Do some of your days just seem to flow better than others? You’re not alone in that.

Life is delightfully unpredictable—especially when we’re connected to other people, sharing in the joy and mess that comes with it. One of my favorite books, The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande, offers a simple yet profound insight: a good checklist can bring consistency to our performance, even when our personal capacity fluctuates. That idea resonates deeply with me.

Consistency and reliability create a foundation for teams to achieve more together than any one person could alone.

With that in mind, the Earth Catalyst team and I proudly present today’s newsletter—brought to you, of course, by the power of checklists!

-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 81 selected 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

What's Joe Biden doing in Africa?

Joe Biden made a big trip to Africa in connection with a big international financing program and we generated this visual roll-up of what's being financed, based on the White House fact sheet.

"Africa has approximately 39 percent of the world’s renewable energy potential," the Fact Sheet says. If you want to put that into global geopolitical context over the rest of this century, I highly recommend Thomas Barnett's recent presentation This Century's OODA Loop: Thomas Barnett on the structural changes shaping this century. It's sobering; I've watched it twice and shared it with young people in my family.

Today's Updates

Table of Contents

• Agriculture (9 stories) - UN seeks $2.6tn for land restoration as CGIAR, UAE-Gates Foundation, and Propagate launch climate-smart farming initiatives; USDA invests $33.5M in local markets while Bangladesh and Philippines boost agricultural resilience

• Carbon (5 stories) - Forest carbon storage patterns revealed in 3.2M-tree study; Catona Climate secures record 250K credits from Indigo Ag; Tufts Cove tests ocean alkalinity; new millennium-scale carbon accounting standards emerge

• Circular (2 stories) - Urban mining to supply 50% of Spain's green minerals; bagasse cups offer 180-day compostable packaging solution

• Ecosystems (14 stories) - Ecuador expands Atahualpa conservation area to 28,369 acres for El Oro Parakeet; Washington evaluates dam removal for salmon; clouded leopards discovered in Bangladesh; Ocean Solution Label launches global certification

• Efficiency (1 story) - DeepMind's GenCast AI delivers rapid, energy-efficient weather predictions outperforming traditional systems

• Finance (5 stories) - Insurance market disruption and $12T food system costs revealed as Energy Locals secures $25M, while POW and faith groups target climate-aligned investment

• Indigenous (5 stories) - Equator Prize honors 8 nations at COP16; NDN Collective distributes $125K grants; Megalungan Iklim unites 500 Balinese youth; Brazilian palm oil investigation wins journalism award

• Industry (4 stories) - Japanese fusion tech advances with German funding, while Meta pursues nuclear power deals and KoBold Metals secures copper transport via Zambia rail project; SMR safety concerns emerge

• Policy (13 stories) - FEMA funding crisis, UN carbon market reforms, and legal battles over climate obligations span White House's $100B request, Ecuador's methane flare lawsuit, and Australia's ICJ stance

• Renewables (1 story) - Meta faces pushback over 4GW nuclear data center plan as critics advocate for wind and solar alternatives

• Transport (3 stories) - Tesla dominates BEV market as hybrid/electric sales hit 19.6%; SAF scalability questioned; adaptive cruise control shows mixed efficiency results

Agriculture

UN seeks $2.6tn for land restoration as CGIAR, UAE-Gates Foundation, and Propagate launch climate-smart farming initiatives; USDA invests $33.5M in local markets while Bangladesh and Philippines boost agricultural resilience

• Cropped 4 December 2024: Climate talks omit nature; Land COP underway; ‘Frankenchickens’ (Carbon Brief) - Global leaders seek $2.6tn to restore degraded land at UN desertification talks in Riyadh, as COP29 climate negotiations fail to deliver new nature and food security pledges.

• Propagate awarded $24.6 Million USDA to Advance Agroforestry & Reforestation for Working Farms in 5 States (Propagate) - Federal funding of $24.6M will support Propagate's coalition to implement agroforestry and reforestation across 3,500 acres in five Mississippi River Basin states.

• JAPAN TODAY | Grocery prices in Japan will continue to rise due to extreme weather: One idea can help solve this (Japan Today) - Amid extreme weather disrupting supply chains, Japan grapples with soaring food prices and a concerning 38% self-sufficiency rate for domestic production.

• A Lifeline to Millions: CGIAR Launches Resilient Dryland Strategy at COP16 (ICRISAT) - Global agricultural alliance CGIAR unveils dryland farming strategy at COP16, aiming to support 2.7 billion people across Asia and Africa through climate-smart farming solutions.

• Advancing Climate-Resilient Agriculture: UAE and Gates Foundation Harness AI for Sustainability (CGIAR) - UAE and Gates Foundation's AI partnership aims to equip 500 million smallholder farmers worldwide with climate-resilient agricultural tools.

• Innovation packaging and scaling readiness workshop explores scaling pathways for climate-smart mapping in Bangladesh (CGIAR) - A new mapping tool aims to help 10,000 coastal farmers in Bangladesh reduce climate-related crop losses by 20% within four years.

• Urban Food Systems Policy Forum Highlights Key Steps Towards Food Security in Filipino Cities (CGIAR) - Urban food security initiatives in Quezon City, including vendor training and farming programs, aim to strengthen food systems across Filipino cities.

• Sowing impact: Latest crop of LAMP awards continue to bolster farm economies (NSAC) - USDA's $33.5 million investment across 43 states through LAMP has generated 4,237 food businesses and 5,067 jobs since 2019, strengthening local food systems nationwide.

• Census of Agriculture Reveals the Promise of Regional Food Systems (NSAC) - Direct-to-consumer farm sales reached $3.26 billion while local and regional markets hit $14.2 billion, marking significant growth in food systems despite declining farm numbers nationwide.

Carbon

Forest carbon storage patterns revealed in 3.2M-tree study; Catona Climate secures record 250K credits from Indigo Ag; Tufts Cove tests ocean alkalinity; new millennium-scale carbon accounting standards emerge

• Trees live out their lives in surprising ways, massive new study finds (Mongabay) - Scientists analyzing 3.2 million tree measurements have discovered four distinct growth patterns, challenging previous assumptions about forest carbon storage capabilities.

• The carbon removal crisis: Are companies doing enough? (Climeworks) - Global carbon removal supply could fall short by 1 gigaton against a 1.4 gigaton demand by 2030, despite corporate pledges to combat climate change.

• Catona Climate Secures 250,000 High-Quality Nature-Based Credits from Indigo Ag’s Carbon Program Through New Strategic Partnership (Indigo Ag) - Climate finance firm Catona Climate has secured 250,000 regenerative agriculture carbon credits from Indigo Ag's US soil program, marking the largest single-partner reservation to date.

• Community Notice: 24-Hour Dosing Activities Commence at Tufts Cove Generating Station (Planetary Technologies) - Nova Scotia's Tufts Cove Generating Station launches continuous ocean alkalinity trials aimed at boosting the sea's natural ability to absorb CO2 and fight climate change.

• A Standardized Test for Carbon Removal (Heatmap News) - Scientists unveil new global accounting system requiring millennium-long carbon storage and full emissions tracking for all removal methods, as carbon credit firm Absolute Climate sets industry standards.

Circular

Urban mining to supply 50% of Spain's green minerals; bagasse cups offer 180-day compostable packaging solution

• Can Recycling Save the Clean Energy Revolution? (IPS-DC) - Urban mining and recycling could supply half of Spain's clean energy mineral needs by 2050, provided consumption drops and component standards are implemented.

• Eco-Friendly Hot Cups: A Trend You Can Feel Good About (EcoSoul Home) - Upcycled sugarcane bagasse cups decompose into nutrient-rich compost within 90-180 days, offering a toxin-free alternative to traditional paper cups.

Ecosystems

Ecuador expands Atahualpa conservation area to 28,369 acres for El Oro Parakeet; Washington evaluates dam removal for salmon; clouded leopards discovered in Bangladesh; Ocean Solution Label launches global certification

• Balsas Municipal Conservation Area safeguards water sources and fragile ecosystems in El Oro, Ecuador (Andes Amazon Fund) - Ecuador has established a 6,096-acre conservation area in El Oro province to protect vital water sources and endangered species while creating an ecological corridor.

• Expansion of Atahualpa municipal conservation area in El Oro, Ecuador protects forests and water sources (Andes Amazon Fund) - Ecuador's Atahualpa conservation area has grown to 28,369 acres, safeguarding both the endangered El Oro Parakeet's habitat and vital water sources for six local communities.

• Balsas Municipal Conservation Area safeguards water sources and fragile ecosystems in El Oro, Ecuador (Andes Amazon Fund) - Ecuador has established a 6,096-acre conservation area in El Oro province to protect vital water sources and endangered species while creating an ecological corridor.

• Expansion of Atahualpa municipal conservation area in El Oro, Ecuador protects forests and water sources (Andes Amazon Fund) - Ecuador's Atahualpa conservation area has grown to 28,369 acres, safeguarding both the endangered El Oro Parakeet's habitat and vital water sources for six local communities.

• Impact of microplastics in the oceans: more algae, less key bacteria (BC3) - Scientists report microplastics boost ocean algae growth by 40% while reducing vital nutrient-recycling bacteria populations by 35%, threatening marine food chains worldwide.

• Gov. Inslee issues executive order to restore salmon runs (Environment America) - Washington's governor directed state agencies to evaluate dam removal and pursue salmon restoration, as some areas report 90% population decline of the iconic fish.

• Southern Resident orcas are wearing salmon hats again (Environment America) - Endangered Southern Resident orcas, down to just 70 individuals, have revived their 1980s practice of balancing salmon on their heads amid dwindling Chinook populations.

• Protecting Oregon’s Grand Canyon: A monumental effort (Environment America) - Environmental advocates seek national monument designation for Oregon's million-acre Owyhee Canyonlands, as Governor Kotek urges President Biden to protect the rugged landscape.

• Organizações se reúnem em força-tarefa para estabelecer protocolos de monitoramento para restauração ambiental (Instituto Socioambiental) - Brazilian environmental groups unite to create monitoring standards for ecological restoration projects targeting 12 million hectares by 2030.

• Sustainable Ocean Alliance and Solar Impulse Foundation launch the 'Ocean Solution Label' (SOA & Solar Impulse Foundation) - Global certification program launches to identify profitable ocean-positive solutions, with environmental and economic criteria determining eligibility for the new 'Ocean Solution Label'.

• Saving Living Jewels: One Woman’s Mission to Shine a Light on the Ornamental Fish Trade (The Revelator) - Marine biologist Monica Biondo's analysis exposes inadequate oversight of 26 million ornamental fish imported to the EU between 2014-2021, highlighting urgent need for species-specific monitoring.

• Clouded leopard sighting raises questions about conservation and research in Bangladesh (Mongabay) - Camera traps have confirmed the presence of vulnerable clouded leopards in Bangladesh's Chittagong Hill Tracts, where no official population records previously existed.

• Greater Côa Valley rewilding documentary boosts engagement in Portugal and beyond (Rewilding Europe) - The Greater Côa Valley rewilding documentary has drawn more than 1,000 viewers at premiere and streaming events, sparking widespread interest in Portuguese conservation initiatives.

• Greater Côa Valley rewilding documentary boosts engagement in Portugal and beyond (Rewilding Europe) - The Greater Côa Valley rewilding documentary has drawn more than 1,000 viewers at premiere and streaming events, sparking widespread interest in Portuguese conservation initiatives.

Efficiency

DeepMind's GenCast AI delivers rapid, energy-efficient weather predictions outperforming traditional systems

• AI weather models can now beat the best traditional forecasts (The Conversation) - Google DeepMind's GenCast AI model surpasses conventional weather forecasting systems, producing multiple predictions in just 8 minutes while using less computational power.

Finance

Insurance market disruption and $12T food system costs revealed as Energy Locals secures $25M, while POW and faith groups target climate-aligned investment

• Global leaders in true cost accounting for food share research at COP16 event hosted by CGIAR’s NATURE+ (CGIAR) - Global experts reveal hidden food system costs totaling $12 trillion annually while sharing research on monetizing environmental impacts at COP16.

• 2024 POW Holiday Gift Guide (Protect Our Winters) - Outdoor advocacy group POW unveils its 2024 gift guide, showcasing eco-friendly gear while directing proceeds to climate action initiatives.

• Climate change and insurance: a growing fustercluck (Volts) - Climate change has forced insurers to abandon high-risk states and hike rates, creating financial turmoil for homeowners and governments while revealing vast disparities between real climate risks and insurance costs.

• Active Hope for a Livable Future: Divesting from Fossil Fuels (Gonzaga Climate Institute) - Catholic climate activist Anna Johnson outlines how faith-based divestment from fossil fuels could help combat global environmental threats.

• CEFC Markets Update (CEFC Markets Update) - Australian clean energy sector surges as $25M backs Energy Locals, with forecasts showing 42.6% emissions cuts amid expansions in mining, housing, and renewable projects nationwide.

Indigenous

Equator Prize honors 8 nations at COP16; NDN Collective distributes $125K grants; Megalungan Iklim unites 500 Balinese youth; Brazilian palm oil investigation wins journalism award

• Equator Initiative at COP16: Honoring and Celebrating Local Voices on the Global Stage (Equator Initiative) - Indigenous leaders from eight nations presented nature-based solutions and traditional knowledge at Colombia's COP16 conference, earning recognition as 2024 Equator Prize winners.

• Mongabay series on palm oil wins national journalism prize in Brazil (Mongabay) - Brazilian news outlet's exposé on palm oil's impact on Indigenous communities and rainforests earns second place in National Federal Prosecutor's Journalism Prize.

• Megalungan Iklim | New Energy Nexus Indonesia (New Energy Nexus Indonesia) - Cultural celebrations merge with climate action as 500 young Balinese innovators gather for Megalungan Iklim, showcasing green initiatives through traditional performances and exhibitions.

• NDN Collective Announces 2024 Community Self-Determination Grantee Partners (NDN Collective) - Indigenous advocacy group NDN Collective awards $125,000 grants to 36 Indigenous-led organizations across North America, supporting community self-determination and environmental stewardship initiatives.

• Rising Up: 2nd Annual Indigenous People’s Day In MniLuzahan (NDN Collective) - Over 1,000 people marched through MniLuzahan for the second annual Indigenous People's Day, culminating in cultural performances and an unexpected appearance by rapper Macklemore.

Industry

Japanese fusion tech advances with German funding, while Meta pursues nuclear power deals and KoBold Metals secures copper transport via Zambia rail project; SMR safety concerns emerge

• Kyoto Fusioneering EU Secures Major Research Grant from BMBF (Kyoto Fusioneering) - Japanese fusion firm's German unit secures BMBF funding to advance lithium enrichment tech for power plant breeding blankets alongside KIT and AVS partners.

• Meta Puts Out the Call for Nuclear Energy Developers (Heatmap News) - Meta aims to secure 1-4 gigawatts of nuclear power capacity by the early 2030s to fuel its AI data centers, according to company officials.

• Small Modular Nuclear Reactors: Separating Fact from Fiction (Union of Concerned Scientists) - Nuclear experts warn small modular reactors could sacrifice safety protocols to reduce costs, challenging industry assertions about enhanced security and economic benefits.

• Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment in the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor (KoBold Metals) - Mining firm KoBold Metals will supply 300,000 tons of copper annually from its Mingomba mine after signing an agreement with Africa Finance Corporation for the Zambia-Lobito rail project.

Policy

FEMA funding crisis, UN carbon market reforms, and legal battles over climate obligations span White House's $100B request, Ecuador's methane flare lawsuit, and Australia's ICJ stance

• Eastern U.S. floods could persist longer toward the end of the century (Mongabay) - Climate change could shift peak flooding in the eastern United States from spring to winter by 2100, according to new research examining seasonal flood patterns.

• IGSD & CEDHA Submit Amicus in Ecuador’s Historic Case on Fossil Gas Flaring (Mecheros Case) (IGSD) - Environmental groups back Ecuadorian girls' legal fight to remove 447 methane-emitting gas flares harming local communities.

• Tell Congress: Fund disaster relief! (PSR) - The White House seeks $100 billion in emergency funding as FEMA's resources dwindle following widespread hurricane destruction and climate disasters across America.

• Charting a Course for Carbon Markets: COP29’s Article 6 Outcomes and the Path Forward (Thallo) - Global carbon markets gain new trading mechanisms and UN oversight under Paris Agreement Article 6, though questions linger about enforcement and credit standards.

• Trusted partner to the Pacific, or giant fossil fuel exporter? This week, Australia chose the latter (The Conversation) - Australia broke ranks with Pacific neighbours at the International Court of Justice, aligning with major fossil fuel exporters against climate obligations.

• Supreme Court could narrow the scope of federal environmental reviews, with less consideration of how projects would contribute to climate change (The Conversation) - Federal agencies may soon face reduced requirements to evaluate climate impacts in environmental reviews, as justices weigh a case involving Utah's proposed 88-mile oil railway.

• Supreme Court could narrow the scope of federal environmental reviews, with less consideration of how projects would contribute to climate change (The Conversation) - Federal agencies may soon face reduced requirements to evaluate climate impacts in environmental reviews, as justices weigh a case involving Utah's proposed 88-mile oil railway.

• Small North Carolina town sues energy ‘Goliath’ in historic climate action (ClimateDesk) - A small North Carolina town of 21,000 residents has taken legal action against Duke Energy, alleging decades of misleading fossil fuel campaigns that violate state laws.

• Is it safe to have a child? Americans rethink family planning ahead of Trump’s return (Guardian) - Americans increasingly question having children due to reproductive rights and climate concerns, with 42% citing healthcare access and 37% naming environmental worries as key factors ahead of Trump's possible return.

• How Democrats Are Trying to Trump-Proof Their Big Climate Law (Heatmap News) - White House climate advisor Kristina Costa outlines administration strategy to safeguard $369 billion in clean energy investments through rapid industry deployment and binding contracts.

• Graduating in the Age of Trump (Gonzaga University) - Climate Institute Director Dr. Brian Henning marks four years of addressing ethical climate challenges during America's political divide at Gonzaga University.

• The Central Role of Social Movements in Navigating Ecological Crises (Gonzaga Climate Institute) - Frontline communities and social movements are spearheading climate solutions through grassroots organizing and economic transformation, according to environmental justice expert Gopal Dayaneni.

• Baku at the Heart of Climate Action: Insights from COP29 (Gonzaga Climate Institute) - Dr. Bi Zhao will present findings from Baku's COP29 climate summit, addressing global environmental policies and sustainability initiatives.

Renewables

Meta faces pushback over 4GW nuclear data center plan as critics advocate for wind and solar alternatives

• STATEMENT: Meta misguided in calling for massive nuclear energy scale-up (Environment America) - Environmental advocates slam Meta's proposal to construct up to 4 gigawatts of nuclear power for AI data centers, arguing that renewable alternatives offer safer solutions.

Transport

Tesla dominates BEV market as hybrid/electric sales hit 19.6%; SAF scalability questioned; adaptive cruise control shows mixed efficiency results

• U.S. share of electric and hybrid vehicle sales reached a record in the third quarter (EIA) - U.S. electric and hybrid vehicle sales surged to a record 19.6% market share, with Tesla holding 48.8% of battery-electric sales despite overall BEV share dropping to 7.0%.

• VIDEO: “Sustainable Aviation Fuels” are Just Greenwashing (IPS-DC) - Aviation expert Chuck Collins warns that sustainable aviation fuels cannot scale to meaningfully reduce the sector's massive carbon footprint, calling them a deceptive distraction from needed reforms.

• Effect of adaptive cruise control on fuel consumption in real-world driving conditions (Nature) - Real-world data analysis reveals adaptive cruise control systems demonstrate inconsistent fuel efficiency outcomes versus human drivers across diverse vehicle types.