The Week in Sustainability

Facing the heat: unmasking the deadly consequences of heatwave-induced blackouts In a recent collaborative research paper, scientists from multiple universities, including the University of Michigan, Georgia IT, Arizona State University, Northeastern University, and the Houston School of Public Health, have raised serious concerns over heatwave power grid failures. The paper, published in the Envi...

A splash of relief: Colorado River and the water conundrum In April, our discussion around the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation deliberating over  Colorado River water withdrawals  seems to have culminated in an agreement.  The New York Times reported  the conclusion of a rather prolonged dialogue about water cutback, initially pitched by Secretary Haaland at an estimated 2 million acre-feet per year (t...

In the latest move toward more stringent power plant standards, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)  unveiled a draft  rule that aims to reduce emissions from the power sector by over 75% by 2030. The rule, which represents the Biden administration’s response to the Supreme Court’s rejection of the Proposed Clean Power Plan, outlines five emissions reduction targets for different types...

Climate events impact insurance everywhere The frequency and severity of climate disasters have increased significantly in recent years, and insurance companies and home and property owners are  footing the bill . The number of events that cause $1 billion or more in damage has reached an average of 20 per year, compared to 2–4 per year in the 1980s.  As insurance companies struggle to cover the r...

Ocean temperatures rise…again Scientists have recorded the highest global ocean surface temperature ever.  Temperatures reached 21.1°C  last month—that’s just shy of 70°F—surpassing the previous record of 21°C in 2016. While the increase may seem small, it will undoubtedly impact ecological services and ecosystems. Oceans play a crucial role in regulating  global temperatures  by circulating heat...

Supreme Court and climate lawsuits This week, the U.S. Supreme Court  declined appeals  from Exxon Mobil, Suncor Energy, and Chevron to move lawsuits against them to federal courts. The companies are facing five separate cases from the state of Rhode Island and municipalities in Maryland, Colorado, California, and Hawaii. These lawsuits claim that the oil companies concealed and misrepresented the...

As Earth Day celebrates its  53rd anniversary  on April 22, 2023 there’s debate about whether the holiday still holds meaning in the face of  rising emissions  and the  IPCC’s warnings  about the ticking clock for worst-case climate outcomes. However, it’s evident that  Earth Day , with an estimated billion participants worldwide, continues to inspire hope and action.  Because Earth Day is so well...

The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation has presented  options for the future distribution  of Colorado River water due to unprecedented water shortages in reservoirs, including Lake Mead and Lake Powell.  The seven states with a say in water withdrawal agreements—Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming—failed to come to an agreement last year. And...

The Chocolate Scorecard , a report produced by Be Slavery Free, a non-governmental organization, recently released the fourth edition of its scorecard, which tracks cocoa production in the world’s leading cocoa-producing countries. It grades 43 brands, suppliers, and retailers on various sustainability issues.  Because cocoa can only grow in specific tropical conditions, it puts economic pressure...

United announces investment in carbon capture sustainable fuel efforts United Airlines announced a $15 million investment in  carbon capture and sustainable fuel efforts  with the Canadian company Svante. The investment is part of United’s  Sustainable Flight Fund , which aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 without relying on offsets. Unlike traditional biofuel alternatives, Svante manufact...

This week Constanze Duke discusses the latest IPCC Synthesis Report, which highlights the urgent and dire situation of climate change. The report warns that the planet has already warmed by 1.1ºC and is expected to warm by 1.5ºC by 2030, leading to climate-related crises like famine, heat illness, and infectious diseases. The report calls for immediate and sustained action to address this issue, i...