Tag: climate
Extinction Rebellion: Climate activists stage Earth Day demonstration
To capture CO2 in the US, climate tech startups partner with oil and gas
Climeworks, the Swiss company that’s capturing CO2 emissions for Microsoft, Stripe, and Shopify, is crafting plans to expand across the US, which is becoming the destination for companies that want to suck carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.
“The US is a very interesting place, perhaps the most interesting place at the moment … from a market perspective, but also from a policy perspective,” says Christoph Beuttler, Climeworks’ chief climate policy officer. The Inflation Reduction Act more than tripled tax credits for direct air capture (DAC) and storage projects. And the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes $12 billion for capturing and storing carbon dioxide.
Together with other partners, Climeworks has applied for a slice…
TikTok is banning all climate change denial content
Happy Earth Day! TikTok is making moves to ban all climate change denial content on its platform.
Starting April 21, TikTok will “begin to ramp up enforcement” of its new climate change misinformation policy. All climate-related content searches will be directed to “authoritative information” sourced in partnership with the United Nations, the Daily Beast reported. According to a blog post from TikTok, the policy means that any content that “undermines well-established scientific consensus” about climate change will be removed from the platform.
“Trust and authenticity fuel the creativity of TikTok—and we believe we have an important role to play in empowering informed climate discussions on our platform,” the blog post reads.
This effort comes about a month after TikTok announced it was updating its community guidelines in order to add new policies regarding artificial intelligence, climate misinformation, civil and election integrity, and age restrictions. It also comes about a year after a report revealed that TikTok is a hub for climate change misinformation — simply by searching “climate change,” users would be fed a whole host of results related to climate change denial.
All the while, TikTok is under scrutiny. Lawmakers in more than a dozen countries have implemented various bans of the app due to fears that TikTok is giving user data to the Chinese government, and one U.S. state passed a ban on downloading of the app.
African climate startups set to gain ground as VC funding shifts their way
There are signs that funding for climate tech startups will persist in the near term as new funds emerge in Africa.
African climate startups set to gain ground as VC funding shifts their way by Annie Njanja originally published on TechCrunch
‘Passionate’ teen took his own life after feeling ‘helpless’ over climate crisis
Arts Help launches $6M fundraise to build digital climate library and ESG certification program
The lack of access to proper climate information has become imperative as the Earth’s temperature swells.
Arts Help launches $6M fundraise to build digital climate library and ESG certification program by Dominic-Madori Davis originally published on TechCrunch
Living With Climate Change: Paper or plastic? Instead ask which companies are innovating recycling
Amazon, Despite Climate Pledge, Fought To Kill Emissions Bill In Oregon
“Amazon’s representatives were in the Capitol lobbying against the bill from the very first moment of discussion,” said Marsh, chair of the Oregon House climate committee and sponsor of the bill, HB2816. Though Amazon did not testify publicly, Marsh said the company’s lobbyists helped organize the opposition and “successfully nurtured fear that our energy requirements would drive away the development of data centers.” “No one wants that,” Marsh continued, “but we do want them to use energy in a responsible, sustainable manner.”
In addition to the Climate Pledge, Amazon has set a goal of moving entirely to renewable energy by 2025; the company has spent millions on solar and wind energy projects and is the largest private purchaser of clean energy. From its $2 billion climate fund to the Climate Pledge, Amazon has invested heavily in creating the perception that it’s an environmental leader. But its dealings in Oregon show that, behind the scenes, it wants to call the shots on how that transition happens. Amazon spokesperson David Ward said in a statement that “a number of organizations, including Amazon, oppose HB2816 because the bill does not address the build-out of electric infrastructure that is needed to bring more clean energy to the grid.”
“Building new renewable projects requires infrastructure investments in the grid and today there are hurdles in key areas like permitting and interconnection,” he continued. “Accelerating energy infrastructure permitting and interconnections for renewables like solar and wind would have a greater impact on reducing emissions, bringing more clean energy to the grid, and helping achieve our goal of accessing more clean energy in Oregon.”
Oregon’s biggest business organizations are all opposed to the bill, reports Government Technology. “That includes Oregon Business & Industry and the Technology Association of Oregon, and the national trade group TechNet.” Aside from Amazon and its lobbying behind the scenes, no other major tech company has taken a position on the bill.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.