Ukraine, war and our world

Waking up to a world at war

It is hard to think about the environment when lives are being torn asunder by war.


I woke up this morning yearning for peace, mourning the harm and loss Ukrainians are experiencing, and hoping for better collective wisdom to guide us through this insanity.

At the top of my inbox this morning was a note from Katelyn Jetelina, a University of Texas epidemiologist who publishes the newsletter "Your Local Epidemiologist."

Posting on a global pandemic feels "insensitive without addressing a different kind of pain and suffering and tragedy that millions will soon face," she said. I concur.

Her wisdom is worth sharing:

"Just like the pandemic, many will also fall victim to mis and disinformation—a new tool that enemies have found to work swimmingly well in a time of anxiety and confusion. Please be sure to find (and share) only solid sources; preferably ones with a reporter on the ground in Ukraine. There are such things as disaster epidemiologists, so I hope they come to the forefront, too, ... to share the public health perspective of war or, more accurately, the devastating interaction between war and pandemic."

War and energy

With Russia serving as Europe's largest energy producer, early reporting has focused on how the global response is hindered by the EU's need for Russian natural gas.

But Russia is also a major provider of nickel, copper, cobalt – all necessary materials for alternative energy sources necessary in the transition away from fossil fuels.

Two stories of note:

Could Russian sanctions hobble U.S. clean energy push?

Norilsk Nickel Russia

Hans Olav Lien/Wikimedia Commons

Politico's Jael Holzman explores the metals market—and how reliant clean energy technologies are on exports from autocratic countries like Russia and China.

Key quote:

“Our concern is that our energy markets are so tied up with nations that do not share our values.”

Worth your time...

The Coming Energy Shock

Gasoline shortage florida 2021

CWMc/flickr

The Atlantic looks at the global energy market, Russia's immunity from foreign sanctions, and the havoc Russia could inflict on world markets.

"Any Russian retreat from world oil markets will jolt prices in ways that will be felt at gas pumps around the world."

Keep reading...

Some good news

In dark times I often turn back to Gary Snyder's short poem, "For the Children."

I need this today, and his advice at the end is worth carrying forward:

stay together
learn the flowers
go light

I'm grateful to our researcher, Autumn Spanne, who found this morsel of good news on the website Reasons to be Cheerful:

More women than ever are contributing to the next IPCC climate report

Women's Science March San Francisco

Matthew Roth/flickr

“Things are changing,” Miriam Gay-Antaki, an assistant professor of geography & environmental studies told reporter Jessica Kutz.

“People are realizing that attending to gender is not a nuisance but something that a lot of people actually want.”

Read the good news...

UN food agency criticized for not revising livestock emissions report
Credit: Jim/Unsplash

UN food agency criticized for not revising livestock emissions report

More than 20 scientists expressed frustration with the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization for not correcting errors in a livestock emissions report, which two cited academics say underestimates the impact of dietary changes on greenhouse gas reduction.

Arthur Neslen reports for The Guardian.

Keep reading...Show less
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Senator Whitehouse puts climate change on budget committee’s agenda

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Nickel exploration ramps up in Michigan and Minnesota amid rising EV battery demand

As the U.S. seeks more domestic sources of electric vehicle battery metals, geologists are exploring Michigan's Upper Peninsula and Minnesota for nickel deposits.

Hannah Northey reports for E&E News.

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Wildfires make it harder for forests to regrow as replanting faces major hurdles

Scientists are grappling with replanting forests after wildfires, struggling to find solutions as climate change, seed shortages and resource gaps widen.

Tammy Webber, Brittany Peterson and Camille Fassett report for The Associated Press.

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Flooding in Nepal leaves over 190 dead

More than 190 people have died in Nepal following severe flooding and landslides triggered by heavy rains, with rescue and recovery operations accelerating as weather improves.

Binaj Gurubacharya reports for The Associated Press.

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Britain shuts down its last coal power plant, ending an era

Britain is closing its final coal-fired power station, marking the end of over 200 years of reliance on coal to power its economy.

William Booth reports for The Washington Post.

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Bottled water threatens health and the environment, experts say

Experts warn that bottled water, often marketed as safer than tap, exposes users to harmful chemicals and contributes heavily to plastic pollution.

Tom Howarth reports for Newsweek.

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Political debate over U.S. Steel sale ignores public health and environmental risks
Credit: Pixabay

Political debate over U.S. Steel sale ignores public health and environmental risks

A potential $15 billion sale of U.S. Steel to Nippon Steel has sparked political controversy, leaving pollution and public health concerns in the Mon Valley largely overlooked.

Kiley Bense reports for Inside Climate News.

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