Jan 5, 2024 3 min read Climate

🌿 2023 Climate Roundup 🌿

The world’s biggest crisis through a decolonial lens.

Hi, Everyone!

I’m Amanda Magnani, a Brazilian (photo)journalist and OptOut News’ climate editor. After a short holiday break, I’m back with the most important climate news from our network – always through decolonial lenses. ✨🌿

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First things first, I wish you all an amazing 2024! May this be the year the collapse of Big Oil starts. 🌈✨

Before we start with our 2023 climate round up, don’t forget to check out these two OptOutcast episodes we produced last year:

🎧 An LNG Project Threatens a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Canada

🎧 How to Protect Our Planet: Learning from Indigenous Communities in Brazil

And don’t forget to follow us on X and on Instagram.

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2023 Climate Roundup

Last year was big on climate news, for better and, very often, for worse. Here are some of 2023 main climate happenings.

The hottest year on record

The New Republic reported that, last year, the human race experienced temperatures unseen since the end of the ice age. Also, a study led by Oregon State University researchers has found scientific proof of what we have all been feeling for a while now: our planet is becoming unfit for human life, as reported by Oregon Capital Chronicle. According to Grist, the extreme heat waves are already deadlier than hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes combined.

Climate disasters across the U.S.

From floods to droughts and wildfires, the past year was marked by climate disasters across the country. The U.S. showed its unpreparedness to deal with them as Midwestern states that are normally prone to flooding faced extreme drought (via Wisconsin Examiner); Florida was hit by hurricane Idalia at its most vulnerable coast (via Grist), New York City flooded (via The City), and Hawaii faced its deadliest wildfires in more than a century (via Grist).

IRA’s first anniversary and Renewable Growth

2023 marked the first anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which Biden called “the biggest step forward on climate ever”. The bill, which pledged $391 billion for energy transition is spurring on the development of renewables, Maryland Matters reported. Yet, according to Source NM, activists stress that the IRA also gives room for false solutions that obstruct phasing out of fossil fuels.

Still, the renewable energy sector is growing in places like Oregon, Oregon Capital Chronicle reported. Last year was also marked by the announcement of $7 billion in grants for the production of “clean” hydrogen, in an attempt to meet the country’s goal of reaching net-zero by 2050, Daily Montanan reported.

Power outages across the U.S.

During the summer, as scientists anticipated, people were left without power or air-conditioning for days, Louisiana Illuminator reported. According to Iowa Capital Dispatch 1 in 4 American households had experienced some level of energy insecurity even before that.

Big Oil got bigger

A U.N. report showed that we are beyond falling short on delivering in the Paris Agreement targets. More than that, by 2030, countries are on track for producing twice as much oil and gas as the line for limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, according to WhoWhatWhy. Meanwhile, roughly 80% of board members at America’s top six banks are climate conflicted, DeSmog reported. And the same is true for the world’s top private banks, including those with net-zero pledges which, according to Grist, continue funding fossil fuel projects. Big Oil isn't backing down as evidenced by ExxonMobil’s $60 billion purchase of shale driller Pioneer Resources, The New Republic reported.

Climate legal victories

Sixteen young people from Montana made history with a lawsuit that The American Prospect called “a new blueprint” for climate jurisprudence. It was the first time ever a U.S. judge ruled that failing to consider the effects energy and mining projects have on climate was a violation of the constitutional right to a healthy environment, Idaho Capital Sun reported. Also in 2023, California became the eighth U.S. state to sue Big Oil companies like ExxonMobil, Chevron, BP, Shell, and ConocoPhillips for their role in the climate crisis, reported DeSmog.

COP 28: Transition away from fossil fuels

For the first time ever, a U.N. climate agreement has explicitly called for a decrease in fossil fuels, as COP 28’s final text called for “transitioning away from fossil fuels,” Grist reported. While it may have been perceived by some as a victory, the outcome still fell short, especially for vulnerable nations, The New Republic reported.

If you want to know more about what happened during COP 28, you can check out our Instagram for our video coverage of the event.