Sat.Dec 02, 2023 - Fri.Dec 08, 2023

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How Mounting Rubber Demand Is Driving Loss of Tropical Forests

Yale E360

The growing market for rubber is a major, but largely overlooked, cause of tropical deforestation, new analysis shows. Most of the rubber goes to produce tires, more than 2 billion a year, and experts warn the transition to electric vehicles could accelerate rubber use.

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Fossil Fuel Disinformation Threats Aim to Hinder Meaningful Action at COP28 

Union of Concerned Scientists

While there are thousands of people here in Dubai at COP28 fighting for genuine change, the climate summit is facing a barrage of disinformation. Combatting climate change has never been more urgent, and COP28 is poised to advance critical global action. Yet, driven by vested interests in the fossil fuel industry , misleading narratives aim to distort and hinder meaningful climate commitments.

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Pearl Harbor Today

Legal Planet

Today is Pearl Harbor Day, the anniversary of the Japanese attack that launched the U.S. into World War II. Those of us who don’t live in Hawaii may not think much about the harbor, but I started to wonder how things were going environmentally there. The geography is more complex than I had expected. I think of a harbor as just an area where boats can park, maybe in a protected bay.

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Master Service Agreement Dispute Turns on Definitions

Energy & the Law

The outcome of a multimillion-dollar suit was in the hands of a jury of 12 good and honorable citizens. The question: Was a certain party an agent, consultant, contractor, or none of the above? One side wanted the jury to be instructed on the legal definitions of those terms. The other wanted the words to be interpreted in their “ordinary and popular sense”.

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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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Another Record-Hot Month Puts 2023 on Track to Be Hottest Year Ever

Yale E360

November was the sixth month in a row of record-warm weather, according to a new analysis that finds 2023 will almost inevitably end as the hottest year ever recorded.

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We Need an Agreement to Phase out Fossil Fuels at COP28

Union of Concerned Scientists

We’re well into the first week of COP28, the annual UN climate talks, and have secured a promising early win on operationalizing the Loss and Damage Fund. The United States has made important announcements on standards to limit methane emissions , along with a contribution to the Green Climate Fund. But things are definitely getting harder here in Dubai.

More Trending

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Bad Science and Bad Statistics in the Courtroom Convict Innocent People

Scientific American

Science, statistics and expert testimony are crucial in securing justice.

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To Fight Plastic Waste, an Indonesian Campaign Aims High

Yale E360

Since attorney and activist Tiza Mafira cofounded PlasticDiet Indonesia in 2013, the group has helped more than 100 local governments pass single-use plastic bag bans and is now tackling straws, cutlery, and sachets. Next up: slashing subsidies for petrochemical companies.

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For Black STEM PhDs, the “D” Also Means Debt

Union of Concerned Scientists

As hard as it is for Black students to earn advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering and medicine (STEM) fields, a final insult accompanies the diploma. They leave school dragging a ball and chain of debt far heavier than that for most White graduates. The latest evidence of this comes in a report last week by the Research Triangle Institute and the Sloan Foundation.

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This mathematical trick can help you imagine space-time

New Scientist

Visualising space-time can be a mind-melting exercise, but mathematician Manil Suri has a trick that makes it easier

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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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FDA Approves First CRISPR Gene Editing Treatment for Sickle Cell Disease

Scientific American

Most people with sickle cell disease who received a new gene editing treatment saw their pain resolve for at least one year, but longer follow up is needed

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Report Alleges Intimidation of Families in Path of East African Pipeline Project

Yale E360

A new report implicates French oil giant TotalEnergies in the bullying and intimidation of families living in the path of its proposed oil pipeline in East Africa.

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How Neonics Can Harm Soil Health and Soil Biodiversity

NRDC

This World Soil Day, let's acknowledge the effects that neonic pesticides can have on soil health and biodiversity, and the farms that depend on them

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Ancient climate analysis suggests CO2 causes more warming than thought

New Scientist

A reconstruction of 66 million years of climate history indicates global temperature may be even more sensitive to carbon dioxide levels than current models estimate

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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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The Same Extremists Target Both Muslims and Jews

Scientific American

Far-right extremists shifted their online hate from Muslims to Jews in 2017, and offline hate followed the same trends

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Extreme Weather Inflicting Higher Costs but Fewer Deaths, Report Finds

Yale E360

The last decade saw weather grow more extreme, with cyclones, floods, and fires incurring greater costs. But thanks to improved early warning systems, deaths from extreme weather fell, a new report finds.

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What is a Sand Dune?

Ocean Conservancy

Along the sandy beach , you’ll find seashells, tiny crabs and—if you look up in the sky—gulls flying overhead. But a little distance from where the ocean meets the land, some beaches have sand dunes. These large mounds of sand are a bit puzzling. How do they stay formed into big hills? Why don’t they collapse or fall apart? And how do they form in the first place?

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Insects thrive on solar farms planted with native flowers

New Scientist

Two solar farms in Minnesota saw big increases in bees and other insects after a variety of native grasses and wildlfowers were planted among the panels

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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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Jailbroken AI Chatbots Can Jailbreak Other Chatbots

Scientific American

AI chatbots can convince other chatbots to instruct users how to build bombs and cook meth

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Municipal Compost is Key for Regenerative Farms and Sustainable Cities

NRDC

Compost is a physical reminder that soils, farms, and farmers are all part of a larger food system inextricably linked with municipalities and urban areas

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Sabin Center’s Network of Peer Reviewers Responds to African Commission’s Call for Comments on Climate Change and Human Rights

Law Columbia

Last week, the Sabin Center’s Peer Reviewer Network provided a detailed comment in response to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights’ Call for Comments on the draft study concerning the impact of climate change on human rights in Africa. The comment offers recommendations to strengthen the draft study’s approach to the human rights implications of climate change and addresses key areas of climate change law.

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Jumping spiders seem to recognise each other if they have met before

New Scientist

Regal jumpers, a type of jumping spider, appear to be less interested in each other if they have met before, suggesting that the arachnids recognise individuals within their species

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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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Your Organs Might Be Aging at Different Rates

Scientific American

It turns out that your chronological age really is just a number.

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Yet Another Oil Spill Hits the Gulf of Mexico

NRDC

The largest Gulf oil spill since Deepwater Horizon highlights the inherent risks of offshore drilling to coastal communities and marine ecosystems.

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Editor’s Choice 60:12 Mangrove ecological restoration vs climate variability

The Applied Ecologist

David Alejandro Sánchez-Núñez, J. Alexandra Rodríguez-Rodríguez and José Ernesto Mancera Pineda talk us through Journal of Applied Ecology’s December’s Editor’s Choice research article. This study demonstrates that climate-smart restoration in mangroves should implement the types of hydrological rehabilitation measures that offset or avoid reinforcing ENSO strong phases.

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DNA nanobots can exponentially self-replicate

New Scientist

Tiny machines made from strands of DNA can build copies of themselves, leading to exponential replication.

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Unless We Cut Emissions, Ice Sheets, Forests and Ocean Currents Are Headed for Catastrophe

Scientific American

Hundreds of scientists warn that the world must rapidly phase out planet-warming emissions to avoid crossing dangerous climate “tipping points”

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Compost Is a Climate Solution

NRDC

Reducing food waste is no. 1 on the list of most impactful interventions to mitigate climate change.

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At COP28, a Growing Sense of Alarm Over the Harms of Air Pollution

Inside Climate News

A study released on the eve of the conference found that 8 million people around the world die annually from air pollution. And experts say the crisis is worsening. By Victoria St. Martin In one home video, Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah bops to a choreographed Beyoncé dance. In another, she looks at the camera, and her mom and plants a big kiss on her lips.

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Why you don't need to bother raking up dead leaves from your lawn

New Scientist

When the leaves start falling, we can spend hours removing them from our lawns.

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How Quantum Math Theory Turned into a Jazz Concert

Scientific American

A mathematician and a musician collaborated to turn a quantum research paper into a jazz performance

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The Cool Way to Heat: CA is poised to encourage “smart” AC units

NRDC

Proposed regs encourage new AC installs to be heat pumps, enabling customers to access heating and cooling in one clean appliance.

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