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The Environmental Case Against Bitcoin
No one may be using Bitcoin, but we’re all paying for them. Bitcoin analyst Alex de Vries, otherwise known as the Digiconomist, reports that the coin’s surge caused its estimated annual energy consumption to increase from 25 terawatt hours in early November to 30 TWh last week—a figure, wrote Vox’s Umair Irfan, “on par with the energy use of the entire country of Morocco, more than 19 European countries, and roughly 0.7 percent of total energy demand in the United States, equal to 2.8 million U.S. households.”
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Finance
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To address hunger effectively, first check the weather, says new study
Too little rain, or too much, is often a driver of poverty and hunger, leading to poor nutrition and food insecurity among vulnerable populations. According to a new study, rainfall patterns also provide clues on how to most effectively alleviate food insecurity.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Environment
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Press release: China consolidates position as global leader on green finance, says new research
The report finds that China – which put green finance on the G20 agenda during its 2016 presidency – is following through on its political commitment to boost the financing required to do this. The report looks particularly at progress since the State Council in August 2016 approved a set of recommendations for action on greening China’s financial system.
- Categories
- Environment, Investing
- Region
- Asia Pacific
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Greenhouse gases must be scrubbed from the air
Sweden’s pledge is among the world’s most ambitious. But if the global temperature is to have a good chance of not rising more than 2ºC above its pre-industrial level, as stipulated in the Paris climate agreement of 2015, worldwide emissions must similarly hit “net zero” no later than 2090. After that, emissions must go “net negative”, with more carbon removed from the stock than is emitted.
- Categories
- Environment
- Tags
- climate change
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Can poo power solve India’s toilet problem?
India is in the midst of a toilet-building frenzy, the government has set aside $20bn for the health initiative and aims to stop people having to defecate in the open by 2019.
- Categories
- Environment, Health Care
- Region
- South Asia
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World carbon emissions on the rise again: study
Carbon emissions had been roughly flat from 2014-16, but will increase this year mainly due to a rise in China after a two-year decline, the scientists said.
- Categories
- Environment
- Tags
- climate change
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Report: Poorer Countries Suffer Most From Extreme Weather Events
Increased intensity of storms takes a toll on small island states and poor countries. Since 1997, over 520,000 people have been killed by more than 11,000 extreme weather events.
- Categories
- Environment
- Tags
- climate change
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COP23: NGOs may take nations to court over climate loss and damage
Developed countries have not lived up to their promises around climate financing. NGOs at the UN climate talks in Bonn are now pushing for action through legal means.
- Categories
- Environment
- Tags
- climate change, NGOs
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