THE BRIEF [July 15-21'24]
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].
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‼️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
😼 How we healed the earth and how we can do it again
💩 Shell abandons ‘advanced plastic recycling’
This week’s highlights
[#trump] — If former President Trump is re-elected, he could have a better chance of dismantling environmental and climate rules, with the support of sympathetic judges and conservative allies. Trump has promised to repeal federal regulations aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Plans are being drafted to slash budgets, remove career staffers, and limit the government's powers to address climate change. The Supreme Court's conservative supermajority has also curbed the legal authority of the government to impose environmental rules. The potential consequences include a drastic transformation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and dire consequences for efforts to combat global warming. Related to that, Heated discusses the recent shooting attempt on former President Trump and the emerging argument from Republicans to "turn the rhetoric down" against Trump. The author rejects this argument, stating that conservative politics are currently dangerous and denying the climate crisis. The article emphasizes the importance of speaking out against existential threats and highlights the risks faced by environmental defenders worldwide.
[#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.
[#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.
That’s it for this week folks!
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See you all next week 👋