International Energy Agency predicts renewables to be world’s top electricity source within 3 years

Welcome to another fortnightly edition of SnippETS.

We start off by taking a look at a new report released by the International Energy Agency, which predicts renewables will be the world’s top electricity source within three years. This would mark a major milestone in the fight against climate change. Such a milestone would be one step on the path to total decarbonisation, which the National Renewable Energy Laboratory says will require a massive solar generation increase from 1,000GW to 63,000GW! All of this generation will go a long way to meeting the demand of new sustainable technologies, like electric vehicles, which despite common misconceptions, won’t need to be able to charge as fast as you can fill up a normal car with petrol.

Another problem the global community will need to tackle is food supplies. Global hunger is soaring, but we have more than enough food to go around. We need to produce food more sustainably, by eating less meat and wasting less, to meet increased demand. Some food waste will be inevitable however, and it is that waste which we should be composting, not sending it to landfill. Composting, done properly, can slash methane emissions from food waste in landfills. And on top of growing more sustainably, we will need to grow more resilient crops that can withstand our changing climate, just as has been done with coffee being grown in Vietnam.

Greenwashing could become a thing of the past, if the Advertising Standards Authority in the UK has anything to say about it. They’re looking to introduce strict rules around what companies can or can’t say when it comes to sustainability claims, allowing consumers to make more informed choices about the products they buy. This could help consumers when it comes to cutting back on plastic waste also, as up to 80% of plastic pollution could be slashed by introducing simple behavioural changes, according to a new UN report.

Finally, we examine how Ecuador has agreed to boost protection of the Galápagos Islands, with the biggest debt-for-nature deal ever. This will go a long way to protecting vulnerable species, including birds, which, according to two studies published last year, are good for human wellbeing. It turns out birdsong has a multitude of mental health benefits!

We open with an International Energy Agency (IEA) article, examining how renewables will meet all of global electricity demand growth out to 2025 and how China will account for 33% of global energy demand, up from 25% in 2015. The IEA predicts another 2,500 terawatt hours (TWh) of demand will be added by 2025, predominantly in Asia. As a consequence clean-energy sources will start displacing fossil fuels causing emissions to plateau or even decline, despite rapidly rising demand. Read more...

Researchers from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) say that the world will need to see a sixty-fold increase in the amount of installed PV from the current 1 TW that is installed today. The NREL claim that this ambitious goal is eminently attainable and are working on the assumption that all presently significant electrical applications would be provided by PV with an installed generation capacity of 63.4 TW. Read more....

And a significant element of this increase in demand is likely to be in the form of charging electric vehicles (EV). Whilst charging of EV’s is slower than internal combustion engine vehicles; is this really an issue? As this article discusses, it really isn’t. As the author explains, when charging an EV, you do your thing, while the EV does it’s thing. Besides most charging happens when the EV is not in use, or overnight and where time is not critical. Chill out, its all good. Read more....

The way we produce food and what we consume needs a major reset. Farmers today grow sufficient crops to feed twice the current population, but nearly a third of food produced globally is spoiled or thrown away. At the same time, grain that could feed billions of people is instead fed to factory-raised food animals - suggesting a reduction in meat consumption is one clear way to cut hunger. Supply chains are fragile and large corporations have control of so much of it. Transformation is required and now! Read more....

Another way to help food production is to cut food waste. Too much is thrown in landfills, which in turn creates methane pollution. According to a new study, composting food scraps results in 38 to 84 % fewer greenhouse gas emissions than tossing them in landfills. The process of turning and watering the compost is key to the reduction in methane emissions. Taking food waste out of general rubbish going to landfills and handling it by separate collection and processing into compost can have big benefits. Read more....

We next look at Vietnam and the work they are putting into climate change resistant coffee beans. Vietnam is responsible for more than half of the global Robusta supply. Farmers have found Robusta plants grown on the rolling hills of Vietnam’s central highlands are more resilient to extreme temperatures, with some varieties producing two or three times more beans than varieties in other parts of the world. With frosts, hurricanes, parasites, and fungus damaging crops of Arabica coffee, coffee from Vietnam could save the day. Read more....

The UK's advertising watchdog is set to tighten regulations on carbon offsetting claims in response to concerns over misleading information. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) will introduce new guidelines to ensure that companies accurately represent their carbon reduction efforts and provide transparent information about their offset projects. The move aims to address growing public skepticism towards carbon offsetting schemes and promote greater accountability in the advertising industry regarding environmental claims. Read more....

A United Nations report suggests that plastic pollution can be reduced by 80% by 2040 if comprehensive measures are taken. The report highlights the importance of reducing plastic production, promoting recycling, and improving waste management systems globally. It emphasises the need for government policies, industry cooperation, and consumer behaviour change to tackle the issue effectively. The report provides hope that significant progress can be made in combating plastic pollution within the next two decades. Read more....

Ecuador has made a significant commitment to protect the Galapagos Islands, signing the largest "debt-for-nature" deal in history. The agreement involves the restructuring of a portion of Ecuador's foreign debt, which will be invested in conservation efforts for the unique and fragile ecosystem of the Galapagos. The funds will support initiatives such as the restoration of habitats, the prevention of invasive species, and the promotion of sustainable tourism. This ground-breaking deal demonstrates Ecuador's dedication to preserving one of the world's most iconic natural treasures, the Galápagos Islands. Read more....

A study published in the journal Science reveals that listening to bird songs has significant mental health benefits. Researchers found that exposure to natural sounds, especially bird songs, reduces stress and improves cognitive functioning. The study suggests that incorporating nature sounds into urban environments can enhance mental well-being. The calming effects of bird songs can help combat the negative impacts of urbanisation and contribute to improved mental health for individuals living in urban areas. Read more....