[Mar 4-10'24] Not the Anthropocene yet?

Global warming worse for women-led families, Insure Our Future campaign, different energy risks for low carbon energy and big meat is lying.

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

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

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‼️News you can’t miss

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

🙀 Global warming is worse for women-led families

😻 Insure Our Future campaign focussing on getting insurance companies off fossil fuels

😼 Different energy risks with low carbon energy compared to fossil fuel based

💩 Big meat is lying about sustainability and here’s who’s helping them

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👩‍⚕️ Status: Climate & Science

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

[#heat] — An analysis of temperature data from around the world reveals that winter was unusually warm, driven by the burning of fossil fuels. The world experienced the hottest February on record, with global ocean temperatures reaching an all-time high. Climate change played a role in the warm winter, particularly in cities in North America, Europe, and Asia. The effects of climate change were detected for a significant number of days in these cities. The report also highlights that 4.8 billion people worldwide experienced temperatures that would be virtually impossible without the influence of carbon pollution. Overall, the findings underscore the unequivocal warming of the planet and the impact of climate change.

[#anthropocene] — A proposal to officially declare the start of the Anthropocene, a new interval of geologic time defined by humanity's impact on the planet, has been voted down by a panel of experts. The proposal, which has been debated for nearly 15 years, aimed to acknowledge the profound changes caused by human activity. However, scientists argued that the proposed definition was too limited and recent to capture the full extent of human impact on Earth. The decision means that the current geologic epoch remains the Holocene, which began 11,700 years ago.

[#icefreearctic] — A new study suggests that the Arctic may become ice-free for the first time in the late summer or early fall of the 2020s to 2030s, 10 years earlier than previously expected. The accelerated loss of sea ice due to warmer temperatures could lead to an ice-free Arctic sooner than predicted, with significant implications for the environment. The study highlights the need to limit climate change and its impact on the Arctic.

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📰 The 7 Grand Challenges

⚡️Decarbonize Electricity

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

[#🇺🇸solar] — Solar energy accounted for more than half of the new capacity added to the US electric grids in 2023, marking the first time since World War II that a renewable power source has comprised the majority of the nation's energy additions. The 32.4 gigawatts of solar capacity added last year surpassed the previous high of 23.6 gigawatts in 2021. Texas and California led the solar surge, driven by utility-scale installations, which jumped 77 percent year-over-year. Despite its rapid growth, solar still makes up only 5 percent of the US electricity mix, but projections suggest that the nation could add nearly 500 gigawatts of solar power over the next decade.

[#🇨🇳energyefficiency] — China is unlikely to achieve its 2025 climate goal of reducing energy intensity by 13.5% as it targets only a modest 2.5% cut in 2024. Energy analysts note that China is already behind on its energy intensity reduction, and the new target falls short of what is needed. The government's work plan indicates a lack of prioritization for climate and environmental issues, and there is concern that China is not articulating a plan to meet its internationally-pledged target. The country's commitment to reducing carbon intensity by 18% is also at risk of being missed. While China is a global leader in renewable energy, it continues to heavily rely on coal power.

[#energysecurity] — The concentration of power in mineral supplies for clean energy is a risk to the energy transition, but it is fundamentally different from the risks associated with fossil fuel supplies. While fossil fuel inequities pose a risk to energy security, mineral inequities slow down the energy transition. While export restrictions or rising prices on critical minerals can impact the energy transition, existing solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicles are not affected. Solutions to mineral risks will differ from those for volatile fossil fuel markets.

🏘 Reduce impact of urban and rural areas

Lowering the impact of urban and rural areas.