Science-Based Climate Solutions

Around 200 years ago, writers vividly captured the astonishing abundance of marine life off the British coast. They recounted scenes of vast herring columns, stretching for miles and “so dense that the water itself seemed to bulge and shift as if pushed from below” (William Yarrell, 1836). The sea appeared black with their numbers, a living expanse “teeming with multitudes of fish” (Thomas Pennant, 1766), as far as the eye could see. These immense shoals of herring were trailed by schools of enormous cod, porpoise, spurdog, tope and smooth hound, along with majestic longfin and bluefin tuna. Among them swam the ocean’s formidable predators: blue, porbeagle, thresher and mako sharks, and even the occasional great white. And just beyond this astonishing spectacle, within sight of the shore, pods of fin and sperm whales breached and spouted, a reminder of “the treasures of the deep” and the sea’s great abundance and rich biodiversity (Thomas Pennant, 1766). Today, much of this incredible spectacle of life has disappeared, a result of relentless overfishing and habitat destruction. However, hope remains: marine ecosystems can recover swiftly if we give them a chance. Here’s how we can accelerate this recovery: 1. Expand & Enforce Marine Protected Areas (MPAs): Increase the number and size of MPAs, ban bottom trawling within them (how is this allowed?!) and ensure strict enforcement to safeguard vital ecosystems, allowing marine life to rebound. 2. Promote Sustainable Fishing Practices: Implement and enforce sustainable fishing quotas and methods to prevent overfishing, reduce bycatch and minimise habitat destruction. 3. Restore Key Marine Habitats: Focus on restoring critical habitats like kelp forests, seagrass meadows and oyster reefs, which are essential for supporting diverse marine species (this is a focus for us at Earthly). 4. Reduce Pollution: Combat marine pollution, particularly plastic and chemical runoff, by improving waste management and reducing the use of harmful substances. 5. Address Ocean Warming/Acidification: Mitigate climate change by reducing carbon emissions, helping to slow ocean warming and acidification, both pose a significant threat to marine life. By taking these actions, we can revive the once-thriving marine ecosystems around the British Isles and beyond, and with hope, restore within the coming decades the breathtaking natural spectacles of abundant biodiversity that were once common sights. (Photo: Midjourney) #Biodiversity #Marine #Ecosystem

Even if prices have somewhat recovered recently, a Handelsblatt article from today rightly points out that the falling price of EU Emissions Allowances (EUAs) poses a risk to climate protection. Indeed, we saw a 40% decrease in just 12 months. That is cause for concern, as the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) is the most important climate protection instrument we have. It is the centrepiece of European climate protection architecture and the most efficient means to reduce emissions at the most effective points. Why has this happened? In short: the EU ETS is currently being used contrary to its purpose to generate EU funds. Through this intervention in the system, market confidence is falling, interest in auctioned volumes is falling, and with it, the prices. And the result is that EU countries have fewer funds available to support and facilitate climate protection projects. This crucial climate protection instrument needs to be protected itself. So, we need to manage this. And there are ways we can, such as key short-term measures for the auctioning of EUAs. For example, maintaining, refusing to increase, the annual EU Allowances to be auctioned in 2024, creating greater transparency around adjustments to EU Allowance auction volumes, or bringing forward the impact assessment of auctioning on the EU Emissions trading system and carbon prices. In the longer term, necessary regulation amendments must also be implemented, suspending monetisation through additional EU Allowances and instead, offering alternatives. These are all measures that can and should be taken to limit this huge impact on the EU Emissions Trading System market and as a result, help ensure that the EU can continue towards its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and reaching climate neutrality by 2050.

The transition to renewable energy sources like solar and wind is crucial for a sustainable future. However, their intermittent nature poses challenges for grid integration and stability. Our latest review focuses on Integrated Energy Management Systems (IEMS) that can make a game-changing difference. An IEMS is an advanced system that combines predictive and real-time controls to balance energy supply and demand intelligently. By integrating solar forecasting, demand-side management, and supply-side management, an IEMS can optimize renewable energy utilization while maintaining grid reliability. Here are some key benefits of implementing an IEMS: 1. Accurate Solar Forecasting: By precisely predicting solar energy generation, an IEMS can proactively manage supply and initiate appropriate responses, reducing uncertainties. 2. Demand-Side Management: An IEMS can initiate demand responses, such as adjusting energy consumption patterns or incentivizing customers to shift loads, ensuring a better balance between supply and demand. 3. Supply-Side Management: When solar generation is insufficient, an IEMS can seamlessly integrate alternative energy sources, energy storage systems, or dispatch algorithms to maintain a stable supply. 4. Cost Savings: By optimizing energy use and reducing waste, an IEMS can lead to significant cost savings for utilities, businesses, and consumers alike. As the world transitions towards a more sustainable energy future, adopting cutting-edge technologies like IEMS will be crucial. #renewables #research #management #netzero #energy

Protecting coastal waters may be the best investment you’ve never heard of, says Kristin Rechberger. The ocean has long been treated as the world’s forgotten frontier—out of sight, out of mind, and dangerously overused. Yet efforts to reverse decades of neglect are gaining momentum. Last week saw the launch of Revive Our Ocean, a new initiative helping coastal communities create marine protected areas (MPAs) to restore marine life and local economies. Led by Dynamic Planet with support from National Geographic’s Pristine Seas initiative, the effort comes at a pivotal moment. In 2023, countries agreed to a historic treaty to safeguard ocean biodiversity. But of the 100-plus nations that signed, only 21 have ratified it, with major backers like the United States notably absent. With a 2030 deadline looming to protect 30% of the oceans, Revive Our Ocean’s founders argue that waiting for governments will not be enough. “We’ve seen that marine protection works," says Rechberger, founder of Dynamic Planet and a Mongabay board member. “But progress has been far too slow. To meet 30x30, we would need over 190,000 new protected areas. That’s why we’re focusing on communities—those who know their waters best.” Rechberger’s optimism is based on experience. Over the past decade, Dynamic Planet and Pristine Seas have helped establish 29 of the world’s largest marine reserves, covering nearly 7 million square kilometers, mostly offshore. Now the focus is shifting closer to shore, where coastal populations depend on healthy seas for their livelihoods. Revive Our Ocean aims to equip communities with the tools, policy support, and training needed to establish local MPAs. It blends lessons from past successes with the realities of coastal life. Marine protection near coasts faces three barriers, Rechberger explains: awareness, policy, and know-how. In many places, local governments lack the authority to create MPAs. Even where laws permit it, communities often lack resources or incentives to act. Revive Our Ocean seeks to change that by providing practical support and advocacy, making marine reserves as commonplace as public parks. The economic case is strong. A small MPA can generate significant returns. Spain’s Medes Islands Marine Reserve—just 1 square kilometer—generates €16 million a year in tourism revenue, far surpassing local fishing income. In parts of Mexico, dive tourism now rivals the fishing industry in value. Conservation and economic growth are no longer seen as opposing forces. Reviving marine life can, in fact, revive entire communities. “It’s thrilling," says Rechberger. “Protection drives benefits across multiple sectors, while restoring ecosystems.” Still, the clock is ticking. Only about 8% of the ocean is under some form of protection, and just 3% is fully protected. Revive Our Ocean’s bet: by empowering communities and sharing success stories, marine conservation can catch fire from the ground up. 📰 https://mongabay.cc/BtSSoc

I am happy to co-author this article with Beatrice WEDER DI MAURO, President of the CEPR - Centre for Economic Policy Research, reflecting on the urgent need to engage in collective thinking and action to adapt our response to the challenge of insurability in the face of escalating climate risks. This article, which captures key convictions from our joint workshop hosted at Collège de France by the AXA Research Fund and CEPR - Centre for Economic Policy Research, couldn't have been more timely.   Devastating floods in Valencia, the wildfires in Los Angeles, the typhoons in Mayotte and La Réunion... These recent climate catastrophes show a clear reality: climate risks are intensifying and the protection gap for local communities and economies are becoming evident. Global economic losses from extreme weather events reached $320 billion in 2024, while in Europe, only 25% of economic losses were insured - leaving individuals, businesses, and communities vulnerable.    To address this, we need to enhance risk-sharing mechanisms and promote partnerships between public institutions and private companies.   Ensuring insurance accessibility and effectiveness is crucial. This can be done through: ➡️ Hybrid models, combining market mechanisms with public-private partnerships, to help ensure broad coverage and affordability. France’s CatNat regime and Switzerland’s hybrid model offer valuable insights. These models can be adapted to regions facing extreme exposure, such as sea level risks. ➡️ Greater investment in prevention and risk-sharing mechanisms. Initiatives like local municipal risk assessments can help small municipalities assess and mitigate local climate risks. ➡️ Impact underwriting, where insurers incentivize policyholders to adopt risk-reducing measures in exchange for lower premiums. ➡️ Public education on climate risks and stronger coordination between insurers, governments, and consumers to ensure preventive measures are taken seriously.   As we move forward, it's clear that policymakers, insurers, and society must work together to strike a sustainable balance between affordability and fiscal viability. This is not just about who pays the bill. It is about how we manage risk in an increasingly uncertain climate landscape. Let's continue to foster collaboration and innovation to close the protection gap and build a resilient future. 👇 https://lnkd.in/er6BkrtZ

The energy grid is under immense strain from extreme weather, wildfires, and rising electricity demand. As these pressures increase, so does the need for smarter, more resilient and reliable energy grids.   Utilidata, a company that is part of Microsoft's Climate Innovation Fund portfolio, is redefining energy delivery through its AI platform, Karman. This technology empowers utilities to optimize energy delivery and make better decisions about how to manage the grid by, for example, storing electricity in batteries during off-peak hours and distributing it when it's needed. As a result, electric vehicles and solar panels become flexible, valuable assets that help meet grid demand.   Embedding AI directly into the grid infrastructure helps utility decision-makers make more informed decisions and better serve customers. This innovation highlights the power of AI to modernize critical infrastructure and transform the energy sector.

The EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) is under pressure. Our new Frontier Economics & EPICO KlimaInnovation report explores how to reform the EU carbon leakage architecture while keeping the ETS as the key instrument. ❗𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 For 20 years, the ETS has been the backbone of EU climate policy. But it is now entering a new phase: the cap is tightening fast (new new certificates after 2039!) and free allocation - long the main tool to protect EU industry from competitors without comparable CO2 pricing - is being phased down. Instead CBAM is being introduced for many sectors. As the 2026 ETS review approaches, rising CO2 & energy costs and global competitiveness pressures are intensifying the debate on how to balance climate ambition with industrial resilience. ⏭️ 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 Our report sets out targeted reforms to strengthen competitiveness and investment certainty without undermining the integrity of the ETS: 🔶 𝐅𝐥𝐞𝐱 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 (𝐌𝐒𝐑) As the system shifts from surplus management to structural scarcity, recalibrate the MSR by refraining from automatic cancellation of allowances. 🔶 𝐓𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝-𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Use a more risk-based, tiered approach so the most exposed sectors receive the strongest protection. Temporary reduce auction share and reallocate part of the allowances freed up by CBAM to allow for more free allowances for vulnerable non-CBAM sectors. 🔶 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐂𝐁𝐀𝐌 Improve monitoring and anti-circumvention rules, address export exposure, and extend to downstream products only where there is a strong evidence base. 🔶 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 Introduce a complementary system of direct cost compensation that is ex-post, benchmark-based, and limited to residual hard-to-abate emissions. Many thanks to Dr. Bernd Weber, Dr. Kirsten Scholl and Joachim Schmitz-Brieber of EPICO KlimaInnovation for the excellent collaboration. Any questions please get in touch with Patrick Peichert, Lino Sonnen or me.

"One of the key ways to make energy systems more reliable is by maximizing flexibility — improving how well the system can adapt in real time to changes in supply and demand. The more flexible the system, the better it can handle sudden demand spikes in the event of extreme weather, such as cold snaps or heat waves, or respond to supply disruptions such as plant outages. Improving flexibility includes upgrading aging infrastructure. Much of the U.S. grid was built decades ago under different demand patterns. Modernizing the grid — by updating substations and transmission equipment, deploying advanced sensors and incorporating advanced transmission technologies (ATTs), for example — can reduce failure rates during extreme heat and cold. These technologies help operators detect problems quicker, reroute power if equipment is damaged and restore service fast. Modernization not only improves reliability but also reduces expensive emergency interventions and lowers long-term maintenance costs. Increasing grid capacity, both through deployment of ATTs and building regional and interregional transmission lines, can reduce the risk of a local weather event turning into a widespread outage. Creating a more interconnected grid allows regions to share power during shortages. Having this greater transmission capacity also help keep prices down by allowing lower-cost electricity to reach areas facing higher demand. Demand-side management options can help ease pressure on the system during extreme weather events. These include encouraging customers and large users to reduce or shift electricity use during peak periods in exchange for lower bills or leveraging distributed energy resources to help prevent shortages. Systems that rely too much on a single fuel are more vulnerable to disruption. Diversification across energy sources and technologies helps reduce the risk of issues related to fuel shortages, infrastructure failures and localized weather impacts. Finally, policy is also critical. It’s vital that incentives are properly aligned with modern needs for flexibility and preparedness. This can help utilities make system investments that really work in extreme weather and minimize costs to consumers in both the short and the long run." Kelly Lefler World Resources Institute https://lnkd.in/e5syqXQp

Carbon pricing mechanisms now cover nearly 29% of global greenhouse gas emissions through 87 implemented policies worldwide. According to the The World Bank Group’s State and Trends of Carbon Pricing report, carbon pricing revenues from emissions trading systems (ETSs) and carbon taxes exceeded US$107 billion in 2025, while average carbon prices across implemented systems have more than doubled since 2016. Higher-integrity credits and credits eligible for international compliance frameworks continue to attract price premiums, while lower-quality credits face growing scrutiny around credibility and long-term value. The report also highlights how emissions trading systems continue expanding globally. ETS coverage alone has tripled since 2016, now covering more than 24% of global GHG emissions, with additional growth expected through new systems under development in jurisdictions including India, Japan and Viet Nam. What is becoming increasingly clear is that carbon pricing is evolving beyond a purely environmental policy tool. It is increasingly shaping: • industrial competitiveness • investment allocation • trade dynamics • supply chain decisions • long-term transition planning This is particularly visible through mechanisms such as the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which, despite currently covering less than 0.5% of global emissions directly, is already influencing wider discussions around border carbon measures and carbon pricing adoption globally. Carbon credits with stronger integrity ratings and compliance relevance continue to command significantly higher prices, reinforcing how transparency, verification and quality assurance are becoming increasingly central to the future of carbon markets. Carbon pricing is no longer a niche climate policy discussion, it is increasingly becoming part of the financial and industrial architecture shaping how economies approach decarbonisation, competitiveness and transition risk over the long term.

Every year, Olive Ridley turtles quietly return to Tamil Nadu’s beaches to lay eggs, but survival is tough. Globally, only 1 in 1,000 hatchlings makes it to adulthood, threatened by fishing nets, plastic, boats, lights, coastal construction, and climate change. Chennai’s beaches are critical nesting grounds. Until now, protection was seasonal, relying on forest staff, NGOs, and volunteers. But Tamil Nadu is changing the game. India’s first dedicated Sea Turtle Conservation Centre is being built in Guindy, Chennai. The centre will research turtles, rescue and rehabilitate the injured, monitor nests, guide policy, and educate communities, turning short-term efforts into year-round, science-driven conservation. Tamil Nadu is giving turtles a real chance. What is your state doing to protect its marine life? Advanced Institute for Wildlife Conservation (Tamil Nadu Forest Department) Supriya Sahu MK Stalin Government of Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu Marine Resource Foundation (TN-MRF) Tamil Nadu Green Climate Company Sudha Ramen News With Navya explains.