Quick Dips
Curated topical articles on the Blue Economy

End new oil, gas and coal funding to reach net zero, says IEA

Nina Chestney, Reuters Energy Solutions

Investors should not fund new oil, gas and coal supply projects if the world wants to reach net zero emissions by mid-century, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Tuesday, in the top global watchdog's starkest warning yet to curb fossil fuels.

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Why COP26 is our best opportunity to strengthen the ocean's role in fighting climate change

Peter Thomson, World Economic Forum Energy Solutions

A transformative scaling up of public and private financing of ocean-based economic activities will accelerate our advance to a net-zero carbon world by 2050.

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Nasa leads push for electric planes in next frontier of cutting emissions

Oliver Milman, The Guardian Energy Solutions

Flying on batteries presents major technological challenges but companies will be demonstrating their best efforts over the next year in California.

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How to spot the difference between a real climate policy and greenwashing guff

Damian Carrington, The Guardian Energy Solutions Plastics & Pollution

Unless actions by governments and corporations cut emissions in the here and now, a dose of scepticism is in order.

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Reshaping the two biggest carbon-emitting sectors to meet new US climate targets

Bill Prindle, The Hill Energy Solutions Shipping & Ports

On Earth Day, President Biden pledged to cut 50 to 52 percent of U.S. carbon emissions from 2005 levels by 2030. A prerequisite for rejoining the Paris Agreement, this commitment reflects scientific assessments of the reductions needed to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

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This startup grows kelp then sinks it to pull carbon from the air

Alexis Benveniste, CNN Business Energy Solutions Fisheries & Aquaculture

Carbon emissions are a huge contributor to climate change, so companies are getting creative about finding ways to suck the heat-trapping element out of the atmosphere and slow global warming.

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Installing solar panels over California’s canals could yield water, land, air and climate payoffs

Roger Bales & Brandi McKuin, The Conversation Energy Solutions

Climate change and water scarcity are front and center in the western U.S. The region’s climate is warming, a severe multi-year drought is underway and groundwater supplies are being overpumped in many locations.

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‘Historic’ German ruling says climate goals not tough enough

Kate Connolly, The Guardian Energy Solutions

Germany’s supreme constitutional court has ruled that the government’s climate protection measures are insufficient to protect future generations, after a complaint brought by environmentalist groups.

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Biden announces US will aim to cut carbon emissions by as much as 52% by 2030 at virtual climate summit

Kate Sullivan & Kevin Liptak, CNN Energy Solutions

President Joe Biden on Thursday kicked off a virtual climate summit attended by 40 other world leaders by announcing an ambitious cut in greenhouse gas emissions as he looks to put the US back at the center of the global effort to address the climate crisis and curb carbon emissions.

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Changes to giant ocean eddies could have ‘devastating effects’ globally

Graham Readfearn, The Guardian Energy Solutions

Swirling and meandering ocean currents that help shape the world’s climate have gone through a “global-scale reorganisation” over the past three decades, according to new research.

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How to scale up blue-carbon projects

World Ocean Initiative, The Economist Group Energy Solutions

On Earth Day we recap recent World Ocean Summit sessions highlighting the importance of investing in ocean ecosystems.

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Global CO2 Emissions Set to Surge in 2021 in Post-Covid Economic Rebound

Yale Environment 360 Energy Solutions

Energy-related carbon dioxide emissions are projected to increase by 1.5 billion tons this year, the second-largest increase in history, according to a new report from the International Energy Agency.

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Major Opportunities in Decarbonizing Maritime Transport

Writing Staff, Modern Diplomacy Energy Solutions Shipping & Ports

The World Bank today published new research on decarbonizing the maritime transport sector with findings that indicate significant business and development opportunities for countries, including for developing and emerging economies.

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The ocean finally gets its climate solutions moment

Andrew Freedman, Axios Energy Solutions

A growing alliance of policy makers, activists, and conservationists are looking to the ocean for climate solutions, from setting aside vast stretches of open water to protecting coastal marshes and mangrove forests.

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Charting a Course for Decarbonizing Maritime Transport

The World Bank Energy Solutions Shipping & Ports

A new series of reports by the World Bank identifies “green fuels” - ammonia and hydrogen - as the most promising zero-carbon bunker fuels within the shipping industry at present.

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5 milestones in green energy

Victoria Masterson, World Economic Forum Energy Solutions

Energy accounts for two-thirds of total greenhouse gas, so embracing cleaner sources is key to fighting climate change.

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Why the Market for ‘Blue Carbon’ Credits May Be Poised to Take Off

Nicola Jones, Yale Environment 360 Energy Solutions

Seagrasses, mangrove forests, and coastal wetlands store vast amounts of carbon, and their preservation and restoration hold great potential to bank CO2 and keep it out of the atmosphere. But can the blue carbon market avoid the pitfalls that have plagued land-based programs?

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Floating solar farms could cool down lakes threatened by climate change

Giles Exley, The Conversation Energy Solutions

Solar power is now the cheapest source of electricity in history, according to a 2020 report by the International Energy Agency. But there’s something holding this clean energy powerhouse back: space.

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'A Remarkable Story of Resilience and Hope': Renewable Energy Smashes Records in 2020

Kenny Stancil, Common Dreams Energy Solutions

Despite the difficulties associated with the Covid-19 pandemic, the world added a record amount of new renewable energy capacity in 2020, according to data released Monday by the International Renewable Energy Agency.

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Blue Carbon California: Incorporating Blue Carbon Science into Climate Policy Solutions

Laura Anderson, Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions Energy Solutions Fisheries & Aquaculture

California is home to a diversity of coastal ecosystems like tidal marshes, seagrass beds, and estuaries. These ecosystems provide flood and storm protection, healthy habitats for fish and birds, and recreational spaces. They may also play an important role in addressing climate change.

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