News Feeds | ecology.iww.org (2024)

Mining.Com - Thu, 02/15/2024 - 08:30

BHP (ASX:BHP) announced on Thursday that it is considering closing its Western Australia Nickel operations amid a sharp fall in prices.

The miner said it could place Nickel West into care andmaintenanceand that it was assessing the phasing and capital spend for the development of the West Musgraveproject, acquired as part of the OZ Minerals acquisition last year. The project held a value of $1.2 billion at the time of acquisition.

Nickel prices fell 40% in the last year as Indonesian supply jumped, causing restructures and writedowns at nickel mines across Australia.

“This is an uncertain time for the Western Australia nickel industry and we are taking action to address the current market conditions,” BHP Chief Executive Officer, Mike Henry, said.

“We are reducing operating costs at Western Australia Nickel and reviewing our capital plans for Nickel West and West Musgrave,”

BHP has indicated a noncash impairment charge of approximately $2.5 billion against the carrying value of Western Australia Nickel, encompassing both the Nickel West operations and the West Musgrave project.

This impairment results in the reduction of Western Australia Nickel’s net operating assets carrying value to a negative $0.3 billion, which includes closure and rehabilitation provisions totaling around $0.9 billion.

Nickel West’s Kambalda concentrator will be placed into care and maintenance in June 2024 following Wyloo’s decision to suspend its Cassini and Northern Operations mines from 31 May 2024.

The Cassini and Northern Operations mines provide the majority of ore feed into the Kambalda concentrator and it will be no longer viable for Nickel West to continue operating the milling circuit after those mines cease operating.

Shares of BHP fell 0.85% by 11:30 a.m. EDT. The miner has a market capitalization of $150 billion.

Read More: BHP flags $5.7 billion impairments on Samarco dam failure

Categories: J2. Fossil Fuel Industry

Solar Industry Magazine - Thu, 02/15/2024 - 08:29

SunPower says it has raised $175 million in capital financing through a second lien term loan from Sol Holding, the company’s majority shareholder and indirect subsidiary of TotalEnergies and Global Infrastructure Partners.

The term loan includes $45 million previously funded to the company in December and January, $80 million in new investment and a $50 million second tranche available to be borrowed upon the satisfaction of certain conditions.

SunPower also obtained new long-term waivers from its financial partners and entered into an amendment to its revolving debt facility. Together, these actions provide the company with up to $155 million of additional liquidity.

“This transaction demonstrates the strong conviction of our financial partners in the long-term value proposition of residential solar, storage and renewable energy services, as well as SunPower’s ability to deliver operational excellence for our customers,” said Peter Faricy, SunPower CEO.

“With this injection of additional liquidity and working capital to our balance sheet, coupled with substantial cost reductions, SunPower is taking positive steps to position itself to succeed in 2024 and beyond.”

The post SunPower Secures Additional Capital, Revolving Debt from Sol Holding appeared first on Solar Industry.

Categories:

North American Windpower - Thu, 02/15/2024 - 08:24

Shaw Industries Group has entered into a VPPA with BHE Renewables, a Berkshire Hathaway Energy business, to invest in renewables from BHE’s 200 MW Flat Top wind farm in Mills and Comanche counties, Texas, both operational in 2018.

“Shaw strives to be a positive force in the global effort to mitigate climate change,” says Shaw’s Kellie Ballew. “That’s a fundamental component of our sustain[HUMAN]ability strategy, which focuses on people and the planet. This latest endeavor builds upon our decades of work in this realm.”

Shaw’s investment seeks to reduce the company’s operational footprint by approximately 15% percent annually over the next 15 years.

The post Shaw Industries Invests in Wind Through BHE Renewables appeared first on North American Windpower.

Categories:

North American Windpower - Thu, 02/15/2024 - 08:16

Yokogawa Electric’s Solution Service subsidiary has completed the design, supply and commissioning of a remote operation and monitoring system based on the OpreX Collaborative Information Server for the offshore wind turbines and onshore facilities at the Ishikari Bay New Port Offshore Wind Farm.

The company has also contracted to provide maintenance services at this project, which is operated by JERA and the Green Power Investment Corporation and owned through Green Power Ishikari.

The Ishikari Bay New Port Offshore Wind Farm is the first wind farm in Japan to use large-scale 8,000 kW wind turbines, and started commercial operations at the beginning of the year. The remote operation and monitoring system supplied by Yokogawa includes a video system for monitoring the offshore and onshore power generating facilities at the farm. The company will also provide maintenance services for these systems on an ongoing basis.

In addition to the systems delivered for this project, Yokogawa Solution Service has also received orders from Green Power Investment Corporation for systems that will aggregate information in real-time from wind farms all around Japan, and link this with cloud-based analysis tools.

With Green Power Investment, Yokogawa Solution Service has additionally commenced proof-of-concept tests in which the DTSX3000 optical fiber temperature sensor, a product in the OpreX Field Instruments lineup, is utilized to detect signs of damage to the submarine cables at the Ishikari Bay wind farm.

The post Yokogawa Provides Remote Systems for New Offshore Wind Farm appeared first on North American Windpower.

Categories:

Climate Change News - Thu, 02/15/2024 - 08:15

Switzerland wants to advance global talks on whether controversial solar geoengineering techniques should be used to compensate for climate change by cooling down the earth.

It is proposing to create the first United Nations expert group to “examine risks and opportunities” of solar radiation management (SRM), a suite of largely untested technologies aimed at dimming the sun.

The panel would be made up of experts appointed by member states of the UN’s environment programme (Unep) and representatives of international scientific bodies, according to a draft resolution submitted by Switzerland and seen by Climate Home.

Governments will negotiate and vote on the proposal at Unep’s meeting due to start at the end of February in Nairobi, Kenya. It has been formally endorsed by Senegal, Georgia, Monaco and Guinea.

A Swiss government spokesperson told Climate Home that SRM is “a new topic on the political agenda” and Switzerland is “committed to ensuring that states are informed about these technologies, in particular about possible risks and cross-border effects”.

Split scientific opinions

Solar geoengineering is a deeply contested topic and scientists are divided over whether it should be explored at all as a potential solution.

Ines Camilloni, a climatology professor at the University of Buenos Aires, welcomed Switzerland’s proposal, saying the UN “is in a good position to facilitate equitable, transparent, and inclusive discussions”.

“There is an urgent need to continue researching the benefits and risks of SRM to guide decisions around research activities and deployment”, she told Climate Home.

Shell accused of trying to wash hands of Nigerian oil spill mess

But Carl-Friedrich Schleussner, head of climate science at Climate Analytics, says he is concerned about that prospect.

“The risk of such an initiative is that it elevates SRM as a real solution and contributes to the normalisation of something that is still very premature and hypothetical from a scientific perspective”, he added. “You need to be careful about unintended consequences and consider the risks of opening a Pandora’s box”.

An open letter signed by more than 400 scientists in 2022 called for an international “non-use agreement” on solar geoengineering. It also said United Nations bodies, including Unep, “are all incapable of guaranteeing equitable and effective multilateral control over the deployment of solar geoengineering technologies at planetary scale”.

Poorly understood risks

Long touted as a futuristic climate hack, solar geoengineering has risen in prominence in recent years as the prospect of curbing emissions enough to limit global warming to 1.5C has faded.

The technologies aim to reduce the amount of sunlight reaching the planet’s surface. This could be achieved by pumping aerosols into the high atmosphere or by whitening clouds.

Its supporters say it could be a relatively cheap and fast way to counter extreme heat. But it would only temporarily reduce the impact of rising emissions, without tackling the root causes.

Argentine resistance hinders Milei’s forest and glacier destruction

The regional effects of manipulating the weather are hard to predict and large uncertainties over wider climate, social and economic implications remain.

Solar geoengineering could “introduce a widespread range of new risks to people and ecosystems, which are not well-understood”, the IPCC’s scientists said in their latest assessment of climate science.

Its critics argue that putting the SRM option on the table undermines existing climate policies and relieves pressure on polluters to reduce emissions as quickly as possible. There are also questions about how long this technology would be needed and what happens after it is stopped.

Space for discussion

In its proposal to the Unep assembly, Switzerland acknowledges the “potential global risks and adverse impacts”.

The 25-people-strong group would first be tasked with writing a comprehensive scientific report on solar geoengineering.

But the main goal would be to establish “a space for an informed discussion” about research on the potential use of SRM, giving the possibility for future decisions on how that should be governed, according to an accompanying technical note seen by Climate Home.

It is not the first time Switzerland brings a resolution on solar geoengineering to the Unep summit. In 2019, its attempt to get countries to agree to the development of a governance framework failed as a result of opposition from Donald Trump’s USA and Saudi Arabia – who didn’t want restrictions on geoengineering.

Calls for more research

Last year, Unep produced an “independent expert review” of the subject, concluding that “far more research” is needed “before any consideration for potential deployment” of SRM.

A Unep spokesperson said the exact characteristics of the group proposed by Switzerland would need to be negotiated at the upcoming summit. But, if approved, it would differ from any previous panel “because it would have a clear mandate from member states” with experts directly appointed by them.

Problems mount for Sahara gas pipeline, leaving Nigerian taxpayers at risk

Ines Camilloni was one of the authors of last year’s UNEP report. She says “managing the risks of climate change requires a portfolio of policy responses”, of which mitigation and adaptation would be the most important and urgent.

But she added that “SRM has been proposed as a complementary approach” and more research is needed to weigh its benefits and risks against the impact of adverse climate scenarios.

A panel of leaders called the Overshoot Commission also recommended last year that governments expand research into solar geoengineering while placing a moratorium on large-scale experiments outdoors.

A rogue SRM experimentconducted by a US startup in Mexico led the Mexican government to announce a ban on solar geoengineering in January 2023.

‘Precautionary approach’

Mary Church, a campaigner at the CEnter for International Environmental Law, says “it’s hard to see what could be gained from establishing an expert group under Unep”.

“There’s a real risk that such a group could undermine the existing regulatory framework and inadvertently provide legitimacy for solar geoengineering technology development and experimentation”.

Countries should instead “take a precautionary approach, commit to non-use, and prioritise a fast, fair and funded phase out of fossil fuels”, she added.

The post Switzerland proposes first UN expert group on solar geoengineering appeared first on Climate Home News.

Categories: H. Green News

North American Windpower - Thu, 02/15/2024 - 08:06

Haewoori Offshore Wind 2 and 3, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partner’s (CIP) floating projects off the coast of Ulsan, Korea, with a 500 MW capacity each, have awarded a FEED contract to Aker Solutions and Principle Power for floating foundations.

As part of the scope, Aker Solutions will coordinate the design and delivery of the floating foundation structures and perform the project’s front-end engineering design of the inter-array cable, marshaling port and wind turbine integration, as well as transport and installation.

Principle Power will perform the design of the floating platforms and mooring system based on its WindFloat technology. Aker Solutions will also carry out execution planning, and work with the project to engage the local supply chain.

After a robust selection process, we are happy to collaborate with Aker Solutions and Principle Power for the FEED for the delivery of floating structures,” says Jonathan Spink, CEO of Haewoori Offshore Wind. “The combined technical expertise and know-how of Aker Solutions and Principle Power will provide us with the capabilities to deliver one of the first industrial scale floating wind projects in the world.”

Work will start immediately on FEED and is due to be completed by November.

The post Haewoori Awards FEED Contract to Principle Power, Aker appeared first on North American Windpower.

Categories:

Mountain Association for Community and Economic Development - Thu, 02/15/2024 - 08:00

As a small business lender, Mountain Association staff often talk with aspiring business owners about their financial history. Conversations sometimes evolve into discussions of traumatic events that clients have been through or are still battling. Often, these events have negatively impacted their financial history.

Excerpt from a poem included in the Restoring Hope project by Kentucky women.

In order to be more prepared to navigate these conversations and support clients, our staff recently went through training on trauma-informed approaches, as well as training on intimate partner violence and how financial abuse can be part of that picture.

Financial abuse is often cited by victims of abuse as the main reason that they stayed with or returned to an abusive partner. As a lender who has to look at a person’s financial history, the training brought up the following questions for us as an organization in considering ways we can create systems that support victims/survivors.

Support for Recovering from Financial or Other Abuse

What resources can we provide to help clients subtly open separate bank accounts to gain independence? What free budgeting tools and education can we offer clients to empower their financial management skills and boost clients’ confidence in financial decision-making? How can we advise clients on safely building up emergency funds even with limited resources? How can we help clients improve credit scores damaged by abuse so they can access affordable housing, etc. if needed? What partnerships with local organizations can we form to refer clients to counseling, legal help, shelter options, etc.?

Over the next several months, we will be working to answer these questions and compile resources to share with clients and organizations similar to ours.

The following are some resources we already know of:

• Financial Safety Planning – resources about how to know if you and your partner have a healthy financial relationships and tips toward building one
• Redbud Financial Alternatives – a nonprofit serving Breathitt, Knott, Leslie, and Perry and surrounding Kentucky counties with personal loans and financial action plans/education; credit counseling can potentially include more counties
• AppalRed – serving 37 counties around Eastern Kentucky with free legal services
• Love is Respect – an organization providing resources about relationship abuse
• Map of Kentucky shelters and resource centers available

Recognizing Abuse as Financial Lenders

Beyond training in how to take a trauma-informed approach to our work with clients, how will we train employees to recognize signs of financial abuse and offer help safely and discretely? Since financial abuse is often intrinsically linked to domestic violence, the first step in advising a client is to ensure their safety. We need to evaluate whether the steps we advise them to take would put them at risk of retaliation from their partner. For example, before advising the client to open up their own checking account, help determine if their partner would be able to access or know about the account.

Though Mountain Association never shares details of any person’s loans to any party other than original borrower without explicit permission, what other security measures should we consider? What can we add to our website, marketing material and loan documents to share resources with clients who might be in abusive situations? What adjustments can we make to loan products and policies to accommodate clients trying to leave abusive situations?

Here are some useful resources for organizations to learn more about this issue:

• Methods abusers use for financial control

The Importance of a Trauma-Informed Approach

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) or Adverse Life Experiences are those potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood or throughout life. These include experiencing violence, abuse or neglect, witnessing addiction or violence in the home, having a family member attempt or die by suicide, and more. In the US, 64% adults will experience at least one type of trauma before age 18.

Excerpt from a poem included in the Restoring Hope project by Kentucky women.

Trauma from these experiences can alter brain development, hormonal systems, genetic expression and cause long term behavioral/health effects. Addressing root causes via trauma informed care, resilience building and community support is key. We all have a role in building a better world for everyone.

Here are some useful resources for organizations to learn more about trauma-informed approach:

• Empowered Soul Coaching – Angelika Weaver is a Victim’s Advocate, Community Organizer, Empowerment Coach, & SEKY Native. She led our staff training and is an excellent resource.
• BOUNCE Coalition – an organization based in Kentucky providing training and resources.

Contact

We’d love to hear from you with questions or resources as we work to better serve our clients. Please contact Ariel Fugate at ariel@mtassociation.org or 859-302-3868

Categories: B5. Resilience, Third Nature, and Transition

Delaware Riverkeeper Network - Thu, 02/15/2024 - 08:00

Image:Body:

Please Join Us!
Hydrogen Hub MACH2 Webinar focused on community engagement
7:00pm to 8:00pm, Monday February 26

REGISTER HERE. (Registration is required)

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Featuring community activists from hydrogen hub impacted regions: Zulene Mayfield, Founder, Chester Residents Concerned for Quality Living; Ari Eisenstadt, Energy Justice Manager at the California Environmental Justice Alliance; Tracy Carluccio, Deputy Director, Delaware Riverkeeper Network; and Anneke van Rossum, Advocacy and Policy Coordinator, Delaware Riverkeeper Network.

Scant information has been available about MACH2 and the other “hydrogen hubs” planned across the nation; most of the details have been kept secret. On the Powerfully Engaging MACH2 Communities webinar we will hear from community representatives from three areas about their concerns regarding impacts they would be expected to live and work with and their ideas for how to meaningfully influence the decisions being made about MACH2. Their frontline perspectives form what should be the foundation of the MACH2 public process.

The Mid-Atlantic Hydrogen Hub (MACH2) is being proposed as one of seven hydrogen hubs that is slated to receive a total of $7B in federal funding administered by the Department of Energy and its Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations. MACH2 would receive $750M and is a constellation of projects planned to be located in the Delaware River Watershed, centered in Southeastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, and Delaware. How the hub components will impact communities, air and water quality, and precisely where the hydrogen hub elements would be built is largely unknown. But research has revealed some details and we will discuss what we are learning on the webinar.

Delaware Riverkeeper Network is presenting a webinar series on various aspects of MACH2, sharing information about hydrogen production, transport, storage, and use and about what constitutes the hub, its environmental and public health and safety footprint, and the implications for the climate crisis.

Go here for more information on MACH2.

Please join us to learn more, ask questions, and get engaged!

REGISTER HERE. (Registration is required)

Zulene Mayfield is the driving force behind Chester Residents Concerned for Quality Living (CRCQL) with a goal to ensure that families in Chester live free from polluting industries. She and other residents founded CRCQL in 1992 in response to the construction of the largest trash incinerator in the country, which moved in just a block down from her neighborhood. Despite personal attacks, hostility and pushback from industry groups and politicians over the decades, Zulene has remained committed to fighting for environmental justice and for the health of all those living in Chester City.Ari Eisenstadt (pronouns he/him) is an Energy Justice Manager at the California Environmental Justice Alliance (CEJA). Ari works with CEJA member organizations to build community power towards shutting down gas-fired power plants with theRegenerate Californiacoalition.Ari has experience in youth education in New York City, in advancing campaigns for nature access and equitable climate policies in Washington, DC, and has an academic background in chemical oceanography and climate science. Ari grew up in Brooklyn, NY and now lives in Los Angeles with his partner, cat, and a community of loved ones.Tracy Carluccio is Deputy Director of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network (DRN), where she works as an environmental advocate since 1989, working throughout the Delaware River Watershed in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, and Delaware.Anneke van Rossum is the current Advocacy and Policy Coordinator at Delaware Riverkeeper Network where her role focuses on directly assisting the Deputy Director and researching developing pollution, legislation, and working on community organizing initiatives.

Categories: G2. Local Greens

North American Windpower - Thu, 02/15/2024 - 07:53

Robin Radar, MIDO and DHI have joined with Ecowende to implement wildlife monitoring, detection systems and data collection on various birds and bats who may be impacted by the offshore wind industry.

Their technologies include Robin Radar’s MAX bird and bat radar systems, DHI’s sensor integration and AI species recognition solution MUSE and MIDO’s power-generating floating platform FLORA 1, all set to be deployed in Ecowende’s planned offshore farm.

The wind farm developer, a joint venture between Shell, Chubu and Eneco, has also tasked DHI with integrating the project’s different data sources.

“Bird ecologists will work on accurately mapping seabird behavior around our innovations, patterns of migratory birds and improving existing collision models,” says Marin van Regteren, marine ecologist at Ecowend. “Based on these insights, we can continuously improve our own approach by fine-tuning innovations, and we can help future wind farms.”

The post Ecowende Leading Offshore Wind Wildlife Monitoring Initiative appeared first on North American Windpower.

Categories:

The Carbon Brief - Thu, 02/15/2024 - 07:51

A few years ago, scientists studying satellite data discovered that there was an “unexpectedly large” source of CO2 emissions coming from tropical Africa, particularly over parts of Ethiopia and South Sudan.

This mysterious emissions source was so large, in fact, that if this region were a country, it would have been the second-largest emitter in the world, after China, in 2016 – releasing a total of 6bn tonnes of CO2, according to the study.

Now, newer research calls these results into question. Rather than using satellite data alone, it uses data taken by scientific aircraft travelling up and down the Atlantic Ocean off the western coast of tropical Africa.

This study finds that tropical Africa’s land acts as a net emitter of CO2 in the dry season, when practices such as biomass burning reach a peak, and a net sink in the wet season, when plants grow faster and take in more CO2 from the atmosphere. Thus, it concludes, tropical Africa’s land can be considered “neutral” in terms of its CO2 emissions.

However, the scientists that first reported the mysterious emissions tell Carbon Brief that they disagree with the new conclusions – and have a plan to explain where such large emissions could be coming from.

With neither study using data taken on the ground in Africa nor including African scientists, authors on both papers acknowledge the need for ground-based CO2 measurements to help solve the mystery.

Differing data

Africa is home to one-third of the world’s tropical rainforests, 3% of the world’s peatlands – including the world’s most extensive tropical peatland – and the majority of the world’s tropical savannahs. All of these ecosystems store large amounts of carbon.

Though the African tropics are a globally important carbon store, there have been few studies looking into the extent of year-to-year CO2 emissions from the land in this region.

African savannah. Golden plains with animals. Masai Mara game reserve. Kenya. Credit: Godong / Alamy Stock Photo

Back in 2019, a study in Nature Communications sought to understand the extent of annual CO2 emissions from tropical Africa using data from Japan’s greenhouse gases observing satellite (GOSAT) and NASA’s orbiting carbon observatory (OCO-2).

The results showed that net CO2 emissions from Africa’s tropical land – the difference between the amount of CO2 absorbed and emitted by the land – totalled 5.4bn tonnes and 6bn tonnes in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

The maps below, taken from the paper’s supplementary information, show the extent of CO2 emissions from tropical land in 2015 and 2016. On the map, dark blue shows regions that acted as carbon sinks while yellow shows regions that were net emitters of CO2.

The extent of CO2 emissions from tropical land in 2015 (top) and 2016 (bottom) in grammes of carbon per metre squared per year (gC/m2/yr). Dark blue shows regions that acted as CO2 sinks, while yellow shows regions that were net emitters of CO2. Hatching shows regions with lower relative uncertainty. Source: Supplementary Information, Palmer et al. (2019)

On the maps, a large yellow spot covers parts of Ethiopia and South Sudan – the source of the “unexpectedly large” emissions from Africa’s tropical land, the study’s lead author Prof Paul Palmer, a researcher of geosciences from the University of Edinburgh, told Carbon Brief back in 2019.

The newer study, published in the journal Global Biogeochemical Cycles, uses a different approach to study annual CO2 emissions from Africa’s tropical land.

This team of researchers used the NASA DC-8 Airborne Research Platform, an aeroplane that has been fitted out with equipment to conduct scientific research.

NASA’s DC-8 Airborne Research Platform. Credit: NASA/Lori Losey

For four days across the northern hemisphere’s four seasons spread over the years 2016-18, the researchers flew south to north over the Atlantic Ocean to the west of tropical Africa, collecting CO2 measurements from the ocean surface to around 35,000 feet.

This approach allowed researchers to study the exhaust plume blown over to the Atlantic Ocean from tropical Africa. This plume contains particles such as dust, soot and wildfire smoke – along with gases such as CO2 .

The researchers then compared their data to estimates from models using the satellite data from the 2019 study.

The aircraft data found that Africa’s tropical land released far smaller emissions in the dry season, when compared to the estimates derived from satellite data. This led the researchers to conclude that the satellite data used in the 2019 study could have overestimated CO2 emissions from tropical Africa.

Instead of Africa’s tropical land being a large net source of CO2, the newer study concluded that it could actually be “neutral” in terms of annual CO2 emissions, says lead author Dr Benjamin Gaubert, a project scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado. He tells Carbon Brief:

“Our findings suggest northern tropical Africa is a carbon source in the dry season and a sink in the wet season, with an annual exchange of around zero. Much of the seasonal biomass burning is inherently balanced over the year by photosynthetic uptake from grasses and shrubs.”

Conclusions questioned

Palmer, the author of the 2019 study, is not convinced by the new findings.

He argues that, because the aircraft data was collected over the Atlantic Ocean, to the west of tropical Africa, it is likely to be much more sensitive to CO2 plumes travelling over from western tropical Africa than from eastern tropical Africa – where his study found that most of the emissions were actually occurring. He tells Carbon Brief:

“I suspect – though I’m not 100% sure – that the team have shown with their analysis that west Africa, which is dominated by biomass burning, is close to neutral [for CO2 emissions], which would be less of a surprise.”

He added that while the Atlantic Ocean does receive plumes of CO2 blowing over from Africa’s tropical land, it is also likely to be affected by other sources of emissions from other parts of the world, muddying the ability to pinpoint emissions to specific regions.

Responding to these points, Dr Britton Stephens, co-author of the newer study and a senior scientist in the Earth Observing Laboratory at NCAR, tells Carbon Brief:

“It is true that the aircraft have a relatively broad region of influence that may not correspond precisely to the strongest postulated emission source of the [2019] study.”

He adds, however, that the emissions source from eastern tropical Africa identified in the 2019 study has not been exactly replicated by other research efforts using satellites. Instead, these studies typically produce “similar annual region-wide sources with very different within-region spatial patterns”.

Prof Emanuel Gloor is a researcher of CO2 emissions from tropical land at the University of Leeds, who was not an author on either paper. (He did act as a reviewer for the newer study.)

He tells Carbon Brief that the findings of the newer study – that Africa’s tropical land is neutral in CO2 terms – is much more in keeping with scientists’ understanding of the global carbon cycle:

“Essentially the result they find is exactly what you would expect.”

Mysterious emissions

As Gloor sees it, there were several issues with the 2019 study.

One of the major ones, he says, was that the scientists concluded that there could be a very large source of CO2 emissions coming from parts of Ethiopia and South Sudan – an area not only with very little infrastructure and commercial activity, but also very little forest cover. He tells Carbon Brief:

“Where would these emissions be coming from if they were really coming from Ethiopia? That’s not where you have massive amounts of biomass.”

Simple hut in the bush savannah, Turmi, Ethiopia, Africa. Contributor: imageBROKER.com GmbH & Co. KG / Alamy Stock Photo

Although the region is not covered by large areas of forest, it is home to some very carbon-rich soils, the 2019 study noted.

At the time, the scientists suggested that land degradation and deforestation could have potentially caused large amounts of carbon to be released from soils, with Palmer telling Carbon Brief in 2019:

“Substantial changes in land use over a region with high levels of soil organic carbon are conditions that could potentially release carbon from the soils.”

GlossaryEl Niño: Every five years or so, a change in the winds causes a shift to warmer than normal sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean – known as El Niño. Together with its cooler counterpart, La Niña, this is known as the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and is responsible for most of the fluctuations in temperature and rainfall patterns we see from one year to the next.CloseEl Niño: Every five years or so, a change in the winds causes a shift to warmer than normal sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean – known as El Niño. Together with… Read More

The detected CO2 spike could have also been influenced by the 2015-16 El Niño event, which was one of the strongest on record, another scientist not involved in the research told Carbon Brief at the time. (Warming can cause soils to release CO2 at a higher rate.)

Speaking to Carbon Brief in 2024, Palmer says that his research team do now have a firmer idea of where such a large amount of CO2 emissions could be coming from in the region comprising Ethiopia and South Sudan.

However, he declined to give more details on what this source was, arguing that it was still an area of active research and saying that he hoped to soon publish a research paper on his findings.

Data drought

Neither study uses data taken on the ground in Africa nor includes African scientists.

This is amid a backdrop of unequal participation for African scientists and institutions in global climate research.

Previous analysis by Carbon Brief found that just 1% of the most highly-cited climate research papers from the years 2017-21 featured African scientists.

And further Carbon Brief analysis showed that Africa has the lowest density of weather stations of any continent – hamstringing the ability to study how climate change could be affecting factors relevant to carbon loss from ecosystems, such as air and soil temperatures, soil moisture, rainfall and cloud cover.

Africa is the world’s second-largest continent and encompasses 20% of Earth’s land surface, meaning a lack of understanding of how its ecosystems are changing could hold consequences for scientists’ understanding of the global carbon cycle.

Carbon Brief asked the authors of both of the papers whether it was a weakness to not include data taken on the ground in Africa.

Stephens agrees that having “ground-based CO2 measurements in the region would be a big help”.

He adds, however, that to fully capture how emissions disperse in the atmosphere, these measurements should be complemented with a “systematic programme of airborne observations” – something his colleagues “recently started pursuing”.

Palmer also agrees that having on-the-ground measurements would have been preferable.

He adds that his team did have plans to travel to the region where they detected the large source of CO2 emissions via satellite data in order to take on-the-ground measurements. However, ongoing conflicts in South Sudan and Ethiopia made this impossible, he says.

Cropped 14 February 2024: Nature fund gets real; Migratory species in peril; EU rolls back regulations

Cropped

|

14.02.24

‘Unprecedented’ stress in up to half of the Amazon may lead to tipping point by 2050

Nature

|

14.02.24

Ny-Ålesund: How UK scientists are studying climate change in the Arctic

Arctic

|

09.02.24

Analysis: How do the EU farmer protests relate to climate change?

EU policy

|

05.02.24

jQuery(document).ready(function() { jQuery('.block-related-articles-slider-block_9805b4b83cc2c957231f5e545b00c4a9 .mh').matchHeight({ byRow: false }); });

The post Mystery over ‘unexpectedly large’ emissions from Africa’s tropical ecosystems appeared first on Carbon Brief.

Categories: I. Climate Science

North American Windpower - Thu, 02/15/2024 - 07:50

VARD has signed a contract for the design and construction of a hybrid power service operation vessel (SOV) for Cyan Renewables, which is currently set to be Asia’s first dedicated offshore wind vessel owner.

VARD was awarded the design and building of the SOV after a tender in competition with other providers.

The VARD 4 19 hybrid diesel electric vessel is designed using DC technology, and it is the first time it is combined with two retractable Azimuth thrusters, says the company.

“We are delighted to get this opportunity to participate in the development of the fast-growing markets of offshore wind in Asia together with Cyan Renewables,” adds Vard Group CEO Alberto Maestrini. “With our world leading design and engineering teams VARD is drawing on our long experience as integrated shipbuilders to make maritime opportunities possible in close partnership with our customer.

The vessel is developed by Vard Design in Norway. VARD’s specialized subsidiary Seaonics is delivering their ECMC gangway, a fixed pedestal version with three-ton SWL 3D compensated crane capacity and includes a cargo elevator.

Subsidiary Vard Electro is participating in the project with comprehensive deliveries of SeaQ equipment and green solutions, including a SeaQ Bridge. Vard Electro is also providing a power and automation package.

The vessel will be built, outfitted, commissioned, and delivered from Vard Vung Tau in Vietnam. Delivery is scheduled for 2026.

The post VARD to Design, Build First SOV for Cyan Renewables appeared first on North American Windpower.

Categories:

Environmental Working Group - Thu, 02/15/2024 - 07:26

EWG expands team with key new hiresIris MyersFebruary 15, 2024

Washington, D.C. – The Environmental Working Group announces the addition of several outstanding individuals to its team, further enhancing the organization’s capacity to safeguard human health and the environment.

The newest members of the EWG staff include accomplished social media and development experts, a Ph.D. toxicologist, and fresh legal and policy additions to the government affairs team.

“We are thrilled to welcome several new colleagues to EWG’s team,” said EWG Co-founder and President Ken Cook. “Their diverse expertise and commitment to the environment and human health will undoubtedly bolster our mission to foster a healthier, more sustainable world.”

Sarah Evans – Senior Director, Social Media

Sarah Evans joins EWG as the Senior Director of Social Media, bringing more than 14 years of experience in developing effective social media programs. With a passion for developing inspiring and accessible content, Evans has led successful campaigns for brands such as Toyota, Esri and Esurance.

Alexa Friedman, Ph.D. – Senior Scientist

As a seasoned environmental epidemiologist, Alexa Friedman, Ph.D., is dedicated to reducing public exposure to harmful chemicals. With a background in environmental health and a focus on early-life exposure to heavy metals, Friedman’s expertise will be invaluable to EWG’s research efforts.

Abbie Gibbs – Vice President, Development

Abbie Gibbs brings over 20 years of experience in development and strategic partnerships to her role as Vice President of Development at EWG. Gibbs has a deep understanding of environmental issues stemming from her upbringing on a sustainable cattle ranch in Arkansas.

Bennett Rosenberg – Government Affairs Administrative Associate

Bennett Rosenberg joins EWG as a Government Affairs Administrative Associate, bringing experience in environmental policy and advocacy, including an internship at the Environmental Protection Agency.

Olivia Wagner – Social Media Manager, EWG VERIFIED®

Olivia Wagner brings a wealth of expertise in social media marketing and holistic health to her role as Social Media Manager for EWG VERIFIED®. With a background in nutrition and experience in promoting healthy living, Wagner is committed to empowering individuals to make healthier choices.

Gianfranco Cesareo – Stabile Law Fellow

Gianfranco Cesareo is the Stabile Law Fellow at EWG, supporting the government affairs team on the "forever chemicals" known as PFAS, food safety and other policy issues. After graduating with a law degree from Georgetown University, he interned for nonprofit environmental and animal advocacy groups, served as a managing editor for the Georgetown Environmental Law Review and worked in the Environmental Law and Justice Clinic.

These talented professionals join over 60 full-time staff members at EWG.

###

Disqus Comments Press Contact Alex Formuzis alex@ewg.org (202) 667-6982 February 15, 2024

Categories: G1. Progressive Green

Pittsburgh Green New Deal - Thu, 02/15/2024 - 07:12

ข้อดีของการเล่นเกมสล็อตเว็บตรง ชนะรางวัลได้ไม่อั้น เข้าใช้งานได้จริง

ข้อดีของการเล่นเกมสล็อตเว็บตรง ชนะรางวัลได้ไม่อั้น เข้าใช้งานได้จริง หากทุกท่าน กำลังมองหาเว็บสล็อตออนไลน์ ที่มีความน่าเชื่อถือ มีความมั่นคง และมีเกมให้เลือกเล่นหลากหลาย ต้องห้ามพลาด ความสนุกสุดคุ้มของเกมสล็อตออนไลน์ เว็บไซต์ยอดนิยม มาแรงแห่งปี การันตีได้เงินจริง 1688upx เว็บไซต์รายใหญ่ ที่ได้รับความไว้วางใจ จากผู้ใช้วานจริงทั่วโลก

มาพร้อมการบริการความสนุกของเกมสล็อตออนไลน์ทุกรูปแบบเกม ความมันส์ ความบันเทิงที่หลากหลายแบบครบวงจร ทั้งค่ายใหม่ และค่ายเก่า อัพเดทความสนุกของเกมใหม่ๆ ให้เลือกเล่นก่อนใครทุกวัน พร้อมทั้งยังสามารถลงเดิมพันเล่นเกมได้มากกว่า 1000+ เกม ไม่จำกัดทุนในการลงเดิมพัน ไม่จำกัดความสนุก โดยผู้เล่นทุกท่าน จะสามารถปรับเพิ่มลดเบทเดิมพันในการเล่นเกมได้อย่างอิสระ รับเงินรางวัลได้อย่างเต็มที่

การันตีถอนเงินรางวัลจากการเล่นเกมมาใช้ได้จริง พร้อมการดูแลผู้เล่นอย่างครอบคลุมตลอดในการเข้าใช้งาน พัฒนาระบบเว็บไซต์ในการเข้าเล่นเกมให้ดียิ่งขึ้นอย่างต่อเนื่อง มีความทันสมัย รวดเร็วทันใจ และเข้าใช้งานได้อย่างครอบคลุมทั่วถึง ไม่ต้องเป็นผู้เล่นทุนสูง ไม่ต้องเป็นผู้เล่นมืออาชีพ ก็สามารถทำกำไร สร้างรายได้ ผ่านช่องทางออนไลน์ เล่นเกมสล็อตได้อย่างเพลิดเพลิน

เข้าใช้งานได้อย่างมั่นใจ ลงเดิมพันเล่นเกมได้อย่างต่อเนื่อง ไม่มีประวัติการโกง ลงเดิมพัน รับเงินรางวัลไม่อั้น โอกาสในการชนะรางวัลสูง เว็บตรง ยอดนิยม ที่มีความมั่นคง และมีความปลอดภัย ต้องเว็บไซต์ 1688upx เท่านั้น

ความพิเศษของเว็บตรง1688upx ข้อดีของการเล่นเกมสล็อตเว็บตรง ชนะรางวัลได้ไม่อั้น เข้าใช้งานได้จริง

• เว็บตรง 1688upx เว็บไซต์ไม่ผ่านเอเย่นต์ มั่นคง ปลอดภัย

ทุกท่าน สามารถเข้ามาร่วมสนุก ลงเดิมพันเล่นเกมสล็อตออนไลน์ บนเว็บไซต์ 1688upx ได้อย่างมั่นใจ โดยไม่ต้องกังวลเรื่องปัญหาในการโกง ไม่มีการล็อคยูสเซอร์ โดยเว็บไซต์ของเรา เป็นเว็บตรง ที่ไม่ผ่านเอเย่นต์ มาตรฐานสากล และยังมีใบเซอร์การันตีการเปิดใช้งาน น่าเชื่อถือ และมีฐานการเงินที่มั่นคง ปลอดภัยสูง เว็บไซต์ 1688upx ของเรา เปิดให้บริการมาอย่างยาวนาน

มีฐานผู้เล่นจำนวนมาก และมีสมาชิกใหม่ สมัครเข้ามาร่วมสนุก ลงเดิมพัน เป็นสมาชิกบนเว็บไซต์ของเราอย่างต่อเนื่อง อีกทั้งยังมีการสำรองเงินจ่ายรางวัล ให้กับผู้เล่นทุกท่านแบบไม่อั้น โดยผู้เล่น สามารถลงเดิมพัน ทำกำไร สร้างรายได้อย่างเต็มที่ ถอนเงินรางวัลได้แน่นอน 100% รองรับการเข้าใช้งานทุกแพลตฟอร์ม เปิดให้บริการตลอด 24 ชั่วโมง พร้อมทั้งยังมีการบริการ ดูแลผู้เล่นผ่านฝ่านบริการอย่างครอบคลุม และใส่ใจตลอดในการเข้าใช้งานอีกด้วย

• คัดสรรเกมสล็อตออนไลน์แบบครบวงจร

บริการเกมสล็อตออนไลน์ลิขสิทธิ์แท้ จากค่ายผู้พัฒนาเกมโดยตรง มีโอกาสในการชนะรางวัลที่สูงยิ่งขึ้น รับเงินรางวัลสุดคุ้มไปใช้ได้อย่างง่ายดาย 1688upx แหล่งรวมความสนุก ความมันส์ ความบันเทิงของเกมสล็อตออนไลน์แบบครบวงจร เล่นเกมได้ทุกค่าย รวมค่ายเกมดังชั้นนำสุดฮิตมากมาย ทั้งค่ายใหม่ และค่ายเก่า อัพเดทเกมใหม่ๆ ให้เลือกเล่นก่อนใครทุกวัน เลือกลงเดิมพันได้มากกว่า 1000+ เกม ไม่ว่าจะเป็น ค่าย PG SLOT , XO SLOT , JILI , JOKER , PP และอีกมากมาย

• ลงเดิมพันเล่นเกมไม่จำกัดทุน ขั้นต่ำ 1 บาทเท่านั้น

มีทุนน้อย หรือมีทุนหนา ก็ไม่ต้องกังวล ทำกำไร สร้างรายได้จากการเล่นเกมสล็อตออนไลน์ได้อย่างเต็มที่ ไม่จำกัดทุนในการลงเดิมพัน รับเงินรางวัลสุดคุ้มไปใช้ได้แบบไม่อั้น ลงเดิมพันได้อย่างอิสระ เล่นเกมสล็อตออนไลน์ได้อย่างเพลิดเพลินไม่มีเบื่อ บนเว็บไซต์ 1688upx ที่มาพร้อมเบทเดิมพันในการเล่นเกมขั้นต่ำ ที่ผู้เล่นสามารถเข้ามาร่วมสนุกกันได้อย่างครอบคลุม เริ่มต้นเพียงแค่ 1 บาทเท่านั้น

โดยในการลงเดิมพันเล่นเกมสล็อตออนไลน์ จะสามารถปรับเพิ่มลดเบทเดิมพันในการเล่นเกม ร่วมสนุกลงเดิมพันกันได้อย่างอิสระตามต้องการ หากท่านใด ที่มีทุนในการเล่นเกมสูง ต้องการรับเงินรางวัลที่คุ้มค่ามากยิ่งขึ้น ก็สามารถปรับเบทเดิมพันในการเล่นเกมสล็อตออนไลน์ ได้สูงสุดถึงหลักพันเลยทีเดียว

• ฝากถอนเงินระบบออโต้มั่นคงปลอดภัย

พัฒนาระบบเว็บไซต์ให้ดียิ่งขึ้นอย่างต่อเนื่อง มีระบบการฝากถอนเงินที่ดียิ่งขึ้น ใช้งานได้อย่างสะดวก ใช้เวลาที่รวดเร็วมากยิ่งขึ้น กับระบบการฝาก – ถอนเงินออโต้ ที่สามารถแจ้งทำรายการได้อย่างอิสระ ด้วยตนเอง ผ่านหน้าเว็บไซต์ ไม่ต้องรอคิว ไม่ต้องแจ้งการฝากถอนไปที่เจ้าหน้าที่แอดมิน อีกทั้งยังไม่กำพหนดขั้นต่ำ ไม่ต้องทำยอดเทิร์น ไม่จำกัดจำนวนครั้ง เปิดให้บริการทำรายการได้ตลอด 24 ชั่วโมง ถอนเงินรางวัลไปใช้ได้แบบไม่อั้น

ฝาก – ถอน ผ่านบัญชี true wallet รวดเร็วที่สุด

ท่านใด ที่สนใจเข้ามาร่วมสนุก แต่ยังไม่มีบัญชีธนาคาร ในการฝากถอนเงิน เข้าเล่นเกมสล็อตออนไลน์ บนเว็บไซต์ 1688upx ไม่ต้องกังวลใจไป เพราะนอกจากการฝากถอน ผ่านระบบออโต้ จะมีความรวดเร็วทันใจ เข้าใช้งานได้อย่างง่ายดายมากยิ่งขึ้นแล้ว ยังมีความสะดวก ต่อการเข้าใช้งานของผู้เล่นทุกท่านอย่างครอบคลุมอีกด้วย

แจ้งทำรายการได้อย่างอิสระ ผ่านหน้าเว็บไซต์ 1688upx โดยเรา จะมีการรองรับการฝาก – ถอน ผ่านบัญชีธนาคารทั่วโลก และยังรองรับบัญชี true wallet อีกด้วย เพื่อให้ผู้เล่น ที่ยังไม่มีบัญชีธนาคาร สามารถแจ้งทำรายการฝากถอน เข้ามาร่วมสนุกกันได้อย่างเพลิดเพลิน ทำกำไร สร้างรายได้สุดคุ้มได้อย่างจุใจ

Credit สล็อตเว็บตรง

อ่านบทความน่าสนใจเพิ่มเติม

The post ข้อดีของการเล่นเกมสล็อตเว็บตรง ชนะรางวัลได้ไม่อั้น เข้าใช้งานได้จริง appeared first on climateworkers.org.

Categories: B3. EcoSocialism

Pembina Institute News - Thu, 02/15/2024 - 07:00

Categories:

Pembina Institute News - Thu, 02/15/2024 - 07:00

Categories:

North American Windpower - Thu, 02/15/2024 - 06:59

Minnesota Power has issued an RFP for up to 400 MW of wind that can come online by the end of 2027.

As part of its EnergyForward strategy, the company seeks wind resources within the MISO Local Resource Zone 1 with direct interconnections to the transmission system and the ability to enter commercial production in 2026 or 2027.

“The carbon-free future must be sustainable for the climate, customers and communities for everyone to thrive, so we seek projects that will create local jobs, local economic benefits and train people in renewable technologies,” says Minnesota Power COO Josh Skelton.

“New wind generation in the Upper Midwest can tap into an excellent wind resource and maximize use of regional transmission assets to deliver renewable energy to our customers and fits well with our portfolio of other energy supply resources to reliably meet customer demands around the clock.”

The RFP calls for the company to also acquire up to 300 MW of solar energy that is being evaluated in a separate RFP, along with the 400 MW of wind.

Minnesota Power will consider both build-own-transfer and PPA projects, with a preference for those between 100 and 200 MW in both categories. An independent third-party evaluator will help the company screen and review proposals.

Proposals will be accepted through April 11.

The post Minnesota Power Issues Utility-Scale Wind RFP for EnergyForward Program appeared first on North American Windpower.

Categories:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, February 15, 2024
CONTACT
Kyla Bennett [PEER] kbennett@peer.org, (508) 230-9933
Colleen Teubner [PEER] cteubner@peer.org, (202) 464-2293
Bob Sussman [CEH] bobsussman1@comcast.net, (202) 716-0118

EPA Conceals PFAS Health Info as Trade SecretLawsuit Demands Release of Data on PFAS in Fluorinated Containers

Washington, DC — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is wrongfully withholding test data and other vital information about the presence of dangerous perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and other toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in millions of fluorinated plastic containers, according to a federal lawsuit filed today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) and the Center for Environmental Health (CEH). The suit contends that EPA is violating its disclosure obligations under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) by improperly treating health and safety data as “confidential business information” (CBI) and denying the public access to the results of testing showing the levels of PFAS in plastic containers and their contents along with the identities of the products in which these toxic materials are present.

PFOA and twelve other PFAS chemicals are formed during the fluorination of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic containers by Inhance Technologies, LLC of Houston, Texas. Inhance is the sole U.S. company conducting this type of fluorination. Studies by EPA, independent researchers, and Inhance itself show that PFAS leaches from the walls of containers into their contents, thus exposing millions of people to PFAS without their knowledge. Exposure to PFAS is associated with liver, kidney, and testicular cancer, thyroid problems, reduced immune function and vaccine efficacy, and impaired fetal development, among other harmful health effects. Inhance fluorinates 200 million containers a year which are used to package diverse products ranging from fuels to foodstuffs, cosmetics, and cleaning products which consumers and workers use on a daily basis.

On January 5, 2023, PEER and CEH submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for documents shedding light on the health risks associated with PFAS in fluorinated containers. In its response, the agency withheld the results of extensive testing for PFAS conducted by Inhance and detailed information received from the company about the products packaged in fluorinated containers. In so doing, the suit charges, EPA has granted trade secret protection at Inhance’s request for information that TSCA requires the agency to make available to the public.

“The cloak of confidential business information cannot be used to hide health and safety studies as EPA is currently doing,” stated Colleen Teubner, PEER’s Litigation and Policy Attorney. “By sitting on this critical information, EPA is advancing the private interests of a corporate violator and shirking its public health responsibilities.”

PEER and CEH filed their FOIA enforcement suit against EPA in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. In addition to withholding health and safety data required to be disclosed by TSCA, EPA is still processing their FOIA request and has not yet produced hundreds of responsive documents.

On December 3, 2023, EPA issued orders under TSCA determining that the PFAS in fluorinated containers constitute “an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment” and directing Inhance to stop producing PFAS during fluorination no later than February 28, 2024. A full response to the FOIA request, including disclosure of the unlawfully withheld data, will better enable the public to understand the basis for these orders and the risks to consumers and workers of handling and using PFAS-containing fluorinated containers. The EPA orders are currently being challenged in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals by Inhance.

“EPA has found that these containers constitute a public health threat, a long-awaited determination that also should encompass the public’s right to know,” added CEH counsel Bob Sussman, a former senior EPA official. “Given the unquestionably major public health stakes, EPA should be stepping up and maximizing access to health and safety data, but the agency is disclosing vital information only grudgingly and with lingering secrecy even though disclosure is mandated by TSCA.”

###

Look at the lawsuit

View an example of how EPA cloaks PFAS data

PEER CEH letter to EPA on unjustified withholding of information

PEER CEH Presentation on Inhance SNUN PFAS CBI Issues

Revisit EPA finding that Inhance’s fluorination process is an “unreasonable risk” to public health

Examine the dangers of PFAS-laden shipping containers

The post EPA Conceals PFAS Health Info as Trade Secret appeared first on PEER.org.

Categories: A2. Green Unionism

Mining.Com - Thu, 02/15/2024 - 06:52

Whittle Consulting has announced that their founder, Jeff Whittle, died peacefully on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024, at the age of 93.

Whittle became involved in the mining industry in 1979 when he joined Newmont Australia, later, Newcrest, as a contractor. He was fascinated by a largely theoretical paper published in 1965 by IBM researchers Lerchs and Grossmann, entitled, “Optimum Design of Open Pit Mines.” This described an algorithm to maximize cash flow from these mines, working from a block model of ore distribution, mining costs, and pit slope requirements.

There was no commercially available optimization software, so Whittle offered to write a program for Newmont, based on the Lerchs-Grossmann algorithm. When Newmont declined to commit funding to what they considered such a risky project, he decided to write it himself.

In 1983, Jeff took time off from his contracting work to write the first commercially available implementation of the Lerchs-Grossmann algorithm, which was practical to use on the computers of the day. He improved the efficiency of the algorithm by devising an inverted model of block dependencies, which greatly reduced the storage requirements for the whole data structure. This enabled the structure required for real mines to fit in memory, which was often less than 1 Mb, even for mainframes.

This was “Three-D”, which Whittle and his wife Ruth licensed to mining companies as Fortran source code.

In 1984, they established Whittle Programming. Over the next 16 years, he developed a series of mining optimization software packages. These were successfully marketed and sold by his wife to mining companies and consultancies all around the world. In 2000, they sold the business to Gemcom in Canada. This Whittle package of programs remains the industry standard toolkit to this day.

At around the same time, He began work on multi-pit mine scheduling optimization software. His ongoing development of this software resulted in the Prober series of optimisation tools used today by Whittle Consulting.

For almost 40 years, Whittle excelled at developing computer software which revolutionised mine design, strategic mine planning, and most specifically, the ability to optimise the efficiency and net present value of the most complex mining projects. he created the term, “Enterprise Optimization,” which is now common in mining industry parlance.

After making his last contributions to Prober in 2022, Whittle was happy that the ongoing development of his Whittle Consulting proprietary software was secure in the hands of the talented team at Whittle Consulting.

Whittle initially trained as an experimental physicist at the University of Manchester, U.K., gaining a degree with honours in physics. He, his wife and their young family emigrated from England to Australia in 1961. He was a pioneer of the computing age and started programming computers in 1962 while working at Defence Standard Laboratories in Melbourne. He and his wife became naturalised Australians in 1977.

Whittle’s legacy is profound. In the late 1960s, in his work on year 11 and 12 exam data processing, certificate printing, and university place selection at the Monash Computer Centre, Whittle developed a standardized scoring system for the Higher School Certificate (HSC) which made all subjects equally difficult. The current VCE scoring system is an evolution of the system he developed.

In 2018, Whittle was made an Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AO) in recognition of his distinguished service to the information technology sector and the mining industry.

Whittle was a proud and loving husband, father and grandfather. He is survived by Ruth, their six children – Robin, Gerald, Paul, David, Judy, and Matthew – and 12 grandchildren.

The funeral is Feb. 16. Tributes may be sent by clicking here.

Categories: J2. Fossil Fuel Industry

Pembina Institute News - Thu, 02/15/2024 - 06:47

Categories:

The library now contains over 1500 images, including over 1000 that are available with Creative Commons licences, helping to make compelling, exemplary climate change photography widely available. Images from the library have been used globally and by a wide range of individuals and organisations, from local community publications to international media houses and NGOs.

As our user base has grown, so too have our guidance and evidence resources, building on the original 7 Climate Visuals principles with work on representing indigenous people in images, promoting diversity in outdoor photography, and the effective photography of the links between ocean and climate. This evidence base underpins the images in the library as we advocate for a human centred, impactful and constructive visual language for climate change.

The post 5 highlights as Climate Visuals passes 10,000 users appeared first on Climate Outreach.