Decoupling the world economy from fossil fuels
In this edition: Carbon emissions stay flat for three years, yet global economy grows; a Cheerios-led effort to save bees; could a Moore's Law for carbon halt climate change?
What we're writing
Hopeful combo: World economy grows, carbon emissions stay flat
It is too soon to say that greenhouse gas emissions have peaked, and even that achievement would fall well short of the cuts in emissions needed to stay below the target of no more than a 2-degrees Celsius聽rise in global temperatures above pre-industrial levels.聽Still, for three years running, global carbon dioxide emissions have been essentially flat, a survey finds. That聽hints at the potential for 'decoupling' economic growth from burning fossil fuels.聽//聽Peter Ford
Could a Moore's Law for carbon halt climate change?
By halving global carbon emissions each decade, humanity could attain nearly net-zero emissions by 2050, according to new research. This "carbon law" is feasible, some scientists say, and embracing it as an aspiration could kickstart progress, whether at any level of governments,聽companies,聽or individuals.聽//聽Eva Botkin-Kowacki
Cheerios effort: Can corporations help save pollinators?
Many bee species have been on the decline for decades, but a new promotion from Cheerios hopes to raise awareness of their plight, and encourage the planting of bee-friendly plants.聽//聽Weston Williams
What we're reading
El Nino-related drought聽in Somaliland has killed two-thirds or more of the livestock on which the semi-autonomous region's economy depends, says the region's environment minister.聽//聽Thomson Reuters Foundation
Led by cutbacks in China and India, slowing construction of coal-fired power plants improves聽the hope of climate goals being met. // Associated Press
A company installs turbines to convert excess water pressure into usable power. // Yale Climate Connections
Wasted food is also a waste in greenhouse emissions, from the energy to grow and transport it to the rotting that occurs in landfills.聽// Thomson Reuters Foundation
What's trending
"Researchers don鈥檛 hide findings that fail to support the prevailing view of human-caused, CO2-based climate change, according to the first large study to look for so-called publication bias in this branch of the scientific literature. Even so, they may spin results in subtle ways." // Sarah DeWeerdt, writing for Anthropocene
"They're beautiful to look at from above; some of them are very futuristic. Knowing that they're for clean and renewable energy just makes you happier鈥攖here is hope!鈥澛�// Photographer Jassen Todorov, quoted by聽National Geographic