FtF News #179 – 3rd May 2023
Rising temperatures, carbon border taxes and the rise of water theft
I’ve been thinking a lot about climate narratives this week, after a discussion with a friend about their rising climate anxiety (despite working full-time in the climate space!). So many people I know feel overwhelmed by the climate crisis, giving in to feelings that it’s too big, that there’s no way we can possibly solve it.
As if on cue, a rather lovely video essay popped into my inbox about the power of solarpunk narratives to offset the many dystopian futures portrayed in so much modern media. We shouldn’t hide from the severity of the crisis, but there’s also a huge role for positive narratives in reshaping our approach. Bring on our solarpunk future!
Once again, this week’s issue was ably assisted by Syuan Ruei Chang, who contributed a number of the articles and stories featured this week. If you spot any stories you’d like to share, you can submit them here.
Wild Weather
Mother nature’s reactions to the ever-warming world
Temperatures have soared in India with Baripada reaching 44°C, around 5°C above normal, bringing risks of blackouts and heat-related deaths.
Spain has also seen record temperatures for the time of year, reaching 38.8°C in Cordoba – the hottest ever April temperature seen in Spain.
Ocean temperatures have reached a new all-time high, but unlike previous records, they have remained at that level for over a month, concerning scientists.
Over half the global population has seen record temperatures at least once in the past decade, as shown in this interactive article.
The ongoing drought in the Horn of Africa would not have happened without the influence of climate change, according to a powerful new attribution study.
It’s Science!
The latest from in climate research and analysis
Analysis of media across different countries suggests that scepticism of basic climate science is dying out, but is being replaced by ‘solutions scepticism’ – doubt about either specific solutions or our ability to tackle climate change at all.
Scientists have found a host of species living in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, many of which are normally coastal, suggesting an increased risk of colonisation of islands by creatures riding on oceanic plastic waste.
Research suggests that methane emissions from oil and gas in the US exceeded amounts reported by the EPA by 70% from 2010-2019.
A new meta-study has shown that there is no evidence for the so-called ‘psychological distance’ phenomenon – where people don’t care about climate effects if they are not localised to them.
Party Political Broadcast
Climate politics are a special creature indeed
The EU has approved its ‘carbon border tax’ policy, putting taxes on high carbon imports of steel, aluminium, cement, fertiliser and electricity from 2026.
The move comes as part of a wider upgrade to the ETS which would continue to lower emissions sharply across the bloc, and bring shipping under the scheme.
The EU has also set a target for ‘sustainable’ jet fuels in a global first, pushing for 6% of all jet fuel at European airports to be sustainable by 2030.
The US Supreme Court has rebuffed an appeal by oil companies to hear climate cases against them in federal rather than state courts, a verdict that many are describing as ‘like a dam breaking’ after years of delays.
The EPA has proposed limits on emissions from coal and gas power plants that are so strict they essentially would bring US electricity emissions to zero by 2040.
Money makes the world go around
The machinations of climate finance
A study trying to put a price on ending deforestation globally by 2030 put the price at a minimum of $130bn per year, and potentially much higher still.
Whilst the current economic downturn has affected investments, climate tech has stayed relatively resilient, with investors now considering a broad gamut of climate technologies.
Haha, Business!
Climate happenings in the corporate world
Logging companies are the latest to try and game the carbon offsets system, claiming credits on their forests despite not changing how they log at all.
The EU has been accused of neocolonialism after it was revealed that a majority of its delegates to a key set of tuna fishing talks were industry lobbyists.
A new EU proposal would directly target C-suite executives’ bonuses if their firms fail to hit major climate milestones or don’t act to stamp out human rights abuses.
A UK firm has been found digging gold deep in the Amazon, on disputed land, amidst a messy and legally dubious conflict between different interests.
The Future is Electric
Renewables, EVs and all things electrification
The US has finally approved the TransWest transmission line after 18 years – a key power transfer link needed to shift wind power to western states.
The IEA estimates in its latest forecasts that 1 in 3 new cars will be EVs by 2030 – a more than doubling of its predictions from just two years ago.
The US is facing a shortage of electricians in its push to electrify, something that could be addressed by boosting the number of women in the profession, though this is far from an easy task.
Dams may now be on the decline, with a lack of suitable sites and a growing recognition of the many trade-offs and drawbacks of large-scale hydropower.
Breakthroughs
New inventions to inspire hope
Battery giant CATL has unveiled a 500Wh/kg battery technology that it is proposing for use in electric aircraft.
Startups are looking at extracting lithium from the brine left behind in old oil wells – the purification is tricky but it is a relatively untapped source of the metal.
A recent study looked at the potential for aquifers to store heat underground – the concept could lower grid fossil fuel use by up to 40% in some cases.
Climate Inequity
A hard look at the inequities of the climate crisis
Geoengineering is controversial at the best of times, but the conversation around it rarely includes a balanced and diverse group of stakeholders. Now nonprofits and academics are working to include voices from the most vulnerable nations in the debates around the use of such approaches.
Indigenous leaders gathered in New York at an annual UN summit warned that the West’s climate strategy risks the exploitation of Indigenous territories, people and resources.
A new report has found that in the US, private jet users pay a disproportionately tiny fraction of the taxes used to fund the airports they rely on.
Speaking truths
Efforts in activism and awareness
A non-profit born out of Hollywood called Climate Emergency Fund is quietly sending money to direct action groups such as XR and Just Stop Oil.
An article making the case for strike action also being climate action, and the long links between climate concern and more socialist ideals.
Long Reads
Interesting deep-dives into climate-related topics
Mass timber has been hailed for some time as a climate-friendly wonder material, but thanks to overzealous bans on combustible materials, it has been nearly impossible to use the material in the UK since 2017.
The $8.5bn deal to help move South Africa off coal was hailed as a route forward amidst climate funding stagnation, but the implementation of the plan is proving far from straightforward.
Water theft is rising alarmingly across the world, either due to a lack of regulations or simply a lack of a suitable and reliable public supply.
Workers pulled in to help with the clean-up of BP’s Deepwater Horizon spill find themselves 13 years on with a litany of health issues, and up against a company dead-set on not paying them a penny.