#international relations in fossil fighting

[reasonsforhope]

"The Hague made international headlines for being the first city in the world to approve legislation prohibiting marketing of fossil fuel-related products and services. This major ruling, issued earlier this month, seeks to limit the promotion of items with a high carbon footprint, such as gasoline, diesel, aviation, and cruise ships. The ban, which goes into effect at the start of next year, will affect both government and privately funded advertisements, including those on billboards and bus shelters throughout the Dutch metropolis.

This groundbreaking legislation establishes an important precedent in the global fight against climate change. Other cities have attempted to limit the reach of high-carbon items through council ordinances or voluntary agreements with advertising operators, but The Hague’s prohibition is the first that is legally binding. It is a major step forward for cities around the world that want to reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change head-on.

A response to global calls for action

The prohibition comes after UN Secretary-General António Guterres called earlier this year for countries and media outlets to take tougher action to combat fossil fuel advertising, citing parallels with existing tobacco advertising bans. Guterres stressed that, as with the tobacco industry in the past, fossil fuel businesses are contributing to a worldwide public health crisis—in this case, climate change. Governments can help change public behavior and prevent the normalization of high-carbon lifestyles by limiting their capacity to market.

Several cities have already made tiny moves in this direction. Edinburgh, for example, approved a council vote in May prohibiting fossil fuel-related ads in city-owned venues. The Scottish capital also prohibits enterprises that sell these products from sponsoring events or developing partnerships. However, unlike The Hague’s legislation, Edinburgh’s ban is voluntary and only applies to council spaces.

A legally binding first

The Hague’s new law is significant since it is legally binding. The restriction affects not only specific items, such as gasoline, diesel, and fossil fuel-powered vehicles but also businesses such as aviation and cruise ships. However, the rule exempts fossil fuel firms’ political advertising or efforts supporting a generic brand, allowing these businesses to keep prominence...

The impact of advertising on behavior

Advertising’s impact on consumer behavior is well-documented, and many experts say that fossil fuel marketing undercut climate legislation by encouraging unsustainable behavior. Thijs Bouman, an associate professor of environmental psychology at Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, stated that “fossil fuel advertising normalizes the use of high-carbon products and services, making it more difficult to change consumer habits.” ...

Catalyzing change worldwide

The Hague’s move may have repercussions beyond its borders, spurring similar actions in other cities around the globe. Cities such as Toronto, Canada, and Graz, Austria, are already launching campaigns to outlaw advertising for fossil fuels. In the Netherlands, both Amsterdam and Haarlem have outlawed marketing for climate-damaging products like beef, but these measures have yet to become legislation.

Sleegers believes that The Hague’s move will act as a spur for other towns to follow suit. “More cities have a wish to implement the fossil ad ban through ordinance, but they were all waiting for some other city to go first. The Hague is this city,” she said, predicting that more local governments will now feel empowered to act...

As the world grapples with the rising costs of climate change, The Hague’s pioneering move provides a potential model for other cities looking to minimize their carbon footprints. With cities like Toronto and Amsterdam keeping a careful eye on things, this legislation has the potential to start a global campaign to prohibit fossil fuel advertising. 

More cities may follow suit in the coming years, hastening the transition to a more environmentally friendly and sustainable future."

-via The Optimist Daily, September 26, 2024

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this Op-Ed from the New York Times:

At first glance, Xi Jinping seems to have lost the plot.

China’s president appears to be smothering the entrepreneurial dynamism that allowed his country to crawl out of poverty and become the factory of the world. He has brushed aside Deng Xiaoping’s maxim “To get rich is glorious” in favor of centralized planning and Communist-sounding slogans like “ecological civilization” and “new, quality productive forces,” which have prompted predictions of the end of China’s economic miracle.

But Mr. Xi is, in fact, making a decades-long bet that China can dominate the global transition to green energy, with his one-party state acting as the driving force in a way that free markets cannot or will not. His ultimate goal is not just to address one of humanity’s most urgent problems — climate change — but also to position China as the global savior in the process.

It has already begun. In recent years, the transition away from fossil fuels has become Mr. Xi’s mantra and the common thread in China’s industrial policies. It’s yielding results: China is now the world’s leading manufacturer of climate-friendly technologies, such as solar panels, batteries and electric vehicles. Last year the energy transition was China’s single biggest driver of overall investment and economic growth, making it the first large economy to achieve that.

This raises an important question for the United States and all of humanity: Is Mr. Xi right? Is a state-directed system like China’s better positioned to solve a generational crisis like climate change, or is a decentralized market approach — i.e., the American way — the answer?

How this plays out could have serious implications for American power and influence.

Look at what happened in the early 20th century, when fascism posed a global threat. America entered the fight late, but with its industrial power — the arsenal of democracy — it emerged on top. Whoever unlocks the door inherits the kingdom, and the United States set about building a new architecture of trade and international relations. The era of American dominance began.

Climate change is, similarly, a global problem, one that threatens our species and the world’s biodiversity. Where do Brazil, Pakistan, Indonesia and other large developing nations that are already grappling with the effects of climate change find their solutions? It will be in technologies that offer an affordable path to decarbonization, and so far, it’s China that is providing most of the solar panels, electric cars and more. China’s exports, increasingly led by green technology, are booming, and much of the growth involves exports to developing countries.

From the American neoliberal economic viewpoint, a state-led push like this might seem illegitimate or even unfair. The state, with its subsidies and political directives, is making decisions that are better left to the markets, the thinking goes.

But China’s leaders have their own calculations, which prioritize stability decades from now over shareholder returns today. Chinese history is littered with dynasties that fell because of famines, floods or failures to adapt to new realities. The Chinese Communist Party’s centrally planned system values constant struggle for its own sake, and today’s struggle is against climate change. China received a frightening reminder of this in 2022, when vast areas of the country baked for weeks under a record heat wave that dried up rivers, withered crops and was blamed for several heatstroke deaths.

[attheexactlyrighttimeandplace]

It has been more than 24 hours since the last massacre of Palestinian civilians organized by the Americans and jewish zionists in Gaza, and Algeria has still not officially reacted to the crimes committed.

No declarations from the usual communication channels which are our Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and the Algerian Press Agency which exclusively represents the voice of our President since last April (he "appropriated" it by decree because the war approaches our borders).

I wonder if this silence is a turning point. The final nail in the coffin on what has been a very turbulent journey to try to change our relationship with the United States.

The journey began with the war in Ukraine in 2022: like all Arab countries, we really angered the United States by refusing to side with the EU against Russia. And we reached the point of open conflict with the United States (they sent their deputy secretary of state in March 2022) when we terminated our energy contract with Spain (we are their main supplier of gas) after the Spanish Prime Minister began supporting Morocco's claims on Western Sahara's land.

But Algeria surprisingly backed down on many points and began to rapidly improve its relations with the United States - Blinken, the US Secretary of State came to Algeria several times, our Foreign Ministry was invited to Washington - to the point that our country, which has been a faithful ally of Russia for 60 years seemed on the verge of joining NATO last April (I think Algeria might become a Major Non Nato Ally but is hidding its true intention for various reasons linked to the international context in North Africa, more precisely in the Sahel where 3 countries have expelled, under the influence of Russia, the American and French military bases from their lands and are openly eyeing the Algerian borders to destabilize us, in addition to the conflict with Morocco).

A few decades ago, the genocide of the Palestinians would have stopped these efforts very quickly, probably leading to a further breakdown in diplomatic relations with the United States.

Not this time: Algeria was still signing massive contracts in fossil fuels and unconventional energy (shale gas) with major American companies like Exxon Mobile and Chevron (although at a slower pace than expected) in May 2024, and our president was invited to the G7 summit which will take place next week in Italy, an invitation designed as a reward for Algeria's support for Europe's energy security and for its fight against illegal immigration which largely benefits Europeans.

This is why the decision of the Algerian mission to the UN to oppose the very important vote scheduled for Friday, June 7 to transform Biden's plan for Gaza into a resolution at the UN Security Council, was the most stupid move ever taken.

Blinken, the US Secretary of State, made a very special call to our Department of Foreign Affairs to obtain our consent to the plan proposed by Biden. This call was heavily promoted as a turning point by the entire US diplomatic network on all social media platforms, including on X: from the US Embassy in Algiers to the US State Department account, and their X account in Arabic for the MENA region.

Algeria obviously adhered to this plan, there is no other way to explain our pure and simple abandonment of the resolution we wrote to implement the latest decision of the ICJ which ordered the end of all operations in Rafah.

It is therefore easy to measure the extent to which Algeria has been incoherent, senseless and dangerous for itself and for Palestine in this context where the United States show no mercy, approve of genocide and have repeatedly rejected our demands during the previous negotiations in the UN Security Council to save more lives - when through the voice of our ambassador to the UN, Algeria gave the feeling of thinking that it could once again stop the vote, and try to negotiate new demands regarding Palestinian prisoners.

This is not surprising when you consider who our ambassador to the UN is: an overly old diplomat who has been unable to include the American point of view in his analysis. His conviction of being right against the rest of the world, his romantic views on resistance and his desire to play the savior of Palestine lead him to demonstrate a lack of humility and a lack of relevance in his analysis (like in his speech on terrorism at the UN where he asked for compassion for terrorists as if we hadn't lost 100,000 people in a civil war because of terrorism (!).

However, I do not believe that it was supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or by our President. We have experienced a lot of management problems in the last 15 days at the highest level of the state, due to keeping the wrong people in important positions for the wrong reasons, to the point that it has had disastrous consequences, with deadly human consequences. Last week, some civil servants were fired and others were forcibly transferred, but explaining that doesn't cover the extent of the problem.

But back to the UN, after a revised version of Biden's plan was presented, we were given a 48-hour period of silence to object. In the end, the vote was to take place on Friday June 7, 2024, but due to Algeria's intervention in the Security Council, it was postponed until next Monday. There is no doubt that Algeria is responsible for the breakdown of consensus on the plan, because China seems to have forgotten the issue and only reacted and opposed it after us, and Russia only followed China!

The next day, the massacre took place in the Nuseirat camp: the latest reports say that there were 274 deads, 814 injured.

I really wonder, given the timing, how it would be possible that Algeria's decision, which comes after a long period of tense disagreements with the United States in the UN Security Council, not only on Palestine but also Africa and the Arab world, might not have triggered the so-called rescue? The United States had known for weeks where the hostages were because English planes had been flying over the area to gather information for weeks as well, so the plan was set and ready to be executed in case it was needed.

Which to me is the decisive proof that this was an American operation from conception to execution, Netanyahu would not have waited a second to take the opportunity to increase his popularity, and could never have carried it out without American support (his genocidal zionist soldiers only know to drop bombs on civilians). On the same day of the Nuseirat massacre, Gantz, a member of Netanyahu's war cabinet and government, was expected to resign. A few weeks ago, at the request of the United States, he issued an ultimatum to Netanyahu to find a solution for Rafah, or to accept his (Gantz) resignation which would have led to new elections that Netanyahu was certain to lose. Yesterday, not knowing what to do after the rescue, Gantz asked the United States what they wanted and the United States' response was that they do not interfere with Israel's internal politics! Algeria probably also ruined this plan indirectly.

My impression is that the United States did not betray Algeria: it did not intend to carry out its rescue mission because it was more concerned about the potential support Algeria could provide in the war against Russia (the Algerian army has been training with live ammunition for weeks, and my theory is that a large Algerian contingent is going to be sent to Ukraine), than they cared about the zionist settlers and zionist soldiers being held hostage by Hamas.

But Algeria's inability to keep its word after Biden's plan was officially accepted by our officials made us truly unreliable, even to be sent to Russia, and even though Algeria is the best card the West has, given the Ukraine's lack of soldiers (Algeria has been Russia's main customer for all types of military contracts for decades and is very familiar with Russian aircraft and equipment, and has conducted joint military exercises with Russia even deep within Russian territory).

If our president decides to save Algeria's commitments to the West: he should really fire our ambassador to the UN, and completely review and change our internal process of opposition to resolutions at the UN (we have a status of non-permanent membership until the end of 2025, which the United States helped us gain).

If he doesn't save it, and doesn't go to the G7 summit, I don't know how we will survive future wars to come: Morocco has expansionist views, and its military capacity is currently being improved by the genocidal Israeli. who are building a drone factory on our borders and launching two satellites for Morocco; Russia, which threw us under the bus because we refused to help Putin in his plan to destroy the EU's energy security, entered Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso and Libya militarily, made them its vassals and now claims a percentage of our oil and gas resources!

I don't know what the future holds for us….

[notwiselybuttoowell]

Climate justice campaigners have condemned the US after the world’s largest historic greenhouse gas emitter argued against countries being legally obliged to combat the climate crisis.

The US intervention came on Wednesday as part of the historic climate hearing at the international court of justice (ICJ) in The Hague, where island nations and other climate-vulnerable countries are calling for wealthy polluting nations most responsible for climate breakdown to be held legally responsible.

Climate disasters are wreaking havoc across the planet, with dwindling hope of the current climate pledges curtailing global temperatures as the US and other fossil fuel nations continue to expand production.

Yet according to the US, the United Nations framework convention on climate change (UNFCCC) and 2015 Paris agreement and other existing non-binding treaties should be preserved and are the best way forward.

The current UN climate change regime “embodies the clearest, most specific, and the most current expression of states’ consent to be bound by international law in respect of climate change”, Margaret Taylor, legal adviser at the state department, told the ICJ judges on Wednesday.

“Any other legal obligations relating to climate change mitigation identified by the court should be interpreted consistently with the obligations states have under this treaty regime,” added Taylor.

Climate justice activists responded with fury.

“Once again, we witness a disheartening attempt by the US to evade its responsibilities as one of the world’s largest polluters,” said Vishal Prasad, director of Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change. “The US is content with its business-as-usual approach and has taken every possible measure to shirk its historical responsibility, disregard human rights and reject climate justice.”

Ashfaq Khalfan, Oxfam America’s climate justice director, said: “It is absurd for the Biden administration to argue before the ICJ that countries do not have clear legal obligations to reduce carbon pollution, especially as it prepares to turn over the executive office to a proven climate denier like president-elect Trump, whose policies are likely to deeply harm US climate action.”

Australia, China and Saudi Arabia – major fossil fuel economies and among the world’s worst greenhouse gas emitters – also argued against legal accountability that developing nations are pushing for.

After years of campaigning by vulnerable nations and the global climate justice movement, the UN asked the ICJ to provide an advisory opinion on what obligations states have to tackle climate change and what the legal consequences could be if they fail to do so. More than 100 countries and organisations are testifying over the course of two weeks, and many hope the hearings will elevate science to the forefront, ensuring international law reflects the realities of climate breakdown and the urgent need for transformative action.

ICJ advisory opinions are non-binding but carry significant legal and political weight, and this will likely be referred to as an authoritative document in future climate litigation and during international climate negotiations.

Taylor also appeared to dismiss the idea that the ICJ should propose in its opinion that historic emitters be held responsible for past pollution. “An advisory proceeding is not the means to litigate whether individual states or groups of states have violated obligations pertaining to climate change in the past or bear responsibility for reparations ... nor would it be appropriate to do so,” she said.

The ICJ is one of three international courts tasked with producing an advisory opinion on the climate crisis, alongside the international tribunal for the law of the sea (Itlos) and the inter-American court of human rights. Itlos found earlier this year that greenhouse gases are pollutants which states have a legal responsibility to control – that goes beyond the UNFCCC. The inter-American court held hearings in Barbados and Brazil this year and is expected to be the next to publish its opinion. The ICJ ruling will likely take many months.

[akvisintelligenceresearch]

Electric Mobility Market: Growing at a CAGR of 29.90% From 2024–2032

Electric Mobility Market Size Was Valued at USD 435.16 Billion in 2023, and is Projected to Reach USD 4582.80 Billion by 2032, Growing at a CAGR of 29.90% From 2024-2032.

Electric mobility has steadily become popular in the market over the past years due to the favorable polices, Advanced technology, and pro – environment efforts.. Cars, buses, motorcycles and scooters, batteries, charging points and many others forms part of this relatively new and rapidly growing sector. Some of the big names of auto manufacturers, tech giants and a couple of emerging players are among those who are seeking to capture a share of this fast growing market.

The use of vehicles such as cars, e-bikes, buses, trucks, and motorcycles to provide transportation is referred to as electric mobility. This kind of mobility offers a solution for both short travels and light loads as well as for lengthy trips and big loads. People's quality of life is enhanced by electric mobility because it doesn't release harmful gases. Because they don't have internal combustion engines, electrical vehicles reduce greenhouse gas emissions by tons, thereby assisting in the fight against global warming. Due to the release of hazardous gases, the majority of people worldwide are more conscious of climate change. They favor electric automobiles over gasoline-powered vehicles as a result. Sales of electric vehicles are expanding quickly as a result of rising automotive electrification and an evolving electrical car economy.

What are the segments of the Electric Mobility Market?

The Electric Mobility Market is segmented into By Product, By Drive, By Battery, By End-user and region. By Product, the market is categorized into Electric Bikes,Electric Scooters, Electric Motorized Scooters and Electric Motorcycles. By Drive, the market is categorized into Belt Drive, Chain Drive and Hub Drive. By Battery, the market is categorized into Lead Acid Battery, Li-Ion Battery and Others. By End-user, the market is categorized into Personal and Commercial. 

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Who are the key players in the Electric Mobility Market?

BMW Motorrad International; Gogoro, Inc.; Honda Motor Co. Ltd.; KTM AG; Mahindra Group; Ninebot Ltd.; Suzuki Motor Corporation; Terra Motors Corporation; Vmoto Limited ABN; Yamaha Motor Company Limitedand Other Major Players.

Segmentation Analysis of the Electric Mobility Market:

By Product Type, Electric cars have surged to dominance in the electric mobility market due to their expanding range, improved charging infrastructure, and eco-friendly image. With advancements in battery technology and increasing consumer interest, electric cars have become a compelling choice, outpacing other electric mobility options.

By Battery Type, The lithium-ion battery segment accounted for the highest growth of the Electric Mobility Market. The increasing awareness about eco-friendly batteries and the rising investments in lithium-ion battery packs are expected to drive the segment’s growth. For instance, in December 2022, Neuron Energy Private Limited, a manufacturer of lithium-ion battery packs for electric two- and three-wheelers, stated its intent to invest INR 50 crore (USD 6 million) in this market.

Market Dynamics and Factors for Electric Mobility Market:

Drivers:

Increasing Adoption of the Electrical Vehicles

The increasing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) serves as a significant growth driver for the electric mobility market. As concerns about environmental sustainability and fossil fuel depletion mount, consumers are shifting towards EVs, driven by their lower emissions and reduced reliance on traditional fuels. This trend spurs innovation in EV technology, charging infrastructure, and energy storage, fostering a competitive market landscape. The government's incentives and regulations further bolster this transition, propelling the growth of the electric mobility sector in a more sustainable direction.

Opportunities:

Electric Mobility Improves Employee Wellbeing

The introduction of novel and appealing electric vehicle models by the automotive industry presents a significant opportunity for the electric mobility market. These innovative offerings not only cater to evolving consumer preferences but also stimulate adoption by addressing range anxiety, performance concerns, and style preferences. This diversification of options encourages wider acceptance of electric vehicles, accelerates the transition to sustainable transportation, and fuels the growth of the electric mobility sector.

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[cleverhottubmiracle]

The catastrophic flooding in Asheville, North Carolina, from Hurricane Helene last September is just another example of the devastating climate crisis we’re in. As humans burn fossil fuels, cut down forests, and remove legal protections for the planet, there has been a rise in global warming. In fact, 2023 was the warmest year on record since global record-keeping began in 1850, according to Climate.gov. This impacts our planet, our health and safety, and our kids — and Gen Z is sick of it. One Montana teen is making her mark by taking a stand and holding legislators accountable for their role in contributing to climate change — and her work is already having a big impact. Related story Parents of Teens: These Are the Resolutions You Should Definitely Make This Year Eva Lighthiser is an 18-year-old youth climate activist and one of 16 young plaintiffs in the historic Held v. Montana lawsuit that argued the state of Montana was failing to uphold a constitutional right to “a clean and healthful environment.” With the help of international climate experts, the youth plaintiffs challenged the state’s actions of promoting and producing fossil fuels while explicitly prohibiting climate change from being considered. The lawsuit was filed on Eva’s 14th birthday in 2020 and received a favorable ruling in Aug. 2023 — making it the first constitutional climate lawsuit to go to trial and win. Lauded as the first big victory for youth climate activists, the group scored another big win earlier this December, when in a 6-1 decision, Montana’s Supreme Court upheld the district court’s ruling. Marching for Climate Action Even after that initial impressive win, Eva hasn’t stopped fighting for change. This past summer, she spoke at the Moms Clean Air Force Play-In for Climate Action event in Washington, D.C. SheKnows Editor-in-Chief Erika Janes introduced Eva and shadowed her as she met with Montana legislators, including Senator Jon Tester, in our nation’s capitol to talk about this issue that is affecting kids right now. (As if reinforcing the importance of the event, the Play-In was held indoors at the National Children’s Museum for the first time ever, thanks to the sweltering temps outside.) “The further destabilization of our climate disproportionately affects children — from increased exposure to smoke in our lungs or the heightened stress of living in a climate crisis,” Eva said during her speech at the event, where she also admitted that she feels “constant dread” and “anxiety” when thinking about the future. Speaking to SheKnows, she said that “uncertainty” is the word that pops in her head when considering what’s to come. “There’s just so much up in the air right now and not nearly enough action happening in the midst of this crisis,” she explained. “The time is now, and it has been now for a long time. There’s definitely a sort of impending sense of worry… But knowing that, if we keep our hopes up — if we keep on working towards positive change — it’s going to it’s going to help us out in the long run.” The truth is, Eva has been worrying about the climate for as long as she can remember. Her mother, Erica Lighthiser, said of her daughter, “I don’t think she knows a time in her life or can remember a time before she was aware of climate change. Eva was able to show up at the trial and share her story about how floods and wildfire smoke have been impacting not just her, but her community, throughout her life.” Erica and Eva Lighthiser at the Moms Clean Air Force Play-in for Climate Action in Washington DC. Ralph Alswang She was referring, in part, to the unprecedented rainfall that fell in Montana in 2022 and swelled Yellowstone. A tributary of Yellowstone called Shields River overtook an access bridge and temporarily separated the Lighthisers from their home in Livingston. “Waking up that morning and finding out that the river was rising at an extremely rapid rate was very alarming,” Eva told us. “We’d never experienced anything like that in Livingston, at least in my lifetime. There have been floods in the past, but none have been nearly as intense or as damaging as that one.” While this flooding was going on, Eva said she felt “terror of having no idea what’s going to happen to all the places we live in,” and continued, “There was just kind of that need to jump into action.” For the teen, that meant “many, many hours” spent filling sandbags to help her community keep the river at bay.   For Erica, the one bright spot in the climate change her daughter has witnessed has been watching her daughter find her voice as an activist. “I think it was quite empowering to feel like people were listening [at the trial], and you could tell your story and have all these scientists and economists and health experts be able to weigh in on with all this evidence to support your story,” she said, adding that “it’s kind of overwhelming to think about” how her daughter’s voice “is impacting the future in such a positive way.” L to R: Eva Lighthiser, Senator Jon Tester, Erica Lighthiser. Now that Eva is an adult, she plans to continue working in climate activism, motivated in part by her fierce pride in her community and the land she’s surrounded by. “Constantly being reminded of what’s at stake is very important for my inspiration,” she said. “What I love about Gen Z is that we aren’t afraid to speak up. We want change, and if we want it, we will do anything in our power to change it.” Find tips on talking to your kids about climate change HERE. These celebrities are focused on raising their kids to be good humans. Source link

[norajworld]

The catastrophic flooding in Asheville, North Carolina, from Hurricane Helene last September is just another example of the devastating climate crisis we’re in. As humans burn fossil fuels, cut down forests, and remove legal protections for the planet, there has been a rise in global warming. In fact, 2023 was the warmest year on record since global record-keeping began in 1850, according to Climate.gov. This impacts our planet, our health and safety, and our kids — and Gen Z is sick of it. One Montana teen is making her mark by taking a stand and holding legislators accountable for their role in contributing to climate change — and her work is already having a big impact. Related story Parents of Teens: These Are the Resolutions You Should Definitely Make This Year Eva Lighthiser is an 18-year-old youth climate activist and one of 16 young plaintiffs in the historic Held v. Montana lawsuit that argued the state of Montana was failing to uphold a constitutional right to “a clean and healthful environment.” With the help of international climate experts, the youth plaintiffs challenged the state’s actions of promoting and producing fossil fuels while explicitly prohibiting climate change from being considered. The lawsuit was filed on Eva’s 14th birthday in 2020 and received a favorable ruling in Aug. 2023 — making it the first constitutional climate lawsuit to go to trial and win. Lauded as the first big victory for youth climate activists, the group scored another big win earlier this December, when in a 6-1 decision, Montana’s Supreme Court upheld the district court’s ruling. Marching for Climate Action Even after that initial impressive win, Eva hasn’t stopped fighting for change. This past summer, she spoke at the Moms Clean Air Force Play-In for Climate Action event in Washington, D.C. SheKnows Editor-in-Chief Erika Janes introduced Eva and shadowed her as she met with Montana legislators, including Senator Jon Tester, in our nation’s capitol to talk about this issue that is affecting kids right now. (As if reinforcing the importance of the event, the Play-In was held indoors at the National Children’s Museum for the first time ever, thanks to the sweltering temps outside.) “The further destabilization of our climate disproportionately affects children — from increased exposure to smoke in our lungs or the heightened stress of living in a climate crisis,” Eva said during her speech at the event, where she also admitted that she feels “constant dread” and “anxiety” when thinking about the future. Speaking to SheKnows, she said that “uncertainty” is the word that pops in her head when considering what’s to come. “There’s just so much up in the air right now and not nearly enough action happening in the midst of this crisis,” she explained. “The time is now, and it has been now for a long time. There’s definitely a sort of impending sense of worry… But knowing that, if we keep our hopes up — if we keep on working towards positive change — it’s going to it’s going to help us out in the long run.” The truth is, Eva has been worrying about the climate for as long as she can remember. Her mother, Erica Lighthiser, said of her daughter, “I don’t think she knows a time in her life or can remember a time before she was aware of climate change. Eva was able to show up at the trial and share her story about how floods and wildfire smoke have been impacting not just her, but her community, throughout her life.” Erica and Eva Lighthiser at the Moms Clean Air Force Play-in for Climate Action in Washington DC. Ralph Alswang She was referring, in part, to the unprecedented rainfall that fell in Montana in 2022 and swelled Yellowstone. A tributary of Yellowstone called Shields River overtook an access bridge and temporarily separated the Lighthisers from their home in Livingston. “Waking up that morning and finding out that the river was rising at an extremely rapid rate was very alarming,” Eva told us. “We’d never experienced anything like that in Livingston, at least in my lifetime. There have been floods in the past, but none have been nearly as intense or as damaging as that one.” While this flooding was going on, Eva said she felt “terror of having no idea what’s going to happen to all the places we live in,” and continued, “There was just kind of that need to jump into action.” For the teen, that meant “many, many hours” spent filling sandbags to help her community keep the river at bay.   For Erica, the one bright spot in the climate change her daughter has witnessed has been watching her daughter find her voice as an activist. “I think it was quite empowering to feel like people were listening [at the trial], and you could tell your story and have all these scientists and economists and health experts be able to weigh in on with all this evidence to support your story,” she said, adding that “it’s kind of overwhelming to think about” how her daughter’s voice “is impacting the future in such a positive way.” L to R: Eva Lighthiser, Senator Jon Tester, Erica Lighthiser. Now that Eva is an adult, she plans to continue working in climate activism, motivated in part by her fierce pride in her community and the land she’s surrounded by. “Constantly being reminded of what’s at stake is very important for my inspiration,” she said. “What I love about Gen Z is that we aren’t afraid to speak up. We want change, and if we want it, we will do anything in our power to change it.” Find tips on talking to your kids about climate change HERE. These celebrities are focused on raising their kids to be good humans. Source link

[chilimili212]

The catastrophic flooding in Asheville, North Carolina, from Hurricane Helene last September is just another example of the devastating climate crisis we’re in. As humans burn fossil fuels, cut down forests, and remove legal protections for the planet, there has been a rise in global warming. In fact, 2023 was the warmest year on record since global record-keeping began in 1850, according to Climate.gov. This impacts our planet, our health and safety, and our kids — and Gen Z is sick of it. One Montana teen is making her mark by taking a stand and holding legislators accountable for their role in contributing to climate change — and her work is already having a big impact. Related story Parents of Teens: These Are the Resolutions You Should Definitely Make This Year Eva Lighthiser is an 18-year-old youth climate activist and one of 16 young plaintiffs in the historic Held v. Montana lawsuit that argued the state of Montana was failing to uphold a constitutional right to “a clean and healthful environment.” With the help of international climate experts, the youth plaintiffs challenged the state’s actions of promoting and producing fossil fuels while explicitly prohibiting climate change from being considered. The lawsuit was filed on Eva’s 14th birthday in 2020 and received a favorable ruling in Aug. 2023 — making it the first constitutional climate lawsuit to go to trial and win. Lauded as the first big victory for youth climate activists, the group scored another big win earlier this December, when in a 6-1 decision, Montana’s Supreme Court upheld the district court’s ruling. Marching for Climate Action Even after that initial impressive win, Eva hasn’t stopped fighting for change. This past summer, she spoke at the Moms Clean Air Force Play-In for Climate Action event in Washington, D.C. SheKnows Editor-in-Chief Erika Janes introduced Eva and shadowed her as she met with Montana legislators, including Senator Jon Tester, in our nation’s capitol to talk about this issue that is affecting kids right now. (As if reinforcing the importance of the event, the Play-In was held indoors at the National Children’s Museum for the first time ever, thanks to the sweltering temps outside.) “The further destabilization of our climate disproportionately affects children — from increased exposure to smoke in our lungs or the heightened stress of living in a climate crisis,” Eva said during her speech at the event, where she also admitted that she feels “constant dread” and “anxiety” when thinking about the future. Speaking to SheKnows, she said that “uncertainty” is the word that pops in her head when considering what’s to come. “There’s just so much up in the air right now and not nearly enough action happening in the midst of this crisis,” she explained. “The time is now, and it has been now for a long time. There’s definitely a sort of impending sense of worry… But knowing that, if we keep our hopes up — if we keep on working towards positive change — it’s going to it’s going to help us out in the long run.” The truth is, Eva has been worrying about the climate for as long as she can remember. Her mother, Erica Lighthiser, said of her daughter, “I don’t think she knows a time in her life or can remember a time before she was aware of climate change. Eva was able to show up at the trial and share her story about how floods and wildfire smoke have been impacting not just her, but her community, throughout her life.” Erica and Eva Lighthiser at the Moms Clean Air Force Play-in for Climate Action in Washington DC. Ralph Alswang She was referring, in part, to the unprecedented rainfall that fell in Montana in 2022 and swelled Yellowstone. A tributary of Yellowstone called Shields River overtook an access bridge and temporarily separated the Lighthisers from their home in Livingston. “Waking up that morning and finding out that the river was rising at an extremely rapid rate was very alarming,” Eva told us. “We’d never experienced anything like that in Livingston, at least in my lifetime. There have been floods in the past, but none have been nearly as intense or as damaging as that one.” While this flooding was going on, Eva said she felt “terror of having no idea what’s going to happen to all the places we live in,” and continued, “There was just kind of that need to jump into action.” For the teen, that meant “many, many hours” spent filling sandbags to help her community keep the river at bay.   For Erica, the one bright spot in the climate change her daughter has witnessed has been watching her daughter find her voice as an activist. “I think it was quite empowering to feel like people were listening [at the trial], and you could tell your story and have all these scientists and economists and health experts be able to weigh in on with all this evidence to support your story,” she said, adding that “it’s kind of overwhelming to think about” how her daughter’s voice “is impacting the future in such a positive way.” L to R: Eva Lighthiser, Senator Jon Tester, Erica Lighthiser. Now that Eva is an adult, she plans to continue working in climate activism, motivated in part by her fierce pride in her community and the land she’s surrounded by. “Constantly being reminded of what’s at stake is very important for my inspiration,” she said. “What I love about Gen Z is that we aren’t afraid to speak up. We want change, and if we want it, we will do anything in our power to change it.” Find tips on talking to your kids about climate change HERE. These celebrities are focused on raising their kids to be good humans. Source link

[rjzimmerman]

Climate Lawsuits Are Exploding. Are Homicide Charges Next? (New York Times)

Excerpt from this New York Times story:

Lawsuits against fossil fuel companies over climate change are piling up. Legislators and activists are pushing prosecutors to pursue criminal charges. Children are suing governments, arguing that their right to a healthy environment is being trampled on.

Welcome to the new universe of climate litigation, where the courts have become one of the most important battlegrounds in the fight over the greenhouse gas emissions warming the planet.

Around the world, both innovative and old-school legal arguments are being used to go after companies and governments to seek redress or forestall future harms. At the same time, the fossil fuel industry and its allies have powerful new legal grounds at their disposal to challenge climate rules. A number of cases could be taken up by the highest courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court and The Hague.

There are myriad lawsuits, which fit into several important categories. Here’s what to watch in the coming months.

Lawsuits against oil giants are spreading.

At least 86 lawsuits have been filed globally against the world’s biggest oil, gas and coal producers, according to a report published Thursday by the advocacy and research groups Oil Change International and Zero Carbon Analytics. The vast majority of those were filed in just the past nine years since the signing of the 2015 Paris accord, the landmark agreement among nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Cities and states are among the plaintiffs.

In the United States, more than two dozen of the lawsuits against oil companies have been filed by state and local governments.

Many argue that the oil companies knew about the dangers of climate change for years, but concealed that information. The approach is similar to those of past lawsuits that led to landmark settlements with tobacco and opioid companies.

Should there be criminal charges?

There are growing calls for prosecutors to consider criminal charges related to climate change. This year, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland, both Democrats, called on Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate oil companies for what they called a “decades-long disinformation campaign” about the effects of fossil fuels. In a recent paper in The Harvard Environmental Law Review, David Arkush, of the advocacy group Public Citizen, and Donald Braman, a law professor at George Washington University, argued that in the United States, fossil fuel companies could be charged with types of homicide short of first-degree murder based on claims of deception about climate change.

Young people push for ‘climate rights.’

The nonprofit law center Our Children’s Trust says it has filed climate lawsuits and legal actions in all 50 states. Its most well-known case is Juliana v. United States, in which 21 young people argue that the government violated their constitutional rights by failing to protect the environment. It’s become a model for similar cases abroad, including a recent victory for environmentalists in South Korea. The Juliana case has been wending its way through the courts for nearly a decade. In 2020, an appeals court threw it out entirely, concluding that the courts were not the right venue for the grievances. But on Thursday, the plaintiffs filed a petition with the Supreme Court to send the case back to trial.

[dailyanarchistposts]

Collective Imagination

I have provided two stories about the present which, if we extrapolate them, give us two different trajectories for the future. The latter is some concrete examples of what could be contained in M&W's "Climate X" and in Gordon's "grassroots communism". We need not look towards an unknown future if we can see the potential of it in the present. My first story is more complicated. It sits uncomfortably somewhere between the Behemoth and the Leviathan. The present contains both these tendencies and I don't suspect one will replace the other, neither do I see them as real contradictions.

As M&W note, a global sovereign is most likely to emerge from the current global power hegemony, i.e. from the institutions dominated by the capitalist North.[59] It might take the institutional form of the UN but for it to have the strength and authority of a true sovereign - the ability to make and enforce its decisions - it would have to rely on a system of coercion as global as its regulatory regime. There is currently only one such global institution of coercion: the military apparatus of the United States which has bases and the capacity to reach all over the globe. Either the international sovereign of climate concerned nations would be in conflict with the US, and thus be no true sovereign, or it would be dependent upon the strength of the US as the "world's policeman" (this time for the climate).[60]

We could imagine a change in the US politics away from the current dogmatic denialism towards a "war on climate change" and a willingness to impose a "carbon regime" on every nation.[61] But could we imagine such an approach to effectively halt climate change? The idea that a large and urgent problem requires an equally large and harsh solution is understandable but fallacious.[62] It is doubtful that the same features that caused the problem - centralization and domination - will be the features that solve it. The birth of fossil economy is linked to the birth of global empire; it allowed the British to spread their might all over the globe,[63] and today climate change is intricately linked to global hegemony as the US military is the single largest consumer of petroleum and emitter of greenhouse gasses.[64] The idea that state power and force must be applied to fight climate change is only likely to exacerbate the problem.

I thus follow the previous writers in rejecting the centralized authoritarian approach which will only entrench the existing structures of domination and inequality while managing the crisis for the elite, but not merely because that would "not be a just world."[65] I also believe such a solution is impossible and contradictory because of the interconnectedness of the different parts of the political and economic structure. State and capital, political domination and economic exploitation, are not separate entities that can be employed against each other but interlinked and supporting parts of a system that has an inherent dynamic. I don't doubt the other authors agree with this claim, but I think we can add to the analysis by using a holistic, ecological theory of why the thing we might call "civilization" is trapped in a destructive dynamic that cannot be reformed by focusing on only parts of it.

In A Radical Green Political Theory Alan Carter introduces the concept "political forces" which are to the realm of political and legal institutions (the state) what the forces of production (machinery, raw material, labor) are to the economic relations in a Marxian model.[66] They are the machinery, instruments, technologies, and people, that the state needs to make its commands material reality, i.e. the police, the surveillance apparatus, the military, bureaucrats, and the weapons and materials they use. A global sovereign with immense, centralized power, would need an immense machinery to enforce that power. The central idea of Carter's theory is that none of the elements in a society work independently. Not only does an authoritarian state require a strong repressive apparatus, but a strong military tends to beget an authoritarian political system. Also, the larger the state and its repressive forces, the more it will depend upon a perpetually growing economy of exploitation and extraction to finance its upkeep; and these economic relations in turn require a strong state to protect the system of inequality. Together these parts form what Carter calls an "environmentally hazardous dynamic."[67]

A planetary Leviathan with a global enforcement regime and (we must assume) an equivalent army of public servants, methods of enforcement and officials of all kinds, is hardly the institution that is going to promote local self-sustaining economies and self-managed, empowered communities. It will depend upon economic growth and centralized control, both of which are driving forces in the environmental crisis. None of these elements can be separated, except in theory. In practice, they support each other in a dynamic interrelation where if one should change direction the others will pull it back. Military, state power, capitalism, and polluting extraction and production methods, are all connected, and if we want to change one, we must change all of them. We cannot use one to tame the others when they need and feed off each other. The struggle to survive and mitigate climate disaster must be a comprehensive systemic change that replaces all the dominant features of our political and economic system with its opposites: "the various elements of radical green political thought can be seen to consist in the systematic negation of every element of the environmentally hazardous dynamic."[68]

To change the whole system can be a daunting task. To state it like that might be as paralyzing as the idea of unstoppable apocalyptic climate change. Maybe more so. Our cultural obsession with apocalyptic themes certainly seems to confirm the old cliché that "it is easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism."[69] According to this analysis we need to completely rearrange the dominant tendencies in our civilization, but that is too abstract, too large, perhaps even beyond our ability to consider possible. "The whole system", is - like global warming - what Timothy Morton calls a "hyperobject": Something that is "real but inaccessible" due to its scale.[70] This is a paradox in any transfigurative event: How does one move into the thing that is not yet here? In order to start a task, it is necessary to imagine it. But in order to imagine something - not as an abstract ideal but as a real possibility - we need to already be engaged in the task. It is by doing things we discover that they can be done. But how do we start then?

This is one of the values of the many grassroots movements and communities that are not only struggling for survival in climate-induced disasters but also, in the process, creating new social relations and different ways of living. They show us in a small scale that another present is possible, and thus enables us to imagine a different future - not all at once at a global level but in the form of local events where people respond to their mutual needs in a particular situation. They need not imagine a "utopia" (which is hardly what is on the mind of those struggling to survive a disaster); they are simply responding to material needs as their environment changes. But in the process "there emerges a strong sense of the possibility of a qualitatively different way of life, through the actual experience of that other way of living."[71]

This other way of living need not be one characterized by austerity and struggle for survival. It can be both more just and more joyful. Consider what is needed for a community to survive a disaster: Those communities that have the best "social infrastructure" - i.e. where people know each other and help each other in their daily lives - are also those that survive the best during a crisis.[72] These are not impossible things to imagine, and they are worth realizing for their own sake. This is what we need to have scaled up at every level. Both because it is necessary for our collective survival and because it makes for a more just and enjoyable life. That is what "prefiguration" entails: a praxis in the present that creates an affect expanding our capacities and reaches into a desired future. The negations of the of the hazardous dynamic already exist in the form of decentralized, egalitarian grassroots communities practicing mutual aid and local sustainability. The tools we need are already with us. The task is to pick them up and make them stronger.

Social cooperation and community is needed for surviving the coming disasters. It is also needed to mitigate their severity, i.e. to slow down climate change. When the Danish island Samsø transitioned into renewable energy and managed to become carbon-negative it was only through a long process of complete community participation with decentralized neighborhood committees involved in the democratic process as well as the material process of building the new infrastructure. Citizen involvement was not a formal addition to provide legitimacy a centralized process - it was the process and the goal. Saving the planet was not the main motivation; they had a much more local interest: to save their community. As a small and relatively isolated island the community was threatened by centralization - the tendency of capital and the state to locate opportunities in the centers of power and depopulate the periphery. Their situation was also one of survival, although not from climate disasters. To become carbon neutral was merely a project to reinvigorate the community, to create a common goal everybody could cooperate on and take responsibility for. But in taking on the project they demonstrated what can be done in the fight against accelerating climate change and that the required societal change is far from terrifying.[73] It is not the technological achievement that makes this interesting. It is the social achievements.

The idea that the breakdown of political order is the worst consequence of climate change is harmful to the fight against climate change, because if we want to survive climate change and to stop its causes we need the existing order to be radically reversed. The only way to do that which does not involve cataclysmic extinction is to replace the existing order with a new one, to "build a new world in the shell of the old" by strengthening the social at the cost of the "political" order. The fear of political disruption prevents us from doing that. It prevents us from trusting each other, from practicing mutual aid, and from daring to imagine that different social relations are not only possible but desirable. The existing political order has never been desirable for the majority of us; the climate crisis forces us to realize that its continuation is also not possible. Our survival depends on us being able to imagine and desire a different social order. As Buenaventura Durruti answered when a journalist mentioned the destruction in the social revolution in Spain:

We are not in the least afraid of ruins… The bourgeoisie might blast and ruin its own world before it leaves the stage of history. We carry a new world here, in our hearts. That world is growing this minute.[74]

[notwiselybuttoowell]

From the COP that concluded this weekend

The US climate envoy, John Podesta, said the fight “for a cleaner, safer” planet will not stop under a re-elected Trump even if some progress is reversed. The energy secretary, Jennifer Granholm, said: “The absence of leadership in the White House does not mean that this energy transition is stopped.” And Joe Biden’s climate and energy assistant, Jacob Levine, told reporters that the president’s climate policies had sparked an unstoppable clean energy “revolution”.

The US climate envoy, John Podesta, said the fight “for a cleaner, safer” planet will not stop under a re-elected Trump even if some progress is reversed. The energy secretary, Jennifer Granholm, said: “The absence of leadership in the White House does not mean that this energy transition is stopped.” And Joe Biden’s climate and energy assistant, Jacob Levine, told reporters that the president’s climate policies had sparked an unstoppable clean energy “revolution”.

In the absence of federal climate policy, they have argued, states will continue the push to zero out emissions. And the historic climate-related subsidies in the Inflation Reduction Act, they have said, will continue to spur decarbonization efforts from the private sector. On Monday, US officials reinforced this view with a plan for continued private sector-led emissions reduction in manufacturing.

“Climate change won’t be solved by one president, but climate action will not be stopped by one president,” the Massachusetts senator Ed Markey told reporters on Saturday.

Decarbonization, Markey said, was even taking place in Republican states, thanks to Biden’s green subsidies. “The green revolution is blue and red,” he said.

But Republicans have come to Cop29 with a different message. In a sometimes surreal Saturday press conference where they cracked jokes about US sports teams before an international audience, four Republican members of Congress aggressively argued for increasing oil and gas production; even coal, they argued, should maintain its place in the energy system.

“With technology, we can solve a lot of these problems without just banning fossil fuels,” said Representative Morgan Griffith, who represents a coal country district in Virginia. “An area that has natural resources should not be penalized for not looking at the opportunity to have a cleaner world.”

Representative August Pfluger, whose Texas district covers the oil-rich Permian Basin, said Trump’s re-election indicates an “overwhelming support” for the former president’s call to “restore America’s energy dominance and lead the world in energy expansion”.

And when asked by the Guardian in the halls of Cop29 if he would support Trump’s pledge to pull the US out of the Paris agreement, Pfluger responded by talking about energy: “We definitely want to see affordable, reliable energy provided throughout the world.

“Inflation has been very difficult on people, and we have to take a realistic look about the types of energy and the innovation for energy freedom throughout the world,” said Pfluger, who is leading the House of Representatives’ delegation to the UN climate summit. “Many countries would say that some of the tenets [in the accord] have actually been a massive competitive disadvantage and have pushed up prices everywhere around the world.”

In the weeks leading up to his second inauguration, Trump appears to have doubled down on his crusade against climate action. This week, he tapped a former fracking executive to head up his energy department, a Republican who arranged an infamous meeting between Trump and oil bosses to lead his interior department, and a former congressman who has a score of just 14% from the League of Conservation Voters to lead the Environmental Protection Agency.

Still, Democratic officials at Cop29 say that the Inflation Reduction Act’s hundreds of billions of dollars in clean energy incentives and tax breaks are durable.

At Saturday’s press conference, Pfluger did indicate that Congress would probably preserve some of its provisions. “If there are pieces of the IRA that help support lowering American energy costs, helping Americans, helping our partners and allies have access to affordable, reliable energy, then I bet that those will stay in place,” Pfluger said.

But the US should include fossil fuels in a “best of the above” energy strategy, said Republican Michigan representative John James at the press conference. And the overall strategy, he said, should be “innovation, not regulation”.

A key aim for Cop29 negotiators is to establish a new and expanded global goal for climate finance to help poor countries cope with disasters and draw down their emissions. Over the weekend, the White House announced that the US surpassed its goal of providing $11bn a year in climate financing.

Trump during his first term proposed eliminating the US’s climate finance commitments, but was shot down by the Senate.

When asked on Saturday if he would support zeroing out US climate aid, Pfluger deflected, but did not rule out the possibility. “What we want to do … is to unleash American energy, to unleash innovation throughout the world that benefits in a connected world from affordable clean reliable energy,” he said.

Climate finance, he said, should only go to projects that focus on slashing energy costs. “If something is not congruent or not in support of lowering energy costs while reducing emissions, you can bet that this Congress is going to look at that,” he said.

Trump cannot singlehandedly derail UN climate negotiations, leaders have said.

“The Paris agreement is a robust process,” Hilda Heine, president of the Marshall Islands, said in a Wednesday press conference.

Jacob Levine, a Biden climate adviser, told reporters this week that Biden had set into motion a “deeply shared and integrated vision” for the clean energy transition that has led countries such as the UK, Canada, and Australia to take “a page out of the US government playbook”.

US officials’ relentless optimism at Cop29 has been a source of frustration for some. In an intimate meeting with reporters on Saturday, one journalist asked the Democratic Rhode Island senator and climate hawk Sheldon Whitehouse why it was difficult for officials to say that Trump’s presidency is a threat to climate action.

“The US election will have a negative climate impact,” Whitehouse said. “That’s not only easy to say, it’s obvious.”

[ladakhtourism]

The Future of E-Mobility

Introduction to E-Mobility

What is E-Mobility?

E-mobility, short for electric mobility, refers to the use of electric vehicles (EVs) and related infrastructure for transportation. This includes electric cars, buses, bikes, scooters, and any other vehicle powered by electricity rather than traditional internal combustion engines.

Why E-Mobility is the Future of Transportation

E-mobility represents a shift towards sustainable, low-emission transportation, driven by advances in technology and the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions. As the world grapples with climate change, the shift from fossil-fuel-powered vehicles to electric ones is becoming more critical than ever.

The Growth of E-Mobility in Recent Years

In recent years, the adoption of electric vehicles has skyrocketed. With more governments introducing incentives for EV buyers and automakers investing heavily in electric technology, the future of transportation is undeniably electric. The global e-mobility market is expected to grow exponentially, with millions of EVs on the road by 2030.

Key Technologies Driving E-Mobility

Electric Vehicles (EVs)

At the heart of e-mobility are electric vehicles. These vehicles run on electric motors powered by batteries, which produce zero emissions, making them a cleaner alternative to traditional vehicles.

Charging Infrastructure

Types of Charging Stations

To support the growing fleet of electric vehicles, various charging stations have been developed. These range from slow chargers, ideal for home use, to ultra-fast chargers, which can charge a car in under 30 minutes.

Smart Charging Systems

Smart charging systems allow for more efficient energy use by adjusting the charging speed based on grid demand. These systems are pivotal in ensuring that EVs don't overload the power grid during peak hours.

Battery Technologies

Lithium-ion Batteries

Lithium-ion batteries are the most common type used in electric vehicles today. They are lightweight, rechargeable, and offer a high energy density, making them ideal for powering EVs.

Solid-State Batteries

The future of battery technology lies in solid-state batteries, which promise to offer greater energy storage and safety compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries. They are seen as a game-changer for extending the range of electric vehicles.

Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) Technology

V2G technology allows electric vehicles to not only draw power from the grid but also return stored energy back to the grid when needed. This bi-directional energy flow could transform how we manage energy during peak times and improve grid stability.

Environmental Impact of E-Mobility

Reduction in Carbon Emissions

One of the most significant benefits of e-mobility is the drastic reduction in carbon emissions. Unlike gasoline or diesel-powered vehicles, EVs produce zero tailpipe emissions, contributing to cleaner air and a healthier environment.

E-Mobility’s Role in Fighting Climate Change

The adoption of electric vehicles is a crucial component of global efforts to combat climate change. By reducing our dependence on fossil fuels, e-mobility helps lower greenhouse gas emissions, making it an essential part of the sustainable energy transition.

Challenges Facing E-Mobility

Charging Infrastructure Challenges

Despite the growth of charging networks, there are still significant challenges in building sufficient infrastructure to support the rising number of electric vehicles. Many regions lack the necessary charging stations, especially in rural areas.

Battery Production and Sustainability Issues

While EVs are environmentally friendly, the production of batteries is resource-intensive and has its own environmental footprint. Sourcing materials like lithium and cobalt can be harmful to the environment and workers if not managed responsibly.

Range Anxiety in Electric Vehicles

Range anxiety—the fear that an electric vehicle will run out of power before reaching a charging station—is one of the main concerns among potential EV buyers. However, advancements in battery technology and the expansion of charging networks are gradually alleviating this issue.

Government Policies and E-Mobility

Global Government Incentives for EV Adoption

Governments worldwide are offering incentives such as tax credits, rebates, and subsidies to encourage EV adoption. These policies aim to make electric vehicles more affordable and accessible to a broader audience.

Regulations Pushing for Zero-Emission Vehicles

Europe’s Green Deal

Europe is leading the charge with ambitious policies, including the European Green Deal, which aims to have zero emissions by 2050. This includes banning the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035.

U.S. EV Tax Credits and Policies

In the U.S., the government is also stepping up its efforts with various tax credits for EV purchases and investments in charging infrastructure. States like California are implementing strict emission regulations, pushing the transition toward electric mobility.

E-Mobility in the Urban Environment

How Smart Cities are Embracing E-Mobility

Smart cities are at the forefront of the e-mobility revolution, integrating electric vehicles into urban planning. From EV-friendly public transportation systems to installing charging stations in strategic locations, cities are evolving to support electric transport.

The Role of Public Transport in E-Mobility

Public transport systems are increasingly incorporating electric buses and trains into their fleets. This shift reduces emissions and makes cities more livable by cutting down on noise and air pollution.

Future Innovations in E-Mobility

Autonomous Electric Vehicles

Autonomous driving technology is set to transform e-mobility by making electric vehicles self-driving. This combination promises safer, more efficient transport solutions in the future.

Wireless Charging for EVs

Wireless charging is an exciting innovation that could eliminate the need for plugging in vehicles. By embedding charging pads into roads or parking spaces, EVs can charge automatically when parked or even while driving.

Solar-Powered Vehicles

While still in the early stages of development, solar-powered electric vehicles could revolutionize transportation by reducing dependence on charging stations and fossil fuels altogether.

Artificial Intelligence in E-Mobility

AI is playing an increasingly vital role in optimizing the performance of electric vehicles, from improving battery efficiency to enabling self-driving capabilities.

For More tips & tricks Join NIDM

[esgagile]

The Benefits of Carbon Footprint Reduction

Agile Advisors, a leading Carbon footprint consultant In UAE, Lowering our carbon footprint is becoming required rather than optional in the modern world, as environmental degradation and climate change become urgent problems. We can lessen the catastrophic effects of climate change, including extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and habitat destruction, by reducing carbon emissions. Ecosystem disruptions are less common when carbon emissions are reduced. Many species are vulnerable to variations in weather and temperature. By lowering our carbon footprint, we contribute to the preservation of biodiversity and the natural habitats of numerous plants and animals. When fossil fuels are burned, pollutants like nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, along with carbon dioxide, are released. These contaminants can cause cardiovascular and respiratory disorders and other health problems.

In our role as Carbon footprint consultant In Dubai, the incidence of diseases associated with air pollution declines as air pollution levels rise. This translates into fewer hospital admissions, cheaper medical expenses, and a healthier populace. An enhanced quality of life can result from communities thriving in areas with higher air quality. The energy consumed can be significantly decreased by implementing energy-efficient procedures and technology. Utility bills can be reduced for homes and businesses, freeing funds for other crucial projects. The transition to a low-carbon economy encourages employment growth in environmentally friendly sectors, including sustainable agriculture, energy efficiency, and renewable energy. These sectors offer chances for innovation and economic development and are expanding quickly. Building sustainable communities is encouraged by lowering our carbon footprint.

As a Carbon footprint consultant in Agile Advisors, these communities promote a sense of community responsibility and well-being by prioritizing eco-friendly measures, including recycling, green building, and sustainable transportation. Vulnerable groups, such as developing nations and low-income areas, are disproportionately impacted by climate change. We support international efforts to attain climate justice by lowering our carbon footprint and guaranteeing everyone an equal opportunity to live in a healthy environment. Increasing your awareness of your everyday routine and its effects on the environment is a common first step towards lowering your carbon footprint. A closer bond with the environment can be fostered by more deliberate and attentive living that results from this increased awareness.

Being a Carbon footprint consultant In Dubai, it can be gratifying and fulfilling to know that you are making a difference in the fight against climate change. Aside from improving our health and preserving the environment, lowering our carbon footprint promotes social justice and financial savings. It is a team effort that calls for dedication from all stakeholders—individuals, corporations, and governments. You may lessen greenhouse gas emissions and so contribute to mitigating climate change by identifying places where you can cut back on carbon emissions. All emission reductions help slow global warming, essential for preserving ecological balance and averting extreme weather. Natural resources like water, fossil fuels, and forests are preserved when activities with a high carbon footprint—such as excessive energy usage and unsustainable transportation—are reduced.

We are Carbon footprint consultant In UAE, the preservation of ecosystems and biodiversity depends on this conservation effort. Air pollution is decreased by many acts that lower carbon footprints, such as reducing driving or switching to cleaner energy sources. Reduced incidence of cardiovascular illnesses, respiratory disorders, and other pollution-related health concerns can result from improved air quality. Reducing carbon emissions can lead to a decrease in the amount of pollutants discharged into the environment. This reduction may result in fewer health issues brought on by pollution, enhancing public health generally and lowering medical expenses. Whether taking public transit, cutting back on energy use, or purchasing sustainable goods, every little action has a significant impact.

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Combating Climate Change

Conserving energy helps fight climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gases, like CO2, trap heat in the atmosphere, leading to global warming. By

using less energy, we can decrease the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere, helping to slow the rate of climate change.

Related Source: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) explains the connection between energy use and climate change in their reports.

Steps in Combating Climate Change and Examples

Combating climate change requires a multifaceted approach involving governments, businesses, and individuals. Here are key steps to combat climate change along with examples to illustrate their impact.

1. Transition to Renewable Energy

Description

Switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydropower is crucial for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Steps:

Invest in Renewable Energy Infrastructure: Governments and businesses should invest in solar panels, wind turbines, and hydroelectric plants.

Subsidize Renewable Energy Projects: Provide financial incentives for individuals and companies to adopt renewable energy.

Phase Out Fossil Fuels: Gradually reduce reliance on coal, oil, and natural gas.

Example:

Germany’s Energiewende: Germany has implemented policies to increase the share of renewable energy in its energy mix, aiming for at least 80% of electricity to come from renewables by 2050. This transition has significantly reduced the country's carbon emissions.

Related Source: International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)

2. Improve Energy Efficiency

Description

Improving energy efficiency in buildings, industries, and transportation can reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Steps:

Upgrade Building Insulation: Enhance insulation in homes and offices to reduce heating and cooling needs.

Adopt Energy-Efficient Appliances: Use appliances with high energy-efficiency ratings.

Implement Smart Grids: Use smart grid technology to optimize electricity distribution and reduce waste.

Example:

LED Lighting in New York City: New York City replaced traditional streetlights with energy-efficient LED lights, reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80%.

Related Source: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

3. Promote Sustainable Transportation

Description

Encouraging the use of public transportation, electric vehicles (EVs), and non-motorized transport can significantly reduce emissions from the transportation sector.

Steps:

Expand Public Transit Networks: Develop and improve bus, train, and metro systems.

Incentivize Electric Vehicles: Provide tax credits and rebates for EV purchases.

Build Cycling and Walking Infrastructure: Create safe bike lanes and pedestrian pathways.

For more information on solar panels, visit our website at: https://solarbuyback.com/

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Knowing the Mechanisms of Carbon Border Adjustment (CBAMs)

Being an adaptive Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism in Agile Advisors, Addressing the climate catastrophe has become a cornerstone of U.S. national and international security policy. The federal government has undertaken various climate-related initiatives in the last several years, such as developing cabinet-level plans for climate adaptation and resilience, funding and legislation from Congress, and creating greenhouse gas (GHG) regulations. Although numerous legislative initiatives are still being discussed, carbon border adjustment mechanisms, or CBAMs, are coming back. As previously discussed by ASP, the climate catastrophe can be lessened with current trade methods. Among them is a CBAM. A CBAM is essentially a tariff or tax on carbon emissions, especially for goods that are carbon-intensive, such as steel and aluminum.

Our role as an Agile Advisors Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, As CBAMs aim to address "carbon leakage," or the offshore of carbon-heavy industries to nations or areas with lower emissions regulations, they are not just about improving environmental policies. They have the potential to significantly impact global climate policies, making them a crucial tool in the fight against climate change. Compared to their frequently less expensive equivalents in nations like Russia, India, and China, many U.S. firms are cleaner and use less carbon in their operations because of current environmental rules and modern manufacturing. Therefore, CBAMs can be an essential instrument for boosting economic competitiveness and lowering GHG emissions simultaneously. According to one study, the U.S. "carbon advantage" is three times greater than China's and almost four times greater than India's.

As Agile Advisors' Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, this means that American businesses can gain a competitive edge over less expensive, dirtier, and carbon-intensive foreign competitors by establishing a CBAM in the U.S. Specifically, a U.S. CBAM might assist U.S. producers in capturing more than $6–8 billion of their respective markets by 2030 in industries like steel and aluminum, where the country ranks among the lowest for embodied carbon intensity. However, creating a CBAM is a problematic, data-driven procedure. CBAMs work best when combined with or implemented with domestic carbon pricing to retain compliance with the World Trade Organization. A carbon price is a financial tool based on an estimate of the general population's costs, such as higher medical expenses due to heat waves and droughts or harm to the agricultural sector. Though controversial, there is precedence for quantifying those characteristics to create a carbon tax or an emissions trading system (ETS).

To help you as Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, Since the European Union (E.U.) created a carbon price and began implementing its CBAM, CBAMs have taken center stage. The CBAM tariffs will expand to more industrial sectors by 2030 and take full effect in 2026, after two years of transitional phase (data gathering and reporting). They are not alone, either. Canada, the United Kingdom (U.K.), and Japan have all started carbon pricing plans for fossil fuels. Last month, The U.K. announced that it had adopted a UK CBAM and a carbon price strategy. Despite being a significant trading partner of the E.U. and the U.K., the U.S. does not have a comparable federal carbon price scheme or CBAM in place. A growing number of states, like Florida, are aware of the geopolitical, economic, and climate consequences of not having a CBAM or carbon pricing program.

We believe as Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, some states already have their own separate carbon pricing laws. This underscores the urgent need for the United States to implement strong regulatory frameworks to maintain its competitiveness in the global economy. Luckily, federal initiatives are beginning to ramp up. The Clean Competition Act and the FAIR Transition and Competition Act, two CBAM-related proposals that Congress tried to pass in 2022, were eventually shelved. However, four bills—the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, the Market Choice Act, the Foreign Pollution Free Act, and the PROVE IT Act—have been put forth in the current Congress to better position the United States and enterprises operating in the United States when other CBAMs go into effect. There will be plenty of opportunities for Congress to act constructively on a significant topic that has strong bipartisan support throughout its busy term.

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Climate change progress