THE BRIEF [Jun 25-Jul 2’23]
Deforestation increased 10% last year, peak transport related oil consumption by 2027, renewables essential during Texas heatwave where oil and gas companies released lots of gas to avoid explosions.
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.
🙀 Deforestation increased despite pledges to the opposite in 2022
😻 Oil consumption for transport on track to heat peak by 2027
😼 Renewables and storage essential in keeping Texas’ grid operational during major heatwave
This week’s highlights
[#china] — China is set to double its wind and solar power capacity and reach its 2030 goal of producing 1,200 GW of energy five years ahead of schedule, according to a report by Global Energy Monitor. As of Q1 2023, China's utility-scale solar capacity has reached 228 GW, more than the rest of the world combined, and its combined onshore and offshore wind capacity surpasses 310 GW. The report attributes China's progress to government policies, including subsidies and regulations, but notes that challenges remain, such as an outdated electricity grid and inefficiencies in transporting energy across the country.
[#heatpumpsftw] — Heat pumps are an important climate solution due to the significant amount of emissions from heating and cooling homes. They run on electricity and are super efficient, making them a production-ready technology that can help cut emissions by 600 million tons per year in America. However, barriers such as high upfront costs and limited availability of installers must be overcome to achieve widespread adoption.
[#geoengineering] — The European Union is calling for international talks on regulating geoengineering, as the risks and long-term impacts of such technologies are not well understood. Geoengineering includes new technologies and strategies to lower global temperatures, such as carbon capture projects and solar radiation modification. The EU argues that the use of such technologies could increase power imbalances between nations, spark conflicts, and raise ethical, legal, governance, and political issues.
[#malaria] — The United States has seen its first cases of locally acquired malaria in two decades, with at least five people infected in Florida and Texas. While the risk of locally acquired malaria remains low, a resurgence in travel could lead to more cases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are monitoring for more potential cases and working to control local mosquito populations. People can protect themselves by using insect repellent, wearing long clothing, and using window screens, among other precautions.
That’s it for this week folks!
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