rural
Newsletter
Nearby rural land may significantly reduce urban temperatures
A recent study finds that rural areas around cities can lower urban temperatures by nearly 33 degrees Fahrenheit, suggesting a new approach to combating urban heat.
In short:
- Researchers studied data from 30 Chinese cities and found that rural land within a six- to nine-mile radius can reduce urban heat island intensity by about 30%.
- Urban heat islands occur when cities are warmer than their surroundings due to air warming, creating low-pressure zones that pull cooler air from nearby rural areas.
- The study suggests cooling strategies, such as planting woodlands and consolidating water bodies in rural areas, to boost urban cooling.
Why this matters:
Urban heat islands contribute to higher energy costs and health risks. By optimizing rural land use, cities can become cooler and more sustainable, benefiting both urban and rural communities.
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Newsletter
EV infrastructure challenges for rural and Indigenous communities
Indigenous communities face significant challenges in adopting electric vehicles due to inadequate infrastructure, but advocates see potential solutions to bridge the gap.
In short:
- Electric vehicles (EVs) are growing in popularity, but rural and remote areas lack charging infrastructure.
- Indigenous communities are particularly impacted by infrastructure deficits, including poor roads and unreliable electricity.
- Advocates like Kent Heinrich and Jessica Tait push for improved EV infrastructure to support these areas.
Key quote:
“If the charging infrastructure is not there, if it’s not reliable, that will impact businesses, job opportunities, people connecting with family, food; it will impact just about anything you use your vehicle for.”
— Jessica Tait, sustainable transportation manager, Indigenous Clean Energy
Why this matters:
Bridging the EV infrastructure gap in rural and remote communities can help reduce carbon emissions and support sustainable development. Enhanced infrastructure also addresses broader issues of access and equity for Indigenous populations.
Related EHN coverage:
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Newsletter
Climate's toll on female-led rural homes
Women at the helm of rural homes in developing nations face disproportionate climate adversities, as stated by the UN.
In short:
- The FAO reveals that during heatwaves and floods, women-managed rural households lose more income than those led by men.
- Despite notable income disparities in agriculture and wages, less than a tenth of national climate plans acknowledge women's specific challenges.
- The FAO urges the creation of strategies targeting the unique difficulties faced by female-led rural households.
Key quote:
"These findings highlight the urgent need to dedicate substantially more financial resources and policy attention to issues of inclusivity and resilience in global and national climate actions."
— Qu Dongyu, Director General of FAO
Why this matters:
Climate change exacerbates existing gender inequalities, leaving rural women more vulnerable due to lower access to resources, information, and decision-making processes. For instance, women's limited access to land and financial resources reduces their ability to recover from disasters and adapt to climate change, compounding their economic insecurities.
Deniss Martinez and Ans Irfan wrote in 2021: “as world leaders gather at COP26, we need acknowledge the historical root causes of the climate crisis.”
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Minn. transmission line to boost reliability
Large cross-country transmission lines carrying clean energy from remote rural areas to population centers will be a key strategy for reducing emissions. But as a project in Minnesota illustrates, the grid puzzle is more complicated than that.
Newsletter
Most of India's rural solar systems no longer work due to poor maintenance
A cautionary tale for a world racing into renewables: The large majority of mini-grids in India no longer work, an environmental group found.
Newsletter
How climate change causes culture clashes in Iraq's cities
Drought is forcing thousands of rural Iraqis migrate to cities for work, bringing with them their own cultural ideas. This has caused community conflicts, sometimes even violence, in big cities like Baghdad and Basra.
Newsletter
Biden admin launches $11B program to electrify rural America
The Agriculture Department is kicking off the awards process for nearly $11 billion in funding to electrify and decarbonize rural parts of the United States.
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