THE TEMPERATURE

Walrus detectives wanted

The World Wildlife Fund for Nature and the British Antarctic Survey are asking the public to become “walrus detectives” by spending 30 minutes searching for walrus in thousands of satellite images taken from space. The project aims to carry out a census of Atlantic and Laptev walrus populations over five years, to help scientists detect changes over time. “Walrus are facing the reality of the climate crisis and we need to know more about how they are affected,” says the WWF.

SA most carbon intensive

Despite an increased contribution from renewable energy, South Africa’s energy sector still has the highest carbon-intensity of any G20 nation because of its heavy reliance on coal, according to an assessment by Climate Transparency International. In 2020, 74% of the country’s total primary energy supply was derived from burning coal — more than double the G20 average of 31%. As a result, the country’s per capita emissions are 1.22 times the G20 average. “South Africa’s reliance on coal highlights the need for a carefully managed, just transition to cleaner energy sources,” said Bryce Mccall, a lead author of the report and a researcher at the University of Cape Town’s Energy Systems Research Group.