[July 15-21'24] Trump 2.0

First extinction due to sea level rise, vegan power athletes, new book and Shell abandons plastic recycling

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Weekly Climate 🎉

References: [1], [2], [3], [4], [5] and [6].

---

‼️News you can’t miss

Here’s one important scary/bad (🙀), good (😻), interesting (😼) and fossil (💩) news item.

🙀 First registered extinction due to sea level rise

😻 Vegan power athletes

😼 How we healed the earth and how we can do it again

💩 Shell abandons ‘advanced plastic recycling’

---

👩‍⚕️ Status: Climate & Science

Let’s look at how we’re doing this week!

[#interview] — This New York Times article features an interview with atmospheric scientist Susan Solomon, known for her work on the ozone layer. Solomon discusses the success of past environmental fights and the potential for public awareness and consumer pressure to drive positive change. She also addresses the challenges of addressing climate change, the role of technology and public opinion, and the potential impact of political decisions. Solomon's latest book, "Solvable: How We Healed the Earth, and How We Can Do it Again," explores these themes and highlights the importance of hope and collective action.

---

📰 The 7 Grand Challenges

⚡️Decarbonize Electricity

Clean electricity is the one do-or-die challenge we must solve.

[#china] — China's greenhouse gas emissions may be plateauing as renewable sources replace coal in its electricity production. China installed more solar panels in one year than the United States has in its entire history, and a significant portion of big wind and solar plants under construction globally are in China. While some caution that China's emissions may plateau rather than decline, recent policy shifts and a ban on permits for coal-fired steel factories indicate positive signs. However, China's emissions trajectory will depend on how quickly renewables can displace coal in its electricity mix.

🏘 Reduce impact of urban and rural areas

Lowering the impact of urban and rural areas.

[#bigoilauto] — The oil industry and the auto industry have had a strained relationship in the past, with conflicts over pollution standards and regulations. As electric vehicles (EVs) become more popular, the oil industry is now at the forefront of the fight against new rules designed to accelerate the EV transition. The American Petroleum Institute has sued the Biden administration over vehicle rules, leading a business coalition that includes auto dealers and corn producers. While U.S. automakers have invested in EV technology, they still rely heavily on gas-guzzling vehicles for profitability. The oil industry is now taking its case directly to consumers and voters through advertising campaigns. The battle between the oil and auto industries over EVs is expected to continue in various forms, including legal and political challenges.

[#toiletpaper] — This article from The New York Times explores sustainable alternatives to conventional toilet paper, such as recycled paper and bamboo tissue. It discusses the environmental impact of using conventional toilet paper made from trees and highlights the benefits of using recycled paper, which requires less water and energy and produces fewer greenhouse gases. Bamboo toilet paper is also considered as a more sustainable option, although the origin of the bamboo should be taken into account. The article also suggests using bidets as a water-saving alternative to toilet paper.