Author: Grace Liu ‘23
Welcome again to another Good News Friday! For this edition, we will hear about how city sponges can offer climate change protection, Honolulu’s lawsuit against Big Oil, and a traditional knowledge guide about the health of the planet in Finland.
- City sponges offer climate protection: Due to climate change, both floods and droughts are becoming more intense. Most cities consist of asphalt and concrete which exacerbates these effects by increasing runoff after precipitation. However, officials around the world are trying to mitigate these effects by increasing the amount of urban vegetation in the form of green roofs, parks, and wetlands. These cities, dubbed sponge cities, help recharge groundwater and prevent flooding by mimicking how nature captures and stores precipitation.
- Honolulu vs Big Oil: For the first time ever, a US judge has ruled against fossil fuel companies in a court case. The Hawaii capital is suing big oil companies Sunoco, Chevron, ExxonMobil, and others for flooding, erosion, beach loss, and damage to coral reefs due to climate change. In this unprecedented case, Hawaii Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey Crabtree ruled in favor of Honolulu.
- Protecting Peatland with Indigenous Knowledge: Natural peatlands are vital ecosystems that foster biodiversity and act as carbon sinks. Unfortunately, Finland has destroyed more than 60% of its natural peatlands through draining. However, a nonprofit called the Snowchange Cooperative is supporting collaboration between indigenous knowledge holders and scientists to rewild these important wetlands. As a result, within the past decade, Skolt Sámi women have used their knowledge to guide restoration in the Näätämö River Basin in a way that honors the fragile ecosystem.
We hope you’ve enjoyed the stories this week and hope you have a restful weekend. Check back next week for more encouraging environmental news. If you’d like to share some Good News with us, please feel free to get in touch!