Repurpose. Reclaim.
emily porro
senior advisor | climate communication | co-chair Women in Cleantech & Sustainability NYC | advisory board | Climate Positive newsletter | aspiring to be a good ancestor //@ The Bliss Group
Welcome to Climate Positive! As summer begins its slow wind down, let's not fall into old doom scrolling habits. This newsletter pulls together top headlines supporting a narrative that climate action is actually happening and making a real difference.
In this week's issue we look at how cities, spaces and natural lands are being repurposed to effectively support sustainability goals and fight climate change across the world. From making cities and roofs more green, to repurposing contaminated sites for solar farms (and removing the need to use farm lands), to reseeding old hay fields with wildflowers to increase bee populations - efforts are working!
Green Corridors are reducing rising heat in cities
According to this piece by the World Economic Forum (WEF) , cities worldwide are adopting natural solutions to combat rising temperatures, with notable success stories like Medellín in Colombia, which has reduced temperatures by 2°C through its green corridors initiative. This cost-effective approach, at $6.50 per person, uses trees and plants to provide shade and reduce heat via evapotranspiration, demonstrating the effectiveness of nature-based urban planning.
Research highlighted by the World Economic Forum indicates that nature-based solutions not only mitigate the urban heat island effect but also cut air pollution and enhance biodiversity. The Nature-Positive Cities initiative is promoting these strategies globally, with cities like Singapore and Düsseldorf implementing similar projects to reduce temperatures and improve urban environments. Collaboration among governments, private sectors, and communities is crucial to scaling these solutions, which offer significant economic and environmental benefits over traditional grey infrastructure.
Green roofs are cooling cities and boosting sustainability - and Chi-Town leads the way in the U.S.
Europe has led the way in green roof development for over three decades, demonstrating their effectiveness in cooling urban areas and providing multiple environmental benefits. A 2023 study from the University of Technology, Sydney found that green roofs, when combined with solar panels, increased solar output by 107% and reduced temperatures by 8°C. Another study published in January 2024 revealed that adding volcanic ash to green roofs stabilizes temperatures, prevents weeds, withstands extreme weather, improves water drainage, and requires low maintenance.
The North American green roof sector grew by more than 45% in 2023, with around 1,215 projects. Chicago , leading the U.S. in green roof installations, added 56,000 square meters last year and plans to expand to 650,000 square meters with 600 new projects. European cities like Stuttgart and Copenhagen mandate green roofs for new constructions, while France requires new commercial buildings to have green roofs or solar panels. Incentives such as Oregon's 35% discount on stormwater fees and Philadelphia's tax credit covering 50% of green roof costs up to $100,000 further promote adoption. These research-backed and practical implementations highlight green roofs' ability to lower temperatures, increase energy efficiency, and enhance urban biodiversity.
Take a a look at Chicago's cool approach here (pic below is an example): https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/green-roofs-on-historic-buildings-chicago-city-hall.htm
Repurposing contaminated land to solar farms
Take a look at this story in Canary Media Inc. by Carrie Klein which explores how the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) plans to transform the contaminated Hanford Site in Washington state into a massive solar installation with up to 1 gigawatt of capacity, enough to power 750,000 homes. This initiative addresses the challenge of finding locations for large solar projects, utilizing a site that has limited potential for other uses due to its history of radioactive contamination from the Manhattan Project and Cold War. The DOE's new Cleanup to Clean Energy program, launched to meet President Biden's clean energy goals, previously announced solar projects at Idaho National Laboratory and Nevada National Security Site.
Nels Johnson from The Nature Conservancy highlights that repurposing contaminated land for solar reduces the need to convert prime farmland. The Environmental Protection Agency's 2023 evaluation suggests that around 200,000 contaminated sites nationwide could generate approximately 886,000 megawatts of solar energy, although legal and remediation challenges remain. The Hanford project exemplifies how reusing degraded land can contribute significantly to sustainability and clean energy goals.
Learn more about the DOE's new "Cleanup to Clean Energy Initiative" here:
Reseeding old hay fields with wildflowers has bees buzzing back!
The Stepping Stones project in the U.K. has been reseeding old hay fields with native wildflowers and traditional hedgerows in the Shropshire Hills, an area designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The restoration efforts have led to a resurgence of bilberry bumblebees, a species severely impacted by habitat loss from past agricultural practices, according to this piece in The Cool Down .
Historically, many meadows were replaced with high-yield grass mixes and fertilizers, which diminished the diversity of native plants and disrupted local ecosystems. The project’s use of yellow rattle, a wildflower that helps maintain a balance between grasses and flowering plants, has been crucial for creating environments conducive to pollinators. With the goal of restoring 97% of the U.K.’s lost meadows over the past century, this project represents a vital step in reversing ecological damage and enhancing habitat quality. By restoring these meadows, the Stepping Stones project not only aids in the recovery of vital species but also contributes positively to the broader climate and ecological health of the region.
That's it for this week. Please do share any positive news/stories you see that would be a fit. The more positivity and awareness we can build around climate progress, the more action we can inspire through hope. Like and follow if you'd like to see more.
And if you'd like my team to help tell your positive climate story, ping me at [email protected]