THE BRIEF [May 28-Jun 2]
THE BRIEF [May 28-Jun 2]
Freshwater contamination, CO2 emissions peak, 250B$ in health benefits from solar and wind and climate denial think tank derailing EU elections.
Welcome to this week’s edition of The Weekly Climate 🎉
References: [1], [2], [3], [4], [5] and [6].
If you’re only getting The Brief but want to get the full version of the newsletter be sure to upgrade your plan to paid. Check out the preview that you will receive to see why more than 30 people think it’s worth paying for. And see a recent week’s full newsletter for details for why I decided to go paid.
If you’re getting both: Thank you so much for deciding to upgrade to go paid 🙏. And thanks to everybody for reading my newsletter regardless of which version you read 🤗.
I’m back - hope you missed your weekly dose of news. Unfortunately, I’m only back this week and next week before taking, yes another, vacation 🏝️ (yes I am based in EU 😂) (pausing subscriptions during that time as always). Enjoy!
‼️News you can’t miss
Here’s one important scary/bad (🙀), good (😻), interesting (😼) and fossil (💩) news item.
🙀 Freshwater contamination is hurting reproductive health in Bangladesh
😻 Have we really reached a CO2 emission peak?
😼 250B$ in health benefits in the US courtesy of wind and solar
💩 Climate denial think tank planning how to derail EU elections
This week’s highlights
[#emissionpeak] — According to new estimates, global carbon dioxide emissions may have already peaked, signaling a potential shift. The rapid expansion of wind and solar power plants, along with the rise of electric vehicles and heat pumps, is expected to contribute to the decline in emissions. However, achieving net zero emissions by 2050 would require significant efforts and strict regulatory measures. While the decline in emissions will not be swift, the data suggests that humans are on the cusp of reducing the overall production of heat-trapping gases.
[#heatpumps] — Heat pumps can be installed in older properties, contrary to the belief that they are only suitable for newbuilds. Studies have shown success with retrofits and in poorly insulated homes. The number of heat pump installations in the EU is expected to surge, with the majority being in existing buildings. While challenges may exist, such as limited space and insulation issues, basic upgrades and alternative heat sources can mitigate them. Heat pumps offer a viable option for reducing carbon emissions in older homes.
[#evcharging] — EV sales are surpassing the growth of EV chargers, creating challenges for EV drivers. The US needs to expand its charging infrastructure to meet the demand and ensure widespread access to charging stations. While the majority of EV owners charge at home, the availability of public charging stations is crucial for those without access to off-street parking. Efforts are being made to increase the number of charging stations, but more progress is needed to support the growing number of EVs on the road. (Hint: This is what we’re working on at my startup Elby, to solve)
[#meatlobbyismEU] — According to a report by InfluenceMap, intense lobbying from the meat and dairy industry has weakened and stalled crucial climate policies in the European Union (EU). The report highlights the industry's success in pushing back against six key EU climate policies, including those aimed at reducing the climate impact of the meat and dairy sector. The report also draws parallels between the industry's communication tactics and those used by the fossil fuel industry to undermine climate policy. The analysis reveals that meat and dairy trade associations were particularly negative about climate policies, while companies in the consumer goods sector showed more positive engagement.
That’s it for this week folks!
If you want more details or simply think my newsletter rocks remember that you can always go paid to get the full version of the Weekly Climate. But before you do, ask yourself this question: Does it provide you with 1.25$ worth of value every week? Obviously I think it does. In fact I really hope that just the time alone I save you should easily cover those 1.25$. Don’t hesitate to ping me on michael@weeklyclimate.com or comment below with any questions, feedback or comments regarding this.
Remember if you’re feeling down, angry or sad from some of the news in this newsletter one cure is to act. And one way you can always act that also happens to be one of the most powerful things you can do is to talk about it. That also works if what you just read made you hopeful or happy btw.
If you enjoyed this newsletter don’t forget to share it with your friends, coworkers or other people you think could benefit from getting it. If you got directed here by a friend or another link on the Internet don’t forget to subscribe!
See you all next week 👋