Archive for August 2019

Home Archive for August 2019

Who is Preventing Kids from Learning about Climate Change?

August 30, 2019 Add Comment Edit

Kids are not getting the climate education they need but this is not because of their parents or their teachers. Climate education has become a front-line issue in the battle against truth and kids are being used as pawns in an economically motivated war against reality. As reported by NPR, polls show that climate education has the support of parents (80%) and teachers (85%). Yet children are not getting the facts about climate change in public schools. A growing number of American adults (75%) acknowledge that the climate is changing but this message not being disseminated to kids.

Americans want their children to know the causes, consequences, and solutions to global warming. What makes this poll especially interesting in these hyper-polarized times is the fact that this view holds in all 50 states and 3000 counties. Ninety percent of Democrats agree as do half of Republicans.

Despite the overwhelming support for climate education, teachers are not integrating it into their curricula. So if both teachers and parents want kids to learn about the economic and societal impacts of global warming, why is this not happening?

The reason that climate change is not de rigueur in American schools is largely due to powerful economic interests. Specifically the fossil fuel industry and Republican legislators whom they help elect.

The fossil fuel industry is at the core of the climate crisis and they have known that they are a leading cause of climate change for decades. In a bid to retain their economic power they have declared war on science and sought to subvert the truth through a diverse array of sophisticated campaigns.

The oil and gas industry uses their tremendous wealth to buy politicians and political outcomes. Their immense financial clout is also used to buy scientists and control academia.

Campaign finance is one of the most powerful weapons they have deployed in their war against the facts. The GOP has been working for the fossil fuel industry for years, and in the age of Trump they have consolidated their control over Republicans.

Disinformation is disseminated through lobbyists, think-tanks and front groups. One of the most pernicious purveyors of climate denial is the fossil fuel funded Heartland Group. They promote policy that supports industry and their disinformation campaigns target kids in public schools. They provide "educational" materials (textbooks and lesson plans) that try to circumvent the facts about anthropogenic climate change.

Their lies have been deeply ingrained in the nation's political discourse on education. Such disinformation has prompted a number of state legislators to question whether kids should be given access to the facts about climate change. In Idaho legislators said kids should not be taught that climate change is caused by human activity.

We have to face the grim reality that powerful interests are preventing kids from getting the information they desperately need. This is not just a human rights issue, this is a generational justice issue.

Kids need a climate education to navigate in the twenty-first century. Adults have done enough by creating the problem and then failing to address it. Those who seek to deny kids the right to a climate education are putting them in danger and if we do nothing to defend children's right to the facts we are complicit.

Integrating climate change into science education standards is not just about building critical mass for climate action. It is about giving kids the tools they need to protect themselves from the world that we have made.

Related
Kids are Being Denied a Science Based Education
Comprehensive Green School Information and Resources 2010 - 2018
Why Teachers are not Teaching Kids About Climate Change

Governments are Acting to Curb the Fires in the Amazon

August 29, 2019 Add Comment Edit

Governments are responding to the planetary threat posed by the fires in the Amazon. There has been a 79 percent increase in fires in 2019 compared to the same period last year. These fires are a threat to air, water, and wildlife. The Amazon generates one fifth of the world's oxygen and it is the single largest reservoir of fresh water and biodiversity on Earth. The Amazon also regulates climate including heat and precipitation. The ongoing degradation of this region could trigger tipping points from which we will not be able to recover.

Protest

Brazilian protestors are pleading for the world's help to combat the record setting fires in the Amazon. Brazil is home to 60 percent of the the Amazon (the other 40 percent is in Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana).

At the end of August more than 30 protests were held across Brazil demanding action to combat the fires. People held signs that read, "SOS Amazon. Everybody for the Amazon." and "The Amazon belongs to the people". They chanted "Hello, planet! Wake up! Without the Amazon, you can't breathe!"

They are also calling out their federal government with much of their anger being directed at Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Protestors in Rio chanted, "The Amazon stays, out with Bolsonaro". The far right Brazilian leader has been criticized for the significant uptick in Amazonian deforestation.

Blame Bolsonaro

Opposition politicians, student activists, and Indigenous organizations have called for a congressional investigation into the cause of the fires. Bolsonaro has claimed the fires were set by environmentalists, however, the far more likely cause is slash and burn agriculture to make room for crops like soybeans and cattle ranching. Bolosnaro has emboldened those who are seeking to develop the Amazon.

Bolsonaro's contempt for environmental concerns in the Amazon is abundantly obvious. He has made good on his promise to clear the way for more development. This includes changing environmental rules, defunding government oversight, failing to enforce existing laws and dissolving the Amazon fund's committees. Perhaps the best example of Bolsonaro's disdain for ecological interests involves his appointees.

The populist leader has surrounded himself with climate deniers and conspiracy theorists. His environment minister was convicted of illegally approving a mining project in a conservation area and his foreign minister has described climate change as a "Marxist plot".

Bolsanoro's corruption and deceit have earned him the nickname of "Trump of the Tropics". Trump has tweeted praise for Bolsonaro, saying he is doing a "great job" and "He and his country have the full and complete support of the USA!" Bolsonaro said the tweet pleased him "a lot" and he expressed his "profound appreciation".

G-7 Pledges Assistance

While Trump avoided the climate summit at the recent G-7 meeting in France, other world leaders including the leader of the host nation, prioritized efforts to combat fires in the Amazon. The G-7 announced that they will assist countries in the region with their efforts to fight fire. They indicated their plans to discuss the future of the Amazon including reforestation at the United Nations General Assembly in September.

Led by French President Emmanuel Macron, world leaders at the G-7 summit came to an agreement on both technical assistance and financial aid. Macron announced that the G7 had agreed to an immediate fund of at least $20m (£16m) to help Amazon countries fight wildfires and launch a long-term global initiative to protect the rainforest. Macron made the announcement alongside Chile's President Sebastián Piñera. The proposed two-step process will involve collaborating with Amazonian countries to fight fires, protect biodiversity and reforestation. Similar support has also been proposed for African countries which have also been ravaged by wildfires.

Bolsonaro initially rejected the help that was offered by the G-7, but then he recanted due to public pressure. In a tweet, he said his country is being treated as though it "were a colony or no man's land." The Brazilian government said it will accept the financial assistance with the caveat that they administrate the disbursement.

European Aid and Trade

Brazil's new government may be responsible for the fires and deforestation in the Amazon but they will not be easily deterred. Changing the disastrous course of the Bolsonaro government will be difficult. So in addition to carrots, European leaders are also wielding sticks.

Germany and Norway have withdrawn their support for the Amazon fund (Norway has contributed $1.2 billion to the fund and Germany has donated 68 million). European leaders have also indicated that trade deals with Brazil are contingent on protecting the Amazon.

While protecting the Amazon may seem impossible, we have done it before. In 2004, a consorted global efforts succeeded in slowing deforestation in the region. However, to succeed today we will need a far more ambitious global effort.

Grade 10 Climate Change Education in Ontario

August 28, 2019 Add Comment Edit

Although the provincial government under Premiere Rob Ford has systematically dismantled climate action in Ontario, students in that province can still have access to the facts about global warming.

Evidence for Climate Change offers an inquiry-based educational resource for Grade 10 students in Ontario. Hands-on activities focused on heat, carbon dioxide, and thermal expansion explore the essential science behind climate change.

Students are introduced to the observational data for climate change and the climate models that describe the principal factors involved. Opportunities are provided throughout the resource for students to consider how they contribute to both the problem and the solution.

Math topics include using trigonometry and geometry to calculate the carbon stored in trees, using algebraic equations to calculate carbon footprints, and solving linear relations to make better decisions.

The Ontario Curriculum Connections is a digital resource is designed to excite learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), with an emphasis on global competencies—including critical thinking and problem solving, collaboration, and communication.

For more information click here.

Related
Comprehensive Green School Information and Resources 2010 - 2018

Trump MIA at the G-7 Summit on Climate, Biodiversity and the Fires in the Amazon

August 27, 2019 Add Comment Edit

US President Donald Trump skipped the climate summit and discussions about the fires in the Amazon at the recent G7 meeting in Biarritz, France and then his aides lied about the reason he did not attend. The climate emergency, protecting biodiversity and the fires in the Amazon were high on the agenda of the 45th G7 summit, which took place from August 24 to 26.

Although Trump ignored key environmental issues he did find time to meet with the populist UK leader Boris Johnson on August 25. Trump's aids claimed there was a scheduling conflict that prevented him from attending the climate summit. The pretext for missing the summit was a bilateral meeting with India and Germany, however, both German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi were present at the climate summit, while Trump was not.

Trump's anti-science stance on environmental issues has isolated him in the world community. Macron and and other world leaders have given up on trying to convincing the American president to reverse his decision to withdraw the US from the Paris climate accord.

Before the summit started, Trump's aids made it clear that the US commander and chief thinks the climate summit is a waste of time. They claim the economy is the priority issue for Trump, however, this contradicts economic assessments which indicate that the climate crisis is also an economic crisis. The Trump administration ignores the economics of climate change including the costs.

Trump's actions make it clear that he has no interest in cutting greenhouse gas emissions, protecting biodiversity, or managing the fires in the Amazon. Nor does he think that issues like clearing plastic waste from our oceans is worthy of his time.

Related
G7 Makes Historic Climate Pledges Including the Phase Out of Fossil Fuels

The Earth's Lungs are Burning and Bolsanaro is to Blame

August 26, 2019 Add Comment Edit

Wildfires have raged all around the world in 2019 but nowhere is the situation more serious than in the record breaking Amazon fires. There have been almost 80,000 fires in the Amazon this year, more than 30,000 in recent weeks and almost 10,000 since the middle of August. Brazil's National Institute for Space Research, or INPET reports that there have been 74,155 fires in the Amazon in 2019. The massive plumes of smoke from these fires stretch for 1.2 million square miles, cutting across the entire continent of South America and extending out into the South Atlantic Ocean. The Amazon is composed of 2.12 square miles of rainforest that spans Columbia and Peru as well as other countries. However, the majority of the Amazon is located in Brazil.

Bolsanaro is responsible

The far right Brazilian president Jair Bolsanaro is proving to be the leading cause of Amazonian rainforest destruction. In the eight months since Bolsanaro has been in power more than 1,330 square miles of forest have been lost. July saw the single biggest increase in deforestation ever in the Amazon.

"This devastation is directly related to President Bolsonaro’s anti-environmental rhetoric, which erroneously frames forest protections and human rights as impediments to Brazil’s economic growth," Christian Poirier, the program director of Amazon Watch, an environmental non-profit organization, said in a statement. "Farmers and ranchers understand the president’s message as a licence to commit arson with wanton impunity, in order to aggressively expand their operations into the rainforest."

Bosanaro's environmental ministry announced that foreign aid earmarked to fight deforestation would be funneled to cattle and soybean farmers. Like Trump Bolsanaro also makes profoundly ignorant statements like "poop every other day" to address deforestation.

Like Trump Bolsanaro is also at war with those who espouse reason and facts. In his bid to curtail the public's access to information, Bolsanaro fired the head of the INPE, Ricardo Magnus Osório Galvão.To add to the insanity that has earned Bolsanaro the nickname of Trump of the Tropics, the Brazilian president has made the absurd allegation that environmentalists set these fires. The truth is many of these fires are set by farmers who have been emboldened by Bolsanaro. Both Trump and the Brazilian president have earned reputations for their wanton environmental destruction.

Global catastrophe

Wildfires have raged on every continent on Earth in 2019 but there is something terrifyingly unique about the fires in the Amazon. These fires are darkening the skies and choking Brazilian cities, but the impacts of these fires extend well beyond Brazil's borders. The fires in the Amazon are a threat to local communities, particularly the almost one million Indigenous people who inhabit the rainforests, but these fires are also a threat to life on Earth.

The Amazon is the planet's first line of defense against climate change and it is being razed to make room for carbon intensive farming. The Amazon is the largest rainforest in the world. Amazonian deforestation is responsible for 8 percent of net global emissions.

The Amazon rainforest is one of the Earth's biggest suppliers of oxygen deforestation would reduce the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere by 20 percent. The Amazon contains 25 percent of the carbon dioxide currently sequestered by the world's forests. It is also one of the richest areas of biodiversity on Earth.

For these reasons the Amazon fires have been referred to in ominous headlines. NBC news proclaimed, "Amazon wildfires could be 'game over' for climate change fight". The Economist called it a "forest apocalypse", Futurism referred to "Hell World" and Business Insider cited a "doomsday scenerio". The Washington Post reports the Amazonian rainforests are "under threat as never before".

Devastating feedback loops

There are a number of feedback loops that can trigger tipping points from which we may not be able to recover. One such feedback loop is the one between wildfires and climate change.

In a climate change induced feedback loop record breaking heat record breaking wildfires go together. Fires are caused by warming temperatures which are caused by increasing atmospheric greenhouse gas levels. These fires in turn emit C02 which further exacerbates climate change.

According to a study published in Nature, warming temperatures could prevent trees from emitting oxygen and they could start emitting carbon instead.

The already devastating effects could get far worse. Approximately 20 percent or 300,000 square miles of Amazon rainforest in Brazil has been cut down. If we lose another 20 percent this could trigger an unstoppable feedback loop called "dieback" which could decimate the rainforest and turn the entire area into a savanna. This would exacerbate climate change by releasing 140 billion tons of stored carbon into the atmosphere. It would also mean an end to the world's most important carbon sink.

As reported in The Intercept, "losing another fifth of Brazil’s rainforest will trigger the feedback loop known as dieback, in which the forest begins to dry out and burn in a cascading system collapse… This would release a doomsday bomb of stored carbon, disappear the cloud vapor that consumes the sun’s radiation before it can be absorbed as heat, and shrivel the rivers in the basin and in the sky."

In a post for The Conversation, researchers said this process could also increase the number of fires. "Losing 20% of Brazil's rainforest could result in such a feedback loop, which would dry trees, leaving them unable to absorb as much carbon and much more flammable and likely to spread fires."

Brazilian environmental scientist Carlos Nobre is quoted by the Washington Post as saying: "The more the forest becomes degraded, the more the forest will become vulnerable to forest fires."

Poirier, summarized the situation when he said: "The unprecedented fires ravaging the Amazon are an international tragedy and a dangerous contribution to climate chaos."

IRENA Innovation Day (Thailand): Solutions for a renewable-powered future

August 25, 2019 Add Comment Edit

This event will take place on September 4th 2019 at the Athenee Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand. IRENA’s Innovation Days will take place in different regions around the world and aim to connect experts and policy makers. This new series of events will showcase emerging innovations and inspire and inform the broader and faster uptake of innovative solutions that can help deliver a renewable-powered future. Innovation Days build on IRENA’s biennial Innovation Week events but will focus on the particular needs and experiences of countries in the region. The first Innovation Day is being held in Uruguay in July 2019.

The Thailand event will take place in margins of the ASEAN Energy Ministers Meeting and ASEAN Energy Business Forum. It will focus on countries in the South East Asian region but is open to attendees from all IRENA countries. The gathering is organized in partnership with the Ministry of Energy of Thailand.

The event will focus on innovative solutions for the reliable integration of variable and dispatchable renewable energy in power systems and will showcase innovations in digital technologies (blockchain, artificial intelligence, etc.), the impact of novel business models (aggregators, peer-to-peer trading, etc.), the electrification of transport & heat, including biofuels, the role of energy storage and the potential of hydrogen.

IRENA Innovation Day in Thailand will bring together a diverse mix of policy makers and innovative companies from across the region, as well as from further afield. For countries and companies in the region, it is an opportunity to showcase successes, to highlight challenges, to learn from each other’s experience and to explore how innovative solutions can help meet national energy system’s needs. For countries and companies from outside the region, this event provides the opportunity to meet key region actors, to showcase work and to learn from the experience of countries in the region, many of whom are at the leading-innovative-edge of the renewable-powered energy transition. Through insights from IRENA’s global analytical work as well as from invited international speakers, there will also be an opportunity to learn from examples from around the world.

Discussions at the event will draw on the experiences of governments and innovative companies in the region as well as on the global insights captured in IRENA’s “Innovation landscape for a renewable-powered future” 2019 report.

Attendance is by invitation only. Contact email for questions or if you are interested in attending: innovationday@irena.org.

Business Sustainability Management (Online Short Course) - University of Cambridge

August 24, 2019 Add Comment Edit

A certificate from the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership will give you the skills to argue the business case, develop integrated plans and implement strategies. This flexible eight week online course is offered in weekly modules, that can be completed in 8-12 hours per week.

The course will provide you with a deep understanding of the impact of current global economic, social, and environmental pressures. It will give you the skill to create an action plan for integrating sustainability across your organization's value chain to ensure long-term value creation. It will also give you the confidence to argue the business case for sustainability.

Participants will have access to the CISL alumni network, consisting of nearly 8,000 senior leaders and leading practitioners who represent business, the public sector and civil society in every industry, on every continent.

What this course covers

Module 1: Sustainability challenges and opportunities
Module 2: The business case and leadership for action
Module 3: Regulatory environment and international policy
Module 4: Production and consumption
Module 5: Design, technology, and planning for sustainability
Module 6: Communication and marketing
Module 7: Collaboration and partnerships
Module 8: Rewiring your business approach

Course Convenor - Martin Roberts

Martin is a Programme Director at the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, where he helps companies with a global reach to derive value from embedding innovative approaches to sustainability across their organization and supply chain. Martin has extensive experience working with companies and NGOs on sustainability challenges with particular expertise in the food, agricultural, utility, tourism and extractive sectors.

Click here to download the course prospectus.

Related
Comprehensive Green School Information and Resources 2010 - 2018

Increasing Wildfires are the New Abnormal

August 23, 2019 Add Comment Edit

It is with good reason that the fires in the Amazon are capturing headlines, but wildfires have burned all around the globe this year. What makes these events unique is their frequency, size and duration. Wildfire seasons are starting earlier and ending later.

European heat waves ignited large wildfires in the winter and spring of 2019. In February hot temperatures sparked wildfires across western Europe and in April there were wildfires in Scotland, Norway and Sweden According to the Emergency Management Service of the EU agency Copernicus in the first three months of 2019, there were unprecedented number of wildfires in Europe that burned 74,482 hectares. France was among the worst hit accounting for more than one third of the 480 fires in the first quarter of 2019.

This summer extreme heat caused summer wildfires in Spain which consumed tens of thousands of acres. Catalonia had its worst wildfires in decades and so have Gran Canaria and southern Spain. Germany, Greece, and Turkey have also been among the European countries that have suffered from heat and wildfires.It is not only Europe, Asia and Latin America are also experiencing wildfires. Even Greenland has been hit by a spate of wildfires.

In the US there have been a number of wildfires including one in central Arizona that burned thousands of acres. Another in June burned more than 15,000 acres in the Florida Everglades. However, hot temperatures in Alaska are driving the most troubling wildfire spikes. Siberia is on track to set a new record for burn area in Russia this year.

Arctic warming is making wildfires larger and more common. Early in July there were more than 100 wildfires burning across the Arctic Circle. Some of these fires were more than 100,000 hectares making them among the biggest fires in 2019. The number of Arctic fires in the first half of 2019 was extraordinary. In Alaska alone almost 400 wildfires ravaged more than 600,000 acres.

While wildfires are a natural phenomenon, the sheer size and number this year is a concerning. The greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the 2019 Arctic fires eclipse the cumulative total of all GHG emissions from Arctic fires in the previous 8 years. It is estimated that as of early July Arctic wildfires had already emitted 50 megatons of carbon dioxide. Arctic wildfires are part of a feedback loop in which peat releases carbon exacerbating global warming and causing more fires.

Last year wildfires in California in both August and November prompting then-Governor Jerry Brown to describe the situation as "the new normal," and subsequently "the new abnormal." The average wildfire season in the US is now 78 days longer than it was in 1970.

A June study showed that climate change is responsible for last year's heat and wildfires in the northern hemisphere. The IPCC’s special report on climate change and land also made the connection between the climate crisis and wildfires. This is consistent with the predictions of climate scientists who have warned of increasingly frequent and severe heat waves.

The thread that weaves all these wildfires together is global warming and the catalyst is heat, the harbinger of fire.

Related
Climate Change is Fueling Forest Fires

Green, Healthy, Sustainable Schools (Video)

August 22, 2019 Add Comment Edit

In 2016, Jennifer Seydel discussed the value of sustainable schools and sustainability education. She suggested a framework for developing greener schools and school districts. Jennifer was a School Designer for Expeditionary Learning, a non-profit education reform organization that partners with existing schools and opens new schools with the goal of preparing children and youth for success in an ever changing world. She also served as an Associate Professor of Education at Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts and as the Director of the S.A.G.E. Project, a college-community collaboration founded to address the needs of highest risk high school students in Springfield, Massachusetts, Jennifer designed the S.A.G.E. M.Ed. program, a graduate degree in Education and Counseling. The students who graduated from this program have gone on to become leaders and change agents in many urban school districts in New England.

Related
Comprehensive Green School Information and Resources 2010 - 2018

The Truth About the Rules on Climate Ads in the Canadian Federal Election

August 21, 2019 Add Comment Edit

Elections Canada reviewed ad rules which have significant implications for the promotion of climate action during the forthcoming federal election. This clarification was in response to reports that Elections Canada had told environmental groups that they could not run ads about climate change. An August 20th Elections Canada statement indicates that environmental and other groups are free to address climate change. Stéphane Perrault Canada's Chief Electoral Officer issued the public statement in the wake of media reports that seemed to misunderstand the prohibitions against promoting climate action during an election campaign. The confusion stems from misunderstanding "partisan advertising" and "issue advertising" (see Canada Elections Act).

Partisan advertising is described as anything that promotes or opposes a political party, nomination contestant, candidate or party leader during the pre-election period which started on June 30. As explained by Elections Canada this only applies to "activities or ads that specifically identify a candidate or party".

There are also prohibitions against issue advertising, even if there is no mention of a party or a candidate. Issue advertising involves paid advertising that takes a position associated with a particular party whether or not it cites that party or candidate by name. This prohibition applies only to the election period which starts 36 days before the election which is scheduled to take place two months from today (October 21, 2019).

Perrault made it clear that "[Canada's Election Act] does not prevent individuals or groups from talking about issues or publishing information." There are no restrictions preventing environmental groups from promoting climate action and the science associated with it as long as they do it through email, text messages, online, door to door canvassing or media interview.

Those deemed to be issue advertisers have spending limits of $511,700 and they are required to register as a third party with Elections Canada. However, as Perrault pointed out this is not new as these rules have been in place for two decades.

Issue ad restrictions apply only to paid advertising immediately prior to an election. Organizations are free to spend as much as they like promoting climate awareness and action during the pre-election period as long as they do not mention a political party or candidate by name.

For more information go to Elections Canada

Trane Helping Schools Cut their Energy Bills in Half

August 20, 2019 Add Comment Edit

The combination of efficiency and renewables is driving big savings at Massachusetts' Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School District. A performance contract signed with HVAC manufacturer Trane Inc. is expected to slash the districts annual energy spending by 62 percent, or $564,000 each year.

Trane is far more than just a leading manufacturer of HVAC equipment, they also offers cost saving projects and renewable energy efficiency solutions. They helped to design and install the district's 1.2-megawatt solar photo-voltaic system including five carport canopies ranging in size from 117 kW to 639 kW. This system now generates around 75 percent of the energy used by the district.

"Local officials and K-12 administrators appreciate our ability to combine energy conservation measures in their facilities, with a customized scope of renewable energy systems all through one cohesive agreement" said Leo F. McNeil, regional director of comprehensive solutions at Trane. "It makes sense to begin by reducing the amount of energy consumed in facilities, and then determine the appropriate amount of power to be generated on-site through renewables. In this way, we can maximize operational and economic benefits for our clients."

In addition to high efficiency roofs and windows, the $19 million improvements made to the Dighton-Rehoboth district’s schools include high-efficiency boilers and a smart automated HVAC system with energy management capabilities. Smart monitoring applications track real-time energy savings. The Solar-Log system generates cumulative power consumption data which provides energy management data and serves as an educational tool.

Related
Comprehensive Green School Information and Resources 2010 - 2018

Countering Bolsonaro's Destruction of Brazil's Rainforests

August 19, 2019 Add Comment Edit

The government of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is wreaking environmental havoc in one of the most ecologically important places on Earth. The Amazon basin, more than half of which is in Brazil, accounts for 40 percent of the world’s tropical forests and 10-15 percent of the earth's biodiversity. Almost one quarter (800,000km² of Brazil’s original 4m km²) of Amazon forest has been lost to development including logging, agriculture, and mining. Last month alone Brazil destroyed more than 1,800 square kilometers of the rainforest earning Bolsonaro the nickname, "Capitão Motoserra" ("Captain Chainsaw").

A total of 1.8 million species and almost one million indigenous people in Brazil face an immediate threat from the Bolsonaro government. At least 9 Indigenous people have been killed this year in three separate attacks.

Brazil has gutted environmental agencies and appears to be determined to decriminalize deforestation in the Amazon. Bolsanaro has curtailed enforcement of environmental protections and there have been mass firings of officials including the heads of deforestation-monitoring operations. These actions have led to charges that the Brazilian federal government is dismantling the countries environmental oversight infrastructure. This is reminiscent of what Trump did to the US EPA. Like Trump Bolsonaro has also slashed the environmental ministry's budget.

There are good reasons why Bolsonaro is called the Trump of the Tropics. The Brazilian and American presidents share a lot in common. Like the Trump administration, the Bolsonaro Presidency has undermined a wide range of regulations and weakened key environmental institutions. Many would agree that these two men are the most environmentally dangerous heads of state in the world.

According to data from the National Institute of Space Research (INPE) the Amazon region recorded the highest level ever of illegal deforestation for a single month in May 2019 (739 sq kilometers or 285 sq miles) and the Guardian reports that it "exploded" in July (2,254 sq km or 870 sq miles). Hundreds of thousands of hectares of Amazon forest are being destroyed at an ever accelerating pace. INPE director Ricardo Galvão, was fired for speaking the truth.

Fines for deforestation and seizures of illegally harvested timber are way down and the situation is not likely to improve any time soon as monitoring operations planned for coming months have either been cancelled or downsized.

"With Bolsonaro, people who destroy forests feel safe and those who protect forests feel threatened," Marcio Astrini, Greenpeace Brazil's public policy coordinator said.

Brazil is slashing conservation units and the country's National Congress is advancing legislation that would eliminate protections for more than a million hectares of Amazonian rain forests. Even areas that are protected are being are being developed.

The Economist reports that the situation in the Brazilian Amazon is fast approaching irreversible tipping points and this has global implications. Rain forests sequester carbon and as such they are vital to our efforts to combat the climate crisis. Deforestation adds to global warming by releasing large volumes of carbon. It also disrupts climate patterns and contributes to drought.

There have been sweeping student protests against Bolsonaro all across Brazil. Amnesty International condemned Bolsonaro's actions and a group of Democrats have called on Secretary of State Pompeo to do the same. Indigenous women have also demonstrated.

Efforts are also underway to organize a boycott. In April more than 600 European scientists and 300 Brazilian Indigenous groups signed an open letter in which they called for a boycott of Brazilian products linked to the rainforest and human right violations. The signatories have urged the EU to make trade contingent on improvements in environmental and human rights. Here are the three key points:

1. Brazil should uphold the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

2. Consumers should have access to information about products that come from deforestation or places where indigenous rights are under attack.

3. Indigenous Peoples and local communities, including scientists and policy-makers, should be involved in defining social and environmental criteria for traded goods.

As reported by Grist, Amazonian deforestation has even been turned into a consciousness raising Brazilian telenovela by the name. The show is called Aruanas and it chronicles the dangers of environmental advocacy under Bolsonaro.

"We want this show to make the environment a subject for the average family at the dinner table — to make it a more everyday topic for Brazilians," Marcos Nisti, co-creator of the series, told the Guardian. "This is not other people’s problem – it’s our problem. It’s a problem for all human existence." "We want to enter people’s hearts," he added. "It’s not the normal way we get information about global warming, but it’s a way to connect with people."

End to End Power Solutions (Utility Week, Powergen, Distributech, SolarVision & Energy Capital)

August 18, 2019 Add Comment Edit

These end-to-end power solutions events (Asian Utility Week, POWERGEN Asia, DISTRIBUTECH Asia, SolarVision and Energy Capital Leaders) will take place on 3 - 4 September 3-4, 2019 at MITEC, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In 2019, the 20th edition promises to be bigger and better than ever before. The convergence of leading events will bring you the world's and market's first end-to-end power mega event, covering power generation, distribution and digital transformation. With 11,000 visitors, 450 speakers, 2,000 utility reps and 350 exhibitors these events cover the whole value chain of power - from generation to transmission and distribution to its digital transformation.

The combination of these leading energy shows will bring an unprecedented authority, with insights shared by the world’s most forward-thinking experts and innovators. In turn, attracting attendees from all of the largest and most influential power providers, utilities and IPPs, governments and solution providers. Here you will discover the future of Asia's Power & Energy industry.

Click here for the speakers list
Click here to register

New Record Set for the Hottest Month Ever

August 17, 2019 Add Comment Edit

The summer of 2019 started with the hottest month of June and that was followed by July which is now being considered the hottest month in recorded history.

This is the first time in the 140 years that we have monitored global temperatures that we have seen a global average reading of 62.13 Fahrenheit. July 2019 beat the record set in July 2016.

"Nine of the 10 hottest Julys have occurred since 2005—with the last five years ranking as the five hottest. Last month was also the 43rd consecutive July. (NOAA)"

Temperature records are falling at an ever accelerating pace. The trend is unmistakable. July was not only the hottest month on record it was the 415th consecutive month with above-average global temperatures. We have not seen below average temperatures in almost 35 years.

Eight of the ten warmest years have occurred in the last decade and the five warmest years in recorded history have all occurred in the past five years. There is no sign that this trend will abate any time soon as the first half of 2019 puts us on track for another record breaking year.

Source: NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information

Related
The World is Warming and We are Running Out of Time
Ocean Heatwaves Killing the Climate Canary in the Marine Coalmine
More Hot Data Contributes to Existential Concerns
Arctic Heatwaves are a Final Warning
How Global Warming has Increased Precipitation in the U.S.
The Deadly Collusion of Heat and Poverty
Heatwaves and the Climate Crisis
Slowing Emissions to Beat the Heat
Warming Temperatures are an Urgent Warning
Decades of Hot Data: The Harbingers of an Impending Climate Catastrophe

Environmental Masters Degrees from Vermont Law School

August 16, 2019 Add Comment Edit

Vermont Law School (VLS) offers three environmental masters degrees. A master's degree from VLS is different from other law degrees. Instead of studying theories about how policies work, VLS master's candidates learn the law and how to use it to effect change. By studying advocacy, regulations, legislation, and markets, students acquire the tools to create more just systems and a more sustainable world. Environmental VSL Master's degrees in law cover a wide range of policy issues including energy, food and agriculture.

You can complete your degree in as little as 12 months through experiential learning opportunities as well as flexible combinations of learning both online and on campus.

MASTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL LAW AND POLICY (MELP)

Climate change. Land use. Water justice. International trade. Sustainable food and energy systems. Our Master of Environmental Law and Policy (MELP) students deliver solutions to some of the most critical challenges facing our world today.

Focus on the policy, scientific, and communications aspects of environmental law with an added emphasis on economics and advocacy. Innovative curriculum with traditional law offerings and MELP-specific courses in writing and advocacy.
Experiential learning opportunities with state and federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, and advocacy groups.
Graduates get jobs as policy analysts and leaders.
Courses include Water Resources Law, Climate Change Law, Ocean and Coastal Law, Global Energy Justice, and more.

MASTER OF ENERGY REGULATION AND LAW (MERL)

Fossil fuel dependency. A warming planet. Smart-grid technology. The rise of alternative energy markets and infrastructures. Our Master of Energy Regulation and Law (MERL) students receive intensive training at the intersection of energy and law, regulation, policy, and economic analysis.

Program focused on law and policy governing energy use, production, and transmission.
Students receive practical training in public advocacy and writing for a legal and policy audience.
Faculty include former high-level government officials and environmental litigators.
Graduates get jobs in energy regulation, clean-energy startups, and more.
Courses include Energy Law and Policy in a Carbon-Constrained World, Environmental Economics and Markets, and more.

MASTER OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE LAW AND POLICY (MFALP)

The food movement grows here. Our Master of Food and Agriculture Law and Policy (MFALP) students become food and agriculture advocates and entrepreneurs, creating innovative legal tools to support the new food movement.

Most comprehensive sustainable food, agriculture, and environmental law program in the country.
Offers students a powerful marriage of agriculture policy, food safety, and environmental law.
Clinical training in one of the nation's first food and agriculture clinics.
Courses include Public Health Implications of U.S. Agriculture and Food Policy, Law and Policy of Local Food Systems, The Modern Farm Bill, and more.

For more information click here.

Related
Comprehensive Green School Information and Resources 2010 - 2018

Trump's Ongoing War with Science

August 15, 2019 Add Comment Edit

The Trump administration's relationship to reality is tenuous at best, when research does not support their narrative they censor scientists and hide reports. Trump resists science just as he opposes all serious efforts to delineate truth from falsehood.

Trump is a monumental liar. According to the Washington Post he has lied more than 12,000 times since becoming president (he has recently ratcheted-up his deceit increasing his lies per day average from 12 to 20). Trump's mendacity is a way of life and he has become synonymous with his lies. He derides science because facts reveal his ignorance and the truth exposes his lies.

Trump tired to hide the National Climate Assessment (NCA) which unequivocally refuted his climate denial. The administration has repeatedly attempted to cast doubt on the veracity of the findings in the NCA. The White House is reportedly trying to put together a handful of climate deniers to rebut the NCA. They are even trying to interfere with the next climate assessment that is scheduled to be released within the next few years.

This administration has also employed a range of devious techniques to suppress science in government departments and agencies. The EPA put out guidelines that put absurd limits on the kinds of reports that agency scientists can reference. The U.S. Geological Survey has told their scientists not to consider climate impacts beyond 2040. These directives not only flout tradition they are often a breech of the law. The USGS decree contravenes the Global Change Research Act of 1990, which states these assessments must look as far as a century into the future.

The Trump administration also targets scientists. Those who will not defer to the administration's whims can find themselves out of work. The experience of Maria Caffrey is an example of the ways that scientists are bullied by this administration. Caffrey was pressured to change her findings, when she refused her contract was terminated. As reported by CNN the head of Department of the Interior (David Bernhardt) pressured a Fish and Wildlife field supervisor to ignore threats to endangered species to make way for a golf course in Arizona.

Trump's blatant disdain for science is clearly apparent in his budgets which have sought to cut scientific funding and climate science in particular. Trump is at war is with reality, and his overt contempt for science is evident in his gutting of the ESA. Trump is not only a threat to plants and animals, he is a threat to the health and well-being of Americans.

This administration's willful disregard for fact based policy is not only hastening ecological degradation it is pushing us towards tipping points from which we may not be able to recover.

Related
Fossil Fuel Powered Opposition to Science

Bentley University Arena is a Model of Sustainability

August 14, 2019 Add Comment Edit

The environmentally sustainable multipurpose Bentley Arena at Bentley University is the first stand-alone ice arena to earn LEED platinum certification. It cuts the buildings carbon footprint in half compared to comparable traditional arenas and it also uses half the energy. The 76,000 square-foot highly efficient arena is lit by natural light and LED lighting and a 504-kilowatt rooftop solar array generate 40 percent of the building’s electricity needs. Heat generated by the rink's ice making equipment heats the water in the building. The arena also uses high efficiency plumbing fixtures, waterless urinals, dual-flush toilets, and low-flow faucets and showers to reduce water usage.
The arena's features by the numbers:

50% of wood used in the building is sourced from forests with certified sustainable forestry practices
20% of construction and finish materials contain recycled content
10% of construction and finish materials is locally sourced
0% of the ice-making and air conditioning systems use CFC-based refrigerants

Bentley arena is part of the University's Climate Action Plan, which lists "installing onsite renewable energy systems" as one of its main strategies to reach carbon neutrality by 2030. Bentley is a business school that practicing the values it preaches in the classroom.

Related
Comprehensive Green School Information and Resources 2010 - 2018

School in Pakistan Shines Light on the Power of Renewables

August 12, 2019 Add Comment Edit

Many of the 23 million Pakistani children who do not attend school work during the day. They cannot attend school at night because some of the places where these kids live do not have electricity. work during the day so they cannot attend school. In 2016 two schools in Faisalabad began offering night courses using electricity from solar energy to power lights, fans, and IT equipment.

As reported by the World Economic Forum, activist Rohayl Varind started "Slum School" because he wanted to do something to help bring education to these children. In 2016 he began offering night classes from 7pm to 9pm where kids can learn English, Urdu, math, science, computers, Taekwondo, graphic design, and other subjects.

Although the schools do not accept cash donations, they will take donations of food, stationary, laptops and solar power-related equipment.

For more information click here.

Related
Comprehensive Green School Information and Resources 2010 - 2018

Event - Ecology 2019: The Future of Ecosystems (20 Tracks)

August 11, 2019 Add Comment Edit

The 2nd International Conference on Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology will take place on August 19-20, 2019 will take place in London, United Kingdom. Ecology 2019 is organized around the theme of "the future of ecology" and it will include keynote speeches, presentations, talks, and exhibitions.

Ecology is the investigation of living life forms, it is derived from the word oikos, a Greek word that means 'home'. In the context of ecology this implies the study of living beings and their interactions. The meaning of nature is defined as "the investigation of biological communities".

Why Attend?

The 2nd International Conference on Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology 2019 meeting will highlight specialized sessions, publication session, show lobby, keynotes address, and Special element incorporates understudy workshop.

The 2nd International Conference on Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology 2019 is a flawless stage for preservationists, specialists, researchers, leaders and understudies to meet up, look at discoveries, and talk about the exploration without bounds. Impart your examination to a connected with gathering of people of your associates from around the world. Gain from logical pioneers who are outlining more manageable procedures for accomplishing a diverse Ecosystem.

Who Attends?

Noble laureates, Presidents, Vice-presidents, Deans, Chairs, Co-chairs, Department Heads, Environmentalists, Researchers, PhD Students, Non-PhD Students, etc.

Vendors will introduce the latest advancements in the fields of ecology, soil microbiology, and biochemistry.

The majority of attendees are academies, researchers, industry, students, ecologists, meteorologist, marine biologist, oceanographer, environmental researchers, business entrepreneurs, training institutes, microbiologists, chemical/biological engineers, biochemistry researchers, environmental engineers, waste management associations and non – Governmental organizations

20 Track/Sessions

Track 1 : Sustainability, Ecosystems, and Environment (SEE)

Track 2 : Climate and Carbon Exchange

Track 3 : Conservation and Restoration Ecology

Track 4 : Behavioral Ecology

Track 5 : Social Ecology

Track 6 : Community Ecology

Track 7 : Ecosystem Ecology

Track 8 : Evolutionary Biology

Track 9 : Conservation Biology

Track 10 : Environmental Chemistry & Toxicology

Track 11 : Biodiversity, Community Ecology & Biological Conservation

Track 12 : Integrative and Comparative Biology

Track 13: Marine Ecosystems and Conservation

Track 14: Marine Conservation

Track 15: Ecology and Natural Resource Management

Track 16 : Conservation and Management

Track 17 : Natural Resource Management

Track 18 : Evolutionary Genetics & Genomics

Track 19 : Conservation Physiology

Track 20 : Human Ecology and Environmental Psychology

Click here to register.

Addressing Biodiversity Loss: The Convention on Biological Diversity

August 10, 2019 Add Comment Edit

Efforts are underway to try to counter humanities genocide against the natural world. Unless we act in a timely fashion to prevent further destruction of biodiversity entire ecosystems are at risk of collapse. According to a recent IPBES report human activity (eg climate change causing emissions, habitat loss and pollution) could result in the demise of up to one million species in the next 20 years.

Governments are meeting in China in 2020 to tackle this serious problem. There is hope that we can build a consensus for an accord similar to the Paris Climate Agreement. The goal is to secure a deal that would protect biodiversity as part of the UN's Convention on Biological Diversity. It will focus on issues like species protections, limiting deforestation, sustainable farming and responsible fishing.

Next year countries will also meet to negotiate a new global oceans treaty as part of the UN Convention on the Laws of the Sea. This is prescient in light of recent reports that show marine life is being decimated by warming seas.

While many plants and animals are at risk, pollinators are a species at risk with devastating potential impacts. We have already seen massive declines in bee populations around the world, further losses could severely decrease agricultural yields.

The research also shows that ecosystem collapse is a direct result of human activity. It is important to note that the fate of biodiversity mirrors our own fate. Reports foretell the end of human civilization if we continue with business as usual.

Related
Our Suicidal Genocide Against Nature and the Need for Transformative Change
Anthropogenic Species Extinction is a Crime Against Nature
Change has Already Caused a Mass Extinction
Assaults on Wildlife from the Top to the Bottom of the Food Web
Combating Climate Change to Slow Species Extinction
People Powered Mass Extinction
Half of All Wildlife on Earth is Going Extinct
Time to Tell the Truth About Climate Change
The Financial Costs of Biodiversity Loss
Endangered Species

Ocean Heatwaves Killing the Climate Canary in the Marine Coalmine

August 09, 2019 Add Comment Edit

A new study shows that ocean heatwaves are twice as common as predicted and this is decimating aquatic ecosystems. This summer's abnormally warm ocean temperatures are cooking mussels in their shells along the west coast of North America. Mussels are the proverbial canary in the coalmine, they are a foundation species and their well-being is indicative of the health of entire ecosystems.

As reported by the Guardian, in June California's Bodega Bay was so hot that mussels were being "cooked in their shells" causing the largest die-offs in a decade and a half. Similar mass mussel deaths were reported at beaches across roughly 140 miles (225km) of coastline. Ocean temperatures could have exceeded 100 F at low tide. Mussels are disappearing all the way along the west coast. As a foundation species these mussel die-offs have troubling implications for entire ecosystems.

"These events are definitely becoming more frequent, and more severe," said Christopher Harley, a biologist at the University of British Columbia. "Mussels are one of the canaries in the coal mine for climate change, only this canary provides food and habitat for hundreds of other species."

It is not only mussels on the West Coast of North America that are under threat from warming seas. The worst hit oceans are the Arctic and the Atlantic where corals, kelp, fish, plankton and other marine life are also succumbing to the heat. The Pacific and Indian oceans have also shown evidence of increasingly frequent heatwaves.

These are the findings of a a study published Wednesday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). The study titled, "Challenges to natural and human communities from surprising ocean temperatures," also indicates that ocean heatwaves are both more extreme and twice as frequent as scientists had expected. According to the research this radical increase in ocean heatwaves started in the 80s.

The culprit behind the heatwaves is global warming. As stated in the report: "Climate change is now introducing strong trends that push conditions beyond historic levels."

Ocean heatwaves are not only killing marine ecosystems they are also impacting the livelihoods of millions of people who are dependent on these ecosystems. Aquatic die-offs are yet another warning demanding urgent action. As we dither, the world keeps warming and we are rapidly running out of time.

Related
The Ocean / Climate Nexus
The Mass Extinction of our Oceans May Have Already Begun
The State of Our Oceans: We are Headed Towards a Marine Mass Extinction

Comprehensive Green School Information and Resources 2010 - 2018

August 08, 2019 Add Comment Edit

In 2019 the Green Market Oracle (GMO) is reprising its annual Green School Series. This series is for people who want to know what schools are doing to be more sustainable, it is also for students interested in sustainability focused programs, degrees and courses. Over the course of the last nine years the GMO has published more than 400 articles related to environmentally oriented academics, sustainable infrastructure and green initiatives in pedagogical settings. Over the course of the coming months we will post education related articles as part of the 10th edition of the Green School Series. These efforts contribute to the growth of a well informed population, a sustainable economy and ultimately a healthier planet. This focus on education is a key part of the GMO's mission to help facilitate the convergence of sustainability and the global environment.

Here is a year by year summary of GMO's Green School Series from 2010 to 2018 which includes links to articles covering everything you need to know about sustainable academics, student eco-initiatives, green school buildings, and college rankings as well as a wide range of related information and resources.

GMO's Green School Series - 2018 Edition

There are 15 posts in the ninth installment of the GMO's Green School series. In 2018 these articles addressed student activism, climate denial in schools, green school buildings (efficiency and renewables) as well as sustainability focused courses, certificates and schools.

Click here to access the 2018 edition of The GMO's Green School Series.

GMO's Green School Series - 2017 Edition

The eighth installment of the GMO's Green School series included 19 articles. This included dozens of academic degrees, teaching climate denial in schools, renewable energy & conservation, and why business schools get a failing grade in environmental sustainability.

Click here to access the 2017 edition of The GMO's Green School Series.

GMO's Green School Series - 2016 Edition

In the seventh installment of the GMO's Green School Series there were a total of 32 articles. This comprises a review of the growing green schools movement, best practices and what sustainability professionals need to know. It also includes information on schools, degrees, accreditation, early education, ranking, tools, solutions, and awards.

Click here to access the 2016 edition of The GMO's Green School Series.

GMO's Green School Series - 2015 Edition

In the sixth installment of the GMO's Green School Series there were a total of 26 articles. This includes a review of green educational opportunities at universities and colleges, different types of related accreditation (degrees, programs, and certificates) early education, student led fossil fuel divestment initiatives, water stewardship efforts and resources, energy and infrastructure in green schools, rankings of the most sustainable colleges and universities and resource tools. .

Click here to access the 2015 edition of The GMO's Green School Series.

GMO's Green School Series - 2014 Edition

In the fifth installment of the GMO's Green School Series there were a total of 69 articles. This includes posts covering general information, educational programs and courses, online education, sustainability initiatives, school rankings, resources, green building and campuses, retrofits, renewable energy, fossil fuel divestment, competitions and awards.

Click here to access the 2014 edition of The Green Market Oracle's Green School Series.

GMO's Green School Series - 2013 Edition

In the fourth installment of the GMO's Green School Series there were a total of 26 articles. This includes posts on green school rankings, educational programs and courses, buildings and campuses, fossil fuel divestment, renewable energy, campus competitions and fellowships.

Click here to access the 2013 edition of The GMO's Green School Series.

GMO's Green School Series - 2012 Edition

In the third installment of the GMO's Green School Series there are a total of 65 articles. This includes posts on the value of green education, programs and courses, buildings and campuses, support programs, teaching resources, and business schools.

Click here to access the 2012 edition of The GMO's Green School Series.

GMO's Green School Series - 2011 Edition

In the second installment of the GMO's Green School Series there are a total of 70 articles. This includes posts on sustainable education, school buildings, grants, programs and awards.

Click here to access the 2011 edition of The GMO's Green School Series.

GMO's Green School Series - 2010 Edition

In the first installment of the GMO's Green School Series there are a total of 60 articles. to access posts on green student resources, the growth of green education, masters degrees, doctorate degrees, undergraduate degrees and classes, primary and secondary schools, China and Asia, buildings, and information on sustainability officers.

Click here to access the 2010 edition of The GMO's Green School Series.