imbalance: Why chemicals are unlikely to prop up oil demand. Some of the largest oil and gas companies are pivoting towards petrochemicals (including plastics) as they reckon with the fact that a decline in transport fuel demand is imminent. (Carbon Tracker)

4 December 2024 – Tips for a low waste Festive Season (Merri-bek Council)

1 December 2024 – Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience (AIDR) launched the first Planning for Animals handbook (PDF), with its scope being across disaster risk reduction, preparedness for response and recovery, as well as the breadth of the animal groups we consider, and the nature of their custodians.

2 -13 December 2024 – International Court of Justice Hearings on the Obligations of States in Respect of Climate Change – Daily Summary Reports (IISD/ENB)

2–13 December 2024 – 16th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification – UNCCD (COP 16) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Daily Summary reports. (IISD/ENB)