Happy Sunday! Today we’ll discuss the elaborate plan to tackle climate change by mining the moon, explain why American coastal communities underestimate the danger posed by rising sea levels, and dazzle you with a couple of truly first-rate memes. Let's dive right in 👇:

Matcha's Gulp

One giant leap in the fight against climate change?

Scientists from the University of Utah have outlined a new plan for tackling climate change – and it’s truly out of this world. They propose mining the moon for huge quantities of lunar dust, before firing it into space to form a ‘solar shield’. This would help deflect the sun's rays away from Earth, and counteract the effects of global warming. But don’t get too carried away: this would all be massively expensive, and massively risky. And while the plan is undeniably cool, do we really want to gamble on a literal moonshot to save us from climate catastrophe?

Climate complacency puts coastal communities at risk

According to a new study, more than half of American coastal communities underestimate the risk posed by rising sea levels. The study found that community planners often ignore ‘worst-case’ climate predictions in favor of more moderate forecasts. This could turn out OK – but it could also end up leaving communities vulnerable to the worst effects of climate change. No-one wants to think about their home going underwater: but in this case, not thinking about it may make it more likely to happen.

News Sip

• Droughts leave cargo riverboats high and dry: Rivers run dry; so does trade.

• Study Suggests A Link Between Air Pollution And Depression: Yet another reason to slash emissions.

• The Generative AI Race Has a Dirty Secret: ChatGPT fans, look away now.

Green jobs

A few interesting roles in climate:

• The Nature Conservancy: Natural Climate Solutions Assistant (Hybrid Remote in Virginia)

• University of San Diego: Climate Research Associate (San Diego, CA)

• FAO: International Climate Change Specialist (Remote in the USA)