Interactive Tool Makes Global CO2 Emissions Data Smartphone Accessible

“Big data” has never been bigger. New tools—such as satellites, cloud computing and other technological upgrades—are fueling a “data revolution,” allowing researchers to analyze the world in ways they’ve never been able to before.
But while compiling and analyzing this data is incredibly important, the other piece of the puzzle is making data accessible. Identifying solutions to global environment and development challenges—such as climate change, deforestation and water management—means making data fully available to a wide set of decision-makers from government, business, academia and civil society.
That’s why World Resources Institute (WRI) is launching a fully mobile-accessible version of its Climate Analysis Indicators Tool, or CAIT 2.0. The tool allows users everywhere to access, visualize and compare greenhouse gas emissions data from 186 countries and 50 U.S. states, as well as other comprehensive, global climate data. And now, all of this invaluable information is available via smart phones, iPads and other mobile devices.
Addressing Accessibility in the Data Revolution
Making data accessible to all users around the world is critical for addressing an issue as globally relevant as climate change. Mobile-friendly data is important for ensuring this type of accessibility—especially when it comes to decision-makers in Africa and Asia.
Consider the mobile usage chart below, created by StatCounter. This map and associated research are indicators of the growing importance of mobile-friendly data. Mobile internet access overwhelmingly dominates in Sub-Saharan Africa and South-East Asia. For example, in India, 65 percent of the total population uses mobile devices to access the Internet; 82.8 percent do so in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Mobile usage is also growing globally. Worldwide, mobile phones already account for 17 percent of global web usage, with Africa and Asia having the major share.
Mobile-Friendly Data Can Support Climate Change Action
Mobile-accessible climate data can be useful for stakeholders like policymakers, businesses, NGOs and academics as they work on climate issues. Imagine, for example, a discussion between two country delegates at a U.N. climate conference in which they come to a disagreement on appropriate mitigation actions. One of the delegates takes out his smart phone to access the most recent available emissions data within CAIT 2.0, which immediately helps to make the conversation more fact-based and allows them to reach a mutual understanding on the best path forward.
Or take a policy analyst, who is in transit and finishing a presentation that will inform a climate policy meeting she is attending the next day. With CAIT 2.0 mobile, from her taxi she is able to directly access GHG emissions numbers for the countries she’s been asked about, and can thus support her arguments with the latest available data.
And importantly, a mobile-friendly CAIT 2.0 gives everyone with internet access the ability to gain information about countries’ and states’ greenhouse gas emissions. This type of data transparency can allow the public to become informed and hold leaders accountable for climate action—or inaction.
Making Data Accessible at Any Time
By introducing a mobile solution, WRI seeks to establish CAIT 2.0 as the go-to source for reliable and accessible climate data. The CAIT 2.0 mobile site is designed with streamlined functionality to accommodate devices such as smart phones and small tablets without sacrificing the level of detail contained in the existing, full-sized CAIT 2.0 platform.
Visit EcoWatch’s CLIMATE CHANGE page for more related news on this topic.
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Wisdom the mōlī, or Laysan albatross, is the oldest wild bird known to science at the age of at least 70. She is also, as of February 1, a new mother.
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Comparing rime ice and glaze ice shows how each changes the texture of the blade. Gao, Liu and Hu, 2021, CC BY-ND
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theDOCK aims to innovate the Israeli maritime sector. Pexels
<p>The UN hopes that new investments in ocean science and technology will help turn the tide for the oceans. As such, this year kicked off the <a href="https://www.oceandecade.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030)</a> to galvanize massive support for the blue economy.</p><p>According to the World Bank, the blue economy is the "sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of ocean ecosystem," <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412019338255#b0245" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Science Direct</a> reported. It represents this new sector for investments and innovations that work in tandem with the oceans rather than in exploitation of them.</p><p>As recently as Aug. 2020, <a href="https://www.reutersevents.com/sustainability/esg-investors-slow-make-waves-25tn-ocean-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Reuters</a> noted that ESG Investors, those looking to invest in opportunities that have a positive impact in environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, have been interested in "blue finance" but slow to invest.</p><p>"It is a hugely under-invested economic opportunity that is crucial to the way we have to address living on one planet," Simon Dent, director of blue investments at Mirova Natural Capital, told Reuters.</p><p>Even with slow investment, the blue economy is still expected to expand at twice the rate of the mainstream economy by 2030, Reuters reported. It already contributes $2.5tn a year in economic output, the report noted.</p><p>Current, upward <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/-innovation-blue-economy-2646147405.html" target="_self">shifts in blue economy investments are being driven by innovation</a>, a trend the UN hopes will continue globally for the benefit of all oceans and people.</p><p>In Israel, this push has successfully translated into investment in and innovation of global ports, shipping, logistics and offshore sectors. The "Startup Nation," as Israel is often called, has seen its maritime tech ecosystem grow "significantly" in recent years and expects that growth to "accelerate dramatically," <a href="https://itrade.gov.il/belgium-english/how-israel-is-becoming-a-port-of-call-for-maritime-innovation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">iTrade</a> reported.</p><p>Driving this wave of momentum has been rising Israeli venture capital hub <a href="https://www.thedockinnovation.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">theDOCK</a>. Founded by Israeli Navy veterans in 2017, theDOCK works with early-stage companies in the maritime space to bring their solutions to market. The hub's pioneering efforts ignited Israel's maritime technology sector, and now, with their new fund, theDOCK is motivating these high-tech solutions to also address ESG criteria.</p><p>"While ESG has always been on theDOCK's agenda, this theme has become even more of a priority," Nir Gartzman, theDOCK's managing partner, told EcoWatch. "80 percent of the startups in our portfolio (for theDOCK's Navigator II fund) will have a primary or secondary contribution to environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria."</p><p>In a company presentation, theDOCK called contribution to the ESG agenda a "hot discussion topic" for traditional players in the space and their boards, many of whom are looking to adopt new technologies with a positive impact on the planet. The focus is on reducing carbon emissions and protecting the environment, the presentation outlines. As such, theDOCK also explicitly screens candidate investments by ESG criteria as well.</p><p>Within the maritime space, environmental innovations could include measures like increased fuel and energy efficiency, better monitoring of potential pollution sources, improved waste and air emissions management and processing of marine debris/trash into reusable materials, theDOCK's presentation noted.</p>theDOCK team includes (left to right) Michal Hendel-Sufa, Head of Alliances, Noa Schuman, CMO, Nir Gartzman, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, and Hannan Carmeli, Co-Founder & Managing Partner. Dudu Koren
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