State of the Planet: DiCaprio’s Oscar – Renewables Record – Floating Solar – COP21 Ratification

Things are moving quickly as our planet makes the transition to a new, clean economy. You want to stay in the loop – but you’re busy, that’s why we keep an eye on the headlines for you!

Welcome to the first – 4 March 2016 – edition of the Daily Planet’s weekly State Of The Planet.

Don’t hesitate to send your tips and comments to @peter_koekoek or peter.koekoek@climate-kic.org.

China has set a new record with its 2015 solar and wind consumption.

Good news from the world’s biggest polluter: “The latest figures confirm China’s record-breaking shift towards renewable power and away from coal,” Tim Buckley from the US-based Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) said in a statement picked up by Climate Home.

Meanwhile, Reuters reports China expects to lay off 1.3 million workers in its state-controlled coal industry.

The government hopes to employ the coal workers in different sectors. Two weeks ago, Bloomberg already reported that China spent a record $111 billion on the deployment of clean energy infrastructure in 2015, almost as much as the EU and US combined.

A company in the UK capital is set to break a different type of record by floating what will be the biggest solar array of its kind.

Not on the stock exchange, but on the Queen Elizabeth II reservoir in London. Clean Technica reports it will be the largest floating solar power system in Europe. Also in the UK, the Guardian reports that Energy UK, which represents the country’s ‘big six’ providers, made a major u-turn by announcing support for phasing out coal-fired stations.

The 34 million people who tuned in to the live Oscars broadcast this week were treated to a call to climate action by none other than Leonardo DicCaprio.

The Titanic veteran finally won his first Oscar and NME reports how he used his thank you speech to stress: “Climate change is real, it is happening right now. It is the most urgent threat facing our entire species, and we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating.”

There was also a direct link between the movie and our climate.

DiCaprio won “Best Actor” for his role in The Revenant, which was mostly filmed in Alberta, Canada. Originally, the producers had planned to film the entire movie in Canada, but they had to film the final scenes of the movie on the snow-covered southern tip of Argentina – because it had gotten unexpectedly warm in Alberta. Bustle has the transcript of DiCaprio’s Oscar speech, and you can watch it in full on Youtube.

The Guardian had a look at how Leo became one of the world’s top climate change activists.

You may have heard his foundation has already provided at least $30 million in funding for environmental projects and that he has attended public marches. But did you know he receives private tutorials in climate science from some of the world’s best researchers?

Of course you know of it, but have you actually read the Paris Agreement?

If language ever was an excuse, it may not be anymore as the UN has now made it available in all of its six official languages: English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish.

The EU Commission has said it wants Europe to ratify the Paris Agreement as soon as possible.

The Daily Planet reports the Commission has published its assessment of what the practical implications of the COP21 deal will be for Europe. In an accompanying statement, by Europe’s climate chief Miguel Arias Cañete said the EU should sign and ratify the agreement as soon as possible, and continue its “leadership in the global transition to a low-carbon future.” Fiji was recently the first country to formally approve the 195-nation agreement, reports the Guardian.

Environmental groups initially said the assessment doesn’t go far enough and should introduce policy changes to make sure Europe can meet its obligations.

But following clarifications made by national ministers later in the week showed the assessment may only be a starting point for further EU climate action. Greenpeace EU climate and energy policy adviser Bram Claeys said in a statement: “It may have surprised the Commission, but country after country has come out in support of stronger European efforts to tackle climate change. This should reboot Europe’s climate ambition. It’s a clear signal the Commission cannot ignore.”

US president Barack Obama and Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau will sign a continental environment and climate change strategy, reports The Globe and Mail.

Both leaders are set to meet in Washington D.C. next week. Canada’s climate change minister, meanwhile, broke out in laughter in the House of Commons last week after reminding her conservative critic of the good times they had in Paris at COP21, reports the Huffington Post. The country is on the verge of adopting a national climate change strategy, reports CBC news. Prime minister Trudeau’s Liberal Party published a high-energy video on YouTube this week summarising how the strategy would work.

A new cross-sectoral public private group in Canada received a government boost this week.

The group consists of business leaders, labour, non-governmental organizations, government and academics who want to accelerate Canada’s transition to a high-efficiency, low carbon economy, reports The Herald News. Not a moment too soon, as it turn out. Yahoo News reports that unless something is done, Canada will by 2050 be a “land of climate change extremes.”

Political chaos in Europe and the US – should climate activists worry?

Climate action is heavily dependent on politicians working together to get things done. In his Washington Post column, journalist and author Fareed Zakaria writes that across the West “governments that occupy the center ground find themselves struggling against energized ideological movements from right and left. The problem is that although they may be competent, centrists are dull, practical types. And there is always a search for romance in politics.”

But romantic solutions aren’t always real solutions.

“The radicals and romantics might not have the power to overturn the centrist consensus, but they can place it under relentless pressure. Meanwhile, there is no discussion of the important issues and the actual, plausible policy options to deal with them.” Zakaria ends on a – somewhat – positive note, however: “The center can and does hold, but just barely.” YouTube also has a video of Zakaria reading out his column on CNN.

Looking for something to fix?

Some of these stories may just inspire your next business venture:

• We urgently need better climate modeling, Nicholas Stern has said. Nature reports the British climate scientist called on scientists, engineers and economists to help policy makers by better modelling the immense risks to future generations, and the potential for action.
• A new study demonstrates how important it is to prevent methane leaks. New Republic reports that in California a leak in a gas storage facility poured 100,000 tonnes of methane into the air – equivalent to annual emissions from half a million cars.
• Did you know El Niño is causing a global food crisis? This year’s El Nino has wreaked havoc on food supplies across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Climate Progress reports it will continue to do so for months to come.
• Here’s a diplomatic challenge for you. The EU is withholding a €12 million contribution to COP22 – due to take place in Moroco later this year – in a row over Rabat’s claim on the Western Sahara reports Climate Change News.
• The economic impact of sea level rise will be huge. Reuters reports that a new study from Climate-KIC partner the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research shows that as sea levels rise, “threatening cities from New York to Shanghai,” the economic damage will increase even faster than previously estimated.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to receive next week’s State Of The Planet directly in your inbox. Tips and comments welcome at @peter_koekoek or peter.koekoek@climate-kic.org.