WORLD NEWS FLASH
BRAZIL
UN Secretary-General António Guterres responded to the storming on Brazil’s Congress by insisting that it would not shake the country’s strong democratic foundations.
In comments to journalists on Jan. 9, Mr. Guterres said that he had been shocked by reports that a mob had entered and ransacked government buildings on Jan. 8 in Brasilia.
But he said that he remained “absolutely convinced that Brazil can deal with this situation” and ensure that those responsible are held accountable for their actions.
“The democratic function of Brazil will move on,” the UN chief said, adding that “what matters is that the rule of law functions, and democracy moves forward.”
Mr. Guterres tweeted his alarm at the violent scenes in Brasilia on Jan. 8, and the UN Country Team there also issued a statement strongly condemning the assault.
Thousands of protesters – largely supporters of the country’s former right-wing president, Jair Bolsonaro who narrowly lost a bitterly contested election in October, to his long-time leftist rival and former incumbent, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva – breached Congress, the Supreme Court and parts of the presidential palace.
According to news reports, around 1,200 were detained after the riots, many supporters of Mr. Bolsonaro who believe without evidence, that the election was stolen. Some supporters had been camping out since the election defeat last year.
Mr. Bolsonaro left Brazil a few days before President Lula’s inauguration on 1 January, and is currently in the United States. He vigorously challenged the results of the October 30 run-off election.
Responding to accusations from the President that he had stoked Sunday’s violence, Mr. Bolsonaro denied doing so, and tweeted that his supporters had crossed the line of peaceful protest.
He added that “disinformation and manipulation need to stop. I urge leaders from across Brazil’s political spectrum to cooperate with each other to work towards restoring trust in democratic institutions, and to promote public dialogue and participation.”
During the riots at least eight journalists were attacked or had equipment destroyed, said Mr. Türk, which confirmed what he called “a trend of increasing physical aggression against journalists in a context of high levels of political violence.”
He called on authorities to hold prompt, impartial, effective and transparent investigations into the violence and bring those responsible to account.
“My Office is ready to support the new Government in tackling the human rights issues Brazil is facing.”
UNITED STATES
U.S. CLIMATE RECAP
NOAA: The large coverage and long duration of drought conditions across the U.S. set several records in 2022. The year was also marked by numerous severe weather events, devastating hurricanes and deadly flooding across parts of the country.
Here is a summary of the climate and extreme weather events across the U.S. in 2022:
The average annual temperature across the contiguous U.S. was 53.4 degrees F – 1.4 degrees above the 20th-century average – ranking in the warmest third of the 128-year record.
Florida and Rhode Island both saw their fifth-warmest calendar year on record while Massachusetts ranked sixth warmest. Four additional states experienced a top-10 warmest year on record – California, Connecticut, Maine and New Hampshire. Alaska saw its 16th-warmest year in the 98-year record for the state.
Annual precipitation across the contiguous U.S. totaled 28.35 inches (1.59 inches below average), which placed 2022 in the driest third of the climate record. Nebraska saw its fourth-driest year on record while California had its ninth driest. Meanwhile, above-average precipitation caused Alaska to have its fourth-wettest year on record.
Drought coverage across the contiguous U.S. remained significant for the second year in a row, with a minimum extent of 44% occurring on September 6 and a maximum coverage of 63% on October 25 – the largest contiguous U.S. footprint since the drought of 2012.
In the western U.S., drought conditions reached a peak coverage of 91.3% of the region on May 3. Drought coverage across the West shrank as the summer monsoon reduced some of the coverage in the Southwest. The multi-year western U.S. drought resulted in water stress/shortages across many locations in 2022 as some major reservoirs dropped to their lowest levels on record.
Last year, the U.S. experienced 18 separate billion-dollar weather and climate disasters, leading to the deaths of at least 474 people. The following 18 events, each exceeding $1 billion, put 2022 in third place (tied with 2011 and 2017) for the highest number of disasters recorded in a calendar year, behind 2021 – with 20 events – and 2020, with a record 22 separate billion-dollar events:
- One winter storm/cold wave event (across the central and eastern U.S.).
- One wildfire event (wildfires across the western U.S., including Alaska).
- One drought and heat wave event (across the western and central U.S.).
- One flooding event (in Missouri and Kentucky).
- Two tornado outbreaks (across the southern and southeastern U.S.).
- Three tropical cyclones (Fiona, Ian and Nicole).
- Nine severe weather/hail events (across many parts of the country, including a derecho in the central U.S).
Damages from these disasters totaled approximately $165.0 billion for all 18 events. This surpasses 2021 ($155.3 billion, inflation adjusted) in total costs, which makes 2022 the third most costly year on record, only behind 2017 and 2005; all inflation adjusted to 2022 dollars).
Hurricane Ian was the most costly event of 2022 at $112.9 billion, and ranks as the third most costly hurricane on record (since 1980) for the U.S., behind Hurricane Katrina (2005) and Hurricane Harvey (2017).
Over the last seven years (2016-2022), 122 separate billion-dollar disasters have killed at least 5,000 people, with a total cost of more than $1 trillion in damages. Five of the last six years (2017-2022, with 2019 being the exception) have each had a price tag of at least $100 billion.
WORLD
OZONE LAYER HEALING
The Earth’s ozone layer is on track to recover within four decades, a UN-backed panel of experts said on Jan. 9.
But the group also warned of the unintended impacts on the ozone layer of new technologies such as geoengineering.
In a report published every four years on the progress of the Montreal Protocol, the panel confirmed the phase-out of nearly 99 percent of banned ozone-depleting substances.
Montreal Protocol was signed in September 1987 and is a landmark multilateral environmental agreement that regulates the consumption and production of nearly 100 man-made chemicals, or ‘ozone-depleting substances’ (ODS).
The overall phase-down has led to the notable recovery of the protective ozone layer in the upper stratosphere and decreased human exposure to harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun.
“The impact the Montreal Protocol has had on climate change mitigation cannot be overstressed,” said Meg Seki, Executive Secretary of the UN Environment Program’s (UNEP) Ozone Secretariat.
“Over the last 35 years, the Protocol has become a true champion for the environment. The assessments and reviews undertaken by the Scientific Assessment Panel remain a vital component of the work of the Protocol that helps inform policy and decision-makers.”
The discovery of a hole in the Ozone Layer was first announced by three scientists from the British Antarctic Survey, in May 1985.
According to the Panel’s report, if current policies remain in place, the layer is expected to recover to 1980 values by 2040.
Over the Antarctic, this recovery is expected by around 2066, and by 2045 over the Arctic. Variations in the size of the Antarctic ozone hole, particularly between 2019 and 2021, were driven largely by meteorological conditions.
Nevertheless, the Antarctic ozone breach has been slowly improving in area and depth, since the year 2000.
The Montreal Protocol has already benefitted efforts to mitigate climate change, helping avoid global warming by an estimated 0.5°C.
The report reaffirms the positive impact that the treaty has had on the climate.
In 2016 an additional agreement to the Montreal Protocol, known as the Kigali Amendment, required a phase-down of the production and consumption of some hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
HFCs do not directly deplete ozone but are powerful gases which contribute to global warming and accelerated climate change. The panel said that it’s estimated the amendment will avoid another 0.3-0.5°C of warming by 2100.
“Ozone action sets a precedent for climate action. Our success in phasing out ozone-eating chemicals shows us what can and must be done – as a matter of urgency – to transition away from fossil fuels, reduce greenhouse gases and so limit temperature increase,” said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas.
EUROPE
PROTECTING DOMESTIC ABUSE VICTIMS
The Home Office of the UK has committed up to £18 million per year over 2 years towards the next phase of the Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Intervention Fund, bringing the total fund to £36 million.
Police and crime commissioners (PCCs) will be given funding to increase the availability of domestic abuse perpetrator intervention schemes in their areas, such as behavior change programs, that aim to improve victim safety and reduce the risk posed by abusers.
Since 2020 the Home Office has awarded over £41 million to PCCs across England and Wales.
Minister for Safeguarding Sarah Dines said: “I am fully committed to tackling domestic abuse and protecting victims from suffering the lasting impacts of these horrific crimes.
“Our vital Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Intervention Fund allows police forces to intervene early, and work with perpetrators to change their behavior and reduce the risk they pose, in order to protect victims.
Previous iterations of the Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Intervention Fund have funded schemes such as the Drive Project, which works with high harm and serial perpetrators to prevent them from abusing again.
Recent evaluation from the Drive Project has shown that participation from dangerous perpetrators resulted in a reduction in abuse and risk amongst users of the service, with 82% fewer perpetrators using physical abuse.
On Jan. 9, the Home Office has also published 7 standards which provide commissioners with the guidance they need to commission effective interventions with perpetrators, whilst also ensuring that victims’ safety and welfare remains paramount. These have been created based on existing evidence of perpetrator interventions.
The standards outline the need for interventions to be conducted at the right time and by highly skilled staff. They also outline the importance of holding the perpetrator accountable for their actions, and highlight that the priority outcomes for such interventions should be enhanced safety and freedom for victims and survivors.
Publication of the standards and launch of the Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Intervention Fund is part of the government’s commitment to tackle domestic abuse, as laid out in the Tackling Domestic Abuse Plan.
The plan signifies the government’s continuous efforts to tackle domestic abuse through prioritizing prevention, supporting victims, pursuing perpetrators, and building a stronger system. In addition, the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 gave clearer guidance as to what constitutes domestic abuse and provides stronger protection for victims of domestic abuse.
