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A Sumatran rhino calf born in Indonesia adds to an endangered species of fewer than 50 animals

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A Sumatran rhino calf born in Indonesia adds to an endangered species of fewer than 50 animals

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https://www.euronews.com/green/2023/11/28/a-sumatran-rhino-calf-born-in-indonesia-adds-to-an-endangered-species-of-fewer-than-50-ani

semi-natural breeding

purposely placing two animals of the same species to breed, usually in hopes of repopulating endangered species.

conservation guard

law enforcement officer who protects wildlife and the environment.

Poachers

illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals.

Sanctuary

a nature reserve.

critically endangered

A species facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

A Sumatran rhino calf was recently born in Indonesia, marking a significant event for the critically endangered species.

The Sumatran rhino population is alarmingly low, with fewer than 50 individuals remaining in the wild, making it one of the most endangered rhino species globally.

The birth highlights the importance of ongoing conservation efforts in Indonesia aimed at preserving and increasing the population of the Sumatran rhino.

The successful birth of the calf is a positive outcome of captive breeding programs designed to boost the rhino population and prevent further decline.

The article discusses the challenges faced by Sumatran rhinos, such as habitat loss and poaching, that contribute to their critically endangered status.

Ranu Herath

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"Blue Planet" showcases diverse marine life, emphasizing the interrelation of ocean ecosystems.

utilizes advanced filming techniques to offer visuals of the underwater world.

It addresses climate change, pollution, and overfishing, promoting awareness and conservation efforts.

Explores how ocean currents regulate Earth's climate.

Captures intense predator-prey interactions, highlighting the delicate balance in marine ecosystems.

Documents unique reproductive strategies of marine life.

Explores the depths, revealing bizarre, unknown species adapted to extreme conditions.

Highlights plastic pollution, overfishing, and the urgent need for global cooperation to protect oceans.

breathtaking cinematography capturing underwater landscapes and marine behaviours.

Serves as an educational tool, inspiring appreciation for oceans and promoting conservation actions.

"Blue Planet" illustrates the interdependence of marine ecosystems and the impact of human activities like plastic pollution and overfishing on ocean health. It also explores how oceans, through their currents, play a vital role in regulating global climate. Beyond showing marine life, the series urges viewers to acknowledge the delicacy of our oceans and advocates for crucial conservation efforts to ensure a sustainable future.

Ranu Herath

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https://www.greenfleet.com.au/pages/climate-change?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA67CrBhC1ARIsACKAa8SYPIT-kdhP-SLKEv6QStAQT4zUQjr833YdDzoI4QG8h9vyNFzSZDcaAtIyEALw_wcB

Biodiversity: the variety of plant and animal life in the world or in a particular habitat, a high level of which is usually considered to be important and desirable.

Greenfleet: is a 25-year-old Australian not-for-profit environmental organisation and Australia’s first carbon offset provider

The Paris Agreement: often known as the Paris Accords or the Paris Climate Accords, is an international climate change accord. The pact, which was signed in 2015, addresses climate change mitigation, adaptation, and financing.

The United Nations: is an intergovernmental organisation whose declared goals are to promote international peace and security, foster cordial relations among nations, accomplish international collaboration, and serve as a focal point for nations' actions.

The rise in global air and ocean temperatures has led in increasing sea levels and widespread loss of snow and ice cover, both of which are having an impact on the Earth's delicate ecosystems.

Burning fossil fuels, producing food, and travelling all contribute to rising emissions in our atmosphere. These glasshouse gases contribute to rising air and water temperatures, which can have disastrous consequences for ecosystems, biodiversity, and communities.

The 2015 Paris Agreement (2015) set a global aim of keeping average temperature rise well below 2°C.

Climate change has had a greater impact on Australian wildlife in recent years than ever before. It is estimated that a billion creatures died during the Black Summer bushfires, and koalas are just one of the species that have since been reclassified as endangered.

Greenfleet has planted over 10.5 million trees and established over 550 forests in Australia and New Zealand since 1997.

We will continue to witness extreme weather events such as droughts, floods, and bushfires as temperatures continue to climb.

Ravneet Bajwa

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The series features 11 episodes, each showcasing a unique biome or habitat, showcasing the diverse and remarkable ecosystems on Earth.

Advanced filming techniques, such as high-definition cameras and helicopter aerial shots, were utilized to capture stunning visuals of landscapes, wildlife, and natural phenomena.

The episodes explore diverse environments, including polar regions, deserts, jungles, and oceans, providing a comprehensive view of the planet's biodiversity.

The series explores the distinctive adaptations of different species to survive and thrive in their respective environments, underscoring the interconnectedness of all living things.

The documentary offers viewers exclusive footage of animal behaviour, including hunting techniques, mating rituals, and parenting, enhancing their comprehension of the natural world.

The text discusses environmental challenges and climate change's impact, emphasizing the importance of ecosystem conservation to maintain Earth's delicate balance.

The series features iconic footage of the Great Barrier Reef, Arctic polar bears, and New Guinea's courtship dance of paradise birds.

George Fenton's soundtrack enhances the emotional impact of the documentary, complementing its visuals and contributing to its widespread acclaim.

The fundamental environmental science concept discussed in "Planet Earth" is ecosystem interconnection and nature's delicate balance. The series emphasises the mutual dependence of many species, plants, animals, and geological elements within their particular settings. It demonstrates how disturbances or changes in one component of an ecosystem can have a domino impact on the entire system. Furthermore, "Planet Earth" addresses the influence of human actions on various ecosystems, especially climate change, emphasising the significance of conservation and sustainable practices in preserving the Earth's biodiversity.

Ravneet Bajwa

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Biodiversity: All living things, including humans, animals, microorganisms, and plants, are considered to be a part of biodiversity.

Carbon Footprint: The entire amount of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, that are produced by human activity.

Sustainable: The ability to sustain a process over an extended period of time with minimal or no environmental harm.

Eco-friendly: Something created that has minimal or zero negative impact on the environment.

o   Antarctica’s temperature has had a sudden increase within the past few years with climate increasing by 3 degrees Celsius.

o   The population of hair grass and pearlwort plants are gradually increasing with time as glaciers are melting.

o   As glaciers are melting, there is more room for plants and species to inhabit. With the temperature in Antarctica increasing, the original species population is simultaneously decreasing with the fur seals as their population is declining at a rapid rate due to rising sea levels impacting their diet.

o   Moreover, numerous researchers have found more environmentally friendly battery technologies.

o   For instance, battery technology developed at the University of California produces pure silicon from sand. The scientists used their mushroom computer chips to manufacture sensors, batteries, and a Bluetooth connection module.

o   They might replace traditional electronic circuits with more environmentally friendly ones, lowering the amount of e-waste produced worldwide.

Nina Zaya

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Picture a perfect scene; you'll probably imagine a field of verdant flowers stretching across a sun-drenched landscape. The once frigid, immaculate expanse of Antarctica is turning into that postcard scene, and scientists are worried. The nonprofit Discovering Antarctica says this unusual floral growth signifies worsening climate change.

These strange events would shock and terrify people, but they must also compel us into action. Securing humanity's future requires us to examine and understand such issues. As a result, we could use our innovation and determination to keep our planet habitable for generations to come. Fortunately, we've been making significant strides in sustainable technology.

This article will elaborate on the sudden spread of flowers in Antarctica. Then, I will discuss technologies that could help us secure an eco-friendly future.

What are the implications of more flowers in Antarctica?

News website Indy100 reported there are only two types of flowers native to the extremely cold Antarctica: the Antarctic pearlwort and Antarctic hair grass. Unfortunately, they're growing at an alarming rate.

University of Insurbia researcher Nicoletta Cannone and her team measured their growth on Signy Island and the South Orkney Islands. Consequently, they confirmed these plants are growing faster because Antarctic ice is melting faster than ever.

They also discovered these spots are hosting denser hair grass and pearlwort populations as the climate becomes warmer. Moreover, the nonprofit organization Discovering Antarctica says temperatures rose by roughly 3°C due to human-induced environmental changes.

The melting ice opened more spaces for the further growth of these plant species. British Antarctic Survey researcher Peter Convey told New Scientist, "The most novel feature of this is not the idea that something is growing faster."

"It's that we think we're starting to see what is almost like a step change or a tipping point," he added. Also, Scottish Association for Marine Science member Matthew Davey noted, "Accelerated expansion is now clearly evident in the region."
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"This research gives us the first comprehensive data set showing how fast and how dense the plant community may expand," Davey added. The researchers acknowledged other factors may have spiked Antarctic plant growth.

Yet, those other factors, like the declining fur seal population, are also related to climate change. Moreover, invasive species may spread in Antarctica as it becomes more habitable.

As a result, it could disrupt long-standing local ecosystems. "If we extrapolate what we observed on Signy Island to other sites in Antarctica, a similar process can also occur. This means that the Antarctic landscape and biodiversity could change rapidly," said Cannone.

What are the latest green technologies?

The sudden growth of flowers in Antarctica alarms scientists, but we are making strides in making our world more sustainable. Numerous innovations offer new ways to reduce our carbon footprint and make our world more habitable.

For example, the French startup Neoplants released genetically modified plants that purify air more efficiently than ordinary houseplants. The company created it from the pothos, the most popular houseplant in the United States.

Believe it or not, Johannes Kepler University researchers used fungi to create computer chips. They prepared a flat sheet of Ganoderma lucidum and applied a thin layer of copper and gold.
You may also like: New industry clouds offer launchpad for innovation
The scientists created batteries, sensors, and a Bluetooth communication module from their mushroom computer chips. They may become a more sustainable alternative to conventional electronic circuits, significantly reducing global e-waste.

Many researchers have also discovered more sustainable battery technologies. For example, the University of California created battery tech that yields pure silicon from sand.

IBM Research created seawater batteries with no heavy metals. Meanwhile, the University of Eastern Finland created energy cells consisting of barley husk ash.

Conclusion

Antarctica is experiencing increased floral growth due to melting ice caps. The new land and heightened temperatures give way to more plant growth.

Fortunately, we are creating more viable alternatives to our destructive products and services. Further research and development could help us lead more sustainable lives.

As a result, future generations will continue to enjoy prosperous lives on Earth. Learn more about the latest digital tips and trends at Inquirer Tech.

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Antarctica is growing more flowers, and that's bad news

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Picture a perfect scene; you'll probably imagine a field of verdant flowers stretching across a sun-drenched landscape. The once frigid, immaculate expanse of Antarctica is turning into that

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-       A movie that outlines the importance of preserving the environment through not cutting trees and emitting pollution.

-       A film based on an orange specie, the Lorax, appearing after a tree is cut down as he ‘speaks for the trees.

-       Once-ler cuts down all the trees in order to promote his business and gain profit, without considering the impact it has on the environment

-       He breaches the Lorax’s trust by falsely promising he won’t cut down any tree making the area inhabitable for the various animals living in it forcing them to flee to a habitable environment.

-       There’s only one seed remaining that Ted plants after his crush says ‘ill marry any guy who gets me it’, causing controversy with O’Hare.

-       O’Hare owns a business selling ‘premium air’ as pollution is prevalent throughout the atmosphere causing people to believe that premium air out of a plastic bottle will help them breathe.

-       As O’Hare is against Ted planting the seed, he does everything in his will to influence society into thinking that trees are dirty and cause a lot of mess, so instead, use artificial trees controlled by him.

-       By Ted planting trees, everyone is able to preserve the new environment created, and learn from the mistake they once made.

The main environmental science concept shown in The Lorax is pollution and deforestation. Through greed, O’Hare emits pollution into the atmosphere in order to bribe people to buy premium air from his business, to make profit. The movie outlines the basic dangers of deforestation and its impact on species and humans creating a dystopian society where people rely on artificial light and technology, instead of the earths natural environment

Nina Zaya

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https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/pollution/

Acid mine drainage= Flow of acid or acidic liquid from metal mines or coal mines.

Aerosol can= Container of liquid material under high pressure. When released through a small opening, the liquid becomes a spray or foam.

Asphyxiate= To choke or suffocate.

Bioaccumulation= Process by which chemicals are absorbed by an organism, either from exposure to a substance with the chemical or by consumption of food containing the chemical.

Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)= Chemical compound mostly used in refrigerants and flame-retardants. Some CFCs have destructive effects on the ozone layer.

Incinerate= To burn up entirely.

Introduction summarized:

Pollution is the introduction of harmful materials into the environment. Pollutants damage the quality of air, water, and land. The three major types of pollution are air pollution, water pollution, and land pollution.

Air pollution summarized:

Polluted air can be dangerous, even if the pollutants are invisible. Natural disasters can also cause air pollution to increase quickly. The main reasons include vehicle emissions (substance that is produced and sent out into the air that is harmful), burning of fossil fuels & destroying forests.

Water pollution summarized:

Polluted water is unsafe for drinking and swimming. Water pollution occurs due to oil spills, Sulfuric acid, chemical waste, Sewage that has not been treated, Heat & garbage.

Land pollution summarized:

Garbage is the basic cause of land pollution. It often contains dangerous pollutants such as oils, chemicals, and ink. These pollutants can leech into the soil and harm plants, animals, and people. Other causes include Pesticides, trash & Mining as it sometimes leaves the soil contaminated with dangerous chemicals.

Manya Khanuja

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Pollution is the introduction of harmful materials into the environment. These harmful materials are called pollutants.

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Oceanic shark and Ray numbers down 71% over the past 50 years

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Oceanic shark and Ray numbers down 71% over the past 50 years

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https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/oceanic-shark-and-ray-numbers-down-71-percent-over-past-50-years-68399

“ knowing that this is a global figure”

A good system of communication, the issue relates to and involves the whole world.

Coincides

Occur at the same time, be at the same place at the same time being

Subpopulation

A subset of a larger population

Extrapolate global numbers

The process of inferring numbers/ values outside of the range of the existing to make figures.

Bycatch

Bycatch, in the fishing industry, is a fish or other marine species that is caught unintentionally while fishing for specific species or sizes of wildlife.

It’s different; “ intense pressure from the fishing industry to protect short term economic interests.”

theres intense pressure:

To protect the species, even if its short term, the costly will be huge and the gov wouldn’t possibly want to take the risks.

Short term economic interests:

This might mean that protecting these marine wildlife for the gov is only a short cause and determination and wont be lasting long. So they don’t want to spend their prices on things they believe is not as important and aren’t at crisis.

6- dot points:

shark and ray population sizes have shrunk by 71%.

New tech have made it easier for fishers to make demands of the market.

As a result, annual shark catches are 18 times the amount in 1970.

The great hammered shark experienced a resurgence in 2 areas protections was introduced in 2008.

The US is one of the countries that’s been really successful in reversing sharp population designs through management.

For every 10 sharks you had in the ocean in the 1970s, you would have 3 today, across these species, on an average.

Veronica Li

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Chemical Pesticides and Human Health: The Urgent Need for a New Concept in Agriculture

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Chemical Pesticides and Human Health: The Urgent Need for a New Concept in Agriculture

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Organophosphorus Pesticides - chemical substances used in agriculture to kill pests by affecting their nervous systems.

Carbamate Pesticides - chemicals used in agriculture to temporarily affect pest neurological systems, meaning that the effects on the pest can be reversed over time.

Acetylcholinesterase - acetylcholinesterase is an enzyme that helps control nerve signals.

Synthetic pyrethroids - pesticides that reproduce the natural compounds found in flower blooms. They act by interrupting the neurological system of insects, which causes paralysis.

The article discusses industrialized agriculture's growing chemical influence on ecosystems, with pesticides being the main focus

Pesticides are known to be harmful to human health and the environment

The food sovereignty concept was offered as a solution, emphasizing local policies for sustainability.

An example would be Italy, as they have banned pesticides and promoted pesticide-free food

Glyphosate is a widely used herbicide and it has been advised to be used rather than chemical pesticide as it is less toxic

The article encourages switching to cleaner and safer farming methods.

Jaskaran Singh

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1. verfishing: The film highlights the extent of overfishing around the world, emphasizing how modern fishing practices are depleting marine life faster than it can replenish.

2. Bycatch: "Seaspiracy" discusses the significant problem of bycatch, where non-target species, including dolphins, turtles, and seabirds, are caught unintentionally in fishing gear, often leading to their deaths.

3. Destructive Fishing Methods: The documentary exposes various destructive fishing methods, such as bottom trawling, which can have devastating effects on marine ecosystems by destroying habitats and causing long-term damage.

4. Impact on Ecosystems: The film explores how industrial-scale fishing operations disrupt marine ecosystems, leading to imbalances and cascading effects on the entire food chain.

5. Slave Labor in the Fishing Industry: "Seaspiracy" sheds light on human rights abuses and slave labor within the fishing industry, particularly in regions like Southeast Asia, where workers are subjected to poor working conditions and human trafficking.

6. Corruption in Regulatory Bodies: The documentary questions the effectiveness and integrity of various international regulatory bodies responsible for managing and protecting marine resources, suggesting that corruption and lack of enforcement contribute to the problem.

7. Mislabeling of Seafood: The film discusses the issue of seafood fraud and mislabeling, where consumers may unknowingly purchase fish that is not what it claims to be or is sourced through unsustainable and unethical practices.

8. Impact on Marine Conservation Organizations: "Seaspiracy" raises concerns about the effectiveness of some marine conservation organizations, suggesting that some may be compromised or not addressing the root causes of the problems in the fishing industry.

The "Seaspiracy" documentary delves into several key environmental science concepts related to the fishing industry. Overfishing is a prominent theme, emphasizing the depletion of marine resources beyond their capacity for natural replenishment. Destructive fishing methods, particularly bottom trawling, are explored, highlighting the ecological damage caused by these practices. The film also addresses the interconnected issues of bycatch, where non-target species are unintentionally caught, and the broader impact of industrial-scale fishing on marine ecosystems, pointing to the need for sustainable and ethical solutions in the fishing industry.

Veronica Li

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Biosecurity alert issued after poisonous Asian toad species found in Melbourne

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Biosecurity alert issued after poisonous Asian toad species found in Melbourne

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Biosecurity risk

A biosecurity risk is something that has the potential to harm the economy, environment or the community. Many organisms such as bacteria, viruses, animals, plants and insects can be considered a biosecurity risk.

Pest

A pest is defined as an organism, such as plants, animals or microorganisms, that has a negative impact on humans. Pest often have a negative impact on agriculture, the environment or our lifestyle. They can be native or invasive species.

Cane toad

Cane toads are a poisonous toad that was introduced to Australia in 1935. The cain toads thrived in the wild and have since been linked to the decline and extinction of many native species in Queensland and the Northern Territory.

Invasive species

An invasive species is an organism that is nonnative, or introduced to a particular area. They have the potential to course great economic and environmental harm.

An asian black-spiked toad was found in Melbournes southeast. The toad, native to China, Southern Asia, India, Pakistan, Nepal and Indonesia, is considered a biosecurity risk to Australia. The asian black-spiked toad is frequently intercepted at Australia's borders in shipping containers and personal luggage. Wildlife and pets could become ill or die from ingesting the poisonous toad. Invasive species also compete with native species for food and habitat. The Asian black-spiked toad could potentially course environmental impacts similar to the cane toad.

Ella Miller

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Key Points

The poisonous Asian black-spined toad has been spotted in Victoria.

Similar to the cane toad, the species is native to China, southern Asia, India, Pakistan, Nepal and Indonesia.

The animal is considered a biosecurity risk under legislation.

They reported their find to Agriculture Victoria, which has since identified the animal as an Asian black-spined toad - an amphibian that produces a poisonous milky substance.

Eating Asian black-spined toad skin or eggs could also cause serious illness or death.

Asian black-spined toad not normally found in wild

Authorities were trying to figure out how the type of toad - abundant and widespread in southeast Asia including in Bali, Thailand and Papua New Guinea - came to be in Melbourne.

Kay urged Melburnians to report any further sightings of the amphibians to Agriculture Victoria, as Asian black-spined toads were classified as pests under the state's legislation.

How can you identify an Asian black-spined toad?

The toad found in Melbourne was in poor condition and died before it was disposed of appropriately to minimise biosecurity risks, authorities said.

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Biosecurity alert issued after poisonous Asian toad species found in Melbourne

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Authorities are trying to figure out how the poisonous toad came to be in Melbourne. The species is abundant in southeast Asia, including in Bali, Thailand and Papua New Guinea.

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Summary

"Princess Mononoke" follows Ashitaka, a young prince cursed by a boar demon, as he gets caught in a conflict between Iron Town, an industrial community led by Lady Eboshi. The film explores ecology, the clash between industrialization and the environment, and the interdependence of all living things. While trying to find a solution for his illness, Ashitaka attempts to resolve issues between the two factions. The Forest Spirit is the forest's guardian; it has the power to give and take lives; nevertheless, Lady Ebsohi is tricked into killing the Forest Spirit and shooting its head off, disrupting the forest's peace. Ashitaka (the protagonist) wants to help the forest spirit by retrieving it. As a result, the two hostile groups reconcile, and peace is restored in their interconnected worlds.

Environmental science concepts

The main environmental science issue addressed in "Princess Mononoke" is the difficult interaction between human activity, industrialisation, and the natural environment. The movie explores the effects of reckless industrial expansion on ecosystems, portraying a battle between the developing Iron Town and an ancient forest inhabited by spirits. This dispute underscores the greater subject of ecological interrelationships as well as the impact of human actions on nature's vulnerable balance. "Princess Mononoke" is an important story that encourages readers to consider the consequences of environmental exploitation and the importance of coexistence between humans and nature.

Jaskaran Singh

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Algae - A simple, non-flowering and typically aquatic plant of a large group that includes the seaweeds and many single-celled forms.

Grazing - To feed on growing grass and herbs.

Distinct - Recognisably different in nature from something else of a similar type.

Ecosystems are geographic areas where plants, animals. and other organisms, as well as the weather and landscape, work together to form a bubble of life.

Ecosystems contains of Biotic and Abiotic parts; Biotic can include Plants and Animals, while Abiotic can include Rocks and Temperature.

A change in the temperature of an ecosystem will often affect what plants will grow there.

Ecosystems are connected in a larger biome; Types of biomes are Forests, Ponds, Reefs and Tundra.

Canopies are ecosystems at the top of the rainforest, where tall and thin trees such as figs grow in search of sunlight.

The whole surface of the Earth is a series of connected ecosystems; Ecosystems are often connected in a larger biome.

Pelumi Abayomi

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The concepts of Environmental Science shown in the film is that the uses of plastics would need to be reduced. It has an affect by harming the animals, in the ocean as they may get sick if they swallow it. The main goal is to save the ocean, by picking up the trash on beaches and finding out the threats to the sea.

In Taiji, every year over 700 dolphins and whales have been killed.

One of the world’s largest tuna companies was Mitsubishi, in which they controlled 40% of the world’s endangered bluefin.

The sharks keep the ocean healthy; They keep the fish stocks empty; They keep the ecosystems alive. The ocean would turn into a swamp if they didn’t have sharks in the ocean.

Sharks are usually the key to the survival of oceans. On average, sharks kill 10 people per year.

Plastic straws only accounted for 0.03% of plastic entering the ocean.

Trawling was one of the most destructive form of fishing.

Subsidies were originally started as a means to ensure food security. But now, they are the cause of food insecurity.

Fish have complex social lives. They even team up with other species to find food.

Pelumi Abayomi

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https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/what-is-carbon-capture-and-storage/

Carbon Capture Storage: The process of compacting carbon to a point where it becomes a liquid and injecting it deep into the ground to be stored.

Zero Emissions: A scenario where we are not releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and have found methods other than fossil fuels to power things.

Cost Blowout: A large increase in cost over a short amount of time

Climate Solutions: Solutions that look to help maintain, restore, or preserve ecosystems to try and get rid of CO2 in the atmosphere.

Emissions Intensive Industries: Companies that release a lot of emissions when producing the product they are selling.

Summary:

CCS stores and captures released emissions by injecting it into the ground. This can be used in many areas, but specifically this article focuses on fossil fuel energy infrastructure.

Some people believe that CCS can be used on emissions intensive industries to reduce their impact, however this is not the case.

By having a CCS facility attached to a coal or gas facility, companies can use it as a license to pollute, and continue releasing emissions.

Constructing CCS facilities is very expensive, and is 6 times more expensive than wind power when connected to a coal or gas facility.

Every CCS project has had massive delays and blowouts, and the facilities still release pollution. On top of that, most facilities have been a failure, and the others have underachieved.

Renewables are very cheaper, and therefore, avoiding emission should be the goal instead.

In WA, they constructed a CCS facility on a gas plant, it only captured 12% of emissions and cost $3.1 billion.

CCS hasn't been tested at a global scale, and it just doesn't work when attached to emission releasing buildings. The only solution is to stop burning fossil fuels.

Eamon Hogan

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Net Zero - A state in which the greenhouse gases going into the atmosphere are balanced by removal out of the atmosphere

Pre-Industrial Average - in reference to the time prior to the industrial revolution, and relates to the article in terms of how this revolutionary period affects our climate

Greenhouse gas emissions - Gases such as methane and carbon dioxide, that "blanket" the earth and trap the sun's heat within the atmosphere, leading to global warming and climate change

Distinctive chemical footprint - The total mass of chemicals of high concern used by an event, organisation, service, building or product

COP23 - A 2023 UN climate change conference held at UAE, where governments discussed how to limit and prepare for future climate change

The article briefly summarises the history, causes and nature of a well-heard concept; Climate change. The Author introduces and explores the emerging long-term shift in our earth's average temperatures and weather conditions, which has been linked to human activity. The article outlines the relation between humanity's use of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and gas to have produced greenhouse gas emissions, significantly following a revolutionary period emphasizing the need for efficiency; the industrial revolution. The text continues to propose further consequences of climate change, and how they impact our future. As a following of these results, the article reflects on the many efforts governments, and other organisations to address this issue, and how to help reduce the impact of climate change, as well as further understanding the nature of the issue.

-Pragya Sapra

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What is climate change? A really simple guide

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Human activities are causing world temperatures to rise, posing serious threats to people and nature.

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Renewable energy – powering a safer future

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Renewable energy – powering a safer future

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https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/raising-ambition/renewable-energy

1. Net-zero: Lower greenhouse gas emissions closest to zero as possible. balancing out what we release into the environment with what we take away or offset, so there’s no overall increase.

2. International Renewable Energy Agency: The International Renewable Energy Agency pushes the adoption and use of all forms of renewable energy such as geothermal, hydropower, ocean, bioenergy and wind energy.

3. International Energy Agency: The International Energy Agency is an autonomous intergovernmental organization that provides policy recommendations, analysis and data on the entire global energy sector.

4. World Health Organization: The World Health Organization works worldwide to promote health, keep the world safe and server the vulnerable. Their goal is to ensure more people have universal health coverage, to protect more people from health emergencies, and provide more people with better health and well-being.

This article talks about the big problem of climate change and how using too much fossil fuel is making it worse. We need to reduce the greenhouse gases by half by 2030 and stop them completely by 2050.

Renewable energy, like sunlight and wind, is seen as a good solution because it's available everywhere. Many people depend on other countries for fossil fuels, but renewable energy can make countries more independent. Experts think 90% of our electricity could come from renewables by 2050.

Using cleaner energy is also becoming cheaper. Prices are going down, and even though they might go up a bit in the next couple of years, it's still a good option. Renewable energy could give us 65% of the world's electricity by 2030, helping a lot with climate change.

The article mentions that polluted air from burning fossil fuels causes health problems and deaths. Switching to clean energy like wind and solar can help with both climate change and health issues.

It's said that using renewable energy creates more jobs than sticking with fossil fuels. This is good news for the economy. Even though some jobs might be lost in fossil fuel industries, more new jobs in clean energy are expected, helping around 30 million people.

The article talks about money, saying that we spend a lot on helping fossil fuels. It suggests that if we use that money for clean energy, we could save a lot in the long run. It might be a bit expensive at first, but it's a good investment for the future, saving trillions of dollars and making our energy supply more secure.

Rhys Pollard

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Leonardo DiCaprio travels all around the world to see first-hand how climate change is affecting our planet.

The film talks a lot about how what people do, especially using fossil fuels, is making the Earth warmer.

DiCaprio sees what's happening because of this, like ice melting, oceans rising, and problems for animals and plants.

The movie says we should use cleaner energy, like sunlight and wind, to stop the Earth from getting too warm.

The film stresses the importance of global collaboration in addressing climate change.

The film explores the challenges posed by special interest groups and political obstacles to effective climate policies

It tells people they should do things on their own and together to help stop climate change.

Before the Flood wants everyone to see it's our duty to take care of the Earth for the next generations and do something about climate change.

Before the Flood emphasizes the human-prompted nature of climate change. The film emphasizes the greenhouse effect, explaining how the burning of fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases, trapping heat within the Earth's atmosphere and causing global warming. It additionally explores the results of this warming, such as rising sea levels, intense weather events, and the melting of polar ice caps. The documentary highlights the urgent need to transition to renewable energy to mitigate the environmental effects of carbon emissions and advocates for global awareness and international cooperation in addressing climate change.

Rhys Pollard

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We are introduced to the host of the documentary who describes how he lives in the most sustainable way he thinks is possible.

The host, Kip Anderson, learns that cow farming alone is responsible for more emissions than the transportation sector, and is the leading cause of resource usage and ecosystem destruction.

Anderson looks to learn more about this on environmental groups websites, but finds nothing, however, when compared to fracking, the water usage by animal agriculture is 340x bigger and the methane emissions is equal.

Raising animals for food comes at the cost of 30% of our global water consumption, 45% of our landmass, 91% of the Amazon's destruction, and causes ocean dead zones, habitat destruction, and species extinction.

Anderson meets with a few people who are willing to talk to him on this issue, they tell him about the bleak future of animal agriculture and how its destroying the planet.

He tries to find some answers with spokespeople from the environmental groups, but they don't mention animal agriculture in relation to climate change, and don't answer when he asks them about it.

Whilst investigating the impact animal agriculture has on the oceans, Anderson finds out about the way fishing is done now, where massive nets are set up to catch fish, catching unwanted fish in the process. Doing a lot of damage to the marine ecosystems.

A similar situation is happening in rainforests, where massive amounts of land are being cleared, and whilst palm tree oil plantations are massive issues, animal agriculture is responsible for 110 million more acres of land cleared.

Anderson visits a pasture farm to try and see if the way they are farming is sustainable, which it isn't, as for just the US alone, the amount of land needed would take up the entirety of the US and Mexico, but also part of Canada, and large parts of South America. Making factory farming more sustainable, however still damaging to both the animal and environment.

He speaks to a dairy corporation and a farmer about how sustainable dairy farming is, and they tell him about all the landmass needed for dairy farming and all of the methane being released from the cow whilst raising them, which isn't a sustainable option.

The agriculture group has such a hold over the political system that farmers can call the government to kill predators near their land, and they do it, they kill so many predators that it's damaging the ecosystem. On top of that, the costs farmers don't have to pay are passed onto us, so we're paying for the raising of our food. The groups can also dictate federal policies around food due to their political power.

Anderson learns that these agricultural groups are so powerful that they will sue you if you speak against them, and its incredibly hard to win. The FBI monitors people who speak out against the business, and the groups kill people in countries like Brazil.

Animal agriculture requires so much more food and water than what we eat, and if we just stopped farming animals, we could return fields back to forests, and see an immediate effect on the atmosphere and planet with the methane stopped being released.

Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret exemplifies the amount of damage that emissions caused by animal agriculture is doing to our planet, and details where and what in a few cases what these emissions are causing. Furthermore, it identifies the amount of food and water is used to raise the animals, which is putting a significant strain on our land and water supply. Lastly, it details ways you can help by switching to a new diet, whether that be beef-free, vegetarian, or vegan, and that eventually, to live a truly sustainable lifestyle, we will eventually switch over to a fully plant based, vegan diet, to try and save our planet.

Eamon Hogan

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David Attenborough outlines life on our planet, and links habitats to humanity's homes, communities and cities, as well as the environmental catastrophes that can lead to land becoming uninhabitable

Attenborough evaluates another ongoing environmental catastrophe that goes unrecognized, which is the loss of our planet's "wild places", essentially threatening biodiversity.

The documentary continues to outline that the variety and richness, and the benefits taken from the sun and earth allow each organisms' lives to interlock in such a way that they sustain each other, as well as the earth itself.

Attenborough introduces "man's role" and how humanity has had an impact on our earth's biodiversity. The documentary further explores humanity, present in the time of the holoscene, the most stable period of life, due to our biodiversity.

Some of these elements include the stable temperature, atmosphere carbon control, and other regulators due to biodiversity, such as phytoplankton and plants

The documentary leads us back to the "ancient life" that took place on our earth, and the recurring cycle of mass extinction which occurred before the holoscene, happening 5 times in life's 4 billon year history.

We are then introduced to earth's evolutionary history, which outlines slow, steady change.

The media further extends on to the human animals' role on our earth, through the technologies and systems invented by ancient societies, such as farming during the holoscene, to exploit the seasons to produce food.

We learn that in nature, animals rely on physical development caused change to survive, while the human civilization has always, and continues to use intellectual ability and ideas to survive and evolve. Due to this, we continue to grow our technological advancements - causing our pace of change to get faster, where it was once stable.

Humanity continues to threat the wilderness, as the industrial revolution is introduced, leading to mass consumption of the earth - essentially an unsustainable way of life.

Attenborough states that the damage done to the wilderness would accumulate ultimately to a point where the whole system would collapse.

However, as humankind progresses, and new movements are made, our species grows to adopt a shared conscience, as we have "pursued animals to a point of extinction throughout history, but now that it was visible it was no longer acceptable.".

A life on our planet, briefly outlines the history and evolution of life on our planet, identifying the different time periods and how these lives interact with each other and the planet that sustains them. The documentary emphasises the importance of biodiversity, specially in the holoscene, as the variety and richness of these life forms interlock and sustain both each other, and the planet. Attenborough challenges the role of humankind, and it's evolution as to the role it plays within affecting biodiversity and wilderness, and suggests that the very advancements we once relied on for survival may threaten life altogether. This introduces the concept of climate change, and the nature of human contribution to our environment, as we continue to exploit the land for resources.

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Monoculture:

Definition: Monoculture refers to the agricultural practice of cultivating a single crop over a large area of land. It requires the cultivation of only one plant, as opposed to the more common and more varied method of multi-cropping.

Inbreeding:

Definition: Inbreeding occurs when individuals in a population mate with close relatives, such as siblings or cousins. This reduces genetic variation and increases the chances of developing deleterious traits. Involvement in reproduction is generally associated with increased disease risk and overall lower stability in offspring.

Extinct in the Wild:

Definition: When a species is classified as "extinct in the wild," it means that the remaining individuals of that species no longer live in their natural, native habitat, meaning the species is still in captivity or agricultural, but has disappeared from its original surroundings.

The Extent of Occurrences:

Definition: In conservation biology, it is a measure of the geographic area in which a species is found. It represents a boundary that encompasses all possible ranges of individual species. This is an important factor in assessing the conservation status of a species.

. Endangered species face threats primarily from the loss of habitat and genetic variation.

. Human activities, including development and monoculture, contribute to the destruction of natural habitats and the reduction of genetic diversity.

. The IUCN Red List categorizes species based on their conservation status, with levels ranging from "least concern" to "extinct."

. Factors such as population reduction rate, geographic range, and population size determine a species' classification on the Red List.

. Species can be endangered in specific regions while thriving in others, highlighting the importance of localized conservation efforts.

. Examples of endangered species include the Ethiopian banana frog, the snaggletooth shark, and the Galapagos kelp, each facing distinct threats to their survival.

Joel Antony

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"Planet Earth" is a documentary series narrated by Sir David Attenborough, showcasing the Earth's diverse ecosystems and wildlife.

The series spans multiple episodes, each dedicated to a specific biome or habitat, from mountains and oceans to deserts and jungles.

Cutting-edge cinematography captures breath taking scenes of nature, offering viewers an immersive and visually stunning experience.

The series explores the behaviors and survival strategies of a wide range of animals, from microscopic organisms to large predators.

It emphasizes the interconnectedness of ecosystems and the delicate balance required for life to thrive on Earth.

"Planet Earth" also delves into the challenges and threats faced by wildlife, including climate change, habitat destruction, and human impact.

The ground breaking footage allows viewers to witness rare and never-before-seen moments in the natural world, providing both educational and entertainment value.

With its impressive visuals and informative narrative, "Planet Earth" has become a landmark nature documentary series, raising awareness about the beauty and fragility of our planet.

Planet Earth aligns closely with environmental science concepts by illustrating ecological principles, environmental interactions, and the impact of human activities on ecosystems. The series provides a visual exploration of biodiversity, showcasing the intricate relationships between species and their environments. It highlights the consequences of environmental changes, such as climate fluctuations and habitat destruction, on wildlife populations. Additionally, Planet Earth contributes to environmental education by emphasizing the importance of conservation and sustainable practices to preserve Earth's ecosystems for future generations. The documentary serves as a powerful tool to foster a deeper understanding of environmental science concepts and the need for responsible stewardship of our planet.

Joel Antony

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Why Melbourne's Yarra River is looking even browner than usual.

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Why Melbourne's Yarra River is looking even browner than usual.

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Deluge: To overflow with water.

Catchments: An area where water collects when it rains.

Exo-Toxicologist: The study harmful effects of toxic pollutants in ecosystems

Torrential: Rain pouring or flowing fast, violently, or heavily.

Sediment: The solid material that settles at the bottom of a liquid

Heavy rainfall throughout the Victoria has led to the Yarra River's water quality to decline rapidly.

As of recent, some areas in Victoria have received 3 months worth of rainfall in a day.

Due to the heavy rainfall, weathering had occurred, causing dirt and other debris to seep into the Yarra River, thus slowly polluting the water.

It is recommended to avoid swimming in nearly any part of the river due to poor water quality, debris, pesticides, fertiliser, and even oil being swept into the river.

The reason for the river's brown colour is because of light reflecting off dirt or clay particles in the water, giving the effect of muddy and murky water.

It is expected to clear up in a week, but could be longer due to Victoria's notorious changing weather.

Louis Ho

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Heavy downpours across the state has led to the Yarra River becoming murkier and browner than usual, ﻿with health authorities urging Victorians to avoid the water at all costs.

Torrential rainfall this week caused some areas in Victoria to receive more than three months' worth of rain in a day.

The deluge has sent clay, dangerous debris and other sediment from the upper catchments towards the city's river.

Water quality warnings have been issued across the city urging would-be swimmers to avoid the river and parts of Port Phillip Bay.

River expert and member of the Yarra River Keeper Association, Janet Bolitho, said it was important to steer clear as the debris piled up.

﻿"There's pesticides, there's fertilisers, there's oil that's been left on the road, all swept into the river," she said.

Swimmers have also been told to avoid beaches from Port Melbourne to St Kilda, with on-flow affecting water quality.

But the question that's surfaced for many is what causes that infamous brown colour in the first place?

According to ﻿Professor Vincent Pettigrove, an eco-toxicologist from RMIT, the colour is caused by clay within the water.

"The clay particles are like spaceships in their shape, when the light hits it, it disperses the light so you can't see into the water and it looks muddy and murky," he said.

It's expected the river and beaches should return to normal in about a week.

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Why Melbourne's Yarra River is looking even browner than usual

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Swimmers have been warned to stay out of Melbourne's Yarra River with the water turning browner than usual.

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Extreme Weather: Japan earthquakes: ‘battle against time’ to find those trapped under rubble as death toll rises

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Extreme Weather: Japan earthquakes: ‘battle against time’ to find those trapped under rubble as death toll rises

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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/02/japan-earthquakes-tsunami-alert-dropped-but-residents-told-not-to-return-to-homes

"Battle Against Time": in-depth and context, the phrase means to complete/try to finish something in the little time you have.

Aftershocks: Aftershocks are usually exampled as, when an earthquake hits, after certain minutes, hours, or days, you will experience an aftershock, they tend to be smaller earthquakes in the general area.

Meterology/[Meterological]: Meterology is defined the sciences that involve the earth like; temperature/climate, atmosphere, weather, to summarise what I said basically the study of earths phenomena.

"Japan is the most quake-prone nation": Japan is considered the "most-prone nation" to earthquakes, this is the case because of the country lying within the ring of fire; often described as a circle that is involved with lots of seismic activity.

Nuclear regulators: Nuclear regulators often known as the NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commision), are an organization in the United States of America that are tasked to keep national/public health and safety safe from nuclear radiation.

"Nuclear Plants have been mothballed since the disaster": Let me break this down, the phrase "mothballed" is known to stop work on an idea, job, or plan but leave it in a condition where you can start on it in the future, therefore this means all Nuclear power plants have been terminated (not fully due to continuing it sometime in the future) ever since the earthquake has started.

To conclude the article:

Japans prime minister is having a hard time trying to help everyone the most despite having a low time frame to commit to.

The earthquake that had hit Japan was 10km deep but still having a 7.6 magnitude is deadly, imagine if it was 5km more higher...

There have been several warnings of tsunamis reaching 5 meters in height, so everyone in the coastline regions were ordered to evacuate until further notice.

British PM Rishi Sunak and Joee Biden, both have agreed to help Japanese citizens during the earthquakes.

All considerations of transport such as Bullet Trains and Planes were cancelled (in to the country and outside of the country), Sections of major highways remained closed, and water supplies had been cut off due to bursted pipes according to NHK TV (National Japan News).

Japan is now pronounced the most quake-prone country.

Simeon Chandra

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Frozen Planet II, Episode 4; Frozen South

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Frozen Planet II, Episode 4; Frozen South

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Antarcticas interior is mostly uninhabitable, with winds reaching up to 200mph, and temperature reaching bellow -80 degrees celsius. However some animals are able to survive on the sub-antarctic islands, which have less hostile conditions.

antipodean wandering albatross breed on Antipodes island each spring. There are three times more males than females, due to the females flying further north to feed, where they often get caught and drowned by industrial fishing fleets. As a result, there as been an increase in same-sex partnerships between the male birds.

The oceans surface freezes solid around mainland antarctic, creating sea ice, which surrounds the entire continent, providing a resting place for Waddell seals, which use their teeth to prevent holes in the ice from freezing over.

In spring, chinstrap penguins breed on Antarcticas coast. Meltwater, which comes from melted snow or ice, is a serious threat to the penguin chicks. Male chinstrap penguin build rock mounds to protect the chicks from the melt water.

Recently, summer temperatures in Antarctica have reached up to 18 degrees, causing more meltwater, and making the ground muddy. The mud and water covers the chicks, causing hypothermia.

Antarcticas ice is diminishing six times times faster than it has previously. The Neumayer glacier has lost 6 miles of ice in the last 20 years.

Because of the loss of sea ice, Weddell seals are spending more time on land. As a result, killers whales are forced to hunt stronger, and more dangerous prey, such as crab eater seals, and even leopard seals.

Antarctica is one of the most volcanic places on earth. There have been more than 20 volcanos recently discovered there. Mt Erebus is one of seven volcanos in the world with a permanent lava lake.

Although the interior of Antartica is mostly uninhabitable, the snow petrel flies inland to breed away from predators. They insulate rock crevices with feathers in order to protect their chicks from the cold.

Winds driving over the east antarctic ice sheet can reach 200mph. The wind picks up speed and warmth as it descends the ice-sheet, creating the most arid conditions on earth. This forms sand dunes in areas known as dry valleys, many of which have not had rain in over 5 million years.

In this episode of Frozen Planet, David Attenborough Describes many animals, such as the Weddell seal and King Penguin, and the adaptation that allow them to survive in Antarctica. He also describes the things that threaten them. The documentary also provides an insight to Antarcticas unique geography.

Ella Miller

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Introduction - David Attenborough, a British biologist and author, directs the Netflix documentary "A life on our planet" with the intention of spreading awareness of the impacts that humans have upon nature and the world we live in

David begins the documentary by referring to the historical significance of Chernobyl, the nuclear power station that erupted. He visits a city that was affected by the nuclear explosion, a major city in Ukraine that became uninhabitable on the 26th of April, 1986. The panning images of desolate and ageing buildings are used in order to exhibit the damage that the blast brought to the safety of 50,000 people's homes. David pins Cherynobyl to have happened due to "bad planning and human error".

The "mistake" of the Cherynobyl nuclear station caused an "environmental catastrophe", yet David believes that this explosion was one event, a single event that did cause an environmental impact on Europe in the past, but there are still many other factors affecting and impacting the biodiversity of Earth besides this one explosion and that is the loss of habitats. David highlights that biodiversity is a key factor that connects the living world together, the "billions of [plants and animals]" each with important roles to create the environments, "a variety working together to benefit from the energy of the sun' which emphasises the food chain and its reliance on the diversity of living creatures. A montage of extravagant animals and environments are used to juxtapose the scene of a tree being cut down, painful and slow. David also considers this to be one of humanities mistakes due to bad planning and errors.

David is 93 and spent most of his life travelling the globe. Fossils show the slow evolutionary history of Earth and its changes. Through the use of relative dating of rock layers, David identifies the gap between a mass extinction. In Earths history there has been four mass extinctions that have occurred over its lifetime.

David explains the biodiversity that rebuilds the living world from a mass extinction to be completely due to biodiversity, the "Holocene" is a stable period of Earths history where a rapid growth of life is seen due to factors such as an unwavering temperature and the thriving living world are "key to the stability". This ranges from the avid underwater life such as "ocean surface phytoplankton" to the "immense forests" that act as a carbon offset ( a carbon offset is a way to kinda cancel out the carbon being produced). Everything in nature is apart of the cycle that creates balance.

This brought about the change for humanity as they exploit the seasons for agricultural purposes, (food crops and such). Humanity makes many technological advances not knowing of the consequences it brought to the environment. (through out this documentary David has three statistics he shows for each year, the population which just keeps increasing, the carbon in the atmosphere which also increases and the remaining wilderness which continues to decrease with time) humanity for the longest time was incredibly ignorant of how the wilderness was being damaged.

Serengeti (endless plains) is considered to be a large area of land that single-handedly supports millions of Serengeti wild life using the seasonal rotation of grass growth to feed all of them. The point of this is that resources are finite. Not only was the environment of resources being removed, so were the rarer exotic animals who were poached and hunted. Humanity has honestly broken loose from the restrictions that nature has for animals, our population has been indefinitely increasing in a way we weren't designed too, due to our extended life span and better living conditions. (our predators had been eliminated, less diseases, food, etc)

In rain forests, animals rely on the diversity of up to 700 different species of trees, yet many of these species are being removed and replaced by deforestation. In other case, companies will replace these species to obtain specific resources such as oil palm, the "monoculture of oil palm" is a habitat that is dead and impossible to house the wildlife.

David explains the sustainability of Earth. Increase of carbon causing the change in Earths temperature, Arctic ice is melting and "our planet is losing its ice". increased temperature is trapped by the water of the oceans and the water in the air. "human beings have overrun the world"

The impacts on the future of Earth: the altered water cycle will leave the Arctics without ice in the summers, without this less sun energy is reflected back hence increasing the speed of global warming's, methane will be released a lot, coral reefs will all die , fish populations crash, global food production ends and the weather becomes impacted drastically, many parts of earth become uninhabitable finally leading to a fifth extinction.

Solution: to restore the world, we must restore the biodiversity. the solution is "easy" decrease human birth rates and increase suicide rates as it is the best solution in decreasing our human population that doesn't cease to slow down. This is demonstrated by modern Japanese culture that exhibits high financial anxiety, isolation and a lack of proficient mental healthcare systems which promotes the decrease of child birth. Human population far exceeds what it should as normal wildlife are generally limited to a population size that fits the resources available.

David's documentary delves into key environmental science concepts. Biodiversity plays an important role as it displays the web of life forms and their roles in maintaining ecosystems. Sustainability is a vital concept, as Earth's stability during the Holocene is centred around a thriving living world. Overpopulation and technological impacts highlight challenges to resources, while deforestation represents the risks to biodiversity and habitat loss. Evolution, seen in fossils and Earth's changes, reflects the dynamic nature of ecosystems. Renewability of resources, particularly in the Serengeti, emphasises the careful balance required. Agriculture's impact on seasons reveals humanity's influence. David's findings reinforce the urgency, showcasing the relation of human activity and environmental science in shaping Earth's future.

Manat Kaur

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Summary:

Princess Mononoke is based on a young prince, Ashitaka, cursed by a Boar God turned demon. Granted inhuman strength, the curse will eventually kill him, but he seeks to lift the curse from the Forest God, who controls life and death. During his journey, he is met with a challenge to ease a conflict between San, known as Princess Mononoke, and the Forest, and Iron town, led by Lady Eboshi. The forest wishes to preserve the land and the environment, however Lady Eboshi wants to take the iron of the forest and the head of the Forest God, who's blood supposedly grants immortality. The death of the Forest God unleashed a dark spirit, taking the life of all living things, and Ashitaka works with San to restore the forest and peace.

Environmental Science Concepts:

The environmental science concepts explored in Princess Mononoke are the effects of industrialisation and the human interference with nature. The movie depicts the causes and effects of mass deforestation humans cause to improve industrialisation and driving away inhabitants of the forest, creating an iron factory releasing toxic gases, polluting the air and land, causing environmental degradation which made the land look limp and dead. Princess Mononoke emphasises the importance of nature and that it shouldn't be overshadowed by human evolution.

Louis Ho

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Tropical cyclone may hit Queensland between Cairns and Mackay this week as state endures heatwave

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Tropical cyclone may hit Queensland between Cairns and Mackay this week as state endures heatwave

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a.    Low pressure- stronger winds, unsettled climates, heavy rainfall.

b.    Green waste materials- grass clippings, branches, leaves ect

c.    Generators- converts motion based power into kinetic energy to be used when power is cut off

d.    Business continuity- level of readiness to continue after an emergency or disaster occurs

e.    Wet catchments-  area of land that collects water when it rains

A tropical cyclone is expected to hit Queensland this week. The government urges residents to prepare. By using sandbags and packing away big items of low weight like trampolines whilst also removing any green waste. Businesses are urged to stay informed as large amount of rainfall is expected, and trading hours will be disrupted. People located near to catchment areas must leave within the given time, as help won’t be available for 72 hours after the floods. Currently, the cyclone is over the coral sea and is only a low category risk but that’s expected to rise to a higher level in the coming days. The police urges people to stay protected and think twice about every move in the coming days.

Hetty Stirrup

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A Coral Sea storm could today become powerful enough to be declared a cyclone, the Bureau of Meteorology has warned, bringing with it heavy rains and a potential storm surge as it crosses the Queensland coast.

BOM warns the storm may develop into a category three cyclone by Wednesday morning

It may track as far south as the New South Wales border after making landfall

It comes as much of the state is enduring a heatwave

While current forecasts have the storm on track to cross the coast just south of Townsville, it could impact anywhere along a 750-kilometre stretch between Cairns and Mackay, likely around the middle of the week.

The bureau said the system could develop into a category one cyclone by 10pm and reach category three strength by Wednesday morning.

Senior meteorologist Steve Hadley said the storm had been developing slowly and, while some forecasts suggested the storm would remain offshore, a coastal crossing was most likely.

"It is looking less likely now that the tropical cyclone will not make landfall," he said.

He said the storm could track as far south as the Queensland/New South Wales border once it made landfall.

"Some of the longer-term predictions even have that moving south of the Queensland border into New South Wales, or even back out to sea again," Mr Hadley said.

"So we're still left yet to develop a really clear picture of where this tropical cyclone is going to go beyond the middle of this week."

Mr Hadley said there was the potential for heavy rainfall well south of the system, and a risk of a storm surge as it approached the coastline.

"In the coastal areas of Queensland there will be high seas, rough swells and even around that crossing zone, potentially a storm surge as well around the crossing time of the cyclone," Mr Hadley said.

"These are all things to be aware of in coming days."

The cyclone warning comes more than a month after ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper crossed the Queensland Coast near Wujal Wujal, which resulted in devastating flooding throughout the region.

There's 'no need to panic'

Townsville City Council Mayor Jenny Hill said many residents were beginning to prepare for the potential cyclone.

"We just want people to prepare. There's no need to panic. It's well off to sea at the moment," she said.

"We don't need you to get excited; we don't need you to panic. We just need you to prepare."

She said residents had been clearing their homes of green waste materials that could pose a danger in strong winds.

"What we try to do here is we don't alarm people. We just want to make people alert to their responsibility," Cr Hill said.

She said education about the dangers of severe weather was an ongoing process across Queensland.

"It's a constant education of community to ensure that they understand that you can't expect government or government agencies to always be there to help you," Cr Hill said.

"You need to show a certain amount of resilience, and the first thing you can do is look after your own home.

"Governments can't go around and mow every home, can't clear every gutter, can't pick up every bit of waste. If you want to protect yourself and your neighbours, it's up to you."

Cr Hill said North Queensland residents tended to take more precautions as the forecast became clearer.

"You'll see people either dismantle or tie down things like trampolines," she said.

"They're the sorts of things I saw during the recent event on the Gold Coast. I had a friend of mine who had a trampoline go through their neighbour's roof.

"Those sorts of items ... become missiles. We need people ensure that they're tied down or they're safely put away."

'Plan what you're going to do'

Mackay Regional Council Mayor Greg Williamson said emergency management teams were on alert.

"We shouldn't be complacent about this," he said.

"Now's the time to start thinking about business continuity plans, what you're going to do with your family, what are you going to do with your pets, all those sorts of things."

He said preparations with emergency crews would continue today.

"As far as our emergency management team goes, they are on alert right now," Cr Willamson said.

"They're making sure that whatever we have to do as a council in terms of interacting with response centres, with the SES with evacuations, with recovery centres, all of that will happen first thing."

Queensland Police Minister Mark Ryan said residents should pay close attention to warnings in the coming days.

He said parts of the state could be vulnerable to flooding following recent wet weather.

"Listen to the authorities. You might have to make some decisions about staying at home if the authorities say that the system is going to bring a lot of rain and, of course, then bring flash flooding," Mr Ryan said.

"We know right across the state there is wet catchments already. Those areas are more prone to flash flooding."

Heatwave on first day of school

Queensland is also in the middle of a heatwave and conditions are not expected to ease until Tuesday.

Mr Hadley said there would be a "spike in the temperatures" today, with parts of the Scenic Rim and Lockyer Valley expecting to see the mercury rising well above 30 degrees Celsius.

"That's expected to be the hottest day of this period," he said.

He said the hot conditions had been caused by a build up of warm air.

"We've also got really high humidity across most of the south-east, and that's following days and days where we've had no cooler air masses arriving from the south, so the heat's just been able to build up," Mr Hadley said.

The Queensland Ambulance Service has reported an increase in heat stress-related calls.

"We've had a fairly long run of [warm weather] now over the last couple of weeks, and it's not just the heat. It's the humidity," Metro North Senior Operations supervisor Matthew Hannabery said.

"There has definitely been an increase [in calls] across the board in recent weeks."

He said people should be wary symptoms of heat stress, which can include dizziness, dry eyes and throat and nausea, particularly as school resumes after the summer break.

"With kids going back to school if parents can keep that in mind, ensure they have access to water," Mr Hannebery said.

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Tropical cyclone may hit Queensland between Cairns and Mackay this week as state endures heatwave

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A Coral Sea storm could today become powerful enough to be declared a cyclone, the Bureau of Meteorology has warned, and could become category three by Wednesday morning.

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Martin Clunes: Islands of the Pacific. Season 2: Episode 3.

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Martin Clunes: Islands of the Pacific. Season 2: Episode 3.

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https://iview.abc.net.au/video/ZW3839A003S00

Summary:

Over 10,000 islands in the pacific, homed to thousands of species of animals many of which are endangered.

. Guam is a small island in Micro-nesia owned by the United States, homed to the Brown tree snake, which was brought via boat in the second world war.

. The brown tree snake killed the entire bird population in Guam, so much to the point that the only birds you’ll hear are in a zoo.

. the Koko bird, one of Gaums one is on the brink of extinction die to the brown tree snakes, as its flightless it was impossible for it to get away.

. After the breeding centre was started by local zoologists, the amount of species rose from only 25 to over 400% more, and koko’s are now breeding back in the wild, but due to the snakes not in Guam.

.  Having one of the largest snake populations, they’re a major risk to the local wildlife and infrastructure in the nation.

. In 7 years, 140,00 snakes have been caught by the agriculture department and they have been destroyed. 1.6 million still remain on the mere 30-mile-long island.

. In, 2015, Palau made their ocean a marine sanctuary which covers 80% of its waters.

. Commercial fishing is banned in these areas and police monitor them strictly 24/7.

. The beaches of Palau are being damaged by the rising sea levels due to climate change, which leaves animals like turtles in danger of their eggs being washes away.

. Teams across the nation extract eggs from the beach to protect them to allow the turtle species to continue their breeding regardless of climate changes movements.

Environmental concepts:

The main environmental concepts shown in the documentary episode are; climate change and introduced species. Climate change is highlighted through the dangerous rising water levels which endangers the local species in both Guam and Palau. Which means that both countries have to do much more to protect their precious animals. Introduced species greatly threaten Guam’s natural habitats of the Koko bird through the introduction via boat of the brown tree snake. Snakes, even after much work, continue to the be largest predator and most common animal in Guam.

Hetty Stirrup

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Hurricane Ida was classified as a Category 4 hurricane that formed in the Atlantic ocean, it started developing speeds towards the American Nations at around 150mph. The hurricane was known to be the second most-destructive hurricane behind Hurricane Katrina.

Storm Chasers, Jeff and Gabe, Head out for a couple of days to explore concepts of Hurricane Ida.

Hurricanes form when ocean temperatures are 26*C or above, the sun then causes the water to evaporate therefore releasing warm moist air, as the air rises winds then become attracted, and create a vacuum-like pattern. Warm water fuels hurricanes, therefore the warmer it gets the more likely storms will appear.

When a hurricane gains more than 25 miles per hour in 24 hours, we can identify this as rapid intensification, an example would be that Hurricane Ida went from Category 2 to Category 4 in the span of 1 and a half hours.

Citizens were oppressed due to the changing course of Hurricane Ida.

Gabe (One of the storm chasers), approaches the outer eye of the hurricane, he proceeds to exit and describes the winds as pushing him over to a 45-degree angle, a few minutes later he then notices that a tree snapped in half by the sheer wind speed, later he gets messages that his friend, that while his friend was taking shots of the hurricane, it appears that his friend was trapped within the hurricane.

The trail of Hurricane Ida left a trail with a million people without power, 600,000 people without water, and thousands left homeless, this was the aftermath of its impact in Louisiana.

The Amount of destruction the storm left, had proclaimed itselfed to be top sixth most costliest tropical hurricane on record, and fourth in America history, the destruction made a grave dent on the American economy from repairs worth approximating at around 75 billion.

Enviromental Science reference:

Due to coal farming and Co2 being realised into the earth's atmosphere, the planet starts to heat up that therefore causes the water temperatures to rise, the waters then cause suitable environments for high category hurricanes to form.

Simeon Chandra

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Air pollution: The invisible health threat

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Air pollution: The invisible health threat

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https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/air-pollution--the-invisible-health-threat

infiltrates - an accumulation of unwanted substances in an area

environmental threat - harmful human-caused actions that causes environmental issues like pollution

hot spot air pollution sites - areas where pollution is heavily exposed to individuals

climate change mitigation - reducing the occurrence of heat trapping greenhouse gases into the air

Air pollution causes a lot of underlying and chronic illnesses and disease due to the dirty and harmful particles in the air. These illnesses and diseases include ischemic heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer.

Training for care with air pollution illness and disease has been improved and more learning sessions have been included. In the past the healthcare workers and industry did not have enough knowledge and care towards pollution caused illness and disease.

Building more health infrastructure has been implemented more due to the fact more and more people are getting sick from poor pollution regulations and care centres. Without any health centres action wont be imposed leading to worse pollution issues.

Pollution can also affect future generations and children as when the mother is affected by the pollution it can carry out to the baby and postpartum illness and disease

Air pollution poses a huge threat to the economy as well as the costs of attempts and new inventions have been costing up to a few trillion dollars making GDP even higher then before

Healthcare with pollution caused illness and disease is really important as healthcare workers cannot change the pollution emissions, so the least they can do is to take care of affected people

Tasnia Sajjad

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What is climate change? A really simple guide

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What is climate change? A really simple guide

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IPCC- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The IPCC job is to further advance knowledge on climate change caused by human activities.

Net Zero- Cutting down on greenhouse gases as much as possible and any remaining gases absorbed by forests and oceans.

Greenhouse Gases- Gases in the air which raise surface temperature.

El Nino- Warmer than average temperatures.

2023 was the warmest year recorded due to human activities. Last 9 years were the warmest 9 years on record.

The widespread use of fossil fuels, oils, coal and and gas is the main contributor the climate change and the rising temperatures globally. When fossil fuels burn they release greenhouse gases into the air, which trap energy/heat from the sun and stops it from leaving the surface.

Effects are climate change include melting of glaciers and arctic resulting in higher sea levels, extreme weather such as droughts and heavy rainfall and ocean warming.

With rising temperatures many coral reefs will start to die out, plants and vertebrates will be exposes to un-habitable climate conditions.

About 3.3-3.6 billion people are highly vulnerable to climate change.

Most countries are trying to or considering to achieve net zero by at least 2050.

Dion Abey Mathew

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Australian wildlife adapts to the hot and humid conditions in order to survive. The flood that occurred, killed and injured many animals as they're not capable of surviving harsh and abruptly changed environments such as floods. As these Australian wildlife are located near the centre of Australia, where it is the most dry, hot, and gets no to little rain per annum.

Weather can also change rapidly with no signs or warnings. This can affect the way animals react and implement actions in order to survive and protect any children as rapid changes in weather can not be planned for.

The flood carrying more then a months rainfall in 24 hours aided animals dehydration and lack of nutrients from nature. These wildlife no longer had to continuously seek for a drop of water during this time.

A lot of ponds, rivers and lakes came back to life as they were restored with a lot of water. This portrayed that the although the flood did negatively impact a lot of people, it did rejuvenate animals lives and nature.

With a secure amount of water supply, animals could reproduce healthier with the amount of hydration their getting. Creating flourished babies, generations can extend and animal extinction will be less likely to occur.

Families of animals also had experienced fights and battle for the land near water. With no continuation of rainfall after the flood, flocks and groups were becoming aggressive and obstruct their areas. Families can only claim a small amount of space, and it becomes difficult as it would become condensed making it harder for the adults to take care of their children then.

Having a lack of water or dehydration overtime can also cause animal loss and potentially extinction, as animals need hydration as, just like humans, water is needed for organs and systems to work.

This film discloses information about how Australian wildlife had been helped and alleviated in their lives with just one flood as it had restored and had newly made water supplies for all the animals.

Environmental Science Concepts:

In this film, environmental concepts such as weather, climate change, animal adaption and water supplies has been displayed throughout the entire film. Threats and dangers have been shown towards the Australian wildlife to their lack of water and hydration. This imposes the severe and rapid climate change and how it signifies that there needs to be action done to prevent huge complications towards animals.

Tasnia Sajjad

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How are green corridors saving one of Brazil’s most endangered species from deforestation?

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How are green corridors saving one of Brazil’s most endangered species from deforestation?

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How are green corridors saving one of Brazil’s most endangered species from deforestation?

Deforestation: is the action of clearing or thinning a wide area of trees

Green Corridors: are a narrow strip of urban land designed with varied

vegetation and different species of trees

Conservancy: an organization that works to protect animals, plants, and natural resources

Plantations: are farms specializing in cash crops

Golden lion tamarins in Brazil face habitat loss due to deforestation, with fewer than 5,000 remaining.

Young people in Rio de Janeiro plant green corridors to connect fragmented forests, providing safe passage for the monkeys.

Centuries of deforestation in Brazil's Atlantic Forest have reduced the golden lion tamarin's habitat to 2% of its original size.

The Golden Lion Tamarin Association actively purchases and reforests land, symbolizing Brazil's commitment to wildlife preservation.

Sarah Darwin supports the project, emphasizing the importance of preserving biodiversity in Brazil's Mata Atlantica forest.

Despite challenges, conservation efforts have increased the golden lion tamarin population to around 4,800, showcasing positive impacts on reforested areas.

Anagha Cheeroth

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By Euronews Green with AP

Rampant deforestation in Brazil has devastated the only place in the world where golden lion tamarins can be found.

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Dozens of young people kneeled under the scorching sun this week in Rio de Janeiro's rural interior, planting a green corridor that will be a future safe passageway for the region's most emblematic and endangered species, the golden lion tamarin.

The 300 tree seedlings they planted this week - currently just a few centimetres tall - will eventually connect two patches of forest together. It is the latest in a series of incremental forest growth initiatives driven by environmentalists, providing an ever-larger habitat for the monkey.

Until recently, the bare and dry land they were replanting belonged to a ranch owner who had torn down its trees for cattle pasture.

Rampant deforestation over centuries has decimated this part of Brazil's Atlantic Forest, the only place in the world where the small, copper-coloured monkey whose face is framed by a silken mane can be found.

With fewer than 5,000 individuals, it is considered an endangered species.

"One of the biggest problems is the fragmentation of the forest," said Luís Paulo Ferraz, executive director of the Golden Lion Tamarin Association, known by its Portuguese acronym AMLD.

"Otherwise the monkeys start mating within their own families."

Why are green corridors needed?

Ferraz says monkeys are too scared to cross the few hundred metres of bare land that sometimes separate two isles of green vegetation, fearing they might become the prey of larger predators, such as big cats. Hence the need for green corridors.

Applauding their effort Friday was Sarah Darwin, the great great granddaughter of Charles Darwin. The British botanist was joined by a handful of young naturalists who are retracing the sailboat expedition taken by Charles Darwin nearly 200 years ago that led to his theory of evolution, part of a project called Darwin200.

"He arrived in the Brazilian Mata Atlantica forest and had a moment of clarity ... a peak experience, where he felt at one with nature," Darwin said as she entered the forest, known for its astonishing diversity of mosses, ferns and other vegetation.

In the canopy above, the small golden monkeys with long tails were jumping from one branch to another. "One of the most enduring experiences of his life," she added.

Deforestation has decimated Brazil's Atlantic forest

Before colonization by the Portuguese in the 16th century, the Atlantic forest biome covered 133 million hectares near and along Brazil's coast. Less than 15 per cent of that remains today, according to The Nature Conservancy.

In the specific region of the Atlantic forest where golden lion tamarins can be found, the forest is down to just 2 per cent of its original size, Ferraz said.

Sugar cane and coffee plantations were the main driver of early deforestation. Then came urban development and cattle pastures. In the 1970s, when scientists began efforts to save the species, there were just 200 golden lion tamarins left, according to AMLD.

In Brazil, the animal became a symbol for wildlife preservation, even featuring on the country's 20-real bill.

Conservationists are reforesting the region

In recent times, the science and conservation nonprofit has been purchasing land from farmers and cattle ranch owners, which they then reforest, one patch at a time. They bought a first parcel of 137 hectares in 2018, and another of 180 hectares in November.

The process is slow and expensive, as it requires heavy and regular maintenance, especially in the first few years. But it is rewarding.

On the ground, the bare hills bought by AMLD in 2018, which they began reforesting the following year, have reclaimed their vibrant green, covered with a healthy forest and inhabited by many animal species they can trace thanks to night vision cameras.

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And in spite of a bad bout of yellow fever in 2018 - when the population dropped more than 30 per cent in a matter of months - there are now more golden lion tamarins than at any time since conservation efforts began.

According to the association's latest survey, published earlier this year, there are around 4,800 individuals.

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Brazil's golden monkey is swinging back from the brink of extinction

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Rampant deforestation in Brazil has devastated the only place in the world where golden lion tamarins can be found.

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Explores the world's oceans, highlighting their beauty and diverse aquatic life.

Addresses environmental concerns such as plastic pollution and climate change.

David Attenborough delivers amazing visuals and narration.

Highlights the interconnectivity of marine ecosystems and the importance of conservation.

Increases awareness of the fragility of ocean ecosystems and motivates action.

"Blue Planet" presents important environmental science principles in an understandable manner. It highlights the diversity of marine life and explains how different species adapt to aquatic settings. The film depicts the effects of climate change on oceans, including rising temperatures and coral bleaching. It also emphasises the interconnectedness of marine ecosystems, which have been disrupted by human actions such as overfishing and plastic pollution, emphasising the importance of sustainable ocean protection efforts.

Anagha Cheeroth

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Jake sully is a disabled man who replaces his brother for the avatar program on a alien planet called "pandora"

The avatar programs allows humans to control the body of a naavi (natives of pandora).

Jake in his naavi body grows closer to pandora and falls in love with the naavi princess.

There is conflict between the naavi and humans as the humans exploit pandoras resources while harming pandora's environment and creatures.

Jake sides with the naavi and embarks to stop the destruction of pandora from the humans.

The humans and the naavi (lead by Jake) have a epic battle and neytrii (naavi princess) ends the battle by saving Jake and killing the military colonel.

Neytrii sees jakes human self.

Jake chooses to fully transfer his consciousness into his naavi body and becomes the tribes leader.

The main environmental themes in Avatar is deforestation and destruction. The humans mining on pandora leads to many natural predators of pandora being killed as well as the trees being cut down. The movie mirrors our world as many forests, jungles, rainforests are being cut down to create room for factories or housing. The film emphasises a balance in the ecosystem suggesting that without a balance many negative consequences would occur.

Dion Abey Mathew

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summary-

Controversy begins with a company selling glacier ice to cocktail bars in Dubai due to its rarity, when it is already known to be shrinking.

NASA observes the changes over time as one of the second largest ice bodies to have greatly shrunk. Underneath this, there is an interactive image that shows the changes from 1985 to 2022 September, and this clearly shows that a whole section of consistent ice turns to an oozy texture signifying the melting of the ice caps towards the ocean.

Scientists originally estimated 5 trillion tonnes of ice to be lost, but this new analysis adds a whole trillion tonne of ice due to the edges that werent taken into consideration. Hence explaining why the article titles that the "ice sheet [is] shrinking faster than previously thought" as the scientists had underestimated the rate at first.

A graph is shown with the x- axis representing time as the years go along and the y- axis represents the Gigatonnes of water that is melted to ice, the graph clearly shows that there was a steady slow decrease of ice from 1986 - 2000, and then after this the rate at which the ice melts increases greatly and only showing signs of getting worse if it follows this trend.

Ocean currents actually act as great temperature regulators due to it moving the thermal energy around and spreading it, and so when the ice caps melt and increase the water in the ocean it does have the ability to affect the currents, but thankfully the Greenland ice caps on the edges are trapped in fjords which are narrow bodies of water inland.

This shift in Earths climate due to the change in ocean currents could more "flooding rains in Eastern Australia" and "worsen droughts in South-West United States".

In this time, we probably have better tools for predicting, analysing and measuring this future patterns which would help in reducing this melting affect.

"regulate temperature" - keep control off and maintain a rate of temperature, an action that helps to keep it optimal.

"gigatonne" - in order to realize the gravity of how large this quantity is, the article compares one gigatonne of water to fill 400,000 Olympic pools which is a substantially large number.

"warmer climate" - the weather conditions of a specific region being generally higher than it should be. "synthesise" -in this context, the formation of the graph material used by combining data.

"consternation" - a feeling of anxiety due to something that is not completely known and causing impeding problems. "glacier positions datasets" - all the data collected on individual glaciers and the culmination of this information allows to make predictions and calculations.

Manat Kaur

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Greenland's rapidly declining ice sheet has long been a source consternation for scientists and climate activists.

Cue the predictable outrage earlier this month when an enterprising start-up began to sell ice cut from the country's shrinking glaciers to exclusive bars in Dubai.

Now, in much worse news, NASA scientists who compared hundreds of thousands of satellite images, believe the world's second-largest body of ice has shrunk by a fifth more than previously estimated.

That could have implications for the ocean currents that regulate temperatures in Europe and North America, which in turn could have far-reaching effects for countries including Australia.

Scientists previously believed Greenland had lost nearly 5 trillion tonnes of ice since the early 1990s.

The new analysis looking at the edges of the ice sheet adds an extra 1 trillion tonnes to that figure.

The study published in the journal Nature found the ice shelf, which makes up 80 per cent of the surface of Greenland, lost an additional 1,034 gigatonnes of mass between 1985 and 2022.

To put that into perspective - a single gigatonne of water is about enough to fill 400,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

The scientists analysed changes in 207 of Greenland's glaciers, representing 90 per cent of the ice sheet.

Only one grew in size.

The data showed that a glacier in north-east Greenland called Zachariae Isstrom lost the most volume, shedding 160 billion tonnes over the study period.

The Jakobshavn glacier, said to have birthed the iceberg that sunk the Titanic, came in second - losing 88 billion tonnes.

"We know that Greenland has been under a lot of pressure lately and that it's been responding to a much warmer climate, [a] much warmer ocean," said the paper's co-author, Alex Gardner.

"None of that was a surprise.

"But when you synthesise it on a continental scale, it was surprising to see how large that number was," he said.

The study comes more than a year after the same group of researchers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory doubled previous estimates of ice loss from the much larger Antarctic ice sheet, from 6 to 12 gigatonnes since 1997.

Ocean currents could be impacted

Researchers say that due to the location of many of the glaciers, within deep fjords, losing ice from the edges would not directly affect sea levels.

However, they are warning it could threaten currents that regulate temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean, providing Western Europe with a temperate climate.

"When sea ice forms in the Arctic, that very dense, heavy, salty saline water that gets rejected from the formation of the sea ice, it sinks down and it creates a conveyor belt," said Dr Gardner.

"That conveyor belt of water draws warm water from the mid-latitudes in the equator up into the north ... [that is] what keeps Europe warm, and kind of drives the the Gulf Stream to some degree," he said.

"If you increase the amount of fresh water that you're putting into the ocean, [it] sits near the top and it can influence that conveyor belt of ocean circulation."

The Southern Hemisphere is not off the hook.

An Australian study found that the collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation - which includes the Gulf Stream - could shift the Earth's climate to a more La Niña-like state.

That could spell more flooding rains over eastern Australia and worsen droughts and wildfire seasons over the south-west United States.

If the circulation stops, it could lower temperatures by up to 10 or 15 degrees in Europe, making Edinburgh feel more like Siberia.

Better prediction tools

Despite the gloomy outlook for the planet's ice sheets, there is a silver lining to the analysis.

Thanks to advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence, the scientists were able to extract the outlines from 236,328 observations of glacier positions in publicly available datasets.

"The ability to provide some prediction in the Earth's system ... that's really challenging," said Dr Gardner.

"[Now] we have a metric we can measure ... with satellites that gives us an indication of what the future response might be.

"We're really being driven by a desire to improve predictions or projections of what the future might hold in a warmer climate."

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NASA scientists surprised by pace of Greenland glacier ice melt

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A study has found that the Greenland ice sheet lost one-fifth more mass than previously estimated, which could have implications for ocean currents that regulate temperatures in Europe and North America.

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Giant Pandas still face high risk of extinction

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Giant Pandas still face high risk of extinction

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Synchronistic: The association that exists when things occur at the same time.

Ecology: The study of organisms and how they interrelate with the environment around them.

Synchronistic : a sequenced arrangement of historical events and important people so we can have coexistence.

Subsequent: something that happens after something in time.

. Issues such as climate change, habitat loss, and the lack of ability to have children, Could pose a threat to these animals.

.They believe scientist need the find ways that pandas can successfully have children to save them from extinction

Another big threat to these animals is the lack of bamboo in the areas they live because that is their food source and this historically happens every 65-120 years.

The Chinese government has increased the species population by 17% by modeling each animal's fate from birth to death and this helps them see what can help them.

. They have created a Giant Panda national park that China is growing and will further up some Pandas odds of survival.

.About 3% of pandas struggle to find a mate which means that lots of pandas don't have children making the population go down.

Poppi D’Angelo

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4-6 Phrases and their meanings.

Dire warning - This phrase may confuse some as we all know what a warning is but what is a DIRE warning. Well a warning is when advice or information is given about something that may occur in the future , but a dire warning is when something very bad or dangerous is and could be occuring in the future.

Cumulative damages - Cumulative damages is when an increasing amount of damage is occuring and will most likely continue to occur.

Sea levels - This is base level for measuring the depths and elevation on earth.

Subsides - The meaning of subsidies is when a the Government or governing body grants a sum of money to help and industry or business.

Summary -

Carbon pricing is discussed within this article here as by implementing global pricing , it will lead to orginizations and individuals to omit less greenhouse gases and further invest into climate solutions. They also talk about how if carbon pricing is implemented aggressively then it could significantly increase the of meeting these targets. Currently is not just money that is being lost it is the human lives and the nature around us that is being deeply effected and influenced by climate change. The European Commission president makes a strong case by saying " if you pollute you pay the price" showing how everybody has to be punished if they choose to influence and be a part of the climate change.

Tushan Vij

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As the world grapples with the dramatic effects of record temperatures in recent months, the United Nations has issued a dire warning about the potential for average global temperature increases to hit a "hellish" 3 C by the end of the century.

Carbon pricing policies have been a central part of the conversation about avoiding the worst effects of climate change. Carbon pricing is a market-based solution that incentivizes organizations and individuals to emit less greenhouse gases and invest in climate solutions.

Addressing an audience at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made the case for carbon pricing: "If you pollute, you have to pay a price for that. If you want to avoid paying that price, you innovate and invest in clean technologies."

However, it's vital to understand both the potential and limitations of these policies. Our recent research shows that global carbon pricing policies must advance much more rapidly, and be combined with other mitigation measures, to avoid harmful warming scenarios. As von der Leyen said in her remarks, "we must go further and faster."

Carbon pricing needs to rise

Carbon pricing can be a powerful tool to combat climate change and reduce emissions, but not on its own. Our research shows that carbon pricing in isolation will not allow us to meet the Paris Agreement target 1.5 C or 2 C warming scenarios.

If carbon pricing is implemented more aggressively and broadly, it could significantly contribute to meeting these targets. The current global average carbon price, which we estimate in our report at being a meagre US$2.79 per tonne of emissions, needs to increase rapidly.

Our study modelled the effects of a rising global price on carbon, in isolation from other policies, on reducing greenhouse gas emissions across a range of scenarios.

We found that while carbon pricing on its own could limit global warming to 2.4 C, the global price would have to rise dramatically and rapidly to accomplish this. The price would have to start at $223.31 per tonne in 2023 and increase to $435.55 per tonne by 2045.

While such an abrupt global policy change is unlikely, the price would not need to be so high if it was accompanied by other measures, including regulations that provide clarity and stability regarding green investments, clean technology subsidies and financing mechanisms (such as those facilitating transition investing by companies).

For example, if we look at the carbon price needed to stay within 3 C scenario, it's around US$85 per tonne - not much higher than our current Canadian carbon price of $65 per tonne. With the right other policies working in concert with that carbon price, and potentially funded by greenhouse gas emitters, we could still hit much lower than 3 C by the end of the century.

The case for carbon pricing

Our research also looked at the benefits of avoiding higher warming scenarios. The resulting savings from avoiding climate-related damage and economic loss from droughts, wildfires, floods, storms and rising sea levels would be enormous.

Our research estimates that cumulative damages under a 3 C warming scenario of US$480 trillion would be US$213 trillion higher than under a 2 C scenario, and US$326 trillion more than under a 1.5 C scenario. This confirms the importance of hitting the Paris Agreement targets.

Even if lower warming targets are missed, there is a strong case for carbon pricing. For example, keeping global warming to 3 C by 2100 in contrast to the zero-carbon price scenario of 4.2 degrees warming, could prevent cumulative damages of US$284.73 trillion - almost three times the current global GDP of US$105 trillion.

We are talking about worlds of damage here - and that is just the economic price tag, of course. It doesn't account for the devastating human cost of climate disasters that we're already seeing in homes destroyed, livelihoods ruined and lives lost. The message is not to give up, but to intensify efforts and co-ordinate globally.

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Carbon pricing alone is not enough - other measures are needed to meet Paris Agreement targets

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Carbon pricing can be a powerful tool to combat climate change and reduce emissions, but it needs to be accompanied by improved regulations, clean technology subsidies and financing mechanisms.

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Summary -

In the lorax we learn the important of nature and how important it is preserve our nature and take good care of it

The lorax whom is the orange specie is very sentimental about trees and nature and has a deep connection with them , hs says he speaks for the trees and is upset when the tree is cut down from the forest

O'hare gets very territorial and angry with Ted because he hears that Ted wants to find trees , but he doesnt like the fact that this would effect his business as trees provided free natural air

Once'ler is a business man who decides to cut down all the trees to make more money and be more successful

This mean he breaks the promise he made about not cutting the trees

Teds story in the lorax was that he was trying to win over Audrey so he decides to go and find the trees

He finds the last seed and decides to plant it in attempt to win over her heart

Because O'hare and Ted dont agree and have different values on nature and air , they constantly but heads

O'hare tries to get people against Ted but fails as Ted shows them how good the nature is and that we must preserve it

Environmental science concepts-

From the movie we can see how people truly care and love nature and fight for it. As both ted and the lorax cared and loved it and made others realise how important it really was. And showed them that they had to preserve it and take care of it and forget this bottled air.

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Planet earth season 1 episode 5 (desserts) 

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Planet earth season 1 episode 5 (desserts) 

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.The oldest desert is in south west Africa (where it is filmed) and has been dry for 55 million years

.The animals travel up to 3 days 150 km desperate for food and water

.Most lion’s hunt for food end in failure

.The oldest desert is in south west Africa (where it is filmed) and has been dry for 55 million years

.The animals travel up to 3 days 150 km desperate for food and water

.Sometimes rain in the desert storms down with force. Millions of tons of water falls in under an hour.

.Hawks are the only birds of prey that hunt in packs (they hunt in the air and on foot)

.Locusts: After they feed on grass they transform into adults quickly with wings and then can fly/travel 100 km a day to search for food. They consume 40 tonnes of food and there are 3 billion that travel in a pack.

.The soil turns to dust and blows away. To form elements.

.Elephants can remember waterholes for years

.All the fathers out of sandgrouse chicks collect water 120 miles away on a trip for water and they use their feathers to collect the water they carry about a quarter of their body weight in water. The chicks feed off of their fathers until about 2 months old when they can make the trip.

.In the desert they also have wild horses and they travel in a pack where there are all females and one stallion. They sometimes fight to be the stallion of the pack.

.Beneath the sand it is several degrees cooler and some animals hide under the sand, such as snakes.

.Golden Moles live predominantly underground and they don't have eyes so they use the vibrations in the ground to pick up where they can find food.

.Survival on deserts rely on many survival techniques.

.The show emphasises on the fact that we don't know what the conditions of these deserts will look like in years to come we have to wait and see.

Poppi D‘Angelo

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Australia’s soils are notoriously poor. Here’s how scientists are working to improve them [TheConversation]

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Australia’s soils are notoriously poor. Here’s how scientists are working to improve them [TheConversation]

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https://apple.news/A_lZ_APJ1SIqjZeY2k4bMaw

List 4 - 6 phrases or words in the articile that your classmates might not know the meaning of and are important to be able to understand the article

1. During the last Ice Age, much of the northern hemisphere was covered in glaciers

2. glaciers eroded away the top layer of rock and left a fresh layer of rock, ready to weather into soil.

3. soils – valued at A$930 billion (All of Australia's soil to be valued at over 900 billion)

4. The Green Revolution of the 1960s led to huge increases in yield – but required huge increases in application of fertilisers and other chemicals.

5. Australia has the world’s third highest loss of soil carbon over the last 250 years, caused largely by very high rates of land clearing.

Summarise the article with a minimum of six dot points

Soil is essential for life

In the ice age the northern hemisphere was covered in glaciers which soon eroded away the top layers of rocks creating soil

Australia’s soil does not have ice to keep the soil healthy or a volcano to dredge the minerals below for the soil

This means that australia’s soil is incredibily poor, heavily weathered and short on nutrients

our soils valued at $930 billion AUD is under threat

Researchers are working on ways to improve Australia’s soil quality

farmers are adopting new ways to increase productivity but it leaves the soil vulnerable for many risks

Farmers will soon need to rely on fertiliser if the issue still persists

Farners may also need to go and rely on alternatives such as fungi to keep the soil nutrients

Nathan Nair

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summarise the movie or film in 8 - 12 dot points or sentences

The movie the Lorax starts off with a boy (Ted) in a citity with no trees wanting to impress his crush (Audrey ) by giving her a tree

The boy then finds out from his grandma that the only way to get a truffulla tree is t visit the oncler and learn more about the lorax.

Ted soon sets outside his Dystopian home town to an old shack sealed off from the outside, but he meets the oncler

The oncler then recounts how he arrived in a Truffula tree filled land and started chopping down trees to harvest the materials to make his best business venture the Thneeds.

The Lorax a small orange creature who speaks for the tree warned the Onceler the environmental consequences

The Oncler chose to ignore the Lorax and continued to chop down every tree and manufactur thneeds

The oncler eventually became very rich but at what cost? He had chopped all the beautiful trees in the forest and all was left a empty field where no life could thrive on forcing every creature to migrate. The Lorax leaves a stone that says Unless

The Onceler then confesses his regret for his actions to Ted and told him that he caused irreversabke danage

The Onceler handed Ted the last seed of the Trufala tree in the middle of town.

The CEO of Ohare oxygen is threatened at the fact that a tree is still alive and tries to destroy it before it is planted in the ground

Ted and his crush plant the tree in the middle of town and convince everyone that the Trafula tree will do good for everyone.

write a 3-4 sentence explanation of the main “environment science” concepts shown in the film

The main concept relating to environmental science was the whole topic of deforestation and the conesequences that come from that. In the film it was seen after the Onceler stole and destroyed all the trees in the forest all the animals and wildlife had to leave because the dead land was no longer suitable for them. The reason they had to leave was because animals and wildlife need very specific conditions to live and taking away their habitat can lead to them needing to leave or even extinction. The lorax displays the idea of deforestation by outline the consequences it has.

Nathan Nair

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Fossil Fuel Lobby Steer COP28 Climate Deal

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Fossil Fuel Lobby Steer COP28 Climate Deal

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Fossil Fuel Lobby Steer COP28 Climate Deal Towards Global Catastrophe

https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/fossil-fuel-lobby-steer-cop28-climate-deal-towards-global-catastrophe,18279.com

Lobbyist: A person who is a part of an organized attempt to influence legislators.

COP28: COP stands for Conference of the Parties and brings world leaders together to discuss how to address and tackle climate change.

Chicanery: The use of deception or trucks to achieve one’s purpose

Nuclear Pact: An international treaty that stops the use of nuclear weapons and weapons technology to promote cooperation as well as peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

Ecocide: The destruction of the natural environment by deliberate or negligent human action.

Carbon Capture: The process of trapping carbon dioxide produced by fossil fuels and storing it in a way that would prevent it from affecting the atmosphere.

Fossil fuel lobbyists are trying to ignore the plan to slowly phase out fossil fuel during the UN Climate Change Conference. The discussions provide insight into the large amounts of insecurity and instability when it comes to making changes to the overall design regarding how fossil fuels are not only used, but also managed when it comes to disposal, limitations, and potential problems it may create. Papers released by the COP made it clear that if fossil fuels are phased out according to the plan created then we would be able to limit the rising temperatures to only around 1.5*C above average. A temperature change as small as a single degree will still cause major flora and fauna in costal/beach regions to have extreme consequences, for example the Great Barrier Reef could potentially be killed by the change in temperature leading to thousands of diverse creatures and fauna to die. A lot of contributors in the COP have been accused of avoiding issues brought up by countries like Samoa and Tuvalu for ignoring smaller countries that have a higher risk of being affected by climate change.

By Phoenix Rakatairi,

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Avatar

-        Jake Sully is dispatched onto Pandora.

-        He learns that his mission is to mine a rare mineral found in the forests of Pandora.

-        Jake uses an avatar to blend in with the people of Pandora.

-        Jake learns about the practices and culture of the race of people that live there to aid the military in infiltrating them.

-        He tries to build bridges between humans and the Na’vi.

-        Jake bonds with the native people and develops feelings for the alien Neytiri.

-        The Colonel then launches an attack on the indigenous people which forces Jake to choose between the humans and Na’vi.

-        Jake ends up betraying the Colonel and instead chooses to live with the Na’vi.

The avatar explores the ethics of deforestation and the lengths that people should be allowed to take when trying to work around something fragile like life. The movie explores how mining and deforestation could lead to the end of a person or group’s way of life and culture. It forces the audience to compare the value of these rare minerals with life and asks the audience how much damage these rare minerals are really worth.

Phoenix Rakatairi