Super Storms

By Tim Wardlaw | – Southern Tasmania’s tall eucalyptus forests are exceptionally good at taking carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and converting it into wood. For many years, we have believed these forests had a reasonable buffer of safety from climate change, due to the cool, moist environment. Unfortunately, my research published today shows these […]

Climate Crisis

From War on Terror to War on Climate Change: US Army to seek Green Electricity by 2030

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The US military has been worried deeply for over a decade about the impact of the climate emergency on its bases and operational readiness. The Department of the Army has just released its first Climate Strategy for dealing with what Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin calls an “existential crisis.” The […]

Climate Crisis

Even Red-State Louisiana Eyes 5 Gigawatts of Offshore Wind Generation, replacing declining Oil Industry

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Windpower Monthly reports that the state of Louisiana’s Climate Commission Task Force assembled by Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards is eyeing 5 gigawatts of electric power generation through massive new wind farms in the Gulf of Mexico, by 2035. The project would be part of the state’s goal of getting […]

China

China is meeting its Climate Targets, but Earth needs Beijing to be more Ambitious

The Conversation

By Phillip Stalley | – When it comes to climate change, no nation is more important than China. It consumes more coal than the rest of the world combined, and it is the leading emitter of greenhouse gases, accounting for nearly 30% of global emissions. Unless China takes rapid steps to control its greenhouse gas […]

Climate Crisis

New flood maps show US damage rising 26% in next 30 years due to climate change alone, and the inequity is stark

The Conversation

By Oliver Wing, Carolyn Kousky, Jeremy Porter, and Paul Bates | – Climate change is raising flood risks in neighborhoods across the U.S. much faster than many people realize. Over the next three decades, the cost of flood damage is on pace to rise 26% due to climate change alone, an analysis of our new […]

Climate Crisis

Another Sign Big Three Automakers are dumping Big Oil: GM to invest $7 Billion in Michigan Electric Vehicle, Battery Plants

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Kalea Hall at the Detroit News reports that General Motors will invest $7 billion in the development of electric vehicles and batteries, in a bid to overtake Tesla. Article continues after bonus video WXYZ 7 Detroit: “GM to spend nearly $7B on EV, battery plants in Michigan” That $7 billion […]

Climate Crisis

Youth, NGO, launch Major Lawsuit against German Gov’t for slow Climate Action in highest court

Clean Energy Wire

By Jessica Bateman | – ( Clean Energy Wire ) – Young Germans supported by an environmental NGO have filed a new lawsuit with the country’s highest court to force the government to further step up its climate ambitions. Nine children and young adults, along with Environmental Action Germany (DUH), launched a constitutional complaint claiming […]

Batteries

Climate Hope: Record $920 bn. was invested in Low-Carbon Tech in 2021

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – BloombergNEF reports that in 2021, a record-breaking $920 billion was invested globally in low-carbon technology, just short of $1 trillion. The report says that $755 billion was spent to implement low-carbon technologies, with $366 billion going into renewable energy and $273 billion into electrifying transportation. That $273 billion put into […]

Batteries

The Best Battery is Nature’s Own: How Pumped Hydro is the Future of Renewables

The Conversation

By Andrew Blakers,Bin Lu, and Matthew Stocks | – To cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in half within a decade, the Biden administration’s goal, the U.S. is going to need a lot more solar and wind power generation, and lots of cheap energy storage. Wind and solar power vary over the course of a day, […]