OGN Tuesday

Editor OGN Daily
14 hours ago
4 min read

Some tasty bite-sized chunks of upbeat news to brighten the day.

Everest Ascents

A British mountain guide scaled Mount Everest on Sunday for the 19th time, breaking his own record for the most ascents of the world’s highest mountain by a non-Sherpa guide. Kenton Cool, 51, from southwest England, scaled the 8,849-meter (29,032-foot) peak along with several other climbers. Cool first climbed Mount Everest in 2004 and has been doing it almost every year since then. Only Nepali Sherpa guides have scaled the peak more times than Cool. The highest number of climbs of Mount Everest is 30 times by Nepali Sherpa guide Kami Rita, who is also on the mountain currently and expected to make the climb in the next few days.

Two sailing boats racing in the America's Cup — Credit: America's Cup

First Time Hosts

The America’s Cup has found a new home in Naples, Italy, for the 38th edition starting in the spring and summer of 2027, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has announced. This will be the first time Italy has ever hosted the America’s Cup, despite Italian syndicate Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli fielding strong teams in multiple events. That's very good news for Naples and the surrounding areas as the event is likely to generate some $700 million in economic benefits, according to a government agency. “There is a raw spirit and absolute pride in Italy that seems so appropriate to have the next America’s Cup here,” said Grant Dalton, CEO of Team New Zealand, adding that Italians are the “most passionate and engaged” America’s Cup audience.

Good News For Puffins

Ecologists are celebrating after a court ruled that the UK’s ban on trawling for sandeels in British waters is legal. Sandeels are a vital food source for seabirds, including puffins , but are declining due to overfishing. The UK banned trawlers from fishing for them in British waters after Brexit, a move described as “discriminatory” by the EU, which took the UK to court over fears that the ban would undermine Denmark’s sandeel fishing industry. However, the arbitration tribunal ruled in the UK’s favour, claiming the ban was based on science. Greenpeace was among those welcoming the verdict.

Has China Peaked?

For the first time, a surge in China’s renewable energy output has led to a drop in the country’s carbon emissions, despite rapidly increasing power demand. The emissions decline marks a major milestone in China’s energy transition, according to an analysis published by Carbon Brief. “Growth in clean power generation has now overtaken the current and long-term average growth in electricity demand, pushing down fossil fuel use,” says the report. “The current drop is the first time that the main driver is growth in clean power generation.” China is the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world, but has a goal of reaching peak emissions by 2030 - it's possible that this has now beed achieved - and reaching carbon neutrality by 2060. The country has built nearly twice the solar and wind capacity as all other countries combined, according to research published in 2024.

Striking a Pose

Border Collies are known for their intelligence, but one dog named Amy is taking it to the next level. This clever pup from Turkey was recently captured in a now-viral video, striking a pose next to an ad featuring her own image. Whether she’s truly that self-aware or not, it’s fun to imagine how proud she must feel being the star of a Skechers campaign. Amy is the loyal companion of dog trainer Tarık Okyay, who shared the video - now with over 13 million views - showing Amy running up to the ad on the street featuring an image of herself with a man and his son. Translated from Turkish, the ad reads, “Together at Every Step! Happy Father’s Day!” The funny video captures Amy striking a pose with her front paws raised beside it.

New Narrative

In a “profound shift,” a new analysis by nonprofit think tank InfluenceMap has found that companies in the European Union increasingly support climate action, a change analysts said challenges the narrative of businesses viewing green regulations as a threat to their profits. The report - European Industry and the EU’s Climate Policy 2024 to 29 - found that there was a shift in corporate attitudes regarding climate policy. “Recent polling shows that business leaders overwhelmingly support a rapid transition to renewable energy. Now, this research from InfluenceMap reveals that companies are acting on that strategic direction and treating climate action as material to their business. This is not the preoccupation of a minority, but an increasingly significant portion of the corporate sector that use science-aligned policy engagement as a tool for safeguarding strategic investments in the energy transition."

“All it takes to uncover hidden gems is a clear eye, an open mind, and a willingness to search for inspiration in places other people aren’t willing or able to go.” Austin Kleon

On This Day

20 May 1873: Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis were granted a patent for using copper rivets to strengthen certain areas of trousers, notably pocket corners; the patent was credited with giving rise to blue jeans.