This week’s Current Climate brings you the latest news about the business of sustainability. Subscribe to receive it in your inbox every week.
Alan Ohnsman moderated a panel on the hydrogen revolution.
Jamel Toppin for Forbes
This past week, Forbes held its second Sustainability Leaders Summit where business leaders, entrepreneurs, policy leaders, and newsmakers gathered to discuss viable and innovative solutions for addressing climate change and other environmental challenges, while also driving business and technology forward. The summit featured a panel on advancements in hydrogen technology, a discussion about how AI can contribute to finding climate solutions, and a panel exploring the future of sustainability, including technologies such as fusion and asteroid mining.
More information about this event can be found here.
The Big Read
Resale App TipTop Aims to Turn Your Unwanted Items into Cash
Bastian Lehmann, the founder of Postmates, a popular on-demand delivery service, has launched a new startup called TipTop. Unlike Postmates, TipTop focuses on simplifying and making it more profitable to sell items. Lehmann believes that selling is more challenging than buying due to the hassle and uncertainty of getting a fair value for items. With TipTop, Lehmann is introducing a novel approach that uses software to predict the value of a product, offering consumers instant cash without even seeing the item.
Read more here.
Discoveries And Innovations
Recent extreme weather events have demonstrated a concerning trend where multiple weather events occurring simultaneously lead to devastating impacts.
A combination of drought in Spain, record-high temperatures, and a halt in Turkish exports has driven the price of Spanish olive oil to a record high of $8,900 per ton this month, with no clear indication of when prices will decrease.
A new study suggests that unless urgent action is taken, the amount of plastics entering the environment could nearly double by 2040.
The Big Transportation Story
Waabi’s Robot Trucks Join Uber Freight’s Network
Automated heavy-duty trucks have become a priority for technology and logistics companies. Robotic big rigs are believed to solve the shortage of long-haul drivers and reduce fuel consumption and exhaust emissions through more efficient driving. Canadian startup Waabi has trained its robot driver in virtual road conditions for the past two years. This week, Waabi deployed its first trucks on Uber Freight’s network and began generating revenue by transporting loads for paying customers.
Read more here.
Sustainability Deals Of The Week
Home Chargers: Hyundai announced that buyers of certain Hyundai or Kia electric cars will receive a free level 2 charger for their homes, along with $600 applied to the installation cost.
Yard Trucking: Fernride, a company developing autonomous electric yard trucks, raised a $19 million extension in its series A funding, bringing the total round to $50 million.
Climate Investing: Venture firm Regeneration VC partnered with the Circle Economy Foundation to invest in Dutch climate tech companies and support their growth.
Battery Storage: Enel North America has added five new battery systems in Texas, contributing 555 MWh of utility-scale energy storage capacity to the state’s grid.
What Else We’re Reading This Week
Brightline, a rail line in Florida, introduces faster trains connecting Orlando and Miami (Washington Post)
Earth’s average temperature in 2023 is projected to reach 1.5°C of warming (Nature)
Many major food companies are seeing an increase in emissions rather than a decrease (New York Times)
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