Opinion:
¶ “COP26 Climate Talks Off To An Ominous Start After Weak G20 Leaders’ Meeting” • The G20 leaders’ meeting that just ended suggests that leaders are finally listening to the science, but they still lack the political unity to make the ambitious decisions required to meet the moment. For one thing, they failed to put a date on the end of use of coal. [CNN]
Coal mining equipment and plant (Arcticbear1, CC-BY-SA 3.0)
¶ “Saving Us By Katharine Hayhoe Review” • To say that Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World is one of the more important books about climate change is not an exaggeration. This book by Katharine Hayhoe, a renowned climate scientist, could result in a massive expansion of interest in the subject. [The Guardian]
Science and Technology:
¶ “Climate Change: Extreme Weather Events Are ‘The New Norm'” • Extreme weather events are now the new normal, says the World Meteorological Organisation. The State of the Climate report for 2021 highlights a world that is “changing before our eyes.” The report says the world is entering “uncharted territory,” with increasing impacts across the planet. [BBC]
Tornado (Nikolas Noonan, Unsplash)
World:
¶ “COP26: World Leaders Need To Act On Climate Change – Boris Johnson” • The world is at “one minute to midnight”, after running down the clock on waiting to combat climate change, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said. He was speaking as world leaders gather in Glasgow for the landmark COP26 climate change conference. [BBC]
¶ “G20 Agrees On Key Climate Goals Around Global Warming Limits And Coal Financing, But Lacks Firm Commitments” • The G20’s leaders’ summit ended with an agreement on climate that commits its member nations to end coal financing by the end of the year and to aim to contain global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. [CNN]
Heads of G20 nations (Government of Brazil, CC-BY-SA 2.0)
¶ “Revolving Door Provides Window Into Big Oil’s Dirty Secret” • Six oil companies and their lobby groups stand accused of dirty tactics designed to slow down, or even block, climate action and the move to a zero-emission transport fleet in the EU. Shell, BP, Repsol and Eni are among the companies caught red handed in 72 revolving door cases. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Trucks With Onboard Solar Are Becoming A Thing” • Vehicles like the “never charge” Aptera and the Sono Sion are proving that solar can power at least a good chunk of people’s driving, but can it work for larger vehicles? Fraunhofer has an electric truck on German roads right now with 3500 watts of solar power on the trailer for 5% to 10% of its needs. [CleanTechnica]
Truck with solar panels (Image provided by Fraunhofer)
¶ “Investors Bet Big On Renewables While Solar Takes On Coal” • According to a report by the International Energy Agency, India will be the main driver of rising demand for energy over the next two decades, accounting for 25% of global growth. India has 33 GW of coal-fired capacity under construction, soon to become stranded assets. [pv magazine India]
¶ “South Australia To Get Another Big Battery” • South Australia has granted development approval for the state’s largest battery project, which will be able to power 40,000 homes. Maoneng Australia expects to start building the $150 million facility 22 km north of Adelaide late in 2022. It should be up and running in about another 12 months. [7NEWS]
Wind farm in South Australia (Mattinbgn, CC-BY-SA 3.0)
¶ “New Zealand Strait Crossed For First Time By Electric Plane” • Gary Freedman made history as the first person to fly an electric plane across the body of water that separates New Zealand’s two main islands. His 40-minute solo flight in the small two-seater came 101 years after the first person flew a conventional aircraft over the Cook Strait. [KDVR]
¶ “China Pushes Ahead Major Renewable Energy Projects” • The construction of wind power and solar power stations with an installed capacity of 30 million kilowatts in China’s northern and northwestern sandy areas, rocky areas and deserts kicked off in mid-October, according to a statement by China’s top economic planner. [Global Times]
Dual axis trackers in China (Vinaykumar8687, CC-BY-SA 4.0)
¶ “JCB Signs Deal To Import ‘Green’ Hydrogen From Australia To UK” • The construction equipment maker JCB has signed a multibillion-pound deal to import and supply hydrogen made with renewable energy. Australia’s Fortescue Future Industries will start selling “green” H₂ through a specialist division, Ryze Hydrogen, early next year. [The Guardian]
US:
¶ “Proposed US EV Incentives Have Created A Storm Of International Outrage” • The current EV rebate proposal (which has not passed either of the houses of Congress) would make the rebate higher for an EV made in America by American workers, and higher still if those workers are part of a labor union. Other countries are not happy. [CleanTechnica]
Cars ready for shipment (Volkswagen image)
¶ “89% Of Democrats, 42% Of Republicans Believe Big Oil To Blame For Climate Crisis” • When oil executives testified before Congress, they acknowledged that burning their products was driving climate change but said they had not mislead the public. But a majority of Americans want to see oil and gas companies held accountable for lying. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Americans In Climate-Threatened Regions Anxious For Solutions From World Summit” • The IPCC says we can stop climate change. For Pam McVety, a Florida scientist, and Sean Casten, a chemical engineer and congressman from Illinois, fighting climate change is a moral imperative driven by their love of their families. [Georgia Recorder]
Have a thoroughly entertaining day.
geoharvey 