QUICK NEWS, August 5: Eating Out Of The Climate Crisis; U.S. Wind Growth Breaking Records
Eating Out Of The Climate Crisis We must transform food production to save the world, says leaked report; Cutting carbon from transport and energy ‘not enough’ IPCC finds
Robin McKie, 4 August 2019 (UK Guardian)
“Attempts to solve the climate crisis by cutting carbon emissions from only cars, factories and power plants are doomed to failure…A leaked draft of a report on climate change and land use, which is now being debated in Geneva by the [IPCC], states that it will be impossible to keep global temperatures at safe levels unless there is also a transformation in the way the world produces food and manages land…Humans now exploit 72% of the planet’s ice-free surface to feed, clothe and support Earth’s growing population…[and] agriculture, forestry and other land use produces almost a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions…[A]bout half of all emissions of methane, one of the most potent greenhouse gases, come from cattle and rice fields, while deforestation and the removal of peat lands cause further significant levels of carbon emissions…
The impact of intensive agriculture – which has helped the world’s population soar from 1.9 billion a century ago to 7.7 billion – has also increased soil erosion and reduced amounts of organic material in the ground…In future these problems are likely to get worse…[The analysis comes when rising greenhouse gas emissions have made news…[including arctic sea-ice coverage reaching] near record lows for July…[heatwaves in Europe last month] between 1.5C and 3C higher because of climate change…[and global temperatures for July] 1.2C above pre-industrial levels…[which near the 1.5C rise that risks] triggering climatic destabilization…The new IPCC report emphasises that land will have to be managed more sustainably so that it releases much less carbon…Peat lands will need to be restored…[M]eat consumption will have to be cut…[and] food waste will have to be reduced…” click here for more
U.S. Wind Growth Breaking Records Record US wind farm development activity in 2Q driven by Fortune 500 brands, utilities, and state calls for offshore projects
August 1, 2019 (American Wind Energy Association)
“…Key findings of the US wind industry second quarter 2019 report…[include record wind capacity under construction or advanced development, reaching nearly 42 GW…Long-term contract volume for wind capacity is up 10 percent over the first half of 2018, buyers include Hormel Foods, Walmart, and Target…Three states set new offshore wind targets and N.J. greenlighted the largest offshore project in the country to date…[and a] growing number of wind farms are selecting turbines nearly twice as powerful as the recent fleet average…The record 41,801 megawatts (MW) of U.S. wind capacity currently under construction or in advanced stages of development [in over 200 projects in 33 states] represents a 10 percent increase over the level of activity this time last year…Texas currently hosts the most activity (9,015 MW), followed by Wyoming (4,831 MW), New Mexico (2,774 MW), Iowa (2,623 MW), and South Dakota (2,183 MW)….
…[There are offshore wind targets legislated in Maryland (1,200 MW), Connecticut (2,000 MW), and New York (9,000 MW)…[New Jersey’s 1,100 MW Ocean Wind project will be] the largest offshore project planned in the U.S. so far…[T]otal U.S. wind capacity is] 97,960 MW, with more than 57,000 wind turbines operating in 41 states and two U.S. territories. American wind farms now produce enough electricity to power over 30 million average homes…[Businesses and utilities] announced new long-term contracts, called Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), totaling 1,962 MW in the second quarter. Non-utility corporate customers signed up for 52 percent of second quarter PPA capacity…[In Q2 2019, wind turbine manufacturers publicly reported nine orders totaling 2,049 MW for turbines ranging in capacity from 4.2 to 4.5 MW…” click here for more
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