Forest fire emissions up 60% in 20 years, 1.5 still possible and NZ cities AWOL for sustainable tourism
In this issue:
Forest fire emission increase 60% in 20 years
New analysis from the University of East Anglia informs us CO2 emissions from forest fires have increased by 60% since 2001 and almost tripled in some sensitive boreal forest areas. The carbon combustion rate, a measure of fire severity, increased by 50% over the same period. The increase in emissions equates to around half a billion tonnes of CO2 per year.
1.5 still possible
That’s the conclusion of the UN Environment Programme which has just published a report on current emissions trends and commitments. But it will need global emissions cut by 42% by 2030 and 57% by 2035. In the run up to COP29, the UNEP is calling for much stronger national commitments. Current commitments would see a temperature rise by 2100 of 2.6-2.8C above pre-industrial levels but even these commitments are not being met. If current trends continue, the report predicts an increase of around 3.1C. New NDCs are due next year but it’s thought many countries will announce theirs at COP29 next month.
Do we need unified carbon accounting?
There are numerous carbon accounting standards being applied around the world, including those from the ISO, BSI and the GHG Protocol. A team of researchers lead by academics from Bath University have concluded use of these disparate standards is hindering attainment of net zero. The main reasons lie in assessing supply chain emissions when they employ different standards, the difference between product and region-based approaches and life cycle inclusion where one company’s waste could be another’s feedstock.
NZ cities absent in sustainable tourism list
Scandinavian cities took out the top five spots in the Global Destination Sustainability Movement index for sustainable tourism. Helsinki secured the overall top spot with Gothenburg, Copenhagen, Bergen and Aarhus following, in that order. Leading the chasers in sixth was Bordeaux. Locally, Singapore was the highest listed Asia-Pacific city (7th overall). Some major Australian cities showed up well with Sydney listed at 2nd for the region and 10th overall. Melbourne (4th in Asia-Pacific, 24th overall) and Brisbane (5th in Asia-Pacific, 33rd overall) also made it into the top 40. No New Zealand cities featured among the 100 analysed.
Mercedes closes loop on EV battery recycling
Mercedes-Benz is claiming to be the first car manufacturer to close the battery recycling loop with the opening of its new recycling facility in Kuppenheim, southern Germany. The hydrometallurgical process used is less energy intensive than the more normal pyrometallurgy process and more effective with 96% reclamation claimed. The factory has a capacity of 2,500 tonnes a year, enough to make 50,000 modules.
