Important Innovations Collection

Aggressive Action Against Climate Change Benefits Earth & Economy Source:  Climate Change Stock Image New Science A study published in the scientific journal Nature finds that if nations don't adhere to the 2015 Paris Agreement to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius and significantly cut CO2 emissions, the global economy will loose at least $150 Trillion to as much as $792 Trillion by the end of the century.  Co-author of the study Biying Yu of the Beijing Institute of Technology says the general consensus in the global academic community is that climate change may lead to a global catastrophe with huge socio-economic loses.  Unfortunately, most of the 190 nations that signed the Paris Accords are falling far short of their commitments. Calculating A Green Future Yu and her team found that if nations optimally cut their CO2 emissions, net global economic benefits would range from $127 trillion and $616 Trillion by 2100.  The dollar figures are derived fro...

  New Climate Change Index for Chinese Investors Source:  Chinese Stock Exchange Promoting the Environment, Social and Governance Standards MSCI, the New York City based financial services company, has launched Climate Change indexes for China stocks.  The indexes allow investors in China to put their money into companies with lower carbon emissions. The indexes allocate more weighting to less polluting companies, such as the internet giant Tencent and LONGi Green Energy Technology.  MSCI has launched similar Climate Change indexes in the EU, US and Japan.  MSCI is a global provider of equity, fixed income, hedge fund stock market indexes and analysis tools. Megatrend: Investors Focusing on Climate Change MSCI expects global investors to increasingly focus on Climate Change and put their money into companies with strong pro-environment policies and results.  MSCI is in discussions with a number of institutions about creating investment products based on Cli...

Putting Big Money Behind Climate Change Fight Source:  Germany's Hydrogen Powered Green, Clean Train Funding Clean Transportation & Renewable Energy Projects For the first time, the government of Germany plans to issue $13 billion in so-called Green Bonds to fund renewable energy and clean transportation projects.  The $13 billion worth of bonds will be issued this year -2020.  Germany is tapping into the financial markets to increase its commitment to fight climate change.  This is a case of putting money up against specific environmental targets to fight climate change. Germany has a strong green commitment but it is even getting greener. September Launch The first issuance is in September 2020 of a 10 year bond or Bunds that is worth 4 billion euros in value.  The rest will be issued in the fourth quarter of 2020.  By 2023, Germany wants to spend 54 billion euros as part of its climate change agenda.  The agenda includes introducing a carbon tax...

UK and Legally Binding Environmental Targets Source:  London Tower Bridge  Fighting Climate Change Britain is rolling out legally binding environmental targets to combat climate change.  The targets include cleaner water, reduced air pollution, waste reduction and more biodiversity.  The legally mandated targets are designed to improve the environment and rebuild the economy.  The new legislation, set to be considered by Parliament, will force the current and future British governments to focus on improving the environment. Build Back Green British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pledged to "build back green" as the British economy was cut by 20% in the second quarter of 2020 by COVID-19 lockdowns and shutdowns.  A new watchdog agency "The Office for Environmental Protection" is being established to monitor the UK's progress toward the environmental targets.  The Office will also oversee the government's progress toward its commitment to have the UK b...

Nasty Weather Globally Source:  Napa Valley, CA AP  From California to Alaska, Greenland and China There is growing evidence that Climate Change and Global Warming are worsening.  In California, hundreds of wildfires are burning out of control.  They are being spawned by blistering heat and record numbers of lightning strikes.  There were 11,000 lighting strikes in a few days, torching trees, brush and triggering the massive wildfires.  500,000 acres have been burned, communities are threatened, buildings have been destroyed and tens of thousands are evacuating.  The Bay Area has the worst air quality in the world on Wednesday.  California Governor Gavin Newsom commented:  "If you are in denial about Climate Change, come to California." China's Torrential Rains Meanwhile, in China torrential rains and massive flooding have caused the evacuation of a million people and caused billions of dollars in damage.  China's huge Three Gorges Dam i...

 532 Gigatons of Ice Lost in 2019 Source:  NASA Greenland Ice Sheet Melt  New Study: Worsening Climate Change - Melt Tops Forecasts The signs are undeniable that Climate Change is accelerating and breaking scientific estimates.  A new study has documented that the Greenland ice sheet lost a record amount of mass in 2019.  The loss is so dramatic that scientists are expected to start restating and redefining their worst case scenarios based on the new Greenland findings.  The worst case scenarios are for rising ocean waters and flooding affecting millions of people in coastal locations. New Melt Shatters Records  The rate of Greenland ice sheet melt, caught by satellites and analyzed by scientists through derived data, is record shattering.  Geoscientist and glaciologist  Ingo Sasgen of the Alfred Wegener Institute in Germany documented the loss of 532 gigatons of ice, or 66 tons of ice for every person on Earth - in 2019 just in the Greenland...