Global Temperatures

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The year 2023 was the warmest year since global records began in 1850 at 1.18°C (2.12°F) above the 20th century average of 13.9°C (57.0°F). This value is 0.15°C (0.27°F) more than the previous record set in 2016.

The 10 warmest years in the 174-year record have all occurred during the last decade (2014–2023). 

Track the U.S.national annual report for information on the 2023 climate conditions across the U.S. 

The Environmental Impact of Small Businesses, Especially New York's Pizzerias

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On June 25, 2023, the New York Post uploaded a controversial article on the potential impacts of Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP’s) new rules on New York City’s pizzerias, suggesting that the newly drafted regulation is designated to solely tackle climate change.

The article goes on to say that the DEP regulation targets coal-fired and wood-fired ovens, categorizing them as the main culprits of the city’s air pollution. It also mentions the expensive installation and maintenance of the air filter system required to comply with the new mandate. 

Oh, but there's more.  A lot more.  Read on.  And remember #supportsmallbusinesses 

Globalization Has Entered a Period of In-Depth Adjustment

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According to the "2023 China and Globalization Report" recently released by the Center for China and Globalization (CCG), a Chinese non-governmental think tank based in Beijing, it has become a consensus that globalization has entered a period of in-depth adjustment.

The CCG released the report at the beginning of the new year, which summarizes and forecasts the trends and prospects of globalization in the coming year from ten perspectives, including China-US relations, the Ukraine crisis, the international financial system, the Belt and Road Initiative, international tourism, digital economy, and climate change.

Learn more about how China will continue to provide a strong driving force for the global economy in 2023, at least according to the think tank report.

Do You Understand Our Planet?

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What is climate change?  How do we know climate change is real?  Why is climate change happening?  What are the effects of climate change?  What is being done to solve climate change?

I certainly want to know.  So should you.

Why We Can't Sit Back and Assume Other People Are Trying to Solve Climate Change

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BlocPower’s Donnel Baird and Stripe’s Nan Ransohoff talk about why we can’t sit back and assume other people are trying to solve climate change.

According to scientists, climate change is possibly the most urgent threat to our world today. It’s a glaring common enemy, with every living being on Earth a loser if we cannot beat it back.

“The bystander effect for climate is really strong,” Ransohoff said at a summit on Tuesday. “With climate, you sort of assume because it’s such a global problem and everyone knows it’s happening, someone else is working on it. But in so many cases, that’s just not true.”

Discover how Baird and Ransohoff’s work is the frontier of the climate industry. 

How Climate Change Is Disrupting the Global Supply Chain

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The impact of the global pandemic on the global supply chain has been widely reported.  But extreme weather, from floods to wildfires, is increasingly hammering ports, highways, and factories worldwide, and experts warn these climate-induced disruptions will only get worse. 

Learn more about why climate change is a long term problem.

Today in Global Small Business: Shipping Containers in Parking Lots in Doctors' Offices

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What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

• The latest thing in doctors' offices:  shipping containers in parking lots (subscription required).
• Agreement reached at OECD to end export credit support for unabated coal-fired power plants.
• Ensuring a strong recovery for developing countries.
• Quote of the week:  "There is one issue that will define the contours of this century more dramatically than any other, and that is the urgent threat of a changing climate." – Barack Obama on Climate Change, 44th President of the United States of America
• Managing water and climate risk with renewable energy.
• Realizing the ROI of future – digital capabilities top of list.

How to Solve High Level Global Issues With Scenario Planning

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Scenario planning offers a powerful approach to testing strategies, making complex decisions, enhancing risk management, generating innovative initiatives, building optionality, improving organizational learning, and understanding uncertainty at different organization levels. 

Scenario planning is not exclusively an enterprise organizational tool. It can be just as effective with high-level global issues like climate change and disease, or even smaller business units and functional issues within an organization. It is a strategic tool for problems, big and small.

The level of scenario planning depends on the level of risk and uncertainty involved and the organizational level under consideration.  

Read on to learn more about how to solve high level global issues – big and small – with scenario planning.

Today in Global Small Business: Brexit is Finally Happening

©2020 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

• Yes, some kind of Brexit is finally happening.
• How will companies respond to the risk of climate change?
• Quote of the week: “I watched my parents. My dad worked nights, and I was aware of how much he was doing for us. My mom was a Tupperware lady and also worked at the school. I always felt that I couldn't let them down. And I had a natural discipline from early on. I was always training for something." – Jennifer Lopez
• Is your trade group blocking climate action?
• The coronavirus is now an official emergency.
• The grass is always greener for a Super Bowl. The NFL makes sure of that.

Prince Charles to Take on More Prominent Global Role

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After Queen Elizabeth’s decision last year to step down from royal duties, Prince Charles becomes heir to take over leadership of the royal family in eighteen months time.

This made Charles’ speech at The World Economic Forum on Tuesday [1/21/20], (his first prominent engagement in 2020), a significant moment; and one where he showcased his intention to take on a more prominent global role. 

The prince’s emphasis at Davos this year, as many others, was on the need to establish new global processes to tackle climate change. While Charles has been a passionate environmentalist for years, (he made his first official speech on environmental issues in 1968), in his Davos speech, he explained that it is the responsibility of the business world to flick the switch permanently towards sustainable practices.

The Prince goes on to say about climate change, “We simply cannot waste any more time — the only limit is our willingness to act, and the time to act is now."

Climate Change to Have Consequences Worldwide

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Climate change is expected to have consequences worldwide, especially in Africa. Harvests will be affected, threatening agricultural outputs. This is said to hurt farmers and lead to greater food insecurity.

But there hasn’t been much discussion about what effects climate change will have in other areas – like in the continent’s small and medium business sector. This is a worrying oversight.

Research, conducted in Zambia and Botswana, revealed that businesses activities faced major disruptions during the 2015/2016 El Niño event.

Learn more about how small businesses in Africa will be on the frontline of climate change.