What you need to know

Insurance surging now - ‘thanks to climate’ says Lloyds

Why this matters Insurance doesn’t lie, it just prices. Some US property premiums are up 80%. UK & Europe are next thanks to 2023’s summer.
Your challenge? 1-in-100 weather risks, aren’t. Your costs will rise and some places will become uninsurable (hello, Florida).
Read more: FT.com(£), The Week

Largest e-HGV network launched, in UK

Why this matters For trucking it’s “batteries-vs-biodiesel-vs-hydrogen”. This is the biggest global eHGV test: 140 trucks, 25 locations.
Your challenge? If you run or contract lorries, you need new fuels. Soon. My view? Batteries all the way. (eHGV: tech is advancing fast. Biodiesel: has NOx/deforestation issues. Hydrogen: see last week, just no.)
Read more: UK Haulier 

Pay up - for nature not just carbon

Why this matters Your sustainability plan isn’t just less carbon, it’s nature: put back what you take out. So, cash up for the wider ecosystem, please.
Your challenge? Is avoiding greenwash. But credible ‘Ecosystem Services’ are rare. This is, from UK’s Wildlife Trusts, RSPB, Woodland Trust, the National Trust and the British Standards Institute.
Read more: The Independent 

One thing to worry about

Climate change is simple: the earth retains more of the sun’s heat. Which has to do something. Hence: the climate, changes.

How much? One uncomfortable metric is Hiroshimas-per-second. The “extra” energy is now 13 Hiroshimas-per-second, and rising.

Or roughly every human running 55 hairdryers, 24/7. Or 28,800 Hurricane Katrinas per hour. Ow.

Read more: Climate Casino, X/Twitter

One thing to be optimistic about

Clean energy means a lot less mining. Despite the stories.

Obvious, really: oil, gas and coal come from below. Minerals for the energy transition do too, but in smaller quantities. Bonus: rather than just incinerating the planet’s crust, you can reuse it.

Source: Science Direct, based on the IEA’s positive new report

If you’ve got more time, buy this…

10 Second Climate-reader and old friend Jonathan Maxwell published a great book. He’s been climate investing for twenty years and runs a £2b fund, so walks the talk.

Want more than 10 seconds on climate? Buy it.

Thanks for reading. As a reminder, for the last 15 years I’ve been founding energy transition businesses including Estover Energy (industrial biomass CHP), and co-founded 3ti (solar/EV charging/batteries). I sit on the board of Active Energy Group (high carbon bio).

My new business is Beaverbrook Energy - the energy services company of the future. Follow us on LinkedIn as we build the business.

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