#cop30

From the article:

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1. Unique Antibody from Camels and Alpacas Could Be Used to Treat Alzheimer’s

“An antibody-like compound known on land to be exclusively to be found in camelids like alpacas, lamas, and dromedaries, could be used to treat human brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study. [...] In previous studies, the team has shown that nanobodies can restore behavioral deficits in mouse models of schizophrenia and other neurologic conditions. [... The team] has recently shown that conditions of treatment are compatible with chronic treatment.”

2. National Zoo reveals elephant is expecting a calf, first elephant to be born there in 25 years

“The zoo says 12-year-old Nhi Linh will welcome her first baby sometime this winter, [... which] marks a landmark moment for Asian elephants, an endangered species with an estimated number of fewer than 50,000 living in the wild. [Zoo staff] teach the elephants to voluntarily take part in the care they receive[, which] “allows us to do everything from skin care, tooth care, the ultrasounds[....]””

3. COP30 Recognized the Role of Forests and Nature in Addressing the Climate Crisis

“World leaders announced nearly $7 billion in support for the Tropical Forests Forever Facility[....] Fifteen governments announced support for the Intergovernmental Land Tenure Commitment to secure and strengthen land tenure rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities[....] Outside the formal decisions, the Brazilian Presidency committed to delivering roadmaps on efforts to halt and reverse deforestation and to transition to clean energy[....]”

4. Connecticut’s pioneering model for publicly owned, small-scale solar

“The more than $100,000 in projected annual energy savings from the solar systems at seven municipal buildings, including six schools, helped [Manchester] gain confidence in moving forward with a subsequent project that has converted one of its elementary schools into the state’s first net-zero school by adding advanced insulation systems and on-site geothermal energy[....]”

5. How community custody empowered Ecuador’s crab catchers and revived its mangroves

“The fishers can catch crabs to sell, but are committed to the protection of this valuable ecosystem, imposing closed seasons twice a year and refraining from catching female and juvenile crabs. [...] Experts say this program is the reason that mangroves have remained almost intact during this century in Ecuador: putting these communities in charge of mangrove forests generates a sense of belonging and, therefore, a strong desire to protect them.”

National commitments to slash heat-trapping pollution would limit global warming up to 2.5C this century—nowhere near enough to avoid devastating climate impacts despite a sweep of new pledges, the UN warned Tuesday. Scientists are in broad agreement that warming above 1.5C relative to pre-industrial times risks catastrophic consequences, and every effort must be made to stick as close as possible to this safer threshold.