China drives world renewables capacity addition in 2023

China was the major driving force behind the world’s rapid     1     (expand) of renewable power generation capacity last year, which grew by 50 percent to 510 gigawatts, the International Energy Agency said.

    2     (drive) by rapid growth in China, renewable energy capacity surged globally last year, generating green power faster than at any time during the last few decades. China, which has become     3     dominant force in the field of renewable energy,     4     (see) its position further consolidate in the next five years, as lower costs make utility-scale solar power generation more attractive compared to coal and gas power generation.     5     (additional), China has outlined and clarified regulations for green power certificates,     6     will bring additional income for solar and wind energy developers, and further accelerate its renewable energy development.

China’s installed capacity of renewable energy exceeded 1.45 billion kilowatts in 2023,     7     (account) for more than 50 percent of the country’s total installed power generation capacity. Power generated from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar now accounts for more than 15 percent of China's total electricity consumption.

China has several advantages that others do not possess, including the ability     8     (approve) and build transmission grids and renewable energy projects     9     (efficient) and finance projects more easily thanks    10     policy priorities.

3 . Using CRISPR genome (基因组) editing on a few common crops, a team of plant and soil scientists seeks to greatly increase and speed up carbon storage to help fight climate change.

To prevent dangerous levels of global warming, scientists say it won’t be enough to just stop burning fossil fuels that release carbon into the air. Because it’s nearly impossible for humanity to do that as fast as is now required, we will also need to pull carbon out of the air and secure it.

Plants are among the best tools we have to do this, since these living solar collectors already capture billions of tons of carbon dioxide each year from the atmosphere through photosynthesis (光合作用). About half of that carbon winds up in roots and eventually the soil, where it can stay for hundreds to thousands of years.

But what if we could create plants and soils that are better at capturing carbon? With CRISPR genome editing—a new molecular (分子的) biology tool that allows scientists to make edits to the DNA code that underpins all life—that might be possible.

Last month, the Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI), a research team founded by CRISPR pioneer Jennifer Doudna, began to explore the idea. With an $11-million donation from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, a team of researchers made a three-year effort using CRISPR to create new crop varieties that photosynthesi ze more efficiently and transport more carbon into the soil. Eventually, the researchers hope to create gene-edited rice and sorghum seeds that could—if planted around the globe--pull more than a billion extra tons of carbon out of the air annually.

It’s an ambitious goal, and the team is likely to face numerous challenges in the lab before its CO2-cleaning plants can be put in the ground. Additional social, policy, and ethical considerations will determine whether those crops are widely accepted by farmers. But the researchers believe their ambitious project is beneficial to cope with climate crisis.

6 . When trash sculptor Stephanie Hongo meets friends for drinks or dinner, it’s not unusual for one of them to hand her shopping bags full of lids, empty soap bottles, and even a Barbie leg or two. By now, she’s used to neighbors, friends and even strangers giving her their recyclable rejects.

But Hongo doesn’t need any more garbage. She has a large collection of her own at home. “You don’t need to be a trash picker to do this,” she says. “Trash is everywhere.” And for Hongo, where there is trash, there is art. Since 2017, Hongo has crafted complex sea creatures, realistic-looking jungle animals and other creatures out of everything from plastic forks to plastic tubing as well as a hair dryer, a purse, a tooth brush, and even a hair straightener.

Starting with her first piece—a blue deer named Yandoo that she fashioned out of odds and ends laying around her flat, which she screwed together and spray painted in a makeshift basement art studio—she’s gone on to create more than 160 trash sculptures.

“I feel very fortunate,” says Hongo, who loves making a living as an artist. “I care about our environment. The upcycling aspect of it is a lovely byproduct.” Though she doesn’t consider herself a true eco-artist, she hopes she’s inspiring others to reuse items that usually end up in landfills. But for her, she says, “The art comes first.”

Before starting each project, Hongo figures out exactly what pieces of scrap (废旧的) metal, tubing and plastics she’ll need to transform the pile of junk on her worktable into something fantastic, like a majestic octopus (章鱼) rocketing through the coral or a cute koala hugging a tree.

Since her funky creations sell on line at prices starting at $400, she’s been fortunate enough to make trash sculpting her full-time career. “It’s so much more than I ever expected,” she says.

7 . From solar panels to electric cars, clean energy has become a bigger part of our lives in recent years. A new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts that it will only develop a stronger foothold in the decades to come, with more solar panels, electric cars, and renewable energy by 2030.

The IEA analyzed the current policies and added that there will likely be two-thirds more clean energy ten years from now with a decreased dependence on fossil fuels. “The transition to clean energy is happening worldwide and is unstoppable. It’s not a question of ‘if’, but a matter of ‘how soon’—and the sooner, the better for all of us,” says the IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol.

“Governments, companies, and investors must support clean energy transitions rather than hinder them. There are immense (巨大的) benefits on offer, including new industrial opportunities and jobs, greater energy security，cleaner air, universal energy access and a safer climate for everyone. Considering the ongoing strains and volatility (波动) in traditional energy markets today, claims that oil and gas represent safe or secure choices for the world’s energy and climate future look weaker than ever,” Biral adds.

Although this is welcome news for many, the IEA stresses that more improvement will be needed for the 200 countries in the Paris Agreement to meet the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celcius (34.7 degrees Fahrenheit). Governments must triple renewable capacity, reduce methane emissions from fossil fuel operations by 75%, and triple clean energy in developing economies.

“Every country needs to find its own pathway, but international cooperation is crucial for accelerating clean energy transitions,” Birol asserts. “In particular, the speed at which emissions decline will be largely determined by our ability to finance sustainable solutions to meet rising energy demand from the world’s fast-growing economies. This all points to the importance of redoubling cooperation, not retreating (逃避) from them.”

10 . How to Prepare for an Earthquake

An earthquake can be a very destructive natural disaster, particularly in the Pacific Rim region. After an earthquake, your home may be a mess and you might be left without a water supply or power.     1     By doing so, you may minimize the damage and injury in and around your home.

· Create a disaster plan.

Form your plan and know what to do before the earthquake happens.     2     The most important first step is understanding what to do when an earthquake hits.

    3    

In a real earthquake, this is your number one defense. Drop to the floor, take cover under a firm desk or table and hold on firmly. Namely, drop and cover your head from falling objects. Stay there until the shaking stops.

·Learn basic first aid.

There are resources in your community to educate people on how to deal with first aid emergencies.     4    

·Write down and share emergency contact lists.

This should include everyone in your home, office, etc.     5     In addition to normal contact information, ask each person to provide an emergency contact as well.