Net Zero Literacy

North American bird populations are not only declining, but they’re also shrinking faster with each passing year—particularly in regions shaped by intensive agriculture, according to a new study in Science.

Learn more: https://scim.ag/4rMW4mP

The Liberals are pushing nuclear again – but the numbers haven’t changed. 😵‍💫

Nuclear is twice the cost, decades away, and we’d already be at 96% renewables before a single reactor could be built.

So let’s stick with what’s already working to deliver reliable, affordable power: renewables backed by storage.

Spain has just delivered one of the most compelling real‑world proofs that a fully renewable electricity system is not a distant vision but is already happening.

On a recent weekday, wind, solar, and hydropower together supplied 100 percent of the electricity demand on the Spanish mainland for several hours — with no coal, no gas, and no interruption to everyday life.

Schools, businesses, transportation systems, and homes all continued operating normally while renewables met total demand in real time, demonstrating that clean energy can support modern society’s needs on a large scale.

This milestone comes after years of expanding solar parks, wind corridors, pumped hydro, and growing grid and storage capacity, pushing renewables into the mainstream and reducing emissions while strengthening energy independence.

Images are generated by AI and for demonstration purposes only.

Sources: Reports from Red Eléctrica de España & energy system data 2025; energy generation analysis summaries 2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1PreUJsSZ7/

Uruguay's remarkable transformation into a near-fully renewable electricity powerhouse began in the early 2010s, driven not primarily by climate goals but by economic necessity.

Lacking domestic fossil fuel reserves, the country faced soaring import costs and vulnerability to global price swings, which at times consumed over 2% of GDP.

Physicist Ramón Méndez Galain, appointed national energy director despite no prior sector experience, crafted a pragmatic plan to shift toward domestic renewables—wind, hydropower, biomass, and solar—ensuring they would undercut fossil fuel expenses.

The strategy hinged on regulatory reforms that leveled the playing field: eliminating biases and subsidies favoring fossils, introducing long-term power purchase agreements, and holding competitive, technology-neutral auctions.

These attracted $6 billion in private investments over five years, equivalent to 12% of GDP, while creating around 50,000 jobs in construction and operations.

A diversified mix emerged—typically 45% hydropower, 35% wind, 15% biomass, with solar filling gaps—complemented by minimal flexible thermal backup (1-3% from gas).

By 2024-2025, Uruguay generates 98-99% of its electricity from renewables, exporting surpluses and achieving energy independence. Crucially, total production costs fell to roughly half those of a comparable fossil-based system, delivering stable, predictable pricing insulated from oil market volatility.

Méndez Galain emphasizes that when governments remove fossil advantages—estimated globally at trillions in subsidies—renewables prevail on merit, proving clean energy can be cheaper, more reliable, and job-creating. This model, replicable where political will aligns rules with economics, offers a blueprint beyond environmental rhetoric.

A UN Special Rapporteur has just stepped into ACF’s Federal Court cases against Environment Minister Murray Watt over Woodside’s North West Shelf gas extension.

For the first time in Australian history, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Right to a Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment has formally applied to join the legal challenge as a friend of the court.

Why? Because approving decades more gas expansion could breach Australia’s international human rights obligations. On Friday, the UN Special Rapporteur’s legal representatives explained that the Rapporteur sought to join to address issues arising in these cases around Australia’s international obligations.

The move follows a landmark ruling from the International Court of Justice that countries failing to act in accordance with their international obligations to protect the climate system could be held liable for the harm they cause.

ACF is arguing that Environment Minister Murray Watt did not adequately consider the climate impact when he approved Woodside’s North West Shelf to operate to 2070.

Climate harm is a human rights issue. No government gets a free pass.