"The real journey of discovery lies not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes." -Marcel Proust (1871-1922)

New technology can be like a new site of eyes and open us up to whole new classes of opportunity.  And AI technology today often enables a new combination of specificity and scale, two things we used to have to trade off.

AI for Batteries

There's a great example of this described in the world of energy storage, which is key to the renewables transition, last week on Canary Media and shared today by startup Element Energy: they're making large scale battery systems out of recycled electric vehicle batteries.

Software-powered granular control is the key. The big efficiency breakthrough is in being able to use 900 different batteries in what the company says is the world's 2nd largest battery storage system. Each battery, with different health levels (like capacity fade, internal resistance changes, and cycling history), is treated differently. The company uses cloud and edge AI, hardware and battery management software, to "fine-tune commands at the cell level, instead of treating all the batteries as a monolithic whole. This enables the system to get more use out of each cell without stressing any so much that they break down or — worst-case scenario for a battery plant — cause a fire."

Analogous Opportunities

AI and machine learning lowers the cost of cognitive processing power so much that you can pay closer attention to things, in much finer detail, offering far more efficient utilization of resources.

We've seen hyper-targeted personalization used in unsavory ways in the social media world. But that same type of capability could be used to dramatically drop the cost of circular economics, recycling, and stable renewable energy.

Perhaps there are analogous opportunities in your work.

I'm doing something similar with this newsletter; we're using AI to deliver just the right updates to each subscriber, from a collection of more news than any one individual could read in a day.

I hope it's useful to you.

-Marshall Kirkpatrick

Earth Catalyst: Boosting your efficacy and capacity with two decades of trailblazing & the newest technology

Today and every day, our system scans over 1,000 green tech and sustainability organizations for updates. Below, you'll find:

• A Visual of the Day

• A digest-style Table of Contents for just under 100 updates from around the green tech and sustainability world

• (If you subscribe by email) 3 personalized selections just for you and your work

Did a friend forward you this newsletter? Welcome! You can subscribe here and get your own personal recommendations each day.

Visual of the Day

Europeans tracking health impacts of heat

From The impacts of heat on health: surveillance and preparedness in Europe

 "As many as 95% of the fatalities associated with weather and climate-related extremes recorded in Europe between 1980 and 2023 were linked to heatwaves and extremely high temperatures are projected to increase in frequency in the future.

"High temperatures cause heat stress, heat exhaustion, heat stroke and complications from pre-existing medical conditions, in some cases leading to premature death. Elderly people, children, pregnant women, outdoor workers, people suffering from cardiovascular, respiratory or renal diseases, diabetes or mental health disorders and marginalised and under-resourced people are among the most vulnerable." [My note: that's a lot of people.]

Today's Updates

Table of Contents

• Agriculture (9 stories) - CGIAR's climate initiatives at COP29, Muddy Machines' berry transport automation, MISTA's biomass fermentation startups, and global research on groundwater, beef sustainability, and pollinator protection

• Carbon (5 stories) - Greenland loses 80B tonnes of ice as carbon trading drops 80%, while CDR industry projects $1.1T/gigaton costs and Australia exceeds 43% emissions target

• Circular (1 story) - Floreon's low-carbon fire-safe PLA launch and LG Energy's 53 MWh EV battery repurposing facility in Texas

• Ecosystems (6 stories) - Conservation retail launches, Bilbao's urban nature lab debuts, Brazil's Triunfo do Xingu loses 41% forest, Texas desalination plants face opposition, vulture poaching hits Serengeti

• Finance (5 stories) - COP29 sets $300B annual target; LiveEO demos deforestation tracking; Stand.earth exposes $17.3B LNG financing; NYC pension divests $6.5B from fossil fuels

• Grid (2 stories) - Element Energy's 53MWh Texas storage using recycled EV batteries; Cambodia's 500kV line cuts through Prey Lang sanctuary

• Indigenous (5 stories) - Native tribes advance land stewardship through Corbett Reserve monitoring reforms, Nepal's women-led water programs, Somali drought tech integration, and First Foods preservation efforts

• Policy (20 stories) - Biden's $11B climate pledge faces scrutiny with $4B spent; COP29 in Baku secures $300B funding package; DOE carbon capture rules delayed; EPA seeks wood stove efficiency standards

• Renewables (2 stories) - MCE touts solar gains as US hits 290GW wind/solar milestone; total renewables reach 23% of national power mix

• Transport (4 stories) - Regional transit authorities explore H2 buses while Mass Pike adds EV chargers; Hyundai Ioniq 9 leads SUV electrification as Battery Smart expands auto-rickshaw battery swapping

Agriculture

CGIAR's climate initiatives at COP29, Muddy Machines' berry transport automation, MISTA's biomass fermentation startups, and global research on groundwater, beef sustainability, and pollinator protection

• General Statement of CGIAR participation at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan (CGIAR) - Global research network CGIAR advances climate action through 44 events and 10 submissions at COP29, focusing on food security, adaptation finance, and gender equality initiatives.

• Governing groundwater with knowledge, motivation, and agency (CGIAR) - New research reveals stakeholders must merge expertise, drive, and influence while honoring local practices to achieve effective groundwater management, according to findings from CGIAR scientists.

• Land Saved from Development Becomes Community Garden (Chesapeake Conservancy) - A historic Maryland farm has become a community garden accessible by public transit after conservation efforts prevented its development.

• Brazil beef industry still struggling with deforestation from indirect suppliers, survey finds (Mongabay) - Brazil's beef sector faces scrutiny as new data reveals potential exposure to 109 million hectares of deforestation by 2025, with suppliers failing to meet EU transparency standards.

• Thanksgiving, delicious pumpkin pie and the role of pollinators (Environment America) - Native bumblebees and squash bees, vital pollinators responsible for America's pumpkin pie production, face increasing extinction risks despite their essential role in Thanksgiving traditions.

• 🎥Biomass fermentation in focus at MISTA growth hack: ‘The food of the future is going to be manufactured in a tank’ (AgFunderNews) - Innovation platform MISTA showcases 14 biomass fermentation startups developing protein alternatives priced between $1.50-$10/kg, utilizing diverse organisms and unconventional feedstocks.

• Muddy Machines ‘addresses critical labor shortages’ in horticulture with acquisition of logistics robot (AgFunderNews) - UK-based Muddy Machines has acquired Fox Robotics' logistics robot to automate berry transport on farms, addressing ongoing labor shortages in agriculture.

• This secret society is on a mission to change the way we eat (Climate Desk) - Scientists propose replacing 75% of US beef consumption with beans, potentially reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 46-74% and freeing 42% of cropland.

• Joint centre for food security will unlock the potential of China-Australia cooperation - The University of Sydney (University of Sydney) - Australian and Chinese researchers unite in Beijing to tackle food security challenges through seven cross-border agricultural sustainability projects.

Carbon

Greenland loses 80B tonnes of ice as carbon trading drops 80%, while CDR industry projects $1.1T/gigaton costs and Australia exceeds 43% emissions target

• Guest post: How the Greenland ice sheet fared in 2024 (Carbon Brief) - Greenland's ice sheet shed 80 billion tonnes in 2023-24, continuing a 28-year trend of net losses despite higher-than-usual surface accumulation.

• Can Voluntary Carbon Markets be Saved? (Orennia) - Global carbon trading volumes plummet 80% since 2021 due to market scandals and quality issues, while carbon removal credits retain their market value.

• What We Really Mean by “The Massive Scale” Required for CDR in Climate Goals (RMI) - Global climate targets demand a carbon dioxide removal industry employing millions and requiring up to $1.1T per gigaton, with annual removal needs of 10 gigatons by 2050, surpassing today's coal sector.

• COP29: Climate change could kill millions — and world leaders must work to limit fatalities (The Conversation) - Each 1,000 tons of fossil carbon emissions could cause one human death, potentially leading to one billion premature deaths globally by 2100 without drastic reductions.

• Australia on track to meet 2030 43% emission’s reduction target, on latest figures (The Conversation) - Australia is set to surpass its emissions reduction goal, with new climate projections indicating a 42.6% decrease by 2030, beating the government's 43% target by 152 million tonnes.

Circular

Floreon's low-carbon fire-safe PLA launch and LG Energy's 53 MWh EV battery repurposing facility in Texas

• Floreon Therma-Tech: Transforming Sustainable Fire Retardancy in 3D Printing with Spectrum’s New ‘FlameGuard PLA’ Filament (Floreon) - UK-based Floreon partners with Spectrum Filaments to release fire-safe PLA filament that produces 85% less carbon than ABS FR while meeting V0 UL94 standards.

Ecosystems

Conservation retail launches, Bilbao's urban nature lab debuts, Brazil's Triunfo do Xingu loses 41% forest, Texas desalination plants face opposition, vulture poaching hits Serengeti

• A gift guide for the conscious consumer (Conservation International) - Eco-conscious shoppers can now support global conservation through a curated collection of reef-safe sunscreens, wildlife-protecting socks, and endangered species children's books.

• Bilbao convertido en laboratorio de ideas para una transformación urbana sostenible, justa e inclusiva (BC3) - Bilbao unveils an urban laboratory initiative combining nature-based solutions with citizen input to reshape the city's future through sustainable development.

• Reserve in Brazilian Amazon struggles as ‘aggressive’ deforestation spreads (Mongabay) - Deforestation has claimed 41% of primary forest in Brazil's Triunfo do Xingu reserve since 2006, with destruction now expanding into neighboring protected areas.

• Desalination plants proposed for Texas Gulf Coast spur broad opposition (Mongabay) - Environmental groups are challenging five proposed desalination plants along Texas's Gulf Coast, citing threats to marine life from brine discharge and questioning industrial water allocation priorities.

• How nature protection and inspiring art are key to planetary health & preventing pandemics (Mongabay) - Disease expert Neil Vora reveals how forest conservation and cultural approaches could reduce wildlife-to-human disease transmission and prevent future pandemics.

• Vulture poisonings in the Serengeti alarm conservationists (Mongabay) - Poachers have killed more than 400 vultures in Tanzania's Serengeti National Park since 2023, harvesting their body parts for traditional practices.

Finance

COP29 sets $300B annual target; LiveEO demos deforestation tracking; Stand.earth exposes $17.3B LNG financing; NYC pension divests $6.5B from fossil fuels

• COP29 Key Take Aways, Negotiations, Side Events and Coverage (CGIAR) - Global climate summit COP29 wraps up in Baku with a $300 billion annual finance target, new carbon market rules, and $759 million pledged to the Loss and Damage Fund.

• LiveEO | Meet us at EUDR Connect (LiveEO) - Satellite monitoring firm LiveEO will demonstrate supply chain deforestation tracking solutions at Amsterdam's EUDR compliance conference next December, offering guidance on sustainable sourcing practices.

• November 2024 newsletter: Reflections on global gatherings (Stand.earth) - Environmental group Stand.earth reports on climate summits, exposes $17.3B in bank financing for maritime LNG, and celebrates NYC pension fund's $6.5B fossil fuel divestment commitment.

• An untapped market for adaptation (Keep Cool) - Private investment in solar radiation management could unlock billions in market value while offering temporary climate solutions, despite ongoing regulatory hurdles.

• COP29 is over, but climate action needs private funding too – here are 4 key ways to make that happen (The Conversation) - Global climate summit secures historic $300 billion annual funding commitment by 2035, with experts highlighting private sector engagement and carbon market reforms as crucial implementation steps.

Grid

Element Energy's 53MWh Texas storage using recycled EV batteries; Cambodia's 500kV line cuts through Prey Lang sanctuary

• New transmission lines cut a Cambodian rainforest sanctuary in half (Mongabay) - A new 500-kilovolt power line slices 5.8 kilometers through Cambodia's Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary, endangering species and accelerating deforestation in protected rainforest.

• Element Energy commissions ‘world’s largest’ second life BESS at 53MWh, partners with LG ES Vertech (Element Energy) - California firm Element Energy has deployed a 53MWh storage system in Texas, integrating 900 recycled EV batteries in partnership with LG ES Vertech.

Indigenous

Native tribes advance land stewardship through Corbett Reserve monitoring reforms, Nepal's women-led water programs, Somali drought tech integration, and First Foods preservation efforts

• Women defining water, energy, food, and ecosystems leadership in Nepal (CGIAR) - Nepal's leadership program has trained 50 women professionals to spearhead integrated water, energy, food, and ecosystem management while challenging gender barriers in male-dominated sectors.

• Camera traps, drones meant for wildlife can ‘spy’ on women: Study (Mongabay) - Wildlife monitoring equipment in India's Corbett Tiger Reserve is being misused to spy on local women gathering forest products, according to new research.

• As climate change upends Ethiopia’s pastoral wisdom, adaptations can help (Mongabay) - Somali region pastoralists are blending centuries-old drought management with modern tech as climate change disrupts traditional weather prediction methods in Ethiopia.

• What is the Land Back Movement? (Dogwood Alliance) - Native American tribes are reclaiming ancestral territories through legal agreements that promote cultural preservation, environmental protection, and food sovereignty programs.

• We need to protect indigenous lands from the impacts of climate change. (ACE) - Indigenous activist warns climate change threatens traditional huckleberry harvesting and other First Foods central to Native American cultural practices.

Policy

Biden's $11B climate pledge faces scrutiny with $4B spent; COP29 in Baku secures $300B funding package; DOE carbon capture rules delayed; EPA seeks wood stove efficiency standards

• After COP29, Ten Ways to Get Involved for Global Climate Justice (IPS) - U.S. climate finance pledges hit $11B under Biden but watchdog groups reveal only $4B in public spending, raising concerns over Trump's potential impact on environmental commitments.

• Martxan da BC3ko euskarazko zientzia astea: BC3aldia 2024 (BC3) - The Basque Centre for Climate Change's second annual BC3aldia science week aims to boost Basque language in research through exhibitions, seminars, and AI voice technology.

• Why is a landscape approach needed for funding the global environmental agenda? (commentary) (Mongabay) - Global environmental experts call for merging scattered climate, biodiversity and desertification funding streams into one system to boost worldwide conservation impact.

• With COP29 letdown, climate activists pin their hopes on Brazil (Mongabay) - Global climate activists pivot to Brazil's 2025 COP30 presidency after nations pledged only $300 billion, far below the $1.3 trillion developing countries sought for climate action.

• COP 29 Recap: From Financial Breakthroughs to Missed Opportunities (Nature4Climate) - Global climate summit in Baku sets $1.3 trillion annual finance goal and carbon market rules, yet omits nature commitments from final agreement.

• IRS proposes using EPA database to verify 75% efficiency for tax credit (Heated Up!) - Federal tax officials seek to leverage EPA wood stove ratings for biomass heater credits requiring 75% efficiency, sparking industry debate over methodology.

• Highlights from the We Mean Business Coalition pavilion at COP29 (We Mean Business Coalition) - The COP29 pavilion in Baku attracted 5,700 visitors and featured 137 speakers across 25 climate action events, highlighting women's leadership and energy transition solutions.

• UN climate talks face a credibility crisis as countries disengage (The Conversation) - Developing nations have rejected a $300 billion climate adaptation package amid growing disengagement from UN climate talks, sparking a credibility crisis within the UNFCCC process.

• Fallen ancient civilizations show us why we must not ignore climate warnings (The Conversation) - Ancient civilizations like the Maya, Aztecs, and Ugarit offer stark warnings about societal collapse from ignored environmental threats, mirroring today's climate crisis challenges.

• China’s influence grows at COP29 climate talks as US leadership fades (The Conversation) - Global climate summit in Azerbaijan secures historic $300bn annual funding commitment for developing nations, as China's role grows and American influence wanes.

• INC5: Negotiations for Global Plastics Treaty 5th meeting in Busan, South Korea (Climate Citizen) - Global efforts to curb plastic pollution hit roadblocks at UN talks in Busan, as fossil fuel lobbyists clash with environmental groups over mandatory controls versus voluntary national measures.

• Biden Never Wrote Carbon Capture Rules. That’s a Big Opening for Trump. (Heatmap News) - The Department of Energy's delay in finalizing carbon capture regulations could allow a potential Trump administration to shape critical infrastructure rules in 2024.

• Trump’s Tariff Threats Will Soon Be Tested (Heatmap News) - Trump's proposed tariffs target Canadian and Mexican imports at 25% and Chinese goods at 10%, despite potential hurdles from industry opposition and implementation difficulties.

• The Huge Economic Toll of the 2024 Hurricane Season (Heatmap News) - Experts predict the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season will inflict $500 billion in damages and economic losses, amounting to 2% of U.S. GDP.

• Lunch Hour Lecture | Changing State Behaviour: The Role of International and Human Rights Courts (UCL) - Legal scholar Veronika Fikfak analyzes the impact of human rights tribunals on state actions during global crises, from climate litigation to wartime conduct.

• How can we triple renewable electricity capacity by 2030? (Ember) - Global renewable energy targets set by national governments lag behind COP28's tripling pledge, aiming to only double capacity by 2030 despite market growth and falling costs.

•  Brownfields Program Newsletter | November 2024  (EPA Brownfields) - Federal environmental officials seek community partners to combat urban heat islands through expert-led workshops, with applications due December 12.

• World Science Day for Peace and Development | United Nations (UN) - World Science Day for Peace and Development marks UNESCO's new ten-year initiative to advance scientific solutions for global sustainability, starting in 2024.

• 👭🏽🌍 WAC November 2024 | We'll be at COP29! (Women and Climate) - Women and Climate's founder Michelle Li and board member Simge Sandal will represent the organization at COP29 in Baku amid expanding global initiatives.

• Impacts of heat on health: over half EEA countries monitor and take action on heat and health | European Environment Agency's home page (EEA) - Despite established surveillance systems in southern and western Europe recording most heat deaths, only 53% of European nations monitor heat-health impacts and 55% maintain action plans.

Renewables

MCE touts solar gains as US hits 290GW wind/solar milestone; total renewables reach 23% of national power mix

• We’re Thankful For … (MCE) - California's MCE celebrates its clean energy progress, citing solar advancements and community partnerships as key drivers of success heading into 2024.

• The Growing Share of Wind-Solar-Water Generation (Orennia) - US renewable energy capacity has surged since 2005, with wind reaching 140GW, solar 150GW, and hydropower steady at 80GW, now providing 23% of America's electricity generation.

Transport

Regional transit authorities explore H2 buses while Mass Pike adds EV chargers; Hyundai Ioniq 9 leads SUV electrification as Battery Smart expands auto-rickshaw battery swapping

• Collaborative leadership for a zero-emission transit future (Climate Collaborative) - Officials from Charlottesville-Albemarle traveled to Illinois to explore hydrogen-powered bus operations and regional transit partnerships for possible implementation in their community.

• Mass Pike is finally getting more EV chargers — by 2026 (Acadia Center) - Massachusetts plans to install rapid electric vehicle charging stations at eight Mass Pike service plazas by 2026, under a new 30-year management contract.

• The New Electric Cars Are Boring, and That’s Okay (Heatmap News) - Automakers are pivoting toward family-sized electric SUVs, with industry giants like Hyundai leading the transition through models such as the Ioniq 9.

• What do IIT Delhi students think about Battery Smart? (IIT Delhi) - Battery Smart's EV swapping service has boosted electric vehicle adoption among auto-rickshaw drivers through efficient networks and affordable charging solutions, reports IIT Delhi.