Welcome to Planet Days, 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:
Last week, Tropical Cyclone Gombe struck Southeast Africa, record heat swept through the Arctic, and climate change sank Biden’s pick for top bank regulator.
In case you missed it, here’s what else happened around the Planet.
Monday, March 14
The other crisis in Europe
With the war in Ukraine dominating the news cycle, it’s easy to forget about how climate is affecting Europe. But a new study finds that climate threatens much of the continent’s permafrost peatlands, which store billions of tons of carbon.
As the Planet warms, these peatlands can become too wet to maintain permafrost, releasing carbon once safely stored in frozen ground under the earth’s surface. But climate action can slow, and even reverse, this trend.
“If we go on the best path forward, we can protect a lot of the carbon that’s in there, and we can protect those ecosystems much better,” ecologist Christina Schädel, who was not involved in the study, told Carbon Brief.
Tuesday, March 15
Australia shoots down teen’s climate case
The children are not all right. Last week, an Australian court ruled against eight teenagers and a nun in their case to protect children from climate impacts.
The case dealt primarily with the long-term impacts of a coal mine expansion in New South Wales. Though their reasons differed, all three judges ruled in favor of the environment ministry, allowing the project to continue.
The ruling, which can still be appealed, comes at the heels of devastating floods in Australia — something made worse by climate change. BBC News has more.
Coal mining emits more methane than flaring
Speaking of coal: Methane emissions from coal mines could be worse than we thought, according to a new Global Energy Monitor report.
The report finds that coal mining emits 52.3 million metric tons of methane per year, which is more than emissions from the oil sector (39 million metric tons) and gas industry (45 million metric tons). Current coal projects in development could emit another 11.3 million metric tons/year.
This is a problem because methane is an extremely potent greenhouse gas, trapping 80 times more heat than carbon dioxide over 20 years. But it’s also an opportunity: Methane is the low-hanging fruit for slashing emissions. Inside Climate News has the story.
Wednesday, March 16
Planet is way behind on short-term climate goals
Countries have previously pledged to cut emissions by half within the decade. But current climate promises will only lead to a 9% reduction by 2030, new analysis shows.
That 9% reduction reflects only what nations aim to deliver, not whether those aims are put into law. In fact, of the 100 countries with net-zero or carbon neutrality targets, only 14 have signed them into law.
Reuters explained this discrepancy could push the Planet toward “irreversible climate impacts,” even if the goals set for 2050 are met.
Climate tech booms
Fortunately, big business is seemingly in on climate technologies. In 2021, corporations poured a record-breaking $23.2 billion into renewable energy, energy storage, and electric vehicles — up from $10.1 billion in 2020.
The surge reflects widespread pressure on companies to show interest in climate action. But we’re still waiting to see whether the investments will translate into environmental gains. Read more from Protocol.
Thursday, March 17
Western megadrought deepens
Spring typically brings more showers, but not for the American West. In its spring outlook, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said that spring will likely be hotter and drier than usual for much of the West.
That means the West’s megadrought, which is the worst in 1,200 years, will get little reprieve. The report comes as water levels in Lake Powell, which provides water to Arizona, Nevada, and California, dropped to new lows. USA TODAY has more.
Friday, March 18
Oil’s “biggest supply crisis in decades”
As world powers ban Russian oil and gas, the Planet may soon face the “biggest supply crisis in decades,” the International Energy Agency warns.
That crisis is already showing up in record high gas prices — despite oil dropping to under $100/barrel for the first time since Russia’s invasion. Democrats, which stand to lose the most in upcoming midterms, are blaming Big Oil for “price gouging” and are floating a package to lower gas prices. The U.S. is also boosting liquified natural gas exports.
But the IEA has another message: Stop using so much fuel in the first place. On Friday, the IEA released a 10-point plan to “reduce the price pain being felt by consumers around the world… and help move oil demand towards a more sustainable pathway.”
Efforts include reducing speed limits, incentivizing public transit and cycling, and promoting electric vehicles. If the plan were carried out, oil demand would drop by 2.7 million barrels a day — similar to the amount of Russian oil expected to be lost in global markets, reports The New York Times.
Bonus
Kyiv, the rhino
A Czech zoo is celebrating the recent birth of an endangered eastern black rhino, after years of population decimation from poaching. Zookeepers have named the baby after Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, in honor of the country’s resistance to Russian forces.
In the 1970s, an estimated 65,000 eastern black rhinos roamed the earth. Now, the species numbers just 800 animals in the wild. Read more from The Associated Press.
Have a great week,
Brandon and Sam