If you're working with wood to make something useful, in a craft context, the fiber and color of the material are major determinants of the form that emerges from your work. It's an emergent collaboration. In an industrial context, form is less emergent, more imposed on pre-processed materials, like plywood.

I propose we craft emergent action, in collaboration with the information found below, combining it with our existing work but not imposing a pre-determined vision. Given that the world is, as the UN reported last week, "way off target in tackling climate change", we will probably need a combination of the emergent strategy of craft and the imposed scale of design. (I'm reading this book: Making Trouble: Design and Material Activism (Designing in Dark Times) )

Ok, let's do it.

-Marshall Kirkpatrick

Founder, Earth Catalyst 

Daily personalized email and consulting based on two decades of building, learning, and leading. We're in this together.

Visual of the Day

One of many visuals in Ember Energy's new report Clean flexibility is the brain managing the clean power system: There are nine clean flexibility tools that can be combined into a portfolio to fully harness renewable energy and ensure our electricity is clean every hour, not just the sunny and windy hours.

And now...

Today's Updates

Table of Contents

• Agriculture (3 stories) - EU deforestation rules impact African/Indonesian farmers; USDA local food programs reach $220M; Gaza/West Bank agriculture faces conflict damage

• Carbon (1 story) - Record GHG levels in 2023 mark 11% rise over 20 years, threatening 1.5C target

• Circular (2 stories) - AI platform guides EU cities' waste reduction while drag artists advocate for inclusive Global Plastics Treaty

• Ecosystems (3 stories) - UN coral reef funding gap amid mass bleaching crisis; Colombia summit advances genetic resources; Seattle youth festival drives ocean conservation engagement

• Efficiency (3 stories) - Harvest Thermal's smart heat pumps, TVA's EnergyRight program, and $2B federal funding drive residential energy upgrades and electrification

• Finance (2 stories) - Federal clean energy funding drives $11.8B Arizona investment surge; major energy companies boost Q4 green portfolios despite fossil fuel dominance

• Grid (4 stories) - Battery storage expansion in TX and CA hits 11.36 GW; heat pump storage tech and grid flexibility tools advance clean power reliability

• Indigenous (9 stories) - COP16 creates Indigenous rights body amid Amazon protection failures; NDN Collective pushes voter action; Lummi Nation, Olep hunters, and Quilombola communities showcase traditional conservation success

• Industry (1 story) - $40B Battery Gigafactory Buildout Continues with 23 Plants and 23,000 Jobs Moving Forward

• Policy (30 stories) - Utility PACs inject $13.6M into 2024 races as Trump platform targets environmental rollbacks; RMI sets COP29 priorities while Azerbaijan weighs $60B clean transition

• Renewables (2 stories) - Solar groups contest Puerto Rico net metering rules as US sees massive growth in solar, wind and storage deployment since 2014

• Transport (4 stories) - Ford pauses F-150 Lightning production while EPA boosts Clean School Bus Program; LFP battery costs hit record low $60/kWh; Amazon highway fires threaten rainforest

Agriculture

EU deforestation rules impact African/Indonesian farmers; USDA local food programs reach $220M; Gaza/West Bank agriculture faces conflict damage

• Smallholders offer mixed reactions to calls for delay in EU deforestation law (Mongabay) - Small-scale farmers across Africa and Indonesia remain split over the EU's proposed 12-month deforestation regulation delay, though cocoa producers appear better positioned for the 2025 deadline than other sectors.

• A Regional Approach Creates Fairer Competition (NSAC) - Regional food programs have distributed $220 million in local produce through state and tribal partnerships, bolstering small-scale farmers and community food networks across America.

• Palestinian Farmers’ Struggle for Survival and the Fight for Food Sovereignty (Via Campesina) - Israeli attacks have decimated more than two-thirds of Gaza's farmland, while ongoing settler violence imperils agricultural production and food access across the West Bank.

Carbon

Record GHG levels in 2023 mark 11% rise over 20 years, threatening 1.5C target

• World way off target in tackling climate change – UN (BBC) - Global greenhouse gas emissions have surged 11% in two decades, with 2023 showing record concentrations that push the world dangerously off-course from its 1.5C warming target.

Circular

AI platform guides EU cities' waste reduction while drag artists advocate for inclusive Global Plastics Treaty

• Sachet away: 4 drag artists vs plastic (Greenpeace) - Drag performers unite to spotlight plastic pollution's disproportionate effects on LGBTQIA2S+ communities while calling for a robust Global Plastics Treaty.

• CIRRUS: Accelerating Systemic Urban Transformations (Metabolic) - A new AI platform aims to guide European cities toward circular economies by analyzing data and fostering collaboration among stakeholders.

Ecosystems

UN coral reef funding gap amid mass bleaching crisis; Colombia summit advances genetic resources; Seattle youth festival drives ocean conservation engagement

• UN falls short on coral funding as reefs face largest bleaching event on record (Mongabay) - Global coral reefs face unprecedented crisis as UN funding falls $120M short while record-breaking bleaching impacts 77% of reefs worldwide.

• Australia at Biological Diversity COP16 in Columbia (CBD COP16) - Global biodiversity summit in Colombia delivers new genetic resource fund and Indigenous protections, while experts warn of missed targets on fossil fuels and financing.

• Bringing the Deep Sea to Seattle (The Revelator) - A Seattle student's Girl Scout initiative blossomed into a 500-person Deep Sea Conservation Festival, boosting ocean conservation accessibility from 40% to 70% among participants.

Efficiency

Harvest Thermal's smart heat pumps, TVA's EnergyRight program, and $2B federal funding drive residential energy upgrades and electrification

• Making heat pumps smarter to cut more carbon, with Harvest Thermal (WattCarbon) - Smart heat pump technology from Harvest Thermal slashes household carbon emissions by 90% through strategic energy consumption during optimal grid hours.

• Baby, It’s “Getting” Cold Outside! Breaking down TVA’s energy efficiency incentives as the weather cools down (Energy Alabama) - TVA's EnergyRight initiative provides Tennessee Valley homeowners with energy audits, financing, and up to $1,500 in rebates for efficiency improvements aimed at lowering power bills.

• How is electrification going? (Volts) - A $2 billion federal grant aims to accelerate home electrification across America by streamlining bulk purchases, expanding contractor networks, and simplifying consumer access to clean energy incentives.

Finance

Federal clean energy funding drives $11.8B Arizona investment surge; major energy companies boost Q4 green portfolios despite fossil fuel dominance

• The Daily Independent: Barrio - Federal Funding for Advanced Energy Initiatives has Strengthened Arizona’s Economy — We Have to Keep the Momentum Going (Advanced Energy United) - Federal funding has sparked $11.8 billion in Arizona clean energy investments and created 18,000 new jobs, though policy shifts in 2025 could threaten this momentum.

• Fuel disclosure from energy majors' earnings (Energy News) (CTVC) - Energy giants report substantial green investments in Q4 2023, while fossil fuels remain their primary revenue source.

Grid

Battery storage expansion in TX and CA hits 11.36 GW; heat pump storage tech and grid flexibility tools advance clean power reliability

• Making heat pumps smarter to cut more carbon, with Harvest Thermal (WattCarbon) - Clean electricity storage technology for heat pumps could slash California home carbon emissions by 90 percent during optimal grid periods.

• Which states are poised to lead on battery storage? (Environment America) - Texas and California lead America's battery storage capacity with 11.36 GW, as Nevada, Hawaii, and Massachusetts gain momentum through new policies and installations.

• Ember Monthly Insights (Ember) (Ember) - Nine clean flexibility tools, including storage and grid infrastructure, are vital for managing renewable power systems and ensuring reliable 24/7 clean electricity supply.

• Clean flexibility is the brain managing the clean power system (Ember) (Ember) - Clean flexibility tools, including storage and demand shifting, can manage renewable energy integration and ensure grid stability across nine distinct applications, according to new research.

Indigenous

COP16 creates Indigenous rights body amid Amazon protection failures; NDN Collective pushes voter action; Lummi Nation, Olep hunters, and Quilombola communities showcase traditional conservation success

• Amazon Watch Statement on UN Biodiversity COP16 (Amazon Watch) - Global leaders at UN Biodiversity COP16 ignored Indigenous demands to protect the Amazon, failing to address fossil fuels despite warnings of ecosystem collapse.

• Voting Like a Radical and Honoring the Complexities of Organizing for Justice (NDN Collective) - Indigenous advocacy group NDN Collective urges voter engagement in 2024 while condemning both major parties' stance on Gaza and colonial policies.

• In Bhutan, a smoked fish tradition helps sustain a vanishing ethnic group (Mongabay) - Bhutan's Olep hunter-gatherers continue their ancestral practice of smoking snowtrout under special permits while protecting endangered white-bellied herons and local ecosystems.

• Salmon is ‘everything’ for Lummi Nation highlighted in new PBS documentary (Mongabay) - Indigenous families of the Lummi Nation fight to preserve ancestral salmon fishing traditions as fish populations plummet amid mounting industrial pressures in Washington state waters.

• $250k prize awarded in honor of ‘father of biodiversity’ Thomas Lovejoy (Mongabay) - Two Amazon conservation champions have been awarded $250,000 each at COP16 for their long-standing dedication to protecting rainforests and Indigenous rights.

• After some progress, COP16 ends with challenges for implementation of Global Biodiversity Framework (Stand.earth) - Global biodiversity summit concludes with new Indigenous decision-making body, while funding gaps and territorial recognition remain key hurdles in protecting 30% of Earth by 2030.

• UN biodiversity COP16 delivers new protections but fumbles nature finance, sends call for action to COP29 (Greenpeace) - Global leaders establish Indigenous rights body and ocean protections at COP16 biodiversity summit, yet wealthy nations dodge financial pledges for nature conservation, reports Greenpeace.

• Quilombolas comprovam papel de territórios para conservação da Amazônia na COP 16 (ISA) - Traditional Quilombola communities in Brazil's Amazon have preserved 98.6% of their forests over two decades, highlighting their vital contribution to rainforest conservation.

• Calling All Land Stewards: Mark Your Calendars for the 2025 Indigenous Lands Symposium (Wahkohtowin) - Land stewards, leaders, and experts will gather in Sault Ste. Marie for the third annual Wahkohtowin Indigenous Lands Symposium, exploring traditional management practices from February 3-7, 2025.

Industry

$40B Battery Gigafactory Buildout Continues with 23 Plants and 23,000 Jobs Moving Forward

• No, America’s battery plant boom isn’t going bust – construction is on track for the biggest factories, with over 23,000 jobs planned (The Conversation) - Despite industry setbacks, US battery manufacturing maintains momentum with $40B in investments and 23,000 jobs proceeding as planned across 23 gigafactories, representing 77% of total projected capital.

Policy

Utility PACs inject $13.6M into 2024 races as Trump platform targets environmental rollbacks; RMI sets COP29 priorities while Azerbaijan weighs $60B clean transition

• Utility Industry PACs Benefit GOP This Election Cycle (EnergyAndPolicy.org) - Political action committees tied to utilities have poured $13.6 million into 2024 federal races, with Republicans receiving 60% of donations across crucial Senate battlegrounds in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Montana.

• Elon Musk’s PAC is powered by coal (HEATED) - Coal magnate Joe Craft's $1 million donation to Elon Musk's America PAC signals an unlikely partnership between fossil fuel and clean tech leaders backing Trump's presidential bid.

• Pennsylvanians Aren’t Just Voting for President (Heatmap News) - Pennsylvania's control of America's fifth-largest greenhouse gas emissions hangs on three state Senate seats as Democrats seek a governing trifecta to advance climate policies.

• Santa Marta Community and International Allies Call on Appeals Court to Reaffirm the Innocence of the Five Salvadoran Water Defenders (IPS-DC) - El Salvador's Attorney General challenges acquittal of five water defenders, sparking outcry from 14 global organizations demanding Appeals Court uphold their innocence.

• Karachi expected to receive 2.3 million climate migrants by 2050: Report (Mongabay) - Climate experts warn Karachi will receive 2.3 million climate migrants by 2050, making it the second-largest recipient city after Dhaka and threatening to overwhelm local infrastructure.

• RMI Taps into the Power of Climate Art (RMI) - Environmental nonprofit RMI received global art submissions depicting climate action for its 2024 annual report, using visual storytelling to transform eco-anxiety into positive change.

• RMI’s Goals for COP29: Double Efficiency, Extend Finance, and Curtail Methane Leakage (RMI) - Global climate think tank RMI announces four major COP29 priorities, targeting energy efficiency, finance scaling, methane reduction, and green iron corridors before Azerbaijan's climate summit.

• The Next Chapter for US Green Industrial Strategy (RMI) - Federal investments of $126 billion are poised to transform America's clean energy sector, bolstering domestic manufacturing and local economies across the nation.

• Australia at COP29 Climate Diary (Climate Citizen) - Australia faces mounting pressure over climate policies and fossil fuel growth as global emissions surge, while UN warns a US Paris Agreement withdrawal could derail climate action.

• US election: Trump is threatening to turn back the tide on America’s environmental laws and reverse climate progress (The Conversation) - A sweeping conservative policy platform backed by Donald Trump aims to eliminate key environmental protections and agencies while undoing President Biden's climate action plans.

• COP16: Key outcomes agreed at the UN biodiversity conference in Cali, Colombia (CarbonBrief) - Global biodiversity talks conclude with agreements on genetic resources and Indigenous representation, as 75% of nations fail to meet species protection plan deadlines.

• DeBriefed 1 November 2024: Spain’s deadly floods; UK budget ‘mixed’ on climate; Countries inch towards a deal at COP16 (Carbon Brief) - Amid devastating floods that killed 158 in Valencia, Spain grapples with its worst deluge in decades while climate policy wavers in Britain and global biodiversity talks stall in Colombia.

• Experts: What to expect in China’s climate pledge for 2035 (Carbon Brief) - Chinese climate experts anticipate modest emissions targets for 2035, resisting calls for a 30% reduction from 2023 levels amid economic challenges.

• Guest post: How COP29 host Azerbaijan could boost growth through climate action (Carbon Brief) - Azerbaijan's potential shift from fossil fuel exports could yield economic gains and health benefits worth $60bn through 2050, experts say.

• Climate chaos will define the next presidency (Climate Desk) - Experts warn the 2024 presidential race could reshape America's climate response, as candidates diverge sharply on addressing disasters that affected 47% of US counties last year.

• The energy culture war Is on the ballot in one of America’s greenest states (Climate Desk) - Washington voters weigh a fossil fuel industry-backed measure that could derail state and national clean energy targets by blocking efforts to phase out gas in new buildings.

• Majority of PR and Ad Sector Clients Obstruct Climate Action: Report (DeSmog) - Major public relations firms overwhelmingly represent clients opposing Paris climate goals, with just 8-16% of their largest clients supporting emissions targets, according to InfluenceMap research.

• Utility Industry Dollars Continue to Pour Into Louisiana Public Service Commission Elections (DeSmog) - Campaign finance records show Louisiana utility companies donated over $36,000 to Republican Public Service Commission candidates while the Democratic challenger rejected industry contributions.

• Alberta Conservatives Pass Climate Denial Resolution 12 to Celebrate CO2 Pollution (DeSmog) - Alberta's governing party has voted to reclassify carbon dioxide as a nutrient and eliminate climate targets, defying global scientific agreement on CO2's role in climate change.

• Alberta Premier Danielle Smith Pledges to “Triple Down” on Her Climate Denial (DeSmog) - Alberta Premier Danielle Smith pledges to expand fossil fuel projects and defy federal climate rules while doubling down on climate denial at UCP gathering.

• EPN Pre-Award Support: From Announcement to Full Award (Environmental Protection Network) - Federal environmental officials aim to accelerate distribution of $10 billion in pending climate and energy grants through new support resources for applicants.

• COP16: Greenpeace unveils message inside UN venue – Time to Act for Biodiversity ‘It’s Now’ (Greenpeace International) - Environmental activists unfurled a stark "It's Now" banner inside Colombia's COP16 summit, demanding swift implementation of global biodiversity pledges.

• Amjad Al-Nour: Creativity and heart for a fairer world (Greenpeace) - Sudanese director Amjad Al-Nour's "Ahlamouna" music video showcases 35 children calling for economic and climate reforms across the Middle East and North Africa.

• Finding hope and taking action in the face of climate anxiety. (Greenpeace) - South Korea's hottest September in 119 years has sparked nationwide debate over climate anxiety and GDP's failure to reflect environmental costs.

• How we got SLAPPed by Big Oil for over $300,000,000 (Greenpeace International) - Oil giants have launched $300 million in legal attacks against environmental groups, aiming to suppress climate activism and protests worldwide.

• COP16: successes and challenges for nature protection (Greenpeace) - Global biodiversity summit establishes Indigenous rights protections and corporate accountability rules, yet wealthy nations dodge financial pledges for conservation efforts, reports Greenpeace from Colombia.

• G20 issues its first Ministerial Declaration on Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) - G20 ministers issued their first disaster risk reduction declaration in Brazil, pledging to fast-track the Sendai Framework and explore voluntary resilience investment principles by 2025.

• The climate needs political consensus (Berkeley News) - Amid mounting election tensions, UC Berkeley economist James Sallee warns of deepening public divisions over America's clean energy future.

• Climate justice and migrant communities in the city: health-related vulnerabilities and adaptation knowledges (BC3 Basque Centre for Climate Change) (BC3) - Research reveals climate change's disproportionate health impacts on migrant communities across European cities, highlighting urgent need for targeted adaptation strategies.

• Reasons for Hope (USDA) (Climate Action Now) - Global climate efforts surge with 2.8 million actions taken worldwide, as clean energy expands and endangered species recover amid growing voter mobilization for climate-focused candidates.

Renewables

Solar groups contest Puerto Rico net metering rules as US sees massive growth in solar, wind and storage deployment since 2014

• Coalition of 28 organizations files brief in support of continued net metering in Puerto Rico (Acadia Center) - A coalition of 28 solar organizations and nonprofits has filed a federal court brief challenging proposed changes to Puerto Rico's net metering policy.

• Renewables are on the rise — and so are new energy challenges (Environment America) - U.S. renewable energy production tripled since 2014, with solar expanding eightfold, wind power doubling, and battery storage capacity surging 97-fold across all states.

Transport

Ford pauses F-150 Lightning production while EPA boosts Clean School Bus Program; LFP battery costs hit record low $60/kWh; Amazon highway fires threaten rainforest

• Ford Pump the Brakes on the F-150 Lightning (Heatmap News) - Ford halts F-150 Lightning production for seven weeks as the electric variant accounts for just 3.5% of total F-150 sales amid declining profits.

• Federal Funding Opportunities and Guidance + Staff and National Policy Updates – November 1, 2024 (Environmental Protection Network) - The EPA's $965 million Clean School Bus Program will offer rebates up to $325,000 per vehicle in 2024, targeting high-need school districts with additional tax credit opportunities.

• Record low battery prices (Keep Cool) - Battery cell prices have plunged to an unprecedented $60 per kWh for LFP cells, marking a significant milestone in the electric vehicle industry's drive toward affordability.

• Na Amazônia, rodovias impulsionam queima de área duas vezes maior que o estado de RJ (Socioambiental) - Satellite data reveals 30% of Amazon's 8 million hectares of forest fires cluster around three major highways, threatening Brazil's largest rainforest.