World:
¶ “Zanzibar’s ‘Solar Mamas’ Are Trained As Technicians To Help Light Up Communities” • About half of the homes in Zanzibar have no electricity. Barefoot College International, a global nonprofit, runs a program that trains “solar mamas” to bring light to rural people while it provides jobs for local women. So far, it has lit 1,845 homes. [Euronews]
Herding cattle in Zanzibar (Judith Fahner, Unsplash)
¶ “In The Brazilian State of Para, A Push To Track Cattle Is Key To Slowing Deforestation” • By the end of next year, the state of Para is requiring all cattle to be tagged to trace where they came from in order to be sold legally. There are about 20 million cattle in Para, so it’s a mammoth task, but it should stop farmers from cutting down forests for pasture land. [ABC News]
¶ “Solar Is Becoming A Valued Global Solution To Fight Power Outages” • A New York Times exposé describes how rooftop solar panels provide independence from pricey oil and gas, which must be imported to power Jamaica’s polluting power plants. As Jamaicans endure the long cleanup from Hurricane Melissa, more benefits of solar are clear. [CleanTechnica]
Rooftop solar Array (National Park Foundation, US Virgin Islands)
¶ “Volkswagen And Rivian May Market Their Zonal Software To Other Automakers” • While it might seem to be impossible, the cooperation between Volkswagen Group and Rivian to develop software for electric vehicles is going so well that the two auto companies are thinking they could market their digital expertise to other automakers. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Can The World Quit Coal?” • Despite the bad news from the US, the things that are developing are complex, contradictory, and sometimes hopeful. Nearly a third of all countries worldwide have pledged to phase out their unabated coal-burning power plants in the coming years. And some countries are pushing for a fossil fuel nonproliferation treaty. [Down To Earth]
Burning coal (Elimende Inagella, Unsplash)
¶ “Australia Grid Delays Pose Risk To Renewable Energy Targets” • Intium, an Essential Energy subsidiary, said 20% of surveyed renewable energy developers waited two to three years for grid-connection approval, and the delays threaten national renewable energy targets. Timelines ran over eighteen months longer than anticipated. [pv magazine International]
¶ “Officials Issue Warning After Concerning Incident At Nuclear Power Plant: ‘An Emergency Situation'” • Ukrainian officials have been very worried after the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant lost its external power supply, RBC-Ukraine reported. What’s particularly scary is that such incidents could lead to a nuclear disaster if they last long enough. [Yahoo]
Nuclear reactors at Zaporizhzhia (DENAMAX, CC BY-SA 4.0)
¶ “Nuclear Power Announcement ‘Is Not Good News For Wales’” • The billions of pounds to be spent to develop “small modular reactors” at Wylfa on Anglesey would be better spent insulating Welsh homes and renewable technologies that can generate electricity cheaper and much sooner, according to the group Nuclear Free Local Authorities. [Nation.Cymru]
US:
¶ “Lingering Thunderstorms Bring Flooding Risk To California” • A powerful atmospheric river had mostly moved through California after causing at least six deaths and dousing much of the state, but in areas of Los Angeles County that were recently ravaged by wildfire, lingering thunderstorms brought the risk of mudslides. [ABC News]
Atmospheric river approaching California (NOAA, public domain)
¶ “Damage To Major A Fuel Pipeline Temporarily Impacted Deliveries To Seattle-Tacoma International Airport” • Airlines operating at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport were warned that they may have needed to conserve fuel due to a problem with a major pipeline that supplies jet fuel to the airport. The problem involved a fuel release. [ABC News]
¶ “Montana Plans To Override The Citizens United Decision” • According to Truthout, Montana is about to become the first state to oppose the 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court decision using a 2026 ballot initiative — an innovative legal maneuver that could be adopted by other states. In a recent poll, 74% of voters support the idea. [CleanTechnica]
Montana Capitol (Mattvw9287, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped)
¶ “Seven US States Fail To Agree On How To Share Colorado River Water” • If you want an illustration of how fraught climate action can be – and why it is unlikely to succeed anytime soon – the ongoing negotiations among several US states and Mexico on how to divvy up the water resources in the Colorado River is an accurate portrayal. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Report Reveals Stunning Shift In US Power Grid” • Federal data confirms it: Clean energy is fast becoming the cornerstone of America’s power grid. US Energy Information Administration data shows that developers added an impressive 12 GW of solar capacity in the first half of 2025, with plans to add another 21 GW by year’s end. [The Cool Down]
Have a clearly illuminated day.
geoharvey 
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