[GWSG] Renewable investment; cheaper than gas; cutting subsidies; nuclear waste; losing the files; coastal friction; penguins' advice

[Tilley, Al]

1. The European Investment Bank, the world’s largest multilateral funding source, proposes to cease supporting projects involving fossil fuels by the end of next year and is establishing a program for renewable energy projects.  https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jul/26/eib-plans-to-cut-all-funding-for-fossil-fuel-projects-by-2020
[https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/584895bf6d01a8e9930268c6d9e761288154d0c9/0_164_5568_3341/master/5568.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctZGVmYXVsdC5wbmc&enable=upscale&s=7bb63e23c6aa05b59b781150b126e235]<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jul/26/eib-plans-to-cut-all-funding-for-fossil-fuel-projects-by-2020>
EIB plans to cut all funding for fossil fuel projects by 2020 | Environment | The Guardian<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jul/26/eib-plans-to-cut-all-funding-for-fossil-fuel-projects-by-2020>
www.theguardian.com
The European Investment Bank has vowed to end its multibillion euro financing for fossil fuel projects by the end of next year in order to align its strategy with climate targets.


2. Glendale, CA, dropped plans for a $500 million gas peaker plant for a portfolio of batteries and clean energy projects which will save the city $125 million. https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/glendale-drops-gas-peaker-in-favor-of-clean-and-distributed-portfolio?utm_medium=email&utm_source=Daily&utm_campaign=GTMDaily#gs.t8yoed
[https://www.greentechmedia.com/assets/content/cache/made/assets/content/cache/remote/https_assets.greentechmedia.com/content/images/articles/Glendale_California_San_Gabriel_Mountains_XL_500_333_80.jpg]<https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/glendale-drops-gas-peaker-in-favor-of-clean-and-distributed-portfolio?utm_medium=email&utm_source=Daily&utm_campaign=GTMDaily#gs.t8yoed>
Another California City Drops Gas Peaker in Favor of Clean Portfolio | Greentech Media<https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/glendale-drops-gas-peaker-in-favor-of-clean-and-distributed-portfolio?utm_medium=email&utm_source=Daily&utm_campaign=GTMDaily#gs.t8yoed>
www.greentechmedia.com
The Southern California city of Glendale officially dropped a $500 million gas peaker project that it nearly approved last spring, and instead picked up the mantle of clean energy leadership.


3. Switching just 10-30% of the subsidies for fossil fuels to renewables would fund a quick energy transition and cut greenhouse gas emissions by about a quarter. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/aug/01/fossil-fuel-subsidy-cash-pay-green-energy-transition
[https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/beb94d1d77c573311124160ec4987b78e79fa127/0_344_5216_3128/master/5216.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctZGVmYXVsdC5wbmc&enable=upscale&s=be5373c7d3a5965fb95554593d4919f9]<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/aug/01/fossil-fuel-subsidy-cash-pay-green-energy-transition>
Just 10% of fossil fuel subsidy cash 'could pay for green transition' | Environment | The Guardian<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/aug/01/fossil-fuel-subsidy-cash-pay-green-energy-transition>
www.theguardian.com
Extinction Rebellion environmental activists in Leeds last month. Ending fossil fuel subsidies has long been seen as vital in tackling the climate emergency. Photograph: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images ...


4. The US and 13 other Western countries have about 29,000 cubic yards of high-level nuclear waste, 600,000 cubic yards of intermediate waste, and 4.6 million cubic yards of low-level waste in storage. None of that storage is adequate to keep the waste from our environment.  https://ensia.com/features/radioactive-nuclear-waste-disposal/
[https://www.bing.com/th?id=OVF.1SRbW4yYV5FwI9JRl7Mzfw&pid=Api]<https://ensia.com/features/radioactive-nuclear-waste-disposal/>
Nuclear power offers an abundant supply of low-carbon energy. But what to do with the deadly radioactive waste?<https://ensia.com/features/radioactive-nuclear-waste-disposal/>
ensia.com
Ensia is a solutions-focused nonprofit media outlet reporting on our changing planet. Published by the Institute on the Environment.


5.  The $7 billion spent to clean up Denver’s Rocky Flats plutonium facility may have been inadequate. Since the files on the site have been lost, we do not know.
https://www.ecowatch.com/nuclear-arms-plant-files-missing-2639561239.html?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1
The Chernobyl mausoleum is at least obvious (though it will protect us from the waste for only a century). It is harder to detect danger in the rotting canisters at Hanford WA, in the plutonium plume making its way underground to the Ohio River at Paducah KY, and in many further remains of our cleverness.  The high-level waste will remain lethal longer than it has been since we started using fire. That’s a lot of time to lose files. Those people who survive the effects and pay the externalized costs of our nuclear waste and fossil fuel use will remember us. Let us hope that they can also remember that we tried with some success to clean up our messes.

6. The CA Coastal Commission has recommended that communities include managed retreat in their coastal planning. Communities are resisting, even though postponing what must come increases its costs. https://www.kpbs.org/news/2019/aug/01/coastal-cities-managed-retreat-rising-sea-levels/
[https://kpbs.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/img/photos/2019/08/01/IMG_6357.jpg]<https://www.kpbs.org/news/2019/aug/01/coastal-cities-managed-retreat-rising-sea-levels/>
Coastal Cities Wrestling With 'Managed Retreat' Ramifications Of Rising Sea Levels | KPBS<https://www.kpbs.org/news/2019/aug/01/coastal-cities-managed-retreat-rising-sea-levels/>
www.kpbs.org
The California Coastal Commission has encouraged cities to include a strategy called “managed retreat” in their plans to prepare for sea level rise. But the commission may be retreating from ...


7. Penguins believe we should stop waffling and get to it. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/aug/02/if-you-act-now-you-can-maybe-avoid-the-worst-of-climate-change-but-you-know-youre-not-going-to
[https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/afdc587c57d14c4e502554eeb6885421d458a93c/0_0_1690_1014/master/1690.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctb3BpbmlvbnMucG5n&enable=upscale&s=33175bb12db4db23d3ddfbb05dc4b329]<https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/aug/02/if-you-act-now-you-can-maybe-avoid-the-worst-of-climate-change-but-you-know-youre-not-going-to>
If you act now you can maybe avoid the worst of climate change. But you know you're not going to | First Dog on the Moon | Opinion | The Guardian<https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/aug/02/if-you-act-now-you-can-maybe-avoid-the-worst-of-climate-change-but-you-know-youre-not-going-to>
www.theguardian.com
The rage inducing, sober reality of it, you could do it but you won’t. Sign up here to get an email whenever First Dog cartoons are published; Get all your needs met at the First Dog shop if ...


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