Month: February 2021

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France has passed a law protecting the sounds and smells of the countryside

Guy, J. (2021 January 22) France has passed a law protecting the sounds and smells of the countryside. Retrieved February 14, 2020 from https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/france-rural-noise-law-scli-intl/index.html

 

French government passed a law to protect certain aspects of the traditional French countryside. This has occurred amid smell and noise complaints against the countryside. The purpose is mainly to preserve French traditions, but also to ensure that city living does not become pervasive across the country. 

I believe that this is a great idea. At first glance, it might be hard to see how this relates to environmental science and the protection of the environment. No matter the original or base intention of the new law, it will help to protect the environment. By not allowing city life to intrude upon the countryside, farmers are able to keep using the means that they have for decades or even centuries. Preserving the countryside can help prevent further expansion of industrialism. By not forcing farmers to come up with different methods for farming, France is enabling them to not fall into an industrial trap. In general, I know that France has had a number of issues surrounding keeping traditions alive. In addition, they have been at the forefront of much of the fight against climate change. I like the fact that this piece of legislation has many different layers to it. It is both working to preserve tradition, while inadvertently helping the environment. 

 

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In Landmark Ruling, Air Pollution Recorded as a Cause of Death for British Girl

Peltier, E. (2020 December 16) In Landmark Ruling, Air Pollution Recorded as a Cause of Death for British Girl. Retrieved February 13, 2020 from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/16/world/europe/britain-air-pollution-death.html

 

This British landmark ruling ruled that the death of a 9-year-old girl in 2013 was due to air pollution. She had died of an asthma attack in London. The girl’s mother stated that she was unaware of the huge risks of air pollution where she lived. The UN wrote that this “would be ‘the first time that air pollution has ever been explicitly linked to a named individual’s death.’”

This is definitely a huge step forward in the fight against climate change. As the UN states, this was the first time that anyone had ruled that air pollution was the direct cause of a person’s death. Air pollution is worsened by and worsens climate change. They are both directly linked. There are numerous people across the globe who still do not believe that climate change exists, or refuse to acknowledge the gravity of the situation. I would hope that a ruling like this would make people more inclined to believe scientists when they say that climate change is a serious problem, not just directly for humans, but for the planet in general. By ruling this way, Britain is showing the true effects of pollution and climate change. We must reduce our emissions/pollution if we hope to survive as a species and help the planet to survive. Hopefully this case can be a wakeup call to people across the globe. 

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What Trump’s Environmental Rollbacks Mean for Global Warming

Popovich, N. Plumer, B. (2020 September 17) What Trump’s Environmental Rollbacks Mean for Global Warming. Retrieved February 14, 2020 from https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/09/17/climate/emissions-trump-rollbacks-deregulation.html

 

Donald Trump reversed and changed a number of environmental regulations during his time in office. In the long run, this would increase greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere greatly. These came in the form of rollbacks, changing fuel-economy standards, and decreasing regulations for methane leakage. In addition, Trump withdrew the United States out of the Paris Accords, ruining decades of work and regulation that countless countries came together to create. 

This has a huge impact on every other country on the planet. Just because it is one country that is reducing its regulations does not mean that the rest of the globe is not affected. The United States is one of the largest countries in the world, and one of the countries most inclined to consumerism and greenhouse gas emissions. When a country as large as the United States decides to withdraw from previous agreements about climate change, they affect everyone’s health and the health of the planet. In addition, being as large as powerful as it is, the country is typically one to set an example for smaller and developing countries. Trump’s actions do not send a good message out to the rest of the world. 

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E.U. Agrees to Slash Carbon Emissions by 2030

Pronczuk, M. (2020 December 11) E.U. Agrees to Slash Carbon Emissions by 2030. Retrieved February 13, 2020 from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/11/world/europe/eu-climate-emissions.html

 

The EU has agreed to cut carbon emissions by 55% compared to levels measured in 1990. They have created a multi-trillion dollar budget for countries to spend to help them create a more environmentally friendly economy. This agreement comes after much dispute and debate between all countries involved. Many primarily coal-fueled countries opposed this agreement, so it is a surprise that all countries were able to come to such an accord. 

The EU is a massive conglomerate of countries. All of these countries working together to reduce their emissions and fight climate change could make a huge difference. The EU and the countries that comprise it are also a huge example for other countries across the globe, such as the United States. If the EU is recognizing how drastic our measures need to be to fight climate change, hopefully others will too and will follow in its footsteps. It’s great that the EU is not just pushing legislation on its countries, but also working to give them the tools they need in order to be able to succeed and create a greener way of living. Many of the countries in the EU are still coal-driven and this agreement will harm their economies and jobs. I hope that they will be able to find a way to succeed and show the rest of the world how to fight climate change effectively. 

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U.K. Court Blocks Heathrow Airport Expansion on Environmental Grounds

Mueller, B. Landler, M. (2021 February 27) U.K. Court Blocks Heathrow Airport Expansion on Environmental Grounds. Retrieved February 13, 2020 from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/27/world/europe/heathrow-airport-third-runway-uk.html

 

The predicted expansion of London’s Heathrow Airport has been blocked by a UK Court of Appeal. The ruling states that the government has not fulfilled its duties to fight climate change that were outlined in the Paris Accords. While this will not affect anything outside of the UK, it could affect future decisions within the sovereign state. This is just one decision of many that have been made in past decades to support environmental protection efforts. 

The courts are doing the right thing in blocking this expansion and providing incentives to combat climate change. The government has not followed through on its efforts to fight climate change that it agreed to under the Paris Accords, so it should not be allowed to continue as if it has. This ruling could set a precedent in the UK, and hopefully set an example for other countries in the world. Expanding projects like airports can be detrimental to wildlife and their habitats. Preventing this expansion could ensure that biodiversity is not decreased. When certain people are doing all they can to help climate change along, rulings and laws might be the only way to protect the environment. 

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The Greek island where renewable energy and hybrid cars rule

Hope, Kerin. Financial Times. (2021, February 12). The Greek island where renewable energy and hybrid cars rule. Retrieved February 14, 2020, from https://www.ft.com/content/2dff3e85-2fb7-4a95-83cc-a38e1558a111

Tilos, a small island in Greece, is now running entirely on a hybrid system of wind and solar and has continued to invest in more clean projects. The island has built free electric car charging stations for all citizens to use. Most permanent residents fish and raise goats as occupations but the population increases in the summer with the arrival of workers and tourists. Mayor Maria Kamma-Aliferi said that switching to renewable energy has made power outages less frequent and keeps the tourists happier. The project has also caused the permanent population to increase since its completion. She hopes that other islands follow her lead and that the island can switch to an electric ferry, the only connection between Tilos and Rhodes. Another island, Lemnos, is planning to create a similar project this year, hoping that it will bring expats back to the island. Greece has continued to invest in greening the country, planning to shut down all coal plants by 2028. However, some protestors do exist, fearful that new wind and solar technology will take away from the natural beauty of Greece and its islands. However, these projects continue to be developed, decreasing the price of energy on Greece’s remotest islands and the country’s reliance on fossil fuels.

I find this development to be encouraging. While I applaud the development of this island and its ability to be a symbol of what could be, this news is not as significant on a global scale and can be viewed as simply a case study of the potential widespread implementation of renewable energy. This shows that in some cases, switching to renewable energy may not only be immediately environmentally beneficial but economically as well. While the case of Tilos is very specific, it is a success story of wind and solar energy as the global shift towards renewable energy progresses. I am hopeful that the success of Tilos and other cases can help influence more communities to advance renewable energy such as with Lemnos. Finding innovative and community-specific ways of establishing clean energy is going to be important when considering how we as a society implement this technology.

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Total Buys Stake in Adani Green Energy, World’s Biggest Solar Developer

Parnell, John. Green Tech Media. (2021, January 18). Total Buys Stake in Adani Green Energy, World’s Biggest Solar Developer. Retrieved February 13, 2020, from https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/total-buys-stake-in-adani-green-energy-the-worlds-biggest-solar-developer

Adani Green Energy is an Indian solar company that Total, a multinational oil and gas company located in France, acquired a 50% stake of. AGEL has added 3 gigawatts of operating renewable capacity and is developing 11.6 gigawatts currently, hoping to reach 25 gigawatts by 2025. Total acquired this stake to support the creation of a vehicle using AGEL’s solar technology. AGEL’s chairman Gautam Adani stated that he looks forward to working with Total in their shared vision of reaching 450 GW of renewable energy in India by 2030. As a company, Total has supported and developed projects globally to support renewable energy including solar and wind, including in Qatar, Spain, in France itself, in the US, and in South Korea. All of these projects together add up to 16.8 GW of renewable energy. Other oil companies are also creating renewable targets to support these projects internationally. BP Global is aiming for 20 GW by 2025 and Shell hopes to decrease current oil and gas drilling projects by 40-50 percent by 2025 and supports 1 GW worth of renewable energy projects.

I find myself being cautiously optimistic about this news. While it is important that major oil companies are starting to work with and support renewable energy projects, it is hard to shake the feeling that there may be some ulterior motive behind Total investing in AGEL. Furthermore, AGEL is apparently owned by the Adani Group, a company that also owns an oil and gas company. If Total and the Avani Group wanted to truly be renewable, they likely have the money and resources to do so, and yet they mainly still extract and sell oil and gas. Nonetheless, this development will still bring about positive change for Indians and the planet in general. By combining the resources of both already established companies, the two countries can hopefully make a dent in lowering transportation pollution in India, a country that is a major carbon emitter. Even if both companies have questionable histories, their attempts are honorable and may soon be one of many examples of oil, coal, and gas companies using their resources to support renewable projects. As the project continues to be developed, I think that Indians should be wary about what this means and not immediately support it. Both companies have very strong ties with nonrenewable energy companies and may attempt to secretly use fossil fuels while manufacturing the cars.

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Viet Nam has installed 6 coal plants’ worth of solar in a year

Broom, Douglas. World Economic Forum. (2021, February 8). Viet Nam has installed 6 coal plants’ worth of solar in a year. Retrieved February 13, 2020, from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/02/viet-nam-solar-power-surge/

In the past year, Vietnam has increased its solar energy by 25 times. The country provided large incentives to encourage citizens to buy into solar technology, increasing solar energy production by 9.3 gigawatts. The main incentive idea is comparable to that of many other countries- allowing citizens to sell excess solar back to the electricity grid. The main drivers towards renewable energy in the country are emerging competition in the energy market and a shift away from coal power investments. The country as a whole is the second-largest electricity consumer in Southeast Asia and has a steady increase in demand of 6% per year.

The feat that Vietnam has done is incredible in such a short amount of time. The pandemic may have been occurring during this year but the expansion of renewable energy has certainly not. While the article did not make it clear how many gigawatts of power Vietnam uses, the idea that solar technology was able to expand so readily is impressive. This example proves that the movement towards renewable energy is universal. Even in a country with a different economic and political system as our own, the government is seeing the need to pursue renewability and modify the power grid. This article makes me hopeful about the ability of countries and regions to modify their power grid. If the right actions are taken and enforced, the obtaining of net-zero carbon in only a few decades still seems achievable even in some of the poorest countries. In Vietnam’s case, a strong policy was needed to kickstart this movement.

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SirajPower’s solar portfolio continues to grow in the UAE

Weetch, Bella. Energy Global. (2021, February 8). SirajPower’s solar portfolio continues to grow in the UAE. Retrieved February 12, 2020, from https://www.energyglobal.com/solar/08022021/sirajpowers-solar-portfolio-continues-to-grow-in-the-uae/

SirajPower, the largest solar energy company in UAE, has doubled its assets in 2020 alone. They currently have about 180 facilities and displace 65,000 tons of carbon dioxide in the country. This upcoming year, the company plans to provide new green technologies like battery storage. This company has also been backed by many green investment groups and continues to expand in the country with practical, cost-effective solutions for UAE citizens.

This is very positive news for solar energy and emphasizes the continued movement towards greener energy solutions worldwide. The UAE is an oil-rich country that makes a lot of money from selling oil to other countries. However, even in this country the growth of renewables has continued to grow rapidly and is ever-expanding. It is relieving to me to see other countries expanding their renewable technology at such a fast and affordable rate as well. You rarely see news about the expansion of this technology outside of the Western world and especially in the Middle East, so knowing that these countries have made strides towards a cleaner power grid is hopeful. It makes me hopeful not only about the expansion of renewable energy in the UAE but in all of the Middle East.

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Solar panels in Sahara could boost renewable energy but damage the global climate – here’s why

Daley, Beth. The Conversation. (2021, February 11). Solar panels in Sahara could boost renewable energy but damage the global climate – here’s why. Retrieved February 12, 2020, from https://theconversation.com/solar-panels-in-sahara-could-boost-renewable-energy-but-damage-the-global-climate-heres-why-153992

The Sahara Desert is a likely place that large solar farms could be used for large amounts of power. However, the solar panels are generally darker than the ground they cover, absorbing more heat and remitting it, spreading this heat on a global scale. A study in the Science magazine suggests that the albedo of the Sahara would lower and if only 20% of the land was covered with solar panels, a positive feedback loop would occur in which a temperature difference between the land and ocean becomes larger, producing more rain in the area and a greener Sahara. This greener Sahara would absorb more heat and cause more rain to fall. While this greener Sahara may be beneficial in some cases, unintended consequences would likely offset any positive effects of this change. By adding solar panel farms, more heat would be produced and spread, contributing to climate change even if no carbon dioxide is released.

While this is important information for the future of renewables, it is unfortunate. This article provides a significant downside of solar energy that should be considered as we move forward with renewable energy and technology. While the threat of this occurring is not close to being imminent, it is something that needs to be addressed when considering renewable options. This also emphasizes the importance of diversifying the power grid, as the domination of one form of technology could be devastating to the planet in similar ways to nonrenewable energy as shown in this example. Overexploiting the Sahara in this way is clearly not much better, if at all, than exploiting our nonrenewable energy sources. Solar technology holds a lot of potentials but may need to be further refined and developed in order to have even less negative impacts on the planet and our land. This article makes me hope that there are solutions proposed that would mitigate or eliminate this problem entirely. This problem may still be decades away and luckily has been foreseen relatively quickly but it seems like focusing on developing less-devastating forms of solar energy should be a priority.