No. 35: I'm back ;)
Sodium warning: this issue is SALTY
First of all, so sorry for ghosting you all last week! I became preoccupied with school work and this fell to the back burner, finally ending my ridiculous 34-week streak of consistent, weekly posting. I can’t promise I will be able to return to that level, but I will definitely try! ;)
Also am I a climate content creator?? (As spurred by the great video below.) I prefer influencer, although only for satirical reasons.
P.S., if you’re interested in working with me (as a volunteer position, email me! I’m looking for a remote research/writing intern.)
Check out…
Runner declines competing for GB in Australia over flight climate concerns (The Guardian) - This decision is pretty inspiring, and definitely not something most of us would agree to. Hopefully this sparks a global debate of putting competition before our future and well being!
How Pittsburgh found a secret climate weapon in ‘the thrilling world of municipal budgeting’ (Grist)
Solar energy fast facts
Last week I stepped out of my comfort zone and attended an open house about solar energy, promoted by a semi-local company. It was decently informative, and I want to share a few things I learned. (I also recieved a free tote bag - which I’ve been wanting for a while - with the renewable energy company’s logo, which I will proudly tote wherever I go!)
The biggest producer of solar energy? China - I actually didn’t know about this! I would’ve said somewhere in Europe, but the more you know. (China is also the biggest producer of wind energy)
The price of solar has fallen 80% since 2010 - Granted it did rise slightly due to inflation, but the small increment cannot dismiss the tremendous progress made to keep this widely accessible renewable energy source affordable! (World Economic Forum)
Oil CEO named president of COP28
This was about two weeks ago, but the news keeps coming, and for good reason. Should I mention a Kardashian was named a fast fashion’s “sustainability ambassador” last year? I can’t lie, this pisses me off just as much as everyone else, but I can’t say I’m surprised. At this point, these global climate conferences appear to be just a PR stunt, as even when goals are set, the U.N. cannot hold anyone accountable, as the MIT states,
Michael Mehling, Deputy Director of the MIT Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research, [says] the focus is on accurate reporting. “Every country has to send periodic reports on what they’re doing,” says Mehling, “in the form of national emissions inventories and progress towards achieving their NDCs.” The main formal consequence for a member failing to meet its targets is a meeting with a global committee of neutral researchers. The committee will work with struggling members to create new plans.
Anyway, back to the message at hand: Sultan Al Jaber, CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, was named president of this year’s climate summit by the United Arab Emirates. This company is one of the world’s largest oil producers, but don’t worry, Al Jaber has said, “We don’t need to wait for the global stocktake to know what it will say. We are way off track. The world is playing catch-up when it comes to the key Paris goal of holding global temperatures down to 1.5 degrees. And the hard reality is that, in order to achieve this goal, global emissions must fall 43% by 2030.” (CNBC)
I’m sure you can sense my sarcasm from here. So glad an oil tycoon restated what we already knew, although an admittedly bold, unique move from a member of the fossil fuel industry. Greta Thunberg has called this “absurd,” and critics are calling for his resignation in this conflict of interest.
Interestingly, in more recent news, a group of U.S. lawmakers is demanding the Biden administration ask the UAE to remove him from this position, or at the very least, “‘Seek assurances’ [for] an ambitious COP28 summit,” (Politico). At least people are speaking up?
Further reading:
Climate activists block main road into The Hague (ABC News)
Good climate news
(I hope you missed this!!)
Virginia coal company to clean up coal mines, following lawsuit - A&G Coal Corp, following a settlement, will reclaim (restore) three abandoned coal mines, about 2,400 acres. These reclamations will happen in stages, with the final one expected to be completed in December 2025.
Wrap-up
That’s it! Sorry again for the spontaneous hiatus (kinda love that rhyme). Writing this issue definitely had me falling back in love with writing these! ;) Don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts below (do you enjoy discussions about current events?), and any future topic ideas, too! I somehow start the week with several but find myself with no “good” ideas when it’s time to write.
TV recommendation: By the way, I just started The Politican season two on Netflix (fictional series), and I’m enjoying it. If you also enjoy policy/mentions of climate/dramedy, check it out! Season one was kind of meh, but I’m liking season two more (I’ve only watched two episodes, so don’t come for me).
Anyway, thanks for reading! :)