Month: March 2020

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Argentina’s corn exports dip

Source 2: Reidy, S. (2020, March 18). Argentina’s corn exports dip. Retrieved from https://www.world-grain.com/articles/13423-argentinas-corn-exports-dip

 

Summary: Argentina’s corn exports were down compared to a previous record, mainly due to a drop in production. Exports totaled 33.5 million tonnes, compared to a record 37 million tonnes in the same period last year. Exports then were helped by record production, a favorable currency exchange rate, and an increase in demand. The Rosario Board of Trade also said that exports could be changing because of uncertainty regarding the global economy due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Response: Again, corn farmers’ production was hindered by the absence of weather patterns they were able to rely on just last year. This highlights how quickly climate change can take effect. If Argentina was able to drop from a record high to below average, what could happen in the next year? If the same pattern happened to the same degree on the global scale, there would be widespread food shortages and economic collapses all over the place. If mitigating climate change is no longer an option (which it’s beginning to feel like is the case), then we better find a way to adapt to it pretty quick.

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In Brazil, it’s time to pay attention to “safrinha” corn

Source 1: Buchenroth, K. (2020, March 8). In Brazil, it’s time to pay attention to “safrinha” corn – Ohio Ag Net: Ohio’s Country Journal. Retrieved from https://www.ocj.com/2020/03/in-brazil-its-time-to-pay-attention-to-safrinha-corn/

 

Summary: With half of the soybean harvest complete in Brazil by Mar 5, the second corn crop, also known as “safrinha”, is starting to be planted. This start is later than normal due to a delay in the soybean crop caused by irregular rains in the last quarter of 2019. The late planting makes the second corn crop more susceptible to yield losses caused by dryness and freezing temperatures during pollination and grain filling. Despite the delay, Brazil is likely to increase its area planted by around 3% in response to very competitive prices.

 

Response: The biggest theme present in almost every article I found about corn in the world right now is that irregularities in the weather have been causing problems. The weather patterns farmers have been following for decades are no longer happening in the same way, resulting in disruption at nearly every level of production. The farmers individually are losing income, the distributors have less product, and consumers are having to pay more. This is a prime example of how climate change is not just some abstract problem, but something that is affecting nearly everyone’s daily lives in a major way right now.

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Africa, Water for Life

Source: “Africa, Decade, Water for Life, 2015, UN-Water, United Nations, MDG, Water, Sanitation, Financing, Gender, IWRM, Human Right, Transboundary, Cities, Quality, Food Security.” United Nations, United Nations, www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/africa.shtml.

Abstract: The title is ironic. It is a hook to draw the reader to show that there is barely a water supply for 50 years in many parts of Africa. This article is more statistics than anything. The most important stat is that there is only 61% current water coverage in Africa. The target number is 75%, which is a long way away given the circumstances in Africa when it comes to clean and safe water. Without continuous change, Africa slides into periods of stalling and little to no change. There are many issues that parallel the drought, such as food issues, economic issues, and climate change.  

Reaction: This article opened my eyes to the real problem. I work better with numbers than with words, and seeing statistics allows me to see the magnitude of a problem. As the problem progresses, there will be more countries that are willing to help, but there is no direct way to help. The regions in Africa that need attention are in unlucky locations. It is hard and expensive to get water flowing into these regions and could cost more than most can pay.

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The African Water Grab is Hurting Small Farmers

Source: Chrol, Jenna. “Water Rights in Africa.” The Borgen Project, Jenna Chrol Https://Borgenproject.org/Wp-Content/Uploads/The_Borgen_Project_Logo_small.Jpg, 20 June 2019, borgenproject.org/tag/water-rights-in-africa/.

Abstract: Water is scarce in many parts of Africa, but there are regions in which the little water that is there is being distributed poorly. This mainly happens in Sub-Saharan Africa, where farmers struggle to get water for their land. The main issue is explained perfectly in this quote: “Their operations are often too small to gain permits either because the government does not have the infrastructure to grant so many permits or farmers do not know to get them. Approximately half of sub-Saharan Africa governments use customary rights for water for home use and limited farm irrigation”. The problem with the approach is that the main economic benefactor in Africa is agriculture, and with less water being allocated for crops, there is less money coming into these small villages.

Reaction: When I thought of what to write for the world section of my adopt-a-topic I thought of the struggles in Africa to find safe and clean water. This directly shows why Africa is struggling with water and the distribution of it. With many countries in Africa, each run a different way, and it is close to impossible to get them all on the same page. Africa is in serious trouble in terms of finite resources, especially water. With little getting to the middle of the continent, the people living there begin to flee towards the water, which is primarily in the southern parts of Africa.

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Ganges and Yamuna Rivers Granted Same Legal Rights as Human Beings

Source: Safi, Michael. “Ganges and Yamuna Rivers Granted Same Legal Rights as Human Beings.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 21 Mar. 2019, www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/21/ganges-and-yamuna-rivers-granted-same-legal-rights-as-human-beings.

Abstract: The title sounds absurd, but the Ganges river is sacred to over 1 billion people. It is continuously used for waste disposal and human bathing. By giving a river the same rights as human beings, polluting or harming the river in any way will equal harming another person. A court in northern India cited a river in New Zealand, which about a week prior, was given human rights(Article Below). India took the idea from New Zealand and ultimately implemented more laws surrounding the rivers because of the pure number of people that rely on the Ganges and Yamuna rivers.

Reaction: It is interesting to see how impactful one body of water can be to a nation and its people. It seems that in other countries, water rights are being taken more seriously than the United States, at least on the legal side. Although the U.S. has not given any body of water human rights, we have implemented more regulations surrounding the use and overuse of water(Tragedy of the Commons). As we look at water rights around the world, there are many different approaches to controlling the distribution of water.

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New Zealand River Granted Same Legal Rights as Human Beings

Source: Roy, Eleanor Ainge. “New Zealand River Granted Same Legal Rights as Human Being.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 16 Mar. 2019, www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/16/new-zealand-river-granted-same-legal-rights-as-human-being.

Abstract: This article inspired the article above and it provides the initial approach to marking a body of water as sacred. It took 140 years to negotiate this deal, while it took India about a week. The Maori tribe of Whanganui have been using the river since their creation, and have been pressing the New Zealand government for 140 years to mark their river as a living entity. Here is a quote from an anonymous tribe member:

“We have fought to find an approximation in law so that all others can understand that from our perspective treating the river as a living entity is the correct way to approach it, as in indivisible whole, instead of the traditional model for the last 100 years of treating it from a perspective of ownership and management.”

As the children in the tribe mature, they will be responsible for holding the rest accountable for their actions on or around the river. 

Reaction: This article is awesome. Although it took 140 years to finally get the law passed, it was a huge milestone for the world. This will inspire the creation of laws like these around the world, and hopefully in the U.S. at some point. Water rights are up to interpretation in many cases, but the government has the responsibility of taking care of all of its citizens and ensuring they are provided with a safe source of clean water. The U.S. will likely not implement human rights for a specific body of water, but they may consider the impact that larger bodies have on the population.

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Trump Administration Rolls Back Clean Water Protection

Source: Friedman, Lisa, and Coral Davenport. “Trump Administration Rolls Back Clean Water Protections.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 12 Sept. 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/09/12/climate/trump-administration-rolls-back-clean-water-protections.html?searchResultPosition=1.

Abstract: Trump announced that he is repealing a major clean water regulation act that prevented the amount of harmful chemicals that could be used near large bodies of water. The act is known as the Waters of the United States rule and was implemented in 2015. It was set in place to further explain the Clean Water Act of 1972. Trump is passionate about pleasing farmers, especially those in the middle of the country, which is why he planned to repeal this rule before he became president. 

Reaction: I always question why. My focus for this phase is on the world, but this article is important to look at first. Many leaders look to the United States for approval and for example and the repeal of this rule will definitely turn heads globally. The times we are currently in call for much more drastic measures of water rights and protection given the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Transportation-based Carbon Emissions and How to Fix Them

Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, (2019, November) Reducing Your Transportation Footprint, Retrieved from: https://www.c2es.org/content/reducing-your-transportation-footprint/

 

There are multiple sections within this page. First, transportation-based carbon dioxide emissions are addressed. First it was stated that one gallon of gas equates to roughly 20 pounds of carbon dioxide, which is roughly 6 to 9 tons of carbon dioxide per car per year. After stating this, multiple solutions are suggested. The first solution is purchasing more gas efficient cars. In this solution, the customer must simply find the car with the best gas per mile ratio, which would lower how many gallons of gasoline is used, and in turn how much carbon dioxide is produced per year. The next solution is transfering to electric vehicles entirely. This article states that this transfer, while costly to begin with, would pay off both financially and environmentally in the long run, as there would be very little carbon dioxide emissions and refueling costs. The next solution is public transportation, which would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by reducing the amount of vehicles in use as a whole. The last solution that was provided is biking or walking when possible, which would eliminate the use of cars entirely for those who do not need to use them.

 

All of these solutions are very viable options to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and I do not think just one should be implemented. I believe that every one of these solutions should be used in their own ways. For people who must drive cars in their daily lives, upgrading to a more fuel efficient car, or upgrading to a hybrid or electric car is the best option. By doing this, these people can still travel in their daily lives but are also being more eco friendly. For those who live in more urbanized areas, public transportation as well as walking or biking is the best option. In these settings they do not need to use a car on a daily basis, and can instead use these methods to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions and their expenditures being allocated towards their cars. 

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Leading Carbon Emission Trends and Causes

United States Environmental Protection Agency (2020, January) Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Retrieved from: https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions

 

In this article, multiple figures are shown. The first figure illustrates the largest causes of carbon dioxide emissions. The order of these leading causes goes as follows: transportation (29%), electricity (28%), industry (22%), commercial and residential (12%), and agriculture (9%). After highlighting each of these causes, they are all described a bit in order to fully show what they are. Next, a figure showing emission trends over the last thirty years is given. In this graph, total greenhouse gas emissions by million metric tons increased from 1990 to around 2007, but since then has been on a downwards trend. 

 

While transportation, electricity, and industry are all very close together in regards to carbon dioxide emissions, it is in fact transportation that is the leader. This shows that we as a country need to start addressing how to improve the cleanliness of our transportation systems such as: automobiles, busses, trucks, trains, planes, etc. Too much carbon dioxide is being emitted from these through the burning of petroleum. In regards to the downwards trend in total greenhouse gas emissions over the last 13 years, it can likely be attributed to several factors. The factor that I believe has the largest impact is the start of a transition from fully gas-powered vehicles to electric or hybrid powered. Given that transportation is the leading producer of carbon dioxide emissions, it would make sense that lowering these emissions would hold the largest impact on total greenhouse gas emissions nationwide. 

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Necessary Goals to Reduce Transportation-based Carbon Emissions

Woerner, Carrie (2020, January 17) How to Fuel Reduction in Transportation Emissions, Retrieved from: https://www.timesunion.com/opinion/article/How-to-fuel-reduction-in-transportation-emissions-14984889.php

 

The article starts off by referencing goals set by the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act set, which were to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent, achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, and transfer to 100 percent clean power by 2040. After addressing these goals, the article shifted into discussing how to achieve them. The article states that we must address and act upon the overuse of petroleum based vehicles, as they make up a huge portion of all carbon dioxide emissions, especially in big cities such as New York City (34 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions). The best way to reduce these emissions is by setting low carbon fuel standards which would essentially force companies to switch to cleaner alternatives.  

 

While these goals are quite lofty, I believe that setting high goals is the only way for our country to really reduce their carbon dioxide emissions. By acting on these goals now and putting plans into place, we are setting ourselves up better for the future. Setting low carbon fuel standards on companies, especially in big cities, would be a great start as it would help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide being emitted into the atmosphere so we as a nation can devote more of our attention on removing the existing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. These two things go hand in hand, but before we can remove the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere we must first ensure that much less is being emitted every second of every day.