Electric vehicles could become economically competitive in Africa sooner than previously anticipated, potentially by 2040, according to a new analysis. This is due to the falling costs of batteries and the potential for off-grid solar charging, as reported by MIT Technology Review.
The analysis suggests that electric two-wheelers, cars, larger automobiles, and even minibuses could compete in most African countries. While some previous analyses suggested fossil-fuel vehicles would dominate in Africa through at least 2050, this new research points to a shift. However, significant barriers remain, including an unreliable grid, limited charging infrastructure, and a lack of access to affordable financing, as highlighted by MIT Technology Review.
In other news, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Trump administration planned to rescind a key climate pollution regulation. The EPA intended to end the central scientific finding that underpins much of the nation's climate pollution rules, according to NPR News. This 2009 endangerment finding determined that pollutants from burning fossil fuels could be regulated under the Clean Air Act. The EPA now argues that the Clean Air Act does not give it the legal authority to regulate these pollutants.
In a separate development, NPR Politics reported on the release of Venezuelan opposition leader Jesús Armas from detention. NPR's Leila Fadel spoke with Armas, who had been held at a notorious detention center. Armas stated, "I feel hope" after his release.
Finally, Nature News highlighted the work of Dorceta Taylor, who earned a doctoral degree from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies in 1991, becoming the first Black woman to do so. In 2014, she created the first comprehensive report for monitoring racial, gender, and socioeconomic diversity. The article is part of a series celebrating individuals who have fought racism in science and champion inclusion.
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