THE BRIEF [Oct 9-15'23]
THE BRIEF [Oct 9-15'23]
Fossil fuels doubling down on fossil investments, solar waste is a myth, climate change data is telling us something new and World Bank wants to take fossil fuel subsidies away.
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.
🙀 Fossil fuel industry is doubling down on investments in fossil fuels
😻 Yes solar panel waste is a myth (compared to other energy sources)
😼 Climate change data is telling us something new.
💩 World Bank aims to redirect fossil fuel subsidies to climate change initiatives
This week’s highlights
[#apartmentEVowners] — Apartment dwellers who own electric vehicles (EVs) face challenges in accessing convenient charging infrastructure. Research suggests that increasing home charging access, investing in charging infrastructure, providing rebates for charger installation, and implementing innovative solutions like inductive charging technology can help address this issue. Additionally, partnerships with businesses and workplaces to install chargers and building codes requiring EV charging in commercial apartment construction can expand charging availability. Increasing home charging access can also reduce the need for non-residential chargers. Overall, a combination of approaches is needed to support EV owners who live in apartments… (or you know, you could get a free charger for your building from us at Elby ;) (painful ad I’m sorry had to do it..))
[#floodinsurance] — The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) in the United States is facing significant challenges due to climate change and increasing flood risks. The program, which was designed to provide affordable flood insurance, is struggling financially and cannot refuse to insure properties. FEMA is implementing changes to improve the accuracy of flood assessments and pricing, but critics argue that more needs to be done to address affordability and disparities in payouts. The insurance industry's practices, including altered assessments and sub-limits, exacerbate existing disparities and hinder recovery efforts for homeowners affected by floods. New solutions and a collaborative approach are needed to address the growing insurance crisis and protect vulnerable communities.
[#fireinsurance] — In wildfire-prone areas, homeowners are facing difficulties in obtaining insurance coverage, leaving them at risk of defaulting on their mortgages. Insurance companies are dropping coverage or increasing premiums due to the increased risk of wildfires. Homeowners are turning to state-backed policies, but even those are becoming more expensive. The insurance industry is facing challenges in finding affordable coverage for wildfire liability, and utility companies are also struggling. Technological advances, such as AI-based models, are being used to assess and predict wildfire risks for properties. However, there are concerns about transparency and potential discrimination. Changes in regulations and pricing could lead to significant increases in premiums, exacerbating the affordability crisis for homeowners.
[#heatproofcity] — Grist explores the concept of a heat-proof city in a special multimedia project. The project envisions a combination of heat-proofing strategies, such as shade structures, cooling towers, and waste heat capture, to build more resilient and low-carbon living spaces. The experts interviewed for the project emphasized the importance of principles like shade, green space, water, airflow, and energy efficiency in buildings. While the implementation of these solutions requires planning and resources, there is a consensus among experts about the need to prepare cities for extreme heat. The project provides futuristic renderings of how different areas could look if heat-proofed.
That’s it for this week folks!
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See you all next week 👋