Summary
In today’s edition, find out why the GOP is trying to stop the Pentagon’s climate plan. Also, find out how the business community played a crucial role in securing the historic Paris Agreement, by convincing negotiators and governments that if they were ambitious, business could “fill the gap” on climate action. Finally, find out how a Dutch prototype brings Pacific plastics solution a step closer (in the Water section).
Quote of the day
“There’s a huge opportunity that comes from changing the energy mix, and an enormous opportunity that comes from embracing distributed power alongside centralized power, in order to meet the needs of everybody much sooner than we’ve even said that we should – because the growth that we see going forward has to be an inclusive growth.”
Rachel Kyte, CEO of Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All) and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, in the SE4All’s story Business & Climate Summit Will Accelerate The Change Companies Helped Shape in Paris
Lead stories
Why the GOP is trying to stop the Pentagon’s climate plan
By Danny Vinik – Politico
In Washington, big agencies rarely get high marks for innovation and foresight. But when it comes to coping with climate change, the largest federal agency—the Pentagon—has taken a spot in the vanguard.
http://politi.co/28QneBP
Exxon Loses Bid to Fight Virgin Islands Climate Subpoena in State Court
By David Hasemyer – Inside Climate News
A court ruling in Texas has set the stage for ExxonMobil’s legal challenge to a climate change investigation by the U. S. Virgin Islands to proceed in federal court.
http://bit.ly/2903u0F
Climate Scientists’ Personal Carbon Emissions Come Under Scrutiny
By Lisa Song – Inside Climate News
Abigail Swann makes a point of telling students what she’s doing to reduce her own carbon footprint when teaching about potential climate change solutions—such as biking to work or eating less meat.
http://bit.ly/28QoMfa
Business & Climate Summit Will Accelerate The Change Companies Helped Shape in Paris
By Rachel Kyte – Se4All
The business community played a crucial role in securing the historic Paris Agreement, by convincing negotiators and governments that if they were ambitious, business could “fill the gap” on climate action, says Rachel Kyte, CEO of Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All) and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, in an exclusive Climate TV interview filmed ahead of the Business & Climate Summit.
http://bit.ly/28PCcav
Carbon
Leaders Focus On Policy Parity For Carbon Capture Technology
By Fatima Ahmad – C2ES
When it comes to carbon capture, innovative technology exists, but the financial and policy support needed to accelerate its deployment is lacking.
http://bit.ly/28OvEev
Natural gas / coal
Turkey coal surge an ‘historic error’ say economists
By Ed King – Climate Change News
It’s a strategy endorsed by the all-powerful president Recep Tayyip Erdogan,fearful of Moscow’s grip over his country’s energy security.
http://bit.ly/28PQ1dT
Power
BMW’s recycled electric car batteries to power homes
By Ben Rosen – Christian Science Monitor
BMW wants to make throwing away car batteries a thing of the past.
http://bit.ly/28QWcvM
***LB: Also in this story “The German automaker says it will soon recycle the battery cells of its i3 electric vehicle by installing them in homes, providing a family with enough electricity for up to two days.”
Scots windfarm to power Nestle’s UK and Ireland factories
The Scotsman
A new wind farm in Scotland is set to supply half the power needed for Nestle’s operations in the UK and Ireland, the company has announced.
http://bit.ly/28PCzCc
Good Energy raises over £3.1m in oversubscribed share offer
By Jocelyn Timperley – Business Green
Green energy supplier Good Energy has today reported a significant oversubscription for its latest £3.1m share offer, with the majority of the 2,000 applications coming from its customers.
http://bit.ly/28SMJWK
Clean tech
GM collaborating with Navy for fuel cells in subs
By Greg Gardner – Detroit Free Press
General Motors said Thursday that it is collaborating with the U.S. Navy to incorporate automotive fuel-cell technology in future unmanned underwater vehicles.
http://usat.ly/28PSmpk
Water
Dutch prototype clean-up boom brings Pacific plastics solution a step closer
By Arthur Neslen – The Guardian
A bid to clear the Pacific of its plastic debris has moved a step closer with the launch of the biggest prototype clean-up boom yet by the Dutch environment minister at a port in The Hague.
http://bit.ly/28RRKAR