Welcome to Planet Days, a green newsletter for a greenwashed Planet.
If you’re new to this newsletter, every Monday we curate a five-minute roundup of the latest climate news and what it means for our Planet. If this was forwarded to you, smash that subscribe button:
First, a bit of housekeeping: We’re taking next week off for Independence Day (and Sam’s birthday) 🎆🎂 We’ll be back in your inboxes July 11!
Now onto the climate news from the week: Last week, heatwaves scorched countries around the world, wildfires broke records in Alaska, and G7 leaders grappled with the global energy crisis.
In case you missed it, here’s what else happened around the Planet.
Sunday, June 19
Europe’s gas crunch
With Russian gas imports dwindling, the European Union is quickly moving to boost gas reserves. On Sunday, Germany announced new measures to reduce gas consumption for electricity, which includes temporarily restarting coal plants. And later in the week, the country triggered stage two of its emergency gas plan, one step away from gas rationing.
But Germany isn’t the only country turning to dirtier sources for its energy woes. Just last week…
Austria agreed to revive a coal plant that had been shut down for two years.
The Netherlands removed power restrictions from coal plants.
The United Kingdom signaled it could start burning coal domestically.
These same countries still insist they’re keeping their climate pledges, but as we’ve seen, this energy crisis is leading to a lot of fossil fuel use in the near term. POLITICO has the story.
Colombia’s climate era
On Sunday, Gustavo Petro became Colombia’s first left-wing president — a victory that could shake up the country’s history as a fossil fuel giant. In his manifesto, Petro vowed to position Colombia a leader in global climate action:
“We will make Colombia move from a primary energy matrix, predominantly fossil, economically dependent on coal and oil, towards a diversified one, based on our potential for renewable energies, which are the best energy sources to face climate change and strengthen the capacities of the country for the productive economy.”
That transition will be tough, though: Colombia produces 1% of the Planet’s oil, gas, and coal, and many regions still depend on fossil fuels for money and jobs. But if the Petro administration pulls it off, it could usher in a new, cleaner era for other large fossil fuel producers. Climate Home News has more.
Tuesday, June 21
Floods swamp South Asia
Record floods, triggered by monsoon rainfall, swamped South Asia last week, killing dozens of people and displacing millions.
Some parts of South China saw their worst floods in decades, with floodwaters overflowing rivers, sweeping away roads, cars, and crops, and forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate.
In India and Bangladesh, intense rain devastated crops, triggered waterborne diseases, and stranded millions of people with little access to food, water, or medicine.
Though occasional floods are common during monsoon season, the recent rains have been especially bad. Such intense floods will become increasingly common and unpredictable in a warming world. The New York Times covers the crises.
Canada bans some plastics
Our friends up north announced an ambitious plan to ban the import and making of certain single-use plastics, including bags, takeout containers, and utensils, by the end of the year.
One notable exception includes plastic packaging for consumer goods, the leading source of plastic waste worldwide. Oddly, Canadian retailers will also be able to sell bendy plastic straws when paired with a beverage and packages of 20 straws, as long as they’re kept out of customer view.
Still, researchers think the ban will prevent more than 1.3 million tons of plastic pollution from entering the environment. Read more from The Globe and Mail.
Wednesday, June 22
Energy investments fall short
First, the good news: Global energy investment is set to increase 8% this year, with most of that going toward clean energy. Now, the bad: It’s not enough to limit global warming.
The numbers, from a new International Energy Agency report, show that most growth is coming from the power sector (renewables, grids, storage), as well as energy efficiency. But the expected $1.4 trillion for clean energy is only half of what’s needed to hit near-term climate targets.
Meanwhile, high energy prices and energy security concerns — triggered by Russia’s war in Ukraine — are pushing some countries to invest in fossil fuels like coal (see above). The Wall Street Journal has more.
Thursday, June 23
Tracking climate change in real-time
By now, scientists are pretty good at identifying climate-fueled extreme weather, especially after the fact. But a new tool, called the Climate Shift Index, can tell you whether human-caused warming is fueling temperature extremes in real-time, helping everyone (not just climate researchers) connect the dots between day-to-day weather and long-term climate change.
Currently, the index only shows temperature. Still, that information is especially important this time of year: Two weeks ago, 3,000 new daily high temperatures were reached in the U.S.’s lower 48 states. Axios has the full story.
Friday, June 24
SCOTUS came for abortion — is climate next?
On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the country’s 50-year precedent on abortion rights. With states, not the federal government, now controlling abortion access, the ruling essentially bans abortion in large swaths of the country.
The decision is the product of a multi-year Republican strategy to push the courts to the right and limit the federal government’s power. That approach doesn’t bode well for climate action.
The court will soon rule on West Virginia v. EPA, a case that challenges the government’s authority in regulating greenhouse gas emissions. If the court rules against the EPA, the agency will have a much harder time restricting pollution from power plants — and, therefore, hitting U.S. climate targets. E&E News has more.
Bonus
Plant-based construction
The housing market is a mess right now. But a new initiative in the Netherlands may help your bank account and the Planet: Customers who buy or build homes made from natural materials like wood, flax, straw, and even fungi will pay lower interest rates on their mortgages, reports TIME.
Other countries have offered similar incentives for energy-efficient homes, but climate advocates say focusing only on reducing energy use misses a big chunk of the housing carbon footprint. The process of building structures alone, including materials, makes up 11% of the world’s emissions.
Have a great (two) weeks,
Brandon and Sam