The hottest Climate & Environment Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Climate & Environment Topics

The Flosser of the World

The False Consensus Effect • 39 implied HN points • 16 Apr 21
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate change Environmental Conservation Natural Disasters
  1. Climate change is a pressing issue with scientists warning about the consequences of global warming and carbon emissions.
  2. Individual actions, like reducing plastic waste in daily habits, have an impact on the environment and future of the planet.
  3. Building strong communities and working together as clans or groups may be essential for a sustainable future amidst the challenges of a changing world.

Potentially Attractive Amenity

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 39 implied HN points • 07 Oct 21
🌞 Climate & Environment Urban Nature Biodiversity Sustainability Wildlife
  1. Nature quickly takes back space when humans leave, as seen in a Seattle block filled with trees and shrubs after a building was demolished. It shows how resilient nature can be.
  2. Instead of building more structures, letting nature thrive in urban areas could create beneficial environments for both plants and animals. Less management of these spaces could lead to more biodiversity.
  3. Urban green spaces should allow nature to grow and decompose naturally. Places that embrace the natural cycle can improve the quality of life for all city residents.

Navigating the Energy Transition Amidst Russia's Invasion of Ukraine

Equal Ventures • 19 implied HN points • 25 Mar 22
🌞 Climate & Environment Energy transition Renewable Energy Natural Gas
  1. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has significant impacts on global energy markets due to Russia's key role as a major energy supplier.
  2. The crisis may lead to challenges in the supply chain for renewable energy materials like rare earth minerals, potentially impacting the production of green technologies like EVs.
  3. The need for energy independence and security may drive a shift towards natural gas in the short term, highlighting the importance of investing in grid infrastructure for a successful energy transition.
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Did the Energy Crisis Accelerate The Energy Transition?

Apricitas Economics • 37 implied HN points • 23 Apr 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Energy crisis Renewable Energy Carbon Emissions Fossil fuels
  1. The global economy heavily relies on fossil fuels despite efforts to transition to cleaner energy sources.
  2. Efficiency gains and investment due to the recent energy crisis accelerated the growth of wind and solar energy.
  3. Different countries responded to the crisis in diverse ways, with some increasing reliance on coal, hindering the energy transition.

Equal's 2022 Climate Wish List

Equal Ventures • 19 implied HN points • 01 Feb 22
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability Renewable Energy Circular Economy Climate tech
  1. 2021 saw record climate funding and renewed focus on climate policy, but 2022 is anticipated to be even more promising with new talent, capital, and digital innovations entering the climate tech space.
  2. Key areas of interest in 2022 include empowering the green workforce through software solutions, turning buildings into digital power plants using batteries and EVs, and establishing data connectivity services to manage distributed energy resources effectively.
  3. The shift towards circularity is expected to grow, especially in areas like food, packaging, and materials, driving the need for software solutions that enable businesses to operate more efficiently and sustainably.

The Kingdome of Heat Domes

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 39 implied HN points • 01 Jul 21
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate change Weather Patterns Extreme Weather Environmental Science Sustainability
  1. The term 'heat dome' has recently become popular and represents a specific weather pattern linked to climate change. This shows how language around climate issues is evolving quickly as extreme weather becomes more common.
  2. Weather events like heat domes and polar vortices are becoming more intense due to climate change, indicating that these extreme conditions may occur more frequently in the future.
  3. Historical temperature records show that the heat we experience today might not have happened in millions of years, emphasizing the significant changes our climate is undergoing right now.

The damage caused by sea level rise to cities

Klement on Investing • 2 implied HN points • 11 Aug 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate change Infrastructure Urban planning Environmental Policy Risk management
  1. Sea level rise can seriously damage city infrastructure, making some areas nearly unsellable. Insurance companies struggle to assess risks, especially in places like Miami.
  2. Most climate models suggest that sea levels will rise less than one meter by 2100, which is manageable for cities. However, cities like Osaka may face more significant challenges.
  3. We have three choices: do nothing and risk the worst, speed up efforts to reduce carbon emissions, or adapt our infrastructure to cope with rising sea levels. The future depends on the actions we take today.

December 31, 2021

The False Consensus Effect • 19 implied HN points • 31 Dec 21
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate Crisis Environmental Impact Sustainability Carbon Emissions Extinction
  1. The author reflects on the interconnectedness of all life and the need to focus on what truly matters, beyond material possessions and capitalist nightmares.
  2. The author discusses the impact of personal actions on the environment, highlighting the importance of making conscious decisions to reduce one's carbon footprint.
  3. The author advocates for a shift in societal norms and governmental regulations to address climate change, emphasizing the urgency of collective action and sacrifices to prevent further environmental degradation.

Is Imminent Extinction Likely?

Daniel Pinchbeck’s Newsletter • 16 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate Crisis Global Warming
  1. The author believes near-term human extinction is likely, possibly within the next 10-20 years, largely due to climate change feedback loops like methane release.
  2. The author expresses frustration with political leaders influenced by powerful interests and emphasizes the need for realistic action rather than optimism without grounds.
  3. The author links mental health issues to suppressed ecological grief and criticizes relying solely on medication rather than acknowledging and addressing underlying societal issues.

A Mount Rushmore For Sustainability?

Surfing the Future • 1 HN point • 02 May 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability Markets Regulation Externalities
  1. Consider creating a sustainability version of Mount Rushmore showcasing notable figures like Richard Sandor, Rachel Carson, and Gro Harlem Brundtland.
  2. Richard Sandor made significant contributions to the financial world by pioneering interest rate futures contracts and emissions trading, leading to the creation of influential exchanges.
  3. Sandor's mentor, Ronald Coase, emphasized the difficulties in designing markets and the importance of viewing failure as part of the learning process.

Waiting for the Great Turn?

storyvoyager • 5 implied HN points • 21 Feb 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate action Sustainability Environmental Policy Fiction Technology
  1. The book 'The Ministry for the Future' shows how a major climate disaster can spark significant action for climate change. It highlights how India becomes a leader in climate solutions after a severe heatwave.
  2. Several innovative ideas are proposed, such as a carbon coin to reduce emissions and geoengineering to cool the planet. These solutions aim to encourage more sustainable practices and cooperation on a global scale.
  3. The book also explores controversial actions like climate terrorism, raising questions about what lengths people might go to for climate justice. It makes readers think about potential real-life turning points for climate action.

Boundaries

Natural Selections • 6 implied HN points • 07 Jan 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Ecology Environmental Policy Conservation Biodiversity
  1. Nature often defies clear boundaries. Things like rivers and lakes change over time, making it hard to say exactly where one starts and another ends.
  2. Humans try to impose strict borders on nature, like property lines, but those boundaries can fail. Nature is fluid and doesn't always fit into our definitions.
  3. The idea of what makes an individual can be fuzzy too. Our actions and connections blend with those of others, showing that we are part of a larger network.

Links for Friday, Feb 16

God's Spies by Thomas Neuburger • 15 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate targets Imperialism Capitalism Monopoly
  1. Reading and listening resources curated for sharing on Fridays, with a mix of links and other content sources.
  2. Challenges facing net-zero targets, particularly on assumptions about oil, gas, and coal use, leading to necessary revisions by companies and financial services.
  3. Discussion on imperialism, US involvement in wars abroad, and the relationship to capitalism, highlighting war as a significant economic driver in certain contexts.

The Rise of Batteries in Six Charts and Not Too Many Numbers

Renewable Revolution • 2 HN points • 30 Jan 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Renewable Energy Sustainability Emissions Reduction Fossil fuels Technological Innovation
  1. Battery sales are increasing rapidly, doubling every couple of years. This growth is driven by more people using electric cars and other battery technologies.
  2. The cost of batteries is dropping while their quality is improving. Over the past 30 years, battery prices have fallen a lot, making them more affordable and effective for various uses.
  3. Batteries are crucial for reducing fossil fuel use and cutting down emissions. They are expected to replace a substantial amount of fossil fuel demand in transport and electricity sectors.

The environmental impact of agricultural crops

Klement on Investing • 2 implied HN points • 07 Jul 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability Agriculture Environmental Impact Research Climate change
  1. We need to feed more people, so farming has gotten more intense, which can hurt the environment. A new study shows exactly where agriculture is doing well and where it needs to improve.
  2. Different crops affect the environment in different ways, depending on where they are grown. For example, soybean and palm oil farming can be worse near water bodies because of runoff, while crops grown at higher altitudes may need more intensive farming.
  3. The study gives a clear picture of how sustainable or harmful different crops are. It finds that palm oil production in Southeast Asia is damaging, while soybean farming in the US and West Africa can be more sustainable.

Love, Safety, and Connection in Times of Climate Distress

Save Our Happy Place • 5 implied HN points • 11 Jan 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate change Meditation Mental health Community support
  1. Meditation can help people cope with feelings of grief and anxiety, especially during difficult times caused by climate disasters. It is a way to send positive thoughts and support to those struggling.
  2. Engaging in loving-kindness meditation can transform feelings of despair into hope and compassion. It encourages a sense of connection, not just to each other, but to the planet as well.
  3. Sharing these meditative practices with others can foster community and resilience in facing climate change together. It’s important to offer support and stay connected during tough times.

Navigating the complexity of our energy crisis: Towards a future of collective new Wohlstand

Anima Mundi • 20 implied HN points • 01 Aug 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Energy crisis Renewable Energy Fossil fuels Global impact Sustainability
  1. Our energy economy heavily relies on finite fossil fuels leading to a crisis
  2. Transitioning to renewable energy is essential but faces challenges from vested interests and political inertia
  3. The future calls for a paradigm shift towards sustainability, cooperation, and local resilience

We Suck at Promoting Climate Action, Here is How We Change That

Creative Destruction • 20 implied HN points • 26 Jul 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Communication Narratives Emotions Community Solutions
  1. Climate action communication needs to shift to be more people-focused, emotional, and clear to effectively engage the majority of the population.
  2. Utilizing emotional storytelling over facts can be more impactful in inspiring action and building community connections.
  3. Efforts to promote climate action should aim to create positive, awe-evoking narratives of a sustainable future to counterbalance doomerism.

The Great Dying and the Little Ice Age: Unraveling a climate mystery

storyvoyager • 18 implied HN points • 17 Sep 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Human Impact
  1. Europe experienced extreme cold events during the Little Ice Age, impacting daily life and causing food shortages.
  2. The Little Ice Age was a period of global cooling from 1250 to 1860, with significant impacts on Europe.
  3. The Great Dying in the Americas led to a decline in native populations, contributing to global climate change and the onset of the Little Ice Age.

Breaking 1.5°C

GOOD INTERNET • 13 implied HN points • 12 Feb 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate change Activism Public Perception
  1. The Earth has experienced 12 consecutive months above the 1.5°C warming level for the first time in history, indicating a concerning acceleration of climate change.
  2. The Atlantic Ocean circulation, AMOC, is approaching a tipping point with potential catastrophic consequences, such as rising sea levels, fluctuating temperatures, and dramatic changes in rainfall patterns.
  3. A global survey revealed that a majority of people are willing to contribute to climate action, but there is a 'perception gap' where individuals underestimate the support for climate action, highlighting the importance of raising awareness and demanding unified response to climate change.

Steering Towards a Low Heat Economy

Anima Mundi • 20 implied HN points • 03 Jul 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Energy Efficiency Circular Economy Education & Policy
  1. Steering towards a Low Heat Economy involves understanding the impact of heat emissions from industries and cities on the environment.
  2. To build a Low Heat Economy, we need to focus on using alternative energy sources like solar and wind power to reduce heat emissions.
  3. Adopting circular economy principles and sustainable practices in agriculture are essential steps towards achieving a Low Heat Economy.

I read the degrowth paper, so you don't have to

Economic Forces • 14 implied HN points • 04 Jan 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Degrowth Environmental Impact Resource use
  1. Wealthy economies should focus on well-being over endless GDP growth to reduce environmental impacts.
  2. Ignoring the role of prices in economic coordination can hinder understanding and decision-making in the degrowth movement.
  3. The degrowth agenda imposes subjective judgments on consumption habits, challenging the neutrality of economic analyses.

A Newsletter About Climate Solutions (yes those, but mostly the other kind)

As If We Were Staying • 4 implied HN points • 12 Feb 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability Regeneration Activism Ecology Innovation
  1. The newsletter focuses on finding and creating alternatives to climate-related issues, aiming for a positive future. It's important to think about how we can improve the world rather than just focusing on problems.
  2. The creator has experience in both science and climate action, blending knowledge of biology and technology with grassroots climate solutions. This combination of backgrounds helps in understanding complex environmental challenges.
  3. The writing aims to tackle both technical solutions and the emotional aspects of climate change, encouraging readers not to give up and to stay engaged in sustainable practices. It emphasizes the importance of resilience and community in addressing these issues.

Carbon Pawprints and the Rationing of Life

The Corbett Report • 20 implied HN points • 18 Jun 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate change Carbon Footprint Environmental Impact Global Warming
  1. An article comparing carbon footprints of private jets to pet ownership evolved into a serious issue demanding fact-checking.
  2. The narrative of reducing carbon footprints subtly shifts towards considering human life itself as a burden on the environment.
  3. The agenda of carbon eugenics and global depopulation by manipulating perceptions about carbon emissions is already being implemented.

California’s electricity conundrum

Klement on Investing • 4 implied HN points • 27 Jan 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Renewable Energy Natural resources Environmental Policy Climate change
  1. California has some of the highest electricity prices in the US, even though it's using more renewable energy. In 2023, its prices were about 70% higher than the national average.
  2. Several factors contribute to the high electricity costs in California, including expensive natural gas, wildfire-related expenses, and increased demand for power due to climate change.
  3. The shift to renewable energy is not the main reason for California's high prices. Other states with a lot of renewable energy actually pay less for electricity on average.

The impact of renewable energy on electricity costs

Klement on Investing • 4 implied HN points • 20 Jan 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Energy Renewables Economics Policy Sustainability
  1. Renewable energy, like wind and solar, generally helps to lower electricity prices rather than raise them. In Spain, for example, these sources cut prices by up to 58% compared to using only fossil fuels.
  2. The recent energy crisis was mainly due to rising natural gas prices, not the shift to renewable energy. Without renewables, the costs and inflation would have been even worse.
  3. While renewables can be less reliable at times, investing in energy storage and other clean sources can solve the supply issues. Stopping the shift to renewables will likely lead to higher electricity bills and inflation.

Finding a Place to Scream

Save Our Happy Place • 5 implied HN points • 15 Nov 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate Crisis Mental health Community support
  1. It's important to find a safe way to express emotions, like finding a place to scream. Letting it out can be really freeing.
  2. Journaling your anger can be a great way to process feelings. Write down everything you want to say, then destroy it for a sense of release.
  3. Connecting with others helps, whether it's friends, family, or a support group. Sharing feelings reminds us we’re not alone in what we’re going through.

Blue Action in the Bahamas: how this accelerator is rapidly scaling ocean tech

The Green Techpreneur • 4 implied HN points • 13 Dec 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate change Sustainability Green Technology Innovation
  1. The Blue Action Accelerator helps startups focus on ocean tech to combat climate change. They support innovative solutions like carbon capture and coral restoration, which are crucial for preserving our oceans.
  2. Island nations are particularly vulnerable to climate change but they serve as good testing grounds for new climate solutions. These smaller areas can quickly adapt and test technologies that might work on a larger scale.
  3. The accelerator prioritizes startups that are passionate about solving environmental issues and can provide scientific innovations. They also help with funding and connections to make these solutions happen.

China's Energy Transition Part 2

TP’s Substack • 10 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Energy transition Carbon Footprint
  1. China's power grid is rapidly transitioning to low carbon technologies, but other sectors beyond electricity, like transportation and industries, need to be decarbonized as well.
  2. China imports a significant amount of crude oil, natural gas, and refined oil products, spending over $300 billion per year on these fossil fuels, with most usage being outside of electricity generation.
  3. China's progress in electrifying passenger vehicles is notable, with a shift towards new energy vehicles (NEVs) leading to a potential collapse in gasoline demand in the next 5 years, although commercial vehicle electrification lags behind.