Embedded Files
Energy Resources Project 2023
The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has been well measured since March 1958.
The temperature of the Earth's atmosphere, oceans, and land has been well measured since 1880.
Human-caused greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions drive climate change. About 60% of GHG emissions come from just 10 countries, while the 100 least-emitting contributed less than 3%. Energy makes up nearly three-quarters of global emissions, followed by agriculture. Within the energy sector, the largest emitting sector is electricity and heat generation , followed by transportation and manufacturing. Land use, land use-change and forestry (LULUCF) is both a source and sink of emissions and key sector to get to net-zero emissions.
Figure 9a. Monthly Sea Ice Extent Anomalies Graph for the Northern Hemisphere (The Sea Ice Index is based on the NASA satellite passive microwave brightness temperature data. Sea ice concentration can be estimated from brightness temperature data because sea ice and water have differing passive microwave brightness temperature signatures.
About 90% of the excess heat from global warming has been absorbed by the ocean, which has warmed by about 0.88˚C from the period 1850-1900 to 2011-2020. Marine heatwaves have become about 50% more frequent over the past decade.
About 90% of the excess heat from global warming has been absorbed by the ocean, which has warmed by about 0.88˚C from the period 1850-1900 to 2011-2020. Marine heatwaves have become about 50% more frequent over the past decade.
This illustration show the average intensity of bottom heat waves (heat anomalies) that occurred between 1993 and 2019 in the large marine ecosystem off the U.S. East Coast studied by a team of NOAA scientists. Credit: NOAA Physical Sciences Laboratory
This photo of "Earthrise" over the lunar horizon was taken by the Apollo 8 crew in December 1968, showing Earth for the first time as it appears from deep space. In their photograph, the Earth looks like a small blue and white marble in a sea of black space. Looking at the planet from that far away makes it easy to see that all its parts – the living things, the air, the water, the ice, and the rocks - are connected. Everything on Earth is in the same boat floating through space - a system.
Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. These shifts may be natural, such as through variations in the solar cycle. But since the 1800s, human activities have been the main driver of climate change, primarily due to burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas.
Burning fossil fuels generates greenhouse gas emissions that act like a blanket wrapped around the Earth, trapping the sun’s heat and raising temperatures.
Examples of greenhouse gas emissions that are causing climate change include carbon dioxide and methane. These come from using gasoline for driving a car or coal for heating a building, for example. Clearing land and forests can also release carbon dioxide. Landfills for garbage are a major source of methane emissions. Energy, industry, transport, buildings, agriculture and land use are among the main emitters.
"We need to take heed of what the science is telling us and take better care of our collective home."
"We need to take heed of what the science is telling us and take better care of our collective home."
New data shared with The New York Times reveals stark disparities in how different U.S. households contribute to climate change. Looking at America’s cities, a pattern emerges.
Dr. James E. Hansen, Chief Scientist of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Science was invited to testify before the United State Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on June 23, 1988.
Dr. James E. Hansen, Chief Scientist of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Science was invited to testify before the United State Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on June 23, 1988.
Hansen testified that "Global warming has reached a level such that we can ascribe with a high degree of confidence a cause and effect relationship between the greenhouse effect and observed warming...It is already happening now"[2] and "The greenhouse effect has been detected and it is changing our climate now...We already reached the point where the greenhouse effect is important."[3] Hansen said that NASA was 99% confident that the warming was caused by the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and not a random fluctuation.[2][3]
1. Besel, Richard D. (2013). "Accommodating climate change science: James Hansen and the rhetorical/political emergence of global warming". Science in Context. Cambridge University Press. 26 (1): 137–152. doi:10.1017/S0269889712000312. Retrieved February 20, 2016.2. Philip Shabecoff, Special to the New York Times (June 24, 1988). "Global Warming Has Begun, Expert Tells Senate". New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved August 1, 2012. ...Dr. James E. Hansen of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration told a Congressional committee that it was 99 percent certain that the warming trend was not a natural variation but was caused by a buildup of carbon dioxide and other artificial gases in the atmosphere.
3. Weisskopf, Michael (June 24, 1988). "Scientist Says Greenhouse Effect is Setting in". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
20 March 2023
A major UN “report of reports” from the authoritative Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), outlines the many options that can be taken now, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to human-caused climate change.
The study, “Climate Change 2023: Synthesis Report”, released on Monday following a week-long IPCC session in Interlaken, brings into sharp focus the losses and damages experienced now, and expected to continue into the future, which are hitting the most vulnerable people and ecosystems especially hard.
Temperatures have already risen to 1.1 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, a consequence of more than a century of burning fossil fuels, as well as unequal and unsustainable energy and land use. This has resulted in more frequent and intense extreme weather events that have caused increasingly dangerous impacts on nature and people in every region of the world.
Climate-driven food and water insecurity is expected to grow with increased warming: when the risks combine with other adverse events, such as pandemics or conflicts, they become even more difficult to manage.
Time is short, but there is a clear path forward
Time is short, but there is a clear path forward
If temperatures are to be kept to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, deep, rapid, and sustained greenhouse gas emissions reductions will be needed in all sectors this decade, the reports states. Emissions need to go down now, and be cut by almost half by 2030, if this goal has any chance of being achieved.
The solution proposed by the IPCC is “climate resilient development,” which involves integrating measures to adapt to climate change with actions to reduce or avoid greenhouse gas emissions in ways that provide wider benefits.
Examples include access to clean energy, low-carbon electrification, the promotion of zero and low carbon transport, and improved air quality: the economic benefits for people’s health from air quality improvements alone would be roughly the same, or possibly even larger, than the costs of reducing or avoiding emissions
“The greatest gains in wellbeing could come from prioritizing climate risk reduction for low-income and marginalized communities, including people living in informal settlements,” said Christopher Trisos, one of the report’s authors. “Accelerated climate action will only come about if there is a many-fold increase in finance. Insufficient and misaligned finance is holding back progress.”
IMF/Lisa Marie David
Governments are key
Governments are key
The power of governments to reduce barriers to lowering greenhouse gas emissions, through public funding and clear signals to investors, and scaling up tried and tested policy measures, is emphasized in the report.
Changes in the food sector, electricity, transport, industry, buildings, and land-use are highlighted as important ways to cut emissions, as well as moves to low-carbon lifestyles, which would improve health and wellbeing.
“Transformational changes are more likely to succeed where there is trust, where everyone works together to prioritize risk reduction, and where benefits and burdens are shared equitably,” said IPCC Chair Hoesung Lee.
“This Synthesis Report underscores the urgency of taking more ambitious action and shows that, if we act now, we can still secure a liveable sustainable future for all.”
ADB/Gerhard Joren The Muara Laboh Geothermal Power Project is helping advance Indonesia towards its renewable energy and climate change mitigation goals.
UN chief announces plan to speed up progress
UN chief announces plan to speed up progress
In a video message released on Monday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the report as a “how-to guide to defuse the climate time-bomb.”
Climate action is needed on all fronts: “everything, everywhere, all at once,” he declared, in a reference to this year’s Best Film Academy Award winner.
The UN chief has proposed to the G20 group of highly developed economies a “Climate Solidarity Pact,” in which all big emitters would make extra efforts to cut emissions, and wealthier countries would mobilize financial and technical resources to support emerging economies in a common effort to ensure that global temperatures do not rise by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
Mr. Guterres announced that he is presenting a plan to boost efforts to achieve the Pact through an Acceleration Agenda, which involves leaders of developed countries committing to reaching net zero as close as possible to 2040, and developing countries as close as possible to 2050.
The Agenda calls for an end to coal, net-zero electricity generation by 2035 for all developed countries and 2040 for the rest of the world, and a stop to all licensing or funding of new oil and gas, and any expansion of existing oil and gas reserves.
These measures, continued Mr. Guterres, must accompany safeguards for the most vulnerable communities, scaling up finance and capacities for adaptation and loss and damage, and promoting reforms to ensure Multilateral Development Banks provide more grants and loans, and fully mobilize private finance.
Looking ahead to the upcoming UN climate conference, due to be held in Dubai from 30 November to 12 December, Mr. Guterres said that he expects all G20 leaders to have committed to ambitious new economy-wide nationally determined contributions encompassing all greenhouse gases, and indicating their absolute emissions cuts targets for 2035 and 2040.
It was the 529th consecutive month to feature temperatures above the 20th-century average
It was the 529th consecutive month to feature temperatures above the 20th-century average
March 2023 will go down in the books as tying for the second warmest March on record. That’s according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service of the European Union. Temperatures globally were several degrees above average in most places outside the western U.S., where a stagnant weather pattern allowed cooler than typical readings to hang around most of the month.
The world is running out of options to hit climate goals, U.N. report shows, (The Washington Post, April 4, 2022)
The world is running out of options to hit climate goals, U.N. report shows, (The Washington Post, April 4, 2022)
With the world on track to blaze past its climate goals, only immediate, sweeping societal transformation can stave off catastrophic warming
With the world on track to blaze past its climate goals, only immediate, sweeping societal transformation can stave off catastrophic warming
By Sarah Kaplan and Brady Dennis
April 4, 2022|Updated April 4, 2022 at 12:48 p.m. EDT
50 percent chance that the planet’s temperature will temporarily reach 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels in at least one of the next five years, agency says
50 percent chance that the planet’s temperature will temporarily reach 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels in at least one of the next five years, agency says
By Kasha Patel
May 10, 2022 at 12:22 p.m. EDT
MANY LIFELINES
MANY LIFELINES
#1: RENEWABLE ENERGY
#1: RENEWABLE ENERGY
Around three-quarters of global greenhouse gas emissions come from the burning of fossil fuels for energy. To reduce global emissions we need to rapidly shift our energy systems away from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy – especially wind and solar.
We_Have_The_Power_2021-Environment_America_Frontier_Group.pdf
Carbon compounds form the basis of all known life on Earth. Carbon dioxide exchanges through photosynthesis in plants and through respiration in animals.
Carbon is transported in various forms through the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, and geologic formations. One of the primary pathways for the exchange of carbon dioxide (CO2) takes place between the atmosphere and the oceans; there a fraction of the CO2 combines with water, forming carbonic acid (H2CO3) that subsequently loses hydrogen ions (H+) to form bicarbonate (HCO3−) and carbonate (CO32−) ions. Mollusk shells or mineral precipitates that form by the reaction of calcium or other metal ions with carbonate may become buried in geologic strata and eventually release CO2 through volcanic outgassing. Dead and decaying organic matter may ferment and release CO2 or methane (CH4) or may be incorporated into sedimentary rock, where it is converted to fossil fuels. Burning of hydrocarbon fuels returns CO2 and water (H2O) to the atmosphere. The biological and anthropogenic pathways (e.g., people burning fossil fuels) are much faster than the geochemical pathways and, consequently, have a greater impact on the composition and temperature of the atmosphere. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Figure 6.1 | Simplified schematic of the global carbon cycle. Numbers represent reservoir mass, also called ‘carbon stocks’ in PgC (1 PgC = 1015 gC) and annual carbon exchange fluxes (in PgC yr–1). Black numbers and arrows indicate reservoir mass and exchange fluxes estimated for the time prior to the Industrial Era, about 1750 (see Section 6.1.1.1 for references). Fossil fuel reserves are from GEA (2006) and are consistent with numbers used by IPCC WGIII for future scenarios. The sediment storage is a sum of 150 PgC of the organic carbon in the mixed layer (Emerson and Hedges, 1988) and 1600 PgC of the deep-sea CaCO3 sediments available to neutralize fossil fuel CO2 (Archer et al., 1998). Red arrows and numbers indicate annual ‘anthropogenic’ fluxes averaged over the 2000–2009 time period. These fluxes are a perturbation of the carbon cycle during Industrial Era post 1750. These fluxes (red arrows) are: Fossil fuel and cement emissions of CO2 (Section 6.3.1), Net land use change (Section 6.3.2), and the Average atmospheric increase of CO2 in the atmosphere, also called ‘CO2 growth rate’ (Section 6.3). The uptake of anthropogenic CO2 by the ocean and by terrestrial ecosystems, often called ‘carbon sinks’ are the red arrows part of Net land flux and Net ocean flux. Red numbers in the reservoirs denote cumulative changes of anthropogenic carbon over the Industrial Period 1750–2011 (column 2 in Table 6.1). By convention, a positive cumulative change means that a reservoir has gained carbon since 1750. The cumulative change of anthropogenic carbon in the terrestrial reservoir is the sum of carbon cumulatively lost through land use change and carbon accumulated since 1750 in other ecosystems (Table 6.1). Note that the mass balance of the two ocean carbon stocks Surface ocean and Intermediate and deep ocean includes a yearly accumulation of anthropogenic carbon (not shown). Uncertainties are reported as 90% confidence intervals. Emission estimates and land and ocean sinks (in red) are from Table 6.1 in Section 6.3. The change of gross terrestrial fluxes (red arrows of Gross photosynthesis and Total respiration and fires) has been estimated from CMIP5 model results (Section 6.4). The change in air–sea exchange fluxes (red arrows of ocean atmosphere gas exchange) have been estimated from the difference in atmospheric partial pressure of CO2 since 1750 (Sarmiento and Gruber, 2006). Individual gross fluxes and their changes since the beginning of the Industrial Era have typical uncertainties of more than 20%, while their differences (Net land flux and Net ocean flux in the figure) are determined from independent measurements with a much higher accuracy (see Section 6.3). Therefore, to achieve an overall balance, the values of the more uncertain gross fluxes have been adjusted so that their difference matches the Net land flux and Net ocean flux estimates. Fluxes from volcanic eruptions, rock weathering (silicates and carbonates weathering reactions resulting into a small uptake of atmospheric CO2), export of carbon from soils to rivers, burial of carbon in freshwater lakes and reservoirs and transport of carbon by rivers to the ocean are all assumed to be pre-industrial fluxes, that is, unchanged during 1750–2011. Some recent studies (Section 6.3) indicate that this assumption is likely not verified, but global estimates of the Industrial Era perturbation of all these fluxes was not available from peer-reviewed literature. The atmospheric inventories have been calculated using a conversion factor of 2.12 PgC per ppm (Prather et al., 2012). https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar5/wg1/carbon-and-other-biogeochemical-cycles/
Figure 8.6 | (a) Radiative forcing (RF) from the major well-mixed greenhouse gases (WMGHGs) and groups of halocarbons from 1850 to 2011 (data from Tables A.II.1.1 and A.II.4.16), (b) as (a) but with a logarithmic scale, (c) RF from the minor WMGHGs from 1850 to 2011 (logarithmic scale). (d) Rate of change in forcing from the major WMGHGs and groups of halocarbons from 1850 to 2011.
Short energy waves of light from the sun (that we can see) come through the atmosphere, but longer energy waves of heat from the warmed up land and water (that we cannot see) are absorbed the atmosphere. So that's how heat is trapped by greenhouse gases (such as carbon dioxide and methane) in the atmosphere.
Lawns are ecological ‘dead space.’ Experts explain how to design a more eco-friendly yard, where turf lawn is an area rug instead of a wall to wall carpet (The Washington Post, June 30, 2021)
Lawns are ecological ‘dead space.’ Experts explain how to design a more eco-friendly yard, where turf lawn is an area rug instead of a wall to wall carpet (The Washington Post, June 30, 2021)
"“The number one thing was showing people that it can be a beautiful landscape without a lawn.” he said. And when they realized that they didn’t have to spend every Saturday mowing it, that really started to change people’s perception.
More broadly, Doug Tallamy (University of Delaware, Baker Professor of Agriculture and Natural Resources) said native landscapes can help refocus our gardens on the ecological purpose of plants, which is to produce food. Plant energy gets passed up the food chain, often via insects. But many insects only eat one native plant species, or group of related plants. So, if we are planting nonnative plants, that food doesn’t necessarily transfer from creature to creature, and the ecosystem can stall.
Trees are useful in the landscape design for heating and cooling buildings. Trees provide evaporative cooling in the vicinity where they are located (a difference of 3-5 degrees F) and much-needed shade in the summer. Strategically planted trees and shrubs can significantly reduce energy bills and fossil fuel use by providing shade in summer, while allowing sun through and providing wind barriers in winter. Trees add beauty and value to almost any property and store carbon, the main ingredient in carbon dioxide. Each tree can absorb 3-15 lbs. of carbon dioxide. Trees also enhance local landscaping in ways that might encourage more pedestrian traffic in city centers and other main roadways. A local arborist or urban forester can be a valuable source of information about strategic tree planting on private property and public areas.
People using solar power for their electricity or hot water put less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, so they are not increasing the temperature of the atmosphere as much as people using electricity that is generated by burning oil, gas, or coal.
Harnessing Geothermal energy. People using Geothermal energy for their electricity or hot water put less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, so they are not increasing the temperature of the atmosphere as much as people using electricity that is generated by burning oil, gas, or coal.
https://business.facebook.com/EnvironmentMassachusetts/videos/2520455998014135/
Clean energy is sweeping across America and is poised for more dramatic growth in the coming years.
Wind turbines and solar panels were novelties ten years ago; today, they are everyday parts of America’s energy landscape. As recently as 2010, energy-saving LED light bulbs cost $40 apiece; today, they cost a few dollars at the hardware store. Just a few years ago, electric vehicles seemed a far-off solution to decarbonize our transportation system; now, they have broken through to the mass market.
Solar energy: California, Arizona, North Carolina, Nevada and Texas have seen the greatest total increases in solar energy generation since 2009. California’s landmark “Million Solar Roofs” program, which accelerated the state’s solar industry in the mid-2000s, along with its strong renewable electricity standard and other policies, helped to trigger the dramatic rise of solar power there.
Natural gas has more than doubled its share of electricity generation in Massachusetts over the past two decades, while coal and oil generation have fallen sharply during that time. Last year, the state’s only nuclear plant, which was responsible for one-tenth of electricity generation, shut down permanently, in part because of competition from natural gas.
The amount of electricity created from solar power has steadily risen in Massachusetts since 2013. The state legislature recently toughened its mandate for utilities to sell electricity from renewable sources, raising the requirement to 35 percent of total sales by 2030 and increasing by 1 percent every year thereafter. The new legislation also aimed to encourage offshore wind development and the first such project is scheduled to come online by 2023.
Massachusetts consumes more electricity than it produces in-state and gets the remainder from nearby states through the regional grid. (Imports are not shown in the chart above).
The goal of the community inventory is to include Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions associated with all activities — residential, commercial/industrial, institutional, transportation-related — within the administrative boundary of the City of Boston. The Boston community-wide inventory accounts for emissions from the following sources:
Stationary energy use from residents, businesses and other activities, including municipal buildings.
On-road and off-road transportation, including municipal vehicle fleet fuel use (airplane travel at Logan airport excluded).
Solid waste and wastewater disposal and treatment.
Figure 1.2: Long-term observations demonstrate the warming trend in the climate system and the effects of increasing atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations (Ch. 2: Climate, Box 2.2). This figure shows climate-relevant indicators of change based on data collected across the United States. Upward-pointing arrows indicate an increasing trend; downward-pointing arrows indicate a decreasing trend. Bidirectional arrows (e.g., for drought conditions) indicate a lack of a definitive national trend.
Americans used more energy in 2018 than in any other year, according to the most recent energy flow charts released by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). Overall total energy consumption rose to 101.2 quadrillion BTU (or "quads"). The prior record, set in 2007, was 101.0 quads. Energy use went up by 3.6 percent from 2017, which also is the largest annual increase since 2010.
Carbon compounds form the basis of all known life on Earth. Carbon has an affinity for bonding with other small atoms, including other carbon and hydrogen atoms, via the formation of stable, covalent bonds:
These 5 short films explain in simple yet humorous ways the role of carbon in climate change. Climate Connections, a partnership between National Public Radio and National Geographic, features Robert Krulwich’s 5-part cartoon series
These 5 short films explain in simple yet humorous ways the role of carbon in climate change. Climate Connections, a partnership between National Public Radio and National Geographic, features Robert Krulwich’s 5-part cartoon series
Description
This activity analyzes a figure showing the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration from 1958 to 2016.
Records from polar ice cores show that the natural range of atmospheric CO2 over the last 800,000 years was 170 to 300 parts per million (ppm) by volume. In the early 20th century, scientists began to suspect that CO2 in the atmosphere might be increasing beyond this range due to human activities, such as burning fossil fuels and making changes in land use. At that time, however, there were no clear measurements of this trend. In 1958, Charles David Keeling began measuring atmospheric carbon dioxide at the Mauna Loa Observatory on the big island of Hawaii. This figure is a graph of the observatory’s measurements over time, which is now called the Keeling Curve.
Click for a comparison with recent trends in carbon dioxide at Mauna Loa, Hawaii, which has the longest continuous record of direct atmospheric CO2 measurements.
Why do most scientists think that Earth’s climate is changing as the result of human activity?
Muskrat Falls Dam, Labrador, 2015, before the filling of the reservoir.
For a website with information on the relationship to health of various environmental issues: Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard School of Public Health
International Network of Groups Protest Against Canadian Megadams
Characteristics of planned hydroelectric power projects across Canada.
The Power of Trees
Several studies have suggested that tree-filled settings can reduce stress or boost mental health. Now, new research is going further: Late last month, a study published in the journal Environmental Pollution suggested trees prevent 850 deaths a year and save billions in health care costs.
And that isn’t even the starkest link the U.S. Forest Service has made between trees and human health.
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
What are greenhouse gases, and how are they related to climate change?
Certain gases in the atmosphere keep the Earth warm through a process called the greenhouse effect. Watch this brief introductory video to learn more about the greenhouse effect and how people are causing it to become stronger.
1. What happens in the greenhouse effect?
How does all the "extra" carbon dioxide get into the atmosphere?Click See the Impacts. What are some of the signs of global climate change?
What can we expect to happen if the planet keeps getting warmer?
How can we put less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere?
List three things YOU can do to help lower greenhouse gases by reducing your energy use.
Use this climate change calculator to find out how much carbon dioxide you can keep out of the atmosphere.
Go on a Climate Change Expedition to see the effects of climate change around the world. Write your own Planet Diary blog about one place you visited.
CLIMATE CHANGE
In 2016, the shares of total primary energy consumption for the five energy-consuming sectors were:
Electric power—39%
Transportation—29%
Industrial—22%
Residential—6%
Commercial—4%
The electric power sector generates most of the electricity in the United States, and the other four sectors consume most of that electricity.
The pattern of fuel use varies widely by sector. For example, petroleum provides about 92% of the energy used for transportation, but only 1% of the energy used to generate electricity.
Rich and developing nations remain deeply divided on the issue of “differentiation” – how to share out responsibility for curbing greenhouse gas emissions, which derive mainly from burning coal, oil and gas.
Developing countries say the West has polluted for much longer and should shoulder a bigger obligation for cutting back.
They also demand assurances of finance to help them shift to less-polluting renewable energy, shore up defences against climate impacts such as sea level rise, droughts and superstorms, and to cover damage that cannot be avoided.
RESOURCES
How do some of the natural resources we use impact the climate? (Local, national, global)
How has the use of energy resources increased over the past century, and what does this have to do with climate change?
For detailed views of various parts of the world, visit:
www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/a-closer-look-at-carbon-dioxide
What factors are responsible for climate change?
These cows at the Ellinbank Dairy Research Centre in Victoria, Australia, wear backpacks that measure their methane output.
For more information, visit Roni Neff's faculty page at jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/johns-hopkins-center-for-a-livable-future/about/staff/Bios/roni.
After carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) is the second most important well-mixed greenhouse gas contributing to human-induced climate change. In a time horizon of 100 years, CH4 has a Global Warming Potential (GWP-100) 28 times larger than CO2.
Related Links:
Johns Hopkins Center For a Livable Future at jhsph.edu/clf
APHA 2017 Conference Panel on Food and the Environment American Public Health Association conference, Nov. 7, 2017
"Yesterday's Dinner, Tomorrow's Weather, Today's News? Us Newspaper Coverage of Food System Contributions to Climate Change." U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, July 2009
"News Media Overlook Food System and Climate Change Connection," Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Sept. 22, 2008
"Roni Neff Explains How the Media Miss the Story on Food’s Connection to Climate Change," Grist, Oct. 6, 2008
"Why Is the Media Afraid to Tackle Livestock's Role in Climate Change?" Inside Climate News, Nov. 3, 2009
1. Associated Press, "Hawaii considers 100 percent renewable energy goal for transportation," CBS News, January 19, 2017.
2. Julia Pyper, "California Passes a Bill Targeting 50% Renewables by 2030," Greentech Media, September 12, 2015.
3. "Governor Cuomo Announces Establishment of Clean Energy Standard that Mandates 50 Percent Renewables by 2030," Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, August 1, 2016.
4. Ben Hellerstein, "Mass. lawmakers and advocates set their sights on 100 percent renewable energy," Environment Massachusetts, January 20, 2017.
5. Jan Ellen Spiegel, "In Corporate March to Clean Energy, Utilities Not Required," Inside Climate News, August 8, 2016.
6. Rob Sargent, "Massachusetts can blaze the trail to 100 percent renewable energy," Environment America, February 13, 2017.
Nine planetary boundaries
1. Climate change
2. Change in biosphere integrity (biodiversity loss and species extinction)
3. Stratospheric ozone depletion
4. Ocean acidification
5. Biogeochemical flows (phosphorus and nitrogen cycles)
6. Land-system change (for example deforestation)
7. Freshwater use
8. Atmospheric aerosol loading (microscopic particles in the atmosphere that affect climate and living organisms)
9. Introduction of novel entities (e.g. organic pollutants, radioactive materials, nanomaterials, and micro-plastics).
Seeds of Hope
http://www.climatecentral.org/
Go to special reports tab and see the first report posted on States at Risk.
Highlighting the bright spots
Highlighting the bright spots
The Nobel Peace Prize 2007 was awarded jointly to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and Albert Arnold (Al) Gore Jr. "for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change."
The Nobel Peace Prize 2007. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Media AB 2019. Fri. 11 Oct 2019. <https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2007/summary/>The Nobel Peace Prize 2007 was awarded jointly to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and Albert Arnold (Al) Gore Jr. "for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change."
Climate Change will Increase the Danger of War
Climate Change will Increase the Danger of War
By awarding the Nobel Peace Prize for 2007 to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and former US Vice President Al Gore Jr., the Norwegian Nobel Committee called special attention to their efforts to obtain and disseminate greater knowledge concerning man-made climate changes and the steps that need to be taken to counteract those changes.
The IPCC was established in 1988 by the UN General Assembly. The first four main reports submitted by the Climate Panel between 1990 and 2007 were based on a coordinated program of research by several thousand experts in over a hundred countries. The reports stated that climate change is accelerating, that the changes are to a significant extent man-made, and that the need to adopt counter-measures is urgent if we are to prevent a global climate crisis from arising in the near future and threatening the basis of human life.
According to the IPCC, there is a real danger that the climate changes may also increase the danger of war and conflict, because they will place already scarce natural resources, not least drinking water, under greater pressure and put large population groups to flight from drought, flooding, and other extreme weather conditions.
Copyright © The Norwegian Nobel Institute
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change – Facts. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Media AB 2019. Sat. 12 Oct 2019. <https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2007/ipcc/facts/>
An Inconvenient Truth
An Inconvenient Truth
The Nobel Peace Prize for 2007 was awarded to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and former US Vice President Al Gore for their efforts to obtain and disseminate information about the climate challenge. In Gore's case, certainly, the award was grounded in his tireless campaign to put the climate crisis on the political agenda.
As early as in 1992, the year when he was elected Vice President of the United States, Gore was making himself known as a highly environment-conscious politician, among other things through his book Earth in the Balance: Forging a New Common Purpose, in which he took up the problem of global warming. Having lost the presidential election in 2000, he decided to use his influence to increase public awareness in the United States and other countries of the seriousness of the environmental situation. This goal he well-nigh achieved by means of his documentary film An Inconvenient Truth (2006).
According to the Nobel Committee, Gore is probably the single individual who has done most to rouse the public and the governments that action had to be taken to meet the climate challenge. "He is," in the words of the Committee, "the great communicator".
Copyright © The Norwegian Nobel Institute
Al Gore – Facts. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Media AB 2019. Fri. 11 Oct 2019. <https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2007/gore/facts/>“As scientists, we tend to be very focussed on all the problems, so to look at examples of the sustainable solutions that people are coming up with – and to move towards asking, ‘what do the solutions have in common’ is a big change,” says Elena Bennett, from McGill’s School of the Environment in Canada, who is the lead author of the paper.
“As scientists, we tend to be very focussed on all the problems, so to look at examples of the sustainable solutions that people are coming up with – and to move towards asking, ‘what do the solutions have in common’ is a big change,” says Elena Bennett, from McGill’s School of the Environment in Canada, who is the lead author of the paper.
Global examples of a thriving sustainable social-ecological future published by “Seeds of a Good Anthropocene” which is a collaboration led by McGill University in Canada, the Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University in Sweden, and the Centre for Complex Systems in Transition at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. It forms part of the initiative “Bright Spots – Seeds of a Good Anthropocene,” a Future Earth funded project, which is co-led by the Programme on Ecosystem Change and Society (PECS).
Global examples of a thriving sustainable social-ecological future published by “Seeds of a Good Anthropocene” which is a collaboration led by McGill University in Canada, the Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University in Sweden, and the Centre for Complex Systems in Transition at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. It forms part of the initiative “Bright Spots – Seeds of a Good Anthropocene,” a Future Earth funded project, which is co-led by the Programme on Ecosystem Change and Society (PECS).
Six main themes identified
The group of researchers have identified six main overarching themes from the projects that were submitted:
1) “Agroecology”: Projects that adopt social-ecological approaches to enhance food-producing landscapes. One example is the Satoyama Initiative in Japan where urban residents are working with rural people to revive underused rural lands through farm stays and volunteer work along with financial support.
2) “Green Urbanism”: Projects that improve the liveability of urban areas, e.g. New York City’s Highline Park, where native species have been planted on abandoned railway lines to create urban spaces where art, education and recreation are accessible to all.
3) “Future Knowledge”: These are projects which foster new knowledge and education which can be used to transform societies. One example is Greenmatter, a programme in South Africa to provide graduate-level skills for biodiversity conservation.
4) “Urban Transformation”: These are projects that create new types of social-ecological interactions around urban space. One example is the Sukhomajri village in the Himalaya’s where the community has come together to stop Sukhna Lake from silting up and initiate harvesting of rainwater.
5) “Fair Futures”: Efforts to create opportunities for more equitable decision making. One example is City of the Future Lüneburg 2030+ - a project that aims to envision the future city of Lüneburg, Germany in a way that it turns into more sustainable, livable and fair place.
6) “Sustainable Futures”: Social movements to build more just and sustainable futures, e.g. the US based Farm Hack project who share new ideas online to increase the resilience of sustainable agriculture and rural economies. One example is a bicycle powered root washer.
Here is a pilot project designed to capture the kinetic energy of the huge tides moving in and out of Cobscook Bay, Maine.
Here is a pilot project designed to capture the kinetic energy of the huge tides moving in and out of Cobscook Bay, Maine.
Speaking of creative designs for producing renewable energy, here is a pilot project designed to capture the kinetic energy of the huge tides moving in and out of Cobscook Bay, Maine.
These units are placed at the bottom of the bay and use the daily 20 foot tides entering and leaving the bay to spin the turbines. (Lubec, Maine, August 2012)
Thus, the turbines, that look like giant egg beaters, are harnessing the kinetic energy of the tide waters without having to burn fossil fuels. (Lubec, Maine, August 2012)
The updated Yale Climate Opinion maps suggest Americans' opinions on climate change differ sharply from that of the president
Paleoclimatology data from National Centers for Environmental Information at NOAA
Present, Future
Climate Science/Education Information
Climate Science/Education Information
National Climate Assessment (2014) Referenced on MA DEP site. http://nca2014.globalchange.gov/
Heat waves, heavy downpours, and sea level rise pose growing challenges to many aspects of life in the Northeast. Infrastructure, agriculture, fisheries, and ecosystems will be increasingly compromised. Many states and cities are beginning to incorporate climate change into their planning.
Click here to explore how climate change is affecting the Northeast.
National Wildlife Federation has put together an online Climate Classroom for Kids. Here, you can download their excellent slideshow, “What’s Up with Global Warming?” that also has a presenter’s guide.
http://www.climateclassroomkids.org/teacher.aspx
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Climate Change Kids Site includes interactive climate animations, an explanation of the difference between weather and climate, and ideas for reducing our climate impacts.
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/
Woods Hole Research Center provides an explanation of the global carbon cycle, including annual global carbon flows per year
More data on CO2 are available from DOE's Carbon Dioxide Information Center in Oak Ridge and the Global Carbon Project.
By David Abel GLOBE STAFF JANUARY 23, 2016
Some MIT professors are researching nuclear power plants that can float in the ocean. Others are testing atom-sized solar cells that can coat skyscraper windows or smartphone screens. And still others are looking at how to mix algae with sunlight to make a reliable, clean fuel.
Earth sees warmest year on record in 2015, NOAA, NASA say
posted Jan 20, 2016, 3:48 PM by Michael McCarthy [ updated Jan 21, 2016, 2:38 PM ]
Scientists have reported 2015 was the hottest year on record by far. The experts pinned the record-breaking heat on long-term global warming caused by the emission of greenhouse gases. 2015’s record breaks the previous record set the year before, in 2014. In response to the findings, Gerald Meehl, a scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, said, "The whole system is warming up, relentlessly."
Climate in the News:
Climate in the News:
Boston prepares for climate change effects
MIT joins global hunt for ways to cut carbon
posted Jan 23, 2016, 3:15 PM by Michael McCarthy [ updated Jan 23, 2016, 3:17 PM ]
After climate agreement, world faces a carbon diet
posted Dec 14, 2015, 7:09 AM by Michael McCarthy [ updated Dec 14, 2015, 7:10 AM ]
Climate Change Poses Risks for Agriculture and Global Food SecurityPostedDec 3, 2015
Catastrophic floods remain threat 3 years after Sandy
posted Nov 30, 2015, 9:42 AM by Michael McCarthy [ updated Nov 30, 2015, 9:43 AM ]
How much can Massachusetts save from driving less?
posted Nov 22, 2015, 7:37 AM by Michael McCarthy [ updated Nov 22, 2015, 7:43 AM ]
Record-crushing October was warmest on record
posted Nov 18, 2015, 7:59 PM by Michael McCarthy
Report: Climate Change Had Role in 50% of 2014 Extreme Weather Events
posted Nov 6, 2015, 9:08 AM by Michael McCarthy [ updated Nov 6, 2015, 1:13 PM ]
The Hidden Meltdown of Greenland
posted Nov 3, 2015, 8:13 AM by Michael McCarthy [ updated Nov 3, 2015, 8:18 AM ]
2015 could be warmest year on record
posted Oct 22, 2015, 8:27 AM by Michael McCarthy [ updated Oct 22, 2015, 8:38 AM ]
Study: Burning All Fossil Fuels Would Melt Antarctica Ice Sheet
posted Sep 16, 2015, 8:16 AM by Michael McCarthy [ updated Sep 16, 2015, 10:41 AM ]
Historic Rains Flood Japan in Latest Sign of Climate Change
posted Sep 10, 2015, 8:33 AM by Michael McCarthy [ updated Sep 10, 2015, 8:39 AM ]
Annual checkup of Earth’s climate says we’re in hotter water
posted Aug 22, 2015, 5:23 AM by Michael McCarthy [ updated Aug 22, 2015, 5:34 AM ]
Climate change intensifies California drought, scientists say
posted Aug 22, 2015, 4:52 AM by Michael McCarthy [ updated Aug 22, 2015, 4:53 AM ]
July was hottest month ever recorded
posted Aug 22, 2015, 4:46 AM by Michael McCarthy
Boston aims to help developers plan for rising seas
posted Jun 19, 2015, 8:37 AM by Michael McCarthy
Indian Heat Wave Toll Tops 2,300; Minister Blames Climate Change
posted Jun 4, 2015, 8:35 AM by Michael McCarthy
Amount of carbon dioxide in air keeps rising, hits milestone
posted May 9, 2015, 6:47 PM by Michael McCarthy [ updated May 9, 2015, 6:57 PM ]
Click for a comparison with recent trends in carbon dioxide at Mauna Loa, Hawaii,
which has the longest continuous record of direct atmospheric CO2 measurements.
posted Apr 12, 2015, 7:41 AM by Michael McCarthy [ updated Apr 12, 2015, 7:50 AM ]
Study suggests key Antarctica glacier melting from below
posted Mar 22, 2015, 7:43 PM by Michael McCarthy [ updated Mar 22, 2015, 7:44 PM ]
Rate of Sea-level Rise 'Steeper'
posted Jan 17, 2015, 2:08 PM by Michael McCarthy
Fossil fuels should be phased out by 2100 says IPCC
posted Nov 2, 2014, 5:11 PM by Michael McCarthy [ updated Nov 2, 2014, 5:14 PM ]
United Nations says CO2 pollution levels at annual record high
posted Sep 11, 2014, 12:09 PM by Michael McCarthy [ updated Sep 15, 2014, 6:59 AM ]
Study blames humans for most of melting glaciers
posted Aug 15, 2014, 12:33 PM by Michael McCarthy
posted Feb 12, 2014, 11:38 AM by Michael McCarthy [ updated Feb 12, 2014, 11:48 AM ]
Inaction on climate change costly, report warns
posted Jan 18, 2014, 9:18 AM by Michael McCarthy [ updated Jan 18, 2014, 9:19 AM ]
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