March, 2024

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EVs Are at a Turning Point, It May Not Be What You Think

Union of Concerned Scientists

There’s been a lot of nay-saying around EVs lately, including, amongst other things, worries that EV sales are stalling out now that all the early adopters have already made the switch and mainstream buyers aren’t ready to dive in. I wouldn’t blame you if you thought nobody was buying EVs or that sales were about to plummet. While there are some near term headwinds, I’ve never had as much confidence in the ability to zero out tailpipe emissions from our cars and trucks.

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In Mongolia, a Killer Winter Is Ravaging Herds and a Way of Life

Yale E360

Mongolia’s nomadic herders are facing a savage “dzud” winter, with more than 2 million livestock frozen to death so far. Scientists say this lethal phenomenon — extreme cold and heavy snow following summer drought — is occurring more frequently and is linked to climate change.

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More solar shenanigans*

Real Climate

Going back a few months, I spent a bit of time pointing out the strategy and nonsense in the various Willie Soon and company’s efforts to blame current warming on solar activity. I specifically pointed out their cultish devotion to a single solar activity reconstruction (Hoyt and Schatten, 1993) (HS93); with an update from Scaffeta (2023) , and their increasingly elaborate efforts to create temperature series that correlate to it.

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More Guidance on Worker Classification for the Energy Industry

Energy & the Law

This post is a summary of a more detailed Client Alert prepared by Gray Reed’s labor and employment practice group. Recall our recent post on the Department of Labor’s new “Economic Realities Test” for classifying specialized contractors and consultants as either employees or independent contractors. The new rules make the compliance minefield much riskier.

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How to Drive Cost Savings, Efficiency Gains, and Sustainability Wins with MES

Speaker: Nikhil Joshi, Founder & President of Snic Solutions

Is your manufacturing operation reaching its efficiency potential? A Manufacturing Execution System (MES) could be the game-changer, helping you reduce waste, cut costs, and lower your carbon footprint. Join Nikhil Joshi, Founder & President of Snic Solutions, in this value-packed webinar as he breaks down how MES can drive operational excellence and sustainability.

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EU Member States Reach Agreement on Corporate Due Diligence Directive

Clean Energy Law

Following extended negotiations, the directive was endorsed with a significantly narrower scope that would reduce the number of companies affected. By Paul A. Davies , Michael D. Green , and James Bee On 15 March 2024, EU Member States endorsed the Belgian Presidency’s political deal on the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), despite Germany abstaining from the vote.

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Tooth loss linked to early signs of Alzheimer’s disease

New Scientist

A brain region critical for memory is smaller in older adults with fewer than 10 teeth than in those who have most of their teeth, suggesting that tooth loss may precede the development of dementia

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Great Barrier Reef Sees Mass Bleaching as Ocean Temperatures Hit Record High

Yale E360

Beset by severe heat throughout the Australian summer, the Great Barrier Reef is undergoing a mass bleaching, its fifth in eight years.

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Does Long-Term Benadryl Use Increase Dementia Risk?

Scientific American

Benadryl, which contains diphenhydramine, is a drugstore mainstay and just one medication out of many that could possibly damage brain health

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Harsh Result in a Drilling Contract Dispute

Energy & the Law

Frontier Drilling, LLC v. XTO Energy , Inc. has the indicia of an inequitable result, but as I remind my wife every time she objects to what she deems to be an outrageous jury verdict, we don’t know all the facts and the court’s gotta follow the law, so let’s not judge. The facts Drilling contractor Frontier and operator XTO were parties to a drilling contract that was amended several times by negotiations via oral and/or email communications and then written agreements memorializing the discuss

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China’s Stock Exchanges to Plan Sustainability Disclosure Rules for Big Companies

Clean Energy Law

The guidelines aim to transform China’s approach to ESG by introducing sustainability disclosure rules for large listed companies. By Hui Xu , Paul A. Davies , Jean-Philippe Brisson , and Qingyi Pan On February 8, 2024, under the auspices of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), each of China’s three major stock markets — Shanghai Stock Exchange, Shenzhen Stock Exchange, and Beijing Stock Exchange— unveiled draft guidelines on sustainable development reports (SDRs) (collectively ref

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The Key to Sustainable Energy Optimization: A Data-Driven Approach for Manufacturing

Speaker: Kevin Kai Wong, President of Emergent Energy Solutions

In today's industrial landscape, the pursuit of sustainable energy optimization and decarbonization has become paramount. ♻️ Manufacturing corporations across the U.S. are facing the urgent need to align with decarbonization goals while enhancing efficiency and productivity. Unfortunately, the lack of comprehensive energy data poses a significant challenge for manufacturing managers striving to meet their targets. 📊 Join us for a practical webinar hosted by Kevin Kai Wong of Emergent Ene

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We've glimpsed something that behaves like a particle of gravity

New Scientist

Gravitons, the particles thought to carry gravity, have never been seen in space – but something very similar has been detected in a semiconductor

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Growing Shade Equity, One Tree at a Time

Union of Concerned Scientists

Beneath the reputation of Los Angeles as a land of cars, palms, and sunshine lies a reality of stark inequalities—including access to trees and shade. Nearly 20% of L.A.’s urban forest is concentrated where only 1% of the city’s population lives , endangering lower-income communities and people of color with hotter-feeling summers and poor environmental quality.

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As Flooding Increases on the Mississippi, Forests Are Drowning

Yale E360

Ever-worsening floods are killing trees at an increasing rate along the upper Mississippi River, and invasive grasses are taking over. The Army Corps of Engineers has launched a project to boost both tree density and diversity, and to improve habitat for fish and waterfowl, too.

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As the Climate Crisis Worsens, the Federal Government in Canada Continues to Give Billions in Funding for Fossil Fuels.

Enviromental Defense

New analysis from Environmental Defence reveals that despite federal government promises, funding to the fossil fuel and petrochemical industries remains high Ottawa | Traditional, unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg People – New analysis released today by Environmental Defence reveals Canada’s federal government provided at least $18.6 billion to the fossil fuel and petrochemical industries in 2023 alone – a substantial amount of taxpayer money that went towards making it chea

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Implementing D.E.J.I. Strategies in Energy, Environment, and Transportation

Speaker: Antoine M. Thompson, Executive Director of the Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition

Diversity, Equity, Justice, and Inclusion (DEJI) policies, programs, and initiatives are critically important as we move forward with public and private sector climate and sustainability goals and plans. Underserved and socially, economically, and racially disadvantaged communities bear the burden of pollution, higher energy costs, limited resources, and limited investments in the clean energy and transportation sectors.

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Orca Groups with Radically Different Cultures Are Actually Separate Species

Scientific American

“Resident” and “transient” killer whales, or orcas, have unique hunting habits and genetics, proving they are in fact separate species

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Mandatory Climate Reporting in Singapore From FY2025

Clean Energy Law

The Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority and Singapore Exchange Regulation have provided details of mandatory climate reporting for listed issuers and large non-listed companies. By Paul A. Davies , Farhana Sharmeen , Michael D. Green , James Bee , and Kevin Mak On 28 February 2024, the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) and Singapore Exchange Regulation (SGX RegCo) introduced regulations for mandatory climate-related disclosures (CRD) (the Regulations).

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Antibody therapy makes the immune systems of old mice young again

New Scientist

A novel antibody therapy makes the immune system of old mice appear younger, allowing the animals to better fend off infections and reduce inflammation

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The Future of Resilient Agricultural Communities in California Is Alive in Allensworth

Union of Concerned Scientists

This blog post was cowritten with Dezaraye Bagalayos, Laurie Galvagna, Kayode Kadara, Kinah Hutson, and Jose Armando Munguia, and revised by other members of the Allensworth Progressive Association team and community leaders. Over the next 15 years, California will have to repurpose about 1 million acres of cropland, most of it out of the 5.5 million irrigated acres in the San Joaquin Valley.

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Shaping a Resilient Future: Climate Impact on Vulnerable Populations

Speaker: Laurie Schoeman Director, Climate & Sustainability, Capital

As households and communities across the nation face challenges such as hurricanes, wildfires, drought, extreme heat and cold, and thawing permafrost and flooding, we are increasingly searching for ways to mitigate and prevent climate impacts. During this event, national climate and housing expert Laurie Schoeman will discuss topics including: The two paths for climate action: decarbonization and adaptation.

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Great Lakes Ice Cover Hits New Lows

Yale E360

On the North American Great Lakes, ice cover usually peaks in late February or early March. But currently, the lakes are nearly ice-free.

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Petrochemicals Are Killing Us, a New Report Warns in the New England Journal of Medicine

Inside Climate News

It’s well known that fossil fuels are the primary driver of climate change. A dirty secret is that they’re also the source of toxic chemicals linked to rising rates of chronic and deadly diseases. By Liza Gross Use of petroleum-based chemicals skyrocketed during the postwar era, most of them entering the market with little concern for safety. Now, mounting evidence links petrochemicals to the rapidly rising prevalence of a slew of chronic and deadly conditions, a review published in the New Engl

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Why Isn't Dental Health Considered Primary Medical Care?

Scientific American

Ailments of the mouth can put the body at risk for a slew of other ills.

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Four Stock Exchanges Collaborate to Develop the ASEAN-Interconnected Sustainability Ecosystem

Clean Energy Law

The stock exchanges of Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Singapore have partnered to advance sustainability in ASEAN through the development of an interregional ESG ecosystem. By Paul A. Davies , Farhana Sharmeen , Michael D. Green , James Bee , and Kevin Mak On February 15, 2024, Bursa Malaysia Berhad (Bursa Malaysia), Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX), The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), and Singapore Exchange (SGX Group) released a joint statement announcing their collaboration on the develop

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Sustainability at Retail

Sustainability impacts every nation, company, and person around the world. So much so that, in 2015, the United Nations (UN) issued a call for action by all countries to work toward sustainable development. In response to this and as part of a global Sustainability at Retail initiative, Shop! worked collaboratively with its global affiliates to address these critical issues in this white paper.

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Spreading rock dust on farms boosts crop yields and captures CO2

New Scientist

We already have evidence that rock dust can remove carbon dioxide from the air – now there are signs that spreading the dust on farm fields also enhances crop growth

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EPA Strengthens Emissions Controls for Facilities Emitting Cancer-Causing Ethylene Oxide

Union of Concerned Scientists

Last week, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized updated regulations for certain facilities that emit ethylene oxide (EtO), a colorless, cancer-causing gas. These long-awaited rules will require facilities using EtO to sterilize medical devices and some food products—known as commercial sterilizers—to significantly reduce their emissions of EtO, install additional control equipment, and improve monitoring.

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Cambodian Offset Project Led to Arrests, Evictions of Indigenous People, Report Alleges

Yale E360

Indigenous people in southern Cambodia faced forced evictions and criminal charges after their ancestral lands were marked out for a carbon offset project, a new report alleges.

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Sinking Coastal Lands Will Exacerbate the Flooding from Sea Level Rise in 24 US Cities, New Research Shows

Inside Climate News

In the affected cities, as many as 500,000 people and one in every 35 properties could be impacted by the flooding, and communities of color face disproportionate effects. By Moriah McDonald Flooding could affect one out of every 50 residents in 24 coastal cities in the United States by the year 2050, a study led by Virginia Tech researchers suggests.

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First-Ever Magnetic Map of Milky Way's Black Hole Reveals a Mystery

Scientific American

Polarized light from Sagittarius A*, our galaxy's supermassive black hole, shows swirling magnetic fields that may hint at the presence of an unseen jet

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Environmental Defence Experts React to the 2024 Ontario Budget

Enviromental Defense

Toronto | Traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabeg, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat – Environmental Defence experts react to the 2024 Ontario budget, released today. Keith Brooks, Programs Director: This budget once again shows that the Ontario government doesn’t take climate change seriously and is uninterested in being truthful when it comes to the costs of climate change and climate policies.

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How mastering the art of being alone can boost your mental health

New Scientist

We are finally getting to grips with why solitude is so important.

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Paula García Knows Renewable Energy Is for the People

Union of Concerned Scientists

“Careful with the plants, careful with the trees, careful with the animals,” her grandfather would repeat. Traveling to the southern region of Colombia as a young child, Paula García remembers being taught by her elders about the deep interconnectedness between humans and the natural world. During visits, her family would echo the teachings of their ancestors, perspectives that García still carries with her today.

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Scientists Vote Down Proposal to Declare Anthropocene Has Begun

Yale E360

For more than a decade, scientists have been mulling whether the Earth had entered a new geological epoch, the Anthropocene, marked by the profound impact humans have had on the planet. Today, a committee of experts has reportedly decided on the matter.

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Forever Chemicals From a Forever Fire: Alabama Residents Aim to Test Blood or Urine for PFAS Amid Underground Moody Landfill Fire

Inside Climate News

Community members are working with a local environmental nonprofit to facilitate the potential testing, but Alabama’s top environment regulator said prior testing for PFAS in water sources served “no purpose.” By Lee Hedgepeth MOODY, Ala.—When Danielle Cusimano brought her newborn baby, Saylor, home from the hospital in December 2022, it was hard to keep the smoke out.