?? The Grumpy Optimist #134

Happy Monday. ??

Welcome back to your bi-weekly newsletter that makes you feel better about the state of the planet.

As always, there is a lot to be positive about; I’ve rounded them up and have a great meme and a great song recommendation for you.

Dig in and enjoy. ??

Thanks for reading The Grumpy Optimists! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

?? Articles to read

???Wind and solar overtake fossil fuels in the EU in the first half of 2024. Wind and solar energy reached a record 30% share of EU electricity generation, with fossil fuel generation falling by 17% compared to the previous year, with coal and gas usage dropping significantly. This resulted in a 31% reduction in emissions compared to the first half of 2022.

????French bring climate literacy to weather forecasts, and it’s watched by millions. French state broadcaster France Télévisions has transformed its traditional weather report into Journal Météo-Climat, integrating climate change and its impact. The programme includes visuals like climate stripes and live temperature counters to illustrate climate change impacts and features interactive elements like QR codes for viewer questions answered by climate scientists. The format has led to increasing viewer numbers, particularly with solutions-focused stories and child-friendly segments. This is genuinely an awesome way of integrating climate science into everyday life. Kudos to France.

???M&A dealmakers would pay a premium for high ESG companies. According to a new study by KPMG, 71% of dealmakers noted their growing importance over the past 12-18 months, and 82% incorporated ESG into their M&A agenda. Interestingly, over half of the respondents have encountered ESG-related deal stoppers, and nearly 60% are willing to pay a premium for targets with high ESG maturity, indicating ESG's significant influence on transaction outcomes and valuations.

A great sustainability programme is already a need to have, not a nice to have.

???Record settlement for illegal deforestation caused by cattle rancher. Brazilian cattle rancher Dirceu Kruger has been ordered to pay over $50 million and restore the Amazon rainforest after illegally deforesting 5,600 hectares, marking the largest civil case for climate crimes in Brazil. The funds will go to the national climate emergency fund. This case is part of a broader effort to hold individuals and companies accountable for climate damage, aiming to deter future illegal deforestation and help Brazil meet its national emission targets.

???Neighbours look to rewild the streets. Grace Hills, a guerrilla gardener based in Leeds (my hometown), has transformed her street into a sea of colour and wildflowers. This not only helps pollinators but also brings the community together. I’m proud that this came from my hometown and wish that every street could do the same.

?? Following The Footprints launch, the ‘mitigate’ decarbonise to help brands decarbonise. According to Sage, 90%?of UK SMEs believe one of the biggest barriers they face to reducing their impact is finding the right partner to mitigate their impact. Now, the wicked folks over at Following The Footprints have created a decarbonisation database to help companies take impact.

Similarly, I want to shout out their fabulous team for putting on a great event with Nudie Jeans. They’re awesome, and you should definitely check them out.

???UK Government sets 2% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) requirement for 2025. The figure will rise from 2% in 2025 to 22% in 2040 to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. SAF is currently the only way to decarbonise the aviation industry, other than taking fewer flights.

To get the best overview of SAF, check out Ben James’ blog.

?? Climates X Memes

That’s all for this week, folks. This week was written after a busy week and a chance to get back on the bike (you can follow my average athletics on Strava). I’ve been loving Tems’ recent album too, get those hips moving and have a great Monday.

George, the Grumpy Optimist ??