Here’s today’s stories of progress in the fight against climate change.

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 💸 Climate adaptation projects bring huge economic returns

Every €1 spent on climate adaptation projects can spur €10 in benefits over the course of a decade, according to a new analysis by the World Resources Institute. These projects, aimed at speeding recovery from heatwaves, fires, and other disasters, might include early warning systems, flood defences, or crop irrigation systems. Plus, researchers found they will deliver social and economic benefits even if the climate shocks they were built in preparation for never actually happen.

🥬 How melatonin can tackle food waste

Melatonin might have helped you out on a sleepless night or two, but now there’s something else we can thank it for: fighting food waste. Injecting plants with melatonin via silk microneedles helps them stay fresh for longer without refrigeration, with researchers finding it helped Pak choy last an extra 4–10 days. In countries where refrigeration is not available, this could mean more fresh food is available, while it could also save energy across global supply chains.

🧂 The scooters running on salt

Companies in China are launching e-scooters that run on sodium-ion batteries. These innovative batteries – that don’t require extractive mining – contain significantly less energy than their lithium counterparts. But this isn’t a problem for speeding around in scooters over short distances: the batteries can be charged from empty to 80% in just 15 minutes, or can be quickly swapped out for a fresh one.

The Green Light is written by freelance climate writer Molly Millar.