29th UN Climate Talks Kick Off, Earth’s Fever, A win for Indigenous Groups Protecting the Planet, Puerto Rico’s Solar Power Problem and more.

Living on Earth

Delegates from nearly 200 countries are meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change’s 29th Conference of the Parties. Alden Meyer of the climate think tank E3G is a longtime observer of these meetings, and he shares his first impressions as these talks kick off.

Although the global average temperature has been steadily increasing for decades, in 2023 there was a sudden jump of 0.2 degrees Celsius. Dr. Jennifer Francis, Senior Scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Center, joins us to discuss the temperature spike and its implications for the climate crisis.

After Hurricane Maria destroyed Puerto Rico’s power grid in 2017, much of the island was left without electricity for up to a year, leaving vulnerable populations in the lurch. Many Puerto Ricans are pushing for a reliable, sustainable electricity system, but a proposed utility-scale solar project has sparked concerns, explains environmental attorney Ruth Santiago.

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