Niclas Ihrén

🌍 Understanding Climate Tipping Points: Johan Rockström's Call to Action Rockström's recent #TED Talk sheds light on the urgency of addressing climate change and the looming threat of tipping points in Earth's systems. With a temperature rise of 1.2°C since pre-industrial levels and a potential 3°C increase by 2100, the stakes are high, with irreversible consequences on the horizon. 📢 Key highlights: the critical thresholds of tipping points in systems like the Greenland Ice Sheet and the Amazon Rainforest. The potential shift to a "hothouse Earth" is a stark warning of the gravity of the situation. 🌡 The economic and social costs of inaction are severe, with estimates of an 18% reduction in global GDP by 2050 and a surge in natural disasters. The diminishing buffering capacity of Earth's natural systems amplifies the need for immediate action. 🔥 Focus on: the necessity of rapid decarbonization, sustainable food systems, and ecosystem restoration as crucial steps towards mitigating the crisis. Despite the challenges, we must remain hopeful that decisive action can still alter the course towards a stable future. The time to act is now. #ClimateAction #needforaction #GlobalWarming #EarthScience

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The not so secret weapon against climate change: empowering women! According to this article by SIWI - Stockholm International Water Institute, societies where women hold higher political status see stricter climate policies, better environmental standards, and improved natural resource management. When women thrive, so do communities. When we invest in women: 📉 Carbon emissions decrease, thanks to stronger environmental policies. 🚰 Water resources are shared more equitably, and conservation improves. The reality today is that vulnerable groups, particularly women face higher risks and greater burdens as climate impacts worsen. If we want a resilient, sustainable world, we must champion gender equality and empower women in every sector. Learn more in the full article below. https://lnkd.in/dWJ7QBVV Thank you Danielle Gaillard-Picher. #EmpowerWomen #ClimateAction #Sustainability #ClimateResilience

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The International Energy Agency (IEA) has fuelled the case for sustainability and a just energy transition. Not only is the IEA continuing to prove that long-term sustainability checks all environmental, social, and economic boxes. But also, in the short term, the report shows there are so many policy levers available to ensure a just transition - and ensure the upfront costs are channeled through those who can afford it and have contributed most to causing the climate and sustainability emergency. A vital report for anyone with a sustainability or energy transition hat.

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“Glacial energy futures …?” In Greenlandic history, energy technologies were framed as a liberating vision, offering a new perspective on how large-scale modern technologies could and would represent a pathway to both independence and self-determination. What happened to Greenland’s energy interests between its formal integration into the Danish realm in 1953 and its subsequent attainment of formal Home Rule in 1979? While the idea of harnessing electrical power from Greenland’s coastal waterfalls had existed since the early 1900s, it was only from the 1950s onwards that the potential of large-scale hydropower assumed a political dimension for future independence.  Glaciers of the vast inland icesheet provided an endless potential hydro water supply … Such visions of large-scale hydropower began to circulate among Greenland’s nascent political elite, inspired by the success story of Iceland, another former Danish colony that was now thriving on its abundance of renewable energy. But it was oil that the Danes politically favored.  In fact, like everyone else at the time, fossil fuel development was an energy resource that Greenland had full intentions of developing in the 1970s.  Sadly, it do so unsuccessfully.   Only recently has there been a renewed heightened focus on hydropower.  Today, there is a strong recognition that the potential of hydropower for green energy transition in the Arctic and elsewhere could boost Greenland’s position in relation to its former colonial power, Denmark. Ultimately, it was the considerations of the sources and scale of the necessary investments that deferred the implementation of hydropower until the late 1980s.  However, the groundwork for viewing Greenland’s water resources as a cornerstone for its future independence had now been laid … Janina Priebe at the Arctic Centre at Umeå University, Sweden provides an informative history lesson in Priebe, J. (2024) in Water History, “Glacial energy futures? The history of unbuilt hydropower in Greenland from the 1950s to the 1970s.

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Join to learn about physical climate risk from Gerhard Mulder and some amazing people from Climate Risk Services! This session will explain what is physical risk and how to use the JIM model to develop a physical risk assessment. Even if you missed the session, you can get the recording :) #climaterisk #finance #materiality #JIM

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The Swedish government is preparing a support system for BECCS which will subsidise carbon removal credits for the voluntary carbon market. We argue in this new paper with Malin Dufour and Lars Zetterberg that this subsidisation risks delaying emission reductions among corporates, in other words causing mitigation deterrence. In the case of Swedish BECCS carbon credits, the subsidisation is linked to allowing the double claiming of mitigation outcomes. We also suggest how the associated environmental integrity problems could be avoided through an approach that combines proportional attribution and corresponding adjustments (or mimicked corresponding adjustments if/when necessary).

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🌍 ESG: Safeguarding Long-Term Economic Stability 🌍 As resource scarcity, climate change, and inequality intensify, economies face increasing risks. The Stockholm Resilience Centre's research on planetary boundaries shows we've already crossed critical thresholds like climate change and biosphere integrity, threatening long-term growth. While asset managers may focus on short-term alpha, asset owners relying on sustainable returns must act now to mitigate these systemic risks. Incorporating ESG is no longer optional—it's essential for securing economic resilience in an uncertain future. #ESG #Sustainability #PlanetaryBoundaries #StockholmResilienceCentre #ClimateRisk #EconomicStability #Finance

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Everyone concerned about the environment and the well-being of future generations must see this TED Countdown talk by Johan Rockström! As we navigate the crucial 2020s, known as the pivotal decade for addressing climate change, it's vital to understand the current status. Climate impact expert Johan Rockström provides an insightful scientific evaluation of our planet's condition, highlighting the necessary steps to safeguard Earth's resilience against human activities. Rockström's renowned research on the "Nine Planetary Boundaries," developed with a global team of scientists, outlines the essential limits we must respect to ensure a sustainable and thriving planet. These boundaries cover key areas such as climate change, biodiversity, land use, freshwater resources, ocean health, ozone layer protection, atmospheric pollution, chemical contaminants, and emerging threats. The video confirms that every 0.1 degree change and every single contribution matters!! We just need to act fast and quickly as much as possible. #planetearth #ClimateChange #EnvironmentalProtection #PlanetHealth #Sustainability #ClimateAction #Science #JohanRockström #carbon #earth #wisearthling #nature #biodiversity

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THE CLIMATE HEALING PLAN EXISTS. So dear friends, I have decided that this whole year I will inform you that there is a recipe for solving climate change and that you know that this solution is economically profitable. This plan should decarbonize industry and thereby reduce greenhouse gas CO2 production to pre-industrial levels, and it should guarantee a temperature rise limit of less than 1.5 degrees Celsius. So friends, here we have decided to publish an alternative plan that is economically efficient and at the same time solves the water and food crisis, reduces damage from natural disasters, ensures the reduction of flood disasters, increases soil fertility, develops the local economy and new job opportunities, achieves zero carbon foot, creates new water sources, reduces overheating of the troposphere and increases the temperature in the cold layers of the atmosphere. What should be done about it? : 💦 It is necessary to realize 760 billion on all continents. m3 of water retention measures based on the ecosystem principle, which can cyclically collect rainwater in the measures and thus increase the retention capacity of the landscape. 💲The estimated investment required to implement the program is 5 trillion USD, which is less than 1% of the global product of humanity on the planet Earth. After investing, this money will be returned within 10 years. 👨‍🔧 This will create more than 100 mil. job opportunities globally with the development of the local economy, the increase in food production, and the processes of wealth growth in regions. 🌳 Every year, more than 50 billion tons of CO2 will be stored in the landscape, which is more than the current global industry produces. 🏡The estimated increased soil fertility by storing carbon in the soil through photosynthesis will exceed 300 billion USD annually, with the assumption of the return of lost water even in those areas of the world where there is infertile dry soil. 🌪 The implementation of the program on a global level will increase the safety of communities and reduce damage from natural disasters. 🌦 Small water cycles will be restored in all the territories that we dried up, springs, streams and rivers will be restored. 🌦Because there will be more water in the landscape, evaporation will increase and more solar radiation will be consumed for the production of latent heat, which will cool the troposphere and increase the temperature of the colder layers of the atmosphere. 🏝Regardless of the cause of rising ocean levels, an annual drop in ocean levels of more than 2 millimeters will be achieved by harnessing the rainwater that has now flowed off the continents to no avail. I invite you to cooperate. If there is interest, we will open a forum on this topic so that as many people as possible learn about it, that there is a solution that public officials not only show no interest in, but completely ignore.

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Are you looking for a better indicator for progress than GDP? Then check out the “Happy Planet Index”. The “Happy Planet Index (HPI)” combines data on Life Expectancy (Health), self reported Happiness (Wellbeing), and Carbon Footprint (ecological viability). And guess what: Vanuatu, Sweden, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Nicaragua come out TOP 5 in this index. Germany ranks 35th, China 51st, and the USA 102nd. There are many other interesting findings in the report published by the Hot or Cool Institute building on the work of the New Economics Foundation and the Wellbeing Economy Alliance Nederland : 🌎 Currently, no country achieves sustainable wellbeing – i.e. high levels of life expectancy and self-reported wellbeing within a fair consumption space. However, some countries come closer than others, suggesting that good lives that don’t cost the Earth are within reach. 🌎 The country with the best score is Vanuatu, an island nation in the South Pacific. It achieves a life expectancy of 70.4 years and a self-reported wellbeing score of 7.1 out of 10, all with a carbon footprint that is well below the globally fair share of 3.17 tonnes CO₂e per capita. 🌎 Second place goes to Sweden (83.0 years and 7.4 out of 10 respectively, but with a per capita carbon footprint more than three times bigger). Costa Rica is in fourth place, however achieving some of the highest levels of wellbeing in the world despite a carbon footprint of only 4.4 tonnes CO₂e per capita. 🌎 The top countries have all to some extent consciously and intentionally prioritised the sustainable wellbeing of their citizens over crude economic growth, for example by phasing out fossil fuels in electricity production or by investing in public services more than neighbouring countries. 🌎 Highly interesting to note that within most countries, the lowest HPI scores are to be found at the top of the income distribution. This is not surprising: gains in health and happiness in this group are minuscule in relation to the huge differences in the sizes of their carbon footprints. For example, in the USA, the top 10 per cent of earners have an average carbon footprint of 68.7 tonnes CO₂e per capita, compared to 23.6 tonnes for the eighth income decile, at an increase in life expectancy by 2.4 years and a 0.1 increase in self-reported wellbeing. For more insights please check out the Happy Planet Index website (https://lnkd.in/eXbE2znH). Thanks for this great work to Lewis Akenji and team. Please share widely. #measuretherighthings #forabetterclimate ................ 🙋‍♂️ My name is Tim Riedel, founder of planetgroups. Through our Climate Business Challenge and other tools, we can engage 90% of your workforce to make sustainability a driver of innovation and business success in your company. I write about tools and leverage points for a successful transformation to a regenerative economy. Please follow me or reach out to learn more.

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🌍 Mobilizing Aggregated Purchasing Power for Climate-Neutral Cities This fall, Viable Cities and the Sweden-US Green Transition Initiative have launched a series of roundtables and events aimed at advancing climate-neutral and smart cities. The article "Mobilizing aggregated purchasing power for climate-neutral and smart cities" shares early insights on how coordinated purchasing can open new pathways for cities to drive sustainable solutions and influence the market. Read more to explore initial findings and the next steps toward a framework where public and private sectors can collaborate to meet shared climate goals. 🚀💚 #ClimateAction #SmartCities #SustainableCities #ViableCities #GreenTransition

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A post by Andreas Rasche - An systemic view and interplay of multiple EU sustainability regulations, an interesting read. And, also food for thought to use these regulations for mere compliance (then it would feel like a burden) or go to the spirit of these regulations and collect the gems which will make your business resilient and environmentally friendly and more humane, while you’ll be doing the right thing for the planet your strategic decision making will improve by far as you’ll have far more visibility of your value chains and your operations. You may also get surprised that how much you were not aware of about your own business 🌏🌿🐠🐝🌍🙌

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"Building a circular future" Thanks to Comms Business for sharing my journey in #circulareconomy with n2s Bioscope Technologies I do hope the article is useful! I discuss why the circular economy has now become a megatrend, yet on the flip side, I am still shocked how many in the #ITchannel have not heard of the term! More needs to be done with regard educating for a more sustainable future. #sustainability Onwards! https://lnkd.in/eun4b3jd

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Happy Earth Day 2024! 🌍 Today, as we celebrate our planet, I'm thrilled to announce the launch of my new ESRS series and website. The European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) are transforming how businesses across the EU report on sustainability, and over the past few months, these standards have been my focus. I've had the privilege of working with Susann Dutt at Dutt Consulting, and together, we've been assisting companies in preparing for the ESRS reporting requirements and conducting double materiality assessments. 🌱 Launching Today: Dive into my detailed ESRS series, starting with ESRS 1. I will explore key compliance aspects, including the structure of sustainability statements and the critical concept of double materiality. . 🔍 In today's post, I go over significant parts of ESRS 1 : -Double Materiality -Requirements for Value Chain Information -Transitional Provisions -Phased in Provisions If you are interested - read more here: https://lnkd.in/eC4xtMXn 💬 I'm eager to engage with professionals implementing or preparing to implement these standards. How has the preparation for ESRS reporting impacted your company? What challenges have you faced? Join the conversation, and let's drive sustainability forward together! #EarthDay #Sustainability #ESRS #BusinessImpact

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It's great to see this work published. Need help in knowing where to start on corporate biodiversity action? We have developed this guide on how to design and implement impactful corporate biodiversity action to tackle the #biodiversity crisis. 🌿🌍

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"Biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and natural resource shortages will be among the top five global risks in the coming decade. Circularity is a major enabler for combating the decline of species and ecosystems." As the World Circular Economy Forum WCEF starts today, the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra published a list of leading European companies that are at the forefront of applying circular economy principles. Explore it here: https://lnkd.in/e_yRQysp Four key sectors are responsible for the majority of current biodiversity loss linked to the change in the use of land for harvesting and extraction practices: food and agriculture; buildings and construction; fibres and textiles; and forestry. Sitra has also published a comprehensive handbook for businesses aiming to integrate circular business models into their operations to effectively address biodiversity loss. Here is the link: https://lnkd.in/eQvHKR3D I'm convinced that many startups embracing circularity as a business opportunity will be successful - and we need to support them with time, talent, treasure and ties. #biodiversity #circularity #startups #innovation

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Needs will go far beyond energy and decarbonization. Adaptation and resilience will be critical: everything from drought resistant seeds to stronger building codes, insurance and reinforced infrastructure, among many others, are all on the table. There are no guarantees, but these solutions can help improve livability in certain areas, at least in the near-term. These solutions can help ensure that fewer people lose their homes, but will also be critical as host communities experience an uptick in climate migrants. #climatechange #climatemigration #climatetech

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🌍 Exciting Developments in Climate Action: Cross-Border CO2 Storage, Carbon Markets, and Carbon Removal Initiatives 🌱 1️⃣ Cross-Border CO2 Storage Agreements: Denmark, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Sweden have joined forces to establish cross-border arrangements for transporting and storing captured CO2 in Norwegian storage sites. These agreements are a significant step towards creating a well-functioning carbon capture and storage (CCS) market in the North Sea region. By working together, these countries aim to contribute to EU climate goals while boosting economic development. 2️⃣ Chile's Carbon Market Progress: Chile's carbon market is making strides with four Verra-certified projects leading the way, reducing nearly 260,000 tCO₂e emissions. Verra is committed to supporting Chile and other nations in their climate efforts through capacity-building initiatives and technical assistance. The upcoming Chile Carbon Forum, under Verra's Verified Carbon Standard, will further facilitate stakeholder collaboration and project development. 3️⃣ Canada Embraces Carbon Removal: In a forward-looking move, the Government of Canada has expanded its Low-Carbon Fuel Procurement Program to include the procurement of carbon removal services. This demonstrates Canada's commitment to accelerating the carbon removal market and achieving net-zero fleet emissions by 2050. Similar initiatives by the U.S. DOE and IEA align with Canada's goals, opening up opportunities for leadership in the carbon removal sector and encouraging corporate investment. 4️⃣ Denmark's Massive CDR Procurement: Denmark has secured a groundbreaking deal to procure 1.1 million tons of durable carbon dioxide removal (CDR) from leading biogenic CDR companies. This marks the largest government procurement of CDR to date and is a significant milestone in Denmark's efforts to foster a robust CCS value chain. The captured CO2 will be permanently stored within Denmark's territory, contributing to the nation's climate goals. These developments underscore the growing momentum in global efforts to combat climate change. Collaboration, innovation, and investment in carbon capture, storage, and removal technologies are crucial for achieving climate neutrality by 2050. Let's continue working together towards a sustainable future! 🌱💪 Crown Monkey #ClimateAction #CarbonMarket #CCS #CarbonRemoval #GlobalClimateEfforts #sustainability

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❓ Does it matter how we imagine the future of climate mitigation? ❗❗ Yes, it does! 💡 Today's visions and ideas shape what futures appears as possible and desirable. They, in turn, define which steps we take in the near future. We wanted to know which role Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) can and should play in a low-carbon future for Scandinavia. We dug into the scientific literature to find out. 📃 The result is this wonderful article, masterfully led by Lina Lefstad and co-authored by Jonas Allesson, Wim Carton and, well, me. #proudsupervisor 🏭 We found that there is one dominant idea about how CCS will play out in Scandinavia. The main purpose of this vision is to preserve the industrial base of the region. It does so by depoliticising CCS and framing out alternative pathways to carbon neutrality. The article is available open access in Energy Research and Social Science https://lnkd.in/ev6Dfrqz

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