October, 2021

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Tyson Foods Is a Monster in Disguise

Union of Concerned Scientists

Try as they might, Tyson Foods can't dress up the facts.

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Why Protecting Tribal Rights Is Key to Fighting Climate Change

Yale E360

Fawn Sharp, president of the National Congress of American Indians, talks with Yale Environment 360 about how climate change is hitting Native Americans especially hard and why protecting tribal sovereignty is critical for tackling the climate crisis. Read more on E360 ?.

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Water Groups Lauded a Side Agreement at the Paris Climate Conference. Then It Languished.

Circle of Blue

The fate of the Paris Pact reveals the difficulties in incorporating water into global climate agreements. The Tigris River watershed is shared by Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Turkey. Photo © J. Carl Ganter/Circle of Blue. National actions take precedent in climate adaptation and mitigation over watershed-level plans. Recognition of water in national climate plans is increasing but more could be done.

2015 360
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What do U.S. states do at a COP, anyway?

Legal Planet

California Governor Jerry Brown in Bonn for the 2018 climate summit. Photo credit Alexandra Gay, member of the UCLA Law delegation that year. You’ve likely heard that the big annual United Nations climate conference is about to get underway in Glasgow, with nations around the world gathering together to try to advance international climate cooperation.

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How to Modernize Manufacturing Without Losing Control

Speaker: Andrew Skoog, Founder of MachinistX & President of Hexis Representatives

Manufacturing is evolving, and the right technology can empower—not replace—your workforce. Smart automation and AI-driven software are revolutionizing decision-making, optimizing processes, and improving efficiency. But how do you implement these tools with confidence and ensure they complement human expertise rather than override it? Join industry expert Andrew Skoog as he explores how manufacturers can leverage automation to enhance operations, streamline workflows, and make smarter, data-dri

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A Beach Haiku

Environmental and Urban Economics

The Low Tide Beckons No more Economics Talk I will Tweet later.

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A science-based move to climate change adaptation

Real Climate

All countries in the world urgently need to adapt to climate change but are not yet in a good position to do so. It’s urgent because we are not even adapted to the present climate. This fact is underscored by recent weather-related calamities , such as flooding in Central Europe and heatwaves over North America. It’s also urgent because the oceans act like a flywheel, making sure that cuts in emission of greenhouse gases will have a lagged effect on global warming.

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Fossil Fuels Received $5.9 Trillion In Subsidies in 2020, Report Finds

Yale E360

Coal, oil, and natural gas received $5.9 trillion in subsidies in 2020 — or roughly $11 million every minute — according to a new analysis from the International Monetary Fund. Read more on E360 ?.

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2021 Election Preview: New York Considers Right to Clean Water

Circle of Blue

Voters will decide on a constitutional amendment for environmental rights. New York City skyline. Photo © J. Carl Ganter/Circle of Blue. On November 2, New Yorkers will vote on amending their state constitution to include environmental protections, including clean water. At least a dozen other states are considering similar amendments. In Pennsylvania, where the constitution already recognizes environmental rights, the state Supreme Court has used the provision to strike down parts of state law.

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Never Give Up. Never Surrender.

Legal Planet

Although lacking the same eloquence, today’s post is in the spirit of Churchill’s famous speech promising that Britain would “fight on the beaches, … we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.” My point is this: No matter how many battles we end up losing in the fight to stop carbon emissions, we can never afford to give up. It’s not hard to see why some people despair about the climate.

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The Law Is An Ass, RCRA Edition

Law and Environment

Late last month, the 9 th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a public water supplier could be liable in a citizens’ suit brought under the imminent and substantial endangerment provisions of RCRA, where the plaintiff alleged that the groundwater used by the supplier had been contaminated by the disposal of hexavalent chromium by a wood treatment facility upgradient of the supplier’s well field.

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The Key to Sustainable Energy Optimization: A Data-Driven Approach for Manufacturing

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. 📊 Join us for a practical webinar hosted by Kevin Kai Wong of Emergent Ene

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Unforced Variations: Oct 2021

Real Climate

Fall is here (in the northern hemisphere at least), along with articles about the impact of climate change on autumnal colors. LandSat9 successfully launched to continue an almost 50 year long series of remote sensing (since 1972!), and the World Economic Forum has proposed and Earth Operations Center to monitor greenhouse gases and climate change. Please stick to climate science topics, and remember that (most) other commenters are real people.

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Why High Natural Gas Prices Are So Spooky This Halloween

Union of Concerned Scientists

In response to higher natural gas prices, US utilities are going back to coal instead of ramping up investments in renewables.

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Ozone Pollution: An Insidious and Growing Threat to Biodiversity

Yale E360

Ground-level ozone has long been known to pose a threat to human health. Now, scientists are increasingly understanding how this pollutant damages plants and trees, setting off a cascade of impacts that harms everything from soil microbes, to insects, to wildlife. Read more on E360 ?.

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HotSpots H2O: New Report Urges Policymakers to ‘Wake Up to the Looming Water Crisis’

Circle of Blue

Current rates of progress on water, sanitation, and hygiene would need to quadruple to meet UN targets. Over the past 20 years, the majority of flood losses have occurred in Asia, where climate change-induced rainfall is expected to hit the hardest. Photo © GKarunakar / Wikimedia Commons. A new report found that global progress on water, sanitation, and hygiene goals is falling short.

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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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The Monument to the Unknown Bureaucrat

Legal Planet

Working away in anonymity, a cadre of civil servants keeps the machinery of government working. There’s actually a monument in Reykjavík, Iceland to these public servants. It shows someone in a business suit carrying a briefcase — or more specifically, the lower half of the person, with the upper half replaced by a block of basalt. According to a local website , “the block of rock is a perfect metaphor for how everyday life crushes down on us, while at the same time depicting the narrative of t

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COP26: Last seven years warmest on record, says UN climate report

New Scientist

As the COP26 climate summit opens in Glasgow, the UN's World Meteorological Organization says global average temperatures have been 1°C warmer than pre-industrial levels for two decades

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TeamSeas Will Be Transformational for Our Ocean—Let’s Go!

Ocean Conservancy

Today YouTubers MrBeast, Mark Rober and thousands of other creators are joining together to launch TeamSeas, a crowd-funded campaign with the goal of raising $30 million dollars by January 1 to remove 30 million pounds of trash from rivers, beaches and our ocean. Ocean Conservancy has been chosen as the beaches and ocean partner for the campaign—a testament to our 36-year history of mobilizing the International Coastal Cleanup® and, more recently, removing lost and discarded fishing gear from wa

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Despite Cutbacks, ExxonMobil Continues to Fund Climate Science Denial

Union of Concerned Scientists

ExxonMobil has spent more than $39 million to manufacture doubt about climate science and block government action.

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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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From Homes to Cars, It’s Now Time to Electrify Everything

Yale E360

The key to shifting away from fossil fuels is for consumers to begin replacing their home appliances, heating systems, and cars with electric versions powered by clean electricity. The challenges are daunting, but the politics will change when the economic benefits are widely felt. Read more on E360 ?.

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HotSpots H2O: Years-Long Drought Pushes Brazil to the Brink

Circle of Blue

The country’s worst drought in nearly a century is choking commerce, threatening ecosystems, and diminishing hydroelectric power generation. Scientists estimate that Brazil hasn’t seen a normal period of rainfall since 2010. Photo courtesy of João Felipe C.S. / Wikimedia Commons. After a decade of dry conditions, a drought in Brazil is straining the country’s economy, energy systems, and environment.

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Climate and Colonialism: Some Columbus Day Thoughts

Legal Planet

“In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue.” That’s what we learned in my grade school. Today, Columbus Day remains a day of celebration for some but has become a symbols of colonialism for others. Rather than entering that debate, I’d like to reflect on how issues of colonialism might relate to climate change. The study of colonialism and post-colonial societies is now a major academic focus.

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AI Generates Hypotheses Human Scientists Have Not Thought Of

Scientific American

Machine-learning algorithms can guide humans toward new experiments and theories. -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com.

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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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UK will 'pause' publication of data showing biodiversity in decline

New Scientist

Next year will see an important meeting to agree global biodiversity targets, but the UK says it won't be publishing key data on wildlife and habitats

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Ask a Scientist: Will Congress Finally Tackle the Climate Crisis?

Union of Concerned Scientists

UCS economist Rachel Cleetus, the Climate and Energy program’s policy director, has been closely following the infrastructure bill and the reconciliation package. I asked her to provide us with a synopsis of their major provisions to get a better fix on just what they could accomplish.

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A Big New Forest Initiative Sparks Concerns of a ‘Carbon Heist’

Yale E360

Major funding to finance forest conservation projects is set to be announced at the UN climate summit next week. But some environmentalists contend the LEAF program could exclude the Indigenous people who have long protected the forests that the initiative aims to save. Read more on E360 ?.

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2021 Election Preview: The Expensive Battle in Maine over Hydropower Imports

Circle of Blue

The second-most expensive campaign in Maine history is a debate over energy infrastructure. New England Clean Energy Connect, a 145-mile-long transmission line will cut through the commercial timberlands of western Maine. Photo via Flickr/Creative Commons user bdewey. Maine voters will decide whether to move forward with a high-voltage transmission line to move hydropower from Quebec to Massachusetts.

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How to Drive Cost Savings, Efficiency Gains, and Sustainability Wins with MES

Speaker: Nikhil Joshi, Founder & President of Snic Solutions

Is your manufacturing operation reaching its efficiency potential? A Manufacturing Execution System (MES) could be the game-changer, helping you reduce waste, cut costs, and lower your carbon footprint. Join Nikhil Joshi, Founder & President of Snic Solutions, in this value-packed webinar as he breaks down how MES can drive operational excellence and sustainability.

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Report from Planet X

Legal Planet

A long time ago, in another galaxy far far away. Dear Galactic Governance Collaborative, Those of us who colonized Planet X now find ourselves in dangerous straits. We request urgent assistance due to escalating environmental instability. You’re thinking it’s not easy to screw up an entire planet. You’re right about that. Sadly, though, it’s also not impossible.

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Black-hole laser could have quantum computing applications

Physics World

An electromagnetic analogue for a black hole laser – a system that could theoretically amplify Hawking radiation from the event horizon of a black hole and make it observable – has been proposed by Haruna Katayama of Hiroshima University in Japan. The idea follows on from demonstrations of analogues using Bose-Einstein condensates and has the potential to provide new insights into the relationship between quantum mechanics and gravity.

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Are vegan meat alternatives putting our health on the line?

New Scientist

Veganism is typically equated with healthy eating, but today’s factory-produced fake bacon, sausages and burgers could be tarnishing the halo of a plant-based diet.

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Fossil Fuel Obstruction Brought Us the Climate Crisis: Hard Questions Big Oil CEOs Should Answer

Union of Concerned Scientists

Director of Strategic Climate Analytics Erika Spanger-Siegfried pulls no punches as she imagines what she'd ask the fossil fuel executives who will be questioned about their role in climate change at a House Oversight and Reform Committee meeting.

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Finding Bright Spots in the Global Coral Reef Catastrophe

Yale E360

The first-ever report on the world’s coral reefs presents a grim picture, as losses mount due to global warming. But there are signs of hope — some regions are having coral growth, and researchers found that corals can recover if given a decade of reprieve from hot water. Read more on E360 ?.

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