In this week’s final edition of Squirrel News, we’re exploring whether a £2-a-day basic income could be the key to rainforest conservation, the launch of the first-ever commercial seaweed farm in the North Sea this autumn, and the rise of renewable energy set to surpass coal in the US throughout 2024.
Could a £2-a-day basic income be the key to protecting rainforests?
“It’s the world’s first basic income pilot for Indigenous peoples who live in rainforests with a link to protect the forest and fight the climate crisis,” said Isabel Felandro, the global head of programmes for Cool Earth, who leads the organisation’s work in Peru.
First-ever commercial seaweed farm to launch in the North Sea this Autumn
The Project is set to use the space between wind turbines to grow seaweed off the coast between The Hague and Zandvoort. With plenty of room in existing and future wind farms, the plan is to ramp up seaweed production to 1 million tons annually by 2040, potentially cutting millions of tons of CO2 emissions.
Renewable energy set to surpass coal in the US throughout 2024
According to the US Energy Information Administration, March and April marked the first time that wind power has consistently outpaced coal in electricity generation. While wind briefly overtook coal in April 2023, it took another 11 months for this trend to continue.
The UK, once the centre of the coal industry, has seen its reliance on coal all but vanish. Back in the late 1980s, coal was responsible for about two-thirds of the country’s electricity. Fast forward to today, and coal now contributes less than 2% of the UK’s electricity.
6,000 sheep to start grazing across 10,000 acres of Texas solar fields
The biggest solar grazing initiative in the U.S. is about to kick off in Texas, where thousands of sheep will help cut down on mowing costs and emissions, all while giving these animals plenty of room to roam and graze happily.
New Mexico leads the way in free child care for most families
Once facing significant hurdles in child welfare, New Mexico has now become a trailblazer in early childhood education by making child care free for the majority of its families.
How ‘agri-influencers’ are transforming farming in Senegal
In Senegal, a group of entrepreneurs is using social media to shake up agriculture. These “agri-influencers” are spreading farming knowledge and building direct connections with buyers, all in an effort to encourage more efficient and sustainable farming practices.
