VEN – Good News on Climate Action – Blog
An overlooked solution for climate-friendly buildings: Better floor plans
Image: AI generated by Anthropocene magazine When researchers auto-generated small apartment floor plans to make them efficient and comfortable, they found they could often reduce carbon emissions more than by changing the building exterior By Sarah DeWeerdt October 8, 2024 in Anthropocene magazine A new algorithm-based method of designing floor plans for apartment buildings could…
Read MoreScientists and startups are exploring ways to turn rivers and oceans into carbon sinks by adding limestone to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere.
EHN Curators Sep 25, 2024 Brad Plumer and Raymond Zhong report for The New York Times. In short: A startup in Nova Scotia plans to use limestone to capture carbon dioxide from rivers, which could reduce emissions if scaled up. The method is part of a growing trend of ocean-based carbon removal strategies, but challenges…
Read MoreHuman Rights Watch: COP29: Upholding Rights Crucial for Climate Action
Governments Should Ensure Fossil Fuel Phaseout, Civil Society Participation Click to see Image President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan speaks on day two of the Petersberg Climate Dialogue in Berlin, Germany, April 26, 2024. © 2024 Sean Gallup/Getty Images (Baku) – Governments participating in the 29th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) should fulfill their…
Read MorePathzero: The world’s largest data sharing network for private market carbon emissions.
Emissions tracking tool a winner for super funds and Pathzero Aware Super and Hesta use Pathzero software. So do 600 fund managers. It’s already the world’s largest data sharing network for private market carbon emissions. James EyersSenior Reporter in Financial Review Oct 9, 2024 This article is part of the Most Innovative Companies List…
Read MorePoliticians flying less or cutting out meat is ‘missing link’ in climate action
Exclusive: Study suggests people more willing to reduce own carbon footprint if they see leaders doing the same Damian CarringtonEnvironment editor in The Guardian Fri 4 Oct 2024 Political leaders “walking the talk” on climate action by flying less or eating less meat could be a “crucial missing link” in fighting global heating, according to…
Read MoreThe historic moment when the UK ended coal for good
Look at the gif above and witness a historic moment in the history of fossil fuel energy. This short clip, from September 30, captures the exact moment when the United Kingdom ended coal. For good. Since the opening of “Jumbo,” the world’s first coal power plant in 1882, UK coal plants have burned through…
Read MoreTaxes are better than subsidies – but a harder sell
Green subsidies may have hidden costs, experts warn Some subsidies that appear to encourage sustainability are not so simple Date: October 3, 2024 Source: University of Connecticut Summary: Government subsidies for business practices and processes should be approached with caution, even when they seem to be environmentally friendly, writes a group of scientists and economists.…
Read MoreOECD coal generation halved since 2007 peak: 87% replaced by wind and solar
A report by Ember, a climate policy think tank, estimates that coal power generation has fallen by 52 per cent since 2007 in the 38 member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Ember estimates that wind and solar generation mostly replaced coal power. The report states that coal generation accounted for…
Read MoreFailings of Neoclassical economics driving our current crises
Sustainability scientists’ critique of neoclassical economics Published online by Cambridge University Press: 23 September 2024 Mark Diesendorf[Opens in a new window], Geoff Davies, Thomas Wiedmann[Opens in a new window], Joachim H. Spangenberg and Steven Hail Show author details Article Figures Metrics Save PDF ShareCite Abstract Non-technical summary Neoclassical economics (NCE) theory and neoliberal economics practice together…
Read MorePeople power stops world’s largest seismic blasting project
Southern Ocean coastline communities celebrate David Prestipino – September 27, 2024 National Indigenous Times NEWS Community, environmental and First Nations groups are breathing a sigh of relief after multinational gas exploration company TGS backtracked on plans to conduct large-scale seismic blasting off Australia’s south coast. (Image: Matt Sedunary) Concerned community, environmental and First Nations groups…
Read More‘Reconductoring’ to equip the grid for the energy transition
Image: Conventional conductor technology compared to lines reconductored with advanced conductors. (A) A comparison of a cross-section of a conventional ACSR conductor compared to an equivalent-diameter advanced composite-core conductor and (B) a schematic of an existing transmission line reconductored with advanced composite-core conductors. Source: Chojkiewicz E. et al. “Accelerating transmission capacity expansion by using advanced conductors in…
Read MoreF-List! Marketing and Ad agencies with clients whose primary business is the extraction, processing, transportation, or sale of oil, gas or coal.
From Clean Creatives The first combined F-list for Australia and New Zealand has revealed oily lobbying and dirty greenwashing. Clemenger/Omnicom’s GRACosway has the most fossil fuel clients (8) followed by SEC Newgate, Spring Street Advisory and WPP’s Purple, with 6 each. The most marketed fossil fuel company was Ampol, with 6 agencies in Australia and…
Read MoreAlbanese and Plibersek approve three new coal mining projects
– 24 September 2024 by Ed Hill Climate Action Network Australia The Albanese Government published its decision on Tuesday afternoon to approve three new large coal mining projects in NSW: Whitehaven Coal’s Narrabri thermal coal project to 2066, MACH Energy’s Mount Pleasant thermal coal project to 2058, and Yancoal’s Ashton coal project to 2064. See…
Read MoreAntarctic krill can lock away similar levels of carbon as seagrass and mangroves
Image: The krill pellet carbon sequestered in MtC per October-April growing season is given and converted to per km2. Krill sequester less per surface area of the ocean than coastal vegetation blue carbon, but the vast area krill inhabit puts the pellet carbon sequestered in the same order of magnitude as the coastal vegetation stores,…
Read MoreUK and US legal decisions against fossil fuels
High Court overturns decision approving new UK coal mine: The High Court has overturned the December 2022 planning permission granted by former Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Levelling Up, Michael Gove, for West Cumbria Mining’ (WCM) proposed Whitehaven mine. Mr Justice Holgate ruled in favour of the appeal brought by Friends of the…
Read MoreCop31 is a chance to redefine ourselves from climate laggard to global leader
Hosting the conference would help us overcome our colonial mentality and the fossil fuel lobby, both of which have held us back from tackling climate change. Thu 19 Sep 2024 Anna Cerneaz in The Guardian As the world grapples with the climate crisis, Australia stands at a crossroads. Our bid to co-host the UN’s climate…
Read MoreTipping points could work both ways as nature can evolve rapidly
Coral reefs can reach a tipping point where small environmental changes trigger a dramatic shift from vibrant, diverse ecosystems to bleached, depleted ones. Michael J. McDonald/Wikimedia Commons How do ecosystems collapse? Our study shows evolution plays a role – and can delay a disaster Christopher Blake PhD Student, Monash University Michael J. McDonald Associate Professor of…
Read MoreSaying “97% of scientists believe climate change is real and caused by humans” increases action and reduces polarisation
A massive multi-country study suggests that simply closing the gap between the actual and perceived consensus moves the needle on climate beliefs without polarizing groups. By Sarah DeWeerdt in Anthropocene September 17, 2024 Communicating the overwhelming scientific consensus about climate change – at least 97% of climate scientists agree that climate change is happening and…
Read MorePersonal cooling device overcomes AC’s flaws
Figure 6 Energy comparison between traditional convective air-conditioning systems and pure radiant cooling device (A) Schematic diagram of the experimental platform. (B) Cooling energy transport process in traditional convective cooling scenario. (C) Cooling energy transport process in pure radiant cooling scenario. (D) Energy consumption of the two systems in scenarios with different air changes per hour…
Read MoreWhat to do? Project Drawdown’s Interactive table of solutions
LEARN. Familiarize yourself with the spectrum of climate solutions. Project Drawdown’s Solutions Library offers eye-opening insights into 93 science-based technologies and practices that together can halt climate change. DO. Alter your own activities to reduce your personal contribution to climate change. Check out our Get Involved page for specific suggestions. SHARE. Communicate the opportunity to…
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