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New Delhi: India's fossil fuel emissions are projected to rise by 4.6 per cent in 2024, while China could see a marginal rise of 0.2 per cent, according to new research by a group of international scientists. As the UN climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, discussed raising trillions of dollars to tackle <keyword id="19907392" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Climate-change" source="keywords">climate change</keyword>, the group of scientists known as the "Global Carbon Project" warned that emissions from fossil fuels -- the main driver of warming -- could hit a record 37.4 billion tonnes in 2024, up 0.8 percent from 2023 levels. This comes despite rapid growth in renewable energy and a landmark agreement at COP28 in Dubai last year to move away from fossil fuels. The "<keyword id="23948569" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Global-carbon-budget-2024" source="keywords">Global Carbon Budget 2024</keyword>" report said total global CO2 emissions are set to go up from 40.6 billion tons in 2023 to 41.6 billion metric tons in 2024, which is on course to become the warmest year on record. "The impacts of climate change are becoming increasingly dramatic, yet we still see no sign that burning of fossil fuels has peaked," Professor Pierre Friedlingstein of Exeter's Global Systems Institute, who led the study, said. The 'Global Carbon Project' team said India, the world's most populous country and fastest-growing major economy, may see its fossil fuel emissions rise by 4.6 percent. According to a UN report released last month, India's greenhouse gas emissions surged by 6.1 per cent in 2023, contributing to 8 per cent of the global total. However, the country's historical contribution to global CO2 emissions stands at only 3 per cent. India's per capita emissions remain low at 2.9 tons of CO2 equivalent (tCO2e), far below the global average of 6.6 tCO2e. India, the world's third-largest greenhouse gas emitter, has pledged to reach net zero emissions (balancing emissions with removals) by 2070 and aims to achieve 500 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030. China's emissions, which make up 32 per cent of the global total, are likely to increase slightly by 0.2 per cent, though there is a chance they could decline, according to the data released on Wednesday. Emissions from the United States and the European Union, which contribute 13 per cent and 7 per cent of the global total, are both set to decline, with drops of 0.6 per cent for the US and 3.8 per cent for the EU. Emissions from the rest of the world, which together account for 38 per cent of global emissions, could see a rise of 1.1 per cent. The researchers said that in 2024, coal emissions will likely increase by 0.2 per cent, oil by 0.9 per cent, and gas by 2.4 per cent, globally. Coal, oil, and gas contribute 41 per cent, 32 per cent, and 21 per cent of global fossil CO2 emissions, respectively. However, given the uncertainty in projections, it remains possible that coal emissions could decline in 2024, they said. The report also pointed out that emissions from international aviation and shipping, which account for 3 per cent of global emissions and are tracked separately from national or regional totals, are expected to rise by 7.8 per cent in 2024. However, these emissions will still be 3.5 per cent below the 2019 pre-pandemic levels. Globally, emissions from land-use changes, like deforestation, have dropped by 20 per cent over the past decade but are expected to rise in 2024. Permanent CO2 removal through reforestation and new forest planting now offsets about half of the emissions from permanent deforestation, they added. Technology-based CO2 removal accounts for only a tiny fraction -- around one-millionth -- of CO2 emissions from fossil fuels. The report said that emissions from fires in 2024 have been above the average since the beginning of the satellite record in 2003, particularly due to the extreme 2023 wildfire season in Canada (which continued into 2024) and severe drought in Brazil. Land and ocean carbon sinks continued to absorb around half of the total carbon emissions, despite being negatively affected by climate change.

Global fossil emissions to reach record high in 2024; India's share to rise by 4.6 pc: Report

It’s one thing to read about <keyword id="19907392" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="climate-change" source="keywords">climate change</keyword> and <keyword id="19951337" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="carbon-emissions" source="keywords">carbon emissions</keyword> in an article, and quite another to see the toxic fumes engulfing your entire country — swirling over it like a certain menacing doom. <keyword id="19935155" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NASA" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="NASA" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="NASA">NASA</keyword> recently unveiled a groundbreaking visualisation tool that offers an unprecedented look at how carbon dioxide (CO2) moves around our planet. This high-resolution model provides a stunning, animated map of <keyword id="22576003" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="global-CO2-concentrations" source="keywords">global CO2 concentrations</keyword>, revealing the complex patterns of this crucial <keyword id="20719964" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="greenhouse-gas" source="keywords">greenhouse gas</keyword>. <div type="Youtube" id="zZ-lMDtiI-k" title="Model Behavior: Visualizing Global Carbon Dioxide" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zZ-lMDtiI-k/mqdefault.jpg"><url><![CDATA[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZ-lMDtiI-k]]></url></div>By combining billions of data points from satellites and ground observations, NASA scientists created a dynamic picture of how CO2 is emitted, transported, and absorbed across the globe. This interactive map showcases <keyword id="22576002" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="CO2-concentrations" source="keywords">CO2 concentrations</keyword> as they shifted through Earth's atmosphere from January to March 2020, influenced by wind patterns and atmospheric circulation. With its exceptional detail, you can zoom in to pinpoint CO2 emissions rising from power plants, fires, and urban areas, as they spread across continents and oceans. Over India, you can see the greenhouse gas blowing over from neighbouring continents and also originating from the subcontinent. The pulsating oranges indicate CO2 concentrations of 420-460 ppm over India. <h2>The sources of CO2 </h2>One of the most striking features of the map is its ability to zoom in on specific regions, allowing viewers to see CO2 emissions rising from individual cities and industrial complexes. This level of detail provides a clear and compelling picture of human activities' impact on the environment. The map highlights distinct emission patterns across different regions. In China, the United States, and South Asia, power plants, industrial facilities, and vehicles were the primary contributors to CO2 emissions. Conversely, in Africa and South America, fires ignited by land management practices, agricultural burning, and deforestation, along with the combustion of oil and coal, were the main sources. <h2>Pulsating gases</h2>The map also highlights the role of natural systems in the carbon cycle. Forests, oceans, and other ecosystems absorb vast amounts of CO2, acting as vital carbon sinks. However, the visualisation also reveals how human activities are overwhelming these natural systems, leading to a buildup of CO2 in the atmosphere. Further, the map exhibits a pulsating appearance. This is because, firstly, fires typically intensify during daylight hours and subside at night, creating a diurnal pattern. Secondly, the absorption and release of CO2 by plants during photosynthesis and respiration contribute to the fluctuations. This pulsing effect is particularly noticeable in regions with abundant vegetation, such as mid- to high-latitude forests and tropical areas. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112021374" title="Scientists found a groundbreaking new reason to plant more trees" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>“This map is a powerful tool for understanding the scale and complexity of the climate crisis,” said [Quote from NASA scientist]. “It shows us where the biggest problems are and where we need to focus our efforts to reduce emissions.” The data behind the map comes from NASA's <keyword id="22576004" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="goddard-earth-observing-system" source="keywords">Goddard Earth Observing System</keyword> (GEOS), a sophisticated model that simulates Earth's atmosphere with incredible detail. By applying this model to CO2, scientists have gained new insights into the gas's behaviour and its impact on the planet. As the world grapples with the challenges of climate change, tools like this are essential for informing policy decisions, tracking progress, and inspiring action. NASA’s CO2 map is a remarkable achievement that offers a glimpse into the urgent need to transition to a low-carbon future. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111566431" title="June warmest on record; every month since July 2023 breached 1.5 deg C threshold" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

WATCH: A NASA animation shows gigantic plumes of carbon dioxide emissions swirling over India

Have you ever considered that your regular commute to and fro work could potentially shave off some years from your life? And no, we’re not talking about road traffic accidents but the slow poison we’re inhaling unbeknownst to us: air pollutants. A new study published in <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(24)00114-1/fulltext">The Lancet Planetary Health</a> by an international team of researchers reveals a terrifying truth: over 7% of daily deaths in 10 major <keyword id="20026638" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-cities" source="keywords">Indian cities</keyword> are attributed to <keyword id="19900550" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-pollution" source="keywords">air pollution</keyword> caused by <keyword id="22110704" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="PM2-5-pollutants" source="keywords">PM2.5 pollutants</keyword> exceeding the World Health Organization's (WHO) safe limits. These PM2.5 pollutants are microscopic particles, 2.5 micrometres or less in diameter, that come from <keyword id="2839914" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vehicle-emissions" source="Orion">vehicle emissions</keyword> and industrial activities. Imagine tiny daggers — that's what these PM2.5 particles are like, infiltrating deep into lungs and even the bloodstream, wreaking havoc on our health. The study found that PM2.5 levels breach WHO guidelines a staggering 99.8% of the time in these cities. The analysis covered major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Pune, Shimla and Varanasi. A staggering 7.2% of deaths in these cities, translating to roughly 33,000 annually, were associated with short-term PM2.5 levels exceeding the WHO's recommended limit (15 micrograms per cubic metre) between 2008 and 2019. Delhi, unfortunately, takes the crown for the most polluted. A shocking 11.5% of its annual deaths are attributed to air pollution, translating to a devastating 12,000 lives lost each year. The link between PM2.5 and mortality is undeniable. Researchers found that a mere 10 microgram per cubic metre increase in these pollutants correlates with a 1.4% rise in daily deaths. This risk factor doubles when considering only levels below India's air quality standards, which are, worryingly, less strict than the WHO's recommendations. But here's a surprising twist: the association between PM2.5 and death is even stronger in cities with generally cleaner air, like Bengaluru and Chennai. This suggests that locally produced pollutants, from sources like construction dust or waste burning, might be significant contributors. There is a glimmer of hope, however. The study emphasises that implementing stricter air quality standards and utilising proven pollution control methods from other parts of the world can be game changers. Lowering and enforcing stricter air quality limits will save tens of thousands of lives per year, emphasises Joel Schwartz, a co-author from Harvard University. This study serves as a stark wake-up call. The air we breathe in many Indian cities is a gamble, with every breath potentially harmful. Taking decisive action to curb pollution is not just about a cleaner environment, it's about saving the lives of millions of Indians.

Air pollution kills thousands in Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata every year: Lancet study

On Monday, July 22, Finance Minister <keyword id="22504403" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nirmal-sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmal Sitharaman</keyword> tabled the <keyword id="20613906" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="economic-survey" source="keywords">Economic Survey</keyword> 2023-24 in the parliament ahead of the much-awaited budget 2024 tomorrow. In addition to a socio-economic stock take, the comprehensive report also outlines the strides India has made on the environment and climate fronts last year. India is in a weird grey area when the climate blame-game is concerned. We continue to average some of the lowest per capita CO2 emissions in the world. But, being the most-populous country in the world, these small bits add up to make India the third-largest emitter of CO2 in the world, after China and the United States. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111923746" title="Economic Survey 2023-2024 highlights emerging job trends in AI, Cybersecurity, 3D Printing and Web Development" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>However, this is not to say that the country has been sitting the green transition out either. As highlighted in the Economic Survey, India has been making notable strides in tackling climate change and promoting <keyword id="19895783" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sustainability" source="keywords">sustainability</keyword> — efforts that will be crucial to protect billions in the coming years and decades. Let's take a look at these efforts and compare them with findings from other recent environmental reports to see the full picture. <h2><keyword id="21818512" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="emission-intensity" source="keywords">Emission intensity</keyword> reduction</h2>The economic survey proudly states that India has reduced the emission intensity of its GDP by 33% from 2005 levels by 2019. This means the country is producing less greenhouse gas for every unit of economic activity. This is a commendable achievement because India’s original climate change target — or Nationally Determined Contribution — was set to precisely 33% reduction of emission intensity by 2030, before being revised to 45% in 2022. While the jump from 33% to 45% is still a significant one with barely half a decade to go, this progress is a clear sign that India’s climate policies are having a real impact. <h2><keyword id="19895602" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="renewable-energy" source="keywords">Renewable energy</keyword> capacity</h2>According to the economic survey, 45.4% of India’s installed electricity generation capacity — which includes solar, wind, and hydropower — now comes from non-fossil sources, as of May 31, 2024. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111774972" title="Economic Survey shows India&amp;#39;s energy needs to grow 2.5x, healthy growth in formal employment" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>As per reports by the Ministry of New &amp; Renewable Energy, India added a record renewable energy capacity of 18.48 GW in 2023-2024, with solar installations amounting to 12.78 GW, followed by 2.27 GW of wind energy. However, industry experts have also noted that India Inc. cannot afford to run out of steam now, and must continue to add at least 50 GW for the next six years to meet the target of 500 GW of renewables by 2030. <h2>Indian energy needs</h2>India's energy needs are expected to grow 2 to 2.5 times by 2047, as per the latest economic survey. This necessitates a balanced approach to <keyword id="19951336" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="energy-transition" source="keywords">energy transition</keyword> that considers resource limitations and the need for resilience to climate change. India has suffered from an overdependence on coal and fossil fuels in the past, accounting for around 75% of total energy generation in 2021, as per the Energy Information Administration. However, this number has been quickly falling, even dropping below a historic 50% in Q1 2024. <h2>Sovereign <keyword id="20177085" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="green-bonds" source="keywords">green bonds</keyword></h2>To fund green projects, India issued Rs 16,000 Crore in sovereign green bonds — financial instruments that support green projects at lower capital costs — in early 2023 and another Rs 20,000 Crore later in the year, the economic survey reports. As per the government, these proceeds were utilised in many eco-friendly projects, such as New and Renewable Energy, Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Housing and Urban Affairs, Railways. To widen the investor base, the <keyword id="19899810" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="reserve-bank-of-india" source="keywords">Reserve Bank of India</keyword> (RBI) also recently permitted eligible foreign investors to invest in such bonds. <h2>Mission LiFE and Green Credit Programme</h2>The survey also talks extensively about Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), which promotes sustainable living, and the Green Credit Programme (GCP), which incentivises eco-friendly actions by offering “green credits”. In the past few months, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and a few other states have reportedly approved thousands of hectares of degraded forest land for greening exercises as part of the GCP. <h2>International initiatives</h2>India has spearheaded several international initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance (ISA), One World, One Sun, One Grid (OSOWOG), the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), the Infrastructure for Resilient Island States’ (IRIS) and the Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT). Hundreds of nations are signed up for these climate coalitions and our participation will help reflect India's commitment to advancing global <keyword id="20000756" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="climate-action" source="keywords">climate action</keyword> and fostering international cooperation in sustainable development. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111923191" title="Economic Survey 2024 – industries grow by 9.5%, fueling economic growth to 8.2%" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>The report even notes that India is currently the only G20 nation who is set not to cross the 2°C warming threshold. All in all, India’s economic survey and environmental reports together show a nation making impressive progress in combating climate change and advancing sustainability. These achievements will hopefully set a strong example for other countries to follow.

On the right track — Economic Survey 2023-24 outlines India’s commendable climate action

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Games' need for a massive infrastructure project has historically hurt host cities' environments.</li><li>Installing and using 5G technology could help minimize the Olympics' environmental impacts.</li></ul>When thousands of the world's best athletes descend on one city, it can wreak environmental havoc.No single Olympic Games held between 1992 and 2020 was sufficiently sustainable, found <a target="_blank" href="https://affiliate.insider.com?h=c0d989491c74099378a20091f3e16aba6129c646e40d4b337bf98c0f4ca076c3&amp;postID=66a274b6d290cb433ad39ab1&amp;postSlug=paris-olympics-how-5g-tech-could-curb-environmental-impact-2024-7&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fs41893-021-00696-5">a 2021 study</a> in the journal Nature that assessed the environmental impacts of the Games during that period.For example, the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games damaged the city's local environment when an estimated <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/12/3/166#:~:text=During%20the%20seven%2Dyear%20preparation,Azevedo%202015%3B%20Zimbalist%202017).">77,000 people in favela communities were displaced</a> to make way for the event's infrastructure, according to a retrospective report published in 2023 in the journal Social Sciences.From an environmental standpoint, the Rio de Janeiro Games <a target="_blank" href="https://katoikos.world/analysis/olympics-a-celebration-for-humanity-a-disaster-for-the-environment.html">produced</a> more than 17,000 metric tons of waste, used 29,500 gigawatts of electricity — the majority of which was not from renewable sources — and resulted in 3.6 million metric tons of carbon emissions, the Rio de Janeiro Games reported.For the Paris Games, limiting environmental impact has been a greater concern than in past Olympics, with efforts across industries to reduce waste. Rather than build a series of new venues, existing ones have been repurposed. <a target="_blank" href="https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/our-commitments/the-environment/infrastructures">Only one new permanent venue was constructed</a>, and there's more <a target="_blank" href="https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/our-commitments/the-environment/organising-more-circular-games">renting than buying</a> when it comes to equipment like furniture to reduce waste. Sustainability initiatives also extend to the 5G technology powering the Olympic Games.Orange, the telecommunications provider for the Paris Games, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.orange.com/en/allconnected/paris2024/paris-2024-how-orange-will-limit-its-environmental-impact">has set itself the goal</a> of limiting its carbon emissions to 10,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide. If met, Orange's carbon emissions would account for less than 1% of the total estimated emissions of the 2024 Olympics.It's the latest example of how 5G providers are supporting sustainability efforts at global-scale live events."As sustainability initiatives around large public venues gather steam, we know IT teams are being asked to find ways to contribute to their organization's decarbonization efforts," said Kevin Swank, the product-marketing director at CommScope, a service provider that has worked on sports stadiums in France, Germany, and the US.<h2 id="1d0215d6-49e6-4444-b194-294cf1e5f1bd">Environmentally friendly technology that can support more fans</h2>Though 5G systems require infrastructure installation, their technology is more sustainable than older connectivity systems like analog distributed antenna systems, Swank said.Digital 5G systems use less power and less cooling than older systems, which need large amounts of power and cabling to run, Swank told Business Insider. And because 5G systems run digitally, they don't require as much physical infrastructure as their predecessors, Swank added.He said he witnessed the positive impact — on the environment and the fan experience — when CommScope updated the internet infrastructure at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.commscope.com/globalassets/digizuite/965502-atandt-stadium-cs-115933-en.pdf">AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas</a>, the home of the Dallas Cowboys, in 2020."The venue was reaching the performance limits of its equipment, and its current network just couldn't keep up with the growing demands of a mobile-device-centric fan base," Swank told BI. The stadium needed a 5G network that could support augmented-reality features and mobile-ordering capabilities for concessions for up to 100,000 visitors at a time.By switching to 5G, the stadium's network performance increased tenfold, while its power use went down by about 87% and its cooling requirements decreased by up to 75%, a project report from CommScope said. Those reductions equate to over 100 metric tons in CO2 emissions savings a year, Swank said.The stadium's 5G system resulted in just five equipment storage racks compared with the 30 to 40 racks previously required for its analog equipment.Because of these advantages, 5G is quickly gaining steam within the entertainment industry as events continue to grow in scale and attendees expect more seamless experiences.<h2 id="4de8c9b0-599e-4fa3-9e87-59f5acb6ad1c">Recycling 5G equipment for more sustainability</h2>To work toward its carbon-emissions goal for the Paris Games, Orange decreased its equipment manufacturing and infrastructure-deployment footprint. Orange, in partnership with the consultancy Carbone4, estimated that 86% of its global footprint came from those two areas.For the Paris Olympics, the company is using more local suppliers and shipping bulky items by sea rather than air to reduce emissions. Orange said it planned to rent one-quarter of its equipment and estimated that 75% of the equipment would be reused or redeployed after the Games.Generally, the 5G networks used at sports venues' large events can be reused after the events end and the increased capacity is no longer needed, said Kelvin Chaffer, the CEO of Lifecycle Software, which provides support systems for network operators."By designing infrastructure that can be repurposed for other community uses postevent, and implementing green technologies and sustainable practices," Chaffer said. He added that this approach gives large sporting event organizers the ability "to minimize the environmental impact of event-triggered infrastructure projects."

How 5G technology is helping curb carbon emissions and waste at the Paris Games

Despite an increase in energy efficiency investment and lower energy intensity, the building and construction sector's energy consumption and <keyword id="85568" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="co2-emissions" source="Orion">CO2 emissions</keyword> have rebounded from the Covid-19 pandemic to an all-time high, a new report finds. Released at the latest round of the UN COP27 climate summit in Egypt, the 2022 Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction finds that the sector accounted for over 34 per cent of energy demand and around 37 per cent of energy and process-related <keyword id="49838" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="co2" source="Orion">CO2</keyword> emissions in 2021. The sector's operational energy-related CO2 emissions reached 10 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent -- 5 per cent over 2020 levels and 2 per cent over the pre-pandemic peak in 2019. In 2021, operational energy demand for heating, cooling, lighting and equipment in buildings increased by around four per cent from 2020 and three per cent from 2019. This, according to the report from the <keyword id="15468006" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="global-alliance-for-buildings-and-construction" source="Orion">Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction</keyword> (GlobalABC), means the gap between the climate performance of the sector and the 2050 decarbonization pathway is widening. "Years of warnings about the impacts of climate change have become a reality,a said <keyword id="2974898" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="inger-andersen" source="Orion">Inger Andersen</keyword>, Executive Director of the <keyword id="7285" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="un-environment-programme" source="Orion">UN Environment Programme</keyword> (<keyword id="6491230" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="unep" source="Orion">UNEP</keyword>). "If we do not rapidly cut emissions in line with the Paris Agreement, we will be in deeper trouble." "The buildings sector represents 40 per cent of <keyword id="28249" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="europe" source="Orion">Europe</keyword>'s energy demand, 80 per cent of it from fossil fuels. This makes the sector an area for immediate action, investment, and policies to promote short and long-term energy security." Decarbonizing the buildings sector by 2050 is critical to delivering these cuts. To reduce overall emissions, the sector must improve building energy performance, decrease building materials' carbon footprint, multiply policy commitments alongside action and increase investment in energy efficiency. The sector's emissions intensity in kilogrammes of CO2 per square metre dropped from 43 in 2015 to 40 in 2021. Energy intensity in kilowatts per hour per square metre slightly decreased, from 153 in 2015 to 152 in 2021. Investments in building energy efficiency have gone up by unprecedented levels, rising by 16 per cent in 2021 over 2020 levels to $237 billion. However, growth is outpacing efforts on energy efficiency and reducing energy intensity. The increase in global gross floor area between 2015 and 2021 is the equivalent to the total land area covered in buildings in Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands; if it were built on one level, at around 24,000 sq.km. The report says that investments in energy efficiency must be sustained in the face of growing crises -- such as the war in Ukraine and the ensuing energy crisis, and the cost-of-living crisis -- to reduce energy demand, avoiding CO2 emissions and dampen energy cost volatility. The buildings sector represents 40 per cent of Europe's energy demand, 80 per cent of it from fossil fuels. This makes the sector an area for immediate action, investment and policies to promote short and long-term energy security. The report shows that the sector can still change. For example, rising fossil fuel costs due to the war in Ukraine and the cost-of-living crisis are providing incentives to invest in energy efficiency -- although the erosion of purchasing power and the impact of labour and materials may slow investment. "The solution may lie in governments directing relief towards low and zero-carbon building investment activities through financial and non-financial incentives," Andersen added. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/best-festive-auto-sales-in-the-last-4-years-but-sales-may-decline-says-fada-report/articleshow/95354054.cms">Best festive auto sales in the last 4 years, but sales may decline says FADA report</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/whatsapp-introduces-communities-with-up-to-5000-members/articleshow/95275053.cms">WhatsApp introduces Communities with support for up to 5,000 members – here’s how to use it</a>

CO2 emissions from building and construction hits a new high: Report

<ul><li>India would have to dedicate 5.9% of its GDP towards climate finance. </li><li>A key challenge for India would be land availability as the report pegs that it will need 45 million hectares of land than it has, towards its green initiatives. </li><li>Over three-fourths of India of 2050 is yet to be built, thus green policies need to be proactively put in place, the report says. </li></ul>India will need to invest an estimated $12.1 trillion by 2050 to achieve carbon neutrality, says McKinsey &amp; Company report on ‘Decarbonising India’. This would require the country to dedicate 5.9% of GDP towards climate finance, said the report released on Thursday. “India will need an estimated $7.2 trillion of green investments until 2050 to decarbonise in the LoS (line of sight) scenario and an additional $4.9 trillion for the ‘Accelerated’ scenario (about 3.5 percent and 2.4 percent of India’s GDP through this period respectively). 50 percent of the investment required for decarbonisation is economically viable, particularly across renewable energy, auto and agriculture; others would need policy support,” the report said. The report comes on the heels of the 27th Conference of the Parties (<keyword id="12515304" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cop27" source="Orion">COP27</keyword>) by the United Nations, scheduled to be held from 6-18th November in Egypt, this year. Over three-fourths of India of 2050 and 80% of India of 2070, is yet to be built. The next set of policies across key sectors like power, cement and agriculture will determine whether India can effectively contribute to a carbon-free world. India is the world’s third largest emitter, creating 2.9 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide every year, which is 4.9 percent of annual global emissions, the report states. If this goes unchecked, India has the potential to generate 11.8 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide per year by 2050. “Right policies, set up now, will enable India to add low carbon capacity in the next two decades thereafter,” claimed McKinsey. Five sectors which contribute to roughly 70 percent of India’s overall emissions are power, transportation, steel, cement and agriculture. The primary driver of carbon emissions in India is the power sector (coal, oil, gas) which accounted for 34% emissions. This was followed by agriculture (18%), primarily methane from cattle and rice cultivation. Other key emitters include transport (9%), water waste (6.2%) and buildings (4.5%). “Boldness in sustainable investments helps. This is what happened with the gradually increasing adoption of electric vehicles and solar energy. Even though coal mining districts of India will lose employment, construction jobs will increase and new renewable energy sectors will pop up, generating at least 30 million jobs,” said Rajat Gupta, Asia leader of the Sustainability Practice, McKinsey &amp; Company, who was also part of the core team that contributed to the national solar mission. Indian sustainability initiatives have also reaped results. “Tailwinds like reducing costs of renewables, EVs and progressive policies exist, e.g., the implicit carbon tax on transportation fuels of $140 to 240/tCO₂e is helping the electrification of mobility,” the report said. Key challenges towards India’s green future The plan has many challenges that go beyond policies and investments. India will need 45 million hectares more land than that’s available to drive its green initiatives. There is an increasing need to optimise current land use. In automotive, 100% of two wheelers, three wheelers and light truck sales may need to be electric early in the next decade. All car sales would have to be electric by 2035 and trucks by 2050. The pace of renewable capacity addition needs to pick up – from 10 gigawatts to 40-50 gigawatts per year and green steel needs to become competitive. Moreso, battery costs will have to decline by 40% by 2030, green hydrogen by two-thirds by 2035. Farmers have to adopt new practices for rice cultivation, the report reveals. The shift to sustainable-farming practices however could help generate additional farmer income of ₹3,400 per hectare per year, as per the line of sight scenario, the report calculated. “We need to intensify our efforts towards building more urban forests but also make our current forest more dense. Higher adoption of electric vehicles and green hydrogen are needed. Use of carbon tax especially in the steel sector is needed towards making greener investments in India,” said Divy Malik, Associate Partner at McKinsey &amp; Company. The shift towards greener alternatives however will help it reap monetary benefits too. India can save $1.7 trillion in forex which would otherwise be spent on energy imports (oil and coking coal) till 2070, adds the report. Moreover, it also holds the potential to become a manufacturing and R&amp;D base for cleantech like EVs, batteries and electrolysers.

India needs to invest $12.1 trillion to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050: McKinsey

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Celebrities like Taylor Swift are frequently called out for their private jet usage.</li><li>A travel agency survey found private jet bookings were up 12% in 2023.</li></ul>Celebrities are regularly getting criticized for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/taylor-swift-jet-emits-more-co2-than-any-other-celeb-2022-7">racking up CO2 emissions</a> by using their jets as casually as most people use their cars — but it's not just famous fliers opting to go private.Last month, social-media users called out <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/taylor-swift-gets-rid-of-one-private-jet-2024-2">Taylor Swift</a> for her frequent private jet trips (even if <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/taylor-swift-private-jet-short-trips-flights-2024-2#:~:text=Swift%20has%20tried%20to%20mask%20her%20private%20jet%20travels&amp;text=In%202022%2C%20Swift%20reportedly%20topped,leg%20of%20her%20Eras%20tour.">some of the flights may not be what they seemed</a>). Stars like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/taylor-swift-celebrities-ranked-on-private-jet-co2-emissions-2022-7#the-marketing-firm-yard-recently-published-a-report-ranking-the-biggest-offenders-based-on-who-flew-the-most-this-year-by-private-jet-yard-compiled-the-study-using-data-from-a-twitter-account-called-celebrity-jets-which-imports-from-ads-b-exchange-the-worlds-largest-public-source-of-unfiltered-flight-data-the-website-said-2">Kim Kardashian</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kylie-jenner-private-jet-post-criticism-climate-crisis-2022-7">Kyle Jenner</a> have also been roasted for years over their private jet usage.But according to travel industry data, private jet bookings are up — meaning even people who aren't necessarily own-your-own-private-jet rich are also avoiding commercial flights.Surveys conducted by First in Service, a New York-based travel agency, found a 12% increase in private jet bookings in 2023 compared to the year prior, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Travel-Agent-Issues/Insights/Luxury-travel-trends">Travel Weekly</a>. The surveys also found business class bookings had risen 18% over the same time period.Fernando Gonzalez, CEO of First in Service, told the outlet the data showed travelers want "personalized, comfortable and exclusive experiences." Travel advisors with First in Service said the private-jet travelers were typically people with a high net worth and a busy schedule.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ultra-wealthy-private-flyers-are-costing-average-flyers-a-lot-in-taxes-2023-5">Private jet travel</a> is more popular than ever, accounting for one in every six flights managed by air-traffic controllers in the US, Business Insider previously reported. And despite the fact that most Americans will never fly private, they are actually subsidizing private jet travel in the form of commercial flight taxes and FAA funding that goes toward small airports."It's not luxury that has no impact on the rest of us — it has a huge impact," Chuck Collins, the director of the Program on Inequality and the Common Good at the Institute for Policy Studies, told BI's Eliza Relman of private-jet travel.Still, despite all the attention and outrage directed at popular female celebrities and their jets, they are not the majority of private jet travelers.In fact, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/private-jet-owner-typical-demographics-wealth-net-worth-2023-5">average private jet owner</a> is a 50-year-old man who works in finance or real estate and has a net worth of over $190 million.

Taylor Swift and the Kardashians have been ripped for their jet emissions, but celebs and CEOs aren't the only ones flying private

<ul class="summary-list"><li>More than 1 billion children are at extreme risk for weather disasters, a <a href="https://www.unicef.org/media/105376/file/UNICEF-climate-crisis-child-rights-crisis.pdf">UNICEF report</a> found.</li><li>The majority of these kids live in countries that contribute the least to <keyword id="11949068" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="carbon-emissions" source="Orion">carbon emissions</keyword>. </li></ul>Tahsin Uddin, a 23-year-old climate activist who lives in the southern city of Barisal in Bangladesh, has already lost one family home to coastal flooding and rising sea levels. Within the next few years, he expects his current home to be submerged under water as well.Uddin is just one of the millions of Bangladeshis and others across the globe facing the brutal consequences of the <keyword id="11896310" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="climate-crisis" source="Orion">climate crisis</keyword>.By 2050, more than 20 million Bangladeshis will be displaced and nearly 20% of the country's land will be underwater because of rising sea levels, a direct impact of the changing climate, according to the<a href="https://www.nrdc.org/onearth/bangladesh-country-underwater-culture-move"> Natural Resources Defense Council,</a> a nonprofit climate advocacy group.Uddin told Insider the impact of those rising sea levels can be seen throughout the country: "I go to different coastal areas. I saw how much people are suffering. They are trying to survive by drinking salty water. Saline water is very dangerous for their health."While the consequences of <keyword id="11896311" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="climate-change" source="Orion">climate change</keyword> are pummeling Bangladesh, it contributes very little to carbon emissions.<div type="image" title="Villagers wade through waist-deep waters to reach their homes in Pratap Nagar that lies in the Shyamnagar region, in Satkhira, Bangladesh on Oct. 5, 2021" height="1333" width="1777" msid="87688716" hostid="261"></div>In 2020, more than <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/264699/worldwide-co2-emissions/">34 billion metric tons of carbon (CO2) were emitted</a> worldwide, but the countries that contributed the least to that total are already facing some of the most significant impacts of the climate crisis.A <a href="https://www.unicef.org/media/105376/file/UNICEF-climate-crisis-child-rights-crisis.pdf">UNICEF report</a> published in August found more than 1 billion children, nearly half the world's kids, lived in places with a high risk of <keyword id="12019615" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="extreme-weather" source="Orion">extreme weather</keyword> events. The 33 countries where the climate crisis poses the most risk to children contributed only 9% of global CO2 emissions, while 70% of emissions were attributed to just 10 countries.A <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/srep20281">2016 study</a> found 20 of the 36 highest-emitting countries were among the least vulnerable to the effects of a warming climate, while 11 of the 17 countries with low or moderate emissions were significantly vulnerable.Some of the countries with low emissions per capita that are at a high risk include Bangladesh, India, Philippines, and multiple countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean, and South America.They are facing heat waves, water scarcity, coastal flooding, and water-borne disease, among other hazards, which in turn can lead to poor sanitation, lack of food, scarce income, and deteriorating living conditions. Meanwhile, many of the places currently experiencing these effects lack the infrastructure or resources to mitigate them.Experts and climate activists have said that while countries contributing the most need to reduce emissions, poorer countries are in need of immediate funding to address current challenges.<h2>Heat waves have killed thousands in India in recent years</h2>In the summer of 2019, large swaths of India were <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/13/world/asia/india-heat-wave-deaths.html">scorched by temperatures</a> greater than 113 degrees Fahrenheit for nearly three weeks. In some regions, officials closed local schools. Medical authorities <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/heat-wave-conditions-in-rajasthan-leaves-of-churu-doctors-cancelled-2049388">canceled time off for doctors</a> to ensure hospitals could handle the influx of patients.Four passengers <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/kerala-express-passengers-dead-heatwave-uttar-pradesh-jhansi-1546733-2019-06-11">fell ill on board an express train</a> that lacked air conditioning, and died by the time the train reached a station in Jhansi, south of New Delhi."Shortly after we left Agra, the heat became unbearable and some people started complaining of breathing problems and uneasiness. Before we could get some help, they collapsed," a passenger told <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/kerala-express-passengers-dead-heatwave-uttar-pradesh-jhansi-1546733-2019-06-11">India Today</a>.By the end of that summer heat wave, <a href="https://www.indiaspend.com/65-indians-exposed-to-heatwaves-in-may-june-2019-july-2019-was-indias-hottest-ever/">more than 200 people had died</a>. The heat wave of 2015 was far worse, with extreme heat causing the deaths of more than 2,000 people. In the past decade, more than 6,000 people in India have died as a result of excessive heat, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/13/world/asia/india-heat-wave-deaths.html">according to government data</a>.<div type="image" title="In this Thursday, May 30, 2019, file photo, children returning from school walk through a dried pond on a hot summer day on the outskirts of Jammu, India. Many parts of India are experiencing extreme heat conditions." height="3723" width="4964" msid="87688718" hostid="261"></div>"Climate change is leading to more frequent, more intense, and longer heat waves around the world," said Olga Wilhelmi, a scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, adding that the link has been well-documented.An estimated 820 million children, more than a third of kids worldwide, are highly exposed to heat waves, according to the UNICEF report."Extreme heat is probably one of the least appreciated weather hazards, but it's actually one of the more deadly weather hazards in the US and worldwide," Wilhelmi said. "Studies show that in the US, somewhere on average between 600 and 1,800 people die from extreme heat every year, but we don't usually read about that in the news."Health complications of extreme heat can vary from dehydration to heatstroke. Heat waves can also exacerbate cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Groups at a higher risk include older people, children, people with pre-existing conditions, and those who are lower-income and do not have access to air conditioning.Heat waves can also shut down electric grids when they don't have the capacity to handle the increased demand for air conditioning.<h2>Lack of water leads to poverty and hunger </h2>Water scarcity, the lack of adequate access to clean water, is another way people are feeling the climate crisis.While scarcity can be due to institutional failures to deliver water, in many instances it's due to dwindling water sources or growing populations that need more water. More than a third of kids worldwide, 920 million are currently highly exposed to water scarcity. This issue affects kids in various parts of the world including parts of India, South America, Australia, and the Middle East. For example, while parts of India are at extreme risk of scarcity, the country only contributed to 3.14% of overall emissions in 2019. <div type="image" title="Tonchuiwon Tinphei, 34, right, and her sister-in-law Chirmi carry water in baskets and walk home on the eve of World Water Day in Shangshak village, in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur, Saturday, March 21, 2020." height="1333" width="1778" msid="87688720" hostid="261"></div>Greg Pierce, the co-director of the Water Resources Group: Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at UCLA, told Insider the biggest effect could be felt in rural areas. Pierce said rural areas tend to be poorer and have one water source. Residents are usually already walking long distances to get to that water which may not always be clean. Water isn't just needed for drinking, but for producing and selling agriculture. Water is very much tied to livelihoods. "The scarcity issue makes it harder to do agriculture, which is what most rural populations rely on for livelihoods. So, there's a hunger, inability to grow food and inability to earn any money," Pierce told Insider. "That lack of water leads directly to people starving and that is going to become a lot more common, unfortunately again, in many parts of the world."When those resources dry up, residents would be forced to travel even further or move, further straining resources. While many parts of India are dealing with water scarcity, other regions are also experiencing flooding, Pierce said. However, the flooding comes with other complications and doesn't counter the consequences of water scarcity. <h2>Coastal flooding, which destroys property and resources, is already taking a heavy toll in Bangladesh</h2>In Uddin's home of Bangladesh, rising seas and extreme precipitation have inundated communities with flooding in recent years.The village of Bonnotola, once home to more than 2,000 people, has less than 500 residents left, as the flooding and salt water-tainted soil destroyed many people's homes and livelihoods, the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-science-europe-environment-and-nature-bangladesh-0f2a0a0f463523a162901f1beda23c7e">Associated Press</a> reported.One woman from the village of Gabura told AP everyone used to grow food in their backyards, but that salt water flooding has disrupted the once-fertile lands and freshwater that many relied on."We have water everywhere, but we don't have a drop anymore to drink from ponds or wells," she said.Almost every ocean on Earth is experiencing a sea-level rise, according to William Sweet, an oceanographer at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.One in 10 children, or 240 million, are currently exposed to coastal flooding, according to the UNICEF report. Sea-level rise is exacerbated by extreme rainfall events, which are also a consequence of warming."The same heating that's causing oceans to rise, ice caps and ice sheets to melt, and oceans to expand, is also enabling more moisture to be held within the atmosphere," Sweet said, adding that the result is frequent heavy rains. "The combined effect of course is flooding with nowhere for that water to go."While the threat of entire cities being underwater is the most commonly talked about result of rising sea levels, there are many significant issues that arise well before a city or property is actually underwater."It's not when you're underwater, it's when the system fails," Sweet said, adding that flooding can overwhelm infrastructure and destroy roadways, stormwater and wastewater systems, and people's personal property.He said by the time areas are actually underwater, people are already gone by then, driven out by the flooding.<div type="image" title="Bangladeshi flood victim man carrying their houses by boat during flood in Kurigram, Bangladesh on July 27, 2019." height="1333" width="1777" msid="87688722" hostid="261"></div>Coastal flooding creates more problems where water infrastructure is lacking, Pierce told Insider."Flooding doesn't typically increase water supply. It can have a direct impact on water-borne illness, especially because there's poor sanitation in a lot of places and when there's flooding, it gets into wherever the waste is being contained or into the open sewers and spreads," he said. <h2>Diseases are becoming more prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa and South America because of the climate crisis</h2>As temperatures rise, cities flood and water becomes scarce, there's also a rise of waterborne illnesses with an estimated 600 million children currently exposed to diseases like malaria and dengue fever, according to the UNICEF report. The impact can be most immediately felt in countries in sub-Saharan Africa and South America. Martin Muchangi, AMREF water and sanitation specialist based in Kenya, told Insider he studies waterborne illnesses across much of sub-Saharan Africa, and that a vast majority of people are dealing with water scarcity which in turn is driving up waterborne diseases.Muchangi said the issue is twofold: changing temperatures pushing things like mosquitoes into more places and increasing pathogens that cause diarrhea illnesses like cholera and typhoid and the lack of water leading to poor hygiene and diseases like scabies or glaucoma. He told Insider the problem is leading to harming both people and the economy. "So now at the end of the day, if you combine the sum total, you realize that there's major economic loss, there's serious effects to the health, there's serious effects to the thriving of children," he said. <h2>Many countries facing the worst of the climate crisis also have the least resources to address it </h2>While nowhere on earth will escape the effects of the climate crisis, some countries have infrastructure and resources that make them more prepared to respond.Pierce told Insider many of the impacts can be mitigated with robust public health initiatives and proper infrastructure. Water filtration systems, for example, can mitigate the risks of water-borne disease.Muchangi and Uddin told Insider the countries they live and work in, however, don't have the funds they need to address the issues they're facing. In Bangladesh, Uddin said funding is needed to direct towards researching ways to remove salt from saltwater and towards building infrastructure that can withstand flooding, including fortifying schools, hospitals, homes, and other essential buildings. Muchangi said that while finding ways to mitigate the immediate impacts of the changing climate is necessary, limiting CO2 emissions would greatly reduce the burden."If we are able to alleviate climate change itself, then the effects of climate change are going to become lesser and we are going to be able to thrive in a better way," he said.

Countries contributing the least to the climate crisis are feeling the worst of its effects

<ul class="summary-list"><li>US Steel's plant in Gary, Indiana, aims to deploy carbon capture to reduce its carbon footprint by 2026.</li><li>The technology will capture 0.5% of the steel mill's carbon dioxide emissions.</li></ul>A more-than-century-old steel mill in Gary, Indiana, plans to be a testing ground for a controversial <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/modularity-reshaping-climate-tech-and-infrastructure-startups-2024-2">climate technology</a>.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-first-commercial-carbon-capture-facility-opens-2023-11">Carbon capture</a> is coming to US Steel's GaryWorks plant on the south shore of Lake Michigan, which churns out the steel that shapes modern life, from buildings and bridges to cars and wind turbines.All that production comes with an environmental cost. GaryWorks is Indiana's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.epa.gov/ghgreporting/ghgrp-state-and-tribal-fact-sheet">largest polluter of carbon dioxide</a>, federal data shows. US Steel said it can cut those emissions by about 0.5% a year by 2026 using technology from the company CarbonFree. If completed, the project would be the first commercial carbon capture at a steel plant."It's progress, not perfection," Erika Chan, US Steel's head of sustainability, told Business Insider. "We're excited about the possibilities and potential."That potential is up for debate. Many climate advocates and some researchers warn that carbon capture is an unproven distraction from other solutions that could rid steelmaking of a lot more fossil fuels and unhealthy pollutants. But those solutions are also in the early stages of development, and backers of carbon capture say curbing some emissions now is better than none at all.There's a lot at stake in the race to clean up steelmaking. Globally, the industry accounts for 8% of emissions. It's also one <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/decarbonize-steel-green-uk-scientists-how-to-cut-pollution-steel-2023-2">of the hardest to make green</a> because it requires a lot of power, heat, and coal and iron ore in most cases. Governments and companies are now pouring billions of dollars into projects trying to solve the problem.For its part, CarbonFree will spend about $150 million to build out its technology at GaryWorks, according to CEO Martin Keighley. He said his company can earn "strong returns" by selling calcium carbonate, a substance made from the captured carbon and other chemicals, to manufacturers of paint, paper, plastic, and pharmaceuticals. Once operational, CarbonFree can also claim about $3 million a year in federal tax breaks.<div type="image" title="A 3D rendering of CarbonFree's carbon capture technology at US Steel's plant in Gary, Indiana." height="2160" width="3840" msid="109035511" hostid="261" sizebytes="165578"></div>Keighley said an outside firm is vetting the carbon capture project at GaryWorks to verify that it will reduce emissions, even though a small amount of gas will be used to power the system.The company — which <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bp.com/en_us/united-states/home/news/press-releases/carbonfree-and-bp-collaborate-to-help-bring-carbon-capture-and-utilization-technology-to-industrial-sites-around-the-world.html">counts BP among its investors</a> — won't sell the captured carbon from GaryWorks for use in oil and gas production, Keighley added.Most of the carbon captured at industrial sites today is piped to oil fields and injected back underground to squeeze out more oil, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.epa.gov/ghgreporting/supply-underground-injection-and-geologic-sequestration-carbon-dioxide">according to the EPA</a>. This fuels climate advocates' complaints that the technology will extend the life of the industry most responsible for the climate crisis.<h2>'Small drop in a very big bucket'</h2>Ben Inskeep, the program director of Citizens Action Coalition of Indiana, told BI that even if emissions reductions are realized at GaryWorks, it will be "a small drop in a very big bucket.""It's not a viable pathway to decarbonize GaryWorks," Inskeep said of carbon capture. "A lot of really terrible pollution will continue and this carbon capture project won't address the magnitude of the problem."Aside from being the top carbon dioxide emitter in Indiana, GaryWorks is also a top producer of other harmful air pollutants like carbon monoxide and particulate matter. The mill is <a target="_blank" href="https://globalenergymonitor.org/projects/global-blast-furnace-tracker/summary-tables/">among just 10 in the country</a> still using blast furnaces — the dirtiest way to make steel because they burn coal and iron ore. The residents of Gary, who are majority Black, <a target="_blank" href="https://grist.org/regulation/epa-crackdown-steel-mill-pollution-gary-indiana-lawsuits/">are suffering from the health effects</a>, Inskeep said."We've been advocating for truly sustainable steel that moves away from the blast furnaces," Inskeep said.Most American steelmakers have switched to cleaner electric-arc furnaces, which melt down scrap metal into new steel. There's also emerging technology that could avoid coal and natural gas altogether by using green hydrogen and renewable electricity — <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/decarbonize-steel-green-uk-scientists-how-to-cut-pollution-steel-2023-2">though it hasn't reached commercial scale</a>.Chan said both of those strategies are included in US Steel's goal to have net-zero emissions by 2050. She noted that US Steel acquired and expanded <a target="_blank" href="https://www.localmemphis.com/article/money/us-steel-mill-east-arkansas-economic-impact/522-7eb9a294-1a0f-4b38-8e04-5b984acd4af1">a site in East Arkansas</a> with electric-arc furnaces that have 70% to 80% lower emissions than blast furnaces.Those projects require a lot of capital, Chan said. CarbonFree's technology doesn't require US Steel to make new investments.Another American steelmaker, Cleveland Cliffs, in March announced it planned to spend about $1.4 billion in Ohio and Pennsylvania to replace a blast furnace with a "hydrogen-ready" plant and electrify other furnaces. The plan is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.clevelandcliffs.com/news/news-releases/detail/629/cleveland-cliffs-selected-to-receive-575-million-in-us">contingent on a potentially half-billion-dollar grant</a> from the Department of Energy.Inskeep said he'd like to see US Steel follow a similar path."These are companies making billions of dollars in profits a year," Inskeep said. "US Steel is in the process of being acquired, potentially. It's very capable of making very large investments."Chan said she couldn't comment on negotiations with Nippon Steel, a Japanese rivaltrying to take over the company. However, both are aligned on making climate action a priority, she added. The deal is under review by national security regulators, although President Joe Biden and The United Steelworkers union have opposed it.Meanwhile, CarbonFree aims to start running its carbon capture system at GaryWorks in 2026 and hopes to expand it over the 20-year agreement."I believe strongly that in the next 20 to 30 years, we will still be releasing Co2 from industrial steel, cement, refineries, and plastic making," Keighley said. "Let's stop those emissions now and do something useful with them."

North America's largest steel mill has a plan to reduce emissions and it's a perfect example of why carbon capture is so controversial 

Hello! This story is from today's edition of <keyword id="11313717" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="morning-brew">Morning Brew</keyword>, an awesome daily email read by 2.9 million next-generation leaders like you. Sign up <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.morningbrew.com%2Fdaily%2Fsubscribe%3Futm_medium%3Dpartnership%26utm_source%3Dinsider">here</a> to get it!Despite the influx of Office trivia night invites, nature is in fact not healing. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is at its <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-climate-carbon/carbon-dioxide-in-the-air-at-highest-level-since-measurements-began-idUSKCN2DJ2C2?utm_source=morning_brew" target="_blank" rel="noopener">highest level</a> in modern history and 50% higher than in preindustrial times, according to new findings from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.<ul><li>In fact, to find a time when Earth's atmosphere had this much <keyword id="49838" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="CO2">CO2</keyword> in it, you'd have to go back <a href="https://www.axios.com/earth-carbon-dioxide-levels-human-history-03dc4dc7-660a-44a9-b85c-d8777c4be8c8.html?utm_source=morning_brew" target="_blank" rel="noopener">at least 4.1 million years ago</a> to the Pliocene Epoch, when sea levels were almost 80 feet higher than today.</li></ul>But what about the pandemic? Global emissions fell 7% last year due to travel restrictions and the general slowdown in human activity. However, as the new data reveals, that didn't do much to change the long-term trajectory of carbon emissions.That's because every year, the world adds ~40 billion metric tons of CO2 pollution to the atmosphere. A brief commuting break can't offset the CO2 that sticks around in the atmosphere for up to 1,000 years.This story is from today's edition of Morning Brew, a daily email. Sign up <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.morningbrew.com%2Fdaily%2Fsubscribe%3Futm_medium%3Dpartnership%26utm_source%3Dinsider">here</a> to get it!

You Searched For "CO2 emissions" and got 11 results

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North America's largest steel mill has a plan to reduce emissions and it's a perfect example of why carbon capture is so controversial

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Despite global emissions falling 7% in 2020, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is at its highest level in modern history

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