Climate Change (more)

by

two thirds of reef sharks and rays risk extinction (Adopt- a- topic: coral reefs)

  • Nearly two thirds of the sharks and rays that live among the world’s corals are threatened with extinction, according to new research published Tuesday, with a warning this could further imperil precious reefs.Coral reefs, which harbor at least a quarter of all marine animals and plants, are gravely menaced by an array of human threats, including overfishing, pollution and climate change. The authors found 59 percent of coral reef shark and ray species are threatened with extinction, an extinction risk almost double that of sharks and rays in general. Last year countries at a Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species summit approved a plan to protect dozens of shark and ray species, adding 21 coral reef species in addition to the 18 species already covered by the regulations. “We know coral reef health is declining, largely due to climate change, however, coral reef sharks and rays can help keep reefs healthier for longer,” said Sherman. 

 

  • Not only will millions of people that rely on coral reefs suffer, if food chains/webs collapse it will have a terrible effect on the entire world. We get 50% of our oxygen from the ocean due to photosynthesising organisms and the ocean regulates our climates, if food chains start collapsing it could affect everything that we benefit from the ocean.
by

Environmental Protection (Adopt- a- topic: coral reefs)

  • Caribbean Coral Reef Partnership The Caribbean Coral Reef Partnership (CCRP) is an interagency effort to protect coral reefs off the shores of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI).Coral Reef Evaluation and Monitoring Project (CREMP) The Coral Reef Evaluation and Monitoring Project (CREMP)was established in 1995 as part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary’s Water Quality Protection Program (WQPP).The Coral Reef Working Group is comprised of state and federal agencies involved in coral reef management and strives to identify and address key threats to coral reefs.West Maui Ridge to Reef Initiative The State of Hawaii’s Coral Reef Strategy identified the coral reef ecosystem along the West Maui region as a priority management area.Clean Water Act Funding EPA awards annual Clean Water Act Section 319 funding to address nonpoint source water pollution to Hawai‘i Department of Health for projects to protect watersheds and coral reef health.  

 

  • There have been many attempts to protect coral reefs; they are still being affected by climate change. Even though the ocean temperature has only risen 1.3 degrees it is dramatically affecting the coral reefs. Pollution is also affecting reefs making the corals weaker. 
by

Can hybrid reefs defend the coasts? (Adopt- a- topic: coral reefs)

  • The researchers are developing what they call “hybrid reefs,” which combine concrete structures with living coral reefs and oyster beds to break up damaging waves. Reefs break up damaging waves Coral and oyster reefs protect coastlines against flooding and erosion by breaking up big waves. A well-placed reef can absorb as much as 97% of a wave’s energy, according to one 2014 meta-analysis published in Nature Communications that combined data from 27 previous research papers on reefs and wave energy. The base of these hybrid reefs will be made up of concrete structures designed to mimic the wave-breaking ability of natural reefs. The military is also investing in speeding up the growth of corals and oysters and making sure they stay healthy, so that the hybrid reefs can expand. Hybrid reef pilots are coming to Keys, Miami Beach The hybrid reefs showed promise during early lab tests in UM’s massive wind and wave tank on Virginia Key, which holds 38,000 gallons of water and can simulate Category 5 hurricane conditions.The hybrid reef cut wave energy between 11% and 98%, depending on the reef design. The team will have developed a technique for building hybrid reefs that can knock down 90% of wave energy at a cost of less than $300 per cubic meter of reef. If they succeed, they’ll have created a blueprint that city and state governments and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers could install miles of artificial reefs to protect coastlines in areas where coral and oyster reefs naturally grow. 

 

  • Although it would be Ideal that we have our natural reefs, this is a really good idea if reefs are too damaged to be revived in an appropriate amount of time. If the configurations can cut wave energy by 90% that can be incredibly helpful for natural disasters and wave breaking. Now that it’s affordable enough for countries to install reefs can get restored faster and oceans may have a better chance of surviving.
by

Desert dusts convert coral reefs into carbon storage. (Adopt- a- topic: coral reefs)

  • An international study comparing data from Heron Reef and the Middle East’s Gulf of Aqaba has disproved the long-held theory that coral reefs only have the capacity to emit CO2 “Our research, which included analysis of data collected at Heron Reef on the Great Barrier Reef, has confirmed the crucial role of local meteorology and the prevailing weather patterns in determining reef water temperatures,” Professor Lensky said.”To further test and understand how dust may influence air-sea CO2 exchange, we need to do more research into how this may change in different seasons and locations, such as over coral reefs like Ningaloo reef in northwest Australia.”

 

  • Coral reefs becoming carbon sinks will be the end of coral reefs. The reefs are already affected so much by the increasing acidity and temperature. If they are carbon sinks coral reefs will continue to get destroyed and 25% present of life in the ocean will most likely die. The reason why coral is dying is because of the heat the coral gets stressed and basically kicks out the algae that it has a mutual relationship with and relies on to survive. Corals are also dying because of other elements but that is the main reason. Even though there are corals that are resilient to the rising temperatures it is to an extent.
by

Climate crisis puts half of reefs at risk by 2035 (Adopt- a- topic: coral reefs)

  • Prior studies have indicated the projected dire effects of climate change on coral reefs by mid-century; by analyzing a multitude of projected disturbances, their study reveals a much more severe prognosis for the world’s coral reefs as they have significantly less time to adapt while highlighting the urgent need to tackle available solutions to human disturbances.

 

  • This is a huge step for coral reefs fighting climate change. A professor and a PhD student created a way to increase coral growth using micro-fragmentation to grow coral 20 times faster than they would grow in nature. They also created a program that’s goal is to plant one million corals. I think that this gives hope for almost regenerating coral reefs but there is still the issue of solving global warming and ocean acidification.
by

Moving Forward with Collaboration: Climate Change

Ellerbeck, S. (2023, January 30). Counting the Cost of Natural Disasters – and Other Climate Crisis Stories You Need to Read This Week. weforum.org, World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/01/climate-crisis-environment-biggest-news-30-january/. 

Climate change has continued to impact the world, causing extreme weather patterns, natural disasters, and rising sea levels. Despite these challenges, there has been some positive news on the environmental front in recent months, with the European Union announcing its goal to become carbon-neutral by 2050 and countries such as China and the United States committing to reducing their carbon emissions. However, the World Economic Forum states that much more needs to be done to address the climate crisis. The transition to a low-carbon economy will require significant investment and collaboration between various stakeholders. The World Economic Forum believes that taking decisive action now will not only help mitigate the effects of climate change but also create new economic opportunities and help secure a more sustainable future for all.

I agree with the article that the transition must be done in a way that is just and equitable, ensuring that the benefits are shared by all, and not just by a select few. I think that governments, businesses, and individuals must also be the ones to take action in order to reduce carbon emissions and transition to renewable energy sources. Overall, I believe that this is a great article to begin the 2023 year as many countries commit themselves to long-term goals to prevent further carbon emissions. Especially seeing the example in India, which is shifting its car market to electronic vehicles, has been very exciting. It comes to show that a little devotion to one action may be able to positively influence other countries for the better.



by

The Decade of Action for the Sustainable Development Goals Initiative

Unknown. (2022, September 8). WMO: Climate Change in Africa Can Destabilize ‘Countries and Entire Regions’ | UN News. United Nations, United Nations. https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/09/1126221. 

The United Nations announced on September 21, 2022, that it is launching a new initiative aimed at promoting sustainable and inclusive economic growth. The initiative, called the Decade of Action for the Sustainable Development Goals (or SDGs for short), aims to accelerate progress towards the 17 SDGs. The decade-long initiative will be led by the UN Secretary-General and involve governments, civil society, the private sector, and other stakeholders. The initiative will focus on key areas such as reducing poverty, improving health and education, and promoting gender equality and sustainable development. Climate change seems to have a direct correlation of the destabilizing cycle, so the UN aims to identify new and innovative solutions to the challenges faced. It will work to increase public awareness and engagement on the SDGs and their importance in creating a sustainable future for all countries. 

The dramatic shift in weather patterns has greatly impacted developing countries who struggle to stabilize their economies. This brings up the important subject that climate change must also be addressed by its economic effects, not just the environmental ones. For most people, surviving each day is prioritized over the health of the planet in future years. In order for all nations to come together to cooperate on the solution for climate change, we must also brainstorm short-term solutions regarding national stability and the economy. That is why I am in support of the UN’s work of initiating the SDGs.



by

How Climate Change Has Impacted Polar Bears

Bush, E. (2022, November 14). Polar Bears, Pushed on Land by Climate Change, Get Their Own Radar. NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group. https://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/polar-bears-pushed-land-climate-change-get-radar-rcna56761. 

The article highlights the issue of polar bears being forced to move onto land due to the loss of sea ice in the Arctic caused by climate change. These polar bears are said to be spending more than 43 days on land as compared to their previous average. This shift is putting polar bears at risk as they may come into conflict with humans and face other challenges in their new habitat. It has been noted that conservation efforts are needed to help protect polar bears and their habitat. One possible effort is through the exploration of radar technology in order to create a polar bear alert system. The hope for this new technology is to provide people with insight to polar bears’ whereabouts in order to reduce confrontation (although these animals are only responsible for 5% of North America’s bear attacks).

I believe that this is crucial for North America as it ensures the safety of both the polar bears and the human population living in close proximity to them. Just like Europe, North America is experiencing immediate effects caused from climate change yet solutions still seem to be bleak. However, the new radar technology is a great temporary solution that will help us adapt to the shifting environment. I am especially thankful for the research team that has advocated the safety of both parties rather than sending armed hunters to get rid of the bear threat.



by

Climate Change Impacts Around the World

McGrath, M. (2023, January 10). Climate Change: Europe and Polar Regions Bear Brunt of Warming in 2022. BBC News, BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-64213575. 

The article describes how the world experienced its warmest year so far in 2022. The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service collected data and states that the year beat the previous warmest year in 2016 by a significant margin, and impacted most of the European nations such as Spain, France, Italy, and the UK. This is extremely dangerous because the data suggests that the temperatures are almost exceeding the 1.5 C threshold, promised at the Paris climate agreement. Countries such as France, Germany, Spain and Slovenia have also been impacted as they are experiencing their highest amount of wildfires which occurred during the past summer. The increase in global temperature is a result of human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. 

It is no shock that the world is finally experiencing physical evidence of global warming with Europe being hit especially hard due to having the greatest surface air temperatures. This is not only affecting the quality of life and the danger to our planet’s future, but also the history of mankind. Europe is known to hold some of the most prized artworks and architecture such as the Colosseum. I fear that the heat may damage artworks because of the ​​thermal tensions, moisture reductions, and chemical reactions that occur when exposed to heat. Although this may be minor in the grand scheme of global warming, it just comes to show how the impacts of global warming affect all aspects of humanity’s future.



by

Climate Change in China

World Bank Group. (2022, October 12). China’s Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy and Climate Resilience Needs Shifts in Resources and Technologies. worldbank.org, World Bank Group. https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2022/10/12/china-s-transition-to-a-low-carbon-economy-and-climate-resilience-needs-shifts-in-resources-and-technologies. 

China is struggling to face climate change as it challenges the possibility for prosperity in the future. In the World Bank’s press release on October 12, 2022, leaders explained the significance for China to transition to a low-carbon economy and improve its climate resilience. If the country does not take initiative quickly, China’s GDP is expected to drop by about 1.4 percent by the year 2030. They proposed that China focus their energy on creating and innovating new resources and technologies in order to reduce carbon emissions. Due to high costs, the government will have to intervene and demand policies and regulatory reforms along with taxes in order to accomplish its mission.

Personally, I believe that it is very important for China to start taking action when dealing with climate change. In recent years, China has experienced a boom in its economy due to their cheap production capabilities; however, this is also dangerous because there are only loose regulations around carbon emissions. In order to encourage a positive outlook on change, I think that enforcing either a carbon tax or a cap and trade program would be very effective as they promote technological innovations.