CP Daily: Wednesday September 4, 2024

Published 01:11 on September 5, 2024  /  Last updated at 01:12 on September 5, 2024  /  Newsletters

A daily summary of our news plus bite-sized updates from around the world.

Presenting CP Daily, Carbon Pulse’s free newsletter. It’s a daily summary of our news plus bite-sized updates from around the world. Subscribe here

TOP STORY

Data centres to emit billions through 2030, drive carbon removal demand, say analysts

A surge in data centre use will produce an estimated 2.5 billion tonnes of CO2-equivalent per year by 2030, according to research seen by Carbon Pulse, which in turn will drive strong growth in demand for carbon removals.

INTERNATIONAL

EU lawmakers call on China, Saudi Arabia to contribute more to climate finance

Members of the European Parliament on Wednesday ratcheted up pressure on China and oil-rich countries in the Middle East to start contributing more to international climate finance.

Iraq, Canada consider carbon markets partnership -media

Iraqi’s environment minister met Wednesday with the country’s Canadian ambassador to discuss carbon markets cooperation, among other environmental matters, according to local media sources.

European partnership to scale DAC capabilities

A CO2 removal company unveiled a partnership Wednesday to manufacture its direct air capture (DAC) units in the US and Europe.

EMEA

RWE boss calls on policymakers to stop ‘misusing’ EU ETS

The CEO of German power utility RWE has called on policymakers to stop meddling with the EU’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), pointing the finger at a 2022 reform aimed at raising funds to help European countries exit Russian fossil fuels.

Six companies bid to develop CO2 storage in Norway’s North Sea

Six companies, both international and domestic, have applied to the Norwegian government to develop CO2 storage in the North Sea, after Oslo identified three areas in the Norwegian continental shelf.

US business group gives advice to EU on CCUS, hydrogen deployment

Carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) and hydrogen technologies have a critical role to play in achieving the EU’s decarbonisation targets, particularly for hard-to-abate sectors, said the American Chamber of Commerce to the European Union in recommendations to the bloc’s policymakers on how to accelerate deployment.

US carbon project developer calls for European SAF mandates to integrate removals, questions ETS integration

Legislated targets for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in the EU and UK should include sub-mandates for carbon removals to incentivise the scale up of the direct air capture (DAC) industry, said an executive at a conference on Wednesday, who also expressed hesitation about the benefits of integrating negative emissions into existing compliance carbon trading schemes in the region.

Future of EU agriculture report dismisses carbon trading as ‘premature’

The European Commission vowed to “keep reflecting” on ways to make agriculture more sustainable and resilient to climate change, as experts delivered their final report on the future of EU agriculture in Brussels that struck a sceptical tone on carbon trading in the sector.

Egypt approves local carbon registry, 12 projects for trading

Egypt’s Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA) has approved a domestic standard’s carbon registry and allowed 12 projects from the registry for trading on the national voluntary carbon market (VCM) platform.

Euro Markets: EUAs hit six-week low as selling pressure continues, UKAs slightly lower on “solid” auction

European carbon slumped to a six-week low on Wednesday, breaking through key technical levels under pressure from sellers and despite an increase in investment funds’ short positioning, as fundamentals remained gloomy and the overall market sentiment continued to worsen, while UK Allowances trimmed losses after a “solid” auction.

UK trims carbon permit auction volumes for final seven sales of 2024 on aviation changes

The UK has revised its carbon allowance auction calendar for the remainder of 2024 to take account of changes in the number of aviation operators participating in the market, according to a statement from the auction operator.

AMERICAS

California puts $25 mln on tap to catalyse wildfire mitigation projects

A California state-owned bank is offering $25 million for investments in forest restoration and wildfire mitigation projects, it announced on Sep. 3.

Researchers model up to 30% emissions abatement in US beef production

A team of researchers presented different intervention strategies to potentially reduce up to 30% of GHG emissions from US beef production.

ASIA PACIFIC

Korean securities firm secures partnership for international mitigation projects

One of the largest securities firms in South Korea has decided to pursue international emissions reduction projects through a newly established partnership, it announced Wednesday.

Korean city to build first commercial-scale green methanol plant in the country

A group of Korean companies have teamed up to develop a green methanol project that can turn a city known for abandoned coal mines into a new clean energy hub.

NZ govt commissioned report calls for national blue carbon strategy

A study looking at the barriers and opportunities for coastal blue carbon projects in New Zealand has called on the government to create a national strategy for the sector, as well as foster an environment where voluntary carbon markets can operate.

Australia’s states need more work to meet emission and renewables targets -report

Australia’s switch to renewable energy and away from its legacy coal power has been gaining ground but more needs to be done, a report released Wednesday argued.

Work on Vietnam’s first flue gas CCS project announced

An engineering company is looking to develop Vietnam’s first carbon capture storage and utilisation (CCUS) project for the country’s coal-fired power plants.

ID Market: Trade drops after July spike

Trade on Indonesia’s carbon exchange dropped in August over July with only 176 tonnes of CO2e traded compared to the prior month’s 4,801.

VOLUNTARY

Carbon data dashboard’s new strategy aims to boost coverage, support Article 6

A blockchain-based metadata platform has set out a new strategic roadmap that aims to increase its data coverage, pilot new ways to ensure transparency and integrity, and help to operationalise Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, among other goals, it announced on Wednesday.

First biochar project to launch on voluntary carbon registry’s new North American protocol  

A carbon removals developer has partnered with a digital monitoring, reporting, and verification (digital MRV) provider to implement the first project using a US-based standard’s recently released biochar protocol.

CME scraps C-GEO futures as integrity-focused voluntary carbon contracts start to replace old market

CME Group is delisting CBL Core Global Emissions Offset (C-GEO) futures, pending regulatory approval, it announced this week.

Gold Standard adds two more voluntary carbon methodologies for shipping

Gold Standard has released two new voluntary carbon methodologies to tackle emissions from the shipping industry.

BIODIVERSITY (FREE TO READ)

England’s nature farming budget to be cut by £100 mln, article says

England’s government plans to reduce its budget for environmentally sustainable farming by £100 million, according to an article published on Tuesday, in a move that has been slammed by onlookers.

Accounting for Nature, University of Oxford partner to enhance biodiversity measurement

Accounting for Nature (AFN) and the University of Oxford have launched a research collaboration to expand nature monitoring globally, with a particular focus on the UK and European contexts.

BNP Paribas venture fund raises €150 mln to invest in nature, climate tech startups

A venture fund managed by BNP Paribas Asset Management has raised €150 million to be invested in nature and climate startups across Europe and North America, it announced Tuesday.

UN-backed nature finance initiative to launch at COP16

A UN-backed initiative is set to launch at this year’s COP16 biodiversity summit to scale business models with the potential to drive private investment in nature conservation, in areas that could include biodiversity credits.

—————————————————

EVENTS

Carbon Forward Expo – October 8-10, London and Online: Our flagship conference returns to the stunning De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in Covent Garden. As the agenda comes together for our ninth annual event, we want to make sure you don’t miss out on our 10% discount offer, which is available throughout August. We’re also offering free passes for offset buyers. Get in touch to find out if you’re eligible and how to apply. Register now!

IETA’s North American Climate Summit – September 24-26, NYC: NACS 2024 is the premier gathering of carbon market practitioners, experts, and governments from across North America and beyond. Attending NACS 2024 presents a unique opportunity to learn from experts, enhance your carbon market expertise, and expand your network of leaders to collaboratively move the needle on delivering climate action and transition finance at scale. Gain insights on the evolving carbon pricing landscape, latest market trends, most relevant regulatory developments and “what to watch” through COP29 Baku and beyond. Organized by IETA, in collaboration with the International Carbon Action Partnership (ICAP), NACS 2024 is an in-person event with recorded plenary and breakout sessions. The program features high-level plenaries, inspirational keynotes, topic deep-dives, cross-cutting breakouts, interactive side events, exclusive roundtables and unmatched networking opportunities to foster meaningful connections. Secure your spot

Eurelectric’s Power Barometer 2024 – October 3, Brussels: Over the past five years, the power sector has faced unprecedented challenges among the COVID-19 pandemic, the energy crisis, and mounting competition from China and the US. With new policymakers taking office, political attention is now on energy independence, industrialisation, competitiveness, and the ongoing climate battle. Eurelectric Power Barometer 2024 data report will take stock of these developments with DG ENER Director General Ditte Juul Jorgensen, MEP Niels Fuglsang, and SSE Managing Director Sam Peacock. Make sure to join them at our free launch event! Register here

Chile Carbon Forum – October 8-10, Santiago: The forum will bring together experts, business leaders, and government officials to discuss challenges and opportunities within the carbon market. It will cover topics such as carbon taxes, offsetting mechanisms, climate finance, carbon market regulations, international cooperation, nature-based solutions, and innovative emission reduction strategies. The agenda includes panel discussions, workshops, and keynote speeches that emphasize the importance of these topics in promoting a low-carbon economy and combating climate change. This forum is crucial for understanding and advancing collaborative approaches to sustainability. For more information, visit Chile Carbon Forum.

—————————————————

Premium job listings

See all listings or post a job

—————————————————

BITE-SIZED UPDATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD

EMEA

Draghi report, for VIPs only – Former Italian PM and European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi presented his long-awaited report on EU competitiveness on Wednesday to a select crowd. In the morning, Draghi briefed the ambassadors of EU member states in Brussels and did the same in the afternoon with the presidents of political group leaders in the European Parliament. “We need to modernise the EU’s economy to be fit for the future, with a European agenda based on social justice, climate fairness, and economic stability,” said the president of the socialist group, Iratxe Garcia, after the meeting. While the report remains tightly under wraps, some of the content has already filtered through. In an April speech, Draghi said: “We rightly have an ambitious climate agenda in Europe [but] such an agenda has to be combined with a plan to secure our supply chain – from critical minerals to batteries to charging infrastructure”. Energy-intensive industries were “a case in point” because of the higher energy prices they face, he added, saying: “We need to be able to rely on decarbonised and independent energy systems”. The Draghi report is expected to be unveiled later this month and feed into the programme of the new European Commission.

Hot rocks – Baseload Capital, a Swedish company scaling up geothermal energy worldwide, has announced the closing of its €53 mln Series B round of financing. The round was led by an investment from infrastructure fund ENGF, the investment arm of Ingka Group, the largest IKEA retailer. Other shareholders participating in this round include energy technology company Baker Hughes – whose investment was announced in 2023 – Nefco, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, and Gullspang Invest.

My way or the HYway – Pulling together experts on hydrogen from 12 institutions throughout Europe, a new research project funded by the EU sets out to provide an understanding of the climate and environmental risks and co-benefits of a hydrogen economy – and to advise on options for addressing those risks. The four-year long HYway project, funded under the Horizon Europe programme, was launched this week in Oslo. Hydrogen is expected to play a significant role in the shift towards a net zero emissions society, by replacing fossil fuels, the researchers argue. However, there are important knowledge gaps about the benefits of a hydrogen economy and the climate effects of hydrogen leakages that need to be filled. HYway includes research partners from Norway, France, Germany, Austria, The Netherlands, Sweden, Cyprus, and the UK. Furthermore, a large advisory board of industry partners will assist in estimating hydrogen leakage rates and in establishing realistic scenarios for a future hydrogen economy.

End of a coal era – The UK’s Ratcliffe-on-Soar coal power station’s closure at the end of this month marks a key step in the government’s effort to decarbonise the power system by 2030 while meeting growing electricity demand, the Financial Times reported. It’s also the end of an era for the country that opened the world’s first coal-fired power station, in London in 1882 – and is now set to become the first G7 country to completely wean itself off the polluting power source. Germany plans to do so by 2038, Canada by 2030, and Italy from the end of 2025 (except for the island of Sardinia). EDF and other companies closed their last UK power stations in 2023, leaving Ratcliffe, owned by Uniper, the last man standing. The share of coal in the UK power mix has plummeted from around 80% in 1990 to 1% last year. 

Steely priorities – Nearly 20 members of the SteelZero initiative have called on the UK government to prioritise the industry’s net zero transition by creating a “coherent” industrial strategy. In a letter to Industry and Decarbonisation Minister Sarah Jones, the SteelZero members asked the government to put the rapid deployment of green technology at the core of a new industrial strategy, to clearly define lower-emission and net zero steel, and to set public procurement rules to require the use of green steel. International competition and regulations such as the EU’s CBAM will increasingly penalise high-emission steel production, they said. SteelZero is a global initiative supported by the Climate Group, with over 40 members across eight sectors.

Clean energy crunch – Europe’s (EU-27+UK+Norway+Switzerland) CO2-free energy and feedstock supply ambitions for 2040 (42EJ) are about four times current supplies (10EJ) but would still fall short of projected demand (48EJ), reports Dutch research and consultancy firm CE Delft. The good news? Supply ambitions are only about two-thirds of total technical potential, the organisation calculates in its new study Energy Sources and Demand in 2040 i.e. there is room to do more. Nor do the supply numbers include imports. The not-so-good news? The demand projection excludes 30% that is still expected to be fossil fuelled and the demand for biomass can only be met if the technical potential of sustainable nonfood crops is fully realised and/or by taking additional demand reduction measures and/or with more efficient use of energy/feedstocks.

Volvo backs out – Volvo Car has abandoned a target to sell only fully electric vehicles by 2030, joining several peers who are reversing on their EV ambitions due to faltering demand, Bloomberg reported. The Chinese-owned car maker now aims for plug-in hybrid and battery-only models to account for at least 90% of its sales in 2030, with mild hybrids that mostly rely on combustion engines making up the remainder. EV demand in Europe is wavering, after countries including Germany and Sweden ended or reduced subsidies. In response, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen have both lowered their targets, with Volkswagen even considering closing factories.

Going underground – Eni and Snam this week announced the commencement of CO2 injection activities in the reservoir for Phase 1 of their Ravenna CCS project. The facility, situated in Ravenna, Italy, commenced with the initiation of CO2 injection activities at the depleted Porto Corsini Mare Ovest gas field, marking Italy’s first environmentally dedicated CO2 storage initiative. The first phase targets the capture and storage of 25,000 tonnes of CO2 annually from Eni’s natural gas treatment facility, utilising reconverted gas pipelines for transport. The project has achieved over 90% reduction in CO2 emissions at the source, showcasing high efficiency under challenging conditions. It also exclusively uses renewable electricity, minimising additional emissions. The CEOs of both companies highlighted the project’s significance in supporting the energy transition and its role in positioning Italy as a hub for decarbonising energy-intensive industries. The second phase aims to expand the storage capacity significantly, contributing to Italy’s broader climate and energy goals.

A real pig of an impact – Intensive pig farming is contributing to air pollution and other detrimental environmental impacts in the UK, a new report by i newspaper finds. Large-scale pig farming leads to the release of ammonia emissions, which can combine with other pollutants to form fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) that can cause a wide range of serious health issues, while nutrient-rich waste from the farms can run off into rivers and waterways, devastating aquatic ecosystems by causing algal blooms. Over the past six years, the number of pigs housed in intensive farming units in the UK has grown by 11%, with 268 such farms now capable of holding 1.3 million pigs at any given time, it finds. The farms are concentrated in North Yorkshire, East Yorkshire, and Lincolnshire, and there is growing calls for a moratorium on the development of new large-scale farms from environmentalists.

Africa’s carbon markets COP – The African Union’s Commissioner for Sustainable Environment, Josefa Sacko, has identified “strengthening carbon markets” as a key priority for the continent heading into the COP29 UN climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan this year, per her remarks at the the Twelfth Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (AfDB). Sacko also urged African ministers to join forces, forging a common negotiating position, to mobilise large-scale climate finance via grants instead of loans and increase project finance. The twelfth development conference is being held on the sidelines of the Tenth Special Session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN), which runs from Aug. 30 – Sep. 6 in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.

ASIA PACIFIC

Cooperating – The governments of South Korea and New Zealand signed an agreement on Wednesday to explore areas for possible climate cooperation, including the use of carbon credits, as part of a wide-ranging MoU. The agreement was signed by NZ Prime Minister Christopher Luxon during a visit to South Korea this week. Both sides recognised the need to limit global warming to 1.5C, and both are seeking opportunities to explore areas of possible cooperation in their respective transitions to net zero emissions, a read out from the New Zealand side said, without offering further detail. New Zealand’s coalition government has signed several carbon market cooperation agreements with countries in North and Southeast Asia in recent months, as it seeks to give itself flexibility measures over how it meets its 2030 NDC. Estimates state the country will need to source some 100 mln overseas credits, or ITMOS, to meet its target.

Feeding through – Indian arm of Japanese engineering major Toyo will carry out the front-end engineering design (FEED) study for UK-based EET Fuels for its industrial carbon capture project, Business Standard reported. EET Fuels is investing $1.2 bln over the next five years to decarbonise its Stanlow oil refinery in the UK, and also targeting a 95% reduction in emissions by 2030 through energy efficiency, carbon capture, and fuel switching. Toyo-India will oversee the design completion, project de-risking, and detailed costing analysis of the project. Upon completion, expected in 2028, the project will capture CO2 emitted from Stanlow refinery’s full-residue fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit, which is currently one of the largest units in Europe. The project is expected to capture about 1 mln tonnes of CO2 per year, removing around 45% of all Stanlow emissions.

CCS project underway – Seven Japanese companies have been selected by the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) to conduct engineering design work for an advanced carbon capture and storage (CCS) project in the Tohoku region, according to a joint statement released Wednesday. The work includes front end engineering design (FEED) relating to the separation, capture, ship transportation, and storage of CO2 and appraisal drilling, with the goal of starting operations by FY2030. The companies include Itochu Corporation, Nippon Steel Corporation, Taiheiyo Cement Corporation, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Inpex, Taisei Corporation, and Itochu Oil Exploration.

Collaboration – New Zealand and South Korea have decided to seek opportunities to explore areas for possible cooperation in their respective transitions to net zero emissions, including the use of carbon markets, according to a statement released Wednesday. The two countries also emphasized the importance of strengthening trade and economic connections.

AMERICAS

Break-up – Canada’s NDP leader Jagmeet Singh terminated his party’s supply-and-confidence agreement with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government, CBC News reported Wednesday. The deal committed the NDP to supporting the Liberal government on confidence votes, in exchange for legislative commitments on NDP priorities, ensuring the survival of the minority Liberal government. It was scheduled to run until June 2025. Singh said the Liberals will not stand up to corporate interests and he will run in the next election, which must take place by Oct. 2025 at the latest.

Right back at you – China will launch an anti-dumping investigation into Canadian canola and chemical imports, E&E News reported Wednesday, following Canada’s announcement of a 100% tariff on Chinese-made EVs last week. Canada also plans to impose a 25% tariff on Chinese steel and aluminum, both effective as of Oct. 1.

Utilities’ future – California state legislators passed SB 1221 last week, which would allow gas utilities to pilot neighbourhood-scale decarbonisation of buildings. The bill requires the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to facilitate up to 30 pilot decarbonisation programmes in priority neighbourhoods, determine the cost-effectiveness of zero-emission alternatives, and establish the rate of return and recovery period for gas corporations. If the pilot determines that an adequate substitute energy service is available, the CPUC would relieve the gas corporation of its obligation to provide service. The bill is still pending signature by Governor Gavin Newsom (D).

Newsom’s gas bill – California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) announced legislation on Tuesday aimed at preventing gasoline price gouging at the pump, based on a plan released last month. The bill amending Senate Bill 950 (SB 950) will be at the heart of Newsom’s special legislative session, which he called for last week. If passed, the bill would authorise the California Energy Commission to require petroleum refiners to maintain a minimum level of refined fuel inventory to avoid fuel shortages and keep supply steady. Refiners would also be required to backfill fuel supplies during periods of planned maintenance, a move spurred by a 2023 incident in which prices spiked as refiners went offline. However, it’s unclear when the special session will begin. California Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire said that the senate was refusing to convene for the session, with the governor asserting that McGuire had no latitude to avoid a special session, Politico reported.

Dehumidifying DAC – Energy solutions provider Montana Technologies on Wednesday announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with direct air capture (DAC) developer Clarity Technology to enhance the performance of the latter’s DAC reactor. Montana Technologies’ AirJoule – the firm’s dehumidification technology – will be implemented to manage humidity in Clarity’s CO2 removal process and support the operations of DAC reactors across a wide range of operating conditions. Clarity expects to deploy its first reactor capable of removing 100 tCO2 per year by the end of 2024 in the US southwest, with additional reactor modules deployed in 2025 to increase the CO2 removal capacity to 2,500 t/yr.

Supporting small businesses – The US Department of Energy (DOE) on Wednesday announced awards totalling $142 mln for small business in 34 states, out of which some $81.4 mln were awarded to decarbonisation, grid support, energy efficiency, and renewable energy projects. These awards will support Phase II research and development for small businesses that previously demonstrated technical feasibility for innovations during their Phase I grants. Selections also include prior Phase II awardees that competed for second or third Phase II awards to continue prototype and process development. The median award for this phase was $1.1 mln for a period of two years.

EPA rolls back “good neighbour” – The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is rolling back its “good neighbour” rule after it was temporarily struck down by a June Supreme Court decision. Originally designed to restrict smokestack emissions from polluting downwind areas, the court put the rule on hold while legal challenges continue. Now, the EPA has sent an interim rule to the White House for customary review, E&E News reported. A draft of the interim rules has not been publicly released. However, a memo from the EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation plans to comply with the court’s order while it asks the US Court of Appeals to allow it to fix deficiencies identified by the Supreme Court.

Reporters missing – At least two loggers have been killed, one wounded, and two reported missing in an encounter with the Mashco Piro tribe in Peru, human rights organisation Survival International reported on Wednesday. The news follows an announcement by non-profit Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) last week saying it had provisionally suspended the certification of Peru’s logging company Madarera Canales Tahuamanu (MCT)  amid concerns about the firm’s forest management concession’s location relative to the territory of the Mashco Piro, a population of Indigenous Peoples in isolation and initial contact (PIACI). The attack happened near the Pariamanu river in Madre de Dios province a day before FSC’s announcement, but the news has only now been confirmed. Part of the Mashco Piro territory has been legally recognised and protected, but a significant part is unprotected, and much of it has been sold off for logging. It follows a similar attack one month ago in the same area, in which at least one logger was wounded. No official investigation of that incident has taken place, despite Indigenous requests, said Survival International.

SCIENCE & TECH

Air taxi – Electric aircraft company Beta Technologies opened a 200,000sqft facility in Vermont to produce up to 300 electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft annually, Axios reported Tuesday. The net-zero facility is powered by geothermal and solar energy. The company has orders from UPS and short-haul carrier Blade, although the firm still awaits approval for commercial passenger operations from the US Federal Aviation Administration.

SHIPPING

Greener shipping – Shipping company Maersk has deployed its latest and largest methanol-powered ship on the transoceanic weekly route between the Port of Gothenburg and Asia, meaning that the Swedish port now has two methanol-powered container ships that regularly call there. The new ship, Antonia Maersk, has a cargo capacity of 16,592 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units), and is powered by bio-methanol, leading to savings of 280 tonnes of CO2 each day the ship is in operation, according to Maersk. Bio-methanol is said to reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 65% compared to conventional fuels. Today, there are about 30 methanol-powered container ships in operation, and nearly 300 more are on order from various shipping companies, equating to about 10% of the total order book today.

AND FINALLY…

Sorry, that’s off the table too! – South Korea’s beloved dish, kimchi, is at risk as its main ingredient – napa cabbage – is deteriorating in both quality and quantity due to climate change, Reuters reported. According to recent studies, warmer weather due to climate change has threatened napa cabbage crops, which usually thrives in cooler climate, so much so that the country may not be able to grow it in future due to increased heat. While the fermented kimchi is also made from other vegetables, one made from cabbage remains the most popular. Lee Ha-yeon, Kimchi Master from the agriculture ministry told Reuters that due to higher temperatures, first the heart of cabbage decays and then the root becomes mushy as well. Increased temperatures have also led to increased diseases in crops, which only becomes apparent very close to the harvest. According to official data, in 2023, the cropped area declined by half of what it was 20 years ago. Meanwhile, as per estimates from a local think tank, in the next 25 years, the projected farm area will shrink dramatically to just 44 hectares, with no cabbage grown in the highlands by 2090, Reuters added.

Got a tip?  How about some feedback?  Email us at news@carbon-pulse.com