The term Sustainable Development was familiarized in 1987, but its frequent documental use was initiated a few years back.
Since environmental health has collapsed due to resource contamination, desertification, over-exploitation, overcrowding, etc, sustainability has become the crucial element for continuing life on Earth.
“We are not above Nature, We are part of Nature.”
We are at the end of the year 2022, this year we have seen ingenious innovations and measures to promote environmental sustainability. OnlyGood in this article has brought you a recap of the Top 10 Sustainability News of 2022 from all around the globe.
Top 10 Sustainability News of 2022
In the year, there have been many instances to encourage sustainability but these 10 broadcasts are top listed.
1. Airseed’s AI-based Initiative to Combat Desertification
We lose around 15 billion trees annually, an increment in deforestation has led to desertification concerns around the sphere. Airseed Technology, an Australian startup company, has come up with incredible AI-based technology. They have developed specific seed pods, which are dispersed to the ground from the automated group of drones gliding in the sky.
Airseed Technologies have aimed to plant 100,000,000 by 2024. They have chosen planting drives through drones as manual planting is more time-taking, labor extensive and some areas are unreachable.
This method of planting will ensure better and more scalable reforestation and is 25x faster and 80% more inexpensive than the manual method of the plantation.
2. More Eco-friendly Biomass can be made by Breaking up Bananas with Light
In February, scientists found a resourceful way of extracting hydrogen from biomass.
Banana peels when struck with a powerful light could produce hydrogen along with the charcoal. This method can be used with other food waste like coconut shells, corn cobs, and coffee beans.
Currently, we have two procedures for decomposing biomass with the help of heat, Pyrolysis, and Gasification.
Pyrolysis is a procedure in which the biomass is heated at a temperature of 500 and above without oxygen. While in the procedure of gasification, biomass is converted into gas and other by-products at the temperature of 800-1000 degree celsius including heat, steam, and oxygen.
Now with this new research, the biomass conversion procedure can be done with a Xenon lamp within a few milliseconds.
3. Wind and Solar Power Growth Finally Meet Climate Targets
In March, Ember’s report showed there was an increase of 23% in solar energy and a 14% increase in wind energy globally in the year 2021. Both of these combined accounted for 10.3% of global electricity generation.
Ember also said in the report, “If these trends can be replicated globally, and sustained, the power sector would be back on track for the 1.5-degree goal”.
4. Sweden-Based Wooden High-rises Can Capture Nine Million Kilograms of CO2
Sweden is setting an example for the carbon-free construction industry. The Sverige has constructed a high-rise building in Skelleftea city which is the second largest wooden building in the world. This skyscraper is named after a famous Swedish author, Sara Lidman.
The Sara Cultural Centre is made of timber wood and can capture nine million kilograms of carbon dioxide during its lifetime.
5. Solar Energy can now be stored for a more extended period of time
Until now, the consumption of solar energy was dependent on weather conditions, but now scientists at Swedish University invented an energy system through which we can store solar energy for up to 18 years and use it according to our needs.
For the absorption of solar energy, solar panels are made of waste crops that soak sunlight even on cloudy days. Also, night panels are created that will be used only during dusk.
6. Scientists found a way to help plants survive the heat.
A research team in the US and China discovered through a study on plants that plants use salicylic acid as their defense mechanism in their time of need. But when the heat temperature rises salicylic acid production drops.
Production of salicylic acid is controlled by CBP60g. If the mutant of the permanent active CBP60g gene will be present in the plant, then the plant will be heat-resilient.
7. France banned advertisements of Fossil Fuel
France enacted a unique law banning the advertisements of fossil fuels. This law was enforced to protect fossil fuels.
There is a penalty of €20,000 – €100,000, and repeat offenders will have to pay double the amount. That being the case, France became the first European country to implement this law.
8. The Ozone Layer can be Healed in the next 50 years
The ozone layer has been depleted due to various human activities causing multiple issues, skin cancer being one of them.
According to the UN report, the continuous measures taken by the government to curb the use of CFCs have benefitted the atmosphere. The ozone layer is now expected to fully recover by 2060.
9. Denmark to Pay for Damage Caused to the Climate.
Denmark’s development minister Flemming Møller Mortensen said: “I saw for myself in Bangladesh this spring that the consequences of climate change need increased focus.”
“It is grossly unfair that the world’s poorest should suffer the most from the consequences of climate change, to which they have contributed the least. With this new agreement, we are putting action behind words”.
The pledge by Denmark to mobilize funds for loss and damage is “a step in the right direction”, he added.
10. Egg whites can filter Microplastics and Salt from the Seawater
The study has discovered that when egg whites are frozen, dried, and heated to 900 degrees Celsius without oxygen, it forms a structure of interconnected strands of carbon fibers and sheets of graphene.
The product obtained from this procedure can filter out salt and microplastics from seawater with 98% and 99% efficiency, respectively.
Read also: 5 Sustainable Business Trends In 2022