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- 💡 Guess what? Costa Rica runs almost 100% on renewables #20
💡 Guess what? Costa Rica runs almost 100% on renewables #20
Ecobrief
November 17, 2025
This week, the future got a little greener, and more inspiring. Portugal is opening its first elephant sanctuary, offering rescued elephants a safe haven that’s miles from circus life. Costa Rica just hit a breathtaking milestone, running on nearly 100% renewable electricity, proof that clean energy dreams can come true. Meanwhile, Australian researchers found that humpback whales are migrating up to three weeks earlier than they did two decades ago, a reminder that nature is quick to respond to changing conditions. Did you know Costa Rica’s power is now 80% hydroelectric?
As big systems shift and the stakes rise, our Deep Dive dissects why the latest climate summit (COP30) missed the mark…and how your daily choices can keep global change alive, no matter what happens in the negotiation room. ⬇️
🌍 Europe's First Elephant Sanctuary Opens
Key initiative: Europe's inaugural elephant sanctuary is set to open in 2026 in Alentejo, Portugal, providing a haven for retired and rescued elephants.
In a groundbreaking initiative, Portugal is establishing Europe's first elephant sanctuary in the Alentejo region. This facility aims to offer a natural and spacious environment for elephants retired from circuses or rescued from inadequate conditions. The sanctuary will feature expansive enclosures, natural vegetation, and water sources, allowing the elephants to exhibit natural behaviors and socialize freely.
This project not only enhances animal welfare but also raises awareness about the challenges faced by captive elephants. By providing a model for ethical treatment, the sanctuary sets a precedent for elephant care across Europe. (portugalresident.com)
Quantified benefit: Provides a dedicated refuge for elephants in need, promoting their well-being and rehabilitation.
🌍 Costa Rica Achieves 100% Renewable Energy
Key initiative: Costa Rica has successfully generated nearly 100% of its electricity from renewable sources, primarily hydroelectric, geothermal, wind, and solar energy.
Costa Rica has emerged as a global leader in renewable energy, achieving near-total reliance on sustainable sources for its electricity needs. The country's energy matrix is predominantly composed of hydroelectric power (approximately 80%), supplemented by geothermal (10-15%), wind (3-5%), and a growing contribution from solar energy.
This transition has been facilitated by strategic policies, international partnerships, and a commitment to environmental stewardship. Despite challenges such as over-reliance on hydroelectric power during dry seasons, Costa Rica's diversified approach, including increased solar energy adoption, has enhanced energy security and grid stability. The nation's success serves as a replicable model for other countries aiming to transition to sustainable energy systems. (iosd.org)
Quantified benefit: Achieved over 99% renewable electricity generation in recent years, demonstrating the feasibility of a fossil fuel-free energy system.
🌍 Humpback Whales Migrate Earlier
Key discovery: Humpback whales along Australia's east coast are migrating southward up to three weeks earlier than they did 21 years ago, likely due to climate change.
Recent research from the University of Queensland indicates a significant shift in the migration patterns of humpback whales. Over the past two decades, the peak of their southward migration has advanced by as much as three weeks. This change is attributed to warming ocean temperatures affecting sea ice coverage and, consequently, krill populations, the primary food source for these whales.
Reduced krill availability may be prompting whales to return to feeding grounds earlier to build necessary fat reserves. While natural fluctuations in migration timing occur, the sustained advancement observed since 2021 raises concerns about the broader impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems and the long-term health of whale populations. (oceanographicmagazine.com)
Quantified benefit: Migration peak has shifted up to three weeks earlier over the past 21 years, indicating significant environmental changes.
📖 Deep Dive: The Climate Summit at a Crossroads
Held in the Amazon, COP30 was meant to be a historic turning point where promises finally became performance, yet it ended mired in controversy, exposing a troubling disconnect between diplomatic process and planetary urgency.
1. Problem Solved (The Big Idea): The summit's core challenge was to force nations to submit new, radically ambitious climate plans (NDCs) that would close the gap to the 1.5°C target, but it struggled to overcome geopolitical friction, a lack of urgency, and a system critics say is no longer fit for purpose.
2. The "Recipe Swap" Analogy: So, what went wrong? Imagine the world's nations are attending a crucial recipe swap, where everyone must contribute a detailed recipe for a healthy planet. For a decade, since the Paris Agreement, the recipes submitted have been lackluster, mostly side salads when a full, nourishing meal is needed.
COP30 was supposed to be the moment everyone brought their A-game with bold, new main courses. Instead, many showed up with slightly improved but still inadequate recipes. The submitted plans, if followed, would lead to around 2.5°C of warming, far from the 1.5°C goal. Worse, the kitchen was swamped with lobbyists for junk food companies (fossil fuel interests), who took up space and tried to convince everyone that ultra-processed snacks were a viable alternative. The result was a frustratingly familiar outcome: the cookbook is a little better, but the planet is still on course for a dangerously unhealthy future.
3. Global Potential (The Sobering Metrics): The gap between ambition and reality remains stark. To align with the 1.5°C pathway, global emissions must be cut by 60% by 2035. However, the new NDCs submitted at COP30 are projected to achieve only a 10-12% reduction from 2019 levels. On the critical issue of climate finance, developing nations identified a need for 1.3 trillion annually to fund their green transitions, but the final agreement fell far short, reaffirming a much lower goal of 300 billion per year. This persistent failure to deliver adequate funding was described by less-developed countries as a "staggering betrayal," eroding the trust needed for collective action.
4. Wisdom from the Source: Capturing the profound frustration with the process, Albert Norström, an associate professor at the Stockholm Resilience Centre, offered a sharp diagnosis: "The Cop process has delivered what it was designed for: diplomacy and consensus... But the world has moved into the implementation decade, and here the Cop is lagging badly. The architecture was built for negotiation, not ambitious delivery. So, yes, it worked for building the framework – but it's failing to turn promises into performance."
Why is this important for you? It’s easy to feel disheartened when global leaders fail to rise to the occasion. But this perceived failure of the process doesn't mean our actions are futile. In fact, it makes them more critical than ever. The slow, bureaucratic crawl of international diplomacy is being wildly outpaced by the momentum of real-world change in technology, business, and community action. When you choose clean energy, support sustainable businesses, or advocate for local climate policy, you are not just taking a small step. You are building a new reality from the ground up that leaders will eventually have no choice but to follow. Just as starting a fitness routine with a friend creates accountability that a solo gym membership might not, our collective, grassroots movement creates a powerful, undeniable force for change that can succeed even when diplomacy stalls.
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💡 5 Quick Wins
🔌 Replace your 5 most‑used bulbs with LEDs: Saves ~160 kg CO₂/year
LEDs use ~80% less electricity than old incandescents/halogens. Swapping just the five bulbs you burn the most (living room, kitchen, hallway) can save ~300 kWh/year. Lighting is low-effort, always-on background use, perfect for “set once, save for years.”
🔌 Air‑dry half your laundry instead of tumble‑drying: Saves ~180 kg CO₂/year
Line-drying or using a foldable rack for 50% of loads avoids ~350 kWh/year if you’re a weekly dryer user. Softer fabrics, longer garment life, and a noticeable drop on your bill.
🔌 Lower an electric water‑heater to 50°C (122°F): Saves ~90 kg CO₂/year
Many heaters sit at 60–65°C by default, wasting standby heat. Dropping to 50°C cuts losses while still comfortable for showers. Tip: If your tank has a “vacation” or “eco” mode, use it when away to save even more.
🥦 Choose frozen or in‑season berries/asparagus over air‑freighted fresh: Saves ~100 kg CO₂/year
Air‑freighted produce has a large footprint per kilogram. If you buy these weekly, switching to frozen or truly in‑season/local alternatives can trim well over 2 kg CO₂ per week. Same nutrients, less waste, and you can use exactly what you need, no wilted leftovers.
✈️ Cruise at 110 km/h instead of 130 km/h on highways: Saves ~200 kg CO₂/year (regular drivers)
Aerodynamic drag rises with speed; that extra 20 km/h can add ~15% fuel use. If you drive ~12,000 km/year with weekly highway trips, easing back saves a tank or two annually. Calmer rides, safer following distances, and fewer fuel stops.
Extra notes for you: Each tip is a practical tweak, often a one-time change, that quietly adds up. Savings use typical grid factors and usage patterns; your exact result varies by climate, driving, and electricity mix. If your water heater is gas, the heater tip still saves energy, but CO₂ savings will differ.
Quote of the Week
"I won’t sugarcoat it, there is still a lot to do before we meet in Belém.", Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) since August 2022, formerly a senior minister in Grenada (including Minister for Climate Resilience and the Environment); he was reappointed for a second three‑year term in June 2025.
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