Pico Analytics Fortnightly Newsletter: Around the World in Eight Articles Edition
Our world has never been smaller, we can speak to people on the other side of the planet in real-time, pick up food in our supermarkets that has been shipped thousands of miles just to end up on our dinner plates. We can turn on the television and watch global news and if we feel like relaxing, we can sit back, switch to Netflix and bask in the voice of David Attenborough whilst viewing the most amazing wildlife images our planet has to offer. It can be easy to forget that our interconnectedness comes at a price, which we are now having to pay. Like tapping a contactless bank card repeatedly only to later realise how drastically our bank balance has decreased, we are treating our natural world in the same way. From Asia to Africa and Europe to the America's we are all either being impacted by or will be affected by the results of climate change in the near future. The time for watching and waiting to see who will act first has come and gone and we are now at a critical tipping point which will see humanity either survive and thrive by forging ahead with sustainable development and conservation or continue to suffer from the droughts, floods, sea water inundation, soil degradation, desertification and mass extinction of flora and fauna which will inevitably induce our downfall.
The decisions we make from what to have for lunch to where we direct major investments all have a bearing on climate change and our natural world. Working together to form a new kind of globalisation is our only option to achieve essential change. This approach will not be based upon the traditional capitalist markets which generate and deliver goods but instead it will carry ideas, innovation and new technology. The selfish, locust like behaviours of humans must be rejected in place of a more collective mindful approach to life. Though we are unaccustomed to asking ourselves how a purchase will impact our natural world or why we should put the needs of animals, plants, oceans and forests before our own, it is a change which we have no choice but to make. There is no room for racism, sexism, homophobia, xenophobia, classism, bigotry or discrimination because if we are unable to look past these taught behaviours we cannot hope to create the infinite number of connections needed to achieve a greener future.
This edition hopes to take you, our reader, on a trip around the world with stories ranging from Japanese carbon tax proposals, to India's searing heat waves, to the future of emperor penguins in the Antarctic, these stories shine a light on some of the most concerning and questionable behaviours of governments and businesses around the world. We strike a balance by also including stories of hope and promise such as the upcoming Australian elections and the innovations being made by Cassava breeders in Nigeria. Our global community is the prevailing theme of this edition in recognition of how globalisation and the willingness to work together can be a powerful force for change. In our sustainability spotlight we have included an incredible project which aims to rewild our natural spaces and rediscover those species we believed to be lost forever. This newsletter, as usual, will provide a short summary of some of the most notable, informative, and quirky recent climate stories in the hope that it provides inspiration and insight into climate news from around the world. Finally, we want to hear from you, our readers, about any topics that interest you, which we can either produce research papers on or include as stories in future newsletters.
OUR
TOP STORIES
Carbon Tax Proposal Tabled by Shipping Heavyweight Japan
by Antoni Slodkowski, Eri Sugiura & Harry Dempsey 3rd May 2022
In a shocking turn of events, Japan, the second-largest ship owning nation, has told a shipping regulator that it would be willing to support a carbon tax which would raise more than $50 billion a year in an effort to address the emissions from maritime transport. As the debate continues to rage over how we can decarbonise maritime trade, the proposal submitted to the International Maritime Organisation is of even greater significance as a leading shipping country finally vocalises its willingness to be held accountable. The decarbonisation of the maritime sector is exceptionally difficult due to the diversity ranging from ferries to tankers who rely on various quantities of which fuel which currently cannot be replaced by clean fuels at such a scale.
The proposal set forward by Japan suggests that the industry pay $56 per tonne of CO2 between 2025 and 2030 to cover the entire 1bn tonnes of emissions released by the industry every year. Upon reaching 2030 it has been suggested that the cost of emissions should increase every five years up to $135. The final aim of the scheme will be to transfer finances over to environmentally-friendly ships to help in recouping upfront investments whilst helping to find the balance between Western climate ambitions and developing nations' economic concerns. There is something of a tug of war manifesting as developing countries vie for revenues to be passed over to them in compensation for climate change and any loss of trade they experience. Meanwhile, the industry wants to channel funds back into paying for decarbonisation and needed infrastructure. The final decisions lie with the IMO who are also contending with proposals based on carbon efficiency as opposed to fuel use. Japanese officials hope that their proposal will be accepted as it would allow for the creation of an accurate finance plan which can be adjusted to any developments in the zero-fuel emissions over the coming years. The "incredibly quick" speed at which Japan is pushing for an agreement has provided much needed hope for the implementation of carbon taxes and will hopefully encourage other nations to follow suit. Though there has been criticism of the proposal in that it only covers emissions on board ships and fails to cover emissions generated during the production of the fuels it is still a step in the right direction in a particularly carbon intensive industry.
Wales Comes Top in Recycling Rates Across the UK
By the BBC 11th May 2022
Wales was the only UK nation to keep up its recycling rate during the pandemic and has now outperformed the other nations for at least 10 years running.
Every year when I head down to Wales to stay with family I always notice an immediate difference in people's behaviour around recycling. With numerous recycling bins, small composting bins and comparatively empty black bin bags the Welsh approach to waste is in stark contrast to behaviour across the rest of the UK. Wales recycled well over half (56.5%) of all household waste in 2020 streaming ahead of the UK average (44.4%). It is also the only UK nation to reach the EU target of 50% and is continuing to raise ambitions for zero waste by 2050.
Even in the midst of the pandemic recycling collectors and local authorities remained committed to recycling, working hard to ensure Wales held its position of top UK recycler. In 2020 alone they collected 694,000 tonnes of recycling of the 1.228 million tonnes of household waste produced in that year alone, leaving the rest of the UK in the dust as recycling rates dropped across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Now, the Welsh government is extending its plans with hopes of achieving a 70% recycling rate by 2024-2025. Whilst food waste in the UK ends up in our regular kitchen bins and eventually makes its way to landfill, Wales has chosen a different route. By focusing on food waste, Wales chose to conduct separate collections in biodegradable bags over the past decade. This has helped to avoid the hot and compressed conditions found in landfills which convert food into methane gas which is 30 to 80 times more damaging to climate change than carbon dioxide emissions and boosts Wales by saving more than 400,000 tonnes of CO2 being released into the atmosphere every year.
"If food waste were a country, it would be the world's third biggest carbon emitter behind China and India. That's why food waste is ranked by the United Nations as one of the main target areas to limit runaway climate change." Wales has evidently had its ear to the ground by having 22 local authorities send all food waste to one of five anaerobic digestion plants around the country which has been converted into 7MW of energy. For many Welsh people the concept of scraping food off your plate and into the kitchen bin is unthinkable and this complete turn around in how they approach food waste may place them as a front runner for being the first UK nation to reach net-zero carbon emissions.
$1.4bn Desalination Plant Plans Blocked by California Coastal Panel
by Associated Press in Huntington Beach 13th May 2022
In a move applauded by environmentalists the California coastal panel has blocked plans for a desalination plant which would turn Pacific Ocean water into fresh drinking water. In a state which is already struggling with drought which is expected to worsen as climate change takes hold the Coastal Commission unanimously denied the permit for Poseidon Water to produce 50m gallons of water a day in Huntington beach. In a company statement Poseidon spoke to the punishing droughts faced by California and how their desalination project would be a sustainable, drought-tolerant solution. What they failed to mention were the environmental impacts of such a project.
The final vote came after many heated debates as environmentalists formed an ardent opposition as "drawing in large amounts of ocean water and releasing salty discharge back into the ocean would kill billions of tiny marine organisms that make up the base of the food chain along a large swath of the coast". For the time being the commission chose to recognize the needs of our ocean which is already under significant duress and balanced the environmental argument with the needs of a community who were not yet in need of this water which would likely come at a significant cost. Other issues associated with the project were the cost of running the plant which would continue to contribute to climate change and its being built on an earthquake fault line. Unfortunately, California is caught between a rock and a hard place as it has spent most of the last 15 years in drought conditions with 95% of the state being considered to be under severe drought in the past year. With neighbouring county San Diego already operating the largest desalination plant in the US there may come a time when California will have to take on this technology as the plants can channel water directly to the consumers and be used to replenish the groundwater basin. For now, the California Coastal Commission has chosen to protect marine life as they still rely on the little water resources they have left that will meet demand for necessary use. One cannot help but wonder how long this will last when water shortages start to bite and how quickly they will be willing to trade in ocean ecosystems for an extra shower or a nice hot bath. Since the project proposal was blocked Poseidon have conducted additional studies and resubmitted a new plan with a proposal to mitigate marine damage through restoration of nearby wetlands. However, one again one can only wonder if this is greenwashing or just an attempt to trade in one ecosystem for another with few perceived benefits.
Indian Coal Production Spirals Amid Searing Heatwave
by Benjamin Park & Chloe Cornish 4th May 2022
India is currently experiencing heat waves so severe they are more comparable to the opening scenes of an apocalypse movie where these images would be shown with an accompanying monologue by the main character about how humanity should have woken up to climate change and now there's no going back. In a time when energy demands have risen to cope with the crippling heat India has boosted coal production to record heights in an effort to overcome a fuel shortage that has strained power supply.
India is expected to mine more than 800mn tonnes of coal starting from the beginning of the new financial year in April with the state run Coal India taking the lead having already increased output in April to 53.47mn tonnes, a 6% increase on the same month in 2019. As the world's second largest coal producer and consumer, dependent on this dirty fossil fuel for 70% of all energy needs, the economic bounce back post Covid-19 paired with the inadequate coal transportation system and the uncertainty surrounding Russian coal supplies has left India in a complex set of circumstances. With at least 18 power plants offline due to shortages and major cities such as Delhi running seriously low on supplies, the current heat waves have arrived at the worst time. With city dwellers cranking up the air conditioning in a desperate effort to cool down and combat the searing heat has contributed to frequent outages affecting around 21,500 people so far. Difficulties in the energy sector are compounding as financially strained state utility companies are struggling to pay suppliers further contributing to the bottlenecks preventing coal from reaching where it was needed in times of high demand. Though India has succeeded in having the energy sector function at pre-Covid levels the heatwaves which have led to the amplified demands are threatening to destabilise the energy sector.
The increase in coal production has brought on a lot of criticism as India, who made pledges to phase "down" coal during Cop26, have failed to show any concerted effort to meet this pledge. Whilst many countries work to eliminate this carbon intensive fossil fuel from their energy mix India's size and economic growth has meant that their coal usage has not yet peaked despite heavy investment in renewable energy. Experts argue that India could still be on track to meet this pledge despite the rising production as coal usage fluctuates with economic cycles. However, as climate change has a greater effect on our weather patterns the heatwaves currently being experienced across India and other parts of Asia will leave people reliant on the electric items needed to cool buildings and workspaces meaning a steadily growing demand that must be met with renewable energy if we want to avoid further exacerbating the issues associated with climate change.
Australian Election Could Bring About Climate Policy U-Turn
by Tiffanie Turnbull 12th May 2022
Australia is barreling towards an election which could have a significant impact on the future of our planet. As a country which has historically lagged behind in climate policy, voters are for the first time demanding tougher climate action from their future political leaders. In a nation which is still reliant on coal for most of its electricity "it is one of the dirtiest countries per capita - making up just over 1% of global emissions, but only 0.3% of the world's population". If these figures weren't bad enough Australia is "a massive global supplier of fossil fuels, and once that is factored in, it accounts for 3.6% of the world's emissions". This is made yet more shocking as Australia is one of the nations most at risk from climate change having suffered severe drought, devastating bushfires, record-breaking floods and mass bleaching events across the great barrier reef. These disasters are just the tip of the iceberg as the latest UN IPCC report states that Australia will face many more crises to come as they continue to flout scientific data and set short term emissions targets which are half of what the IPCC says is needed to limit warming to 1.5°.
Whilst climate action is needed numerous politicians remain staunchly opposed to even the most basic of targets such as government commitments to net-zero by 2050. Though Prime Minister Scott Morrison boasts that the country is on track to achieve a 35% reduction on 2005 carbon emissions in reality when we exclude the drastic reduction in land clearance Australia's carbon footprint has actually significantly increased. The opposition labour party has recognised the change in public opinion and has laid out more ambitious plans to reduce emissions by 43% by 2030 which would be the equivalent of taking all cars off the road. Labour's targets are in line with a 1.6-1.7° in warming which is marked difference to the current coalition government which if allowed to continue are on track to a "potentially terrifying" 3° increase. The methods by which Australia's labour party plans to reduce emissions are curious to say the least as they will make electric cars cheaper, improve renewable energy storage solutions and gradually lower the threshold at which big carbon emitters must buy carbon offsets, however, they will continue to support coal mines and will not force coal-fired power stations to close early. Instead, they will rely on the market phasing out coal and to allow the natural decline of infrastructure used for carbon intensive industries.
Australian elections are usually a contest between Labour and the Liberal-National Coalition but with the large-scale shunning of these traditional major parties they are at risk of a hung parliament. If this were to occur the government would require support from the crossbench to pass legislation passing on power to the "teal independents" who are hoping to negotiate a 2030 target of 50%. This election could spell the end of Australia's lax climate policies and finally bring them into line with Cop26 climate targets. For a nation who are facing some of the most significant impacts of climate change whilst providing refuge to Pacific Islanders who are losing their homes and their communities to rising sea levels and an abundance of climate related issues there is far more that Australia could be doing to protect the environment and reduce their overall contribution to carbon emissions.
Could Cassava be the Solution to our Grain Supply Challenges and Help to Wean the World off Wheat?
by Chiedozie Egesi 12th May 2022
Cassava is a hardy root crop eaten across Africa, Latin America and the Asia Pacific yet it is seldom found in the West unless you are willing to step across the threshold of the local African or Asian supermarket. However, Chiedozie Egesi hopes this will soon change as she writes a particularly interesting opinion piece for The Guardian. As a woman who spent her childhood years in Nigeria enjoying a dish called fufu (dumplings made from cassava flour) she has seen first hand the dangerous global dependence on wheat coming from Russia and Ukraine and how there are numerous alternatives which are yet to be accepted into the typical western diet. As we all brace for surging wheat prices Ms. Egesi believes that the African Development Bank plan to invest a whopping $1 billion to boost wheat production across the continent would be a mistake. Instead, funds should be spent on increasing the growth of the continent's most reliable crop, cassava.
Nigeria is the world's largest cassava producer and could play a huge part in a food revolution which could shift reliance away from wheat and create a buffer against our current food crisis. For over a decade food production challenges "from the climate crisis, severe crop diseases, armed conflicts and the Covid pandemic have caused a steady increase in hunger and poverty". Cassava could provide relief from some of these challenges and make an important contribution towards shock-proofing global food systems. Made yet more important in areas such as Sub-Saharan African where it is already the fourth most important source of daily calories. Cassava can survive and produce a good crop in even the worst possible conditions making it a perfect crop in our current climate emergency which has left millions of agriculture-dependant homes impoverished due to drought.
Ms. Egesi admits the cassava has been neglected and ignored by everyone from scientists to politicians yet the average farmer has always been aware of its benefits. Today, cassava breeders are just starting to receive support and are being given access to advanced scientific tools which can identify valuable genetic traits such as resistance to drought or disease as well as improving taste and texture. Though Ms. Egesi admits that cassava will not be able to cure all the ails in our current food system; she does want to encourage more people to start including it in their daily diet. In doing so we can help to destabilise dependence on wheat and ensure a diverse crop which can bring food stability to struggling areas and inspire innovation in agriculture.
Emperor Penguins at Risk of Extinction
by RNZ News 8th May 2022
The emperor penguin is at severe risk of extinction in the next 30 to 40 years as a result of climate change, according to research by the Argentine Antarctic Institute (IAA).
The emperor penguin is one of only two penguin species endemic to the Antarctic. Giving birth in the depths of winter, emperor penguins rely on having solid sea ice from April through to December to nest fledgling chicks. If, due to climate change, the sea freezes later or melts earlier, then the emperor penguins will be unable to carry out the reproductive cycle. If the freezing Antarctic waters were to reach the newborn chicks who are unable to swim and are yet to grow out their waterproof plumage then they will freeze to death or drown. These catastrophic events are already beginning to take place as the second largest emperor penguin colony in the Antarctic based in Halley Bay in the Weddell Sea has lost all its chicks for three consecutive years. Scientists at Argentina's Marambio Base have been conducting studies on their nearest emperor penguin colonies by counting, weighing and measuring chicks as well as taking blood samples and carrying out aerial analyses, the results of which point to a grim future for the species.
"[Climate] projections suggest that the colonies that are located between latitudes 60 and 70 degrees [south] will disappear in the next few decades; that is, in the next 30, 40 years". The mix of climate change and the length of the emperor penguins reproductive cycle has left them in a particularly difficult position. The loss of the emperor penguins from the Antarctic ecosystem could be devastating due to it being an extreme environment where the food chains have few members and even fewer links. Any break in this chain could see the entire system crumble. If climate change were not enough there are also a number of immediate challenges facing emperor penguins such as tourism and fishing in the Antarctic which are putting krill, the penguins main food source, at risk. To lose this beautiful, resilient and precious creature would form another devastating blow against our planet. We cannot let them continue only in documentaries and picture books, we must work now to save these creatures and the habitat they thrive in.
How Logs of Fruit Pulp are Replacing Firewood and Charcoal in Argentina
by Business Insider 27th April 2022
In Argentina cideries are getting creative in how they use food waste from making apple and pear cider. An inspired Argentine inventor has found a way to turn this waste into logs which can replace firewood and charcoal. In Alto Valle, central Argentina, three rivers meet to create the fertile ground needed to grow fruits for cider, however, every year the industry produces 75,000 metric tonnes of waste called pomace. This waste can be used for composting, heating and making vinegar but now it has a new use and the process for making these new logs is very simple. Dump the slushy pomace waste on the ground and wait a few days for the water to evaporate and the mixture to go hard, once done so pour the pomace into a special machine which pours it back onto the ground in a long line which is then cut into brick shapes. Those bricks stay outside for another 3-5 days to harden completely ready for use. The so-called bio-logs are sold to businesses and locals who have taken to using them for traditional Argentine barbecues. The logs generate around the same amount of energy and have a similar impact on air quality as regular logs, however, they have low production costs and have previously been bought up by the Argentina government to be given to low income households. This new innovation in food waste holds much promise for the future and could be a possible alternative to deforestation.
Follow this link to watch the video and find out more…
Pico Analytics Sustainability Spotlight
by Kate Martin 26th April 2022
This section of our Newsletter is where we here at Pico Analytics shine a spotlight on one of those businesses, initiatives or positive news stories that are paving the way for sustainability and a more eco-friendly future. In this edition we have decided to follow our theme of finding news from around the world and have chosen the re:wild project.
Having stumbled across a positive news story on re:wild we thought that everyone should know about this wonderful project. The report highlights how eight lost species from around the world including "the Jackson’s Climbing Salamander, spotted afresh in Guatemala in 2017; the Fernandina Galapagos Tortoise, rediscovered in 2019; and the Silver-backed Chevrotain, which was caught on camera in Vietnam in 2019, Colombia’s Fat Catfish; Cuba’s Dwarf Hutia, a guinea pig-like rodent lost since 1937; and the Blanco Blind Salamander, last seen in Texas in 1951" were all found to have survived perceived extinction. The project's engagement of conservationists and citizen scientists has taken us one step closer to understanding threats to their survival and solutions for their conservation and recovery. Re:wild has compiled a list of more than 2,200 species which are believed to be lost, yet between 2017 and 2020, 67 of these creatures were rediscovered thanks to the project.
Re:wild's overall aim is using rewilding as an effective solution to the interconnected climate, biodiversity and pandemic crisis. Some of its achievements are the conservation of 180+ million acres of land, the creation of 47 conservation areas, the active conservation of 100 threatened species and creating over 400 partnerships in 88 countries. Working with indigenous communities, conservation agencies and various non-governmental organisations the project has brought Tasmanian devils back to mainland Australia for the first time in 3,000 years, launched a $42 million rapid response fund with the EU and rebuilt numerous ecosystems through collective action. With the help of founding board member Leonardo DiCaprio and a global network of memberships and alliances Re:wild has achieved astonishing feats in a short space of time. We must hope that they continue their good work and achieve further success in finding valuable species which are currently understood to have been lost to the pages of history.
