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Can We Slow Global Warming By Phasing Out Super-Pollutant HFCs?

"There's one big bright spot in the fight against climate change that most people never think about," reports the Washington Post.

"It could prevent nearly half a degree of global warming this century, a huge margin for a planet that has warmed almost 1.5 degrees Celsius and is struggling to keep that number below 2 degrees..."


[M]ore than 170 countries — including the U.S. — have agreed to act on this one solution. That solution: phasing out hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), a group of gases used in refrigerators, air conditioners and other cooling systems that heat the atmosphere more than almost any other pollutant on Earth. Pound for pound, HFCs are hundreds or even thousands of times better at trapping heat than carbon dioxide.

Companies are replacing HFCs with new gases that trap much less heat. If you buy a new fridge or AC unit in the United States today, it'll probably use one of these new refrigerants — and you're unlikely to notice the difference, according to Francis Dietz, a spokesperson for the Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute, a trade group representing U.S. HVAC manufacturers... But that invisible transition is one of the most important short-term tactics to keep Earth's climate from going catastrophically off-kilter this century. HFCs are powerful super-pollutants, but the most common ones break down in the atmosphere within about 15 years. That means stopping emissions from HFCs — and other short-lived super-pollutants such as methane — is like pulling an emergency brake on climate change.

"It's really the fastest, easiest and, some would say, the only way to slow the rate of warming between now and 2050," said Kiff Gallagher, executive director of the Global Heat Reduction Initiative, a business that advises companies and cities on cutting greenhouse gas emissions. The only other solution that comes close to the speed and scale of slashing HFCs would be dimming the sun, a much more controversial and potentially dangerous option... [P]hasing out HFCs now "would buy us a little bit of time to develop other solutions that maybe take longer to implement," said Sarah Gleeson, a climate solutions research manager at Project Drawdown, a nonprofit that models how much different strategies would slow climate change. It could also keep the planet from crossing dangerous climate tipping points this century.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

CAMELLIA

photo-tez has added a photo to the pool:

CAMELLIA

薬師池公園

The Guardian

Latest news, sport, business, comment, analysis and reviews from the Guardian, the world's leading liberal voice

Liverpool v Newcastle United: Premier League – live

⚽️ Premier League updates from the 8pm (GMT) kick-off
⚽️ Live scores | Full table | Top scorers | Follow on Bluesky

It’s just over 30 years since Newcastle last won at Anfield, when Steve Watson scored the only goal of a heavyweight League Cup tie. It was his second winner against Liverpool that month, following a late sting in a brilliant league game at St James’ Park that included one of the all-time-great forgotten saves from Shaka Hislop.

One of the reasons it’s forgotten is because Liverpool v Newcastle in the 1995-96 season means only thing.

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Epstein lawyers discussed possibility of cooperation with prosecutors days before his death, files reveal

Less than two weeks before convicted abuser was found dead, lawyers met with Manhattan federal prosecutors

Less than two weeks before Jeffrey Epstein’s death in jail, his lawyers and Manhattan federal prosecutors met and discussed his potential cooperation, several documents within a cache of newly released investigative files state.

“On July 29, 2019, FBI and [prosecutors] met with Epstein’s attorneys, who, in very general terms, discussed the possibility of a resolution of the case, and the possibility of the defendant’s cooperation,” an FBI document titled “Epstein Investigation Summary & Timeline” statement.

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Kanazawa, Japan 金沢

Mr Mikage (ミスター御影) posted a photo:

Kanazawa, Japan 金沢

Italy - Soave

SergioQ79 - Osanpo Photographer - posted a photo:

Italy - Soave

Una parete in pietra, due finestre protette da grate, una canna fumaria che attraversa il muro.
L’impianto è attivo o lo è stato fino a poco tempo fa. Le superfici sono segnate, ma nulla è lasciato al caso.

Non è un luogo abbandonato.
È un luogo invecchiato, adattato, mantenuto quanto basta per continuare a essere usato.
Qui la vita non è scenografica: semplicemente prosegue, anche dove l’esterno suggerirebbe il contrario.

石の壁、格子のある二つの窓、外壁を横切る煙突。
設備は現在も使われているか、最近まで使われていたものだ。
傷みはあるが、放置されてはいない。

ここは廃墟ではない。
時間を重ねながら、必要な範囲で使い続けられている場所。
外観とは関係なく、生活は続いている。

A stone wall, two barred windows, a flue crossing the facade.
The system is active or was until recently. The surfaces are worn, but nothing is random.

This is not an abandoned place.
It is an aged one, adjusted and maintained only as needed to remain functional.
Life here is not aesthetic — it simply continues, even where the exterior suggests otherwise.

Maurener Tal

MHKBB posted a photo:

Maurener Tal

Maurener Tal
Camera: Leica M3
Lens: Leica M Elmar 4/135
Film: Washi Z

Wel.nl

Minder lezen, Meer weten.

Iran: vooruitgang richting onderhandelingen met VS

TEHERAN (ANP/AFP) - De hoogste veiligheidsfunctionaris van Iran heeft zaterdag gezegd dat Teheran vooruitgang boekt richting onderhandelingen met de Verenigde Staten om een militaire confrontatie te voorkomen.

"In tegenstelling tot de ophef in de gecreëerde mediaoorlog worden er structurele afspraken gemaakt voor onderhandelingen", schreef Ali Larijani, hoofd van de Iraanse Hoge Nationale Veiligheidsraad, op X.

Het Kremlin meldde vrijdag dat Larijani een ontmoeting had met de Russische president Vladimir Poetin in Moskou, te midden van hoogoplopende spanningen met de VS. Rusland heeft aangeboden te bemiddelen in het conflict.

De Amerikaanse president Donald Trump heeft een "armada" naar de regio gestuurd en dreigt met aanvallen. Trump wil Iran daarmee bewegen "een deal" te sluiten. Volgens de president zou Iran hiertoe bereid zijn. Over de inhoud van een dergelijke deal is nog veel onbekend, maar vermoedelijk gaat het vooral over het Iraanse nucleaire programma.


Met een ‘vredesmars’ wil deel van Nieuw-Lekkerland asielzoekers welkom heten

Voor- en tegenstanders van een azc in het dorp Nieuw-Lekkerland in de Alblasserwaard hangen hun dorp vol met vlaggen om hun verzet tegen of steun voor asielzoekers te tonen.

Rijnmond - Nieuws

Het laatste nieuws van vandaag over Rotterdam, Feyenoord, het verkeer en het weer in de regio Rijnmond

Rotterdamse haven blij met kabinetsplannen, milieuorganisaties teleurgesteld

De gemeente Rotterdam en havenbedrijven zijn positief over de plannen van de nieuwe coalitie van D66, CDA en VVD. Zij presenteerden vrijdag hun regeerakkoord, waar veel wensen van de havenlobby in staan. Milieuorganisaties zijn kritischer: zij vrezen dat de klimaatdoelen verder uit beeld raken.