Opinion:
¶ “Europe, China, And US Could Decarbonise 84% Of Global Shipping Emissions” • A Transport & Environment study shows that 84% of shipping traffic goes through Europe, China, and the US. T&E points out that if these economies were to regulate ships calling at their ports, they could decarbonise the lion’s share of the industry. [CleanTechnica]
Ship with modern sails (Image courtesy of Norsepower)
Science and Technology:
¶ “Melting Glaciers Could Release Tonnes Of Bacteria” • Vast amounts of bacteria could be released as the world’s glaciers melt due to climate change, researchers at Aberystwyth University warn. In a recent study, they showed that potentially harmful pathogens are among the 100,000 tonnes of microbes that could leak into rivers and lakes. [BBC]
World:
¶ “As Scientists Warn Brazil’s Rainforest Is Nearing A Point Of Irreversible Decline, Lula Makes Ambitious Deforestation Pledge” • When he was president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva’s government was able to reduce deforestation dramatically. As president-elect, his promise on the rainforest goes further: to reach zero deforestation in Brazil. [CNN]
Amazon (CIAT, CC-BY-SA 2.0)
¶ “Formal Climate Talks Between US And China Have Resumed At UN Summit” • US climate envoy John Kerry told CNN that formal climate talks with China restarted at the UN’s COP27 summit, lifting a freeze on negotiations and showing an early sign of concrete results from a meeting between US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. [CNN]
¶ “How Colombia Plans To Keep Its Fossil Fuels In The Ground” • Gustavo Petro, an economist and former guerilla who was elected as Colombia’s first ever left-wing president in June 2022, said the world needs an “immediate withdrawal from the oil and gas industry.” But as a country that produces oil, Columbia faces an uphill struggle to do this in practice. [BBC]
Bogotá, Colombia (Daniel Sarmiento, Pexels)
¶ “China Electric Car Market Report For October – Hot And Getting Hotter” • Norway leads the EV revolution, but China is gaining ground rapidly. According to Bloomberg Hyperdrive, a total of 722,000 passenger cars and commercial vehicles with plugs were sold in China in the month of October. BYD is at the top of the leaderboard in sales. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Renewables To Supply Half Of PH Power Needs By 2040, Marcos Tells APEC Leaders” • Renewable sources will supply half of the Philippines’ energy needs by 2040, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr told Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders and delegates. The Philippines wants renewable energy to have a 35% share in its energy mix by 2030. [ABS-CBN News]
Pililla wind farm (LFIntalanV2, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)
¶ “No More Renewable Energy Foreign Equity Limit In PH” • Foreign investors wanting full ownership of renewable energy projects in the Philippines are now free to do so, as the country’s Department of Energy has revised the playbook on investments in renewables. The move follows the legal opinion provided by the Department of Justice. [Inquirer Business]
¶ “NTR Acquires Essex Solar Farm” • Irish investor NTR has acquired the 70-MW Medebridge Solar Farm in Essex, England, from the management team of REG Power Management and other shareholders. Medebridge is a large-scale ready to build solar farm with full planning consent, grid connection, and land agreements in place. [reNews]
Solar array (Chelsea, Unsplash)
¶ “Germany Backs Security Zone Around Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant” • Germany supports the establishment of a security zone around Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said after talks with the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi. The plant is occupied by the Russian army. [Euronews]
US:
¶ “Ford CEO: 40% Less Labor To Build Electric Vehicles” • Ford CEO Jim Farley made a blockbuster of a statement this week. According to the somewhat jovial and optimistic cousin of late comedic actor Chris Farley, producing electric vehicles requires about 40% less labor than producing the same number of fossil-powered cars. [CleanTechnica]
Ford F-150 Lightning (Ford image)
¶ “Redwood Materials To Supply Cathode Materials To New Panasonic Battery Factory” • Panasonic Energy announced it has agreed to purchase cathode active materials and copper foil for lithium-ion batteries from Redwood Materials. RM will use recycled materials manufacture copper foil for batteries in De Soto, Kansas. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “ABB Investment In EV Charger Manufacturing Will Help Drive US Adoption” • In support of the growing US e-mobility economy, ABB has announced plans to expand EV charger manufacturing operations in Columbia, South Carolina. The expansion will create over 100 jobs and increase production by up to 10,000 chargers per year. [CleanTechnica]
ABB charging facility (ABB image)
¶ “US Wind-Storage Set To Surge After Tax Credits Unlock Income” • Wood Mackenzie forecasts US energy storage capacity will surge to 59.2 GW by 2026, up from 4.6 GW at the end of 2021. Solar developers have been turning to batteries to increase revenues, and Inflation Reduction Act tax incentives mean that wind developers could follow suit. [Reuters]
¶ “MCCC Presents Recommendations” • Recommendations in the annucal report Maryland Commission On Climate Change guide state agency leaders, elected officials, legislators, and other stakeholders in pursuit of Maryland’s climate goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 60% by 2031 and achieving net zero emissions economy wide by 2045. [Maryland]
Have a magically mirthful day.
geoharvey 