Happy Thursday! Today we'll cover the New Zealand climate minister's blistering criticism of his parliamentary colleagues, António Guterres's stark comments on rising sea levels, and an unlikely source of climate optimism: champagne. Let’s dive right in 👇:

Matcha's Gulp

New Zealand climate minister takes aim at ‘bickering’ politicians 🇳🇿

New Zealand climate minister James Shaw has absolutely blasted the country’s parliament for failing to prepare for climate change. He tore into the lost decades spent “bickering” over whether climate change was real instead of working to soften its impact, and remarked that “we cannot put our heads in the sand when the beach is flooding.” Ouch.

Shaw’s intervention comes as New Zealand reels from the effects of Cyclone Gabrielle. This has inflicted severe damage on homes and infrastructure, and seen thousands of people displaced. Of course, no amount of planning can stop a cyclone – but as Shaw points out, “a long history of poor past decisions” has made the impact much worse than it needed to be.

António Guterres delivers biblical climate warning 🚨

According to UN chief António Guterres, rising sea levels threaten “a mass exodus of entire populations on a biblical scale”. Guterres warned that countless communities – and even some countries – could soon be completely underwater, posing "unthinkable" risks for billions of people around the world.

This disruption could spark a massive refugee crisis, while increasing competition for "fresh water, land and other resources". So even if you live on a hill, you shouldn’t get too comfortable: as the waters rise, we’ll all feel the impact.

Champagne producer shows the politicians how it’s done 🍾

Leading champagne producer Moët & Chandon isn’t just going to ‘hope for the best’ when it comes to climate change. Following a 26% drop in yields over the last 12 years, the company is actively working to “take control of [its] destiny” by producing vines that can withstand changing weather conditions. This proactive approach should help champagne survive the climate crisis – so however bad things get, at least we’ll still be able to get drunk.

News Sip

• A war for climate talent is hotting up: But can it cool the planet? 🥶

• Are e-bikes the unsung secret to curbing climate change? Elon’s got competition 🚴

• Climate activists would applaud BP if they had more political sense: A sarcastic slow clap, maybe 👏

• How to Make Climate Change a Bipartisan Priority: First, we might have to do something about the lobbyists 💰

Today's Climate Meme