A study on the desert shrub Tidestromia oblongifolia in Death Valley, California, reveals its ability to thrive in extreme heat, offering insights for engineering heat-resistant crops. Scientists recreated Death Valley conditions in the lab and observed T. oblongifolia growing faster compared to other desert plants. This research has the potential to aid in the development of crops that can withstand more extreme heat conditions, providing valuable solutions for climate change adaptation.
Category: FALO & Nature-Based Carbon Removal
Cut Emissions & Remove Carbon:
– Shift Agriculture Practices
– Protect & Manage Ecosystems
– Biomass Carbon Removal & Storage
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How one community is protecting 16,500 hectares of rainforest
Cool Earth has partnered with the local community in Sololo, Papua New Guinea to protect their rainforest, which serves as a valuable carbon sink and essential resource for the community. By providing unconditional funding, Cool Earth enables the community to resist loggers and oil palm companies, preserving their traditional way of life and safeguarding the environment for future generations. This initiative highlights the importance of empowering indigenous peoples and local communities in climate solutions, as they are the real experts in rainforest protection and sustainable resource management. Through projects like the roofing iron initiative, communities can generate income, strengthen their homes against climate impacts, and contribute to the preservation of vital ecosystems.
https://www.coolearth.org/news/best-rainforest-protection-in-papua-new-guinea/
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3 reasons why COP30 needs to put an end to fossil fuels
Civil society organizations, Indigenous groups, and frontline communities are calling for a complete phase-out of fossil fuels to keep global heating below 1.5°C, as they are the main driver of the climate crisis and disproportionately harm marginalized communities. The fossil fuel industry's expansion is putting millions at risk, with over 16% of global infrastructure on Indigenous territories. COP30 must prioritize justice and practicality to achieve a just transition, focusing on stopping new projects, aligning with science-based production reductions, and supporting developing countries with clean energy systems. Indigenous Peoples' knowledge and leadership are crucial in climate solutions, protecting biodiversity and advocating for a shift away from fossil fuels to stabilize the climate and protect human rights.
https://350.org/3-reasons-why-cop30-needs-to-put-an-end-to-fossil-fuels/
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Cows, Jamaica, & Solar — Winning The Clean Energy Revolution
Agrivoltaics, the combination of solar and farming, is a beneficial practice that can provide financial benefits for farmers. Solar farms using sheep for vegetation control have been successful, with the sheep's excrement serving as fertilizer. Silicon Ranch is pioneering the combination of cattle and solar energy, introducing a system called CattleTracker to ensure the safety of both the animals and the solar panels. Solar grazing, a practice where livestock graze on land underneath solar panels, is being implemented by companies like Silicon Ranch to address greenhouse gas emissions from cattle farming. In the Caribbean, solar energy and battery storage systems are being increasingly used to provide electricity during and after hurricanes, with Jamaica aiming to reach 50 percent solar power by 2030.
https://cleantechnica.com/2025/11/11/cows-jamaica-solar-winning-the-clean-energy-revolution/
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The Mangrove Breakthrough is Mobilizing Global Leadership and Large-Scale Finance
The Mangrove Breakthrough initiative aims to protect and restore mangroves by mobilizing $4 billion to conserve 15 million hectares by 2030. This global movement focuses on embedding mangrove conservation within the local economy to build resilient communities. The initiative promotes radical collaboration, science-based financial decisions, and investing in local leadership. The Hub, hosted by the Chilean NGO Ambition Loop, drives the mission by sustaining partnerships and building infrastructure for lasting impact. The Mangrove Breakthrough is introducing the Mangrove Catalytic Facility to bridge financing gaps and enable systemic transformation in mangrove-positive actions and businesses, with over $750 million mobilized in mangrove-positive investments since 2020.
https://www.mangrovealliance.org/news/cop30-flagship-ministerial-event
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Keeping cool on a hotter planet: COP30 pushes for sustainable cooling and AI innovation
AI is being utilized to aid farmers in predicting droughts and managing crops efficiently, but concerns arise regarding the environmental cost of training large models and running data centers. Cooling is identified as a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, with sustainable alternatives gaining momentum. Initiatives like the Technology Implementation Programme at COP30 and the Beat the Heat Implementation Drive are working to promote sustainable solutions and bridge gaps in finance, policy, and delivery for vulnerable communities. Researcher Alisa Luangrath's AI-powered irrigation system in Lao People's Democratic Republic won the UNFCCC "AI for Climate Action" Award, integrating soil moisture sensors, groundwater monitors, and meteorological data to assist farmers in planning planting and irrigation cycles more efficiently. However, the environmental footprint of AI, including data centers, is a growing concern, with potential strain on water resources as countries like Brazil race to attract data centers.
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What do African countries want from COP30?
African government negotiators at COP30 are prioritizing fair sharing of the bill for climate change, seeking finance solutions to help them become more resilient to climate disasters and transition to cleaner energy without adding to their debt loads. Several African countries have lowered emissions cutting ambitions in their latest national climate plans due to lack of funding. The goal is to ensure practical solutions are recognized for African countries experiencing global warming, with a focus on debt-free finance and increased provision of climate cash from public and private sources. African negotiators are pushing for $1.3 trillion in annual financial support by 2035, with the majority being grant-based resources to avoid increasing the continent's debt burden. Africa's total external debt has risen to $1.15 trillion by the end of 2023, with debt servicing reaching $163 billion in 2024. African negotiators are aiming to unlock cash to implement national adaptation plans and adopt metrics tailored to Africa's circumstances. Discussions are ongoing to finalize a set of around 100 indicators for adaptation progress. African countries are eager to see national adaptation plans become a reality on the ground, with a focus on building resilience and capacity for emergency response. The Congo Basin is receiving limited international forest-related financing, and African delegates are interested in the Tropical Forest Forever Facility launched by Brazil at COP30. African civil society groups are calling for COP30 to recognize the Congo Basin as a vital global climate asset and ensure equitable finance flows for its protection. They also want support for Africa-led initiatives like the Great Green Wall and AFR100 to strengthen nature-based solutions. Activists are pushing for a Just Transition Work Programme to ensure social justice and equity in job creation and finance during the global shift to cleaner energy sources. African countries are also advocating for discussions at COP30 on critical minerals to focus on powering Africa's transition and supporting their development. Loss and damage costs in Africa due to climate impacts are estimated to be between $280 billion-$440 billion a year from 2020 to 2030. Africa is facing "irreplaceable loss" due to climate change impacts, including damage to cultural heritage sites, shrinking farmlands, and worsening health. The country is calling for international support to cope with these challenges. At COP30, African civil society groups are advocating for the new global Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) to provide grants for climate-vulnerable nations in Africa. The fund should offer assistance for both sudden and slow-onset crises, such as losses from rising seas or desertification. Africa's COP30 envoy emphasizes the need for an efficient fund that can address loss and damage on an emergency basis, criticizing the slow progress and lack of significant donations to the FRLD.
https://www.climatechangenews.com/2025/11/10/what-do-african-countries-want-from-cop30/
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Hydrogen, Measured Properly: What 2,000 Projects Reveal About Its Climate Value
A study in Nature Energy has found that hydrogen makes sense in a few industrial applications but little else, with most of today's hydrogen being used for fertilizer, refining, and methanol. The study examined about 2,000 existing and planned hydrogen projects and found that if all were built, they would produce about 110 million tons of hydrogen per year with significant emissions. The researchers suggest that hydrogen should replace dirty hydrogen in existing markets rather than creating new applications. Sectors like steel, biofuels, and ammonia have the best climate returns per kilogram of hydrogen used, but alternatives like electric arc furnaces and biomethane based DRI may be cheaper and easier to scale. Ammonia fertilizer produced with green hydrogen can support the generation of biofuel through increased crop yields, while carbon capture has a narrow role in low-carbon options, with the focus shifting towards more efficient use of renewable energy.
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Ceres applauds launch of Tropical Forest Forever Facility, urges more government and private sector support
The Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF) was launched at COP30 Leader's Summit with $5.5 billion in investment commitments to protect tropical forests, aiming to safeguard over 1 billion hectares by paying nations to keep them standing. Endorsed by 34 tropical forest countries, the fund mandates at least 20% of payments go to Indigenous Peoples and local communities, using a blended finance model to generate returns for investors and create an enabling environment for companies to close supply chain gaps. Ceres will release a report analyzing corporate progress on deforestation and offering pathways for business action in at-risk sectors.
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Sheep Frolic In Massive New Solar Power Plant
Solar power plants in Texas are on the rise, with the state leading in wind power and competing for the top spot in solar power. The state's unique economic policy has allowed for the development of large-scale solar projects, such as Enel's GulfStar solar power plant with energy storage. Energy storage systems are being used to enhance the value of solar projects, providing reliability and support to the grid. Solar power plants are gaining support from industries like data centers and high-volume electricity users due to their quick construction and ability to deliver electricity at utility scale. The solar grazing movement is also gaining momentum in Texas, with Enel contracting 6,000 sheep to manage vegetation at solar power plants covering over 10,000 acres. This represents a significant leap for the solar grazing movement in the US, with Enel estimating that solar grazing covered 100,000 acres by 2024. Power plants across the country are creating opportunities for farmers, such as Agrivoltaic Solutions which has expanded to a 500-sheep operation on 1,500 acres of solar sites. State policy makers, like in New York, are taking action to support agrivoltaic projects with a $7 million demonstration and research program. Enel has commissioned its largest solar power plant in the US where sheep will manage vegetation and enhance soil. This initiative showcases the potential for combining agriculture and renewable energy to address climate change.
https://cleantechnica.com/2025/11/07/sheep-will-frolic-in-massive-new-solar-power-plant-in-texas/