The Science Behind Frozen Wind Turbines – and How to Keep Them Spinning Through the Winter
05 March
Renewable Energy
Wind turbines in Norway. piola66 / E+ / Getty Images
By Hui Hu
Winter is supposed to be the best season for wind power – the winds are stronger, and since air density increases as the temperature drops, more force is pushing on the blades. But winter also comes with a problem: freezing weather.
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<p>Even light icing can produce enough surface roughness on wind turbine blades to reduce their aerodynamic efficiency, which reduces the amount of power they can produce, as Texas experienced in February.</p><p>Frequent severe icing can cut a wind farm's annual energy production by <a href="https://community.ieawind.org/HigherLogic/System/DownloadDocumentFile.ashx?DocumentFileKey=04b5c3d8-9a6f-7d9a-c1d6-aa848027ca1d" target="_blank">over 20%</a>, costing the industry hundreds of millions of dollars. Power loss isn't the only problem from icing, either. The uneven way ice forms on blades can create imbalances, causing a turbine's parts to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/wene.170" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">wear out more quickly</a>. It can also induce vibrations that cause the turbines to shut down. In the case of extreme icing, restarting turbines <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2007.11.009" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">may not be possible for hours and potentially days</a>.</p>
<p>The solution is obvious: de-ice the blades, or find a way to keep ice from forming in the first place. So far, however, most of the <a href="https://www.windpowerengineering.com/the-cold-hard-truth-about-ice-on-turbine-blades/" target="_blank">strategies</a> <a href="https://www.skekraft.se/english_pages/wind-power/#box-no-8" target="_blank">for keeping ice off</a> wind turbines blades come from aviation. And airplane wings and wind turbines are built differently and operate under very different conditions.</p><p>I am an <a href="https://www.aere.iastate.edu/~huhui/resume.html" target="_blank">aerospace and mechanical engineer</a>, and my colleagues and I have been studying <a href="https://www.aere.iastate.edu/~huhui/WT-icing.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">wind turbine icing physics</a> over the past 10 years and exploring <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2019.03.112" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">better solutions for turbine icing protection</a>.</p>
<h3>Not All Ice Is the Same</h3><p>Ice isn't the same everywhere. It may come from precipitation, clouds or frost. It also freezes in different ways in different climates.</p><p>For example, <a href="https://www.mprnews.org/story/2018/12/10/winter-magic-the-beauty-of-freezing-fog-rime-ice-and-hoar-frost" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">rime icing</a>, formed when tiny, supercooled water droplets hit the surface, usually occurs in regions with relative dry air and colder temperatures, under 20°F. That's what we typically see in Iowa and other Midwest states in the winter.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTc0Njc4My9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNzc5NzcyMn0.XRlFjF9QP6cUIN4g2OKUAlAr4k-cA65QNeFs-_3jrks/img.png?width=980" id="e137d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ad12febe93cfaa27a59f784b50ac0b1d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1200" data-height="566" />
Comparing rime ice and glaze ice shows how each changes the texture of the blade. Gao, Liu and Hu, 2021, CC BY-ND
<p><a href="https://glossary.ametsoc.org/wiki/Glaze" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Glaze icing</a> is associated with much wetter air and warmer temperatures and is commonly seen on the Northeast coast. This is the worst type of ice for wind turbine blades. It forms complicated ice shapes because of its wet nature, which results in more power loss. It's also likely what formed in Texas in February 2021 when the cold air from the north collided with the moist air from the Gulf Coast. While the majority of the power shut down by the storm was from <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-texas-wind-turbines-explain/fact-check-the-causes-for-texas-blackout-go-well-beyond-wind-turbines-idUSKBN2AJ2EI" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">natural gas, coal or nuclear</a>, wind turbines also struggled.</p>
<h3>Tempests in a Wind Tunnel</h3><p>Building a wind power operation that can thrive in icy conditions requires a keen understanding of the underlying physics, both of how ice forms and the performance degradation that results from ice building up on turbine blades.</p><p>To explore those forces, we use a special wind tunnel that can demonstrate how ice forms on samples of turbine blades, and fly camera-equipped drones.</p><p>Using the <a href="https://www.aere.iastate.edu/facilities/icing-wind-tunnel/" target="_blank">Icing Research Tunnel</a> at Iowa State University, my team has been replicating the complex 3D shapes of ice forming on turbine blade models in different environments to study how they affect the wind and the blades. Ice can create massive <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2018.10.032" target="_blank">airflow separation</a>. In airplanes, that's a dangerous situation that can cause them to stall. In wind turbines, it reduces their <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2020.12.014" target="_blank">rotation speed and the amount of power</a> they can produce.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTc0Njc4NS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY3MDk2NjcxNH0.vUPGiFyUz1ranua9stJmt4l_Ydw9RVhr39btf_1Yu1s/img.png?width=980" id="98372" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="edd9337fc7178dac5b64da1b6419d630" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1200" data-height="2052" />
Ice buildup changes air flow around the turbine blade, which can slow it down. The top photos show ice forming after 10 minutes at different temperatures in the Wind Research Tunnel. The lower measurements show airflow separation as ice accumulates. Icing Research Tunnel of Iowa State University, CC BY-ND
<p>We also <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2020.12.014" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">study wind turbines in operation around the country</a> as they face some of their toughest conditions.</p><p>Using drones equipped with high-resolution digital cameras, we can hover in front of 80-meter-high wind turbines and take photos of the ice right after it forms on the blades. Pairing that with the turbine's production data shows us how the ice influences power production.</p><p>While ice can form over the entire span of the blade, much more ice is found near the tips. After one 30-hour icing event, we found ice as much as a foot thick. Despite the high wind, the ice-heavy turbines rotated much slower and even shut down. The turbines produced <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2020.12.014" target="_blank">only 20% of their normal power</a> over that period.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTc0Njc5MC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0ODE3MzEwM30.FpLWjSNfXfSUDmrZcraJima_XOsvR6-Pz4hkGo5GsKk/img.png?width=980" id="68ced" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="82fb5f19acbf7477eb44e146e50cc2e0" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1200" data-height="1052" />
How ice builds up on the tips of turbine blades. Gao, Liu and Hu, 2021, CC BY-ND
<h3>Keeping Ice Off Blades</h3><p>There are a few reasons the strategies that effectively keep ice off aircraft wings aren't as effective for wind turbine blades.</p><p>One is the materials they are made of. While aircraft wings are typically made of metals like aluminum alloy, utility-scale wind turbines are made of polymer-based composites. Metal conducts heat more effectively, so thermal-based systems that circulate heat are more effective in airplane wings. Polymer-based turbine blades are also more likely to get covered by <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/35083698" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">dust and insect collisions</a>, which can change the smoothness of the blade surface and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmultiphaseflow.2020.103254" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">slow water running off the blade, promoting ice formation</a>.</p><p>Wind turbines are also more prone to encounters with freezing rain and other low-altitude, high-water-content environments, such as ocean spray for offshore wind turbines.</p><p>Most current wind turbine anti-icing and de-icing methods remove ice buildup through <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8heUjOsUoBI" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">electric heating</a> or blowing hot air inside. Heating these massive areas, which are many times larger than airplane wings, adds to the cost of the turbine and is inefficient and energy-consuming. Composite-based turbine blades can also be easily damaged by overheating. And there's another problem: Water from melting ice may simply run back and refreeze elsewhere.</p><p>Another strategy in cold-weather regions is to use <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2020.10.013" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">surface coatings</a> that repel water or prevent ice from sticking. However, none of the coatings has been able to eliminate ice completely, especially in critical regions near the blades' leading edges.</p>
<h3>A Better Solution</h3><p>My team has been developing a novel method that uses elements of both technologies. By heating just the critical regions – particularly the blades' leading edges — and using water- and ice-repelling coatings, we were able to reduce the amount of heat needed and the risk of running back water to refreeze over the blade surfaces. The result effectively prevents ice from forming on <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2019.03.112" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the entire surfaces</a> of turbine blades.</p><p>In comparison to the conventional brute-force surface-heating methods, our hybrid strategy also used much less power, resulting in up to 80% energy savings. Without ice to slow it down, the turbines can produce more power through the winter.</p><p>Worldwide, <a href="https://www.climateaction.org/news/global-wind-power-capacity-to-surpass-800-gw-by-2021" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">nearly 800 gigawatts</a> of wind power have been installed so far, including <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2021/03/03/the-united-states-installed-more-wind-turbine-capacity-in-2020-than-in-any-other-year/amp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">over 110 gigawatts in the U.S. alone</a>. As the market quickly grows and wind power supplants higher-polluting energy sources, de-icing and ice-proofing strategies are becoming essential.</p>
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<em>Hui Hu is a professor of aerospace engineering at Iowa State University.<br/>
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<em>Disclosure statement: </em><em>Hui Hu receives funding from National Science Foundation (NSF) and Iowa Energy Center (IEC) to study wind turbine icing physics and anti-/de-icing.</em>
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<em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-science-behind-frozen-wind-turbines-and-how-to-keep-them-spinning-through-the-winter-156520" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.</em>
</p><script async="async" data-counter="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/156520/count?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" id="theconversation_tracker_hook" src="https://theconversation.com/javascripts/lib/content_tracker_hook.js" type="text/javascript"></script>From Your Site Articles
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Homes and roads in Dallas, Texas covered in snow. The 2021 winter storm dropped temperatures as low as zero degrees. Isaac Murray / Moment / Getty Images
An independent market monitor says ERCOT, the Texas grid operator, left wholesale electricity prices at the legal maximum for two days longer than necessary, and overcharged power companies $16 billion in the process during the winter storm that caused massive grid and gas system failures and left more than 4 million Texans without electricity.
<p>Potomac Economics, the firm hired by the state to assess ERCOT's performance, recommended to regulators that the charges be reversed. The move could help alleviate stress on Texas power providers facing shortfalls, default, or bankruptcy following the massive price spikes. </p>
<p>The "error" and potential reversal could also have major implications for the Texas <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wind">wind</a> energy industry. Due to the nature of the financial instruments used by Texas wind firms, those that were unable to produce power during the storm were forced to pay the legal maximum of $9,000 per megawatt hour (the average price in 2020 was $22.18) for four days. At that rate, wind companies could be forced into bankruptcy, owing their counterparties more than their entire wind farm is worth.</p>
<p>As reported by <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN2AW027?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=114297436&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--Lf6GquilmyjzmWP5NDaiFS7vFlRay4xhT3Tw1eKfKJJCA2BM0YzrHomC529bhrsEjK0h14PTm5SoPTMfwGJu86hULEw&utm_content=114297436&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Reuters</a>:</p><blockquote>ERCOT's disclosure of those firms behind on their bills "is perfectly fair game," said Patrick Woodson, chief executive of retail power marketer ATG Clean Energy, whose company is not on the list.</blockquote><blockquote>"I hope they will apply the same standards to identifying the market participants who made massive profits during this disaster," he said.</blockquote>
<p><strong>For a deeper dive:</strong><br/></p><p>ERCOT error: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-04/texas-watchdog-says-power-grid-operator-made-16-billion-error?sref=oUjKJw8m&utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=114297436&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-__ZWo08eT7siApBDxWei2SO5X_4Dbb9MyeahBGiA1uTHRahlo6Y5E7k-T5DJaedfDV3QcSnP8aVipwKh70KRa1_nSrOw&utm_content=114297436&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bloomberg</a>, <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2021/03/04/ercot-texas-electricity-16-billion/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=114297436&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-__w5zt0pzYPmO_go8tZ7nEA4OGTsXFBml-wM3WhvJ9wjSqwV92P00lp4_5D3gOZO7CU225jBqzfbnMo1HFSGWr13AEgA&utm_content=114297436&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Texas Tribune</a>, <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/541662-texas-grid-manager-responsible-for-16-billion-in-overcharges?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=114297436&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8yKXE5XkR2-7RNz9Y4FQO3Q2-HY_t1oVSnpfONgz_krWqfdXLIWqvoDvn840cF1TetHY1Df7uyn45n8bNo8p_6mcRaLw&utm_content=114297436&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Hill</a>, <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/ad2e7ce9-b769-4d57-b6ce-fd1d9123f87c?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=114297436&_hsenc=p2ANqtz---dbnzMgh9HYQ_9x0xkSNr4FVnXJLnCForZfX5M7bRfSzCsHGrXNJhc63cxGbRzNckfQICmY9afb2n6fhvsvzzv50sNQ&utm_content=114297436&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FT</a>, <a href="https://login.politicopro.com/?redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fsubscriber.politicopro.com%2Farticle%2F2021%2F03%2Fwatchdog-texas-grid-operator-overcharged-16b-during-power-crisis-3987400%3Futm_campaign%3DHot%2520News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=114297436&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--z-oqFQ5PltKH46X7_AuHz-4u8es1sAhm87tDSuMgxyVQBeE1ndlCqEEOM2hNRo5hLZ4JZ70BoX_zSSq41B_wR3S9YQA&utm_content=114297436&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Politico Pro</a>; Power companies: <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN2AW027?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=114297436&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--Lf6GquilmyjzmWP5NDaiFS7vFlRay4xhT3Tw1eKfKJJCA2BM0YzrHomC529bhrsEjK0h14PTm5SoPTMfwGJu86hULEw&utm_content=114297436&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Reuters</a>; Wind industry: <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/wind-power-was-thriving-in-texas-then-came-the-freeze-11614871347?mod=hp_lista_pos1&utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=114297436&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--tLVbIB7cfcGoyUN8pThG7TtEV_yIiAC7n0d1V-LSsPY5ZCG2aYflYXZtN9osYAYgvTqrf86zvsbDiTvuFo50UcY-ORg&utm_content=114297436&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Wall Street Journal</a>; Climate Signals background: <a href="https://www.climatesignals.org/node/10081?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=114297436&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_74tp_PMuhwr-me_9SqzCg1KRZzvvq7WHb_MtcRJnihfJJcUKZBRBnAIUoY2dX0e5kd4PWXz-pBQe3UQUNq0av4ERH1Q&utm_content=114297436&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">February 2021 polar vortex breakdown and central U.S. winter storms</a></p><p><em>For more </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/climate-change-news/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>climate change</em></a><em> and </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/business/renewables/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>clean energy</em></a><em> news, you can follow Climate Nexus on </em><a href="https://twitter.com/ClimateNexus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Twitter</em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClimateNexus/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Facebook</em></a><em>, sign up for daily </em><a href="https://www.linktrack.live/hot-news-sign-up" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Hot News</em></a><em>, and visit their news site, </em><a href="https://nexusmedianews.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Nexus Media News</em></a><em>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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Looking for ways to cut down on single-use plastic while grocery shopping? You may already have eco-friendly shopping bags, but bringing your own reusable produce bags is another easy swap.
According to the UN Environment Program, up to 5 trillion single-use plastic bags are used globally each year, and because of the material they're made from, most municipal recycling centers don't accept them (more on this below).
The most sustainable option is to skip the bag altogether. You can also make your own reusable produce bags out of old T-shirts. But if you'd rather purchase them new, here are our recommendations for the best reusable produce bags on the market today.
<p><em>Each product featured here has been independently selected by the writer. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.</em></p>
<h2>Why make the switch to reusable produce bags?<br/></h2><p>According to the <a href="https://www.unep.org/interactive/beat-plastic-pollution/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">UN</a>, humans produce 300 million tons of plastic waste each year, and about 60% of the plastic produced since the early 1950s has ended up in a landfill or the natural environment.</p><p>Plastic grocery bags and produce bags are made from low-density polyethylene (LDPE). Technically, this type of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/plastic-recycling-myth-2647706452.html" target="_self">plastic can be recycled</a>. However, in practice, plastic bags easily clog recycling machinery, so <a href="https://millerrecycling.com/ldpe-out-of-landfills" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">most municipal recycling centers</a> do not accept this type of material.</p><p>A <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-07/documents/smm_2015_tables_and_figures_07252018_fnl_508_0.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">study by the EPA</a> showed that only about 6% of the LDPE generated in 2015 was recycled. Other types of plastic, by comparison, were recycled at 18% and 10% rates.</p>Although some <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/vancouvers-grocery-store-plastic-bags-2638807121.html" target="_self">grocery stores</a> offer plastic bag recycling, the easiest way to get around this is to refuse plastic bags in the first place. Many cities have instituted <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/new-york-plastic-bag-ban-begins-2645319695.html" target="_self">plastic bag bans</a>, but more often than not, it's up to individuals to choose to make the switch to reusable grocery bags in their day-to-day lives.<p><br/></p><p><em><em><strong><a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/about-ecowatch-2641507575.html?rebelltitem=47#rebelltitem47" target="_self">Melissa Smith</a> </strong>is an avid writer, scuba diver, backpacker, and all-around outdoor enthusiast. She graduated from the University of Florida with degrees in journalism and sustainable studies. Before joining EcoWatch, Melissa worked as the managing editor of Scuba Diving magazine and the communications manager of The Ocean Agency, a non-profit that's featured in the Emmy award-winning documentary Chasing Coral.</em></em></p><em><em></em></em>
Best Reusable Produce Bag Set: Eco Joy Cotton Reusable Produce Bags
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTcxOTAxNS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzODE2MDIyNH0.qyiKrnX8T4CRp8Y5Kn_cW1oaSF7vDci2gmKEXxJfQmE/img.jpg?width=980" id="8db60" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d39a705e9f90fc1369a1806bc6d4e016" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="400" data-height="400" />Eco Joy
<p>If you're making the switch to more sustainable shopping bags and want a variety of products to use, the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Reusable-Sandwich-Biodegradable-Eco-Drawstring/dp/B003PK4W3I/ref=sr_1_36?crid=3TDUCB8ZOM7WI&dchild=1&keywords=produce+bags+grocery+reusable&qid=1613484643&sprefix=produce+bags%2Caps%2C189&sr=8-36" target="_blank">Eco Joy Cotton Reusable Produce Bags</a> set is a great place to start. The set comes with three mesh drawstring bags, three muslin drawstring bags, a large mesh tote and a zippered sandwich-size pouch.</p><p>Each product is made with organic, non-GMO cotton that's ethically sourced in accordance with Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) standards. The cotton comes from India and Turkey, and the bags are hand-assembled in Canada by the owner of Eco Joy, so you can feel good about supporting a small business while reducing your environmental impact.</p><p><strong>Customer rating:</strong> 4.7 out of 5 stars with over 300 Amazon reviews</p><p><strong>Why buy: </strong>Zero-waste; Handmade in Canada; WRAP compliant; Machine washable</p>
$13
Best Mesh Bags: Organic Cotton Mart Reusable Cotton Mesh Produce Bags
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTcxOTE0OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MTQyNDQ5MX0.E6MFCOXZ-3EvKDK0MIv34EJO3oE6WMWxiFZBR5aNU_w/img.jpg?width=980" id="ba5c7" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="91a9dd3d18f7b4a41fae606ff4d1204b" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="400" data-height="400" />Organic Cotton Mart
<p>Some shoppers prefer to use mesh bags when shopping for fruits and veggies. We recommend checking out <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Best-Reusable-Produce-Organic-Cotton/dp/B07CK2TJKL/ref=sr_1_16?crid=10A7NM0LQ0B7E&dchild=1&keywords=mesh+produce+bags&qid=1613483897&s=home-garden&sprefix=mesh+pro%2Cgarden%2C162&sr=1-16" target="_blank">Organic Cotton Mart's Reusable Cotton Mesh Produce Bags</a> if you're in this camp, as they're made with Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified cotton.</p> <p>Mesh reusable produce bags can make the checkout process easier than muslin bags since you can see what's inside them without having to open them up. Plus, the tare weight (i.e., the weight of the empty bag that should be subtracted from the total weight of your produce to make sure you don't pay extra for using your bag) is printed right on the label of Organic Cotton Mart's bags, making everything that much more convenient.</p> <p><strong>Customer rating:</strong> 4.6 out of 5 stars with nearly 1,000 Amazon reviews</p><strong>Why buy:</strong> GOTS certified; Machine washable; Biodegradable
$16
Best Muslin Bags: Simple Ecology Reusable Produce Bags
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTcxOTE1OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNjY3NDE3N30.f2sAcYTGhqq4ytlNGSyzZexPwqH2SpqpTwsX2fvph10/img.jpg?width=980" id="f90b3" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e95c082f9b831bf11004e12b73ae8263" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="400" data-height="400" />Simple Ecology
<p>On the other hand, if you just want to purchase muslin bags, we like <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Simple-Ecology-Reusable-Organic-Shopping/dp/B004UJ0U0C" target="_blank">Simple Ecology's Reusable Produce Bags</a>, which are also made with GOTS-certified organic cotton. Simple Ecology also has a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N6AUMBG/ref=sspa_dk_detail_2?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B01N6AUMBG&pd_rd_w=MA3ZS&pf_rd_p=cbc856ed-1371-4f23-b89d-d3fb30edf66d&pd_rd_wg=hVunQ&pf_rd_r=G6RTQ1Z5DKEY325MAJZ9&pd_rd_r=5d298b3a-1be7-4ebd-a9e1-d5d672a40497&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExMzc4RVAxWjNLOTdCJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNTc0NTAwMzBDMjFYOVJPTUpWSCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNjYyOTM4M0s4Vk81SVBPS1NFSyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2RldGFpbF90aGVtYXRpYyZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=" target="_blank">starter kit</a> that comes with several reusable grocery bags if you're looking for more variety.</p> <p>The benefit of using muslin reusable produce bags is that, unlike mesh, there are no holes for small items to slip through. This means that in addition to larger produce, you can use them to purchase bulk foods like lentils, beans and rice — or even powders like flour or spices — without worrying about anything leaking. They're also best for keeping leafy greens fresh.</p> <p><strong>Customer rating:</strong> 4.7 out of 5 stars with nearly 1,500 Amazon reviews</p><strong>Why buy:</strong> GOTS certified; Machine washable; Biodegradable; Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) certified packaging when purchased from manufacturer
$16
Best String Bags: ECOBAGS Market Collection Reusable Bag Set
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTcxOTE2Ny9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NTkzMDc5Mn0.v_aTdf8TPuA39wgpmS2Dgb_88t2jfcbXDJkC9wf5CrE/img.png?width=980" id="c42d2" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ada50990c5c2520886afd23fcca522a4" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="752" data-height="628" />ECOBAGS
<p>Whether you're buying bread, fresh flowers, produce or all of the above, the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/ECOBAGS-Market-Collection-Reusable-Natural/dp/B08KFGPGN5" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ECOBAGS Market Collection Reusable Bag Set</a> is ideal for <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/farmers-markets-coronavirus-safety-2645581711.html" target="_self">farmers market</a> shopping or large grocery hauls. The netted bags are durable, flexible, and pack down small so they're easy to keep in your car or purse.</p> <p>ECOBAGS is a woman-owned certified B Corp, which means it uses sound social and environmental practices. These bags come in packs of three or five and have a few different handle lengths and color options, but they're all made with GOTS-certified organic cotton.</p> <p><strong>Customer rating: </strong>Not applicable</p><p><strong>Why buy:</strong> GOTS certified; Machine washable; Biodegradable; Certified B Corp; SA8000 certified for the protection of basic human rights of workers</p>
$36
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A FedEx truck travels along Interstate 10 by the San Gorgonio Pass Wind Farm near Palm Springs, California on Feb. 27, 2019. Robert Alexander / Getty Images
FedEx's entire parcel pickup and delivery fleet will become 100 percent electric by 2040, according to a statement released Wednesday. The ambitious plan includes checkpoints, such as aiming for 50 percent electric vehicles by 2025.
<p>To reach this goal, the delivery company will commit more than $2 billion to vehicle electrification, sustainable energy and carbon sequestration, according to the statement.</p><p>"We have a responsibility to take bold action in addressing climate challenges," Frederick W. Smith, chairman and CEO of FedEx Corp. said in the <a href="https://newsroom.fedex.com/newsroom/sustainability2021/" target="_blank">release</a>. "This goal builds on our longstanding commitment to sustainability throughout our operations, while at the same time investing in long-term, transformational solutions for FedEx and our entire industry."</p><p>FedEx will also continue to invest in sustainable fuels to power its planes -- the biggest contributor to its carbon footprint, <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/90610719/how-fedex-plans-to-become-carbon-neutral-by-2040" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Fast Company reported</a>. But switching to sustainable fuel won't be easy, Mitch Jackson, chief sustainability officer for FedEx Corp, told Fast Company. "The question is, will sustainable aviation fuels be here in sufficient quantities for the aviation industry in the near term?"</p>
<p>The news comes just a week after the United States Postal Service announced a 10-year, $485-million contract for new mail trucks, planning to transform only 10 percent of its fleet into electric vehicles, <a href="https://www.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2021/03/fedex-announces-100-commitment-all-electric-fleet" target="_blank">Sierra Club reported</a>. This plan falls short of President Biden's <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/27/executive-order-on-tackling-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad/" target="_blank">vow</a> to covert all "Federal, State, local, and Tribal government fleets" to "clean and zero-emission vehicles."</p><p>"From undermining our democracy to delaying climate action, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy continues to fail the United States Postal Service and the American public," Gina Coplon-Newfield, director of Sierra Club's Clean Transportation for All campaign said in a <a href="https://www.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2021/02/usps-must-electrify-mail-truck-fleet" target="_blank">statement</a>. "The lack of commitment from the USPS to electrify its fleet directly contradicts the Biden administration's goals and executive order to clean up pollution from the US government's vehicles."</p>
<p>The United States Postal Service has increasingly struggled to outcompete large corporations like FedEx that use the same networks and markets, the Economic Policy Institute wrote in a <a href="https://www.epi.org/publication/the-war-against-the-postal-service/" target="_blank">report</a>. This is partly because the USPS is limited in entering new markets and pays its workers with middle-class wages and provides benefits, unlike private competitors like FedEx that cut costs by relying on independent, contract workers, The Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2021/business/usps-performance-whats-next-biden/" target="_blank">reported</a>. Yet the drastically different de-carbonization goals between USPS and FedEx highlight the necessary role private companies can play in pioneering efforts towards a clean energy future.</p><p>"While we've made great strides in reducing our environmental impact, we have to do more," Jackson <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fedex-delivery-fleet-all-electric-carbon-neutral-2040-sustainability-2021-3" target="_blank">said</a>, according to Business Insider. "The long-term health of our industry is directly linked to the health of the planet, but this effort is about more than the bottom line – it's the right thing to do."</p>
<p>Included in FedEx's plan is a $100 million gift to Yale University to establish a Center for Natural Carbon Capture to research and develop natural solutions to reduce and sequester atmospheric carbon safely, <a href="https://news.yale.edu/2021/03/03/yale-new-fedex-supported-center-focus-climate-change-solutions" target="_blank">YaleNews reported</a>.</p><p>"My hope is that others will recognize the scale and importance of this problem and the significance of this center's mission by joining in our efforts to address a global challenge," Smith said, according to YaleNews.</p><p>Environmental groups urge other delivery services to quickly follow suit, committing to more sustainable and efficient operations in the face of a rapidly damaging climate. "This is a critical moment to shift the status quo of the US delivery truck. We urge all delivery companies — including USPS — to not let it pass them by," Coplon-Newfield added in a <a href="https://www.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2021/03/fedex-announces-100-commitment-all-electric-fleet" target="_blank">statement</a>.</p>
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Empty freeways, such as this one in LA, were a common sight during COVID-19 lockdowns in spring 2020. vlvart / Getty Images
Lockdown measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus pandemic had the added benefit of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by around seven percent, or 2.6 billion metric tons, in 2020.
<p>This is the largest emissions reduction that has ever been recorded. But to reach the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/paris-agreement" target="_self">Paris agreement</a> goal of limiting global warming to well below two degrees celsius above pre-industrial levels, the world needs to reduce emissions by one to two billion metric tons every year for the next decade and beyond, according to a new analysis published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-021-01001-0" target="_blank">Nature Climate Change</a>.</p><p>"We need a cut in emissions of about the size of the fall [from the lockdowns] every two years, but by <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/nov/17/what-could-a-good-green-recovery-plan-actually-look-like" target="_blank">completely different methods</a>," Corinne Le Quéré, lead study author from the Tyndall Center for Climate Change Research at the University of East Anglia in England, told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/mar/03/global-lockdown-every-two-years-needed-to-meet-paris-co2-goals-study" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>.</p><p>Before the pandemic, emissions were already declining in some countries due to policy changes, the report found. In 64 countries, emissions declined by 160 million metric tons a year between 2016 to 2019 compared to 2011 to 2015. However, that reduction is only a tenth of what is needed worldwide to meet the Paris agreement goals. In 150 countries, emissions continued to increase by 370 million metric tons a year during the four years before the lockdown.</p><p>The concern now is whether countries can build on the reductions caused by the pandemic, or if emissions will increase again as economies reopen. So far, the evidence points toward the latter. The International Energy Agency said this week that emissions had already rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlieporterfield/2021/03/03/report-world-needs-equivalent-of-pandemic-lockdown-every-two-years-to-meet-paris-carbon-emission-goals/?sh=2af111536dee" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Forbes reported</a>. Last month, the UN said that countries' existing commitments under the Paris agreement would only reduce emissions by less than one percent by 2030, even though experts say a 45 percent drop is required.</p>
<p>"Emissions were lower in 2020 as <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/fossil-fuels" target="_self">fossil fuel</a> infrastructure was used less, not because infrastructure was closed down," Glen Peters, study co-author from the Cicero center for climate research in Norway, told The Guardian. "When fossil fuel infrastructure is put into use again, there is a risk of a big rebound in emissions in 2021, as was seen in the wake of the global financial crisis in 2009."</p><p>The report authors noted that policy makers could refer to the lockdowns for guidance on reducing emissions. Most of the reductions were driven by <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/transportation" target="_self">transportation</a> decreases, the authors found. They suggested shifting toward <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/electric-vehicles" target="_self">electric vehicles</a> and bike-and-pedestrian-friendly cities, as well as continuing and improving remote business options and encouraging a safe return to public transportation. </p><p>The authors also called for greater investments in <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/renewable-energy" target="_self">renewable energy</a> as part of the recovery process. They added that while recovery plans in the European Union, Denmark, France, UK, Germany and Switzerland included minimal fossil fuel investments, investments in most other countries, including the U.S. and China, were still fossil-fuel heavy.</p><p>"Experience from several previous crises show that the underlying drivers of emissions reappear, if not immediately, then within a few years," the authors wrote. "Therefore to change the trajectory in global CO2 emissions in the long term, the underlying drivers also need to change."</p>
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An electric vehicle is plugged in to an EV charging station at a Walmart parking lot in Duarte, California on Sept. 14, 2018. FREDERIC J. BROWN / AFP via Getty Images
Six major U.S. electricity utilities will collaborate to build a massive EV charging network across 16 states, they announced Tuesday.
<p>Transportation is the country's largest source of greenhouse gas pollution, and electrifying the sector is a major opportunity to reduce those emissions through increased efficiency and <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/renewable-energy/">renewable</a>-generated electricity. Utilities stand to benefit from massively-increased electricity demand driven by widespread EV adoption, but range anxiety — the fear of running out of battery power without being able to reach a convenient charging station — is a barrier to many customers who might purchase (or consider purchasing) an EV. </p>
<p>The newly-formed Electric Highway Coalition — made up of American Electric Power, Dominion Energy, Duke Energy, Entergy, Southern Company, and the Tennessee Valley Authority — is seeking to ameliorate those concerns by creating a network of charging stations from <a href="https://www.eenews.net/image_assets/2021/03/image_asset_109985_enlarged.png?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=114111450&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9k5vIAjm_YzZ_iiLXicLacXmu3hkR-wm8QCUkZ6MUcE2CDpTCR5QWgFl4mnvsc2psJ2FvfG1kuIy53LxVe4m3mSfK9Tg&utm_content=114111450&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Texas to Indiana to Virginia to Florida</a>. The announcement follows a similar initiative by major midwest utilities last year. </p>
<p>As reported by <a href="https://earther.gizmodo.com/major-utilities-are-gearing-up-to-install-ev-charging-s-1846399234?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=114111450&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9HybzhR2eXuuIAhGW5t1nDYlQBXogsm85KjaIBAqKCjEecjzbhS_I-8IImc5Z_7zi0Lvxx0NDvelhAlMH460owrIc7Tg&utm_content=114111450&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Earther</a>:</p><blockquote>"It's exciting to see utilities engaging more in this space," said Kathy Harris, the Eastern clean vehicles and fuels advocate at Natural Resources Defense Council. Harris pointed out that while utility investment in electric vehicle infrastructure "isn't a new concept," most of the billions of dollars spent around the country on it have been focused in California and the Northeast. Last year, for example, a coalition of West Coast utilities announced they're <a href="https://earther.gizmodo.com/west-coast-states-are-teaming-up-to-build-an-electric-h-1844080301" target="_blank">working on a plan</a> to electrify shipping routes to phase out diesel trucks.</blockquote><blockquote>The announcement didn't specify whether or not customers would have to pay for the charging stations, or how much costs could be, which actually isn't surprising given the number of different states covered by the coalition. Harris said that different states have different laws on the books regarding paying for EV charging stations. Some states require customers to pay a set dollar amount to use stations, while others have them pay directly for the electricity used.</blockquote>
<p><strong>For a deeper dive:</strong><br/></p><p><a href="https://www.eenews.net/energywire/2021/03/03/stories/1063726475?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=114111450&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--wNKUJJ-75OCNZE0mSxD-kzxp6GUs1UvpqUFIHm5icGSolhH7A7vcAobBYSItBCem9aYPK9LLdmpT4FlXgQ_4ZbnAfLA&utm_content=114111450&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">E&E</a>, <a href="https://www.utilitydive.com/news/facing-an-ev-boom-aep-duke-4-other-utilities-unveil-plan-for-multi-regio/596032/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=114111450&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8jAZ14uU5cVr3hROqni1teRsPGzfdev_c0OZPXPTER5h7cUqwzteNS3EAriPF-jbINMJzGpyub45OvlJ7hPNiHeT7g1w&utm_content=114111450&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Utility Dive</a>, <a href="https://earther.gizmodo.com/major-utilities-are-gearing-up-to-install-ev-charging-s-1846399234?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=114111450&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9HybzhR2eXuuIAhGW5t1nDYlQBXogsm85KjaIBAqKCjEecjzbhS_I-8IImc5Z_7zi0Lvxx0NDvelhAlMH460owrIc7Tg&utm_content=114111450&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Earther</a></p><p><em>For more </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/climate-change-news/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>climate change</em></a><em> and </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/business/renewables/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>clean energy</em></a><em> news, you can follow Climate Nexus on </em><a href="https://twitter.com/ClimateNexus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Twitter</em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClimateNexus/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Facebook</em></a><em>, sign up for daily </em><a href="https://www.linktrack.live/hot-news-sign-up" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Hot News</em></a><em>, and visit their news site, </em><a href="https://nexusmedianews.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Nexus Media News</em></a><em>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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Matthew Micah Wright / The Image Bank / Getty Images
By Deborah Moore, Michael Simon and Darryl Knudsen
There's some good news amidst the grim global pandemic: At long last, the world's largest dam removal is finally happening.
<p>The <a href="https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2020-11-17/klamath-river-basin-dams-pacificorps-gavin-newsom-yurok-karuk-salmon-warren-buffett" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">landmark agreement</a>, which was finalized in November 2020 between farmers, tribes and dam owners, will finally bring down <a href="https://west.stanford.edu/news/blogs/and-the-west-blog/2020/winners-losers-and-landscape-might-emerge-if-klamath-river-dams-disappear" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">four aging, inefficient dams</a> along the Klamath River in the Pacific Northwest. This is an important step in restoring historic salmon runs, which have <a href="https://www.laprogressive.com/klamath-dam-removal/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">drastically declined in recent years</a> since the dams were constructed. It's also an incredible win for the Karuk and Yurok tribes, who for untold generations have relied on the salmon runs for both sustenance and spiritual well-being.</p><p>The tribes, supported by environmental activists, led a decades-long effort to broker an agreement. They faced vehement opposition from some farmers and owners of lakeside properties, but in 2010, they managed what had seemed impossible: PacifiCorp, the operator of the dams, signed a dam removal agreement, along with 40 other signatories that included the tribes and the state governments of Oregon and California. Unfortunately, progress stalled for years when questions arose around who would pay for the dam removals.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTcxMzU3NC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNjc2NjI0OX0.ovlE1UYYtJdzrmYsh2UaJ95efnJ4cdYgyjjStRrR6yc/img.jpg?width=980" id="c13c2" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="98e08845f686773dcfe50815fb63b6a4" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="4928" data-height="3264" />
A young activist for a free-flowing Salween River. A team of campaigners and lawyers from EarthRights International joined Indigenous Karen communities on the Salween in 2018 to celebrate the International Day of Actions for Rivers on March 14. This year, EarthRights joined communities living in the Eu-Wae-Tta internally displaced persons camp for a celebration in solidarity with those impacted by dam projects on the Salween River. EarthRights International
<p>The dam removal project is a sign of the decline of the hydropower industry, whose fortunes have fallen as the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46098118" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">troubling</a> cost-benefit ratio of dams has become clear over the years. The rise of more cost-effective and sustainable energy sources (including wind and solar) has hastened this shift. This is exactly the type of progress envisioned by the <a href="https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/17023836/dams-and-development-a-new-framework-for-decision" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">World Commission on Dams</a> (WCD), a global multi-stakeholder body that was established by the World Bank and International Union for Conservation of Nature in 1998 to investigate the effectiveness and performance of large dams around the world. The WCD released a damning landmark <a href="https://www.un.org/press/en/2000/20001117.dam.pressconferencepm.doc.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">report</a> in November 2000 on the enormous financial, environmental and human costs and the dismal performance of large dams. The commission spent <a href="https://www.un.org/press/en/2000/20001117.dam.pressconferencepm.doc.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">two years</a> analyzing the outcome of the trillions of dollars invested in dams, reviewing dozens of case studies and testimonies from over a thousand communities and individuals, before producing the report.</p><p>But despite this progress, we cannot take hydropower's decline as inevitable. As governments around the world plan for a post-pandemic recovery, hydropower companies sense an opportunity. The industry is eager to recast itself as climate-friendly (<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/how-green-is-hydropower-1919539525.html" target="_self">it's not</a>) and <a href="https://www.hydropower.org/covid-19" target="_blank">secure</a> precious stimulus funds to revive its dying industry — at the expense of people, the environment and a truly just, green recovery.</p>Hydropower’s Troubling Record
<p>The world's largest hydropower dam removal project on the Klamath River is a significant win for tribal communities. But while the Yurok and Karuk tribes <a href="https://www.karuk.us/images/docs/press/bring_salmon_home.php" target="_blank">suffered</a> terribly from the decline of the Klamath's fisheries, they were by no means alone in that experience. The environmental catastrophe that occurred along the Klamath River has been replicated all over the world since the global boom in hydropower construction <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/hydropower" target="_blank">began</a> early in the 20th century.</p><p>The rush to dam rivers has had huge consequences. After decades of rampant construction, only <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/05/worlds-free-flowing-rivers-mapped-hydropower/" target="_blank">37 percent of the world's rivers remain free-flowing</a>, according to <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1111-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">one study</a>. River fragmentation has <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/70/4/330/5732594" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">decimated freshwater habitats and fish stocks</a>, threatening food security for millions of the world's most vulnerable people, and hastening the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffopperman/2020/10/13/freshwater-wildlife-continues-to-decline-but-new-energy-trendlines-suggest-we-can-bend-that-curve/?sh=f9d175a61ee4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">decline of other myriad freshwater species</a>, including mammals, birds and reptiles.</p><p>The communities that experienced the most harm from dams — whether in Asia, Latin America or Africa — often lacked political power and access. But that didn't stop grassroots movements from organizing and growing to fight for their rights and livelihoods. The people affected by dams began raising their voices, sharing their experiences and forging alliances across borders. By the 1990s, the public <a href="https://tinyurl.com/y55lnlst" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">outcry</a> against large dams had grown so loud that it finally led to the establishment of the WCD.</p><p>What the WCD found was stunning. While large dam projects had brought some economic benefits, they had also <a href="https://www.irn.org/wcd/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">forcibly displaced an estimated 40 to 80 million people in the 20th century alone</a>. To put that number into perspective, it is more than the current population of present-day <a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL?locations=FR" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">France</a> or the <a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL?locations=GB" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">United Kingdom</a>. These people lost their lands and homes to dams, and often with no compensation.</p><p>Subsequent research has compounded that finding. A paper published in <a href="https://tinyurl.com/c7uznz" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Water Alternatives</a> revealed that globally, more than <a href="https://tinyurl.com/yxw8x7ab" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">470 million people living downstream from large dams</a> have faced significant impacts to their lives and livelihoods — much of it due to disruptions in water supply, which in turn harm the complex web of life that depends on healthy, free-flowing rivers. The WCD's findings, released in 2000, <a href="https://www.irn.org/wcd/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">identified</a> the importance of restoring rivers, compensating communities for their losses, and finding better energy alternatives to save rivers and ecosystems.</p>Facing a New Crisis
<p>Twenty years after the WCD uncovered a crisis along the world's rivers and recommended a new development path — one that advances community-driven development and protects freshwater resources — we find ourselves in the midst of another crisis. The global pandemic has hit us hard, with surging loss of life, unemployment and instability.</p><p>But as governments work to rebuild economies and create job opportunities in the coming years, we have a choice: Double down on the failed, outdated technologies that have harmed so many, or change course and use this transformative moment to rebuild our natural systems and uplift communities.</p><p>There are many reasons to fight for a green recovery. The climate is changing even <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-07586-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">faster</a> than expected, and some dams — especially those with reservoirs in hot climates — <a href="https://tinyurl.com/w6w29t8" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">have been found to emit more greenhouse gases than a fossil fuel power plant</a>. Other estimates have put global reservoirs' human-made greenhouse gas emissions each year on par with <a href="https://www.climatecentral.org/news/greenhouse-gases-reservoirs-fuel-climate-change-20745" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Canada's</a> total emissions.</p><p>Meanwhile, we now understand that healthy rivers and freshwater ecosystems play a <a href="https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/b55b1fe4-7d09-47af-96c4-6cbb5f106d4f/files/wetlands-role-carbon-cycle.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">critical role in regulating and storing carbon</a>. And at a time when <a href="https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2019/05/nature-decline-unprecedented-report/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">biodiversity loss is soaring</a>, anything we can do to <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/70/4/330/5732594" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">restore habitat is key</a>. But with <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/271996520_A_Global_Boom_in_Hydropower_dam_Construction" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">more than 3,700 major dams proposed or under construction</a> in the world (primarily in the Global South, with over <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2020/08/more-than-500-dams-planned-inside-protected-areas-study/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">500 of these in protected areas</a>), according to a 2014 report — and the hydropower industry <a href="https://www.hydropower.org/covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">jockeying</a> for scarce stimulus dollars — we must act urgently.</p>Signs of Hope
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTcxMzUyMS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxOTcyNTc3OX0.EbqBVPs2kjhrY5AqnZXOb_GX-s6pw4qyJmmeISzKA6U/img.png?width=980" id="a81d0" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="87bc79d69f72e9334a78da8e0355e6ae" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1620" data-height="1068" />Fish catch at the Siphandone on the Mekong River, prior to the completion of the Don Sahong Dam. Pai Deetes / International Rivers
<p>So what would a strong, resilient and equitable recovery look like in the 21st century? Let's consider one example in Southeast Asia.</p><p>Running through six countries, the Mekong River is the world's 12th-longest river, which is home to one of the world's most biodiverse regions, and includes the world's <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/places/greater-mekong#" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">largest</a> inland fishery. Around <a href="https://tinyurl.com/y6jrarjo" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">80 percent of the nearly 65 million people</a> who live in the Lower Mekong River Basin depend on the river for their livelihoods, according to the Mekong River Commission. In 1994, Thailand built the Pak Mun Dam on a Mekong tributary. <a href="https://tinyurl.com/y5ekfp4h" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Six years later</a>, the <a href="https://tinyurl.com/yxcvs6up" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">WCD studied the dam's performance</a> and submitted its conclusions and recommendations as part of its final report in 2000. According to the WCD report, the Pak Mun Dam did not deliver the peaking energy service it was designed for, and it <a href="https://tinyurl.com/y38p3jaw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">physically blocked a critical migration route</a> for a range of fish species that migrated annually to breeding grounds upstream in the Mun River Basin. Cut off from their customary habitat, fish stocks plummeted, and so did the livelihoods of the local people.</p><p>Neighboring Laos, instead of learning from this debacle, followed in Thailand's footsteps, <a href="https://tinyurl.com/y4eaxcq2" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">constructing two dams on the river's mainstem</a>, Xayaburi Dam, commissioned in 2019, and Don Sahong Dam, commissioned in 2020. But then a sign of hope appeared. In early 2020, just as the pandemic began to spread across the world, the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/20/cambodia-scraps-plans-for-mekong-hydropower-dams" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Cambodian government reconsidered its plans to build more dams on the Mekong</a>. The science was indisputable: A government-commissioned report showed that further dams would <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/may/16/leaked-report-warns-cambodias-biggest-dam-could-literally-kill-mekong-river" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">reduce the river's wild fisheries, threaten critically endangered Irrawaddy dolphins</a> and <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/2013WR014651" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">block nutrient-rich sediment from the delta's fertile agricultural lands</a>.</p><p><a href="https://data.opendevelopmentmekong.net/dataset/4f1bb5fd-a564-4d37-878b-c288af460143/resource/5f6fe360-7a68-480d-9ba4-12d7b8b805c9/download/volume-3_solar-alternative-to-sambor-dam.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Studies</a> show that Cambodia didn't need to seek billions of dollars in loans to build more hydropower; instead, it could pursue more cost-effective solar and wind projects that would deliver needed electricity at a fraction of the cost — and <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/press-releases/wwf-statement-on-cambodian-government-s-decision-to-suspend-hydropower-dam-development-on-the-mekong-river" target="_blank">without the ecological disasters to fisheries and the verdant Mekong delta</a>. And, in a stunning reversal, Cambodia listened to the science — and to the people — and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/20/cambodia-scraps-plans-for-mekong-hydropower-dams" target="_blank">announced</a> a 10-year moratorium on mainstream dams. Cambodia is now <a href="https://www.voanews.com/east-asia-pacific/cambodia-halts-hydropower-construction-mekong-river-until-2030" target="_blank">reconsidering</a> its energy mix, recognizing that mainstream hydropower dams are too costly and undermine the economic and cultural values of its flagship river.</p>Toward a Green Recovery
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTcxMzUwOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MTMwMjk0M30.0LZCOEVzgtgjm2_7CwcbFfuZlrtUr80DiRYxqKGaKIg/img.jpg?width=980" id="87fe9" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e6b9bfeb013516f6ad5033bb9e03c5ec" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="2100" data-height="3086" />Klamath River Rapids. Tupper Ansel Blake / U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
<p>Increasingly, governments, civil servants and the public at large are rethinking how we produce energy and are seeking to preserve and restore precious freshwater resources. Dam removals are increasing exponentially across <a href="https://www.americanrivers.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/DamsRemoved_1999-2019.pdf" target="_blank">North America</a> and <a href="https://damremoval.eu/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/DRE-policy-Report-2018-digitaal-010319.pdf" target="_blank">Europe</a>, and movements advancing <a href="https://www.rightsofrivers.org/" target="_blank">permanent river protection are growing across Latin America, Asia and Africa</a>.</p><p>We must use the COVID-19 crisis to accelerate the trend. Rather than relying on old destructive technologies and industry claims of newfound "<a href="https://www.hydrosustainability.org/news/2020/11/12/consultation-on-a-groundbreaking-global-sustainability-standard-for-hydropower" target="_blank">sustainable hydropower</a>," the world requires a new paradigm for an economic recovery that is rooted both in climate and economic justice as well as river stewardship. Since December 2020, hundreds of groups and individuals from more than 80 countries have joined the <a href="https://www.rivers4recovery.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rivers4Recovery</a> call for a better way forward for rivers and natural places. This paradigm will protect our rivers as critical lifelines — supporting fisheries, biodiversity, water supply, food production, Indigenous peoples and diverse populations around the world — rather than damming and polluting them.</p><p>The promise of the Klamath dam removals is one of restoration — a move that finally recognizes the immense value of free-flowing rivers and the key role they play in <a href="https://f.hubspotusercontent20.net/hubfs/4783129/LPR/PDFs/Living_Planet_Report_Freshwater_Deepdive.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">nourishing both the world's biodiversity and hundreds of millions of people</a>. Healthy rivers — connected to watershed forests, floodplains, wetlands and deltas — are key partners in building resilience in the face of an accelerating climate crisis. But if we allow the hydropower industry to succeed in its <a href="https://www.world-energy.org/article/12361.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">cynical grab for stimulus funds</a>, we'll only perpetuate the 20th century's legacy of suffering and environmental degradation.</p><p>We must put our money where our values are. Twenty years ago, the WCD pointed the way forward to a model of development that takes humans, wildlife and the environment into account, and in 2020, we saw that vision flower along the Klamath River. It's time to bring that promise of healing and restoration to more of the world's rivers.</p><p><em>Deborah Moore is a former commissioner of the <a href="https://www.water-alternatives.org/index.php/alldoc/articles/vol3/v3issue2/79-a3-2-2/file" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="">World Commission on Dams</a>. Michael Simon was a member of the <a href="https://www.hydrosustainability.org/assessment-protocol" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="">Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Forum</a>. Darryl Knudsen is the executive director of <a href="https://www.internationalrivers.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="">International Rivers</a>.</em></p><p><em>This article first appeared on <a href="https://truthout.org/articles/damming-rivers-is-terrible-for-human-rights-ecosystems-and-food-security/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Truthout</a> and was produced in partnership with <a href="https://independentmediainstitute.org/earth-food-life/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Earth | Food | Life</a>, a project of the Independent Media Institute.</em></p>
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Protesters are seen during a demonstration in front of the White House in Washington, DC on June 1, 2017. Paul J. Richards / AFP / Getty Images
By Brett Wilkins
While some mainstream environmental organizations welcomed Tuesday's introduction of the CLEAN Future Act in the House of Representatives, progressive green groups warned that the bill falls far short of what's needed to meaningfully tackle the climate crisis—an existential threat they say calls for bolder action like the Green New Deal.
<p>The latest version of the CLEAN Future Act—which aims to achieve U.S. carbon neutrality by the year 2050 —was introduced by Democratic Reps. Frank Pallone (N.J.), Bobby Rush (Ill.), and Paul Tonko (N.Y.). The bill sets an interim target of reducing pollution by 50% from 2005 levels no later than 2030.</p><p>In a <a href="https://energycommerce.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/ec-leaders-introduce-the-clean-future-act-comprehensive-legislation-to" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">statement</a>, Pallone, who is chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said that "the climate crisis is one of the greatest challenges of our lifetime, but it also presents one of the greatest opportunities to empower American workers with new, good paying jobs and return our economy to a position of strength after a long, dark year of historic job losses and pain." </p><p>"Today's introduction of the CLEAN Future Act promises that we will not stand idly by as the rest of the world transitions to clean economies and our workers get left behind," added Pallone, "and that we will not watch from the sidelines as the climate crisis wreaks havoc on Americans' health and homes." </p><p>But while numerous people hailed the bill—with Earthjustice offering "applause" and NRDC calling it "urgently needed"—more critical voices from groups like Friends of the Earth and Food & Water Watch said the legislation is fundamentally and dangerously lacking.</p>
<div id="25965" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="6116a1c2b1b913ad51c3ea576f2e196c"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1366827205427425289" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">BREAKING: Rep @FrankPallone just released his CLEAN Future Act — which he claims to be an ambitious bill to combat… https://t.co/M7nR0es196</div> — Friends of the Earth (Action) (@Friends of the Earth (Action))<a href="https://twitter.com/foe_us/statuses/1366827205427425289">1614711974.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>Lukas Ross, program manager at Friends of the Earth, called the bill's introduction "a monumental failure of climate leadership."</p><p>"Chairman Pallone had over a year to remove fossil fuels from the CLEAN Future Act and didn't bother to reconsider," Ross said in a <a href="https://foe.org/news/pallones-clean-future-still-a-fracking-mess/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">statement</a>, referring to the bill's <a href="https://energycommerce.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/ec-leaders-release-draft-clean-future-act-legislative-text-to-achieve-a-100" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">previous iteration</a>. "A clean energy standard that qualifies fracked gas is a joke. We need real solutions like solar and storage, not a dirty lifeline for gas, nukes, and biomass."</p><p>Brett Hartl, government affairs director at the Center for Biological Diversity, <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/541228-house-democrats-reintroduce-roadmap-to-carbon-neutrality-by-2050" target="_blank">told</a> <em>The Hill</em> that while the new bill "improves on last year's abysmal proposal," the nation must "slash emissions 70% in 10 years, and we need firm cuts in greenhouse gases right now, not just gimmicky incentives, or future generations will suffer from our inaction today."</p>
<div id="189f0" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="aa31bacec80d88b49730e8591de5d26d"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1366863402912657416" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">The CLEAN Future Act "fails to grasp the fundamental truth of fighting climate change: We must stop extracting and… https://t.co/yREn6Qx9tn</div> — Food & Water Watch (@Food & Water Watch)<a href="https://twitter.com/foodandwater/statuses/1366863402912657416">1614720605.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>Mitch Jones, policy director at Food & Water Watch, said in a <a href="https://foodandwaterwatch.org/news/dems-climate-bill-falls-short" target="_blank">statement</a> that "Democrats should be making a big, bold push on climate—and the CLEAN Future Act is simply not strong enough." Jones continued:</p><blockquote>The bill's clean energy standard includes provisions that essentially greenwash dirty energy sources—including rebranding fracked gas as 'clean' by pairing it with unproven, non-existent carbon capture methods. It also relies on a dubious emissions trading scheme to achieve its goals, which serves fossil fuel industry interests while pretending to curb climate pollution. The bill also promotes factory farm biogas as a clean energy source.<br></blockquote><p>"While this bill has been marginally improved, it fails to grasp the fundamental truth of fighting climate change: We must stop extracting and burning fossil fuels as soon as possible," stressed Jones. "We should not waste time creating credit schemes and offsets markets, or prop up fossil fuels with carbon capture fantasies."</p><p>"A bold climate plan must call for a ban on fracking and all new fossil fuel infrastructure," he added, "and a swift and just transition to 100% clean, renewable energy across all sectors of the economy. The CLEAN Future Act may have been revised since last year, but it's still a Green New Dud."</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/03/02/green-new-dud-progressives-warn-house-climate-bill-fails-grasp-fundamental-truth" target="_blank">Common Dreams</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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A female condor above the Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge in Ventura County, California. Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
<p><br/></p>
<p>The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) <a href="https://www.fws.gov/birds/bird-enthusiasts/threats-to-birds.php" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">estimated</a> that a median average of 234,012 birds were killed by land-based wind turbines a year as of 2017. While that number is far fewer than the 599 million killed by glass buildings and the 2.4 billion killed by cats, it is not nothing. Further, the American Bird Conservancy <a href="https://abcbirds.org/program/wind-energy-and-birds/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">warns</a> it could climb to five million a year if wind power increases to provide 35 percent of U.S. electricity.</p>
<p>Now, at least one wind energy company is trying to compensate for the damage it might cause. Avangrid Renewables is working with federal <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wildlife" target="_self">wildlife</a> officials and the Oregon Zoo to breed <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/endangered-species" target="_self">endangered</a> California condors to replace any that might be killed by its turbines, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildlife-wind-power-california-condors-2f8fc5848b6d903718593d4fc7f24409" target="_blank">The Associated Press reported Monday</a>.</p><p>"We see this as a win for condors," Amy Parsons, Avangrid's operations wildlife compliance manager, told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/mar/01/california-condor-endangered-wind-turbines-breeding" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>.</p>
<p>Specifically, Avangrid seeks to offset any damage done by its Manzana wind power project, a 126-turbine wind farm in the Tehachapi mountains northeast of Los Angeles. The turbines have 252-foot diameter blades, which might pose a threat to the birds that have a 9.5 foot wingspan.</p><p>The farm has been open since 2012, and since that time there are no records of any condors being killed there. However, the company estimates that as many as two adult condors with two chicks or eggs each may be killed by the turbines in the next 30 years, according to The Associated Press.</p>
<p>To offset this, the company will provide more than $500,000 in funding to breed six condors over three years at the Oregon Zoo's Jonsson Center for Wildlife Conservation.</p><p>"We're prepared to start this condor mitigation effort as early as this spring," Oregon Zoo condor recovery lead Kelly Flaminio told The Associated Press. "Our zoo already nurtures the second-largest breeding population of condors in the nation."</p>
<p>Once raised, the condors will then be released into the wild. California condors were nearly driven to extinction by the 1980s because of hunting, habitat loss and poisoning from lead bullets left in the animals they scavenged from, <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/california-condor-chick-born-2639303735.html" target="_self">as EcoWatch reported previously</a>. A breeding program has helped their populations to recover, however, and there are now more than 300 in the wild and 500 worldwide.</p><p>If no condors are killed by Avangrid's turbines, then the wild population will simply increase by six, Flaminio told The Associated Press. However, some conservationists argue that the company's plans do not go far enough.</p><p>The plan "should provide funding to raise a minimum of 30 condors to 1.5 years of age when they are released into the wild." the Center for Biological Diversity wrote in comments to the FWS.</p>
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An Exxon oil refinery is seen at night. Jim Sugar / Getty Images
Citigroup will strive to reach net-zero greenhouse gas pollution across its lending portfolio by 2050 and in its own operations by 2030, the investment group announced Monday.
<p>The plan, published by CEO Jane Fraser, on her first day in the role, included few details but promised more within the coming year. </p><p>Citi's pledge follows similar announcements by Morgan Stanley, Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase amid efforts by the group <a href="https://newsletter.climatenexus.org/e2t/tc/VW12pK3RP4wWW7VrLG-4gQ48qW1KLHGL4nHcLsMDyKnp3p_9LV1-WJV7CgZcVW6dxBrb6S8q3rW3qnwpq6YMcnXW6X81xF814HdPW30bQ6285vNx7N3nSYpGv9zFlW9hrJNB7my_bTN2WsJFgWsZR9V5XHC06LHFvjW8vcRxB2-qW9PW25SPND8nSh3QW8HpGht1BnD2wW8QKdqg4Jbh3FW96YSVp91by3NN3zch6CrYKdDW813L1n1bCw-4N9dpv0LBj3ncW2J4ZWs1_rzYJVjPyNV8YwXBrM_RvMg-QsqhW3GWgH539JwwnMf01t66F3jWW71GP2Q96r9kXW92pGBf1TQgyBN5lqmlC5Qt2KW99HT6z3D7f98W1Lv39L1JLLnGW20xsgC3nr4ysW2gVGXx65byDd33K41" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">BankFWD</a> to push U.S. banks to slash greenhouse gas pollution from their investments. </p><p>Those three firms, plus Citigroup, have provided more than $705 billion to fossil energy companies since the Paris Agreement went into effect. </p><p>Also Monday, Exxon Mobil Corp. named activist investor Jeffrey Ubben and former Comcast executive Michael Angelakis to its board, in a move to parry calls for the oil giant to focus more on clean energy. </p><p>Last week, the Securities and Exchange Commission determined both Citigroup and Exxon could not prevent shareholders from voting on resolutions tied to racial equity and climate change.</p>
<p><strong>For a deeper dive:</strong></p><p>Citigroup: <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/finance/541020-citigroup-sets-goal-to-achieve-net-zero-emissions-by-2050?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=113718159&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8JAMXp-yLHJbHxbvmDGfX2S-FYGMVpbawKZ0L_lon_lqt14dH4LzmTvKI9aESVbIEqfL5G6YJ6-pGTa1bLJiM5rXr3PdBqynfiMb0C44NWBz50EpQ&utm_content=113718159&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">The Hill</a>, <a href="https://login.politicopro.com/?redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fsubscriber.politicopro.com%2Farticle%2F2021%2F03%2Fciti-pledges-to-stop-financing-greenhouse-gas-emissions-3987303%3Futm_campaign%3DHot%2520News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=113718159&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_YfzbNr-q9hDWRJo3ACPfkC6i-2ocHo2VrVypVvHdxMn84PsEPB2n14IuJVzaekX5gUUqqYtQPXv5U0TEnijLlOmJ8JD_57BDmBrvhcv3McLvcvVs&utm_content=113718159&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Politico Pro</a>; Fossil investments: <a href="https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2021/03/01/stories/1063726287?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=113718159&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--M0ZQdvCKkCSpUAWG5LdObCV0J2zGbgHNOiPuaHy_aA4Z4AykqIkE-8HD3lLwg-10v9dJVM7940Kbo0YNxlYL_nwyiKA8LPdRHEwUwVHptx9BPfug&utm_content=113718159&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">E&E</a>; Exxon: <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/exxon-adds-two-new-board-members-after-activist-pressure-11614607512?mod=searchresults_pos2&page=1&utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=113718159&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--m9T1M8rNEEIgOwgajbNq3NTDkvWWMjdPqPqnlUPN2A5aW3UJUO4y4NEB5ps-OKz-2N3IG_4UuqYEKoDiUZ_UZZS7aB2kHN0-I3lVkrqR70PwD3gI&utm_content=113718159&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Wall Street Journal,</a> <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN2AT2K0?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=113718159&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8f5L7QA1MNONzvBKjuP6s_y3zBOIbjn8Rc4K0b6zPnO_UslDCfWD_twOH98CoQPPesIGDeZHPSVDC6AXN8A5PqHyx6kRft3u0pBSIwKEeGwKcGtQo&utm_content=113718159&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Reuters,</a> <a href="https://www.axios.com/exxon-board-activist-climate-195cbfb1-cd52-4c92-bd59-13d6781d9896.html?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=113718159&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_LGXqzYZPEqroDVZv-euFStCRUvQgVX3D3fItkuSfAKB0fOwASTqpFThUU8Bt7d_kgwIlNUfkbWostNHKFWu6Pig81CqI57Cy9lMAdkRXRQ3hAm4M&utm_content=113718159&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Axios</a>; SEC: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-01/citigroup-exxon-must-let-investors-vote-on-esg-issues-sec-says?sref=oUjKJw8m&utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=113718159&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9-4on_47qkmXwBeosuro4FJLIPnKjdgOKraW7KJJa0HwquHKfV2lO8eCjRfs2ZqAAQgrKbMR6HGZwqpENToCahHevV-7ATh-8GkFy0M09MkmH3gAU&utm_content=113718159&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Bloomberg</a><br/></p><p><em>For more </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/climate-change-news/" target="_blank"><em>climate change</em></a><em> and </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/business/renewables/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>clean energy</em></a><em> news, you can follow Climate Nexus on </em><a href="https://twitter.com/ClimateNexus" target="_blank"><em>Twitter</em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClimateNexus/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Facebook</em></a><em>, sign up for daily </em><a href="https://www.linktrack.live/hot-news-sign-up" target="_blank"><em>Hot News</em></a><em>, and visit their news site, </em><a href="https://nexusmedianews.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Nexus Media News</em></a><em>. </em></p>From Your Site Articles
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A technician inspects a bitcoin mining operation at Bitfarms in Saint Hyacinthe, Quebec on March 19, 2018. LARS HAGBERG / AFP via Getty Images
As bitcoin's fortunes and prominence rise, so do concerns about its environmental impact.
<p>The process of mining the cryptocurrency is enormously energy intensive, so much so that it consumes more electricity in a year than Argentina or the Ukraine, according to the latest data from the <a href="https://cbeci.org/cbeci/comparisons" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cambridge Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index</a>. Its energy hunger even led to a warning from Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen last week, as <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/22/yellen-sounds-warning-about-extremely-inefficient-bitcoin.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CNBC reported</a>.</p><p>"It's an extremely inefficient way of conducting transactions," Yellen said, "and the amount of energy that's consumed in processing those transactions is staggering."</p>
<p>Bitcoin's value rose past $50,000 two weeks ago, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/16/investing/bitcoin-50000-price-record/index.html" target="_blank">CNN Business reported at the time</a>. It was in part buoyed by the success of Elon Musk, whose electric car company <a href="http://tesla/" target="_blank">Tesla</a> made more than $900 million after buying $1.5 billion of the currency, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-56215787" target="_blank">BBC News reported</a>. Its value has subsided somewhat since then, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/feb/27/bitcoin-mining-electricity-use-environmental-impact?CMP=fb_gu&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR32SsssuI2vJel6JIv35Rynz8rUuwDOjKG06vMdBGDQA0LuFQ389eE9B_g#Echobox=1614421164" target="_blank">The Guardian reported</a>. But Musk's endorsement raised a concern: How did his support of the currency meld with Tesla's <a href="https://www.tesla.com/about#:~:text=Tesla's%20mission%20is%20to%20accelerate%20the%20world's%20transition%20to%20sustainable%20energy.&text=Today%2C%20Tesla%20builds%20not%20only,energy%20generation%20and%20storage%20products." target="_blank">goal</a> of moving the world towards a "zero-emission future?"</p><p>The question is larger than Musk, of course. Bitcoin mining is energy intensive by design. There are only 21 million bitcoins that can be mined, a process that involves solving complex math problems on a computer to release new coins. When bitcoin first started in 2009, it was possible to mine for bitcoin on a normal computer. However, the currency is designed so that the fewer bitcoins left to be released, the more complicated the problems become. Now that 18.5 million bitcoins have been mined, an average computer cannot handle the calculations.</p>
<p>As the price rises, more people are motivated to get in on the action.</p><p>"They want to get that revenue," University of Chicago economics professor Gina Pieters told BBC News, "and that's what's going to encourage them to introduce more and more powerful machines in order to guess this random number, and therefore you will see an increase in energy consumption."</p><p>Pieters is part of the University of Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF), which runs the bitcoin electricity use index. CCAF <a href="https://cbeci.org/" target="_blank">calculates</a> that bitcoin now uses 129.22 terawatt hours of electricity a year, according to its most recent update.</p>
<p>This doesn't necessarily mean that mining bitcoin is increasing <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/greenhouse-gas-emissions" target="_self">greenhouse gas emissions</a>. Bitcoin proponents say that the mining can be powered using <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/renewable-energy" target="_self">renewable energy</a> sources, according to The Guardian. However, the mining process does motivate miners to seek out cheap energy sources.</p><p>"The more machines a miner operates, the more likely he is to find the solution to the puzzle," the CCAF <a href="https://cbeci.org/faq/" target="_blank">explained</a>. "However, more machines also means that more electricity is needed to run and cool the equipment, which in turn results in higher costs for the miner in question. Miners are thus always searching for abundant electricity sources at the lowest possible price."</p><p>Seeking the cheapest electricity source may mean <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/coal" target="_self">coal</a> in many places, The Guardian pointed out. More bitcoin is mined in China than in any other country, and about two-thirds of its electricity still comes from coal.</p>
<p>The CCAF said it does not yet have the data to determine the cryptocurrency's carbon footprint, since this would require accurate assessments of the energy mix behind mining. However, it pointed out that even if all bitcoin mining was powered by coal, an unlikely scenario, it would still only account for 0.17 percent of the world's total greenhouse gas emissions. That doesn't mean bitcoin's growth isn't a concern for the attempts to combat the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change/" target="_self">climate crisis</a>, however.</p><p>"There are valid concerns that Bitcoin's growing electricity consumption may pose a threat to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in the future," the index wrote.</p><p>That threat increases the more bitcoin gains in popularity. Bitcoin expert and Digiconomist founder Alex de Vries told BBC News what would happen if bitcoin were adapted as a global reserve currency.</p><p>"[T]he Bitcoin price will probably be in the millions, and those miners will have more money than the entire [US] Federal budget to spend on electricity. We'd have to double our global energy production," he said. "For Bitcoin."</p>
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A plume of exhaust extends from the Mitchell Power Station, a coal-fired power plant built along the Monongahela River, 20 miles southwest of Pittsburgh, on Sept. 24, 2013 in New Eagle, Pennsylvania. The plant, owned by FirstEnergy, was retired the following month. Jeff Swensen / Getty Images
By David Drake and Jeffrey York
The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work.
The Big Idea
People often point to plunging natural gas prices as the reason U.S. coal-fired power plants have been shutting down at a faster pace in recent years. However, new research shows two other forces had a much larger effect: federal regulation and a well-funded activist campaign that launched in 2011 with the goal of ending coal power.
<p>We studied the retirement of U.S. coal-fired units from January 2008 to September 2016 and compared the effects of various market factors, regulations and activism on their early closure. In all, 348 coal-fired units either retired or switched to natural gas during that time.</p><p>Among the many pressures on coal power that we reviewed, a federal regulation implemented in 2015 had the biggest overall effect. The <a href="https://eelp.law.harvard.edu/2017/09/cross-state-air-pollution-rule-and-section-126-petitions/" target="_blank">Cross State Air Pollution Rule</a> requires states to reduce soot and smog pollution that blows across state lines, including from power plants. We estimate that it was responsible for reducing the expected production life of the coal power units that it affected by a total of 1,170 years.</p>
<p>Looking at coal units individually, however, we found that the <a href="https://coal.sierraclub.org/" target="_blank">Sierra Club's Beyond Coal campaign</a>, backed by <a href="https://www.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2020/09/bloomberg-philanthropies-and-sierra-clubs-beyond-coal-campaign-reaches" target="_blank">over $174 million</a> to date from Bloomberg Philanthropies, had the most impact per targeted plant.</p><p>The campaign works by generating public pressure on utilities and state and local politicians to close down coal-fired units, often through targeted lawsuits. When the Beyond Coal campaign targeted a coal-fired unit, we found that the unit's life expectancy, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-12618-3" target="_blank">normally 50-60 years</a>, was reduced by an average of just over two years.</p><p>The Cross State Air Pollution Rule was the second-biggest factor per individual plant, though it affected more plants. It reduced the expected life span of each coal-fired generating unit that it affected by an estimated average of about 21 months.</p><p>We were surprised to find that neither low natural gas prices nor the adoption of renewable energy significantly reduced the life of coal units. Both have been widely touted by politicians and business leaders as the market-based drivers of coal plant retirement.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTcwMzM1Mi9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyOTE0NDY2OH0.YivSnJf8zxVGrZ-tqR5DKJBuXIvMU0sK9mvoE0zOnlE/img.png?width=980" id="5a990" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f93a313d8569c2cebd38ce041d696230" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1308" data-height="924" />
<p>However, while adoption of <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/renewable-energy/">renewable energy</a> alone did not reduce coal units' life spans, the average use of each source of renewable energy in an area did have a significant impact. Coal units operating in regions with high average renewable energy use retired an average of 15 months earlier.</p><p>It is important to note that a large number of coal plants were already nearing the end of their lifecycles during this period. But through statistical modeling, we were able to isolate the impact of each of these interventions on accelerating the retirement of a given unit.</p>
<h3>Why It Matters</h3><p>A rapid transition away from carbon-intensive energy sources such as coal is essential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that are warming the planet. Burning coal releases <a href="https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=73&t=11" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">nearly twice as much carbon dioxide</a> per unit of energy produced as natural gas does, and the natural gas contribution to global warming is significant.</p><p>From 2011 through 2018, coal-fired generating capacity in the U.S. contracted by 23%. We estimate that the emissions impact of the accelerated retirements we studied was equivalent to taking <a href="https://www.epa.gov/greenvehicles/greenhouse-gas-emissions-typical-passenger-vehicle" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">38 million typical passenger cars off the road</a>.</p><p>The common narrative has been that <a href="https://www.marketplace.org/2021/02/08/biden-coal-energy-industry-policy-renewables-natural-gas/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">market forces and economics have driven the demise of coal</a>. However, our research suggests that a continued focus on federal policy is a more effective route for reducing emissions.</p><p>The Biden administration has already <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/president-biden-takes-office/2021/01/27/960941799/biden-to-pause-oil-and-gas-leasing-on-public-lands-and-waters" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">halted new leases</a> for coal, oil and gas extraction on federal lands. And its climate task force – which includes the Cabinet-level department and agency heads – <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/02/11/readout-of-the-first-national-climate-task-force-meeting/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">met in</a> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/11/climate/biden-climate-change.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">February</a> to start coordinating <a href="https://theconversation.com/biden-plans-to-fight-climate-change-in-a-way-no-u-s-president-has-done-before-152419" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">government-wide</a> climate change solutions. Those likely will include new regulations and could include a price on carbon.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTcwMzM2Ny9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNjAzMTEwNn0.vvLRY5Hd-ZUC7v9FF7TAv4ea0jv2hS8gqJUzh15KJcM/img.png?width=980" id="a304a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9c74d6048af72ea038d4d550ca9f736b" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1288" data-height="676" />
<h3>What's Next</h3><p>Our current work sheds light on where responsibility lies for the acceleration of coal-fired power unit retirements through late 2016.</p><p>Next, we are interested in expanding on our findings about differences between renewable energy use and initial adoption. Understanding how to increase use of renewable sources, while creating new businesses and jobs, is a critical research agenda for addressing climate change.</p>
<p>
<em>David Drake is an assistant professor of strategy, entrepreneurship and operations management at the University of Colorado Boulder.<br/>
</em>
</p><p>
<em>Jeffrey York is an associate professor of strategy and entrepreneurship at the University of Colorado Boulder.</em>
</p><p>
<em>Disclosure statement: </em><em>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</em>
</p><p>
<em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-really-driving-coal-powers-demise-153868" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.</em>
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Biden Admin Sets Interim Obama-Era 'Social Cost' Estimates for Greenhouse Pollution
01 March
Climate
The Biden administration is temporarily using Obama-era calculations of the "social cost" of three greenhouse gas pollutants while calculating a more accurate estimate. Bloomberg Creative / Getty Images
The Biden administration announced it will use Obama-era calculations of the "social cost" of three greenhouse gas pollutants while an interagency working group calculates a more complete estimate, the White House announced Friday.
<p>Often described as "the most important number you've never heard of," the "social cost" of greenhouse gases estimates the harms to society caused by each ton of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide emitted into the atmosphere.</p><p> Those estimates are used across government in calculating the costs and benefits of proposed actions. </p><p>Though the administration did not specify the exact costs, multiple outlets report the interim estimate of the social cost of carbon will be approximately $51 per ton. </p>
<p>The interagency working group also set the social cost of methane, a far more potent heat trapping gas, at $1,500 per ton and at $18,000 for nitrous oxide, Politico reported. </p><p>The Trump administration had slashed those estimates to as low as $1 per ton for carbon dioxide and <a href="https://newsletter.climatenexus.org/e2t/tc/VWc3Ss16j4jqVWBHHP4LN2tpW5n2k0f4nF4btN52hRhc3p_97V1-WJV7Cg_0YW6pZTk92WhPGZW37hr0G4H1BjCW1hRCb65rgpCwW5Dp1C_38qPy9N2lz_9P4cjQTW2Q7ZGb2_Hr8KW7XqZ-N4MFD8BW54d7b08j9gc2W2wYlzG49736YW20Tf_B4_c467VM9dbX1KYGlgW2Ypf4p4TX1tHW4pSwzw2sW2ZXW4rbyBx4v8CkSW8l-CvK9043PvW96NMMm3WC-MKW1sXNd24n6KZDW8JVWhZ74_RjLW7y55q17qm1j0W7MnxFs7g-NvFN15zNdW7tZVVW29PxT_51Z0nqW3Nm3LL3t34rvW8-lpqK12JxWD320g1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">$55</a> per ton for methane. </p><p>The final estimate for the social cost of carbon produced by the interagency working group could reach as high as $125 after accounting for scientific advances and climatic damage over the past four years but the Obama-era estimates were subject to extensive scientific and agency review and public comment, making them more likely to withstand legal challenges.</p>
<p><strong>For a deeper dive:</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2021/02/26/biden-cost-climate-change/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=113518301&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--ZE8aiLDfC1QFojOTg1BB2q5abyDKJicVOMcpB29ATwGIsOANclRCPjAsgbaDQFGpYLjgqua9bYwI35knDuFvvTbqToMPVfnZasx76dmkrs1rhgKI&utm_content=113518301&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Washington Post</a>, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-26/biden-turns-back-to-obama-era-method-of-valuing-climate-change?sref=oUjKJw8m&utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=113518301&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_a7BG_sgkNJUhtT5UjieNfPpo4xMvuWivfjr9CdY0eWIJW8gCnms5cqr-8twjTAch6UPmHDprjCp7vh9lxWcKwErrkiyWwcehJTz9dxw8-kq4z2_s&utm_content=113518301&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Bloomberg</a>, <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/26/biden-carbon-price-climate-change-471787?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=113518301&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--L7SQELIPyKsbRfozxkJC1QnfZGlSfYGpccTlJNPFW3VRPlcQNF_SiMojxDSE9bPd7f-o3IooLdGiROyX-P1mNnFNNE1V9h8P-IWpmsoi3D1s3Jj4&utm_content=113518301&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Politico</a>, <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/540754-biden-returns-to-obama-era-greenhouse-gas-calculation?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=113518301&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--O2t2RIGRoS4Bgo0jBxzJ5W6NFEPzX1h5n_kwd6gdEpPn6IxwmJsS7qbnOmpHLp9rdcI82BLrvjsUX-SRvXNjh1C94yIJpr6hD3RLXnyjSJz6Lc8g&utm_content=113518301&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">The Hill</a>, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-13/why-biden-is-reviving-climate-change-s-magic-number-quicktake?sref=oUjKJw8m&utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=113518301&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--d2o4iO9QMaGPCI2xN2SNJYhDsfar9qIurb3_2HeXN4ulu5M5MEZvxFD5C1PeOVvFMUP8PeUI1h2M2UVk_qizhhKIQAH5EQqG9pKMbjC4B5GVuF_A&utm_content=113518301&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Bloomberg</a>, <a href="https://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2021/03/01/stories/1063726223?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=113518301&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--tuTQw9FQncUu6oCfAVaoAegk4MIV09o4wFpoRZsxYBieazAdsMd8nF5Gl6SVgeb3t3Hy_vRdhnRiIq8hqDZy97azF0GJGiHk5qHuMlUiOs75PX7s&utm_content=113518301&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">E&E</a>, <a href="https://insideclimatenews.org/news/26022021/carbon-cost-biden-climate-change/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=113518301&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_K9P-nN2bNBxNwHRPnnmOAoicP6nmjDyzwZ-GNWPDO9PBs4IXemV4weEB5doyxDn456PLZgjpZmNtnbDoAxTb8u_Pn88benWb0V9VE2noCMvstJMc&utm_content=113518301&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">InsideClimate News</a>, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN2AQ335?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=113518301&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--Xl9dS7eM0mLl-usTffaL0yg_eHxYvFxS2BDC41G3aqhae6FMlFj8ei_b3GshuaPtIUsIOotjSt1vezMMmvntWES5oTm0OyXgmFuzh3UQ5k3ExQoc&utm_content=113518301&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Reuters</a>, <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/biden-matches-obamas-social-cost-of-carbon-for-now-its-a-figure-roughly-50-times-greater-than-trumps-11614380130?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=113518301&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9Oz_wuWo6RCfaqO4enpWn1xsDRPgxFl_q4pxfRGcBQW8rxoPB58Tz62_xHTOe-NwT3oW_jKrM96_Cq8pXEyuy9TdOZVpprDUBNLYcINWFWuHAyRS8&utm_content=113518301&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">MarketWatch</a>, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/carbon-social-cost-raised-by-biden/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=113518301&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_ifIfvZnWIMu0aNfHhPZWpAGtI8MvaODgAzJ3YcSqC_dos4p6QduJShsXxWqlLOABHqQXwZSk3Dvk0y6v7Xpu4Agz_rpDGHuEkPsJ8jWqLCfT8ieE&utm_content=113518301&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">CBS</a><br/></p><p><em>For more </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/climate-change-news/" target="_blank"><em>climate change</em></a><em> and </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/business/renewables/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>clean energy</em></a><em> news, you can follow Climate Nexus on </em><a href="https://twitter.com/ClimateNexus" target="_blank"><em>Twitter</em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClimateNexus/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Facebook</em></a><em>, sign up for daily </em><a href="https://www.linktrack.live/hot-news-sign-up" target="_blank"><em>Hot News</em></a><em>, and visit their news site, </em><a href="https://nexusmedianews.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Nexus Media News</em></a><em>. </em></p>
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