Episode 58: Framework for marine plastic pollution interventions & Drier conditions in Eastern Africa

Framework for marine plastic pollution interventions

A new study, published in the journal Conservation Biology, has presented a framework to estimate the costs and benefits of plastic pollution interventions. The authors were interested in the socioeconomic and ecological aspects of the costs and benefits. The development of their framework was informed by a net cost equation: "Net cost is equal to the cost of implementing an intervention (direct, indirect, and nonmonetary [NM]) minus recovered costs and benefits (monetary and NM) produced by the interventions. If the sum is positive, there is a net cost. If it is negative, there is a net benefit" (Murphy et al., 2021). Researchers suggest that the study "provides an approach to estimate and compare the costs of a range of interventions across sociopolitical and economic contexts''. The study was led by Arizona State University.

Read More:

https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.13827

Drier conditions in Eastern Africa

Seasonal forecast shows that Kenya and Somalia are likely heading for drier than usual conditions from October to December 2021. According to data from the Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC) at the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), warmer than average temperatures are expected across Eastern Africa. A combination of poor rainfall and warmer than usual temperatures will cause severe food insecurity in the region, ICPAC warns.

Read More:

https://public.wmo.int/en/media/news/drier-and-warmer-season-forecast-across-eastern-africa