Australia's NDC was established to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 43% below 2005 levels by 2030 and has a target to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. This goal is taken with the context of Australia’s unique national circumstances: growing population/economy, leading global resources provider, current energy infrastructure, and higher than average abatement costs. The Government is finalizing a safeguard mechanism to ensure emissions reductions purchased under the Emissions Reduction Fund are not offset by significant rises in emissions elsewhere in the economy.

Australia wants to show urgency in policy to achieve Paris Agreement goals. The clean energy transition is an important factor in the decarbonization effort as well as the push for more electric cars. Overall establishing a Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, so that climate mitigation and adaptation, as well as the climate and biodiversity crises, can be addressed holistically.

"Community solar subscribers get power from larger arrays of solar panels usually located nearby.

Community solar arrays are typically owned by nonprofit organizations, third-party companies or utilities. Subscribers sign up to pay for the electricity produced by a portion of that array, often at a discounted price."

There are two reasons that community solar is a positive development. First, it can drastically drop a subscriber's electricity bill. It has been shown to save people upwards of 10% on their bill. That's close to $200 a year for a state like Connecticut. That is not an insignificant amount of money.  Second, and even more important, it allows access to renewable energy to populations that have not traditionally been able to access previously: low-income families, renters, people who reside in condos or apartments, and those who live in very shady areas

This isn’t to say that there are no issues with community solar.  A lot of these mini-farms are waiting to be connected to the larger power grid. However, the Inflation Reduction Act, added $10 billion toward the installation and connection of solar panels.

Deforestation, unsustainable agricultural practices such as soybeans, cattle ranching and burning vegetation for coal are all thretenting local biodiversity. Wolves, jaguars and the endangered macaw all live in one of the richest and oldest biomes of our planet.

This savanna also acts as a vital buffer to climate change since it supplys clean water and its soils sequester large amounts of carbon

Nicole MJ

Source: Save the Cerrado: Our climate depends on it | Pages | WWF (worldwildlife.org)

El Niño is a climate pattern when unusaul warming of surface waters takes place in Eastern Pacific.

The effects of El Niño on Brazil will produce above average rainfall in the South and below average rainfall in the Northern parts of Brazil until January 2024, stated the Brazillian Minsitry of Science, Technology and Innovation (27.10.2023)

Nicole MJ

On November 12, 2023, the rencetly elected President Lula Da Silva stated he will officially present a plan to recover degraded pasturelands on the eve of COP 28. The program of recuperating degraded pasturelands is not only considered  sustainable but also a vital carbon sequester. (Reuters) This is very welcoming news after the previous pro-deforestatin leader.

Whilst the Brazilian potential focuses on the forest conservation and reforestation issues there is a great potential for it to also address soil management and recuperation of degraded pastureland in the agriculture and cattle raising (ironically were former areas of tropical rainforests!) . There are 42 million hectares of degraded pastureland which, via Nature based Solutions (NbS), could be utilized to fulfill its NDC’s Nationally Determined contribution.” whose objective is to restore 12 million hectares of degraded land by the end of the century. (Grossi, 2023)

Nicole MJ

November , 2nd, 2023

Brazil contains 15-20% of the world’s biodiversity and six very important biomes. NbS could represent 37% of all the measures needed to keep the average global temperatures below the required 2ºC. Brazil  could  therefore play an important role in promoting NbS. (Grossi, 2023)

Nicole MJ

More Info:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kthbk8wql8yK9KeYIxIFGHZJ_FrzY86Zk72Mn2epXss/edit?usp=sharing

Many indigenous groups are participating in the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation program (REDD+). The program facilitates the monitoring of carbon emissions from changes within the forest, and some versions of the program also track biodiversity and include sustainable forest management plans.

More Info:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kthbk8wql8yK9KeYIxIFGHZJ_FrzY86Zk72Mn2epXss/edit?usp=sharing

Peru is in the top 10 most biodiverse countries in the world and over half of the country (around 260,000 square miles) is covered by the Amazon Rainforest. The region of Loreto, Peru has been the target of the most extreme deforestation in the country. Roughly 1,100 square miles of Peru's forests are cut down every year—around 80% of them are illegally logged.

More Info:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kthbk8wql8yK9KeYIxIFGHZJ_FrzY86Zk72Mn2epXss/edit?usp=sharing

More Info:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kthbk8wql8yK9KeYIxIFGHZJ_FrzY86Zk72Mn2epXss/edit?usp=sharing

More Info:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kthbk8wql8yK9KeYIxIFGHZJ_FrzY86Zk72Mn2epXss/edit?usp=sharing

Projeto Tamar works along the coast of Brazil (7,400 km/ 4,600 miles) in 23 locations protecting and recuperating nine species of turtles, found in the Atlantic Ocean, through research, conservation, and social inclusion .

Environmental and marine education include raising awareness among coastal communties, fishers, and society to protect marine turtles and their marine habitat.

Climate change is a result of the mismanagment of our ocean. Yet if we preserve and sustainably manage ocean ecosystems they inturn become our most important ally in climate mitigation, adaptations, and resiliance effort. Blue carbon ecosystems or carbon stored in mangroves , salt marshes and seagrasses or Blue Nature based Solutions (NbS) are urgently needed and play a vital role for the achievment of adaptation outcomes.

https://www.tamar.org.br/

Nicole MJ

40% of the Dutch Greenhouse Gas footprint extends beyond the Netherlands. This is because a large proportion of the goods and services used in the country are imported from abroad. About 60% of the global biodiversity loss that can be attributed to Dutch consumption is linked to greenhouse gas emissions.

Probably the Netherlands' most famous climate project is the massive offshore wind turbine off the coast of Rotterdam.

In Utrecht, 316 bus stops have been given green roofs planted with wildflowers and grass, creating habitats for bees.

Delft has a completely solar-powered train station which was completed as part of Delft Zuid's expansion project.

The Rhenus warehouse building in Tilburg has 13,000 solar panels, triple-glazed windows, and uses rainwater for non-drinking water requirements such as flushing toilets.

Also in Tilburg is a completely solar-powered large bus station which services many places nearby in Europe.

The “Instituto da Terra” or Earth Institute project started a bit more than a decade ago when the couple Leila, an environmentalist and Sebastião Salgado, a renowned photographer and photojournalist, decided to restore and give back to nature their highly environmentally degraded family cattle ranch, in Vale do Rio Doce located near the “Mata Atlántico” or Atlantic rainforest on the eastern coast of Brazil.

After a decade 7,000 degraded hectares have been successfully recuperated with several native species of trees bringing back endangered species of flora and fauna. The Rio Doce, once almost dry, is now flowing again. This successful sustainable development pilot project serves as model not only for Brazil, but the whole world. Current plans include the recreation of 5,000 forests outside of the perimeter of this newly replanted forest.

Kristin Gabel

The extreme heat felt across Spain and all of Europe has great impacts on human health and the economy. Over 60,000 people died due to heat related illness this past year. These impacts are affecting the political landscape in Spain and is also affecting the tourism industry which is around 10% of the Spanish economy. Seville saw temperatures soaring over 110° F this summer. The heat is causing shifts in the tourism season with less people coming in the summer and shifting to the spring and fall. People are unable to work in the heat of the day causing financial losses.

Source:

McGrath, M. (2022, August 26). Climate change: Russia Burns off gas as Europe’s Energy Bills Rocket. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-62652133

Sources:

River floods in Russia. Climatechangepost.com. (n.d.). https://www.climatechangepost.com/russia/river-floods/#:~:text=At%20the%20beginning%20of%20the,become%20more%20frequent%20(21).

The Moscow Times. (2023, November 18). Flooding in Russia’s Far East triggers evacuations. https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2023/08/14/flooding-in-russias-far-east-triggers-evacuations-a82139

Source:

Digges, C. (2023, October 16). Norilsk Nickel and Gazprom are the biggest polluters in the Arctic. Bellona.org. https://bellona.org/news/industrial-pollution/2023-10-norilsk-nickel-and-gazprom-are-the-biggest-polluters-in-the-arctic

Source:

Latypova, L. (2023, November 18). New bill puts Russia’s Lake Baikal at risk of deforestation, harmful urbanization. The Moscow Times. https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2023/08/03/new-bill-puts-russias-lake-baikal-at-risk-of-deforestation-harmful-urbanization-a82048

By: Tess Ingebrigtsen

Source:

Paddison, L. (2023, June 7). Russia’s war in Ukraine is undermining global efforts to tackle the Climate Crisis, new report finds. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/07/europe/ukraine-war-climate-change-impact-intl/index.html

By: Tess Ingebrigtsen

Many places in the US are experiencing huge impacts from climate change.  The American Southwest is one of the hardest hit places.  In the summer of 2023, Phoenix passed a number of benchmarks: 

1. It had 31 consecutive days where the highs reached or went higher than 110 degrees.  

2. It had 145 consecutive days without any measurable rain. 

3. It had more than 100 heat related deaths. 

Recently, the  Climate Vulnerability Index (CVI) released its findings with a published journal article and interactive website.  Created by a partnership between the Environmental Defense Fund, Texas A&M University, and Dark Horse Analytics, the CVI’s stated purpose is to help policy makers understand the risks and threats currently occurring in America so that better decisions can be made. It compares two large categories: Baseline vulnerabilities and Climate change risks.  Baseline vulnerabilities are things currently happening that reduce a community’s resilience: access to health care or groceries, diabetes rates, and impact of air pollution.  Climate change risks are how climate change is forecasted to impact these same areas in the future.  It looks at factors like heat related deaths and droughts.

St. John the Baptist parish in Louisiana- a county about 30 miles up river  of New Orleans, was found to be the most climate vulnerable area in the US. St. John is almost 70% households of color and has a median income $14,000 below the national average, pointing to the trend that climate change impacts marginalized groups harder than others.. It has historically been part of the string of parishes known as “Cancer Alley,” because of the adverse impact of industrial plants.  

It is important to note the St. John the Baptist parish is not the only Louisiana county in the top ten most climate vulnerable places in America.  In fact, half of the counties are located in the state, with the others being in Kentucky (3), Texas (1), and South Caroline (1). 

There are still facilities that release millions of tons of greenhouse gasses - with the worst polluter being Alabama Power’s James H. Miller Jr. Electric Generating Plant. This coal-burning power plant releases 21.8 million MT CO2e every year - a full six million metric tons more than the next largest polluter. That’s a million more tons than Guatemala. It has been the top CO2e emitter in America for almost a decade. It also releases 68,000 tons of methane and 108,000 tons of nitrous oxide. One could almost think it would be illegal to NOT shut down the plant.

Unfortunately, that is just one side of the story for the residents of nearby West Jefferson. The plant provides electricity for over a million homes and provides 330 jobs for a town of 500. It is seen as the economic lifeblood for the region. Southern Electric - the parent company of Alabama Power - has committed to net-zero by 2050 but has no intention of shutting down the plant.

Nicole MJ

While the population dipped by several hundred following the floods, Valmeyer has become one of the most successful cases of managed retreat in the United States. Managed retreat in this context is when a community purposely and deliberately moves itself out of harm's way of climate caused calamities. 

In Valmeyer’s case, they moved the whole town two miles east and 400 ft up.  Today the population of "New Valmeyer" is up to 1,300 and, while it took longer to rebuild the commercial success of the town, it is thriving. There are a lot of reasons that Valmeyer was successful where other communities were not.  However, a recent Grist article points to its success as an example that these sorts of programs can work with the right community and buy-in.

Singapore launched their first urban fish farm in a shipping container very recently on November 19, aiming to bolster local urban agriculture. This is part of the country’s “30 by 30” food target of generating 30% of its food supply domestically by 2030. It is located on Tampines Street 11 and is an effort in partnership with aquaculture company Aqualita Ecotechnology and Tampines Town Council. Within the container fish farm are Jade Perch, a fish delicacy. Jade Perch reaches market readiness at a weight between 500g to 600g which should take 4 to 6 months in the container fish farm. Notably, this container fish farm is 25% more productive compared to conventional fish farming methods. The Tampines Round Market and Food Centre Merchants’ Association will collaborate with local fish vendors to offer these fish, which can reach prices of up to $38 per kilogram. 

Here is more information about Singapore’s food security:

30 by 30 Vision: Singapore's agritech sector nurtures food security | from GuideMeSingapore | Published on June 3, 2023

References:

1. Hong, L. (2023, November 20). Singapore’s first urban fish farm in a container launched in tampines. The Straits Times. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/environment/first-hdb-container-fish-farm-launched-in-tampines  

2. 30 by 30. Our Food Future. (n.d.). https://www.ourfoodfuture.gov.sg/30by30/

Above is an image of the project underway at Pulau Tekong. I sourced this image from this article: Shoring Up Sustainability - Reshaping the Coastline of Pulau Tekong 

Singapore’s first polder is currently being built on Pulau Tekong, Singapore's second largest island. A polder is a low-lying tract of land protected from the sea by structures known as dikes. Through a network of drainage canals and pumps, a polder regulates and controls water levels within its boundaries. This project is scheduled for completion by the end of 2024. It serves many purposes including to: protect the coastline as sea levels rise, lessen Singapore’s reliance on sand imports, and create more space for Singapore’s expected growing population. 

As of June 2023, Singapore’s population reached 5.92 million, a 5% increase from the previous June. The country's population is projected to continue to rise to 6.9 million by 2030. This pilot polder project is part of Singapore’s solution for the increasing demand to accommodate more residential, working, and recreational spaces. 

References: 

1. Tan, C. (2023, February 17). Budget 2023: Lessons from covid-19 will help Singapore Strengthen Resilience Against Climate Change. The Straits Times. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/budget-2023-lessons-from-covid-19-will-help-singapore-strengthen-resilience-against-climate-change 

2. Shoring up sustainability - reshaping the coastline of Pulau tekong. CTRL Your Future, SHIFT Your Perspective. (n.d.). https://www.ctrlshift.gov.sg/stories/sustainability-reshaping-coastline-of-pulau-tekong/ 

3. Youjin, L. (n.d.). Explainer: Why sand is so highly valued and the controversy surrounding cross-border trade. TODAY. https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/explainer-why-sand-so-highly-valued-and-consequences-overmining 

4. Population in brief 2023: Key trends. National Population and Talent Division. (n.d.). https://www.population.gov.sg/media-centre/articles/population-in-brief-2023-key-trends/ 

5. Shoring up sustainability - reshaping the coastline of Pulau tekong. CTRL Your Future, SHIFT Your Perspective. (n.d.). https://www.ctrlshift.gov.sg/stories/sustainability-reshaping-coastline-of-pulau-tekong/ 

Singapore promotes lower emitting vehicles through emissions standards. All new vehicles are mandated to adhere to minimum emission standards, which have undergone tighter restrictions over the years. Furthermore, existing vehicles on the roads are subject to regular inspections to ensure they do not emit excessive smoke, contributing to the efforts aimed at maintaining emissions within acceptable limits. One way the country promotes lower emitting vehicles is by encouraging the replacement of older, more polluting vehicles through their Early Turnover Scheme which has resulted in over 40,000 commercial diesel vehicles being replaced for “cleaner” vehicles. 

Outlined in their Land Transport Master Plan 2040, Singapore’s goal is for 9 out of 10 peak-period journeys to be made using Walk-Cycle-Ride modes, which includes public and shared transport options such as taxis and private hire cars. Additionally, by 2040, the plan aims for 100% greener and “cleaner” energy-based public bus and taxi fleets. 

Outlined in the Green Plan 2030, Singapore aims for all vehicles to run on “cleaner” energy sources by 2040. To achieve this, the country is working to facilitate the adoption of Electric Vehicles (EVs) through these approaches: 

1. Vehicle Taxes and Incentives: Singapore has introduced several measures to incentivize the adoption of EVs. These measures include the EV Early Adoption Incentive, Vehicular Emissions Scheme, Additional Registration Fee (ARF) floor reduction, and revisions to the road tax framework for electric cars. 

2. Regulations and Standards: The LTA oversees and regulates the safe use of EVs and EV charging in the country. Their EV charging standard, Technical Reference 25 (TR25), is regularly reviewed by representatives from industry, academia, and government agencies to meet best practices.

3. EV Charger Deployment: Singapore aims to install 60,000 EV charging points nationwide by 2030, with a distribution of 40,000 in public car parks and 20,000 in private premises. 

   
   

In addition, Singapore is capping an increase on luxury vehicles through tax increases. 

References: 

1. Mengying, Z. (2023, August 9). How Singapore is transforming its transport infrastructure to support evs. South China Morning Post. https://www.scmp.com/country-reports/country-reports/topics/singapore-national-day-2023/article/3230343/how-singapore-driving-city-towards-electric-vehicles-vowing-phase-out-sales-internal-combustion?campaign=3230343&module=perpetual_scroll_0&pgtype=article  

2. Clean air. MSE. (n.d.-a). https://www.mse.gov.sg/policies/clean-air  

3. Early turnover scheme. LTA. (n.d.). https://onemotoring.lta.gov.sg/content/onemotoring/home/buying/vehicle-types-and-registrations/commercial-vehicle/early-turnover.html  

4. Climate game changer. MSE. (n.d.-c). https://www.mse.gov.sg/policies/climate-change/climategamechanger  

5. YouTube. (2019a, May 25). Land Transport master plan 2040 #LTMP2040. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aKaM2Sui4k  

6. Our Targets. Singapore Green Plan 2030. (n.d.). https://www.greenplan.gov.sg/targets/  

7. Transport. National Climate Change Secretariat. (n.d.). https://www.nccs.gov.sg/singapores-climate-action/mitigation-efforts/transport/ 

8. Tan, Christopher. (2023, February 14). Budget 2023: Tax for higher-end cars to rise again; arf to go up from 220% to 320%. The Straits Times. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/budget-2023-tax-for-higher-end-cars-to-rise-again 

* I chose this location because it is where an EV charging station is.

A YouTube video titled “How Singapore Uses Science to Stay Cool” goes over Singapore’s innovation and engineering to combat the urban heat island effect. 

As highlighted in “How Singapore Uses Science to Stay Cool”, integrating plant life helps cool cities. Vegetation lowers buildings’ carbon footprint, leading to cost savings for property owners on air conditioning and other energy costs. Furthermore, Singapore’s well-designed green buildings provide mental health benefits and continue to attract tourists. The endeavor to cover Singapore’s urban area with plants is part of their commitment to create a "Garden City." Outlined in its Green Plan 2030. This plan has set forth many ambitious environmental objectives. These include doubling the tree planting rate from 2020 to 2030, aiming for a minimum of 80% of buildings to be green, and establishing 200 hectares of green roofs by 2030. Additionally, Singapore is investing in a network of dense tree cover along streets, these trees will offer shade and moisture which will naturally cool the city's environment. 

References: 

1. Koons, E. (2023, July 20). Heat waves become Singapore’s scorching reality. Climate Impacts Tracker Asia. https://www.climateimpactstracker.com/heat-wave-singapore/ 

2. Dotto, C., Shveda, K., & Robinson, L. (2023, June 7). A “once-in-200 years” heat wave caught Southeast Asia off guard. climate change will make them more common. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/06/asia/southeast-asia-heat-wave-humidity-climate-intl-hnk-dst-scn-dg/index.html 

3. YouTube. (2021a, March 17). How Singapore uses science to stay cool. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PM101DvvG4Q&t=344s 

4. Our Targets. Singapore Green Plan 2030. (n.d.). https://www.greenplan.gov.sg/targets/ 

5. Relman, E. (2023, September 19). Why so many buildings in Singapore are covered in plants. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/why-buildings-in-singapore-covered-in-plants-government-incentives-2023-9

Seven towns in Singapore will have new cycling paths in their neighborhoods by 2024 as a part of a phased plan to expand cycling networks. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has initiated plans for constructing around 55 km of new cycling paths in Geylang, Hougang, Kaki Bukit, Marine Parade, Potong Pasir, Sengkang, and Serangoon. These new paths are part of the LTA's plan to double the current cycling network from 530 km to 1,300 km by 2030. Moreover, this project will build additional supporting infrastructure, including bicycle parking facilities, bicycle crossings, wheeling ramps, and map boards. 

Here is some history of Singapore’s LTA - In 2009, the LTA initiated efforts to enhance cycling infrastructure within housing estates through a S$43 million intra-town cycling program, starting with 5 HDB towns - Yishun, Tampines, Taman Jurong, Pasir Ris and Sembawang. Then in 2010, the LTA in collaboration with other agencies introduced the National Cycling Plan, a plan which incorporates the earlier program. This initiative aims to construct 700 km of cycling paths that include park connectors by 2030. This plan is developing intra-town cycling routes designed for reasons such as recreation, to shorten commutes, improve safety, and to reduce car emissions. 

Here is more information about Singapore’s cycling paths:

• How Singapore Is Building A Cycling Utopia | YouTube video by World Know More | Published on May 16, 2023 

• 14.5km of new cycling paths completed in Ang Mo Kio, Bishan and Toa Payoh | The Strait Times article by Wallace Woon | Published on Oct 21, 2022

  
  

References 

1. Woon, W. (2023). New cycling paths in 7 towns will be progressively completed from 2024: LTA. The Straits Times. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/new-cycling-paths-in-7-towns-will-be-progressively-completed-from-2024-lta 

2. Choo, C. (n.d.). The big read: Why Singapore has yet to become a cycling paradise - and it’s not just about the heat. TODAY. https://www.todayonline.com/big-read/big-read-why-singapore-has-yet-become-cycling-paradise-and-its-not-just-about-heat 

* I chose this location of GoCycling, a bike rental shop, because it is right next to a cycling path.

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/land-use-biodiversity/indonesia-says-200000-hectares-palm-plantations-be-made-forests-2023-11-01/

These monsoon and dry cycles are likely to become more unstable as the climate changes, making Indonesia's fresh water access more vulnerable.

Because of its high biodiversity and archipelago makeup, Indonesia is home to many endemic island-based species, many of which are endangered by climate change.

• Capital of Cambodia is Phnom Penh, population of ~1.5 million

• the current population of Cambodia is 17 million (2023)

• Cambodia is ranked 73rd as the most populous countries

• 26.2% of the population lives in an urban setting

• life expectancy = 71.46 years old

• infant mortality rate = 19.3/1,000 births

• Cambodia has a tropical wet & dry climate, temperatures don't vary greatly

• climate is effected by the monsoon winds = 2 major seasons (mid May - October is heavy rain & high humidity while early November - mid March is lighter winds which brings lower humidity, cloudiness, & infrequent rain)

4 Main Ecological Communities

1. Annamite Range Moist Forests - 134 species of mammals & 525 bird species

   • 50% of these forests have been cleared due to the timber industry sector

2. Cardamom Mountains Moist Forests - 1 of the most species rich ecoregions in Cambodia, 100+ mammal species, 450 bird species, elephants reside here

   • illegal logging effects region negatively

3. Central Indochina Moist Forests - deciduous trees dominated sparse woodlands, 167 mammal species, & 500+ bird species

   • ecoregion is threatened by forest clearing for settlements

4. Mekong Freshwater Ecoregion - high diversity of habits including grasslands, wetlands, deciduous forests, & riparian environments. 212 mammal species, 240 reptile species, 536 bird species, 850 freshwater fish species, 435 marine fish species, & 2,000+ plant species (a lot of these having yet to be taxonimized)

   • the construction of hydroelectric dams, sand mining, & overfishing have negative consequences in this region

• 2020: 42,363.18 -- 0.99% increase

• 2019: 41,947.80 -- 11.80% increase

• 2018: 37,519.11 -- 2.68% increase

• 2017: 36,540.99 -- 7.72% increase

• 2016: 33,920.89 -- 8.92% increase

Source: https://ourworldindata.org/co2/country/cambodia

• Largest industry contributor to Cambodia's GHG emissions = land use change & forestry sector (32.48 million t)

• 2nd largest = agriculture (21 million t)

• 3rd largest = transport (6.93 million t)