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Good News Friday 3/10/23 – High Seas Treaty Protects Marine Wildlife

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Welcome to the first edition of Good News Friday in 2023! Today we’re taking a look at the “High Seas Treaty”, the latest agreement to come out of the United Nations. The treaty centers on protecting the ocean and marine wildlife.

71% percent of our world is covered in water, with 97% of this water coming from our oceans. Who’s in control of the various oceans around the world has historically been one of the most contested areas within international law. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) has established that a nation’s territorial sea extends 12 nautical miles from its coastline, with an additional 200 nautical miles designated as an exclusive economic zone (EEZ). However, this framework only applies to one-third of the world’s oceans. The remaining two-thirds are facing threats such as overfishing, shipping traffic, and the impact of climate change, rendering the majority of the ocean to decline.

Talks on protecting international waters started in 2004, but currently, only 1% of international waters are being protected. Saturday, March 4th 2023 marked the most significant progress we’ve made towards protecting international waters in what is being coined the “High Seas Treaty.” This legal framework presented by UNCLOS will work towards protecting 30% of the world’s oceans by regulating deep-sea mining, changing shipping routes, and investing in marine conservation. This agreement comes as part of a host of efforts to work towards The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDG 14).

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According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, 10% of marine species were found to be at risk of extinction, and Dr. Ngoze Oguguah, the chief research officer at the Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research claims “the two biggest causes [of extinction] are overfishing and pollution.” It is crucial that we protect these species because over a quarter of our emissions are absorbed by the ocean. A single whale, for instance, can sequester 33 tons of carbon, which is comparable to the yearly absorption of almost 1500 trees.

Additionally, in a post-pandemic environment where the effectiveness of globalization is being questioned, this international cooperation is a massive success. The treaty also pioneers equitable climate policy; wealthy nations are pledging money to ensure the delivery of the treaty and will support developing countries in adhering to the treaty. Notable examples are the EU and the US announcing nearly €820 million ($872 million) and $6 billion respectively for international ocean protection.

However, the treaty doesn’t call for sunshine and roses just yet, the level of protection that will take place remains unsolved. Dr. Simon Walmsley, the marine chief advisor of WWF-UK said that “there was debate, particularly about what a marine protected area is. Is it sustainable use or fully protected?” Despite the progress the Treaty has made, there is still work to be done and we must continue to address these challenges and work toward finding solutions that will protect the marine environment and support life for generations to come.

That’s all for this week! Check back next week (or after spring break) for more encouraging environmental news. If you’d like to share some good news with us, please feel free to get in touch!

Sources:

https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/03/1134157

https://www.noaa.gov/maritime-zones-and-boundaries

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-64839763

https://news.yahoo.com/un-high-seas-treaty-why-030328266.html

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/05/high-seas-treaty-agreement-to-protect-international-waters-finally-reached-at-un

https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/fandd/issues/2019/12/natures-solution-to-climate-change-chami

https://sdgs.un.org/goals

https://www.euronews.com/2023/03/03/eu-and-us-pledge-funds-to-protect-oceans-at-panama-conference

Good News Friday 5/6/22

Author: Camellia Moors ’22

Welcome to another edition of Good News Friday! Today, we’re covering the growth of wind power in the United States, a breakthrough in solar cell efficiency, and sustainability programs from cities around the world.

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Wind power becomes second-largest source of US electricity: According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), electricity generation through wind power exceeded generation from coal- and nuclear-based sources to become the second-largest source of electricity nationally for the first time in American history on March 29. On that day, the combined wind turbines of the Lower 48 produced just over 2,000-gigawatt hours of electricity or 19% of the national energy mix. This follows a strong trend of growth in wind energy throughout the country. In the year 2000, for example, total annual US wind energy generation was approximately 6 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh); by 2021, that number increased to 380 billion kWh.

2. Engineers create more efficient energy-producing cells: Engineers at MIT and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory recently designed a thermophotovoltaic (i.e., capable of directly converting heat to electricity) cell with an efficiency of over 40%, which exceeds the efficiency of traditional steam turbines. The new design can generate electricity from a heat source ranging between 1,900 and 2,400 degrees C. For context, most commercial photovoltaic panels (i.e., capable of converting sunlight to electricity) have an average efficiency of 15% to 20%.

3. A review of global cities’ sustainability programs: Around the world, cities have made their own commitments to sustainability goals. Copenhagen, Denmark is on track to achieve net-zero by 2025, 25 years before the country’s national net-zero target. Mumbai, India recently accelerated its own net-zero plans, moving its carbon neutrality target up by 20 years from 2070 to 2050. And Paris, France is engaging in experiments about a “15 minute city,” or the idea that everyone living within a city should have access to essential urban services within a 15-minute walk or bike, limiting transportation emissions. For extra details on these cities’ sustainability efforts, visit the original article here.

That’s all for this week! Check back next week for more positive environmental news. In the meantime, if you’d like to share some Good News with us, please feel free to get in touch!

Good News Friday 4/22/22

Author: Grace Liu ’23

Welcome back to Good News Friday and happy last week of classes! We’ve compiled a list of surprising and promising initiatives involving artificial whale poop, wind farming, and rewilding projects.

Artificial whale poop aids carbon capture: Whale poop is fertilizer for the ocean because it is rich in iron which is vital for plant growth. This allows the growth of phytoplankton, which sequester carbon. Inspired by this mechanism, a research group at the Centre for Climate Repair at Cambridge is trying to artificially encourage phytoplankton growth using artificial whale poop. The feces imitation consists of a mix of nitrates, phosphates, silicates, and iron stored in rice husks. Using this method, they hope to increase ocean sequestration of carbon up to 50% from its current 30%.

Results of rewilding: Rewilding is a progressive approach to conservation with the goal of restoring the natural dynamics of ecosystems. The Global Rewilding Alliance and OpenForests have released a map of rewilding projects around the world, covering projects in over 70 countries and spanning 1 million square kilometers. For example, the recovery of the European Bison population is one of the success stories of these rewilding projects.

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Wind farms in Iowa: Hundreds of farms around O’Brien County have built wind turbines in their fields to generate renewable electricity. This trend takes advantage of the strong winds in Iowa and makes the state one of the largest producers of renewable energy in the US. In fact, 57% of the energy produced in the state in the past year came from wind. This arrangement is mutually beneficial for farmers because they can sell the electricity generated in addition to the crops grown on the land.

That’s all for this week! Check back next week for more encouraging environmental news. If you’d like to share some Good News with us, please feel free to get in touch!

Good News Friday 4/15/22

Author: Camellia Moors ’22

Welcome to another edition of Good News Friday! Today, we’re covering Apple’s use of low-carbon aluminum, the development of a solar cell capable of generating electricity at night, and the creation of a new project to better understand thawing permafrost and help Arctic communities.

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Apple sources low-carbon aluminum: Apple recently announced that it intends to use the “first commercial-purity primary aluminum at industrial scale,” produced through “the world’s first direct carbon-free aluminum smelting process,” in its iPhone SE products. This new aluminum is produced by ELYSIS, a joint venture by Apple, Rio Tinto, Alcoa, and the governments of Québec and Canada. While this might not sound immediately revolutionary, aluminum production is well-known as an extremely carbon-intensive process, with 11.5 tons of CO2 per ton of aluminum produced emitted on average. As a result, this innovation in the smelting process could have a significant impact on global emissions, not least because Apple is expected to sell 30 million iPhone SEs this year.

2. Engineers develop nighttime solar panels: Engineers at Stanford University have developed a solar cell that can generate some electricity at night. The cell, which “incorporates a thermoelectric generator, which can pull electricity from the small difference in temperature between the ambient air and the solar cell itself,” produces enough electricity to power some nighttime lighting and off- and/or mini-grid applications.

3. Major permafrost study to be launched: This week, a coalition of scientists, policy experts, and advocates announced a 6-year, $41 million project to “fill in gaps in monitoring across the Arctic of greenhouse gas emissions from thawing permafrost, currently a source of uncertainty in climate models,” and to “develop policies to help mitigate the global impact of permafrost emissions and, locally in Alaska, assist Native communities that are struggling with thawing ground and problems that arise from it.” The Arctic Institute, for example, predicts that an increase in global temperatures of 3° C (5.4° F) could melt 30-85% of the Arctic’s top permafrost layers.

That’s all for this week! Check back next week for more positive environmental news. In the meantime, if you’d like to share some Good News with us, please feel free to get in touch!

Good News Friday 4/4/22

Author: Grace Liu ‘23

Welcome again to another Good News Friday! For this edition, we will hear about how city sponges can offer climate change protection, Honolulu’s lawsuit against Big Oil, and a traditional knowledge guide about the health of the planet in Finland.

City sponges offer climate protection: Due to climate change, both floods and droughts are becoming more intense. Most cities consist of asphalt and concrete which exacerbates these effects by increasing runoff after precipitation. However, officials around the world are trying to mitigate these effects by increasing the amount of urban vegetation in the form of green roofs, parks, and wetlands. These cities, dubbed sponge cities, help recharge groundwater and prevent flooding by mimicking how nature captures and stores precipitation.

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Honolulu vs Big Oil: For the first time ever, a US judge has ruled against fossil fuel companies in a court case. The Hawaii capital is suing big oil companies Sunoco, Chevron, ExxonMobil, and others for flooding, erosion, beach loss, and damage to coral reefs due to climate change. In this unprecedented case, Hawaii Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey Crabtree ruled in favor of Honolulu.

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Protecting Peatland with Indigenous Knowledge: Natural peatlands are vital ecosystems that foster biodiversity and act as carbon sinks. Unfortunately, Finland has destroyed more than 60% of its natural peatlands through draining. However, a nonprofit called the Snowchange Cooperative is supporting collaboration between indigenous knowledge holders and scientists to rewild these important wetlands. As a result, within the past decade, Skolt Sámi women have used their knowledge to guide restoration in the Näätämö River Basin in a way that honors the fragile ecosystem.

We hope you’ve enjoyed the stories this week and hope you have a restful weekend. Check back next week for more encouraging environmental news. If you’d like to share some Good News with us, please feel free to get in touch!

Good News Friday 4/1/22

Author: Camellia Moors ’22

Welcome to another edition of Good News Friday! Today, we’re covering changes to car emission rules in California, a new threat to the invasive Burmese python in Florida, and the rediscovery of a “lost” bat species.

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California regains right to set auto pollution rules: The Biden administration recently “restored California’s legal authority to set auto pollution and mileage rules that are tighter than federal standards, a potent climate policy that had been stripped away by former President Donald J. Trump,” according to the New York Times. Under California’s rules, car mileage will have to be continuously improved and tailpipe emissions cut at a rate faster than the federal standard. In 2019, transportation accounted for 41% (or approximately 171.5 million metric tons) of the state’s total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

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2. Florida bobcat targets invasive python: Motion sensor cameras deployed by ecologists in Florida’s Big Cypress National Preserve recently captured a bobcat eating Burmese python eggs, a possible sign of natural competition to combat the invasive python’s population growth. The python predator species is suspected of causing significant population declines of local species like marsh rabbits, leading to the formation of efforts like the Python Elimination Program to limit their damage.

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3. Experts rediscover critically endangered bat species: According to Bat Conservation International, a team of experts has recently rediscovered the Hill’s horseshoe bat, a critically endangered “lost” species not been observed for decades. As insectivores–i.e., insect eaters–bats are frequently viewed as keystone species, or “organisms that play a key role in and have a disproportionate impact on their surrounding ecosystem.” The rediscovery of such animals therefore provides some hope about the future of their native ecosystem.

That’s all for this week! Check back next week for more positive environmental news. In the meantime, if you’d like to share some Good News with us, please feel free to get in touch!

Good News Friday 3/25/22

Author: Grace Liu ‘23

Welcome again to Good News Friday! I hope you’re all enjoying the beautiful spring weather. To help raise your spirits further, today we have three uplifting stories about regenerative farming and wildlife conservation.

Regenerative Farming and Climate Justice: Regenerative farming is a practice at the intersection of agriculture and conservation and emphasizes respect for the land. In her book, Healing Grounds: Climate, Justice, and the Deep Roots of Regenerative Farming, author and professor Liz Carlisle tells the story of empowered female farmers who see the process of regenerative farming passed down from their ancestors. A few highlights include peach-grower Nikiko Masumot who inherited her land from her grandparents and mushroom farmer Olivia Watkins who is building a community investment fund to better support Black farmers.

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2. Comcáac Sea Turtle Group: Within the past five years, the Grupo Tortuguero Comcáac has released more than 8000 endangered olive ridley hatchlings in Mexico’s Gulf of California. The sea turtle is a sacred animal to the Comcáac people, playing a primary role in many of their stories and legends. Even though the conservation group has limited resources, they work 12-hour shifts to safeguard the turtles.

3. Rope bridges for sloths: The Sloth Conservation Foundation with zooligist Rebecca Cliffe have been working together to build rope bridges in Costa Rica so that sloths can travel from tree to tree. Because of deforestation in the region, sloths have lost much of their natural habitat, but these bridges allow them to cross urban areas without having to climb down to the ground. Although the bridges were built with sloths in mind, more than 30 species of other animals have used the rope bridges, including monkeys, lizards, and frogs.

Thanks for reading, and we hope that these news snippets have brightened your day! Please go outside and enjoy the weather if you get the chance. Tune in next week for more positive environmental news and in the meantime, feel free to take a look at previous posts or share some good news with us!

Good News Friday 3/18/22

Author: Camellia Moors ’22

Welcome to another edition of Good News Friday! Today, we’re covering

China completes first “Vertical Forest City”: In Huanggang, China, the city’s first Vertical Forest City Complex has recently been completed. Essentially a vertical greenspace, the approximately 500-person residential complex features balconies and plant installments containing over 5,000 shrubs and trees. This building joins a growing trend in urban planning of incorporating green spaces into building projects, which are touted as reducing energy consumption and removing carbon dioxide from the air. Like many other vertical forest projects around the world, Huanggang’s example is the product of architect Stefano Boeri’s designs. (For other examples of his work, see his website).

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2. UK grocery stores aim for refillable groceries: Five grocery stores and suppliers in the UK (Waitrose, Ocado, Morrisons, Marks & Spencer, and CHEP) have joined the Refill Coalition (run by Unpackaged) and pledged to “roll out unpackaged options in-store as well as letting people fill containers with essentials during home deliveries” by the end of this year. This comes as the UK Government last year announced plans to phase out single-use plastics (it is estimated the UK uses 2.5 million metric tons of single-use plastic packaging annually).

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3. World leaders to develop plastic treaty: At an UN environment assembly in Nairobi, Kenya late last month, representatives from 173 countries agreed to develop treaty on plastics to be developed over the next two years. The ultimate goal of the treaty will be to eliminate plastic pollution. Approximately 300 million metric tons of plastic waste are produced each year, and of all 7 billion metric tons of plastic waste produced to date, only 10% has been recycled.

That’s all for this week! Check back next week for more positive environmental news. In the meantime, if you’d like to share some Good News with us, please feel free to get in touch!

Good News Friday 2/23/22

Author: Grace Liu ’23

Welcome back to Good News Friday! We’ve taken a break over the past couple of months, but we’re excited to be back with more hopeful developments in the sustainability sector. To kick off the series for this year, we will look at the greenhouse reductions of virtual conferences, oyster restoration efforts, and solar panels in landfills.

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Virtual Conferences Mitigate Climate Change: According to a life cycle assessment published in Nature, hosting conferences virtually rather than in person can reduce their carbon footprint by 94% and energy use by 90%. Additionally, supporters of the virtual format point out that virtual conferences are more accessible and inclusive than in-person conferences. Other ways to make conferences more sustainable include having more plant-based food options.

Oyster Restoration Collaboration: Conservationists and community members have been working together to restore oyster populations in Chesapeake Bay. The method of restoration includes pumping oyster larvae out of a fire hose from a boat deck. The mission has been named Operation Build a Reef, and last year it led to the planting of 24 million juvenile oysters. This restoration is promising for the aquatic ecosystem because an adult oyster can filter 190 liters of water in a day.

Locating Solar Panels in Landfills: Communities around the United States have been considering converting landfills in to solar panel sites. Because many closed landfills are located in environmental justice communities, repurposing the landfill sites into non-hazardous solar farms could give these communities better access to clean energy. At the same time, these installations will create jobs and help offset CO2 emissions.

That’s all for this week! Check back next week for more encouraging environmental news. If you’d like to share some Good News with us, please feel free to get in touch!

Good News Friday 12/10/21

Author: Camellia Moors ’22

Happy first post-classes Good News Friday! We hope you’ve had the chance to destress a bit before the semester fully wraps up. In the spirit of motivating you through the end of the semester, here is some more positive environmental news! Today, we’re covering India’s solar power expansion, Colombia’s efforts to confront environmental crimes, and McDonald’s Canada’s project to reduce single-use plastic waste.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledges to increase solar power: India’s leader recently pledged that his country would move away from its current dependence on coal to instead produce more energy via solar power and other renewables than its entire grid produces now by 2030. This comes after he made a pledge at the recent COP26 conference that India would aim to achieve net zero by 2070. As one of the largest energy consumers in the world, the majority of India’s electricity is sourced from coal, meaning this new goal could have a profound global impact on international efforts to fight climate change.

2. Colombian police will expand investigations of environmental crimes: Earlier this week, Colombia’s government announced that its national police would be deploying 100 criminal intelligence and investigation officers to target environmental crimes. These crimes include things like illegal mining, animal trafficking, and the targeting of environmental activists. As Colombia faces increasing environmental degradation, this new effort might provide some hope for the success of environmental initiatives there.

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3. McDonald’s Canada aims to cut single-use plastics: By the end of this month, “McDonald’s Canada… will introduce wooden cutlery, wooden stir sticks, and paper straws at more than 1,400 of its restaurants across [Canada],” which will eliminate 840 tons of plastic waste. This could serve as a model for the almost 13,700 McDonald’s across the United States and nearly 40,000 McDonald’s restaurants around the world

That’s all for now! Check back next week for more positive environmental news, and until then, feel free to get in touch if you have environmental news to share and best of luck with the end of the semester!