Climate - Energy - Space A discussion and heavily researched source with multiple layers
Executive Summary
DESCRIPTION
Climate change is already a momentous global issue, and it is only getting worse. This matter is not something that will affect us down the road, so we cannot ignore it. Climate change is already happening and could affect us all significantly in the near future. Many regions in Asia and the Middle East are likely to be inhospitable to humans in just thirty to fifty years. The frequency of natural disasters has been increasing exponentially, and the leading cause is climate change. This pressing issue will end the world in the future, and nothing of substance is being done to stop it.
STAKEHOLDERS IMPACTED
Climate change is an issue that affects everybody. Not only human beings but every living creature on the planet is a stakeholder in climate change. If climate change continues at the rate it is going right now; eventually, the entire globe will be inhospitable, and nobody will be here anymore. However, some stakeholders will be affected sooner than others. Coastal cities are already feeling the impact of rising sea levels. Tidal flooding happens more often, and extreme storms occur more frequently. Farmers are also impacted. Many of the world’s greatest crop producers have dried out soil, which is dramatically affecting crop production. Soon, nothing will grow from this soil because it will be too hot. The list of stakeholders in climate change is endless. From businesses to the government to food producers, everyone is a stakeholder in climate change. With that being said, these same stakeholders are the ones that could turn the tide on climate change. Everyone can help control climate change by making little changes in our daily lives. Just changing the way you get to work or switching some things you eat could make a difference. If everyone does their part to aid climate change, it may alter the future of our planet.
Industries Impacted
The first industry impacted by climate change is the insurance industry. Rising sea levels and the potential for increased flooding will likely drive up both premiums and payouts and the burden will fall on insurance companies. Certain insurance companies are starting to stop providing insurance to certain catastrophic markets because they collect less than they are paying out. Another industry impacted is agriculture. With rising temperatures, floods, and drought, producers are not growing as much. This will cause food prices to rise but it will not mean that producers will get higher profits because production in certain areas will be wiped out. The energy industry. Regulations on fossil fuels are on the incline, threatening big oil, gas, and coal industries. Lastly, wall street will be impacted. Lower Manhattan may be underwater in the future and prolonged shutdowns could lead to large losses.
OPPORTUNITIES
Direct air capture and storage, enhanced batteries, and hydrogen electrolyzers are three innovation options that can provide around 15% of the total emissions reductions between 2030 and 2050. In addition to researching and developing these technologies, efforts to promote innovation must also concentrate on the infrastructure and technologies upon which these solutions rely, such as integrated grids and battery storage. Now, there are numerous opportunities to take part in these emerging industries. Conceptually, creating solutions to climate change creates opportunities to repurpose new resources for the purposes of farming, fossil fuel alternatives, biodegradable food, clothing, and furniture, and more. For every application on this planet, there are even more to be found in space. Creating the resources, researching the technology, and building the technology and equipment. By utilizing space, we can find a more effective way for transportation, communication technologies, internet services, resource management and acquisition, energy solutions, waste management, and even population solutions.
TRENDS
Since 1880, Earth’s temperature has risen 0.08 degrees Celsius per decade. However, thirty years ago, in 1981, the rate of warming doubled to 0.18 degrees Celsius per decade. The world has constantly been warming and has not stopped. The past nine years from 2013 – 2021 are on record as the warmest years with 2021 being the sixth warmest. From 1980 – present, the Earth’s surface temperature has never been cooler-than-average as seen in this graph (blue bars indicate cooler than average years and red bars indicate warmer than average years). About 71% of Earth’s surface is covered by water, especially by its tremendous oceans. Therefore, it takes a great amount of heat and energy to raise Earth’s yearly surface temperature. However, the enormous amounts of greenhouse gases and CO2 emissions have expedited the process especially now in the 21st century. If these emissions continue to increase at a rapid rate, global temperature is projected to skyrocket to at least 3 degrees Celsius warmer than the mid-1900s average. It could even warm up to 6 degrees Celsius. This excessive heat will quickly reduce the amount of snow and ice on the surface, change ranges of habitats for animals and plants, and bring about heavy rainfall.
WEAK SIGNALS
Two important weak signals on the future of climate change are the emergence of electric cars and the United States’ involvement in the Paris Agreement. Electric cars are proven to be better for the environment since they emit less greenhouse gases than cars fueled by diesel or gasoline. Some countries such as the United Kingdom want to ban gasoline and diesel cars by 2040 especially since electric cars save an average of 1.5 million grams of CO2. It’s important to take into account that electric cars do use a lot of energy. However, they are still the greener option. With brands like Tesla rising in the market, it is clear that this is a great step towards mitigating climate change. Furthermore, the Paris Agreement sets goals to avoid climate change from reaching dangerous heights to the point where Earth might be inhabitable. The Trump Administration pulled the United States out of the agreement. However, Biden reentered our country into the agreement only hours after being inaugurated.
Group Narrative
CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate Change has been an issue from farther back than we can remember. Millions of years ago, the world was at its coldest point, covered in ice during the Ice Age. Our climate has truly taken an enormous turn from then to now with global warming. Recently, film makers have been creating documentaries that depict the beauty of nature. One specific film called Home from 2009 is a notable documentary as it can enlighten viewers on the consequences of climate change because of human pressure on the environment. What can we do to change that?
In past years, there have been many predictions that the world will end. How will we know? Will climate change be the world’s breaking point? What can we do to protect our home and preserve it for generations to come? There are so many questions, but not enough answers.
As we discussed in class, we must learn to be comfortable with uncertainty. Of course, we won’t always be able to answer every single question that comes to mind about the future of this world. However, researching this topic and being able to connect climate change with other sectors old and new has taken our group one step closer to making a global change. We hope that this project will open your eyes to the depths of climate change and encourage you to plan while thinking differently.
SOCIAL PERSEPCTIVE
Our daily life as a community is organized around past and present climatic circumstances. Thus, we may be sensitive to extremes that lie outside of the range of conditions we are normally accustomed to. The health of people, infrastructure, and transportation systems, as well as the availability of electricity and energy, food, and water, could all be impacted by climate change, for instance.
Climate change can affect human health in two ways—by changing the severity of health problems that are already affected by climate and by creating unanticipated health problems in different places at abnormal times of the year where they have not previously occurred. For instance, global temperatures have increased 1.1℃ since 1750. These warmer temperatures have led to longer heat waves in the summer months, which results an increase in heat-related deaths including dehydration and heat strokes, as well as cardiovascular, respiratory, and cerebrovascular disease. Certain groups of people are more at risk than others—the homeless, low-income families, young children, pregnant women, the elder population, outdoor workers, and even student athletes. Today, for example, in the middle of November was roughly 75℉ in New Jersey. In Arkansas, prior to kick off in the LSU v. Arkansas game, snow was covering the field. LSU had requested that they had hot chocolate on the sidelines because of how cold it was. Urban areas are affected worst of all by heat waves because the air circulation is very stagnant and all that there is to breathe is polluted air. In general, air quality has not met national standards in the last couple decades. Thus, asthma diagnoses have gone up significantly, as well as other respiratory diseases. Rising carbon dioxide levels are to thank for this. California by far has the worst air quality due to the increased number of wildfires. 2020 was arguably their worst year, which recorded five of their most destructive wildfires in state history. California wildfires produced more than 91 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2020, according to statistics from the Global Fire Emissions Database as of September 2020. This is nearly 30 million metric tons more carbon dioxide emissions than the state produces through the generation of electricity each year. In addition, scientists predict warmer temperatures will increase the harmful levels of ground-level ozone. Ground-level ozone is essentially a component of smog made up of pollution from cars, power plants, and refineries. People who are exposed to these harmful levels are at risk of damaging lung tissue and lung function, inflaming airways, and worse case dying prematurely. If expected air quality measures remain the same, the increased ozone concentrations brought on by climate change may cause tens to thousands of ozone-related diseases and early deaths each year by 2030. Of these diseases, vectorborne diseases are affected the most—Lyme disease and West Nile. Vectors in this case would be ticks, fleas, and mosquitoes. These vectors can transmit infectious illnesses from animals to people, including viruses, bacteria, and protozoa. The geographic range of diseases spread by vectors expands due to changes in temperature, precipitation, and extreme events, which can also cause illnesses to arise earlier in the year. Therefore, climate and non-climate factors, such as land use, socioeconomic and cultural conditions, pest control, access to healthcare, and human reactions to disease risk, will all affect the spread of diseases that are susceptible to climate change.
With climate change already expecting more intense weather events, infrastructure and transportation systems are at risk of being disrupted. Warmer temperatures cause roadways to soften, increasing the number of potholes and sinkholes. Rail lines in subway systems can expand and crack as a result. Extreme flooding weakens the foundations that support bridges and tunnels and reduces the life expectancy of highways and roads. Subways are subject to storm surges. When Hurricane Sandy and Ida hit, NYC subway systems were flooded out, and service was suspended for about a week due to storm damage. Because of increased frequency and ongoing flooding brought on by sea level rise and storm surges, road infrastructure in coastal locations is particularly vulnerable. In the United States, 60,000 miles of coastal roadways are already at risk of flooding from coastal storms and large waves. Air and marine transportation are also impacted. Extreme heat waves can affect aircraft performance, causing delays and cancellations. Flooding can cause damage to tarmacs and air facilities. Storms that are stronger might cause even more shipping and marine traffic disruptions. It might cause shipping channels to close, and increased runoff from intense precipitation events could result in the accumulation of silt and debris, making waterways shallower and less accessible. Water levels may occasionally drop in areas of escalating drought, restricting inland river shipping in places like the Great Lakes.
Numerous other facets of contemporary life, including water use, the use of goods and services, transportation, economic growth, land use, and population expansion, are intertwined with how we produce and use energy. However, the amount of energy produced, transported, and used in the United States will change because of variations in temperature, precipitation, sea level, and the frequency and severity of extreme events. The demand for electricity for cooling in the summer is likely to rise about 5-20%, and the demand for electricity, natural gas, heating oil, and wood for heating in the winter is likely to fall about 3-15%. At the rate the planet is warming, there will likely be a shift in the balance of energy delivery from natural gas and fuel oil to electricity. With that being said, more infrastructure investments in energy generation and distribution may be required to keep up with the demand. Hydroelectricity and cooling water are important energy sources in the Southeast and Southwest. Changes in precipitation heavily affects their energy generation. Powerplants require large amounts of cooling water when creating energy to keep the temperatures neutral. Due to worries over an adequate supply of cooling water, several local governments in these areas have halted or stopped plans for new power plants that require huge water withdrawals. The Colorado River, which supplies energy and food consumption to seven states, has dropped capacity by about 25%. This region has had a greater increase in temperature than any other part in the United States. Parts of the Basin have warmed up more than twice as much as the average worldwide. Half of the decrease in the Colorado River's average flow since 2000 can be attributed to temperature increases. By 2050, it is expected that temperatures are going to continue to climb, which might result in a further 10–40% decrease in river flows. Because of this, states are now forced to cut their reliance by 40%, otherwise the federal government will have to intervene.
Food and agriculture are important industries in our economy. Farmers and fisheries are highly dependent on the climate. Some crop yields in certain regions can increase because the temperature and carbon dioxide levels increase. However, more severe warming, flooding, and drought may reduce these yields. Heat waves might also seriously endanger livestock. Back in 2011, there was approximately $1 billion in heat-related losses for agricultural producers because of exposure to high temperature occurrences. Animals are impacted by heat stress both directly and indirectly. Heat stress over time can lower fertility, decrease milk production, and make people more susceptible to illness. In addition, disease and risk of parasites increase. Fisheries feel the effects of climate change through water pollution. Changes in water temperature have caused most species to migrate north. Migrating puts these species at risk because for one they are in competition with other species, and two exposes them to marine disease outbreaks. To boot, increased temperatures affect the timing of reproduction because it can harm a species’ lifecycle.
There are several instances where enhanced knowledge and technologies from space travel have benefited society. A wide range of facets of daily life have benefited from space exploration, including solar panels, implantable heart monitors, cancer therapy, lightweight materials, water purification systems, enhanced computing systems, and a global search and rescue system. The above-mentioned ambitious aspirations for future exploration will increase the economic value of space. As new areas of science and technology are opened by space exploration, other industries will be encouraged to collaborate with the space industry on joint research and development. This will provide direct benefits to Earth in the fields of resources, energy production, power generation, medicine, computing, and AI.
Pop culture is filled with visions of the future. Revolving around the worldwide response to climate, energy, and space. Today, space is a badge of honor on par with the Olympic Games, dating all the way back to the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. Having the ability to launch satellites, exit the planet’s atmosphere, and join the international space station can elevate a nation to elite status. For the wealthy, space travel is the ultimate status symbol. With the world’s wealthiest people building and treating space like their own car show. Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, in particular, have been in their own space race for the past two decades. The two have been conspiring all through the pandemic. During which Bezos' personal wealth nearly doubled. He is now focusing his time on Blue Origin, a corporation he believes will establish huge human settlements throughout the solar system. Musk’s rival SpaceX wants to “make humanity multiplanetary.” His goal is to establish colonies on Mars and build technology capable of bringing hundreds of people and tons of equipment into the solar system. He even secured a $2.9 billion contract from NASA to make this happen. Now, despite its allure, this is all at best a diversion and at worst a deadly distraction from the essential work of reestablishing a society that has been devastated by social injustice, climatic change, and a lack of hope for the future. However, at this point, it may be too late.
Ethical PERSPECTIVE
Science plays a huge role in finding a solution for climate change. It can inform us of how detrimental climate change can be according to different greenhouse gas levels, but is morality and ethics taken into consideration when deciding what we can do to slow down climate change? The answer is no, but it should be.
When dealing with any situation, there are always at least two sides. Being that climate change is a global issue, it affects more than the current society. Around the world, debates are rising since there is a lack of clarity on actions against climate change and how they align with fairness and responsibility.
The first challenge around the climate change debate is the balance of accountability and responsibility between developed and underdeveloped nations. All countries would collectively want to limit emissions to reduce any catastrophic outcomes. A climate conference by the United Nations brought about a statement that declared that all greenhouse gas emissions should be cut at least 50 percent below 1990 levels by the year 2050. However, some nations disagreed with such binding commitments since some aren’t nearly as accountable for the increase in emissions as other countries. For example, the United States, “has produced about a quarter of carbon dioxide that humankind has added to the atmosphere” (Somerville), yet they were one of the nations to pull out of the Paris Agreement to help mitigate climate change. That is not fair to vulnerable countries who have emitted the least number of gases in history and whose emissions are still low. Fortunately, the 1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer serves a great model in addressing how to oversee this ethical dilemma. This agreement recognized that developed and developing countries has different concerns when it came to this issue. Therefore, the agreements asked developed countries to take the lead on addressing the issue since they are the nations who had produced most of the substances that destroy the ozone layer.
The second challenge is the debate of using a “technological remedy” for climate change. We are quickly moving into a more technology-based world. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has expedited that process. While we were having class online or working from home, there was enough time to start thinking of ways for us to use technology to our advantage. This is proposed as an ethical issue because there is uncertainty of whether technology could help the climate change situation or hurt it. People are turning to geo-engineering as a solution but are unaware of its known negative side effects. Although geo-engineering is inexpensive and conceivable, it could lead to further destruction of the stratospheric ozone. Experiments using solar forcing to lessen greenhouse gases have been proven to show significant changes in temperature and precipitation, but not simultaneously given that Earth’s hydrological system responds differently to solar forcings. It is also important to note that geoengineering will be needed in different amounts for some climates more than others based on how much restoration occurs. The ethics behind this is that it would be irresponsible for us to implement geoengineering to mitigate climate change. Using geoengineering will continue to cause use to rely of fossil fuels which we are trying to avoid. Moreover, it would intervene with international nations without us knowing what the outcome could be, meaning that there is a possibility that we can make the climate change situation worse than it already is.
The third ethical challenge is how we make decisions concerning climate change for future generations. It takes years and years for the Earth to heat up even a single degree Celsius. Therefore, it would take an equivalent amount of time to cool the Earth down. Some critics argue that although we should take future generations into account, we should focus more importantly on the present generations. However, many generations to come will be affected by all the actions we take now to mitigate climate change, especially since the effects of greenhouse gases will materialize after decades or even centuries. It is estimated that if the Earth is reaches a 2 degree Celsius warming, it could lead to “extreme precipitation, more heat waves, compromised agriculture in tropical and temperate regions, and widespread species extinction” (Institute for Futures Studies). If this is how the future will be affected, one could only imagine what the effects of a warming of 4 degrees Celsius or more will do. Sea levels are expected rise up to 1 meter in the next 80 years. Not only is this detrimental to coastal areas, but to inland areas as well. There is a great chance that many parts of Earth will be underwater! If we do not reduce carbon dioxide emissions immediately, it is possible that the Earth will warm up to a point where the Greenland Ice Sheet will collapse resulting in up to 7 meters of sea levels rising, making the Earth inhabitable.
Recently, a debate on individual responsibility on climate change has come up. Some say that individuals’ responsibilities are solely political where there is no obligation to change their choices. However, the other side states that individuals should consider a set of greener values and take responsibility for their personal choices. Even though the emissions of a single human might not seem like enough to affect the world, it has been challenged that they are actually “significant enough to contribute to the severe suffering and/or deaths of two future people” (Nolt). This statement in itself should be enough to open our eyes to climate change and its future impacts.
Legal Perspective
Air pollution is a rights-based issue, and law is a tool for positive change! Air pollution, which affects the climate, violates the rights to life and health, the rights of a child, and the right to live in a safe, clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. The main cause of air pollution is the burning of solid fuel and diesel use in transportation. The implications from this include premature deaths in cities where there has been consistent failure to meet legally prescribed air quality standards.
Where governments fail to act to protect the rights of citizens, courts step in. “The fundamental rule of law is a principle under which all persons, institutions, and entities are accountable to laws that are publicly promulgated, equally enforced, independently adjudicated, and consistent with international human rights principles.” Courts need to step in to ensure that laws aren’t being ignored and that their people are protected. Otherwise, an implication would be distrust in the court system, and a surge of upset people advocating for change.
In a recent case in the Netherlands, the court found that its current generation of citizens will be confronted with loss of life and disruption of family life and ordered the government to cut emissions by at least 25% by 2020. Although the Netherlands only contributes 0.5% of emissions, the court found that they still had an obligation to actively protect their citizens.
Say the Netherlands ignored these requests and kept doing business as usual the implications they could find themselves in a bad position legally and financially. They could have claims for failing to mitigate impacts of climate change under public and private nuisance, negligence, failure to warn, trespass, and unjust enrichment laws. States that do not wish to protect their citizens and do not see climate change as a serious issue will soon encounter a strong force called ClientEarth. They are a “global environmental charity using the power of the law to protect people and the planet.” They have taken on a huge responsibility, but a necessary one at that. They are international lawyers working together to find practical solutions for the issues that effect the whole world. For example, if a company were to try and build a new coal-fired power plant, ClientEarth would bring a case against them for failing to adapt to the impacts of climate change. The claims would include the engineers, and other professional services for breach of their duties of care if they do not design their infrastructure in a way that would accommodate the future climate conditions.
Furthermore, an important legal document with its main goals to mitigate climate change would be the Paris Agreement. The Paris Agreement is a legally binding, international UN treaty under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It strives for economic and social transformation and works on a five year cycle where the terms become increasingly more intense. The goals for this agreement are very well said and is a start to solving the problem and saving the Earth. The problem is that countries are failing to accomplish their goals, and are breaching their contracts by not posting their progress or ignoring their responsibilities all together. The agreement includes commitments to holding the global average temperature rise to below 2⁰C and to continue to put in effort to limit the temperature increase to 1.5⁰C. Another goal set out in the agreement is to reduce emissions to net zero by mid-century. The implications that come from setting up an agreement but not following through would be a significant increase in regulations. If countries are not doing their best to mitigate climate change, hopefully this agreement, which has not been taken seriously, will push countries to make real change. Although the Paris Agreement has good intentions and includes important goals, it has failed to meet deadlines. Governments are not behaving as if global warming is a crisis.
Although Pakistan, Australia, Africa, and India are already experiencing extreme temperatures, droughts, and death, it seems like nothing will change in climate until the death tolls begin to rise. The $100 billion climate change finance from rich nations has yet to reach poor countries. Currently, there is distrust in climate change initiatives because of broken promises and breached agreements. At Cop 27, which are climate talks held in November, many countries will need to speak honestly that they have not fulfilled their statutory duty to publish environment bill targets. It is serious business that the United Kingdom Government “has delayed publication of clean water and biodiversity targets, putting it in breach of its environment act”. Several environmental groups have accused the government of an “attack on nature.” Only a select few countries have taken these agreements seriously since COP26 climate summit in Glasgow last November. “Failing to meet legal deadlines to introduce targets to ensure we have clean air, land, and water amounts to a monumental dereliction of duty.” Governments are upsetting the people and are not following through on their promises.
Delivering on the Paris Agreement requires a "dramatic shift in the way that we produce and use energy" and "The UN Environment Programme, the international Energy Agency and the Intergovernmental panel on climate change have made it clear that it requires significant reductions in coal, oil, and natural (fossil) gas to reach the goals in the Paris Agreement." We need others who work in Policy, Government, and Security, as well as News and Information to work with us to make change. If we were to work together on our topics, we could find a beneficial solution to climate change.
CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE
The effect of climate change on cultures is not something we often think about. Glaciers melting, sea levels rising, prolonged droughts. These are the things we picture in our head when the topic of climate change comes up. In reality, many cultures are suffering due to the change in climate. Numerous communities are forced to consider moving from their homelands, as it is becoming harder and harder for them to survive. There are two aspects to this predicament. Either migration might lead to communities losing part of their culture by leaving their homelands, or their strong devotion to their cultural beliefs and values lead to many refusing to leave which threatens their life. There is no good outcome. Many different cultures are facing this difficulty. An example would be the Himalayan village of Dhye in Nepal. This village resides about 12,000 feet above sea level, and they are very dependent on natural resources for their livelihood. Due to climate change, the land where the villagers grow crops has dried out. The living conditions were becoming tough, so many of the families came to a tough decision: whether to stay or leave. There were a total of 26 families in this village; 17 of them decided to leave. The villagers migrated about one mile downhill from their original village where the living conditions were more suitable. However, they could not raise yaks anymore. Raising yaks was a big part of their culture, and something that they had been doing for many generations. This tradition is impossible to continue after they migrate. For the villagers of Dhye, not being able to raise yaks represented a loss of culture. In another instance, a coastal community in Alaska is experiencing a loss of culture as well. Shishmaref is a small indigenous community that resides in coastal Alaska. This community depends on consistent hunting of sea mammals for their livelihood. Unfortunately, this lifestyle is at stake due to climate change. Rising sea levels, melting ice, floods and erosion have made their land inhospitable, threatening their life. The people of Shishmaref would like to relocate to survive, but at the same time, they are afraid of losing their village lifestyle and culture. Specifically, they are afraid of losing their long tradition of hunting sea animals and being beside the ocean. To the people of Shishmaref, the ocean is a big part of their social and cultural life, and they are afraid of losing that. The villagers on Dhye and the people of Shishmaref are just two examples of many instances where people are undergoing a loss in culture because of climate change.
Losing culture is not something to be taken lightly. Cultures are created through decades and centuries of tradition and practices. For the Dhye village, this was raising yak; for the Shishmaref community, this was hunting sea animals. Having culture and following their rituals and traditions gave them structure and a purpose. For those engulfed in their culture, it teaches them a way of living, humanity, and history, essentially shaping who they are as human beings. When you are immersed in a culture for your entire life, and suddenly, it is being taken away from you, it affects these people significantly—many who lose their culture experience a loss of direction and meaning. For a lot of people around the world, their culture is essential to them, and climate change is putting it all at risk. Many cultures were created on land. Their practices and way of life revolved around the natural resources they were given based on their environment. Climate change is causing many cultures around the world to migrate in order to survive. With migration comes a change in environment and natural resources; therefore, many are no longer able to practice their culture.
Historically, cultures were able to aid themselves by predicting weather patterns. Foreseeing when it is going to rain, or when big storm hits can be essential for many communities. Doing so can help by knowing when storms will hit so they can accurately prepare for them. Predicting when rain will come is also important because a lot of cultures rely on growing their own food. In the past few years, many communities have been hit with droughts. Their soil is dried out, and crop production has dramatically decreased. Being able to predict when it will rain can help farmers by knowing when water is coming for the crops. Recently, the weather has been unpredictable, and many have been having trouble predicting it. This is shown in the Maasai tribe of southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. The Maasai tribe has been one of the largest and most popular African tribes for a long time. As of late, they have not been able to accurately predict the weather patterns. A member of the tribe said, “In the recent past, we have been experiencing unpredictable rain patterns”. Another member said, “From the way the weather has become unpredictable our children will never be like us, the way we were brought up on how to locate grazing lands. They will only know the language but never understand the Maasai traditions”. This just shows how big of an impact the changing weather is having on them, as many are concerned that their culture is coming to an end. With that being said, members of the Maasai tribe are doing anything they can to keep their culture alive. Prolonged droughts are worsening the child marriage situation among the tribe. Many families are giving away their daughters, as young as 12, to be brides in exchange for cattle. The droughts have led to a high cost of raising children, and this all too often results in girls being viewed as economic burdens, and families end up shipping them away to get married. This situation accurately displays how much culture means to the Massai tribe, and how desperate members of the tribe are to stay practicing their culture. They could easily leave for a better way of living, but they would rather give their daughters away and stay.
While many cultures are suffering as a result of climate change, culture can also be a vital component in mitigating this pressing issue. A new study has found that world heritage sites serve as crucial “sinks” for greenhouse gas emissions. Researchers at UNESCO found that world heritage forests in 257 separate sites absorbed about 190 million tons of CO2 from the atmosphere each year. To give an idea of how much that is, the UK emits just about half of that. While this is not a solution, it definitely helps. At the end of the day, culture is a way of life. The behaviors, beliefs and values we exhibit are all reflected in our culture. Ultimately, we all have a culture of some sort. In order to fully solve the problem of climate change, we as a society must reflect it in our culture. Our values, behaviors, beliefs and overall way of life must mirror how crucial of an issue climate change really is.
POLITICAL PERSPECTIVE
The government plays a huge role in climate change being that the executive branch implements existing law through regulation and programs. The issue of climate change has become highly politicized and controversial. Specialists who focus on news and media and their impacts would say that the political culture is shaped by the media. Different party leaders will use different words in order to convince others to agree with them. For example, the phrase “extreme weather” was more effective in winning over American conservatives – for whom “climate change” has become an overused and emotional term.
People’s views on climate change is influenced by so many things from political philosophies to religious beliefs. Most importantly, the political climate and the tone of the media debate play a significant role in people’s beliefs.
When humans and scientists started to notice the effects of climate change it was looked at purely through an environmental lens. People wanted to know what it was and wanted to see the research to back it up. Then, attitudes shifted when the Kyoto treaty on climate change came along. People’s views started shifting from a purely environmental lens to a more political one. Naturally, the divide started, and people started to take sides, people disapproved, and other just simply did not believe.
Now, with the rise of social media it is easy to become secluded to the group that you side the most with and possibly share false information just to get others to agree with you. The highly politicized controversy creates statistics such as this one.
“72 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning Americans say human activity is driving climate change, only 22 percent of Republicans and Republican leaders agreed.” This split contributes to debates and controversy over economics, and biased information being shared with their own parties. If a certain party finds it hard to believe that human activity is driving climate change, then it is hard to move forward if one party has more voting power.
First, the Democrats. “Democrats believe that climate change poses a real and urgent threat to our economy, our national security, and our children’s health and futures, and that Americans deserve the jobs and security that come from becoming the clean energy superpower of the 21st century.” Under President Obama, this party was able to protect our environmental and public lands. President Obama also instructed the Environmental protection agency to take stapes to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants. Democrats believe that by being a clean energy superpower, then we could create millions of good-paying jobs and protect the planet for future generations.
Liberal democrats place more faith in the work of climate scientists. They believe that the possible causes as well as who should be sorting this out is the job of a scientist. Thus, Democrats believe that a much more natural disasters are headed out way and that the cause of this is human actions. They will be inclined to believe that policy and individual actions is the way to mitigate some of these changes. Democrats are also especially likely to see scientists’ evaluations and research for the truth. They make decisions based off of science and view that information in a positive light. They believe that with a mix of science and policy climate change can be tackled and is not just a lost cause.
Now, for the Republicans. At an average amount, there is some recognition of the significance of global warming and how important it is to act on it. The party is divided on whether human activity has anything to do with it. In fact, certain party members do not recognize that climate change is real, and others believe that it is a natural progression of the planet. Under Donald Trump, the United States stands alone as the only nation in the world that is not a party to the Paris Climate Agreement. Donald Trump also called climate change “a hoax invented by the Chinese,” and withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement. Republicans are more less quick to believe scientists information and research. They are skeptical about scientist’s motives and hesitate to want them getting involved in policy decisions about climate issues. “No more than about two-in-ten conservative Republicans consider any of these potential harms to be “very likely”; about half say each is either “not too” or “not at all” likely to occur.” The difference in the parties creates controversy and debate over climate change.
In America, citizens are divided by party more than the serious importance of global warming. However, there is more agreement across party lines when it comes to legislative action to address climate change. Americans across the political spectrum are more receptive to climate change measures such as “increased emphasis on developing and using alternative energy sources, tax credits for corporations that reduce carbon emissions, and increased government regulation on corporations carbon emissions.” More than 60 percent of all parties supported these proposals. Lastly, different factors influence individuals’ decisions regardless of their party. For example, a person’s concern about climate change is influenced by whether he or she has experienced unusual climate events. Also, people with high knowledge about climate change, and who have been shown a multitude of research tend to agree more with research.
CONCLUSION
In summary, the issue of climate change is one of the most significant problems the world is facing right now, and it is only getting worse. The effects of climate change get worse daily, and if we do not make any significant changes, the world we live in will be no more, sooner than we would like to believe. Climate change is a concern dating back further than we can remember, and it will go on much after us. The current “solutions” in place are simply not nearly enough. To tackle an issue of this magnitude, every single human being must do their part. While this is not a problem that will be solved overnight, making little changes one day at a time will eventually make a difference not only in our lives but in the lives of generations to come. We all must change our lifestyles and make greener choices to lead to the safer world we are after.
CIHPER EVALUATION
Contradictions
Even though there have been some efforts to mitigate climate change there are still events that contradict the common theme of trying to lessen the impacts of climate change. For example, after Russia’s invasion in Ukraine Shell withdrew from Russian oil and gas and reaped the benefits of higher prices for selling gas. They brought in record profits and kept it all for themselves. We are at a time where it is crucial to invest in cleaner energies and get away from using gas in transportation. Shell contradicts the goals of the world because they are not investing as much as they should be into helping the world. Also, even though the United States should be drilling less oil, “U.S. oil companies have increased drilling by 60% in one year.” Now, part of this increase is because our supply was cut off, but this should be looked at as a sign to move quickly into renewable energy sources and move away from drilling oil.
Furthermore, a contradiction to climate change is the fact that the Paris Agreement and other climate change documents, although have good intentions, are not being held to. There could be many different reasons why this is happening. It could be financial reasons, lack of awareness, lack of technology, or it seems like too big of a problem to solve. By making the choice to not fulfill our targets we are contradicting our own words and goals. The next contradiction in this analysis has to do with weather. Although more people are buying electric, and more people are starting to be more conscious of their carbon footprint, sea levels are still rising, food prices are still increasing, wildfires are becoming more frequent, crops are failing, and disease and sickness are becoming more prevalent. Although we are trying to head in the right direction and fix this issue, the climate is contradicting our efforts. Lastly, one big contradiction to this mission is the realization that companies are still making big gas guzzling SUV’s that do not focus on getting better gas mileage, and people are still buying them. This completely contradicts helping mitigate climate change and hopefully will not contradict our goals much longer.
INFLECTIONS
Policy changes. A policy that limits or outlaws industries that pollute or are wasteful will drive companies worldwide to change their behavior. World leaders attend events to discuss their policies that have a global impact. The G20 Summit is one of the biggest gatherings of influential people in the world. Formed back in 1999, countries from around the world meet annually to discuss global policy on trade, health, climate, etc. It is comprised of the leaders of the most economically advanced countries and the countries with the fastest growing economies. It was where the world’s most influential policies determine the future of the global markets, making rules on how industries operate, and which are considered viable for the future. Being invited to this Summit sets forth the path for the future of your nation as well as relationships with the rest of the world. As the 2022 host country, Indonesia has attempted to center the agenda around three principles of post-pandemic macroeconomic policy: the architecture of global health, digital transformation, and the transition to sustainable energy. The energy crisis brought on by the conflict in Ukraine has resulted in food shortages, skyrocketing energy costs, and inflationary pressures that have strengthened the U.S. dollar at the expense of emerging market currencies that are losing value. Through the implementation of these principles, Indonesia will maintain its leadership position in advancing the digital economy, fostering sustainable and inclusive economic development, and guaranteeing fair access to COVID-19 vaccines. Maintaining the aspiration to further strengthen our collective ability to ensure shared prosperity among nations through a variety of global tax reform initiatives, stronger cooperation in the fight against corruption, increased infrastructure financing, and advocating for a more democratic and inclusive global cooperation.
Policy also provides funding for climate initiatives, alternative energy research and development, and programs for research and launch into space. Now, industry can also be a driver. The trend towards electric vehicles and their price point has become very appealing. The public’s concern and willingness to make change also go into accelerating the switch from traditional fuel sources. Consumer behavior trends have a tremendous impact on moving the needle. Thus, in an instant, the entire business model and even the economy can swing depending on these trends. Lastly, we have the ultra-wealthy. There are billionaires willing to put their pride on the line for glory. In this case, it is the race to space and to dominate all space services. This results in a heavy investment into the technologies, generating more job opportunities and funding for the industry. It also spurs innovation, as more groups compete to be the top dog in this space. Competition spurs innovation.
PRACTICES
Governments and individuals have taken it upon themselves to actively reduce carbon footprints and achieve the net-zero goal by 2050. Business people, especially those in the city, have become accustomed to environmentally friendly ways to have meetings such as phone/video call. This even occurs when meeting participants are geographically close to each other. When they must meet in-person, they likely will travel via public transport instead of adding their personal vehicle to the emissions problem.
In addition, people have been changing their diet through reducing their dairy and meat intake. Many studies, some based on vegan/vegetarian diets, have found that a plant-based diet that is high in fiber will bode well for the environment and an individual’s physical health. When comparing the carbon footprint between a carnivore, vegetarian, and vegan diet, it is found that a meat-centered diet will have an effect of 3.3 tons of CO2 each year versus 1.7, that of a vegetarian diet, and 1.5 that of a vegan diet. This means that the average meat diet will have a footprint about twice as large as a vegetarian diet. Therefore, a national or global trend towards a vegetarian diet would make a significant difference.
Some even go further to make an influence on a larger scale. For instance, protesting environmentally unfriendly practices in the eyes of the government continues to help make a noticeable difference. This can also be done by electing appropriate personnel, that prioritize the environment, to office. Countries such as New Zealand have passed zero carbon bills containing strategic plans to reduce carbon at a faster rate.
Within the household, much can be done by a family to reduce its carbon-footprint. Shaving a few degrees off the thermometer and wearing warmer clothing or blankets will have an effect over time. Using low-power devices and light bulbs will reduce energy usage while supplying a family with the appliances they need. Finally, simply keeping the lights off when not in use or not needed will always help. Not only do these methods save money, but if most people in a community make this a habit, it can have exponential effects on the ongoing carbon crisis.
HACKS
Some of the most efficient ways to reduce our carbon footprint as a society stem from our lifestyles and everyday habits. For example, being efficient with power and water usage will help. Turning off lights, televisions, and other devices when not in use will cut down on usage amounts and electrical bills as well. Keeping faucets on only when needed through reducing shower times and shutting off water while brushing teeth can help save several liters of water per household each day.
In suburban and urban areas, many people have taken advantage of mass transit, public/private bicycles, and walking to help reduce their carbon footprint. This is very effective in comparison to taking a personal vehicle to work or school each day. Side effects of fewer cars being on the street include less traffic, less fuel emissions in the atmosphere, and lesser travel times for vehicles that must be in the morning and evening commute. In areas where locations of interest are further away from each other, take advantage of carpooling with friends, family, and coworkers.
There are many organizations that support and or facilitate the planting of new forests as a long-term method of restoring the environment. However, since these younger forests cannot absorb carbon dioxide as quickly as the older ones, society must focus on the protection of the older ones whilst building new ones. This proves forest organization support to be one of the most helpful ways to fight climate change.
EXTREMES
In recent memory, climate change has reached various new extremes each year. Disastrous events have been occurring more frequently, and they have been more intense than ever. New extremes are especially prevalent in wildfires. Scientists have known for decades that climate change has led to more common, larger, and more intense wildfires. Furthermore, information was found using data from Landsat satellites; an international team of scientists found a new connection between fires and global warming. They discovered that over the past few decades, wildfires in the western United States have been spreading to higher elevations because of the warmer and drier conditions that are undoubtedly associated with climate change. Historically, forest fires have been rare in high-elevation areas. However, when fires that occurred between 1984 and 2017 were studied, it was found that fires were moving to higher ground at a rate of just under 8 meters per year. This has been happening because previously, those areas of higher altitudes were too wet to burn, but now they are drier due to the warmer temperatures. This new extreme has drastic implications because many high-elevation areas in the western United States serve as “water towers.” Snow accumulates there each winter, melts, and then runs down to river valleys as a water source in the summer. These wildfires occurring at new extreme heights change that because they shift the snow accumulation, how it melts, and water quality. This affects about 60 million Americans who rely on this as a water source. Wildfires are just one extreme climate example of many that affect millions of people and their daily lives.
In addition to weather extremes, climate change has also led to new technological extremes. In an effort to mitigate climate change, scientists have been working relentlessly to invent new technologies, and many have come up. Northumbria University’s Dr. Shafeer Kalathil is among a team of academics who are behind the creation of a novel technology that can help tackle climate change. This new technology uses a chemical process that converts sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into acetate and oxygen to produce fuels and chemicals powered by renewable energy. The focus of this project is to secure much-needed green energy supplies and to reduce the global dependence on fossil fuels. New technologies like this have had a greater importance in society due to the massive problem of climate change. This pressing issue has led to great extremes in many aspects and will lead to even more in the future.
RARITIES
Rarities are described as something rare or uncommon. Based on this, extreme weather events are considered to be rarities. Events of this caliber are not something we are used to based on the fact that they are not a part of the typical weather pattern. For instance, in 2021, extreme heat obliterated parts of the Pacific Northwest. Using multiple climate models, researchers from UCLA found that this severe heat disaster was a highly improbable event. Assistant professor of statistics and environment at UCLA even said, “Accounting for the fact that things have gotten warmer, and even given the amount of warming we’ve seen in the region due to climate change, this event still came up as a highly, highly unusual event.” This event and other similar extreme weather events are rarities in climate change due to their infrequency.
In many cases, what was once considered rare, is now common. Many years ago, severe weather incidents were considerably rarer and more unusual than they are now. Recently, they have become a lot more customary, and this trend will only continue. According to the IPCC, now and in the coming decades, extreme weather events will happen with various combinations of larger magnitude, increased frequency, new locations, or different timing. Therefore, with severe weather events happening more frequently and at a larger volume, it is not as rare as it was in previous years because we have all come to expect them. While, to a certain extent, rarities are present in climate change, there is nothing that would be truly uncommon due to the inconsistent nature of this issue.
SWOT ANALYSIS on all three sectors
final fringe sketch
Preliminary Evaluation
Most of our research efforts will focus on climate change while simultaneously incorporating energy and space. Our group chose to explore into climate, energy, and space because the future depends on research and innovation in these areas. These areas are so vast and everyday there could be new technologies, laws, and disruption. Our job, as forecasters, is to examine the impact of disruptive events and/or technologies so that we can plan for the future and educate others as well. To be in front of, or at least aligned with the changes would be a good spot not just for our futures but to educate people around us.
Furthermore, our stakeholders are the entire earth as well as outer space. Climate change is something that affects everyone and everything living on this planet. More specifically, our stakeholders include people, governments, non-governmental organizations, activists, suppliers, customers, employees, investors, and shareholders. This is greatly emphasized through the industries that are affected by climate change which include but are not limited to insurance, agriculture, energy, forestry, fishing, and beverage industries. Insurance is affected by climate change because of the rising sea levels that increase the potential for flooding. This drives up both premiums and payouts, which puts a strain on the insurance industry. Agriculture is affected because as temperatures rise in agricultural regions, many crops have less time to mature which leads to an overall smaller number of yields. Energy is affected because climate change affects energy demand for everyone. Warmer temperatures increase the demand for cooling energy in the summer, while decreasing the demand for heat energy in the winter. It also leads to regulations on fossil fuels to increase, threatening gas, lucrative oil and coal industries. Markets affected by climate change include the financial markets of insurance and mortgage, pension funds, etc.
Our group’s plan is to view climate, energy, and space in different lenses by discussing the social, technological, economic, environmental, and political aspects of these topics. The modern space race has a wide range of implications for the entirety of humanity. The impacts are wide reaching. To craft a space worthy vessel, it takes resources—resources that are rare and hard to retrieve. We must look at the cost of acquiring, shipping, manufacturing, and assembling the crucial elements of the spaceship that allow to achieve space travel. This has a human cost as well as a carbon cost that needs to be accounted for with the increased competition for those resources. However, this leads to advances in technology, more energy efficient devices, and opportunities for more efficient utilities. Internet and energy providers may look to space for maximizing their resources. In all, the ability for billionaires to compete in a space once reserved for entire countries presents new challenges that represent fascinating opportunities and difficult decisions.
Interim Report: Phase 1
The most important issue of our day is climate change. Climate change poses a massive threat to the environment. The effects of climate change are unparalleled in magnitude, ranging from changing weather patterns that endanger food production to increasing sea levels that increase the likelihood of catastrophic flooding. The cause of all this—increased human activities that, in turn, produce greenhouse gases. Energy usage is the primary source of greenhouse gas emissions from human activities worldwide. Fossil fuel burning is responsible for almost two-thirds of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, which are used to power transportation, industry, heating, and electricity. Thus, energy use and production have a significant impact on the environment.
Now do not get me wrong, because they prevent the heat from the sun from bouncing back into space and make the Earth habitable; greenhouse gases are a natural occurrence and are vital to the life of people and millions of other living creatures. But because of industrialization, deforestation, and large-scale agriculture that has lasted for more than a century, the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has reached record heights. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC, released its Sixth Assessment Report, which assesses the impacts of climate change, looking at ecosystems, biodiversity, and human communities at global and regional levels. The report found that human emissions of heat-trapping gases have already warmed the climate by nearly 2℉, or 1.1℃, since 1750. The global average temperature is expected to reach or exceed 3℉ within the next few decades.
Space is a crucial aspect of understanding climate change. Developments in space technologies in the last two decades have substantially contributed to our understanding of our planet's climate. Things like satellite imaging, space exploration, and new technologies are essential because they give us a good idea of the big picture of the planet's climate and how we can adapt to address climate change. NASA is launching the next generation of Earth's science satellites, called Earth System Observatory, that will launch in the next decade. These satellites are specifically designed to give information about Earth. In general, collecting more information about our planet from space helps us better understand climate change.
Our group has continued to research climate, energy, and space and how they all connect, and what is happening now and as well as in the future. From our research, we were able to look at specific aspects of climate change, changing technologies, and the second and third-order effects of that. For example, probabilistic machine learning will become increasingly popular as we need to know how the weather changes for agriculture and sustainability. Furthermore, policy seems to be a huge connection between climate, energy, and space. Policy is what will change behavior and what will ensure that our habits will change. Not only this, but while researching, we focused on current events, the effects of them, and how that will change the future.
Overall, we have continued to develop our plan further. This includes choosing the platform that would work for us, making fringe sketches, doing more pointed research, and starting to connect the dots between climate, energy, and space.
TIMELINES
Interim Report: Phase 2
Pakistan and India:
Climate change is increasing at an exponential rate, and at this point, there is not much of substance being done to stop it. At the rate it’s happening now, we are headed for a world that will be three degrees hotter than it is now by 2100. As early as five to ten years, various regions of our planet could be increasingly inhospitable to humans. Several parts of North America, Africa, Australia, and Asia could either be too hot or underwater in the near future. Studies already show that if the world doesn’t drastically reduce its carbon emissions, parts of India and Pakistan could be inhospitable to humans because it would be too hot. In March of 2022, northwest and central India saw its highest temperatures since the country began keeping records 122 years ago. New Delhi, the capital of India, had seven consecutive days over 40 degrees Celsius in April. This is concerning because, according to multiple studies, the wet-bulb temperature is 35 degrees Celsius. This essentially means that 35 degrees Celsius is the absolute limit of human tolerance; we cannot live in temperatures above that. In addition, it’s so hot in Pakistan that the country went straight from winter to summer this year. There was no spring season for the first time in decades. Due to the extreme heat, there has been an increased number of people dying because of heat-related issues in India and Pakistan. Considering over 1.5 billion people live in either India or Pakistan, if regions of those countries become inhospitable to humans, it would cause significant issues for the world.
Policy, Broken Agreement, and Solutions:
Although Pakistan, Australia, Africa, and India are already experiencing extreme temperatures, droughts, and death, it seems like nothing will change in climate until the death tolls begin to rise. The $100 billion climate change finance from rich nations has yet to reach poor countries. Currently, there is distrust in climate change initiatives because of broken promises and breached agreements. For example, although the Paris Agreement has good intentions and includes important goals, it has failed to meet deadlines. Governments are not behaving as if global warming is a crisis. At Cop 27, which are climate talks held in November, many countries will need to speak honestly that they have not fulfilled their statutory duty to publish environment bill targets. It is serious business that the United Kingdom Government “has delayed publication of clean water and biodiversity targets, putting it in breach of its environment act”. Several environmental groups have accused the government of an “attack on nature.” Only a select few countries have taken these agreements seriously since COP26 climate summit in Glasgow last November. “Failing to meet legal deadlines to introduce targets to ensure we have clean air, land, and water amounts to a monumental dereliction of duty”. Governments are upsetting the people and are not following through on their promises.
Not only are promises being broken, but oil giants are seriously cashing out now. Shell is completely reaping the benefits of Russia's invasion of Ukraine with record profits of $11.5 billion.. Shell also paid ZERO windfall tax in the United Kingdom despite expecting to amass $4 trillion in 2022. Big oil companies like Shell could single-handedly solve the cost-of-living crisis and fund the clean energy transition. The internationally agreed target of 1.5C by 2030 can be accomplished if these big oil companies invest 2 trillion in additional income in low-emission fuels, such as hydrogen and biofuels. One possible solution to climate change is to defeat the fossil fuel industry. The CO2 from fossil fuels is the biggest problem, so if the price of energy rose dramatically, it would push nations towards clean energy. Delivering on the Paris Agreement requires a "dramatic shift in the way that we produce and use energy" and "The UN Environment Programme, the international Energy Agency and the Intergovernmental panel on climate change have made it clear that it requires significant reductions in coal, oil, and natural (fossil) gas to reach the goals in the Paris Agreement". Our group closely relates to others, such as Policy, Government, and Security, as well as News and Information. If we were to work together on our topics, we could find a beneficial solution to climate change.
Food, Connection with AgTech and BioTech, and implications:
“The Climate crisis causes temperatures to rise, precipitation patterns to shift and drought conditions to lengthen, many crops are struggling to grow.” With hurricanes Fiona and Ian, flooding in eastern Kentucky, and a record dry summer as the western US entered its 22nd year of a once-in-a-millennium megadrought, the US has already seen more than two dozen climate disasters with losses exceeding $1 Billion. The implications of this are that farmers must make a choice. They need to either shut down, relocate, or alter their operations.
Rice, wheat, and corn provide about half of the world's calories. In California, rice farmers have the lowest number of seeds since the 1950s, and only 250,000 acres of rice will be harvested this year, which is about half of a typical season. The reason is that although they were the first on the list to receive any extra water, there wasn't enough to grow their complete harvest. As a result, "California's Sacramento River Valley – which usually exports about half of its rice to China and Japan – is facing a $1.3 Billion economic loss, with 14,300 agricultural jobs lost." The implications are going to be high demand and reduced supply, which will be reflected in the prices. Also, growers in California and Italy will have to move to cooler climates like Northern California and China.
Furthermore, the war in Ukraine directly affected the country’s significant wheat exports. Not only this, but wheat growers could not grow as much wheat due to extreme weather. Relating to the group AgTech and BioTech, scientists have begun to breed new varieties of wheat. The implications that come from harvest falling 25% and high rainfall that floods spring crops will create a huge need for scientists to develop new ways to keep food available. For example, if the climate is not paid attention to, it will lead to a need to 3D print food. If places like California cannot grow crops and people can no longer afford their necessities, people will need to find alternatives
Artificial Intelligence:
Artificial Intelligence is a key component that is transforming the world. As mentioned, climate change is one of the world’s biggest challenges. Leaders believe that artificial intelligence is important in the journey of solving this climate crisis. How? One might ask. Since 1970, CO2 emissions have increased almost 100%. However, it is a bit difficult to measure emissions accurately. Companies that do track their emissions might only track their own production, resulting in a greatly underestimated number. With the help of AI tools, companies can run quick simulations, set targets, manage global portfolios, report data, and even calculate a carbon footprint. If our goal right now is to halve our emissions in the next 10 years and eventually achieve net zero emissions, AI could help us get there. A recent survey of 1000+ leaders from 14 countries on the usage of AI came back with these results: 87% find AI to be a helpful tool in the fight against climate change. 43% of organizations, led by industrial goods companies, can envision using AI for their own climate efforts today. 67% of private-sector climate and AI leaders want governments to do more to support the use of AI to combat climate change. (Maher, Meinecke, Gromier, Garcia-Novelli, Fortmann from Boston Consulting Group)
Through machine learning, companies can monitor carbon emission trends using more intricate techniques with advanced technology. For instance, satellite data can be exploited with AI. With this, machines can derive semantics from methods and machinery already in use, for other purposes, to help predict emission patterns and eventually reduce emissions altogether.
Another thing to note is what the use of AI entails. Ed Mitchard, Chief Technical Officer and Co-Founder at Space Intelligence, is interested in building “Green AI”. As of right now, we know that storing and running data burns carbon, as well as launching a satellite. Is it possible to use AI and machine learning with little to no negative environmental impact? Five years ago, Microsoft, a Fortune 500 company created AI for Earth, a branch that allows individuals and organizations to come together and find solutions to how we can manage the Earth’s natural systems. They are currently in the process of building a Planetary Computer that can globally monitor the environment with spatial analysis tools. Moreover, AI for Earth has supported 950 projects all around the world with the help of over 250 grants. Their focus is on climate change, agriculture, biodiversity, and water.
Although the use of AI to combat climate change is not 100% in effect, it is still a process that many people are passionate about. Leaders truly believe that AI is a step towards a better world. Again, this is something that needs more engagement and commitment from the government, as well as better education and research from AI leaders and scientists.
More on Energy and Space:
The primary sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States are transportation (27%), electricity production (25%), production of goods and raw materials (24%), commercial and residential use (13%), agriculture (11%), and land and forestry use (13%).
Thus, if 52% of greenhouse gases are used for transportation and energy, by focusing on creating energy from new sources, we can alleviate these two issues. Thus, reducing the greenhouse gas emissions by relying on solar, wind, and hydroelectric resources. For one, the US Department of Transportation has already taken steps and built an agenda to create a cleaner and more sustainable transportation system. This includes enhancing land use planning with partners to enable people to make fewer journeys or to walk and bike while on those travels, making significant expenditures in infrastructure for passenger rail, public transit, and active transportation to encourage the use of more environmentally friendly modes of transportation, making an effort to ensure that all forms of transportation—including pipelines, aviation, shipping, and personal vehicles—are heading toward a decarbonized future, and making use of every transportation instrument at our disposal to lessen emissions, such as encouraging the use of renewable energy in highway rights-of-way.
With the help of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Transportation issued a joint rule-making that set greenhouse gas emissions and fuel economy standards for cars, commercial trucks, and tractor trailers. The regulations it outlines for cars and commercial trucks projects that it will cut nearly 6 billion metric tons of emissions over the lifetimes of the vehicles sold in model years 2012-2025 while giving manufacturers flexibility in meeting the standards and ultimately reducing America’s dependence on oil and provide significant savings at the pump. In addition, under this program, tractor trailers are expected to save nearly 530 million barrels of oil and improve their fuel efficiency ratings.
Some states are taking matters into their own hands and issuing mandates to end the sales of gas cars and force drivers to switch to zero-emission vehicles. California was the first to announce their plan that is going into effect in 2035. Car companies can sell no more than 20% of models as gas cars in 2035. By 2037, 100% of sales must be electric vehicles. New York was the second to announce their plans, targeting the same 2035 goal. The European Parliament announced days ago that they are joining the movement. They agreed to a series of regulations that will result in an increase in the quantity of stations for alternate and refueling for vehicles like trains, trucks, and planes. This is a component of the "Fit for 55 in 2030 package," which aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least a minimum of 55% by the year 2030.
The long-term benefits of this course of action can lead to millions in savings that could be used to benefit the space industry. An industry that will require resources and in its current state require an enormous amount of fuel. The acquisition of materials and fuel costs could be greatly reduced in this process. Of course, space offers us opportunities to advance our capacity for more efficient energy consumption and acquisitions. On its face, we can gather more materials, resources, and utilize solar, wind, and even thermal energy technologies as we make advances in technology. But let’s not forget that many modern advances came from groundbreaking research into space exploration. Forcing us to become more resourceful and find unique solutions in the hostile environment that space can be. For example, these technologies have already helped our research in understanding climate change, as NASA’s data is critical to understanding how temperature changes impact the planet. Project TROPICS (Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation Structure and Storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats) offers microwave measurements with quick refresh over the tropics that may be used to monitor the thermodynamics of the troposphere and the structure of the precipitation for storm systems during a storm’s lifespan. It provides high-resolution pictures into the eye of a hurricane, observations blind to a storm structure, precipitation structure and intensity, and advanced moisture levels.
The Earth System Observatory, created in 2021, gives important data to support efforts to combat climate change, mitigate disasters, put out forest fires, and enhance real-time agricultural operations. Each satellite in the Earth System Observatory will be specially crafted to complement the others, working in concert to produce a 3D, comprehensive perspective of Earth, from the planet's bedrock to its atmosphere. Studies of aerosols, clouds, convection, and precipitation, mass change in snow, ice, and water, surface biology and geology, and surface deformation and change are among the observables that have been named the general focus.
“Over the past three decades, much of what we’ve learned about the Earth’s changing climate is built on NASA satellite observations and research,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in the agency statement. “NASA’s new Earth System Observatory will expand that work, providing the world with an unprecedented understanding of our Earth’s climate system, arming us with next-generation data critical to mitigating climate change, and protecting our communities in the face of natural disasters.”
The money for Earth research will launch the next generation of Earth-observing satellites to tackle urgent climate science concerns, as the Earth System Observatory includes a $250 million increase over what was originally allocated. With more time, energy, and resources gained from making the cost of transportation/energy more efficient, we can heavily invest in technologies that benefit us on the earth’s surface and in space.
With this, we must be mindful of launching the satellites into space. China and other rivals are likely to target U.S. satellites in a conflict to cripple the military’s access to critical services and call for greater use of commercial space technologies to enhance U.S. defense. Cybersecurity thus plays an important role. The Department of Defense recently announced that they will prioritize building resilience in the cyberspace realm. In doing so, the Pentagon has plans to develop a multi-layer network of satellites for missile monitoring and defense and use commercial solutions to augment military space networks. The Department of Defense will “reduce adversary incentives for early attack by fielding diverse, resilient and redundant satellites constellations…and we will bolster our ability to fight through disruption by improving defensive capabilities and increasing options for reconstitution.” The strategy “will increase collaboration with the private sector in priority areas, especially with the commercial space industry, leveraging its technological advancements and entrepreneurial spirit to enable new capabilities.
OUTSIDE SECTORs
Emotive FRaming
Probable, plausible and possible trends
How you and I can leverage this knowledge for personal and professional goals.
We all need to educate ourselves and stay aware of the changing climate. If you have a 15 year plan for yourself... no you don't. Use this information to plan your careers!