The Race to Zero Emissions: sun’s heat, divesting right, biblical destruction

By
We may earn a commission from links on this page.

Here’s what happened over the past week that helped or harmed the world’s chances of cutting greenhouse-gas emissions to zero.


Image for article titled The Race to Zero Emissions: sun’s heat, divesting right, biblical destruction
Image: Heliogen

Decreases emissions

1️⃣ Heat for industry, such as cement, steel, and oil refining, contributes about 10% of global emissions. Heliogen, a startup that’s just come out of stealth mode, claims to use concentrated-solar technology to generate some of that high-temperature heat. The pilot technology works, but will need to prove itself at larger scales to be commercially viable.

2️⃣ Global wind speeds had been slowing down since the 1970s. But that trend is starting to reverse. It means wind farms could generate as much as 37% more electricity in the coming years. Related: Sweden‘s push for more wind power is making it look like Europe’s Texas.

3️⃣ One whale can capture as much as 33 metric tons of carbon dioxide through its life, making each of the mammals as good as 1,000 trees when it comes to capturing and storing carbon.

4️⃣ Electricity generated from coal is expected to fall 3% in 2019, which is the greatest decline seen so far. A range of factors contributed: growth in renewables, low natural gas prices, high carbon prices, and falling demand.

5️⃣ New Jersey is doubling down on plans to build offshore wind farms. Starting from zero today, the state expects to meet half its electricity needs with offshore wind by 2030.


Darkness, my old friend 🦟

“We strongly believe artificial light at night—in combination with habitat loss, chemical pollution, invasive species, and climate change—is driving insect declines,” concludes a new meta-analysis of 150 academic studies. “We posit here that artificial light at night is another important—but often overlooked—bringer of the insect apocalypse.” Read more in The Guardian.


flooded new orleans
Sea-level rise is the clearest link we have to storms today.
Image: Reuters/Carlos Barria

Net-zero (for now)

1️⃣ Firms that analyze climate risks are the latest hot property (paywall). The prospect of regulation, such as mandatory disclosures and reporting on emissions, means companies are seeking to prepare.

2️⃣ Climate change threatens 945 toxic waste sites in the US with flood and fire. The current US administration doesn’t think it’s a problem.

3️⃣ Divesting from fossil fuels is not effective, says Bill Gates. He’s likely right about divesting from equities, but he’s wrong about divesting from debt.

4️⃣ The price of carbon credits for transport fuel in California and Oregon has reached a record high (paywall). Reminder: These credits are the basis for scaling up technology to capture carbon dioxide from the air.

5️⃣ As the threat of climate change grows, some city governments in the US are saying “no” to development in environmentally vulnerable areas.


Coal knew

A recently unearthed journal found that coal industry executives were aware of the dangers of climate change as far back as 1966. In the decades since, the coal industry, especially in the US, has been a formidable force in sowing doubts about climate change, according to Huffington Post. These sorts of revelations about the oil and gas industry have become the basis of multiple lawsuits. The new documents could put the coal industry at risk, too.


Ah yes, a warm freedom fire.
Ah yes, a warm freedom fire.
Image: AP Photo/Eric Gay

🔼 Increases emissions

1️⃣ “The monitoring of pollution from oil and gas fields achieved a major breakthrough after a satellite company discovered a methane leak in Central Asia equivalent to the fumes of a million cars,” per Bloomberg.

2️⃣ It’s not all good news on coal. China is continuing to build a large number of new coal power plants. India is expanding its domestic mines to cut down on imports.

3️⃣ Countries currently suffering from severe flooding: France, Italy, Greece, Kenya, and the US. Wildfires continue to burn in California and Australia.

4️⃣ Instead of rising, clean-energy investments in 2019 have fallen. At the same time, fossil-fuel production is on track to ensure that the world breaches climate targets.

5️⃣ Your regular reminder that carbon offsets often don’t work (paywall) and should not be used to wipe out your guilt.


Stats to remember

As of Nov. 25, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was 410.46 ppm. A year ago, the level was 408.42 ppm.


Have a great week ahead. Please send feedback and tips to akshat@qz.com.