It's late. Or I guess you could say it's early. Nearly 3 a.m., and we're pulling into our driveway after a week away. There's such a push and pull to the November beach trip. The week brings slow days, and yet the anticipation of the bustle of the holidays and the end of the year looms. It feels like the calm settling in before a storm.
As I coax my daughter into bed, my head is full of fall chores—swap summer clothes for winter ones. Winterize the rain barrel. Find the ice melt salt and the car ice scraper. Prepare the garden to plant the wildflower seeds after the first hard frost.
Most years, these tasks are just that—items to cross off my to-do list, yet each gives me a twinge of anxiety this year. It's been 70 degrees here. I have yet to turn on my heat. The talking weather heads keep talking about how nice it is. Nice? It's terrifying. Their positivity toxic. And a missed opportunity for the broadcasters, often seen as trustworthy, to talk about climate change.
Grief lingers. It feels like this is how it will be now. Climate, grief and anxiety will be a part of our beings. It won't just happen when we spot headlines about wildfires or floods. It'll strike while doing mundane things like making fall to-do lists, buying groceries, or watching our kids play outside.
When the April 2022 IPCC report, the scientific assessments about climate change the U.N. periodically releases, came out, one of the core elements was 'maladaptation.' The authors found so many examples of climate adaptation that they needed to warn us about it. What does it mean to adapt well? Can we adapt well to anxiety and grief?
Last week during the United Nations' COP27 Climate Change Conference, a new initiative called COP², which will try to help us do just that, was launched. COP² stands for Care of People x Planet and brings together activists, scientists and medical professionals to focus on strengthening our ability to adapt to climate change.
During 2023, COP² will work with the Race to Resilience to create next steps to show how it is possible to strengthen mental health support systems and nurture our capacity for psychological resilience.
You can learn more about COP² and how to get involved at cop2.org.
Here's What Else Has Been Happening At COP27
COP27 ends later this week. Here are a few other notable things that happened during the first week and what to expect during the rest of the conference.
Young Ugandan activist Leah Namugerwa gave one of the opening speeches. Listen to her 4-minute speech here.
Scientists presented 10 new insights from climate change science focused on adaptation and mitigation, the intersections of climate and food systems, security, finance and health.
A newly released report calculates that about $2tn a year will be needed by 2030 for the entire developing world, except China.
The U.S. State Department announced a plan that would allow for the buying and selling of carbon credits as a way to help low-income countries transition away from fossil fuels. Lots of details need to be worked out as part of that plan.
As the summit will close on Friday, most of the focus will now be on negotiating details to reach a final deal on reducing climate-warming emissions.
~ Bridget
P.S. Here are a few things that I've been up to:
Working: on a story on the farms showing the spice trade isn't just international for Civil Eats, and the farmers building oyster reefs on Long Island for Modern Farmer.
Published: Backyard Detectives: Tracking wildlife through footprints in the snow for The Day Magazine, festive pairing suggestions and all about shochu for Edible East End.