Európska komisia uviedla, že schválila dva holandské plány v celkovej hodnote 1,47 miliardy eur na odkúpenie chovateľov dobytka na zníženie znečistenia dusíkom, pričom uviedla, že sú prípustné podľa pravidiel štátnej pomoci. Holanďania potrebujú znížiť nadmerné hladiny dusíka, čiastočne spôsobené desaťročiami intenzívneho poľnohospodárstva, čo je problém, ktorý viedol k tomu, že súdy zablokovali dôležité stavebné projekty, kým sa problém nevyrieši. Nespokojnosť s plánmi vlády na riešenie tohto problému doteraz viedla k veľkej porážke vládnej koalície premiéra Marka Rutteho v regionálnych voľbách v marci. Výkupy fariem sa považujú za dôležitý krok ku komplexnému plánu na riešenie tohto problému. V schémach schválených výkonným orgánom Európskej únie si Holandsko vyhradilo peniaze na odškodnenie farmárov, ktorí dobrovoľne zatvoria farmy nachádzajúce sa v blízkosti prírodných rezervácií. Plány budú mať „pozitívne účinky, ktoré prevážia akékoľvek potenciálne narušenie hospodárskej súťaže a obchodu v EÚ“, uviedla Komisia vo vyhlásení, v ktorom schvaľuje pomoc. Minulý mesiac politická strana podporujúca protesty farmárov proti plánu odkúpenia získala masívne víťazstvo v kľúčových provinčných voľbách, čím spochybnila vládnu politiku v oblasti životného prostredia. Po protestoch farmárov získalo väčšinu kresiel v holandskom Senáte Hnutie farmárov a občanov (BoerBurgerBeweging), ktoré vzniklo pred štyrmi rokmi. Holandské protesty si získali celosvetovú pozornosť a zožali medzinárodnú podporu vrátane bývalého amerického prezidenta Donalda Trumpa a mnohých krajne pravicových osobností. (RTE News Europe)

Scientists are concerned because ocean surface temperatures have consistently hit new record highs over the past month. Daily ocean surface temperatures in April broke all-time records since at least 1982, according to data analyzed by the University of Maine's Climate Change Institute. That means we're in uncharted territory as global warming continues to take its toll and extreme weather events continue. are becoming more common by the year – and scientists are clearly rattled by the spikes in temperatures. "This is getting ridiculous," physicist and climate change expert Robert Rohde wrote on Twitter. "The last month [the daily index] has been consistently higher than in any previous year and still shows no signs of leveling off." But others argued that such an increase should be expected at this point. "While it's reassuring to see the models working, it's obviously scary to see climate change happening in real life," he replied biogeochemist from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Jens Terhaar. "We're in it and it's just the beginning." It's part of a larger, worrying trend. The study was published last month in the journal Earth System Science Data found that our planet has accumulated almost as much heat in the last 15 years as it did in the previous 45 years, a worrying sign that we are in for a significant increase in global temperatures. What's worse, we're still not entirely sure why this is even happening. "It's not yet established exactly why there are such rapid changes and such huge changes," she told the BBC Karina Von Schuckmann, lead author of the study. (Victoria Tangermann, The Byte)

New York State has passed legislation that will increase renewable energy production in the state and signals a major step toward moving utilities out of private hands and into public ownership. The bill, part of the new state budget, will require the state's public energy provider to generate all of its electricity from clean energy by 2030. It also allows utilities to build and own renewable energy sources while phasing out fossil fuels. "This is a historic victory for climate and clean jobs," said Lee Ziesche, an organizer with the Public Power New York coalition, which has been fighting for the legislation's passage for the past four years. “It will create a public power model for the entire country and really show that our energy should be a public good.” The Building Public Renewables Act (BPRA) will ensure that all public properties that normally receive their power from the New York Power Authority (NYPA) were powered by renewable energy by 2030. It will also require council-owned properties – including many hospitals and schools, as well as public housing and public transport – to switch to renewable energy by 2035. NYPA provides low-cost electricity to more than 1,000 customers, from local and state government buildings to electric cooperatives, businesses and nonprofits. It also sells part of its energy on the wholesale market, where public services can buy it. The legislation will require NYPA to offer low- to moderate-income customers a lower rate for renewable energy. The passage of the bill, the first of its kind, comes after years of campaigning by local climate and environmental organizers in New York State.

(theguardian)

A team of international researchers led by Professor Cafer T. Yavuz of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Professor Bo Liu of the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) and Professor Qiang Xu of the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) have developed a promising method of capturing and carbon storage. Methane hydrate is being studied for its ability to capture and trap gas molecules such as carbon dioxide under high pressure. However, it is difficult to impossible to recreate these conditions in the laboratory, and the approach is also energy intensive because the methane-ice solid requires cooling. Using the salt - guanidinium sulfate - scientists successfully created lattice-like structures called clathrates that effectively mimic the activity of methane hydrate and trap CO₂ molecules and result in an energy-efficient way of retaining greenhouse gas. "Guanidinium sulfate serves to organize and capture CO₂ molecules without reacting with them," said Cafer Yavuz, professor of chemistry and director of the KAUST Oxide and Organic Nanomaterials for Energy & Environment (ONE) Laboratory. "We discovered a rare example of a clathrate that is stable and non-corrosive at ambient temperature and pressure, a highly desirable property compared to ethanol, ammonia and other solutions commonly used in carbon capture." Previous methods of carbon capture have involved chemisorption, in which chemical bonds form between CO₂ molecules and surface. This process worked well; however, chemical bonds require energy to break them, which increases CO costs₂ capture operation. The salt-based clathrate structure uses low-energy physisorption processes in CO capture₂ without interference with water or nitrogen, thus opening a promising field for future carbon capture and storage technologies via rapid CO₂ Solidification. The discovery represents a new way of storing and transporting carbon dioxide as a solid substance. WHAT₂ is normally transported as a solid in the form of dry ice; compressed in gas cylinders; or in the form of carbonates. The salt clathrate allows CO₂ is transferred as a solid powder that provides a remarkably high volume to mass capacity, making this method the least energy intensive with enormous potential for real-life applications. (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)

In the 45,000-square-mile Chesapeake Bay, the nation's largest estuary, nitrogen and phosphorus from sewage treatment plants and urban and agricultural runoff constantly suffocate marine life. "What happens in the Chesapeake Bay is not only important to our residents, but it also affects the seafood industry, recreational and commercial fishermen all along the Atlantic coast," said Allison Colden, chief scientist at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. , an independent conservation organization. Despite decades of cleanup efforts and evolving Environmental Protection Agency regulations, the bay remains in critical condition. To make matters worse, climate change is exacerbating the region's problems. Increased rainfall, which washes more nutrients into the bay, and warming water temperatures make it harder to reverse the damage already done in the bay. This project was published in association with Baltimore Brew and supported in part by generous grants from the Pulitzer Center, Society of Environmental Journalists, Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources. (By Duy Linh Tu, Sebastian Tuinder)

German leader Olaf Scholz has pledged 2 billion euros ($2.2 billion) to the UN's flagship climate fund for emissions reduction and climate change adaptation projects around the world. The Green Climate Fund was established in 2010 to distribute money from rich countries to climate projects in low- and middle-income countries. It has spent about $12 billion to finance climate projects so far, but recently warned of cuts due to a lack of resources. This pledge is a third higher than Germany's previous contribution to the fund. Once confirmed, the money will support climate investment between 2024 and 2027. Scholz's pledge at the Petersberg climate dialogue in Berlin today sets the bar for other rich countries ahead of the fund's regular donor conference in the German city of Bonn in October. "I appeal to many traditional and possible new donors - let's continue this success story, it's more important than ever," said Scholz. (Author: Joe Lo)

I recently had the opportunity to spend three wonderful days in Anaheim, California. No, I wasn't visiting Disneyland; I attended the North American Carbon World (NACW) conference organized by Climate Action Reserve. When the Climate Action Reserve was launched in May 2008 with two projects on the platform, the average price of its carbon offset was $10.20 per tonne, which was then quoted as the highest price level in the market; It has not increased much since then. Although some carbon sequestration projects claim to receive value in the hundreds of dollars for each ton of permanently sequestered carbon, the average value of a general forestry project or other greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction mechanism remains in the single or low double digits. To understand why, we need to dig a little deeper into what shapes carbon markets.

What are carbon markets?

Regulated markets

There are two types of carbon markets: regulated and voluntary. Regulated markets are run by governments. According to the World Bank, there are around 70 of these programs around the world and they regulate around 12 gigatons of CO2 (about 23% of global emissions). The main markets created by these programs include the European Emissions Trading System (ETS) and California Emission Allowances (CCA). Regulated ETS, or cap-and-trade markets, typically set an emissions cap and lower it annually for industries operating within their jurisdiction. Unused allowances can be sold, which incentivizes companies to reduce their emissions and sell unused allowances. You can think of them as a license to pollute, and the license gets more expensive every year, incentivizing industry to pollute less.

Voluntary markets

Voluntary carbon markets are supported by entities such as the aforementioned Climate Action Reserve, along with others such as the South Pole, the Terrapass Review and many others. They create "offsets" from proven carbon reduction projects that the private sector can buy. In other words, instead of reducing emissions from their own operations, hard-to-reduce industries can finance reductions in off-site projects. Looking at some protocols can give you an example of these projects: forest protection, grassland management, low-emission rice cultivation, livestock methane capture, organic waste diversion, etc. (Shashi Menon Forbes Council Member, Forbes Business Council)

The chance of the El Niño weather phenomenon developing in the coming months has increased, the United Nations said, warning that it could fuel higher global temperatures and possibly new temperature records. The United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Wednesday that it now estimates there is a 60 percent chance of El Niño developing by the end of July and an 80 percent chance of doing so by the end of September. "This is going to change weather and climate patterns around the world," Wilfran Moufouma Okia, head of the WMO's regional climate prediction service, told reporters in Geneva. El Niño, a naturally occurring climate pattern usually associated with increased heat around the world, as well as drought in some parts of the world and heavy rains elsewhere, last occurred in 2018-19. Since 2020, however, the world has been hit by an exceptionally long La Niña – a cooling to El Niño – that ended earlier this year and gave way to the current neutral conditions. Still, the United Nations said the past eight years were the warmest on record, despite the cooling effect of La Niña spanning almost half of that period. Without this meteorological phenomenon, the warming situation could have been even worse. La Niña "acted as a temporary brake on global temperature increases," WMO chief Petteri Taalas said in a statement. Now, he said, "the world should prepare for the development of El Niño." The expected arrival of climate warming, he said, "will most likely lead to a new increase in global warming and increase the chance of breaking temperature records." At this stage, there is no indication of the strength or duration of the looming El Niño. The last one was considered very weak, but the previous one, from 2014 to 2016, was considered one of the strongest ever, with dire consequences. (Agence France-Presse)

Priemysel potrebuje obrovské množstvo tepla na širokú škálu činností. Analýza – Nový Zéland spáli každú sekundu ekvivalent 108 litrov benzínu v uhlí a zemnom plyne na výrobu tepla pre priemyselné procesy.

Toto spaľovanie fosílnych palív na priemyselné teplo vytvára 28 % novozélandských emisií súvisiacich s energiou. Priemysel potrebuje obrovské množstvo tepla na širokú škálu činností, vrátane spracovania základných potravín, výroby materiálov na stavbu domov a výroby obalov na tovar každodennej potreby. Je však úplne jasné, že na dosiahnutie čistého hospodárstva s nulovými emisiami uhlíka do roku 2050 musíme zintenzívniť využívanie technológie obnoviteľnej energie na výrobu priemyselného tepla namiesto spaľovania fosílnych palív. Vláda používa prístup založený na princípe mrkvy a biča, aby podporila prechod na nízkouhlíkové a obnoviteľné zdroje energie. „Typ“ vyžaduje, aby priemysel do roku 2037 postupne vyradil uhoľné kotly na nízko- a strednoteplotné tepelné aplikácie. Nový prieskum zemného plynu sa tiež skutočne skončil, čo v budúcnosti povedie k poklesu dodávok plynu. „Mrkvou“ je vládny fond Investície do dekarbonizačných iniciatív. Doterajšie výsledky sú významné, pričom priemysel sa obracia na osvedčené a skutočné riešenia: zvýšenie energetickej účinnosti, kotly na biomasu, elektródové kotly a tepelné čerpadlá, niekedy kombinované s elektrickými alebo tepelnými batériami. Tieto technológie sú čisté a zelené, no zároveň sa dajú prispôsobiť potrebám priemyslu. (Timothy Walmsley a James Carson z The Conversation)

– Keďže vlády prechádzajú na podporu projektov zachytávania uhlíka a korporácie sa snažia znížiť svoju uhlíkovú stopu – V Spojenom kráľovstve jarný rozpočet v marci vyčlenil až 25 miliárd USD na zachytávanie, využitie a skladovanie uhlíka – Spoločnosti podpisujú dlhodobé dohody o uhlíkových kreditoch s vývojármi technológií na zachytávanie uhlíka, čo podporuje investičný prípad projektov CCS.

Projekty zachytávania uhlíka a kredity za odstraňovanie uhlíka dostali za posledný rok s veľkou vládnou podporou nový impulz ako súčasť riešení na zníženie emisií skleníkových plynov a nasmerovanie sveta na cestu k dosiahnutiu cieľov Parížskej dohody. V Spojenom kráľovstve jarný rozpočet v marci poskytol až 25 miliárd USD (20 miliárd GBP) k dispozícii na zachytávanie, využívanie a ukladanie uhlíka (CCUS), zatiaľ čo zákon o znižovaní inflácie v USA výrazne zvýšil stimuly pre projekty zachytávania uhlíka, vrátane priameho ovzdušia (DAC). Keďže vlády prechádzajú na podporu projektov zachytávania uhlíka a korporácie sa snažia znížiť svoju uhlíkovú stopu, očakáva sa, že trh s projektmi na odstraňovanie uhlíka a kreditmi na odstraňovanie uhlíka bude v nasledujúcich rokoch prosperovať. Systémy čelia kritike zo strany obhajcov životného prostredia, ktorí tvrdia, že kredity za odstraňovanie uhlíka neriešia problém znižovania emisií a mohli by viesť k väčšiemu vymývaniu zelene zo strany veľkých znečisťovateľov. Vládna podpora urýchľuje projekty zachytávania uhlíka. Vláda Spojeného kráľovstva sa zaviazala poskytnúť až 20 miliár libier na financovanie včasného nasadenia systému zachytávania, využívania a ukladania uhlíka (CCUS), aby pomohla splniť vládne záväzky v oblasti klímy. Vláda uznala projekt Viking CCS ako jedného z dvoch popredných uchádzačov o prepravný a skladovací systém pre ďalšiu fázu projektov. To podnietilo hlavnú spoločnosť BP, aby uzavrela dohodu s Harbour Energy, najväčším producentom ropy v Severnom mori Spojeného kráľovstva, o rozvoji projektu Viking CCS. V Spojených štátoch IRA celkovo zvýšila hodnoty kreditov, pričom daňový kredit za ukladanie uhlíka zo zachytávania uhlíka v priemyselných zariadeniach a zariadeniach na výrobu energie vzrástol z 50 USD na 85 USD za tonu a daňové stimuly pre skladovanie z DAC vyskočili z 50 USD na 180 dolárov za tonu. Ustanovenia tiež predlžujú obdobie výstavby o sedem rokov do 1. januára 2033. To znamená, že projekty musia dovtedy začať s fyzickou prácou, aby sa kvalifikovali na získanie úveru. (Cvetana Parašková, OilPrice.com)

But the agency has been slow to approve permits for injection wells to capture carbon.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is preparing to unveil new emissions standards for natural gas power plants this week, its latest effort to support the president's agenda to decarbonize America's energy. The space that companies need to store or sequester captured carbon emissions is called an injection well. While the EPA's plant-specific decision is consistent with a Supreme Court decision last July that banned a full overhaul of U.S. power plants but allowed plant-specific decisions, the agency has delayed permitting Class VI injection wells. The EPA has also been slow to approve states' requests for "primacy" to ease the permitting process for injection wells.  AS THE LORD LEADS, PRAY WITH US… – For Administrator Regan to seek God's guidance as he leads the EPA. – For wisdom for agency members to process applications and issue approvals so that companies and states can implement and comply with EPA rules. (The Presidential Prayer Team)

UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for accelerating the decarbonization of agriculture. He spoke today (May 2) as part of the 14th St. Petersburg Climate Dialogue. The conference, which is being held in Berlin, aims to facilitate negotiations leading up to the COP28 conference in November. The UN Secretary-General has proposed a G20 Pact on Climate Solidarity - in which all major emitters make extraordinary efforts to reduce emissions and richer countries support emerging economies to do so. Decarbonisation of agriculture: Last month, Guterres unveiled a plan to step up efforts to achieve decarbonisation through the Acceleration Agenda. This suggests that all countries move quickly towards their 'net zero' deadline. It calls on developed countries to commit to "net zero" as close to 2040 as possible, a threshold they should all strive to meet. "The Acceleration Agenda calls on countries to pool their resources, scientific capacity and technology," Guterres said. “It asks them to phase out coal in OECD countries by 2030 and in all others by 2040; create "net zero" electricity generation by 2035 in developed countries and by 2040 in all others, while providing access to electricity for all. “Stop permitting, funding and expanding coal, oil and gas – old and new, and accelerate the decarbonisation of major sectors – from shipping, aviation and steel to cement, aluminum and agriculture – in partnership with the private sector. At the end of 2022, Ireland implemented its Climate Action Plan 2023. The measures for agriculture in this plan provide a viable path to achieving 25 % reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in agriculture by 2030. These measures are consistent with achieving 51 % reductions in Ireland's overall greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and 'net zero emissions' by 2050 at the latest. (Charlotte Morrey, Agriland)

Since the 18th century, humans have been extracting fossil fuels from their safe stores deep underground and burning them to generate electricity or power machinery. We have now turned coal, oil and gas into more than two trillion tons of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping greenhouse gases and added them to the atmosphere. Current result? The average temperature on the surface of the planet is about 1.2 ℃ higher than in the pre-industrial era. This is because adding new carbon to the world's natural carbon cycle has caused an imbalance in the amount of energy entering and leaving the Earth system. It takes an extraordinary amount of extra energy to heat the entire planet. Recent research shows that in the last 50 years alone, we have added the energy of 25 billion nuclear bombs to the Earth system. Billions of nuclear bombs to produce 1.2℃ of heat - so what? This seems small considering how much the temperature varies on a daily basis. (The world's average surface temperature in the 20th century was 13.9°C.) But almost all of that energy has so far been absorbed by the oceans. No wonder we are seeing rapid warming in our oceans. Goldilocks Zone: Mercury is the planet closest to the Sun. It is heated at an average temperature of 167 °C. But it has no atmosphere. This is why the second planet, Venus, is the warmest in the solar system, with an average temperature of 464 °C. This is due to an atmosphere that is much denser than Earth's, dense in carbon dioxide. Venus may once have had liquid oceans. But then there was the greenhouse effect, which trapped a really huge amount of heat. One of the reasons we live is because our planet orbits in the Goldilocks zone, at exactly the right distance from the Sun so that it is neither too hot nor too cold. Little of the Earth's internal heat penetrates the cold crust where we live. This makes us dependent on another source of heat - the Sun. (by Andrew King and Steven Sherwood, The Conversation)

  To stay below 1.5°C warming and avoid the irreversible effects of the worst effects of climate change, in September 2020 the clock told us that we have an alarmingly short 7 years, 102 days to make a radical transition away from fossil fuels. It struck a nerve across the globe and quickly became an iconic reference point for the urgent need for climate action. The brainchild of climate activists Gan Golan and Andrew Boyd, fixer-upper artist Katie Peyton Hofstadter, tech maestro Adrian Carpenter, and a team supporting the clutch including leading scientists, the mayor's office, and a host of creatives, the climate clock was clearly an idea whose time had come. To the outside eye, this might seem like an obvious thing. However, this was far from the team's first attempt to start a clock, nor was it the first climate clock. (More on climateclock.world)

As awareness of climate change and environmental issues continues to grow, many businesses are looking for ways to reduce their carbon emissions and operate in a more sustainable manner. Not only is it good for the planet, but it can also help businesses save money and improve their reputation with eco-conscious consumers. Here are some tips to reduce your company's carbon footprint:

Compensation of carbon emissions

Carbon credits are a way for businesses and organizations to offset their carbon emissions by financing projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For example, a company can buy carbon credits from a renewable energy project that produces clean energy and reduces carbon emissions. Carbon credits represent the amount of carbon avoided or reduced by a project, and a company can use these credits to offset its own emissions. Carbon credits can be traded on the carbon market and are often used as a way for companies to meet their emission reduction targets or regulatory requirements. Although carbon credits can be controversial and have their limitations, they are one tool that can be used to reduce carbon emissions and fight climate change.

Do an energy audit

Before you start reducing your carbon footprint, it's important to understand where your company's energy is being used and where there are opportunities for improvement. Performing an energy audit can help you identify areas where you are using excessive energy and where you can make changes to reduce your carbon footprint.

Transition to renewable energy sources

One of the most effective ways to reduce your company's carbon footprint is to switch to renewable energy sources such as solar or wind power. This may include installing solar panels on your building or purchasing renewable energy credits to offset your energy use. Renewable energy is not only better for the environment, but it can save you money in the long run.

Reduce energy consumption

In addition to switching to renewable energy, there are many other ways to reduce your company's energy use and carbon emissions. This can include installing energy-efficient lighting, using programmable thermostats to control heating and cooling, and encouraging employees to turn off computers and other electronics when not in use.

Use sustainable materials

Another way to reduce your company's carbon footprint is to use sustainable materials in your products and packaging. This can include sourcing materials that are renewable or recycled, using biodegradable packaging and avoiding materials that are harmful to the environment.

Support for sustainable transport

Transportation is a major source of carbon emissions, so finding ways to support sustainable transportation can have a big impact on your company's carbon footprint. This can include providing incentives for employees to use public transportation, encouraging carpooling or telecommuting, and providing bike racks and showers for employees who bike to work.

Implementation of the waste reduction plan

Reducing waste is another important step in reducing your company's carbon footprint. This may include implementing a recycling program, using compostable materials, and finding ways to reduce the amount of waste your company produces.

Educate employees

Finally, it is important to educate your employees about the importance of sustainability and how they can help reduce the company's carbon footprint. This can include providing training on energy-saving practices, encouraging employees to carpool or bike to work, and embedding sustainability into the company's values and culture. In conclusion, reducing your company's carbon footprint is an important step towards operating more sustainably. By following these tips, you can not only help the planet, but also save money and improve your reputation with customers who care about sustainability. (techbullion, PRIYA S)

    On Saturday, May 6, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the Berlaymont building, you will have a unique opportunity to find out how we are making the EU greener. Come to the Green Europe Village and find out how you can help!

"The incoming president of the UN's COP28 climate summit has set the agenda for a 'top-up' on global climate finance, finally reaching the promised $100 billion to help poorer countries adapt to climate change, a goal that eluded his predecessors. Sultan Al Jaber, president-designate of COP28 and head of the National Petroleum Corporation of Abu Dhabi, told the Petersberg climate dialogue in Berlin on Tuesday that the priority was to “mobilize” private finance and reform international financial institutions.” “He also remained focused on developing technologies to reduce emissions, and not for the gradual end of fossil fuel production. "In a pragmatic, fair and well-managed energy transition, we must laser-focus on phasing out fossil fuel emissions while gradually introducing viable and affordable carbon-free alternatives," he said. Jaber has been on a "listening tour" since his appointment in January and has met with climate leaders and ambassadors in China, the US and Paris in recent weeks. He noted that "expectations are high, confidence is low." "We need to make climate finance more affordable, more affordable and more affordable to support delivery across each climate pillar," he said. "The public, multilateral and private sectors must be mobilized in new and innovative ways on the critical issue of climate finance." His efforts were praised by Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados, who spearheaded reform of the World Bank and multilateral development banks, which will also be the focus next month. summit in Paris, which will be hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron. In a video, Mottley told the Berlin audience that Jaber's consensus-building efforts were necessary to provide a "tipping point for the world" at the COP28 summit in Dubai. She said that access to finance for developing countries must be accompanied by access to technology and growth opportunities. Mottley suggested three "no-frills" ways to raise finance to help poorer nations deal with climate change and fund growth, including a tax on oil and gas company revenues, plus a $100-per-tonne carbon tax on shipping and a stamp duty on financial transactions. Of the 100 billion dollars for the adaptation fund promised at the UN summit in Copenhagen 14 years ago, developed countries collected only 83.3 billion dollars by the target date of 2020, according to the OECD.

Alaska Airlines has partnered with ZeroAvia, a US company that designs and manufactures hydrogen propulsion systems for zero-emission aircraft, to retrofit the Bombardier Q400 regional turboprop with a hydrogen-electric propulsion system. The retrofitted aircraft will expand the reach and applicability of zero-emission flight technology, further supporting the aviation industry's efforts to achieve a zero-carbon balance sheet. At a recent event held at ZeroAvia's research and development facility at Paine Field, Alaska Airlines' regional carrier, Horizon Air, formally handed over a 76-seat Q400 aircraft to ZeroAvia for research and development. The aircraft was repainted in a special color to emphasize the innovative mission of this partnership.

(Can Emir)

Do you know what you are breathing? The majority of the population lives in the belief that air pollution is mostly caused by large industrial enterprises, but the first place in polluting the air we breathe belongs to road transport, which even surpasses energy (in the case of nitrogen oxides NO_x). Only then does industry or energy follow. Air quality is extremely important for our health. She also started the topic of air quality and what we ourselves can do to improve it with Jana Paluchová, head of the LIFE department from the Slovak Environment Agency, in the Good Council. According to a European Commission survey in 2022 aimed at obtaining opinions on the change in air quality over the last ten years, as many as 43 % respondents in Slovakia think that the air quality in Slovakia has worsened during this period. And indeed, together with Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary, Slovakia belongs to the countries with the most polluted air in the European Union. However, we ourselves can do a lot to help correct this situation. And because the biggest source of air pollution is road traffic, this week Tatiana Šušková and Jana Paluchová from the Slovak Environmental Agency offer advice on how to contribute to better air quality through sustainable mobility.