Fossil fuels still on the rise, despite pledges and renewables growth
Despite record growth in renewable electricity, the world risks missing the path to net zero — with significant consequences for the climate, the economy, and energy security.
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Quantum Computing Emerges as Key Player in Climate and AI Race
A team at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) has reached a new milestone in quantum computing: a functioning system with 6,100 qubits. These are so-called neutral-atom qubits held in place by optical “tweezers.” It is the most extensive and most stable qubit array ever built. For the global quantum community, this is considered a breakthrough: for the first time, scalability is being combined with high accuracy and long coherence.
Governments Double Down on Fossil Fuels, Pushing Climate Targets Out of Reach
Instead of winding down coal, oil, and gas as promised, governments around the world are preparing to expand fossil fuel production — a move that scientists warn could blow past global climate goals.
Hybrid Cars Emit Up to Five Times More CO₂ Than Promised
In real-world driving conditions, the CO₂ emissions of plug-in hybrid cars are nearly five times higher than official tests suggest, according to an analysis by the European Environment Agency. Automakers often present plug-in hybrids as a more conventional alternative to fully electric vehicles, as they combine a gasoline or diesel engine with an electric motor and a battery that can be charged from the power grid.
New blows to the Climate: Trump Freezes Revolution Wind Farm, Google Bets on Fossil Fuels
The Trump administration has moved to halt construction on the nearly finished offshore wind farm Revolution Wind off Rhode Island and Connecticut. At the same time, Google President and CIO Ruth Porat is steering the company toward fossil fuels to power its fast-growing AI operations. For Porat, it’s a déjà vu moment: during the financial crisis, she was at Morgan Stanley, deeply tied to the subprime mortgage bets that nearly sank the global economy. Now, critics warn, she risks repeating history — only this time with energy instead of housing.
The European Patent Office (EPO) allowed an illegal patent on watermelon
The European Patent Office (EPO) allowed a patent on bush-type watermelon plants and their fruits as technical inventions. However, the bushy growth of the plants was a random natural occurrence and, according to the patent description, was simply discovered. European law does not allow patenting such plants.
Hydrogen refuel rollout in Europe heads for failure
As hydrogen infrastructure is rolled out in the EU, refuelling stations must be distributed according to the same principle in all countries. However, a study from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden now highlights shortcomings in EU regulations. Using an advanced model, the researchers show that the distribution of refueling stations may be incorrectly dimensioned and lead to losses of tens of millions of euros a year in some countries.
Ships trigger high and unexpected methane emissions
Ship traffic in shallow areas, such as ports, can trigger significant methane emissions simply by passing through the water. The researchers in a study, led by Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, observed twenty times higher methane emissions in the shipping lane compared to nearby undisturbed areas. Despite the fact that methane is a greenhouse gas that is 27 times as powerful as carbon dioxide, these emissions are often overlooked with today’s measurement methods.
Carmakers flourish, not suffer, and delay clean mobility
A new SOMO study shows that Europe’s automotive sector is neither in crisis nor needs urgent state support. In reality, the EU’s car industry is highly profitable, politically influential, and a major obstacle to climate action.
Call for restrictions on patents on seeds
In a joint position paper, the German organic producer, Bioland, together with a score of organizations, is calling for significant restrictions regarding patents on seeds.
As stated in the position paper, the signatories are calling for patents on plants obtained from conventional breeding (random mutagenesis) to be prohibited, as well as on plants obtained from new genetic engineering (NGTs) if their characteristics also occur in nature. In addition, they propose a general exclusion from patent law for breeding (breeders’ exemption), which would also apply if further patents are granted.