Ubuntu Studio’s positive news round-up
Ubuntu Thoughts / 5 Min read
Friday 4th February, 2022
Callum Berry
Content & Media Manager
Content & Media Manager
Happy Friday to our readers! Once again, we’ve gathered some of our favourite positive news stories from the last few weeks, so you can start your weekend on a high. From wind farms to pandas, we’ve got all the best news for you in condensed form – because who wants to read a whole essay on a Friday?
Global emissions, China, and net-zero targets
There’s good news for the future of renewable energy! Despite supply chain problems stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, it looks like 2021set an all-time high for new renewable energy production capacity.
New wind farms, solar installations as well as other technologies meant that the world added 290 gigawatts of renewable power production capacity this year. To put that into perspective, that’s around twice as much as Canada’s total electricity generating capacity of about 145 gigawatts. Now that’s a LOT of power.
China, the U.S and Brazil are the current leaders in renewable energy installations, with China having a massive capacity of around 895 gigawatts, and generating a lot of this through sustainable hydropower. It should be noted however, that although Chinese authorities have tightened restrictions on carbon emissions this year in a targeted way (including calling for production cuts in the steel-making), China built more than triple the amount of new coal power capacity as the rest of the world combined in 2021. It looks like it’s not going to be quite so simple for some countries to wean themselves off old habits.
On the bright side, it looks like renewable energy capacity could hopefully exceed the current global capacity of fossil fuels and nuclear energy combined by 2026. And that’s no small feat considering how reliable we’ve been on dirty energy for the past century.
Globally, more than 90 percent of new electricity generating capacity in the next five years is projected to come from renewables. What remains to be seen, however, is if this pace can accelerate to the rate required to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 worldwide.
Right now, time doesn’t look like it’s on our side.
New wind farms, solar installations as well as other technologies meant that the world added 290 gigawatts of renewable power production capacity this year. To put that into perspective, that’s around twice as much as Canada’s total electricity generating capacity of about 145 gigawatts. Now that’s a LOT of power.
China, the U.S and Brazil are the current leaders in renewable energy installations, with China having a massive capacity of around 895 gigawatts, and generating a lot of this through sustainable hydropower. It should be noted however, that although Chinese authorities have tightened restrictions on carbon emissions this year in a targeted way (including calling for production cuts in the steel-making), China built more than triple the amount of new coal power capacity as the rest of the world combined in 2021. It looks like it’s not going to be quite so simple for some countries to wean themselves off old habits.
On the bright side, it looks like renewable energy capacity could hopefully exceed the current global capacity of fossil fuels and nuclear energy combined by 2026. And that’s no small feat considering how reliable we’ve been on dirty energy for the past century.
Globally, more than 90 percent of new electricity generating capacity in the next five years is projected to come from renewables. What remains to be seen, however, is if this pace can accelerate to the rate required to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 worldwide.
Right now, time doesn’t look like it’s on our side.
Pandas fight to live another day
Don’t get us wrong, we’re fans of the panda. Who couldn’t be? But we have to ask: who designed a creature that exclusively eats bamboo – known as one of the least nutritional plants – meaning they have to eat up to 86 pounds of the stuff every day just to survive?!
Whatever your view on our furry friends, China has just announced that pandas are no longer considered endangered thanks to efforts to restimulate the species. Hitting their lowest during the 1980s, panda numbers were a little over 1,000 worldwide, with the majority found in the temperate forests high in the mountains of southwest China. However, much has been achieved in recent years. According to National Geographic, China has designated a new Giant Panda National Park, which covers 70 percent of the animals’ existing habitat, mainly in Sichuan Province.
To add to this, the number of pandas in captive-breeding programs around the world has nearly doubled, to 633. That’s more than twice as many pandas than are needed to preserve genetic diversity essential for the survival of the species, according to scientists.
In a time when the endangered species list seems to be getting longer by the day, it’s great to hear that our favourite fluffy friends should be around for many years to come.
Whatever your view on our furry friends, China has just announced that pandas are no longer considered endangered thanks to efforts to restimulate the species. Hitting their lowest during the 1980s, panda numbers were a little over 1,000 worldwide, with the majority found in the temperate forests high in the mountains of southwest China. However, much has been achieved in recent years. According to National Geographic, China has designated a new Giant Panda National Park, which covers 70 percent of the animals’ existing habitat, mainly in Sichuan Province.
To add to this, the number of pandas in captive-breeding programs around the world has nearly doubled, to 633. That’s more than twice as many pandas than are needed to preserve genetic diversity essential for the survival of the species, according to scientists.
In a time when the endangered species list seems to be getting longer by the day, it’s great to hear that our favourite fluffy friends should be around for many years to come.
Coral receives...IVF treatment?
You may have read about the devastating effect of global warming on coral reefs in last week’s PNR article, but we’re continually amazed at the ingenuity of biologists and environmentalists around the world who are fighting back to keep our world going.
Scientists have recently announced a world’s first: growing baby corals in carefully managed environments to restore damaged coral reefs.
Researchers capture coral eggs and sperm (called spawn) from healthy reefs and use them to rear millions of baby corals in specially-designed floating pools either on the reef and in tanks. When ready, they’re then delivered onto damaged reefs to repopulate them. This process has been nicknamed “Coral IVF” because of how similar it is to the modern fertility technique used by humans.
And if that wasn’t enough, the first batch of Coral IVF babies (grown in 2016) reproduced last year, making it the first time a breeding population has been established on the Great Barrier Reef and giving hope that one day this magnificent reef could be fully restored.
It goes without saying, this doesn’t take away from the fact that climate change continues to seriously affect reefs around the world which remain inadequately protected by governments. However, it’s nice to hear some good news about our wonderful oceans and the heroes continuing to keep them around for future generations.
Scientists have recently announced a world’s first: growing baby corals in carefully managed environments to restore damaged coral reefs.
Researchers capture coral eggs and sperm (called spawn) from healthy reefs and use them to rear millions of baby corals in specially-designed floating pools either on the reef and in tanks. When ready, they’re then delivered onto damaged reefs to repopulate them. This process has been nicknamed “Coral IVF” because of how similar it is to the modern fertility technique used by humans.
And if that wasn’t enough, the first batch of Coral IVF babies (grown in 2016) reproduced last year, making it the first time a breeding population has been established on the Great Barrier Reef and giving hope that one day this magnificent reef could be fully restored.
It goes without saying, this doesn’t take away from the fact that climate change continues to seriously affect reefs around the world which remain inadequately protected by governments. However, it’s nice to hear some good news about our wonderful oceans and the heroes continuing to keep them around for future generations.
Well that’s all from us! We’ll be back next Friday with more positive news. Have a great weekend and we’ll see you next week.
Got an interesting story you’d like us to highlight? Feel free to send in your ideas to callum@ubuntustudio.co.uk and you could be featured in an upcoming PNR!
Got an interesting story you’d like us to highlight? Feel free to send in your ideas to callum@ubuntustudio.co.uk and you could be featured in an upcoming PNR!
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We appreciate that all life on earth is under threat, so we’re using the resources we have—our business, our investments, our voice and our imaginations—to do something about it. Reducing the negative impact on people and the planet.
If you're looking to make a change in how you market your business, we'd love to chat. Find out more at ubuntustudio.co.uk.
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