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In this blog post, I will discuss some of the challenges and opportunities of using natural gas and other fossil fuels for non-energy purposes, such as robotics and insulation. I will also propose some ways to overcome the barriers and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy.
One possible solution is to use natural gas for producing high-value goods that can generate more economic and social benefits than burning it for energy. For example, natural gas can be used to produce plastics that can be used for making robots. Robots are expected to play a key role in the future economy, as they can perform various tasks more efficiently and effectively than humans. Robots can also help address the challenges of an ageing society and lead to a steady state economy. By investing in robotics, fossil fuel companies can diversify their portfolio and create new sources of income. However, using natural gas for robotics also poses some challenges, such as ensuring environmental sustainability and social justice. For instance, how can we minimize the methane leakage and carbon footprint of natural gas production and processing? How can we ensure that the plastic waste from robots is properly recycled or disposed of? How can we prevent the displacement and exploitation of human workers by robots? How can we distribute the wealth and benefits generated by robots fairly and equitably? Another possible solution is to use fossil fuels for producing insulation materials that can improve the energy efficiency and resilience of buildings. Insulation can help reduce the heating and cooling demand of buildings, which account for a large share of global energy consumption and emissions. Insulation can also protect buildings from extreme weather events, such as heat waves and cold snaps, which are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change. Insulation can thus enhance the well-being and safety of people living in buildings. However, using fossil fuels for insulation also raises some questions, such as how to justify the public subsidies and incentives for such projects. In a market-driven economy, environmental and social values are often overlooked or undervalued by businesses that seek immediate profits. Therefore, there is a need for government intervention to support and promote the use of fossil fuels for insulation, as well as other climate actions. However, this requires a clear explanation and communication of the rationale and benefits of such policies to the public and stakeholders. In conclusion, using natural gas and other fossil fuels for non-energy purposes can offer some opportunities to mitigate climate change and create value for society. However, this also entails some challenges and trade-offs that need to be carefully considered and addressed. To overcome the barriers and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy, we need to adopt a holistic and systemic approach that integrates multiple perspectives and interests. How to Fight Climate Change with Bacteria and Oxygen Climate change is one of the most urgent challenges facing humanity today. It is caused by the accumulation of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, in the atmosphere. These gases trap heat and raise the average temperature of the planet, leading to melting ice caps, rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and loss of biodiversity. One of the ways to combat climate change is to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases, especially from burning fossil fuels. However, this may not be enough to prevent the worst effects of global warming. We also need to find ways to remove the excess greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and restore the natural balance of the Earth's climate system. In this blog post, I will explore two possible solutions that involve using bacteria and oxygen to reduce the levels of methane and ozone layer depletion in the atmosphere. These are examples of geoengineering, which is the intentional manipulation of the Earth's environment to control climate change. Geoengineering is a controversial topic, as it may have unintended consequences and ethical implications. However, some scientists argue that it may be necessary as a last resort if other mitigation measures fail. Wildfire Prevention and Methane Reduction with Purple Sulphur Bacteria Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that has a warming effect 28 times greater than carbon dioxide over a 100-year period. It is produced by natural sources, such as wetlands, termites, and volcanoes, as well as human activities, such as agriculture, landfills, and fossil fuel extraction. Methane has a relatively short lifespan in the atmosphere, as it reacts with hydroxyl radicals (OH) and breaks down into carbon dioxide and water. However, the concentration of methane in the atmosphere has more than doubled since the pre-industrial era, and it is currently responsible for about 20% of the human-induced radiative forcing. One of the ways to reduce methane excess is to prevent wildfires. Carbon monoxide from wildfires make hydroxyl radical more scarce, which impact on methane concentration in atmosphere. On one hand, we need to prevent wildfires, on the other hand we could try to enrich upper atmosphere in oxygen in polar regions when polar jet help build ozone layer. ' Wildfires are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change, droughts, and human activities. They not only release greenhouse gases, but also destroy forests and vegetation that act as carbon sinks. One possible solution to prevent high concentration of methane is to use purple sulphur bacteria (PSB), which are photosynthetic microorganisms that live in aquatic environments. PSB can use hydrogen sulphide (H2S), which is a flammable gas that often leaks from oil and gas wells, as an electron donor for photosynthesis. By doing so, they can convert H2S into sulphur, which is a non-flammable solid that can be used as a fertilizer. PSB can also produce organic matter that can feed other organisms and increase the biodiversity of aquatic ecosystems. By using PSB to consume H2S from oil and gas wells, we can reduce the risk of fire and explosion, as well as lower the emissions of methane and other greenhouse gases. This could also improve air quality and human health in areas affected by oil and gas production. However, this solution would require further research and development to ensure its feasibility, safety, and efficiency. Methanotrophs are bacteria that can use methane in their biological processes. They can lower atmospheric methane emissions, remove nitrogen in environmental and wastewater treatment systems, and even transform organic pollutants in soils 1. However, the use of methanotrophs to prevent the emission of methane from permafrost is still in the research phase. A study conducted by the University of Gothenburg demonstrated that when thawed soil dries up, emissions can decline instead of increasing 2. Another study found that changes in plant cover could limit emissions from melting permafrost, but if rainfall increases as temperatures rise, that could prevent soil from drying out, leaving wet-loving grasses to convey methane to the atmosphere 3. While the use of methanotrophs to prevent the emission of methane from permafrost is still in the research phase, it is a promising area of study that could have significant environmental benefits in the future. Ozone Layer Restoration and OH Production with Oxygen Spraying Ozone is a molecule composed of three oxygen atoms (O3) that forms a layer in the stratosphere, about 15 to 35 kilometers above the Earth's surface. The ozone layer protects life on Earth from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the Sun, which can cause skin cancer, cataracts, and damage to crops and ecosystems. However, the ozone layer has been depleted by human-made chemicals, such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which break down ozone molecules into oxygen atoms (O) and chlorine atoms (Cl). Although the production of CFCs has been banned by international agreements since 1987, their effects will persist for decades due to their long lifespan in the atmosphere. According to my own observations, there is a link between Climate Change and ozone depletion climate-change-and-ozone-layer.html One of the ways to restore the ozone layer is to spray oxygen (O2) into the upper troposphere, where it can react with UV radiation and form ozone molecules. This could also increase the production of hydroxyl radicals (OH), which are highly reactive molecules that can remove methane and other pollutants from the atmosphere. OH are formed by the photolysis of water vapour (H2O) in the presence of ozone. OH are short-lived in the atmosphere, as they quickly react with other molecules and form water vapour again. One possible method to spray oxygen into the upper troposphere is to use electric planes that can fly at high altitudes without emitting greenhouse gases or pollutants. These planes could be powered by renewable energy sources, such as solar or wind power. They could also take advantage of the polar jet stream, which is a fast-moving air current that circulates around the poles. The polar jet stream could help disperse the oxygen over large areas and enhance its mixing with other atmospheric components. By spraying oxygen into the upper troposphere, we could boost the formation of ozone and OH, which could reduce the levels of methane and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This could also lower the global mean temperature and slow down the rate of climate change. However, this solution would also require further research and development to ensure its feasibility, safety, and efficiency. Oxygen can be derived from water by electrolysis of water. Electrolysis of water is a process that uses electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen gas by electrolysis 1. The process involves passing an electric current through water, which causes the water molecules to break down into hydrogen and oxygen gas 1. The hydrogen gas produced in this way can be used as hydrogen fuel, but must be kept apart from the oxygen as the mixture would be extremely explosive 1. The process of water electrolysis requires a minimum potential difference of 1.23 volts, although at that voltage external heat is also required. Typically 1.5 volts is required 1. Electrolysis is rare in industrial applications since hydrogen can be produced less expensively from fossil fuels 1.
I hope this helps!
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2023170118 The European starling can transform a natural environment from one teeming with many species to one overrun by a single species.
Starlings spread disease by discarding half-eaten food sources or defecating where it is touched or ingested by another animal. A problem as mundane as high levels of bird droppings may seem trivial, but when millions of European starlings roost in a single neighbourhood for more than a few days, it can put real strain on sanitation workers and inhabitants of the area. It spread diseases, contribute to cyanobacteria growth, global worming local heatwaves, can cause problem of high CO2 level boosting solar radiation with higher methane concentration. birdfeederhub.com/reasons-why-the-european-starling-is-a-problem/ The global population was estimated to number 150,000,000 mature individuals (A. Panjabi in litt. 2017). The population in Europe, which forms approximately 55% of the global range, is estimated at 28,800,000-52,400,000 pairs, equating to 57,700,000-105,000,000 mature individuals (BirdLife International 2015). The global population of common starlings was estimated to be 310 million individuals in 2004, occupying a total area of 8,870,000 km (3,420,000 sq mi). Widespread throughout the Northern Hemisphere, In Europe, the population has been undergoing a moderate decline between 1980 and 2015 (EBCC 2018). Likewise, the introduced population in North America has declined between 1970 and 2014 (51% decline between 1966 and 2015 based on the North American Breeding Bird Survey [Sauer et al. 2017]). Therefore, the global population is tentatively assessed as being in decline. New study show top 10 most abundant birds in the world, and their approximate global population estimates, are House Sparrow (1.6 billion), European Starling (1.3 billion), Ring-billed Gull (1.2 billion), Barn Swallow (1.1 billion), www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2023170118 These birds have a reputation for damaging fruit and grain crops—though they also consume harmful insects—and usurping native songbirds’ nest holes (see also invasive species). S. vulgaris feeds on the ground and flies in tight flocks; vocal year-round, it mimics other birds’ notes and utters wheezy sounds of its own. They frequently form large flocks called murmurations, which may move in synchrony in order to avoid predators. Such murmurations are avoided by aircraft, since collisions have resulted in air crashes in different parts of the world. This bird is extremely social, and large groups can number in the millions. These groups, called flocks, grow larger in the cold months, and they roost in huge numbers. When flying, these large flocks form a mass in the air, and are easily recognizable. www.nytimes.com/2022/04/04/travel/starling-murmurations.html European Starling Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers. In addition to being obnoxious and loud when in groups, starlings can cause property damage by accumulation of starling droppings. Starlings carry a plethora of diseases. Avian salmonellosis (primarily, Salmonella enterica) has been documented in starlings (Feare 1984). This disease is transmissible to humans, poultry, and livestock. Chlamydiosis (also psittacosis, ornithosis, parrot fever) usually results from inhaling Chlamydophila psittaci that lives in dried feces. Starlings and blackbirds can infect humans and domestic fowl with C. psittaci (Grimes 1978, Grimes et al. 1979, Andersen et al. 1997). Starlings also carry Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis, which causes Johne’s disease in cattle (also known as paratuberculosis) (Matthews and McDiarmid 1979, Corn et al. 2005). The bacteria are excreted in feces and milk. Johne’s disease costs the United States (US) dairy industry $200-250 million, annually (Beard et al. 2001, Ott et al. 1999). Starling fecal matter can pass transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE) to swine. Although the evidence is largely indirect and circumstantial, it is believed that during the winter of 1978-1979 starlings served as vectors for an outbreak of TGE in Nebraska that caused the loss of 10,000 swine in one month (Pilchard 1965, Bohl 1975, Gough et al. 1979, Johnson and Glahn 1994). Shiga toxinproducing Escherichia coli (STEC) is another disease the may be transmitted by starlings to cattle. In the cattle industry, annual costs of illnesses related to E. coli STEC exceeded $267 million (NCBA 2004). Humans get this disease when consuming tainted food products, especially ground beef. Knowledge of the movement patterns of starlings would be critical to understanding the real role that starlings have in epidemiologies of these diseases. By disturbing soil or flooring at blackbird and starling roosts, humans can become ill with histoplasmosis, a fungal disease of the lungs caused by Histoplasma capsulatum (DiSalvo and Johnson 1979, Storch et al. 1980). Histoplasmosis recently was reported at a manufacturing facility in Nebraska used by starlings (J. Hobbs, personal communication). People at highest risk of exposure, however, are those working in agriculture, particularly poultry, or those coming in contact with bird or bat roosts that might have been abandoned a decade or more prior to disturbance (DiSalvo and Johnson 1979). Finally, West Nile virus (WNV) was confirmed in North America in 1999 and since that time has spread across the US. This is a serious, and life-threatening disease to humans and wildlife. Sullivan et al. (2006) found that red-winged blackbirds are WNV hosts and can disperse diseases along their migratory routes. The role of starlings in dispersing WNV is unknown, but starlings can act as hosts for the virus (Bernard et al. 2001), and thus may be involved in spreading the disease among vertebrates including, humans, horses, and birds. ECONOMIC IMPACTS Pimentel et al. (2000) estimated that yearly starling damage to agriculture was US$800 million, based on a figure of US$5/ha. In 1999, three feedlot operators in Kansas estimated a loss of $600,000 from bird damage alone (US Department of Agriculture 2000). Data reported in 1968 from Colorado feedlots indicated the cost of cattle rations consumed during winter by starlings was $84 per 1,000 starlings. With the current cost of feed, the associated losses would certainly be much higher. In Idaho, some livestock facility operators estimated that starlings consumed 15 to 20 tons of cattle feed per day. The costs associated with starlings in the spread of livestock disease may be more important than food consumption. For example, the 10,000 pigs lost in Nebraska might be valued at nearly US$1.0 million in today’s market.
As these, Slearnbirdwatching.com/birds-that-dive-bomb-humans/European starlings are of medical concern because more than 25 diseases and ectoparasites have been associated with them, their nests and droppings. Diseases include encephalitis, histoplasmosis, Newcastle disease, chlamydias and salmonellosis. The ectoparasites include primarily mite species which can bite humans or infest domestic animals, causing extreme discomfort. European starling droppings may also cause components of steel buildings to degrade and lead to significant structural damage. In addition, starlings are also known for bird strikes of aircraft, causing at least one crash with fatalities. There are a number of reasons why they engage in this aggressive behaviour: 1. Natural Instinct:For many bird species, dive-bombing is a natural instinct when they feel their nest or young are being threatened. They may view humans as a potential predator and act accordingly to protect their offspring. While this behaviour can be intimidating, it is usually not harmful to humans. To avoid being dive-bombed by European starlings, it’s important to be aware of their nesting areas and to keep a safe distance. Additionally, wearing a hat or carrying an umbrella can provide some protection from the birds’ sharp beaks.learnbirdwatching.com/birds-that-dive-bomb-humans/ I suppose it all can get wrong when we interfere with it, taking into account its mimicking abilities. And am sure that they are harmful for any environment they live in in short. All above content is directly copied from websites you which you can check for credentials.
Scavenging behaviourwww.researchgate.net/publication/233390676_Scavenging_behaviour_of_common_starlings_Sturnus_vulgaris
New study reveals alarmingly massive economic costs of biological invasions to the European Union phys.org/news/2023-06-reveals-alarmingly-massive-economic-biological.html?fbclid=IwAR35rbAlNAIIQm1za3yCdNsa5KYViyKjoZhMfF7G5bagFSvYhwFOBlZxW48
Australia has biosecurity alert:
Review of nonlethal and lethal control tools for managing the damage of invasive birds to human assets and economic activities
They possibly could help Starling Control | Starling Control Products | Bird B Gone
Car conversion is more effective way towards net zero than production of new cars. Troleycars would be desirable in future. Biofuel use is rather ridiculous (land use, persistent emission)
Although road vehicles account for around 20% of emissions, it goes into the atmosphere mainly during the day and contributes much locally and regionally to excessive carbon dioxide concentration and temperature rise. Fuel consumption standards are the means used to reduce these emissions. The European Union has established that in the years 2020-2021 the average emission of a passenger car of the produced fleet cannot exceed 95g CO2 / km, which corresponds to 4.1l / 100km for a gasoline vehicle and 3.6l / 100km for a diesel. Due to the continuous increase in the number of cars, this will not help to decrease total emissions and generally has little effect. Only replacing motor vehicles with electric ones that will be charged from the renewable energy grid has the chance to reduce total emissions. The policy objective should be to increase the number of electric cars. Many countries are subsidizing the purchase of electric cars. Any motor vehicle can, however, be converted to electric cheaper than purchase a new one. If it were widespread, it could significantly help reduce the negative impact of road traffic on the climate.
In case, as it is at now over North America, of high concentration of sulphur dioxide and other volcanic gases you may need calcium as SO2 can damage skeleton, charcoal for detoxication, air purifier device. According to my observation, charcoal pieces applied directly to the plant speed up its recovery. Application of Purple Sulfur Bacteria could be beneficial, relying on Wikipedia article findings.
For me, it is obvious that volcanic pollution can affect mental health of masses.. It can be in some cases oxygen deficyt but volcanic cloud contain many harmful substances including radioactive radon. I see link between volcanic eruptions and worsening of human kind integrity. Looking into past you can not forget some harsh winter condition during i.e. II WW that say about climatic impact - 3 erruptions above 0.1km3. Crime against humanity in Rwanda and eruption of Nyiragongo could be put as example. War in Ukraine escalated after La Palma Cumbre Vieja eruption which span over three moths with constant emission. Ash cloud was not toll and it affected Europe.
I As This post will be updated.
I regret that having as all of us limitation altogether with tiredness affected outcomes of my activity, of which main purpose is support in making decision with regard to Climate Change. Personal circumstances, complexity of problem and tiredness and so on affected outcomes. People tend to become accustomed to some way of live etc. there is social barrier in implementation of innovation. There is lots of disbelieve in such circumstances regarding something different from people are used to. Again apologies for my imperfections and tiredness, I am going to provide you with thought and advice. Now here where I live is quite cold as for March. Such weather can make some people still disbelieve in any global warming. So is snowing but also strong wind gust as supercells form. I presume because of in upper atmosphere is high concentration of methane i.e.. There is also sun more active for now. Many solar flares and so on which as long as remember enhance condition for thunderstorms. It seems that some methane gone from lower altitude of in Northern Hemisphere atmosphere comparing to recent year. It looks like there is more ozone in Northern Hemisphere therefore hydroxyl dioxide could be present in bigger quantities which would explain smaller concentration of methane in some altitudes. There were few volcanic eruptions recently, therefore SO2 could enhance nucleation. In such circumstances, supercell are direct danger. If you understand problem of Climate Change you should conclude that best way to mitigate danger should be switched off use less energy not driving car etc especially with direct heat from combustion rather enhance danger even more. There is simple conclusion switch of heating of house, but then you risk getting cold, so not many people maybe decide to do so. In winter and cloudy weather, solar panels does not work well. However, there is at least a prototype of electromagnetic energy generator. I said to myself, it should be a gift to everyone. You can find more information in one of the previous posts. There are always barriers in implementation of such ideas and innovations. Most of all, persisting problem of stranded capital (in natural gas). To look for other ways of using natural gas would help omit barrier. Use of fossil fuels in production of expansive goods which would give comparable outcome to present have to eliminate barrier with smaller extraction - circumstance of minimum, no methane leaks and if any manageable on the spot. Let's imagine that you can use it (i.e. plastic) in production of robots in economy where robots are performing work in more and more areas in future. In such economy you do not need more human workforce and machine would make wealth. In ageing society would solve problem with pension. Knowing this, fossil fuel company X invest in robotics but while doing so need profit. For now i.e. furniture could be produced (added silicone and silver would make it bacteriostatic) To halt emission as soon as possible, anyone can compete in robotics to speed up implementation. Here is needed to think about way of restructuring. This applies best to steady state economy. In Use of fossil fuels for other purposes i.e. kind of insulation is viable economically on its own as help keep inflation low, lowering risk of crops losses due to extreme weather. Therefore governmental help in such case of protection of environment and in this case also public safety is indeed desirable, explainable, In profit oriented economy other values happen to be underestimated, neglected and so on. Investments without direct profit into resolving such problem are usually not of any interest of business. Looking for direct profit of climate action is the way market react. There is urgent need to speed up move. You kind of need to implement the solution for now. In case of electromagnetic energy generator it works in any weather condition which is making other green energy vulnerable and less reliable. Due to drought, China had low energy production from hydro, so they moved to coal i.e. Live in direct danger of tornadoes is awful. When you check weather condition and see coming storm, you worry about your life and can drive you into madness. If storm pass you may not bother any longer, then anyway can affect someone else rather and wildlife. Live with danger on daily basis is unbearable. To find a way to defend is desirable, you firstly in face of danger have to use less energy and produce less direct heat. With regard to adaptation, you can not leave yourself in circumstance of growing danger in time, as you will need to do more and more effort. Any solution of adaptation can be delaying emission cuts. First of all you need, being endangered use less energy and produce less heat. In case of methane release, replacement of WC gel with products containing bacteria clearing sewage need to be used more commonly. Similar bacteria could be part of solution with regard to methane release from waste, possibly. Bacteria producing lactic acid used would additionally prevent from Alzheimer. Waste can feed rodents and dicondylia and other pests causing its plague, so elimination of waste has more than one ground. Would be good to apply these in case of mass death. The machine could help evaluate how much GHG and direct heat in case of danger can be released in order to minimize risk. In case of supercell clouds build up in certain way, grow taller it tops freeze and start to rotate getting round shape (single one). It grows on moisture and move. While supercell i small, it must be possible to disperse it or interrupt the process of its formation with reflected sunlight, a kind of light beam but not single only kind of messy derived from use of varieties of even raw crystals and translucent stones and lenses placed on a mirror. In case of bigger cloud, multi-cell, I think that such beam could make less favourable condition for tornadoes. To solve a problem you need positive thinking, having positive attitude is not enough to get the best possible solution.
"When you hold your hand out to a burning fire you “feel” the heat being emitted by the fire but what is happening? The fire gives out light and infrared (IR) radiation; from a fire most of this is near infrared (NIR) radiation. Some of the NIR radiation is absorbed by water molecules in your skin. This raises the temperature of the water and results in an increase in temperature in the surrounding tissue which is detected by nerves in your skin. This radiation was discovered in 1800 by William Herschel, a musician and very successful amateur astronomer (he discovered the planet Uranus) because he wanted to know if any particular colour was associated with heat from sunlight. He found that the heat maximum was beyond the red end of the spectrum."
Heating Value Sensor for Producer Gas - Scientific Figure on ResearchGate.
Optimizing Ag-Pt core-shell nanostructures for solar energy conversion, plasmonic photocatalysis, and photothermal catalysis - Scientific Figure on ResearchGate.
Climate Change make perfect condition for growth of cyanobacteria, like plants these algae turn sunlight into food. These thrive in warmer waters and get even better condition to grow while warmer water mix more difficult so are absorbing sunlight more easily. Still rising concentration of carbon dioxide in atmosphere is in they's favour to. Blue-green algae toxins, also called cyanotoxins, are some of the deadliest on the planet, "Among the most potent toxins known, far more potent than industrial chemicals," the late Kenneth Hudnell testified to Congress in 2008. "They cause death at dosage levels in the low parts per billion range ... more potent than strychnine, curare (the poison dart toxin) and sarin (a nerve gas).".
Bonilla, Sylvia, Pick, Frances R. Freshwater bloom-forming cyanobacteria and anthropogenic change. Limnology and Oceanography e-Lectures, doi: 10.1002/loe2.10006
After huge wildfires in Australia Sydney's coastline suffered mass death event. Salinity has increased in shallow estuaries as freshwater inflows dropped with the dry period, then the bushfires brought additional phosphorous and nitrogen, including from fire retardants, which stimulated cyanobacteria growth.
Southern Africa temperature rise at twice of global average therefore is a perfect place for blooms which can be harmful for even biggest Earth's mammals. In 2020 hundreds of elephant corpses have been found in Botswana within a period of few months.
In 2018 Florida's waterway have been filed with this toxic algae. In slow-moving or dead-end waterbodies, like Cape Coral canals, the blue-green algae (also called cyanobacteria) piled up in putrid mats “so thick ducks would walk on it and iguanas run across it” Florida is US hotspot for diseases related to intoxication.
In such a situation, a question regarding possibility of airborne exposure to microcystin appeared. According to studies, cyanotoxins are 10 times more potent when inhaled. Generally, use of charcoal and oxygen is the simplest way to get rid of toxins, but have no idea it works in this case. Would be good to detoxicate oceans water using platinum somehow and biocultures binding heavy metals. Some benefits certainly could be derived by implementation of use as fertiliser fallen leafs collected from forest, it would prevent wildfires as well.
Green Daily
A summit that reset the rich-poor balance By Laura Millan Lombrafia At 4 a.m. on Sunday morning, climate negotiators in Egypt walked back from the abyss and struck an historic deal that resets the relationship between rich and poor countries. Approved without a single opposing voice, the agreement to create a fund to help developing nations face the devastation of climate change is a precedent-setting moment three decades in the making. Sherry Rehman, Pakistan's climate minister, called the agreement the “ultimate test” of theCOP27 climate summit, which was finally wrapped up after running well past its scheduled close on Friday. “The establishment of a fund is not about dispensing charity,” she said. “It is clearly a down payment on the longer investment in our joint futures.” Pakistan has become a symbol of the ravages of climate change, after torrential rains flooded a third of the country, left hundreds dead and caused some $30 billion in loss and damage. But the agreement to set up the fund is just the first step toward helping Pakistan and other vulnerable nations. Details of how the mechanism will work and how much rich countries will contribute are to be thrashed out over the next few months, and then taken up at the COP28 meeting in the United Arab Emirates next year. The deal redraws the old divide between poor and wealthy nations, and leaves the door open for China and a number of oil-producing states to join the official ranks of rich countries that will become contributors to the fund. Yet skepticism remains. Rich nations have a track record of not living up to their climate promises, so for now “what we have is an empty bucket,” said Mohamed Adow, executive director at think tank Power Shift Africa. “We need money to make it worthwhile.” For many, getting the fund was a bitter victory. Efforts by the European Union, the UK and small island nations to secure stronger commitments on cutting greenhouse gas emissions failed. And attempts to have nations agree to peak global emissions by 2025 or phase down all unabated fossil fuels also fell flat. “Why are we celebrating loss and damage when we have failed on mitigation and adaptation?” said Aminath Shauna, environment minister for the Maldives, the world’s lowest-lying nation. “We are just a meter above sea level — I want my two-year-old daughter to live in the Maldives.” Sameh Shoukry, Egypt’s foreign minister who presided over the COP27 talks, had adopted a hands-off approach for much of the summit’s two weeks. Delegates were forced to extend negotiations and make last-minute concessions to prevent the whole event from ending in failure. “We were faced with a moral dilemma,” said Frans Timmermans, the European Union’s climate chief. “We had to give up some of the things we wanted to help this process and its parties to find a way forward.” Alok Sharma, Shoukry’s predecessor at COP26 in Scotland last year, complained that key points for which he’d fought were now either missing or watered down. “Emissions peaking before 2025 as the science tells us is necessary? Not in this text,” said Sharma, visibly angry as the session came to an end. “Clear follow-through on the phase-down of coal? Not in this text. Clear commitment to phase out all fossil fuels? Not in this text. The energy text? Weakened in the final minutes.” This year’s final text includes language allowing a transition to “low-emission” sources, which is being interpreted as a loophole for natural gas, the lowest-emitting of fossil fuels. There’s widespread criticism that COP27 was shaped by the presence of fossil-fuel representatives. At the same time, major hydrocarbon producers such as Saudi Arabia blocked language that would have called for a plan to phase out oil and gas. “The influence of the fossil-fuel industry was found across the board,” said Laurence Tubiana, chief executive officer at the European Climate Foundation and an architect of the landmark Paris Agreement. “The Egyptian Presidency has produced a text that clearly protects oil and gas petrostates and the fossil-fuel industries. This trend cannot continue in the United Arab Emirates next year.” Ingenuity will transform climate change risk into financial, social, and environmental opportunities More momentum on methane 150 nations A bigger group of counties have now joined a methane pledge to cut emissions of the super-powerful greenhouse gas 30% by the end of the decade. Five takeaways from COP27 By Akshat Rathi Now that the books have closed on COP27, here’s a look at five key takeaways from more than two weeks of climate talks involving nearly 200 countries. 1. A new fund for loss and damage Climate change causes inequities and exacerbates them. Rich countries gained their wealth from fossil fuels, leaving poor countries who haven’t benefited from those emissions with huge bills from the resulting climate impacts. After decades of calls to compensate climate victims in the developing world, COP27 finally produced an agreement to create a fund that would address loss and damage. But this breakthrough comes with enormous question marks. No sums of money were actually committed at Sharm El-Sheikh, and the rules of how the fund would work were left to be decided at next year’s COP28 in the United Arab Emirates. Henry Kokofu, a Ghanaian politician and head of the Climate Vulnerable Forum, warned that without further concrete steps there is a risk of simply creating “an empty bank account.” 2. Possible changes coming to multilateral lenders For the first time, a COP meeting included a call to reform the global financial architecture so that it better aligns with climate goals. The idea is to tweak the mandates of multilateral development banks such as the World Bank and international financial institutions, such as the International Monetary Fund, to ensure that greater financing flows to energy-transition projects and efforts to adapt to a warming planet. “The moment is right,” said Laurence Tubiana, chief executive officer of the European Climate Foundation. “Climate impacts are beginning to be understood as a macroeconomic risk.” 3. The fight for the nitty-gritty The issue that held up negotiations and made COP27 the second-longest UN climate summit was the “mitigation work program.” The idea is to ensure that countries set clear targets, plans and metrics to reduce emissions on pace to meet climate goals. So far, commitments have not followed the same standard, with countries using different criteria and baselines for their targets. Without a common system, those pledges may not turn into actual emissions reductions. Climate-forward countries wanted to run the program until 2030. But opposition from laggards led to a compromise of running it until 2026, with a chance to extend it. If the program succeeds, it could have stronger implications than countries simply agreeing to political statements on phasing out all fossil fuels. 4. Weak rules for carbon markets Countries agreed at COP26 to create the rules that would allow nations to trade carboncredits. That means that Norway, for example, could pay to preserve Indonesian forests, and in return scrub emissions from the Norwegian carbon ledger. At COP27, negotiators outlined a more detailed framework for how such a carbon market would work, including allowing corporations to buy credits from governments. But experts warned the rules are still not strict enough. “The carbon market spirit of Glasgow turned into the offsetting ghost of Sharm El-Sheikh, which risks haunting effective climate action for years to come,” said Sam Van den plas, policy director at Carbon Market Watch. 5. The 1.5C goal remains in grave jeopardy Despite attempts by big powers like the US, India and the European Union, the Sharm El-Sheikh agreement failed to raise ambitions on reducing emissions. That could mean the world misses the 1.5 degrees Celsius warming target enshrined in the 2015 Paris Agreement. Calls to phase out all fossil fuels (not just coal) and to peak global emissions by 2025 (which is likely to happen anyway, according to the International Energy Agency) were shot down by many nations who export oil. While the phase-down of all fossil fuels didn’t make it to the final text, momentum grew around an idea that wasn’t even on the cards before the summit. As many as 80 countries now support it, Timmermans said, with the EU and others expected to lobby on the issue in the year ahead. As the world grapples with an energy crisis and high fossil-fuel prices fill the coffers of major producers, the political clout of carbon powers was on display at COP27. Annalena Baerbock, the German foreign minister, expressed frustration at “being stonewalled by a number of large emitters and oil producers.” That fight is likely to get harder as COP28 heads to the United Arab Emirates, an oil and gas giant. |
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