Climate models underestimate natural carbon sinks

Researchers have found that that natural carbon sinks, such as forests and soils, absorbed almost no CO2 in 2023, marking a significant collapse. This breakdown, attributed to extreme weather and rising temperatures, was not predicted in most climate models, suggesting a potential acceleration of climate change beyond current projections.

The team of researchers from institutes including the University of Exeter and Leipzig University, highlight that the Earth's ecosystems, which typically absorb about half of human emissions, are showing signs of instability. For instance, the northern hemisphere has seen a decline in carbon absorption for eight consecutive years. Factors such as wildfires, droughts and pest outbreaks are increasingly undermining the ability of these ecosystems to sequester carbon.

Experts warn that if these trends continue, countries relying on natural sinks to meet climate targets will face substantial challenges. 

Starbucks has announced the acquisition of two innovation farms in Central America, specifically in Costa Rica and Guatemala. This move aims to safeguard its coffee supply against the impacts of climate change. The farms will focus on testing hybrid coffee varieties to develop climate-resistant coffee, and employing drone technology to enhance farming efficiency and address labour shortages.

Starbucks sources about 3% of the world's coffee and works with more than 450,000 farms. Farming communities are experiencing declines in productivity, crop quality and their livelihoods. This is due to rising temperatures, droughts and the spread of coffee leaf rust and other climate-related challenges. A report by the Climate Institute predicts that, by 2050, suitable land for coffee cultivation could be halved. 

The new farms are part of a broader strategy to build an innovation network across major coffee-growing regions, including plans for future investments in Africa and Asia. Starbucks aims to achieve carbon neutrality in its coffee supply chain by 2030, emphasising the importance of sustainability not just for the company, but also for the farmers who rely on these crops.

The UK government has confirmed that glass bottles will be excluded from the deposit return scheme in England and Northern Ireland, which has disappointed many environmental groups advocating for glass inclusion. The DRS will focus on single-use containers made from plastic, steel and aluminium, aiming to reduce littering by 85% within three years.

This exclusion was justified by citing higher litter rates for plastic and aluminium compared to glass. However, this decision contrasts with the approaches of the Welsh and Scottish governments, both of which plan to include glass in their DRS. Campaigners argue that excluding glass undermines efforts to create a zero-waste economy and diminishes the effectiveness of the DRS.

The scheme, initially promised in 2018, has faced numerous delays, with its launch now pushed to 2025. 

A recent report by the initiative EverydayPlastic and the UK Environmental Investigation Agency, has revealed that 70% of soft plastic collected in British supermarket recycling schemes is incinerated and the remaining amount is downcycled abroad. In 2021, major UK supermarkets introduced front-of-store collection points to recycle soft plastic packaging, but investigations reveal these schemes mislead consumers, with limited recycling actually occurring. The investigation tracked soft plastics using Apple AirTags in 2023-2024, finding that none of the soft plastic returned to Sainsbury’s and Tesco was closed-loop recycled. 

The environmental charity ClientEarth argues that supermarkets are breaching consumer protection laws by presenting these schemes as environmentally friendly solutions, without disclosing the true limitations of soft plastic recycling. The report calls for supermarkets to significantly reduce single-use plastics, stop exporting soft plastic waste, and for the UK government to set binding targets to cut plastic production, including banning exports of plastic waste by 2027. Responding to the investigation, a Sainsbury’s told Circular Online that the business is seeking ways to “positively manage the end-of-life of (its) packaging”, whilst a Tesco responded that the company has “a clear plan to remove packaging wherever possible and reducing, reusing and recycling it where (it) can’t”.

The World Meteorological Organisation has released a critical report indicating that 2023 was the driest year for global rivers in over three decades. This trend is attributed to climate change, which is making the hydrological cycle increasingly erratic. Key findings in the report include that glaciers experienced their largest mass loss in 50 years and that over the past five years, many regions have seen significantly below-normal river flows, impacting communities and agriculture. The report stressesd the urgent need for improved monitoring and data sharing to address water-related hazards. The report also notes that 3.6 billion people currently lack adequate access to water, a figure expected to rise to over five billion by 2050.