Carbon emission reduction: News and technology

[pErvinalia]

We need fusion power.

[Brian Peacock]

Any day now.

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Brazil asks UN to ditch proposed levy on global shipping

Brazil has asked the UN to throw out plans for a new levy on global shipping that would raise funds to fight the climate crisis, despite playing host to the next UN climate summit.

The proposed levy on carbon dioxide emissions from shipping will be discussed at a crunch meeting of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) that begins on Monday. Those supporting the deal, including the UK, the EU and Japan, are hoping the levy will raise billions of dollars a year, which could be used to help poor countries cope with the effects of climate breakdown.

Brazil, China, Saudi Arabia and 12 other countries made a submission to the IMO on 31 January opposing the plans. They argued a levy could reduce exports from the developing world, raise food prices and increase inequalities.

They wrote: “A levy would not deliver a just and equitable transition [to low-CO2 shipping] and its adoption may trigger negative, economy-wide impacts … a levy is a fundamentally divisive proposal.”

The countries also claim a levy is not needed to meet the IMO’s greenhouse gas reduction targets.

Experts said the levy could still pass despite this opposition, if the IMO took a firm stance. At least 46 countries, representing about two thirds of the global shipping fleet, are thought to favour a deal...

[pErvinalia]

We need to stop global trade. Tarrifs are the way forward.

[Brian Peacock]

Tariffs might be useful to protect some domestic production and jobs, but the domestic economy always pays for them. Tariffs don't tax production or resources.

[Svartalf]

tariffs are a bad tool, and easy one, but not a good one

[pErvinalia]

Trump is for tariffs, therefore I'm for tarrifs.

[Svartalf]

tarriffs are idiotic, we're already in a crisis, we don't need a trade war and generally everybody avoiding buying stuff abroad

[pErvinalia]

So nasty.

[Brian Peacock]

Clean energy contributed 10% to China’s GDP in 2024, analysis shows

Clean energy contributed a record 10% of China’s gross domestic product in 2024, an analysis has found.

With sales and investments worth 13.6tn yuan (£1.5tn; $1.9tn), the sector has now overtaken real estate sales in value.

Solar power, electric vehicles (EVs) and batteries have all played a major role in the dramatic growth of Chinese clean technology.

Carbon Brief, which conducted the analysis based on official figures, industry data and analyst reports, said it had used a broad definition of “clean-energy” sectors, including renewables, nuclear power, electricity grids, energy storage, EVs and railways...

[macdoc]

One of the motorcycle blogs that I follow - the guy has been riding an EV motorcycle from Berlin to New Zealand and currently riding through Tibet and China with a group ( the only way it can be done ) and the changes are remarkable.
The cities are quiet and clean with out the thousands of smelly ICE vehicles. The little scooters, tuktuks are all EV ( you can't use an ICE two or 3 wheeler in China in the cities ).
There are hundreds of chargers in every town and all in use. No hydrocarbon haze like India.
Beijing now and in 2000.



The road infrastructure is terrific and even at 5,000m in the Himalayans the main roads are superb tho not all are finished.
Still the presence of the state in the form of cameras, checkpoints and travel restrictions etc is oppressive.
Now Tibet is in reality and occupied country - will be interesting when they move into the main Chinese landmass.
The comparison with India's chaos is striking.
It's been interesting to see....
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/c/marctravels[/youtube]

[JimC]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-25/ ... /104978122

A unique $638 million renewable energy project that could power about 80,000 homes in peak demand has been approved at a disused mine in outback New South Wales.

Canadian company Hydrostor is set to build the "first-of-its-kind" underground compressed air storage project on the outskirts of Broken Hill, creating hundreds of jobs.

NSW Planning and Public Spaces Minister Paul Scully said the Silver City Energy Storage Centre was a unique approach to power generation, using technology that would allow compressed air to store energy and create electricity without producing greenhouse gases.

An interesting storage solution to smooth out intermittent renewable energy production.

[pErvinalia]

Often wondered why compressed air/gas isn't used more.

[Svartalf]

is it efficient as a tech and financially sound to use?

[pErvinalia]

Maybe only now that fossil energy is getting more expensive.

[JimC]

is it efficient as a tech and financially sound to use?

Very good questions, Svarty. Efficiency as determined by energy losses compared to other storage methods is one important criteria, then cost per energy unit stored is another...