An Empire Built on Waste

An empire built on waste by Emanuele Jane Morelli. "This image is not an exaggeration. It’s a mirror.

"When clothing becomes cheaper than dignity, and faster than ethics, we’re not just buying clothes, we’re investing in collapse.

"Fast fashion isn’t fashion. It’s a cycle of extraction, production, pollution, and discard, disguised as choice.

"We can’t keep celebrating empires built on exploitation and calling it innovation.

It’s time to rebuild, slower, fairer, cleaner."

And now, our daily summaries of the weekend's selected updates from around the world of green tech and sustainability.

Today's Updates

Table of Contents

• 🌾Agriculture (5 stories) - Livestock and aquatic food sustainability strategies; climate change's impact on Ethiopian resources; UN agrarian reform conference in Colombia; Thai coffee plantation emissions study; California farmers' solar conversion profits.

  
  

• 🪨Carbon (3 stories) - UK water company pilots methane capture; Australian resource companies face climate damage claims; Bio-based building materials offer CO2 storage.

  
  

• ♻️Circular (1 story) - WWU students engage with "Modest Bob" interactive art.

  
  

• 🌱Ecosystems (7 stories) - Mushrooms clean LA soil; Amazon river dries; Moose migration ends; Puma corridors mapped; Allergy seasons worsen; Elm trees planted; Rose petal geometry explained.

  
  

• ⚡Efficiency (1 story) - UC Berkeley report: All-electric rebuilds faster, cheaper after LA fires.

  
  

• 💰Finance (2 stories) - Asian Development Bank fossil gas financing questioned; HSBC sustainability leadership changes.

  
  

• 🔌Grid (2 stories) - Spain, Portugal blackout highlights grid infrastructure needs; businesses adopt distributed clean energy.

  
  

• 🌍Indigenous (3 stories) - Mining companies at UN forum, climate change in Canada, Indigenous journalism fellowships announced.

  
  

• 🏭Industry (7 stories) - Endurans POE solar encapsulants, US cleantech manufacturing, GCL System Integration, Utah SMR nuclear projects, Coast Guard oil leak.

  
  

• 📜Policy (23 stories) - Western sanctions on Zimbabwe, Nepal cable car backlash, Amazon fires, Australia's climate opportunities, NOAA funding cuts, Oregon hydrogen claims, Trump's energy policies, USAID shutdown, and House Republicans vs. California emissions.

  
  

• 🔋Renewables (6 stories) - Google's Double Black Diamond Solar Project powers Chicago; Michigan brownfields eyed for solar; Neoen's Narrogin wind farm approved; Rye Park wind farm opens in NSW.

  
  

• 🚗Transport (8 stories) - Europe BEV sales surge (ex-Tesla), China Zorrilla ferry debuts, Costa Rica EV adoption leads Americas, Siemens EV charging system, SAF surcharges rise, Waymo safety data, Renault 5 leads France, ADAC EV breakdown study.

Agriculture

Livestock and aquatic food sustainability strategies; climate change's impact on Ethiopian resources; UN agrarian reform conference in Colombia; Thai coffee plantation emissions study; California farmers' solar conversion profits.

• SAAF session at CGIAR Science Week reimagines the transformation of animal and aquatic food systems for a sustainable future (CGIAR) - Global research program outlines transformative strategies for sustainable livestock and aquatic food systems, focusing on smallholder farmers, climate resilience, and nutrition security across 17 countries.

• Climate, Conflict, and Resilience in Ethiopia: Reflections on the Climate Security Stakeholder Workshop (CGIAR) - Ethiopian workshop reveals climate change's role in resource conflicts and displacement, highlighting need for coordinated responses and local adaptation strategies in agriculture-dependent regions.

• It’s official! Cartagena to host the Second International Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (ICARRD+20) (Via Campesina) - Colombia to host major UN conference on agrarian reform in 2026, addressing global land inequality and food security with representatives from 100+ countries.

• I climb mountains in search of sustainable agricultural systems (Nature) - Thai agronomist measures greenhouse gas emissions from mountain coffee plantations to compare carbon impact of organic versus chemical farming methods.

• Farmers are making bank harvesting a new crop: Solar energy (Canary Media) - California farmers earn $124,000 per hectare annually by converting cropland to solar installations, providing both financial stability and water conservation benefits in Central Valley.

Carbon

UK water company pilots methane capture; Australian resource companies face climate damage claims; Bio-based building materials offer CO2 storage.

• Methane capture unit being piloted at a UK water company (Carbon Thirteen) - UK water company pilots container-sized methane capture unit to boost biogas production and reduce emissions from anaerobic digester effluent.

• Cost of emissions from five major Australian resource companies more than $900bn, study finds (The Guardian) - Five major Australian resource companies linked to $929bn in climate damage from extreme heat emissions over three decades, Stanford-Dartmouth study finds.

• Harnessing Carbon Removal Opportunities in Biomass Residue Building Products (RMI) - Bio-based building materials from agricultural and forestry residues could store 3.6 gigatons of CO2 by 2050 through integration into new construction.

 Circular

WWU students engage with "Modest Bob" interactive art.

• Have you seen Modest Bob? (Western Today) - Interactive campus art project "Modest Bob" featuring SpongeBob in formal attire engages WWU students through puzzles and tasks throughout academic year.

Ecosystems

Mushrooms clean LA soil; Amazon river dries; Moose migration ends; Puma corridors mapped; Allergy seasons worsen; Elm trees planted; Rose petal geometry explained.

• How Toxin-Munching Mushrooms Are Restoring Polluted Brownfields (Atmos) - Biologist demonstrates mushrooms and native plants can effectively clean toxic soil in LA wildfire sites and industrial brownfields, reducing pollutants by 50% in three months.

• Amazon people brace for a drier future along the endangered Madeira River (Mongabay) - Amazon's Madeira River faces severe water loss and record-low levels, threatening Indigenous and local communities' agriculture, fishing and transportation as climate change intensifies droughts.

• Sweden’s Great Moose Migration live stream ends after 478 hours’ viewing (The Guardian) - Sweden's popular 'slow TV' moose migration livestream concludes seventh season with 478 hours of footage and millions of viewers tracking annual wildlife trek.

• ‘Puma detectives’ highlight wildlife where Brazil’s Cerrado meets the Atlantic Forest (Mongabay) - Brazilian researchers track puma movements between Cerrado and Atlantic Forest parks to map wildlife corridors and strengthen conservation efforts.

• Worsening allergies aren’t your imagination − windy days create the perfect pollen storm (The Conversation) - Climate change and increasing windstorms are intensifying pollen seasons across North America, with longer durations and higher concentrations creating worse allergy conditions.

• Elm trees return to Rockport, Massachusetts (Yale Climate Connections) - Massachusetts volunteers plant 350 disease-resistant elm trees in Rockport to restore urban canopy and absorb carbon, aiming for 1,000 total plantings.

• The unusual mathematics that gives rose petals their shape (Nature) - Physicists discover unique mechanical feedback process explains rose petals' distinctive curved edges and pointed corners through 3D geometric growth patterns.

Efficiency

UC Berkeley report: All-electric rebuilds faster, cheaper after LA fires.

• After LA fires, could it be cheaper and faster to rebuild without gas? (Canary Media) - New UC Berkeley report argues all-electric rebuilding after LA fires would be faster and cheaper than reinstalling gas infrastructure, contradicting city's emergency waiver of electrification requirements.

Finance

Asian Development Bank fossil gas financing questioned; HSBC sustainability leadership changes.

• Asia’s fossil-free future demands real transformation – not a false transition (Climate Change News) - Asian Development Bank faces pressure to stop financing fossil gas projects and shift towards community-led renewable energy investments across Asia.

• HSBC AM’s Global Head of Sustainability Erin Leonard Exits (ESG Today) - HSBC Asset Management's Global Head of Sustainability Erin Leonard departs amid broader restructuring of bank's sustainability leadership and climate targets.

Grid

Spain, Portugal blackout highlights grid infrastructure needs; businesses adopt distributed clean energy.

• What Caused The Blackout On The Iberian Peninsular? It’s Complicated. (CleanTechnica) - Major blackout across Spain and Portugal linked to insufficient grid infrastructure upgrades needed to handle high renewable energy penetration, not renewable energy itself.

• From risk to resilience: Energy as a competitive edge (Utility Dive) - Global energy transformation drives businesses to adopt distributed clean energy infrastructure for security, cost control and sustainability amid grid challenges.

Indigenous

Mining companies at UN forum, climate change in Canada, Indigenous journalism fellowships announced.

• At UN, mining groups tout protections for Indigenous people (Grist) - Mining companies promote Indigenous rights protections at UN forum while continuing controversial projects on tribal lands worldwide.

• How the climate crisis threatens Indigenous traditions in Canada: ‘It’s not the way it used to be’ (The Guardian) - Climate change threatens Indigenous winter traditions across northern Canada as warming temperatures disrupt ice-based activities, hunting patterns and community connections.

• Meet our 2025 Indigenous Journalism Fellows on World Press Freedom Day!! (Cultural Survival) - Organization announces seven Indigenous journalism fellows from across Americas, Africa, and Asia to investigate environmental and social issues with $6,000 grants and mentorship support.

Industry

Endurans POE solar encapsulants, US cleantech manufacturing, GCL System Integration, Utah SMR nuclear projects, Coast Guard oil leak.

• Endurans Debuts POE Films With Crosslinking Cure (TaiyangNews) - Endurans launches new POE-based solar panel encapsulants with enhanced UV protection and mechanical stability, featuring crosslinking cure technology.

• How is domestic cleantech manufacturing faring after 100 days of Trump? (Latitude Media) - U.S. cleantech manufacturing sees $9.4B in new Q1 2025 projects despite record cancellations, with battery sector leading growth while solar faces supply chain challenges.

• GCL System Integration 2024 Revenues Up, Net Profit Down (TaiyangNews) - Chinese solar manufacturer GCL System Integration reports 1.7% revenue growth in 2024 despite industry headwinds, with overseas sales surging 188.72% while domestic sales declined.

• 📈 Data to start your week (Exponential View) - US maintains 10x AI computing advantage over China despite model benchmark gains, while natural disaster costs hit $145B and GenAI shows minimal job impact.

• Rocky Mountains States Ramp Up Nuclear Energy Ambitions (Energy Central) - Utah emerges as nuclear energy hub with multiple SMR projects planned, state partnerships formed, and agreements with Idaho National Laboratory to develop advanced reactor technologies.

• Want to supercharge your science? Turn to technicians (Nature) - Research institutions urged to elevate technicians' roles and remove conventional boundaries with PhD researchers to drive scientific breakthroughs and meet growing technical workforce demands.

• Coast Guard secures blowout at unplugged Louisiana oil well (Reuters) - U.S. Coast Guard controls oil leak from 82-year-old unplugged Louisiana well that spewed thousands of gallons into marshland.

Policy

Western sanctions on Zimbabwe, Nepal cable car backlash, Amazon fires, Australia's climate opportunities, NOAA funding cuts, Oregon hydrogen claims, Trump's energy policies, USAID shutdown, and House Republicans vs. California emissions.

• The fight for land justice in Zimbabwe, South Africa, and across the Global South is not just a local struggle – it is a global one (Via Campesina) - Zimbabwe's post-colonial land reform efforts face continued Western sanctions and economic isolation, highlighting global struggle for land justice in former colonies.

• Cable car project in Nepal under fire for flawed environmental review (Mongabay) - Nepal's Pathibhara cable car project faces backlash after environmental assessment omits key species, understates forest impact, and bypasses full impact review requirements in sacred Indigenous site.

• We risk our lives facing Amazon wildfires. What will politicians risk to make the polluters behind them pay (Greenpeace) - Brazilian volunteer firefighters battling Amazon wildfires demand oil companies pay for climate damage as forest fires intensify due to fossil fuel emissions and agribusiness expansion.

• 5 huge climate opportunities await the next parliament – and it has the numbers to deliver (The Conversation) - Australia's re-elected Labor government faces five major climate action opportunities including 2035 emissions targets, net-zero planning, and renewable energy expansion with strengthened parliamentary support.

• Hurricane forecasts are more accurate than ever – NOAA funding cuts could change that, with a busy storm season coming (The Conversation) - NOAA's record-accurate hurricane forecasting capabilities face potential degradation due to funding cuts and staff reductions, as busy 2025 storm season approaches.

• SOCAN Updated Comments in Support of SB685-4 (SOCAN) - Oregon climate group criticizes gas utilities' hydrogen blending practices and misleading claims about emissions reductions in testimony supporting Senate Bill 685-4.

• Labor won the election. It was a mighty victory. Now it is time to win the future (RenewEconomy) - Labor's landslide re-election victory in Australia creates opportunity to accelerate climate and energy reforms, but requires immediate action on emissions targets and sectoral transformation.

• Trump Attacks on Loan Program that Sustained Tesla, EV Charging Program, Fuel Economy Standards — What Next? (CleanTechnica) - Trump administration halts clean energy loan program that saved Tesla, targets fossil fuel support while attacking EV initiatives and fuel economy standards.

• Trump cuts will increase devastation after disasters, expert warns: ‘It is really scary’ (The Guardian) - Trump administration's cuts to FEMA and NOAA will increase disaster-related deaths and devastation due to reduced weather forecasting and emergency response capabilities, expert warns.

• Scientists just found a way to break through climate apathy (Grist) - Study finds binary data visualization of lake freezing patterns more effective at communicating climate change impacts than gradual temperature graphs.

• USAID cuts are hitting global conservation projects hard (Grist) - Trump administration's abrupt USAID shutdown terminates $375 million in global biodiversity programs, devastating conservation projects across 60 countries.

• Is Tony Blair a ‘serious threat’ to climate policy – or out of touch? (The Guardian) - Former UK PM Tony Blair faces criticism over his climate policy stance and fossil fuel industry connections as his institute calls for "reset" of global climate action.

• Cutting Through the Noise: Climate Solutions at a Crossroads with Grist and Project Drawdown (Grist/Project Drawdown) - Climate experts discuss shift from technical to human-focused climate storytelling, emphasizing local solutions and need to combat misinformation through trusted community sources.

• The GOP is coming for EV rules (Canary Media) - House Republicans vote to block California's clean vehicle emissions standards despite lacking legal authority, signaling continued attacks on state-led EV regulations.

• May Teach Climate Tips (Climate Generation) - Newsletter offers educators strategies to combat climate education burnout and promote collective action through trust-building, collaboration, and environmental justice resources.

• This Wednesday: Climate Science 101 Webinar (Covering Climate Now) - Global journalism initiative offers free climate science training webinar for journalists covering key terminology and scientific foundations.

• Nominations now open for the 2025 WIN DRR Leadership Awards (UNDRR) - Asia-Pacific disaster risk reduction network opens nominations for 2025 Women's Leadership Awards offering $17,500 in prizes across two categories.

• S.A. Liberals who first pushed 100 pct renewables – then went nuclear – reverse course after poll wipeout (RenewEconomy) - South Australian Liberal party abandons nuclear power stance after federal election defeat, reversing previous shift from 100% renewables target.

• Labor’s second term must face real scrutiny over emission targets and tentpole climate policies (RenewEconomy) - Australian Labor Party's second term victory raises concerns over climate policy scrutiny and emissions targets amid global energy challenges and domestic policy implementation.

• Green deputy launches leadership bid with UK ‘eco-populism’ vision (The Guardian) - Green Party deputy leader Zack Polanski launches leadership bid promising 'eco-populism' vision to transform party into mass movement rivaling Reform UK.

• Labor must heed the warnings wrapped up in its election win. Young voters are crying out for action | Intifar Chowdhury (The Guardian) - Young Australian voters' decisive rejection of populist politics signals demand for structural reforms on housing, inequality and climate action from Labor government.

• Pope Francis' book Laudato si' pushed the climate movement forward #podcast (Vatican News) - Pope Francis's encyclical Laudato si' promoted environmental stewardship by connecting Catholic social teaching with ecological care and human integrity.

• Early Bird registration is open! (World Water Week) - Early bird registration opens for 2025 global water conference in Stockholm offering discounted full access passes and volunteer opportunities through June 4.

Renewables

Google's Double Black Diamond Solar Project powers Chicago; Michigan brownfields eyed for solar; Neoen's Narrogin wind farm approved; Rye Park wind farm opens in NSW.

• North America Solar PV News Snippets: Google-Backed 800 MW DC Solar Project Online & More (TaiyangNews) - Google-backed 800 MW DC Double Black Diamond Solar Project in Mississippi becomes largest operating solar facility east of Mississippi River, powering Chicago facilities including major airports.

• From Blight to Bright: Michigan Explores Solar Power on Brownfield Sites (Inside Climate News) - Michigan explores converting 24,000 contaminated brownfield sites into solar power installations, backed by $129 million EPA grant and strong public support for industrial land solar development.

• Neoen gets federal all-clear to build its first wind farm in Western Australia (RenewEconomy) - French renewable energy company Neoen receives federal environmental approval for 200MW Narrogin wind farm with 100MW battery in Western Australia.

• Biggest wind farm in NSW officially opens as local network owner calls for more wind projects (RenewEconomy) - NSW's largest wind farm Rye Park opens with 396MW capacity, as network operator Essential Energy calls for more wind projects to complement existing solar generation.

• Massive Illinois solar project provides more than electricity (Canary Media) - Massive Illinois solar project provides clean power for Chicago municipal operations while serving as educational resource for Loyola University students and researchers.

• Superlative solar (Canary Media) - Massive solar farm near Chicago now powers city airports and university operations, marking largest solar installation east of Mississippi River.

Transport

Europe BEV sales surge (ex-Tesla), China Zorrilla ferry debuts, Costa Rica EV adoption leads Americas, Siemens EV charging system, SAF surcharges rise, Waymo safety data, Renault 5 leads France, ADAC EV breakdown study.

• EVs Had Their Second-Best Month Ever in Europe (Heatmap) - Battery electric vehicle sales in Europe hit second-highest monthly record with 245,000 units sold in March 2024, despite Tesla's declining market share.

• China Zorrilla: How The World’s Largest Electric Ferry Changes Maritime Electrification (CleanTechnica) - World's largest electric ferry China Zorrilla launches in South America, capable of carrying 2,100 passengers and 225 cars with 40MWh battery system for Argentina-Uruguay route.

• Costa Rica Achieved the Highest EV Market Share in the Americas for 3rd Consecutive Year in 2024 (CleanTechnica) - Costa Rica leads Americas in electric vehicle adoption with 15.4% market share in 2024, surpassing both Canada and US despite infrastructure challenges.

• New Home EV Charging Solution Tells Gasmobiles: Get Off My Fleet! (CleanTechnica) - Siemens launches new home EV charging accounting system enabling fleet managers to accurately track and reimburse employee charging costs while allowing shared charger use.

• SAF Takes Off & Ticket Prices Follow: The Real Cost Of Greener Air Travel (CleanTechnica) - Airlines implementing SAF surcharges of €6-72 per ticket as sustainable aviation fuel mandates drive up costs 2-5 times over conventional jet fuel.

• The One Big Robotaxi Benefit — Safe Driving (CleanTechnica) - Waymo robotaxis show 88% reduction in property damage claims and 92% reduction in bodily injury claims compared to human drivers across 25.3 million autonomous miles.

• EVs At 25.3% Share In France – Renault Top Two (CleanTechnica) - France's EV market share reaches 25.3% in April 2025, with Renault 5 leading sales as most popular battery electric vehicle.

• Electric Cars Are More Reliable Than Gas Cars — New Study (CleanTechnica) - New ADAC study shows electric vehicles experience 4.2 breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles compared to 10.4 for fossil fuel vehicles, based on 3.6 million breakdown responses.📜 🔋 🚗