The Morning: A different approach to climate action

Plus, a brief cease-fire in Gaza, Argentina's economy and wild turkeys.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story November 24, 2023 Thanksgiving and climate change aren't normally subjects that go together. But maybe we'd all be better off if they did. On this day before the holiday, my colleague David Gelles profiles a scientist with a different way of approaching climate action — David Leonhardt By David Gelles Good morning. We're also covering a brief cease-fire in Gaza, Argentina's economy and wild turkeys. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson Karsten Moran for The New York Times Joy in action There's no shortage of reasons to be alarmed by climate change these days. This year is almost certain to be the hottest in recorded history. Extreme weather is wreaking havoc around the globe. Fossil fuel production and emissions are still rising, and world leaders are not moving fast enough. But take a moment to imagine: What if we actually succeed in addressing the climate crisis, and emerge into a new, more bountiful, more prosperous future? While there's plenty of bad news to go around, it's not unreasonable to imagine that enduring progress is within reach. Practically every day, there are encouraging new signs that after decades of dithering, the world is finally getting more serious about tackling climate change. Wind and solar power are cheaper than ever and are being built at record rates around the globe. Advances in critical new technologies, from carbon capture to fusion power, are occurring with startling speed. Sales of electric vehicles are booming, and badly needed charging stations are being built. Emissions from China, the world's largest polluter, will peak within the next couple years, many researchers believe. In the United States, the transition to clean power is happening faster than many realize. Those two countries just agreed to accelerate their efforts to reduce emissions, delivering a much-needed jolt of ambition ahead of climate talks in Dubai this month. Efforts to crack down on emissions of methane — a potent but often overlooked greenhouse gas — are ramping up. Brazil, Indonesia and other countries are taking serious steps to reduce deforestation. Youth activists are using protests and lawsuits to take on the fossil fuel industry. And in a powerful message that could be a sign of things to come, Ecuador voted this year to leave some oil in the ground. These are the kinds of developments — large and small, from governments and the private sector — that together will determine just how hot our planet becomes. They are also developments that animate the work of Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, a marine biologist and climate expert, who is attempting to shift the narrative around the fate of our planet. "When we look at climate media, whether that's filmmaking or newspaper headlines, it's often really apocalyptic," she said. "That can be overwhelming, depressing and — most concerning to me — demotivating. It can feel like, 'We're screwed, so why bother?'" But as Johnson told me, "There's a very big reason to bother." 'As right as possible' "When I look at the scientific projections, there is a range of possible futures," Johnson said. "The temperature could go up by 1.7 degrees Celsius globally or by three degrees. Hundreds of millions of lives hang in that balance. So it's a huge deal that we get it as right as possible." Johnson is everywhere these days. A book she edited with Katharine Wilkinson, "All We Can Save," was a best seller that highlighted the writings of 60 women working to combat climate change. Her next book — "What If We Get It Right?" — comes out next year. She is on the board of Patagonia, the outdoor apparel company that last year committed all of its profits to protecting nature. And a forward-looking art exhibit Johnson curated, "Climate Futurism," is currently on display at Pioneer Works in Brooklyn. Johnson is not Pollyannish. She knows that climate change is diminishing biodiversity, that vulnerable communities will be disproportionately affected by extreme weather and that drought and famine are likely to get worse. She bristles at being labeled an "optimist." "Optimism assumes that the outcome will be good," she said. "That's unscientific. I don't harbor any sort of assumption that it will be OK in the end." But nor is Johnson closed off to the possibility that a climate catastrophe might be averted with the right combination of collective action, technological innovation, conservation, smart policymaking and systemic change. "What people perceive as hope or optimism is actually just joy," she said. "I'm a joyful person. I find delight in any number of strange things. I have a lightheartedness that people don't expect from someone who works in climate." Three overlapping circles Last year, Johnson delivered a TED Talk titled "How to Find Joy in Climate Action." In it, she encouraged people who are looking for a way to contribute to create a Venn diagram with three overlapping circles: "What are you good at?" "What work needs doing?" And "What brings you joy?" Where those three things overlap is the opportunity for action. For Johnson — a marine biologist who grew up in Brooklyn, wanted to protect coastal cities and loved changing laws — that meant co-founding Urban Ocean Lab, a think tank working on policy change to protect populations threatened by sea level rise. "The opportunity is to do things that you love and that are part of the climate solutions we need," she said. "If we can find meaningful ways to contribute to the problems we face, it just feels good." Times subscribers can read more of David Gelles's work by signing up for the Climate Forward newsletter. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR A Brief Cease-Fire An aid truck entering Gaza. Said Khatib/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images A four-day pause in fighting in Gaza appeared to have taken hold. Ninety trucks carrying aid entered Gaza from Egypt, a border crossing spokesman said. Thirteen hostages are expected to be released today in exchange for an undisclosed number of Palestinian prisoners, according to Qatar, which helped broker the deal. The Agreement The deal allows for the release of at least 50 women and children abducted by Hamas in exchange for 150 women and minors imprisoned in Israeli jails. Israel and Hamas will receive lists of the hostages and prisoners to be released each day, a Qatari spokesman said. The agreement also includes an increase in humanitarian aid for Gaza. Hamas said that about 200 trucks carrying relief supplies and fuel would enter the territory each day . Israel said warplanes would not fly over southern Gaza during the pause and would refrain from flying over the north for six hours each day. Hostages and Prisoners Older hostages turned over by Hamas will be taken to hospitals, where they will meet their families and be debriefed by the security services, an Israeli official said, adding that those under 12 would be met at the border by their relatives. The Israeli prime minister's office said that it had received an initial list of hostages to be released and had been in contact with their families. The first group of Palestinians released will only be allowed home once the first Israeli hostages are freed, an Israeli official said. Israel said it would extend the cease-fire by a day for every 10 additional hostages released by Hamas. Both Israel and Hamas have signaled that roughly 30 Palestinians will be exchanged for every ten Israeli hostages. Israel has made lopsided prisoner swaps before. More on the War Israeli forces detained the director of Al-Shifa Hospital while he was evacuating the complex. Israel says the hospital served as a Hamas command center, which Hamas and Gaza health officials deny. A doctor sued a New York hospital for wrongful termination after he was fired as director over social media posts about the war. The Palestinian Authority is Washington's choice to run Gaza after the war. Few people in the West Bank or Israel believe it is capable of governing, Steven Erlanger writes. This year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade drew some protesters demonstrating against the war. MORE NEWS Politics Republican lawmakers and far-right activists are using Jan. 6 security footage, released by Speaker Mike Johnson, to spread conspiracy theories. A Florida woman accused the New York mayor, Eric Adams, of sexually assaulting her in 1993. Adams denied the accusation and said he does not recall ever meeting her. Big business donors have begun backing Nikki Haley's presidential campaign. Many see her as a welcome alternative to Donald Trump. The city of Charleston elected a Republican mayor for the first time since the 1870s. International Savings in Buenos Aires. Anita Pouchard Serra for The New York Times Faced with a faltering economy, Argentines increasingly save and spend using the U.S. dollar. Javier Milei, the president-elect, wants to use it to replace the Argentine peso. Data from China suggested that an increase in respiratory illnesses among children in the country was not caused by novel pathogens, according to the World Health Organization. A far-right party swept national elections in the Netherlands. The party's leader, Geert Wilders, tapped into discontent with the political establishment. Other Big Stories Out for a strut around. Tony Cenicola/The New York Times Wild turkeys were a 20th-century conservation triumph. But in recent years, their numbers have significantly declined in the South and Midwest. Despite strong consumer spending this year, retailers are nervous that shoppers will decide to pull back after the holiday season. Opinions Cheap, poorly made products are killing people and the planet. Manufacturers and brands must shoulder much of the blame, writes Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia. Here's a column by David Brook on Sam Altman and the fight for the soul of A.I. Offer won't last: Save on Cooking during the Holiday Sale. A Cooking subscription answers "What's for dinner?" deliciously, every day. Explore more than 4,000 five-star recipes. Save 50% on your first year of Cooking. MORNING READS Waste not, want not. Ryan Liebe for The New York Times Leftovers: Turn your extra turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce into a Thanksgiving Hot Pocket. Hinsdale: A caretaker lived a frugal life in a trailer park. After he died in June, it was revealed he was a multimillionaire — and had left the fortune to his New Hampshire town. Streaming: Netflix spent more than $55 million on a show that no one will ever see. Play a game: While the news quiz takes a holiday break, try Flashback, The Times's history quiz. Lives Lived: Charles Peter was the founding editor of The Washington Monthly, a small political journal that challenged liberal and conservative orthodoxies for decades. He was often called the "godfather of neoliberalism." He died at 96. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT SPORTS N.F.L.: The Green Bay Packers upset the Detroit Lions, 29-22, in a divisional matchup. A record: The Dallas Cowboys beat the Washington Commanders, 45-10. DaRon Bland, the Cowboys defensive back, recorded his fifth interception return for a touchdown, breaking the single-season N.F.L. record. Job uncertainty: Despite the blowout loss to Dallas, the Washington coach Ron Rivera said he was "not worried" about his job status. ARTS AND IDEAS A class in Brooklyn.  Monique Jaques for The New York Times A school for the masses: For those who are bored with their 9-to-5 job, grad school is an option. But if time and money is a problem, then there's the Brooklyn Institute for Social Research, a nonprofit education center founded in 2012. The institute's courses, in topics like the novels of Clarice Lispector and the history of trauma, offer the rigor of a liberal arts seminar without the commitment of a degree — and at a fraction of the cost. More on culture Daryl Hall sued John Oates, his partner in the band Hall and Oates. But it's unclear why, because a judge has sealed the court file. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Marki Williams Today is Black Friday, and we're using this section to highlight recommendations from Wirecutter: Shop the very best Black Friday deals, vetted by Wirecutter experts. Find gifts for the hardest to please. Upgrade your bathroom with these (on-sale) luxurious towels. Stock up on discounted cleaning essentials. Sign up for Wirecutter's newsletter to get the best deals sent straight to your inbox. GAMES Here is today's Spelling Bee. Yesterday's pangrams were anticipate, capacitance, incapacitate, patience, picante and pittance. And here are today's Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku and Connections. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Continue reading the main story Editor: David Leonhardt News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Lauren Jackson, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for the Morning newsletter from The New York Times, or as part of your New York Times account. To stop receiving The Morning, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018