Notices by Kees van der Leun (sustainable2050@mastodon.energy), page 3

Whatsapp, like Facebook, is owned by Zuckerberg's Meta.
Signal is owned by the Signal Foundation. And it's more secure. We have a choice.

Natural gas use in Dutch households plummeted in recent years, much more than I was aware of.
Where the average gas consumption used to be around 1,200 m³ per year, it was 970 in 2022, and just 820 in 2023!
More on causes in next post.
https://www.cbs.nl/nl-nl/cijfers/detail/81528NED

Good morning; finally some snow!
But we had to get up early to enjoy it. This evening it will be 10°C again.

Germany's Vice-Chancellor Habeck: "Hands off our democracy, Mr Musk"

Musk: "Habeck is a traitor"

The share of renewables in the EU electricity mix grew from 45% in 2023 to 48% last year, on slightly higher demand:
18% wind, 16% hydro, 9% solar, 5% bio

Nuclear's share grew from 23% to 24%, leaving only 28% for fossil fuels:
15% natural gas, 10% coal, 3% other
Data: Eurelectric

About time the Transnistria pro-Russia fantasy state becomes a normal part of Moldova again. It's in the EU's interest to help make it happen.
https://kyivindependent.com/transnistria-rejects-offer-to-buy-gas-from-europe-expects-russia-to-resume-supplies/

Both the current CO₂ concentration in the atmosphere and the speed with which we're increasing it are way out of range of anything ever experienced by mankind.
Beautiful visualization of a nasty trend that we have to bend!

Via Mark Subbarao on Bluesky
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/5447

Dutch police chief Janny Knol is in favour of a national ban on private fireworks. Opinion polls suggest this is supported by a majority of the people too, but the current coalition sees it as an 'important Dutch tradition'.
https://nos.nl/l/2550288

The Mayors of Amsterdam and Utrecht support the call by the Mayor of Rotterdam and the national police chief for a ban on private fireworks after the deadly event.
PM Schoof was quick to say that won't happen. Because? His coalition doesn't support it. A killer argument. https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/01/01/vuurwerk-is-een-traditie-maar-hoeveel-mag-die-kosten-a4878284

Another fatality, in the town of Tiel. "Due to explosion of heavy fireworks"
https://www.nu.nl/binnenland/6340950/tweede-dodelijk-slachtoffer-door-vuurwerk-man-in-tiel-overleden-na-explosie.html

Once again, a big year-on-year jump in atmospheric CO₂!
Based on daily values from Mauna Loa, the December average was ~425.4 ppm, that's ~3.5 ppm more than last year.

#co2 #emissions #climatechange

Mayor of Rotterdam, where the 14-year old died, calls for national ban on private fireworks, gets lots of support.
https://www.ad.nl/binnenland/roep-om-landelijk-vuurwerkverbod-van-burgemeester-schouten-massaal-gesteund-dit-is-toch-vreselijk~a93853d6/

Last night in the Netherlands: Boy (14) dies, another boy (13) loses hand, dozens need eye surgery, more fine particles emitted than all road vehicles do in a year, €118 million blown up instead of put to use, millions of pets in fear, wildlife disturbed. Private fireworks: great tradition.

And here's the evolution over the last 4 years: solar + wind growing from ~25% in 2021 to 47% in 2024.
Slightly different colors for the other sources.
Red = WKK = cogeneration/CHP, mostly run on natural gas (aardgas) too.

In 2024, almost half (47%) of all electricity generated in the Netherlands came from solar PV (20%), onshore wind (15%) and offshore wind (12%); a new record high share!
Data: energieopwek.nl

2024 was the warmest year in the Netherlands (1901-).
At 11.8°C, the average temperature was roughly equal to last year's, almost 3°C above the 20th century average.
https://nos.nl/l/2550046

Ukraine's president Zelensky on the threat by Slovakia's Fico to cut electricity supplies to Ukraine. From the birdsite.

Financial newspaper @FD_Nieuws in commentary: Now push through against Putin's shadow fleet. Because it undermines sanctions and creates the risk of environmental disasters, as seen near Crimea last week.
https://fd.nl/opinie/1541152/nu-doorpakken-tegen-poetins-schaduwvloot (€)

The Eagle S, suspect in the attacks on Baltic cables, was not your average oil tanker, apparently. One more reason to act against Russia's shadow fleet.
https://www.lloydslist.com/LL1151955/Russia-linked-cable-cutting-tanker-seized-by-Finland-was-loaded-with-spying-equipment

From the statement by EC VP Kaja Kallas:
"The suspected vessel is part of Russia’s shadow fleet, which threatens security and the environment, while funding Russia’s war budget. We will propose further measures, including sanctions, to target this fleet."
europa.eu/!k6cCfB