How can we as individuals and as part of organizations increase our capacity to absorb and make use of information? Information isn't just "actionable" or "non-actionable" - a lot of it has to do with our capacity to absorb and take action. And that's not a fixed capacity.

Gerald Kane's excellent book The Technology Fallacy: How People Are the Real Key to Digital Transformation offers five research-backed ways to increase an organization's absorptive capacity.

1. Expanding talent diversity, with one of your goals being an expansion of prior knowledge. (Because prior knowledge is what helps grab hold of new knowledge)

2. Expanding the prior knowledge of individual members of your team buy providing them opportunities to learn. (Eg workshops, trainings, readings)

3. Enhancing the organization's methods for acquiring outside knowledge. The stronger those mechanisms are, the more capable the organization will be.

4. Accelerating the pace of your initiatives aimed at skill and knowledge building. Speed them up and the organization's absorptive capacity will grow.

5. Invest in helping people understand the Why of anything you are working on. A better understanding of Why will help more people to close the gap between learning a new skill and using it.

I came across those tips written down in a journal entry this morning, from 5 years ago. And one action I took based on them was to reach out and encourage a new team member who's changing careers to look for opportunities to tie her prior knowledge to the new skills and knowledge she's acquiring now.

That's something I try to talk about a lot, because redundancy helps too. I recently heard the military saying "one is none" - meaning that if something is essential to completing what you're working on, make sure you've got some redundancy for that tool or part of the plan.

Ok, I hope you have a good Friday and weekend.

-Marshall Kirkpatrick

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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 50 updates from around the green tech and sustainability world

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Visual of the Day

Protesting Hydroelectic Power

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

Brazilian leader Tuíre Kayapó presses a machete into the face of the president of Eletronorte, in 1989, in a protest against the Belo Monte hydroelectric plant.

From SocioAmbiental's article about a big new map depicting 241 Indigenous women's organizations around Brazil. Indigenous women's movement is diverse and growing every day, shows unprecedented mapping by Anmiga and ISA (English translation)

Today's Updates

Table of Contents

• Agriculture (4 stories) - FAO Rome summit, Colombian climate resilience training, Kenya-Zimbabwe agroecology exchange, and Welsh livestock reduction plans shape farming's future

• Carbon (4 stories) - Carbon credits boost Tanzanian villages, CA auction prices dip, Antarctic krill's 20M ton sequestration role revealed, Evian neutrality lawsuit dismissed

• Circular (2 stories) - Strict TUV/USDA decomposition standards for compostables aim to address food waste crisis impacting global emissions and food security

• Ecosystems (2 stories) - Humpback migration modeling between Great Barrier Reef and Gold Coast; natural burial grounds advance ecosystem restoration

• Efficiency (2 stories) - Electric home appliance conversions and plunging costs of computing, solar, and battery technologies reshape energy economics

• Finance (2 stories) - Asset managers face new ESG reporting rules while timber-tracking database expands to agricultural commodities

• Grid (1 story) - DOE commits $30M to AI-powered grid interconnection solutions to tackle 2,600GW connection backlog

• Indigenous (5 stories) - Malagasy village joins eco-network, Frankfurt Zoo funds Maasai removal, Brazil's Indigenous women groups expand 250%, Guajajara leads meliponiculture efforts

• Industry (4 stories) - Kyoto Fusioneering expands fusion team, Ekona Power advances hydrogen tech, as Glencore-Schneider alliance targets mining emissions amid Black Friday's environmental toll

• Policy (16 stories) - Vancouver mandates electric heating systems, COP29 sets $300bn climate finance goal, UK Climate Committee adds adaptation expert, while East African NGOs battle EACOP pipeline and Resource Works exposed in gas ban opposition

• Renewables (6 stories) - Eavor advances geothermal tech as Ukraine and Germany expand projects; China sees renewable surge amid flat emissions; Granular Energy grows remote operations

• Transport (1 story) - California utilities face 6-month deadline for EV charging infrastructure connections

Agriculture

FAO Rome summit, Colombian climate resilience training, Kenya-Zimbabwe agroecology exchange, and Welsh livestock reduction plans shape farming's future

• Resumed meetings of the UN Biodiversity Conference to be held at FAO headquarters, 25 - 27 February 2025 (FAO) (FAO) - Global leaders will gather at FAO headquarters in Rome to advance biodiversity framework implementation and sustainable agrifood solutions during the UN Biodiversity Conference from February 25-27, 2025.

• Participatory Strategies for Implementing Sustainable Agrifood Systems in the Amazon (CGIAR) (CGIAR) - Colombian farmers and scientists collaborate in Bogota through hands-on training to develop climate-resilient agricultural practices that bridge generational farming knowledge.

• Strengthening Agroecology through Cross-Border Knowledge Sharing: The Kenya-Zimbabwe INALL Exchange (CGIAR) (CGIAR) - Sixteen Kenyan agricultural stakeholders engaged with Zimbabwean counterparts in farm visits and technology demonstrations to enhance cross-border agroecological practices.

• Five steps agriculture in Wales should take to help reach net zero (Farming UK) (The Conversation) - Welsh farmers must implement five major changes, including livestock reductions and improved land management, to achieve the nation's net zero emissions target by 2035.

Carbon

Carbon credits boost Tanzanian villages, CA auction prices dip, Antarctic krill's 20M ton sequestration role revealed, Evian neutrality lawsuit dismissed

• Rural Tanzanian Communities Thrive Through Carbon Credits (Carbon Pulse) (Nature4Climate) - Rural communities across Tanzania have generated substantial income through forest conservation carbon credits, with 60% of earnings supporting vital local development projects.

• California auction results underscore need for ambition and certainty in cap-and-trade market (Climate 411) (Climate 411) - California's latest carbon auction sold out completely but saw prices fall amid market uncertainty, signaling an urgent need for stronger emissions targets and stability measures.

• Antarctic krill store massive amounts of carbon in the deep ocean, researchers find (The Guardian) (Mongabay) - Antarctic krill sequester 20 million metric tons of carbon each year through their fecal pellets, rivaling the carbon storage capacity of mangroves and similar habitats.

• Judge reverses course over Evian carbon neutral claims (The Grocer) (AgFundNews) - A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit disputing Evian's carbon neutrality claims, overturning a previous decision that had allowed the case to move forward.

Circular

Strict TUV/USDA decomposition standards for compostables aim to address food waste crisis impacting global emissions and food security

• What Does Certified Compostable Mean? Understanding the Label (EcoSoul Home) (EcoSoul Home) - Certified compostable products must meet strict TUV or USDA standards, decomposing into nutrient-rich compost within 180 days either at home or in industrial facilities.

• You Gonna Finish That? Saving Good Food from Going Bad (Climate One) (Climate One) - Food waste generates a third of global greenhouse emissions while squandering enough sustenance to feed two times the planet's hungry population.

Ecosystems

Humpback migration modeling between Great Barrier Reef and Gold Coast; natural burial grounds advance ecosystem restoration

• A new model accurately predicts the migration of humpback whales – and may help them survive climate change (The Conversation) (The Conversation) - Scientists have developed a computer model that precisely tracks humpback whale mother-calf migration routes between Australia's Great Barrier Reef and Gold Coast, offering insights for climate change adaptation.

• Nature-positive death (Wedgetail) (Wedgetail) - Natural burial grounds and composting services are gaining popularity as eco-friendly alternatives to traditional death practices, providing vital benefits for habitat restoration and soil health.

Efficiency

Electric home appliance conversions and plunging costs of computing, solar, and battery technologies reshape energy economics

• What is whole home electrification? The basics, the trends, and how you can benefit (Aurora Solar) (Aurora Solar) - Experts say switching from fossil fuel appliances to electric alternatives could slash both carbon emissions and utility bills for homeowners across America.

• Why AI, solar & batteries will keep getting cheaper (Helix Ventures) (Exponential View) - Energy technologies have plummeted in cost, with computing power's price per gigaflop falling from $190B to $0.0125, signaling similar trajectories for solar, batteries and AI.

Finance

Asset managers face new ESG reporting rules while timber-tracking database expands to agricultural commodities

• Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive - What Asset Managers Need to Know (KPMG) (Future Planet) - New EU directive mandates asset managers to adopt standardized ESG reporting frameworks and conduct materiality assessments for portfolio sustainability disclosures.

• Using science to fight deforestation: Interview with World Forest ID's Jade Saunders & Andrew Lowe (World Forest ID) (Mongabay) - Scientists expand timber-tracking database to include soy, cocoa and coffee, using chemical and genetic profiling to combat illegal deforestation ahead of EU regulations.

Grid

DOE commits $30M to AI-powered grid interconnection solutions to tackle 2,600GW connection backlog

• Can AI help connect more solar and wind farms to the power grid? (The Verge) (The Verge) - US Department of Energy pledges $30M towards AI solutions to speed up grid connections for renewable projects, addressing a staggering 2,600GW backlog of pending applications.

Indigenous

Malagasy village joins eco-network, Frankfurt Zoo funds Maasai removal, Brazil's Indigenous women groups expand 250%, Guajajara leads meliponiculture efforts

• How this small village is helping to preserve Madagascar's iconic biodiversity (UN Environment Programme) (UNEP) - A remote Malagasy village has joined a global eco-network, embracing sustainable forestry and traditional crafts to protect the island's unique wildlife.

• How German government funds and Tanzanian conservation agencies fuel the Serengeti land grab (Oakland Institute) (Mongabay) - German-funded Frankfurt Zoological Society gave $19.7M to Tanzanian officials who forcibly removed Maasai pastoralists from Serengeti borders in 2017 and 2022.

• Indigenous women's movement is diverse and growing every day, shows unprecedented mapping by Anmiga and ISA (Instituto Socioambiental) (ISA) - Brazil's indigenous women's movement has surged 250% since 2019, with 241 organizations now operating nationwide, according to a landmark national study.

• Guardian of the Land, Voice of the Forest: The Leadership of Jonas Guajajara (Meli) (Meli) - Indigenous leader Jonas Guajajara spearheads meliponiculture and reforestation efforts across Brazil's Araribóia Territory, blending ancestral wisdom with modern conservation techniques.

• The Broadcast: Monthly News from The Ember Alliance (The Ember Alliance) (The Ember Alliance) - Conservation group trains 60 corps members across five Gulf states in wildland firefighting and chainsaw operations, building future fire service workforce.

Industry

Kyoto Fusioneering expands fusion team, Ekona Power advances hydrogen tech, as Glencore-Schneider alliance targets mining emissions amid Black Friday's environmental toll

• Behind the Fusion Scene: Italo Godoy-Morison (Kyoto Fusioneering) (Kyoto Fusioneering) - New Zealand engineer Italo Godoy-Morison joins Japan's Kyoto Fusioneering full-time, advancing fusion blanket technology through the UNITY-1 project after completing UK internship.

• The Hidden Cost of Black Friday Sales (Stand.earth) (Stand.earth) - Black Friday sales across fashion and tech sectors, projected at $75B for 2024, conceal massive carbon emissions matching India and Japan's combined output.

• Ekona Receives CICE Funding for Carbon Management Project (Ekona Power) (Ekona Power) - BC cleantech firm Ekona Power secures $590,000 in funding to develop technology that transforms natural gas into hydrogen and solid carbon products.

• Schneider Electric's Partnership With Glencore Could Revolutionize How Companies Approach Mining Decarbonization (Schneider Electric) (ABI Research) - Global mining giant Glencore partners with Schneider Electric to slash emissions through digitalization and electrification while boosting critical materials production.

Policy

Vancouver mandates electric heating systems, COP29 sets $300bn climate finance goal, UK Climate Committee adds adaptation expert, while East African NGOs battle EACOP pipeline and Resource Works exposed in gas ban opposition

• Vancouver City Councillors stand up to gas industry disinformation: no gas in new builds (Stand.earth) (Stand.earth) - Vancouver City Council defied gas industry pressure by voting to mandate electric heating and hot water systems in all new detached homes, reinforcing the city's climate action goals.

• About our Organizational Exploratory Program (The Wellbeing Project) (The Wellbeing Project) - A three-year initiative supports eight global organizations in fostering wellbeing-focused cultures through retreats, coaching, and research.

• Meet Brian Connolly (Centre for Thriving Places) (Centre for Thriving Places) - Glasgow economic development expert Brian Connolly joins Centre for Thriving Places' board to advance community-focused initiatives in place-based development and wellbeing economies.

• Insights & Research from our Organizational Exploratory Program (The Wellbeing Project) (The Wellbeing Project) - Research reveals three core elements - leadership modeling, co-created strategies, and sustainable funding - drive wellbeing improvements across social change organizations.

• Member Spotlight: Esther Morales (9Zero Climate Innovation Hub) (9Zero) - Clean Energy Leadership Institute's Esther Morales champions diverse climate action through collaborative networking and adaptive leadership strategies.

• Reflecting, Recharging, And Getting Ready for What's Ahead (Third Act) (Third Act) - Climate advocacy group Third Act assesses 2024 election challenges while celebrating gains in voter mobilization and fossil fuel demonstrations ahead of its 2025 strategic planning.

• Our reflections on COP29 (Energy Peace Partners) (Energy Peace Partners) - Despite COP29's Baku Call for Peace omitting direct renewable energy focus, side events successfully highlighted crucial climate-conflict connections.

• Tyndall climate expert appointed to the Adaptation Committee to prepare and adapt the UK for climate change (Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research) (Tyndall Centre) - Newcastle University's Prof. Hayley Fowler joins the UK Climate Change Committee's Adaptation Committee to guide climate resilience strategies through 2028.

• Legal battle against controversial oil pipeline faces another setback (Conservation News) (Mongabay) - East African NGOs' $5 billion legal battle against TotalEnergies' EACOP pipeline faces fresh delays in regional court over document and jurisdiction disputes.

• COP29 disappoints developing countries; Plastics treaty talks; Brazil's rocky road to COP30 (Carbon Brief) (Carbon Brief) - Deep rifts emerge at COP29 as developing nations clash with wealthier states over climate funding and fossil-fuel policies.

• A Q&A With 'Terrible Beauty' Author Auden Schendler (Heatmap News) (Heatmap News) - Aspen Skiing Company's sustainability chief argues environmentalism must pivot from personal actions to systemic political change in his new book "Terrible Beauty."

• Industry Group Pre-Wrote Comments for 'Workers' Opposing Vancouver Gas Ban (DeSmog) (DeSmog) - Industry group Resource Works crafted pre-written statements for workers opposing Vancouver's gas heating ban, while concealing its fossil fuel connections, investigation reveals.

• How theatre, music and film are helping us unlock new solutions to the world's plastics problem (The Conversation) (The Conversation) - Portsmouth researchers are using arts and culture to shape UN plastics treaty talks, giving voice to underrepresented communities through theatre, music, and visual arts.

• 'Unprecedented' climate extremes are everywhere. Our baselines for what's normal will need to change (The Conversation) (The Conversation) - New research shows climate extremes now manifest in periods shorter than traditional 30-year averages, prompting calls for localized climate definitions.

• COP29: catalysing global carbon markets (BeZero Carbon) (BeZero Carbon) - Global carbon market rules have been finalized at COP29, with nations agreeing to a $300bn annual climate finance target by 2035.

• Join us for part three of our Climate Action Planning Series (National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition) (Second Nature) - Leading university sustainability group Second Nature unveils three-part webinar series exploring climate action planning, with sessions on resilience, student engagement, and faculty partnerships.

Renewables

Eavor advances geothermal tech as Ukraine and Germany expand projects; China sees renewable surge amid flat emissions; Granular Energy grows remote operations

• Behind the Screen: Introducing our Commercial Associate (Rumin8) (Granular Energy) - Commercial Associate Camille Lamb oversees customer pilots and CRM systems at remote renewable energy startup Granular Energy, while fostering company culture and professional development.

• John Redfern explains how Eavor is redefining geothermal energy (Eavor) (Eavor) - Eavor's closed-loop technology enables consistent geothermal power generation anywhere on Earth, CEO John Redfern explains.

• Geothermal initiatives in Ukraine strive for energy independence (Eavor) (Eavor) - Ukraine's Geothermal organization plans to deploy 20 MW of geothermal power by 2030, targeting western regions through local community projects to reduce energy dependence.

• Geothermal power gains greater favour among German utility companies (Eavor) (Eavor) - German utilities back geothermal expansion amid proposed legislation aimed at fast-tracking approvals and boosting sector development.

• China Briefing 28 November 2024: How China approached COP29; Xi cuts energy deals in South America; Solar's 'disorderly' expansion (Carbon Brief) (Carbon Brief) - China balances domestic solar growth challenges with new South American energy partnerships while engaging in climate talks at Azerbaijan's COP29 summit.

• The Carbon Brief Interview: Prof Lyu Wenbin and Prof Bai Quan (Carbon Brief) (Carbon Brief) - Chinese emissions remained flat in Q3 2024 despite rising coal power, as experts point to a 23% surge in renewable energy and slowing economic growth.

Transport

California utilities face 6-month deadline for EV charging infrastructure connections

• California Decision Aims to Accelerate Timelines for Electrification, EV Charging Projects (Interstate Renewable Energy Council) (IREC) - California regulators mandate utilities to complete electric vehicle charging and electrification connections within six months, marking a significant shift in the state's clean energy timeline.