Sat.Mar 25, 2023 - Fri.Mar 31, 2023

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The Energy Transition: Buildings are Key in 2023

Environment + Energy Leader

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the current built environment is responsible for nearly 30% of global energy consumption and over 90% of buildings in the US are under 50,000 square feet. The post The Energy Transition: Buildings are Key in 2023 appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

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Repurposing Cropland in California: A Solution for Everyone?

Union of Concerned Scientists

I may be a romantic, but I firmly believe that we can reimagine agriculture, rural disadvantaged communities and the environment in a way that makes everyone happy. I love nature, and I see agriculture as part of nature, not as a foe. But agricultural practices, especially in California, must be updated to survive the future. One powerful change that is growing momentum is strategic cropland repurposing.

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Great Lakes Take Global Stage

Circle of Blue

UN Water Conference highlights risks and opportunities for the Great Lakes region. The UN Water Conference was held March 22-24, 2023, in New York City. Photo © J. Carl Ganter/Circle of Blue By Brett Walton, Circle of Blue – March 28, 2023 For three days last week the world came together at the United Nations in New York City to discuss ways to place water at the center of decision-making.

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Unheralded Environmentalist: Jimmy Carter’s Green Legacy

Yale E360

With the former president now in hospice care, Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Kai Bird looks back on Jimmy Carter’s environmental record in the White House — from his sweeping protection of Alaska’s wild lands to his efforts to push the nation toward renewable energy.

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Manufacturing Sustainability Surge: Your Guide to Data-Driven Energy Optimization & Decarbonization

Speaker: Kevin Kai Wong, President of Emergent Energy Solutions

In today's industrial landscape, the pursuit of sustainable energy optimization and decarbonization has become paramount. Manufacturing corporations across the U.S. are facing the urgent need to align with decarbonization goals while enhancing efficiency and productivity. Unfortunately, the lack of comprehensive energy data poses a significant challenge for manufacturing managers striving to meet their targets.

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Wasted Food: Rethinking Our Perceptions and Practices

Environment + Energy Leader

In 2022, Feeding America salvaged 3.6 billion pounds of groceries to provide sustenance to families experiencing food insecurity. The post Wasted Food: Rethinking Our Perceptions and Practices appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

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The Agriculture Resilience Act Is a Win for Sustainable Nutrition Science 

Union of Concerned Scientists

The Agriculture Resilience Act (ARA) of 2023 was re-introduced in Congress today. The ARA is comprehensive, science-based legislation that covers many topics related to environmental and climate concerns in agriculture, including conservation on both agricultural and pasture land, renewable energy, and food loss and waste. The ARA is bold legislation that equips farmers with funding for climate resilience, including a much-needed focus on soil health.

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The Social Cost of George W. Bush

Legal Planet

When Bush ran for President in 2000, he endorsed mandatory limits on CO 2 emissions. Within three months of taking office, he reversed himself to the dismay of some members of his own administration. The upshot was that the US resisted any effort to address climate change and embraced a “drill baby drill” energy policy. You can blame Bush. Or if you prefer, you can blame the nefarious influence of Dick Cheney or perhaps the five Justices who put Bush in the White House.

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Canada Commits Nearly $306M to Enhance Great Lakes Water Quality

Environment + Energy Leader

"The Great Lakes are a source of drinking water for 40 million people, and this shared resource needs to be protected," Trudeau said. The post Canada Commits Nearly $306M to Enhance Great Lakes Water Quality appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

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Why Soil Health Is So Important to the Agriculture Resilience Act

Union of Concerned Scientists

The Agriculture Resilience Act (ARA) was reintroduced today in Congress by Representative Chellie Pingree (D-Maine). The ARA is perhaps the most comprehensive and concise legislation (mind you, it still runs a good number of pages!) to integrate food and farm policy in a way that addresses climate change and helps farmers reduce their carbon emissions.

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EU Approves 2035 Ban on Sales of Gas-Powered Cars

Yale E360

EU countries have approved an end to the sale of gas-powered cars in 2035, allowing the law to enter into force.

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Implementing D.E.J.I. Strategies in Energy, Environment, and Transportation

Speaker: Antoine M. Thompson, Executive Director of the Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition

Diversity, Equity, Justice, and Inclusion (DEJI) policies, programs, and initiatives are critically important as we move forward with public and private sector climate and sustainability goals and plans. Underserved and socially, economically, and racially disadvantaged communities bear the burden of pollution, higher energy costs, limited resources, and limited investments in the clean energy and transportation sectors.

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When Is It Legal to Consider Race in Regulating?

Legal Planet

On Halloween, the Supreme Court heard oral argument in cases brought by Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) against Harvard and UNC. These cases seem likely to move the Court closer to requiring colorblindness. How would that impact EPA’s ability to pursue environmental justice? Based on comments of the Justices during the arguments in the Harvard and North Carolina cases, observers believe that the Court will sharply cut back on the use of affirmative action by colleges and universities, possib

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Greenpeace Criticizes Germany and EU’s Agreement on Combustion Engines

Environment + Energy Leader

EU diplomats are voting Monday to formally approve a law aimed at phasing out fossil fuels by 2035. Energy managers are expected to sign off on the law during Tuesday's meeting in Brussels. The post Greenpeace Criticizes Germany and EU’s Agreement on Combustion Engines appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

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Politicians Are Still Using the Disinformation Playbook and It Makes Me Mad

Union of Concerned Scientists

Just last week, we heard that with regard to climate change, “ humanity is on thin ice—and that ice is melting fast.” Yet policymakers still use the disinformation playbook to deceive and misinform the public about climate change, at the expense of our well-being and our future. After 15 years of working for climate action, it still makes me plenty mad when they do.

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Some Big Green Groups Drawing More Foundation Money Than All Environmental Justice Groups Combined

Yale E360

Foundations have given more money to individual green groups, including the Sierra Club, the Environmental Defense Fund, and The Nature Conservancy, than to every U.S. environmental justice group put together, according to a new analysis.

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Shaping a Resilient Future: Climate Impact on Vulnerable Populations

Speaker: Laurie Schoeman Director, Climate & Sustainability, Capital

As households and communities across the nation face challenges such as hurricanes, wildfires, drought, extreme heat and cold, and thawing permafrost and flooding, we are increasingly searching for ways to mitigate and prevent climate impacts. During this event, national climate and housing expert Laurie Schoeman will discuss topics including: The two paths for climate action: decarbonization and adaptation.

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WHY AN ORANGE PEEL COULD LINE UP YOUR POCKET…

Cleannovate

Some Oranges are sweet while others…Well let’s just say ‘not so sweet’ Despite the differences, oranges- and by extension other … More

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Closing the Loop: How LyondellBasell & EEW Energy from Waste are Advancing Plastic Recycling

Environment + Energy Leader

LyondellBasell and EEW Energy from Waste announced they have signed a letter of intent (LOI) to explore a long-term strategic partnership to extract and recycle plastics out of incineration waste streams. The post Closing the Loop: How LyondellBasell & EEW Energy from Waste are Advancing Plastic Recycling appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

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Putin Plans to Station Russian Nukes in Belarus: What Does This Change?

Union of Concerned Scientists

On Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced plans to station Russian nuclear weapons on the soil of its neighbor and ally, Belarus. This decision, like Russia’s aggressive rhetoric more broadly, raises the risk of nuclear conflict over the war in Ukraine. Unfortunately, the US and its allies are limited in their ability to respond to this provocation because NATO has long engaged in the practice of stationing nuclear weapons in allied countries.

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The ICJ’s Advisory Opinion on Climate Change: What Happens Now?

Law Columbia

Photo by Mathias Reding on Unsplash Climate change litigation has finally reached the world’s highest court. On March 29, 2023, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution requesting an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the obligations of States with respect to climate change. The UNGA adopted resolution (A/77/L.58) by consensus.

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Sustainability at Retail

Sustainability impacts every nation, company, and person around the world. So much so that, in 2015, the United Nations (UN) issued a call for action by all countries to work toward sustainable development. In response to this and as part of a global Sustainability at Retail initiative, Shop! worked collaboratively with its global affiliates to address these critical issues in this white paper.

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The UK has almost no credible plans to adapt to climate change

New Scientist

Advisers to the UK government warn that failure to plan for the effects of climate change is putting the country at risk of threats such as food shortages and power blackouts

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Enviro Systems and Antin Infrastructure Partners Launch the World’s First Large-Scale Tire Recyling Group

Environment + Energy Leader

As Enviro's recycled carbon black replaces virgin carbon black, emissions are reduced by over 90% in comparison to conventional carbon black. The post Enviro Systems and Antin Infrastructure Partners Launch the World’s First Large-Scale Tire Recyling Group appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

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Xcel Energy Sets Big Vision for EV Charging in Minnesota

Union of Concerned Scientists

Xcel Energy came forward last year with its biggest electric vehicle (EV) charging proposal yet in Minnesota, and the proceeding to consider that proposal at the Public Utilities Commission is well underway. Electric utilities across the United States, such as Xcel, have been offering EV charging programs for quite some time now. Those programs include incentives and other forms of support for charging infrastructure, electricity rates and other vehicle-grid integration programs for EVs, technic

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‘Rewilding’ Parts of the Planet Could Have Big Climate Benefits

Inside Climate News

Restoring fish, bison, gray wolves and other animals in key regions is possible without risking food supplies, and could remove nearly 500 gigatons of CO2 from the atmosphere by 2100. By Bob Berwyn Restoring populations of land and marine animals in targeted “rewilding” zones would speed up biological carbon pumps that remove carbon dioxide from the air and sequester the greenhouse gas where it doesn’t harm the climate, new research shows.

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Restoring just nine groups of animals could help combat global warming

New Scientist

Protecting or expanding the populations of nine key groups of animals, including wolves and whales, would remove huge amounts of carbon from the atmosphere

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Delivering a Safe Energy Transition: Navigating Operational Risks of Labor Shortages, Upscaling With EHS Tech

Environment + Energy Leader

The worst of the COVID-19 pandemic may be behind us, but many of the adverse business conditions it left in its wake are still here. Chief among these challenges is talent recruitment and retention. The post Delivering a Safe Energy Transition: Navigating Operational Risks of Labor Shortages, Upscaling With EHS Tech appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

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What Will It Take for California to Build a New Regional Grid Operator?

Union of Concerned Scientists

A bill recently introduced in the California Legislature, Assembly Bill (AB) 538 , would open a pathway for the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), which oversees the state’s electric grid , to expand to more states in the West, a process known as grid regionalization. Whether California should proceed with expanding its statewide grid operator into a Western regional transmission organization (RTO) is a complicated discussion that I’m going to sidestep for now.

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The Future Is All-Electric. Why Are We Spending Millions on Gas?

NRDC

Gas rates are high and poised to get higher. States are running out of time to keep energy costs low with a managed gas transition.

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Reliably detecting AI-generated text is mathematically impossible

New Scientist

The ease with which artificial intelligence can generate and paraphrase language means that detectors to spot AI content will only be as accurate as flipping a coin

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Sustainability at VINCI: Reducing Emissions and Optimizing Resources for a Better Future

Environment + Energy Leader

VINCI aims to improve daily life and mobility for everyone while also prioritizing environmental and social responsibility. The post Sustainability at VINCI: Reducing Emissions and Optimizing Resources for a Better Future appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

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What International Climate Justice Means for Sri Lanka

Union of Concerned Scientists

Earlier this month I visited my family in Sri Lanka and found that everything has changed since my last visit almost four years ago. As I embraced my family, I felt a palpable fatigue from the pressures of the pandemic, political unrest, and geopolitical turmoil bubbling beneath the surface. As Sri Lanka recovers from the worst economic crisis since its independence, climate change impacts are also quietly fueling and exacerbating the situation.

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America’s Forests Are ‘Present and Vanishing at the Same Time’

Inside Climate News

The nation’s forests stand at the juncture of “nostalgia and progress,” beloved but threatened now by the ravages of climate change. By Kiley Bense The 19th century may seem distant to us today, but in a new book by Alexander Nemerov, “The Forest: A Fable of America in the 1830s,” readers have a chance to walk through the woods of the early 1800s—and discover that the often contradictory ways we relate to nature now have been with us at least since then.

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MPs pass long-awaited legislation to tackle environmental racism in Canada

Enviromental Defense

Advocates celebrate milestone, call on Senate to prioritize Bill C-226 OTTAWA | TRADITIONAL, UNCEDED TERRITORY OF THE ALGONQUIN ANISHNAABEG PEOPLE – Advocates for social justice and equity, environmental protection and public health celebrate passage of Bill C-226, the National Strategy on Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice Act , in the House of Commons.

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A New Era of Energy in Alberta: Harnessing the Power of Geothermal Energy

Environment + Energy Leader

Alberta now has the opportunity to capture geothermal heat energy and generate power with zero GHG emissions. The post A New Era of Energy in Alberta: Harnessing the Power of Geothermal Energy appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

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La agricultura de California tiene un desempeño económico sobresaliente, pero ¿a qué costo?

Union of Concerned Scientists

Yo era ingeniero agrónomo. Imagino que técnicamente todavía lo soy, pero ya hace algún tiempo (desde que estudié un posgrado y descubrí el activismo) que comencé a trabajar a nivel de sistemas, y ahora soy Ingeniero de Sistemas Socioambientales. Observar el medio ambiente de manera holística me ha ayudado a entender muchos de los desafíos que experimentamos hoy en día en California, especialmente en cómo se practica la mayor parte de la agricultura.

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