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By Mark McCord
- An academic paper suggests key tipping points can significantly reduce carbon emissions, which would help to slow global warming.
- Government policies are making coal uneconomical.
- Electric vehicle pricing structures have helped reduce the number of petrol and diesel cars on the world's roads.
There may be light at the end of the tunnel in the battle to reduce carbon emissions.
<p>Governments and institutions could help halt carbon emissions with just a few carefully selected policy measures, according to a new paper, which looked at the experience of the energy industry and changing trends in road vehicle purchases.</p>
<p>If chosen properly and applied internationally, such "tipping points" could set off a series of other changes that snowball into a movement with enough critical mass to slow global warming and reduce natural disasters.</p><p>The <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/research/news/articles/positivetippingpointsoffe.html" target="_blank">paper</a>, published in the journal Climate Policy, argues that actions taken within each industry created a cascade of further developments that helped reduce their carbon footprints.</p><p>"In complex systems – including human societies – tipping points can occur, in which a small perturbation transforms a system," wrote the paper's authors, Professor Tim Lenton, director of the Global Systems Institute (GSI) at the University of Exeter and Simon Sharpe, a deputy director in the UK Cabinet Office 26th session of the Conference of Parties (<a href="https://sdg.iisd.org/events/2020-un-climate-change-conference-unfccc-cop-26/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">COP 26</a>) unit.</p><p>"Crucially, activating one tipping point can increase the likelihood of triggering another at a larger scale, and so on."</p>
Towards the Paris Agreement Targets
<p>Such tipping points are hoped to help the world meet the targets of the 2015 Paris Agreement, in which 196 heads of state agreed to reduce global warming to within 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, with a preferred target of 1.5 degrees. Were they achieved, experts say the positive impacts would be <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/12/emissions-paris-agreement-two-decades-climate-change-global-warming/" target="_blank">felt within two decades</a>.</p><p>The accord strives for a climate-neutral world by the middle of this century. It's expected to be built upon at the United Nations Climate Change conference, or COP26, which is due to take place in November. The World Economic Forum's <a href="https://www.weforum.org/our-impact/accelerating-climate-action" target="_blank">Climate Initiative</a> strives also to offer globally linked solutions.</p><p>The report in Climate Policy explains how a combination of factors led to the tipping point that prompted the UK to decarbonize its power industry. They included the creation of a carbon tax, an EU scheme that made gas cheaper than coal and an investment strategy for renewable energy that made coal less economical.</p><p>"The power sector needs to decarbonize four times faster than its current rate, and the pace of the transition to zero-emission vehicles needs to double," Lenton said.</p><p>"Many people are questioning whether this is achievable. But hope lies in the way that tipping points can spark rapid change through complex systems."</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTU1Njk2MC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MTA0MzY2MH0.aeowRd-sEX7nd5xnijsCNTSSekAtpS3wpEN46KVIPMU/img.png?width=980" id="87cc2" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="92b9fbb9ef86f4f9154ecd20fe0d6477" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1008" data-height="1132" />Wind and solar accounted for a third of the UK's energy generation in 2020. Statista
Positive Tipping Points
<p>Besides the UK, the authors of the paper cited Norway as an example of the nations that have acted to reduce greenhouse gases pumped out by motor vehicles.</p><p>Through government incentives, new electric vehicles (EV) in Norway are priced similarly to petrol and diesel cars. This has <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/research/news/articles/positivetippingpointsoffe.html" target="_blank">boosted sales of EVs to more than 50% of new car purchases, compared with 2%-3% worldwide</a>.</p><p>China, the European Union (EU) and California are responsible for half of global car sales. Professor Lenton suggests that if they formed an international effort to redirect investment from conventional cars to EVs they could reduce costs, boost production and create a broader tipping point that would accelerate the reduction of fossil fuel use.</p><p>Lenton argues that if government action can lower the cost of financing renewables to below that of excavating coal, industries linked to transport, heating and power could all rapidly decarbonize.</p><p>That's good news because a new, more urgent, approach is needed to reduce the rate at which the global climate is warming, according to scientists.</p>2020 and 2016 Hottest Years on Record
<p>Earlier this month, the <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/climate-change-temperature/2020-ties-with-2016-as-worlds-hottest-year-on-record-eu-climate-change-service-says-idUSL1N2JI1YT" target="_blank">EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service said 2020 had equaled 2016 as the hottest year on record</a>.</p><p>A study published in Climate Dynamics said <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/01/global-warming-threshold-reached-by-2027/" target="_blank">the planet could breach the threshold for global warming between 2027 and 2042</a>, a decade earlier than previously thought.</p><p>"If either of these efforts – in power or road transport – succeed, the most important effect could be to tip perceptions of the potential for international cooperation to tackle climate change," Lenton said.</p><p><em>Reposted with permission from the </em><em><a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/01/climate-change-carbon-emissions-global-warming/" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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The Parc del Fòrum, a public open space with a massive solar panel in Barcelona, Spain. Enrique Díaz / 7cero / Getty Images
By Francesco Starace and Jean-Pascal Tricoire
Why is it so important to decarbonize cities? And how can we do it?
<p>The first question is easy to answer: The cities in which more than half of us live account for nearly two-thirds of the CO2 emissions that lie at the root of our planet's looming <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-crisis">climate crisis</a>. Skyscrapers in megalopolises, shopping malls, SUVs in the streets, air conditioners in a growing number of places throughout the globe – all consume a vast amount of high CO2-content energy.</p><p>The answer to the second question is to take an integrated approach: leveraging clean electrification and digital technology to harmonize urban energy systems, while also thinking beyond individual projects to consider their impact within the surrounding communities and the built environment.</p>
<p>In fact, urban energy, transport and building infrastructures are gradually becoming greener: There are <a href="https://www.iea.org/reports/global-ev-outlook-2020" target="_blank">more electric vehicles on city streets</a>, better water treatment and recycling schemes, and more <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/solar">solar</a> panels on rooftops around the globe. According to <a href="https://www.iea.org/reports/renewables-2020?utm_content=buffer061dd&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin-Birol&utm_campaign=buffer" target="_blank">International Energy Agency estimates</a>, renewables like solar and wind are set to become the largest source of electricity generation worldwide by 2025, supplying one-third of the world's electricity and ending coal's decades-long dominance of the global power mix.</p><p>All this is, of course, welcome.</p><p>But with climate change accelerating, we need more comprehensive decarbonization actions on three fronts. First, we need even more energy to come from <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/renewable-energy/">renewable</a> sources. Second, we need more cars, heating and other activity to be powered by clean electricity. Third, we need everything from factories, to office buildings, homes, transport systems and consumer devices to become more energy-efficient.</p>
<p>This third lever might not as headline-grabbing as the rise of solar panels or electric vehicles. But it is a big piece of the decarbonization puzzle, with an even larger potential enabled by digital technologies.</p><p>Consider, for example, the technologies that make buildings more energy-efficient, by automatically adapting the amount of cooling, heating or lighting to occupancy levels at any given moment. Or digital tools that allow the operators of a manufacturing site in Sweden or a public utility in India to run their operations or distribution systems more efficiently and even remotely, rather than in person (a feature that has proved critical in these times of social distancing and lockdowns).</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTQzNDUzNy9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNzEwMDEwN30.PFj06PUl54BGCMlbb0etzgnp-P2-zB1a3v5RNcG2BYw/img.png?width=980" id="57d4e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8cdbcd37ddf921991f9393f268d33296" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1526" data-height="986" />
<p>Imagine how much more we could achieve if we digitally integrate ultra-efficient buildings, public services – e.g. transport or lighting – and electric vehicle charging stations into a wider, highly efficient urban system, delivering better quality services for citizens and accompanying benefits such as local job creation, health, and well-being. Integration and interaction between assets are the key to disrupt the traditional equation of energy and efficiency in cities. An EV battery can store power not only for just one car, but, while a car is not in use, also for the surrounding community thanks to smart-charging infrastructures. Excess power generated by an office building's or warehouse's rooftop solar panels might be used to help power the wider neighborhood.</p>
<p>The technologies, digital tools and data analytics capabilities to enable this efficient urban system already exist, as do concrete examples of such an integrated approach. Therefore, integration and collaboration of systems and stakeholders are the fundamental drivers to accelerate and scale the transition in cities.</p><p>Integration of energy, buildings and mobility requires cross-cutting industry collaboration, ranging from utilities and real estate, to technology companies and financial institutions. City- and state-level administration can enable and facilitate such collaboration through public-private cooperation. The public sector can drive on governance, policy and licensing, while the private sector provides agility, technology and resources. This cooperation can share and balance risks and liability between stakeholders for mutual gains and value creation for the broader community.</p>
<p>All of this comes against a backdrop of great urgency. Epidemics, climate and economic pain have all created unique challenges in 2020. But combating climate change must remain top of mind. Cities lie at the heart of this fight and have now the chance to build back better. We have joined the World Economic Forum in the effort to promote dialogue and mobilize action together with a group of global leaders. As co-chairs of the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/projects/systemic-efficiency" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Net Zero Carbon Cities initiative</a>, our ambition is to accelerate a sustainable transition in cities, supporting mayors in creating value for their communities. It is up to all of us to ensure we become part of the solution rather than part of the problem.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/01/cities-climate-decarbonize-integrated/" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>.</em><br/></p>From Your Site Articles
- Electrifying the U.S. Economy Could Create 25 Million Green Jobs ... ›
- Majority of Voters Support 100 Percent Clean Energy Transition ... ›
- Sweden Imagines Life After Cars With ‘One-Minute Cities’ - EcoWatch ›
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To truly get the most out of life, a person needs to be able to get a good night's sleep, which has led many to wonder if there is anything behind the idea of CBD for sleep improvement.
<p>According to the <a href="https://www.sleephealth.org/sleep-health/the-state-of-sleephealth-in-america/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">American Sleep Apnea Association</a>, an estimated 50 to 70 million people in the United States spanning all ages and socioeconomic classes suffer from sleeplessness. Both men and women are impacted by sleep disturbances, and according to <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/data_statistics.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society</a>, adults aged 18-60 years old need at least seven hours of sleep each night to realize optimal health and well-being. </p><p>Ultimately, when a person does not get the sleep they need they run the risk of developing many chronic health conditions, including high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and other mental health issues. Therefore, a person must develop good sleep practices and implement strategies both during the day and before bed that will allow them to get the sleep they need to have a great life. </p><p>In this article, we will explore why Americans have problems sleeping, discuss strategies for improving sleep, and most importantly investigate the role that CBD for sleep improvement could play in helping people achieve a healthy sleep cycle.</p><h2>Our Top CBD Oils for Sleep</h2><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><ul class="ee-ul"><li><a href="https://takespruce.com/?rfsn=2546834.ac5974&subid=EW_Sleep" target="_blank">Spruce CBD Oil</a> - Strongest CBD Oil for Sleep</li><li><a href="https://cbdistillery.vxoy.net/52VD3" target="_blank">CBDistillery CBN + CBD Oil</a> - Best for Sleep Specifically</li><li><a href="https://plantpeople.pxf.io/av09o" target="_blank">Plant People CBN Oil</a> - Best for Calming and Sleep</li></ul><h2>How We Picked the Best CBD Oils for Sleep</h2><p>For the sake of this article, the source and quality of the CBD oils that we will discuss were properly vetted. All recommended products were derived from industrial hemp grown in the United States and contains under 0.3% THC, which is required by law. Additionally, all products have been tested by third-party labs to ensure their quality and safety.</p><p><span></span>When reviewing CBD brands and products, we focus on six major factors:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li><strong>Value</strong> — is the brand's CBD oil affordable compared to similar products?</li><li><strong>Strength</strong> — how much CBD and what type of CBD does their oil contain?</li><li><strong>Source </strong>— where does the company source their hemp and how is the CBD extracted?</li><li><strong>Flavor</strong> — does the product come in any flavors and do they flavor them naturally?</li><li><strong>Transparency</strong> — do they offer third-party lab test results and information about each batch of CBD?</li><li><strong>Customer experience</strong> — what do customer have to say about the product and purchasing experience?</li></ul><p>Using these standards we were able to select the best CBD oils for sleep. Learn more about our choices below.</p>
<h2>Why is sleep important?<br></h2><p>Sleep plays an important role in your mental and physical health. When you have a healthy sleep cycle, your body and mind are able to engage in many restorative processes including healing and repairing cognitive and cardiac functions. Even though you may be dreaming, your body is actively working, boosting your immune system, fighting inflammation, regulating digestive processes, and so much more. </p><p>Without healthy sleep, one's body will not be able to effectively fight off diseases and the brain cannot function properly. This not only leads to physical health issues but also can result in a lack of concentration and clear thinking as well as impediments when trying to process and retain memories. </p><p>Sleep problems can also break down the circadian rhythm. For instance, light directly impacts this process. Inside the brain, there is a region of nerve cells called the hypothalamus. Within the hypothalamus is a cell cluster called the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Here signals are processed when the eyes are exposed to natural or artificial light, which helps the brain identify whether it is day or night. When natural light dissipates in the evening, melatonin, a natural hormone, is released in the body, which is why you feel drowsy as the night wears on. </p><p>In the morning, as you near your wake cycle, cortisol, another hormone, is released, which helps you feel alert and ready for the day. This is the basis of a healthy sleep cycle, and when it is disrupted, or if your body doesn't produce the natural hormones it needs to regulate this cycle, then you may find yourself suffering for shut-eye. </p><h2>Common Causes of Sleep Loss</h2><p>Poor sleep can be caused by many different factors, including chronic pain, stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anxiety. Financial and relationship worries can be culprits as well. </p><p>However, as we noted, CBD not only has the potential for helping as a sleep aid and improving sleep quality but also can mitigate and manage anxiety and assist with pain relief through its anti-inflammation properties.</p><h2>Impacts of insomnia</h2><p>Insomnia is a serious sleep disorder that can be acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term). While it is incredibly common and can cause a person to have problems falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking far too early, the fact is, insomnia can drastically impact your energy level, your work performance, your quality of life, and has the potential to cause negative physical and mental health outcomes. Insomnia can be caused by stress, work and travel schedules, diet and exercise habits, too much screentime, life events such as divorce, job loss, and grief, medications, and more. </p><p>According to the <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355167" target="_blank">Mayo Clinic</a>, chronic insomnia can result in many of the health conditions we have referenced, including heart disease, diabetes, obesity, etc., and can also cause depression and anxiety. </p><p>Many people who have insomnia turn to self-medicating in the form of alcohol and drug abuse because they believe it will help them get to sleep, or they turn to over-the-counter pills and pharmaceuticals, which can be habit-forming and addictive. </p><p>Right now, one in four Americans develops insomnia annually, according to <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180605154114.htm" target="_blank">Science Daily</a>. However, insomnia remains the most prevalent sleep disorder in the United States, and 40 million Americans suffer from chronic insomnia. </p><h2>Can CBD Help Improve Your Sleep?</h2><p>If you feel like your sleep cycle has been completely thrown out of whack, it could be time to look for help in getting back to normal. Even though you may feel tired, you may still be in a position where sleep alludes you, and it is likely because your body is overloaded with stress hormones and cortisol, which is what is keeping you awake. This is where CBD for sleep might offer a solution.</p><p>Cannabidiol, also known by the acronym CBD, has received much attention recently for its potential to help with a wide range of ailments, including anxiety, mood enhancement, and more. Another area it could assist with is its ability to induce sleepiness and help you get a good night's rest.</p><p>According to a 2019 study published in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6326553/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Permanente Journal on behalf of the National Institutes of Health</a>, CBD was examined for its efficacy in not only treating anxiety problems and post-traumatic stress disorder but also sleep disorders. The results of the study displayed that the patients treated through the use of CBD over the course of three months saw an improvement in their sleep cycles, as well as a lessening of their anxiety and other mental anguish. Administered in doses of 25 mg of CBD, the cannabidiol was well received. Side effects were minimal and typically related to daytime sleepiness on higher doses of CBD.</p><p>It is believed that CBD can improve sleep processes because it triggers the body's endocannabinoid system, a biological system that is comprised of endocannabinoids, receptors, and enzymes that regulate a variety of bodily functions, including sleep, memory, appetite, and mood.</p><p>Phytocannabinoids like CBD have the potential to interact on an indirect basis with cannabinoid receptors in the endocannabinoid system, thereby encouraging the body to sleep as well as regulate other hormones that contribute to sleep loss.</p><h2>How to Choose the Best CBD for Sleep</h2><p>If you are interested in CBD for sleep quality improvement, then it is important to do your research and realize that not all CBD tinctures are created equal.</p><p>In order to feel confident knowing that you purchased a high-quality CBD product, only buy from a brand that engages in accredited, third-party lab testing and subsequently publishes its lab reports on its website. You must be able to see that what is on the label of your CBD oil actually is validated through testing processes.</p><p>This also ensures that the CBD oil is free of toxins, including pesticides, heavy metals, microbials, and solvents, and contains the concentration of CBD, terpenes, and other cannabinoids and plant parts that it claims.</p><p>Additionally, if you are buying a CBD product specifically to improve sleep quality, then you may want to consider a full-spectrum CBD tincture as opposed to a broad-spectrum or CBD isolate product. We find that many people note that they have a better experience with full-spectrum because it has a broad range of cannabinoids that work together. This creates synergy and effectively triggers the endocannabinoid system.</p><p>Finally, also consider specifically purchasing a product that contains melatonin, which is a natural hormone that regulates sleep alongside wakefulness. Boosting this particular hormone, which is already found in your body, can truly improve your sleep-wake cycle.</p><h2><span></span>Should I Try CBD for Sleep?</h2><p>In conclusion, there is no denying that we live in stressful times and because of that many people in the United States are experiencing problems with achieving healthy sleep patterns. However, there is no need to suffer through another night tossing and turning. CBD for sleep is proven to help regulate sleep cycles, promote restful sleep, and could assist with a variety of other medical conditions.</p><p>Just keep in mind that since CBD oil is not regulated by the FDA, you must do your due diligence. If you are considering introducing CBD for sleep quality improvement in your life, consult with a doctor if you have any existing medical conditions prior to beginning use.</p>
Spruce CBD Oil
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDgwNTgxMC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNjcwOTUxMX0.aBEHgGmkcQhGmFEDEz-bl0FNSceyYQGbmY22WgzM8eE/img.jpg?width=980" id="76502" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f7902d5965cb564b7275679ef30c1cb8" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="spruce cbd oil" />Spruce<ul> <li>$89.00 for 750 mg and $269.00 for 2400 mg.</li><li>Offered in 750 mg with 25 mg of CBD per dropper and 2400 mg with 80 mg of CBD per dropper. </li><li>The tinctures are full-spectrum, made in the United States, lab grade, organic, contain no pesticides, and are third-party tested. </li><li>The 750 mg comes in peppermint flavor and the 2400 mg option has no flavoring added. </li><li>Spruce CBD is a family-owned and operated brand, and they ship to all 50 states.</li></ul><p><strong>Why buy: </strong>We like that this CBD oil comes in extra strength for powerful relief from sleeplessness.</p>
$89
CBDistillery CBN + CBD Sleep Tincture
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDkxODc1Ni9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NTM4MDU2OX0.aZyEdrv1XlL_LUyokdkGPN6YAok2Xw4oEP6E45FSQ_A/img.jpg?width=980" id="60fb5" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c48208979e5cf7c6b3c4007808f6aa91" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="574" data-height="846" /><ul> <li>$60.00 for 150mg of CBN and 450mg of CBD.</li><li>All products are non-GMO and made from natural farming practices.</li><li>CBDistillery also has sleep gummies that are gluten-free, allergen-free, vegan, non-GMO, and kosher.</li></ul><p><strong>Why buy:</strong> We like that this oil is specifically formulated for sleep. Additionally, this brand is a good choice for a CBD consumer who wants a full spectrum oil geared toward a particular cannabinoid blend, like CBN.</p>
$60
Plant People CBN Oil
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDkxODY0Ni9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0Njk3MTA1MH0.bU8C46w62NwsM7BqcxdRo3ITynDtNnBq99CnIaOgYgs/img.jpg?width=980" id="3d3d5" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="dcc503f8a9d169c267a2dbf44ad9ee05" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1112" data-height="1014" /><ul> <li>$49.99 for 360 mg bottle, $78.99 for a 720 mg bottle, and $119.99 for a 1440 mg bottle.</li><li>The 360 mg bottle contains 12 mg of CBD per serving, the 720 mg bottle contains 24 mg of CBD per serving, and the 1400 mg bottle contains 48 mg of CBD per serving. </li><li>The Drops+ Sleep tincture is organic, vegan, non-GMO, lab-tested, gluten-free, Dr. Formulated, CGMP standard, and aligns with a Keto diet. </li><li>It contains the cannabinoids CBD and CBN, as well as terpenes, including Myrcene, which also promotes healthy sleep.</li></ul><p><strong>Why buy: </strong>We like that this product not only helps improve sleep, but it also calms the mind and body, reduces stress, and promotes an inflammatory response to soothe muscles and promote recovery. </p>
$79
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Cambridge, MA Becomes First U.S. City to Mandate Climate Warnings on Gas Pumps
29 December 2020
Energy
An aerial view of Harvard Hall in Harvard Yard in Cambridge, Massachusetts on April 16, 2020. Blake Nissen for The Boston Globe via Getty Images
The city of Cambridge, Massachusetts will mandate climate change warning labels on fuel pumps, The Guardian reported.
<p>The yellow stickers warn drivers that burning gasoline, diesel and ethanol has "major consequences on human health and the environment including contributing to climate change," making Cambridge the first U.S. city to do so, according to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/dec/25/massachusetts-city-to-post-climate-change-warning-stickers-at-gas-stations" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>.</p><p>While similar mandates can be found in <a href="http://www.gronabilister.se/arkiv/artiklar-och-reportage/artiklar-2018/the-climate-impact-and-the-origin-of-all-fuels-in-sweden-will-be-declared-at-the-pump" target="_blank">Sweden</a>, a similar idea surfaced in Berkeley, California in 2014, but was never enacted, according to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cambridge-gas-pumps-post-warning-climate-change-2020-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Business Insider</a>.</p><p>"The gas pump stickers will remind drivers to think about climate change and hopefully consider non-polluting options," a spokesman from the city of Cambridge told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/dec/25/massachusetts-city-to-post-climate-change-warning-stickers-at-gas-stations" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Guardian</a>.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTExNzM3Ni9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNjcyOTE5NX0.9ZB7MnjzQkhihMb6CT5hjqdf8gH6Uwf07OCETV_u6P0/img.jpg?width=980" id="7e403" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="31d668b4db1928db7ca04634589914d3" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="893" data-height="679" />
City of Cambridge
<p>In 2018, Cambridge updated its <a href="https://www.cambridgema.gov/CDD/climateandenergy/climatechangeplanning/climateactionplan" target="_blank">Climate Action Plan</a>, aiming to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. The label mandate is a step towards achieving this goal and an attempt to reduce the city's transportation greenhouse gas emissions which account for almost half of the city's total, according to the <a href="http://cambridgema.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?Frame=&MeetingID=2566&MediaPosition=&ID=10472&CssClass=" target="_blank">city's order</a>.</p><p>"Requiring these labels at the gas pump will provide consumers with information about the impact of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/fossil-fuels">fossil fuel</a> consumption directly at the point of purchase," <a href="http://cambridgema.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?Frame=&MeetingID=2566&MediaPosition=&ID=10472&CssClass=" target="_blank">the order adds</a>.</p><p>"Labels are designed to create a feeling like someone has broken a rule or violated a law," Jamie Brooks, founder of the organization <a href="https://ourhorizon.org/think-beyond-the-pump/#" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Think Beyond the Pump</a>, told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/dec/25/massachusetts-city-to-post-climate-change-warning-stickers-at-gas-stations" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Guardian</a>. "This feeling, along with increased social pressure, like smoking labels, can translate to a collapse in trust for the current system, thereby increasing the public appetite for alternatives."</p>
<p>Labels, warning drivers of their contribution to climate change, may encourage more people to reduce the effects of their fuel consumption, but the financial incentives of switching to alternative transportation methods, like <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/electric-vehicles">electric vehicles</a>, remain unclear.</p><p>Considering the varying costs of gasoline and electricity across states, the <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/stories/electric-vs-gas-it-cheaper-drive-ev" target="_blank">NRDC reported</a> that in Washington state "the electricity required to run a battery-powered electric car can be as much as $14,480 cheaper than fueling up an internal combustion vehicle," according to <a href="https://www.cell.com/joule/pdfExtended/S2542-4351(20)30231-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a study</a> published by the journal Joule. Yet, in Hawaii "charging up your electric car could ultimately cost $2,494 more than topping up a gas tank over 15 years."</p><p>While placing climate warnings on gas pumps may not alone transition the transportation sector off fossil fuels, they may link consumer choices directly with climate consequences – and inspire more to have conversations on climate change.</p>
<p>With historic wildfires in the American West and record-breaking hurricanes in the East, many Americans are witnessing the effects of fossil fuel combustion in their daily lives.</p><p>"Conversations about climate change have broken into everyday life, to the top of the headlines and to center stage in the presidential campaign," <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/22/climate/climate-change-future.html" target="_blank">The New York Times reported</a>. Evidently, more are asking, "Can this be reversed? What can be done to minimize the looming dangers for the decades ahead?"</p><p>A recent article by <a href="https://grist.org/climate/psychic-numbing-why-rising-covid-and-climate-change-death-tolls-no-longer-shock-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Grist</a> analyzed society's "psychic numbing" towards these realities. "Climate change is going to be with us for the rest of our lives," Susanne Moser, a Massachusetts-based researcher told Grist. "How are we going to stay alert and respond effectively to something that is stuck with us for so long?" she asked.</p>
<p>Local initiatives, like mandating labels on gas pumps, could produce tangible ways for consumers to stay aware and take action.</p><p>"Warming labels are intentionally disruptive," <a href="https://grist.org/fix/guilt-at-the-gas-pump-warming-labels/" target="_blank">Brooks wrote in Grist with Drew Shindell</a>, a Nicholas Professor of Earth Science at Duke University. "A new gas-is-bad norm will help generate the necessary support lawmakers need to make public infrastructure investments like EV charging stations, bus rapid transit, and bike lanes, which will save money in the long run by circumventing future climate change and air pollution-related health problems."</p>
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City of Cambridge / Facebook
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An electric trolley is seen in San Francisco, California, and is an example of renewable infrastructure. Robert Alexander / Getty Images
A new report from Princeton University released yesterday details five pathways for achieving net zero emissions in the U.S. by 2050, with "priority actions" the U.S. should take before 2030.
<p>A highlight across all pathways is total or near total electrification of energy use across the U.S. economy. </p><p>Additional recommendations include building a significant amount of new energy infrastructure, increasing wind and solar generating capacity, expanding the nation's electric grid, and transitioning homes off natural gas. </p><p>The research puts the price tag of this near-term action at $2.5 trillion, but calculates it will create at least half a million jobs and save tens of thousands of lives. </p><p>The report also identifies several pitfalls the transition could face, including local opposition to land-use for renewable infrastructure and a lack of public support for electric cars and homes. </p><p>"The costs are affordable, the tool kit is there, but the scale of transformation across the country is significant," said Jesse Jenkins, a Princeton professor and lead author of the report.</p>
<p><strong>For a deeper dive:</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/15/climate/america-next-decade-climate.html?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=103219174&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9vzIPSABi2ZWdEdGo15AmEWXz6DgWIZvZrrWcVO5KJ6FkSwwiE1ePlD4NBsFt4cwpnGjV_9a7OLYBYQuIpD8VY_7rSZGM7uuZeQkNP5gq-xCPaE9I&utm_content=103219174&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">New York Times</a>, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2020/12/15/biden-wants-halt-all-us-climate-emissions-by-2050-heres-what-that-would-actually-take/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=103219174&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9oBoztvBfUWODxXpsJeUADXpLLxOPl4QNnvcsMVzCYSn_sKIpAK1I1_0_qwO8RphqlgQh0ymzxJe6qEdFXAmz-6iSZzCubwz_mVCIsyDGkEwlVJVQ&utm_content=103219174&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Washington Post</a>, <a href="https://www.axios.com/net-zero-emissions-2050-study-19a44074-4b88-4ce8-804a-74898eb3f0a0.html?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=103219174&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--Vfl0jNmqcTq7LO2qV_Az1E8C3GLFVwaELgUEPpml1MDSz_6b25Yvpay75sbNZTFfIF67haJA2s3nEOjXLCnEsrcnk2VC1kHsLehGSALTi0cTXeyo&utm_content=103219174&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Axios</a>, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-15/getting-the-u-s-to-zero-carbon-would-cost-2-5-trillion-by-2030?sref=oUjKJw8m&utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=103219174&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--K__qcAzI1hFRNmpt_85pInviMgailOLxvIQGtcqF9sFMZghM8rO1AFjqXewktb0Wk06QKzRwdfEX4u3qog7RD5bcu5emn0Ajw4MfyJlPtX0S0sko&utm_content=103219174&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://newsletter.climatenexus.org/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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California Governor Signs Order to Ban Sale of New Gas-Powered Cars by 2035
24 September 2020
Politics
An electric car at an eVgo charging station in a parking lot in Dublin, California on June 20, 2018. Smith Collection / Gado / Getty Images
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order Wednesday that would ban the sale of new cars in California that run only on gasoline by the year 2035. The bid to reduce emissions and combat the climate crisis would make California the first state to ban the sale of new cars with internal combustion engines, according to POLITICO.
<p>"This is the most impactful step our state can take to fight climate change," said Newsom in a <a href="https://www.gov.ca.gov/2020/09/23/governor-newsom-announces-california-will-phase-out-gasoline-powered-cars-drastically-reduce-demand-for-fossil-fuel-in-californias-fight-against-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">statement</a> that accompanied the signing of the executive order. "For too many decades, we have allowed cars to pollute the air that our children and families breathe. Californians shouldn't have to worry if our cars are giving our kids asthma. Our cars shouldn't make wildfires worse – and create more days filled with smoky air. Cars shouldn't melt glaciers or raise sea levels threatening our cherished beaches and coastlines."</p>
<p>The threats posed by the climate crisis are playing out in dramatic fashion in California. This summer, the state has seen record-setting wildfires, heat waves and drought. Those mounting climate crisis-related challenges have spurred the move away from the state's leading source of greenhouse gas emissions, as <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2020/09/23/california-electric-cars/" target="_blank">The Washington Post</a> reported.</p><p>"We can't continue down this path," Newsom said at a briefing, as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/sep/23/california-cars-electric-vehicles-gavin-newsom-climate-change" target="_blank">The Guardian</a> reported. "If you care about your kids and your grandkids, if you care about disadvantaged communities, if you care about seniors, if you care about rural communities, if you care about inner city communities that have been underserved by our fossil fuel economy, then you care about the core construct that we are advancing here in this executive order."</p><p>Newsom added that the order will create "green collar jobs" that Californians are well-positioned to capitalize on since 34 <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/electric-vehicles">electric car</a> manufacturers are already in the state.</p>
<p>"Our second largest export in the state of California are electric vehicles," he said, according to The Guardian. "Those 34 manufacturers, those public trading manufacturers, represent close to half a trillion dollars of market capitalization, some $500bn … this is an economic opportunity."</p><p>For the order to be successful, the technology, scalability, and affordability of electric cars would have to improve dramatically in the next decade. Also, the state will need to make sure charging stations are readily available. California currently has the largest market for electric and hybrid vehicles, with roughly 257,000 new registrations for electric vehicles in 2018, according to The Washington Post. Yet, that number was not even 10 percent of the state's new car market.</p><p>While the order is sure to meet legal challenges, it may set the trend that carmakers need to increase their investment in fossil-fuel-free vehicles.</p>
<p>"The automotive industry was already on the road toward electrification as a long term goal, but many automakers have been guilty of setting short term targets for their electrification strategy that never came to fruition," said Jessica Caldwell, director of insights at Edmunds, an online resource for car data, in an emailed comment to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/23/cars/california-zero-emissions-passenger-vehicles/index.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CNN</a>. "This rule, if implemented, establishes a specific timeline that they'll collectively need to adhere to. California is a major market that automakers desperately need to maintain sales within to ensure their own viability."</p><p>The announcement also earned the praise of environmental groups.</p><p>"The Governor's Executive Order is a meaningful step in addressing the climate crisis and protecting the health of Californians," said Coalition for Clean Air in an email to <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/09/23/916209659/california-governor-signs-order-banning-sales-of-new-gasoline-cars-by-2035" target="_blank">NPR</a>. "Electrifying transportation will also create jobs and help California move forward in its economic recovery."</p>
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What will happen to all these batteries once they wear out? Ronny Hartmann / AFP / Getty Images
By Zheng Chen and Darren H. S. Tan
As concern mounts over the impacts of climate change, many experts are calling for greater use of electricity as a substitute for fossil fuels. Powered by advancements in battery technology, the number of plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles on U.S. roads is increasing. And utilities are generating a growing share of their power from renewable fuels, supported by large-scale battery storage systems.
<p>These trends, coupled with a growing volume of battery-powered phones, watches, laptops, wearable devices and other consumer technologies, leave us wondering: What will happen to all these batteries once they wear out?</p><p>Despite overwhelming enthusiasm for cheaper, more powerful and energy-dense batteries, manufacturers have paid comparatively little attention to making these essential devices more sustainable. In the U.S. only about 5% of lithium-ion batteries – the technology of choice for electric vehicles and many high-tech products – <a href="https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2019/07/f64/112306-battery-recycling-brochure-June-2019%202-web150.pdf" target="_blank">are actually recycled</a>. As sales of electric vehicles and tech gadgets continue to grow, it is unclear who should handle hazardous battery waste or how to do it.</p><p>As engineers who work on <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=pPgKUOEAAAAJ&hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">designing advanced materials</a>, including <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=dD8UWYEAAAAJ&hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">batteries</a>, we believe it is important to think about these issues now. Creating pathways for battery manufacturers to build sustainable production-to-recycling manufacturing processes that meet both consumer and environmental standards can reduce the likelihood of a battery waste crisis in the coming decade.</p>
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="15499060d7b57be67100758264d9f877"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iFchfHH0qzg?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
Hazardous Contents
<p>Batteries pose more complex recycling and disposal challenges than metals, plastics and paper products because they contain many chemical components that are both toxic and difficult to separate.</p><p>Some types of widely used batteries – notably, lead-acid batteries in gasoline-powered cars – have relatively simple chemistries and designs that make them straightforward to recycle. The common nonrechargeable alkaline or water-based batteries that power devices like flashlights and smoke alarms can be disposed directly in landfills.</p><p>However, today's lithium-ion batteries are highly sophisticated and not designed for recyclability. They contain hazardous chemicals, such as toxic lithium salts and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/transition-metal" target="_blank">transition metals</a>, that can damage the environment and leach into water sources. Used lithium batteries also contain embedded electrochemical energy – a small amount of charge left over after they can no longer power devices – which can cause fires or explosions, or <a href="https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/e/5/e5530917-434d-451c-8a6b-c5cdfad1b5ec/EED12407A6BF7DE6C86A4B39C25CF6A4.greenberger-testimony-07.17.2019.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">harm people that handle them</a>.</p><div id="007de" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="34d57a5a359e141bcf74c9b1f66eae5f"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1026491976722468865" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">The dangers of disposing of lithium batteries improperly - Battery blamed for Guernsey recycling site blaze https://t.co/Xcs76DI520</div> — Daniel Kinsbursky (@Daniel Kinsbursky)<a href="https://twitter.com/kbirecycling/statuses/1026491976722468865">1533569733.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>Moreover, manufacturers have little economic incentive to modify existing protocols to incorporate recycling-friendly designs. Today it <a href="https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/e/5/e5530917-434d-451c-8a6b-c5cdfad1b5ec/EED12407A6BF7DE6C86A4B39C25CF6A4.greenberger-testimony-07.17.2019.pdf" target="_blank">costs more to recycle</a> a lithium-ion battery than the recoverable materials inside it are worth.</p><p>As a result, responsibility for handling battery waste frequently falls to third-party recyclers – companies that make money from collecting and processing recyclables. Often it is cheaper for them to store batteries than to treat and recycle them.</p><p>Recycling technologies that can break down batteries, such as <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/pyrometallurgy" target="_blank">pyrometallurgy</a>, or burning, and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/hydrometallurgy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">hydrometallurgy</a>, or acid leaching, are becoming <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s41918-018-0012-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">more efficient and economical</a>. But the lack of proper battery recycling infrastructure creates roadblocks along the entire supply chain.</p><p>For example, transporting used batteries over long distances to recycling centers would typically be done by truck. Lithium batteries must be packaged and shipped according to the U.S. Department of Transportation's <a href="https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=83659c6aca8187cdb60b38763b2ffbb8&node=se49.2.173_1185&rgn=div8" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Class 9 hazardous material regulations</a>. Using a <a href="https://www.anl.gov/egs/everbatt" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">model developed by Argonne National Laboratory</a>, we estimate that this requirement increases transport costs to more than 50 times that of regular cargo.</p>
Safer and Simpler
<p>While it will be challenging to bake recyclability into the existing manufacturing of conventional lithium-ion batteries, it is vital to develop sustainable practices for solid-state batteries, which are a next-generation technology expected to enter the market within this decade.</p><p>A solid-state battery replaces the flammable organic liquid electrolyte in lithium-ion batteries with a nonflammable inorganic solid electrolyte. This allows the battery to operate over a much wider temperature range and dramatically reduces the risk of fires or explosions. Our <a href="http://zhengchen.eng.ucsd.edu/" target="_blank">team of nanoengineers</a> is working to incorporate ease of recyclability into next-generation solid-state battery development before these batteries enter the market.</p><p>Conceptually, recycling-friendly batteries must be safe to handle and transport, simple to dismantle, cost-effective to manufacture and minimally harmful to the environment. After analyzing the options, we've chosen a combination of specific chemistries in next-generation all-solid-state batteries that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1557/mre.2020.25" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">meets these requirements</a>.</p><p>Our design strategy reduces the number of steps required to dismantle the battery, and avoids using combustion or harmful chemicals such as acids or toxic organic solvents. Instead, it employs only safe, low-cost materials such as alcohol and water-based recycling techniques. This approach is scalable and environmentally friendly. It dramatically simplifies conventional battery recycling processes and makes it safe to disassemble and handle the materials.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDU2NjkxOC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NDM3MjcyOX0.wyUKJaMauaSnDy5y2wkBWaI26DowukyA4vAk9MOLrI4/img.png?width=980" id="d54f2" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f8a929e3797557d44277a9a62e6d715f" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="600" data-height="298" />
A proposed procedure for recycling solid-state battery packs directly and harvesting their materials for reuse. Tan et al., 2020, CC BY
<p>Compared to recycling lithium-ion batteries, recycling solid-state batteries is intrinsically safer since they're made entirely of nonflammable components. Moreover, in our proposed design the entire battery can be recycled directly without separating it into individual components. This feature dramatically reduces the complexity and cost of recycling them.</p><p>Our design is a proof-of-concept technology developed at the laboratory scale. It is ultimately up to private companies and public institutions, such as national laboratories or state-run waste facilities, to apply these recycling principles on an industrial scale.</p>
Rules for Battery Recycling
<p>Developing an easy-to-recycle battery is just one step. Many challenges associated with battery recycling stem from the complex logistics of handling them. Creating facilities, regulations and practices for collecting batteries is just as important as developing better recycling technologies. China, South Korea and the European Union are <a href="https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/d/c/dc43cdc9-ef56-4f8c-b442-d325aa8acf72/D775B276380B37ABF9A49BFD581DD1A5.sanders-testimony-07.17.2019.pdf" target="_blank">already developing battery recycling systems and mandates</a>.</p><p>One useful step would be for governments to require that batteries carry universal tags, similar to the internationally recognized standard labels used for plastics and metals recycling. These could help to educate consumers and waste collectors about how to handle different types of used batteries.</p><p>Markings could take the form of an electronic tag printed on battery labels with embedded information, such as chemistry type, age and manufacturer. Making this data readily available would facilitate automated sorting of large volumes of batteries at waste facilities.</p><p>It is also vital to improve international enforcement of recycling policies. Most battery waste is not generated where the batteries were originally produced, which makes it hard to hold manufacturers responsible for handling it.</p><p>Such an undertaking would require manufacturers and regulatory agencies to work together on newer recycling-friendly designs and better collection infrastructure. By confronting these challenges now, we believe it is possible to avoid or reduce the harmful effects of battery waste in the future.</p>
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A US Hybrid Corporation electric hybrid heavy duty truck moves freight at the Long Beach Port in California on July 31, 2017. Dennis Schroeder / National Renewable Energy Lab
The state of California made history Thursday when it passed a clean truck rule that E&E News reported was the first of its kind in the world.
<p>The <a href="https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/resources/fact-sheets/advanced-clean-trucks-fact-sheet" target="_blank">Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) Regulation</a>, passed unanimously by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), will require more than half of trucks sold in the state be zero-emission by 2035 and 100 percent by 2045, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/25/climate/zero-emissions-trucks-california.html" target="_blank">The New York Times reported</a>.</p><p>"California is once again leading the nation in the fight to make our air cleaner," Governor Gavin Newsom said in a statement reported by <a href="https://uk.mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUKKBN23W31N#referrer=https://www.google.com" target="_blank">Reuters</a>.</p>
<div id="0e389" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c7a1aa4fb96029d99de0cce8cd1f74c2"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1276292655962402817" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">California takes bold step to reduce diesel truck pollution. A first of its kind requirement for #zeroemission truc… https://t.co/uNxDgJWvXL</div> — CARB (@CARB)<a href="https://twitter.com/AirResources/statuses/1276292655962402817">1593126856.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>The rule aims to end diesel pollution from trucks by requiring manufacturers to sell an increasing percentage of zero-emissions trucks beginning in 2024. It applies to medium duty and large trucks, as light trucks are already covered by the state's clean car requirements.</p><p>The rule will help California achieve its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2035 and 80 percent by 2050, according to CARB. In addition to its <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change/" target="_self">climate</a> benefits, the rule will help tackle toxic diesel pollution that disproportionately impacts low-income communities of color at a time of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/amp/protestors-publich-health-coronavirus-covid-19-testing-2646141562" target="_self">national protests</a> over racial injustice and a pandemic possibly made <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/coronavirus-air-pollution-fatality-2645656760.html" target="_self">more deadly</a> by exposure to <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/air-pollution" target="_self">air pollution</a>.</p>
<p>Transportation overall accounts for more than 95 percent of California's diesel particulate matter emissions, around 80 percent of its smog-forming nitrogen oxide emissions and around 50 percent of its greenhouse gas emissions if fuel production is accounted for, according to CARB. Heavy duty trucks alone are responsible for a third of the state's nitrogen oxide emissions and a fifth of its greenhouse gas emissions, E&E News reported.</p><p>Heavy duty trucks are especially a hazard for the largely low-income or minority communities who live in the state's "diesel death zones," areas passed by thousands of trucks every day.</p><p>"We have some of the worst air quality in the nation, and that's because of the ozone pollution that largely comes from diesel trucks," Anthony Victoria-Midence, a resident of San Bernardino and a spokesman for the <a href="https://www.ccaej.org/" target="_blank">Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice</a> told E&E News in a phone interview. "It's leading to generations of families suffering from all kinds of illnesses, like asthma and cancer. That's why these things need to be addressed now, and the best way to do that is by moving forward a strong Advanced Clean Trucks rule."</p>
<div id="d2e11" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b6e76566a93c97ca381da97066fe8124"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1276294522306088960" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">BREAKING: @AirResources votes to pass historic #ElectricTrucksRule, the first of its kind in the nation!
Now let’… https://t.co/D7oD9gtSve</div> — CCAEJ (@CCAEJ)<a href="https://twitter.com/CCAEJ/statuses/1276294522306088960">1593127301.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>The rule was opposed by oil companies, farmers and industry groups and truck makers, The New York Times reported. Vehicle and engine manufacturers argued in March that the rule should be delayed because of the economic impacts of the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/coronavirus" target="_self">coronavirus</a> pandemic.</p><p>"This is not a business-as-usual situation, and it should not be a regulation-as-usual situation, either," the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association said in a letter to regulators in March.</p><p>But CARB chairwoman Mary Nichols disagreed.</p><p>"This is exactly the right time for this rule," Nichols told The New York Times. "We certainly know that the economy is in a rough shape right now, and there aren't a lot of new vehicle sales of any kind. But when they are able to buy vehicles again, we think it's important that they be investing in the cleanest kinds of vehicles."</p>
<p>The rule could face another powerful opponent: the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/trump-administration" target="_self">Trump administration</a>. Trump's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has already <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/amp/trump-california-emissions-standards-2640413062" target="_self">revoked</a> California's waiver under the Clean Air Act to set its own emissions standards over its clean car rules, and environmental groups fear it may do the same for trucks.</p><p>"I'm sure the Trump administration, if they are still in the White House next year, would try to throw something in the way of this. But I think they would be very hard-pressed to justify it," <a href="https://earthjustice.org/" target="_blank">Earthjustice</a> staff attorney Paul Cort told E&E News. "This really is a big rule, and I'm very excited to get this one in the books and move on."</p>
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The BP oil refinery in Whiting, Indiana across the street from Marktown Park on Jan. 8, 2019. Scott Olson / Getty Images
We may have already passed peak demand for oil.
<p>This suggestion comes from an unlikely source: <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/fossil-fuels" target="_self">fossil-fuel</a> giant <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/bp" target="_self">BP</a>. The company released its annual <a href="https://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/energy-economics/energy-outlook.html" target="_blank">Energy Outlook</a> report Monday, and found that oil demand may have already peaked in 2019, as the rise in <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/renewable-energy/" target="_self">renewable energy</a> intersects with the impact of the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/coronavirus" target="_self">coronavirus</a> pandemic, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/sep/14/global-oil-demand-may-have-passed-peak-says-bp-energy-report" target="_blank">The Guardian reported</a>.</p><p>"(The energy transition) would be an unprecedented event," BP chief economist Spencer Dale told journalists, as <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-bp-energy-idUSKBN26410O?utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A%20Trending%20Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR0vHKXsFVgZ2wnnv66zvdWrWePzm375mU_kVBe6l_kUWkYQE365kESr-IE" target="_blank">Reuters reported</a>. "Never in modern history has the demand for any traded fuel declined in absolute terms."</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/energy-economics/energy-outlook/introduction/overview.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">report outlines</a> three possible energy scenarios for the next 30 years.</p><ol><li>The Rapid Transition Scenario (Rapid): This envisions a scenario in which energy-based greenhouse-gas emissions decline 70 percent by 2050, in line with limiting global warming to well below two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by 2100.</li><li>The Net-Zero Scenario (Net Zero): This scenario imagines the policies adapted in the Rapid scenario are augmented by widespread lifestyle changes, and energy emissions decline by more than 95 percent by 2050, limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.</li><li>The Business-as-Usual Scenario (BAU): This imagines that <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change/" target="_self">climate</a> policies continue at a pace consistent with the past several years, and emissions only decline to less than 10 percent of 2018 levels by 2050.</li></ol>
<p>In the first two scenarios, BP concluded oil demand would already have peaked in 2019, according to The Guardian. In the third, it would plateau after 2019 and peak sometime in the mid-2020s, according to BP.</p><p>However, all three scenarios show <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/oil-and-gas" target="_self">oil and gas</a> on the wane and renewable energy on the rise, Reuters reported. They show fossil fuels falling from 85 percent of energy demand in 2018 to 20 to 65 percent by 2050. Meanwhile, they show renewable technologies like <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wind" target="_self">wind</a> and <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/solar" target="_self">solar</a> expanding from five percent of energy demand in 2018 to 20 to 60 percent by 2050, according to Reuters and The Guardian.</p><p>"In all three of these scenarios the share of renewable energy grows more quickly than any energy fuel ever seen in history," Dale told The Guardian.</p>
<p>The coronavirus is expected to speed the decline in oil demand in part because it is slowing economic growth in developing countries, which tend to drive energy demand. At the same time, many developed countries are upping their climate ambitions and carbon taxes.</p><p>Other factors that may limit the demand for oil include the transition towards <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/electric-vehicle" target="_self">electric vehicles</a> and the growing movement to phase out single-use <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/plastics" target="_self">plastics</a>.</p><p>The report comes the same year that BP <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/oil-and-gas-emissions-bp-2050-2645140229.html" target="_self">announced plans</a> to be an entirely carbon-neutral energy company by 2050. Monday's report seemingly supports Chief Executive Bernard Looney's plan to "reinvent" the company, Reuters pointed out. It was released as the company begins a three-day event outlining its plans to transition its energy sources.</p>
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Pete Buttigieg participates in a confirmation hearing on January 21, 2021 in Washington, D.C. Stefani Reynolds - Pool / Getty Images
The Senate confirmed Pete Buttigieg Tuesday as the next Transportation Secretary, inspiring hope among environmentalists that a clean and equitable transportation sector may be possible.
<p>Passing with a 86-13 vote, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, now has the authority to make decisions on how the country moves, builds and travels, directing the department's 55,000 employees and a multi-billion dollar budget, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-biden-cabinet-climate-cabinets-transportation-adaccf75c41ecf0b1628c009521d425f" target="_blank">AP reported</a>.</p>
<p>Secretary Buttigieg will also be given a key leadership role in actualizing President Biden's ambitious <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/joe-biden-climate-crisis-orders-2650167632.html" target="_self">climate plans</a>, taking charge of a sector that accounts for nearly one-third of the nation's<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/greenhouse-gases" target="_blank"> greenhouse gas</a> emissions each year, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/21/climate/buttigieg-climate-transportation.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The New York Times</a> reported. </p>
<p>During his presidential bid, Secretary Buttigieg had his own ambitious climate goals, releasing a $1 trillion proposal to implement <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/sustainability" target="_blank">sustainable</a> infrastructure and boost public transit and electric vehicles, <a href="https://grist.org/politics/biden-climate-cabinet-john-kerry-janet-yellen-pete-buttigieg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Grist reported</a>. </p>
<p>In his new role, rebuilding roads and bridges, expanding zero-emission mass transit and growing electric vehicle infrastructure are just a few tasks on Buttigieg's to-do list, AP reported.</p><p>While taking over the seat from his predecessor Elaine Cho, whose department had been <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2019/01/30/senator-climate-change-letter-went-through-political-censoring-chaos-office/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">accused of censoring</a> the impacts of climate change, may already seem like a step in the right direction, Secretary Buttigieg will likely face a "political minefield" when passing new legislation, The New York Times noted.</p><p>Transportation in the U.S. faces multiple crises. Impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the sector depends heavily upon <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/fossil-fuels" target="_blank">fossil fuels</a> and is responsible for <a href="http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/trnews/trnews299feature.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">poor health conditions</a> across the country, which are linked to bad<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/air-pollution" target="_blank"> air quality.</a> </p><p>How Buttigieg decides to combat these crises could shape how the cabinet post is defined, now and going forward. </p>
<p>"Nobody has any idea what that job entails," Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, told <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/pete-buttigieg-transportation-secretary/2021/02/01/e43795f8-60c6-11eb-9061-07abcc1f9229_story.html" target="_blank">The Washington Post</a>. "If you're going to define a role, it's much easier than redefining a role."</p>
<p>So how can Buttigieg redefine the transportation sector?</p>
<p>He can start by helping cities make their transit systems more reliable and direct them toward communities who need it most, Ann Shikany, an infrastructure expert at the Natural Resources Defense Council told The New York Times. More accessible transportation could also encourage fewer to drive, reducing fossil fuel dependency. </p>
<p>"As Secretary, Buttigieg should follow through on Biden's commitment to provide every American city with 100,000 or more residents with high-quality public transit and low-carbon transportation options," <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/experts/ann-shikany/secretary-pete-transportation-should-be-climate-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the NRDC wrote on its blog</a>. Buttigieg should prioritize investments in communities that have been harmed "by the car-dominated development of the last century," it added. </p>
<p>The Department of Transportation (DOT) is responsible for allotting $1 billion in competitive grants to help states and cities develop their own transportation projects. It could also direct those funds to projects that encourage clean transportation, such as new bike lanes and broader bus systems, The New York Times reported.<br></p><p>Environmental groups have so far been supportive of the new Transportation Secretary. </p><p>"Today's confirmation of Pete Buttigieg as Secretary of Transportation is a big step forward towards addressing the climate and health impacts of our polluting and inequitable transportation status quo," Gina Coplon-Newfield, director of Sierra Club's Clean Transportation for All campaign, <a href="https://www.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2021/02/sierra-club-statement-senate-confirmation-pete-buttigieg-for-department" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">said in a statement</a>. "Secretary of Transportation Buttigieg has made clear his priorities for clean transportation for all."</p><p>Already breaking barriers as the first openly gay person confirmed to a cabinet position, Secretary Buttigieg could pioneer the DOT in an entirely new direction, prioritizing the climate and helping communities the sector has long disadvantaged.</p><p>"The Sierra Club looks forward to working with the new secretary and the Department of Transportation to clean up transportation pollution and make our transportation systems accessible for all," Coplon-Newfield added.</p>
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President-elect Joe Biden announces members of his climate and energy appointments on December 19, 2020 in Wilmington, DE. Joshua Roberts / Getty Images
By Bill Ritter Jr.
Joe Biden is preparing to deal with climate change in a way no U.S. president has done before – by mobilizing his entire administration to take on the challenge from every angle in a strategic, integrated way.
<p>The strategy is evident in the people Biden has chosen for his <a href="https://buildbackbetter.gov/nominees-and-appointees/" target="_blank">Cabinet and senior leadership roles</a>: Most have track records for incorporating climate change concerns into a wide range of policies, and they have experience partnering across agencies and levels of government.</p><p>Those skills are crucial, because slowing climate change will require a comprehensive and coordinated "all hands on deck" approach.</p><p>We did that with energy when I was governor of Colorado, and I can tell you it isn't simple. Energy policy isn't just about electricity. It's about how homes are built, how they generate power and feed it into the grid and how the transportation, industrial and agriculture sectors evolve. It's about regulations, trade rules, government purchases and funding for research for innovation. Coordination and collaboration among agencies and different levels of government is crucial.</p><p>A coordinated approach also helps ensure that vulnerable populations aren't overlooked. Biden has committed to <a href="https://joebiden.com/environmental-justice-plan/" target="_blank">help disadvantaged communities</a> that have too often borne the brunt of fossil fuel industry pollution, as well as those that have been losing fossil fuel jobs.</p><p>The <a href="https://buildbackbetter.gov/nominees-and-appointees/" target="_blank">Biden-Harris team's</a> depth of experience will be vital as they take over from a Trump administration that has been <a href="https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/science-under-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">stripping government agencies of their expertise</a> and eliminating environmental protections. With Democrats gaining <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/11/democrats-biden-executive-orders-456676" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">control of both the House and Senate</a>, the Biden administration may also have a better chance of overhauling laws, funding and tax incentives in ways that could fundamentally transform the U.S. approach to climate change.</p><p>Here are some of the biggest challenges ahead and what "all hands on deck" might mean.</p>
Dealing With All Those Climate Policy Rollbacks
<p>From its first days, the Trump administration began trying to nullify or weaken U.S. environmental regulations. It had <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/climate/trump-environment-rollbacks-list.html" target="_blank">rolled back 84 environmental rules</a> by November 2020, including <a href="https://rhg.com/research/the-rollback-of-us-climate-policy/" target="_blank">major climate policies</a>, and more rollbacks were being pursued, according to a New York Times analysis of research from Harvard and Columbia law schools.</p><p>Many of these rules had been designed to reduce climate-warming pollution from power plants, cars and trucks. Several <a href="https://eelp.law.harvard.edu/2017/09/bam-methane-waste-prevention-rule/" target="_blank">reduced emissions of methane</a>, a potent greenhouse gas, from oil and gas production. The Trump administration <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-mining-resolution-trump/trump-moves-to-loosen-mining-regulations-approve-projects-as-he-exits-idUSKBN29D1AD?ct=t(RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN)" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">also moved</a> to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng-interactive/2020/oct/26/revealed-trump-public-lands-oil-drilling" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">open more land</a> to more drilling, mining and <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/04/11/712121425/trump-signs-executive-orders-in-push-to-make-it-easier-to-build-oil-and-gas-pipe" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">pipelines</a>.</p><p>Some rollbacks have been challenged in court and the rules then reinstated. Others are still being litigated. Many will require going through government rule-making processes that take years to reverse.</p>Pressuring Other Countries to Take Action
<p>Biden can quickly bring the U.S. back into the international Paris climate agreement, through which countries worldwide agreed to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions driving global warming. But <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-biden-and-kerry-could-rebuild-americas-global-climate-leadership-150120" target="_blank">reestablishing the nation's leadership</a> role with the international climate community is a much longer haul.</p><p>Former Secretary of State John Kerry will lead this effort as special envoy for climate change, a new Cabinet-level position with a seat on the National Security Council. Other parts of the government can also pressure countries to take action. International development funding can encourage climate-friendly actions, and trade agreements and tariffs can establish rules of conduct.</p><h3>Cleaning Up the Power Sector</h3><p>The Biden-Harris <a href="https://joebiden.com/climate-plan/" target="_blank">climate plan</a> aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector to net zero by 2035.</p><p>While <a href="https://sepapower.org/utility-transformation-challenge/utility-carbon-reduction-tracker/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">62 major utilities</a> in the U.S. have set their own emission reduction goals, most leaders in that sector would argue that requiring net zero emissions by 2035 is too much too fast.</p><p>One problem is that states are often more involved in regulating the power sector than the federal government. And, when federal regulations are passed, they are <a href="https://policyintegrity.org/trump-court-roundup" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">often challenged in court</a>, meaning they can take years to implement.</p><p>Reducing greenhouse gases also requires modernizing the electricity transmission grid. The federal government can streamline the permitting process to allow more clean energy, like wind and solar power, onto the grid. Without that intervention, it could take a decade or more to permit a single transmission line.</p><h3>The Falling Costs of Renewable Energy</h3><p>A comparison of the average levelized cost of utility-scale power generation, without subsidies, shows how new solar and onshore wind became less expensive than coal generation. Costs are in U.S. dollars per megawatt-hour.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTQ0MzgyMS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MjAwMjk3MH0.O_CRalTEYNsH_RTav9V7uEzh0GQGhdHCx7hQow8UyDs/img.png?width=980" id="b6d7c" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5cc72a966fccbd64c2dcc688dafba2ac" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1222" data-height="640" />
What to Do About Vehicles, Buildings and Ag
<p>The power sector may be the easiest sector to "decarbonize." The transportation sector is another story.</p><p>Transportation is now the nation's <a href="https://www.wri.org/blog/2019/10/everything-you-need-know-about-fastest-growing-source-global-emissions-transport" target="_blank">leading emitter of carbon dioxide</a>. Decarbonizing it will require a transition away from the internal combustion engine in a relatively short amount of time.</p><p>Again, this is a challenge that requires many parts and levels of government working toward the same goal. It will require expanding carbon-free transportation, including more electric vehicles, charging stations, better battery technology and clean energy. That involves regulations and funding for research and development from multiple departments, as well as trade agreements, tax incentives for electric vehicles and a shift in how government agencies buy vehicles. The EPA can facilitate these efforts or hamstring them, as happened when the Trump EPA <a href="https://www.resourcesmag.org/resources-radio/waive-goodbye-history-and-future-california-waiver-emily-wimberger/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">revoked California's ability to set higher emissions standards</a> – something the Biden administration is likely to quickly restore.</p><p>The other "hard to decarbonize" sectors – buildings, industry and agriculture – will require sophistication and collaboration among all federal departments and agencies unlike any previous efforts across government.</p>A New Comprehensive Climate Bill
<p>The best way to tackle these sectors would be a comprehensive climate bill that uses some mechanism, like a <a href="https://www.rff.org/publications/issue-briefs/clean-energy-standards" target="_blank">clean energy standard</a>, that sets a cap, or limit, on emissions and tightens it over time. Here, the problem lies more in the politics of the moment than anything else. Biden and his team will have to convince lawmakers from fossil fuel-producing states to work on these efforts.</p><p>Democratic control of the Senate raises the chances that Congress could pass comprehensive climate legislation, but that isn't a given. Until that happens, Biden will have to rely on agencies issuing new rules, which are vulnerable to being revoked by future administrations. It's a little like playing chess without a queen or rooks.</p><p>Years of delays have allowed global warming to progress so far that many of its impacts may soon become irreversible. To meet its ambitious goals, the administration will need everyone, progressives and conservatives, state and local leaders, and the private sector, to work with them.</p><h3>Biden's Core Climate Team</h3><p>President-elect Joe Biden's senior leadership picks have years of experience with climate policy. He and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris introduced these seven as their core climate team. Gina McCarthy, John Kerry and Ali Zaidi will not require Senate confirmation. The others will.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTQ0Mzg0MS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNjgwODY0N30.SJeuFgWBMILHhH72i6yn-2vUnYa3ycmgme7E-Xd0wls/img.png?width=980" id="9a98d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="6a52b4176bccb6202dfb2b3790d76d88" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1248" data-height="1220" />
<p>
<em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bill-ritter-jr-352083" target="_blank">Bill Ritter Jr.</a> is </em><em>Director, Center for the New Energy Economy, Colorado State University.</em>
</p><p>
<em>Disclosure statement: </em><em>Bill Ritter, Jr. is a former Governor of Colorado and is the Director of the Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University. The Center is funded by various foundations. </em><span></span>
</p><p>
<em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/biden-plans-to-fight-climate-change-in-a-way-no-u-s-president-has-done-before-152419" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.</em>
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Transitioning to electric vehicles is one way to take immediate climate action. Smith Collection / Gado / Getty Images
Promptly implementing the aggressive actions necessary to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas pollution to net-zero by 2050 would save the U.S. at least $3.5 trillion compared to the cost of waiting until 2030 to start achieving that goal, a report published Wednesday by Energy Innovation found.
<p>The savings, the authors of the report emphasize, only consider the spending required to slash U.S. emissions and thus do not include the savings that would be incurred by the public health benefits of reducing fossil fuel extraction and combustion or the avoided costs associated with extreme weather which delayed climate action could worsen. </p><p>"To meet climate goals, it is imperative to start climate action today," Megan Mahajan, one of the co-authors of the report, told Earther. </p><p>"In particular, it is urgent to quickly transition to electric vehicles and building components, because polluting equipment sold today will last for decades."</p>
<p><strong>For a deeper dive:</strong></p><p><a href="https://earther.gizmodo.com/waiting-to-address-climate-change-will-cost-trillions-o-1846191397?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=109491610&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_FlsxJvuw9dD5BUzG1wODyrpNZds_Kddrkj4q17L8i9l4eKKngdLtPz2kEShWlNXoL5IIO-xs4XO40ftSICalJy0VBF5C73YRyyckfK0OEmQ8nEJI&utm_content=109491610&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Earther</a>, <a href="https://www.axios.com/carbon-emissions-delay-cost-8a41c423-0c17-421b-bf56-96f09aca3b07.html?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=109491610&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8Xyt3aDHmrM99vDDiO79euaxHNe0fHyOo1N2KodHV10FpKxKgpFCK_q_H2oHWkopw8FGgayG5YFoi6JttzgUykMMlHK1gqpSZse5xYAjYG314bdCg&utm_content=109491610&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Axios</a>,<a href="https://qz.com/1967754/waiting-to-eliminate-emissions-will-cost-the-us-trillions/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=109491610&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8rCd0nQDV1uc4fSyijL8m0rY_neNu6AOea_qQlsdXm_DX77l-hv1wlDUDNYi7R1f-oSFirLtvDBxO-EOFNzgV0VMT9q92ikhb69Xi91AwTmdh5CSw&utm_content=109491610&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank"> Quartz</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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Li-Cycle uses a two-step process to recover more than 80% of the materials in old lithium ion batteries. Michael Movchin / Wikimedia Commons / CC by 3.0
As electric vehicles become more mainstream, the demand for lithium ion car batteries is growing. But to increase production, the industry needs more lithium, cobalt, and nickel.
<iframe style="border: none" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/15116513/height/45/theme/standard/thumbnail/yes/direction/backward/" height="45" width="100%" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe>
<p>One possible source is batteries that are no longer in use.</p><p>"It's a bit of a waste to just have batteries sitting in a landfill. And there's opportunity there to reuse those materials, make them as good as new," says Kunal Phalpher of <a target="_blank" href="https://li-cycle.com/">Li-Cycle</a>.</p><p>Li-Cycle uses a two-step process to recover more than 80% of the materials in old lithium ion batteries.</p>
<p>"We take the batteries and shred them," Phalpher says. "And then phase two of the process is then to take that mixed material and separate each of the elements through chemical processing."</p><p>The approach generates less carbon pollution than mining those minerals from the ground. And it solves another problem the booming industry is grappling with: how to safely and sustainably dispose of spent batteries.</p><p>Li-Cycle has a demonstration plant in Canada, and Phalpher says it's building a new facility in Rochester, New York. Last December, the company shipped its first commercial load of recycled battery material to a customer – a critical milestone on the road to addressing this global challenge.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/2020/07/canadian-company-recycles-minerals-from-electric-vehicle-batteries/" target="_blank">Yale Climate Connections</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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