Lunchtime Reads and Hot Takes
Bonn climate talks: Key outcomes from the June 2024 UN climate conference — CarbonBrief
Anca’s take: Nice thorough roundup on several key issues, from adaptation to mitigation, with one main takeaway: disputes on climate finance cast a shadow over the proceedings.
Oil and corn groups team up against Biden’s tailpipe emissions rules — Reuters
Amena’s take: Interestingly, the oil and ethanol industries don't see eye to eye over U.S. biofuel mandates. But they are joining forces against electric vehicles in favor of combustion engines.
Could low-carbon cement and steel be cheaper than we think? — Sustainability by numbers
Amy’s take: Although clean cement and steel are more expensive than current versions, when factored into final products — like a house or a car — the price increases are minimal. This is such an under-appreciated point, though I also think a factor holding things back is resistance from incumbent companies in these sectors.
Dozens of Groups Push FEMA to Recognize Extreme Heat as a ‘Major Disaster’ — The New York Times
Cat’s take: The technical designation would unlock federal funds to support state and local governments, which are struggling to pay for necessary emergency response measures. What a sign of the times.
Carbon Removal Fund Backed By Meta, Alphabet Agrees Europe Deal — Bloomberg
Anca’s take: It will pay a Swedish utility to burn biomass (like woodchips and logging waste) at power plants and then trap the CO2 using carbon capture and storage. The goal is to create demand for the technology.
Deadly heat waves in Mecca and Greece underscore climate crisis — Axios
Amena’s take: Human-induced climate change have made these heat waves "at least five times more likely" in these regions, per Climate Central's analysis.
PG&E’s power demand could double by 2040 — E&E News (subscription)
Cat’s take: Interesting that CEO Patti Poppe says PG&E's plans to meet rising demand include some new generation but also getting more out of existing infrastructure.
Shanghai’s Solar Carnival Belies Fight for Survival in China’s Flagship Clean Energy Industry — Bloomberg
Bill’s take: The industry, awash in factories with capacity far beyond domestic demand, is looking to the Chinese government to lead a consolidation. Not clear when, or even if, that will happen.
Minnesota takes rare step to allow power lines alongside highways — Canary Media
Amy’s take: I see power lines along roads frequently, so I’m surprised many states ban it. Perhaps a reconsideration is in order to weigh the safety concerns with the benefits of more electricity.
Navajo Summit Looks at History and Future of Tribe’s Relationship With Energy — Inside Climate News
Amena’s take: While solar energy is being installed across Navajo Nation, the article notes there is still no "reclamation plan" for addressing the legacy of orphaned oil and gas wells and abandoned uranium sites.
Deadly and Wildly Profitable, Uranium Fever Breaks Out — Bloomberg
Cat’s take: This fascinating feature takes readers to the uranium mining camp in Saskatchewan of NexGen Energy, which has a market value of $4 billion even though it isn't expected to sell uranium until 2028.
More of what we're reading:
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