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Earth Catalyst gathers & hand-filters the most recent updates from over 1,000 green tech and sustainability organizations. Here are all of the updates; if you subscribe to our free newsletter, we'll send you 3 each weekday we think will be meaningful to you.

How to Save an Ecosystem

Writer's picture: Andrea GonzalesAndrea Gonzales

Good Tuesday. Much of the world is feeling rocked right now by the freeze of federal funds, from researchers to Medicare recipients! I recommend watching the work of communications consultant Anat Shenker-Osorio for the best way of understanding and speaking about the day to day on this.


I'm going to focus on a victory, described below in our Visual of the Day, the successful restoration of mangrove forests in El Salvador's Jiquilisco Bay, and the deep lessons that can be learned from that.


And of course our three picks just for you below that.


Let's go!


-Marshall Kirkpatrick

Earth Catalyst: We provide thought leadership support systems and bespoke consulting for green tech and sustainability organizations.

 
Today and every day, our system scans over 1,000 green tech and sustainability organizations for updates. Below, you'll find:

  • A Visual of the Day

  • A digest-style Table of Contents for 175 selected updates from around the green tech and sustainability world

  • (If you subscribe by email) 3 personalized selections just for you and your work


Did a friend forward you this newsletter? Welcome! You can subscribe here and get your own personal recommendations each day.

 


Visual of the Day

How to Save an Ecosystem

Satellite images track the successful restoration of mangrove forests in El Salvador's Jiquilisco Bay from 2006 to 2023, demonstrating how community-led ecological restoration can reverse environmental degradation. See Mongabay's Lessons from successful mangrove forest restoration in El Salvador (analysis). Included there is a beautiful 9 minute video overview.

 

I think this is important enough that I want to take the time and space here to share 4 big lessons we can learn from this successful effort to apply to our own work, literally or analogously. Here's what they did in El Salvador.


  1. Prioritize understanding why natural regeneration isn't occurring before jumping into planting or other interventions. Focus on restoring the underlying conditions (like water flow and hydrology) rather than just replanting trees. Clean and restore natural water channels first to allow nature to heal itself through natural regeneration.


  2. Local community involvement and traditional knowledge are essential for long-term restoration success. Combine local wisdom with scientific knowledge for optimal restoration outcomes. (Brings to mind Mary Parker Follett's wisdom from 100 years ago: "The [scientific] expert must find his place within the social process; he can never be made a substitute for it."​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​)


  3. Restoration projects need to emphasize long-term survival rates (10-25 years) rather than initial planting numbers. Monitor and measure progress systematically to ensure the restoration is working as intended. Success metrics should focus on ecosystem health indicators (returning wildlife, biodiversity) rather than just tree counts. Consider the entire ecosystem's needs rather than focusing on a single species or aspect.


  4. Empower local communities as long-term guardians of the restored ecosystem. Address poverty and resource overexploitation alongside ecological restoration efforts. Create economic incentives for local communities to protect and maintain the restored ecosystem.


    Good lessons, don't you think?


Today's Updates

Table of Contents

  • Agriculture (13 stories) - Chipotle backs Plantible and CH4 Global while FieldData's AI tool aids ranchers; H5N9 and H5N1 bird flu outbreaks hit US and UK farms; Kiboko Station's $2.5M upgrade boosts East African crop research


  • Carbon (11 stories) - Record coal use in China contrasts with UK airport offset challenges, while Gulf Coast emerges as CO2 storage hub; WattTime study shows Southeast solar's 3x carbon impact; Stockholm Exergi receives $1.8B for bio-CCS facility


  • Circular (10 stories) - LA lab advances textile recycling R&D while Minnesota and Bristol push new waste policies; Miik and Foodiverse pioneer sustainable business models


  • Ecosystems (13 stories) - Discovery of 27 new Peruvian species by Awajún people, global botanic garden capacity limits, Montana sagebrush restoration, and Ecuador's Junín Conservation Area highlight year's major ecosystem developments


  • Efficiency (5 stories) - NVIDIA chips, Worksport's AetherLux heat pump, and UCLA's graphene supercapacitors drive major efficiency gains across AI, HVAC, and energy storage sectors


  • Finance (8 stories) - BlackRock, Moody's and Sightline lead sustainable finance moves while Good Energy weighs Esyasoft buyout; ocean resilience fund activates $45.5M as insurance sector grapples with climate risks


  • Grid (14 stories) - China hits 74 GW storage milestone while Enphase, Energy Dome, and NextEra advance battery and gas projects; data center expansions by Meta, Reliance, and others drive utility planning and grid reforms


  • Indigenous (10 stories) - Fire networks expand Indigenous burn practices while Peru tribes halt logging; West Bank water rights and Brazil's uncontacted groups gain attention


  • Industry (17 stories) - Chinese banks fund AI and clean tech as solar manufacturers face losses; Earth AI raises $20M for mineral discovery; North Africa-Europe hydrogen corridor planned; DoD backs climate innovations; global energy transitions reshape manufacturing and corporate leadership


  • Policy (53 stories) - Australian Energy Minister's electric suburbs program, U.S. Paris Agreement withdrawal, Trump's climate policy reversals, EU's 47% renewable milestone, and G20 emissions reduction targets shape global climate policy landscape


  • Renewables (15 stories) - NextEra, Ameresco, Silicon Ranch lead US renewables push; China hits 277GW solar record; JA Solar powers LatAm's first refinery solar plant; LONGi calls for global PV cooperation; PERC inventor honored while high-power modules dominate market


  • Transport (5 stories) - China hits 25% BEV market share; Forum Mobility deploys 500 e-trucks at LA ports; Safe Landing advocates aviation climate action; lignin hydrogen jet fuel breakthrough; US EV sales up 7%


Agriculture

Chipotle backs Plantible and CH4 Global while FieldData's AI tool aids ranchers; H5N9 and H5N1 bird flu outbreaks hit US and UK farms; Kiboko Station's $2.5M upgrade boosts East African crop research



Carbon

Record coal use in China contrasts with UK airport offset challenges, while Gulf Coast emerges as CO2 storage hub; WattTime study shows Southeast solar's 3x carbon impact; Stockholm Exergi receives $1.8B for bio-CCS facility



Circular

LA lab advances textile recycling R&D while Minnesota and Bristol push new waste policies; Miik and Foodiverse pioneer sustainable business models



Ecosystems

Discovery of 27 new Peruvian species by Awajún people, global botanic garden capacity limits, Montana sagebrush restoration, and Ecuador's Junín Conservation Area highlight year's major ecosystem developments



Efficiency

NVIDIA chips, Worksport's AetherLux heat pump, and UCLA's graphene supercapacitors drive major efficiency gains across AI, HVAC, and energy storage sectors



Finance

BlackRock, Moody's and Sightline lead sustainable finance moves while Good Energy weighs Esyasoft buyout; ocean resilience fund activates $45.5M as insurance sector grapples with climate risks



Grid

China hits 74 GW storage milestone while Enphase, Energy Dome, and NextEra advance battery and gas projects; data center expansions by Meta, Reliance, and others drive utility planning and grid reforms



Indigenous

Fire networks expand Indigenous burn practices while Peru tribes halt logging; West Bank water rights and Brazil's uncontacted groups gain attention



Industry

Chinese banks fund AI and clean tech as solar manufacturers face losses; Earth AI raises $20M for mineral discovery; North Africa-Europe hydrogen corridor planned; DoD backs climate innovations; global energy transitions reshape manufacturing and corporate leadership



Policy

Australian Energy Minister's electric suburbs program, U.S. Paris Agreement withdrawal, Trump's climate policy reversals, EU's 47% renewable milestone, and G20 emissions reduction targets shape global climate policy landscape



Renewables

NextEra, Ameresco, Silicon Ranch lead US renewables push; China hits 277GW solar record; JA Solar powers LatAm's first refinery solar plant; LONGi calls for global PV cooperation; PERC inventor honored while high-power modules dominate market



Transport

China hits 25% BEV market share; Forum Mobility deploys 500 e-trucks at LA ports; Safe Landing advocates aviation climate action; lignin hydrogen jet fuel breakthrough; US EV sales up 7%


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