👨⚖️ Climate crisis in the courts
A United States (US) fossil fuel company is suing its insurer for refusing to cover rising defense costs in climate-related lawsuits brought by local governments in Hawaii.
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The case of Aloha Petroleum against a National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh by AIG Could Set a Precedent: Are Companies Protected from Climate Damage Claims?
According to court documents, the Aloha Petroleum – a subsidiary of Sunoco, based in the USA – has already spent more than $880.000 on defense costs and expects this amount to grow significantly as the litigation progressessystem. (The Guardian*)
It is one of the first disputes over insurance coverage for climate crisis litigation to be heard in court.
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The insurer states that climate litigation is covered in cases of “pollution”, provided for in the general liability policies of its clients.
If the insurer's argument is successful, fossil fuel companies could be forced to pay millions of dollars in legal fees in addition to any future damages awarded in court.
🌱 Africa calls for an end to climate injustice
Less than 3 months before the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2022 (COP27) – which will be held from November 6th to 18th in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt – African countries called for an end to “climate injustice”: the continent is responsible for less than 4% of global CO2 emissions, but pays a very high price for the advance of global warming.
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This Monday (29), African Climate Week – one of the preparatory meetings for COP27 – began in Libreville, capital of Gabon. The event is attended by representatives from governments, international organizations, NGOs and the private sector of the entire continent.
The meeting seeks to formulate concrete proposals, in order to “speak with one voice for Africa at COP27”.
“Although it only contributes less than 4% to global CO2 emissions, Africa is the most devastated continent in the world, according to the IPCC group of international experts, due to the effects of climate change (…) undermining our efforts for sustainable growth ”, said Sameh Choukri, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt and President of COP27system. (Le Monde*)
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“At the same time, Africa finds itself forced, with limited resources and a very low level of support, to spend 3% of annual GDP to adapt to these impacts”, concluded the Egyptian diplomat.
😢 Extinct dugong
The dugong – a vegetarian mammal that has lived in Asia and Africa for hundreds of years – has become functionally extinct, according to a new study published in the journal Royal Society Open Science. (🇬🇧)
Dugong is a species of manatee that only lives in the oceans. He too It is known as “sea cow”system. (Planet Connection)
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“Functional extinction” means that even if some dugongs are still alive off the coast of China, are too small in number to maintain a viable population. (The New York Times*)
To reach this conclusion, experts analyzed information from recent years and interviewed fishermen and residents of 66 coastal communities to ensure that the animals had never been seen again.
Dugongs are occasionally caught in fishing nets, and the seagrass they eat in the northern South China Sea has degraded over the years.
What happens to the species also serves as a warning to other mammals in the South China Sea – a place of impressive biodiversity navy that faces strong pressure from overfishing, coastal development, among other risks.
O Curto Verde is a daily summary of what you need to know about the environment, sustainability and other topics linked to our survival and that of the planet.
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