End of Year Message and the Top 100 Articles from 2020

Since its inception in 2008, The Green Market Oracle has published 7,731 articles which have been viewed on this site a total of 4,012,438 times.  As this year ends I want to take a moment to thank our readers and let you know that the new year will bring some exciting changes and additions. On January 1, 2021 an upgraded, remodeled version of this site will be launched on a new platform. We will continue to deliver fact-first journalism as well as some added features including a regular podcast.  So thanks again for being with us over the past years and stay tuned for the new additions in what promises to be an eventful year to come. 

Here are the top 100 posts from 2020.They are ranked according to popularity as determined by viewership. The topics of these articles range from the climate related impacts of Covid-19 to fossil fuels and the Trump presidency.

Climate Change and the Record Breaking 2020 Atlantic Storm Season

This year's Atlantic hurricane season was the worst on record and it marks the fifth straight year with above-average storm activity. Each year there are an average of around 12 storms in the Atlantic, in 2020 there was a record breaking 31. This includes 13 hurricanes (twice the normal number) with six of them rated as Category 3 or higher (also twice the normal average). There is little doubt among climate scientists that warmer ocean temperatures are at least partly responsible for the growing number of intense storms. The storm season is starting earlier and generating more rapidly intensifying hurricanes. Attribution science is making it increasingly possible to directly link storms and hurricanes to climate change.

Unprecedented Wildfires in 2020 are Connected to Climate Change

The intense wildfires that raged across the Western U.S., South America, and Australia in 2020 are being attributed to climate change. What makes these fires unprecedented is their size and duration.  There is growing evidence that these increasingly intense fires could eradicate some species of floral and fauna.  Across the American west, fire seasons are now 78 days longer than they were in the 1970s. 

The Psychotherapeutic Benefits of Nature

A growing body of research overwhelmingly supports the view that nature can improve our physical and mental health.  From heart disease to a general sense of well-being, a number of studies confirm that nature offers multiple benefits.  One study found that something as simple as viewing natural scenes lowers heart rates. Exposure to nature has even been shown to decrease mortality  

Webinar - Leadership in Our Time

This 60 minute webinar will take place on Friday January 8, 2021, 11:30 am to 12:30 pm EST. This is part of a new SSF webinar series exploring American leadership. Hosted by the Security and Sustainability Forum (SSF) and George Washington University (GWU), this is the fourth webinar in the Leadership in our Time series.  This session will feature a discussion between Ditte Juul-Jørgensen Atlantic Council Senior Fellow, Ambassador András Simonyi. Mrs. Ditte Juul-Jørgensen took up the position of Director General for Energy of the European Commission (DG ENER) in August 2019. She joined DG ENER from a position as Head of Cabinet for Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager 

Managing Ecological Grief and Anxiety Through Action

How do we manage the psychological repercussions associated with the multiple ecological crises we face? Anyone who follows climate change, environmental degradation, or biodiversity loss, knows how stressful it can be. We live in a geological epoch that is a tragic testament to the devastating impact humans have had on this planet. We are depleting, and poisoning the earth, while endangering entire ecosystems and altering the global climate system.  Facing the fact that this is caused by our way of life can be overwhelming. It can be even more stressful to come to terms with the fact that we are rapidly running out of time to do something about it.

A Green Christmas Carol

This year was difficult to say the least and this season shines light into the darkness of our grief and despair.  However, like the Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol, the horror we have endured calls us to reflect on how our destructive ways have given birth to this dystopian nightmare. 

If we move forward it will be because we face the shameful environmental neglect of the past, the woeful inadequacy of the present and the hopelessness of a future in which we fail to act. 

A Cautionary Tale about Stranded Assets

Just in time for Christmas a cautionary tale of two power plants is warning investors to be wary of fossil fuels. As predicted by many the evidence is mounted to support the contention that dirty energy is destined to be stranded assets. The closure of coal powerplants all around the world corroborate this prediction. Here are two examples from opposite sides of the world that demonstrate how once dominant coal powered powerplants are being replaced by renewable sources of energy causing investors to lose billions of dollars. 

Webinar - Transition Pathway Initiative: Transportation Report

This Transition Pathway Initiative (TPI) webinar will take place on Thursday, 21 January 2021, 15:00 - 16:00 GMT. Highlights from the TPI's latest Transportation Report  will be broadcast on BrightTALK and it will feature important information on the airline, auto industries as well as international shipping.  This webinar will provide the audience with an introduction to the TPI and their methodology. The TPI will discuss the results from their report and give the audience an opportunity to ask the researchers questions.

What Aviation Efficiency can Teach us about the Power of Small Gestures

It is entirely appropriate that big ticket efforts to reduce global warming causing greenhouse gas emissions are at the center of global climate efforts, however, there is also a need for small gestures. Such actions can make a big difference if repeated often. Governments (nations and subnational), public companies and private organizations all have a critical role to play and so do individuals. Efficiency in the aviation industry is a good illustration of how seemingly small efforts can make a difference. Something as simple as painting a plane with a light color can have a major impact. White paint is lighter than black paint because it has less pigment. Dark paint can add the equivalent weight of 8 passengersé  Painting an airplane white also decreases heat and increases durability.

Eliminating Fossil Fuels Centerstage at the UN Climate Ambition Summit

On the fifth anniversary of the historic COP21 meeting world leaders came together to discuss the the goals laid out in the Paris Agreement. The agenda for the Climate Ambition Summit included finalizing the 300 page draft known as the Paris rulebook which defines how countries tally and report their emissions reduction efforts.  Many of the leaders who came together for this virtual event acknowledged the need to increase renewables and end fossil fuels to keep temperatures from surpassing the upper threshold limit (1.5-2.0 degrees Celsius above preindustrial norms). 

American Courts are Defending Democracy and the Environment

Despite unprecedented challenges, America's legal system has held. In recent weeks the courts have repeatedly defended democracy and in the last four years they have overturned a wide range of environmental assaults. The stacking of the Supreme Court with conservative justices did not prevent the highest court in the land from rebuffing baseless accusations of voter fraud. Dozens of lower court rulings have also denied lawsuits designed to overturn election results. Trump and his allies are currently 1 for 59 in their legal efforts to subvert democracy. The Supreme Court denied Texas' petition to invalidate election results in Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. This doomed effort was supported by 106 congressional Republicans and 18 state attorneys general. On December 11, all 7 justices unanimously denied relief citing a lack of standing (ie the failure to demonstrate their case).

Event - Strapline: Assessing and Mitigating Cyber Security Risks on your Assets

This event will take place on May 6 -7, 2021. Renewable Energy needs a common understanding of cyber threats and mitigation strategies to protect against the internal and external threats which could result in reduced energy production and economic losses.. The lack of standards, insufficient board level understanding of cyber threats, legacy assets and new technology pose important challenges for cyber security professionals Participants at this event will learn about cyber security strategies and recommendations, cyber hygiene, implementation of risk management schemes and regulatory issues.

Webinar - COVID-19 and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

This webinar hosted by the Loyola Sustainability Research Centre in collaboration with the Loyola College for Diversity and Sustainability explores the effects of the pandemic on greenhouse gas emissions. You can catch up below.  This webinar features Simon Langlois-Bertrand and Shadnoosh Pashaei in discussion about energy-related greenhouse gas emissions post-COVID19. Simon Langlois-Bertrand is a Lecturer in the Department of Political Science and a member of the Loyola Sustainability Research Centre at Concordia University, where his research focuses on the geopolitics of the ecological transition and circular economy paradigms. Shadnoush Pashaei Farahani is a recent graduate from the Department of Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering, where she has developed a new methodology to assess GHG emissions that can be followed by energy efficiency programs in industry. 

Click here to access the webinar. 

Online Event - Solar PV Digitalization Forum

This event will take place on December 10 and 11 2020, Online. This event for anyone interested in solar photovoltaics.  It will offer a thorough analysis of digitalization in the solar sector including the latest solar panel design and technology. This solution based forum is designed to increase revenue while reducing operational and maintenance costs and risks through automated data analytics, tools (algorithms, machine learning, and sensors), and artificial intelligence (AI). The forum will explore the technological challenges and solutions.  

Environmental Impacts of Food Production (Infographic)

Ominous Trend Revealed in Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are warming the globe and driving climate change. The impacts of these GHGs are not some future concern they are being felt here and now.  We need to look no further than the steady stream of record breaking warming. Last month was the warmest November on record, and 2020 is expected to be one of the hottest years on record. Month after month, year after year, and decade after decade we are setting new temperature records that are exacerbating wildfires, droughts and storms.

Boycott Culture and Brand Influence During Trump's Presidency and Beyond

Brands wield enormous influence over popular culture and whether they are pursuing core social values or trying to preempt boycotts, brands are finding it harder to ignore social, environmental and political issues.  

Boycott culture has grown since Donald Trump emerged as a candidate in 2015. Trump has repeatedly used his office to advocate boycotts as have anti-Trump advocates. Earlier this year Trump called for a boycott of Goodyear after company guidelines were leaked that instructed employees to avoid wearing politically affiliated attire including MAGA hats. 

Online event - Future of Renewables Global 2020 Virtual Conference

This free virtual conference will take place on December 8-9, 2020. Binging together CEOs, innovators, investors and policymakers in the final push for a clean and sustainable future. Sixty of the most powerful renewable energy leaders will speak to 10,000 virtual attendees to set the stage and chart the path for the global renewable business models of the future. If you want to de-risk your renewables business model and learn how mitigate these challenges,, you cannot afford to miss the strategic solutions and upcoming industry trends.

Why John Kerry is the Right Man to Tackle Climate Change

John Kerry will serve as the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate in the Biden administration. He has a distinguished track record on climate issues in both the Senate and as Secretary of State in the Obama administration. He was instrumental in securing the landmark Paris Climate Agreement. Under Kerry the US doubled its financial contributions to vulnerable countries impacted by climate change.