A new study finds leaving lights on at night contributes almost two million tons of CO2 emissions a year. Design Pics / Kelly Redinger / Getty Images
Leaving the lights on at night could collectively cost parents $911 million a year, a recent study found.
<p>Commissioned by <a href="https://bulb.com/" target="_blank">Bulb</a>, a <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-crisis-new-deal-2649521190.html" target="_blank">renewable energy</a> company, researchers analyzed the habits of 1,000 parents. The results found that 73 percent left the lights on for an average of six hours a night to mitigate their children's fear of the dark, costing households an extra $40 a year, according to <a href="https://medium.com/bulb-texas/how-to-fight-fears-of-the-dark-and-save-on-your-bills-fcbbca14eca2" target="_blank">Bulb</a>'s blog.</p>
<p>"Leaving lights on is also putting a wrench in the works for eco-conscious parents," Bulb wrote, resulting in almost two million tons of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/co2-emissions-mass-extinction-study-2648427335.html" target="_blank">CO2 emissions</a> a year, equivalent to powering 202,000 homes. </p>
<p>While turning the lights off at night can save money and lead to a more sustainable lifestyle, household lighting contributes to only five percent of a household's <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/energy-news/" target="_blank">energy</a> consumption, according to <a href="https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/use-of-energy/homes.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a report by the U.S. Energy Information and Administration</a>. Space heating and air conditioning on average consume more than half of a household's energy usage, depending on geographic location, size and structure, equipment and fuels. </p>
<p>"Environmentalists have long obsessed over the emissions associated with their lifestyle decisions — whether to fly, own a car, and eat red meat," <a href="https://grist.org/energy/footprint-fantasy/" target="_blank">Grist reported</a>. "The story that individual choices could save us has been repeated so many times that the idea often passes without discussion and plays an outsized role in policy discussions and company decisions."</p>
<p>Since 1988, 100 companies have contributed to 71 percent of the world's greenhouse gas, <a href="https://b8f65cb373b1b7b15feb-c70d8ead6ced550b4d987d7c03fcdd1d.ssl.cf3.rackcdn.com/cms/reports/documents/000/002/327/original/Carbon-Majors-Report-2017.pdf?1499691240" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a 2017 report found</a>. "If fossil fuels continue to be extracted at the same rate over the next 28 years as they were between 1988 and 2017, says the report, global average temperatures would be on course to rise by 4C by the end of the century," <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/jul/10/100-fossil-fuel-companies-investors-responsible-71-global-emissions-cdp-study-climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Guardian</a> reported. Among these companies were ExxonMobil, Shell, BP and Chevron. </p>
<p>"The belief that this enormous, existential problem could have been fixed if all of us had just tweaked our consumptive habits is not only preposterous; it's dangerous," Mary Annaise Heglar, a climate justice writer and co-host and co-creator of the Hot Take newsletter and podcast, wrote in an <a href="https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/2019/5/28/18629833/climate-change-2019-green-new-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">essay published by Vox</a>. "We need to let go of the idea that it's all of our individual faults, then take on the collective responsibility of holding the true culprits accountable."</p>
<p>Since 2009, the number of Americans who consider climate change a major threat has grown from 44 percent to 60 percent this year, according to a <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/04/16/u-s-concern-about-climate-change-is-rising-but-mainly-among-democrats/" target="_blank">report by the Pew Research Center</a>. More may be inspired to ask: What can I do to help?</p>
<p>Understanding where emissions come from, whether driving to work, using household utilities, eating meat for dinner and flying across the country could motivate scalable climate action by shifting personal, everyday norms, <a href="https://www.sciencenews.org/article/climate-change-actions-reduce-carbon-footprint" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ScienceNews reported</a>. </p>
<p>"Installing solar panels, buying an electric vehicle or adopting a more climate-friendly diet don't just increase the likelihood of others taking similar steps," Robert Frank, a Cornell University economist told <a href="https://www.sciencenews.org/article/climate-change-actions-reduce-carbon-footprint" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ScienceNews</a>. "It also deepens one's sense of identity as a climate advocate."</p>
<p>While incorporating individual actions into everyday life, like turning off the lights at night, may not alone achieve the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/paris-agreement" target="_blank">Paris Agreement</a> goals to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, small practices could be considered a step toward reducing residential emissions, which account for 20 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, according to a 2020 study by <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/117/32/19122" target="_blank">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>. Individual actions could also encourage climate action on a larger scale.</p>
<p>"So while personal actions can be meaningful starting points, they can also be dangerous stopping points," Heglar wrote in her Vox essay. "Start by changing your lightbulb, but don't stop there."</p>
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A mass methane release could begin an irreversible path to full land-ice melt. NurPhoto / Contributor / Getty Images
By Peter Giger
The speed and scale of the response to COVID-19 by governments, businesses and individuals seems to provide hope that we can react to the climate change crisis in a similarly decisive manner - but history tells us that humans do not react to slow-moving and distant threats.
<p>Our evolution has selected the "fight or flight" instinct to deal with environmental change, so rather like the metaphor of the frog in boiling water, we tend to react too little and too late to gradual change.</p><p>Climate change is often described as global warming, with the implication of gradual changes caused by a steady increase in temperatures; from heatwaves to melting glaciers.</p><p>But we know from multidisciplinary scientific evidence - from geology, anthropology and archaeology - that climate change is not incremental. Even in pre-human times, it is episodic, when it isn't forced by a human-induced acceleration of greenhouse gas emissions and warming.</p><p>There are parts of our planet's carbon cycle, the ways that the earth and the biosphere store and release carbon, that could trigger suddenly in response to gradual warming. These are tipping points that once passed could fundamentally disrupt the planet and produce abrupt, non-linear change in the climate.</p>
A Game of Jenga
<p>Think of it as a game of Jenga and the planet's climate system as the tower. For generations, we have been slowly removing blocks. But at some point, we will remove a pivotal block, such as the collapse of one of the major global ocean circulation systems, for example the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), that will cause all or part of the global climate system to fall into a planetary emergency.</p><p>But worse still, it could cause runaway damage: Where the tipping points form a domino-like cascade, where breaching one triggers breaches of others, creating an unstoppable shift to a radically and swiftly changing climate.</p><p>One of the most concerning tipping points is mass methane release. Methane can be found in deep freeze storage within permafrost and at the bottom of the deepest oceans in the form of methane hydrates. But rising sea and air temperatures are beginning to thaw these stores of methane.</p><p>This would release a powerful greenhouse gas into the atmosphere, 30-times more potent than carbon dioxide as a global warming agent. This would drastically increase temperatures and rush us towards the breach of other tipping points.</p><p>This could include the acceleration of ice thaw on all three of the globe's large, land-based ice sheets – Greenland, West Antarctica and the Wilkes Basin in East Antarctica. The potential collapse of the West Antarctic ice sheet is seen as a key tipping point, as its loss could eventually <a href="https://science.sciencemag.org/content/324/5929/901" target="_blank">raise global sea levels by 3.3 meters</a> with important regional variations.</p><p>More than that, we would be on the irreversible path to full land-ice melt, causing sea levels to rise by up to 30 meters, roughly at the rate of two meters per century, or maybe faster. Just look at the raised beaches around the world, at the last high stand of global sea level, at the end of the Pleistocene period around 120,0000 years ago, to see the evidence of such a warm world, which was just 2°C warmer than the present day.</p>Cutting Off Circulation
<p>As well as devastating low-lying and coastal areas around the world, melting polar ice could set off another tipping point: a disablement to the AMOC.</p><p>This circulation system drives a northward flow of warm, salty water on the upper layers of the ocean from the tropics to the northeast Atlantic region, and a southward flow of cold water deep in the ocean.</p><p>The ocean conveyor belt has a major effect on the climate, seasonal cycles and temperature in western and northern Europe. It means the region is warmer than other areas of similar latitude.</p><p>But melting ice from the Greenland ice sheet could threaten the AMOC system. It would dilute the salty sea water in the north Atlantic, making the water lighter and less able or unable to sink. This would slow the engine that drives this ocean circulation.</p><p><a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/atlantic-conveyor-belt-has-slowed-15-per-cent-since-mid-twentieth-century" target="_blank">Recent research</a> suggests the AMOC has already weakened by around 15% since the middle of the 20th century. If this continues, it could have a major impact on the climate of the northern hemisphere, but particularly Europe. It may even lead to the <a href="https://ore.exeter.ac.uk/repository/handle/10871/39731?show=full" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">cessation of arable farming</a> in the UK, for instance.</p><p>It may also reduce rainfall over the Amazon basin, impact the monsoon systems in Asia and, by bringing warm waters into the Southern Ocean, further destabilize ice in Antarctica and accelerate global sea level rise.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTUwNjQ0MS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NTgwMjY2MX0.IvCzVigFTmY5avYrfi_Muh47dXM1TvLwTPFv5Zs95Pk/img.png?width=980" id="b580e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="491f17ca2d159ebbc564d9c4a6771983" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1222" data-height="1324" />
The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation has a major effect on the climate. Praetorius (2018)
Is it Time to Declare a Climate Emergency?
<p>At what stage, and at what rise in global temperatures, will these tipping points be reached? No one is entirely sure. It may take centuries, millennia or it could be imminent.</p><p>But as COVID-19 taught us, we need to prepare for the expected. We were aware of the risk of a pandemic. We also knew that we were not sufficiently prepared. But we didn't act in a meaningful manner. Thankfully, we have been able to fast-track the production of vaccines to combat COVID-19. But there is no vaccine for climate change once we have passed these tipping points.</p><p><a href="https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-global-risks-report-2021" target="_blank">We need to act now on our climate</a>. Act like these tipping points are imminent. And stop thinking of climate change as a slow-moving, long-term threat that enables us to kick the problem down the road and let future generations deal with it. We must take immediate action to reduce global warming and fulfill our commitments to the <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Paris Agreement</a>, and build resilience with these tipping points in mind.</p><p>We need to plan now to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, but we also need to plan for the impacts, such as the ability to feed everyone on the planet, develop plans to manage flood risk, as well as manage the social and geopolitical impacts of human migrations that will be a consequence of fight or flight decisions.</p><p>Breaching these tipping points would be cataclysmic and potentially far more devastating than COVID-19. Some may not enjoy hearing these messages, or consider them to be in the realm of science fiction. But if it injects a sense of urgency to make us respond to climate change like we have done to the pandemic, then we must talk more about what has happened before and will happen again.</p><p>Otherwise we will continue playing Jenga with our planet. And ultimately, there will only be one loser – us.</p>From Your Site Articles
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For many people, the holidays are rich with time-honored traditions like decorating the Christmas tree, lighting the menorah, caroling, cookie baking, and sipping from the unity cup. But there's another unofficial, official holiday tradition that spans all ages and beliefs and gives people across the world hope for a better tomorrow: the New Year's resolution.
<p>It's believed that ancient Babylonians were the <a href="https://www.cnet.com/health/the-history-of-new-years-resolutions-and-celebrations/#:~:text=4%2C000%20years%20ago%20in%20Babylon%20(around%202000%20B.C.)&text=Most%20historians%20believe%20Babylonians%20were,accordance%20with%20an%20agricultural%20year." target="_blank">first people to make New Year's resolutions</a> some 4,000 years ago. Over time, the popular practice shifted in scope from making promises to the gods about repaying debt to making promises to ourselves about self-improvement. Anyone who has ever made a New Year's resolution probably included something like get more sleep or be less stressed. And though it might not immediately come to mind when you brainstorm strategies for reaching your New Year's goals, it turns out that chamomile tea could be the answer for many of them. </p><p>If you've ever asked yourself why everyone is drinking chamomile tea, we've got the answer here. Read on to learn some of the reasons why this herbal beverage is all the rage.</p>
<p><em><strong>Josh Hall</strong> has been a professional writer and storyteller for more than 15 years. His work on natural health and cannabis has appeared in Health, Shape, and Remedy Review. </em><em><em>The product featured here has been independently selected by the writer. If you make a purchase using the link included, we may earn commission.</em></em></p>
Benefits of Chamomile Tea
<p><strong>Sleep More Soundly</strong></p><p>Pick your grandmother's brain about the best way to fall asleep, and she might tell you to down a nice glass of warm milk. But if you consult with science, research shows that chamomile might be a better option. That's because it contains an antioxidant called apigenin, which can <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2995283/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">promote sleepiness and reduce insomnia and other sleep problems</a>.</p><p>Two research studies even confirmed the power of chamomile throughout the day and before bed. In one of those studies, postpartum women who drank chamomile for two weeks <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26483209" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">experienced better sleep quality than the control group who didn't</a>. Another research effort measured how fast people could fall asleep. Those results illustrated that participants who consumed 270 milligrams of chamomile extract twice daily for 28 days <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3198755/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">fell asleep 15 minutes faster than the control</a>. The chamomile group also had considerably fewer sleep disruptions. </p><p><strong>May Be Able to Keep Your Gut Healthy</strong></p><p>Though the following studies used rats as the subjects, research shows that chamomile can potentially play a beneficial role in digestive health. According to that research, the anti-inflammatory properties in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24463157" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">chamomile extract may be able to protect against diarrhea</a>. Additionally, chamomile may be an effective way to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4177631/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">stop the growth of bacteria in our stomachs that contribute to ulcers</a>.</p><p><strong>Reduces Stress and Anxiety</strong></p><p>Few things are more relaxing than curling up with a good cup of tea, so it's logical that chamomile tea can serve a stress reducer. While it lacks the potency of a pharmaceutical drug, long-term use of chamomile has been shown to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27912875" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">"significantly" reduce general anxiety disorders</a>. In general, chamomile can act almost like a sedative, and many people enjoy the tea because it puts them in a calm and relaxed state almost immediately. </p><p><strong>Boosts Immune Health</strong></p><p>Vitamin C and zinc are common over-the-counter supplements that people often turn to when they're hoping to avoid becoming sick. While scientists admit that more research must take place to prove chamomile's impact on preventing ailments like the common cold, the existing studies do show promise in this area. </p><p>One study had 14 participants drink five cups of the tea every day for two consecutive weeks. Throughout the study, researchers collected daily urine samples and tested the contents before and after the consumption of the tea. Drinking chamomile resulted in a significant increase in the levels of hippurate and glycine, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2995283/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">both of which are known to increase antibacterial activity</a>. Inhaling steam from a pot of freshly brewed chamomile tea may also ease the symptoms of nasal congestion.</p><p><strong>Minimizes Menstrual Cramps</strong></p><p>This one may come as a surprise, particularly to readers who have tried every possible over-the-counter treatment to reduce period pain. Several research studies have proven that chamomile tea may be able to minimize the pain and cramps that occur during menstruation. Women in that same study also dealt with lower levels of anxiety that they typically felt because of menstrual cramps.</p><p><strong>Help Diabetes and Lower Blood Sugar</strong></p><p>For people with diabetes, regulating blood sugar levels can be a matter of life or death. And while chamomile will never replace prescription-strength drugs, it's believed that it can prevent an increase in blood sugar. A 2008 study on rats showed that chamomile could have a <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf8014365" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">moderate impact on the long-term risk of diabetes</a>.</p><p><strong>Might Improve Your Skin</strong></p><p>Ever wondered why there's been an influx of chamomile-infused cosmetic products? The reason why so many manufacturers now include chamomile in their lotions, soaps, and creams is because it <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5074766/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">acts as an anti-inflammatory on our skin</a>. That means it may be able to soothe the puffiness that plagues us as we age. Those same anti-inflammatory properties can be vital in restoring skin health after we've received a sunburn. </p><p>Before discarding your used chamomile tea bags, try chilling them and placing them over your eyes. Not only will this help with the puffiness, but it can drastically light the skin color around the eye.</p><p><strong>Help With Heart Health</strong></p><p>Some of the most beneficial antioxidants we put into our bodies are what are known as flavones, and chamomile tea is chock full of them. Flavones have the potential to lower both blood pressure and cholesterol levels, which, when elevated, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4814348/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">can lead to heart disease</a>.</p>Why Everyone Is Drinking Chamomile Tea
<p>Now that you know so much about the wonders of chamomile, it shouldn't come as a surprise why the tea is so popular with people of all ages. In addition to tasting great, chamomile offers up benefits that boost the health of body parts both inside and out. As you ponder your own New Year's resolutions, think about how healthy and natural vitamins, supplements, plants, and oils can help guide you on your own personal path to improvement. Happy New Year!</p>An Organic, Eco-Conscious Brand to Try
<div class="rm-shortcode amazon-assets-widget" data-rm-shortcode-id="0da9d8545ec44ebf1a31d6044181ed9e" contenteditable="false"> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N2F8718?tag=ecowatch-20&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1" target="_blank"> <img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41B2ANHhsdL.jpg" class="amazon-assets-widget__image widget__image"> </a> </div> <p>FGO tea bags are made of hemp fiber paper, free of dyes, adhesive, glue, and chlorine bleach. The tea is also certified USDA Organic by California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF).</p>From Your Site Articles
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A hazy Seattle skyline due to wildfire smoke is seen on September 11, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. Lindsey Wasson / Getty Images
Washington state residents are taking climate matters into their own hands. Beginning this month, 90 members of the public join the country's first climate assembly to develop pollution solutions, Crosscut reported.
<p>Randomly picked and representing every congressional district in the state, assembly members have until March to discuss climate pollution, reach a consensus and forward their recommendations to the state Legislature. </p><p>"It's going to hinge on getting people from different ideological perspectives to talk and be informed and come to some consensus," State Rep. Jake Fey, D-Tacoma, told Crosscut. "It's an experiment, but I'm supportive of this because I think that it could be more persuasive in furthering the different strategies that might be used to reduce carbon."</p><p>Crosscut reported that the group represents racial, income and gender diversity. Their views on the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-crisis" target="_blank">climate crisis </a>also vary, from whether it exists to whether people are responsible for it.</p><p>"One fact that has become clear is that the polarized nature of this debate harms us all. This issue cannot be another 'us versus them' issue, because it affects us all," Fey and three other Washington representatives wrote in <a href="https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/commentary-citizens-assembly-would-seek-consensus-on-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Herald</a>.</p>
<p>Although environmental concern is growing across the country, a recent<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2020/02/13/as-economic-concerns-recede-environmental-protection-rises-on-the-publics-policy-agenda/" target="_blank"> Pew Research Center study</a> found that the partisan gap on climate change has never been wider than in 2020,<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/02/20/climate/climate-change-polls.html" target="_blank"> The New York Times reported</a>.</p><p>While 78 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents list <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change/" target="_blank">climate change</a> as their top policy priority, just 21 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents do, according to the Pew Research Center's findings. </p><p>Republican State Senator Judy Warnick will sit on Washington's Climate Assemblies monitoring team. "It will be interesting for me — I haven't been involved in a lot of climate discussion," she told Crosscut. Warnick hopes to improve the air quality and forest health in her district.</p><p>Last year, Warnick's district, alongside others in the Central and Eastern Washington region, experienced devastating <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wildfires" target="_blank">wildfires</a>.</p>
<p>"This is an unprecedented and heartbreaking event," Washington's Gov. Jay Inslee said about the wildfires that roared through the state in the spring and summer, <a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/wildfire-smoke-blows-into-western-washington-worsening-air-quality/" target="_blank">The Seattle Times</a> reported. "We're living in a new world. This is not the old Washington."</p><p>Although Washington's Climate Assembly is the first in the U.S., a similar assembly took place in the UK.<br></p><p>At the beginning of last year, UK citizens were selected at random, asked to listen to experts and come up with a list of recommendations on how their country could reach net-zero emissions by 2050,<a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/qa-how-the-climate-assembly-says-the-uk-should-reach-net-zero" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> CarbonBrief reported</a>. Their consensus was published in a report where they listed changes to a range of sectors, from meat and dairy consumption to electricity generation. </p>
<p>"The first weekend changed me really. I thought, 'Oh my God, [climate change] is really going to happen,'" Sue Peachey, one of the 108 people who took part in the UK assembly, told<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/dec/31/its-awakened-me-uk-climate-assembly-participants-hail-a-life-changing-event" target="_blank"> The Guardian</a>. "It made me want to learn and to live my life greener."</p><p>The report is a tool to push the UK toward net-zero emissions, CarbonBrief noted. But it could do more than recommend climate policy. </p><p>"The report shatters the illusion that ordinary people will not accept stronger climate policies and are incapable of making difficult decisions about our collective future," Graham Smith, a politics professor at the University of Westminster, wrote for <a href="https://theconversation.com/citizens-assembly-what-weve-learned-about-the-kind-of-climate-action-the-public-wants-to-see-146161" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Conversation</a>.</p><p>Citizen assemblies on climate change could bring the public together to form agreements on an issue that has largely divided it. "It's all about building relationships, listening to each other's ideas," Warnick told Crosscut. "That's what has me the most optimistic."</p>
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Climate Crisis Will Shift Tropical Rain Belt and Create Food Insecurity for Billions, Study Finds
19 January
Climate
Madagascar has been experiencing ongoing droughts and food insecurity since 2016. arturbo / Getty Images
Nearly 1.6 million people in the southern part of Madagascar have faced food insecurity since 2016, experiencing one drought after another, the United Nations World Food Program reported.
<p>A <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-020-00963-x" target="_blank">study</a> published Monday found billions more could face food insecurity as Earth's tropical rain belt shifts in response to climate change, causing increased drought stress and intensified flooding.</p>
<p>"Our work shows that climate change will cause the position of Earth's tropical rain belt to move in opposite directions in two longitudinal sectors that cover almost two thirds of the globe, a process that will have cascading effects on water availability and food production around the world," lead author Antonios Mamalakis, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University, told <a href="https://news.uci.edu/2021/01/18/uci-researchers-climate-change-will-alter-the-position-of-the-earths-tropical-rain-belt/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">UCI News</a>. </p>
<p>Researchers at the University of California, Irvine and other institutions analyzed how the tropical rain belt would respond to a future where greenhouse gas emission continued to rise through 2100, UCI News reported. Their <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-020-00963-x#Abs1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">findings</a>, published in Nature Climate Change, revealed the rain belt will shift northward over the Eastern Hemisphere, impacting countries in southeastern Africa. </p>
<p>In Madagascar, these impacts are already being felt. </p>
<p>"We only had one day of rain in December in the whole region. And the thunderstorms have been blasting… and destroying and burying the crops that were there," Lola Castro, the United Nations World Food Program regional director for Southern Africa and Indian Ocean States, <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/01/1081892" target="_blank">told UN News</a>. "The result is famine-like conditions."</p><p>Madagascar's vulnerability to the climate crisis, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, has left people with little to eat, Castro said. "Cactus mixed with mud, roots, whatever they can find, leaves, seeds, whatever is available."</p><p>The rain belt is projected to shift toward a warming atmosphere, co-author James Randerson, UCI's Ralph J. & Carol M. Cicerone Chair in Earth System Science, explained. "In Asia, projected reductions in aerosol emissions, glacier melting in the Himalayas and loss of snow cover in northern areas brought on by climate change will cause the atmosphere to heat up faster than in other regions," he told UCI News. </p><p>Since 2000, glaciers in the Himalayas are losing more than a vertical foot and half of ice every year, <a href="https://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2019/06/19/melting-himalayan-glaciers-doubled/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Columbia University's Earth Insititute</a> reported, double the amount from 1975 to 2000. </p>
<p>"We know that the rain belt shifts toward this heating, and that its northward movement in the Eastern Hemisphere is consistent with these expected impacts of climate change," Randerson told UCI News.</p>
<p>In the Western Hemisphere, the rain belt is expected to move in the opposite direction by shifting southward, the study found. This will cause greater drought stress to Central America, a region which is experiencing more than five years of recurring drought, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-central-america-drought-migration/hunger-driving-migration-in-drought-hit-central-america-u-n-idUSKCN1V423J" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Reuters</a> reported.</p>
<p>By combining an engineering approach to both climate science and data analytics, the team of researchers found previously unknown consequences associated with global warming. They also saw how much more there is to learn.</p>
<p>"The complexity of the Earth system is daunting, with dependencies and feedback loops across many processes and scales," author Efi Foufoula-Georgiou, UCI Distinguished Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, told UCI News.</p><p>Determining how these changes will impact flooding, droughts, infrastructure and ecosystems can inform adaptation strategies and policies, Foufoula-Georgiou told UCI News. But time may be running out. </p>
<p>"What we are saying here is that the situation we're facing in southern Madagascar is not normal," Lola Castro told UN News, regarding the humanitarian crisis. "It's very different to any normal year of crisis and that we really need to act immediately." </p>
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel and German ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst stand at the Orion spacecraft during a visit at the training unit of the Columbus space laboratory at the European Astronaut training centre of the European Space Agency ESA in Cologne, Germany on May 18, 2016. Ina Fassbender / Anadolu Agency / Getty Images
By Monir Ghaedi
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to keep most of Europe on pause, the EU aims for a breakthrough in its space program. The continent is seeking more than just a self-sufficient space industry competitive with China and the U.S.; the industry must also fit into the European Green Deal.
<h3>'Strategic Autonomy' in Space</h3><p>"I believe we need a more offensive and aggressive strategy," said the European Commissioner Thierry Breton as he laid out the main priorities for the EU space program over the next seven years. Breton said that the European Union must move quickly to reduce its dependence on third countries.</p>
<div id="dc9fc" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e59073f4aedd26372600b247d6be1cec"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1348914516969611267" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">"Enhancing Europe's strategic autonomy in space is not an option" @ThierryBreton #BBESpaceConf https://t.co/Qm9gOeUh4v</div> — Business Bridge Europe (@Business Bridge Europe)<a href="https://twitter.com/BBE_Europe/statuses/1348914516969611267">1610441257.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>"Strategic autonomy" is Brussels's latest catchphrase that echoed throughout Breton's and other EU officials' speeches during the 13th European Space Conference earlier this week. As Europe plans to address economic needs within its borders, its aerospace program is set to focus inwards as well.</p><p>Breton mentioned having independent EU-wide internet coverage as another important target. Noting that "attacks on the internet are not fiction anymore," Breton explained that the EU must construct a secure broadband network.</p><p>He also emphasized that the European Commission needs to promote entrepreneurship and innovation in space, while continuing to expand its existing projects. Otherwise, he said, Galileo and Copernicus – Europe's major satellite projects – will soon become obsolete.</p><p>After these plans receive approval from European governments and the European Parliament, €15 billion ($18.2 billion) will fund space sector projects during the 2021-2027 period, in addition to current funding from national governments and private investments.</p>
<h3>Meeting the Competition and Climate Goals</h3><p>During the past decade, the number of satellite launches and space missions has surged internationally. China's lunar rover landed on the far side of the moon. Private companies in the U.S. have made rapid advancements too. SpaceX successfully returned two of its reusable rocket cores to Earth.</p><p>As vital infrastructure like transportation and communications rely more and more on space technology, there's a greater sense of urgency for the EU to realize its own space ambitions.</p><p>The continent's other pressing objective is to become carbon neutral by 2050. Expansion of EU aerospace activities – now heavily dependent on the production of metal and fuel – must comply with the European Green Deal.</p><p>Alignment of these two goals might not be straightforward, but in the view of EU officials, the space program has a role to play in fighting climate change, fostering green technologies like clean fuels and optimized farming. Additionally, data and services from space are used to constantly monitor the Earth and measure things like CO2 levels.</p><p>EU officials and entrepreneurs mentioned clean fuel production and satellite monitoring missions as two promising areas to help achieve Europe's Green Deal and other environmental targets.</p>
<h3>Clean Energy in Space and on Earth</h3><p>One of the areas in which European space companies have a leg up is the production of liquid hydrogen as fuel. When liquid hydrogen burns, it produces enough propelling force to launch a rocket, but emits only water vapor and warm air. However, it's highly energy-intensive to produce, creating a large carbon footprint. The focus of European firms working on this energy option is to mitigate the impact of liquid hydrogen production on the environment.</p><p>"Hydrogen (as fuel) is expensive today but tomorrow it will be cheap and green," said Xavier Vigor, vice president of Air Liquide, a supplier of industrial gases.</p><p>European rockets have used liquid hydrogen as their fuel for decades. ArianeGroupe, the continent's largest launcher company, aims to launch its carbon-neutral rockets running on hydrogen produced from biomass by 2030. The company also plans to bring the clean fuel to the transport industry. If they succeed, ships and airplanes will be able to travel around the globe, producing no carbon emissions.</p><p>"I am really thankful for the decisionmakers in Europe who made the decision to use hydrogen for European launchers. This was a brilliant bet," said Jean-Christophe Henoux, ArianeGroup's vice president of Future Programmes.</p>
<h3>Satellites Monitoring Climate Change</h3><p>EU officials are confident their satellite program will also help in the fight against climate change. The EU space program will continue to design missions focused on CO2 monitoring and a polar observation by its satellites.</p><p>"Satellite programs such as Galileo and Agnus have already had an important contribution to minimizing our environmental footprint," said Rodrigo da Costa, the head of the European Global Navigation Satellite Systems Agency (GSA), in a press briefing.</p><p>Copernicus, the EU's Earth observation system, has monitored climate change since 2017, providing historical data and climate models for the future.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTQ5Nzk2MC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY3MjI1Njk4Mn0.PSKtNrh_kWGzH6vsGlHWBFLvLHYYGbX30YsZh5jLmuc/img.jpg?width=980" id="bcf7e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9a55c41003928d33600334310f11fbf6" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="700" data-height="394" />
European satellites continue to provide data on climate change.
<p>"We believe we can create synergies between navigation and Earth observation," said da Costa. Better navigation helps shorten transportation routes, which cuts fuel consumption. This is how EU satellite programs can contribute to the implementation of the Green Deal, according to da Costa.</p><p>Full details of the European space plan have yet to be worked out. The European Commission will meet to decide on them in the coming weeks. After that, a consortium of aerospace and telecom companies will start working to operationalize the plan.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/eu-aims-to-curb-carbon-footprint-through-investment-in-space/a-56241227" target="_blank">DW</a>.</em><br/></p>From Your Site Articles
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Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker speaks during the National Clean Energy Summit 9.0 on October 13, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Isaac Brekken for National Clean Energy Summit / Getty Images
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker vetoed a sweeping climate bill on Thursday that would have put the commonwealth on a path to eliminating carbon emissions by 2050.
<p>Baker's veto sets up a confrontation between the Republican governor and the Democratic supermajority-controlled legislature. </p><p>The bill would have also directed utilities to purchase more offshore wind power, set efficiency standards for appliances, and required that 40% of the state's electricity come from renewable sources by 2030. </p><p>The governor's veto came under pressure from developers, who <a href="https://newsletter.climatenexus.org/e2t/tc/MVpDrsDr2_nW5tp7yY6PlNDNW7zr5cm4lSDP-N5q1hkG5nxHXV3Zsc37CgC5cW35ZyYH5l_jmvDPdT5CZ4RvMzYclFhP0r6W8VmBTR18Tw02V70Tkl1WXxqvW9klPPM1hpRK5W8Lm7kK3LSBLsW2-Xb3Z347p51W26sGbZ3WPNHNW2n72Fk5RscN1Vg0pts3KBfYDN2vWJjd79DkLN3zQLKMf06c3W2ZPLcS4S4dbkVcpLmF7dns2mW49w5lY2_kMwzVXhsYb2dm79xW2FFTf81wXr_KVhw7944bVm1yW4Lgx9W5LwFCHW6MPy0n6RBsRbW7_VbMn7dgjdwW3391n92xjVXfW7CMWVl2_Jh6RW1PnXFL5DbCQRW4w0VYQ1wHdfmW15dh4Q3pSFpyN7XFhCKXWjfJW499LDw3-BPCpW7jSCyC2xfyyKVQBZ5X4YTDHWW4bdXlB41xNhcW6Rb_JW83yBWgW7S1HwX6WPkRwN27kNvfhBlLsVn76pT5_HcMnW3cMLPw1NShl4VWzgBn4jF_nMW1HlWx48w-hxrW61tNFs5bw7swV77qrq3kR5rNW3wKhXt4DlwBmN1ty3Vf7vDyxW7s5V7D8k6Fn33nRy1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">claimed</a> the bill's building efficiency rules would hamper housing development – despite <a href="https://newsletter.climatenexus.org/e2t/tc/MVpDrsDr2_nW5tp7yY6PlNDNW7zr5cm4lSDP-N5q1hkG3p_9LV1-WJV7CgF6gW2GvBy_1GN3tWW6JFBgQ2PS_xFN1Bv0BFsTTkDN2QbSFczr8gWW48fWHL5jL3m4W31ybM654bWRkW7zYW791SsJMPW89fj3W9bksw-W25C8vf3g1WgrW52-lQ4598G7PW5hSLKf8WRyM0W50Nqk01PCLDHW1BbSBc6KycBKW7bgVZb8ylcbbW73QKhX1LNC0WN6QWrfbS76-MW5Jj68M2m1JdkW3gtTmm8_MvPrW662V3j6z06nmW6hdwCJ1ymb6QW7d7_-V3VnZzZN2dxwTLLS1mZVlTxhk66rtRlW7Hh9jS6xggfBW73zcqV72SSq7W6KRDDw1QgjT3W7dmCL-8FYp66W6074CP3wgV4v3jvd1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">studies</a> showing the cost efficiencies of net-zero construction. </p>
<p>Baker, who in December <a href="https://newsletter.climatenexus.org/e2t/tc/MVpDrsDr2_nW5tp7yY6PlNDNW7zr5cm4lSDP-N5q1hhV5nxG7V3Zsc37CgG_NW8W69rx4m5bGdW9lhwk481LYpTW5fRJyY8vTcSdW5xPr9Y93PdDzW6FGDZ77Bpw--W8gFDl62nx-bZN41YcgTXLywhW3QkKBQ5Dtz9pW4ZkVB11-RCS0W7y6yMc1LQyb3W65w7HT81lX_wV91GJY5RZ1M2W7swtw86kcW7tVMGvxZ20V4NPV5WB_l8wnmzNW2fLYCf2ZlBt0W3q0gzs1Mz94RW7ZPj-x8PrytRW8kv_n65M3zW5W4q1ySk8Cyk7JW1cJMRN5fmH9XW76My9W23Lm7KVRHdz268hdtRW3bMxmN1KJtKbW2r0kSW2mnfgyW8sQw2Z5lL0zWW1mn_yS2PbsNMVCPD2Y2zfpK9VNvgD76GNmyjW8cJXzj79YwhyW1S0RZL3r8SJ_W6_TK5Q64ZqLR3lFT1" target="_blank">released his own plan</a> to make the state emissions-neutral by 2050, said he agreed with the bill's supporters on climate goals, but State Sen. Michael Barrett, a lead negotiator on the bill, accused Baker of using technicalities to avoid the ambitious commitments set out by the legislation, and predicted the bill's strong support would ultimately carry it over the finish line.</p><p>"Charlie Baker is not the first politician in the world to have responded to climate change by procrastinating," Barrett said. </p><p>Lawmakers passed the bill nearly unanimously at the end of the 2020 legislative session, and plan to refile it and quickly send it back to Baker with time left in the session to override a second veto.</p>
<p><strong>For a deeper dive:</strong><br/></p><p><a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/01/15/metro/reluctantly-governor-vetoes-mass-climate-change-bill-it-may-soon-be-back-his-desk/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=106693087&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--BhP-SACAFRxFxNGU2QU5O_pDoGsm9rWM3sf1V8P5xs3WNL0fT7kDWccgKu3Et_3t1l5OkKkzdIgx252lAUzCErVXE9CLZ3W29AnK3EyyHRlli1yc&utm_content=106693087&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Boston Globe</a>, <a href="https://www.wbur.org/earthwhile/2021/01/14/massachusetts-climate-bill-veto-baker?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=106693087&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9MzfxvKohZU-LNgUr1WKXyJ357kWP5Zc-1-xhIXSSYHgkgMe_FGq60-696oC0u5r8cfhPPSo-rX6a1ZlXgsssyI_zkDhWFaB5I4ikPuN_Fi6pjYZs&utm_content=106693087&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">WBUR</a>, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-boston-legislation-climate-charlie-baker-409fc9e1d590d3e7c725ae3457e6bd2b" target="_blank">AP,</a> <a href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2021/01/14/charlie-baker-vetoes-climate-bill-oks-economic-development/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=106693087&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8b_1QsnEVEAXGJ1tvIsqhQeN5awtX-jVt5EtB1z40nxToJd2k6Y6gRSNtU1fP9PMfWQm2N_u0HgcCpfCUoymaD4w7qG3wMdH-6WUR-TtNoxx-iBXM&utm_content=106693087&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Boston Herald</a>, <a href="https://commonwealthmagazine.org/environment/in-veto-letter-baker-objects-to-a-lot-in-climate-change-bill/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=106693087&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-927epeSlR-b0Ai6eLxzuCPRszN10D_0qbthHJUXGXSRtW78Vdktg2E0l8aOa3xj2VcYHhoBkI0yZSBaIDhRlo4d2dJlPKIbFNwaBw2oeKYEyI1iCE&utm_content=106693087&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">CommonWealth</a>, <a href="https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/mass-lawmakers-say-they-are-ready-to-refile-pass-climate-bill/2280312/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=106693087&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--ohdUy7DjVieC6o2C5ufG7P6ae-cpwsuvRwOS1ncdD7p9sVuw4VjcWMAi3T9azTZs0_sOIZi5wx9BUqwAbAOXUMLRwft107olaDUZkTvO2P-G71V8&utm_content=106693087&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">NBC Boston</a>, <a href="https://www.masslive.com/politics/2021/01/massachusetts-gov-charlie-baker-vetoes-climate-bill-that-sets-carbon-emissions-targets-ahead-of-2050.html?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=106693087&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-95GrPIIggiIYo6vABVUvLAIpenCLcI4hzntskd7pn5BHuZEBYSAUIMc2jelQCo09UnbObFkcpxtkqp1YnSzH_srylwFAY9XRBCJ5q495AarIDKYME&utm_content=106693087&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">MassLive</a>; Commentary: <a href="https://www.wbur.org/cognoscenti/2021/01/14/massachusetts-climate-bill-ken-kimmell-alicia-barton?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=106693087&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_fXdoe3kHerHbgYGybbSz741goabDsN3uV1KMhuwvp04r1XOo6XhuaHf7f-v6Eb1U_lrMTDi0zC0u0giXkKcQjDeO1lM3gf5fMTlodwNtkEWrofRw&utm_content=106693087&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">WBUR, Alicia Barton and Ken Kimmell op-ed</a><br/></p><p><em>For more </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/climate-change-news/" target="_blank"><em>climate change</em></a><em> and </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/business/renewables/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>clean energy</em></a><em> news, you can follow Climate Nexus on </em><a href="https://twitter.com/ClimateNexus" target="_blank"><em>Twitter</em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClimateNexus/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Facebook</em></a><em>, sign up for daily </em><a href="https://www.linktrack.live/hot-news-sign-up" target="_blank"><em>Hot News</em></a><em>, and visit their news site, </em><a href="https://nexusmedianews.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Nexus Media News</em></a><em>.</em> </p>
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Major carbon sinks, such as the Taiga in Russia, could start absorbing less carbon within a few decades. LightFieldStudios / Getty Images
Up until now, humans have had an invaluable ally in the climate crisis battle: Earth's plants.
<p>These steadfast photosynthesizers have absorbed about a third of human-released greenhouse gas emissions, but that could change. A study published in <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/7/3/eaay1052" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Science Advances</a> on Wednesday warned that if emissions continue at current rates, then we are decades away from a tipping point where plants would become less effective at absorbing carbon.</p><p>"To date the world's ecosystems have been taking up some of the CO2 that goes into the atmosphere from <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/fossil-fuels" target="_self">fossil fuels</a>, and that's been buying us some time," Louis Schipper, study coauthor and University of Waikato professor, told the <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/earth-may-reach-temperature-tipping-point-within-decades/H57FIR3XNV2RK4JIFI2HWX6ULY/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">New Zealand Herald</a>. "The data that we've got from this paper suggests that the amount that ecosystems are going to do that service for us is going to decrease. That buying of time is going to go away, and quite quickly."</p><p>Plants have been referred to as Earth's lungs for their ability to take in carbon dioxide and combine it with sunlight and water to make food for themselves and oxygen for us, <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/climate-news/123931638/earths-lungs-could-start-deteriorating-in-as-little-as-two-decades" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Stuff explained</a>. So far, as carbon dioxide levels have increased, so has plants' ability to absorb it. But scientists wondered if plants would continue their absorption rates as the planet warms.</p><p>"The Earth has a steadily growing fever, and much like the human body, we know every biological process has a range of temperatures at which it performs optimally, and ones above which function deteriorates," Katharyn Duffy, lead study author and Northern Arizona University (NAU) postdoctoral researcher, said in an <a href="http://news.nau.edu/duffy-tipping-point/#.YABdBuhKhPa" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NAU press release</a>. "So, we wanted to ask, how much can plants withstand?"</p>
<p>To answer that question, Duffy teamed up with researchers at New Zealand's University of Waikato and the Woodwell Climate Research Center. The researchers examined data from measurement towers in every major biome. These towers, collectively known as FLUXNET, measure the carbon exchange of ecosystems, <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/2264787-tropical-rainforests-may-begin-pumping-out-carbon-dioxide-by-2050/" target="_blank">New Scientist reported</a>.</p><p>The researchers then analyzed that data using the MacroMolecular Rate Theory recently developed by Waikato professor Vic Arcus. This theory, based on thermodynamics, allowed researchers to determine how temperature change would impact photosynthesis in every major biome.</p><p>What the researchers found was alarming. After temperatures pass 64.4 degrees Fahrenheit, plants in most ecosystems photosynthesize less. For ones known as C4 plants (such as maize and sugarcane), the tipping point is higher, at 82.4 degrees Fahrenheit, NAU explained. In both cases, the process of respiration, by which plants release carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere, was not suppressed when the temperature threshold was reached. This means that many biomes could shift from being carbon sinks to carbon emitters.</p><p>Currently, less than 10 percent of Earth's biomes regularly experience temperatures past the photosynthesis tipping point, but if emissions continue at current rates, as many as half of them could hit that threshold by mid-century. This includes important carbon sinks like the<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/amazon-rainforest" target="_self"> Amazon rainforest</a> and the Taiga in Russia and Canada.</p>
<p>"All the plants on Earth are picking up about 30 percent of all the carbon that we emit and so if that no longer happens, that can create kind of a runaway climate change rate," Duffy explained to New Scientist. "It's this feedback loop where the plants are taking up less carbon, there's more carbon in the atmosphere, there's more warming, and so on, and so forth."</p><p>The results had a profound personal effect on some of the researchers.</p><p>Schipper told the New Zealand Herald that he remembered the moment when he saw Duffy's data and understood the implications.</p><p>"I just stared at the graph for, I don't know, 10 minutes, and just expletives run through your head," Schipper told the New Zealand Herald. "You hope that you're right, because you want to get your science right, but in some ways you hope that you're wrong."</p><p>For Arcus, the results were a call to action. He sold his car and bought an electric bike instead.</p><p>"We need to curb global warming to remain at or below the levels established in the Paris Climate Accord," Arcus told the New Zealand Herald.</p>
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United Airlines Boeing 737 takes off from Los Angeles international Airport on November 11, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. AaronP / Bauer-Griffin / GC Images
United Airlines is seeking to reduce its net greenhouse gas pollution by investing in carbon capture and sequestration instead of merely buying carbon offsets.
<p>"Traditional carbon offsets do almost nothing to tackle the emissions from flying. And, more importantly, they simply don't meet the scale of this global challenge," United CEO Scott Kirby <a href="https://newsletter.climatenexus.org/e2t/tc/VVwX-F15lXC6W5S51M24xf-vDW2F3lfm4lQvmpN44_D9w5nxGrV3Zsc37CgXMBN73z2pGSXvxjN8kfft4QjbMPW1ZvRvv7Fkdv9VRkkt36hRtQ9W3lrZQp3mF4GmVsxHX234ZRP-W5ffGJ25PQXd6W2NB3-c6wZplZW3cZxkB6KDP6mV51H3M45vG6lW7l6SfH8SPVMTW7vR4G32Nf9rhW2s1Bqv7X6G2_W2zTx-j97QzPxW20zcC066r0qTW5n50tb371xQNN93zdsRQhjlMW5SSg-P33j9gmN6RVlg2SwWr3N1GRjqdCh4_8W7clJBC7qxXxxW8nHnhZ84qdMmW5QfcCq4-kc0qW1dsPRv7CN951N7mj0G0TKv2XN37VKH_VryySW74_Vqc49vqRqW8jvGQf79SlRyVx1flY48S5JWW2-LC9J6kcxFNW3HTlQ24K0jHsVSCXYZ85rpzSW4_0zQ718J38xN79fp3q9gJ1x34my1" target="_blank">wrote</a>. </p><p>United will partner with 1PointFive, a carbon capture firm founded last year by a subsidiary of Occidental Petroleum and Rusheen Capital Management. </p><p>The carbon capture plants, each about 100 acres, will use direct air carbon capture to pull 1 million tons of carbon from the atmosphere, equivalent to the amount of carbon captured by more than 40 million trees. </p><p>Aviation is among the hardest sectors to decarbonize: Battery- and solar-powered aviation technology is nowhere near ready to make a dent in the market, and lower-impact biofuels are limited both by production constraints and plane's fuel mixture requirements.</p>
<p><strong>For a deeper dive:</strong></p><p>United: <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2021/01/12/climate-solutions-united-airlines/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=106540840&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_C3fEH0oBFPE7XajUw1QeHAsXQdB1mrZPUhbtRQ0DlWagy1OWm5gFpplf7AhgxkezKmlFevSDbbwE-pV5lI0ZPji8plp-s9HKDp0wMYXdJLHk1Dus&utm_content=106540840&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Washington Post</a>; Direct air carbon capture: <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/direct-air-capture-climate-change-technology_n_5fffa043c5b691806c4f1c02?ncid=NEWSSTAND0005&utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=106540840&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9zS-0aJocfEZrQY3hjGhttvxj23ee-e5VckGV-An-F8REOWXaLqzmNHamxb2pVY3mnpwQj82TYA0zO9xAy0TzNn_63EHT8YjL2ju2aVOV-7PDY2Y0&utm_content=106540840&utm_source=hs_email&guccounter=1" target="_blank">Huff Post</a><br/></p><p><em>For more </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/climate-change-news/" target="_blank"><em>climate change</em></a><em> and </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/business/renewables/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>clean energy</em></a><em> news, you can follow Climate Nexus on </em><a href="https://twitter.com/ClimateNexus" target="_blank"><em>Twitter</em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClimateNexus/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Facebook</em></a><em>, sign up for daily </em><a href="https://www.linktrack.live/hot-news-sign-up" target="_blank"><em>Hot News</em></a><em>, and visit their news site, </em><a href="https://nexusmedianews.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Nexus Media News</em></a><em>. </em></p>From Your Site Articles
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Singapore is cited as one of the many cities facing light pollution issues. leungchopan / Getty Images
By Tim Schauenberg
When the Earth shook the Los Angeles region on the night of January 17, 1994, many houses, bridges and power lines were toppled. At that moment, the brightly illuminated metropole was plunged into darkness.
<p>People torn from their beds emerged to the reality of having been hit by an earthquake. They also, according to local observatories and police stations who reportedly received phone calls to this effect at the time, emerged to alleged sightings of a "giant silvery cloud" in the sky. What they were seeing was actually <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/milky-way-gobbled-up-smaller-galaxy-in-cosmic-crash-astronomers-find/a-49706252" target="_blank">the Milky Way</a> and stars which until then, had remained obscured behind the dazzling city lights.</p><h2>From a Revolution to a Pollutant</h2><p>The 19th-century invention of electric light was a genuine revolution, and over a century later, it is hard to imagine a life without it. Yet today, more than 80% of the world's population live under light-polluted skies. In Singapore, for example, nights have become so bright that people's eyes now struggle to adapt to real darkness. </p><p>Christopher Kyber, a scientist at the Potsdam-based German Research Center for Geosciences, describes the introduction of artificial light as "one of the most dramatic changes we've made to the biosphere."</p><p>He says throughout evolution, there was a constant signal coming from the environment. "This is daytime, this is nighttime, this is the lunar month. In areas that experience strong light pollution, that signal has been dramatically changed."</p><p>Scientists estimate our planet is becoming 2% brighter every year, with the consequences of that increase growing ever more visible. </p>
<h2>Is Light Making Us Sick?</h2><p>People living in big cities are likely to be most affected by too much artificial light. </p><p>"It's just horrible. You can see the orange glow across the whole of Mumbai," said Nilesh Desai, an IT worker and light pollution activist in India's second-largest city. </p><p>"Lights used to be on until 12am or sometimes until 3:00am," he said, in reference to illuminated billboards, floodlights and streetlamps. "I used to get disturbed by those lights, you know, bright lights coming into my room, my bedroom, and it definitely impacted me because I could not sleep."</p><p>When he lodged a complaint with the authorities in 2018, they ignored him.</p><p>Science shows links between artificial light and eye injury, <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/technology-that-helps-us-fall-asleep/a-44540273" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">sleeplessness</a>, <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/study-obesity-cuts-life-expectancy-by-up-to-10-years/a-19398951" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">obesity</a> and in some cases, even <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/53-million-germans-suffer-from-depression-each-year/a-46506088" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">depression</a>. A US study on shift workers from 2007 even makes a connection with breast cancer. It is all related to melatonin, a hormone that is released when it gets dark.</p><p>"When we don't get that hormone, when we don't produce that hormone because we're exposed to so much light in our apartment, or as a shift worker, then the whole working of this biological clock system becomes problematic," Kyber said.</p>
<h2>Lighter Nights Affect Biodiversity </h2><p>It's not only humans that need a natural day-night rhythm. Wildlife also struggles to adapt to the use of artificial light at night. Corals, for example, don't reproduce as usual, migratory birds can lose their sense of orientation, and, rather than walking towards the sea, newly hatched turtles have been found walking inland, where they die. </p><p>"There is a tremendous change because the increase of brightness at nighttime is new to evolution," said Sibylle Schroer, a scientist at the Leibniz Institute for Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries in Berlin. </p><p>Insects are also affected. One study suggested that an estimated 100 billion nocturnal insects die in Germany each summer as a result of artificial light. Usually reliant on the moon for orientation, the critters become so distracted by bright streetlamps for example, that they fly around them all night. They then die from exhaustion, are too weak to reproduce or become easy prey for predators.</p><p>Another report published in 2016 showed that plants growing near streetlights are pollinated significantly less often at night and produce less fruit than their unlit counterparts. Even trees feel the impact of light at night, budding earlier and with later leaf fall than others.</p>
<h2>The Climate Impact </h2><p>With fossil fuels still the main source of global electricity production, the unnecessary use of light at night also <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/delhi-is-choking-on-its-smog/a-41309472" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">contributes to air pollution</a> and climate change. According to Pavan Kumar, a scientist at the Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, "More than 12 million tons of carbon dioxide are released into the atmosphere each year due to extreme nighttime light." </p><p>With better light management and urban planning, those emissions could be significantly reduced, and resources and money could be saved, he continued.</p><p>So far, movement on such measures has been slow. France and Croatia have taken the lead, introducing legal limits on excessive nighttime illumination by imposing bans on lights in eco-sensitive areas. In some places, like in parts of France, there are set times when lights in public spaces have to be dimmed or switched off.</p><p>Back in Mumbai, after protests from citizens like Nilesh Desai, city representatives have indicated they are willing to reduce light pollution. In a victory for Desai, a stadium close to his home has been told to remove its floodlights. As there is very little legislation around the regulation of light pollution, Mumbai politicians have also called on the Indian environment ministry to implement laws. </p><p>Desai hopes it won't take a blackout to see the Milky Way over his city one night.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from </em><em><a href="https://www.dw.com/en/light-pollution-the-dangers-of-bright-skies-at-night/a-56209536" target="_blank">Deutsche Welle</a>.</em><a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/r/entryeditor/2649940234#/" target="_self"></a></p>From Your Site Articles
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The Parc del Fòrum, a public open space with a massive solar panel in Barcelona, Spain. Enrique Díaz / 7cero / Getty Images
By Francesco Starace and Jean-Pascal Tricoire
Why is it so important to decarbonize cities? And how can we do it?
<p>The first question is easy to answer: The cities in which more than half of us live account for nearly two-thirds of the CO2 emissions that lie at the root of our planet's looming <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-crisis">climate crisis</a>. Skyscrapers in megalopolises, shopping malls, SUVs in the streets, air conditioners in a growing number of places throughout the globe – all consume a vast amount of high CO2-content energy.</p><p>The answer to the second question is to take an integrated approach: leveraging clean electrification and digital technology to harmonize urban energy systems, while also thinking beyond individual projects to consider their impact within the surrounding communities and the built environment.</p>
<p>In fact, urban energy, transport and building infrastructures are gradually becoming greener: There are <a href="https://www.iea.org/reports/global-ev-outlook-2020" target="_blank">more electric vehicles on city streets</a>, better water treatment and recycling schemes, and more <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/solar">solar</a> panels on rooftops around the globe. According to <a href="https://www.iea.org/reports/renewables-2020?utm_content=buffer061dd&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin-Birol&utm_campaign=buffer" target="_blank">International Energy Agency estimates</a>, renewables like solar and wind are set to become the largest source of electricity generation worldwide by 2025, supplying one-third of the world's electricity and ending coal's decades-long dominance of the global power mix.</p><p>All this is, of course, welcome.</p><p>But with climate change accelerating, we need more comprehensive decarbonization actions on three fronts. First, we need even more energy to come from <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/renewable-energy/">renewable</a> sources. Second, we need more cars, heating and other activity to be powered by clean electricity. Third, we need everything from factories, to office buildings, homes, transport systems and consumer devices to become more energy-efficient.</p>
<p>This third lever might not as headline-grabbing as the rise of solar panels or electric vehicles. But it is a big piece of the decarbonization puzzle, with an even larger potential enabled by digital technologies.</p><p>Consider, for example, the technologies that make buildings more energy-efficient, by automatically adapting the amount of cooling, heating or lighting to occupancy levels at any given moment. Or digital tools that allow the operators of a manufacturing site in Sweden or a public utility in India to run their operations or distribution systems more efficiently and even remotely, rather than in person (a feature that has proved critical in these times of social distancing and lockdowns).</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTQzNDUzNy9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNzEwMDEwN30.PFj06PUl54BGCMlbb0etzgnp-P2-zB1a3v5RNcG2BYw/img.png?width=980" id="57d4e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8cdbcd37ddf921991f9393f268d33296" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1526" data-height="986" />
<p>Imagine how much more we could achieve if we digitally integrate ultra-efficient buildings, public services – e.g. transport or lighting – and electric vehicle charging stations into a wider, highly efficient urban system, delivering better quality services for citizens and accompanying benefits such as local job creation, health, and well-being. Integration and interaction between assets are the key to disrupt the traditional equation of energy and efficiency in cities. An EV battery can store power not only for just one car, but, while a car is not in use, also for the surrounding community thanks to smart-charging infrastructures. Excess power generated by an office building's or warehouse's rooftop solar panels might be used to help power the wider neighborhood.</p>
<p>The technologies, digital tools and data analytics capabilities to enable this efficient urban system already exist, as do concrete examples of such an integrated approach. Therefore, integration and collaboration of systems and stakeholders are the fundamental drivers to accelerate and scale the transition in cities.</p><p>Integration of energy, buildings and mobility requires cross-cutting industry collaboration, ranging from utilities and real estate, to technology companies and financial institutions. City- and state-level administration can enable and facilitate such collaboration through public-private cooperation. The public sector can drive on governance, policy and licensing, while the private sector provides agility, technology and resources. This cooperation can share and balance risks and liability between stakeholders for mutual gains and value creation for the broader community.</p>
<p>All of this comes against a backdrop of great urgency. Epidemics, climate and economic pain have all created unique challenges in 2020. But combating climate change must remain top of mind. Cities lie at the heart of this fight and have now the chance to build back better. We have joined the World Economic Forum in the effort to promote dialogue and mobilize action together with a group of global leaders. As co-chairs of the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/projects/systemic-efficiency" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Net Zero Carbon Cities initiative</a>, our ambition is to accelerate a sustainable transition in cities, supporting mayors in creating value for their communities. It is up to all of us to ensure we become part of the solution rather than part of the problem.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/01/cities-climate-decarbonize-integrated/" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>.</em><br/></p>From Your Site Articles
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Indian startup Carbon Craft Design upcycles black carbon into stylish tiles. Carbon Craft Design
Indian startup Carbon Craft Design (CCD) launched with the goal of making construction more sustainable and tackling India's major air pollution problem. It does so by extracting black carbon from polluted air and upcycling it into strong and stylish carbon tiles.
<p>Black carbon is a substance in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution that absorbs one million times more energy from the sun than carbon dioxide, making it a potent contributor to the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change/" target="_self">climate crisis</a>, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/style/article/carbon-tiles-air-pollution-india-hnk-spc-intl/index.html#:~:text=Determined%20to%20make%20construction%20more,make%20stylish%2C%20handcrafted%20building%20tiles." target="_blank">CNN</a> reported.</p><p>Black carbon also has dangerous health effects, having been linked to lung and heart disease in addition to impairing cognitive and immune functions, the article stated. Earlier this year, two separate studies found that <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/air-pollution-life-expectancy-2645407193.html" target="_self">air pollution shortens human life expectancy by three years</a> and that there is <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/air-pollution-cardiac-arrests-2644941669.html" target="_self">"no safe level" of air pollution exposure</a>, because even low levels of PM2.5 correlated with an increased risk of cardiac arrest. In 2020, <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/air-pollution-deaths-study-2648424420.html" target="_self">air pollution was responsible for over 6.6 million deaths worldwide</a> and was ruled, for the first time, as a <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/london-girl-death-air-pollution-2649531226.html?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1" target="_self">partial cause of the asthma death of a nine-year-old London girl</a>.</p><p><a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/india" target="_self">India</a> is notorious for its polluted air. According to <a href="https://www.iqair.com/india" target="_blank">IQ Air</a>, its cities often suffer from high levels of PM2.5, and 21 of the world's 30 most polluted cities in 2019 were in the South Asian nation.</p><p>Building and construction are partly to blame. Traditional <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/eco-friendly-bricks-2646435593.html" target="_blank">clay bricks</a> are made by firing and heating them to roughly 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, which takes a lot of energy and produces air pollution byproduct waste. India is the world's second-largest brick producer, and brick kilns account for 20 percent of black carbon emissions globally, CNN reported. Conventional vitrified tiles (a low-porosity ceramic), also require a lot of energy to manufacture since they have to be burned, <a href="https://www.thebetterindia.com/225013/mumbai-startup-air-pollution-tiles-carbon-craft-design-sustainable-innovation-india-ang136/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Better India</a> reported.</p>
<p>Architect Tejas Sidnal was shocked to discover how construction exacerbates his nation's environmental issues. In response, Sidnal founded CCD in 2019, and his new carbon tiles are reinventing how to build.</p><p>"That was a crazy eye opener," he told CNN. "As architects, we are responsible for so much air pollution. We can do better."</p><p>CCD Project Head Giriprashad K explained in a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnB7Hh40nYk" target="_blank">company video</a> about carbon tiles, "The present-day production of construction materials is one of the largest single-source contributors of climate change. We wanted to see how to use this captured carbon [to produce] building materials. We came up with this idea that this carbon can be converted into this tile, and it is scalable."</p><p>CCD collaborated with Boston-based <a href="https://www.graviky.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Graviky Labs</a> to use pollution as a resource and create their signature product. Graviky captures and converts carbon soot from cars and factories into sustainable products, and uses a similar process to upcycle purified carbon into a powder pigment. CCD mixes this carbon pigment with cement and marble waste from quarries to produce handcrafted, monochromatic tiles, CNN reported.</p>
<p>The "craft" in the company name derives from the fact that the cement tiles are handmade by craftsmen using traditional, lower-carbon processes that have been used in India for more than 200 years, the video explained. Carbon tiles are made using a hydraulic press instead of being burned, requiring one-fifth of the energy to produce compared to vitrified tiles, The Better India reported. Carbon tiles come in six shades with 15 different designs, and can even be customized.</p><p>"By making carbon tile, we help [the craftsmen] thrive and empower the local community," Sidal said in the video.</p><p>Each new <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/green-building" target="_self">sustainable building</a> tile contains at least 70 percent waste material and is the equivalent of cleaning 30,000 liters of air, the company <a href="https://www.carboncraftdesign.com/carbontile" target="_blank">website</a> said. By CCD's math, "1 Carbon Tile = 1 Day of Clean Air" for a person. And while many companies are developing commercially viable ways to capture carbon dioxide emissions, few are focused on black carbon, Sidnal told CNN.</p><p>"We found a way to add value to this recovered carbon by using it as a pigment in carbon tiles," he said.</p>
<p>The tiles are also stronger than conventional cement tiles due to the higher carbon content, and Sidal and CCD's customers hope that recapturing pollutants like black carbon will slow the climate crisis and improve air quality, CNN reported.</p><p>"Anything that we build should be able to be reused or upcycled in some form or the other. That is why we feel that any resource is not a waste. And now we feel that air pollution is just a resource that is not harvested," Sidnal said in the CCD video.</p><p>Sidnal's ultimate vision is to construct a "carbon-conscious building" with each component derived from processing air pollutants, he told The Better India.</p>
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One Year After Declaring Climate Emergency, Scientists Push for 'Massive-Scale Mobilization'
08 January
Climate
A man stands in front of what is left of his home following Hurricane Iota in Honduras on November 20, 2020. Wendell Escoto / AFP / Getty Images
By Jessica Corbett
One year after over 11,000 scientists from 153 countries came together to declare a climate emergency and urge ambitious action, the Oregon State University researchers who launched that effort said on Wednesday that an urgent massive-scale mobilization is necessary to address the human-caused global crisis.
<p>Scientists' renewed call for bold climate policies came just days after a new <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-020-00955-x" target="_blank">study </a>in the journal <em>Nature Climate Change</em> <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/climate-targets-1.5861537" target="_blank">warned</a> existing carbon pollution will cause global temperatures to rise about 2.3 degrees Celsius or 4.1 degrees Fahrenheit above pre-industrial levels—with <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/10/08/un-experts-warn-climate-catastrophe-2040-without-rapid-and-unprecedented-global" target="_blank">devastating</a> consequences worldwide.</p><p>As <em>Common Dreams</em> <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/11/05/warning-untold-human-suffering-over-11000-scientists-around-world-declare-climate" target="_blank">reported</a> last year, William Ripple, distinguished professor of ecology in OSU's College of Forestry, and postdoctoral scholar Christopher Wolf co-authored a<a href="https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/70/1/8/5610806" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> paper</a> in <em>BioScience</em>. Backed by thousands of scientists, they wrote that greenhouse gas missions "are still rapidly rising, with increasingly damaging effects on the Earth's climate" and "an immense increase of scale in endeavors to conserve our biosphere is needed to avoid untold suffering due to the climate crisis."</p><p>Ripple and Wolf—along with William R. Moomaw of Tufts University, Thomas M. Newsome of the University of Sydney, and Phoebe Barnard of the University of Cape Town—reiterated those messages in <em>The Climate Emergency: 2020 in Review</em>, <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-climate-emergency-2020-in-review/?utm_source=media&utm_medium=email%20social&utm_campaign=SA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">published</a> Wednesday in <em>Scientific American</em>. As they put it:</p><blockquote>The climate emergency has arrived and is accelerating more rapidly than most scientists anticipated, and many of them are deeply concerned. The adverse effects of climate change are much more severe than expected, and now threaten both the biosphere and humanity. There is mounting evidence <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/mapped-how-climate-change-affects-extreme-weather-around-the-world" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">linking increases </a>in extreme weather frequency and intensity to climate change...<br><br>Every effort must be made to reduce emissions and increase removals of atmospheric carbon in order to restore the melting Arctic and end the deadly cycle of damage that the current climate is delivering.<a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/115/33/8252" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Scientists now find </a>that catastrophic climate change could render a significant portion of the Earth uninhabitable consequent to continued high emissions, self-reinforcing climate feedback loops and looming tipping points.<br></blockquote>
<p>"As we move into 2021 and beyond, we need a massive-scale mobilization to address the climate crisis, including much more progress on the six steps of climate change mitigation," the five experts argued, detailing various priorities for energy, short-lived pollutants, nature, food, economy, and population.</p><p>Echoing messages from the new review, Ripple said in a statement Wednesday that "young people in more than 3,500 locations around the world have organized to push for urgent action... And the Black Lives Matter movement has elevated social injustice and equality to the top of our consciousness."</p><p>"Rapid progress in each of the climate action steps we outline is possible if framed from the outset in the context of climate justice—climate change is a deeply moral issue," added Ripple, director of the <a href="https://scientistswarning.forestry.oregonstate.edu/" target="_blank">Alliance of World Scientists</a>. "We desperately need those who face the most severe climate risks to help shape the response."</p><p>Alongside the written review, the scientists put out a video about their "six steps":</p>
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="869fb1205574785b304487e6f5ba40b5"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sEHot7F_dnI?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<p>Ripple noted that "the year 2020, one of the<a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/2020-will-rival-2016-for-hottest-year-on-record/" target="_blank"> hottest years on record</a>, also saw extraordinary fire activity in<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Western_United_States_wildfire_season" target="_blank"> the western United States</a> and<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019%E2%80%9320_Australian_bushfire_season" target="_blank"> Australia</a>, a <a href="https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/siberian-heatwave-of-2020-almost-impossible-without-climate-change/" target="_blank">Siberian heatwave</a> with record high temperatures exceeding 100 degrees within the Arctic circle, an Atlantic hurricane season resulting in<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Atlantic_hurricane_season" target="_blank"> more than $46 billion in damages</a>, and<a href="https://www.oxfam.org/en/5-natural-disasters-beg-climate-action" target="_blank"> deadly floods and landslides in South Asia</a> that displaced more than 12 million people."</p><p>Last year also featured the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which as of Thursday morning has <a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html" target="_blank">killed</a> nearly 1.9 million people worldwide. As the pandemic has raged on, experts around the globe have <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/06/17/top-global-experts-say-humanity-must-heal-our-broken-relationship-nature-prevent" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">warned</a> that humanity must heal its broken relationship with nature to prevent similar public health crises in the future.</p><p>"Lockdowns associated with the pandemic resulted in a <a href="https://essd.copernicus.org/articles/12/3269/2020/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">decrease in CO2 emissions of 7%</a> in 2020 but this reduction is probably not going to be long-lived because there has been no major concurrent shift in the way we produce energy," Ripple pointed out. "This drop in emissions is a tiny blip compared to the overall buildup of greenhouse gases, which has resulted in <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)32290-X/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">all five of the hottest years on record</a> occurring since 2015."</p>
<div id="d0ed9" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3f716997474031590190896bcd081bcd"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1346866292096167937" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Group of scientists in 2020: "We are in a climate emergency." Same scientists in 2021: "We are concerned that no ma… https://t.co/LN63a2wH92</div> — Andrew Freedman (@Andrew Freedman)<a href="https://twitter.com/afreedma/statuses/1346866292096167937">1609952922.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>Faced with concurrent crises, <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/09/30/front-lines-californias-fires-yolo-county-joins-1750-communities-declaring-climate" target="_blank">communities and governments of various sizes </a>around the world have made climate emergency declarations—often as a first step to start taking whatever action they can to limit future emissions and deal with the pollution that's already driving up temperatures.</p><p>"People are frightened—an illustration of that is the more than 1,800 climate emergency declarations issued around the world, by jurisdictions encompassing more than 820 million people," said Wolf. "We're at the point of needing a massive-scale mobilization to address the climate crisis."</p><p>"A year ago, we were worried about poor progress on mitigating climate change. Now we are alarmed by the failure of sufficient progress in 2020," he added. "But aggressive, transformative change, framed against the backdrop of social justice, can ignite an enormous deployment that will let us avert the worst of the climate emergency."</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/01/07/one-year-after-declaring-climate-emergency-scientists-say-massive-scale-mobilization" target="_blank">Common Dreams.</a></em></p>From Your Site Articles
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