#net zero nations

[multisnapshott]

Net Zero Carbon Footprint Countries: Leading the Way Toward a Sustainable Future

What Does “Net Zero Carbon Footprint” Mean? A net zero carbon footprint means a country removes as much carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere as it emits. This is done by reducing emissions through renewable energy, sustainable transportation, energy-efficient buildings, and offsetting remaining emissions with carbon capture technologies or reforestation. Achieving net zero is essential to…

[echodoctor]

While I don't think the King and Siffrin are at all related, I do think there's symbolically a lot to be said about him siding with the party against the King as choosing love over family.

Or family (chosen) over family (blood), as the case may be.

This is especially fun if you want to go with ancient Greece as your inspiration for the culture of the Northern Island (because lots of star myths and being the origin of the whole Sisyphus legend), since kinslaying was an absolute hard no in that culture.

Like, generally most societies aren't cool with people killing their family members, sure, that's typically frowned upon. But the ancient Greeks were really serious about it even by your usual standards- it doesn't matter what your relatives did, you need to get someone they can't point to on a family tree to off them or you're in deep shit.

Siffrin and the King are (probably) not blood relatives unless you have a particular headcanon about that- I personally don't- but they are both Northern Islanders, in a world where that's becoming tragically, increasingly rare.

There's so few of them even left- and by choosing to walk into that throne room and confront him with the party, Siffrin ensures that, however this ends, by the time it's over there's going to be one less.

And that, no matter how much they hate each other, is a fundamental tragedy. They aren't family, but in a very real sense, Siffrin choosing to kill him is kinslaying, and I think they both know that.

I wonder if that adds to Siffrin's feelings that he has nowhere to go once their journey is done? Not only is his homeland gone, he's actively turning his back on the person who most openly represents it.

Of course, the King was the one who decided to put lethal force on the table here first by launching his whole supervillain plan to begin with, so he doesn't exactly have the moral high ground, here.

Personally, I'd love to see the two of them have an exchange a la the end of Euripides' Medea, where Jason declares that the Furies will bring vengeance on Medea for her crime of spilling family blood, and she's just like 'lol you think the gods are gonna listen to you after the shit you pulled?' The Universe ain't gonna do shit for you, tin can! You're not the favorite anymore!

(Actually, Siffrin as Medea is a fun thought in general, given the whole "almost broke the world for love" angle. Thankfully, he's lucky enough to have better taste in love than she did- inasmuch as she got a choice in the matter. Add in the parallels of 'came here from a foreign land, strange and dangerous powers, totally down for regicide'... yeah, I think you could do something with that.)

[wyrdweavings]

In case anyone out there needs a copy

The U.S. Constitution, pasted in from the copy at the U.S. National Archives (you never know when the site might be taken down): We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and…

[biglisbonnews]

Mahesh Ramanujam on the Need to Accelerate Green Building Practices The climate action and digital transformation leader talks about his role as a unifier, and the collaborative efforts toward a zero emissions world. The post Mahesh Ramanujam on the Need to Accelerate Green Building Practices appeared first on Commercial Property Executive. https://www.commercialsearch.com/news/mahesh-ramanujam-on-the-need-to-accelerate-green-building-practices/

[batboyblog]

Things the Biden-Harris Administration Did This Week #38

Oct 11-18 2024

President Biden announced that this Administration had forgiven the student loan debt of 1 million public sector workers. The cancellation of the student loan debts of 60,000 teachers, firefighters, EMTs, nurses and other public sector workers brings the total number of people who's debts have been erased by the Biden-Harris Administration using the Public Service Loan Forgiveness to 1 million. the PSLF was passed in 2007 but before President Biden took office only 7,000 people had ever had their debts forgiven through it. The Biden-Harris team have through different programs managed to bring debt relief to 5 million Americans and counting despite on going legal fights against Republican state Attorneys General.

The Federal Trade Commission finalizes its "one-click to cancel" rule. The new rule requires businesses to make it as easy to cancel a subscription as it was to sign up for it. It also requires more up front information to be shared before offering billing information.

The Department of Transportation announced that since the start of the Biden-Harris Administration there are 1.7 million more construction and manufacturing jobs and 700,000 more jobs in the transportation sector. There are now 400,000 more union workers than in 2021. 60,000 Infrastructure projects across the nation have been funded by the Biden-Harris Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Under this Administration 16 million jobs have been added, including 1.7 construction and manufacturing jobs, construction employment is the highest ever recorded since records started in 1939. 172,000 manufacturing jobs were lost during the Trump administration.

The Department of Energy announced $2 billion to protect the U.S. power grid against growing threats of extreme weather. This money will go to 38 projects across 42 states and Washington DC. It'll upgrade nearly 1,000 miles worth of transmission lines. The upgrades will allow 7.5 gigawatts of new grid capacity while also generating new union jobs across the country.

The EPA announced $125 million to help upgrade older diesel engines to low or zero-emission solutions. The EPA has selected 70 projects to use the funds on. They range from replacing school buses, to port equipment, to construction equipment. More than half of the selected projects will be replacing equipment with zero-emissions, such as all electric school buses.

The Department of The Interior and State of California broke ground on the Salton Sea Species Conservation Habitat Project. The Salton Sea is California's largest lake at over 300 miles of Surface area. An earlier project worked to conserve and restore shallow water habitats in over 4,000 acres on the southern end of the lake, this week over 700 acres were added bring the total to 5,000 acres of protected land. The Biden-Harris Administration is investing $250 million in the project along side California's $500 million. Part of the Administration's effort to restore wild life habitat and protect water resources.

The Department of Energy announced $900 Million in investment in next generation nuclear power. The money will help the development of Generation III+ Light-Water Small Modular Reactors, smaller lighter reactors which in theory should be easier to deploy. DoE estimates the U.S. will need approximately 700-900 GW of additional clean, firm power generation capacity to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Currently half of America's clean energy comes from nuclear power, so lengthening the life space of current nuclear reactors and exploring the next generation is key to fighting climate change.

The federal government took two big steps to increase the rights of Alaska natives. The Departments of The Interior and Agricultural finalized an agreement to strengthen Alaska Tribal representation on the Federal Subsistence Board. The FSB oversees fish and wildlife resources for subsistence purposes on federal lands and waters in Alaska. The changes add 3 new members to the board appointed by the Alaska Native Tribes, as well as requiring the board's chair to have experience with Alaska rural subsistence. The Department of The Interior also signed 3 landmark co-stewardship agreements with Alaska Native Tribes.

The Department of Energy announced $860 million to help support solar energy in Puerto Rico. The project will remove 2.7 million tons of CO2 per year, or about the same as taking 533,000 cars off the road. It serves as an important step on the path to getting Puerto Rico to 100% renewable by 2050.

The Department of the Interior announced a major step forward in geothermal energy on public lands. The DoI announced it had approved the Fervo Cape Geothermal Power Project in Beaver County, Utah. When finished it'll generate 2 gigawatts of power, enough for 2 million homes. The BLM has now green lit 32 gigawatts of clean energy projects on public lands. A major step toward the Biden-Harris Administration's goal of a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035.

Bonus: President Biden meets with a Kindergarten Teacher who's student loans were forgiven this week

[reasonsforhope]

"Almost all new homes in England will be fitted with solar panels during construction within two years, the government will announce after Keir Starmer rejected Tony Blair’s criticism of net zero policies.

Housebuilders will be legally required to install solar panels on the roofs of new properties by 2027 under the plans.

The policy is estimated to add between £3,000 and £4,000 to building a home but homeowners would save more than £1,000 on their annual energy bills, according to the Times.

Labour has set a target of building 1.5m homes by the end of the parliament [May 2029]. The party has promised to decarbonise the electricity grid by 2030 and cut household energy bills by £300 a year.

Ministers are also preparing to offer government-funded loans and grants for the installation of solar panels on existing homes.

The move is a sign that the government will press ahead with its net zero agenda after Starmer rejected criticisms of climate policy from Blair.

In a high-profile intervention days before the local elections, Blair said there needed to be a radical reset of “irrational” net zero policies that were “doomed to fail”.

The former Labour prime minister argued that the public was being asked to make “financial sacrifices and changes in lifestyle” that would have “minimal” effect on global emissions. He said the drive to phase out fossil fuels in the short term was “doomed to fail” because their production and demand were rising.

His remarks angered government figures and triggered a response from senior No 10 officials, who called the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI) and urged it to address the fallout. The TBI issued a clarifying statement on Wednesday morning saying it believed the government’s net zero policy was “the right one”.

Blair’s remarks were interpreted as an attack on Starmer’s policy agenda after the prime minister said last week that tackling the climate crisis and bolstering energy security were “in the DNA of my government”...

Campaigners have welcomed the news that the government is going to mandate solar panels on new homes.

Lily-Rose Ellis, Greenpeace UK’s climate campaigner, said: “For too long we’ve wasted the free energy that falls on the roofs of houses every single day. Now, people living in new-build homes will save hundreds of pounds every year on their energy bills, thanks to this commonsense decision from the government.”

A government spokesperson said: “We have always been clear that we want solar panels on as many new homes as possible because they are a vital technology to help cut bills for families, boost our national energy security and help deliver net zero.

“Through the Future Homes Standard we plan to maximise the installation of solar panels on new homes as part of our ambition to ensure all new homes are energy efficient, and will set out final plans in due course.”"

-via The Guardian, May 1, 2025

[rosierin]

power play | atsumu, osamu, suna

synopsis; (y/n) could've sworn "power play" meant something else. (aka she misuses it in a sentence and accidentally exposes one of atsumu's kinks)

this fic is part of the off-season quartet™ series! for more, click here :)

It was supposed to be a chill evening.

The volleyball match on TV was intense—national-level, high-stakes, and exciting enough to have the boys talking over the commentators.

Atsumu and Osamu were perched on the couch, already deep in a serious debate about serve formations. Suna lounged in his usual armchair, one leg hooked over the side, sipping from a half-empty can of Coke and muttering the occasional critique like a low-effort sports analyst.

(Y/n) sat cross-legged on the beanbag in front of them, a warm cup of tea in hand, eyes drifting between the scoreboard and the increasingly animated boys behind her.

The energy in the room buzzed—not just from the game, but from the commentary bouncing back and forth around her.

A particularly aggressive rally played out onscreen—fast, brutal, ending in a decisive spike that made Atsumu sit forward with an impressed “Oof!”

“S'about time!" he roared, throwing his arms up.

And then—completely unprompted—(y/n) turned toward Atsumu with a thoughtful crease between her brows.

“Wait—Atsumu,” she said, eyes shining with genuine curiosity. “You’re into power play, right?”

Even the world stopped to listen.

Three heads whipped toward her. At the exact same time.

Then slowly swivelled toward each other.

Then snapped back to her.

In the background, the referee's whistle could be heard.

Osamu’s eyebrows disappeared into his hairline.

Suna looked like Christmas had come early.

Atsumu looked like he didn't know whether to feel immense pride or shame.

“I—I’m sorry, what?” he stammered, blinking like he’d just needed to reboot his brain.

(Y/n) blinked back, confused but earnest. “Power play? I swear you mentioned liking that once..."

Within the span of ten seconds, Atsumu went from pale, all the colour drained from his face, to a fierce shade of scarlet. The kind that crawled from the tips of his ears down to his neck. “I mean—I wouldn’t say into it, but—”

Suna was practically hanging off the edge of his seat.

Even Osamu had leaned forward, jerking his thumb towards the hallway with an impish grin. “Should we be leavin’ the room, or...?”

“I just mean,” (y/n) went on, blissfully unaware, “you’re always going on about fast-paced games and momentum shifts—so I figured power play was your thing.”

Atsumu opened his mouth. Closed it. Then opened it again.

He started putting the pieces together.

“What... do you mean by power play?” He asked cautiously.

She gestured innocently toward the screen. “You know. When one team’s got the advantage? More players at the net, tighter rotation, big swings—high pressure, high risk. Power play.”

She said it with full confidence. With absolute conviction and positively zero clue.

And that was what broke them.

Suna wheeze-laughed, slapping his hand against the couch. “Oh my god,” he gasped. “Who the hell told her that’s what it meant?!”

(Y/n) turned defensive. And frankly, a little confused. Very confused. "Nobody! As I said, i just assumed."

Osamu was doubled over. “There's no way," he said, shoving Atsumu’s shoulder. “Look at you—turnin’ beet red thinkin' she'd outed one of yer kinks."

“I thought she was callin’ me out!” Atsumu barked. “What was I supposed to do—deny it? Pretend I wasn’t into—ya know what, forget it.”

(Y/n)’s eyes went wide with creeping realisation. “Wait—kinks? I'm confused. What else does it mean, then?”

Suna, without an ounce of trepidation, smirked. “It’s a sex thing.”

(Y/n) went crimson. “Oh my god—really? No! I didn't—!”

Atsumu had officially recovered.

He grinned, teeth sharp, pride blooming now that the worst had passed. “Too late, sweetheart. It’s on record now."

Osamu was giggling. Actual giggling. Shoulders shaking like a schoolboy in sex ed.

“Oh, (y/n),” he said, wiping his eyes. “Bless yer little heart.”

“I swear I didn’t know!” she groaned, smacking a pillow into her own face. “I was talking about volleyball!”

“And yet,” Suna said, gesturing toward Atsumu like he was presenting a rare species, “you managed to expose this degenerate without even trying.”

"He's right," Osamu chimed in, eyebrows raised thoughtfully. "She said ya mentioned it to her once."

He tutted. "Ya filthy, filthy pervert."

The grin finally slipped off Atsumu’s face, replaced with something halfway between wounded pride and defensive panic.

“Okay, first of all,” he said, holding up a finger. “You all have your weird little kinks. Don’t act like I’m the only one.”

Nobody denied it.

And (y/n) cursed herself for noticing.

Her eyes flicked to Osamu—stoic, unfazed, arms crossed—and then to Suna, who just sipped his drink with that same old unreadable expression.

...Somehow that made things worse.

Her brain, against her will, began to spiral. Did she even want to know?

No. Probably not. Definitely not. But maybe...

God, her imagination was already filling in the blanks—

“(Y/n).”

Atsumu’s voice cut through her thoughts, and when she looked up, he was wearing that infuriatingly smug grin.

“If ya ever wanna talk strategy,” he said, all faux innocence. “Volleyball strategy, of course.”

He winked.

“Ya know where to find me.”

The boys howled.

(Y/n) groaned, dragging her hands down her face. “Don’t start.”

[casssmalefantasy]

TAMPA NIGHTS & TROPHY HANDS

PAIGE BUECKERS x READER!

| parings: paige bueckers x reader

| synopsis: after watching paige lead uconn to a natty win, you’re stuck between pride and want. paige looks too good with that trophy, that net, and those whispers in your ear. back at the hotel, once the crowd fades, she shows you how she planned to finish it — just for you.

| warnings: smut / 18+ content, explicit sexual content, soft dom paige, making out, fingering (receiving + giving), suggestive dialogue, praise, slight alcohol mention, language

| word count: 2.6K

| author’s note: it’s my first story so be kind please! also request are open! comment if ya want <3

the arena in tampa was loud, but your heart was louder. there were less than two minutes left on the clock, and the game was already out of reach for south carolina. you were standing in the family section, surrounded by screams and chants and a blur of blue and white, but all you could see was paige.

geno had just called for a substitution. you watched as she walked off the court slowly, clear sweat glistening down her neck. he pulled her into a hug, and immediately you see her shoulder relax as she falls into them; all of her emotions hitting her at once. paige was never one to cry publicly, but it was more then just her winning the championship, it was the journey she went through to get here.

all those nights she sat in bed wondering if she’d ever win a championship. all of the injuries, every doubt, every headline that told her she couldn’t. watching her wrap her arms around geno, you felt like you were watching someone finally take a breath after drowning for years. you blinked back tears.

your girlfriend was about to win a national championship.

the buzzer hadn’t even sounded yet, but the victory was written all over her. in the way she walked, in the way she smiled. you thought as the clock ran out about the long conversations we had this season. late night phone calls while she was away for games about the pressure, she carried being “paige bueckers at uconn.” she didn’t just want this for the team. she needed this for herself.

the clock hit zero.

the crowd exploded. bodies flew off the bench, confetti rained down, and the team ran into each other’s arms, bringing kaitlyn down as they celebrated. you pushed your way down the seats onto the court, your chest aching with pride.

and then you saw her.

standing on the court with the trophy in her hand, jersey untucked, head tilted back laughing. her hair stuck to her skin in places, but she looked like something out of a dream. her hands gripped the base of the trophy so perfectly, you couldn’t help but stare. something about the way her fingers flexed around it, the strength in her arms did something to you.

and god did she look fucking good.

you knew you weren’t going to be able to go to her immediately, considering she was pulled away straight after to do an interview. while watching her do her interviews you saw that confident smirk on her face, that you had seen a million times before, but never like this. not as a champion.

finally, after what felt like forever, she made her way toward you. when she saw you, her whole face softened. like everything else melted away. she didn’t say anything at first, just pulled you into her arms and held you so tightly you could barely breathe. you buried your face into her shoulder, the smell of sweat, victory, and her cologne clouding my thoughts.

“thank you,” she whispered, voice thick with emotion. “for what?” you asked, already feeling tears build in your throat. “for everything,” she said, pulling back to look me in the eyes. “for believing in me when i didn’t believe in myself. for reminding me who the fuck i am.”

you cupped her face and kissed her forehead, slow and gentle. “you’ve always been one of the best players to play here uconn, paige. i just helped you see it.” her lip quirked up, eyes glinting with something darker now. “and now that i got this natty…”

her hand slipped down to your waist, fingers pressing into your hip. “i need you to let me show you how grateful i am. back at the hotel.” “yeah?” you said, already feeling her thumb trace slow circles against the fabric of your jersey.

“yeah,” she said, eyes low. “you look good in my jersey, cheering my name. i’ve been thinking about you all game.”

“baby, you had a whole championship to win,” you teased.

she leaned in, brushing her lips against your ear.“and now i want you in that hotel room. legs shaking. calling my name.”

you swallowed hard, heartbeat pounding. “okay,” you breathed, already imagining how the rest of the night would go.

✦ ✧ ✦

later that night, the hotel suite in tampa was packed with people — teammates, family, staff, everyone there to cerebrate the win. someone had connected a speaker to a playlist full of old r&b and early 2000s rap, and half the room was offbeat dancing while the other half hovered around the drinks and snacks. the net from the basketball hoop after their win around paige’s neck, that she hadn't taken it off since they cut it down.

you were standing next to ice while she was live on instagram in front of the ping pong table where paige and sarah were locked in a dramatic-ass showdown. paige’s eyes narrowed like this was another title game. ice ends the live shortly after, afraid that paige might say something crazy.

“she really actin’ like this is the wnba finals,” ice said, “girl losing 7–4.”

you laughed, eyes locked on paige, watching the way her shoulders flexed under that blue t-shirt, a lil damp from the humidity and her postgame champagne buzz. the shirt clung to her stomach, lifting slightly when she moved, flashing a sliver of toned abs. her hat was still backwards, and the net swung every time she lunged.

“and you still staring,” ice teased, nudging you.

“can you blame me?” you said. “she got a whole championship ring and still talking shit like she in gym class.”

“baby,” paige called across the table after failing to hit the ping pong, not even looking at you, “don’t listen to ice. i’m warming up, trust.”

“the score is literally , 9–4,” sarah laughed.

“nah you cheating and i’m about to sweep you,” paige snapped back, tongue poking out as she served again.

and somehow, she clawed her way back point by point. sarah slipped up just once and paige pounced, scoring the last shot with a yell. she pointed her paddle right at us. “see how i won? i’m like that.”

“you were down the whole game,” you said, grinning as she strutted over. “ but i still won” she leaned down and kissed you, palm pressed to your cheek. “it’s just what champions do.”

the net bumped against your chest as she kissed you again, a little slower this time. you felt her fingers grip just enough to make your breath catch.

“you feelin’ me right now?” she murmured, too quiet for anyone but you to hear.

“always.” you reply way too quickly for your liking, but you didn’t care. she looked at you through her lashes, smirked. “then let’s go. right now.”

✦ ✧ ✦

she was a little drunk — not sloppy, just loose, glowy, but by the time you got back to your hotel room, she’d sobered just enough. the door closed and the air immediately shifted.

“come here,” she said.

you walked toward her, and she wasted no time. she slid her hands and kissed you like she missed you, like she hadn’t just been with you all day, like the win wasn’t enough until she had you too

“you’re still wearing this stupid net,” you whispered as she backed me toward the bed.

“and i’m not takin’ it off,” she said against your mouth.

her lips trailed down your neck, fingers pulling at your waistband, tugging until your shorts were on the floor. she dropped to her knees, hands hooked around your thighs, and looked up with those bright, focused blue eyes like she was about to go into game.

“lay down,” she said, voice low, already pulling your underwear down. you could barely breathe, watching her kiss the inside of your thigh, then drag her tongue all the way up. she didn’t rush— just teased you, her tongue circling slow, mouth hot and steady until you were arching into her.

“paige please” you say and that’s all it took for her to give in.

her hands gripped your hips, while she continued to eat you out.

“fuck, paige. right there—”

“mmh baby,” she whispered, licking deeper. “let me take care of you.”

you were already so close, already being wet from looking at her earlier. she kept pressing her tongue faster and deeper in you.

“paige i’m gonna-“

“i know baby. cum for me.” she says as she fingers you deep.

“fuck paige.” you moan as her name falls out of my mouth

“just like that mama.” paige says with a smirk on her face.

when you finally relaxed, she crawled up your body, her shirt was still on, damp with sweat now. you pulled it over her head and dropped it somewhere behind you.

“your turn,” you breathed, kissing down her chest, tracing every freckle, every scar, every inch of her that you missed while she was too busy leading the team.

“yeah?, go ahead baby.” she said, her voice breathless, body already grinding into mine like she couldn’t help it. you take off her sweatpants and slid your hand between her legs, felt how wet she already was, and smiled.

“who did this to you hmm?” you say as you slip two fingers inside her slow. she gasped, eyes fluttering.

“you already know who did baby.”

“do i?,” you teased.

“stop teasing me mama,” she moaned, hips meeting your hand.

you added more pressure to her clit, as you curled your fingers in her. you kissed down her stomach until it reached her pussy, already wet waiting for you. you eat her out as she tangles her fingers in your hair, her thighs shaking around you.

“fuck baby just like that” moans spilling like praise. you kept going as you started to play with her boobs.

“don’t stop,” she said, almost whining.

you didn’t. you kept flicking and sucking your tongue, while letting her grind against your face until she came hard, clutching the sheets.

“fuck baby. my god.”

she pulled you up after, wrapped you in her arms, you guys legs tangled, the net still brushing against your skin.

we stayed there for a while, breathing together, quiet and warm.

“you’re my everything,” she whispered.

“so are you,” you said, kissing her forehead.

outside, tampa buzzed. inside, she was yours.

[hope-for-the-planet]

Indonesia Plans to Retire All Coal Plants Within 15 Years

Read Bloomberg article here

From the article:

Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto said the government plans to retire all the nation’s coal power plants within 15 years to help stem global warming. The country will also retire all other fossil fuel plants and add more than 75 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity over the same time frame, Prabowo said during the G-20 Summit in Brazil, according to a video statement on Wednesday. He also said Indonesia was optimistic it could achieve net zero emissions before 2050, a decade earlier than its existing target.

[the-scientist-blog]

President Trump’s relationship with climate change policy has been highly controversial and has drawn a significant amount of attention from politicians, environmentalists, and global leaders. While it is true that Trump has been a vocal skeptic of climate change science and has historically supported policies that many believe undermine global climate efforts, the assertion that he would "stop" the progress on climate change entirely is more complicated. There are several factors to consider that illustrate why it is unlikely that Donald Trump will be able to halt the progress on climate change entirely, even with policies that prioritize fossil fuel industries, deregulation, and skepticism towards international climate accords.

1. Global Movements and Public Opinion

One of the primary forces that will prevent Trump from halting climate progress is the widespread global movement in other nations in favor of addressing climate change. Over the past few decades, public awareness and concern over environmental degradation, the rise of extreme weather events, and the growing scientific consensus on climate change have catalyzed action at various levels. Even during Trump's tenure as president, the shift towards climate activism grew, with international agreements such as the Paris Agreement, corporate initiatives, and grassroots environmental movements gaining momentum.

Public opinion, especially in democracies, plays a significant role in shaping policy. In the United States, the majority of Americans support climate action, including a strong preference for clean energy and renewable resources. Despite Trump’s rhetoric, various cities, states, and businesses in the U.S. have continued to prioritize climate goals. For instance, states like California have implemented ambitious climate policies, such as transitioning to 100% renewable energy by 2045. Furthermore, a growing number of corporations have pledged to achieve net-zero emissions. The private sector’s movement towards sustainability, driven by consumer demand, investor pressure, and increasing environmental risks, represents a substantial force for climate action that extends beyond the federal government.

Even if Trump were to reverse or dismantle federal climate policies, the local and private sector commitments would likely remain largely unaffected. These bottom-up efforts represent a powerful counterbalance to federal inaction and are likely to continue advancing the fight against climate change regardless of the administration in power.

2. Economic Shift Toward Clean Energy

While Trump has been a staunch advocate for coal, oil, and gas, the global economic shift toward renewable energy is undeniable. The cost of renewable technologies, such as solar and wind power, has drastically decreased over the last decade. This economic shift makes clean energy an increasingly competitive and attractive option for both developed and developing countries. By 2025, it is estimated that the cost of solar energy will continue to fall, making it even more affordable and mainstream.

The renewable energy sector has seen significant growth in its employment. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), more than 11 million people worldwide were employed in the renewable energy industry by 2021, a figure that is expected to continue rising as nations transition away from fossil fuels. The growth of renewable energy markets is increasingly detached from political agendas, driven by technological innovation and economic pragmatism. Regardless of Trump’s policies, these forces are already in motion and will likely continue to expand, creating jobs, boosting economies, and driving global progress on climate change.

Additionally, as the consequences of climate change, such as extreme weather events, wildfires, and rising sea levels, continue to threaten communities and industries, the push for sustainable infrastructure and resilient urban planning grows. The cost of inaction will continue to drive investments in climate adaptation and mitigation technologies, further fueling the global transition to cleaner energy systems.

3. International Cooperation and Climate Diplomacy

Even during Trump’s presidency, when the United States withdrew from the Paris Agreement in 2017, international cooperation on climate change continued unabated. While the U.S. decision to exit the accord was a blow, it did not signal the end of global climate diplomacy. Many world leaders and climate organizations pushed forward with ambitious plans for carbon reduction, renewable energy investments, and international collaboration. The European Union, China, and India, as well as other nations, have made strides in combating climate change through national policies and international agreements.

Trump’s reluctance to engage with the Paris Agreement, as well as his opposition to climate-focused international cooperation, did not isolate the U.S. from the global conversation on climate change. The U.S. remained a key player in many climate-related issues at the local, corporate, and state levels, even if the federal government under Trump was less cooperative.

4. Technological Innovation and Climate Solutions

The energy sector, which has traditionally relied on fossil fuels, is undergoing a profound transformation. Advances in battery technology, electric vehicles, and green hydrogen are already making renewable energy more feasible for widespread use. As technology continues to develop, renewable energy solutions will become more efficient, less expensive, and more scalable.

Furthermore, the global push for climate action will continue to stimulate innovation. Even if Trump were to curtail government funding for green technology, private investment in clean energy and sustainability is projected to increase. Major companies are making significant strides to reduce their carbon footprints, from Google’s goal of running on 100% renewable energy to Tesla’s push for mass adoption of electric vehicles. Corporate pressure and consumer demand will continue to drive innovation and reduce reliance on fossil fuels, limiting the potential for any one individual, including Trump, to stop the progress on climate change.

5. The Resilience of Local and State-Level Action

Despite the Trump administration’s rollback of federal climate policies, local and state governments in the U.S. have continued to push forward with their climate initiatives. States like California, New York, and Washington have continued to prioritize climate action, passing laws that mandate emission reductions, promote renewable energy development, and require climate adaptation strategies.

This decentralized approach to climate action ensures that the United States remains a significant actor in the global effort to combat climate change. Even if Trump were to reintroduce policies that weaken federal regulations, states and cities would likely continue their push for climate policies in line with the global scientific consensus. This “bottom-up” approach is a vital counterbalance to the federal government’s actions and is indicative of a broader commitment to addressing climate change that transcends individual political figures.

Read the Conclusion at https://www.thescientistblog.com/blog/you-cant-stop-destiny

[centrally-unplanned]

The trick on the whole "Israel banning UNRWA" thing is that most militaries - like say the US in Afghanistan for example - directly provision aid. American soldiers would often be handing out food packages themselves, and even if they weren't the aid organizations would be directly contracting with the US government and the Department of Defense. You have a group in the military and the government that is like, okay, how do we feed people, let's hit those targets.

So if Congress decided to ban the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan in 2006 from operating in the country or whatever, that bill would say like "we hand over its mission to USAID, which has been allocated $2.1 billion dollars in FY-2005 to do X Y Z". It would probably be a dumb move that would create unnecessary friction and cost lives for political bullshit, but that is also life, people dying for political bullshit is a universal constant. It would probably be pretty small bore in the scale of things, like switching over contractors.

That isn't how Israel does things. I might be wrong about this, Israel is deliberately opaque about these things and I just gave this the ol' half hour of googling, I am open to being contradicted here. But my current understanding of net spending by the government of Israel itself on aid to Gaza is...$0. They do not provide aid. They permit aid from other organizations, funded by other countries, to be provided! But they don't take responsibility for the provision; meeting targets, outcomes, etc, none of that is their job. (I am sure it isn't literally zero btw, but I think you get my point)

It is really telling that when you look up pro-Israel statements by say AIPAC on aid, their headlines are:

Israel Facilitates Humanitarian Aid to Gaza as Hamas Continues to Attack

And they criticize the UN because the UN trucks aren't being delivered:

The United Nations and other international agencies are largely responsible for the existing delays in aid deliveries into Gaza. The U.N. has not been able to distribute aid at the rate that Israel is processing it, causing back-ups at the border crossings after Israeli inspections are completed. On March 3, the U.N. received 234 trucks in Gaza but only distributed 131 trucks of aid to civilians in the enclave.

If this was the US military, and the UN was getting aid trucks and failing to send them, we would send more of our own trucks? That we have? Because aid is part of the military operation. But Israel doesn't do that - because it doesn't have any trucks. Because aid isn't part of the military operation.

Which is why the bill banning UNRWA that is being passed does not mention aid provision to Gaza:

The international community has raised alarm over the legislation, which was passed without a plan in place for a humanitarian agency to replace UNRWA.

Again going off news sources here, link for the actual bill is currently down, if I am wrong will correct here, but I think it all tracks. So in the article above, you get statements from the government when people ask about aid, they reply, oh yeah these other aid organizations will fill the gap.

Then you ask the aid organizations themselves and they go, no, we won't fill the gap! We don't have the resources to do that! Which is logical when you realize Israel isn't funding those orgs. They don't know or care about their funding status. Hopefully someone else will figure that out - aid is someone else's problem. Those government remarks are just off the cuff, they aren't a plan.

Which I want to loop back around to the casus belli for the ban - UNRWA having ties to Hamas. That, to me, is one of those "uh duh, and?" things - Hamas is the government of Gaza. UNRWA runs schools there? And medical clinics? You think they do that...without contact with the government? This is just silly, the UN Mission in Afghanistan obviously had connections to the US Government! Government officials, working in both, par for the course.

But, and this is far more important, it is irrelevant. I completely agree that UNRWA has many people who are sympathetic to Hamas in it, because obviously they do. You want to ban it, dumb but okay. You propose a bill outlining the $2 billion dollars and the 5 partnered aid organizations and the 400 IDF trucks that will deliver aid to replace their work, sure. Whatever man, do your small bore politics bullshit.

That is not what they are doing.

Now, Israel has in fact allowed a bunch of aid in Gaza, I don't doubt that like USAID and the non-profit community and the governments of the UK and Japan and so on are gonna pivot funding to a bunch of organizations that will do herculean work stepping up operations and interfacing with the IDF checkpoint system and get aid in. Maybe they will do such a bang-up job that the cost in suffering won't be that high. Israel did give 3 months after all, they aren't the literal worst they could be.

But I do think at a certain point, the line between indifference and malice just ceases to matter. The UNRWA bill isn't some breaking point or big policy shift - it is just a highly revealing moment in the Israeli approach, why the war there has gone the way that it has. And it is, as the kids say, not a good look.

(h/t @loving-n0t-heyting as this was initially a reblog of their post, but they mentioned getting drama in the notes so I split it off; sorry to deny you the precious +1 internet point)

[apas-95]

re your previous ask saying China is socialist... what about wealth inequality, that China famously has a lot of? What about private property, which has not been abolished? Shouldn't that be taken into account when deciding whether a country is socialist?... or no?

I am not trying to attack you or anything, just trying to understand.

I feel like these points are already covered in the post - again, socialism is the transitional stage between capitalism and communism, wherein classes and the state still exist. It would be a bit silly to take 'the existence of private property' as the arbiter of whether a country is socialist or not, given that, again, the defining feature of socialism as compared to communism is the continued existence of the capitalist class (and private property thereby).

Firstly, wealth inequality itself wouldn't somehow make China not socialist. Again, socialism is the stage of society defined by the proletariat holding state power. The existence of wealth inequality doesn't disprove that the proletariat hold state power. Secondly - 'famously' why? Urban wealth equality in China is a fairly nuanced topic, and one of the main contradictions that drives growth within the paradigm of Reform and Opening Up ('either some people get rich first, or nobody gets rich at all'), but also - one that is massively exaggerated and propagandised by the imperialist nations. Why is the very much non-extreme level of wealth inequality within China 'famous' to you - who made it famous? China installed more solar power last year alone than the US's entire solar power capacity, and has reached peak greenhouse emissions ahead of schedule on the way to net-zero - but I'd wager China is also 'famously' polluting as well!

These are basically restating the two main points of the post: China, a socialist state, is admonished for not immediately skipping over socialism to communism; and commonsense perception of China is massively skewed by the billions of dollars poured by the US directly into propaganda campaigns against it. If you're interested in understanding these questions, I'd suggest reading Marxist theory, such as 'Dialectical and Historical Materialism', 'Socialism Utopian and Scientific', 'The Tax in Kind', etc etc.

[cobrakaisb]

get'cha head in the game

summary: you’re a star basketball player, destined for a life of greatness outside of the walls of camp half-blood, but the only thing you want is confined to cabin eleven. 

word count: 2.95k

featuring: nike!reader, mention women’s basketball players, talk of college recruitment, me being a proud member of uconn nation 🤝 , and fluff

🎵 get’cha head in the game by zac efron

fake right, and break left

“it can’t be that hard,” travis gloats, standing in front of you as you dribble the ball between your legs casually. 

you shrug. “play me and find out,” you reply, throwing up a perfect three pointer. 

“i just mean that you spend all summer being a demigod, your skills have to be a little rusty,” he exclaims, throwing up a hand too late as the ball has already swished through the net. 

connor, his younger and just as sassy brother, grabs the rebound and bounces it to travis, saying, “that’s true. you’re here, picking strawberries and flirting with luke.” 

your cheeks flush at his comment, and there are several laughs from your friend group. you risk a glance at the head counselor, who’s sitting with clarisse, silena, chris, and charlie on the sidelines. his shoulders are shaking with laughter, but his cheeks are just tinted a bit red from the teasing. although, there really is no need for it; there’s nothing more than a flirtationship and occasional make out between you two. 

“but i could still beat you,” you say, effortlessly stealing the ball from travis and sinking the layup. 

“that’s what, five to zero, not that we’re keeping score,” you add tauntingly. 

“settle down nike, you haven’t seen nothing yet,” travis says, and your friends ooh at his words. 

“okay fine. first to twenty one wins. and to make it fair, we’ll play loser’s ball,” you say, passing the ball to him as you take a defensive stance. 

travis scoffs at your words, opening his mouth to protest, but luke cuts him off, “just take the deal trav, she’s saving you from further embarrassment.” 

you smirk at your friend’s words, pulling your basketball shorts up your thighs as you crouch down and get in travis’s face. he gulps, a nervous sweat breaking out on his forehead, but doesn’t say anything as he tries to formulate a plan. you watch his eyes dart around the court, and know exactly what he’s going to do. it’s almost too easy. 

one. two. you count the dribbles before you swipe the ball from his hands. you take it outside the three-point line, per the rules, and take the shot. 

grabbing the rebound, you hand it to him, “like i said, loser’s ball.” 

don’t be afraid to shoot the outside j

“one of these days the harpies are going to get you,” luke says, making his presence known. 

you turn away from the basket, smiling softly at him as the ball soars through the air and into the net. he’s in his pajama pants and a black hoodie that’s a little too small on him. 

“i can’t help it,” you explain, holding the ball between your palms at the free throw line. 

luke sighs. he can’t imagine the pressure to be great. “what drill are you running?” he asks, stepping beside you.

you smile. “make ten free throws, in a row. then i’ll hit the elbows, and after that three’s,” you explain, dribbling the ball three times before shooting. 

you don’t miss. he doesn’t expect you to.

“well how many have you made?” he asks. 

“twelve. but you watching always makes me nervous,” you say, trailing off towards the end. 

his eyebrows furrow at your words. you’ve always been vulnerable with him, but that usually takes coaxing. this was an easy admittance; it makes him nervous. 

“why?” 

“don’t know. i always want to play good for you, for all of you guys i guess,” you say with a shrug. 

luke crosses his arms at that, a serious look taking over his face as he observes you. he’s trying to process what you’re saying, read in between the lines. you’re sure of it, the small furrow in his brow giving him away. you go back to your shooting drills, his gaze burning deep into your skin is too much for you. 

“you always play good though. and i know that because the apollo and ares boys talk about how teamed up they still can’t beat you,” luke says. 

you flush at his words. you’d hoped he didn’t know about your games with them: you versus two boys. it made you feel superior to them, all the campers here, and you felt guilty for it. you’d never been on a quest, and you never would. your mother wasn’t one of the twelve olympians, so you didn’t even have a cabin to call your own, just a bunk in the middle of the hermes cabin. at the same time, she hadn’t given you a special gift or anything noteworthy, just her competitive spirit. something which you’re sure was passed down to you and your siblings, not that you had many. 

“i’m not supposed to be a star here, luke. the whole reason i came to camp was to get a some sense of normalcy, and i can’t even do that right,” you mumble. 

he grabs the ball from your hands then, forcing you to look at him. “nothing about you is normal. neither your parentage nor basketball skills. and especially not your fancy sports school, but we don’t hold it against you. we all have our quirks,” he says, a lopsided smile on his face, one you easily reciprocate. 

“yeah i guess you're right.”

“i know i am, nike,” he answers, surprising you with a kiss on the corner of your mouth. “let’s head back,” he continues, lacing your fingers with his, giving you no other option but to follow. 

cause when we get it then the crowd will go wild

“and you got more mail today,” your dad says over the iris message, “something from the coach at princeton and one from quinnipiac.” 

you nod your head, humming softly to show that you heard what he was saying. 

“i think you should come home, sport,” he adds, and your eyes widen at his words. 

the protests are on the tip of your tongue, but he beats you to it, “i know. i know, but this is your future we’re talking about. i mean, some of these coaches are inviting you to a practice and a meeting.” 

you understand what he’s saying, really you do. the opportunities coming your way are endless, but how can you give up summer when it just started? this year is your senior year, and once you commit, you know there will be no more summers at camp half-blood. you’ll be giving up frolicking in the strawberry fields with katie gardner and sneaking out to bonfires with clarisse and silena. next summer, there won’t be pick up games with travis or training in the late hours of the night while luke grabs the rebounds. 

“can’t i just have one month?” you beg, finally meeting your dad’s eyes. 

he hesitates, you can see that he’s leaning towards no, but you interject, “please dad. it’s my last summer here. we all know it.” 

he sighs, mumbling something about sending emails, but replies, “one month. i’m coming to get you right after the fourth, no ifs ands or buts. got it?” 

you nod excitedly, smiling as you wipe at your cheeks, which you didn’t even notice were damp. “thanks dad,” you whisper. 

he smiles, nodding his head, “you got it.” 

the two of you sit in silence for a minute, and as you move to disconnect the message he says, “i’m proud of you, sport, always have been.” 

you smile again, shyly this time after hearing your dad’s praise. “thanks dad. love you.” 

“love you too,” he answers, before swiping his hand through the mist and ending the call. 

you take a breath, shoulders dropping with relief. you have one month left of summer before it’s back to the grind, and you know exactly what you need to do; who you need to talk to. turning on your heel to leave the cabin, you collide with somebody. looking up at them, you realize that it’s luke, and the apologies die on your tongue when you notice the far away look in his eyes. 

“hey. you okay?” you ask, giving his biceps a squeeze. 

he swallows, meeting your eyes as he asks, “you’re leaving in a month? i thought we had the whole summer?”

you bite on your bottom lip, regret pooling in your stomach as you answer, “yeah. a lot of colleges want me to play for them, so i need to go talk to some coaches.”

his eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and he steps away from you. you frown, reaching out for him, but he holds up a hand, effectively warding you off. the distance between you two makes you uncomfortable, and you gnaw at your lip as you wait for him to gather his thoughts. 

“how many schools?” he asks. 

“what?” 

“how many schools are looking for you?” he says, stepping closer to you again. 

the question is unexpected, and throws you off balance for a second. “oh. um a lot. there’s a ton of them,” you say. 

“like?” he probes, waving a hand for you to continue. 

“well, there’s usc, but they have juju watkins so i don’t think i’m really needed there. uconn, with paige bueckers and azzi fudd, plus they’re looking into sarah strong so i don’t know how much time i’ll get there either. kim mulkey from lsu and dawn staley from south carolina have both reached out. princeton’s given me an offer, and so has michigan, but i don’t really know about those two. some smaller schools too, like quinnipiac and uri want me to play with them. i think fau and a couple massachusetts schools have reached out too, but everything is still really up in the air,” you ramble, feeling nervous explaining it all to luke. 

“geez nike, those are a lot of schools,” he says with a proud smile on his face. 

you smile back, “don’t i know it.” 

it’s quiet between the two of you, and he finally opens his arms. you walk right into him, burying your face in the crook of his neck where it smells like sweat, pine needles, and irish spring soap. you’re a bit more relaxed now, the threat of leaving camp for good pushed back in your mind. then again, being luke’s arms always relaxes you. 

“i can’t wait to get a uconn jersey,” he whispers, wrapping his arm around your shoulder as he guides you out of the cabin. 

you raise a brow at that, “who said i’m going there?”

he gives you a look that reads ‘seriously’ and replies, “the best of the best go there, nike. and you’re clearly one of best.” 

you laugh at his words, throwing a playful elbow at his ribs, but he just pulls you closer, kissing the top of your head. you lean into him, wrapping an arm around his waist as the two of you walk through camp, searching for your friends.     

should i go for it? better shake this, yikes!

“i can’t believe you’re leaving tomorrow,” silena pouts, looking at you over the rim of her cup. 

“i know! i feel like summer is just getting started,” you reply, smoothing out your beach towel as you take a seat next to her and clarisse. 

“maybe you’ll have a weekend off to come back and visit,” clarisse says, and silena nods her head excitedly. 

you know the odds of that happening are doubtful, but you nod and reply, “yeah maybe.” 

the mood turns somber then, and the three of you sit in silence. nobody knows what to say as you wait for the fireworks to start. 

“you know what, we can’t be sad. it’s your last night, and we need to come up with a plan for you to confess to luke,” silena exclaims, a determined look in her eyes. 

you freeze mid-sip, and cough up the liquid. “what?” 

“oh don’t play dumb, we all know you have feelings for him,” she continues, waving her hand casually. 

“i don’t. he’s just a friend,” you reply a little too quickly. 

“you, you got what i need,” clarisse starts singing teasingly. 

“but you say he’s just a friend,” silena continues. 

“you say he’s just a friend. oh baby you,” they shout, singing together. 

you can’t help but laugh at their antics, shoving silena’s shoulder as they quiet down into a fit of giggles. once you all calm down, silena takes charge again, “but seriously, you need to tell him how you feel.”

you shake your head, but clarisse interrupts, “this could be your last chance.” 

you sigh. she’s completely right. the chances of you coming back to camp after tomorrow are slim to none. and while you may have convinced yourself you're okay with never knowing how a relationship between you and luke would go, there will always be a small part of you that regrets not saying anything. 

“even if he rejects you, you’re leaving tomorrow, so it doesn’t really matter,” clarisse adds, and silena slaps her shoulder. 

“i mean…not that he would,” the daughter of ares stutters, but you wave her off. 

“you guys are right. i’m gonna tell him,” you decide, downing the rest of your drink as you stand up from your spot on the beach. 

silena claps excitedly and clarisse gives you a big thumbs up as you walk towards the shoreline, where some of the boys are playing a game of football. you don’t even need to call out to him, he sees you coming and excuses himself from the game. his cheeks are flushed and he’s panting a bit as he approaches you, pulling you into a quick hug. 

“you good?” he asks, giving you a once over. 

“yeah just…can we talk?” you reply, a hint of uncertainty in your voice. 

he nods, a worried look crossing his features, “yeah of course. let’s go to the woods.” 

you let him lead you to the woods with a firm hold on your hand. the entire time, you’re shaking with nerves, which is strange since you’ve never felt this nervous in your life. even the biggest basketball game can’t compare to this. he stops in a secluded ring of trees, dropping your hand as he stands in front of you. your palms are so sweaty, you realize, and try to discreetly wipe them on your denim shorts. 

“you good? you look like you’re gonna be sick,” he says. 

“i feel like i’m gonna be sick,” you mumble, and he tilts his head in confusion. 

before he can say anything, you open your mouth and the word vomit starts. you’re not really sure what you’re saying, but it’s something about your feelings for him and how you need him to know before you leave tomorrow. when you stop, and take a few shaky breaths, you finally meet his gaze. there’s a softness in his eyes, as he cups your jaw and pulls you close to him. 

“gods, nike, i’ve been waiting to hear that since forever,” he whispers, before planting his lips on yours. 

you melt into the kiss, arms wrapping around his shoulders to pull him closer. he agrees, wrapping an arm around your waist to pull you flush against his chest as his teeth nip at your bottom lip, begging for entrance. you comply, parting your lips slightly as you let him in. he pulls back, takes a second to breath, before leaving sloppy kisses on your neck. your fingers tug on his hair, and you arch your back further into him. 

“gods luke,” you say breathlessly. 

“we can’t all be good at sports, but i know enough to understand you miss one hundred percent of the shots you don’t take,” he teases, kissing your chin as you laugh at his words. 

“you know who said that?” you ask between laughs.

“yeah, micheal scott,” he answers, and you burst into laughter all over again.  

“i’ll miss you, nike,” he whispers, once you’ve both calmed down. 

“i’ll miss you too, luke,” you reply. 

you gotta get’cha, get’cha head in the game

a year and a half later

“okay everybody shut up! they’re going by grade,” someone shouts, and the crowd of demigods quiets down as they sit in front of the screen. 

nobody can remember how they got it, but someone convinced chiron and mr. d to let them set up a screen and projector to watch uconn basketball’s first night. connor and travis claim to have found the items buried away in the big house’s attic, and while chiron would normally question the truth behind that statement, the excitement of your basketball debut outweighed the repercussions. especially when charlie and the other hephaestus kids found a way to get access to connecticut’s local news station, in long island.  

“i bet she’s next,” someone shouts, and everyone listens patiently to the music and the voice of the announcer. 

“a five-ten freshman guard from long island, new york,” the announcer starts, and everyone starts screaming and cheering, “number eleven, yn ln.” 

luke isn’t sure where the cheers are louder, camp half-blood or gampel pavilion, but he smiles nonetheless as he sees you skip out of the tunnel to the song from high school musical. he watches as you look at the camera, pointing between your eyes and the lens before blowing a kiss. chris shoves him gently, and luke feels himself blushing. 

“why’d she pick number eleven anyways?” one of the younger campers asks. 

“for luke, obviously,” another replies, and everyone turns to look at his uconn jersey with an ‘11’ printed on it.  

[wileycap]

THE TORCH (Headlines from the end of the Hundred Year War, as collected by the Royal Museum and the Military Historical Society)

The Torch was a newspaper founded in year four of Fire Lord Azulon's reign and shut down in year 16 of Fire Lord Zuko's reign. It had two purposes: to act as a mouthpiece of the current regime and to provide sensationalist entertainment. Due to the oft-conflicting nature of these dual purposes, examining the Torch can provide insight into Fire Nation society during the War and the spread of information within it. The Torch was occasionally permitted to gently criticize the government, leading scholars to believe that its true purpose was to alleviate public tensions and moderate criticism of the War.

Barbarians Destroy Grand Fleet At North Pole: Unnatural Powers Used, Fire Lord Ozai Vows To Protect Nation

Obituary For Admiral Zhao: "Not well-liked or particularly competent, but still mourned by 5-12 people in the nation"

Air Nomad Terrorist Sighted In The Earth Kingdom: "Possibility of Earth terrorism in the homeland", Cautions Top Official

Air Nomad Terrorist 'Oung' Sighted In A Swamp: Possible Drug Use?

Air Nomad Terrorist Kidnaps The Daughter Of EK Noble Beifong Amidst Rising Cries To Submit To The Fire Nation- "Helpless and blind"

Giant Drill Launched, Destroyed In The EK - Expert: "Definitely the best way to spend the equivalent of three years' GDP. All hail Fire Lord Ozai."

War Minister Caught In "Peace Conspiracy": Fired (Note: A correction was later printed, clarifying that the minister was burned to death.)

VICTORY! Fire Nation Covert Forces Capture Ba Sing Se, Led By Princess Azula

Disgraced Prince Spotted In Tender Moments With EK Sweetheart - "A travesty"

JUSTICE! Air Nomad Terrorist Uang Killed

Prince Zuko And Princess Azula Return To The Homeland

Prince Zuko Confirmed As Crown Prince: "Now that his official mission to strike out at our enemies is complete, the Prince will resume his duties"

The Most Eligible Bachelor? Prince Zuko Is Still Without Bethrotal

Royal Etiquette Trainer Slams Top Bachelorette Princess Azula: "Time to find a suitable match"

Renowned War Hero Princess Azula Has No Plans To Marry, And That's Okay

Former Etiquette Trainer Imprisoned For Defaming The Royal Family

East Coast School Life Disturbed By Cave Dancing

Fire Nation Factory Relocated In A Planned Way Without Any Explosions, Officials Report: "There are no river spirits in the Fire Nation"

Vicious Teen Arrested For Scamming, Destroys Part Of Peaceful Town: "This is why truancy laws are necessary"

Prince Zuko, Princess Azula Spotted Relaxing At The Beach: Six Injured, Luxury Mansion Destroyed

Spooky! Old Woman Keeps People Prisoner Under A Mountain

Two Ministers Jailed For Spreading Lies: "Prince Zuko was never banished and to claim that he was is a crime", Says Palace Spokesperson

Airship Fleet Unveiled, Thwarts Barbarian Incursion

Traitorous Former Prince Zuko, Who Was Banished For Three Years, Abandons His Nation

Front Falls Off Of Airship: "Highly unusual, I'd like to make that point"

Concerns Raised Over Fire Nation Engineer Uniforms: "Revealing and chafes my nipples"

Are Ancient Civilizations Still Here? "No", Says Expert

Escape At Boiling Rock! Two Prisoners Freed, Two Traitors Captured: "Really, the result is a net zero, if you think about it" (Note: No corrections were issued, despite a factual error in the number of escaped prisoners.)

Decorated Veteran Harrassed By Teen Girl, Own Mother

Hilarious! Ember Island Players Debut New Comedy

Fire Lord Zuko Ascends The Throne, Promises Era Of Peace

6 Reasons Why Fire Lord Ozai Is The Most Successful Ruler In History

Sozin's Comet Approaches, Officials Caution Against Firebending In Public

Four Things You Need To Do During Sozin's Comet To Ensure Prosperity For Your Family

Phoenix King Ozai Launches Surprise "Final Strike"

Ozai Of The Fire Nation Held For Crimes Against Humanity

Avatar Aang Brokers Truce

Is Fire Lord Zuko Still Single? Speculations Erupt

[charmac]

Fuck it we have net zero information (ok.. we have a LITTLE to work off of..) but vote NOW:

Context.

[reasonsforhope]

The World's Forests Are Doing Much Better Than We Think

You might be surprised to discover... that many of the world’s woodlands are in a surprisingly good condition. The destruction of tropical forests gets so much (justified) attention that we’re at risk of missing how much progress we’re making in cooler climates.

That’s a mistake. The slow recovery of temperate and polar forests won’t be enough to offset global warming, without radical reductions in carbon emissions. Even so, it’s evidence that we’re capable of reversing the damage from the oldest form of human-induced climate change — and can do the same again.

Take England. Forest coverage now is greater than at any time since the Black Death nearly 700 years ago, with some 1.33 million hectares of the country covered in woodlands. The UK as a whole has nearly three times as much forest as it did at the start of the 20th century.

That’s not by a long way the most impressive performance. China’s forests have increased by about 607,000 square kilometers since 1992, a region the size of Ukraine. The European Union has added an area equivalent to Cambodia to its woodlands, while the US and India have together planted forests that would cover Bangladesh in an unbroken canopy of leaves.

Logging in the tropics means that the world as a whole is still losing trees. Brazil alone removed enough woodland since 1992 to counteract all the growth in China, the EU and US put together. Even so, the planet’s forests as a whole may no longer be contributing to the warming of the planet. On net, they probably sucked about 200 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere each year between 2011 and 2020, according to a 2021 study. The CO2 taken up by trees narrowly exceeded the amount released by deforestation. That’s a drop in the ocean next to the 53.8 billion tons of greenhouse gases emitted in 2022 — but it’s a sign that not every climate indicator is pointing toward doom...

More than a quarter of Japan is covered with planted forests that in many cases are so old they’re barely recognized as such. Forest cover reached its lowest extent during World War II, when trees were felled by the million to provide fuel for a resource-poor nation’s war machine. Akita prefecture in the north of Honshu island was so denuded in the early 19th century that it needed to import firewood. These days, its lush woodlands are a major draw for tourists.

It’s a similar picture in Scandinavia and Central Europe, where the spread of forests onto unproductive agricultural land, combined with the decline of wood-based industries and better management of remaining stands, has resulted in extensive regrowth since the mid-20th century. Forests cover about 15% of Denmark, compared to 2% to 3% at the start of the 19th century.

Even tropical deforestation has slowed drastically since the 1990s, possibly because the rise of plantation timber is cutting the need to clear primary forests. Still, political incentives to turn a blind eye to logging, combined with historically high prices for products grown and mined on cleared tropical woodlands such as soybeans, palm oil and nickel, mean that recent gains are fragile.

There’s no cause for complacency in any of this. The carbon benefits from forests aren’t sufficient to offset more than a sliver of our greenhouse pollution. The idea that they’ll be sufficient to cancel out gross emissions and get the world to net zero by the middle of this century depends on extraordinarily optimistic assumptions on both sides of the equation.

Still, we should celebrate our success in slowing a pattern of human deforestation that’s been going on for nearly 100,000 years. Nothing about the damage we do to our planet is inevitable. With effort, it may even be reversible.

-via Bloomburg, January 28, 2024