Event - Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability

Sixteenth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability will take place on January 29-31, 2020 at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile & University of Chile, Santiago, Chile. The special focus will be Sustainability Lessons in the Global South: Priorities, Opportunities, and Risks. Much of the sustainability literature focuses on the Global North and on issues salient to policy makers in developed countries, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and ozone depletion. By contrast, comparatively little is written on environmental issues in the Global South, which is rich in sustainability experiences and lessons learned in natural resource conservation, and where many of the challenges are being faced on a daily basis with limited financial and human capital resources.

In Latin America, Africa, and much of Asia, communities struggle on a daily basis with environmental hazards as varied as land degradation, drought, salinization, and lack of access to fresh drinking water. ‘Land grabs’ drive deforestation and biodiversity loss, while across the Global South, conflicts between communities, firms, and the state for resource rights and access present risks to livelihoods and life, which in turn are highly uneven according to localities, socio-economic groups, ethnicity, and gender.

A variety of creative thinking and imaginative responses to such challenges can be found across the Global South. Communities are organizing to defend their neighborhoods, forests, and land from incursions by property developers, poachers, and business corporations. A plurality of different visions of environmental justice and social justice have flourished based on gender rights, indigenous peoples’ rights, and rights of nature. Within Latin America, the Andean notions of buen vivir (good living) has found expression in the constitutions of Ecuador and Bolivia.

The question of how the sustainability lessons garnered in the Global South can contribute to the transformative social changes necessary to promote sustainability on a global scale, and define short-, medium-, and longer-term priorities, will be considered at the Sixteenth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability in Santiago, Chile. We warmly welcome proposals for papers, workshops, interactive sessions, posters, and exhibits on this theme and on all dimensions of sustainability. The conference will appeal to scholars, social activists, business people, and policy makers.

Conference Themes

• Theme 1: Environmental Sustainability 
• Theme 2: Sustainability in Economic, Social and Cultural Context 
• Theme 3: Sustainability Policy and Practice 
• Theme 4: Sustainability Education 2020 Special Focus - Sustainability Lessons in the "Global South": Priorities, Opportunities, and Risks

Plenary Speakers

• Maisa Rojas: Director, Chilean Centre for Climate Science and Resilience (CR)2; Researcher, Millennium Nucleus on Paleoclimate; Associate Professor, Department of Geophysics, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
• Carolina Schmidt: Minister of the Environment, Government of Chile
• Joseluis Samaniego: Director, Human Settlements and Sustainable Development Division, UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean Conference Chairs
• David Humphreys: Professor of Environmental Policy, The Open University, United Kingdom
• Jonathan Barton: Associate Professor, Institute of Geography, and Associate Researcher, Centre of Sustainable Urban Development, Pontifical Catholic University, Santiago, Chile
• Maria Fragkou: Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile

Click here to register.

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Alternatives to Black Friday

What are the alternatives to Black Friday and why do we need an alternative? Black Friday is the biggest shopping day of the year. Millions of shoppers will flock to retail outlets as part of an annual consumer frenzy. Shoppers are willing to wait in line and compete with other bargain hungry Americans for the chance to save a few bucks. It is a ritual that is sewn into the American psyche, like apple pie and honest Abe. The problem is that this day comes with a massive environmental footprint.

Almost 170 million Americans will take part in holiday shopping and the U.S. Post Office will deliver 15 billion pieces of mail and 900 million packages between Thanksgiving and the New Year. People will buy a range of environmentally destructive items including plastic and fast fashion. A study from the Ellen Macarthur Foundation estimates that a truckload of textiles is wasted every second and the Council for Textile Recycling reports that the average U.S. resident throws away 70 pounds of clothing and other textiles every single year. The combination of resources, carbon emissions, and waste make fast fashion an environmental nightmare. To add insult to injury fast fashion often contains microfibers of plastic that eventually end up in the ocean. Plastic is also used in toys and home goods as well as packaging and only 9 percent of the billions of pounds of plastic that are produced every year get recycled. Much of this plastic waste is ending up in the ocean, where it can smother reefs and choke wildlife.

Dr. Diana Ivanova, research fellow at the University of Leeds' Sustainability Research Institute says rampant consumerism is bad for the environment and human well-being. She said these sales "stimulate overconsumption, materialism, and a work-and-spend culture". 

Sustainably minded advocates urge restraint. Environmental groups like Greenpeace encourage consumers to think long-term when purchasing an item. Buying used products or those made from upcycled, or recycled content, is a good way to decrease the resource inputs. While some suggest we should avoid disposable consumer goods that we really don't need, other say we should avoid shopping altogether.

Rather than feed the frenzy some retailers are opting out of the Black Friday madness. The recreational equipment company REI has not opened its doors on Black Friday since 2014. They give their 13,000 employees a paid day off and urge them and their 18 million members to engage in environmental action instead of shopping on Black Friday.  REI calls the movement "opt to act" and as they explained in a press release, the campaign encourages people make a year round commitment to reduce their footprints or do things like clean up outdoor areas. Their employees have taken the suggestion to heart, having collected more than 3.4 tons of garbage from outdoor areas across the U.S. REI is also working on reducing its own footprint and they are moving towards zero waste.

“Today, that future is at risk,” REI CEO Eric Artz wrote in October. “We are in the throes of an environmental crisis that threatens not only the next 81 years of the co-op, but the incredible outdoor places that we love.”

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Thanksgiving Gratitude and Learning to Live in Harmony with the Natural World

Today is Thanksgiving in the United States and people across the nation are celebrating by coming together to give thanks. This is the holiday long weekend when people get together to celebrate the bounty of the fall harvest. Thanksgiving traces its origin to a 1621 feast the Wampanoag people shared with Pilgrim settlers. The Pilgrims survived their first winter in the new world thanks to the goodwill of the Wampanoag. After almost 400 years we still have not learned to live in harmony with nature, and like the Pilgrims our very survival is at stake.

As Thanksgiving Day occurs every year during Native American Heritage Month, this is a time for us to recognize and be grateful for Indigenous people. There is so much that we can learn from their traditional ways of life that includes living in harmony with nature.

Thanksgiving is also the perfect time to deepen gratitude for the natural world. It is a time to redouble our commitments to greener living, more sustainable business practices and responsible government. The threats from climate change and ecological degradation are real, however, so are the opportunities to address it. This Thanksgiving, let us be grateful for the natural world and let us stand together to defend it.  Let us apply this gratitude by doing our part and being thankful to others who are acting to be better stewards of our only home.

Related
Mustering Thanksgiving Gratitude
What can be Grateful for in 2016
Environmental Gratitude Can Change the World
Thanksgiving: Living in Harmony with the Planet
Thank the Bees for your Thanksgiving Dinner 

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Four Fossil Fuel Divestment Narratives and their Constituencies

There are four major overlapping justifications for fossil fuel divestment. These four overlapping narratives are existential, moral, justice and economic. Each one of these four arguments has its own constituencies.


1. Existential: This discourse suggests that fossil fuel use must be eliminated as a leading cause of climate change which is a civilization ending event. This narrative resonates with college and university students.

2. Morality: This argument suggests that it is immoral to support an industry that destroys God's creation. This is a commonly held rational in religions and faith organizations. 

3. Justice: This approach is often related to the moral argument. This narrative sees fossil fuels as disproportionately impacting the vulnerable and the poor.  They are the ones who are most at risk to suffer from the effects of climate change caused by fossil fuels and direct effects associated with oil and gas extraction. The justice discourse is commonly communicated by Indigenous people and the same groups that make the moral argument. 

4. Economics: The logic of divesting from fossil fuels can also be based on financial common sense concerns because the return on investment on fossil fuels is likely to diminish over time and assets risk being stranded. This is a view often espoused by responsible investors.

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We Need Alternatives to Traditional Air Travel

It is for good reason that Greta Thunberg's much publicized efforts to avoid travel by air have made headlines. She has put the spotlight on the climate impacts associated with air travel. Emissions in the transportation sector are significant and aircraft are particularly carbon intensive. It is clear that current international standards are inadequate.  The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards fall far short of meeting the objectives laid out in the Paris Climate agreement (ie keeping temperatures below the upper threshold limit of 1.5 - 2 degrees C).

Aircraft are the third-largest contributor to transportation related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the U.S. The Bureau of Transportation reports that U.S. jet fuel consumption in the airline industry has increased to almost 20 billion gallons annually since the 80s. While currently at roughly three percent of the U.S. emissions, this number is growing.

Airline emissions were an important issue for the Obama administration. In 2016 after years of deliberations and lawsuits, the EPA issued a final endangerment finding for airline emissions, legally requiring the agency to move forward with regulation. More than three years ago Janet McCabe, the EPA’s Acting Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation made it clear that reducing airplane emissions is an essential part of climate action. She correctly anticipated an increase in air travel and indicated that action is required to curb emissions. "Addressing pollution from aircraft is an important element of U.S. efforts to address climate change" McCabe said.

A Virgin Airline study showed we can make air travel more efficient and decrease fossil fuel use by as much as 30 percent. However, this is nowhere near enough. What we need is decarbonization through electrification but when it comes to aircraft this is no easy feat.

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Event - CES Paris 2020

CES Paris will take place in June, 2020. There will be more than 300 people attending this event including more than 70 corporates and 65 speakers. The second edition of CES Europe participants will discuss the increasingly sophisticated array of options, spread and share best practice and network with solutions provider and thought leaders.

The first of the Corporate Energy Series was a carbon neutral event that was held in France on 21-22 May 2019. The event explored solutions for corporates to reach 100% renewable electricity. Decision-makers from global and European corporations, renewable energy project developers, banks, law firms, advisory firms, as well as regulators, government representatives and think tanks gathered to discuss the challenges and opportunities of actively procuring and sourcing renewable energy.

The Corporate Energy Series of events are held in key regions around the world to accelerate corporate renewable energy uptake through unprecedented networking sessions and specialised expert workshops and round tables.The global transition to a cleaner, digitalised and decentralised energy system is accelerating as concerns over global warming are rising.

Corporations – which consume two thirds of the world’s electricity – have a major role to play in the transformation to a carbon neutral energy mix. Major corporations around the world have already committed to powering their operations solely with renewable electricity, as part of broader sustainability strategies – and some have already reached their 100% renewable electricity target. This creates business opportunities between commercial and industrial users and the energy industry: no less than 73 corporate renewable energy contracts that totaled 6.33 GW were signed in 2018! Corporate action for renewable electricity not only sends a strong message to wider society, it also enables emissions reductions, and helps to drive renewables uptake globally – notably encouraging the addition of new projects to feed into the grid.

Corporate Energy Series Europe will provide an unrivaled learning platform through workshops and round tables, enabling in- depth debates and discussions on the specifics of corporate clean energy sourcing and regional regulatory and market differences. The event networking app will facilitate greater interaction opportunities, allowing participants to set up meetings before and during Corporate Energy Series Europe.

Europe is experiencing increasing global pressure for climate action: 200 countries signed a rule book at COP24 to accelerate the implementation of the Paris Agreement; the European Commission revised the Renewable Energy Directive 2 to increase renewable energy use to 32% by 2030. A rapidly growing market: In 2018, there were 73 corporate renewable energy contracts that totaled 6.33 GW, boosting the industry from a previous total of 0.32 GW just five years ago.

This event gives participants access to a unique market opportunity: Corporations and industrials consume about two thirds of the world’s electricity – the industrial sector alone being responsible for 54% of energy consumption globally. Corporate effort: 158 companies have already joined the RE100 initiative, publicly committing to powering their operations with 100% renewable electricity.

Click here for sponsorship opportunities

Contact information: Phone:  +44 (0)20 7099 0600
Green Power Conferences Ltd. China Works, Black Prince Road, Vauxhall, London, SE1 7SJ, UK

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Event - International Conference on Environmental Pollution and Remediation (ICEPR’20) Call for Papers

The 10th International Conference on Environmental Pollution and Remediation (ICEPR’20) will take place on August 19, 2020 - August 21, 2020 in Prague , Czech Republic.The Conference Proceedings will be published with an ISSN and ISBN, indexed in Scopus and Google Scholar, and archived permanently in Portico.

ICEPR’20 aims to become the leading annual conference in fields related to environmental pollution and remediation. The goal of ICEPR’20 is to gather scholars from all over the world to present advances in the relevant fields and to foster an environment conducive to exchanging ideas and information. This conference will also provide an ideal environment to develop new collaborations and meet experts on the fundamentals, applications, and products of the mentioned fields.

Topics for ICEPR’20 include, but are not limited, to the following:

• Air pollution and treatment
• Biofuels
• Desalination
• Environmental Protection
• Environmental Sustainability and Development
• Greenhouse Effect, Global Warming, and Climate Change
• Groundwater Issues
• Wastewater Management and Treatment
• Water Pollution and Treatment

Author Guidelines

Submissions in the form of extended abstracts, short papers, and full manuscripts are welcome.

• all submitted papers will be peer-reviewed
• the congress proceedings will be published under an ISSN and ISBN number
• the conference proceedings will be indexed by Scopus and Google Scholar
• each paper will be assigned a unique DOI number by Crossref
• the proceedings will be permanently archived in Portico (one of the largest community-supported digital archives in the world).
• selected papers from the congress will be submitted for possible publication in the International Journal of Environmental Pollution and Remediation (IJEPR) (publication fees may apply)

Paper Topics

ICEPR’20 is now accepting papers on the following topics through its OpenConf system. If you have a paper on an additional topic, please write an email to info@icepr.org. The current topics include but are not limited to:

• Air pollution and treatment
• Biofuels
• Desalination
• Energy Management
• Environmental Education Programs
• Environmental Protection
• Environmental Risk Assessments
• Environmental Safety Regulations
• Environmental Sustainability and Development
• Green Manufacturing and Technologies, Pollution Prevention
• Greenhouse Effect, Global Warming, and Climate Change
• Groundwater Issues
• Impact of Industrialization on the Environment
• Nanotechnology Impacts on Environment
• Oil Spills
• Pollution and Health Issues
• Renewable and Non-Renewable Energies
• Soil Pollution and Treatment
• Wastewater Management and Treatment
• Water Pollution and Treatment

Manuscripts are invited for the 10th International Conference on Environmental Pollution and Remediation (ICEPR'20) on topics lying within the scope of the conference. All contributions must be original and should not have been published elsewhere.

Three types of manuscripts could be published in the conference proceedings:

• Extended Abstracts
• Short Papers
• Full Papers

You may choose to submit any of the above based on the the weight of the contributions in your manuscript.

Extended abstracts are welcome for publication. These submissions should be around 500 words and must give a clear indication of the objectives, scope, and results (if available) of the research. No figures or tables are allowed. Presentation for these submissions are limited to 20 minutes (if oral) or poster. Short papers must give a clear indication of the objectives, scope, and results of the paper, and must (at least) contain an abstract, an introduction, a results/discussion section, and a reference section. Short papers are limited to 4 pages. Presentation for these submissions are limited to 20 minutes (if oral) or poster. Full Papers are limited to 8 pages and are more descriptive of the work that has been done. Also, more sections, images, graphs, and results could be presented. Presentation for these submissions are limited to 20 minutes (if oral) or poster.

Please note that a .docx template is available to guide the authors in formatting their papers. All papers (including extended abstracts) must comply with the template.  Click here to find the conference template(s) for ICEPR’20

Papers should be prepared in English and carefully checked for correct grammar. Figures should be of high quality. To ensure high scientific quality, all papers will be reviewed by the Scientific Committee Members. All papers must be submitted in electronic form using the web site of the conference.

Once the reviewing process is complete, the contact author of each paper will be notified of the result by e-mail. The authors are required to follow the reviews in order to improve their paper before their final submission.

All accepted extended abstracts, short, and full papers will be published in the proceedings, under an ISBN reference in a USB drive. The online version of the proceedings will also be published under an ISSN reference and each paper in the proceedings will be assigned unique DOIs by CrossRef. Selected papers will be published in a Special Issue in the Open-Access Journal “International Journal of Environmental Pollution and Remediation” by Avestia Publishing. For more information, in regards to the journal and Avestia Publishing, please visit our website at www.avestia.com.

All papers must be presented by one of the authors. At least one author must register for the conference and pay the fee prior to Regular Registration deadline (see Important Dates) in order for the paper to be published in the conference proceedings and accepted in the final program.

Best paper awards will be conferred to author(s) of the papers that receive the highest rank during the peer-review and by the respected session chairs. Only papers presented at the conference will be eligible for this award. Winners receive a certificate, 25% discount towards registration for the 2021 series of the conference, and can submit their papers to a related journal by Avestia Publishing for free publication (subject to a second round of peer-review).

In order to submit your paper or access the reviewer system, please click here.  The corresponding authors of accepted papers are required to please fill, complete, sign and send the following copyright form along with your Camera Ready Submission to info@icepr.org. Failure to comply will result in removal of the paper from the proceedings.

Click here to register.

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Decarbonization through Electrification in the Transportation Sector

The transportation sector is the largest source of emissions in the U.S. and the second biggest source of GHGs globally. Reducing transportation emissions is an essential part of keeping temperatures below critical thresholds (1.5 - 2 C). The key to reducing emissions in this sector is scaling up zero carbon transportation

Driven by e-commerce and business travel the transportation sector has passed the energy sector as the largest source of American emissions. This sector is responsible for 27 percent of emissions in the U.S. and 23 percent globally.

“Fighting dangerous climate change requires an all-encompassing approach that curbs every important source of carbon pollution, and that means from cars and trucks, power plants and airplanes, as well as other climate pollutants like methane and HFCs,” David Doniger, director of the climate and clean air program at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said in a statement. “With every month this year breaking global heat records, it’s clear we must act on climate in every way possible, and now.”

Better aerodynamics and increased fuel efficiency can reduce emissions in the transportation sector. The Canadian province of British Columbia as well as the U.S. states of California and Oregon have all adopted incentive programs for low carbon transportation fuels.  While fuel standards and market based incentives like carbon pricing and carbon offsets can help reduce GHGs, there are very real limits to emissions reductions if we continue to rely on fossil fuel based technologies. We need to see  decarbonization of the transportation sector and given current technologies this will depend largely on electrification. However, it is important to bear in mind that the success of this approach will depend on how the electricity being used is generated. If it is derived from fossil fuels we will be no further ahead.

Decarbonization through electrification is the pathway forward, but to quickly grow at the required scale we will need to see governments play a key role.This includes clean energy grids, incentives for zero emission transportation and investments in research and development of new technologies.

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Transportation Sector Emissions and Climate Change

Transportation is a massive and growing problem contributing to the climate crisis. As a large and increasing source of greenhouse gases (GHGs) we will need to see significant changes if we are to keep emissions from pushing us past the internationally agreed upon upper temperature limits (1.5-2C above preindustrial norms).  Emissions from the transportation sector account for between a quarter and a third of global greenhouse gas emissions.

According to the UN Food and Agricultural Organization a sector by sector comparison of GHG emissions indicates that transport accounts for more than 20 percent of atmospheric CO2. As reported by Vox the US transportation has recently surpassed energy as the largest source of domestic emissions. As reported by a more recent article in  Popular Mechanics, the transportation sector accounts for around 23 percent of the world's carbon dioxide emissions stem from transportation.  In the U.S. that number is even higher at 29 percent.

A new study indicates that maritime shipping is also a problem. The research was conducted by scientists at the International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Laxenburg, Austria and published in the Energy Conversion and Management.  "The maritime shipping sector is a major contributor to CO2 emissions and this figure is expected to rise in coming decades," reads the paper's abstract. Shipping represent around 3 percent of transportation emissions.

The most carbon intensive form of transportation comes from aircraft.  Aircraft account for 12 percent of transportation emissions and in 2018 when air travel reached record highs. At the current rate emissions from air travel will increase seven-fold globally by 2050.  This is not sustainable and we will need to find solutions if we are to keep emissions from pushing temperatures beyond critical thresholds.

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Ending Fossil Fuels is Necessary but it Won't be Easy

The fossil fuel industry stands in the way of climate action and they are not going away without a fight.  We know what must be done but due to manipulation and obfuscation we do not have sufficient public awareness or bipartisan political will. Ending fossil fuels starts with reigning in the trillions of dollars of subsidies governments provide to the dirty energy industry.


We are moving in the right direction as the transition away from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy is already underway.  The fossil fuel industry is dying and renewables already provide more jobs than the old energy industry. Although we urgently need to expedite the transition to cleaner forms of energy, the fossil fuel industry is engaged in resistance on a number of fronts. They have a decades long track record of obfuscation. The industry has known they are the leading cause of climate change since the 1960s. Rather than own this fact they embarked on sophisticated disinformation campaigns to hide the truth.

The fossil fuel industry has used its tremendous wealth to control academia and even our kids education.  The hypocrisy of the dirty energy industry knows no bounds. Rather than allow the facts to inform government policy, they bought both politicians and political outcomes. With the help of Republicans and other conservative political parties they muddy the waters and cast aspersions on the vast body of climate evidence.  Now they have embarked on a new form of climate denial that tries to shift the responsibility to individuals or say its too late to do anything.

Its not too late but we are in the 11th hour. We cannot afford to allow the fossil fuel industry to stall climate action any further.  We can expect the dirty energy industry to keep using all of their considerable resources to protect their revenues even if that means the end of civilization as we know it. 

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The New Face of Climate Denial

For years the fossil fuel industry worked to undermine climate action now they have adopted two new approaches to climate denial. 

Climate scientist Michael Mann says focusing on individual behavior is the fossil fuel industry's latest climate denial tactic. “[T]here is an attempt being made by them to deflect attention away from finding policy solutions to global warming towards promoting individual behaviour changes that affect people’s diets, travel choices and other personal behaviour,” said Mann. “This is a deflection campaign and a lot of well-meaning people have been taken in by it.”

Mann's comments appeared in a recent Guardian article. He is the director of the Earth System Science Center at Pennsylvania State University and one of the world's foremost experts on climate change.  He told the Observer that the fossil fuel industry deployed this deflection campaign because they can no long refute the mounting evidence supporting anthropogenic climate change.

While Mann did not deny the value of individual actions like avoiding air travel he said they were no substitute for policy reform.  He sees it as part of a clever campaign to encourage infighting and shift attention away from the root causes of the crisis.

“We should also be aware how the forces of denial are exploiting the lifestyle change movement to get their supporters to argue with each other. It takes pressure off attempts to regulate the fossil fuel industry. This approach is a softer form of denial and in many ways it is more pernicious.”

Another tactic they use is “doomism”, as Mann put it. “This is the idea that we are now so late in the game [in tackling global warming] that there is nothing that we can do about the problem,” he added. “By promoting this doom and gloom attitude this leads people down a path of despair and hopelessness and finally inaction, which actually leads us to the same place as outright climate-change denialism.” In both cases climate deniers achieve their objective which is to resist popular efforts to curtailing fossil fuel use.  

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Ten Types of Renewable Energy

Renewable energy is an emissions free source of power production that can both improve air quality and mitigate against climate change. For these and other reasons clean energy is vital to the future of life on the Earth. Interest in renewables continues to grow and this is driving a green jobs boom. Solar and wind investments have been steadily increasing, as have investments in other forms of emissions free power. While government policies are an obstacle, even the Trump administration cannot stop the market appeal associated with declining costs (including batteries).  With each passing year 100% renewable energy becomes more feasible. Here is a summary of ten types of renewable energy. The first eight are easy can you guess the final two?

1. Solar energy

Solar Energy is the most accessible wellspring of energy. The primary forms of solar energy are heat and light. Photovoltaic cells (PV Cells) are the most common and they convert the sunlight directly into the electricity. This can in turn be stored in batteries for periods when the sun is not shining. Solar can take the form of massive solar arrays or small scale distributed solar power production in businesses and homes. There are also a wide range of solar innovations.

2. Wind energy

Wind power is a readily available renewable energy source. Turbines are capture the the wind’s power and convert it to electricity. The energy from the wind turns the two or three propeller-like blades around a rotor in windmill. The rotor is connected to the main shaft, and this shaft connected with the generator that creates electricity. Like solar, wind power can be stored in batteries for periods when the wind is not blowing. Wind can also take the form of massive wind installations or small scale distributed wind power production in businesses and homes.

3. Hydro power

This is one of the most abundant forms of renewable energy contributing to 10 percent of the world's electricity generation. In hydroelectric power production the flow of water is converted into electricity by turning a turbine.

4. Hydrogen

Hydrogen is one of the most abundant elements however it does not occur naturally as a gas on earth. Hydrogen consists of one atom and one electron. Hydrogen is produced through extraction process called reforming where heat is applied for the separation of hydrogen from carbon. Hydrogen can be extracted and stored. Hydrogen is already powering “zero emission’’ vehicles and aircraft. Hydrogen may also be used for electricity generation.

5. Geothermal energy

Geothermal energy is a clean and sustainable way of harvesting the heat from the Earth. This can involve varying depths from shallow to a few miles under the surface of the earth, and magma very deep under ground. There are three main types of geothermal energy systems: Direct use district heating system, electricity generation in power plants and geothermal heat pumps. In some of these configurations steam from hot water reserves rotates a turbine, then the turbine activates a generator, which produces electricity. In another geothermal configuration a heat pump can remove heat from the heat exchanger and pump it into the air delivery system (winter) or conversely move the heat from the indoor air into the heat exchanger (summer).

6. Wave energy

This form of energy is produced when the electricity generators are placed on the surface of the ocean. The amount of energy generated is calculated by the wave height, wave speed, wavelength and the water density. Energy generated by waves can be converted into electricity through electric generators (hydraulic ram, elastomeric hose pump, and pump to shore, hydroelectric turbine, air turbine and linear electric generator). It is widely applied for the desalination purpose in power plants and water pumps.

7. Tidal energy

Tidal power or tidal energy is the form of hydropower that converts the energy obtained from tides into useful forms of power, mainly electricity. Interest in these technologies have increased due to new developments in dynamic tidal power, tidal lagoons, axial turbines, and cross flow turbines

8. Biomass energy

Biomass is defined as alive or newly dead organisms and any by-products of those organisms, plant or animal. Biomass can be used to produce renewable power, thermal energy, or transportation fuels (biofuels). It most often refers to plants or plant-based resources which are specifically called lignocellulose biomass. Biomass can either can used in combustion to produce heat, or indirectly converting it to various forms of biofuels that can be used for transportation. Animal waste can be source for biomass, so can can dead plants, trees, grass, leaves, crops or garbage.

9. Waste to energy

Waste-to-energy (WtE) or energy-from-waste (EfW) is the process of generating energy in the form of electricity and/or heat from the primary treatment of waste, or the processing of waste into a fuel source. WtE is a form of energy recovery. Waste to energy technology includes aging and esterification.

10. Graphene

Graphene has been heralded as a game changing energy solution.  Graphene can be used to extract hydrogen fuel from the air and burn it as a carbon free source of energy in a fuel cell. This entails the collection and generation of emissions free electricity from the abundant hydrogen in water. Graphene also has numerous other possible applications including far more efficient solar cells,  and extended life batteries that would significantly increase the range of electric vehicles and may offer a viable means of electrifying air travel.

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Event - Ener-Rev

Ener-Rev will take place on April 21, 2020 at the Intercontinental Marceau Hotel, Paris. France is the second largest European economy and home of the Paris Agreement on climate change, and is now a key European player in the renewable energy space. With a mature onshore wind sector, a fast-evolving solar market and a high potential in biomass and offshore wind, the French renewable energy market presents a unique business opportunity for international companies and investors.

This year marks the renewal of the French legal energy roadmap, the Programmation Pluriannuelle de l’Energie (PPE), establishing targets for the whole of the French energy industry for 2028. In a heavily regulated environment, this legal document defines the potential of evolution for each of the renewable energy sectors in France. Meet more than 100 attendees, experience more than 7 hours of content and hear from 30+ industry leaders.

THREE REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD ATTEND

1. Maximize your networking opportunities. Conduct six months worth of meetings in just one day, use the customised mobile app to pre-arrange meetings, make vital new contacts through informal chats over coffee, lunch and drinks.
2. Interact with an international crowd. Ener-REV facilitates the introduction of foreign companies to domestic players in the French market, relationships take time to develop, make sure you start building these key relationships now.
3. A multi-sectoral, content rich event. The agenda has been thoroughly researched and specific sessions will focus on key growth sectors, including - Wind and solar in the French renewable energy industry.

WHY NOW?

1. The PPE is setting higher targets and a framework for the development of renewable energy sectors in France this year and to 2028

2. Offshore is a big topic this year with Dunkirk call for tenders – and the end of the trial for the first two offshore projects which were on hold for the last eight years

3. Solar is kicking off – notably with EDF having committed to develop 30 GW by 2035 and ambitious PPE targets. WHY ENER-REV IS A VALUABLE DAY OUT OF THE OFFICE Maximise your networking opportunities

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Yara Chakhtoura has been Managing Director of Vattenfall Éolien SAS since March 2018. Previously, Ms. Chakhtoura worked at L.E.K. Consulting, a strategy consulting firm, where she started her career. In 2010, she joined the AREVA group, and in mid-2011 she took over the French Sales Department for the group's offshore wind activity, which was selected by the French government for the production of a total of 1,500 MW with its Iberdrola partners / RES then Engie / EDPR. At the end of 2014, she joined TechnicAtome (formerly AREVA TA), specialised in naval nuclear propulsion; she became Director of Trade and Industrial Cooperation and member of the Executive Committee. Yara is a graduate of Ecole Centrale Paris, with a Masters in Climate Change Management from Oxford University and a director of the Naval School.

Jean-Baptiste Galland holds degrees in mathematics and economics from Parix IX Dauphine and ENSAE as well as a management degree from Mc-Gill. After graduation in 1982, he joined EDF in the Strategy and Tariffs department where he held several responsibilities, one in particular as Head of the Tariff department. In 1990, he joined the Distribution business where he managed local distribution and commercial activities both in gas and electricity in various parts of France during 10 years. In 2000, he joined the Finance Department of EDF Group in Paris where he prepared the 2001-2003 agreement between the French state and EDF group that paved the way to the future IPO and was involved in the preparation of the latter successful IPO of EDF.

SPEAKERS

• Thierry Lepercq Président Solairestream
• Damien Ricordeau Chief Executive Officer FINERGREEN
• Jean-Baptiste Galland Directeur Stratégie ENEDIS
• Julien Pouget Senior Vice President Renewables Total
• Yara Chakhtoura Managing Director Vattenfall Eolien SAS
• Amaury Schoenauer Directeur CEPAC
• Corentin Sivy Acquisition and Development BayWa r.e France
• Loetitia Hurez Directrice Développement Nordex France
• Eric Bonnaffoux Directeur Général Boralex
• Sylvain Legrand Managing Director SUNCNIM
• Nicolas Charpy Directeur Général 3D ENERGIES
• Sylvie Perrin Director La Plateforme Verte
• Pierre-Antoine Machelon Head Eiffel Investment Group
• Emmanuel Legrand Directeur Banque des Territoire
• Romain Davau Project Finance Director Akuo Energy
• Pierre-Albert Langlois Head France Energie Eolienne (FEE)
• Guy Auger CEO Greensolver
• Richard Loyen Délégué Général ENERPLAN
• Cédric Germa Head of Business Development Solarcentury
• Benoît Roux Head BayWa r.e. France
• Carlos Herrera Malatesta Directeur général Apex Energies
• Emmanuel Julien Président du Directoire SERGIES
• Christophe Soulier Responsable nouveaux projets et repowering RES (France)
• Vincent Balès Managing Director WPD Offshore France
• Dominique Moniot Directeur ENGIE GREEN FRANCE
• Vincent Fromont Chief Executive Officer EOLFI
• Benjamin Vie Responsable raccordement QUADRAN - Groupe Direct Energie
• Sven Rösner Director French-German Office for the Energy Transition (OFATE/DFBEW)
• Yannick Jacquemart RTE R&D Director
• Justine Peullemeulle Responsable du pôle animation Energie Partagée
• Nicolas Jeuffrain co-Owner and President Tenergie
• Nicolas Maccioni Directeur Akuo Energy

CONTACT INFORMATION

+44 (0)20 7099 0600
Green Power Conferences Ltd.
China Works, Black Prince Road,
Vauxhall, London,
SE1 7SJ, UK

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Event - E-TALIA Summit: Call for Sponsors and Speakers

The E-TALIA Summit will take place April 28 & 29, 2020, at the Four Seasons Hotel, in Milan. More than 300 people are expected to attend. With more than 25 hours of content and more than 80 speakers this will be an important clean energy event.

In such a fast-paced environment E-TALIA can help you keep up with all the latest news from the Italian renewable energy market.

E-Talia Summit 2019 took place in the luxurious Four Seasons Hotel in the heart of Milan and saw 200 renewable energy professionals come together to discuss how we can accelerate Italy's solar and wind market. Some of the largest names in the industry were in attendance, including Convert Italia S.p.A., SIEL, Siemens Gamesa, Pöyry, Nvalue and many more. With over 80 expert influencers speaking about the Italian renewable energy market, the two-day agenda was packed with outstanding content as well as excellent networking opportunities. Needless to say, the event was a huge success, and we now look forward to what promises to be an even bigger event in 2020!

Sponsor E-TALIA 2020

E-TALIA offers bespoke branding and thought-leadership opportunities that will be tailor-made to your company’s needs. Showcase your projects, generate leads and get face time with all your clients and prospects.

Interested in speaking?

E-TALIA is looking for experts and enthusiasts with concrete case studies of project success to share. Get in touch with why you believe you could add value to the clean energy marketplace. 

Contact information

+44 (0)20 7099 0600
Green Power Global
China Works, Black Prince Road
Vauxhall, London
SE1 7SJ, UK

Click here to get the brochure. 

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Global Warming is Still Real Even if it is Cold Where You Are

Cold temperatures and snowfalls confuse some people and cause them to question the veracity of global warming. However, climate change is a function of global average temperatures over protracted periods of time. A cold snap or a snowstorm is not proof one way or the other. 

We need to understand the difference between weather and climate. A good way to illustrate this point is by pointing to the global average temperatures for October. Even though it was cooler in much of North America, the Arctic and almost all of Europe, Middle East, Australia, parts of the Antarctic, southern Africa, and northeastern China, had far-above average temperatures. The result is that the average temperature in October 2019 was hottest month of October on record.

However, one month or one year is not proof of global warming. For this we need many years of data. So for example support for climate change can be derived from the observation that we have seen 418 consecutive months of above average temperatures. Eight of the ten warmest years have occurred in the last decade, the five warmest years have all occurred in the past five years and all of the warmest years have come since 2015.

According to NASA, "Weather is the condition in the atmosphere over a short period of time. Climate is how the atmosphere behaves over relatively long periods of time."

So the next time someone points to a cold day as evidence contradicting climate change, tell them that proof of global warming can be found in average temperature readings taken over many years.
While you are at it let them know that climate change is real and it is the result of human activity.

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Governments Engaging in Climate Denial While their Citizens Suffer from the Effects of Climate Change

Politicians who fail to act on climate change should be held responsible. At the very least they are guilty of dereliction of duty and very likely the day will come when they are charged with ecocide. Governments large and small are making irrational decisions that fly in the face of both science and common sense. This is clearly evident in Italy, Australia and the U.S. All three countries are experiencing the effects of climate change in real time yet are opting to do nothing about it.

Just after the Veneto regional council in Italy voted down climate action, the chamber in which the vote took place was flooded. The council chamber in Ferro Fini Palace began to take on water a couple of minutes after the climate amendments were shot down on Tuesday November 12. This is the worst flooding Venice has seen in more than five decades and it is the first time Venice's Grand Canal has flooded. The council rejected funding for renewable energy, replacing diesel buses and highly polluting stoves.

As wildfires rage in Australia, Prime Minister Scott Morrison vowed to outlaw environmental boycott campaigns. Four people are known to have died in these fires and crews are still battling over 120 fires in NSW and Queensland. More than one million hectares have been burnt across NSW since September and both Sydney and port city of Geraldton are threatened by these fires. Morrison has refused to acknowledge the link to climate change despite the spike in heat, drought and wildfires.

Nowhere is the situation worse than in the United States. In the face of unprecedented heat, wildfires and extreme weather, President Donald Trump has unleashed an orgy of deregulation. In the three years that Trump has been in power he has eradicated more than 70 rules and regulations designed to combat climate change, conserve the environment and protect the health of Americans.  This includes killing the clean power plan and cleaner car standards.  As part of an insane energy strategy he opposes renewables while supporting fossil fuels (including subsidies).  Likewise, his actions on efficiency, the Arctic, and plastic oppose common sense.  He has repeatedly demonstrated his contempt for science. This includes gutting the ESA and his war on wildlife which threatens the survival of a number of species from the top to the bottom of the foodweb. 

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Another Heat Record Falls in October

After a string of heat records, we saw another all time global average heat record set for the month of October.  According to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, October 2019 beat out October 2015 for the dubious distinction. This is the fifth month in a row that has broken or almost broken heat records. October is the 418th consecutive month with above average temperatures, it follows the hottest September and the hottest summer that included the hottest month ever recorded (July). Eight of the ten warmest years have occurred in the last decade, the five warmest years have all occurred in the past five years and all of the warmest years have come since 2015. We keep breaking new temperature records and 2019 is on track to do it again.

There is no denying the data, nor can we deny the cause. These increasing levels of heat are consistent with climate models that link the global average rise in temperature to increasing levels of anthropogenic greenhouse gases.

The goal of the Paris agreement is to keep temperatures below 2.7- degree or 1.5 Celsius above preindustrial levels. During the past 12 months the global average temperatures are about 2.1 degrees, or 1.2 Celsius, above the preindustrial level.  Data from both Copernicus and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), indicate that the planet is warming at an average rate of about 0.32 degrees per decade, and has been since the late 1970s.

There is a certain amount of warming baked into the system so even if we were to stop producing greenhouse gases today, temperatures would keep rising. We are left with the inescapable conclusion that world is warming and we are rapidly running out of time to do something about it.

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Renewable Energy is Vital to our Future

Renewable energy is a central part of wider efforts to combat both climate action and ecological degradation. Renewables are a natural form of energy derived from sunlight, wind, waves, geothermal heat and tides. Common sources of renewable energy are hydropower, solar, wind, and geothermal. We must replace energy generated by fossil fuels with sustainable power sources. This is one of the most serious challenges humanity has ever faced and our failure to make this transition will augur a catastrophe.

We need energetic processes which produce as little pollution as possible. We need sustainable development that will allow us to live within limits of what the Earth is able to provide and what is required for a healthy biosphere. We need a green economy that aims to reduce environmental risks and ecological scarcities. We need a socially responsible low carbon economy that conserves and protects the Earths ecosystems.

Renewables not only offer environmental benefits like climate change mitigation, they also afford energy security and a wealth of economic advantages. Renewable energy is a huge and growing source of jobs.  The number of clean energy employment opportunities dwarfs the number of jobs in the fossil fuel industry.  There are also $160 trillion dollars worth of savings associated with climate action and massive risks associated with inaction.

Reducing our need for energy is also very important way to reduce adverse environmental impacts associated with power generation. Efficient energy (aka energy efficiency) helps to maintain the environment by protecting the air and preventing the change of climate. It also helps by reducing the emission from dirty power plants. Energy efficiency is also tied to the creation of smart grids which manage energy distribution. However locally generated renewable energy combined with energy storage systems may be the most forward looking way of addressing energy demand.

Hybrid Renewable Energy Sources (HRES) is also playing a role in meeting our energy needs, particularly in remote ares. HRES involves combining of the two renewable energy sources with the aim of providing higher energy efficiency along with the greater energy output and efficiency.

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Event - CIREC Week 2019

CIREC Week will take place on March 31 - April 01, 2020 in Santiago Chile.This leading renewable energy congress meets South America’s first regional O&M congress. Bringing together Chile’s renewable value chain with a regional community of asset owners to create “the must attend event” in the region. Over 300 attendees and 120 speakers and more than 80 expert leaders will be at CIREC Week 2019.

CIREC WEEK’s speaker faculty represents Chile’s leading renewable energy stakeholders and brightest minds in the power market. The speakers and panelists are carefully selected based on 6 months of research and chosen to represent the country’s renewable energy value chain at the highest level. Each speaker brings their own unique knowledge and experience of driving clean energy – learn from executive representatives of developers, IPPs, utilities, investors, development and commercial banks, as well as research, O&M, due diligence, consultancy and technology providers.

Confirmed speakers include

• Gabriel Prudenciob, Head of Renewable Energy Division, Ministry of Energy
• Grace Keller, Director Revista Energia
• Juan Eduardo Oda, Partner Renovables Chile
• Alejandra Cáu Cattán, Directora Instituto de Energia Renovables y Eficiencia Energética
• Gobierno de Jujuy, Rosio Antinori Camara de la Provincia de Buenos Aires 

Contact information

+44 (0)20 7099 0600
Green Power Conferences Ltd.
Southbank House, Black Prince Road,
Vauxhall, London,
SE1 7SJ

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Webinar - Clean Energy and a Green New Deal for Alberta

How best to tackle Western alienation? An ambitious, made-in-Canada Green New Deal. By investing in clean tech industries and renewable power - like Alberta’s burgeoning solar sector - we’ll create millions of good jobs in the energy provinces.

Want to know how we’ll make it happen?  Join our webinar on Wednesday, November 13, and we’ll let you in on our strategy for turning the Climate Majority into a Green New Deal that leaves no one behind.

Click here to sign up

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Air Travel and Climate Change

Air travel is a major source of climate change causing greenhouse gases. Every day, the FAA's Air Traffic Organization provides service to more than 44,000 flights and 2.7 million airline passengers across more than 29 million square miles of airspace. As reported by Vox, airlines carried 4.3 billion passengers in 2018, an increase of 38 million compared to the year before.

The impact of air travel on climate change is multifaceted.  Aircraft burn large amounts of fuel and emit greenhouse gases. Another problem has to do with where these emissions end up. Planes fly at altitudes where the air is thin and the chemistry is both complex and fragile.

Aircraft emissions have a warming effect that is 1.9 times that of carbon dioxide alone. The key greenhouse gases and emitted by aircraft are Carbon dioxide (CO2), Nitrogen oxides (NOx) and water vapour.

A plane traveling from North America to London and back generates about 1.4 tonnes of CO2, that is the equivalent of more than 3 months of driving. Nitrogen oxides produced by air travel increases ozone concentrations in the upper troposphere which warms the planet more than it would at lower altitudes. When water vapor it is released in the stratosphere (above 10,000 metres) it builds up and creates contrails and cirrus clouds that warm the Earth’s surface, especially at night. Soot aerosols emitted by planes also warm the Earth because aerosols also influence the formation of clouds.

Air travel has increased substantially in the last few decades. In 1992, it accounted for just 2 percent of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions (13% of CO2 from all transportation sources). Between 1985 and 2000 passenger air traffic has doubled and air cargo traffic has grown even more quickly. In 2006, Boeing and Airbus forecasted that passenger air travel and air cargo would triple the 2004 level before 2020. According to their forecasts this translates to 22,700 new passenger and freighter aircraft by 2026.

Source: Climate Change Connection

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The Booming Green Economy: The Number of Renewable Energy Jobs Crush Fossil Fuels

Renewable energy is on the rise and the sun is setting on fossil fuels. The economic dominance of the old energy industry is coming to an end and a new economic powerhouse is gaining ground. Demand for coal has collapsed and oil and gas are sure to follow. Led by renewable energy the green economy now provides many more jobs than the fossil fuel industry.  IRENA reports that there were 11 million people employed in renewable energy last year. The report also says transitioning away from fossil fuels towards renewables makes good economic sense. This includes $160 trillion in savings associated with the green economy.

IRENA Director-General, Francesco La Camera indicated that nations are transitioning away from dirty energy to clean power. “Increasingly, countries envisage a domestic renewable energy industry taking the place of unsustainable fossil-based industries,” La Camera said.

Jobs in the clean energy sector are expected to keep growing reaching 24 million by 2030. As of 2016 there were already more than 8 million people working in the clean energy sector that is more than the oil, gas and coal sectors combined.

A recent Palgrave Communications study indicated that the U.S. green economy provided nearly 9.5 million jobs in 2016, that is 4 percent of the working age population. Their analysis showed the green economy is worth $1.3 trillion, or about 7 percent of US GDP. Despite the US oil and gas boom, the green economy employs around 10 times as many people as the fossil fuel industry. The Clean Jobs America report found that there are three times as many people working in the clean energy sector compared to fossil fuel industry workers (3.3 million compared to 1.1 million).

In Canada clean-energy jobs surpassed fossil fuels in 2018. According to a report from climate think tank Clean Energy Canada, employment in the clean energy sector is up 37 percent in the last five years.

While the number of green jobs keeps growing the number of people working in the fossil fuel industry is expected to keep declining.  The people who lose their jobs in the old energy industry may be able to find work in the new energy industry. Some of these workers would benefit from retraining, others will be able to transfer their skills directly. For example, those with experience working in the offshore oil and gas industry could apply their expertise to the offshore wind industry.  

Related
The Fossil Fuel Industry is Dying
The Transition from Fossil Fuels to Renewables is Underway
The Rise of Renewables and the Fall of Fossil Fuels
Climate Action Must Include Efforts to Phase Out Fossil Fuels
Renewable Energy and Fossil Fuel Subsidies

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Renewable Energy is Driving the Green Jobs Boom

Clean energy offers many benefits not the least of which are jobs.  The number of good paying green jobs keeps growing and renewable energy jobs are the leading the way. Renewable energy technologies employ millions of people around the world. Over the last few years the renewable energy sector has grown by an average of almost a million jobs each year.

According to a 2019 International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) report there were 11 million jobs in renewables last year. In 2018 IRENA reported that there were almost 10 million renewable energy jobs in 2017. That is up from 8.3 million the year before. 

IRENA predicts there will be 24 million jobs in the clean energy space by 2030. According to a blueprint document from the National Energy Administration (NEA), China alone plans to create 13 million clean energy jobs by 2020. The Clean Jobs America report found nearly 3.3 million Americans working in clean energy.

Among the clean energy sectors, solar photovoltaic (PV) is the largest employer. According to the IRENA report, 60 per cent of all renewable energy jobs are based in Asia, the most renewable energy jobs are in Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. The primary markets are in China, Brazil, the U.S., India and the EU. However, in 2018 renewable energy jobs declined in the U.S., Japan and the EU.

The wind industry is dominated by China and followed by Germany and the U.S. According to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) jobs in the U.S. wind energy sector grew nine times faster than the overall economy last year. 

An October 2019, Palgrave Communications article published in the Journal Nature, indicates that the US green economy (including renewables) generated nearly 9.5 million jobs (4 percent of the working age population). According to a report from climate think tank Clean Energy Canada, a patchwork of provincial initiatives has driven up employment in the clean energy sector by 37 percent in the last five years.

“The prospect of job creation bolsters the global Sustainable Development Agenda, and should encourage all countries to make bold commitments to renewable energy,”  said IRENA Director-General, Francesco La Camera.

The 2019 IRENA report also emphasized the importance of government policies to help drive renewable energy forward.

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What we Need to Combat Environmental Degradation and Climate Change

The Earth's biodiversity is dying as the ecological web of life is breaking down. We have already witnessed significant decreases in the number of birds and insects including pollinators like bees and the future for these and many other species is bleak unless we rapidly change course.

We are facing the end of civilization. We must not allow ourselves to be lulled into a false sense that we are doing anywhere near enough to address the crises we created. We are not living up to our Paris emissions reduction targets and we are rapidly running out of time to reign in climate change.

Our resistance to science-based climate policies makes it hard to claim any sort of intellectual progress.Before we can address these problems we have to accept the fact that humans are the primary cause of ecosystem collapse.Anthropogenic species extinction is a crime against nature and we are guilty of ecocide.

We must disabuse ourselves of the idea that we can buy our way out of this crisis. The failure of sustainable certification schemes highlight the shortcomings of our free-market economy. While buying sustainable and fair trade products is laudable it is nowhere near enough.

We need science based assessments and government rules and regulations that reflect these assessments. Industry has made it abundantly clear that they cant be left to police themselves. They are motivated by growth and this will continue as long as they have a fiduciary responsibility to maximize profits. To address climate change corporate polluters must be made to bear the costs through some form of carbon pricing scheme. Corporate leaderships must be held accountable for crimes against nature in criminal courts.

When we consider the scale of the suffering that we are creating it hard to avoid the conclusion that we have gone collectively insane. We are addicted to growth and this is a form of mass psychosis. Our economy does not serve the interests of life on this planet. We ignore the perils of growth and the fact that the economy will be decimated by the collapse of civilization. As long as we value profit over people and remain committed to unlimited growth we will not be able to seriously tackle the problems we face. Growth is untenable without decoupling and there is good reasons to believe that our conceptions of growth are an illusion.

What we are missing is the political will to enact legislation that will augur the required structural changes. We need to take heed of the fact that our politicians are beholden to corporate concerns. Fossil fuel companies own politicians and control governments. If we are to address this issue we will need to challenge corporate power. We must also challenge broken business models.

We must educate the public so that they can appreciate that wanting climate action and fossil fuels is an oxymoron. We will also need to explain that addressing the mess we have made will require government and corporate investments, and we must support this argument with the facts. This includes the fact that the cost of climate action is far less than the cost of inaction.

Deep divisions exacerbate an already dire situation, but it is not hopeless. While failure to act invites calamity, working together to solve this global problem can bring us together.

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The Size of the Green Economy and the Growth of Renewable Energy

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) reports that there are $160 trillion of savings associated with renewables and other climate actions. Led by renewable energy the green economy is growing by leaps and bounds yet it is still an undervalued opportunity.

Clean energy is benefiting from the mutually reinforcing factors of increasing demand and declining costs. Tremendous declines in the price of solar and battery storage make a compelling business case for renewables.

Despite resistance from the federal government, the US is seeing a renewable energy boom as states and utilities are setting ambitious clean energy goals. According to an October 2019, Palgrave Communications article published in the Journal Nature, the US green economy (including renewables) is worth $1.3 trillion, or about 7 percent of US GDP.

The study from University College London found that in the United States the green economy grew 20 percent from 2013 to 2016, and that number is projected to keep getting bigger. However, the report indicates that to remain competitive, the green economy and the clean energy sector need government policies and other forms of support.

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