'Everyone sits out': Yangon parks offer heat wave relief:
|
| 'Everyone sits out': Yangon parks offer heat wave relief - PHYS.ORG - Earth |
Apr 27 · As the sun sets on another scorching Yangon day, the hot and bothered descend on the Myanmar city's parks, the coolest place to spend an evening during yet another power blackout.
A wave of exceptionally hot weather has blasted Southeast Asia this week, sending the mercury to 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) and prompting thousands of schools to suspend in-person classes.
Even before the chaos and conflict unleashed by the military's 2021 coup, Myanmar's creaky and outdated electricity grid struggled to keep fans whirling and air conditioners humming during the hot season.
Now, infrastructure attacks and dwindling offshore gas reserves mean those who ... Read more ...
|
2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #17:
|
| 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #17 - Skeptical Science |
Apr 28 · Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here endless subplots definitely depend upon one central element in the unfolding drama of our grand physics accident: the dominant story mechanic is that we're changing Earth's climate. This leads to outcomes. One way of seeing this is via the abstraction of statistics, while another perspective is that of individual experiences each of which is only an anecdote but together lead us back to statistics. Our story of the week is Carbon Brief's annual summary State of the climate: 2024 off to a record-warm start:
This year is shaping up to either match or surpass 2023 as the ... Read more ...
|
A framework to compare lithium battery testing data and results during operation:
|
| A framework to compare lithium battery testing data and results during operation - PHYS.ORG - Technology |
Apr 26 · Existing methods to estimate the amount of Li in batteries rely on capacity measurements, describing how much charge a battery can hold, and coulombic efficiency values, which indicate how much charge a battery retains during cycles. Yet these measurements are not always accurate, as they do not account for unpredictable side reactions, self-discharge, and other effects affecting a battery's performance.
"The primary objective of our study was to find a reliable methodology to compare battery testing data and operating results from various sources and conditions, as this could help to advance battery technology and development," Boryann Liaw, co-author of the paper, told Tech ... Read more ...
|
A strategy to boost the efficiency of perovskite/organic solar cells:
|
| A strategy to boost the efficiency of perovskite/organic solar cells - PHYS.ORG - Technology |
Apr 28 · So far, organic solar cells have achieved a maximum certified power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 19.4%, which is lower than that exhibited by silicon solar cells. A proposed strategy to boost their efficiency and stability entails combining these cells with cells based on mixed halide wide-bandgap perovskites, creating perovskite/organic tandem solar cells.
While perovskite/organic tandem solar cells could theoretically achieve high PCEs and stabilities, their performance is hindered by a process known as phase segregation. This process degrades the performance of wide-bandgap perovskite cells and in turn adversely affects recombination processes at the tandem solar cells' ... Read more ...
|
African farmers look to the past and the future to address climate change:
|
| African farmers look to the past and the future to address climate change - PHYS.ORG - Biology |
Apr 29 · From ancient fertilizer methods in Zimbabwe to new greenhouse technology in Somalia, farmers across the heavily agriculture-reliant African continent are looking to the past and future to respond to climate change.
Africa, with the world's youngest population, faces the worst effects of a warming planet while contributing the least to the problem. Farmers are scrambling to make sure the booming population is fed.
With over 60% of the world's uncultivated land, Africa should be able to feed itself, some experts say. And yet three in four people across the continent cannot afford a healthy diet, according to a report last year by the African Union and United Nations ... Read more ...
|
Alabama and the U.S. Gulf Coast region have seen a sudden burst of sea level rise, spurring flooding in low areas exacerbated by rainfall and high tides.:
|
| Alabama and the U.S. Gulf Coast region have seen a sudden burst of sea level rise, spurring flooding in low areas exacerbated by rainfall and high tides. - Washington Post - Climate and Environment |
Apr 29 · On June 19, southern Mobile County, Ala., experienced torrential rain and severe flooding. Roads and some homes near the Fowl River were submerged.
But this was no ordinary flood.
THEODORE, Ala.
John Corideo drove the solitary two-lane highways of southern Alabama, eyeing the roadside ditches. It had been raining off and on for days and Corideo, chief of the Fowl River Fire District, knew that if it continued, his department could be outmatched by floodwaters.
It kept raining. Water filled the ditches and climbed over roads, swallowing parts of a main highway. About 10 residents who needed to be rescued were brought back to the station in firetrucks. More ... Read more ...
|
Anthropologist documents how women and shepherds historically reduced wildfire risk in Central Italy:
|
| Anthropologist documents how women and shepherds historically reduced wildfire risk in Central Italy - PHYS.ORG - Earth |
Apr 26 · The latest research paper from environmental anthropologist and University of California, Santa Cruz Professor Andrew Mathews explores these issues in the Monte Pisano region of Central Italy. The paper is published in the journal Ambio.
In particular, Mathews found that peasant women, who historically collected leaf litter in the forests, and shepherds, who grazed their flocks and conducted occasional managed burns, were critical in maintaining fire-resistant landscapes. Yet the social status of these groups meant the importance of their work went unrecognized.
In Monte Pisano and much of the broader Mediterranean, forests and other plant communities have been shaped by ... Read more ...
|
Anthropologist Documents How Women and Shepherds Historically Reduced Wildfire Risk in Central Italy:
|
| Anthropologist Documents How Women and Shepherds Historically Reduced Wildfire Risk in Central Italy - Science Daily - Earth and Climate |
Apr 24 · Fire management lessons from the past could help to improve resilience as the Mediterranean faces increased fire risk from climate change. University of California, Santa Cruz Anthropology Professor Andrew Mathews shows how traditional land management practices once greatly reduced fuel for wildfires, and how these practices were forgotten, in part due to historical politics of classism and sexism.
In the last several decades, large forest fires have increasingly threatened communities across the Mediterranean. Climate change is expected to make these fires larger, hotter, and more dangerous in the future. But fire management lessons from the past could help to improve the ... Read more ...
|
Atlanta’s population could boom as people flee sea level rise, wildfires, and hurricanes:
|
| Atlanta’s population could boom as people flee sea level rise, wildfires, and hurricanes - Yale Climate Connections - Policy |
Apr 26 · Join Bob Henson and attribution science experts for a webinar on Friday, May 3 at 12 p.m. Eastern.
Stay in the know about climate impacts and solutions. Subscribe to our newsletters.
Stay in the know about climate impacts and solutions. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Yale Climate Connections
“A climate-driven migration has already begun,” writes climate change journalist Abrahm Lustgarten in his must-read book, “On the Move: The Overheating Earth and the Uprooting of America,” which I reviewed in my previous post. And few places in the U.S. will likely see more climate migrants than Atlanta, which lies close to coastal areas of the Southeast ... Read more ...
|
Book review: “On the Move” is a must-read account of U.S. climate migration » Yale Climate Connections:
|
| Book review: “On the Move” is a must-read account of U.S. climate migration » Yale Climate Connections - Propublica |
Apr 11 · Another great American migration is now underway, this time forced by the warming that is altering how and where people can live. For now, it’s just a trickle. But in the corners of the country’s most vulnerable landscapes - on the shores of its sinking bayous and on the eroding bluffs of its coastal defenses - populations are already in disarray.
Thanks for signing up. If you like our stories, mind sharing this with a friend?
For more ways to keep up, be sure to check out the rest of our newsletters.
Defend the facts. Support independent journalism by donating to ProPublica.
A couple of miles west of downtown Slidell, Louisiana, and just upstream from the ... | By Jeremy Schwartz, April 25, 6 p.m. EDT Read more ...
|
California battery storage increasing rapidly, but not enough to end blackouts, Gov. Newsom says:
|
| California battery storage increasing rapidly, but not enough to end blackouts, Gov. Newsom says - PHYS.ORG - Technology |
Apr 26 · Gov. Gavin Newsom said on April 25 that California continued to rapidly add the battery storage that is crucial to the transition to cleaner energy, but admitted it was still not enough to avoid blackouts during heat waves.
Standing in the middle of a solar farm in Yolo County, Newsom announced the state now had battery storage systems with the capacity of more than 10,000 megawatts - about 20% of the 52,000 megawatts the state says is needed to meet its climate goals.
"This is critical to how we achieve 100% clean energy by 2045," Newsom said. "Batteries allow us to use clean energy captured by solar and other renewable sources at all times of the day, especially when ... Read more ...
|
Cat hides in Amazon return package - then ends up in California 700 miles from home:
|
| Cat hides in Amazon return package - then ends up in California 700 miles from home - PHYS.ORG - Technology |
Apr 26 · A cat went missing after hiding in an Amazon return package. Then her Utah owner got a call - from hundreds of miles away - that "changed everything."
On April 10, Galena the kitty "vanished" from her home in Lehi, her owner, Carrie Stevens Clark, said in an April 21 Facebook post.
Clark said she searched "every nook and cranny" in the home before flooding the neighborhood, a suburb of Salt Lake City, with fliers and posting on social media.
"Nothing made sense!!," Clark said.
Then came an unexpected breakthrough. Seven days later, Clark got a call saying Galena had been found in California and identified with her microchip, she said.
Galena, it turned ... Read more ...
|
Changing Weather Patterns - What's Next?:
|
| Changing Weather Patterns - What's Next? - Facing Future |
Apr 28 · As weather patterns change, bringing stronger storms and droughts, we need to free more land to absorb flooding, recover hydrology and enhance natural systems to sequester CO2. \n\nOur automotive age has brought unprecedented mobility, at a steep cost. From extraction to tailpipe emissions, gas cars are an environmental disaster. To accommodate the car, whole #Ecosystems have been lost as paved surfaces cover soil and absorb heat. EVs will not change that. Add to that, the ¾ of arable land converted to animal agriculture - and we have a recipe for disaster. What can we do about it? \n\nBill Selby, Emeritus Professor at Santa Monica College, \nAuthor, The California Skywatcher, ... | By Facing Future Read more ...
|
Climate change, Brexit threaten to wilt Dutch tulips:
|
| Climate change, Brexit threaten to wilt Dutch tulips - PHYS.ORG - Earth |
Apr 29 · Arjan Smit gazes out over his tulip fields, a riot of red and pink flowers he has cultivated all his adult life and part of a family business his grandfather started in 1940.
The 55-year-old has seen many changes over a long career but he says climate change is making an all-consuming profession even harder.
"The climate has changed. We can feel that. We have more wet periods. Last year, it was just raining, raining, raining and you can see the result," he told AFP.
From a distance, the fields of Smitflowers are a picture-perfect row of flowers, the type found on Dutch tourist brochures that attract visitors from around the world.
But he also pointed to muddy ... Read more ...
|
Climate policy outlook: Ottawa plastics talks wrap up:
|
| Climate policy outlook: Ottawa plastics talks wrap up - Greenbiz |
Apr 29 · This week’s most important climate policy stories.
As the Ottawa talks wrap up, negotiators are far from solving the world's plastic emergency. Source: Mohamed Abdulraheem via Shutterstock
Earlier, GreenBiz vice president of circularity Jon Smeija rounded up the three things that activists are looking for from the eventual treaty. Bottom line: None of them is guaranteed.
The next session of the talks is scheduled for November in Busan, South Korea. | By Leah Garden Read more ...
|
Corals bred in a zoo have joined Europe's largest reef. This is offering scientists hope:
|
| Corals bred in a zoo have joined Europe's largest reef. This is offering scientists hope - PHYS.ORG - Biology |
Apr 26 · Just like the animals on Noah's Ark, the corals arrived in a pair. On Monday, divers with gloved hands gently nestled the self-bred corals from the World Coral Conservatory project among their cousins in Europe's largest coral reef at the Burgers' Zoo in the Netherlands.
"This is the first project where we started to keep these corals with a known origin. As we know exactly where they're coming from, they have the potential to be placed back into the wild. … So it is very important to keep these corals, as it's going not very well in the wild," Nienke Klerks, a biologist at the Royal Burgers' Zoo in Arnhem, told The Associated Press.
It's among several projects worldwide ... Read more ...
|
Deer Are Expanding North, and That's Not Good for Caribou:
|
| Deer Are Expanding North, and That's Not Good for Caribou - Science Daily - Earth and Climate |
Apr 24 · As the climate changes, animals are doing what they can to adapt.
Over the past century, white-tailed deer have greatly expanded their range in North America, explains Melanie Dickie, a doctoral student with UBC Okanagan's Wildlife Restoration Ecology Lab.
In the boreal forest of Western Canada, researchers have considered that both changing climate and increased habitat alteration have enabled deer to push farther north. Climate change can create milder winters, while habitat alteration from forestry and energy exploration creates new food sources for deer.
As they conclude their study, researchers caution that what is good for the deer isn't necessarily suitable ... Read more ...
|
Diversity and Productivity Go Branch-in-Branch:
|
| Diversity and Productivity Go Branch-in-Branch - Science Daily - Earth and Climate |
Apr 24 · Climate change can be characterized as the Grim Reaper or some other harbinger of dire times for humanity and natural environment, including forests. Previous studies reporting a decline in forest productivity due to climate warming and long-term drought may suggest that trees' survival hangs in the balance.
Now, a study by an international group, including Kyoto University, found that forests with higher trait diversity not only adapt better to climate change but may also thrive.
The study, conducted by researchers from Lakehead University, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, and Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University, unveiled how tree functional ... Read more ...
|
Energy trades could help resolve Nile conflict:
|
| Energy trades could help resolve Nile conflict - PHYS.ORG - Earth |
Apr 26 · Scientists have shed light on a new, transformative approach that could help resolve a dispute over the Nile river's water resources.
The Nile is one of the longest rivers globally and spreads over 11 countries in East Africa, supplying water, energy production, environmental quality and cultural wealth. However, the use of Nile resources has been a long-standing source of tension, often overshadowing opportunities for cooperation and mutual benefit.
But as the demand for energy, water, and food in Africa is steadily increasing, the study, led by The University of Manchester in collaboration with regional organizations, offers a glimmer of hope at a ... Read more ...
|
Estimating Emissions Potential of Decommissioned Gas Wells from Shale Samples:
|
| Estimating Emissions Potential of Decommissioned Gas Wells from Shale Samples - Science Daily - Earth and Climate |
Apr 24 · Extracting natural gas from shale formations can provide an abundant, lower-carbon footprint fossil fuel, but also creates concerns over increased methane emissions. A team led by Penn State researchers has developed a new tool that can estimate the emission potential of shale wells after they are no longer active.
The findings, published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, revealed that methane begins diffusing from the shale formation after a well is decommissioned and that this represents a notable source of methane emissions -- comparable to the most significant emissions during drilling and operation of the well.
"Natural gas is an important energy ... Read more ...
|
Fact Brief - Is Antarctica gaining land ice?:
|
| Fact Brief - Is Antarctica gaining land ice? - Skeptical Science |
Apr 27 · Sea ice forms during the Antarctic winter and retreats during the warmer months. Such freeze-thaw cycles have no impact on sea levels since they happen within the ocean. However, Antarctic land ice has seen a net decrease, resulting in a significant increase in fresh water flowing into the sea. That does affect global sea levels.
The behavior of Antarctic land ice varies from region to region. In particular, the West Antarctic Peninsula has seen drastic ice retreat. On the other hand, East Antarctica's land ice has remained relatively stable to date. But if global warming crosses a specific threshold, serious loss is expected to occur. The planet has already moved a third of ... Read more ...
|
Fighting Plastic Pollution: Time for Change | UN Environment Programme | United Nations:
|
| Fighting Plastic Pollution: Time for Change | UN Environment Programme | United Nations - Climate Change (United Nations - Playlist) |
Apr 28 · Since the 1950s, plastic has become so ubiquitous that it's now used in everything from children’s toys and medical equipment to beauty products and airplanes. And while plastic was once hailed as a miracle product, we now know the damage plastic pollution does to ecosystems, the climate, human health and the economy.\n\nCentral to ending plastic pollution is the elimination of unnecessary plastic, the redesign of products – including packaging – so they can be more easily reused, repaired and recycled, and switching to non-plastic substitutes that help protect the environment, human health, and our economy. \n\nSo, it's time to write a new story and ... | By United Nations Read more ...
|
Finding space for wind farms might be easier than we thought:
|
| Finding space for wind farms might be easier than we thought - Washington Post - Climate and Environment |
Apr 28 · Towering wind turbines dot landscapes across the country, stretching hundreds of feet into the sky. But the huge structures topped with massive rotating blades only take up five percent of the land where they’ve been built, new research shows.
The rest of the space can be used for other purposes, such as agriculture, according to a study published recently in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Science and Technology.
This means developers could fit turbines in places that are often perceived as unsuitable for a wind farm.
To meet the Biden administration’s goal of weaning the electric grid off fossil fuels by 2035, the United States needs to add more wind ... Read more ...
|
First Nations woman one of seven global winners of prestigious Goldman prize for environmental activism:
|
| First Nations woman one of seven global winners of prestigious Goldman prize for environmental activism - Guardian - Energy |
Apr 2 · Murrawah Johnson recognised for role in landmark legal case to block coalmine backed by Clive Palmer
For Murrawah Johnson, the impacts of the climate crisis and the destruction of land to mine the fossil fuels that drive it are more than simple questions of atmospheric physics or environmental harm.
“What colonisation hasn’t already done, climate change will do in terms of finalising the assimilation process for First Nations people,” the 29-year-old Wirdi woman from Queensland says.
“[It is] totally destroying our ability to maintain a cultural identity, cultural existence and to be able to pass that on.”
Johnson is one of seven global winners of the ... Read more ...
|
Herds of endangered hippos trapped in mud in drought-hit Botswana:
|
| Herds of endangered hippos trapped in mud in drought-hit Botswana - PHYS.ORG - Earth |
Apr 26 · Herds of endangered hippos stuck in the mud of dried-up ponds are in danger of dying in drought-struck Botswana, conservation authorities told AFP Friday.
Southern Africa has been affected by severe drought, caused by the El Niño weather phenomenon, which has threatened harvests and plunged millions into hunger. Several countries in the region have recently declared a state of national disaster.
Near the vast wetlands of the Okavango Delta in northern Botswana, the dried-up Thamalakane River has forced herds of hippos to head for natural water reserves close to the tourist town of Maun.
"The river system dries up and animals are in a compromised situation," said ... Read more ...
|
Herring Arrives Earlier in the Wadden Sea Due to Climate Change:
|
| Herring Arrives Earlier in the Wadden Sea Due to Climate Change - Science Daily - Earth and Climate |
Apr 24 · Due to the changing climate, young herring arrive in the Wadden Sea earlier and earlier in spring. That is shown in a new publication by NIOZ ecologists Mark Rademaker, Myron Peck and Anieke van Leeuwen, in this month's journal Global Change Biology. "The fact that we were able to demonstrate this, was only due to very consistently, for more than 60 years, and continuously sampling the fish every spring and every fall with exactly the same fyke every time," Rademaker says. "Recognizing this kind of change requires extreme precision and endurance!"
NIOZ fyke
Since 1960, NIOZ, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, has been measuring the number and species of fish ... Read more ...
|
How Brands Can Help Communities Thrive in a Changing Climate:
|
| How Brands Can Help Communities Thrive in a Changing Climate - Sustainable Brands |
Apr 26 · While heat is the leading cause of weather-related illnesses and deaths in both Canada and the US, companies can explore nature-based solutions to help reverse this trend and foster spaces where people can thrive.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported that 2023 was the warmest year on record, recognizing many significant climate events. In Canada, communities were devastated by record-breaking heat.
Dense urban environments, along with outdoor workers, are disproportionally affected by extreme heat. Heat is the leading cause of weather-related illnesses and deaths in both Canada and the United States. While this data is troubling, ... Read more ...
|
How China is winning the GREEN ENERGY race.:
|
| How China is winning the GREEN ENERGY race. - Just Have A Think |
Apr 28 · China's perceived march towards global domination appears to be ruffling some feathers here in the Western world. Their version of the industrial revolution has lifted hundreds of millions out of abject poverty, but it is still held up by some as the greatest modern sin against humanity and our climate. So, how accurate is that allegation?\n\nHelp support this channels independence at \nhttp://www.patreon.com/justhaveathink \n\nOr with a donation via Paypal by clicking here\nhttps://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick\u0026hosted_button_id=GWR73EHXGJMAE\u0026source=url \n\nYou can also help keep my brain ticking over during the long hours of research and editing via the nice ... | By Just Have a Think Read more ...
|
How Electric Vehicle Drivers Can Escape Range Anxiety:
|
| How Electric Vehicle Drivers Can Escape Range Anxiety - Science Daily - Earth and Climate |
Apr 24 · Two of the biggest challenges faced by new and potential electric vehicle (EV) drivers are range anxiety and speed of charging, but these shouldn't have to be challenges at all. That is according to a study by Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, and the University of Delaware, USA. Researchers discovered that a change in refuelling mindset, rather than improving the size or performance of the battery, could be the answer to these concerns.
The transition from filling up at a petrol station to recharging your electric vehicle in the most convenient location for you, requires a whole new way of thinking about refuelling a car. However, new EV drivers often remain in their ... Read more ...
|
How much energy can offshore wind farms in the U.S. produce? New study sheds light:
|
| How much energy can offshore wind farms in the U.S. produce? New study sheds light - PHYS.ORG - Technology |
Apr 25 · For electric grid operators, knowing how much wind power these offshore turbines can harvest is critical, but making accurate predictions can be difficult. A team of CU Boulder scientists and their collaborators are working to tackle the challenge.
In a paper published March 14 in Wind Energy Science, a team led by Dave Rosencrans, a doctoral student, and Julie K. Lundquist, a professor in the Department of Atmospheric and Ocean Sciences, estimates that offshore wind turbines in the Atlantic Ocean region, where the U.S. plans to build large wind farms, could take away wind from other turbines nearby, potentially reducing the farms' power output by more than ... Read more ...
|
Human activities have an intense impact on Earth's deep subsurface fluid flow:
|
| Human activities have an intense impact on Earth's deep subsurface fluid flow - PHYS.ORG - Earth |
Apr 28 · "We looked at how the rates of fluid production with oil and gas compare to natural background circulation of water and showed how humans have made a big impact on the circulation of fluids in the subsurface," said Jennifer McIntosh, a professor in the UArizona Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences and senior author of a paper in the journal Earth's Future detailing the findings.
"The deep subsurface is out of sight and out of mind for most people, and we thought it was important to provide some context to these proposed activities, especially when it comes to our environmental impacts," said lead study author Grant Ferguson, an adjunct professor in the UArizona ... Read more ...
|
In eco-minded California, there's still no constitutional right to clean air and water:
|
| In eco-minded California, there's still no constitutional right to clean air and water - PHYS.ORG - Earth |
Apr 26 · California may be a leader in the fight against climate change, but the state is years, even decades, behind other states when it comes to granting environmental rights to its citizens.
While a handful of other state constitutions, including those of New York and Pennsylvania, declare the people's rights to clean air, water and a healthy environment, California's does not.
That could change as soon as November. Under a proposal moving through the Legislature, voters would decide whether to add one sentence to the state constitution's Declaration of Rights: "The people shall have a right to clean air and water and a healthy environment."
The proposed green amendment ... Read more ...
|
Indigenous lands feel cruel bite of green energy?transition:
|
| Indigenous lands feel cruel bite of green energy?transition - Climate Change News - Land |
Apr 26 · Comment: Mining companies have been offered a path to sustainability but few are taking it – Indigenous people need to be at the table demanding change
Members of Indigenous organizations in the province of Cotopaxi protest against mining in their territories, in Latacunga, Ecuador, March 27, 2024. (Photo: REUTERS/Karen Toro)
Rukka Sombolinggi, a Torajan Indigenous woman from Sulawesi, Indonesia, is the first female Secretary General of AMAN, the world’s largest Indigenous peoples organization.
Gathered in NYC in mid-April, 87 Indigenous leaders from 35 countries met to hammer out a set of demands?to address a common scourge: the green energy transition that ... | By Rukka Sombolinggi? Read more ...
|
LGBTQ People Face Greater Climate Risks:
|
| LGBTQ People Face Greater Climate Risks - Legal Planet |
Apr 26 · In August of 2005 when Hurricane Katrina made landfall in Louisiana and Mississippi, the combination of torrential rain and flawed infrastructure proved deadly. More than 1,800 people died and the price tag for the damage quickly rose to the tens of billions of dollars. In the chaotic disaster response that followed, several communities were disproportionately vulnerable to discrimination during recovery. Among them: LGBTQ residents. They were often overlooked in local and national relief efforts, which routinely failed to recognize households of same-sex couples as “families.” Some LGBTQ families faced separation during resettlement. Many more people struggled to apply for relief ... Read more ...
|
Limiting frontline voices in the Loss and Damage Fund is a recipe for disaster:
|
| Limiting frontline voices in the Loss and Damage Fund is a recipe for disaster - Climate Change News - Finance |
Apr 26 · Comment: Representatives of groups hardest-hit by the climate crisis say restrictions on their participation at the fund’s first board meeting set a worrying precedent
Youth and other civil society groups hold a protest calling for a full, funded and fair transition away from fossil fuels at the COP28 climate summit venue in Dubai, UAE on December 12, 2023. (Photo: Megan Rowling)
Isatis M. Cintron-Rodriguez is a Puerto Rican climate scientist and staff associate at Columbia University’s Earth Institute. Liane Schalatek is associate director at the Heinrich Boell Stiftung Washington with expertise in UN climate funds and finance. Lien Vandamme is senior ... | By Liane Schalatek, Lien Vandamme and Isatis Cintron-Rodriguez Read more ...
|
Longer-lasting ozone holes over Antarctica expose seal pups and penguin chicks to much more UV:
|
| Longer-lasting ozone holes over Antarctica expose seal pups and penguin chicks to much more UV - PHYS.ORG - Biology |
Apr 28 · But over the last four years, even as the hole has shrunk it has persisted for an unusually long time. Our new research found that instead of closing up during November it has stayed open well into December. This is early summer—the crucial period of new plant growth in coastal Antarctica and the peak breeding season for penguins and seals.
That's a worry. When the ozone hole forms, more ultraviolet rays get through the atmosphere. And while penguins and seals have protective covering, their young may be more vulnerable.
Why does ozone matter?
Over the past half century, we damaged the earth's protective ozone layer by using chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and ... Read more ...
|
Low Carbon Materials’ CEO on Decarbonizing Construction:
|
| Low Carbon Materials’ CEO on Decarbonizing Construction - Climate Engineering (Lockley - Playlist) |
Apr 25 · Natasha Boulding, Co-Founder \u0026 CEO of Low Carbon Materials shares how the climate tech startup is redefining concrete and bringing circularity to this hard-to-abate industry at the Bloomberg Sustainable Business Summit 2024 in London. \r\n--------\r\nSubscribe to Bloomberg Live on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7UFcUbAd8oyCBWCogVpJ6g?sub_confirmation=1 | By Bloomberg Live Read more ...
|
Mask-inspired perovskite smart windows enhance weather resistance and energy efficiency:
|
| Mask-inspired perovskite smart windows enhance weather resistance and energy efficiency - PHYS.ORG - Technology |
Apr 25 · To overcome these challenges, researchers from City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) developed a breathable, weather-resistant, low-haze perovskite smart window inspired by medical masks, pushing forward the wide applications of smart windows in green buildings.
The findings are published in the journal Nature Communications in a paper titled "Mask-inspired moisture-transmitting and durable thermochromic perovskite smart windows."
"This mask-inspired window structure design addresses the key issues of poor weather resistance and high optical haze that have long plagued thermochromic perovskite smart windows," explained by Professor Edwin Tso Chi-yan, Associate ... Read more ...
|
NASA hears from Voyager 1, the most distant spacecraft from Earth, after months of quiet:
|
| NASA hears from Voyager 1, the most distant spacecraft from Earth, after months of quiet - PHYS.ORG - Earth |
Apr 27 · NASA has finally heard back from Voyager 1 again in a way that makes sense.
The most distant spacecraft from Earth stopped sending back understandable data last November. Flight controllers traced the blank communication to a bad computer chip and rearranged the spacecraft's coding to work around the trouble.
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California declared success after receiving good engineering updates late last week. The team is still working to restore transmission of the science data.
It takes 22 1/2 hours to send a signal to Voyager 1, more than 15 billion miles (24 billion kilometers) away in interstellar space. The signal travel time is ... Read more ...
|
Nature conservation works, and we're getting better at it, says new study:
|
| Nature conservation works, and we're getting better at it, says new study - PHYS.ORG - Biology |
Apr 26 · Trends in nature conservation tend to be measured in terms of "biodiversity"—that is, the variety among living organisms from genes to ecosystems. We treasure biodiversity not only for how it enriches society and culture, but also its underpinning of resilient, functioning ecosystems that are a foundation of the global economy.
However, it is well known that global biodiversity is decreasing, and has been for some time. Is anything we are doing to reverse this trend effective?
As part of a team of researchers, we conducted the most comprehensive analysis yet of what happened when conservationists intervened in ecosystems. These were interventions of all types, all ... Read more ...
|
New Algorithm Cuts Through 'Noisy' Data to Better Predict Tipping Points:
|
| New Algorithm Cuts Through 'Noisy' Data to Better Predict Tipping Points - Science Daily - Earth and Climate |
Apr 24 · Whether you're trying to predict a climate catastrophe or mental health crisis, mathematics tells us to look for fluctuations.
Changes in data, from wildlife population to anxiety levels, can be an early warning signal that a system is reaching a critical threshold, known as a tipping point, in which those changes may accelerate or even become irreversible.
But which data points matter most? And which are simply just noise?
A new algorithm developed by University at Buffalo researchers can identify the most predictive data points that a tipping point is near. Detailed in Nature Communications, this theoretical framework uses the power of stochastic differential ... Read more ...
|
New algorithm cuts through 'noisy' data to better predict tipping points:
|
| New algorithm cuts through 'noisy' data to better predict tipping points - PHYS.ORG - Earth |
Apr 26 · Changes in data, from wildlife population to anxiety levels, can be an early warning signal that a system is reaching a critical threshold, known as a tipping point, in which those changes may accelerate or even become irreversible.
But which data points matter most? And which are simply just noise?
A new algorithm developed by University at Buffalo researchers can identify the most predictive data points that a tipping point is near. Detailed in Nature Communications, this theoretical framework uses the power of stochastic differential equations to observe the fluctuation of data points, or nodes, and then determine which should be used to calculate an early warning signal. Read more ...
|
New approach could make reusing captured carbon far cheaper, less energy-intensive:
|
| New approach could make reusing captured carbon far cheaper, less energy-intensive - PHYS.ORG - Technology |
Apr 26 · Their approach dramatically reduces the cost and energy required for these direct air capture (DAC) systems, helping improve the economics of a process the researchers said will be critical to addressing climate change.
The key is a new kind of catalyst and electrochemical reactor design that can be easily integrated into existing DAC systems to produce useful carbon monoxide (CO) gas. It's one of the most efficient such design ever described in scientific literature, according to lead researcher Marta Hatzell and her team. They have published the details in Energy & Environmental Science.
"All of my team's research projects focus on decarbonization, which I care about ... Read more ...
|
New Approach Could Make Reusing Captured Carbon Far Cheaper, Less Energy-Intensive | News Center:
|
| New Approach Could Make Reusing Captured Carbon Far Cheaper, Less Energy-Intensive | News Center - news.gatech |
Apr 25 · Engineers at Georgia Tech have designed a process that converts carbon dioxide removed from the air into useful raw material that could be used for new plastics, chemicals, or fuels.
Their approach dramatically reduces the cost and energy required for these direct air capture (DAC) systems, helping improve the economics of a process the researchers said will be critical to addressing climate change.
The key is a new kind of catalyst and electrochemical reactor design that can be easily integrated into existing DAC systems to produce useful carbon monoxide (CO) gas. It’s one of the most efficient such design ever described in scientific literature, according to lead ... Read more ...
|
New process quickly transforms livestock manure into biochar:
|
| New process quickly transforms livestock manure into biochar - PHYS.ORG - Biology |
Apr 26 · A technology has been developed to quickly convert livestock manure, a significant issue in animal farming, into valuable "black gold" rich in carbon within a day.
Dr. Yoo Ji-ho and his research team from the Clean Air Research Laboratory of the Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) have developed a process that immediately converts livestock manure into biochar (biomass and charcoal) at livestock farms. Using the process developed by the research team, it is possible to convert 10 tons of livestock manure into biochar in a single day.
As of 2022, the amount of livestock manure produced was about 50 million tons, of which 87% is used as compost and liquid fertilizer ... Read more ...
|
Pinning down climate change's role in extreme weather:
|
| Pinning down climate change's role in extreme weather - Skeptical Science |
Apr 29 · In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or any other disaster, because weather variability always plays a primary role in the genesis of the events.
However, climate change can make these events more intense and, given the non-linearities in the damages, this can vastly increase the damage and misery from extreme weather. So quantifying the role of climate change is therefore of great interest.
To do this, scientists turn to extreme event attribution studies. These ... Read more ...
|
Probing the effects of interplanetary space on asteroid Ryugu:
|
| Probing the effects of interplanetary space on asteroid Ryugu - PHYS.ORG - Earth |
Apr 29 · Analyzing samples retrieved from the asteroid Ryugu by the Japanese Space Agency's Hayabusa2 spacecraft has revealed new insights into the magnetic and physical bombardment environment of interplanetary space. The results of the study, carried out by Professor Yuki Kimura at Hokkaido University and co-workers at 13 other institutions in Japan, are published in the journal Nature Communications.
The investigations used electron waves penetrating the samples to reveal details of their structure and magnetic and electric properties, a technique called electron holography.
Hayabusa2 reached asteroid Ryugu on 27 June 2018, collected samples during two delicate touchdowns, and ... Read more ...
|
Promoting Climate Action and Green Growth in the Western Balkans and Beyond:
|
| Promoting Climate Action and Green Growth in the Western Balkans and Beyond - Climate Change (World Bank - Playlist) |
Apr 24 · With the support of Austria's Federal Ministry of Finance and the World Bank, the Climate Support Facility's Western Balkans Plus Program has been promoting climate action and green growth across the countries of the Western Balkan Six since 2020 and expanded its activities intro Central Asia in 2023. This program shows that international collaboration, innovation, and timely funding can enable countries to address crucial climate and environmental challenges and build a more sustainable, resilient future for all. Learn more: http://wrld.bg/Ajeg50Ro9mv #climateaction\n\n00:00 The Western Balkans climate challenge\n00:27 Climate Support Facility Western Balkans Program\n00:45 Program ... | By World Bank Read more ...
|
Proof of concept study shows path to easier recycling of solar modules:
|
| Proof of concept study shows path to easier recycling of solar modules - PHYS.ORG - Technology |
Apr 26 · The welds would eliminate the need for plastic polymer sheets that are now laminated into solar modules but make recycling more difficult. At the end of their useful lifespan, the modules made with the laser welds can be shattered. The glass and metal wires running through the solar cells can be easily recycled and the silicon can be reused.
"Most recyclers will confirm that the polymers are the main issue in terms of inhibiting the process of recycling," said David Young, senior scientist and group manager for the High-Efficiency Crystalline Photovoltaics group in the Chemistry and Nanoscience department at NREL. Young is lead author of a new paper outlining the use of laser ... Read more ...
|
Protecting forests through better forest management:
|
| Protecting forests through better forest management - Greenbiz |
Apr 29 · Understanding sustainable forestry practices can lead to more responsibly made products.
This article is sponsored by P&G.
As recent wildfires have demonstrated, an untouched forest isn’t necessarily a healthier one. In parallel with climate action, responsible forest management is one of the best tools to build resilient forests that will in turn help in the fight against climate change.
There are 3 billion acres of working forests around the world - that is, forests that are managed to supply a steady, renewable supply of wood for thousands of items people use every day. Those that are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) ensure that the forest is ... | By Chris Reeves Read more ...
|
Reducing operation emissions and improving work efficiency using a pure electric wheel drive tractor:
|
| Reducing operation emissions and improving work efficiency using a pure electric wheel drive tractor - PHYS.ORG - Technology |
Apr 26 · These scenarios require electric tractors to be able to adapt to complex drive and operating environments, putting higher requirements on the design of electric tractors and their control systems. Therefore, improving the operating efficiency of electric tractors and giving full play to their traction capacity have become urgent breakthrough issues.
Specifically, existing tractors suffer from reduced traction efficiency, low fuel efficiency, and high greenhouse gas emissions when plowing on complex field surfaces.
These issues are manifested as follows: high wheel slip due to the inability to achieve differential torque distribution between the left and right drive ... Read more ...
|
Researchers outline path forward for tandem solar cells:
|
| Researchers outline path forward for tandem solar cells - PHYS.ORG - Technology |
Apr 26 · The vast majority of solar modules in use today rely on a single junction, which is able to absorb only a fraction of the solar spectrum and thus are limited to how efficient they can be. Tandem solar cells, which consist of two or more junctions, hold the potential to reach much higher efficiencies. Because tandems are stacked on top of each other, the total area a module requires decreases—in turn, raising the efficiency and potentially lowering the total system cost.
Kirstin Alberi, the lead author of the journal article, titled "A Roadmap for Tandem Photovoltaics," said high-efficiency III-V multijunction solar cells have been available for decades but at small ... Read more ...
|
Schools closed, warnings issued as Asia swelters in extreme heat wave:
|
| Schools closed, warnings issued as Asia swelters in extreme heat wave - PHYS.ORG - Earth |
Apr 29 · South and Southeast Asia braced for more extreme heat on Sunday as authorities across the region issued health warnings and residents fled to parks and air-conditioned malls for relief.
A wave of exceptionally hot weather has blasted the region over the past week, sending the mercury as high as 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) and forcing thousands of schools to tell students to stay home.
The Philippines announced on Sunday the suspension of in-person classes at all public schools for two days after a record-shattering day of heat in the capital Manila.
In Thailand, where at least 30 people have died of heatstroke so far this year, the meteorological ... Read more ...
|
Scientists are shaking up lithium extraction with a different kind of chemistry:
|
| Scientists are shaking up lithium extraction with a different kind of chemistry - PHYS.ORG - Technology |
Apr 27 · When people think of chemistry, the image that typically comes to mind is a variety of colored liquids in beakers, flasks, and test tubes in a lab. But in actual practice, chemistry can involve materials in all states: liquids, gases, and even solids.
Scientists at the Critical Materials Innovation (CMI) Hub, led by the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames National Laboratory, are using a subdiscipline of chemistry called mechanochemistry that literally shakes up the conventional understanding of chemical reactions, using mechanical forces that agitate, tumble, and smash solids to initiate chemical reactions. Their new process, mechanochemical extraction of lithium at low ... Read more ...
|
Scientists discover higher levels of CO2 increase survival of viruses in the air and transmission risk:
|
| Scientists discover higher levels of CO2 increase survival of viruses in the air and transmission risk - PHYS.ORG - Earth |
Apr 26 · Lead author Dr. Allen Haddrell, Senior Research Associate in Aerosol Science at the University's School of Chemistry, said, "We knew SARS-CoV-2, like other viruses, spreads through the air we breathe. But this study represents a huge breakthrough in our understanding of exactly how and why that happens, and crucially, what can be done to stop it.
"It shows that opening a window may be more powerful than originally thought, especially in crowded and poorly ventilated rooms, as fresh air will have a lower concentration of CO2, causing the virus to become inactivated much faster.
"But it also highlights the importance of our global net zero goals because the research ... Read more ...
|
Scientists Released Long-Term Data of Ground Solar-Induced Fluorescence to Improve Understanding of Canopy-Level Photosynthesis:
|
| Scientists Released Long-Term Data of Ground Solar-Induced Fluorescence to Improve Understanding of Canopy-Level Photosynthesis - Science Daily - Earth and Climate |
Apr 24 · In recent years, the scientific community has increasingly turned its attention to sustainable agriculture, aiming to maximize crop yield while minimizing environmental impact. A crucial aspect of this research involves understanding the fundamental processes of plant photosynthesis and how they can be monitored at scale. One promising method for assessing photosynthetic activity is through the measurement of sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence, a byproduct of photosynthesis that can be detected from ground-based sensors as well as from satellites in space.
The study led by Genghong Wu, a PhD student advised by Agroecosystem Sustainability Center (ASC) director Kaiyu Guan, ... Read more ...
|
Securing Competitiveness of Energy-Intensive Industries Through Relocation: The Pulling Power of Renewables:
|
| Securing Competitiveness of Energy-Intensive Industries Through Relocation: The Pulling Power of Renewables - Science Daily - Earth and Climate |
Apr 24 · Countries with limited potential for renewables could save up to 20 percent of costs for green steel and up to 40 percent for green chemicals from green hydrogen if they relocated their energy-intensive production and would import from countries where renewable energy is cheaper, finds a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK). This 'renewables pull' would create strong incentives for businesses to invest in low-emission production facilities in these renewable-rich countries. Renewable-scarce countries could put all focus on down-stream production and refinement as the smart way to secure industrial competitiveness.
"Our new study shows that ... Read more ...
|
Simon Clark: The climate lies you'll hear this year:
|
| Simon Clark: The climate lies you'll hear this year - Skeptical Science |
Apr 26 · This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any).
This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes a few interview snippets with John Cook and John Mason while a longer version of the interview is available on subscription based Nebula.
Support Simon Clark on patreon: https://patreon.com/simonoxfphys
THE ESCALATOR (free to republish) Read more ...
|
Some anglers say Rhode Island’s Block Island wind farm has improved fishing:
|
| Some anglers say Rhode Island’s Block Island wind farm has improved fishing - Yale Climate Connections - Energy |
Apr 26 · Stay in the know about climate impacts and solutions. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Yale Climate Connections
Off the coast of Rhode Island, anglers fish for striped bass, fluke, and mahi-mahi.
Smythe: “Recreational angling is a prominent, very important use of our coastal waters. It is an economically, socially, culturally important activity.”
So Tiffany Smythe of the United States Coast Guard Academy says it’s important to know how anglers feel about fishing near offshore wind turbines.
Her team surveyed about 200 recreational anglers about the Block Island Wind Farm - the nation’s first offshore wind farm.
Smythe: “We found, overall, a ... Read more ...
|
Species living closely together in symbiosis is far older and way more common than you might think:
|
| Species living closely together in symbiosis is far older and way more common than you might think - PHYS.ORG - Biology |
Apr 27 · One of the most common symbiotic relationships is between various species of algae and fungi, or between cyanobacteria (commonly known as blue-green algae though it's not algae) and fungi. These paired species take the form of lichens.
The term symbiosis was first used in the 19th century to describe the lichen relationship, which was thought to be highly unusual. Since then, we've discovered symbiosis is the norm, rather than the exception. In fact, it has shaped the evolution of most life on Earth.
Symbiosis is almost everywhere we look
Lichens are diverse. They grow on tree trunks, on roof tiles and on ancient rocks.
The symbiosis of two different species ... Read more ...
|
Study shows climate change impact on China's dry–wet transition zones:
|
| Study shows climate change impact on China's dry–wet transition zones - PHYS.ORG - Earth |
Apr 26 · Climate change is significantly altering bioclimatic environments in China's dry–wet transition zones, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Hydrology.
The study examines how vegetation ecosystems respond and adapt to climate change, alongside the effects of soil water and heat processes. Bioclimatic environment change acts as a crucial link between climate change and local conditions affecting vegetation ecosystems.
"In areas where current vegetation models fall short, bioclimatic indicators offer an alternative for studying climate change impacts on ecological environments," notes Dr. Mingxing Li, the lead author of the study.
The study ... Read more ...
|
Taxing big fossil fuel firms 'could raise $900bn in climate finance by 2030’:
|
| Taxing big fossil fuel firms 'could raise $900bn in climate finance by 2030’ - Guardian - Energy |
Apr 2 · Levy on oil and gas majors in richest countries would help worst-affected nations tackle climate crisis, says report
A new tax on fossil fuel companies based in the world’s richest countries could raise hundreds of billions of dollars to help the most vulnerable nations cope with the escalating climate crisis, according to a report.
The Climate Damages Tax report, published on Monday, calculates that an additional tax on fossil fuel majors based in the wealthiest Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries could raise $720bn (£580bn) by the end of the decade.
The authors say a new extraction levy could boost the loss and damage fund to ... Read more ...
|
Tesla founder Musk visits China as competitors show off new electric vehicles at Beijing auto show:
|
| Tesla founder Musk visits China as competitors show off new electric vehicles at Beijing auto show - PHYS.ORG - Technology |
Apr 29 · Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk met with a top government leader in the Chinese capital Sunday, just as the nation's carmakers are showing off their latest electric vehicle models at the Beijing auto show.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang told Musk that he hopes the U.S. will work more with China on "win-win" cooperation, citing Tesla's operations in China as a successful example of economic cooperation, China's state broadcaster CCTV said on its main evening news program.
For China, Musk is a welcome antidote to the tough talk from U.S. officials, which played out most recently during a visit by Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Li's remarks also reflect China's efforts to ... Read more ...
|
The end of coral reefs as we know them:
|
| The end of coral reefs as we know them - VOX -Environment |
Apr 26 · The biodiversity crisis, explained
More than five years ago, the world’s top climate scientists made a frightening prediction: If the planet warms by 1.5 degrees Celsius, relative to preindustrial times, 70 to 90 percent of coral reefs globally would die off. At 2°C, that number jumps to more than 99 percent.
In not so great news, the planet is now approaching that 1.5°C mark. In 2023, the hottest year ever measured, the average global temperature was 1.52°C above the preindustrial average, as my colleague Umair Irfan reported. That doesn’t mean Earth has officially blown past this important threshold - typically, scientists measure these sorts of averages over decades, ... Read more ...
|
The first glow-in-the-dark animals may have been ancient corals deep in the ocean:
|
| The first glow-in-the-dark animals may have been ancient corals deep in the ocean - PHYS.ORG - Biology |
Apr 27 · In a new study, scientists report that deep-sea corals that lived 540 million years ago may have been the first animals to glow, far earlier than previously thought.
"Light signaling is one of the earliest forms of communication that we know of—it's very important in deep waters," said Andrea Quattrini, a co-author of the study published Tuesday in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Today, marine creatures that glimmer include some fish, squid, octopuses, jellyfish, even sharks—all the result of chemical reactions.
Some use light to startle predators, "like a burglar alarm," and others use it to lure prey, as anglerfish do, said Quattrini, ... Read more ...
|
The giant sheep helping Tajikistan weather climate change:
|
| The giant sheep helping Tajikistan weather climate change - PHYS.ORG - Earth |
Apr 29 · In the hills outside the Tajik capital Dushanbe, shepherd Bakhtior Sharipov was watching over his flock of giant Hissar sheep.
The breed, prized for profitability and an ability to adapt to climate change, garners celebrity status in the Central Asian country, which is beset by a shortage of both meat and suitable grazing land.
"They rapidly gain weight even when there is little water and pasture available," 18-year-old Sharipov said.
Facing a serious degradation in farmland due to years of overgrazing and global warming, the hardy sheep offer a potential boon to Tajikistan's farmers and plentiful supply of mutton to consumers.
Around 250 of the animals - ... Read more ...
|
The Longer Spilled Oil Lingers in Freshwater, the More Persistent Compounds It Produces:
|
| The Longer Spilled Oil Lingers in Freshwater, the More Persistent Compounds It Produces - Science Daily - Earth and Climate |
Apr 24 · Oil is an important natural resource for many industries, but it can lead to serious environmental damage when accidentally spilled. While large oil spills are highly publicized, every year there are many smaller-scale spills into lakes, rivers and oceans. And, according to research published in ACS' Energy & Fuels, the longer that oil remains in freshwater, the more chemical changes it undergoes, creating products that can persist in the environment.
Approximately 600,000 gallons of oil were accidentally spilled into the environment in 2023, according to the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation, a group that monitors oil spills. This figure represents ocean spills ... Read more ...
|
The reckless policies that helped fill our streets with ridiculously large cars:
|
| The reckless policies that helped fill our streets with ridiculously large cars - VOX -Environment |
Apr 28 · Cars, you might have noticed, have grown enormous.
Low-slung station wagons are all but extinct on American roads, and even sedans have become an endangered species. (Ford, producer of the iconic Model T a century ago, no longer sells any sedans in its home market.) Bulky SUVs and pickup trucks - which have themselves steadily added pounds and inches - now comprise more than four out of every five new cars sold in the US, up from just over half in 2013, even as national household size steadily declines.
The expanding size of automobiles - a phenomenon I call car bloat - has deepened a slew of national problems. Take road safety: Unlike peer nations, the US has endured a ... Read more ...
|
The week in climate policy: 4 updates you need to know:
|
| The week in climate policy: 4 updates you need to know - Greenbiz |
Apr 26 · Biden Administration reveals billions saved by companies due to the Inflation Reduction Act; Local governments in Wyoming bypass governor’s refusal to apply for decarbonization funding.
President Joe Biden delivers a speech. Photo: Shutterstock/Spike Johnson
[Continue the conversation on climate policy at Circularity 24 (May 22-24, Chicago), the leading conference for professionals building the circular economy.] | By Leah Garden Read more ...
|
This New Biden Rule Will Save Americans $2 Billion On Utility Bills:
|
| This New Biden Rule Will Save Americans $2 Billion On Utility Bills - Huffington Post |
Apr 26 · The Biden administration has finalized a major rule change that raises the bar for real estate developers who want newly built homes to qualify for U.S. government-backed loans, laying the groundwork for a massive overhaul in the way Americans build houses.
Regulators issued a final determination Thursday that the breakthrough energy codes that dramatically increased the efficiency of new homes but caused a firestorm in the construction industry met the federal government’s standards for keeping housing affordable and slashing utility bills.
Meeting those codes is now set to become the baseline criteria for qualifying for federal loans from the Department of Housing and ... Read more ...
|
US probes whether Tesla Autopilot recall did enough to make sure drivers pay attention:
|
| US probes whether Tesla Autopilot recall did enough to make sure drivers pay attention - PHYS.ORG - Technology |
Apr 26 · The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says in documents posted on its website Friday that Tesla has reported 20 more crashes involving Autopilot and since the recall. The crashes and agency tests raised concerns about the effectiveness of the remedy. The recall involved more than 2 million vehicles, nearly all the vehicles that Tesla had sold at the time.
The agency pushed the company to do the recall after a two-year investigation into Autopilot's driver monitoring system, which measures torque on the steering wheel from a driver's hands. In the probe, the agency was looking at multiple cases in which Teslas on Autopilot ran into emergency vehicles parked on ... Read more ...
|
Warming Arctic Reduces Dust Levels in Parts of the Planet:
|
| Warming Arctic Reduces Dust Levels in Parts of the Planet - Science Daily - Earth and Climate |
Apr 24 · Dust can have a huge impact on local air quality, food security, energy supply and public health. Previous studies have found that dust levels are decreasing across India, particularly northern India, the Persian Gulf Coast and much of the Middle East, but the reason has remained unclear. SEAS researchers found that the decrease in dust can be attributed to the Arctic warming much faster than the rest of the planet, a phenomenon known as Arctic amplification. This process destabilizes the jet stream and changes storm tracks and wind patterns over the major sources of dust in West and South Asia.
Ironically, the best-case scenario for emissions -- carbon neutrality -- could ... Read more ...
|
We could be heading into the hottest summer of our lives:
|
| We could be heading into the hottest summer of our lives - VOX - Science |
Apr 27 · High temperatures across the US have the potential to increase risks for drought, wildfires, and hurricanes.
The United States could be in for another scorcher this summer, per a new study from the National Weather Service (NWS). And that could mean more extreme weather events - as well as heightened health concerns.
The NWS outlook, released this month, found that many parts of the US - including New England and the Southwest - are likely to have higher than average temperatures from June through August. In recent years, hotter summer temperatures have been driven by climate change and, in some cases, the arrival of a climate pattern known as La Niña, which contributes ... Read more ...
|
Where seas are rising at alarming speed:
|
| Where seas are rising at alarming speed - Washington Post - Climate and Environment |
Apr 29 · One of the most rapid sea level surges on Earth is besieging the American South, forcing a reckoning for coastal communities across eight U.S. states, a Washington Post analysis has found.
Recent sea level rise
2010 to 2023
0
3
6
9 inches
At more than a dozen tide gauges spanning from Texas to North Carolina, sea levels are at least 6 inches higher than they were in 2010 - a change similar to what occurred over the previous five decades.
Recent sea level rise
2010 to 2023
0
3
6
9 inches
Scientists are documenting a barrage of impacts - ones, they say, that will confront an even larger swath of U.S. ... Read more ...
|
Why climate disclosure policy is critical to corporate sustainability:
|
| Why climate disclosure policy is critical to corporate sustainability - Greenbiz |
Apr 29 · There are 3 primary reasons why disclosure rules can help accelerate climate policy progress.
There’s a lot of confusion and controversy swirling around the issue of climate disclosure: how much companies are mandated to tell the public about emissions they directly and indirectly generate. The controversy is now so thick that it has become a smokescreen, blocking a clear look at this issue. It’s important for sustainability professionals to know the facts and also understand how policy on disclosure can help drive the change we need to address our climate crisis.
In 2023, disclosure policy seemed to be on a fast track forward, with California’s enactment of the landmark ... | By Deborah McNamara & Bill Weihl Read more ...
|