[GWSG] No kids?; heating NE; China coal plans; heat index; youth actions; EU: 40% by 2030; EU costs rise; savings to rise

[Tilley, Al]

1. A woman’s decision to (at least) postpone having a child may be a part of her climate activism. Thanks to Melissa Steinhardt for the conversation. https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2021/09/millennials-babies-climate-change/620032/

2. The northeastern US coast has heated over 2C in the last century, among the fastest rates in the northern hemisphere. A slowing AMOC may be the reason. (When it tips to a much lower mode as expected, the trend will reverse and the northern part of the continent will become markedly colder.)  https://phys.org/news/2021-09-coastal-northeastern-global-hotspot.html

3. China has pledged to cease building coat plants abroad and to “step up support for other developing countries in developing green and low-carbon energy.” The pledge is significant for the energy transition, and should encourage richer nations to carry through on their pledges of support for poorer ones. Questions on Chinese policy remain, particularly their stance on developing coal power within China. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/sep/24/china-pledge-coal-beijing-climate-crisis

4.  Using real-time cell phone data and heat sensors the U of Georgia has developed a heat index which can identify hot spots in cities. Persistent problem areas could be given shade and vegetation, and transient hot spots such as athletic events could be given appropriate attention. https://phys.org/news/2021-09-exposure-citizens.html

5. Young people held Fridays for Future climate action gatherings in ca. 1400 locations in over 130 countries this Friday. The general focus is on COP26 scheduled for Glasgow in November, but groups often attended to local issues as well. This week’s theme was “Uproot the System.”  https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/live-updates-climate-protests-unga-intl/index.html

6. Rising energy costs in Europe have led the EU to raise its renewable energy target for 2030 from 32% to 40%, and to pay increasing attention to energy efficiency. https://www.environmentalleader.com/2021/09/eu-vows-to-accelerate-renewable-energy-as-electricity-costs-soar/

7. Commercial gas prices have been the primary driver of Europe’s increased energy costs. The cost of gas in Britain has risen five-fold in the past year, and winter is not expected to bring relief.  https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/22/business/energy-prices-europe-britain.html

8. The costs of energy from gas, coal, and oil on the average are about what they were 140 years ago. The cost of wind and solar power is generally below that of fossil fuels. Unlike fossils, though, the cost of renewables has dropped fast—about 10% a year for the past thirty years--and is still dropping. The savings from the energy transition will grow accordingly and, in an Oxford U study, will reach tens of trillions of dollars. https://billmckibben.substack.com/p/were-finally-catching-a-break-in

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