Sat.Jan 11, 2025 - Fri.Jan 17, 2025

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U.S. Wind and Solar Overtake Coal Power

Yale E360

In a first, the U.S. saw wind and solar supply more power than coal last year, according to a new analysis. But even as renewables made gains, U.S. emissions stayed flat owing to rising demand for energy.

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New Analysis Shows Public Health Impacts of Proposed Gas Plants in Wisconsin 

Union of Concerned Scientists

A new analysis shows the construction of two new fossil gas power plants would have substantial negative health consequences for Wisconsin and surrounding communities. The study, conducted by PSE Healthy Energy for the Union of Concerned Scientists and Healthy Climate Wisconsin (HCW), found that the Oak Creek and Paris gas plants could result in up to $5.7 billion of health and economic costs over 30 years.

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Fire and Permitting Reform

Legal Planet

This is the second of three posts on proposed legislation to address the fire crisis on federal lands (the first post is here ). Last post, I talked about why this legislation is essential, and the strengths of the bill that the House passed last Congress. In this post, Ill talk about the parts of the legislation that were controversial and their potential problems.

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What Does the New Political Reality Mean for Climate Action in Canada

Enviromental Defense

Prime Minister Trudeaus recent decision to prorogue Parliament and announce his upcoming resignation may have left you wondering about what this could mean for climate change policy. At Environmental Defence, we have two main take-aways: Increased urgency: there are still a few critical climate policies that now have a shortened timeline to cross the finish line.

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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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Whiplash: How Big Swings in Precipitation Fueled the L.A. Fires

Yale E360

UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain says that two very wet years followed by a very dry one helped to turn the Los Angeles wildfires into raging infernos. This phenomenon of hydroclimate whiplash, he says, is expected to occur in more and more places as the world warms.

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I Didn’t Lose My Home in the Fires…But Can I Drink the Water?

Union of Concerned Scientists

As the known drinking water nerd amongst my friend group, I have been informally fielding questions about whether their water is safe to use near the wildfires in Southern California. Some common questions Ive heard include: How do I know if I can drink the tap water? Can I shower with it? When will it be safe? Beyond more generally getting the facts right on the water and wildfire issues in California, as this Guardian headline suggests, its smart to assume the worst about the safety of drinkin

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Los Angeles Fires Were Fueled by Climate Change

Scientific American

Many factors, such as strong Santa Ana winds and urban planning decisions, played into the recent destructive wildfires in the Los Angeles area.

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Carbon Dioxide Levels Rose by a Record Amount Last Year

Yale E360

Carbon dioxide is accumulating in the atmosphere faster than ever before, putting hopes of limiting warming in jeopardy.

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Ask A Scientist: How Can Scientists Drive Change Through Climate Lawsuits? 

Union of Concerned Scientists

As the climate crisis deepens, so does the urgency to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for decades of deception. Governments representing more than a quarter of the US population have filed lawsuits against major corporations including ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, and BP, seeking justice for the harm caused by their lies about the dangers of their products.

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Air monitoring station records biggest ever jump in atmospheric CO2

New Scientist

Wildfires and fossil fuel burning in 2024 contributed to the biggest annual rise in atmospheric CO2 levels ever recorded at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii

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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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DEP Launches New Permit Tracking Webpage For Applicants, Public

PA Environment Daily

On January 14, Acting DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley briefed DEPs Citizens Advisory Council on a new Permit Tracking webpage that just became available for applicants and the public to see where permits are in the DEP review process. With this new tool, users can search by county, program area, permit type or by the authorization (permit) ID or by keyword.

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In Africa, Local Communities Protect More Wildlife Than Do Parks

Yale E360

A new analysis shows that African wildlife increasingly depend on lands managed by villagers and herders. In many areas, locally-run conservancies now more effectively protect wildlife than national parks do, with communities reaping tourism revenue and other benefits.

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Setting the Record Straight on Federal EV Charging Investments

Union of Concerned Scientists

Access to fast public electric vehicle charging is consistently cited as a top concern among car buyers considering the switch to an EV. The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program was established to help make progress on this issue, with a focus on travel corridors. With more than three years having passed since the program was established, and many are wondering whats going on with the NEVI Program.

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Robotic exoskeleton can train expert pianists to play faster

New Scientist

Trained pianists who hit a plateau improved their finger speed after a half-hour training session with a device that moves their fingers for them

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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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This Supermassive Black Hole May Harbor a Bizarre Undead Star

Scientific American

Strange x-ray pulses hint at a surprisingly long-lived white dwarf orbiting precariously close to a supermassive black hole

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Trees That Never Knew Plentiful Rainfall Better Prepared for Drought

Yale E360

A new study finds that trees that lived through many wet years struggle to cope with dry spells, while young trees that have never known abundant rainfall may be better equipped for ongoing drought.

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‘Virtually Any City on Earth Can Burn Now’

Inside Climate News

In the superheated 21st century, the old rules for wildfires no longer apply. John Vaillant, author of Fire Weather, explains. By Kiley Bense The journalist John Vaillants book Fire Weather begins in the spring of 2016 in the boreal forests surrounding the remote Canadian city of Fort McMurray, where a fire is growing. Although wildfire is a regular part of life in northern Alberta, this fire was destined to be different.

2016 129
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Is a broken jet stream causing extreme weather that lasts longer?

New Scientist

Scientists are scrambling to understand how climate change may be interfering with the winds that carry our weather, with potentially catastrophic consequences

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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 Are Recurring Dreams Usually Nightmares?

Scientific American

Recurring dreams may feature taking a test the dreamer didn’t study for, having to make a speech or being attacked.

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In The News: World Economic Forum Appoints Circle of Blue Managing Director to its Global Future Council on the Future of the Energy Nexus

Circle of Blue

GENEVA (January 16, 2025) The World Economic Forum (WEF) has appointed Circle of Blue Managing Director J. Carl Ganter to the Global Future Council on the Future of the Energy Nexus ahead of WEFs annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, which will take place January 20-24. The WEFs Network of Global Future Councils is the worlds foremost multi-stakeholder and interdisciplinary knowledge network dedicated to promoting innovative thinking to shape a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future.

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A Way Forward?

Legal Planet

This is the third of a series of three posts on how to do more to reduce fire risks on federal lands. The first post is here , the second post is here. In addressing the increasing risks of wildfire, we certainly need to scale up the resources we apply to the problem, doing more prescribed burns and other forms of active management. However, we also use our resources more efficiently.

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Melting ice reveals millennia old forest buried in the Rocky Mountains

New Scientist

Trees dating back almost 6000 years ago have come to scientists' attention due to ice melting in the Rocky Mountains, offering a "time capsule" into the past

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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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Migrating Birds Sing to Team Up with Other Species

Scientific American

Songbirds may socialize across species during nighttime migrations

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The Dichotomy of a Deadly Paradise—How Urban Sprawl and Climate Change Fuel LA’s  Fires

Inside Climate News

Together, the Eaton Fire northeast of downtown Los Angeles and the Palisades Fire west of downtown along the Pacific Coast Highway have destroyed 10,000 homes and other structures, with 11 deaths now attributed to the conflagrations. By Jireh Deng Anthony Honore was accustomed to seeing brush fires far up in the San Gabriel Mountains above Pasadena during yearly dry seasons.

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TECfusions Unveils Massive 1,400-Acre Data Center Project With 3 Gigawatts Of Natural Gas-Fired Power Generation In Westmoreland County

PA Environment Daily

On January 14, TECfusions announced the acquisition of 1,395 acres in Upper Burrell, Westmoreland County for a data center project, known as TECfusions Keystone Connect. This strategic purchase, which includes the former Alcoa R&D campus and surrounding real estate, marks a significant expansion of TECfusions' portfolio. The project will transform the shuttered office and industrial site into a state-of-the-art data center campus, with plans for 3 gigawatts of natural gas-fired power generat

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Tiny insect-like robot can flip, loop and hover for up to 15 minutes

New Scientist

A flying robot the size of a postage stamp can hover for up to 15 minutes without breaking, and it can perform acrobatic manoeuvres

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Venn Diagrams' History and Popularity Outside of Math Explained

Scientific American

A look at the curious history of Venn diagrams and how they blend logic with geometry

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Collecting useful data on NEPA

Legal Planet

As Ive recently posted , permitting reform is (appropriately) in the news right now. That means theres also a reason for various think tanks, NGOs, academics, and others to release studies that might inform the policy debate. One such study from 2024 that has gotten some coverage on social media recently is a report by the Breakthrough Institute on NEPA litigation.

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Registration Now Open! 2025 Shale Gas & Public Health Conference At Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Online Feb. 27

PA Environment Daily

The Physicians for Social Responsibility PA , the League of Women Voters of PA , and the Department of Environmental and Energy Engineering at Duquesne University invite you to register for the 2025 Shale Gas and Public Health Conference: New Directions to be held February 27 in Pittsburgh and online. The Conference will bring together scientists, public health experts, industry leaders, and advocacy groups to explore the latest research and insights on unconventional oil and gas development, it

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Elusive phase change finally spotted in a quantum simulator

New Scientist

Researchers saw a chain of atoms in a quantum simulator go from being magnetic to not magnetic at all, the first time such a change has ever been seen in one spatial dimension

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Visas for Guest Workers Can Spur High Technology and U.S. Jobs

Scientific American

Although warring MAGA factions seem locked in a foreign worker battle with no middle ground, two straightforward changes would provide global talent while minimizing domestic job losses

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Analysis: The struggle to save Zimbabwe’s dying wetlands

A Greener Life

Mana Pools National Park is one of Zimbabwes seven Wetlands of International Importance, as per 1971s Convention on Wetlands. Its ecosystem supports hippopotami, elephants, zebras, giraffes, crocodiles, leopards, cheetahs, lions and more. Photo credit: Melba Photo Agency / Alamy. By Sally Nyakanyanga Zimbabwes wetlands are under threat from urban expansion and unsustainable agriculture.