When the UN talks of Global Boiling, it’s serious. But we are implementing solutions faster than ever. National goals have risen from nowhere near good enough to real plans for Net Zero. And whatever our opponents have screamed about, we have done more of it.
The era of global warming has ended and “the era of global boiling has arrived”, the UN secretary general, António Guterres, has said after scientists confirmed July was on track to be the world’s hottest month on record.
“Climate change is here. It is terrifying. And it is just the beginning,” Guterres said. “It is still possible to limit global temperature rise to 1.5C [above pre-industrial levels], and avoid the very worst of climate change. But only with dramatic, immediate climate action.”
Hey! We’re pedaling as fast as we can.
We are investing trillions of dollars in trees, EVs, renewable energy, battery storage, and education. So we are overcoming the professional denialists who still claim that we can’t AFFORD cheaper and cleaner energy and a livable planet, and the Greenwashers who still claim that gas is part of the solution, not part of the problem. We did all of that with Republicans since Reagan viciously resisting anything to do with the solutions. And with officials in China and India declaring that they would never go off coal, NEVER, do you hear me? And with the claim that nobody, but nobody, would fund renewable energy in the poorest countries.
Project 2025, a conservative “battle plan” for the next Republican president, would stop attempts to cut the pollution that is heating the planet and encourage more emissions.
Associated Press for Daily Kos: Climate change has cost US insurers an 'unprecedented' $34B in just 6 months
But You’re Here for the Good News, Aren’t You?
What the data says about Americans’ views of climate change
Two-thirds of U.S. adults say the country should prioritize developing renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, over expanding the production of oil, coal and natural gas, according to a survey conducted in June 2023.
About three-quarters of Americans support U.S. participation in international efforts to reduce the effects of climate change.
Young people more so, of course.
The Clean Energy Future Is Arriving Faster Than You Think
The United States is pivoting away from fossil fuels and toward wind, solar and other renewable energy, even in areas dominated by the oil and gas industries.
More than $1.7 trillion worldwide is expected to be invested in technologies such as wind, solar power, electric vehicles and batteries globally this year, according to the I.E.A., compared with just over $1 trillion in fossil fuels. That is by far the most ever spent on clean energy in a year.
Those investments are driving explosive growth. China, which already leads the world in the sheer amount of electricity produced by wind and solar power, is expected to double its capacity by 2025, five years ahead of schedule. In Britain, roughly one-third of electricity is generated by wind, solar and hydropower. And in the United States, 23 percent of electricity is expected to come from renewable sources this year, up 10 percentage points from a decade ago.
Greece surpasses 11 GW in renewable energy capacity
Out of all installed renewable electricity facilities in Greece excluding large hydropower units most are photovoltaics – 5.8 GW, followed by 4.8 GW in wind farms. Small hydropower units accounted for 280 MW while a combined 131 MW on biomass and biogas and 255 MW in the cogeneration segment was registered.
Growth in the renewables category, as defined by DAPEEP, came in at 1.9 GW year over year or almost 20%. At the end of June last year, there was 9.42 GW in renewable energy plants including 4.4 GW in wind power and 4.3 GW in photovoltaics.
Car and Driver: Future Electric Vehicles: The EVs You'll Soon Be Able to Buy
These EVs aren't for sale yet but are in various stages from concept to production—and perhaps a few may never see the light of day.
National Grants: Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA)
EPA anticipates awarding a total of approximately $115 million under this NOFO: $58 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 funding and $57 million in FY 2023 funding, subject to the availability of funds, the quantity and quality of applications received, and other considerations.
To address these diesel emissions and protect public health and air quality, EPA is authorized under Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) to offer funding assistance to accelerate the upgrade, retrofit, and turnover of the legacy diesel fleet. The DERA program promotes an array of diesel emissions strategies by working with manufacturers, fleet operators, air quality professionals, environmental and community organizations and state and local officials to address the varying priorities of different regions and sectors.
Newsmax haz a sad because that nasty Joe Biden is forcing ‘Merikans to buy cheaper, cleaner electric cars.
Ford Expects to Lose $4.5B on EVs This Year
Ford now also estimates it will reach an annual production rate of 600,000 units a year by 2024, Fortunate noted. Ford had been hoping to hit that number by the end of this year.
Ford reduced prices on some of its electric cars last week by as much as 17%.
Reuters reported that the U.S. government plans to end purchases of gas-powered vehicles by 2035, under an executive order signed by President Joe Biden in 2021, in an effort to lower emissions and promote electric cars.
The government owns more than 650,000 vehicles and purchases about 50,000 annually. Biden's executive order said that light-duty vehicles acquired by the government will be emission-free by 2027.
Total federal government operations will reduce emissions by 65% by 2030 under the plan.
Now when can we get the Secret Service to order some electric Beasts, the specially enhanced Presidential limos? President Biden has been asking.
Biden Wants to Electrify the Beast
The most recent edition was delivered by GM in 2017. We don't know when the limo's next overhaul will be.
the January 2016 closure of the Shenango Coke Works coal-processing plant provided an astonishing example of how quickly low-income neighborhoods and communities of color can recover from the most dire impacts of pollution.
They found an astonishing 42 percent drop in weekly emergency cardiovascular admissions after 2016. That immediate drop was followed by a downward trend that continued for three years.
a 41.6 percent drop in uncontrolled pediatric asthma
Study co-author compared the sudden improvement to the benefits of quitting smoking. “Instead of at an individual level, you’re really looking at a community healing after the removal of that exposure.”
Arcadia Power: Making Community Solar Easy
If you have a monthly utility bill, this company will sell solar power -- as long as you live in a state where it's allowed.
One drawback to community solar at the moment is that there isn't enough capacity to meet demand. Peyton said many community solar projects are on hold while details from the Inflation Reduction Act are still being ironed out, so it may take a while to be matched to a solar farm.
Solar farmers prefer 20 or 30-year contracts with utilities.
Popular Culture
The time has come,' the Walrus said,
To talk of many things:
Of shoes — and ships — and sealing-wax —
Of cabbages — and kings —
And why the sea is boiling hot —
And whether pigs have wings.'
Lewis Carroll, The Walrus and the Carpenter
There are science fiction novels with the titles Pigs Have Wings and The Sea is Boiling Hot, and a short story Of Cabbages and Kings. Aliens were boiling the Earth’s oceans in search of extinct whales in a Star Trek movie. The sun will eventually boil the oceans off completely. None of that has anything to do with this week’s news.