News Feeds | ecology.iww.org (2024)

Mining.Com - Fri, 04/19/2024 - 06:06

Sustainable mining company pH7 announced the adoption of software developer Elevated Signals’ Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP) platform to capture real-time data and facilitate data-driven analytics.

pH7 provides mines, original equipment manufacturers and recyclers with eco-friendly, cost-effective solutions for extracting and processing copper and platinum group metals, which are essential for the development of hydrogen energy and electrification technologies.


“pH7’s closed-loop, sustainable extraction technology is a proven solution that complements and accelerates the ongoing extraction and processing efforts of critical metals by the mining and recycling sectors,” Mohammad Doostmohammadi, founder and CEO of pH7 Technologies, said in a media statement.

“This eco-efficient approach is crucial as we work to secure the supply of resources for the energy transition. With access to Elevated Signals’ cloud-based software, we look forward to streamlining our operations and leveraging real-time data and insights to inform reporting processes for our partners.”

pH7 is set to expand its operations to include an additional demonstration plant in the city of Burnaby, British Columbia, in Q3 2024, spanning 30,000 sq. ft. Thus, the company needed to engage a solution to streamline and automate complex processes with ease.

“Our MRP platform is a central source of truth that excels in providing reliable, real-time inventory tracking—essential in the critical minerals space,” Elevated Signals CEO Amar Singh said. “This expertise, drawn from our history in highly regulated markets, delivers unmatched flexibility and efficiency, setting new manufacturing standards across industries.”

Categories: J2. Fossil Fuel Industry

Solar Industry Magazine - Fri, 04/19/2024 - 06:00

Entergy Texas has contracted its first solar resource, the 150 MW Umbriel Solar facility located in Polk County, Texas, selected through a renewables-focused RFP.

“Generating electricity from renewable resources plays an important role in building a cleaner energy future, and Entergy Texas is seeking ways to diversify its generation portfolio and support the growing energy needs within our communities,” says Abigail Weaver, Entergy Texas director of resource planning and market operations.

“By listening to our customers and understanding their sustainability needs, we are leading the way for adding more low-emission and carbon-free resources to the generation mix here in Southeast Texas.”

The facility is owned and operated by Longroad Energy. Longroad finished project construction last November, which is when Entergy Texas started receiving solar energy via its long-term PPA with the project.

The post Entergy Texas Contracts with Umbriel Solar Facility appeared first on Solar Industry.

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Mining.Com - Fri, 04/19/2024 - 05:56

Taranis Resources (TSX-V: TRO) can finally go ahead with planned exploration at its Thor copper project near Trout Lake, in the Canadian province of British Columbia, almost two years after its permit application and five months after filing a lawsuit against the province.

The US-based explorer asked the B.C. Supreme Court in November to order the province’s chief permitting officer to make a decision on the permit application.

Taranis also requested the court to ask the Mines Minister Josie Osbourne for clarification on her statement that First Nations were “the rightful owners of the land,” and her reference to a “Ktunaxa-declared moratorium”, which Taranis thought to be contrary to law.

The Thor copper project, an amalgamation of five historic mines, sits in Ktunaxa traditional territory, northeast of the village of Nakusp, in the West Kootenay region.

“We’re incredibly pleased,” said John Gardiner, president and chief executive of Taranis, in an interview with the Valley Voice. “It took two years and approximately $200,000 in legal fees to reach this stage.” According to executive, permits are typically approved within about three months.

Taranis had been granted in 2021 a permit to execute bulk sampling activities at the project for up to five years.

Categories: J2. Fossil Fuel Industry

Mining.Com - Fri, 04/19/2024 - 05:52

Management changes announced this week:

Alamos Gold hired Ryan Clarke as GM at the Young-Davidson mine.

Atacama Resources International welcomed Thomas Moynihan as its new CFO and Brian Praver as VP business development.

Condor Resources named Chris Buncic the company’s new president and CEO.

Japan Gold strengthened its team with the appointment of Alexia Helgason as VP corporate communications.

Richard Klue is now VP technical services at Mayfair Gold.

Stelmine Canada named Christian de Saint-Rome as interim president and CEO.

Zeus North America has a new CFO and secretary, Lawrence Cheung.

Board changes:

1911 Gold named Gary O’Connor executive chair.

Alain Laplante joined the board of Cartier Resources.

Great Eagle Gold added Michael Moses to the board.

The newest member of the Pasofino Gold board is Emre Kayisoglu.

Planet Green Metals added Sandy M. Archibald to the board.

Rua Gold offered Tyron Breytenbach a seat on the board.

Vizsla Silver welcomed Suki Gill as a director.

Categories: J2. Fossil Fuel Industry

North American Windpower - Fri, 04/19/2024 - 05:47

Eversource Energy says it has finalized the agreement to sell its 50% ownership stake in the 924 MW Sunrise Wind project to Ørsted.

Eversource will remain contracted, under a separate agreement, to lead the project’s onshore construction following closing. In this role, Eversource will be a service provider to Ørsted and will not have any ongoing ownership interest in the project.

“We’re proud of the work we have already accomplished for Sunrise Wind and look forward to assisting Ørsted and the State of New York in advancing this important clean energy project through our continued onshore support,” says Joe Nolan, CEO and president of Eversource Energy.

“Sunrise Wind will bring considerable new investment and job opportunities to New York, especially for the local union slated to build the project’s onshore transmission system, while also helping to reduce carbon emissions and advance a clean energy future. We look forward to our continued role as a leading transmission expert to help enable the continued development of this important renewable resource for our region.”

Eversource engaged Goldman Sachs as its financial advisor to assist with the transactions, with Ropes & Gray serving as legal counsel.

Photo source

The post Eversource Energy Finalizes Agreement Selling Orsted Sunrise Wind Stake appeared first on North American Windpower.

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North American Windpower - Fri, 04/19/2024 - 05:42

Scout Clean Energy has signed a VPPA with Zoetis for a 50 MW portion of Scout’s 180 MW Heart of Texas Wind Farm, in operation.

“We’re proud to work with ambitious partners like Zoetis to find creative solutions for renewable procurement,” says Michael Rucker, chief executive officer and founder at Scout. “Heart of Texas is an outstanding project and will deliver excellent value to Zoetis as it pursues carbon neutrality.”

The project, located in Texas’ McCulloch County, was constructed in 2020 and is owned and operated by Scout, a portfolio company managed by Brookfield.

The post Scout Clean Energy Signs VPPA with Zoetis appeared first on North American Windpower.

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Global Tapestry of Alternatives - Fri, 04/19/2024 - 05:03

Categories: B5. Resilience, Third Nature, and Transition

Global Tapestry of Alternatives - Fri, 04/19/2024 - 05:02

Categories: B5. Resilience, Third Nature, and Transition

Global Tapestry of Alternatives - Fri, 04/19/2024 - 05:01

Categories: B5. Resilience, Third Nature, and Transition

Global Tapestry of Alternatives - Fri, 04/19/2024 - 05:00

Categories: B5. Resilience, Third Nature, and Transition

Anthropocene Magazine - Fri, 04/19/2024 - 05:00

Microbial foods require a fraction of the land area, water, and growth inputs—and yet they could feed millions, possibly billions. In a new perspective research paper, a team of engineers hone in on the technologies that could make this alien-sounding fare a feasible part of a climate-resilient future.

The range of microbial foods is already wide and varied, and in research circles there’s much said about the promise they hold in an uncertain agricultural future. But there have been limited efforts to catalog these foods all in one place, and consider how viable it would be to produce them on an industrial scale. That’s where the new research comes in: the experts on the recent Nature Microbiology paper looked at the variety of these already-available foods, and what would be needed to upscale their production and spread.

First, their survey revealed just how widespread microbial foods already are in our lives, with many companies using them to produce nutritional compounds and food biomass. For example, β-Lactoglobulin and ovalbumin—milk and egg proteins—can be manufactured using engineered bacteria and fungi like the yeast strain Komagataella phaffii, to produce livestock-free additives that are needed in the production of food. Meanwhile, a host of oleaginous species—microbes known for their natural oil-producing properties—are being wielded to produce substitute oils and fats. Paired with synthetic biology, the fatty acid chains that these and other microbes generate can be adjusted to make different kinds of fat substitutes for cocoa butter, palm oil, even beef fat.

Some of the greatest promise lies in protein-rich bacteria, algae, fungi, and yeasts whose actual biomass can be harvested in the form of single-celled proteins to make alternative meats, ice cream, and mayonnaise.

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Of course, these microbes don’t feed on thin air (well, some do—we’ll get to that.) But the researchers’ review revealed huge opportunities for recycling of waste streams as a feedstock for microbes, for instance leftovers from food production, excess sugar from cane production, oat and potato byproducts, and wood chips. One interesting example is called oncom, formed by filamentous fungi that feeds off waste from the production of soybean and peanut oil, to form a tempeh-like staple that’s commonly eaten in Indonesia.

Decoupling things completely from the land, some microbes may even be able to flourish on the carbon dioxide in air. However this process requires direct air-capture technology, and other technologies to also release the carbon that would provide the key feedstock for hungry microbes, and these can be energy- and cost-intensive. Another available option is to use renewable energy to reduce CO2 to make formic acid, which has already been successfully used as a feedstock to grow protein-forming C. necator, a type of soil bacteria that’s useful in the production of alternative meat and fish.

To produce feed nutrients like nitrogen—another key element for microbial nourishment and growth—the researchers again underscore the potential to divert waste streams from agriculture and elsewhere that are often rich in excess ammonia. What’s more, we could harness the potential of other microorganisms like algae, many of which naturally produce phosphorus, or a host of nitrogen-fixing bacteria, which themselves could become feedstock for nourishing other food-making microbes.

Microbial foods may seem like an alien concept, but the new study brings it into closer focus, revealing how many types, feedstocks, and technologies already exist to make it a reality. In fact the bigger hurdle its authors believe, won’t so much be the capability to make food from microbes, but rather getting people to eat it. Consumer tastes and regulatory approval are two major obstacles they identify in the path of microbial foods, which may take some time to dissolve.

In the meantime, they have some ideas for where to head next. Crucially, they see a huge opportunity to substitute animal feed from crops with microbial nutrients. That could be the gateway to getting it into human diets, and a way to take huge amounts of pressure off the land.

‘Microbial foods’ also has an inherent ick factor that needs a rebrand, they believe. Communicating to consumers that these are just an extension of many familiar things we already eat—fermented foods, live cultures, probiotics, and alternative meat proteins—could pave the way to greater acceptance.

Choi et. al. “From sustainable feedstocks to microbial foods.” Nature Microbiology. 2024.

Image: ©Anthropocene Magazine

Categories: B5. Resilience, Third Nature, and Transition

Global Tapestry of Alternatives - Fri, 04/19/2024 - 04:58

Categories: B5. Resilience, Third Nature, and Transition

Extinction Rebellion - Fri, 04/19/2024 - 04:53

Email:press@extinctionrebellion.uk

Phone: +44(0)7756136396

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#RebelForTruth

Extinction Rebellion UK launches its annual Porky Pie Press Awards for the worst newspaper climate and ecological emergency coverage as billionaire media editors and writers stage a swanky black tie ceremony to tell each other how brilliant they are.

Watch full coverage of the Extinction Rebellion Porky Pie Press Awards ceremony, presented by Chris Packham, at 6pm tonight.

The first-ever winner of Extinction Rebellion’s new Porky Pie Press Awards for the most Climate-wrecking National Newspaper of 2024 will be revealed tonight (Friday) in an Oscars-style ceremony hosted by BBC wildlife legend Chris Packham.

Billionaire-owned climate crisis denial champions The Daily Mail, the Telegraph, The Sun, The Star and The Express are all in the running for a coveted Golden Porky Pie as XR totes up the results of an online poll that has been running for the past week.

Chris Packham says:

“Frankly, we’re in awe of the efforts that have been made this year by the billionaire owners of our national press and their pet editors to ensure we all face a much more dangerous climate in the very near future.

“They have strained every media sinew to misinform the public about terrifying warnings of floods, famines, war and the imminent collapse of our whole society from the world’s top climate scientists. And they have campaigned tirelessly for the government to do almost bugger-all about it. They must be SO proud.”

Editors, journalists and writers from all three newspapers arrived at their annual Press Awards at the five star London Marriott hotel in Grosvenor Square to find excited XR ‘fans’ and ‘showbiz reporters’ waiting for them. The glitzy event’s guests were clearly excited to find out whether or not they would win this unique award.

After Chris Packham announced the winner as well as second and third place Porky Pies contenders, the XR ‘showbiz reporters’ attempted to present Golden Porky Pie trophies to stunned representatives of the winning newspaper and the two runners up as the ‘fans’ cheered the sterling services of the print media to setting the planet on fire.

They were joined by XR’s much-loved Dirty Scrubbers, scrubbed up in Oscars-style dresses for the evening and keen to show their love for the journalists doing so much to help them greenwash the climate crisis.

Placards in the crowd will show images of billionaires Rupert Murdoch, owner of the Sun, Viscount Rothermere, owner of the Mail, and Frederick Barclay, owner of the Telegraph, above slogans such as ‘Dons of Disinformation’ and ‘’Porky Pie Propagandist’

One of Extinction Rebellion’s Press Coordinators, Steve Tooze, said:

“We felt it was time to publicly recognise the truly astonishing job that our national newspapers have done this year in lying about, ignoring or playing down the undeniable scientific evidence of an accelerating climate crisis that is threatening billions of lives and our entire way of life.

“To see these editors and journalists trooping into a 5 star hotel in London to pat each other on the back about their brilliance while lying daily to their millions of readers about how urgent and serious a threat they face from the climate emergency was frankly quite sickening.

“They seemed strangely reluctant to accept their glittering Golden Porky Pies from our Showbiz team. But we’re not dismayed and already about next year’s awards.

“However, we’d be even more excited if our national press started truthfully reporting the terrible and imminent danger that we all face and demanding that the government take urgent action to tackle it. Then we won’t have to present any Golden Porky Pies in 2025.”

Want to supercharge other Extinction Rebellion campaigns like the Porky Pie Press Awards?

Support our work today and have your donation matched pound for pound by the Big Give. Our goal is to raise £30,000 by Thursday 25th April which means we will actually receive £60,000. Any money you give will help us amplify the truth, execute epic actions, and expose the real climate criminals. Give now and double your impact. The link: https://xrb.link/B9tUn4xjV40

ENDS

– Notes to editor –

Extinction Rebellion and The Big Give
Support our workover the next seven days and your donation will be matched. Our target is £30,000 but the match funding means we will raise £60,000. Any money you give will help us amplify the truth, execute epic actions, and expose the real climate criminals.Give now and double your donation.

About Extinction Rebellion
Extinction Rebellion (XR) is a decentralised, international and politically non-partisan movement using non-violent direct action and civil disobedience to persuade governments to act justly on the Climate and Ecological Emergency.

What Emergency?| Read about the true scale of the climate crisis
XR UK Local Groups| View a map of all local groups
XR UK website| Find out more about XRUK
XR Global website| Discover what’s going on in XR around the globe!

Time has almost entirely run out to address the climate and ecological crisis which is upon us, including the sixth mass species extinction, global pollution, and increasingly rapid climate change. If urgent and radical action isn’t taken, we’re heading towards 4˚C warming, leading to societal collapse and mass loss of life. The younger generation, racially marginalised communities and the Global South are on the front-line. No-one will escape the devastating impacts.

The post ‘And the winner of the award for the national newspaper that did the most to wreck the climate in 2024 is….’ appeared first on Extinction Rebellion UK.

Categories: B4. Radical Ecology

Resilience - Fri, 04/19/2024 - 03:33

Categories: B5. Resilience, Third Nature, and Transition

Mining.Com - Fri, 04/19/2024 - 03:31

South America-focused explorer Reunion Gold (TSX-V: RGD)has reached a key agreement with the government of Guyana, ensuring stable conditions for the Oko West gold project’s lifespan and committing to local workforce development as well as environmental and social initiatives.

As part of the deal, which aligns with Guyana’s mining policy, the Canadian company has set up a $1 million annual fund for community projects.

Reunion Gold noted it continues to advances the project in northwest Guyana towards a construction decision, with a preliminary economic assessment expected by mid-year.

“This significant milestone marks an important de-risking step towards the development of the Oko Westprojectand underscores the robust support extended by the government of Guyana towards theproject’s development,” CEORick Howes said in the statement.

Discovered by Reunion’s initial drill program in 2021, Oko Westis located south of the historical “Oko” gold district, about 95 km west of Georgetown.

Initial drilling by the company confirmed the presence of gold mineralization that coincides with the northern portion of a 6-km-long gold-in-soil geochemical anomaly. Most of the drilling to date has taken place at the northern 2 km of that anomaly, referred to as the Kairunizone.

A first resource estimate was completed in June 2023 following extensive drilling at Kairuni. Earlier this year, Reunion updated that resource to 64.6 million tonnes grading 2.05 g/t gold for 4.3 million oz. in the indicated category and 19.2 million tonnes grading 2.59 g/t gold for 1.6 million oz. in the inferred category.

TheFebruary 2024 resourceshowed both an increase in size and grades, both open pit and underground, and is expected to be included in the upcoming preliminary economic assessment(PEA) study.

Categories: J2. Fossil Fuel Industry

Resilience - Fri, 04/19/2024 - 03:15

Categories: B5. Resilience, Third Nature, and Transition

Rocky Mountain Institute - Fri, 04/19/2024 - 03:00

The European Union’s newest tool in fighting climate change is tackling “carbon leakage,” which happens when companies in jurisdictions with strict climate and environmental regulations move carbon-intensive production to countries with less stringent policies. The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) requires companies to report embedded carbon at the product level — and if they don’t do that, they risk losing access to the entire EU market. The EU is not alone in strengthening its carbon accounting requirements, either. Just last month, the UK Government launched aconsultation on the introduction of a UK CBAM. This comes following the December 2023 announcement that the UK would implement a CBAM similar to the EU’s, which came into effect in October 2023. So, what are all of these new regulations and how can companies prepare for more stringent carbon accounting policies? Understanding what CBAM is, who it effects, how it will affect business operations, and what major economic risks it will present to companies that don’t address product-level emissions, is key for any company operating within the European single market.

Without regulatory guidance, the task of creating carbon accounting frameworks and disclosures has previously fallen to the voluntary market. These voluntary emissions reporting solutions often vary in process, scope, and transferability across supply chains. To address this shortcoming, RMI’s Horizon Zero project offers industry-tested guidance for calculating product-level emissions as well as standardized formats for exchanging those emissions in steel and aluminum sectors, which are impacted by CBAM.

The adoption of CBAM, and the pressure this will put on companies looking to be compliant, is likely to spur further adoption of carbon accounting solutions to avoid losing access to the entire EU market. Solutions that can offer product-level carbon accounting and exchange will have a leg up in this new regulatory environment. And solutions that adopt standardized methodologies for accounting and exchange will have a further advantage, as they can better integrate with the systems adopted by both their suppliers and customers, and ease what can otherwise be an arduous manual process.

CBAM 101How does CBAM work?

Under CBAM, importers into the EU are required to report embedded emissions associated with certain products being imported. During the transition phase, lasting until January 1, 2026, importers will only be required to report total embedded emissions. Following this phase, importers will be required to purchase and retire CBAM certificates corresponding to the embedded emissions associated with their products, making it harder for products with high embedded emissions to enter the EU. The price of certificates will be set by the weekly average auction price of EU ETS allowances, the EU’s cap and trade system.

The embedded emissions of products include direct and some indirect emissions. Direct emissions refer to the emissions generated by the production process of the imported goods, for example the CO2 released from converting iron ore into molten ore for steel production. Indirect emissions refer to emissions associated with electricity consumption during the production of goods. Following the end of the transitional phase, until January 1, 2026, the CBAM scope is limited to direct emissions for iron/steel, aluminum and hydrogen.Direct and Indirect emissions will be in scope for cement and fertilizers. Actual emissions, or emissions based on the specific measurements from the production process, should be used where available. When unavailable, default emissions, as specified in EU documentation, may be used.

CBAM also distinguishes between simple and complex goods. Simple goods are produced from input materials that have zero embedded emissions (e.g., billets). Complex goods include the embedded emissions of relevant upstream products used in the production process (e.g., finished tubes).

Who does CBAM affect?

CBAM affects importers of iron and steel, aluminum, fertilizers, electricity, and hydrogen into the EU. Both importers and indirect customs representatives will need to apply for authorized CBAM declarant status — as entities needing to file CBAM reports — from their National Competent Authorities, the organization in each EU country tasked with managing CBAM within their jurisdiction.

When does CBAM take effect?

CBAM’s transitional phase began on October 1, 2023, and the first reporting period ended on January 31, 2024. During this transitional phase, importers were required to collect and report embedded greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in products, but not to purchase or retire CBAM certificates. The full implementation of CBAM will begin on January 1, 2026 and will require importers to apply for authorized CBAM declarant status, and purchase and retire CBAM certificates corresponding to the embedded emissions of their imports.

Why is CBAM Important?

While climate disclosures have been increasing in most sectors, few companies report or calculate product-level emissions. CBAM may have the power to change this.

Access to the European single market, the world’s third-largest economy, will now be restricted to companies able to report and, starting in 2026, pay for the emissions associated with their imports. For importers, this will necessitate rigorous product-level emissions accounting. Exporters from the European Union will also be affected: prior to CBAM, European producers were largely exempt from having to make EU ETS payments, in order not to disadvantage them against imports from outside the EU. With CBAM, these free emissions allowances will go away, and both importers and local producers will be paying a carbon price. The intent is that affected industries in the EU, such as Europe’s large auto industry, will prioritize the purchase of low-emissions materials from both local producers and importers, in order to reduce the cost of compliance.

In the context of an increasingly global market for goods, data for complex goods will be difficult to come by — with component materials likely coming from a variety of countries that may not yet be as advanced in their carbon accounting journey. This has garnered some criticism of the new law, which opponents see as protectionist, and is likely to disproportionately affect under-developed and vulnerable economies.

Regardless, CBAM’s transitional phase has already begun. The 2026 deadline for retiring the associated CBAM certificates is not far off either. Remaining a part of the European single market is surely a goal for any importer currently engaged with the EU, and companies will need solutions to assure that they are compliant.

How can software and more effective GHG accounting help with CBAM compliance?Product-level emissions accounting

Historically, companies have reported emissions at the corporate rather than product level, hindering the ability to compare the climate impacts of goods. Identifying and reducing emissions within companies’ supply chains is also key to meeting net-zero commitments and avoiding the most disastrous climate outcomes. According to the UN Global Compact, Scope 3 emissions (those associated with supply chains) account for more than 70 percent of a business’s carbon footprint. Consistent product-level emissions accounting is required for comparability and fairness across sectors — and for CBAM compliance.

Software solutions with product-level carbon accounting options will be more beneficial than those that solely provide company-level reporting, by allowing companies to reduce their reporting burden to a single solution, rather than using multiple platforms.

How standards foster interoperability

To achieve consistency across product-level calculations, emissions reporting standards are key. Current product-level accounting standards, such as WBCSD’s Pathfinder Framework, allow for comparability of emissions calculations across a broad range of sectors. When used in concert with sector-specific guidance, such as RMI’s Steel and Aluminum GHG Emissions Reporting Guidance, emissions for complex products, required under CBAM, can be better understood and shared.

RMI has previously extolled the virtues of open data standards for use in carbon accounting. Open standards allow for wider adoption, across both software customers and independent software vendors, which will help the industry reach a tipping point in readily available product-level carbon emissions data. Standardized data and data formats enable systems to work interoperably, leading to overall efficiency and therefore greater emissions visibility.

Ease of auditing and verification

Another area where software can help with CBAM compliance is to ease the burden of auditing and verification. While verification is not required in the transitional phase, starting in 2026, verification requirements will be enforced.

Software solutions such as SAP’s Sustainability Data Exchange tout their ability to provide “standardized audit-ready” values. A fully digital trail of supply chain emissions will become an essential part of being compliant with CBAM moving forward, and companies and solution providers who adopt such an approach will have a leg up on those who do not yet have a systematic approach to complying with CBAM and similar reporting requirements.

Looking ahead

With the first reporting period already open, and the UK adopting similar measures, it’s clear that CBAM is a reality that must be addressed if importers are to maintain access to the EU market. The initial scope of CBAM will focus largely on high-emitting products, but the EU has signaled an interest in expanding that scope over time.

While these regulations directly affect European markets, the United States’ Securities and Exchange Commission recently released rules governing corporate disclosure of emissions in North America. While this was expected to be a watershed moment for increasing the transparency of climate change-related risks, the final rule failed to include product-level or Scope 3 emissions reporting requirements, marking a misalignment in emissions reporting requirements across geographies. US exporters who adopt product-level reporting will be well-positioned to enter outside markets as countries adopt more stringent regulatory environments.

Software and accounting solutions that help to ease the reporting burdens of supply chain and product-level emissions data are going to be a necessity for companies looking to remain competitive. A greater focus on product-level accounting, the adoption of open standards across a large swath of market participants, and the ability to audit emissions calculations are all crucial elements needed to cope with this post-CBAM world.

The post The European Union’s Newest Tool to Tackle Carbon Leakage appeared first on RMI.

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Rocky Mountain Institute - Fri, 04/19/2024 - 03:00

New analysis from RMI finds that Illinois households could save over $2,800 dollars per year in direct cost savings from three strategies to expand transportation choices across the state. In addition to cost savings, investments in vehicle electrification and driving alternatives would slash climate pollution, leading to cleaner air and saving thousands of lives from improved health and vehicle safety outcomes.

We analyzed three strategies:

• Vehicle Electrification Standards, including Advanced Clean Cars II (ACCII) and Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT), which increase the sale of electric cars and trucks
• Climate-driven Agency Planning, where agencies take climate targets into account when considering infrastructure projects
• Renewed Investments in State Transit Systems, where states increase funding for transit

These strategies are considered best practice from peer states. 12 states have adopted Advanced Clean Cars II and/or Advanced Clean Trucks to promote zero-emissions vehicle adoption. Peer states like Minnesota, Colorado, and Virginia have updated agency project scoring to systematically consider land use and climate impacts of infrastructure projects. While Illinois faces a looming transit fiscal cliff, California, New York, and Minnesota have committed billions of new dollars in transit funding to spur economic growth and ensure their commuters have affordable choices to get to work.

Cost savings from clean transportation

Previous RMI analysis finds that Illinois is not on track to meet national climate goals, largely due to increasing transportation pollution, the primary source of emissions in the state. Using several RMI tools (assumptions here), we found that embracing the trio of clean transportation strategies in Illinois could slash pollution by up to 305 million metric tons between 2024 and 2050 — equivalent to the emissions avoided by running 3,000 new wind turbines during the same time period.

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It turns out that a cleaner, more efficient transportation system is also more affordable than a grid-locked one. Due to the reduced maintenance and fueling costs of electric vehicles, commuters can expect to save an average of $732 per year by ditching gas guzzlers with Advanced Clean Cars II.

These savings leap to $2,815 if the state also promotes system design that brings everyday destinations closer together and boosts the convenience of transit and other multimodal choices, such as biking and walking. In addition to more operating savings, shorter and avoided car trips help combat congestion, saving each driver about twenty-seven hours of traffic time per year, while also slowing depreciation, helping Illinoisians preserve the value of their vehicle when it’s time to trade in or downsize family cars.

The value of time cannot be monetized, but twenty-seven extra hours to spend with family or enjoying hobbies is priceless to many.

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Better health and well-being benefits

While cost savings are exciting, the human toll of an inefficient transportation system cannot be discounted. The three clean transportation strategies in combination would save thousands of lives from Chicago to Springfield.

The largest source of direct mortality prevention would be from reduced crash fatalities — Illinois could expect 220 more loved ones to make it home each year, given that car alternatives are orders of magnitude safer than car travel.

Pollution from the current transportation system also contributes to fatalities. Children, seniors, and people of color are most likely to die from respiratory complications, according to the American Lung Association (ALA). Our analysis finds that the electrification of vehicles would drive air quality improvements that on average save 47 lives per year in the Prairie State, primarily in vulnerable communities that cannot escape the air pollution they’re exposed to. ALA concurs and independently finds that ACCII/ACT-style policy would prevent 138,000 asthma attacks in Illinois by 2050.

It is also worth discussing the life-extending health benefits of active transportation alternatives. If residents could replace just 1 in 25 of their car trips with a brisk bike ride or walk, our analysis projects that 1,645 premature deaths would be avoided each year in Illinois. This finding was informed by a recent Harvard Public Health-led investigation, which shows that even modest increases in physical activity contribute to significantly improved mortality outcomes.

The health benefits are not just long-term; active transportation can increase wellness on a day-to-day basis. Imagine dropping your kids off at school in a cargo e-bike or being able to walk to get groceries — the impacts of fresh air, heightened endorphins, and increased vitamin D is enough to leave anyone happier, healthier, and in better shape.

Abundance of federal resources ideal for state investment

Thanks to the availability of federal funding, there’s never been a better time for Illinois to unlock the benefits of clean transportation. Illinois was awarded $225 million in federal funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to develop climate-smart transportation strategies and has received millions more from the Inflation Reduction Act to purchase hundreds of electric school buses.

Exhibit 3: This table from the Illinois Department of Transportation shows the impact of potential strategies to expand clean and affordable transport choices, which the state can fund with $225 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

However, more state actions are needed to maximize the uptake of these federal dollars to preserve the fiscal and environmental health of state transportation systems. Illinois has yet to adopt clean vehicle standards, even as the state receives $149 million to build out its charger network. The transit system is aging, with 30% of vehicles past their useful life. The state DOT acknowledges that increasing dependency on car-centric infrastructure may have negative impacts on equity and climate, but has yet to consider these metrics in its project scoring.

Illinois decision makers have the power to create a life of less traffic, cleaner air, and better health for their constituents now — and the above strategies will secure the most equitable and cost-efficient outcomes along the way.

This work was supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies and Sustainable Cities Fund

The post Analysis: Illinois is leaving money on the table until it embraces clean transportation appeared first on RMI.

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