Currently in D.C. — November 8, 2023: Mostly sunny and cold

Plus, a quick preview of COP28 in Dubai.

The weather, currently.

A sunny morning turns slightly cloudy in the afternoon

What a beautiful morning we have today! The sky will be sunny and clear until noon, when it starts to get cloudy. Meanwhile, the highest temperature drops to only 62°F in contrast to yesterday, and most of the day we’ll experience a wind chill in the 50s. So, better take out a jacket if you plan to go outside, and be responsible with the heaters. Many times it isn’t necessary to turn them on all day or throughout the whole house. Let's save fuel.

The British architect Norman Foster once said: “Everything we design is a response to the specific climate and culture of a particular place.” Still, that doesn’t mean that we can’t be mindful about the climate when we use the things we designed.

What you need to know, currently.

A new fund will be established to pay for the “loss and damage” caused by climate change in poorer countries — but will be far weaker than hoped after a major setback this past weekend in Abu Dhabi. The disappointment is casting an increasingly worrying shadow over the upcoming COP28 climate conference in Dubai.

A last-minute objection by the US delegation to the consensus text forced a change in the funding mechanism that only “urged” rich countries to contribute to the new fund, but didn’t require them.

“It is a sombre day for climate justice, as rich countries turn their backs on vulnerable communities. [This] falls short of providing vulnerable communities with adequate assurance that their financial needs for coping with climate impacts and rebuilding their lives will be met.”

Still up for discussion in the run-up to Dubai: Whether or not world countries will agree to a binding “phase out” of fossil fuels globally, and the first official check-up or “stocktake” on how the world’s efforts at reducing climate change has progressed since 2015 in Paris. Spoiler alert: not well.

What you can do, currently.

Currently Sponsorships are short messages we co-write with you to plug your org, event, or climate-friendly business with Currently subscribers. It’s a chance to boost your visibility with Currently — one of the world’s largest daily climate newsletters — and support independent climate journalism, all at the same time. Starting at just $105.

One of my favorite organizations, Mutual Aid Disaster Relief, serves as a hub of mutual aid efforts focused on climate action in emergencies — like Hurricane season. Find mutual aid network near you and join, or donate to support networks in Florida: