Giving up is never Leafy-timate!
Our call to mobilize against unprecedented high temperatures.
Hi there,
Last week, temperatures in Rio de Janeiro soared above 60° Celsius. This isn't a coincidence, as 2023 has been the hottest year on record globally and for Brazil. The country's average temperature was 24.92°C, 0.69°C higher than the historical average since 1991.
But this doesn’t mean that we have to give up. By the way, negative news never motivate action. That’s what Anna Lerner Nesbitt, CEO of Climate Collective (a community of companies accelerating nature action at scale), recently shared in a particularly interesting study. Scientists tested 11 common messages meant to boost climate change beliefs on 59,000 people in 63 countries/languages.
What did they find?
Doomerism (i.e., negative emotions) emerged as the most effective strategy for increasing social media sharing.
However, negative emotions proved to be the least effective for motivating action and among the weakest for altering climate change beliefs or support for climate change policies.
Ultimately, the message emphasizing scientific consensus outperformed negative emotions.
Being positive, sharing scientific knowledge. That's what we're trying to do every month in this newsletter. I hope you enjoy this new edition and wish you a happy International Forest Day!
Pascal, Co-founder of MORFO
🌡️ New temperature record: we must act now!
The subject of heat is gaining more attention in the media. As an example, Adrien Pages, CEO of MORFO, had the opportunity to contribute to Exame, one of Brazil's leading economic media outlets. His article aimed at inspiring cities to establish extensive green corridors.
Green corridors, covering extensive areas while preserving biodiversity and nurturing native species, have the potential to significantly improve the quality of life for urban residents, mitigating the adverse effects of climate change and extreme heat events.
☀️ Medellín and Rio: two cities taking action
By planting trees and restoring forest cover, reforestation directly contributes to cooling the environment. According to research by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, during heatwaves, cities can be up to 10°C hotter than nearby rural areas.
A project in Medellín, Colombia, for example, involved creating green corridors that have cooled temperatures in the city by 2°C within just three years, and are projected to further decrease temperatures by 4 to 5°C.
In Rio de Janeiro, a city facing unprecedented temperature highs, our MORFO team is launching a groundbreaking restoration initiative.
🌰 Seed of the month: Jerivá
Let’s now move to more inspirations with our seed of the month: the Jerivá seed. from a palm tree found in South America's tropical regions, the Jerivá is often used in forest restoration projects due to its ability to promote the diversification of local flora and accelerate the process of natural regeneration. The palm, Syagrus romanzoffiana, grows up to 15 meters tall, with feathery leaves and small clustered fruits called coquinhos or Jerivá fruits, that are edible and versatile, used for oil, fibers, and construction.
🔍 Our recommendations
The 3 essential factors for promoting forest restoration at scale in Brazil, by the Climate Policy Initiative.
The purpose of dead leaves in the forest, a new study by the the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.
AI and satellites “allow for unprecedented insight into tropical forests and all of earth’s ecosystems” to fight climate change and restore rainforests. Great article by Ken Silverstein for Forbes.
The 3 ways carbon credits are about more than the credit, by Dan Lambe, CEO of the Arbor Day Foundation.
The five positive signs for forests in 2024.
The replay of webinars introducing the "Standards of Practice to Guide Ecosystem Restoration," by FAO, SER, and IUCN.
🗓️ Let’s meet in the next months
We're thrilled to announce our presence at a lineup of prestigious events. Don't miss the chance to connect with us. Simply reply to this newsletter to schedule a meeting.
South Summit (Porto Alegre, Brazil) - March 20th to 22nd
Hello Tomorrow (Paris, France) - March 21st and 22nd
ChangeNow (Paris, France) - March 25th to 27th
Rio Web Summit (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) - April 15th to 18th
SOBRE (Juazeiro and Petrolina, Brazil) - July 8th to 12th
NYC Climate Week (New York City, USA) - September 22nd to 29th
Biodiversity Cop16 (Cali, Colombia) - October 21st to November 1st
G20 Summit (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) - November 18th and 19th
🌍 Thank you for reading this newsletter until the end! If you enjoyed it, please share it with your audience, friends, or colleagues. To check us out and follow our social media platforms, please click here!
We'll be back again in April!
The MORFO team