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Deforestation, oil spills, and coronavirus: Crises converge in the Amazon

by Rachel Ramirez, Grist  Highlights Brazil now has the second-highest number of documented COVID-19 cases, with 400,000 confirmed cases and 25,000 deaths According to the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil, an indigenous rights organization, the mortality rate among the indigenous population of nearly one million is double that experienced in Brazil overall The entire Amazon region … Read more

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COVID-19 is a dress rehearsal for entrepreneurial approaches to climate change

By Jeffrey York, The Conversation Highlights Jeffrey York, a professor of sustainability and entrepreneurship at the University of Colorado, suggests that entrepreneurship could be the solution to the climate crisis. Environmental entrepreneurship offers solutions that create ecological and economic benefits  Being an environmentalist and a businessperson helps entrepreneurs recruit a broader range of people, inviting … Read more

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California virus war slams into its other crisis: wildfires

By David R Baker and Mark Chediak, Bloomberg Green Highlights Social distancing and stay at home mandates have made preparing for wildfire season harder, limiting tree trimming, controlled burns, and powerline maintenance. Though California may suffer another severe fire season, the U.S. Forest Service has suspended in-person training for firefighters In the State budget Governor … Read more

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Fires are coming. But PG&E and some cities are holding up battery backups

By Sammy Roth, The Los Angeles Times Highlights Solar installation companies are working to get projects done before the next wildfire season starts in Calfornia, but restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic is making it hard to do business. Some cities are refusing to issue permits for solar and storage installations as county buildings are … Read more

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Coronavirus is not just a health crisis — it’s an environmental justice crisis

Nick Fullerton – Richmond oil refinery fire1

 By Yvette Cabrera, Grist Highlights There are large disparities in COVID-19 deaths among people who have historically faced environmental justice issues within the US.  African-American communities have historically been disproportionately housed near sources of large pollution, particularly in the South, leading these communities to develop asthma, cancers, and other respiratory problems This life long exposure … Read more

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A clean, green, and just economic recovery

Take action today for a clean, green, and just economic recovery in California. On April 28, The Climate Center and many of its partners sent a letter to the California legislature asking them to use federal stimulus funds to support proven programs that improve health and resilience, and create jobs for a climate-safe future. We asked that they secure ongoing … Read more

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Oil price collapses to below zero as demand takes a dive during pandemic

From Bloomberg Highlights The coronavirus pandemic has caused oil markets to plunge into the negative due to a lack of storage for unused oil.  Michael Tran, managing director of global energy strategy at RBC Capital Markets, says that there is little to be done about the market nose-diving even further: “Refiners are rejecting barrels at … Read more

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What’s the ideal way for the microgrid industry to come back from COVID-19?

By Lisa Cohn, Microgrid Knowledge  Highlights The Clean Energy community called for relief in the recent federal stimulus package as the industry has taken a critical hit due to the COVID- 19 pandemic. Over 100,000 clean energy sector workers have lost their jobs due to business shifting during the pandemic and the industry could lose half … Read more