A window into what we are reading at the Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Program

China is Leading the World on Renewable Energy (Yale 360)

In November, Chinese and U.S. climate envoys pledged to triple global renewable energy by 2030, signaling renewed cooperation between the top two greenhouse gas emitters. However, the two countries are not quite on equal footing when it comes to renewable energy.

Despite being the world’s largest emitter, China also leads the world in installed renewable energy capacity—with plans to exceed its 2030 target five years early in 2025. To achieve its climate goals of carbon neutrality by 2060, however, China’s installed renewable capacity will not be enough.

China struggles to put its present renewable energy installations to use, and the nation still generates about 70% of its electricity from fossil fuels. Yet with plans to merge its regional grids into one united infrastructure, China hopes to overcome its challenges of integrating renewable energy into electrical grids, and unlock its full renewable energy potential.

READ | China’s EV Power Grid-lock: A Coin Toss for Decarbonization?

Assessing the Costs of Climate Change for the EU (Al Jazeera)

Human-induced climate change continues to significantly impact the planet, and 2023 now holds the record as the warmest year globally. And a recent report from the European Environment Agency (EEA) calls for urgent action to counter Europe’s inadequate preparation for the escalating risks posed by climate change.

Europe is the fastest-warming continent, and is experiencing an increased frequency of extreme heat events and changing precipitation patterns, including more severe downpours and droughts. These conditions are leading to catastrophic floods and water scarcity in a number of its regions. Climate-induced challenges in Europe, compounded by environmental and social factors, now pose significant threats to food and water security, energy stability, financial markets, and public health. Ultimately, these impacts will also threaten social cohesion and stability.

From 1980 to 2022, the EU incurred over 650 billion euros in losses due to weather and climate-related extremes. But as the new report observes that in a continued shattering of global heat records, the damage from coastal floods alone could cost over 1 trillion euros annually. With spiraling costs felt across the bloc, the EEA recommends finding ways to integrate climate risk considerations into budgets, allocate more resources to assist farmers in managing risks, and develop funding instruments to strengthen healthcare systems against climate-related challenges.

READ | Carbon and Hydrogen in Meeting Climate Goals: Framing Matters

A Climate Migration Hackathon: Understanding Climate Mobility Data (IOM)

In October, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) organized hackathons in London and Nairobi aimed at enhancing technical processes related to data collation, compilation, and analysis for climate mobility research.

The competing teams in the exercise were composed of students, thematic experts, data analysts, and technical experts from different data fields. Their interdisciplinary work not only highlighted challenges in utilizing advanced analytics for climate migration research, but also helped define the strengths and weaknesses of different IOM data sources.

Such hackathons play an essential role in increasing knowledge about human mobility—and how it is driven by climate change and environmental degradation in the East and Horn of Africa. By refining the quality of data and improving data accessibility to it, stakeholders will foster more comprehensive research and build a better understanding of the dynamics behind human mobility.

READ | Investigating Climate Migration: Global Realities and Resilience