France to launch ‘railway highways’ in push for greener economy
France’s prime minister vowed to develop “railway highways” to carry food and other goods that now go by truck, part of a government push to reduce the country’s carbon footprint.
2020 C.E.
U.S. FCC approves three-digit suicide prevention hotline – 988
When it becomes operational, the 988 dial-code will provide mental health support and ease pressure on the 911 line, which covers all emergencies. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US and has increased by 33% in the past 20 years.
World’s largest hybrid timber tower to be built in Sydney
According to BVN, this tower is “is one of the most hopeful technologies in moving the construction industry toward real solutions to the global climate crisis.”
India to propose World Solar Bank and mobilize $50 billion in solar funding
India’s Ministry for New and Renewable Energy is likely to propose to the government to set up a World Solar Bank. The MNRE may propose that the World Solar Bank disburse $50 billion over the first ten years.
U.K. to open citizenship path to Hong Kongers
Eligible individuals from Hong Kong currently can come to the U.K. for six months without a visa. With the rule change, they will have the right to live and work in the country for five years. After that, they will be allowed to apply for settled status and then again for citizenship.
Senate passes veto-proof bill that removes Confederate names from Army bases
President Donald Trump has threatened to veto a version that renames the military bases, but that looks less likely after the Senate passed its version 86 to 14, well above the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto.
Renewables now E.U.’s biggest source of electricity
Fossil fuels fell by 18 percent, squeezed both by rising renewable generation and a seven-percent fall in electricity demand due to the coronavirus pandemic.
SolarTaxi’s electric motorcycles charge up Ghana’s on-demand delivery market
SolarTaxi offers all-electric bikes in Ghana under several models that help lower the traditional barriers to entry and helps accelerate adoption. These include a work and pay model and a rental service.
Apple pledges to become carbon neutral by 2030
To reach its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030, the tech giant will slash its greenhouse gas pollution by 75 percent and then find ways to draw down the remaining 25 percent of its heat-trapping emissions.
Insurance company Zurich drops coverage for Trans Mountain oil pipeline
The Trans Mountain pipeline’s annual liability insurance contract had shown Zurich was the lead insurer for the pipeline. The insurance, which provides $508 million of cover, runs to August 2020.