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SDG 13 Climate Action

News

SDG 13 Climate Action

Representatives of Brazilian civil society left mark on COP26 climate summit
SDG 13
Representatives of Brazilian civil society left mark on COP26 climate summit

The view was expressed by experts who took part in a webinar organized by FAPESP to discuss COP26, the climate conference held in Glasgow UK on October 31-November 13.


A conservation incentive yields increase of protected Atlantic Rainforest areas, but with limited results
SDG 13
A conservation incentive yields increase of protected Atlantic Rainforest areas, but with limited results

The ICMS-E mechanism, whereby states pay municipalities to conserve biodiversity and water resources, is effective but its impact decreases as the number of conservation units increases. In addition, it mainly stimulates creation of units with relatively few restrictions on land use change.


Startup supported by FAPESP pitches bus fleet decarbonizing tool at COP26
SDG 9, SDG 13
Startup supported by FAPESP pitches bus fleet decarbonizing tool at COP26

Scipopulis was one of five Brazilian startups selected to participate in a program designed to help innovative fast-growth tech firms implement solutions that mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.


Study extends amphibians’ known reproductive modes from 39 to 74 and creates new classification
SDG 13, SDG 15
Study extends amphibians’ known reproductive modes from 39 to 74 and creates new classification

Carrying eggs on their back, laying them in bromeliads or depositing them on leaves are some of the strategies cataloged by Brazilian researchers in a study that will help scientists understand the evolution of vertebrates and contribute to conservation policy.


Scientists use artificial intelligence to simulate the effects of warming on the Southern Ocean
SDG 13, SDG 14
Scientists use artificial intelligence to simulate the effects of warming on the Southern Ocean

A study published in Frontiers in Marine Science is the first to predict the impact of long-term changes in sea surface temperature on local microbial diversity. The methodology is also innovative.


Scientists discover how forest fires influence rain cloud formation in the Amazon
SDG 13
Scientists discover how forest fires influence rain cloud formation in the Amazon

Particles released into the atmosphere by fire modify the water droplet freezing process and can affect precipitation, according to a paper in Communications Earth & Environment.


Climate change caused the devastating floods of 2020 in Minas Gerais, Brazil, study concludes
SDG 13
Climate change caused the devastating floods of 2020 in Minas Gerais, Brazil, study concludes

Torrential rain resulted in losses estimated at BRL 1.3 billion and made over 90,000 people homeless in the state, where the probability of far higher volumes of rain than expected has increased 70% owing to industrialization and global warming.


Climate change will alter functioning of marine microbial communities, study shows
SDG 13, SDG 14
Climate change will alter functioning of marine microbial communities, study shows

Plankton are the foundation of life in the oceans and produce half the world’s oxygen. These marine microorganisms will suffer from rising temperatures at the poles, rising salinity in the tropics, and a reduction in the flow of nutrients in the temperate zone, according to simulations based on data collected from all oceans around the globe.


Large infrastructure projects in the Amazon have bequeathed a harmful social and environmental legacy
SDG 1, SDG 3, SDG 8, SDG 13
Large infrastructure projects in the Amazon have bequeathed a harmful social and environmental legacy

For scientists gathered at this FAPESP-hosted webinar, projects like the Belo Monte dam and the Transamazon highway have had few local benefits and led to a rise in poverty, violence, deforestation and disease.


Electoral cycles influence destruction of Atlantic Rainforest areas in South and Southeast Brazil
SDG 13
Electoral cycles influence destruction of Atlantic Rainforest areas in South and Southeast Brazil

Study led by researchers at the University of São Paulo analyzed data for the period 1991-2014 and revealed that deforestation increased in election years. The phenomenon could cancel out the environmental gains achieved by conservation policies and actions, the scientists warn.


Scientists use radar data to measure the impact of forest fires in the Amazon
SDG 13
Scientists use radar data to measure the impact of forest fires in the Amazon

The researchers combined VOD, an indicator of the amount of water in vegetation, with remote sensing data from optical satellites. The innovative strategy described in Remote Sensing provides a more comprehensive understanding of the biomass changes caused by fire.


Fire in wet area of the Amazon destroys 27% of trees in up to three years, study finds
SDG 13
Fire in wet area of the Amazon destroys 27% of trees in up to three years, study finds

Based on data collected in the field, Brazilian researchers showed that small and medium trees suffer most in the first two years after a fire, but the overall impact on vegetation can last decades. Carbon stocks fall 12.8% in burned areas on average.


Without proper management, wildfires in natural areas will intensify in the months ahead, study warns
SDG 13
Without proper management, wildfires in natural areas will intensify in the months ahead, study warns

A study alerts to the conjunction between a climate change scenario and little inspection with the arrival of the dry season in the country, which favors large-scale fires – such as that which occurred in the Pantanal in 2020. To avoid further tragedies, researchers defend the implementation of a policy of integrated fire management.


Nature-based solutions are essential to combat the adverse effects of climate change
SDG 13
Nature-based solutions are essential to combat the adverse effects of climate change

Researchers analyzed strategies for ecosystem conservation and rehabilitation of degraded areas in the second part of the FAPESP 60 Years Lectures.


States and cities have potential to advance climate change mitigation
SDG 13
States and cities have potential to advance climate change mitigation

Action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by subnational governments could help countries achieve their climate targets and contribute to the post-pandemic economic recovery, experts suggested at an event hosted by FAPESP.


Droughts may increase in South America by the end of the century, study suggests
SDG 13
Droughts may increase in South America by the end of the century, study suggests

If greenhouse gas emissions continue at the current level, the average temperature will tend to rise by as much as 4 °C in some regions. Under this scenario, extreme weather events will be more intense and frequent, according to projections made using the IPCC’s new climate models.


Impact of rising levels of CO2 in the Amazon could outdo that of deforestation in reducing rainfall
SDG 13
Impact of rising levels of CO2 in the Amazon could outdo that of deforestation in reducing rainfall

Simulations run by Brazilian scientists on a supercomputer at the National Space Research Institute (INPE) show that the direct impact of rising levels of carbon dioxide over the Amazon rainforest would be a reduction in rainfall equivalent to or even greater than the impact of complete substitution of the forest by pasture. The result calls attention to the need for regional and global action to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.


Researchers highlight inconsistencies of Brazilian policy to deal with climate crisis
SDG 13
Researchers highlight inconsistencies of Brazilian policy to deal with climate crisis

In the run-up to the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), experts participating in a webinar hosted by FAPESP showed that the 2020 revision of Brazil’s nationally determined contribution failed to improve targets and allows in practice for a higher level of greenhouse gas emissions.


Marine sediments explain how part of Brazil’s Northeast region became semi-arid
SDG 13
Marine sediments explain how part of Brazil’s Northeast region became semi-arid

The phenomenon is linked to gradual contraction of the tropical rain belt over the last 5,000 years, according to a study conducted at the University of São Paulo. Its findings can help predict the region’s future climate.


Experiments simulate possible impact of climate change on crabs
SDG 13, SDG 14
Experiments simulate possible impact of climate change on crabs

Fewer Atlantic mangrove fiddler crab embryos survived in a warmer, more acid environment mimicking conditions forecast for the end of this century. Given the important ecological role of this invertebrate in mangroves, the researchers warn of a potential cascade effect.


Most cities in São Paulo state have low potential capacity to adapt to climate change
SDG 13
Most cities in São Paulo state have low potential capacity to adapt to climate change

Cities located in metropolitan areas of this Brazilian state score better according to an index that measures the existence of public policies designed to adjust critical sectors to the impacts of climate change.


Increase in deforestation of the Amazon threatens Brazil’s ability to achieve its climate goals
SDG 13
Increase in deforestation of the Amazon threatens Brazil’s ability to achieve its climate goals

Illegal logging to clear land for cattle grazing has fueled growth in Brazil’s greenhouse gas emissions, according to participants in a webinar on the prospects for COP26 hosted by FAPESP.


Research identifies climate-change refugia in dry-forest region
SDG 13
Research identifies climate-change refugia in dry-forest region

The study was conducted in a Brazilian national park and was based on analysis of tree rings in the species Amburana cearensis, as well as satellite images.


Researchers identify the causes of the extreme drought that affected the Pantanal
SDG 13
Researchers identify the causes of the extreme drought that affected the Pantanal

The study shows that the 2019-20 drought resulted from a natural meteorological phenomenon similar to the one that caused the 2014-16 critical water shortage in São Paulo state, Southeast Brazil.


Forest fires drive expansion of savannas in the heart of the Amazon
SDG 13
Forest fires drive expansion of savannas in the heart of the Amazon

Researchers analyzed the effects of wildfires on plant cover and soil quality in the last 40 years. The findings of the study show that the forest is highly vulnerable even in well-conserved areas far from the ‘deforestation arc’.


News about research projects funded by FAPESP and articulated with the SDGs: