DeBriefed 6 December 2024: Plastics talks collapse; $300bn finance goal analysed; Landmark climate case kicks off
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Welcome to Carbon Brief’s DeBriefed. An essential guide to the week’s key developments relating to climate change. This week Plastic treaty pause BUSAN BUST: Efforts to finalise a global treaty on plastic pollution failed to reach agreement in Busan, South Korea, Reuters reported. The newswire said more than 100 nations wanted the treaty to cap plastic […]
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Water parasite outbreak in Devon among topics discussed at water quality conference
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Initial lessons learned from this year’s Devon Cryptosporidium outbreak have been shared as part of a new conference for environmental health professionals. The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) hosted its first ever Water Quality Conference on 8 November. Among the speakers were Dr Lincoln Sargeant, Director of Public Health and Dr Samuel Trethewey, Public […]
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Government pulls plans for a takeback scheme for single-use cups
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The UK government has cancelled plans to proceed with a takeback scheme for single-use cups. Announced by Boris Johnson’s Conservative government in November 2021, the plan was part of a broader initiative to reduce waste and promote recycling as outlined in the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework. The proposed scheme aimed to incentivize the collection […]
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Interview: Prof Philippe Sands on UN court’s landmark climate-change hearing
This week, the international court of justice (ICJ) opened two weeks of hearings on states’ climate-related legal obligations – and the consequences, if “significant harm” is caused. The case stems from a unanimous UN general assembly (UNGA) request for an “advisory opinion” from the ICJ. It is taking place against a backdrop of rapidly escalating […]
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What do we know about the economics of AI?
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For all the talk about artificial intelligence upending the world, its economic effects remain uncertain. There is massive investment in AI but little clarity about what it will produce. Examining AI has become a significant part of Nobel-winning economist Daron Acemoglu’s work. An Institute Professor at MIT, Acemoglu has long studied the impact of technology […]
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9 challenges facing the EV industry today
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The electric vehicle (EV) industry is experiencing unprecedented growth, but it faces several hurdles that could slow its adoption. From high costs to charging infrastructure issues, these challenges require innovative solutions to ensure EVs become the norm. Below are some of the key challenges facing the EV industry. Battery costs Despite advancements, EV batteries remain […]
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Study: Browsing negative content online makes mental health struggles worse
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People struggling with their mental health are more likely to browse negative content online, and in turn, that negative content makes their symptoms worse, according to a series of studies by researchers at MIT. The group behind the research has developed a web plug-in tool to help those looking to protect their mental health make […]
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AlphaQubit: Solving Quantum Computing’s Most Pressing Challenge
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Quantum computing has the potential to change many industries, from cryptography to drug discovery. But scaling these systems is a challenging task. As quantum computers grow, they face more errors and noise that can disrupt the calculations. To address this, DeepMind and Quantum AI introduced AlphaQubit, a neural network that predicts and fixes errors before […]
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Utilizing AI to Predict and Prevent Internet Outages
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Seamless user experience is the service benchmark for any internet provider as the demand for fewer service disruptions and greater reliable connection grows. To address this need, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as an evolving technology that ensures improved service across regions. How Does AI Improve Internet Services and Reduce Outages? Internet providers constantly adapt […]
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The Failure of LLMs in Math and How to Solve For It
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Mathematics has always posed a significant challenge for AI models. Mastering math requires complex reasoning skills, and for AI, this task is anything but straightforward. That creates a huge problem given the importance of mathematical proficiency for professional, personal, and academic success. Despite their remarkable abilities, large language models (LLMs) often struggle with complex mathematical […]
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Arik Solomon, Co-Founder & CEO of Cypago – Interview Series
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Arik Solomon, Co-Founder and CEO of Cypago, is on a mission to eliminate the hassle of compliance for businesses. Cypago’s Cyber GRC Automation Platform transforms the traditionally manual, time-consuming process of meeting security standards into an efficient, AI-driven workflow. By integrating with existing software stacks, Cypago streamlines compliance from start to finish, making it easier […]
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Guest post: The conflicting practices in using land to tackle climate change
Removing CO2 from the atmosphere using land-based mitigation strategies is central to nearly every country’s net-zero target. To mitigate global climate change, land-use and land-management sectors need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and remove carbon from the atmosphere. Protecting ecosystems and dedicating more land to nature-based solutions and climate-smart agricultural practices are promising ways to […]
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Haringey Council recommends keeping LTNs after reported fall in traffic
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Three low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) in Haringey are set to continue after monitoring data revealed motor traffic had fallen by more than 50 per cent within the schemes. The independently monitored and analysed data showed an average reduction in vehicle movements within the LTNs of 58%. There has been a minimal 3% on average traffic […]
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Scottish University launches 55-acre biodiversity project
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Waterside Farm opposite RGU’s campus (image credit: RGU). A 55-acre site close to Aberdeen is to become one of the largest biodiversity projects on a university campus in Scotland. Robert Gordon University (RGU) plans to restore Waterside Farm into an area of biodiversity, enhancing its already high carbon-holding capacity, and providing a habitat for a […]
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Want to design the car of the future? Here are 8,000 designs to get you started.
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Car design is an iterative and proprietary process. Carmakers can spend several years on the design phase for a car, tweaking 3D forms in simulations before building out the most promising designs for physical testing. The details and specs of these tests, including the aerodynamics of a given car design, are typically not made public. […]
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MIT delegation mainstreams biodiversity conservation at the UN Biodiversity Convention, COP16
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For the first time, MIT sent an organized engagement to the global Conference of the Parties for the Convention on Biological Diversity, which this year was held Oct. 21 to Nov. 1 in Cali, Colombia. The 10 delegates to COP16 included faculty, researchers, and students from the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative (ESI), the Department of […]
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Seafood product replaces plastic pallets with fibre-based solution
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Sustainable and fibre-based packaging solutions firm DS Smith is replacing plastic pallets for canned products with corrugated cardboard in collaboration with Denmark’s largest industrial producer of shellfish and seafood, Vilsund Blue A/S. In collaboration with Vilsund Blue A/S, the DS Smith team of expert designers sought an innovative solution to eliminate the use of plastic […]
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TealHQ Review: Can This AI Tool Land You Your Dream Job?
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Did you know the average job seeker spends 11 hours a week scouring listings, submitting applications, and tailoring resumes? That’s nearly one and a half workdays dedicated to hunting for the perfect role! And it can easily feel overwhelming to manage everything. I recently came across TealHQ which offers a solution to this problem. It’s […]