April, 2022

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Why Are Nature-Based Solutions on Climate Being Overlooked?

Yale E360

Nature-based initiatives, such as planting mangroves and revitalizing wetlands, have proven effective in making communities more resilient to climate change. But international funding has shortchanged such solutions in favor of more costly and less efficient engineering projects. Read more on E360 ?.

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Blurring the Lines Between Art and Activism ????

Circle of Blue

Greg Mort painting “Circle of Blue” in 2007. Photo © Greg and Nadine Mort. Greg Mort didn’t intend to devote his career as an artist to the preservation of the environment. Indeed, his art has always reflected his fascination with science. “As a young person,” he said of growing up in the original space age, “I marveled at the idea of all of that adventure.” Even now, he said, he’s more interested in talking to scientists than other artists. “

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Evrnu Launches Recyclable Lyocell Material Made from Cotton Textile Waste

Environment + Energy Leader

Textile company Evrnu is launching the world’s first high performance, recyclable lyocell material made entirely from cotton textile waste. Doing this allows a way to replace plastic-based materials. The post Evrnu Launches Recyclable Lyocell Material Made from Cotton Textile Waste appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

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How Does Transit Help the Climate?

Union of Concerned Scientists

We’ve heard it a lot. Riding transit is good for the climate. And the climate needs our help now more than ever. Is this true? Yes. Can we really make a difference by changing our transportation system? Also yes. Here’s how. Transit lowers emissions, brings convenience. Transportation is about getting where we need to go—to where we live, where we play, where we work, where we pray.

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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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Digital Twinge

Real Climate

A couple of weeks ago the EU announced that they were funding a project called DestinE (Destination Earth) to build ‘digital twins’ of the Earth System to support policy making and rapid reaction to weather and climate events. While the term ‘digitial twin’ has a long history in the engineering world, it’s only recently been applied to Earth System Modeling, and is intended (I surmise, as does Bryan Lawrence ) to denote something more than the modeling of either wea

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A Green Tint for Rio Tinto

Legal Planet

Rio Tinto historically has been far from an environmental paragon. That made an investor revolt last week over the giant mining company’s climate disclosures especially notable. It’s also notable that this took place in London, showing that investor worries about climate change are worldwide. These are people with real money at stake, unlike conservative politicians and talking heads.

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Perspective | Water is the New Carbon

Circle of Blue

Global water security is increasingly threatened. Accounting for water use and risk ought to have the same urgency with which we address carbon. Cargo ships on the Rhine River, in Germany. Photo © J. Carl Ganter/Circle of Blue. By Jay Famiglietti, Jose Ignacio Galindo, Palash Sanyal, and Li Xu – April 7, 2022. Provocative? Perhaps. But true. When it comes to acknowledging society’s impact on climate, environment, and human security, water is the next frontier for comprehensive accounting and ada

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Coca-Cola, General Mills Join Supplier Leadership on Climate Transition

Environment + Energy Leader

Nine global brands have been added to the Supplier Leadership on Climate Transition (Supplier LoCT), a consortium created to accelerate action throughout the supply chain in the march toward net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The post Coca-Cola, General Mills Join Supplier Leadership on Climate Transition appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

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A Big Week for Clean Energy in Michigan

Union of Concerned Scientists

Last week was a big one for clean energy in Michigan. First, Union of Concerned Scientists and the Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition released a new report on how Michigan and other states can achieve 100-percent renewable energy standards that benefit all communities. Then, Gov. Whitmer announced the MI Healthy Climate Plan , a roadmap for meeting the state’s carbon pollution reduction goals.

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Leadership Blog Part 16: Remain Intimate

NAEP Leadership Blog

“I want to tell you what the forestswere like – I will have to speakin a forgotten language.” --W.S. Merwin Becoming human is the most honorable task of our lives. Our family, friends and our selves benefit as we grow. When we accept what we don’t know, the realization of unknowing grows our capacity to learn, to love, and to demonstrate our resourcefulness and reverence for life.

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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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Why Are Big Utilities Planning to Cut Carbon?

Legal Planet

As my post on Monday indicated, the top ten utilities have all announced plans for cutting carbon in the next several decades. Some of these utilities, like PG&E or ConEd, operate in states that have ambitious climate policies. It’s easy to see why utilities in New York or California would be setting their own targets. But it’s less clear why utilities in other parts of the country would be doing so.

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For Gen Z, Climate Change Is a Heavy Emotional Burden

Yale E360

Britt Wray is a leading researcher on the mental health impact of climate change. In an e360 interview, she talks about the rise of climate anxiety in young people, how social media exacerbates this trend, and why distress about the climate crisis can spur positive change. Read more on E360 ?.

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HotSpots H2O: ‘We Have Nowhere Left To Go’: Durban’s Affordability Crisis Pushed Development into Flood Zones

Circle of Blue

Homes in high-risk flood zones are the only affordable option for Durban’s poorest residents. April’s downpour delivered months worth of rain in a 48-hour period, killing over 450 people and displacing 40,000 more. Photo © Catherine Sutherland. Laura Gersony, Circle of Blue — April 25, 2022. The rain in Durban was just starting to ease when Catherine Sutherland, an urban geographer at the University of Kwazulu-Natal, decided to return home.

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Intel Commits to Net-Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2040

Environment + Energy Leader

Today, Intel Corporation pledged to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in its global operations by 2040. The post Intel Commits to Net-Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2040 appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

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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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Grid Modeling Overview: Four Types of Models Guiding the Transition to Clean Electricity

Union of Concerned Scientists

I’m going to let you in on a little secret: Without power grid modeling tools, the transition to clean electricity would be an absolute mess. Just imagine if grid planners had to guess how many renewables are required to reduce emissions or how much capacity is needed to ensure grid reliability. Imagine grid planners shrugging their shoulders and saying, “Let’s just try it and see what happens!

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China is building more than half of the world's new coal power plants

New Scientist

China accounted for 52 per cent of the 176 gigawatts of coal capacity under construction in 20 countries last year, according to the Global Energy Monitor

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Before Yellowstone: The Arkansas Origin of National Parks

Legal Planet

The origins of the national park system is usually traced back Lincoln’s 1864 signature of the Yosemite Grant Act. But Congress had actually had the idea of protecting extraordinary places over thirty years earlier, in Arkansas of all places. Hot Springs isn’t high on the list of American places to see, which may be one reason this episode had been forgotten.

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U.S. May Have Hit Peak Natural Gas Power Generation, Report Says

Yale E360

In the U.S., electricity generation using natural gas likely hit its peak in 2020, according to a new report from the Institute for Energy Economics and Finance (IEEFA), which finds that cheaper wind and solar are edging gas off the power grid. Read more on E360 ?.

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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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Great Lakes News Collaborative Examines Water’s True Cost

Circle of Blue

Throughout the Great Lakes region and across the U.S., water systems are aging. In some communities, this means water bills that residents can’t afford or water that’s unsafe to drink. It means that vulnerable systems are even more at risk in a changing climate. From shrinking cities and small towns to the comparatively thriving suburbs, the true cost of water has been deferred for decades.

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NHTSA Announces New Fuel Economy Standards

Environment + Energy Leader

The US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced new fuel economy standards for fleets. The new standards will make vehicle miles per gallon more efficient and reduce transportation emissions. The post NHTSA Announces New Fuel Economy Standards appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

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Reconnecting with the Radical Roots of Earth Day

Union of Concerned Scientists

Happy Earth Day! I was only four years old when the first Earth Day took place. But as I began to work on climate change, I found it inspiring to look back at the photos from April 1970 and learn about what motivated 20 million people to action—and the impact of public mobilization on policy and practice in the years that followed. Many of my friends in the climate movement are understandably cynical about what Earth Day has become today—in many ways, it has been reduced to calls for small indiv

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Stunning photograph shows a flower as an insect might see it

New Scientist

Debora Lombardi's image, shortlisted for the 2022 Sony World Photography Awards, uses a photography technique to show the fluorescence of flowers under UV light, revealing them as insects might see them

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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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Why Energy Conservation Will Remain Crucial

Legal Planet

If we switch to renewables, we won’t need to worry about saving energy. Right? Wrong! One reason to save energy is to limit carbon emissions from the energy we use. That’s going to important until the energy system has been completely cleaned up. But energy conservation is important for reasons that go beyond the direct effect on emissions. Before I get to the reasons, I need to explain what I mean by energy conservation and why it’s different than energy efficiency.

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Bringing Back Fire: How Burning Can Help Restore Eastern Lands

Yale E360

For millennia, North American ecosystems benefited from fire, mostly set by Indigenous people. Now, a movement is growing, particularly in the eastern U.S., to reintroduce controlled burns to forests and grasslands and restore the role of fire in creating biodiverse landscapes. Read more on E360 ?.

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What’s Up With Water — April 19, 2022

Circle of Blue

This week’s episode of What’s Up With Water covers water outages in Ukraine, water rationing in Chile’s largest city and the western United States, and the biggest environmental concerns among Americans. Transcript. Welcome to “What’s Up With Water,” your need-to-know news of the world’s water from Circle of Blue. I’m Eileen Wray-McCann.

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Alphabet, Meta, Stripe, Shopify, McKinsey Launch $925M Carbon Removal Effort

Environment + Energy Leader

Stripe, Alphabet, Shopify, Meta and McKinsey Sustainability launch a carbon removal organization called Frontier. The post Alphabet, Meta, Stripe, Shopify, McKinsey Launch $925M Carbon Removal Effort appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

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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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DOE’s New Hydrogen Hubs Program Comes With Risks—And Opportunities

Union of Concerned Scientists

The November 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also referred to as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, or BIL, includes an $8 billion “regional clean hydrogen hubs” program that charges the Department of Energy (DOE) with the development of at least four hydrogen hubs to advance the nation’s clean hydrogen sector. Hydrogen’s role in the nation’s clean energy transition is critically important—and constrained.

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Mystery outbreak of hepatitis in children investigated in the UK

New Scientist

There has been a cluster of cases of hepatitis, or liver inflammation, among young children in the UK, which could be linked to an unknown infection

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Risky Business

Legal Planet

Founded in 1871, the National Association of Insurance Commission represents insurance regulators in all fifty states. It’s not a particularly woke group – the current president is the Director of the Idaho Department of Insurance. However, the group has just issued a new “voluntary” survey for insurance companies about climate risks. “Voluntary” is in quotes because about 80% of the insurance market is regulated by states that mandate the survey.

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Amid Hopes and Fears, a Plastics Boom in Appalachia Is On Hold

Yale E360

The rise of fracking in Appalachia has fed visions of turning the Ohio River Valley into a petrochemical and plastics hub. But overproduction of plastic, opposition to natural gas pipelines, and public concern about rampant plastic waste are threatening those plans. Read more on E360 ?.

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FRESH, April 5, 2022: U.S. Lawmakers Propose Great Lakes Federal Agency

Circle of Blue

Point Betsie Lighthouse, Michigan. Photo © J. Carl Ganter / Circle of Blue. Welcome to Fresh! Two countries, eight states, five lakes — and 84 percent of the continent’s surface fresh water. As water crises beset North America, all eyes are on the Great Lakes and the leaders, systems, and rules that govern them. Let Circle of Blue reporters guide you through the biggest international, state, and local policy news stories facing the Great Lakes region today.

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