Climate change sources and articles
I will admit that I am a news fanatic. I begin most days by reading articles featured on a variety of news organization websites. Concerning the climate crisis - I find articles in The Guardian to be particularly informative. Here is an interesting story from The Guardian about COP 27 in Sharm El Sheikh: https://www.theguardian.com/en
I also read articles on the BBC website. This article is about the goal of keeping the increase in global temperature at or below 1.5 degrees Celsius. As I read this article, I reflected back to a conversation I had with a Chilean negotiator on a UNFCCC bus in 2018 (COP 24 in Katowice, Poland). I asked about the 1.5 degree goal. He told me that, off the record, most negotiators knew that would never be achieved - most hoped that the temperature rise could be kept under 2 degrees. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/sci
In additional to your comments, please share links to articles that you recommend.
I read the first article by "The Guardian" and I really liked the quote that Antonio Guterres stated, “Humanity has a choice: cooperate or perish.” This can also tie into an article New York Times' "Paying for Climate Damage isn't Charity" article about how the climate crisis and damage won't be solved if bigger countries are worrying about loss of finance and "derail" the whole COP.
ReplyDeleteDasgupta, Ani. “Paying for Climate Damage Isn't Charity.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 11 Nov. 2022, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/11/opinion/environment/un-climate-change-conference-2022-reparations.html.
I read an intriguing article by The Guardian titled "Ukraine uses Cop27 to highlight environmental cost of Russia’s war". It spoke on a degree of war that I had never considered, the environmental degradation that inevitably comes with warring countries. Leading into a statement about how without peace there will never be a working climate policy. The article also ended with what I thought was a great quote on turning fossil fuels into fossils themselves.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/13/ukraine-cop27-highlight-environmental-cost-russia-war
I read the article you dropped below "COP27: Key climate goal of 1.5C rise faces new challenge". It is very scary in the way the article outlines the oncoming harms and effects of climate change. I believe that was the aim of the article and that they did it well in a coherent way. It is awfully sad that the oncoming effects of climate change will destroy homes, coral reefs, and water security. How can we address these issues as humans in a united fashion?
ReplyDeleteWhile reading the first article provided by "The Guardian", I found it highly concerning that such a monumental event had the attendees be put in such a terrible state. For example, when they say that "more than 30,000 delegates at the climate summit had to get by on nuts or bread smuggled in from hotels". How can deliberation occur when you're just trying to survive. However, I'm glad that this event is still occurring with the focus on climate change.
ReplyDeleteIn the link provided above by the BBC, I appreciated the graphic included. In an engineering class I took recently the instructor explained the necessity of a clean, well-labeled graph. The information from this article provided in a visual was very helpful in conveying the importance of climate change to a visual learner like me. I recommend taking a look at the graph and attempting to understand its meaning. I have included the same link below for convenience.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-63591796
In the first article by "The Guardian" is is just bizarre the conditions delegates experiences during the first couple days at COP27. Were you impacted by any of these issues? In your experience have previous conferences had issues like this as well?
ReplyDeleteI read a similar article to the one from BBC posted above. The article I read was from The New York Times titled "Carbon Dioxide Emissions Increased in 2022 as Crises Roiled Energy Markets." It also mentioned the 1.5 degrees C goal and provided new data that indicate reaching record high global fossil fuel emissions this year. While the emissions in China and Europe are expected to decline, the emissions in the US and India are expected to increase. There seems to be little hope for keeping warming at 1.5 degrees C.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/10/climate/carbon-dioxide-emissions-global-warming.html
In the article by the guardian, i found it alarming to read the statement "The world is on a 'highway to climate hell with our foot still on the accelerator'... 'Humanity has a choice: cooperate or perish'".
ReplyDeleteI read the article "COP27: Key climate goal of 1.5C rise faces new challenge". I read someone's comment above about the graph in this article, and I agree that it's helpful to see the variety of timelines. I think the graph could be more effective if it showed what would happen if we did nothing at all to slow climate change.
ReplyDeleteAs an ordinary citizen, I wonder what I can do personally to reduce my impact. I'm including an article from the EPA if anyone is interested in steps they can take to reduce emissions. I also wonder, even if we're doing our part individually, is that enough?
https://www.epa.gov/climate-change/what-you-can-do-about-climate-change
From a conflict standpoint, I'm curious how negotiations are structured. With so many conflict variables, how do you prioritize everyone's needs?
I found this article from the UN on Climate Change
ReplyDeletehttps://news.un.org/en/story/2021/08/1097572
It says nuclear power is one of the only ways to reach climate goals and talks about how a number of countries have been shutting down reactors instead of using them. "Over 70 reactors have been shut down since 2000".
I wonder as someone who is a strong advocate to stop global warming, what is your opinion on nuclear energy?
I assume that there are talks that include the issue of ocean acidification as a result of carbon-dioxide being dumped into the atmosphere as a result of our reliance on fossil fuels. The results of which will be catastrophic for coral reefs. I found an article discussing the Caribbean Reef, regarding it's warming and oceanic heat waves https://phys.org/news/2022-03-caribbean-coral-reefs-years.html , I am just wondering what other articles people have found on the impacts of ocean acidification on reefs and the implication for people's food and biodiversity of oceans.
ReplyDeleteThis is a link to a 2013 lecture on coral bleaching as a result of ocean acidification from excess carbon dioxide by Dr. Andreas Anderson via the Universoty of California Television. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwQnweQWaFQ . It is a bit old, however it is broken down very well and isn't too terribly long.
DeleteIn High School I participated in the National Ocean Sciences Bowl and wrote three papers (one each year) that addressed climate change in Alaska. While this is more of a scientific paper than a true news article I think you might find it interesting to read. It has been read by many renewable energy teams as well as Senator Lisa Murkowski. It is titled "Beneficial Electrification through Hydropower Expansion in Juneau, Alaska." It examines how the City and Borough of Juneau has a climate action goal of achieving 80% renewable energy by 2045 and the actions that must be taken to reach it.
ReplyDeleteThe link is https://docs.google.com/document/d/11lluND9p8Dw8XVLF05asplMVcHcH_yvTyRhmjWxy3Tw/edit?usp=sharing
Let me know if anyone wants to read it and there is trouble with the link.
I found this interesting article which talks about how even if we were able to immediately halt the use of fossil fuels and the emission of greenhouse gasses, there will still be effects from past pollution that will continue to change the climate, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.science.org/content/article/climates-point-no-return
Hello Dr. Walker I read the first article you posted on "The Guardian", I thought that the article was very disturbing, the fact that the people attending the climate summit at Sharm el-Sheihk were given little to no food or water and had to survive for the first two days off of nuts and bread smuggled from hotels is absolutely ridiculous. The people that are coming to these climate summits are people that genuinely care about the health of our planet and I think that it is important to treat these people with good service and welfare. https://social-innovation.hitachi/en-us/case_studies/data-intelligence-tackles-climate-change/?utm_campaign=FY22US&utm_source=SEM&utm_medium=DICC_Search&WT.mc_id=22media&gclid=CjwKCAiAjs2bBhACEiwALTBWZRjHweJ6boTw5EYgoUw2Da45dMae0LfAhq9ukyAcVVAw1kMbI9foohoC7YMQAvD_BwE
ReplyDelete"He told me that, off the record, most negotiators knew that would never be achieved - most hoped that the temperature rise could be kept under 2 degrees" - I found this to be quite interesting. Is this just so they can keep up their image maybe?
ReplyDeleteHey Dr.Walker, I think it's awful how the people at Sharm-el-Sheihk were treated. This should be an event to draw people of concert together in order to figure out a greater future and support the health of our planet, not a money scheme to profit off of overpriced coffee's. I think this should be brought to a better light, and people should express their anger towards these imbeciles.
ReplyDeleteSomething that I find deeply concerning is that despite the overwhelming scientific consensus that climate change is real and cause by humans, many people still deny its existence. According to an article by American Progress, there are 139 elected officials in the United States congress who "still deny the scientific consensus of human-caused climate change". This number seems absurdly high, but may be a result of the $61 million in lifetime contributions from coal, oil, and gas industries that these politicians have received. Do you believe that lobbying by fossil fuel companies is a major barrier in making meaningful progress towards halting climate change?
ReplyDeleteHere is the link for the article: https://www.americanprogress.org/article/climate-deniers-117th-congress/
One of the things I find most intriguing about climate change negotiations and international diplomatic organizations in general is how smaller or developing nations can have wildly varying amounts of power in these discussions. Compare the UN, where all truly consequential decisions are made by the five permanent members of the security council, to some of the stories you've shared about conferences you've attended. The presence of a Chilean negotiator, for instance, definitely shows that there is more power for smaller countries at some meetings. It makes sense though when you consider the outsized effect of climate change on these small and developing nations, such as the recent flooding in Pakistan. I read an article recently about the flooding and the global responsibility for the event.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/06/pakistan-finmin-on-floods-country-is-bearing-brunt-of-climate-change.html
In the first article I find it so interresting that with how important these events are they are not pulling out all the stops to keep the delegates happy and willing to come back every year. So it got me thinking what types of changes would come from these types of confresses. Looking at an article from the BBC I found it interesting that these talk alot about how to fix what is already going wrong. I just assumed it was talking about how to make changes.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-63316362
I appreciate that the BBC article highlights short term gain over long term safety. The politicians seemed to be focused on harm reduction, not problem solving. I found a good article on the vast difference between 1.5 and 2.0 degrees Celsius.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.reuters.com/business/cop/whats-difference-between-15c-2c-global-warming-2021-11-07/#:~:text=HEAT%2C%20RAIN%2C%20DROUGHT&text=For%20example%2C%20heatwaves%20would%20become,climate%20science%20panel%20(IPCC).
This article really shows how much we are sacrificing for that tiny difference.
Student ID number is 934427394
DeleteI was curious about the presence of climate change in the local PNW region, and found an interesting article from Oregon Public Broadcast regarding some of the climatic effects we have seen already as a result of climate change, and how local governments are working to adapt.
ReplyDeleteA concerning aspect that is raised in this article, as well as others throughout this blog are the inequalities in impact between high and low income individuals. In the case of the OPB article, this is in the form of poorer homes not having access to A/C, which leads to health impacts in serious heatwaves such as the one over summer 2020. It's certainly an important aspect for governments to consider when addressing the climate crisis.
https://www.opb.org/article/2022/03/01/heat-wave-a-glimpse-of-climate-change-s-impact-in-n-america/
Summer 2021*
Deletehttps://apnews.com/article/climate-change-science-lifestyle-business-environment-and-nature-cb0c966f43e52fd9559857969f1203a0
ReplyDeleteThis is the article I would like to share which is about a tribe in Alaska and how the affects of human caused climate change is affecting thier lives. This goes into more about adaption capacity and environmental racism if anyone is interest in that.
-the second article that you published in your blog that talks about the 1.5 degree goal is very interesting and I have read similar articles about that as well and how dangerous it can be if we exceed that. It would mean most of the world populations would be living in cities and thousands of people will die.
The crabs are gone! https://slate.com/technology/2022/10/alaskan-snow-crabs-dead.html
ReplyDeleteI thought the article i read from The Guardian was interesting as it talked about how the fashion industry tries to spin their products to make them sound more sustainable. https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2022/nov/19/fashion-brands-grapple-with-greenwashing-its-not-a-human-right-to-say-something-is-sustainable
ReplyDeleteI read the article from The Guardian and honestly I was very shocked. When I had heard you speak of the COP event I had imagined it would be this grand event with all commodities provided. I couldn't have imaged that an important event such as this would have that many issues.
ReplyDeleteIn the article you provided titled "COP27: Key climate goal of 1.5C rise faces new challenge", the graphical display shocked me. I had heard earlier about the goal of limiting the rise of global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius, but I didn't expect for us to be so far away from that goal with our current policies. To be honest, this discourages me a bit regarding whether we will be able to tackle this issue or not. Yet, all we can do is to persevere and further push our lawmakers to take action.
ReplyDeleteI found a Climate and Clean Air Coalition webpage about Italy's part in tackling climate change. As a donor to the CCAC Trust Fund, Italy is a supporter of CCAC projects in developing countries. On a domestic level, Italy is actively trying to reduce black carbon emissions from the transportation system. They are doing this through "low impact fuels, use of ecological vehicles for distribution of goods and implementation of services and infrastructures for the public transport." On an international level, "Italy and Iraq have recently agreed on a joint programme to reduce emissions from oil and gas production." This is associated with the bilateral cooperation on environment. It is very interesting to see how different countries are taking action on climate change. I also find it encouraging to see various countries working together to help combat climate change.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.ccacoalition.org/en/partners/italy
After reading that first article, it certainly seems unhelpful to the summit to have so many undesirable and even harmful conditions surrounding the hosting of the summit - It might be argued that more would able to be accomplished without so many outside hindrances, and I also wonder how come these issues weren't dealt with ahead of time. The seemingly-extensive involvement of the police force within the summit is likely very disincentivizing to many who attend, and the issues with food and signage inconvenience all who attend.
ReplyDeleteI found the guardian article that you provided to be very interesting. Not having enough food, hotel prices being racked up, the contrast between sweltering outdoor heat and frigid indoor temperatures, all sounds like a lot to deal with. Are these conditions unique to this climate summit in particular, or are these the kinds of things you have experienced before? Do you have a favorite climate summit that you have ever been to? A least favorite? Another thing that I took note of was the author's praise for speeches of António Guterres. Have you been able to attend an event he has spoken at? If so, what was that like? Is there any way to view mentioned speech? Do you have a personal favorite speaker?
ReplyDeleteHere is an interesting article I read from NPR which covers the impacts of crossing over the 1.5 degree threshold: https://www.npr.org/2021/11/08/1052198840/1-5-degrees-warming-climate-change
Today I read a CNN article titles "As people flee climate change on the coasts, this Midwest city is trying to become a safe haven" and it made me instantly think of this class and you coming from the Midwest like myself. It shows the hospitality of the Midwest and also the immediate dangers coastal cities are facing during Wildfires and Hurricanes where relocation may be necessary after total losses of cities. Even while we are making proactive changes in these conferences we are also seeing it at the local levels and communities coming together.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.cnn.com/2021/04/12/opinions/climate-migration-in-america-california-duluth-sutter/index.html
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ReplyDeleteI took a look at that Guardian Article and was surprised to find that the conference was held in a resort town, although I suppose it makes sense, if you want people to go somewhere, might as well make it enjoyable. Either way, though It was interesting how the Prime Minter of Barbados mentioned that their country unwillingly financed The Industrial Revolution, and it's unreasonable that they should have to pay for the effects of it now.
ReplyDeleteI read the Guardian article and I am shocked to read the way people were treated. Last week I watched a video on my Facebook feed that shared the story of Indian couple who were there to watch the COP 27 and were harassed at a hotel. I think these conferences should be held in more peaceful and free environment.
ReplyDeleteHere's a link to the views of Indian delegation in COP 27 :https://www.indiancooperative.com/world/unfccc-cop-27-egypt-nandini-shares-indian-experiences/
After reading the BBC article, I was thinking about the intersection of politics and positive change. In the realm of equity in climate justice, the countries that produce the greatest carbon emissions are not facing the greatest negative impacts. How long until the global impacts unite politicians and policy makers to enforce wide spread drastic change?
ReplyDeleteI found an article that seems to be non bias and easy to understand from BBC. I love to check out different news sources on specific subjects that are often politicized. I recommend taking a look at https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-24021772 to learn some simple facts that make the climate crisis easy to understand.
ReplyDelete