Struggles from below

We were hit with some damn sobering news in September when a report by WWF revealed that, since 1970, humanity has wiped out 60% of all mammals, birds, fish and reptiles. The collective shock and dismay such news elicits from the public serves as an important catalyst for environmental action.

But the opposite is also true: it’s equally important to celebrate the good news when it comes along; if we don’t want people to fall into a state of hopeless inertia and conclude the fight un-winnable. And last week, we got some good news.

In perhaps the most significant announcement on tackling climate change since the Paris Agreement, China’s President Xi Jinping unexpectedly announced at the UN General Assembly that the country would cut its emissions to net zero by 2060—a move that could well kick-start a global race to eliminate fossil fuels.

China is the most polluting nation on earth, responsible for around 28% of global greenhouse gas emissions, so the President’s pledge to strip those back to near zero within 40 years is a pretty massive deal in itself. Importantly, President Xi added that China will move ahead with its plans regardless of the actions of other countries. 

But it also comes after the European Union committed billions of euros towards a green stimulus plan and strengthened its own 2030 climate targets, which raises the prospect of a carbon-cutting coalition covering over a third of the world’s emissions. 

Renewables are steadily becoming a cheaper source of energy than fossil fuels, and those prices will drop a lot further if China and the EU ramp up their investments in wind, solar and batteries. And that could trigger a global race to decarbonise, as countries and companies compete for a slice of that vast new market.

In more good news for the climate, it seems the age of the electric car is dawning ahead of schedule. With battery prices falling faster than expected, analysts are raining in their forecasts of when electric vehicles will become cheaper than their hydrocarbon-fueled competitors without the support of government subsidies. 

Although car sales in Europe plummeted during the pandemic, electric-vehicle purchases kept rising. And prices on the continent are now close to parity with petrol and diesel cars. A few years ago, industry analysts believed that tipping point wouldn’t be reached until 2025, but with the technology advancing quicker than expected, the industry is set for a giant leap forward.

And in the yet more auspicious environmental news, scientists have created a super enzyme that degrades plastic bottles, which could be ready to use in recycling within a year or two. 

It’s always been insanely difficult to break plastic bottles down into their constituent chemicals in order to create new ones from the old, and easier just to produce new plastic from oil. But the super enzyme, derived from a bacteria that naturally evolved the ability to eat the material, can enable the full recycling of plastic bottles. And, when combined with enzymes that break down cotton, it can allow for the recycling of mixed-fabric clothing as well. 

So there you have it, some positive vibes emanating from the environment desk—the rarest of news phenomena. So bask in their glow, lap them up and let them percolate down into your soul; you never know when you’ll need to tap those reserves again.

What we're reading:

Has the world started to take climate change fight seriously?
A surprise announcement at this year's UN General Assembly has transformed the politics of cutting carbon, says the BBC's chief environment correspondent, Justin Rowlatt. As the meeting of the so-called "global parliament" comes to an end, he asks whether it might just signal the beginning of a global rush to decarbonise. BBC NEWS


New super-enzyme eats plastic bottles six times faster
Breakthrough that builds on plastic-eating bugs first discovered by Japan in 2016 promises to enable full recycling. THE GUARDIAN


Taiwan’s crowdsourced democracy shows us how to fix social media
How hackers taught the government to embrace division-resistant politics. REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL


Hydrogen breaks through as the hottest thing in green energy
Wind and solar power are the main focus in the fight against climate change, but there are sources of greenhouse gases they can’t clean up. Manufacturing steel, cement and chemicals has traditionally required fossil fuels, either to burn to create the extreme temperatures needed, or as raw materials and catalysts for chemical reactions. That’s why hydrogen is becoming the new climate bet. BLOOMBERG GREEN


Would you eat food waste to help tackle the climate crisis? These companies are betting on it.
From soup and juice to salsa and mayo, turning food waste into new edible products is a growing industry. HUFFPOST


The age of electric cars is dawning ahead of schedule
Battery prices are dropping faster than expected. Analysts are moving up projections of when an electric vehicle won’t need government incentives to be cheaper than a gasoline model. THE NEW YORK TIMES

One to ponder:

Blockchain, the amazing solution for almost nothing
Blockchain technology is going to change everything: the shipping industry, the financial system, government … in fact, what won’t it change? But enthusiasm for it mainly stems from a lack of knowledge and understanding. The blockchain is a solution in search of a problem. THE CORRESPONDENT

Quote of the week: 

"An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind." — Mahatma Gandhi