Category Archives: Climate

Climate change explained for non-experts: the science, the data, COP outcomes, climate tech startups in Latin America and what each of us can do.

Join the Flock: Crowdsourcing Bird Data for Climate Insights

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Poster for the 28th Great Backyard Bird Count, February 14 to 17, 2025, with a Spotted Towhee.

Let’s pause the venture capital talk and dive into something completely different—but just as exciting! The Great Backyard Bird Count is a fun, family-friendly way to help scientists monitor bird populations around the globe. It’s also an amazing example of using crowdsourcing and technology to advance science in an era of climate change.

Mark Your Calendar: The next Great Backyard Bird Count runs from February 14-17, 2025.

Why It’s Cool

  • Simple Citizen Science: Anyone can participate—just watch birds for at least 15 minutes and take notes.
  • Essential Climate Data: Tracking bird migration and population shifts offers key insights into our endangered planet.
  • Family-Friendly Fun: From curious kids to veteran birders, everyone can help gather valuable information.

How to Participate

  1. Pick a Spot—your backyard, a local park, or even your balcony.
  2. Watch & Count—log which bird species you see and how many.
  3. Submit Your Observations—use the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) website or the eBird app (iOS | Android) to share your sightings.

So if you’re looking for a quick break from work, join the Great Backyard Bird Count. You’ll enjoy the outdoors, discover new wildlife neighbors, and contribute crucial data to help tackle climate change! 🌎✨

Apps That Crowdsource Science While You Explore Nature

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iNaturalist logo, a green bird.

This post deviates from my usual topics, but as an avid hiker, I’ve been using an incredible mobile app called iNaturalist for a while. It’s a crowd-sourcing platform where people worldwide upload nature sightings—animals, birds, insects, plants, and fungi—and other users validate the species identification. Once a sighting is confirmed by at least two users, it becomes available to the scientific community for research. It’s a fantastic way to learn about species in nature while contributing to scientific research.

Recently, iNaturalist reached a milestone of 500,000 species—or more accurately, taxa—identified through the app, accounting for 23% of all known species on Earth—all thanks to nature-loving volunteers. You can read more about this achievement here: 500,000 Taxa on iNaturalist!.

If you’re into birding, I also recommend the Merlin Bird ID app from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Not only does it help identify birds by sight, but it also allows bird recognition by sound. This feature is truly amazing, especially when you’re in a forest filled with birdsong—it’s like uncovering a hidden world.

These tools make exploring nature even more rewarding—give them a try!

Urgency of Climate Change Explained by Prof. McGuire

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I often find it challenging to effectively convey the urgency of climate change and the need to phase out fossil fuels. This lecture by Prof. Bill McGuire, delivered in June 2024, does an excellent job of communicating these critical points. Prof. McGuire is a volcanologist and Emeritus Professor of Geophysical & Climate Hazards at University College London. He is also the author of Hothouse Earth: An Inhabitant’s Guide, a book I strongly recommend.

Latam Climate Startup Radar: Mapping 400+ Innovators

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We are excited to announce the release of the latest Latam Climate Startup Radar, a comprehensive mapping of over 400 startups across Latin America. This edition, unveiled at the recent second edition of the Latam Climate Innovation Summit organized by my fund Dalus Capital, reflects a 55% increase in startup representation, underscoring the region’s rapid growth in climate-focused innovation.

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Join Us at the Latam Climate Innovation Summit 2024

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Following the tremendous success of our inaugural summit two years ago, we’re excited to bring you the Second Edition of the Latam Climate Innovation Summit! 🌍

Latam Climate Innovation Summit 2024 flyer, September 18 in Mexico City, powered by Dalus Capital, with partner logos.
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Planet warming is accelerating

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Global temperatures are on the rise, shattering numerous records in 2024. It appears we’ve already surpassed the critical 1.5°C threshold set by the Paris Agreement, much earlier than climate models anticipated. With this acceleration in warming, we’re seeing the onset of more extreme weather worldwide. The essence is simple: greenhouse gases trap more energy on our planet, leading to higher temperatures, which in turn fuel weather events.

Charts illustrating this trend are unmistakable.

Chart of global surface temperature anomalies versus pre-industrial levels, 1940 to 2024, with 2023 and 2024 above the 1.5°C Paris limit.
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Mapping Green Frontiers: The Next Edition of Our Latam Climate Innovation Startup Radar 🌿

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Two years ago, we launched the Latam Climate Innovation Startup Radar 🌍, aiming to spotlight the vibrant ecosystem within our region and, hopefully, foster its growth. Today, I’m thrilled to announce that our Startup Radar has received a significant upgrade! We have reached almost 300 startups🚀!

At Dalus Capital, we’re firm believers in the transformative power of innovation, especially when it’s directed toward our planet’s well-being 🌱. That’s why we’ve dedicated time and effort to enhance our Climate Innovation Startup Radar.

In this edition, we’ve refined the radar’s taxonomy, introducing key improvements to sharpen its precision and relevance. Moreover, we’re transparently sharing the logic and insights behind each category. From cutting-edge technologies to intelligent sustainable solutions, we’re revealing it all 🧠.

Of course, in a field as dynamic and expansive as climate innovation, it’s possible we might have overlooked some remarkable startups. If that’s the case, please reach out. We’re eager to include any we’ve missed in our upcoming edition. Join us on this pivotal journey to combat the existential threat of climate change! Your involvement is crucial. Together, we can build a strong, supportive ecosystem for these startups to flourish 🌿.

Dive into the Latam Climate Innovation Startup Radar here: https://docsend.com/view/32us2m3aqxmgvv5b

Discover our latest thinking on the refined taxonomy here: https://bit.ly/3U12SiG

Have suggestions or want to add a startup? Let us know here: https://bit.ly/3ktvP7v

To delve deeper into Climate Innovation in Latam, visit: latamclimatewiki.com

Dalus Capital Latam Climate Innovation Startup Radar

Climate cartoon of the COP28

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The sad reality of the COP28…

Cartoon of rock layers below the ground, with 'expectations for COP28' at rock bottom, under the oil and gas deposits.

A Timeless Warning: Carl Sagan on Climate Change 40 Years Ago

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Check out this insightful video from Carl Sagan in 1985, which offers a crystal-clear explanation of human-induced climate change. This isn’t new; experts tried to warn us more than 40 years ago.

Individual efforts to cut down on fossil fuel use are important, but we must also rally for larger systemic changes. It’s time to hold governments and corporations accountable for decarbonizing the economy. Vote for policies and politicians that prioritize climate action. #ClimateActionNow

To put it in perspective, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its first report in 1990, five years after Sagan’s video. That report already indicated that human activities were likely affecting global climate. We can’t say we weren’t warned.

Climate cartoon of the week

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Just saw this spot-on cartoon by Ruben Bolling, and I had to share it. It brilliantly shows the grim reality of climate deniers, a topic I dug into just a few days ago. Check out my previous post here.

Tom the Dancing Bug cartoon by Ruben Bolling contrasting what we imagined climate deniers would say during climate disasters with what they actually say.