climate policies

Corals and climate change

December 24, 2024 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Climate change is a major threat to coral reefs around the world. Ocean warming triggers coral bleaching – a stress response where corals expel the symbiotic algae essential for their survival. If coral bleaching is severe, it can lead to coral death.

A new study led by scientists from Newcastle University in England suggests that corals are unlikely to adapt to ocean warming quickly enough to keep pace with global warming, unless there are rapid reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions.

The study, which was recently published in the journal Science, found that coral heat tolerance adaptation via natural selection could keep pace with ocean warming, but only if the climate goals of the Paris Agreement are realized. In the Paris Agreement, countries agreed to limit global warming by the end of the century to two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

However, current climate policies around the world have the globe on track to warm by three degrees Celsius. According to the research team, this could lead to significant reductions in reef health, elevated risks of local coral extinctions, and considerable uncertainty in the so-called “evolvability” of corals.

Coral reefs are among the most biologically diverse ecosystems on Earth. They are often referred to as the “rainforests of the sea” because they support an incredible variety of marine life. They provide essential ecosystem services, such as protecting coastlines from erosion and storm surges, supporting fisheries, and serving as a source of income through tourism. Coral reef health is vital for the health of the planet.

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Coral adaptation unlikely to keep pace with global warming

Photo, posted June 9, 2012, courtesy of Bokissa Private Island Resort via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

California is the largest emitter of a little-known greenhouse gas

April 30, 2024 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

California is a state known for its aggressive climate policies. However, and rather ironically, California is also the nation’s greatest emitter of one little-known greenhouse gas: sulfuryl fluoride.

Sulfuryl fluoride is one of the few treatments to rid buildings of drywood termites, a common regional pest that can be found in wooden structures. Sulfuryl fluoride is also used at shipping ports to destroy pests before they can hitch a ride to another part of the world.

But sulfuryl fluoride is also a greenhouse gas that’s several thousand times more effective than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere.

According to a new study by researchers from Johns Hopkins University, as much as 17% of global emissions of this gas stem from the U.S., and the majority of those emissions can be traced back to just a few counties in Southern California. In fact, the research team found 60-85% of sulfuryl fluoride emissions in the U.S. come from California, primarily Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties.

In the paper, which was recently published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, the researchers attribute approximately 85% of the state’s sulfuryl fluoride emissions to structural fumigation. Structural fumigation is the practice of sealing an infested structure, pumping this gas into it to kill pests, and then releasing the gas into the atmosphere. The other 15% of emissions come from agricultural and commodities fumigation.

Without some form of intervention, the research team warns that sulfuryl fluoride will continue to accumulate in the atmosphere, where it can linger for more than 40 years.

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Researcher sheds light on the main source of a rare but destructive greenhouse gas

California leads U.S. emissions of little-known greenhouse gas

It is very important to save nature in California and we happy that Michael / Armchair Builder via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Record high emissions

January 3, 2024 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

The world is adding solar and wind power to the grid. We are driving more and more electric cars. Countries are pledging to cut back fossil fuel use. There are highly visible international conferences on the climate crisis. But despite all of these things, global carbon emissions from fossil fuels have risen once again in 2023, reaching all-time record high levels of more than 40 billion tons, about 1.1% more than the previous year.

In some places, including Europe and the U.S., fossil fuel CO2 emissions are falling, but globally, they are still rising. Emissions continued to increase in India and China. Global action to cut fossil fuel use is not happening fast enough to prevent the increasingly dangerous effects of climate change.

Global CO2 emissions include both the contributions of fossil fuel use and the effects of land use change. Adding the two together, in 2023 the total was about 45 billion tons, basically unchanged from last year.

Adding insult to injury are the emissions from fires. The extreme wildfire seasons in Canada, Australia, and other places have contributed CO2 emissions much larger than historical averages.

About half of all the carbon dioxide emitted on Earth is absorbed by carbon sinks on land and the oceans. The other half remains in the atmosphere, where levels are now averaging 419 parts per million, 51% above pre-industrial levels.

Current efforts are simply not profound enough or widespread enough to put global emissions on a downward trajectory. Some climate policies in some places are proving effective, but much more needs to be done.

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Fossil CO2 emissions at record high in 2023

Photo, posted December 18, 2013, courtesy of Steve Nelson via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Continued Renewables Growth | Earth Wise

June 17, 2022 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

In 2021, the world added a record amount of 295 gigawatts of renewable power. According to the International Energy Agency, it is on pace to surpass that amount in 2022.

Almost half of the renewable buildout in the world is taking place in China. In 2021, China accounted for 46% of worldwide renewable energy additions. The EU and United States are the next two leaders. The rapid buildup is especially impressive given the challenges developers have faced from the coronavirus pandemic, supply chain issues, and various construction delays.

Predictions are that the global total added this year will be about 320 gigawatts of renewables. This amount is equivalent to the total power demands of Germany, which is the world’s fourth-largest economy. Solar photovoltaics are forecast to account for 60% of the increase in global renewable capacity this year.

The rapid growth in China and the EU are driven by strong pro-renewable policies. In our country, wrangling over climate legislation and investigations into potential trade violations by Asian suppliers have held back our progress. But over the next several years, offshore wind will begin to have a real impact on U.S. renewable installations.

According to the report by the International Energy Agency, renewable energy growth is likely to plateau in 2023 unless stronger climate policies are enacted.

There are now more than 3 terawatts – that’s 3,000 gigawatts – of renewable generation capacity globally. This compares with a little over 4,000 terawatts of fossil fuel generation. Global renewable energy generation is currently projected to surpass that of fossil fuels by 2035.

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Following Record Growth in 2021, Renewables on Track for New High in 2022

Photo, posted October 17, 2016, courtesy of B Sarangi via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.