In today’s edition:

⚡️ Chile’s green minerals

🚜 Cutting fertiliser emissions

🌳 Discovering marine animals

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⚡️ Energy (1-minute read)

Chile’s plan to nationalise lithium supplies

What happened: Resource nationalism linked to green minerals is on the rise. Chile is the latest to exert more control after President Gabriel Boric unveiled plans to nationalise the country’s vast lithium industry (third-largest globally)

Details: The move is an attempt to allow Chile to benefit more from a supply chain currently dominated by US-based Albemarle and Chile’s SQM, the world’s two biggest lithium producers. But analysts fear the move may instead make Chile less attractive as an investment destination, to the benefit of Australia, Argentina and several African countries. The prospect appears to have spooked investors: the value of Albemarle and SQM has slumped by a collective $8.5bn since the announcement.

Why it matters: Lithium is a key component in the batteries that power electric vehicles. Prices have dropped some 70 per cent from their November highs on weakening EV demand in China, but uncertainty in Chile could lead to ongoing instability.

🚜 AgriTech (1-minute read)

Cutting emissions from fertilisers

A report by Cambridge University highlights that nitrogen-based fertilisers (essential for maintaining agricultural production for a growing population) damage the environment — generating 5% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, more than global aviation. Cutting these emissions requires innovation across the fertiliser supply chain, from manufacturers to farmers — these include…

Production reductions: UK startup, CCm, captures CO2 from industrial activities to produce fertiliser pellets, cutting emissions by 90% compared to conventional fertiliser manufacturing.

Application reductions: Fertiliser company, Yara, provides farmers with an app to monitor crop growth and measure plants’ nitrogen requirements allowing fertiliser spreaders to vary the amount of fertiliser applied to each plant — boosting efficiency and lowering costs.

Bringing more regenerative agriculture to Africa

In Africa, Enviu is working with farmers to help drive the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices (such as minimising their tillage and use of inorganic inputs, diversifying their crops and using livestock to boost soil fertility) to combat the effects of climate change. However, for widescale adoption to be realised, then farmers’ access to knowledge needs to increase. A solution introduced by Enviu is providing educational resources to farmers in transition-focused packages, giving farmers step-by-step instructions while considering the contexts of each farm instead of simply posing immediate solutions.

🌳 Nature (1-minute read)

Global Ocean Census aims to find 100,000 marine species in 10 years

What’s happened: Scientists estimate that only about 10% of marine species have been formally described, and about 2 million species have yet to be identified.  Ocean Census is a global collaboration between science, business and media organisations that aspires to change this.

Details: The organisations will initiate expeditions at marine biodiversity hotspots and finance the use of advanced technologies to identify biodiversity, such as high-resolution imagery, DNA sequencing and cloud-based collaboration platforms.

Why it’s important: The 2022 Montreal Biodiversity Conference made the decision to protect 30% of our planet for conservation by 2030. Implementation of this will require Ocean census data to ensure that protected areas are optimally positioned.

💭 Little Bytes

Quote: “Our reality is extraordinarily simple. Things are going to get worse. And, then, they’re going to get worse again. And, then, they’re going to get a lot worse after that.” Forum for the Future’s founder-director Jonathon Porritt

Stat: Horn of Africa drought made 100 times more likely by climate change

Watch: 4-armed robot performs pioneering lung transplant

🗞 In other news…

🎣 Gone Phishing

Three of these stories are true, one we've made up. Guess which:

✏️ Helpful Resources

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