When the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was established in the 1990s, negotiators focused on greenhouse gas emissions, or GHGs. They discussed mitigation actions; ways to reduce GHGs. The landmark Kyoto Protocol of 1997 (at COP 3) emphasized mitigation, with commitments from developed countries to reduce their production of and reliance on fossil fuels. The 2015 Paris Agreement set the goal of a global temperature rise of no more than 1.5 degrees centigrade by 2050. This goal would be achieved only if developed countries - the major GHG emitters - transitioned significantly to renewable energy sources. This has not happened. Countries are expanding their use of renewables but not fast enough th meet the 1.5 degree goal. Consequently, negotiators now devote considerable time to discussing adaptation - how to deal with a warming world and its consequencxes, such as wildfires, drought, intense hurricanes and typhoons... These articles relate to the imp...
Hi Dr. Walker. When I think about climate change, one of my biggest worries is the increase of wildfires in the summer and the increasing ocean temperatures. Due to the increase in ocean temperatures, coral reefs are being bleached. The most serious one being the Great Barrier Reef off of Australia. It is not dead yet, but it is not in great condition. This article I found has an estimation of what the year 2100 will look like. It is sad to see what will happen to the Earth if we do not make a huge change now. https://theconversation.com/climate-change-how-bad-could-the-future-be-if-we-do-nothing-159665
ReplyDeleteHi Koda,
DeleteYou raise such important concerns, especially regarding wildfires and ocean temperatures. The bleaching of coral reefs like the Great Barrier Reef is heartbreaking—it’s such a visible reminder of the damage being done. The article you shared paints a sobering picture of what could happen if we don’t act now, and I agree that immediate, collective action is critical.
Do you think there’s a way to make these stark projections more impactful for policymakers and the public to drive change? It often feels like the urgency of the situation isn’t fully appreciated.
My biology teacher from my junior year of high school would always say: "diversity facilitates stability." The conclusion I draw from this statement is that diversity is important in maintaining stable ecosystems. Loss of biodiversity comes from changing climate, and climate moving outside of the tolerance zones of certain species, to the point that they can no longer survive in their given climate. Protecting biodiversity protects the balance of all life on Earth. Here is an article that talks about the importance of biodiversity: https://www.embibe.com/exams/importance-of-biodiversity/
ReplyDeleteI agree with this, my own biology teacher told us something similar. Loss of biodiversity impacts environments and ecosystems way beyond simply losing species to extinction. An article I found lists many different harms of losing biodiversity, including that it is a positive feedback loop with climate change. As the climate changes, biodiversity is lost. The instability that comes with this results in even more change of climates. I believe that biodiversity is intertwined with climate change and cannot really be separated from it. One is not "more important" than the other, they come as a pair and to fix one we have to show concern for both.
Deletehttps://unfoundation.org/blog/post/biodiversity-explained-facts-myths-and-the-race-to-protect-it/
With climate change I have a variety of concerns, the most overarching concern for me is that my future kids, my kid's kids, and so on will not have a safe beautiful home like I do now. I feel so lucky to be able to experience the planet in all of its beauty and have been terrified ever since learning of climate change in middle school, that my future loved ones will never get to see the earth like I have. A statistic that I find staggering is that throughout the last 100 years, 47% of local extinctions could be attributed to climate change. I found this on the IPCC special report, which I would really recommend, I found it here: https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/. Another thing that really sticks with me is learning about specific cases of global warming affecting certain species. One that has really stuck with me is the widespread extinction of Harlequin frogs. Due to the rising temperatures, a skin eating pathogen was able to grow and attack them, resulting in them dying from slowly being eaten away at. I read about them here: https://chicagounbound.uchicago.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1105&context=law_and_economics
ReplyDeleteI would say that biodiversity is very important when it comes to environmental issues, although perhaps climate change is still more important. Losing species out of ecosystems can be fatal to other species within that ecosystem, as most species rely on another's survival in order to thrive. However, given that climate change is one of the biggest causes of mass extinction, it is more important to worry about that since it can affect all life on Earth rather than a specific ecosystem or species. This article talks about the impact climate change has on extinction: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/climate-change-will-accelerate-earths-sixth-mass-extinction-180955138/
ReplyDeleteHello Dr. Walker, I am equally concerned with both of these issues because I think they both go hand in hand with each other. It's no secret that humans have been the cause of many animals going extinct like the passenger pigeon and the western black rhinos. But as the climate continues to change, there is a decrease of biodiversity. According to the United Nations (Climate Action) with every increase of 3 degrees Celsius, "41% of mammals are losing half their habitat." Without a habitat, there will be a struggle for them to survive and an unhealthy increase of competition for resources. Keeping biodiversity in our ecosystems is important because they, "are natural carbon sinks, providing so-called nature-based solutions to climate change." Without having these natural sinks for carbon, or the natural collectors of the CO2/carbon emissions, then the climate change issue will become worse. Therefore, we should be concerned with biodiversity an equal amount as we are concerned with climate change because, without biodiversity in our ecosystems the issue of climate change will worsen. A decrease in biodiversity means climate change will increase, causing us to get further away from solving the issue.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.un.org/en/climatechange/science/climate-issues/biodiversity
Hi Dr Walker, I think that biodiversity is a subject of major concern. Biodiversity allows for balanced and stable ecosystems which are necessary to our world but is deteriorating. Ocean biodiversity has especially been negatively impacted by climate change. Drops in fish populations and species have reached extremes, and ocean biodiversity is suffering. Ocean acidity and temperature increase as less species exist to complete essential ecosystems. Many people do not consider ocean health as much as they should, separating it from their concerns, but the ocean has a major impact on our environment and the world. The ocean is a great example of how dismissing one area of the environment can result in extreme damage. All aspects of the environment are important, so if we want to combat climate change, we can not focus primarily on one area. We need to consider as much as possible regarding aspects of the environment and possible effects of change.
ReplyDeleteHere is an article that demonstrates the damage biodiversity has faced due to climate change: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11356-021-15702-8
I think biodiversity is probably one of the most important aspects that climate change affects. Since animals require such specific conditions to flourish, and taking into account food chain dynamics, the fall of one fragile species leads to the fall of even more. Biodiversity is important if we look at even the most selfish of views; "so how do the animals help me?" Animal medical testing aside, being able to study and gather samples of animals helps advance the medical field, especially from the humble frog. Frogs appear to be a part of the most susceptible species type according to your source, but they have some of the most valuable pre-existing cures hidden within them, for things such as allergies, heart disorder, and even cancer. Source:https://stri.si.edu/story/frog-toxins-medicine#:~:text=For%20millennia%2C%20secretions%20from%20their,inflammation%2C%20pain%20and%20even%20AIDS.
ReplyDeleteHi Dr Walker, I believe that biodiversity is VERY important when it comes to climate change. When thinking about who it affects, I think that you should not just pinpoint one life over the other. Mother nature works in a way that can't live without the other. I think that important insects and environments should thrive just as much as humans should. Although it was humanity's own selfishness and greed, not everyone see's it that way.
ReplyDeleteHello Dr.Walker. Much like what others have pointed out, I think that biodiversity is incredibly important as limiting biodiversity impacts how areas. Nature is heavily intertwined and letting certain species perish to climate change can affect how certain ecosystems can respond to a changing climate. Furthermore, this will affect humans as we need certain organisms to make medicine, ensure food security, etc.. Additionally, I am concerned about how more agriculture-based areas will adapt to the impacts done to crop yields by climate change. This article by the BBC discusses this in further detail. https://www.bbc.com/news/explainers-60823267
ReplyDeleteHi Dr. Walker. To add on to what many people have already said, biodiversity is impacted by climate change; They are connected environmental issues. I think that biodiversity is an interesting area where some small changes can have significant impacts. American lawn culture is often pictured as being neat and uniform but ultimately these lawns lack substance. These spaces could instead be used to encourage biodiversity by being used as gardens to grow food or native plants that support pollinators and other wildlife. While not as popular, there has been an increase of interest in diverse lawns and gardens. This article provides more information https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/GoodNatured/pages/Article.aspx?post=235
ReplyDeleteHi Dr. Walker
ReplyDeleteMy biggest concern for biodiversity loss is primarily coral reefs loss. Coral reefs are essential to marine life and biodiversity in the oceans, however currently they are depleting at rapid rates to global warming. This should be an alarming issue to many as it's detrimental to or ecosystems. This article explores the reasons behind the loss of coral reefs and the detrimental impacts of it https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/marine-life/coral-reef-ecosystems
Hello LaNaya, I completely agree with everything that you have said. Extinction has always been around, its a natural process, but in the current day and age the current extinction rate is thousands of times higher than the natural extinction rate. Humans have probably been the number one cause, both directly with hunting and poaching and indirectly with deforestation and climate change, like you mentioned. I think that unless we start making a change, fighting against the factors mentioned above, the rate of extinction will only increase, which is a scary thought.
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