April 2024: Earth’s 11th-consecutive warmest month on record

April 2024 was Earth’s warmest April since global record-keeping began in 1850 and was the planet’s 11th consecutive warmest month on record, NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, or NCEI, reported May 14.

Record heat was unusually widespread, with 14.7% of the world’s surface experiencing record heat. The only month on record with a greater coverage of record heat was September 2023, with 15%. Continued … 

Biden Tariffs Won’t Solve US Solar Woes

Chinese solar products already face heavy U.S. tariffs, so a new one unveiled Tuesday is unlikely to have much impact. What’s more important are developments that could close loopholes in the current trade policy and lead to higher costs of solar projects in the U.S.

The Biden administration announced a sweeping new plan to boost tariffs on China in key sectors such as electric vehicles, batteries and solar cells. The levy on solar cells would be raised to 50% from 25% this year. Continued … 

In the EV future, Thailand, the ‘Detroit of Asia,’ could be a key China hedge for automakers

Tesla has a lot going on. A significant slump in sales, stoking concerns among investors and industry analysts, in an EV market where aggressive price cuts have been needed to spur demand, have tied into decisions made by Elon Musk’s company to lay off workers and scale back spending on its EV Supercharger network.

Then, there’s the whole trade war with China, in which Musk holds a unique position. The U.S. government is determined to limit China’s ability to, as it says, “flood” the U.S. Market with renewable energy products, including its rapidly growing supply of EVs, with models priced as low as $10,000. But Tesla has a major operation in China, similar in some ways to Apple, a market key to both its manufacturing and consumer demand. Continued … 

Invasive sucker fish crisis threatens Thailand’s waterways

Thailand is currently grappling with a severe invasive sucker fish crisis, exacerbated by human actions that have released non-native fish into waterways without considering the environmental impact.

These invasive species are wreaking havoc on Thailand’s native ecosystems, causing environmental, economic, and health-related damage. This issue is frequently highlighted in various media outlets. Continued … 

New technique transforms waste carbon dioxide into high-value chemicals

Addressing the urgent challenge posed by escalating carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and their impact on climate change, researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a novel technique that significantly advances the conversion of waste carbon dioxide (CO2) into value-added chemicals and fuels.

Led by Assistant Professor LUM Yanwei from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering under the NUS College of Design and Engineering, the research team’s innovation enables the direct conversion of CO2 from treated flue gas, a common by-product of industrial processes, into high-value multi-carbon (C2+) products such as ethylene and ethanol, essential raw materials for the production of various everyday compounds such as plastics, polymers and detergents. Continued … 

Top 10 countries responsible for most exported plastic waste

Every year, around five million tons of used plastic are shipped internationally, with the vast majority (71%) coming from just 10 high-income countries, according to Our World in Data. While these exports are often presented as a recycling solution, a report by CleanHub reveals a more troubling truth.

Plastic waste exports are containers of plastic refuse that are shipped across the oceans for processing abroad. The plastic is sent on cargo ships that can transport hundreds of tons at a time, providing a way for countries to offload unmanageable waste while importing recyclable materials to produce new products. Continued … 

Water crises are a growing problem across the Caribbean islands

In the popular imagination, the Caribbean is paradise, an exotic place to escape to. But behind the images of balmy beaches and lush hotel grounds lies a crisis, the likes of which its residents have never experienced.

The Caribbean islands are in a water crisis, and their governments have warned that water scarcity may become the new norm. Continued …