Sat.Nov 06, 2021 - Fri.Nov 12, 2021

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Making Sense of the US-China Joint Glasgow Declaration

Legal Planet

Yesterday, China and the US announced a “Joint Glasgow Declaration on Enhancing Climate Action in the 2020s” ( En / Ch ) What to make of it? The short answer is that it only offers slight forward progress on climate action. Increased climate ambition from China and US in the short-term remains the critical metric and in this regard the agreement does not make much of a breakthrough.

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Households Still Have Not Received Aid from New Federal Water Bill Assistance Program

Circle of Blue

A new federal assistance program is slow to launch. At least one state is turning to other pots of money to help residents with overdue water bills. A water meter cover in Los Angeles, California. Photo © J. Carl Ganter/Circle of Blue. Though Congress set aside more than $1.1 billion to assist low-income households with past-due water bills, the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program is still being established and no aid has been provided to people.

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Why Climate Change Could Put New Conservation Areas in Jeopardy

Yale E360

A global initiative to protect 30 percent of the earth’s land and oceans by 2030 is gaining momentum. But scientists warn that as the world warms, many conservation areas will become less and less suited to the types of species and ecosystems they were intended to protect. Read more on E360 ?.

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Crunch Time at COP26: Five Things to Watch for as Glasgow Climate Talks Enter Second Week

Union of Concerned Scientists

Leaders must lead.

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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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Will We Ever Stop Overestimating the Cost of Complying with Environmental Regulations?

Law and Environment

Earlier this week, Greenwire (subscription required) had an interesting story about the role that EPA’s estimate of the cost to comply with the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards rule played in the politics and judicial review of the rule. It turned out that compliance costs were much less than originally estimated by EPA – let alone by industry. Unfortunately, the $9.6 billion price tag originally put on the MATS rule lived on, even after it was clear that that number was way off.

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What’s Up With Water – November 8, 2021

Circle of Blue

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. At the UN climate conference last week, Colombian officials said they would declare 30 percent of the country as protected land by next year. That deadline is eight years earlier than the original goal of 2030. EuroNews reports that biodiversity advocates are praising the move.

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World Leaders at COP Say ‘The World Is on Fire.’ People in Western US Are Living It

Union of Concerned Scientists

Without human action, extreme fire seasons and their global impacts will persist.

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Climate Change in the Law School Curriculum

Legal Planet

Someone asked me recently what I thought law schools should be teaching about climate change. Naturally, my first reaction is that everyone everywhere needs to put climate change at the top of their agenda. As usually happens, when I got past that gut reaction, things got more complicated. There are many important societal issues that don’t get high priority in law school, such as the availability of health care or public health law.

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HotSpots H2O: World Spending on Climate Adaptation Must Increase Five- or Tenfold

Circle of Blue

While climate adaptation planning is more widespread than ever, the U.N. says the gap between current spending and needed funding is enormous, and widening. Floodwaters submerge a road sign in Davenport, Iowa. Photo © Kelly Sikkema / Unsplash. T here is a huge gulf between what communities are spending to prepare for climate change and what they ought to spend, a new U.N. report found.

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Climate Negotiators Confront a Key Question: How Hot Will the Planet Get?

Yale E360

As the second week gets under way, how is the Glasgow climate conference going? How is the planet faring? Is it on target for capping warming at 2.7 degrees C (4.9 degrees F) by later this century? Or are we headed for 2.2 degrees C or 1.8 degrees C? Or is it still a doomsday 4 degrees C (7.2 degrees F) or more? All those numbers have been in circulation in recent days.

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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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Ask a Scientist: While Nations Dither, US Cities, Counties and States Are Suing Fossil Fuel Companies

Union of Concerned Scientists

An update on climate litigation from Dr. Merner after she moderated a workshop on the topic at the UN climate negotiations in Glasgow.

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Infrastructure Investment Microeconomics

Environmental and Urban Economics

A few thoughts about the pending Infrastructure Bill. What Criteria Will be Used to Allocate the Money? An efficiency criteria would state that it should be allocated to those places and on those projects within such places that offer the greatest economic and quality of life impact. Before we make such irreversible investments, how do we know what these effects will be?

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Personality Type, as well as Politics, Predicts Who Shares Fake News

Scientific American

Highly impulsive people who lean conservative are more likely to share false news stories. They have a desire to create chaos and won’t be deterred by fact-checkers. -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com.

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As Glasgow Deadline Looms, Key Disputes Hold Up a Climate Agreement

Yale E360

The Glasgow climate conference edged toward a close on Friday, with agreement on a final declaration near. But detailed discussion on particular issues — especially finance for developing nations to cope with climate change — is widely expected to push the final session beyond the scheduled close at 6 p.m. local time Friday, and likely into Saturday.

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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 Amazon's pink river dolphin population is in free fall

New Scientist

The population of botos, river dolphins found in the Brazilian Amazon, is declining due to fishing with gill nets and is predicted to fall by at least 95 per cent in less than 50 years

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Quantum material ‘learns’ like a living creature

Physics World

Quantum materials known as Mott insulators can “learn” to respond to external stimuli in a way that mimics animal behaviour, say researchers at Rutgers University in the US. The discovery of behaviours such as habituation and sensitization in these non-living systems could lead to new algorithms for artificial intelligence (AI). Neuromorphic, or brain-inspired, computers aim to mimic the neural systems of living species at the physical level of neurons (brain nerve cells) and synapses (the conne

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New Mineral Discovered in Deep-Earth Diamond

Scientific American

The surprising find has never shown up in nature before, and reveals secrets about Earth’s mantle. -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com.

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Proposed Glasgow Accord Calls for Tougher Targets, Phasing Out Coal, and Ending Fossil Fuel Subsidies

Yale E360

With ministers from around the world back in Glasgow to take control of negotiations, delegates at the UN climate talks Wednesday were digesting the first draft of the pact to be signed at the climate conference’s scheduled close on Friday. Having failed to persuade countries to up their commitments to meet the Paris target of keeping warming to 1.5 degrees C (2.7 degrees F), the British hosts suggested that the agreement instead commit nations to having a second go in time for COP27 in Egypt at

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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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Paralysed mice walk again after gel is injected into spinal cord

New Scientist

A self-assembling gel that stimulates nerve regeneration has shown promise as a treatment for paralysis in mice

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How do Flying Fish “Fly”?

Ocean Conservancy

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a … fish? Although most fish don’t take to the skies, flying fish are one spectacular exception (kind of). Read on to see how flying fish get their distinctive name and learn more fun facts about this small but impressive species. See more wonderful ocean animals! Sorry, but we failed to add you to the list. Please try again or contact 1.888.780.6763.

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The Anti–Critical Race Theory Movement Will Profoundly Affect Public Education

Scientific American

The election of Glenn Youngkin and other anti-CRT candidates demonstrates how exploiting white fear continues to galvanize voters. -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com.

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An Ambitious U.S.-China Statement Galvanizes the Glasgow Summit

Yale E360

Delegates in Glasgow are applauding a joint statement from the United States and China delegations made on Wednesday evening that they believe can galvanize countries to up their game in the final hours of the conference. The “joint declaration on enhancing climate action in the 2020s” puts to one side the two countries’ mid-century commitments to net-zero emissions and instead focuses on the near-term action needed to drag down emissions during this decade.

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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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413(ish) reasons why building Highway 413 is a very bad idea

Enviromental Defense

Highway 413 has been back in the news lately, and for one very important, and very concerning reason. In the recent Fall Economic Statement, the Ontario government firmly planted its flag in the ground in favour of building the highway, including committing unspecified billions towards constructing both Highway 413 and the Bradford Bypass. Tell Ontario to Stop Highway 413.

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Special relativity keeps digital identities secure

Physics World

The laws of physics have been helping to keep sensitive information secret for well over a decade, with banks and other organizations using quantum cryptography to carry out very secure communications. But new research shows that special relativity can also be exploited to guarantee secrecy. Scientists in Canada and Switzerland have shown that someone can prove their identity without having to provide a personal identification number (PIN) or other information that could potentially be stolen by

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How Immunocompromised People Without Strong Vaccine Protection Are Coping with COVID

Scientific American

People with diseases or treatments that suppress their immune system cannot count on the same protection most vaccinated people have. -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com.

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Fossil Fuel Lobbyists at Climate Talks: What Are They Trying to Achieve?

Yale E360

It was a statistic that shocked many in Glasgow Monday. An examination of delegation lists by the human rights group Global Witness found that fossil fuel companies and their trade associations have more than 500 representatives registered at the climate conference, more than the biggest national delegation, Brazil. Read more on E360 ?.

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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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Origins of Japanese and Turkish language family traced back 9000 years

New Scientist

Millet farmers living 9000 years ago in what is now north-east China may have spoken a proto-Transeurasian language that gave rise to Japanese, Turkish and other modern tongues

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In a New Policy Statement, the Nation’s Physicists Toughen Their Stance on Climate Change, Stressing Its Reality and Urgency

Inside Climate News

The American Physical Society’s new policy is a shift from its 2015 statement, which called the magnitude of future climate impacts “uncertain” and referred to “significant” natural sources of warming. By Marianne Lavelle Six years ago, the nation’s largest organization of physicists released a policy statement on climate change that hedged on both the causes and potential impacts of global warming.

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How COVID Might Sow Chaos in the Brain

Scientific American

SARS-CoV-2 appears to travel widely across the cerebral cortex. -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com.

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Theory of teapot dribbling is complete at last, solar panels host astonishing microorganisms

Physics World

Short and stout: a teapot shown pouring, dripping and dribbling. (Courtesy: B Scheichl, RI Bowles and G Pasias/ Journal of Fluid Mechanics ). Cast your mind back to 2009 and you might remember how physicists in France devised a way to end the trauma of tea dribbling down the underside of the spout of a teapot when you are pouring a brew. They found that the surface of the spout affects the ?

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Silk modified to reflect sunlight keeps skin 12.5°C cooler than cotton

New Scientist

Silk has been modified through the addition of nanoparticles to reflect 95 per cent of sunlight, which means the material stays extra cool on a hot day

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