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Heavy Metal Contaminants in the Ocean Can Become More Toxic Over Time, Study Finds

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12 Oct, 2024

This post was originally published on Eco Watch

A new study is warning that trace metals like lead, arsenic and mercury that are present in ocean water can become more toxic over time as factors like ocean warming and acidity can increase the bioavailability of these trace elements.

Although these elements can naturally occur in coastal areas, their concentrations have increased due to human activities like agriculture and industrial manufacturing. Now, scientists warn that problems such as ocean acidification and warming are further strengthening the toxicity and spread of trace elements, both from natural and human sources.

“Human activities have increased the global flow of toxic metals such as lead by tenfold and mercury by three to seven times compared to pre-industrial levels,” Sylvia Sander, professor of marine mineral resources at GEOMAR, said in a statement. “Toxic elements like silver are increasingly detectable in coastal waters, originating from coal combustion and the growing use of silver nanoparticles in antibacterial products.” 

The researchers found that the effects of rising sea levels, ocean warming, melting sea ice, drying river beds and ocean acidification could all play roles in the transport and accumulation of trace elements, particularly those that occur naturally. The researchers published their findings in the journal Communications Earth & Environment.

Illustration of natural and anthropogenic sources, sinks and transport pathways of trace substances in coastal ecosystems that may interact with climate impacts. Red arrows indicate expected directions of change due to climate change. Zitoun et al. 2024

But trace elements from human sources are also contaminating the environment, with heavy metals coming into the oceans from fossil fuel and industry activities. Further, shipping and plastics can also introduce more trace elements into the oceans, especially because plastics can bind certain metals, including lead and copper.

As ocean temperatures rise, the bioavailability of trace elements increases, meaning it becomes easier for marine life to absorb the trace elements, the researchers explained. Trace elements, especially copper, also experience an increase in bioavailability and solubility in the presence of more acidic water. Copper can become extremely toxic to marine life in higher concentrations. 

In a recent report on planetary vital signs, a team of international scientists confirmed that ocean warming and acidification had reached record extremes in recent years.

The authors of the new report on trace elements noted that there are still significant research gaps on how the effects of climate change could also impact ocean contaminants. In response, the study authors are calling for expanding the research on new and under-studied contaminants, expanding geographical research coverage, and establishing laws and risk assessments on trace elements.

“To better understand the impacts on ecosystems and human health, we need to close knowledge gaps on the interactions between pollutants and climate change and develop standardized methods that provide globally comparable data,” said Rebecca Zitoun, co-lead author of the study and a marine chemist at GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel.

The post Heavy Metal Contaminants in the Ocean Can Become More Toxic Over Time, Study Finds appeared first on EcoWatch.

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Beyond Blueprints: Accelerate Implementation Now

Beyond Blueprints: Accelerate Implementation Now

Beyond Blueprints: Accelerate Implementation Now
jschoshinski
Thu, 11/07/2024 – 20:26

Under the Paris Agreement, countries devise blueprints for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change called Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). Countries’ current commitments do not put the world on track to limit and avoid dangerous global warming but, at the same time, achieving the current goals in countries’ NDCs and NAPs is both difficult and complex. Supporting countries on their respective journeys—from more ambitious policy formulation and finance mobilization to investment promotion, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation—is foundational to achieving both country and global climate ambitions. 
USAID’s Comprehensive Action for Climate Change Initiative (CACCI), led by Abt Global, was launched at COP26 with the goal of identifying promising mitigation and adaptation investment opportunities with private sector partners to help countries meet their climate commitments and strengthen their climate resilience. It provides support to countries by helping them increase policy ambitions and legislative directives for emissions reductions and address critical implementation barriers related to information, finance, technology, capacity, and regulations. 
Over the past two years, CACCI has made progress on several fronts, including increasing climate policy ambition, mobilizing the private sector, enhancing accountability and transparency, and bridging the gap between intention and results. By creating a positive feedback loop between implementation success and greater ambition, countries see a realistic pathway to achieving their targets, making them more likely to commit to even more ambitious targets.
Increasing Climate Policy Ambition Through Foundational Target Setting  
CACCI responds in tailored ways to direct requests from countries. For example, supporting higher-emitting countries, such as South Africa, takes a whole-of-economy approach in setting new emissions targets. CACCI is aiding South Africa’s Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS) submission to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The LT-LEDS provides a vision for achieving net-zero emissions by mid-century. It relies on evidence and modeling that informs the sectoral measures and investments for a whole-of-economy approach. 
On the other hand, assisting lower-emitting countries, such as Jamaica, focuses on improving the enabling environment to support implementation. CACCI supports the Jamaican Ministry of Green Economy and Job Creation in developing climate change legislation, shaping the enabling environment for ambitious climate action. This includes setting the vision for decarbonization, establishing mandates for cross-sectoral coordination, clarifying institutional arrangements, and enabling private investment and finance for new technologies.
Mobilizing and Encouraging the Private Sector 
Given the scale of the climate crisis, achieving climate goals requires significant private investments. CACCI collaborated with the Boston Consulting Group to create an investment impact framework to help investors articulate adaptation and resilience project bankability in terms of feasibility, resilience impact, co-benefits, and profitability. CACCI worked with Nigeria’s National Council on Climate Change, building investment cases for six projects valued at over $1.1 billion in the agriculture, water, and energy sectors.   
Through the CACCI Partnership for Climate Action, private sector partners are articulating how their investments address climate change and support national climate agendas. For example, Genesis Energy is investing in renewable energy projects in Zambia to improve energy, health, and agriculture outcomes. Those projects include a hybrid solar and wind plant, solar electrification for healthcare facilities, and solar-powered cold chain storage to reduce post-harvest losses. 
Enhancing Accountability and Transparency
Effective monitoring, evaluation, and learning mechanisms are essential for tracking and reporting progress, identifying gaps, and adjusting strategies and ambitions. Understanding actions at local, national, and regional levels is crucial for benchmarking progress and to meeting global commitments. CACCI is supporting the African Union Commission through the development of a digital Monitoring, Reporting, and Learning Dashboard, which offers a consistent framework for member states to report on NDC implementation progress.  
Bridging the Gap Between Intention and Results 
Despite the difficulty of meeting climate commitments, countries must take action to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of climate change. As countries put in place the building blocks of progress, it is important to act, not just plan. Taking action, however imperfect, is the best shot at bridging the gap between intention and results. CACCI will continue to meet countries where they are on their journeys, providing tailored support to implement current goals, increase policy ambitions, and enhance resilience to climate impacts.

Teaser Text
CACC was launched at COP26 with the goal of identifying promising mitigation and adaptation investment opportunities with private sector partners to help countries meet their climate commitments and strengthen their climate resilience.

Subtitle
Balancing the Need for Higher Ambition with Continued Progress Towards Countries’ Climate Change Commitments

Publish Date
Thu, 11/07/2024 – 12:00

Author(s)

Dr. Molly Hellmuth
John Heermans
Dr. Emily Weeks

Hero Image
Jeffreys Bay Wind Farm.jpg

Blog Type
Blog Post

Strategic Objective

Adaptation
Mitigation

Region

Global

Topic

Adaptation
Emissions
Low Emission Development
Climate
Climate Change Integration
Climate Finance
Climate Strategy
Climate Strategy Implementation
Mitigation
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning
Partnership
Private Sector Engagement
Resilience

Country

Nigeria
South Africa
Zambia

Sectors

Climate

Projects

USAID Comprehensive Action for Climate Change Initiative (CACCI)

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ARENA boosts homegrown battery tech

ARENA boosts homegrown battery tech

Australian technology company AnteoTech Ltd will receive almost $4 million in funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to commercialise its new lithium-ion battery anode technology.

Spanning three years, the $11.1 million Silicon Anode Technology for Lithium-Ion Batteries project is focused on commercialising AnteoTech’s proprietary silicon anode technology. Through doing this, the project also seeks to reduce battery storage costs and enable longer driving ranges for EVs.

ARENA CEO Darren Miller said the project represents an investment in homegrown battery technology with the potential to change energy storage on a global scale.

“As we push towards our net zero ambitions, we need to ensure we have enough energy storage so that we can use renewable energy when we need it at any time of the day, whether that be for industry, homes or the growing switch to electric vehicles,” he said.

“Innovation in storage technologies is going to help us achieve this, and AnteoTech’s technology could create batteries higher in density, while utilising cheap abundant materials that could bring costs down.”

Miller said ARENA is hopeful the technology could be quickly integrated into existing manufacturing processes so that the benefits can be accessed by customers in a timely manner.

The majority of lithium-ion batteries produced today use graphite anodes. While silicon anodes have a much higher energy density, challenges with cell degradation have limited commercialisation of the technology. AnteoTech’s proprietary binder technology, Anteo X, is reportedly able to reduce degradation rates associated with silicon anodes by maintaining the structural stability within the anode during cycling.

ARENA funding will help AnteoTech progress to a larger scale of prototyping, which will enable further testing of the technology by AnteoTech and its prospective customers.

Throughout the duration of the project, AnteoTech will install new electrode coating equipment and pouch cell testing equipment at its existing site in Brisbane. The company will then commence a program of rigorous testing, including providing prototype anodes to potential customers.

AnteoTech CEO David Radford said the grant funding would help to accelerate and develop the company’s product portfolio.

“We are incredibly grateful for the support provided by ARENA, who has an extensive track record of funding successful technologies,” he said.

“We are excited by the opportunities that are ahead of us and look forward to contributing to Australia’s growing battery landscape by delivering battery solutions that will support our net zero energy transition.”

AnteoTech expects technical work on the program to commence this month, with design and construction of the Brisbane site happening in early 2025. The entire ARENA project is due for completion in late 2027.

Image credit: iStock.com/petovarga

Washington State Voters Uphold Climate Commitment Act

Washington State Voters Uphold Climate Commitment Act

In the election held November 5, voters in Washington state upheld one of the biggest climate laws in the U.S. against challenges made by Republicans. Voters decided against a conservative repeal effort for the Climate Commitment Act, which was first signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee in 2021. The law set up a state […]
The post Washington State Voters Uphold Climate Commitment Act appeared first on EcoWatch.

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