Black and white image of two cows in the midst of a landfill.

To fix climate and pollution, scientists say we must rethink waste, consumption and our place in nature

A new United Nations report says humanity must question consumerism, waste, and its separation from nature to meaningfully address climate change and pollution.

Bob Berwyn reports for Inside Climate News.

In short:

A U.N. report authored by researchers at the United Nations University argues that solving environmental crises requires "deep change" — transforming the values and systems that drive consumerism, waste, and fossil fuel use.
The report critiques current sustainability efforts as superficial and calls for questioning societal norms like convenience, individualism, and endless economic growth.
Case studies like Kamikatsu, Japan, show it’s possible to shift public attitudes toward near-zero waste when communities adopt new values and systems.

Key quote:

“How could we ever think that we are separate from nature and have the right to tame nature and change it as we please?”

— Zita Sebesvari, lead author of the U.N. report

Why this matters:

The U.N.'s latest report lands with the force of a cultural reckoning, not just a scientific one. It asserts, bluntly, that the climate crisis isn’t merely an engineering puzzle or a policy shortfall — it’s a reflection of an extractive mindset and a civilization out of sync with the planet that sustains it. This worldview fuels rising emissions, mass species extinction, and toxic overloads in our air, water, and soil. The report joins a wave of global research suggesting that tweaks and technofixes, while helpful, are grossly insufficient if the deeper values driving our choices remain unchallenged. It’s a call to rethink our sense of what’s socially acceptable when it comes to waste, overconsumption, and ecological disregard.

insideclimatenews.org

Credit: Douglas Fischer

One lawyer's groundbreaking work in shaping climate law

As governments stall and emissions climb, human rights lawyers like Monica Feria-Tinta are turning to the courts to force climate action — one tree, island, or river at a time.

Samira Shackle reports for The Guardian.

In short:

Feria-Tinta is pioneering legal strategies that argue climate inaction violates human rights, helping Indigenous and vulnerable communities take their cases to global courts.
Her work includes landmark victories like the Torres Strait case, where the United Nations ruled Australia failed to protect islanders from climate harm, and Ecuador’s Los Cedros forest, which won legal rights as a living entity.
While legal wins are often slow and hard-fought, they’re shifting the global legal landscape, transforming courts into battlegrounds where climate justice and biodiversity now have a voice.

Key quote:

“Whether it’s a single tree, or a whole community depending on a river, what is at stake is the future of humanity.”

— Monica Feria-Tinta

Why this matters:

As heat, floods, and displacement intensify, the courtroom has become a potent line of defense. Climate litigation can hold powerful players accountable, push policy change, and help protect the ecosystems our health depends on — even when other systems fail. These legal wins are slow, complex, and anything but guaranteed. But they’re a signal that the courtroom is becoming one of the last places where the planet still stands a fighting chance.

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To fix climate and pollution, scientists say we must rethink waste, consumption and our place in nature

One lawyer's groundbreaking work in shaping climate law

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