Canada Passes Environmental Racism Law; Bill C-226

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This week on SnippETS, we showcase many social, technological, and scientific niches impacted by climate change. Staring with a landmark bill, recently passed in Canada, which defines “environmental racism”. This bill recognises the disempowerment of First Nations Canadians through hostile design and weaponised degradation of natural environments. The history of environmental racism in Canada is long, but this bill brings hope of reparations.

In building a better future, we can forget to look back on past mistakes. Reforesting initiatives in Western Senegal, funded by corporate carbon offsets, have denied the indigenous workers agency over the ecosystem which forms the backbone of their village. Intentional ambiguity and bureaucratic governance have hampered informed reforestation and fair-pay advocacy.

In the Amazon, another at-risk-ecosystem, an elite team of dedicated researchers have been brought together to solve a nail biter mystery – why are the trees dying? And what (or who) is killing them? That’s not the only secret the trees have been keeping from us, another group of researchers found that trees hold their breath around wildfire smoke! A more hopeful discovery unveiled by NZ scientists is that our estuaries and coastlines capture the majority of plastic, preventing it from reaching open sea. What this means is that your local beach cleanup might be more effective than you think, and they have a mammoth task ahead -so go help them out!

Looking out from the coast towards open water, one might be looking at a future offshore wind farm. The idea of towering turbines might seem oppressive to the landscape but is that the full picture? Illawarra-based marine ecologist Phebe Fidge lays it all out using a systems thinking approach. But not all impacts of energy generation as visible as 200-metre turbines. Energy companies have been flouting their obligations and obfuscating their ecological disclosures. A novel counter-accounting method threatens their reputations and will hopefully bring repercussions.

As well as biodiversity being put at risk by the energy transition, water systems and supplies are under threat. Lithium mining demands lots of water. The extraction of water and mining process can disrupt hydrogeological systems and cause consequences for industry and communities. Renewable energy isn’t all high-stakes doom and gloom, it can be fun too! Read about an ex-environmental journalist’s journey to becoming a “solar-nerd”. Want to see a bigger impact? Take inspiration from Stripe, who committed to science-based, verified, durable offsets. It seems to have paid off, big-time.

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We open this issue, with the news that Canada passed Bill-226, a new historic environmental racism law. This legislation mandates the development of a comprehensive national strategy to combat environmental racism, a pervasive issue that disproportionately affects racialized and Indigenous communities. Environmental racism manifests in various forms, including the strategic location of polluting industries near minority communities, unequal access to safe drinking water, and the systematic exclusion of these communities from environmental decision-making processes. Read more…

While Bill C-226 addresses the inequity of environmental destruction, it is important that we also address the inequity within carbon reduction projects between financiers and the vulnerable communities undertaking the required works. While the projects may have tangible benefits for these communities through the restoration of the natural environment around them, the social costs of carbon offsetting can be steep. There can be a lack of agency, low community engagement, and substandard share of the financial benefits – posing questions of whether the work is worth the bounty they’re reaping. Read more…

Researchers in the Brazilian Amazon are investigating the causes of death among the rainforest’s largest trees, focusing on the impact of lightning strikes, wind, and other climate-related factors. This work is crucial because these massive trees play a significant role in carbon sequestration. With climate change threatening to increase tree mortality, understanding why these trees die is essential for predicting future carbon uptake in tropical forests. The researchers use advanced tools, including drones, to gather data and assess the causes of tree deaths across multiple tropical regions. Read more…

Wildfire smoke negatively impacts plants, similar to how it affects humans. Trees, like Ponderosa pines, respond to heavy smoke by closing their leaf pores (stomata) to prevent the intake of harmful pollutants, effectively "holding their breath." This reaction disrupts photosynthesis and the release of volatile organic compounds, essential for growth and air quality. The exact mechanisms and long-term effects of this response are unclear, but increasing wildfires driven by climate change highlights the need for further research on smoke's impact on nature. Read more…

Ever wondered where most plastic pollution ends up? Well despite public perception, it isn’t in the ocean but rather on our shorelines. A recent study of the Waitemata estuary found that 60% to 90% of buoyant material was retained in the estuary over ten tidal cycles. This shift in the way we think about where plastic ends up has many implications. For most places in the world, much of the plastic waste emitted locally stays close by and collecting this plastic waste will keep most of it out of the ocean and therefore in controlling marine pollution. Read more…

Increasingly the focus is turning towards offshore wind generation. This next article discusses using a very balanced systems approach, their likely impact. Many people are concerned about the risks of wind turbines for whales, sea birds and other marine life. However operating wind farms produce less noise pollution than ships, with no known negative impacts on marine species. Furthermore, fish may indirectly benefit from offshore wind farms. Underwater structures may act as artificial reefs, supporting an increased density of shellfish and other food sources for fish. The conclusion is that they are certainly a better alternative than burning fossil fuels. Read more…

While we’re discussing honesty in the energy industry, a study has found that energy companies in Europe conceal 47 percent of the damage wrought on biodiversity through their activities, failing to mention them in their sustainability reports. These damaging events range from deforestation, habitat destruction, to the electrocution of birds. Furthermore, the study found that descriptions of these events within sustainability disclosures can be vague and lack clarity, highlight a need for greater transparency in the energy sector. Read more…

It is important to remember the material requirements for our energy transition. A new study has found that the mining and processing of lithium for EV batteries and renewable energy storage projects depletes and contaminates surface water, often in already vulnerable communities. We often let renewable energy development off the hook for these impacts, due to the vital role they will play in the global energy transition. However, the only way to mitigate these impacts is to bring attention to them. Read more…

Luckily, there may be a solution in the pipeline. Make sure to check out the innovation articles this week to see how we could produce battery-grade lithium without chemicals or water.

Although this article is UK based, we are sure the passion for having solar panels and being a ‘solar nerd’ on your residence is probably a global phenomenon. But it’s not just about the panels, the journey started with reinsulating the house and a green roof. In the 14 years since this solar install, Paul Brown has become a ‘nerd’ through monitoring and looking at the performance of his solar panels and of course he’s been able to save money along the way. And then there’s the conversations with other solar owners… Read more…

Stripe payment software is spurring $1 billion in demand for carbon removal. Through advanced market commitment that supports early-stage carbon removal venture. Among its priorities: supporting verified carbon removal methods that are durable (meaning the CO2 is stored for more than 1,000 years). Some projects have already delivered. There are other corporations in this space, all hoping to have carbon removal processes in place in the future. When the private sectors put its mind to something, we can see benefits for everyone in this case. Read more…

This week we have the following innovation articles we hope you find interesting:

Hydrology Report - 15 August 2024

Electricity Price Index - 15 August 2024

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