As Europe ramps up defence spending, what’s the hidden cost to the climate?

In this episode of the Climate Solutions News podcast, we speak with Alexis Normand, CEO of carbon accounting platform Greenly, about their new report Rearming Europe: Counting the Carbon Bootprint. The report reveals how NATO’s growing military budgets—and the EU’s €800 billion ReArm Europe initiative—could generate emissions rivaling the annual carbon footprint of the Netherlands, yet remain almost entirely unreported.

Alexis explains why military emissions are such a major blind spot in climate policy, how Greenly calculated the scale of the problem, and what steps governments could take to decarbonise defence without compromising security.

🎧 A must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of geopolitics, emissions accountability, and climate action.

Keywords

military emissions, carbon footprint, climate change, NATO, Greenly, emissions reporting, defense spending, EU Green Deal, decarbonization, climate policy

Takeaways

The military accounts for approximately 5.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

NATO's emissions are projected to reach 256 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2024.

Military emissions are often unreported and unregulated, creating a significant loophole in climate commitments.

Greenlee aims to simplify emissions reporting for businesses, including those in the defense sector.

The EU's rearmament initiative could lead to an additional 150 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.

Security concerns should not overshadow the need for emissions reduction in military operations.

Comprehensive emissions reporting is essential for understanding military impacts on climate change.

Innovative solutions like virtual training can help reduce military emissions.

There is a need for binding emissions targets and transparency in military budgets.

The military sector's spending surge presents an opportunity for broader decarbonization efforts.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Climate Solutions News speaks to Dr Mattia Romani, co-author of a groundbreaking new study published in npj Climate Action, which explores how artificial intelligence could dramatically cut global carbon emissions.

The report, produced by the Grantham Research Institute at LSE and Systemiq, finds that AI applications in power, transport and food systems could reduce emissions by 3.2 to 5.4 billion tonnes of CO₂ annually by 2035 — more than the current emissions of the entire EU.

Dr Romani breaks down the five key ways AI can support climate action:

• Optimising complex systems (like energy grids and transport networks)
• Accelerating technology discovery (especially in batteries and alternative proteins)
• Nudging low-carbon behaviour
• Modelling climate systems and policy impacts
• Enhancing resilience and disaster preparedness

He also addresses AI’s own energy footprint, the need for intentional public policy, and why this moment is a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” for governments and tech leaders to align climate and digital strategies.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when governments cut the very data that helps us forecast extreme weather, respond to climate risks, and power clean tech innovation?

In this Climate Solutions News interview, host Dominic Shales speaks with Kelly Wanser, Executive Director of SilverLining, about the critical loss of atmospheric monitoring capabilities in both the US and UK. From NOAA’s potential lab closures to the UK Met Office dropping key aerosol programmes, these decisions are creating dangerous blind spots at the worst possible time.

Kelly explains why this data matters—not just for weather forecasts, but for everything from AI-driven climate modelling to preparing for future climate interventions like solar radiation modification (SRM). She also breaks down what SRM is, what it isn’t, and why research—not deployment—is where SilverLining is focused.

📌 Subscribe for more interviews on real-world climate tech

📰 Read the full article: https://climatesolutions.news/spotlight/losing-sight-of-the-sky-why-data-cuts-threaten-climate-innovation

🌐 Learn more about SilverLining: https://www.silverlining.ngo/

Takeaways

Kelly Wanser emphasizes the importance of atmospheric monitoring.

NOAA cuts could severely impact climate data and innovation.

The US has unique capabilities in atmospheric research.

Solar radiation modification is a potential quick response to climate change.

The UK Met Office has also faced cuts in climate-related programs.

Aerosols play a significant role in climate regulation.

Data is crucial for AI-driven climate solutions.

The future of climate innovation depends on sustained research funding.

There are opportunities for innovative approaches in climate science.

Public-private partnerships could drive future climate solutions.

#ClimateTech #AtmosphericScience #Geoengineering #ClimateInnovation #SolarRadiationModification

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Arctic sea ice has reached alarming new lows, melting faster than ever and threatening global climate stability. In this in-depth interview, Climate Solutions News publisher Dominic Shales talks exclusively with Dr Joshua Elliott, Chief Scientist at Renaissance Philanthropy, about innovative technologies that could halt or even reverse this crisis.

Dr Elliott discusses promising approaches like cloud-seeding and sea ice thickening, their feasibility, scalability, and potential to make a meaningful difference. He also examines more controversial geoengineering methods, including stratospheric aerosol injection, weighing their benefits against critical environmental and geopolitical risks.

Listen now to understand the urgent reality of Arctic ice depletion, explore cutting-edge solutions, and find out whether technology can deliver answers fast enough to protect our planet’s future.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nuclear power is back in the spotlight as countries look for reliable, low-carbon energy sources - but the question of what to do with radioactive waste still looms large.

In this episode, we explore three practical, science-backed approaches to managing nuclear waste around the world. We begin in Finland, where engineers are preparing to open the world’s first deep geological repository, a facility designed to keep spent fuel isolated for 100,000 years. Then we look at how the U.S. is funding a new wave of companies aiming to make nuclear waste treatment safer, faster, and more affordable. Finally, we head to Australia, where researchers at CSIRO are turning radioactive byproducts into a durable ceramic that could offer a long-term storage solution.

Together, these stories show how science, engineering, and public policy are converging to tackle one of nuclear energy’s most persistent challenges.

🔗 Read the full stories at climatesolutions.news/tag/nuclear-waste

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How Can Retailers Drive Health & Sustainability?

In this insightful conversation, Mike Barry, former Head of Sustainability at M&S and co-founder of The Planeatry Alliance, discusses how retailers and food companies can align human and planetary health. He breaks down the complexities of the food system, explains why retailers hold the key to large-scale change, and explores the role of technology, data, and AI in making sustainable shopping effortless.

Barry also highlights the biggest challenges facing the food industry, the importance of government intervention, and why businesses need to move beyond ESG targets to deliver real impact.

🔍 Topics Covered:

✅ How food choices affect both personal and environmental health

✅ The role of retailers in making sustainability simple

✅ Why technology (AI, digital twins, and data platforms) is key to change

✅ The future of sustainable food shopping

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this insightful interview, Charlie Stewart, content strategist at Exceptional, discusses the often-overlooked environmental impact of digital marketing and PR activities. Digital campaigns, powered by energy-intensive data centers, now contribute 2.5-3% of global carbon emissions—surpassing the aviation industry.

Charlie highlights key findings from the report From Words to Actions: Reducing the Climate Impact of Your PR and Digital Marketing Activity, co-authored by Exceptional and Thinking Hat Media. He emphasizes the need for marketers to rethink strategies, focusing on efficiency and sustainability. Key topics include:

•The environmental cost of data centers in digital campaigns.

•How to make marketing campaigns more efficient and impactful.

•Avoiding greenwashing and embracing transparency in sustainability claims.

•Practical steps for reducing the carbon footprint, such as using energy-efficient formats and targeting high-engagement platforms.

Charlie also explores the dual role of PR in influencing behavior and amplifying positive change while addressing its potential misuse in greenwashing.

Listen to the full interview to learn actionable steps marketers can take to make their campaigns more sustainable while driving results.

Link to Report:

Download From Words to Actions here: exceptional.marketing/digital-sustainability

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Europe’s Critical Raw Material Challenge: Can Innovation Lead the Way?

Europe’s transition to clean energy faces a major obstacle: dependence on imported critical raw materials (CRMs) like lithium, copper, and graphite. A new report, A Critical Raw Material Supply-Side Innovation Roadmap for the EU Energy Transition, highlights how Europe’s share of global mineral production has dropped from 25% to under 7% over 40 years, intensifying the need for domestic supply.

The EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) sets ambitious targets: 10% of mining, 40% of refining, and 25% of recycling to be met domestically by 2030. However, progress has stalled due to permitting delays and local opposition.

Technological innovation offers hope. Geothermal direct lithium extraction projects by Vulcan Energy in Germany and Eramet in France could meet 7% of Europe’s lithium demand. Low-carbon graphite production could supply 40% of EU needs while cutting emissions by 90%. Advanced technologies like bio-leaching for copper, AI-powered exploration, and tailings reprocessing could further boost domestic production while reducing environmental impacts.

Key environmental concerns include high GHG emissions, water-intensive mining, and waste from tailings. The report urges EU policymakers to accelerate funding, streamline permits, and support innovation to reduce import reliance and secure a sustainable clean energy future.

The full article on which this discussion is based can be found at https://climatesolutions.news/news/europes-critical-minerals-crunch-can-innovation-bridge-the-supply-gap. It also contains a link to the original, detailed research document.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mike Scott, Editor of Climate Solutions News, speaks to Elizabeth Kleinveld, Head of Acceleration at Startupbootcamp.

Hitting the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals will require investment in over 100,000 startups, according to Elizabeth Kleinveld, Head of Acceleration at Startupbootcamp. The organisation is the largest accelerator in Europe. It has run more than 150 accelerators in 20 countries since 2010 and has worked with a portfolio of over 1700 companies so far.

Visit www.climatesolutions.news/spotlight for more interviews and climate tech innovator overviews.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.