3 Bits periodically provides three bite-sized items of interest about climate news.
1. Watching WA
Washington’s 2021 Climate Commitment Act (CCA) is heating up. The policy obligates companies emitting over 25000 metric tons/year to reduce emissions annually or buy allowances from a decreasing pool to make up the difference. Allowances fund programs such as decarbonization of the ferry system. The policy is at risk of repeal due to the Affordable Fuel Washington campaign, funded by an oil industry trade group. Reuven Carlyle, founder of Earth Finance, asserts that the policy will inform future state and federal policies in the years to come, regardless of the outcome of the vote. (Source: Climate & Capital Media)
2. Getting to Gigatons
In order to achieve net-zero by 2050, carbon dioxide removal (CDR) must meet “gigaton” scale, or 1 billion metric tons of removal capacity. To enable this, the nonprofit foundation Xprize established their $100M Carbon Removal competition, which recently announced its 20 finalists. While these companies differ greatly in technologies, location, and medium, all are tasked with removing 1 thousand metric tons of CO2 in a year. While government policy and private industry ramp up to support this nascent industry, Xprize is providing imperative interim investment. Discover the 20 finalists here. (Source: Canary Media)
3. What’s Up, Doc?
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently updated their policy on climate change, to influence how physicians engage with their patients on the topic. The policy focuses on how climate change disproportionately affects children, including: heightened risk of Lyme disease for children in northeast states (which historically were too cold for ticks) and 10X higher susceptibility to wildfire smoke toxins (on account of the increased air per pound of body weight that they breathe). Normalizing these conversations will ensure families are better prepared to care for their children in an ever warming world. (Source: Grist)