Embassy of Germany in Washington, D.C.’s Post

🟢 Red light for mercury, green light for SSbD! 📣 We're back to the topic from January's post on mercury! https://lnkd.in/dBjT7YjB The EU Council has given the revised text of the mercury regulation the final green light, setting an example in the fight against mercury pollution in the EU. 💡 Starting from January 1, 2025, the export and use of dental amalgam will be banned, and from July 1, 2026, its production and import to the EU will also be prohibited, giving us a clear timeline to transition to mercury-free alternatives. Additionally, toxic lamps containing mercury from the EU will no longer reach developing countries. Such measures will end unfair exports to low- and middle-income countries and deliver greater climate change mitigation benefits through mercury-free and energy-efficient alternatives, demonstrating the EU’s holistic approach to environmental protection. 🌎 Another step towards SSbD! 🌎 👉 Want to know more? Read the European Environmental Bureau article! https://lnkd.in/dni_7b3e

Acid rain, once a major environmental threat across North America, has seen significant mitigation due to effective policy measures and scientific research. Initiated by the discovery of its harmful effects in the 1960s, efforts led to the pivotal amendments to the Clean Air Act in 1990, which successfully reduced emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, the primary culprits behind acid rain. Despite these successes, challenges remain, as acid rain persists in regions like Asia, indicating the need for global policy adaptation and cooperation. 
 The reduction in acid rain not only showcases the impact of targeted environmental policies but also serves as a model for addressing other pollution-related issues. The continued international effort is essential to completely eradicate the harmful effects of acid rain and protect vulnerable ecosystems worldwide.

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 Via: CBS News 
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 #archimat #voice #acidrain #EnvironmentalConservation
#CleanAirAct #SustainableFuture #EcoFriendly #AirPollutionControl #GreenEarth

In an increasingly fractured world, successful global environmental accords demonstrate that states can still work together to shape a sustainable future. Environmental multilateralism took center stage in the ongoing #UNEA6 negotiations this week, with agreements on conserving endangered species, controlling chemical pollution, repairing the ozone hole and many more critical issues in focus. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/dZ5umzp2

On September 16th, we mark the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, celebrating 35 years since the Montreal Protocol—a groundbreaking environmental agreement—was adopted. The ozone layer, our planet’s natural shield, protects all life from harmful UV rays. Yet, human-made chemicals like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) have been depleting it, posing serious threats to health and the environment. The Montreal Protocol and its 2016 Kigali Amendment have been crucial in phasing out these ozone-depleting substances, leading to the healing of the ozone layer and preventing significant climate change. Thanks to global efforts, nearly 99% of harmful chemicals have been phased out, slowing climate change and potentially preventing millions of skin cancer cases. As we commemorate this day, let’s continue to support actions that protect our planet and ensure a sustainable future for all. More: https://lnkd.in/erpGS_jn  #OzoneLayerDay

🚨 New PNAS study out in this week’s issue with the brilliant Jonas Grunau and Moritz Drupp 🚨 We show that the European Union Emission Trading System, designed to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, has incidentally contributed to reducing atmospheric levels of air pollutants in Europe including sulfur dioxide, fine particulate matter, and nitrogen oxide. ⚠️ According to The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change, air pollution is the leading environmental cause of illness and death globally. Cutting toxic emissions can significantly boost health and save lives. ➡️ The European carbon market thus contributes not only to reducing climate damages for future generations but also to boosting your health today! ➡️ Our aggregate assessments suggest that the EU ETS has likely yielded health co-benefits in the hundreds of billions of Euros, even when bounding the effects of EU emission standards. ➡️ Accounting for and communicating these health co-benefits, which deliver more immediate benefits to those affected by higher carbon prices, may play a key role in increasing support for climate policies. EU Environment and Climate #climatepolicy #publichealth #airpollution If you are interested, the full report is now available for open access here ⬇️

https://lnkd.in/gr7xVJiK Significant day at the United Nations in New York 25 November at the UN General Assembly of "Global Consensus" formalised unilateral implementation at scale of the UN Global Ban on Plastics Treaty with the UN legislative process and ECOSOC into formal adoption for implementation.for the state of the ocean and rivers, lakes with unprecedented volume of pollution directly impacting ocean biomass including marine species, ecosystems, ecological productivity. The Legally Binding Global Agreement with the Global Unity by 175 Nations across the globe as signatories to this historic Unilateral commitments and obligations to Legally Binding Rule of Law. This will reduce the excessive amount of ocean pollution and waste, including rivers, wetlands and coastal areas. The Ocean Clean up have demonstrated the effectiveness of their efforts and realistically an innovative initiative that the Ocean Clean up Strategy for multiple locations with strategic plans and resources to remove and restore impacted ecosystems with repair, restoration for productivity. These are effectively 175 nations with the potential to "capitalise' on "blue carbon stock' as seagrass , seaweed, commercial kelp forests development at scale. Strategic collaboration with resources rich nations in the ecosystem of ",Nature Based Solutions". as "income producing assets" as "nature capital "especially the lucrative"carbon credits" an evolving trillion dollar industry in diversified " nature capital". The strategic need to clean up the oceans, rivers ,lakes is to repair and restore these ecosystems and enhanced with blue carbon in seagrass, seaweed and kelp forests. This is investing in "nature capital income producing assets" with significant green jobs and skills development for innovation and transformation and transition to renewables and increasing oxygen in the atmosphere to reduce excessive emissions and pollution the root cause of unprecedented climate impacts. The Amazon fires "lungs of the earth" caused global tipping point and the sudden onset of unprecedented climate impact catastrophic events wiping out suburbs, communities, cities and infrastructure with more fires,.floods, tsunamis, hurricanes, cyclones and twisters in the ecosystem of rising sea levels 😉

New Resource Alert: IGSD Resource Guide on Preventing the Dumping in Vulnerable Developing-Country Markets of Inefficient Cooling Equipment Using Obsolete Refrigerants. 🌍❄️ Excited to share the release of the IGSD Stop-Dumping Resource Guide! This guide tackles the pressing issue of exporting inefficient cooling equipment with obsolete refrigerants to vulnerable developing countries—a key environmental justice concern. Please see below the synopsis and additional resources provided by the brilliant Tad Ferris and the team. #EnvironmentalJustice #ClimateAction #SustainableDevelopment #IGSD #CoolingEfficiency #CleanAirCoalition #FgasRegulation

Turkey: A review on cigarette butts: Environmental abundance, characterization, and toxic pollutants released into water from cigarette butts

Check out this recently published study on the health co-benefits of carbon markets!

This is great news and shows how much of an impact we can make and how quickly. I want to share this story to show how much of an impact In the 1970s, scientists warned that certain gases were harming the ozone layer, and in 1985, it was confirmed that a hole was forming over Antarctica. A protocol was drafted that same year and put into effect in 1989, and in 2008, it was ratified worldwide. Now, 99% of ozone-depleting substances have been phased out and many areas are expected to return to pre-1980s ozone conditions by 2060, some areas sooner. The same can be done for other challenges. Many countries have banned single-use plastic already, and a fossil fuel phase-out is being discussed. This isn't happening fast enough, but we know it can happen faster. This is done through policy (and the people that vote for those policies), as well as individual actions. Nature has an amazing ability to heal itself, so there's still a change to mitigate many of the environmental and ecological crises we face today. To do this, though, we have to give it a chance. https://lnkd.in/gwUCcwzv #climate #ecology