Sat.Sep 09, 2023 - Fri.Sep 15, 2023

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From Carbon Sink to Source: The Stark Changes in Arctic Lakes

Yale E360

For millennia, lakes in Greenland’s dry tundra have locked up huge loads of carbon in their sediment. But as the region becomes warmer and wetter, scientists believe these lakes are becoming sources of carbon, which could have major consequences for the world’s climate.

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A Climate Crossroads for the World Heritage Convention 

Union of Concerned Scientists

How will the nations that have ratified UNESCO’s World Heritage Convention respond to the threat climate change represents to iconic natural and historic sites across the globe? This is one of the biggest questions facing the countries represented at the 45 th World Heritage Committee meeting in Riyadh, Saudia Arabia. Will they for example, agree to place the city of Venice on the list of World Heritage sites “in danger” ?

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California Passes Landmark Corporate Climate Transparency Bills

Legal Planet

State Capitol, Sacramento, California After a hard-fought battle, the California Legislature passed the second of two nation-leading corporate climate accountability bills yesterday afternoon. The bills, SB 253 and SB 261 , are important transparency measures that would, for the first time, allow Californians to meaningfully assess the carbon footprint of thousands of companies—and what those companies plan to do about the climate-related risks they face.

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Winter Storm Uri – No Summary Judgment This Time

Energy & the Law

Unit Petroleum Company v. Koch Energy Services, LLC is another force majeure case arising out of winter storm Uri. Unlike a similar case, summary judgment was denied because, said the United States District Court, The word “reasonable”, although not ambiguous, is a question of fact that must be answered by looking into the circumstances of the case at issue, including the nature of the proposed contract, the purposes of the parties, the course of dealing between them, and any relevant usages of

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Changing the Game with MES: Cut Costs, Drive Efficiency, & Achieve Sustainability Goals!

Speaker: Nikhil Joshi, Founder & President of Snic Solutions

In an era where efficiency is king, are you leveraging the right tools to transform your manufacturing processes? A Manufacturing Execution System (MES) is critical for enhancing operational efficiency, reducing waste, and optimizing energy usage—key factors for improving your bottom line and lowering your carbon footprint. Join Nikhil Joshi, a manufacturing technology expert with 18+ years of hands-on experience, in this new webinar as he uncovers the secrets of MES and how to best utilize thes

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A Summer Light Show Dims: Why Are Fireflies Disappearing?

Yale E360

Fireflies — whose shimmering, magical glows light up summer nights — are in trouble, threatened by habitat destruction, light pollution, and pesticide use. With 18 species now considered at risk of extinction in North America alone, recovery efforts are only just beginning.

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World Heritage Committee Ignores UNESCO Recommendation to List Venice as Endangered

Union of Concerned Scientists

The World Heritage Committee has voted not to put Venice, Italy, on UNESCO’s list of endangered places. The decision flies in the face of the advice of the secretariat of the World Heritage Convention which had recommended that because of slow progress in addressing the dual threats of climate change and over-tourism, Venice should be placed on its “in danger” list.

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NASA’s UFO task force has released its final report – it’s not aliens

New Scientist

An independent task force formed by NASA to look into unidentified anomalous phenomena found no evidence of alien craft, and suggests that if we want to find proof of visitors we need better data

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Climate Change Hurting Water Quality in Rivers Worldwide, Study Finds

Yale E360

Bouts of intense drought and rainfall are hurting water quality in rivers around the globe, according to a sprawling new analysis.

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New Maps Show Inequitable Geography of Danger Season

Union of Concerned Scientists

The 2023 Danger Season has been unleashed like never before. In June and July, heat waves that brought temperatures over 113°F baked the Southwest and the Southeast. By the end of July, Phoenix, AZ, had experienced 31 days in a row with at least 110°F. During most of June, an unprecedented heat wave in Puerto Rico brought heat index temperatures up to 125°F.

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Amazon Deforestation is Down. Here’s Why.

Legal Planet

For several years, headlines about Amazon deforestation have all been bad. But in 2023 the script has been flipped and the good news keeps on coming. Good news in Brazil where deforestation in the Amazon declined 66.1 percent compared to last August. It’s the lowest level for the month of August since 2018 and it continues a downward trend. For the first eight months of the year, the rate of deforestation is 48 percent lower than the same period in 2022.

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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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Humans Have Crossed 6 of 9 'Planetary Boundaries'

Scientific American

Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives.

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A Sign of Things to Come? After Last Ice Age, Europe Cooled as the Planet Warmed

Yale E360

More than 8,000 years ago, as the planet thawed following the end of the last ice age, Northern Europe abruptly cooled. New research reveals that Arctic ice melt weakened a critical ocean current, leaving Europe in the cold, a finding with important implications for future climate change.

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Extreme Summer Weather Threatens Gas Power Plants. Here’s How. 

Union of Concerned Scientists

Despite the clean energy transition that is well underway in the United States, methane gas, or natural gas, remains the largest source of U.S. electricity generation. By a lot. Renewables are continuing to increase their share of the power sector, rising to almost 23 percent of the nation’s electricity supply last year, which was higher than the generation from both coal-fired and nuclear plants.

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How to spot green comet Nishimura in the skies this week

New Scientist

Comet Nishimura, which was discovered just a month ago, is about to make its closest approach to the sun, giving people in the northern hemisphere a great chance of a sighting

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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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Some Patients Who 'Died' but Survived Report Lucid 'Near-Death Experiences,' a New Study Shows

Scientific American

Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives.

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Close to 2,000 Environmental Activists Killed Over Last Decade

Yale E360

Between 2012 and 2022, at least 1,910 people advocating for environmental protection were killed worldwide, a new report finds.

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Crowding Out Cougars

Inside Climate News

Expanded development on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, viewed as a climate refuge, is encroaching on prime wildlife habitat. As big cats find it harder to avoid people, many are winding up dead. By Liza Gross, Photos by Michael Kodas This story was supported in part by the Society of Environmental Journalists’ Fund for Environmental Journalism.

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Male cockatoos make customised drumsticks for their mating displays

New Scientist

Palm cockatoos fashion sticks for drumming on trees by snapping off branches and whittling them with their beaks, and the males design their tools with their own personal style

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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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Forgotten Memories May Remain Intact in the Brain

Scientific American

Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives.

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Understanding Unsuccessful Climate Litigation: The Spanish Greenpeace Case

Law Columbia

On June 20, 2023, the Spanish Supreme Court handed down its final ruling in the case of Greenpeace v. Spain II , widely known as the trial for climate (“ el juicio por el clima ”). The decision, formally communicated to the parties on July 27, marks a pivotal moment in climate litigation. In this case, environmental and human rights organizations, including Greenpeace and Oxfam (“the plaintiffs”), had taken legal action against the Government of Spain, alleging inadequate action on climate chang

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What High Heat in the Classroom Is Doing to Millions of American Children

Inside Climate News

With too many schools ill-prepared for the impacts of climate change, research shows that excessive temperatures affect students’ ability to concentrate, perform and think clearly. From our collaborating partner “Living on Earth,” public radio’s environmental news magazine , an interview by Producer Paloma Beltran with Dr. Joseph Allen of Harvard University’s T.H.

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The universe’s evolution seems to be slowing and we don’t know why

New Scientist

The development of cosmic structure – the huge strands of galaxies and caverns of emptiness that make up our universe – seems to be slowing down more than expected.

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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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Food Can Be Literally Addictive, New Evidence Suggests

Scientific American

Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives.

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Rewild or Restore – how about doing both?

The Applied Ecologist

James Bullock and Nathalie Pettorelli summarise their Perspective piece that highlight the potential for integrating restoration and rewilding agendas into whole landscape approaches. As biodiversity continues to decline at an alarming pace, it is becoming more urgent to not only halt these losses but to reverse them.

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Like Canaries in a Coal Mine, Dragonflies Signal Threats to Freshwater Ecosystems

Inside Climate News

Research shows that some dragonfly and damselfly species may decline to near-extinction by 2100 as a result of climate change and human intervention in their habitats. Yet some freshwater ecosystems could see an increase in such species and more generally in biodiversity. By Juanita Gordon In gauging the growing threats to freshwater biodiversity, dragonflies and damselflies are viewed by ecologists as sentinels, reacting to threats by seeking out more stable homes.

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Thousands of people apparently cheat at Wordle every day

New Scientist

The popular word-guessing game Wordle inspires large numbers of people to either cheat by looking up answers or to stubbornly stick with favourite starting words

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Moon Landing Denial Fired an Early Antiscience Conspiracy Theory Shot

Scientific American

Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives.

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Alberta’s attack on renewables makes the case for a stop to oil sands production

Enviromental Defense

Alberta’s current pause on new wind and solar projects is bad for business and for Alberta’s climate goals. However, it is true that no industry should operate without a clear understanding of the potential environmental impacts of their projects, and a clear plan for how they will clean up any mess left behind. And so, Alberta just made the case for a moratorium on production in the tar sands.

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Frontiers launches new section in partnership with the Society for Brain Mapping and Therapeutics 

Frontiers

Gold open access publisher Frontiers and the Society for Brain Mapping and Therapeutics (SBMT), a renowned biomedical and educational non-profit organization, have signed a new agreement aimed at advancing brain mapping and therapeutics research.  Credit: Frontiers Building on a shared commitment to fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and driving scientific discovery, Frontiers and SBMT are joining forces to create a forum to showcase the work of researchers, clinicians, engineers, policy

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Humans use a quarter of all the biomass created by plants on land

New Scientist

To stay within safe planetary boundaries, humans should only use around 10 per cent of the biomass produced each year by plants on land, but we are currently way above that level

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Mathematicians Solve 50-Year-Old Möbius Strip Puzzle

Scientific American

Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives.

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Dickinson College Ranked First Among Baccalaureate Institutions In Comprehensive Sustainability Report; CMU, Penn, Penn State, Muhlenberg Also Recognized

PA Environment Daily

On September 14, Dickinson College announced, for the second year in a row, it has earned the top position among baccalaureate institutions in the prestigious Sustainable Campus Index , a publication of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). Other Pennsylvania colleges and universities were recognized in the Sustainable Campus Index in these categories-- -- Buildings: Carnegie Mellon University (Doctoral), Pittsburgh -- Food & Dining: University of

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