286: Iron Winds

A big victory for one of our partners: Tacugama protects 6,000 hectares in Sierra Leone

Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Sierra Leone is more than a safe home for orphaned wildlife. Over the past 20 years they have played a critical role in safeguarding three of Sierra Leone's four national parks and provided alternative livelihoods to over 100 local communities. We've spoken to their founder Bala Amarasekaran on our podcast, and you helped us sponsor the rehabilitation of two rescued chimpanzees, Esther and Koba, in March 2024.

This week, Tacugama celebrated a huge milestone. After years of advocacy, 6,000 hectares of the reserve surrounding the sanctuary was declared as a protected area. According to the team, this isn’t just about saving trees and preserving land for chimps - it’s also about securing the water supply of thousands of people in Freetown. There's a lot more still to be done (you can help them here) but this is a great moment to stop and appreciate the hard work that got them here.

This week's top stories

Scientists have reconstructed the insane weather of Tylos, a world so hot, and so close to its sun that the clouds are made of vaporised metal, and where it rains liquid sapphires and rubies. Using the European Space Observatory's telescopes in Chile to look into the exoplanet's atmosphere, they've discovered the fastest atmospheric jet stream ever recorded, made of 'iron winds' that blow faster than the planet rotates. Science Alert

The Global South is deploying renewables twice as fast as the Global North, thanks to record levels of investment and decreasing costs of clean power. Last year, deployment of clean energy sources in the Global South outpaced fossil fuel-based electricity generation seven-fold, a huge shift from a decade ago when it was even. RMI

It's the one year anniversary of the malaria vaccine rollout: just over 12 months ago Gavi officially launched its malaria vaccination programme in Africa. In that time over 9.8 million doses have been delivered to 17 endemic countries, protecting an estimated five million children. Gavi is hoping to protect an additional 13 million children by the end of this year, expanding coverage to eight new countries.

California’s connecting MPAs, and fish populations are rebounding Fish biomass has surged throughout California's 25-year-old marine protected area network, with the greatest gains in older reserves containing diverse habitats. The statewide MPA network, the first of its kind in the United States, shows the benefit of connecting smaller protected areas rather than single large reserve. Baird Maritime

Once down to just 10,000 birds, American Oystercatcher populations are soaring. The American Oystercatcher is a coastal bird vital to salt marsh ecosystems, and populations have rebounded by 45% since 2008, thanks to a data-driven, public-private conservation effort focused on habitat restoration, predator control, and nesting site protection. E+E Leader

…and as part of a decades-long conservation project, Brazil has re-introduced more than 70,000 yellow-spotted river turtles into their original wild habitats. Last week, almost 5,000 baby turtles were released into to the Iguapo-Acu River, a place where they had very nearly disappeared. BBC

Iraq’s first nationwide census reveals poverty decline. A Ministry of Planning spokesperson said that the soon-to-be-published General Census of Population and Housing shows a reduction in the poverty rate, from 21.5% in 2022 to 17.6% in 2024. Impressive if you consider that the total population exceeds 45 million and has an annual growth rate of 2.3%. Shafaq

Nine Asian countries have halved child mortality since 2000 Afghanistan, Cambodia, Laos, Bangladesh, Myanmar, India, Nepal, Indonesia and China, and Cambodia, which witnessing the biggest drop, from 11% in 2000 to just 2% today. Key reasons for the decline include improved nutrition, clean water, sanitation, vaccinations, and poverty reduction efforts. Our World in Data

More than 10,000 aid trucks have entered Gaza since ceasefire began With more than half a million people returning to northern Gaza since the ceasefire began, the need for food, tents, and life-saving medicine is immense (this video makes clear the level of devastation). Across Gaza, 22 bakeries supported by the World Food Programme are now operational and nutrient supplements are being provided to more than 80,000 women and children. UN

In 2023, official development assistance from OECD members totalled $212 billion, part of a slow but steady rise in foreign aid since the year 2000. The funding primarily supports the economic development and welfare of developing countries. Given the priorities of the current US administration, we're likely to see this number fall in the next four years - but it's not going to undo the progress of the last 25 years. Our World in Data

The ancient Amazon housed thousands of garden cities. Using laser scanners mounted on aircraft to create detailed terrain maps, scientists have discovered evidence of tens of thousands of pre-colonial urban centres in the Amazon rainforest. Multiple studies have shown that ancestral Amazonians created sustainable urban systems with composted gardens and managed forests.

By systematically composting scraps of food and organic waste, they created vast swaths of fertile 'dark earth', or terra preta, covering a 154,000 km² stretch of the nutrient-poor soils of the Amazon basin nearly twice the size of Ireland – a circular economy before the phrase existed.

Also - "We've found an ancient Amazonian civilization that had a million inhabitants."

Brazil's government and indigenous peoples have started restoring the Amazon's "arc of deforestation." The country's government has begun granting 35-year forest regeneration concessions, across five states, in the Amazon's most degraded areas. Indigenous communities will participate as paid restoration agents, providing seeds and planting services. The initiative is the centrepiece of a broader ecosystem recovery strategy aiming to regenerate 12 million hectares of native vegetation by 2030. Folha

Analysts are still shocked about China’s fuel demand plateau: “For China’s fuel growth trajectory to be levelling off at this early stage of development is without historical precedent,” according to the International Energy Agency. “This slide is likely to accelerate over the medium-term, which would be sufficient to generate a plateau in total China oil demand this decade.” Bloomberg

Quantum computing is inching closer to usefulness. Oxford researchers have successfully transmitted quantum algorithms between separate quantum processors, achieving 86% information fidelity across a two-meter distance, enabling them to function as a single, more powerful computer, and Microsoft just unveiled its new “topological qubit” that apparently, represents a phase of matter that many experts didn't think was possible.

A green belt in Burkina Faso cools surroundings, feeds residents. Started in the 1970s, the belt surrounds the capital city of Ouagadougou preventing desertification, cooling the city, and promoting urban agriculture. Many residents make a living by growing vegetables on their allotments, an added value for the greenbelt, which has seen renewed impetus following last year’s deadly heatwave. The Guardian

Arctic Cleanup removes 130 tons of trash and aims to improve trash cleanups worldwide. The Arctic Cleanup, a collaboration between the Ocean Conservancy and Keep Norway Tidy, has already deployed more than 3,000 volunteers across Norway, Iceland, Greenland, and Alaska to collect rubbish over 921km of coastline. The amount of trash the volunteers have removed since 2021 is 131,917 kg but better yet, they’re identifying ways to make other trash cleanups less logistically difficult and costly. Hold Norge Rent

Researchers at Stanford have solved a century-old biochemistry mystery by capturing detailed images of enzyme shapeshifting during reactions. The findings explain how enzymes achieve trillion-fold increases in reaction times, suggesting universal principles that could impact fields ranging from basic science to drug discovery, and provoke a rethinking of how science is taught in the classroom.

Cold-related deaths have fallen 65% since the 1990s, from a peak of 30,874 in 1995 to 10,968 in 2022, equivalent to a drop of nearly 65%. As climate change continues to throw up unpredictable weather patterns, extreme cold will remain a serious threat, but the good news is that we know how to prevent this: raising public awareness about cold-related risks and strengthening social safety nets for vulnerable populations. Think Global Health

Progress

The rise of social assistance programs is an underrated global trend Safety net programs now reach around 2.5 billion people around the world. Unconditional cash transfers, which provide direct payments to households without any specific requirements, are implemented in one-third of low- and middle-income countries, conditional cash transfers have more than doubled in the past decade, and non-contributory pension programs are also on the rise. Adam Tooze / Journal of Economic Literature

Tanzania reduced maternal mortality by 80% over seven years through a robust five-year plan to expand the health workforce, strengthen existing facilities, and implement comprehensive monitoring and surveillance. Partners say the most crucial factor in this success was "strong political will." In December, 11 other African countries visited Tanzania for a learning exchange; hopefully this will provide a blueprint for reducing maternal mortality in Africa. Africa CDC

Kathmandu’s Ujyalo Community Learning Center was set up three years ago by the local council to teach women how to read and write. So far, it has made more than 200 Nepalese women literate, many of these elderly women who spent their whole lives as homemakers. The centre also teaches women how to use a smartphone and encourages physical well-being. AP

In India, school enrolment rates are now above 95% among six to 14-year-olds, according to the country’s most recent Annual Status of Education Report. In 2024, basic reading levels for elementary-aged children in government schools hit a record high, and basic arithmetic skills reached their highest level in over a decade. ASER 

Europe continues to reduce cervical cancer. Studies from countries with high HPV vaccination rates show dramatic progress: up to 90% reduction in dangerous infections and zero cervical cancer cases among women vaccinated young in Finland and Scotland. The good news is that 47 of 53 European countries now offer the vaccine, though increasing uptake remains a priority - coverage for girls stands at 30%, well below the 90% target. WHO

Donor support has helped the WHO to strengthen countries' capacity in emergency response, disease outbreaks, trauma care, and health workforce development. Key successes include helping the Gambia establish a medical product regulatory system, aiding responses to mass casualty incidents in conflict zones via the Regional Trauma Initiative, and advancing women's leadership. WHO

Two million more kids are now in school in Nigeria and Kenya, thanks to school construction and renovation efforts led by Nigeria’s Adolescent Girls' Initiative for Learning and Empowerment and UNICEF’s “Operation Come to School” in Kenya enrolling over half a million out-of-school children through community drives between 2015 and 2024.

Pioneering paralegals in India are helping women get their land back. While Indian law recognises men and women as having equal inheritance rights, patriarchal traditions have long ruled in rural Gujarat. But in 2002, a women's group was formed to raise awareness about laws surrounding women’s land rights - and thus far has helped an estimated 20,000 women (mostly of lower castes and tribes) to secure land titles. RTBC

Conservation

31 new cities have been granted Wetland City status, which means the Global Wetland Cities Network now contains 74 cities in total. The six-continent spanning network now includes its first Latin American city, Valdivia in Chile, as well as nine more cities in China, which now has 22 wetland cities in all. These designations stem from the 1992 Ramsar Convention, the intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for the conservation and use of wetlands and their resources.

China has created or restored more than 10,000 km² of wetland since 2012. In combination with conservation initiatives like artificial nests, migratory bird species like black-necked cranes and the endangered black stork have benefitted from these wetland protection efforts, which have established more than 2,200 wetland nature reserves. Xinhua

German farmers are transforming peatlands into carbon-capturing marshes. A series of new initiatives in Germany are not only 'rewetting' peatlands but also creating markets for the native grasses, reeds, and sedges they support. Following a successful pilot project on a ten hectare site, they've teamed up with German retailer Otto Group, to promote a form of marsh farming called “paludiculture.” Yale360

China’s archaic fishing laws are getting an environmentally friendly remake. China produces more fish than any other country globally, but since 1986, its fishing laws have favoured production targets, ignoring sustainability. No longer! China's now in the midst of overhauling its old legal framework, pivoting from maximising production to taking on science-based quotas and favouring ecological protection across its territorial waters. The new law includes significantly increased penalties for illegal fishing and mandated restoration for projects with significant impacts, marking the first major environmental reform of Chinese fisheries since the country's fish stocks started declining. Dialogue Earth

AI system finds ghost nets to protect marine life worldwide
WWF, Microsoft and Accenture have launched a platform called GhostNetZero that uses sonar data to detect abandoned fishing gear with 90% accuracy. The sonar images are already collected worldwide for shipping traffic or to explore locations for offshore wind turbines.They've already recovered 26 tons of nets from the Baltic Sea and are now expanding a call for more data. Oceanographic

Multiple lawsuits in Europe give marine sanctuaries teeth. Five new lawsuits filed in courts in the Netherlands, Spain, France, Germany and Sweden are forcing governments to ban destructive "bottom trawling" in marine protected areas. A previous UK lawsuit resulted in near-complete trawling elimination in British waters, demonstrating a litigation pathway for transforming paper parks into meaningful sanctuaries across the Mediterranean and Atlantic. Mongabay

Massachusetts court shields the world’s final right whales. Only 370 right whales remain in the world, and every year, entanglements with fishing gear put some of that number in danger. But earlier this month, a court in Massachusetts closed 517 km2 of federal waters off the state’s coast to winter lobster fishing, protecting the struggling whale population while impacting only a handful of lobster fishermen. Oceanographic

...and, after a century-long absence, tribes in Oregon have received a multi-million dollar grant to reintroduce sea otters to the Pacific Northwest to help control the local sea urchin population and restore its kelp forests.

Energy and Climate

To work in clean energy and climate is to live in a constant state of cognitive dissonance, stuck between good news and bad. 
Albert Cheung, BloombergNEF

How do you make sense of what's happening with the energy transition? We recommend spending an hour listening to this conversation between one of our favourite journalists, Derek Thompson, and one of the world's top energy analysts, Nat Bullard. It's very rare for us to recommend podcasts but we're making an exception here because it's the best snapshot you're going to get of where things sit as of early 2025.

Topics covered: the stubbornness of fossil fuels versus the exponential growth of solar; the persistence of coal; America's record-breaking oil and gas production; why solar, wind and batteries have learning curves while other energy sources don't; the three major bottlenecks holding back clean energy (interconnection queues, transmission lines, and the "anti-build mentality"); BYD's remarkable rise (now matching Ford's global sales); why ESG hit a wall; how batteries are enabling the renewable revolution; the unique energy demands of artificial intelligence; the promise of long-duration storage; the data centre boom; lithium resource abundance; climate tech investment cycles; China's industrial policy; and the fundamental relationship between energy use and economic development.

Trend lines not headlines
Yet another reminder that our climate future depends almost entirely on China and India. These are the two largest countries in the world, and also the two which are seeing emissions rise, even as the EU and the US are cutting them. Where they go, the rest of the world will follow. Progress is happening, but context is everything.

Speaking of context, Trump can't stop what's already in motion
Last week, we reported that the clean energy installations in the United States were up by a whopping 47% last year. There's more to come. Based on developer projections, the US could add another 60 GW of large-scale clean power in 2025—a 26% jump, says Canary Media. Also, major oil producers are cutting spending due to weakening demand, reports the Financial Times, climate litigation is seeing big wins, says ClientEarth, and efforts to cap plastic production are gaining ground. Atmos

California streamlines transmission to accelerate transition. The California Public Utilities Commission is streamlining the approval process to speed up the state’s shift to cleaner energy. By cutting red tape and fast-tracking transmission projects, California has a better chance of reaching its goal of 100% renewable and zero-carbon electricity by 2045. The state will need up to $63 billion in new transmission infrastructure over the next 20 years. UtilityDive

Despite nuclear exit, Germany’s fossil fuel use is down
In 2024, 57.6% of the country's electricity mix came from renewable sources, rising from 52.2% in 2023. After the 2023 nuclear exit, did coal use increase? Nope - both lignite and hard coal are down. Fossil gas? Also down. Could Germany have reduced coal and gas even further if they hadn't shut down nuclear? Probably. Nevertheless, progress. CleanEnergyWire

Offshore wind capacity jumps 15% in 2024
Offshore wind farms continue to expand globally. In 2024, fully operational offshore wind capacity grew by 15%, reaching 80.9 GW, up from 70.2 GW in 2023. China and The Netherlands led the surge, adding 6.9 GW and 1.7 GW, respectively. Encouragingly, more countries in the Global South, including Indonesia and Chile, are joining the offshore wind sector for the first time. Renewableuk

Ireland offers a great case study for why this matters. The country generated 13.2 TWh of wind energy last year, meeting around 45% of its annual electricity demand. This surge displaced €1.2 billion worth of fossil gas and carbon in 2024 and prevented the release of around five million tonnes of CO₂ emissions in Ireland and Northern Ireland. Renews

UK cancels North Sea oil and gas permits
British lawmakers have revoked two North Sea oil and gas permits after an investigation found them unlawfully granted. The U-turn on the Rosebank and Jackdaw fields, located off the coast of Scotland, is a win for climate activists and casts doubt on the future of 13 other oil and gas applications already in the pipeline. The Guardian

Clean energy contributed 10% of China’s GDP in 2024, with EVs, solar, and batteries making up the bulk of this growth. Carbon Brief

Clean energy sectors drove a quarter of the country’s GDP growth and have overtaken real estate sales in value.

Clean energy sectors grew three times as fast as the Chinese economy overall, accounting for 26% of all GDP growth in 2024.

China would have missed its 5% target for GDP growth without the growth from clean technologies, expanding by 3.6% instead of the 5.0% reported.

Investment in clean energy reached $940 billion, close to the global total put into fossil fuels in 2024, and of a similar scale to the overall size of Saudi Arabia’s economy.

Science

China starts assembling a planetary defence team for YR4 asteroid
In news that sounds like it's straight out of a Liu Cixin novel, Beijing has begun recruiting workers for a 'planetary defense' team. According to the latest NASA data the city-levelling asteroid now has a 3.1% chance of striking Earth in 2032 – making it the most threatening space rock ever recorded by modern forecasting. SCMP

Roman concrete's 2,000-year durability secret finally decoded
Five months ago we posted a story about how researchers were still trying to figure out the secret of Roman concrete. Well - now they've officially cracked it. The exceptional strength comes from 'hot mixing' quicklime directly with volcanic ash at high temperatures. This creates distinctive lime clasts that grant remarkable self-healing properties - when cracks form, water reacts with these clasts to form calcium carbonate that naturally repairs damage. Science Alert

A whole lot more anti-obesity drugs are coming
Researchers are developing over 100 new medications that aim to improve upon current GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Companies are advancing "triple-action" medications and muscle-preserving treatments that could help patients lose up to 24% of body weight while maintaining strength. Reminder - obesity is a disease, not a willpower problem, and it affects over a billion people worldwide. Nature

New 2D carbon material is eight times tougher than graphene
Unlike graphene, whose atoms are arranged in an ordered hexagonal lattice, the newly synthesized material, known as monolayer amorphous carbon, contains both crystalline and amorphous regions, preventing cracks from easily propagating. The nanocomposite absorbs energy before breaking, potentially enabling more durable electronics and sensors. Phys.org

Scientists discover new nickel-based superconductors —'nickelates'—that can carry electricity without resistance at -228°C without being squeezed under pressure. This breakthrough could help physicists finally explain how high-temperature superconductors work, potentially leading to technologies that operate under everyday conditions and make devices like MRI machines dramatically cheaper. Nature

AI model predicts where proteins will go inside cells
ProtGPS, an AI model developed by MIT researchers, can predict which compartment of a cell a protein will target based on its amino acid sequence, and perhaps even more importantly, how a disease-associated mutation can change a protein’s localization. MIT

And finally, researchers have discovered the most energetic neutrino ever recorded, carrying 220 million billion electronvolts—tens of thousands of times more powerful than particles in the Large Hadron Collider. Using a detector in the Mediterranean Sea, researchers captured evidence of this ghostly particle when it created a trail of light underwater - a discovery that opens 'a new energy window on the universe." NYT 🎁

That's it for this edition. You might have noticed that we're trying out a slightly more varied format - let us know what you think.

With love,

The FTN team