Wasting Food ‘Is Top Cause of Environmental Guilt Among Brits’, What Is Yours?

19.06.2019

megan-hodges-96122-unsplash — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Megan Hodges)

Wasting food is the top cause of environmental guilt among Brits.

That’s according to a new survey of 2,001 people, conducted by Opinium research and commissioned by renewable energy supplier Pure Planet, which shows 35% of UK adults feel bad about the environmental impact of binning food.

Throwing away food was followed by buying plastic-wrapped groceries, which around a third of people said makes them feel guilty, while 27% and 23% said using plastic bottles and plastic shopping bags respectively made them feel bad.

Only a tenth admitted to feeling guilty about flying to go on holiday, which is a significant part of the average person’s environmental footprint and 9% said they feel bad about powering electricity use in their home with fossil fuels.

Around a quarter of people said they don’t feel guilty about the impact they have on the environment at all.

Steven Day, Co-Founder of Pure Planet, said: “It’s great that the majority of people are thinking more about their impact on our environment but it looks like they are feeling guilty about the smaller things – not the biggest-impact activities causing the greatest harm, such as flying or driving fossil-powered cars, especially when they could easily walk or cycle instead.

“A greater understanding of people’s impacts is needed. And the only way we can all feel less guilty is to act more positively and conscientiously.”

Source: Energy Live News

Greenland Lost 2 Billion Tons of Ice This Week, Which Is Very Unusual

18.06.2019

panorama-greenland — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Over 40% of Greenland experienced melting Thursday, with total ice loss estimated to be more than 2 gigatons (equal to 2 billion tons) on just that day alone.

While Greenland is a big island filled with lots of ice, it is highly unusual for that much ice to be lost in the middle of June. The average “melt season” for Greenland runs from June to August, with the bulk of the melting occurring in July.

To visualize how much ice that is, imagine filling the National Mall in Washington with enough ice to reach a point in the sky eight times higher than the Washington Monument (to borrow an analogy Meredith Nettles from Columbia University gave to The Washington Post).

The sudden spike in melting “is unusual, but not unprecedented,” according to Thomas Mote, a research scientist at the University of Georgia who studies Greenland’s climate.

“It is comparable to some spikes we saw in June of 2012,” Mote told CNN, referring to the record-setting melt year of 2012 that saw almost the entire ice sheet experience melting for the first time in recorded history.

This much melting this early in the summer could be a bad sign, indicating 2019 could once again set records for the amount of Greenland ice loss.

Mote explained how snow and ice melt off the Greenland ice sheet, especially early in the season, makes it easier to for additional melt to occur later in the summer.

White snow and ice, which is bright and reflects the sun’s rays back into space, reduces the amount of heat that is absorbed and helps to keep the ice sheet cold, a process known as “albedo.”

“These melt events result in a changed surface albedo,” according to Mote, which will allow more of the mid-summer sun’s heat to be absorbed into the ice and melt it.

Predictions for a record melt season

Mote says “all signs seem to be pointing to a large melt season,” and he is far from the only scientist to think so.

Jason Box, an ice climatologist at the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, predicted in late May that “2019 will be a big melt year for Greenland.”

Box pointed out that this year had unusually early-season melt days in April, and the melt season was “happening about three weeks earlier than average, and earlier than the record-setting melt year of 2012.”

In addition to the early-season melt, the snow cover is already lower than average in Western Greenland, and combining these factors means “2019 is likely going to be a very big melt year, and even the potential to exceed the record melt year of 2012.”

What is causing the sudden melt?

A persistent weather pattern has been setting the stage for the current spike in melting, according to Mote.

“We’ve had a blocking ridge that has been anchored over East Greenland throughout much of the spring, which led to some melting activity in April — and that pattern has persisted.”

That high pressure ridge pulls up warm, humid air from the Central Atlantic into portions of Greenland, which leads to warmer temperatures over the ice. The high pressure also prevents precipitation from forming and leads to clear, sunny skies.

Over the past week or two, that high pressure ridge got even stronger as another high pressure front moved in from the eastern United States — the one that caused the prolonged hot and dry period in the Southeast earlier this month.

Melt periods such as the current one are not unprecedented; Mote noted previous periods in 2012, 2010 and 2007, all major melt years. But he pointed out that until recently, they were unheard of.

“We’ve seen a sequence of these large melt seasons, starting in 2007, that would have been unprecedented earlier in the record,” he said. “We didn’t see anything like this prior to the late 1990s.

If these extreme melt seasons are becoming the new normal, it could have significant ramifications around the globe, especially for sea level rise.

“Greenland has been an increasing contributor to global sea level rise over the past two decades,” Mote said, “and surface melting and runoff is a large portion of that.”

Source: CNN

Renewable Jobs Around the World Topped 11 Million in 2018

17.06.2019

pinwheel-1649779_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Renewable jobs around the world topped 11 million in 2018.

That’s according to the latest analysis by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) – this figure compares with 10.3 million clean energy jobs in 2017, the increase being driven by renewable energy industries increasingly spreading around the globe.

The report notes more countries are manufacturing, trading and installing clean energy infrastructure each year, with growth no longer being limited to China, the US and the EU.

The solar industry retains the top spot for jobs, making up a third of the renewable energy workforce as the amount of work developing and installing panels soared in India, Southeast Asia and Brazil – Asia maintained a 60% share of renewable energy jobs worldwide and at three million positions, nearly 90% of all solar work.

China, the US, Japan and the EU lost jobs in the solar sector through 2018 but this was offset by growth elsewhere.

There were 1.2 million wind workers in 2018, with the bulk working onshore – China accounted for 44% of these roles, followed by Germany and the US.

Rising output pushed biofuel jobs up 6% to 2.1 million, driven by Brazil, Colombia, and Southeast Asia – in the US and Europe, a much higher proportion of the work is carried out by machines.

The hydropower sector employs 2.1 million people directly, of which around 75% work in operations and maintenance.

Francesco La Camera, Director-General of IRENA, said: “Beyond climate goals, governments are prioritising renewables as a driver of low carbon economic growth in recognition of the numerous employment opportunities created by the transition to renewables.

“Renewables deliver on all main pillars of sustainable development – environmental, economic and social. As the global energy transformation gains momentum, this employment dimension reinforces the social aspect of sustainable development and provides yet another reason for countries to commit to renewables.”

Source: Energy Live News

US Defense Operations ‘Create More Emissions Than Sweden’

17.06.2019

pentagon-80394_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The defense operations of the US create more greenhouse gas emissions than Sweden and Portugal.

That’s the conclusion reached in a new study published by Brown University in Rhode Island, which states the Pentagon, which oversees the US military, was responsible for producing approximately 59 million metric tonnes of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, in 2017.

The report notes if the Pentagon were a country, its emissions would put it in 55th place on the Global Carbon Atlas’s global emissions ranking.

In contrast, Portugal ranked 57th and Sweden ranked 65th, while China was judged to be the world’s largest emitter of carbon dioxide, followed by the US.

The study claims using and moving military equipment generated around 70% of the Pentagon’s energy consumption – this is largely as a result of burning jet fuel and diesel.

The report conceded the Pentagon has cut its emissions since 2009 by using more renewable energy and more efficient vehicles.

The report reads: “In its quest for security, the US spends more on the military than any other country in the world, certainly much more than the combined military spending of its major rivals, Russia and China.

“War and preparation for it are fossil fuel intensive activities. The US military’s energy consumption drives total US Government energy consumption.”

Source: Energy Live News

Nearly 600 Plant Species ‘Have Gone Extinct in the last 250 Years’

16.06.2019

water-lily-1857350_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

As many as 571 plant species have gone extinct in the last 250 years.

That’s according to a new study conducted by researchers at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, which suggests this is more than twice the number of birds, mammals and amphibians that have died out over the same time period.

Scientists say the rate of extinctions they have observed is happening up to 500 times faster than what would be expected without human-caused problems and interference.

They note that as plant species go extinct, other organisms and ecosystems reliant upon them are threatened, inlcuding human civilisation.

The study shows plants that have disappeared as a result of being over-exploited or having their habitats destroyed include the Chile sandalwood and the St Helena olive tree.

It shows biodiverse islands and tropics have suffered the greatest losses, largely due to large swathes of forest being cut down to access valuable timber.

The death of plant species is likely to worsen the impacts of climate change, as trees, vines and flowers absorb large amounts of greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from the air.

Co-Researcher and Conservation Scientist Dr Eimear Nic Lughadha, said: “Millions of other species depend on plants for their survival, humans included, so knowing which plants we are losing and from where, will feed back into conservation programmes targeting other organisms as well.”

The average size of animals will fall by a quarter over the next century as larger creatures are increasingly driven to extinction by human actions.

Source: Energy Live News

Forest Area Twice the Size of UK ‘Cut Down to Grow Food Since 2010’

15.06.2019

axe-984008_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

An area of forest twice the size of the UK has been cut down since 2010 to set up food plantations.

That’s the verdict from Greenpeace International, which claims unsustainable farms supply many of the world’s leading food companies.

It says despite a promise made in 2010 by the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) members such as Nestlé, Mondelez and Unilever to end deforestation by 2020 through sourcing products such as cattle, palm oil and soya more sustainably, production of commodities linked to deforestation has continued to rise.

The organisation notes 80% of global deforestation is a direct result of agricultural production, releasing climate emissions equivalent to Japan, Germany and the UK combined.

Greenpeace says earlier this year it wrote to more than 50 companies asking them to disclose their commodity suppliers – it argues no company was able to demonstrate meaningful effort to end links to deforestation and notes none of the companies included animal feed in their deforestation reporting, even though around 90% of soya is used to feed animals to produce meat and dairy products.

It also highlights how despite palm oil giant Wilmar International committed to map and satellite monitor all of its suppliers, competitors such as Cargill, GAR and Musim Mas have not matched the promise.

Anna Jones, Global Project Lead for Forests at Greenpeace UK, said: “These companies are destroying our children’s future by driving us towards climate and ecological collapse.

“They’ve wasted a decade on half-measures and in that time vast areas of the natural world have been destroyed. They should be in crisis talks right now but they’re still trying to grow demand for products that will drive forest destruction even further.”

A spokesperson from the CGF said: “The CGF is aware of a recent report sent to media by Greenpeace.

“The report’s conclusion incorrectly notes that companies are unwilling to do what is needed; although the global consumer industry purchases only a small fraction of the commodities that are grown in tropical forests, our members are playing an important role in addressing these issues.”

Source: Energy Live News

Cup Reuse Trial to Take Off at Gatwick Airport

14.06.2019

glass-1058878_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Gatwick Airport, Starbucks and plastic waste charity Hubbub have launched a cup reuse trial across the international airport’s South Terminal.

The organisations hope to tackle single-use plastic pollution with the one-month testing period, which will see Starbucks customers given the option to borrow a free reusable cup for their drink, that they can then drop off at a ‘Cup Check-In’ point before they board their flight.

Cups will be collected from these five points before being washed and returned to the cafe to be reused again.

This would remove the need for people having to use paper and plastic disposable versions – currently Gatwick Airport throws away seven million paper cups each year, around 1.7 million of which end up in landfill.

The campaign is funded by the voluntarily 5p charge that Starbucks has added to the cost of disposable cups.

Around 2,000 reusable cups will be put into circulation around the airport to help reduce the number of paper cups thrown away.

Hubbub and Starbucks say they will openly share the results from the trial once it has been completed.

Source: Energy Live News

Scotland Smashes Tree Planting Targets

13.06.2019

john-mark-smith-397655-unsplash — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (John Mark Smith)

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (John Mark Smith)

Scotland’s national tree planting targets have been “smashed”.

The nation’s Rural Economy Secretary, Fergus Ewing, said new planting was undertaken across 11,200 hectares in 2018, significantly surpassing the 10,000 hectare annual target.

The previous year, just 7,100 hectares of new trees were planted.

In his announcement, he stressed that tree planting makes a “critical contribution” to tackling the global climate emergency and noted 84% of all new planting across the UK last year took place in Scotland.

Around 3,900 hectares of new native broadleaf trees were planted, making up around 40% of all new planting in Scotland and meeting commitments for new native woodland creation.

The Scottish Government planted around 1,000 hectares, with the remaining 10,200 hectares being planted by a range of private forestry interests.

It says the increase in planting will help fight climate change as the trees absorb “substantial amounts” of carbon dioxide during photosynthesis.

Mr Ewing said: “This is fantastic news that we’ve smashed the targets. It is testament to the Scottish Government making forestry a priority and investing and helping growing the industry.

“In Scotland alone, around 9.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year are removed from the atmosphere by our forests – this is a clear example of why an increase in tree planting is so important in the fight against climate change.”

Source: Energy Live News

‘Most Meat Won’t Come from Animals’ by 2040

13.06.2019

grill-1710915_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

By 2040, most of the meat on our tables won’t come from animals.

That’s the prediction from researchers at global consultancy AT Kearney, who predict by this time, 60% of ‘meat products’ will be either artificially grown in giant laboratories or be replaced by plant-based proteins such as seitan, tofu and mycoprotein.

Many scientists suggest the conventional meat industry plays a significant role in contributing to climate change, due to the amount of energy and water required to raise, house, transport and kill animals, as well as the amount of methane created by industrial farming.

Currently, nearly half the world’s crops are grown to feed livestock but only 15% of the calories they contain end up being converted into meat and then eaten by humans – this contrasts with cultured meat and meat replacements, which are thought to retain around 75% of the calories inputted.

The report estimates in approximately 20 years, 35% of all meat will be cultured and 25% will take the form of vegan replacement options.

The firm estimates around $1 billion (£790m) has already been invested in meat-replacement products and says it believes the cultured meat market will dominate in the long term because they will more closely reproduce the taste and texture of traditional animal-sourced meat.

Carsten Gerhardt, Partner at AT Kearney, said: “The shift towards flexitarian, vegetarian and vegan lifestyles is undeniable, with many consumers cutting down on their meat consumption as a result of becoming more conscious towards the environment and animal welfare.

“For passionate meat-eaters, the predicted rise of cultured meat products means that they still get to enjoy the same diet they always have but without the same environmental and animal cost attached.”

Source: Energy Live News

Climate Change as a Fundamental Challenge of Our Era

11.06.2019

eu_amb_181153 — Kancelarija delegacije EU

To become a full member of the European Union one day, Serbia needs to harmonise its legislation with acquis of this group of countries. One of the fields that we need to work on is the environment. Who would be the better interlocutor to talk about how far we are from the standards that we are required to reach than the head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Sem Fabrizi?

EP: When we talk about ecology, it is impossible to avoid mentioning Chapter 27. Serbian authorities predict that we shouldmopen it by the end of 2019. Do you find this to be a manageablemdeadline and why so?

Sem Fabrizi: Chapter 27 is complex and requires time and dedication from many experts, national and international, to be prepared. The EU is actively supporting Serbia with these preparations. At this stage, Serbia submitted last December to the European Commission the “Negotiating Positions” document: the European Commission will shortly comment on the revised draft. This preparatory work is done at a technical level but is an integral part of the necessary preparation. Once the work on the negotiating positions is finalised, the chapter will be discussed with the EU Member States, who will ultimately decide on its opening.

EP: Which is, in your opinion, our weakest point in the field of environmental protection? Which one of the regulations will be the hardest to implement here?

Sem Fabrizi: Protection of the environment should be seenas a new paradigm of the way societies and economies
must operate. Climate changes are happening. They have become one of the central challenges of our time: drought,
soils erosion, extreme weathers conditions, and the rise of sea levels are unfortunately becoming the new normal.
The European Union has decided to break the “business as usual” model. Energy efficiency, use of renewables, emission reductions, clean water and air policies, circular economy, are all part of a vast mix of policies that the EU – over the course of the past two decades – have designed and implemented to preserve the environment, to set a new sustainability for the economy, and to prevent and mitigate climate changes. It hasn’t been an easy nor a short process, but the environment has become a mainstream policy where the right balance between economic growth and climate protection has been found and in a sustainable direction. Data show that the EU economy has continued to grow while the carbon emissions have halved, and that the “green economy” is one of the fastest growing sectors in the EU. These positive results gave the EU the necessary credibility to take the lead at a global level in the climate negotiations concluded successfully with the adoption of the UNFCC agreement in Paris in 2015. We are now in the implementation phase and the EU continues to be the world largest climate donor. Serbia as an acceding country must continue to work hard to align its internal legislation and economic development model in this direction as a matter of priority. Environment protection is no longer a policy option, rather an immediate and concrete responsibility for the well-being of citizens, and a new opportunity for sustainable economic growth.

EP: You have been the head of the EU Delegation to Serbia for two years almost. Have you noticed any progress in environmental protection?

Sem Fabrizi: In our 2018 report we have assessed that Serbia has some level of preparation and some progress has been made in the alignment of the EU acquis, planning and implementation. We have recommended a number of key actions to advance in this area: making operational the new financing facility (Green Fund), strengthening the impact assessment in extractive industries, adopt a national air quality strategy, improve the implementation of waste management, address treatment of sewage for the water quality, align the legislation on industrial pollution. The EU is supporting – through grants: i.e. non-refundable – a number of projects that both deliver immediate results for improving citizen’s life and set a long term and sustainable protection of the environment. Over the past months, I had the pleasure to attend the opening of the EU funded Waste Water Treatments (WWTP) in the cities of Raska and Sabac. The construction of the Nis Waste Water Treatment Plant should start soon, and more WWTPs are foreseen in Kraljevo, Brus and Blace. Two weeks ago, I attended the opening of EU the 9.2 million euros grant project for the reduction of NoX emissions at the Tesla power Plant in Obrenovac. Between 2000 and 2018 the EU granted to Serbia 400 million euros for environment protection and climate action, including around 166 million euros for wastewater treatment and networks, making it the biggest donor for Serbia also in that field.

Prepered by: Jelena Kozbasic

Read the whole interview in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine on SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

Greenpeace Protestors Board North Sea Oil Rig in Protest Against BP

11.06.2019

oil-rig-3522594_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Greenpeace climate activists have boarded an oil rig being towed out to the North Sea to protest against continued fossil fuel exploration.

Two campaigners climbed onto the 27,000-tonne platform from a boat as it was being taken out of the Cromarty Firth – they did so in protest against BP’s plans to drill new oil wells in the North Sea.

The Paul B Loyd Jr rig is owned by Transocean and is being hired out to BP for £140,000 a day, the same owner/operator arrangement that was in effect during the Deepwater Horizon incident.

The rig was being towed out to the Vorlich field at about 6.30pm on Sunday when the protestors unfurled a banner bearing the words “climate emergency” from one of its support legs.

Greenpeace said they had enough food to stay in position for several days.

The campaigners want to see BP stop producing carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels and call for it to switch to investing in renewables.

Jo, one of the activists currently aboard the rig, said: “Warm words flow from BP on their commitment to tackling climate change.

“Yet this rig and the 30 million barrels it seeks to drill are a sure a sign that BP are committed to business as usual, fueling a climate emergency that threatens millions of lives and the future of the living world. We can’t let that happen – that’s why we’re here today.”

BP told ELN: “In all operations safety is our top priority. While we recognise the right for peaceful protest, the actions of this group are irresponsible and may put themselves and others unnecessarily at risk.

“We are working with Transocean – the rig’s owner and operator — and the authorities to assess the situation and resolve it peacefully and safely.

“We share the protestors’ concerns about the climate. We support the Paris agreement. And we are working every day to advance the world’s transition to a low carbon future.

“We’re reducing emissions from our own operations – down 1.7 million tonnes last year – improving our products to help our customers reduce their emissions and creating new low carbon businesses. We are committed to being part of the solution to the climate challenge facing all of us.”

Canada Plans to Ban Wide Range of Plastics by 2021

11.06.2019

plasticna ambalaza — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Canada plans to ban a wide range of single-use plastics by 2021.

The government has not yet ruled on which exact products will disappear from shelves but notes it will work to identify the most environmentally damaging plastic items.

These are expected to be similar to the products included in the EU’s 2021 ban, such as oxo-degradable plastics, which break up into small pieces and remain in the environment, as well as fast-food containers and expanded polystyrene cups.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he hopes the move will reduce waste and protect the world’s oceans and wildlife – he noted the exact products to be banned will be decided upon through public consultations

Last year, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the EU adopted the Ocean Plastics Charter, which aims to stop items such as shopping bags, straws, plastic cutlery and take-away containers ending up in marine environments – these types of rubbish currently make up more than a third of Canada’s plastic waste.

The national government estimates around 150 million tonnes of plastics are dumped into oceans around the world every single year.

Canada is providing funding totalling $212,000 (£123,680) for the installation of three charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) in Yukon.

Source: Energy Live News

Sadiq Khan Invests £6m to Tackle London’s Toxic Air

10.06.2019

london-1018629_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

London Mayor Sadiq Khan is investing £6 million in 15 projects aimed at improving the capital’s air quality and climate emergency.

The grant from the Air Quality Fund will support four new Low Emission Neighbourhoods (LENs) in Camden, Dagenham, Hackney and Southwark, providing funding for electric vehicle (EV) charging points, cycle lanes expansion, green walls and exploring traffic reduction schemes.

Boroughs across London will also work with the mayor to deliver 11 additional projects, which include tackling emissions from South London construction sites, an anti-engine idling campaign, a zero emission zone in the City, cargo bikes in Camden and retrofitting boats on the River Thames.

The announcement follows the introduction of the Ultra Low Emission Zone in April this year to tackle air pollution in the capital.

Mr Khan said: “Our filthy air is a health crisis that increases the risk of dementia and asthma and damages the lung development of our children.

“I’m delighted that our Air Quality Fund is helping boroughs to clean up some of our most polluted streets, making them safer for pedestrians and cyclists, providing electric vehicle charging points and supporting businesses and residents in adopting cleaner modes of transport.

“But London politicians can’t solve these issues alone. We need government ministers to wake up and recognise the true scale of this health emergency and give us new clean air legislation and a national vehicle scrappage fund to truly improve the quality of the air we breathe.”

Source: Energy Live News

German Circus Goes Cruelty-Free by Replacing Animals with Holograms

09.06.2019

ronkali-cirkus — Photo: YouTube (screenshot)

The circuses of the future will have bright lights, virtual-reality technology and one especially awe-inspiring feature: consent from all entertainers. German-based Circus Roncalli is leading the way by becoming the first circus to use 3D holograms of animals instead of forcing live animals to entertain crowds.

Circus Roncalli has been around since 1976 but led the pack by dropping live circus animals from its acts as early as the 1990s. Last year, founder and director Bernhard Paul invested half a million dollars (USD) to develop the holographic animal performances that have recently gone viral on social media.

His shows now feature acts by holographic elephants, horses and large goldfish and attracted over 600,000 attendees in the first year alone. With ticket prices between $32 and $78 USD per person, his investment was well worth it.

Animal rights advocates and circus enthusiasts have jumped on his success, touting Circus Roncalli as the future of the circus and using it as an example to advocate for the end of animal abuse in entertainment. Many governments are also passing laws that prohibit the use of animals for entertainment.

“Thankfully, the public is voting with their feet, and increasingly visiting shows where the performers get to choose instead of being forced to perform,” said Jan Creamer from Animal Defenders International. “This is the future of circus — a performance everyone can enjoy and for which intelligent, sentient beings are not used and depicted as objects of entertainment.”

Paul claims his years of success are due to the skills of his human performers, including amazing acrobatic tricks, and the circus animals are an added feature that the crowds love. Not all entertainment acts have the available cash to invest in large light shows; however, with increasing awareness and support for animal rights, other circuses should look to Circus Roncalli as inspiration.

Author: Lucienne Cross

Source: Inhabitat

Methane Emissions from US Industry ‘100 Times Higher Than Reported’

07.06.2019

global-warming-2958988_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Methane emissions from US industry are up to 100 times higher than commonly reported.

That’s the conclusion reached by researchers from Cornell University and the Environmental Defense Fund, who used a Google Street View car equipped with a methane detector to measure the concentration of the potent greenhouse gas in the air surrounding ammonia fertiliser plants.

Not only were the figures they found around 100 times higher than the fertiliser industry’s self-reported calculations, they also were significantly higher than the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimate for all industrial processes across the country.

The researchers suggest as natural gas is largely methane, any leaks along its supply chain could make it a more significant contributor to climate change than previously thought.

They surveyed the roads around six fertiliser plants to measure how much methane was being inadvertently lost into the atmosphere as a result of incomplete chemical reactions, unburnt fuel or leaks.

The team found that 0.34% of the gas used in the plants ends up in the atmosphere – scaled up across the entire industry, this suggests total annual methane emissions would total 28 gigagrams, vastly exceeding the 0.2 gigagrams reported by the sector.

The findings also undermine the US Government’s estimate that the entirety of the country’s industrial processes produce only 8 gigagrams of methane emissions per year.

John Albertson, Co-Author of the study, said: “We took one small industry that most people have never heard of and found that its methane emissions were three times higher than the EPA assumed was emitted by all industrial production in the US.

“It shows us that there’s a huge gap between a priori estimates and real-world measurements.”

Source: Energy Live News

Cobalt Production ‘Must Nearly Double to Enable Required EV Growth’

07.06.2019

car-3325415_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Cobalt production needs to nearly double to make and charge enough electric vehicles (EVs) for the UK to meet its 2050 climate targets.

That’s according to a letter co-authored by the Natural History Museum’s Head of Earth Sciences, Professor Richard Herrington, which has been delivered to the Committee on Climate Change (CCC).

The letter suggests the independent advisory body’s 2050 net-zero emissions target will require nearly all cars and vans in the UK to be electric by this time.

However, it believes for the 31.5 million cars currently on the UK roads to be replaced with “the most resource-frugal next-generation batteries’, cobalt production would need to nearly double to 207,900 tonnes, with vast amounts of lithium carbonate, neodymium, dysprosium and copper also being needed.

It claims just to provide an annual supply of electric vehicles from 2035, the UK would need to annually import the equivalent of the entire yearly cobalt requirements of the whole of European industry.

The experts also note much more electricity would be needed to extract these materials – energy costs for cobalt production are estimated at up to 8,000kWh for each tonne of metal produced and for copper 9,000kWh per tonne.

The letter reads: “This research represents the tip of the iceberg. Over the next few decades, global supply of raw materials must drastically change to accommodate not just the UK’s transformation to a low carbon economy but the whole world’s.

“It is essential to have timely and sustainable supplies of raw materials in quantities greatly exceeding current global mining and processing capacity.”

Source: Energy Live News

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