[GWSG] Zettajoules; Monbiot's book; new audience; refiguring CH4; 50-50 for 1.5C; recs for gvt.; new cement

[Tilley, Al]

1. In under two minutes Senator Sheldon Whitehouse explains what a zettajoule is and illustrates why we need climate action.  https://climatecrocks.com/2022/05/13/senator-whitehouse-what-is-a-zetajoule/

2. George Monbiot’s book Regenesis: Feeding the World Without Devouring the Planet will come out May 26. He takes questions on the book’s topic. The linked column’s head quotation conveys the kind of information there: “On a vegan planet, Britain could feed 200 million people.” https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/may/13/george-monbiot-vegan-planet-britain-farming-fuel-plant-based-food

3. A five minute tape of comments on climate (bookended by Greta Thunberg) sets the stage for Swiss economist Julia Steinberger’s account of the new attitude of the audiences she faced in students at her old high school and a university. Many of these young people are outraged that we are not doing what we know we need to do. You may find as I did that they are speaking what you feel.   https://climatecrocks.com/2022/05/16/climate-and-kids-they-are-not-ok-with-it/

4. The impact of atmospheric methane on heating is usually calculated using CO2 equivalency on a 100 year time scale. However, on shorter time scales, the impact is much greater (because much of the strong greenhouse gas CH4 has broken down to CO2 and other gasses by the end of a century). We have also been underestimating leakage during production and processing of gas, and have been using potentially inaccurate estimates of agricultural emissions. While these factors have been generally known for decades, more nearly correct figures need to be used for calculations if forecasts are to be meaningful. As it is, we are making policies based on weakened projections. https://phys.org/news/2022-05-policymakers-underestimate-methane-climate-air.html

5. Plans for the energy transition have usually allowed existing fossil fuel plants to operate to the end of their expected lives. New calculations show that 40% of existing plans and projects for fuel production as well as use must be ended prematurely if we are to have an even chance of limiting heating to 1.5C. A previous study of known fuel reserves found that 90% of known coal and 60% of known oil and gas much be left in the ground. The new study is said to underestimate methane and its effects, and not to include the production of petrochemicals. (Don’t we want a more than even chance of limiting heating to 1.5C? Shouldn’t we begin to end fossil fuel plans, projects, and plants as rapidly as we are able?)    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/may/17/shut-down-fossil-fuel-production-sites-early-to-avoid-climate-chaos-says-study
PhysOrg has further information from the new study. https://phys.org/news/2022-05-oil-gas-coal-sites.html

6. Euan Ritchie, an Australian ecologist, records his frustration with his government’s environmental failures and recommends new courses of action. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/may/17/we-must-end-our-command-and-control-relationship-with-the-environment-if-we-are-to-arrest-its-destruction

7. A new zero-carbon emissions concrete has been developed by three Cambridge U scientists. Its raw material is concrete waste from destroyed structures. Cambridge Electric Cement has all the properties of conventionally produced cement.  https://climatecrocks.com/2022/05/17/cambridge-has-concrete-evidence-of-low-carbon-cement/

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