The outcome document, known as the Glasgow Climate Pact, calls on 197 countries to report their progress towards more climate ambition next year, at COP27, set to take place in Egypt.

 

After extending the COP26 climate negotiations an extra day, nearly 200 countries meeting in Glasgow, Scotland, adopted on Saturday an outcome document that, according to the UN Secretary-General, “reflects the interests, the contradictions, and the state of political will in the world today”.

The outcome document, known as the Glasgow Climate Pact, calls on 197 countries to report their progress towards more climate ambition next year, at COP27, set to take place in Egypt.

The outcome also firms up the global agreement to accelerate action on climate this decade.

However, COP26 President Alok Sharma struggled to hold back tears following the announcement of a last-minute change to the pact, by China and India, softening language circulated in an earlier draft about “the phase-out of unabated coal power and of inefficient subsidies for fossil fuels”. As adopted on Saturday, that language was revised to “phase down” coal use.

Mr. Sharma apologized for “the way the process has unfolded” and added that he understood some delegations would be “deeply disappointed” that the stronger language had not made it into the final agreement.

By other terms of the wide-ranging set of decisions, resolutions and statements that make up the outcome of COP26, governments were, among other things, asked to provide tighter deadlines for updating their plans to reduce emissions.

On the thorny question of financing from developed countries in support of climate action in developing countries, the text emphasizes the need to mobilize climate finance “from all sources to reach the level needed to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement, including significantly increasing support for developing country Parties, beyond $100 billion per year”.

 Other key COP26 achievements

Beyond the political negotiations and the Leaders’ Summit, COP26 brought together about 50,000 participants online and in-person to share innovative ideas, solutions, attend cultural events and build partnerships and coalitions.

The conference heard many encouraging announcements. One of the biggest was that leaders from over 120 countries, representing about 90 per cent of the world’s forests, pledged to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030,  the date by which the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to curb poverty and secure the planet’s future are supposed to have been achieved.

There was also a methane pledge, led by the United States and the European Union, by which more than 100 countries agreed to cut emissions of this greenhouse gas by 2030.

Meanwhile, more than 40 countries – including major coal-users such as Poland, Vietnam and Chile – agreed to shift away from coal, one of the biggest generators CO2 emissions.

The private sector also showed strong engagement with nearly 500 global financial services firms agreeing to align $130 trillion – some 40 per cent of the world’s financial assets – with the goals set out in the Paris Agreement, including limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Also, in a surprise for many, the United States and China pledged to boost climate cooperation over the next decade. In a joint declaration they said they had agreed to take steps on a range of issues, including methane emissions, transition to clean energy and decarbonization. They also reiterated their commitment to keep the 1.5C goal alive.

Regarding green transport, more than 100 national governments, cities, states and major car companies signed the Glasgow Declaration on Zero-Emission Cars and Vans to end the sale of internal combustion engines by 2035 in leading markets, and by 2040 worldwide.  At least 13 nations also committed to end the sale of fossil fuel powered heavy duty vehicles by 2040.

Many ‘smaller’ but equally inspiring commitments were made over the past two weeks, including one by 11 countries which created the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance (BOGA). Ireland, France, Denmark, and Costa Rica among others, as well as some subnational governments, launched this first-of-its kind alliance to set an end date for national oil and gas exploration and extraction.

A quick refresher on how we got here

To keep it simple, COP26 was the latest and one of the most important steps in the decades long, UN-facilitated effort to help stave off what has been called a looming climate emergency.

In 1992, the UN organized a major event in Rio de Janeiro called the Earth Summit, in which the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was adopted.

In this treaty, nations agreed to “stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere” to prevent dangerous interference from human activity on the climate system. Today, the treaty has 197 signatories.

Since 1994, when the treaty entered into force, every year the UN has been bringing together almost every country on earth for global climate summits or “COPs”, which stands for ‘Conference of the Parties’

I must admit that I was a bit dismayed that more was not achieved at this crucial summit, but we have to take what we can get, at least we are moving a bit forward.  As long as they carry out their pledges and not try to swerve and delay, we are at least going in the right direction.  Everyone will be watching these countries and businesses alike to make sure that they do what they say they will be going to do.

It is also down to ordinary people like us to continue to do our part, becoming aware of the damage that we as indiduals are doing and taking steps to change our habits.  I admit that sometimes the information is overwhelming, but when it starts to become a bit too much, I stop and take stock of the small differences that I have made over the last year, it appears that I have done so much more that I thought!

We have to keep on pushing, trying to nudge (gently of course) people away from polluting and destroying our beautiful home to caring for and saving it. 

The blog song for today is: " Nostradamus" by Al Stewart

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What is 'marine snow' and how does it help the ocean to store carbon?

Here is a report from the World Economic Forum

 

• Research has shown that oceans absorb CO2 from the atmosphere through microscopic algae, that carry out photosynthesis and then sink when they die.
• These sinking algae, along with the excretions of microscopic creatures that feed on them, are known as 'marine snow'.
• Marine snow transports carbon into the oceans depths in a process known as a biological pump.
• By improving their understanding of this biological pump, scientists can better predict how the ocean will respond to climate change in future.

New research sheds light on how oceans absorb carbon dioxide.

Oceans absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through microscopic algae that carry out photosynthesis and then sink to the deep sea when they die. This sinking enhances the degradation processes, researchers have now discovered.

Oceans play a key role in the global carbon dioxide balance. This is because billions of tiny algae live there, absorbing carbon dioxide through photosynthesis and incorporating it into their biomass. When these algae die, they trickle down—along with the excretions of microscopic creatures that feed on them—as “marine snow” into deeper zones. About 1% of their carbon dioxide then lies buried in the seafloor for thousands of years.

Because this constant rain of marine snowflakes transports carbon into the ocean’s depths, experts call it a biological pump. It is driven by two opposing processes: the sinking of the organic flakes and their degradation by bacteria. Sinking flakes increase the flux of carbon to the depths, while bacteria decrease this flux by removing carbon from the particles.

Current ocean models assume speed of sinking and rate of degradation to be independent of each other. “But we’ve now shown that the degradation processes are enhanced by sinking,” says Uria Alcolombri from the Institute of Environmental Engineering at ETH Zurich, first author of the new study.

For their investigations, the researchers used a clever method: instead of tracking sinking particles in the sea, they put individual millimeter-sized alginate particles into a microfluidic chamber and then pumped artificial seawater through it. “In our experiments, the marine snow didn’t move through the sea; rather the sea washed around the marine snow. But the relative speed is the same,” says Alcolombri.

The researchers colonised the alginate particles with genetically modified, green-glowing bacteria. These broke down the particles much faster when water flowed through the chamber; the breakdown takes about 10 times longer in still water. This is because the flowing water washes away the degradation products, leaving the bacteria’s enzymes to get to work directly on the particles, without having to spend time on decomposing molecules 

Drawing on these observations, Alcolombri and his colleague François Peaudecerf have designed a new model of the biological carbon pump that considers how the sinking influences the degradation of the marine snowflakes. The model calculations suggest two things: Firstly, that the enhancement of particle degradation due to sinking reduces the theoretical transport efficiency of the carbon pump twofold. And secondly, that much of the dead algae is decomposed in the uppermost layers of the ocean—which is consistent with measurements of real carbon flux in the sea.

The team’s research was not aimed at boosting the performance of the biological carbon pump: “We’re interested in gleaning a fundamental understanding of natural processes; we wanted to know how the biological pump works,” says Alcolombri. “For this is essential if we’re to predict more accurately how our oceans will respond to climate change”.

It turned out that the degradation rate of marine snow—and indirectly, the global carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere—is determined by microscopic transport dynamics. Which shows, once again, how even the tiniest things in the environment affect the big picture.

What a very interesting and different theme from the normal stuff! It´s really good to see science working!

The blog song for today is: "  All right now" by Free

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This is how oil spills damage our environment

• Huntington Beach, California has been undergoing a clean-up operation after a major oil spill. The effects will be long-lasting.
• Oil can kill surface-dwelling animals and birds by poisoning or suffocation, as well as affecting buoyancy and natural waterproofing.
• Contaminated food supplies mean animals may become malnourished or poisoned over time.
• Research on previous oil spills shows that toxic chemicals remain in the ocean for years, often sinking down to the seafloor and poisoning the sediment.

For many, Huntington Beach, California is better known as Surf City. But in early October, there wasn’t a wetsuit in sight, as miles of beaches were closed by a major oil slick just off the coast.

An oil pipeline leak left toxic crude oil along beaches and contaminated critical marsh and wetland habitats. Dead fish and birds washed up on the sand, with the local mayor calling the slick an “environmental catastrophe”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A harbor seal pup rescued at Refugio Beach oil spill. (June 2015 - Refugio Beach, California)

Image: USFWS

The California Department of Justice is investigating the spill, which, in the worst-case scenario, is estimated to have been more than 131,000 gallons, according to CNN.

Beaches reopened on 11 October, only after the clean-up operation could produce tests showing “non-detectable amounts of oil-associated toxins” in the ocean water.

It is too early to tell the full extent of the oil spill’s impact, although the Oiled Wildlife Care Network have already reported 45 dead birds and nine dead fish.

Environmental experts are warning that the damage will be long-term, and in some cases possibly irreparable.

So, why are oil spills so bad for the environment?

Sea life in danger

In the immediate aftermath of an oil disaster, the effects on fish, sea birds, and other marine animals are often very visible. Coated in oil, animals can be killed by poisoning or suffocation.

Those living close to or on the surface, like sea birds and otters, or those who come to the surface to breathe or feed, like whales, dolphins and turtles, can be among those most affected.

Oil-drenched feathers and fur can adversely affect animals’ ability to regulate their body temperatures. It can also affect natural buoyancy, causing animals to drown. And because birds like to preen themselves, they are highly likely to ingest the oil, potentially causing damage to their gastrointestinal tract, as well as organ damage.

Fumes from more volatile petroleum products like kerosene or jet fuel can be harmful to lungs when inhaled, while also causing burns, eye irritation and neurological issues.

Have you read?

• This 100% natural material is being used to mop up ocean pollution
• Oil-eating microbes found in the deepest part of the ocean could help clean up man-made oil spills
• Why ocean pollution is a clear danger to human health

Disrupting ecosystems

Oil can also affect food sources for sealife, making it less available or of poorer quality, so even animals that survive the initial environmental hazards may still suffer in the weeks and months following the leak.

Moreover, oil impacts breeding and reproduction, for example contaminating bird or turtle nests on shore, affecting viability, and suffocating unhatched chicks. Females affected by oil may lay eggs with thinner shells, more prone to breaking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oil can affect marine animals throughout their lifecycle.

Image: Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium

The recovery from the Huntington spill is likely to be uneven, fisheries biologist and marine ecologist Steve Murawski told the Guardian.

Alongside birds and marine mammals which will be harmed - especially those that live along southern California’s offshore islands or coastal wetlands - populations of smaller creatures like plankton are also likely to be hit.

Because of their fast lifecycle, plankton are likely to bounce back quicker than “the longer alive and the slower growing things, like abalone and other things that can’t get out of the way”.

The long-term effects

In 2010, the Deepwater Horizon slick in the Gulf of Mexico became the largest ever marine oil spill in US history, with more than 134 million gallons of oil spilling into the ocean. More than a decade on, scientists have shown the impact is far longer lasting than many expected.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Deepwater Horizon disaster was the biggest oil spill to affect US waters

Image: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

In the summer after the slick, oil levels along the miles of affected coastline were found to be 100 times higher than background levels. But eight years on, levels in the sediments in the surrounding marshland were still 10 times higher than prior to the accident.

Research shows that droplets continued to sink to the seabed even a year after the spill ended. It affected sedimentation rates - a crucial food source and habitat for some animals. For many deep sea creatures, living among the sediment surface, recovery could take decades.

A study on bottlenose dolphins exposed during the Deepwater Horizon event has shown that the oil may have had an effect on their immune system that spanned generations, making it harder for them to fight off infection and disease.

What's the World Economic Forum doing about the ocean?

Our ocean covers 70% of the world’s surface and accounts for 80% of the planet’s biodiversity. We can't have a healthy future without a healthy ocean - but it's more vulnerable than ever because of climate change and pollution.

Tackling the grave threats to our ocean means working with leaders across sectors, from business to government to academia.

The World Economic Forum, in collaboration with the World Resources Institute, convenes the Friends of Ocean Action, a coalition of leaders working together to protect the seas. From a programme with the Indonesian government to cut plastic waste entering the sea to a global plan to track illegal fishing, the Friends are pushing for new solutions.

Climate change is an inextricable part of the threat to our oceans, with rising temperatures and acidification disrupting fragile ecosystems. The Forum runs a number of initiatives to support the shift to a low-carbon economy, including hosting the Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders, who have cut emissions in their companies by 9%.

Restoration is a time-consuming and costly process, but ensures that ecosystems are protected.

In September, the Deepwater Horizon Regionwide Trustee Implementation Group finalized an almost $100 million restoration plan, which includes 11 projects to restore sea turtles, marine mammals, oysters, and birds across the Gulf states and offshore waters

Hopefully, the pressure put on governments by us the people and many action groups is starting to pay off and change will happen.  I am pleased to know some wonderful people who, every day are trying to make a difference for good.  Whether they are volunteering to help animals in a sanctuary, cleaning up beaches, tidying up their local area, despite many people not giving a damn.  Sometimes I do wonder why I do the things I do and lose heart once in a while, but then I think about the difference I as one person has made, then shake off the negativity and carry on.

The blog song for today is: "Ant Music" by Adam and the Ants

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VR can encourage people to save our oceans. Here's why from the World Economic Forum

 

• We know comparatively little about the ocean, but problems such as climate change and overfishing mean it's under serious threat.
• Experts believe if we could help people empathize with the ocean and the marine life within, they would try harder to protect it.
• Research shows that empathy can be nurtured - and a particularly effective way to achieve this is through virtual reality.
• One of the first studies of its kind showed that VR can more specifically be used to foster ocean empathy.

Hundreds of kilometres from shore, and covering two-thirds of the Earth’s surface, the high seas are a world that few of us will ever see. After more than a year in the field, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ian Urbina concluded: “There are few remaining frontiers on our planet. Perhaps the wildest, and the least understood, are the world’s oceans.”

Governed by no single country or authority, the high seas represent a literal and figurative final frontier. And in this age of information — where we can access livestreams from Mars, for example — we know shockingly little about the ocean.

The race for oceanic resources

Despite being inaccessible to many, the world’s oceans are under an extraordinary set of pressures. Climate change and industrial overfishing remain the most critical threats — they undermine the oceans’ capacity to provide nutritious food and fulfilling livelihoods for hundreds of millions of people.

At the same time, new players are turning towards the oceans as a source of economic growth. The ocean economy is projected to double from US$1.5 trillion in 2010 to US$3 trillion by 2030.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ocean helps our world in many ways.

Image: NOAA

Have you read?

• This is how to speed up ocean-climate ambition towards COP26
• Why sharks matter to ocean ecosystems: an expert explains
• Our oceans are in crisis – here are 5 things we can do to save them

The global rush to develop the “blue economy” risks harming the marine environment and, in turn, affecting human well-being and exacerbating inequalities. For example, a recent study found that 10 wealthy countries own 98 per cent of patents involving marine organisms. Similarly, a small group of rich nations, who subsidize their fishing fleets, dominate global fishing efforts. And just 10 powerful corporations generate almost half — 45 per cent — of the wealth from the ocean economy.

Scientists have coined this race for ocean food, material and space as the “blue acceleration.”

Ocean empathy

These converging threats have led scientists to argue that fostering empathy is required to repair the relationships between people and nature. In a recent interview with National Geographic, climate activist Greta Thunberg observed that “we live in a post-truth society … we don’t care … we have lost empathy.”

As Thunberg suggests, our collective loss of empathy for the planet and for each other is one of our greatest challenges.

Getting people to care about the oceans — which are out of sight and out of mind for many — can be particularly challenging. A recent survey of 3,500 global leaders found that they consider UN Sustainable Development Goal 14, Life Below Water, to be the least important goal.

The world’s oceans are in urgent need of protection. But ocean stewardship is impossible without empathy for marine ecosystems and the communities who depend on them. In this context, an important research question becomes how can researchers foster empathy for nature?

Fostering empathy through virtual reality

Fortunately, an emerging body of research suggests that empathy can be nurtured. In particular, research suggests that virtual reality can be a powerful medium to trigger empathy.

This field of research is based on the premise that the immersive nature of virtual reality sets it apart from other media when it comes to stimulating empathy. Research is demonstrating the potential of virtual reality to stimulate users’ capacity to imagine and pursue more sustainable futures and to encourage pro-environmental behaviour.

What's the World Economic Forum doing about the ocean?

Our ocean covers 70% of the world’s surface and accounts for 80% of the planet’s biodiversity. We can't have a healthy future without a healthy ocean - but it's more vulnerable than ever because of climate change and pollution.

Tackling the grave threats to our ocean means working with leaders across sectors, from business to government to academia.

The World Economic Forum, in collaboration with the World Resources Institute, convenes the Friends of Ocean Action, a coalition of leaders working together to protect the seas. From a programme with the Indonesian government to cut plastic waste entering the sea to a global plan to track illegal fishing, the Friends are pushing for new solutions.

Climate change is an inextricable part of the threat to our oceans, with rising temperatures and acidification disrupting fragile ecosystems. The Forum runs a number of initiatives to support the shift to a low-carbon economy, including hosting the Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders, who have cut emissions in their companies by 9%.

Is your organization interested in working with the World Economic Forum? Find out more here.

Building on this work, we asked whether experiencing the oceans in a virtual reality environment could make someone care about them and take action?

We found that the experience did foster empathy. We also found that research participants cared more after experiencing the pessimistic scenario in comparison to the optimistic scenario. As one of the first studies to demonstrate the influence of virtual reality to build ocean empathy, this research makes important contributions to advancing research on novel methods for supporting ocean sustainability.

While virtual reality is far from being an everyday technology for the masses, research is informing how scientists can use it to communicate.

The oceans are at once vast and fragile, remote and central. Ocean literacy and #oceanoptimism are needed now more than ever. As marine ecologist Jane Lubchenco has argued, the oceans connect, feed and heal us — and are too important to leave behind.

This to me was very informative and I can see that technology can help in the battle ahead.  It´s brilliant  that Greta was saying the same thing at the COP26 about lack of empathy, this is a view shared by many people at the moment.  We seem to be in an era where people are divided and this is not good for us in general, because we need numbers to move on.

The blog song for today is: "The man who sold the world" by David Bowie

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The blog song for today is:

 

 

Nine things to do on climate right now- Useful information from :www.wearepossible.org

 

          

You’ve probably seen that governments from around the world are in Glasgow discussing how they are going to take action on the climate crisis.

Whether you’re feeling inspired, anxious, optimistic or overwhelmed, a great way to deal with those feelings is to take practical action in your life right now and inspire others around you to do so too. 

Here are nine ideas on where to get started:

1. Get in touch with your MP

As your representative in parliament, your MP is key to delivering climate action here in the UK. Too often, politicians say that they want to do more on climate, but don’t feel that it matters to their voters. That’s why it’s so important to reach out.

Not sure where to start? We’re running training to get you tooled up and confident in talking to your MP about climate change. Here is a web site to show you how to get started. 

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk

2. Switch to green energy

The recent gas crisis was a timely reminder of how important it is to get off dirty fossil fuels for good.

You can start in your home. Earth Day Switch have created a handy tool for assessing different energy providers. 

3. Move your money

Even if your home is powered by 100% clean energy (if so, nice work!) you might be inadvertently financing fossil fuels through your bank, pension or other investments. 

Don’t worry - there are ethical options out there, you just need to know where to look. We’ve got some tips, ( go here https://www.wearepossible.org/actions-blog/put-your-money-where-your-mouth-is) but if you’re looking for more detailed reports, check out Bank Track. (https://www.banktrack.org/)

4. Plant some trees 

We need to be planting millions more trees here in the UK, because they draw down carbon back into the soil while helping local nature to flourish.

This winter, we’ll be planting hundreds of trees with the help of volunteers all over the country. Whether you already manage your own little forest, or if you’ve no idea which end of a spade is which - we’d love for you to join us. (visit their website for more info)

5. Get on your bike 

If you have a bicycle that you haven’t been using as much as you’d like, this could be the time to change that. 

Global Cycling Network’s YouTube account has some handy videos on how to mend common bike problems (from fixing punctures, to replacing brake pads). And if you’re feeling really inspired, check out our Car Free Cities campaign

6. Curl up with a good book

Climate literature deepens our understanding of the situation we are in, and allows us to imagine a different future. It’s also a great way to get talking to other people about this critical issue.

As the nights are drawing in, curl up with a good book on climate. Here’s some ideas to get you started. (https://ocean.exacteditions.com/)

7. Draft proof your home for winter

Making your home more energy efficient is a great way to cut carbon, especially if you have a gas boiler. It’ll also cut your bills and keep you warmer.

Drafts are one of the commonest ways our homes leak energy but there are some simple solutions that can plug these gaps (https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/draught-proofing/)such as adding some weather strips round the edges of your windows and doors to seal them. 

8. Don’t give a lump of coal this Christmas

The festive period is coming up, and it’s a great time to gift your way into climate conversations with your friends and family.

Rather than buying new gifts from the shops this Christmas, why not craft your own, upcycle some clothes or furniture, or make your own chutneys or jams. Aside from being lower carbon, they’re packed with far more love. 

9. Make climate friendly travel a thing in 2022

Flying less is one of the most powerful actions we can take to cut carbon, but time is often a key barrier to people being able to choose more climate friendly travel.

This is where Climate Perks comes in (https://www.climateperks.com/). Employers who sign-up to the scheme offer their workers paid ‘journey days’ to staff who travel on holiday by train, coach or boat instead of flying.

 There are some interesting and very easy things to do, even one of them makes a difference.

As you may realise a lot of my information comes from the UK but as far as I can see this problem is global and wherever we are in the world the problems are still the same. The planet is in crisis and we humans are the cause. The richer nations are the ones that are causing problems for the poorer ones, so we should help them. 

As for the COP26, from what I can gather from all the different news sources is that there have been more delegates from the fossil fuel industry than anywhere else. How has that been allowed to happen? Unless of course, they are there to put forward their timetable for change? I really hope so. Unfortunately, I have serious concerns about their motives. 

We as people can and must reduce our own carbon footprint by trying some of the things mentioned above. Consumerism is the thing that needs to be reduced. Buy only what we need, not want. Bit by bit.

I will be giving some information and reports from my trusted people on the actual actions that will be taken and have started. 

The blog song for today is: "Poker Face" by Lady Gaga

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The far-reaching benefits of tiger sharks for the climate

 Here is a report from the BBC website:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Worldwide, shark populations are on the decline. Boosting their numbers could have a cascade effect to help sink carbon and make the oceans more resilient to climate change.

On the westernmost tip of Australia in the aptly named Shark Bay, at least 28 species of shark swim through the clear waters and undulating seagrass meadows – the largest in the world. Tiger sharks in particular are common frequenters of the jagged inlets of Shark Bay. These mammoth predatory fish brush their 15-ft-long (4.5m) bodies through the seagrass, occasionally snatching a majestic grazing sea cow for a meal. While the presence of tiger sharks is a threat to their prey, these predators are crucial to the health of the marine ecosystem that supports both species.

In fact, despite sharks' notorious reputation among humans, they could also be a powerful ally in curbing climate change.

It all comes back to the wispy strands of seagrass that sway with the waves in the shallows of Shark Bay. This seagrass is food for the sea cows, or dugongs, who each graze on roughly 40kg (88lb) of seagrass a day – as well as for manatees and green sea turtles.

Off Australia's north-east coast of Queensland, tiger sharks are estimated to have fallen by at least 71%

Dugongs, which can weigh as much as 500kg (1,100lb), are a rich source of food for tiger sharks. By keeping the sea cow population in check, tiger sharks in Shark Bay help the seagrass meadows thrive. A flourishing seagrass meadow stores twice as much CO2 per square mile as forests typically do on land.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shark Bay experienced an intense heatwave in 2011, causing waters to rise by up to 5C for two months (Credit: Getty Images)

But globally, tiger shark numbers are declining, including some populations in Australia. Off Australia's north-east coast of Queensland, tiger sharks are estimated to have fallen by at least 71%, largely due to overfishing and bycatch. A reduction in tiger sharks means more seagrass grazing by herbivores, which means less carbon is sequestered in sea vegetation. In the Caribbean and Indonesia where shark populations have dwindled, overgrazing by herbivores like sea turtles is already a profound threat to seagrass habitats, and has led to a 90 to 100% loss of seagrass.

As well as meaning less carbon is absorbed, the loss of seagrass also makes the habitat less able to recover from extreme, climate change-driven weather events, such as heatwaves.

Shrinking shark numbers

There is clear evidence that shark populations are     declining the world over, and humans are largely to blame. A recent reassessment by the IUCN Red List found that 37.5% of all shark and ray species are now threatened with extinction. Catherine Macdonald, marine conservation biologist and a lecturer at the University of Miami, points out that oceanic sharks and rays have declined in abundance by 71% since 1970.
Overfishing is their biggest threat, but loss of coastal habitats, prey loss and declines in water quality are also contributing factors.

One of Western Australia's worst heatwaves hit in 2011, with ocean temperatures rising by 5C for two months. The heatwave was catastrophic for the bay's dominant species of seagrass, Amphibolis antarctica, which forms rich, dense meadows that hold sediments and provide food for grazers. More than 90% of the Amphibolis antarctica was lost, the largest loss known across the bay.

This loss of seagrass was, perversely, a treat for the bay's sea cows, who love a smaller and harder-to-find type of tropical seagrass that was ordinarily shielded from access by the tall, dense Amphibolis antarctica. When tropical seagrass is more accessible, sea cows in their enthusiasm are known to forage for it in a destructive way known as "excavation foraging", digging up the rhizomes of their preferred seagrass, and making it harder for dense Amphibolis antarctica beds to reform.

In Shark Bay, the tiger sharks were somewhat able to restore the balance by keeping sea cow numbers down, and not all the bay's seagrass was lost. But it begged the question: What if sharks were absent from the bay – would the Amphibolis antarctica dominated ecosystem survive?

To find out, researchers led by Rob Nowicki of Florida International University, spent time in Eastern Australia, where shark numbers were lower and sea cows grazed largely undisturbed. There, divers went down and plucked the seagrass, simulating the sea cows' grazing when there are no predators to stop them – the enthusiastic, destructive excavation foraging. Sure enough, they observed a rapid loss in seagrass coverage, particularly of Amphibolis antarctica, and the ecosystem began to shift to a more tropical picture dominated by tropical seagrass.

"We learned that when unchecked, dugong grazing can rapidly destroy wide areas of seagrass when they perform excavation foraging," says Nowicki. These changes can be long-lasting. “When the seagrass recovers, the seagrass community looks different, with different species dominating than before."

Those findings underlined the role that sharks were playing in Shark Bay. "Without tiger sharks keeping the dugongs in check, the bay would likely convert to mostly tropical seagrasses," says Nowicki.

Let´s hope that the world wakes up properly and not just drowsily like it is now and really take a long hard look and make changes.  I am not talking just about companies and  governments  but about all of us. Everyone alive today has some part to play in making changes, even really small ones to help put the brakes on.

Here on Menorca we have measures in place to preserve the poseidon grass that protects our ocean around the island.  Unfortunately this year we had a ridiculous amount of boats around the coastline, which did nothing to help.  It is not a problem if they realise their part in the maintenance and destruction of this vital sea grass,but many of them have no idea, as they turn up on their massive boats, without a care in the world and because they have nothing to do with the day to day running of it, don´t even think about where all the waste is going.  There is a campaign to limit the amount of boats but obviously this needs to be controlled and Menorca must do this if we are to keep this island of biosphere status.

The blog song for today is: " Seven Seas of Rye" by Queen

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The blog song for today is

 

 

 

Fossil fuel subsidy explainer- more ammunition for us!

 

fossil fuel subsidy explainer

By Jake Coleman

Most of us know little of the murky world of government funded business, but it is often the things that happen behind closed doors in private offices that cause the most damage. In the case of fossil fuel subsidies, the funds that are funnelled to companies by financial manoeuvres and tweaking tax tariffs lie behind a veil of secrecy that has only recently begun to be lifted.

The fossil fuel industry has grown to such a scale that the economy as a whole has become deeply entangled with the success and continued growth of fossil fuel companies. Globally, there’s a web of intricate and opaque measures designed specifically to directly and indirectly support these companies, making the overlap between fossil fuel interests and governments’ interests a grey zone that’s hard to navigate and unknot.

Subsidies can be divided into two main categories: producer subsidies and consumer subsidies.

Consumer subsidies are defined as when a government controls the price of fuel for consumers in their economy. Low fuel prices drive up consumption of fuel and fuel products, boosting the economy in the short term. Governments often justify these cost controls by saying they reduce transport costs, household electricity bills and general living costs. But these ostensible ‘social benefits’ come at a cost. Price controls are often applied to products only the relatively rich can afford at quantity, such as petrol, which further advantages the ability of the rich to accelerate their own wealth as those who are still priced out fall further behind. So effectively, price controls of this kind often function as a money transfer from the average taxpayer to the 1%, further increasing societal inequalities.

Producer subsidies are far more complex matter, as they can be awarded to companies in a variety of more indirect ways. Direct budgetary transfers are government stimuluses for the industry, which can be spent in any way companies choose, from helping to improve the efficiency of their operations — to handing out gigantic bonuses to their CEOs. Tax breaks on capital investment allow oil companies huge tax breaks on investments in machinery and the construction of new power plants. Having a lower share of profits given as tax means fossil fuel company profits are taxed at a lower rate than standard companies, if they are seen to be developing a resource such as a new oil source. Investment by state owned enterprises often isn’t counted as a subsidy at all — meaning that organisations that are owned by, but not a specific branch of, the government (including banks like NatWest Group), can invest in fossil fuel companies without their considerable support even being accounted for as a government subsidy. Finally, tax breaks manifest themselves even in lower VAT rates — while the UK’s VAT rate is 20%, the fossil fuel industry gets a generously discounted 5%.

For years, governments relied on the fact that it takes a team of diligent accountants to find all the ways subsidies benefit fossil fuel companies. But more and more people are starting to understand, if not all the ways subsidies are transferred, then at least the eye-watering amounts of money involved and how destructive their effects are.

how fossil fuel companies use government money

Fossil fuel companies use most of the money from these massive tax breaks and handouts to secure their dominant position at the heart of society. Large fossil fuel companies, like Exxon Mobil and Koch Industries, have funnelled funds into climate denial institutions — Exxon Mobil paid $686,500 to the Heartland Institute, a vocal anti-climate action policy think tank, between 1997 and 2006 — to discredit climate change science and protect their profits. Exxon also fund political campaigns that pledge to guarantee the future of fossil fuels in a certain region — Texas governor Greg Abbott recently exonerated fossil fuel companies from blame for the Texas power outages after receiving $26m in campaign donations from fossil fuel companies in the past 6 years.

BP and Shell also used the money to fund advertising campaigns to greenwash their products and reduce negative publicity around crises like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Fossil fuel companies are delaying decisive action from being taken by painting themselves as “rethinking the future of energy” - using cosmetic brand gestures like adding green colour to their logos and using vague, eco-friendly slogans to obscure the damage they are doing to the planet. This must end now. Government-backed methods of controlling public perception can only be combatted with an engaged popular movement that fights for policies that impose significant fines on companies who use greenwash in their advertisements.

 

 Greenwashing ads like the above BP example disguise the fact that companies like Exxon mobil are using government money to finance climate denial.

This is something that affects us all, even the families of those people running and working for those companies.  Let us hope that the long awaited COP 26 taking place from tomorrow really does address all these issues and not brush them aside for the next generation to deal with. 

The blog song for today is : " No quarter" by Led Zeppelin

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Update on the NZ deep sea mining moratorium from Greenpeace

 

Here is a message from Greenpeace, I have been following what has been happening over the world and New Zealand is one of the many countries involved in this horrible way of mining.  Greenpeace over there have been battling on to get things changed but it is slow going.  I really believed that New Zealand was one of the better countries regarding the environment but I was very saddened to read what happened when they had the chance to do the right thing.  You willl read it below.

Kia ora, Kei te pēhea koe? (How are you?) The last few weeks have been challenging for many across Aotearoa New Zealand so I hope you and your loved ones are keeping well wherever you are across the country. I wanted to share some exciting national and international news on the issue of deep sea mining. You may have heard recently about the overwhelming support from delegates at the IUCN World Conservation Congress who voted in support of a global moratorium on deep sea mining. This is great news! However, the New Zealand Government who is represented at the IUCN World Conservation Congress by the Department of Conservation (DOC), abstained from voting! I am so disappointed to see the New Zealand Government opt out of supporting the deep sea mining moratorium [1]. Deep sea mining is one of the greatest threats our oceans face at the moment, especially in the Pacific. We don’t have time anymore to simply abstain from voting. We need the Government to take a leadership position on deep sea mining by supporting the moratorium especially when we are a Pacific country. The relevance of the moratorium’s support is even more important following a decision by Nauru to trigger the “two-year rule” which means the International Seabed Authority is required to allow seabed mining company “Nauru Ocean Resources Ltd (NORI)” to begin mining in two years’ time under whatever regulations have been established by then. We’ve been calling on the New Zealand Government to ban all seabed mining - more than 22,000 people have signed the petition but we urgently need your support too!

SIGN THE PETITION >> at Greenpeace

Well my friend, if you are in level 2, may you reconnect with family, friends and neighbours. If you’re in level 4 still like I am, kia kaha, kia manawanui. Be strong, let’s persevere together. 

Ngā mihi,

 

I hope that you can spare some time to sign the petition, it does not matter where you live in the world, it is all about support and putting pressure on governments.

 

Keep up the great work Greenpeace and everyone in our world who are trying to make the world a better place for future generations.

The blog song for today is : "Jennifer Juniper" by Donovan

 

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Hace 30 años se reían de Greenpeace y ahora que Greenpeace cumple 50 años

hoy celebramos 30 años de protección de la Antártida, la última frontera de nuestro planeta y uno de los pocos ecosistemas que permanece prácticamente intacto por el ser humano.

Hasta 20 millones de pingüinos anidan, bucean y buscan alimento en este vasto continente de hielo. Las ballenas migran miles de kilómetros para alimentarse de krill en sus aguas gélidas. Incluso hoy en día, seguimos descubriendo nuevas especies en las profundidades del océano Antártico.

 

Pero debajo del hielo, hay algo más: petróleo. Cientos de miles de millones de barriles. Por eso en la década de los 80, los gobiernos y las empresas quisieron repartirse la Antártida y empezar a buscar crudo, a pesar de que un solo vertido podría devastar la zona.

 

Teníamos que actuar. Sabíamos que los gobiernos sólo podrían reclamar la Antártida si construían una base allí. Así que, para ganarnos un lugar en la mesa de negociaciones del tratado Antártico, establecimos nuestra propia base.

 

En 1987, zarpamos al extremo sur del planeta. Nos dijeron que era ridículo. Al principio, los gobiernos recibieron nuestra base antártica con mucha hostilidad. Pero después de siete años de campaña, Greenpeace pasó de ser objeto de risa a convertirse en un actor respetado en las negociaciones por el futuro del continente.

 

Gracias a nuestro trabajo, poco a poco, más y más países fueron sumándose a la prohibición de perforar en busca de combustibles fósiles. Y finalmente, el 4 de octubre de 1991 se firmó este visionario acuerdo que hoy celebramos, el Protocolo de Madrid, que prohibía toda explotación minera y petrolífera en el continente helado. Con dos lecciones importantes: respetar los límites planetarios y aprender a vivir dentro de ellos, en lugar de correr hacia los confines del mundo para explotarlos, y que todo es posible cuando trabajamos juntos.

 

Esta es la historia de cómo ganamos y cómo podemos volver a ganar. Susan, muchas gracias por hacer que todo siga siendo posible.

 

Ahora que Greenpeace cumple 50 años, nos ponemos a recordar todo lo que hemos logrado juntos. Si hoy la Antártida está fuera del alcance de la industria de los combustibles fósiles, es gracias a socios y socias de Greenpeace como tú, Susan.

Los descubrimientos científicos que tienen lugar allí, hoy juegan un papel muy importante para ayudarnos a comprender la crisis climática y de biodiversidad que vivimos. 

Como sabes, en Greenpeace estamos presionando a los gobiernos para que vayan más allá y tomen medidas para proteger también el océano Antártico. Más de tres millones y medio de personas se han unido a nuestra campaña pidiendo a los gobiernos que creen una red de santuarios marinos totalmente a salvo de la sobrepesca y la contaminación en aguas internacionales.

 

Y será en 2022, tras la pausa de la pandemia también global, cuando se retomarán las negociaciones en la ONU para abrir la puerta a esta protección.

Para poder lograr esta victoria, al igual que hicimos hace tres décadas, tenemos que hacer que esta campaña siga creciendo. Hoy hemos desplegado varias pancartas ante las autoridades en el acto oficial de celebración de este acuerdo. Queremos que esta protección se extienda a todo el planeta con un Tratado Global de los Océano.

 Sois valientes Greenpeace, muchos gracias para todo que haceis.

 El cancion del blog para hoy esta: "Friends will be friends" by Queen

Hasta luego

A Humane World Kitty Block’s Blog The Humane Society of the United States Breaking: European Parliament votes to phase out animal testing and research

 At last some really good news on the animal testing and research front!

By Kitty Block and Sara Amundson of the Humane Society United States

 

On Wednesday, the European Parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of a resolution that calls on the European Commission to draw-up an action plan to phase out animal experiments. This is a momentous political victory in a region where recent setbacks have occurred for animals in laboratories.

Top on the list of setbacks is the revelation that the European Chemical Agency has disregarded the longstanding ban on animal testing for cosmetics by demanding additional animal data for dozens of cosmetic ingredients, which has already killed an estimated 25,000 animals. Humane Society International’s stop-motion short film “Save Ralph” has helped raise awareness on the fact that the public has been misled about the EU’s cosmetics ban.

Many more animals may die in painful toxicity tests if the European Commission implements its Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability Towards a Toxic-Free Environment, which as proposed would further cement the EU’s “tick-box” approach to chemical hazard assessment based predominantly on animal testing. The Parliament’s resolution correctly points out that non-animal approaches based on human biology are the key to better assess chemical safety. That is one of the reasons why, in the U.S., the Environmental Protection Agency has committed to phase-out its animal tests requirements by 2035, and the Humane Cosmetics Act is gathering steam in Congress.

The resolution in favor of an action plan to phase out animal testing was championed by HSI/Europe and other animal protection groups, leading European scientists and companies. The overwhelming cross-party support shown by Members of the European Parliament reflects the growing dismay felt toward recent actions and proposals by European Chemical Agency and the European Commission.

The resolution is a strong statement that covers all animal use for research, testing and education, a sobering reminder of the nearly 10 million animals used annually in European laboratories. Nearly 70% of these animals are used in biomedical research, an area where, according to statistics, little to no reduction has been achieved despite a 35-year-old legal requirement that animals must not be used where alternatives are available. Continued reliance on animals as a first resort cannot be justified or allowed to persist in light of the modern non-animal technologies like human organ-chips and next-generation computer models now available.

Recognizing that science has evolved, the Parliament is calling for deep, systemic changes, noting that phasing out animal experiments will require “preferential funding of non-animal methods across all EU research and innovation initiatives,” training scientists in novel approaches and supporting start-up companies offering and perfecting these methods.

Hastening the transition to human-focused approaches to testing and health research is in all our interests. EU parliamentarians should be applauded for their vision and leadership, and other nations are encouraged to follow suit.

Now, we need public voices to join our call to make sure the European Commission listens and delivers an ambitious and life-saving action plan.

Sara Amundson is president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund. 

Also more good news from Mexico:

In major win for animals, Mexico bans animal testing for cosmetics

By Kitty Block and Sara Amundson 

Even in our age of advanced technologies, rabbits, guinea pigs, mice and rats continue to have chemicals and substances forced down their throats, dripped into their eyes or slathered on their skin to satisfy new regulatory demands that undercut progress against cosmetic animal testing. That’s why we put so much effort into legislative and regulatory change—removing the driver for new animal testing and ultimately banning it.

So, we rejoiced last week when Mexico became the first nation in North America to pass a law banning animal testing for cosmetics. Once enacted, the new law also bans the manufacture, import and marketing of cosmetics tested on animals elsewhere in the world. With the addition of Mexico, 41 countries have banned such testing. Also, seven states in the U.S. have prohibited the sale of animal-tested cosmetics and 10 states in Brazil have also enacted bans.

Over the years, we have largely campaigned against cosmetic animal testing because of the terrible suffering and loss of animal life inherent to such procedures. As we approach critical mass in our global effort to end cosmetics testing on animals, it is more important than ever that we make it clear that we do not just stand against animal suffering, we also stand for something: The transition to state-of-the-art non-animal methods that are rapid, inexpensive, more accurate and simply better at assuring safe use for humans. This is part of a vision of a more humane world in which corporate, institutional and public policies take animals’ interests deeply into account, a world that recognizes their dependence on us, does real justice by them and seeks to draw out the best in ourselves.

In Mexico, members of the Senado de la República unanimously adopted the federal bill to end cosmetic animal testing thanks to the bill’s champions, Senator Ricardo Monreal, Humane Society International/Mexico, Mexican animal organization Te Protejo and other key stakeholders. HSI’s stop-motion animated film “Save Ralph” also played a pivotal role in carrying this law across the finish line. The film—which tells the story of a rabbit “tester” through voices from a multinational, multilingual cast of stars, and went viral worldwide with more than 150 million social media views and over 740 million tags on TikTok—helped to generate more than 1.3 million petition signatures in Mexico.

Companies like Lush, Unilever, P&G, L’Oréal, Avon and Givaudan are working with HSI through the Animal-Free Safety Assessment Collaboration to secure stronger policy alignment and provide training in modern, non-animal approaches to cosmetic safety assessment to build capacity across the global industry, together with acceptance by regulatory authorities. But the U.S., Canada, Brazil and other major economies still lag behind the now 41 other nations who have taken a federal stand against cosmetic testing on animals. That’s why our public policy work is laser-focused on these remaining target nations for the campaign. In the U.S. we are also pressing for state laws banning the sale of animal-tested cosmetics, building on the steady progress of the last year.

Within the next few weeks, we expect to see the reintroduction of the Humane Cosmetics Act in the U.S. Congress, and we’ll be doing all that we can to secure its passage. .

Sara Amundson is president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund.

Even more good news for dogs in the USA, hopefully this is just the start and other countries will follow suit.

A massive blow to puppy mill industry: Illinois ends the sale of puppies in pet stores

 

In a major win in the fight against cruel puppy mills, Illinois’ Gov. J.B. Pritzker has signed the Humane Pet Store Bill (HB 1711) into law. The state’s 21 puppy-selling pet stores have 180 days from August 27, the date the bill was signed, to stop selling commercially raised puppies and kittens. This effectively closes out a profitable sales channel for puppy mills and will drive the Illinois pet market towards more humane sources like shelters, rescues and responsible breeders.

Illinois pet stores sell thousands of puppies each year from large-scale commercial breeders and brokers who treat mother dogs as little more than breeding machines and puppies as mere products to be shipped to pet stores and sold. Many of these operations have terrible animal welfare records, impacting the health of the puppies. When families acquire ill puppies, this can lead to high veterinary bills and the puppies can even die within weeks of purchase, leaving families heartbroken. The new law sends a clear message: The days when pet stores can showcase the cute puppy or kitten in the window while puppy and kitten mills hide their horrors are coming to an end. Despite the vast resources the pet stores put into fighting this legislation, it passed both the state House and Senate by strong bipartisan majorities. And Gov. Pritzker did not cave to the veto campaign that followed its passage. Instead, lawmakers, led by Republican Rep. Andrew Chesney and Democratic Sen. Cristina Castro, sided with the people of Illinois who called and emailed by the thousands to urge support for this important law.

Illinois now joins California, Maryland, Maine, Washington and nearly 400 localities across 30 states in prohibiting the sale of puppy mill puppies in pet stores. The writing is on the wall for puppy-selling pet stores: It’s time to cut ties with puppy mills and, rather than add to the pet overpopulation crisis that is currently gripping large parts of the nation, pet stores should look to join with shelters and rescues to increase adoptions of animals who would otherwise be left homeless.

Petland, the largest retailer of puppy mill puppies and a company we’ve criticized for mistreating animals, selling sick animals and sourcing from some of the worst breeders in the nation, will be affected by the Illinois law. Eight Petland stores in the state will have to stop selling puppies in the coming months, and the recent passage of pet store ordinances in Florida counties adds four more elsewhere in the country. As a dominant force in the industry, Petland should take a good look at where things are moving and shift all its stores away from selling puppies.

The strong stand by Illinois lawmakers against puppy mill cruelty this session did not stop with the pet store bill. The state also became the first in the nation to prohibit the financing of dog and cat purchases with the enactment of HB 572. Because puppy mill puppies are often sold for thousands of dollars to those who may not be able to afford them outright, some stores offer financing as an incentive to close the sale. Pet stores and large internet brokers often promise low-interest financing through third-party lenders that end up charging exorbitantly high-interest rates and hidden fees. Petland customers have complained of interest rates as high as 188%, and in some cases, customers must make payments for years after their pets died. HB 572 passed unanimously in both chambers, showing zero tolerance for these predatory practices.

With the momentum of public opinion and bipartisan lawmakers on our side, we will continue full steam ahead until puppy mills no longer exist. New York, with more than 60 puppy-selling stores, is in the middle of a two-year legislative session in which a humane pet store bill has already passed the state Senate. Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Massachusetts also have active bills, and there are several key local ordinance votes coming up. We are campaigning for the passage of these laws in communities around the country that are affected by the impacts of puppy mills, leading the charge for a more humane future for puppies and kittens.

Follow Kitty Block on Twitter @HSUSKittyBlock.

What absolutely brilliant news for animals.  It´s about time that something good came out of the years of campaigning by many dedicated people.  Well done to those people and thank you for all that have done, are doing and will continue to do for animals!

The blog song for today is: "Heroes" by David Bowie

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