I'm not afraid to share corny stuff if I think it might be helpful. The stakes are high and I'm not going to optimize for saving face.

This morning as I reviewed a journal entry from this date five years ago, I was reminded of the concept of The Soft Zone, from world chess and martial arts champion Josh Waitzkin in the excellent book The Art of Learning.

As we enter into this period of change, in conflict with incredibly strong opponents, I'd like to remember to bring this mode into my work whenever I can. Maybe you would too. Our work for sustainability, economic transition, and defense of ourselves and the rest of the earth is not a game like chess or martial arts, but those deeply studied games may have something to offer us in this serious work.

The Soft Zone is a little like being in a flow state. It's a little like Wu Wei. It has three key qualities:

• Relaxed Intensity: Unlike the "Hard Zone" where one is tense and brittle, the Soft Zone combines deep focus, and presence, with physical and mental relaxation

   

• Adaptability: Like a blade of grass that bends but doesn't break in strong winds, someone in the Soft Zone can flow with disruptions rather than fighting against them

   

• Integration: Rather than trying to block out distractions, practitioners learn to fold external stimuli into their concentration, dissolving potential disruptions

I offer that model for your consideration.

Email subscribers will find three updates our system selected just for you, from a collection of over 1,000 green tech and sustainability organizations.  If you want to see the table of contents and full collection of today’s 45 selected updates, see the bottom of this email or find it on the Earth Catalyst blog.

P.S. If you're looking for more inspiration, last week the recommender pointed me to the Ecotrust 2024 Indigenous Leadership Award acceptance speeches, 6 short talks from Portland, Oregon area Indigenous community leaders. They sure got me pumped up and putting things in perspective.

PPS. May those at COP29 in Azerbaijan this week find rich opportunities to move things forward together, even in that deeply compromised place.

Visual of the Day: Fossil of the Day Award

This week will mark the 15 years of the international Climate Action Network membership voting each day at the UN Conference of the Parties for which nation state was the most obstructionist that day. CAN is a network of 1,900+ civil society organizations from 130 countries that convenes civil society at the UN climate talks. They also vote for who was the Ray of Sunshine each day.

Last year's COP28 conference concluded with Saudi Arabia being voted the Fossil of the Day, but the network members voted for a special award: The Colossal Fossil.  And it was the USA that won that award, during the Biden administration.

"Since the dawn of time the USA has been opposing language on the differentiation of fossil fuels and as reported, anonymously, through Fossil’s pigeonholes, they have outrageously been pushing through language on fossil fuel emissions. Therefore, as the world’s largest historical emitter and oil producer, blocking negotiations in the final hours of COP28, the award for the biggest and baddest fossil, The Colossal Fossil, goes to the USA."

Quote of the Day

Celeste Saulo, Secretary General of the World Meteorological Organization, from the newsletter of the Arctic Council.

And now...

Today's Updates

Email subscribers get three of these picked just for you, based on your interests.

Table of Contents

• Agriculture (4 stories) - Asia-Pacific youth unite on farming rights as Dutch initiatives Madam Jeanet and Land van Baexen launch sustainable agriculture projects amid MENA food security crisis

• Carbon (5 stories) - ITGWO festival partners with Climate Cleanup, Paebbl develops CO2-binding cement, and Upstream Tech integrates Chloris Geospatial data for forest monitoring

• Circular (1 story) - Balancing supply chain transparency with consumer-facing sustainability claims

• Ecosystems (5 stories) - Jaguar extinction looms in Gran Chaco, global shorebirds decline 40%, as CTrees launches forest monitoring and Amazon deforestation drops 30%

• Finance (2 stories) - Renewable sector stocks tumble post-election while Bitcoin and AI scaling economics draw tech investor focus

• Grid (1 story) - Granular Energy launches React-powered platform for clean energy data management and allocation

• Indigenous (3 stories) - First Nations join PowerMakers' energy program while Arctic Indigenous leaders discuss fire practices and cryosphere impacts at Baku summit; COP16 bolsters rights but skips fossil fuel rules

• Industry (1 story) - Azerbaijan's mud volcanoes and natural gas heritage shape cultural tourism

• Policy (19 stories) - COP29 in Azerbaijan seeks $5T climate funding amid US policy uncertainty; EU solar guidelines advance; Ontario court upholds climate rights; Japan faces coal plant criticism

• Renewables (3 stories) - Global solar hits 2TW milestone amid lagging renewable pledges and $31.5T investment gap, though AI and cleantech growth expected to persist

• Transport (1 story) - Sunswap delivers solar refrigeration fleet to DFDS, promising major cost and emissions cuts

Agriculture

Asia-Pacific youth unite on farming rights as Dutch initiatives Madam Jeanet and Land van Baexen launch sustainable agriculture projects amid MENA food security crisis

• Integrating Climate, Water, and Food Security in Settings Affected by Conflict and Displacement: Examples from the MENA Region (CGIAR) - New research reveals climate change and conflict have worsened water and food security for millions across MENA, with 90% of displaced populations facing severe shortages.

• Southeast and East Asia Peasant Youth Assembly Convenes for Agrarian Justice (Via Campesina) - Youth delegates from nine Asia-Pacific nations converged in Timor-Leste for talks on farming rights, sustainable agriculture and unified opposition to corporate land seizures.

• 30 november 2024: feestelijke opening tuinwinkel Madam Jeanet (Land van Ons) - Dutch eco-shop Madam Jeanet debuts in Noordeloos, offering organic produce, tastings, and recipe guides to local visitors starting November 30.

• Swalmen in opstartfase (Land van Ons) - Dutch farmers and cooperative Land van Baexen launch sustainable food production on 11-hectare plot near Swalmen.

Carbon

ITGWO festival partners with Climate Cleanup, Paebbl develops CO2-binding cement, and Upstream Tech integrates Chloris Geospatial data for forest monitoring

• Companies are buying up cheap carbon offsets − data suggest it may be more about greenwashing than helping the climate (The Conversation) - Analysis shows low-emission firms are purchasing questionable carbon offsets at higher rates than heavy polluters, with data from 866 companies revealing potential greenwashing practices.

• Companies are buying up cheap carbon offsets − data suggest it may be more about greenwashing than helping the climate (The Conversation) - Analysis shows low-emission firms are purchasing questionable carbon offsets at higher rates than heavy polluters, with data from 866 companies revealing potential greenwashing practices.

• Into the Great Wide Open to clean up residual emissions with natural carbon removal - Climate CleanupToggle MenuPrevious (Climate Cleanup) - Dutch music festival ITGWO has joined forces with Climate Cleanup to implement natural carbon removal strategies and develop a seven-step framework for eliminating emissions.

• Pol Knops's Paebble: Turning CO2 into Concrete Solutions for Climate Change - Climate CleanupToggle MenuPreviousContinue (Climate Cleanup) - Dutch startup Paebbl has created a process that binds CO2 with olivine to produce stone powder for cement, potentially storing millions of tonnes of carbon within building materials.

• Webinar Registration (Zoom) (Upstream Tech) - Forest carbon project monitoring advances as Upstream Tech integrates Chloris Geospatial's datasets into its Lens platform, with demonstrations scheduled for November 21st.

Circular

Balancing supply chain transparency with consumer-facing sustainability claims

• The fine line between greenwashing and marketing (GreenBiz) - Experts emphasize that marketing sustainability requires companies to balance intricate supply chain complexities with clear consumer messaging while maintaining truthful claims.

Ecosystems

Jaguar extinction looms in Gran Chaco, global shorebirds decline 40%, as CTrees launches forest monitoring and Amazon deforestation drops 30%

• Killing of jaguar pushes species’ survival in Argentina’s Gran Chaco to the brink (Mongabay) - Conservationists warn that Argentina's Gran Chaco jaguar population faces imminent extinction after poachers killed one of only 10 remaining big cats in the region.

• Shorebird populations drop globally, some by a third: Report (Mongabay) - Global shorebird populations have plummeted by up to 40%, with 16 species facing elevated extinction risks due to habitat destruction, climate impacts, and hunting.

• Amazon deforestation in Brazil plunges 31% to lowest level in 9 years (Mongabay) - Brazil's Amazon deforestation fell 30.6% to 6,288 square kilometers in 2024, hitting a nine-year low despite widespread drought-related fires.

• In a record-breaking drought, bush birds from around Perth flocked to the city (The Conversation) - Rare bush birds flocked to Perth at up to nine times their normal rates during the city's longest recorded drought, as four species sought water and food between October and April.

• Meet CTrees at COP29 | November 2024 (CTrees) (CTrees) - CTrees CEO Sassan Saatchi will address environmental governance at COP29 while supporting a $25M Massachusetts forest initiative and launching a global degradation monitoring platform.

Finance

Renewable sector stocks tumble post-election while Bitcoin and AI scaling economics draw tech investor focus

• Sheesh (Keep Cool) - Renewable energy stocks plunged sharply following Trump's presidential win and Republican gains in Congress, even as major market indices climbed higher.

• 🔮 The Sunday edition #499: Biology’s bottlenecks; the AI economics & productivity; bitcoin high; human rhythms, voting & organ ageing ++ (Exponential View) - A leading tech newsletter examines AI economics, Bitcoin trends, and biological research hurdles, reaching 200,000 readers weekly with insights on scaling challenges in science and technology.

Grid

Granular Energy launches React-powered platform for clean energy data management and allocation

• Behind the Screen: Frontend Development at Granular Energy (Granular Energy) (Granular Energy) - A senior developer has unveiled the React-based architecture behind Granular Energy's clean energy data platform, which features manual allocation interfaces and remote-first development protocols.

Indigenous

First Nations join PowerMakers' energy program while Arctic Indigenous leaders discuss fire practices and cryosphere impacts at Baku summit; COP16 bolsters rights but skips fossil fuel rules

• Nearly 40 First Nations people in Perth for PowerMakers: Ngaarda Media - First Nations Clean Energy Network (Ngaarda Media) - Indigenous leaders gather in Perth as thirty-eight First Nations participants join PowerMakers' clean energy training program, aiming to spearhead renewable projects within their communities.

• Bringing the Arctic to COP29 (Arctic Council) (Arctic Council) - Arctic nations gather in Baku as Norway spearheads discussions on Indigenous fire practices and cryosphere shifts, warning that polar changes threaten global climate stability.

• COP16 on Biodiversity: Results from Cali, Colombia (UNEP) (Earth Island Institute) - Global leaders at COP16 strengthened indigenous rights and biodiversity safeguards, yet omitted fossil fuel regulations from final agreements despite Colombia's push for inclusion.

Industry

Azerbaijan's mud volcanoes and natural gas heritage shape cultural tourism

• Rakiya Introduces Baku (Rakiya) - A local guide showcases Baku's ancient landmarks, emphasizing Azerbaijan's 400 natural gas mud volcanoes and the nation's deep-rooted fire symbolism.

Policy

COP29 in Azerbaijan seeks $5T climate funding amid US policy uncertainty; EU solar guidelines advance; Ontario court upholds climate rights; Japan faces coal plant criticism

• グリーンフェイス、最高裁が支持した横須賀石炭火力発電所開発に対して懸念を表明 (GreenFaith) - Faith-based climate advocates condemn Japan's Supreme Court ruling on Yokosuka coal plant, warning of Paris Agreement breaches and community health dangers.

• Context, Priorities, and Plans for COP29 (Climate Generation) - A COP29 delegate outlines $5 trillion annual climate funding demands from wealthy nations, while raising concerns over Azerbaijan's oil interests and announcing Palestine solidarity plans.

• #climate(in)justice: Pre-COP29 Observations (Climate Generation) - Local residents express mixed feelings as Baku, Azerbaijan prepares to host 80,000 delegates for COP29, raising questions about the climate summit's impact on their community.

• Families on the frontlines: the human impact of climate crisis (Greenpeace) - Climate survivors from three continents demand accountability from oil companies after extreme weather events displaced millions and caused $3.8bn in damages across their communities.

• Marina Silva, of Brazil, speaks COP 30 success: ‘Society and science are doing their part. Governments and companies are the ones who need to step up’ (Nature4Climate) - Brazil's Environment Minister Marina Silva urges global leaders and corporations to advance bioeconomy initiatives and merge climate, biodiversity, and desertification policies before COP30.

• Nature-inclusive solar parks in the EU (Metabolic) - New EU guidelines aim to harmonize solar park development with nature conservation through standardized definitions and community engagement, as Europe pursues ambitious renewable energy targets.

• The COP29 climate talks are about to kick off in Baku, Azerbaijan. Here’s what to expect (The Conversation) - Global climate finance targets take center stage at COP29 in Baku, as wealthy nations face pressure to boost funding amid uncertainties over the US presidential election's impact.

• Recent Ontario appeal court ruling on youth-led climate case could be a constitutional ‘game-changer’ (The Conversation) - Ontario's Court of Appeal has ruled that government climate targets must align with constitutional rights, reinstating a youth-led lawsuit challenging the province's emissions goals.

• Climate change is hitting women the hardest. What to do about it – economists (The Conversation) - Women in low-income nations face heightened climate change impacts, with studies showing 80% experience reduced farming yields, energy scarcity and limited resources due to gender disparities.

• Trump’s Gift to China (Heatmap News) - China could seize control of the $28 trillion global green manufacturing market and surpass American economic dominance if Trump follows through on pledges to dismantle Biden's climate agenda.

• Meet the billionaires leading Trump’s transition team (Politico) - Trump names billionaires Howard Lutnick and Linda McMahon as transition leaders, with Lutnick overseeing staffing after contributing $10M and raising $75M for the campaign.

• Russia Says Donald Trump’s Election Win ‘Useful for Us’ (Newsweek) - Russian Security Council leader Dmitry Medvedev welcomed Donald Trump's potential election victory, citing Trump's hesitancy to support Ukraine and international bodies.

• What to expect on militarism, conflict and climate at COP29 - CEOBS (CEOBS) - Global climate summit faces mounting pressure as activists demand up to $5 trillion yearly for climate action and military emissions disclosure amid rising geopolitical tensions.

• Strengthening disaster preparedness through impact-based forecasting – Department of Environmental Systems Science | ETH Zurich (ETH Zurich) - Scientists at ETH Zurich have created a worldwide system that predicts cyclone-driven population displacement by analyzing weather patterns, human exposure, and vulnerability data.

• Election Results Impact on COP29 (Climate Generations) - Global climate advocates express alarm as Trump's election win threatens US Paris Agreement commitments and fossil fuel policies ahead of COP29 talks in Azerbaijan.

• Environmental Protection Network (Environmental Protection Network) - A nonprofit of former EPA officials advocates for science-based environmental policies while providing expertise to safeguard public health and environmental protections.

• Trump 2.0 for climate tech (Climate Tech VC) (CTVC) - Trump's climate policies could jeopardize billions in clean energy investments as his campaign promises fossil fuel expansion and Paris Agreement withdrawal.

• We're Ready for the Finance COP (World Bank) (Climate Generation) - Global climate summit COP29 launches in Azerbaijan, targeting $1 trillion yearly climate funding despite concerns over attendance and the host's oil industry ties.

• Climate on the Ballot: The Wrap-Up (Inside Climate News) (Covering Climate Now) - State-level climate initiatives and clean energy investments persist with bipartisan support, even as Trump's victory casts uncertainty over federal environmental policies.

Renewables

Global solar hits 2TW milestone amid lagging renewable pledges and $31.5T investment gap, though AI and cleantech growth expected to persist

• Solar power exceeds 2 TW of capacity worldwide (Reuters) - Global solar installations have surpassed 2 terawatts worldwide, with capacity to power 92 million American homes, as two-thirds of all panels were mounted since 2018.

• NDCs 3.0 a ‘Make or Break’ for Global Goal to Triple Renewables by 2030 (IRENA) - Global renewable energy pledges fall short of 2030 tripling targets, with current commitments delivering only 50% of needed growth and requiring USD 31.5 trillion in investments.

• 🔮 What doesn’t change (Exponential View) - Experts predict AI, renewables, and climate tech will maintain rapid growth trajectories, despite political shifts following Trump's win.

Transport

Sunswap delivers solar refrigeration fleet to DFDS, promising major cost and emissions cuts

• First Sunswap Endurance Units Delivered to DFDS (Sunswap) - UK clean-tech firm Sunswap delivers ten solar-powered refrigeration units to DFDS, projecting 71% cost savings and 895-tonne CO2 reduction compared to diesel systems.