Welcome back to Out Of The Box, where we bring you news that you won't see much of on the mainstream! This weeks articles read like a story unfolding. We start with a lot of positive news this week, especially on renewable power! You will find a few intersting articles about lifestyle as well as some important updates regarding global warming and the latests news on our CO2 levels. Things may not all be as we would have expected during this prolonged lockdown period. Don't miss our 'And Finally' video, this week featuring Master Shi Heng Yi who speaks about the 5 hindrances to self-mastery. Well worth a watch!

I hope you enjoy this week's selection! Please do let me know which articles you like, have a great weekend everyone!

What a sustainable circular economy would look like

More than 100 billion tonnes of materials entered the global economy in 2017 to generate power, build infrastructure and homes, produce food, and provide consumer goods such as clothes and phones. There are now more phones than people on the planet, and the amount of clothes purchased is forecast to reach more than 92 million tonnes by 2030.

Some estimates suggest that 99% of the things people buy is discarded within six months of purchasing without the material being recovered. That’s because we have what you might call a linear economy. It works by extracting resources and manufacturing products from them, that are sold to people and then generally disposed of after a short period of use.

But the COVID-19 pandemic has upended normal economic activity, dipping the global economy into what may become the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. Rather than try to revive a system that’s inherently wasteful, the European Commission has vowed to build a sustainable circular economy post-pandemic.

‘Plastic-free’ fashion is not as clean or green as it seems

We have all become more aware of the environmental impact of our clothing choices. The fashion industry has seen a rise in 'green', 'eco' and 'sustainable' clothing. This includes an increase in the use of natural fibres, such as wool, hemp, and cotton, as synthetic fabrics, like polyester, acrylic and nylon, have been vilified by some.

However, the push to go 'natural' obscures a more complex picture.

Natural fibres in fashion garments are products of multiple transformation processes, most of which are reliant on intensive manufacturing as well as advanced chemical manipulation.

While they are presumed to biodegrade, the extent to which they do has been contested by a handful of studies. Natural fibres can be preserved over centuries and even millennia in certain environments. Where fibres are found to degrade they may release chemicals, for example from dyes, into the environment.

Renewables records continue to topple across Europe

New analysis reveals that on May 24th over half of the continent's power came from renewables, as UK's coal-free run extends beyond 50 days

On a Sunday late last month, 55 per cent of Europe's power was delivered by wind, solar, and hydroelectric sources.

That is the headline conclusion from a new update from the Wärtsilä Energy Transition Lab, which confirms renewables records have toppled right across Europe in the past few weeks, with levels of clean power that were once widely regarded as incompatible with current grid architecture seamlessly integrated into the continent's energy system.

The real time energy monitoring app, which is provided by Finnish smart tech specialist Wärtsilä, reveals that Germany hit 58 per cent renewable generation throughout May as a share of total electricity supply, while the UK averaged a 48 per cent renewables share.

On April 30th, Spain's renewable generation reached a record 74 per cent share, an increase of 23 percentage points on the annual average that resulted in nuclear power output being dialled down to make room for peak renewable power generation.

Meanwhile, France saw a 31 per cent share for renewables in May - a result which lags behind its neighbours but is still almost 10 percentage points higher than May last year.

The run of records are the result of a combination of favourable weather conditions and the coronavirus crisis leading to a 10 per cent fall in energy demand across the continent on a year-on-year basis.

Green Recovery: Germany unveils plans for €40bn climate spending surge

Raft of energy efficiency, green transport, and hydrogen programmes put at heart of €130bn stimulus package, as Bank of England confirms financial support for airlines

The German government has unveiled plans for a massive €130bn stimulus package that features at least €40bn climate-related spending.

In a move that will set a bar that other government's mulling green recovery packages are likely to be measured against, Chancellor Angela Merkel's government yesterday published sweeping plans to boost electric vehicle sales, improve building energy efficiency, enhance public transport networks, develop hydrogen infrastructure, and shift the cost of renewables subsidies onto general taxation.

The focus on green measures comes alongside plans to reduce VAT from 19 per cent to 16 per cent for six months starting in July 1, increase loans for small businesses, and increase investment in R&D and digital infrastructure.

"The size of the package will amount to €130 billion for the years 2020/2021, €120bn of which will be spent by the federal government," Merkel said. "So we have an economic stimulus package, a package for the future."

Green groups welcomed the package, praising Merkel's decision to resist calls from the influential German auto industry for the government to introduce a scrappage scheme that would provide grants for new petrol and diesel cars.

Instead, the government moved to double the subsidy for electric vehicles to €6,000.

Green Recovery: Greenpeace sets out manifesto for clean stimulus plan

Campaign group delivers detailed proposals for how government could ensure recovery delivers 'a fairer, greener and more resilient global economy'

Greenpeace UK has today published a detailed 'manifesto' setting out how the government could deliver an effective green recovery plan that would help revive the economy from the coronavirus pandemic.

Titled A Green Recovery: How We Get There, calls for a series of transformative recovery packages that mobilise significant investment in green infrastructure and ensure that radical policy changes transform business and operating models across five priority areas: clean transport, green buildings, smart power, nature, and a circular economy

The publication comes in the wake of a series of media reports and comments from senior ministers suggesting the government wants to place climate action at the heart of a sweeping economic stimulus plan, which is expected to be unveiled next month.

Last week Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged countries to "build back better" from the coronavirus crisis, stressing that the UK will "base our recovery on solid foundations, including a fairer, greener and more resilient global economy".

Atmospheric CO2 levels rise sharply despite Covid-19 lockdowns

Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere have risen strongly to a new peak this year, despite the impact of the global effects of the coronavirus crisis.

The concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere reached 417.2 parts per million in May, 2.4ppm higher than the peak of 414.8ppm in 2019, according to readings from the Mauna Loa observatory in the US.

Without worldwide lockdowns intended to slow the spread of Covid-19, the rise might have reached 2.8ppm, according to Ralph Keeling, a professor at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. He said it was likely they had played a small role, but that the difference was too small to show up against other factors causing year-to-year fluctuations.

'People may be surprised to hear that the response to the coronavirus outbreak hasn’t done more to influence CO2 levels,' he said. 'But the buildup of CO2 is a bit like trash in a landfill. As we keep emitting, it keeps piling up. The crisis has slowed emissions, but not enough to show up perceptibly at Mauna Loa. What will matter much more is the trajectory we take coming out of this situation.'

The world must seize this opportunity to meet the climate challenge

As current and former central bankers, we believe the pandemic offers a unique chance to green the global economy

We are currently in the midst of the most severe macroeconomic shock since the second world war. The disruption to our daily lives and subsequent impact on our economies has been enormous. We are seeing first-hand that a collective response is needed to defeat a common enemy, as authorities across the world courageously mobilise all available resources to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

This crisis offers us a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to rebuild our economy in order to withstand the next shock coming our way: climate breakdown. Unless we act now, the climate crisis will be tomorrow’s central scenario and, unlike Covid-19, no one will be able to self-isolate from it.

Acting early will help to smooth the transition and avoid a sharp and disorderly adjustment. To meet the goals of the Paris agreement requires a whole economy transition: every business, bank and financial institution will need to adapt. The pandemic has shown that we can change our ways of working, living and travelling, but it has also shown that making these adjustments at the height of a crisis brings enormous costs. To address climate breakdown, we can instead take decisions now that reduce emissions in a less disruptive manner. That requires us to be strategic. To build back better.

Cleaner air during UK lockdown relieves asthma for millions

Two million people in the UK with respiratory conditions such as asthma have experienced reduced symptoms during the coronavirus lockdown, according to the British Lung Foundation.

A survey by the charity of 14,000 people with lung conditions found one in six had noticed improvements in their health. Among children, the figure was higher, with one in five parents saying their child’s condition had been alleviated. Asthma sufferers in particular reported benefits, with one in four noting relief.

There is a well-established link between air pollution and lung disease. Of the 12 million people in the UK who live with conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, about 8 million have been diagnosed with asthma, of which 5.4 million are receiving treatment.

The number of visits to hospital emergency departments for asthma in England have also fallen by half during lockdown, according to Public Health England data. But it is unclear how much of the decrease is due to a reduction in symptoms or people’s reluctance to visit hospital during the Covid-19 pandemic.

AND FINALLY!

We always like to throw in something a little different, but interesting! This week i share with you a short video that is worth a watch, who doesnt want a bit more self mastery in their lives right now?!

Master Shi Heng Yi – 5 hindrances to self-mastery | Shi Heng YI | TEDxVitosha

Meet Shaolin Master Shi Heng Yi in his serene talk about self-discovery. Learn why rainfall is an essential part of each flowering. And every small step – part of the journey to the highest peek. The hindrances along the way to self-discovery and personal growth are easy to overcome. Learn how from his talk. For more than 30 years, Master Shi Heng Yi has been studying and practicing the interaction between mind and body. His strength is the ability to smoothly combine this knowledge with physical exercises and to practice Martial art –Kung Fu and Qi Gong. He has an academic background but he prefers to live at the Shaolin Temple Europe, Monastery located in Otterberg, Germany.