Change. There is nothing more intrinsic to the existence of humanity and the planet we live on as change. Yet, such a short word conveys not only that strange and unsettling mixture of emotions one feels when hearing it but is also used to translate into language the way time interacts with human society and the natural world. Today, we face change on an unprecedented scale, but this change is not one we can afford to be fearful of, nor can we afford ourselves the time to become accustomed to such rapid changes. Instead, we must be bold, we must take action and we must embrace changes in every facet of our lives, from the food on our plates, to the way that we travel, and to the items we pick off the shelves. In governance and policy, the changes will need to be yet more extensive with restructuring required at every level and in every sector to ensure that our planet has a future.

2022 marked a year of hope as numerous nations continued to speak out on climate change and the need for sustainable development. The Cop26 agenda appeared to be in full force as not just international governments but entire communities were dedicated to making changes that would positively benefit our planet. Six months later and the progress we have made leaves much to be desired.

Cop26 has proven, once again, to be a disappointment for Small Island Developing States (SIDS). As leaders, politicians and activists convened in Glasgow (UK) for the United Nations Climate Change Conference the initial utopian images of green energy, reduced plastic and a world dedicated to stopping the oncoming crisis morphed into a less promising picture. For those in the know, the inner political cogs had been whirring for some time and not all for the benefit of the climate…

Today's news is filled with reports on climate change, which convey mixed messages of hope, disappointment, successes and failures. This newsletter provides a short summary of some of the most notable, informative and quirky climate stories of the past two weeks.

The term carbon market was likely to have been uttered by every attendee at Cop26, but why is this area of such significance? Why have governments and large businesses invested so much time and money into demonstrating their support for such schemes, when the reality fails to live up to the green and sustainable utopia that carbon markets are supposed to help achieve? To answer such questions, we must trace the roots of carbon markets and analyse how they grow.