As of yesterday enough countries have signed on to the landmark deal to pass a key threshold. The treaty will officially go into effect on November 4—less than a year after the agreement was finalized and much sooner than expected. Climate Central

The 14th arrondissement's Aspirant Dunand swimming pool began using a new heating system this week—that recovers warmth from sewers. Other pools, apartment buildings, and schools around France are adopting similar systems in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The technology is similar to geothermal energy. Reuters

A new aerial survey finds that the density of plastic waste in this swirling mass of ocean trash is much higher than expected. Much of the debris is large items that will eventually break down into harmful micro plastics that can work their way into the food chain. The Ocean Cleanup, a foundation dedicated to ridding the oceans of plastic, aims to deploy a massive boom to funnel some of the garbage into a cone for removal. The Guardian

The capital of Iceland announced that it will nix its net carbon emissions by 2040. Tripling public transportation ridership by 2030, doubling bicycle use, and providing incentives to buy electric cars are all part of the plan. Grist

Representatives from the 182 countries meeting at a conservation conference in South Africa have voted to better control the trade in silky sharks, thresher sharks, and devil rays. Some 100 million sharks are killed each year, and until now protections have eluded many of the predators. The Guardian

We’re really in a race against time.

Mayor Sadiq Khan announced that trucks with the lowest ratings for their ability to see bicyclists will be banned from driving on city streets beginning in 2020. Though trucks make up just 4 percent of London's motor traffic, they are involved in more than half of the city's cycling deaths and more than a fifth of pedestrian deaths. Grist

And it's not coming back down—at least not anytime soon. September is usually the month when carbon dioxide hits its annual minimum, so the fact that it hasn't dipped below 400 ppm means the world has almost definitely reached this long-dreaded climate milestone. Climate Central

Twenty-seven states, led by industry groups and coal powerhouse West Virginia, are challenging the EPA's legislation to curb greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. Power plants are the largest source of carbon emissions in the country, emitting almost 2 billion tons of carbon dioxide every year. Reuters