⛰️ Enviro Futures #21

Happy Monday 👋

Recent environmental updates reveal significant challenges and responses in addressing climate and sustainability issues. A UN report highlights that over three-quarters of Earth’s land is drying due to climate change, threatening ecosystems and food security. Dubai progresses with its large-scale desalination project, using clean energy to produce water. Meanwhile, the European Investment Bank has allocated $3.15B to support agriculture and bioeconomy projects. The SAARC Development Fund launches major aquaculture projects to boost food security. The EU Environment Agency links air pollution to 250,000 deaths, emphasizing the need for stricter regulations. Lastly, Carbon Depository raised $20.4M to bolster carbon capture efforts.

What's new?

HolonIQ’s new Green Skills Map and Workforce section reveal industry-wide sustainability skills and jobs, as well as workforce development initiatives, supporting upskilling for a sustainable economy.

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🌱 Food Systems

🌍 UN Report: Most of Earth's Land Permanently Drying Out. A report from the UN reveals that over three-quarters of the world's land is experiencing permanent drying due to climate change, deforestation, and unsustainable land use. This escalating crisis threatens ecosystems, water resources, and food security globally. Urgent measures are required to combat desertification and adapt to a drier planet.

🌱 Food Companies Call for EU Agriculture Policy Reform. Major food companies Unilever, Danone, and Oatly joined the European Commission in urging reforms to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), advocating for subsidies to prioritize sustainable and plant-based food production. The proposed changes aim to align with EU climate goals and encourage environmentally friendly agricultural practices.

🌱 Mars to Switch 20,900 Hectares of European Farmland to Regenerative Practices. Mars, the food giant, will help wheat and maize farmers across Europe deploy regenerative farming practices that improve soil health and carbon sequestration on 20,900 hectares of farmland.

🌊 Oceans and Water

🌊 Dubai's Largest Desalination Project Progresses with Focus on Sustainability. Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is progressing with its ambitious Hassyan desalination plant project, which utilizes clean energy to produce 180 million gallons of water daily.

💧 Bureau of Reclamation Increases Funding for Water Recycling Projects. The Bureau of Reclamation increased the funding cap for water recycling projects, raising it from $30M to $40M per project following requests from Western lawmakers for a federal funding hike. The move aims to support the growing demand for water recycling in the face of droughts and water shortages, contributing to the sustainability of water resources across the region.

♻️ Environmental Services

🌱 EIB Group Unveils $3.15B Financing Package for Agriculture & Bioeconomy in Europe. The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group announced a $3.15B financing package in the form of loans for the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sectors across Europe.

🔥 Arctic tundra becoming carbon dioxide emitter due to climate change. The Arctic tundra, which has historically helped reduce global emissions, is now becoming a source of carbon dioxide emissions due to rising temperatures and wildfires in the region, according to scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

🌱 Phoenix Waste Solutions Develops Groundbreaking Low-Carbon Waste Management Technology. Phoenix Waste Solutions developed a new low-carbon technology that reduces municipal waste by 99% while cutting emissions and costs by 75% compared to landfill disposal.

🐟 Forestry and Fishing

🐟 SAARC Development Fund Launches Major Aquaculture Projects. The SAARC Development Fund (SDF) has launched three significant projects aimed at boosting aquaculture development across the region. These projects, focused on enhancing fish farming and sustainability, aim to improve food security and create economic opportunities. The SDF’s initiative is part of its broader strategy to promote regional cooperation and sustainable growth in South Asia.

🌳 EU-Mercosur Trade Deal and Anti-Deforestation Law. The EU-Mercosur trade deal is expected to include a legally binding clause to combat deforestation. This will require Mercosur countries to adopt measures to halt deforestation, impacting their agricultural and forestry sectors. The move supports the EU's broader efforts to curb global deforestation while advancing trade relations.

💨 Air Quality

😷 EU Environment Agency Links Quarter Million Deaths to Air Pollution. The European Union's environment agency reported that a quarter of a million deaths across Europe are linked to air pollution, highlighting the urgent need for stronger air quality regulations.

🌫️ New EU Air Quality Rules Aim to Address Environmental Health Risks. The European Union introduced new air quality rules to address air pollution, which remains the top environmental health risk to Europeans and is also damaging ecosystems and reducing crop yields.

⛔ Appeals Court Deals a Blow to EPA's Smog Pollution Regulations. A US appeals court ruled against the EPA’s efforts to tighten smog standards, citing insufficient evidence for stricter limits. The decision poses a setback for the Biden administration's air quality goals. The ruling comes as the agency is seeking to reduce harmful ozone levels in urban areas, but advocates for stricter rules view it as a missed opportunity to protect public health.

🛠️ Skills and Workforce

HolonIQ is now tracking reskilling and upskilling initiatives that are critical in bridging workforce gaps. Impact industries are rapidly evolving, fueled by technological advancements, decarbonization, geopolitical dynamics, and socio-economic factors. These sectors require considerable workforce/professional development initiatives to enhance workers' capabilities, boost economic growth, and promote social well-being. Read on for this week’s insights, and discover more in HolonIQ's latest Skills newsletter.

🔋 EIT Battery Academy trains 100,000 learners for green workforce transformation. EIT’s European Battery Alliance Academy has trained 100,000 learners, equipping Europe’s workforce with essential skills for the green transition. Offering tailored technical and foundational courses in 10 languages, the Academy has reached learners across Germany, France, Spain, Poland, and Romania. This milestone underscores EIT’s commitment to innovation and sustainability, setting the stage for future Net-Zero Industry Academies and expanding workforce services to include hiring, onboarding, and retention.

🌞 UHI Inverness opens a hub for green heating skills training. UHI Inverness has launched the Renewable Energy Training Hub, offering hands-on training with advanced air source heat pump technologies. Supported by industry leaders like Panasonic, Samsung, and Grant UK, the hub addresses Scotland’s green skills shortage and promotes sustainable heating solutions. Funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the hub equips apprentices and professionals to decarbonize heating systems, future-proof homes, and transition from fossil fuels to sustainable technologies, advancing regional climate goals.

🏤 South West College secures €9.8M for green skills training. South West College has secured €9.8M through the PEACEPLUS program to launch the Green Accelerator Skills Programme (GRASP). Focusing on green skills in the construction sector, GRASP addresses areas like NZEB tradesperson training, PassivHaus design, and environmental auditing. With key collaborations, including Women into Construction, the program aims to train 2,000 employees over four years, equipping rural Fermanagh and Tyrone’s workforce for Net Zero challenges and sustainable innovation.

HolonIQ has launched the Green Skills Map, an open-source framework initiated for cataloging, evaluating, and contextualizing the different components of the rapidly expanding field of green jobs. This comprehensive taxonomy will serve as a resource for understanding the full spectrum and complexity of green skills required across various sectors, thereby enabling a cohesive approach toward achieving net zero and decarbonizing the global economy. Green Skills Map spans 11 areas, 54 sub-areas, and 243 green skills clusters. A snippet of the map covering four areas has been included above. Explore the full map on greenskills.org.

💰 Environment Deals

💰 Carbon Depository S.A. Secures $20.4M in Equity Funding. Carbon Depository SA raised $20.4M in equity to support its carbon capture and storage operations. The funding aims to boost the company's efforts in mitigating carbon emissions and advancing its sustainability goals.

🛰️ Satellogic Secures $10M through Institutional Investor Placement. Satellogic Inc., a provider of Earth observation data, secured $10 million through a private placement agreement with an institutional investor.

🌱 Utrecht-based Orbisk Secures $8.4M in Series A Funding to Reduce Food Waste. Orbisk, a food waste solutions firm, raised over $8.4M in an oversubscribed Series A venture capital investment round to support its mission of reducing food waste.

💰 Vietnamese Foodtech Startup Kamereo Secures $7.8M Funding. Kamereo, a Vietnamese food-tech startup, raised $7.8M in funding from investors including Sumitomo Corp, Inspire Co., SMBC Venture Capital, MUFJ Capital, and Reazon Holdings to expand its operations.

🌳 ERS Secures $5.2M Funding to Scale CO2 Removal Certification Operations. ERS, an organization involved in certifying nature-based carbon dioxide removal projects, secured $5.2M in new funding to expand its operations due to increasing demand for certification of such projects. 

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