2020 Climate Events Were Examples Of How Excess Heat Is Expressed On Earth

18.01.2021

earth-zemlja-planeta — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

By most accounts, 2020 has been a rough year for the planet. It was the warmest year on record, just barely exceeding the record set in 2016 by less than a tenth of a degree according to NASA’s analysis. Massive wildfires scorched Australia, Siberia, and the United States’ west coast — and many of the fires were still burning during the busiest Atlantic hurricane season on record.

“This year has been a very striking example of what it’s like to live under some of the most severe effects of climate change that we’ve been predicting,” said Lesley Ott, a research meteorologist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.

Decades of greenhouse gas emissions set the stage for this year’s events

Human-produced greenhouse gas emissions are largely responsible for warming our planet. Burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas releases greenhouse gases — such as carbon dioxide — into the atmosphere, where they act like an insulating blanket and trap heat near Earth’s surface.

“The natural processes Earth has for absorbing carbon dioxide released by human activities — plants and the ocean — just aren’t enough to keep up with how much carbon dioxide we’re putting into the atmosphere,” said Gavin Schmidt, climate scientist and Director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) in New York City.

Carbon dioxide levels have increased by nearly 50 percent since the Industrial Revolution 250 years ago. The amount of methane in the atmosphere has more than doubled. As a result, during this period, Earth has warmed by about 2 degrees Fahrenheit (just over 1 degree Celsius).

Climate modelers have predicted that, as the planet warms, Earth will experience more severe heat waves and droughts, larger and more extreme wildfires, and longer and more intense hurricane seasons on average. The events of 2020 are consistent with what models have predicted: extreme climate events are more likely because of greenhouse gas emissions.

Heat waves fanned the flames of extreme wildfires across the globe

Climate change has led to longer fire seasons, as vegetation dries out earlier and persistent high temperatures allow fires to burn longer. This year, heat waves and droughts added fuel for the fires, setting the stage for more intense fires in 2020.

The Australian bushfires that started in 2019 continued into 2020 due to sustained high temperatures, burning vast forested areas and sending smoke around the globe. The heat wave helped the fires grow rapidly, burning over 20 percent of the Australian temperate forest biome. Fire-induced thunderstorms called pyrocumulonimbus events resulted in smoke plumes that reached a record-breaking 18 mile (30 kilometer) altitude — crossing into the stratosphere. Smoke released from the bushfires circumnavigated the globe before returning to the skies over Australia.

Hundreds of wildfires burned throughout the western United States this past year, making it the most active fire season on record. Fires in Colorado grew quickly as heat waves enabled the fire to burn faster and hotter. In California, more than 650 fires were actively burning in late August; the largest of these — the August Complex Fire – burned over a million acres.

A heat wave hit the Arctic Circle this summer, with temperatures rising above 100 degrees Fahrenheit in some parts of Siberia. This heat wave triggered a wildfire outbreak that reignited “zombie fires” from the previous year.

Zombie fires can occur when fires burn in areas with permafrost, carbon-rich soil that typically stays frozen year-round. Zombie fires burn so deep in the permafrost layer that they can continue to smolder under a blanket of snow throughout winter and can reemerge in the spring.

Wildfires in the Arctic have long-term impacts on Earth’s climate system. Tundra and boreal fires release methane and carbon in these regions that have been accumulating for centuries into the atmosphere. Burning also creates the conditions for continued permafrost layer thaw, resulting in increased greenhouse gas emissions for years to come.

Earth is continuing to lose a key player in the fight against Climate Change: Ice

This year wasn’t a record-breaker for ice loss at sea or on land. But ice plays a key role in regulating Earth’s temperature, and the overall trends show we’re continuously losing ice around the globe.

The planet is losing about 13.1 percent of Arctic sea ice by area each decade, according to sea ice minimum data from NASA and the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder, Colorado. Studies of sea ice thickness have also shown that sea ice is a lot thinner than it used to be.

Sea ice floating in the Arctic acts like an insulating barrier, preventing the ocean from heating the atmosphere. Sea ice is also so bright that it reflects heat energy from the Sun away from Earth. Without sea ice, that energy would be absorbed by the darker ocean waters, leading to even higher sea surface temperatures.

Each year, Arctic sea ice melts and regrows, reaching its minimum extent around mid-September and maximum extent in March. This year had the second lowest Arctic sea ice summer extent on record. Arctic sea ice also got a slow start regrowing this year due to warmer air temperatures, which doesn’t bode well for the sea ice extent in 2021.

“When the ice has a slow start to regrow, it’s hard to catch up,” said Tom Neumann, glaciologist and Chief of the Cryospheric Sciences Lab at Goddard.

On land, the Greenland ice sheet is continuing to melt, and the record-breaking temperatures of 2020 didn’t help. This year, 23.1 million square kilometers of Greenland’s ice sheet (about 70 percent of the ice sheet’s surface) reached the melting point. Glaciers and mountain ice caps in places like Alaska, South America, and High Mountain Asia are continuing to melt, contributing more than either Greenland or Antarctica to sea level rise, which affects coastal communities around the world.

Photo illustration: Unsplash (Xavier Balderas Cejudo)

The situation in the Arctic is a direct consequence of climate change – and a foreshadowing of what’s to come in other places. “The Arctic is like the canary in the coal mine because the Arctic is warming faster than the rest of the planet,” said Neumann. On average, the Arctic is warming three times faster.

High sea surface temperatures intensified storms in the busiest Atlantic hurricane season

This year brought one of the busiest and most intense Atlantic hurricane seasons on record, with 30 named storms.

“We had more named storms than we’ve ever had before,” said Jim Kossin, an atmospheric scientist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) based in Madison, Wisconsin. More storms and a longer hurricane season are probably a result of regional conditions rather than global warming, Kossin said.

However, climate change warms the ocean’s surface and drives storm intensification – the change in windspeeds that, for example, raises a Category 4 storm to a Category 5. That warmer water at the surface acts like fuel, providing energy in the form of heat that the hurricane uses to intensify more quickly. This year’s Atlantic hurricane season brought many examples of storms that intensified quickly: ten of the 30 named storms showed rapid intensification.

The planet is also seeing more slow-traveling hurricanes that stall, bringing prolonged rainfall to an area, likely as a result of climate change. Warmer air holds more water vapor (about 7 percent more water per 1 degree C of warming). The planet is warming at different rates around the globe, which can reduce the temperature and pressure gradients, thus slowing the winds that push hurricanes. That means storms are more likely to stall, bringing sustained high winds and dumping massive amounts of rain in one area. Hurricanes Sally and Eta – which respectively made landfall in Alabama in September and Central America in November – were prime examples.

“Global warming won’t necessarily increase overall tropical storm formation, but when we do get a storm it’s more likely to become stronger. And it’s the strong ones that really matter,” Kossin said.

What does the future hold?

This year we experienced firsthand the ways that more heat is expressed on our planet. The large wildfires, intense hurricanes, and ice loss we saw in 2020 are direct consequences of human-induced climate change. And they’re projected to continue and escalate into the next decade – especially if human-induced greenhouse gas emissions continue at the current rate.

“This isn’t the new normal,” said Schmidt. “This is a precursor of more to come.”

To help us understand and prepare for our planet’s future, NASA observes and learns about Earth from space. By collecting a variety of data, NASA scientists are able to better understand how Earth operates as a system and create models to predict what the next decades will bring, providing information that helps decisionmakers around the world.

Source: Clean Technica

Ministerial Council Adopts Measures Against Bosnia and Herzegovina and List of Priority Infrastructure Projects

17.01.2021

transport_gasa — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Quinten de Graaf)

Following the 18th Ministerial Council of the Energy Community, convened virtually under the Montenegro Presidency on 17 December 2020, the Ministerial Council by written procedure suspended certain rights of Bosnia and Herzegovina under the Energy Community Treaty on account of the country’s serious and persistent failures to comply with the Second Energy Package in the gas sector, the Sulphur in Fuels Directive as well as the Third Energy Package in both electricity and gas. According to the Ministerial Council’s Decision, Bosnia and Herzegovina will not participate in the decision-making on matters of budget and enforcement for a period of two years, unless it rectifies the breaches in question in the meantime.

The Ministerial Council also adopted a list of seventeen energy projects of regional significance under the so-called TEN-E Regulation. The six Projects of Energy Community Interest (PECI) and eleven Projects of Mutual Interest (PMI) in electricity and gas can benefit from investment incentives, streamlined permit granting and enhanced regulatory conditions. The projects were assessed based on a scenario which complies with the Paris Agreement goals.

The Council also approved adapted Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/803 regarding quality reports on natural gas and electricity price statistics pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2016/1952.

The Council failed to reach consensus on the General Policy Guidelines on the 2030 Targets and Climate Neutrality for the Energy Community and its Contracting Parties.

Source: Energy Community

EBRD, EU and Donors Support SMEs and Green Homes in North Macedonia

16.01.2021

macedonia-makedonija-pixabay — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing two loans of €3.5 million combined to ProCredit Bank Skopje in order to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to reach EU standards and residential home-owners to make their buildings more energy efficient.

The new funds come at a critical time as private businesses and citizens in North Macedonia feel the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The first part of the financial package consists of a €2.5 million loan to increase the competitiveness of local SMEs. Funds will be lent on to businesses to upgrade their production processes and equipment to EU standards, in particular with regards to product quality and safety, health and safety measures and environmental preservation.

These investments are covered by the Western Balkans SME Competitiveness Support Programme, for which the EBRD provides loans and the EU incentive payments and technical assistance. The goal is to help SMEs to modernise their activities and take advantage of trade opportunities in the Western Balkans region and the wider European market.

The second part of the financial package is a €1 million loan to support individual investments in green materials, equipment and technologies for privately-owned residential buildings.

It comes under the Green Economy Financing Facility (GEFF), which offers energy and resource-efficient solutions to build a greener and more sustainable economy.

The programme is supported by the European Union, the Western Balkans Investment Framework and the Austrian Federal Ministry of Finance.

Andi Aranitasi, EBRD Head of North Macedonia, said:

“We are very pleased that, together with our longstanding partner ProCredit Bank Macedonia, we can provide additional support to SMEs to invest in the competitiveness of their businesses and to citizens to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. Strengthening the SME sector and investing in green economy are some of our key priorities in North Macedonia and this project will help us come a step closer to both of these objectives. We are also thankful for the support of EU, WBIF and the Austrian Federal Ministry of Finance, all of whom with their grant contributions, have helped make the programmes a big success and North Macedonia a regional leader in terms of utilisation of funds under both CSP and GEFF.”

Janmaat Freek, Delegation of the European Union to North Macedonia, Head of Operations 1, said:

“Within the current health pandemic, provision of more favourable access to finance to small and medium sized companies is of outmost importance. While ongoing government measures do support companies to preserve jobs and survival of companies, the joint EU and EBRD programme “SME financing facility”, provides resources for completion of capital investments and future growth of companies. The combination of loan and grant has proven to be a strong tool to encourage companies to pursue the planned investments and expand business further. On the other hand, the facility is a booster for the financial intermediaries which in turn can take on more risk and expand lending activities from their own resources.”

The EBRD has been investing in the economy of North Macedonia since 1993.

To date, the Bank has signed more than 130 projects in the country, with a net cumulative business volume of over €2 billion.

Source: EBRD

This Zoo Just Saved One of the World’s Rarest Turtles From Extinction

15.01.2021

Vienna - beč - zoo — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Michael Schaffler)

Some of the rarest turtles in the world have been brought back from the brink of extinction.

The Northern River Terrapin (Batagur baska) is a freshwater turtle once common in the waterways of southwest India, Bangladesh and Myanmar. It has been considered a local delicacy, which is what led to them being hunted until only a few individuals remained in captivity.

But ten years ago, a team from Vienna’s Schönbrunn Zoo, working with conservation groups and Bangladesh’s Forest Department, launched a project which has seen the terrapins successfully reintroduced into the mangrove forests of the Sundarbans on the country’s south coast.

Black market traders

The project started when local conservationist Rupali Ghosh bought a terrapin dealer’s entire stock to save them from slaughter.

Females are traditionally the most prized for their meat. “Fishermen can get up to $365 for a female – that’s twice the average monthly wage in Bangladesh,” says the Zoo’s turtle project leader Doris Preininger. “They are often kept as talisman’s in village ponds. Traders can get three times that amount by selling the meat and the shells on the black market,” she adds.

They are believed to live for up to 100 years, grow up to 60 centimetres long, weigh up to 20 kilogrammes and, as one of the most endangered species of turtle in the world, are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

Today, the project is producing 250 hatchlings at its nursery in Bhawal National Park. When the terrapins are old enough, they are taken to the coast and released.

Hunters turned helpers

Once in the wild, the terrapins face predation by another endangered species – the Sundarbans National Park is home to one of the world’s largest populations of Bengal tigers.

But the terrapins now have some unlikely human allies in their fight for survival. Local fishermen, who once hunted the freshwater turtles, are now employed to help protect them. They are part of a team who have helped make this a successful species conservation project.

Not that it’s all been plain sailing. The terrapins are still caught as by-catch in fishermen’s nets and are still being hunted for international trade. Even in their nursery, they are under threat.

“We have only eight females because they are very expensive,” says centre manager AGJ Morsched. “People have broken into the station and one of the keepers was beaten up trying to stop people getting in.”

The good news is the released terrapins are putting on weight – which proves they are feeding successfully – and extending their range. Juveniles have also been found, suggesting they are breeding again in the wild.

Tipping point

The World Economic Forum’s Future of Nature and Business report said the economic recovery from COVID-19 must focus on protecting nature, arguing that commercial interests were not immune from the threats to the natural world.

“There is no future for business as usual – we are reaching irreversible tipping points for nature and climate, and over half of the global GDP, $44 trillion, is potentially threatened by nature loss,” it said.

Source: World Economic Forum

As Climate Change Hits Harder, World Must Increase Efforts to Adapt

15.01.2021

climate-change-dry-suva-zemlja-suša — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

2020 was not only the year of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was also the year of intensifying climate change: high temperatures, floods, droughts, storms, wildfires and even locust plagues. Even more worryingly, the world is heading for at least a 3°C temperature rise this century.

We need strong action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to meet the Paris Agreement goals of holding global warming this century to well below 2°C and pursuing 1.5°C. This would limit the impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities and ecosystems.

Adaptation holds the keye

Nations must urgently step-up action to adapt to the new climate reality or face serious costs, damages and losses.

Adaptation – reducing countries’ and communities’ vulnerability to climate change by increasing their ability to absorb impacts and remain resilient – is a pillar of the Paris Agreement. The agreement requires all signatories to plan and implement adaptation measures through national adaptation plans, studies, monitoring climate change effects and investment in a green future.

The UNEP Adaptation Gap Report 2020 looks at where the world stands in planning, financing and implementing adaptation actions. It finds that while nations have advanced in planning, more financing is needed to scale up adaptation projects so they can help protect against climate impacts such as droughts, floods and sea-level rise. Public and private finance for adaptation must be stepped up urgently, along with faster implementation.

The report also calls for an increase in nature-based solutions – locally appropriate actions that address societal challenges, such as climate change, and provide human well-being and biodiversity benefits by protecting, sustainably managing and restoring ecosystems.

Click on below to look at the findings and recommendations of the Adaptation Gap Report 2020in more detail.

Even amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the world must also plan for, finance and implement climate change adaption measures or face serious costs, losses and damage.

There is no doubt – adaptation makes economic sense. The Global Commission on Adaptation in 2019 estimated that a USD 1.8 trillion investment in adaptation measures would bring a return of USD 7.1 trillion in avoided costs and other benefits.

Achieving the 2°C target of the Paris Agreement could limit losses in global annual growth to up to 1.6 percent, compared to 2.2 percent for 3°C.

While COVID-19 and its economic fallout has seen adaptation fall down the political agenda, at the same time, pandemic recovery and stimulus packages could lead to a more climate resilient and low-emission recovery if implemented well.

The Adaptation Gap Report 2020 celebrates the global progress that been made on adaptation over the last decade. But further ambition and action, backed by finance, is urgently needed.

Source: UNEP

Offshore Oil and Gas on the Gulf Coast: Mitigating Risks with Data

14.01.2021

industry-brod-ulje — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

In 2016, the US offshore oil and natural gas industries—which are heavily concentrated in the Gulf of Mexico— contributed 315,000 jobs and USD 30 billion to the US economy. These industries are lucrative, but they see their fair share of challenges.

Even during the best of times, the extraction of oil and gas demands strict attention to employees’ health and safety and the maintenance of assets. But as extreme weather events increase—strong winds, heavy rain, lightning, and high seas—the risk of mishaps increases, requiring additional care. Delivery and distribution may be halted, assets may become damaged, and there’s a greater chance of oil and chemical spills.

A Look at Past Events

The US offshore oil and gas industries were dealt a one-two punch in 2005, as two category-5 hurricanes (Katrina and Rita) swept across the coast. The effects were so damaging that it took years to recover:

– 3,050 of 4,000 platforms in the Gulf were affected, each of which halted production for several weeks.

– 22,000 of the 33,000 miles of Gulf pipelines were in the storms’ direct path, and 457 pipelines were destroyed

– 115 platforms were destroyed

– 8 million gallons of oil spilled into waterways from Louisiana to Alabama

– Oil prices spiked to USD 70 a barrel

Companies spent millions to repair their infrastructure. Shell, for example, spent over USD 300 million on recovering and repairing assets. Besides the cost of repairs, for the next nine months, 22 percent of federal oil production and 13 percent of gas production remained shut-in—resulting in the loss of 150 million barrels of oil and 720 billion cubic feet of gas.

Since those two hurricanes, there have been ten more category 5 Atlantic hurricanes. Climate change’s effects are certainly being felt— and experts anticipate that it will induce more storms at greater intensities. Although we can’t stop them from happening, we can learn more about them and determine the best ways to reduce their impact—to ensure these industries operate safely and remain lucrative.

Data’s Place in the Offshore Oil and Gas Industries

It’s the responsibility of oil and gas companies to protect their infrastructure, assets, and employees. It’s also their responsibility to set up emergency response teams and employ remediating measures to minimize the extent of oil spills if and when they occur.

Accurate, real-time data (and alerting) is vital for making fast, informed decisions that will protect assets, lives, and the environment. Here are two specific applications of data to the offshore oil and gas industries:

Monitoring extreme weather changes:

A week of delay to operations could affect major shippers and cost companies as much as USD 7.5 million. Time is essential for reducing the impact of extreme weather events such as hurricanes.

Anticipating upcoming wind shifts and speed changes can help prepare and protect vessels and their tethered connection. Having up-to-date weather data also allows companies to avoid dangerous activity. Not only does this protect these billion-dollar oil rigs and employees, but it also prevents oil spills.

Real-time ocean data is also important for monitoring everyday weather and temperature changes. Milder weather can still put operations and assets at risk. For pipes, all it takes is a 35 mph wind at a specific angle to become damaged. (To put that into perspective, Hurricane Katrina’s wind speeds were moving at 175 mph.)

To reduce the risks posed by climate variability and change, some experts advocate for better collaboration between the oil and gas industries and the meteorological community. A stronger partnership between these two groups would allow for better integration of high-quality weather and climate information into energy sector activities.

Oil spill mapping:

To limit the areas affected by an oil spill and facilitate containment and cleanup efforts, several factors must be identified:

– Spill location

– Size and extent of the spill

– Direction and magnitude of oil movement

– Wind, current, and wave information for predicting future oil movement

Timely detection and continuously updated information on these factors are vital for executing response measures. Responders depend on oil spill trajectory maps built from field observations, aerial surveys, remote sensing, and weather forecasts for ocean currents and winds (drawn from weather buoys). Oil spill trajectory maps help with cleanup measures, shoreline protection, and penalization (when applicable):

– Slick detection and surveillance

– Tactical and strategic countermeasures

– Slick trajectory determination

– Containment boom implementation

– Gathering of legal information

To echo the prior discussion, the weather is becoming increasingly unpredictable. With quick changes to wind speeds, currents, and waves, oil spill trajectory maps need to be informed by real-time holistic data to be effective. These industries are some of the most advanced users of weather and climate information. However, their rapid evolution, and extreme changes to weather, constantly create new needs.

The offshore oil and gas industry isn’t the only large industry requiring top-quality data in the face of increasingly volatile weather. Read about the risks to the maritime industry and how real-time data is a game-changer for operations.

This article is originally posted on Sofar Ocean

Sustainability: What Are the Alternatives to Economic Growth?

13.01.2021

background-jesen — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

The EEA briefing ‘Growth without economic growth‘ presents an overview of the various ideas about progress beyond economic growth.

Economic growth is closely linked to increasing production, consumption and resource use, which has negative effects on nature, climate and human health.

Moreover, current research suggests that it is unlikely that economic growth can be completely detached from its environmental impacts, the EEA briefing notes.

Various ideas and theories have been presented to rethink economic growth and societal progress. Green growth, doughnut economics, post-growth and edgrowth agendas all share similar aims but diverge in their means to achieve sustainability goals.

The EEA briefing reminds that economic growth is highly correlated with indicators for human well-being, such as life expectancy and education. At the same time, Europe’s fundamental values, such as human dignity, freedom, democracy, are not materialistic and maintaining high social, health and environmental standards does not have to depend on economic growth.

Political initiatives for a sustainable future require not only technological change, but also changes in consumption and social practices. The challenge is to innovate lifestyles that consume less but are attractive to individuals without an environmental, spiritual or ideological interest.

Could the European Green Deal, for example, become a catalyst for a society that consumes less and grows in other than material dimensions, the EEA briefing asks.

Source: EEA

IEA to Produce World’s First Comprehensive Roadmap to Net-Zero Emissions by 2050

13.01.2021

smoke-zagađenje — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The International Energy Agency announced that it will produce the world’s first comprehensive roadmap for the energy sector to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 as it further strengthens its leadership role in global clean energy transitions.

The new special report, The World’s Roadmap to Net Zero by 2050, will set out in detail what is needed from governments, companies, investors and citizens to fully decarbonise the energy sector and put emissions on a path in line with a temperature rise of 1.5 degrees Celsius. It is part of a series of new IEA projects to support efforts to reach global energy and climate goals.

This new roadmap will be released on 18 May and build momentum ahead of the COP26 Summit in Glasgow in November, under the presidency of the United Kingdom.

Dozens of countries – including most of the world’s largest economies – and many leading companies have already announced plans to bring their emissions down to zero by around the middle of this century. But much work remains to be done to translate these ambitious targets into actual reductions in emissions.

“The energy that powers our daily lives and our economies also produces three-quarters of global emissions. This means our climate challenge is essentially an energy challenge. The IEA is determined to tackle that challenge and lead global clean energy transitions,” said Dr Fatih Birol, the IEA’s Executive Director.

“Our roadmap to net zero can play a vital role in helping countries identify and implement the actions needed to achieve climate, energy security and affordability goals. Nothing short of a total transformation of our energy infrastructure will be required. That calls for decisive action this year, next year and indeed every year to 2050,” Dr Birol said.

COP26 President Alok Sharma said: “The IEA’s plan to produce a pathway to net zero global emissions by 2050 is another important step for climate action. This will make clear the actions countries must take individually and collectively to meet that goal.”

Driving a stronger global consensus on the pathway to net zero will be a key priority for the IEA over the coming years. The Agency also intends to step up its work on global clean energy transitions in other major areas through 2021 and beyond. It will expand efforts to support its members and partners in meeting their climate ambitions, and play a greater role in tracking national commitments. This includes working with governments to develop stronger mechanisms that build confidence that they are not alone in taking the necessary steps to keep their climate promises.

The IEA also announced that reinvigorating international energy cooperation will be a major theme of the 2nd IEA Clean Energy Transitions Summit, following the first event held last year. This year’s Summit will be co-hosted with the UK Government on 31 March and will focus on how governments can work together more effectively to ensure long-term net-zero targets are translated into concrete action in the run up to COP26.

“International collaboration is at the heart of the UK’s COP26 Presidency, and I am proud that the UK Government will co-host the COP26-IEA Clean Energy Transitions Summit to help accelerate the global shift to clean, affordable and resilient energy,” said Mr Sharma, the COP26 President.

In parallel, the IEA will continue to support a secure and inclusive global energy system. It announced today a new high-level global commission headed by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen of Denmark that will bring together government leaders, ministers and prominent thinkers to explore how best to empower citizens to benefit from the opportunities and navigate the disruptions resulting from clean energy transitions.

The new commission, Our Inclusive Energy Future, will consider the social and economic impacts on individuals and communities, as well as issues of affordability and fairness, with the aim of putting people at the heart of clean energy transitions. The commission’s meetings will be chaired by Danish Energy, Climate and Utilities Minister Dan Jørgensen and result in key recommendations in advance of COP26.

The IEA’s special projects for 2021 also include the release next week of new global data on emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, along with a detailed guide for policy makers and regulators seeking to increase their ambitions to cut those emissions. To help ensure countries and companies are well prepared to accelerate the deployment of new technologies, the IEA will produce a new special report in April on The Role of Critical Minerals in Clean Energy Transitions.

The IEA remains committed to deepening its engagement with major emerging economies – such as Brazil, China, India, Indonesia and South Africa – and supporting them in their efforts to develop and implement policies to reach their energy and climate goals. To help ensure that clean energy technologies are available to all countries, the Agency will also publish a special report on Financing Clean Energy Transitions in Developing Economies, which will be produced in collaboration with the World Bank and the World Economic Forum (WEF) and released at the WEF’s Special Annual Meeting 2021 in Singapore in late May.

“Taken together, the projects we are announcing today reflect our commitment to lead the global clean energy transitions at a critical time, and make sure we can address the challenge of climate change with sustainable, resilient and secure energy systems,” said Dr Birol.

Source: IEA

Amman to Introduce New Bus Fleet Under EBRD Green Cities Programme

12.01.2021

bus-autobus — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The population of Amman will benefit from the introduction of a new bus fleet in the Jordanian capital thanks to its participation in EBRD Green Cities, the Bank’s pioneering urban sustainability programme.

In a first Jordanian project under the initiative, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing a EUR 14.8 million financial package to Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) for the procurement of a new bus fleet.

The new fleet will consist of 15 zero-emission electric buses, the first of their kind in Jordan, and 136 Euro V diesel buses. The electric buses will be financed with EUR 2.8 million from the EBRD and the same amount from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), while the diesel buses will be purchased with a EUR 12 million EBRD loan.

Relative to the current fleet, the new vehicles will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, while offering commuters easy access to a safe and comfortable means of transport. The city will also introduce new routes and refurbish its bus depot, which will be leased to a private-sector operator that will manage the facility.

The financing is a follow-on investment from Amman’s Green City Action Plan (GCAP), developed as part of Amman’s participation in EBRD Green Cities. Under the GCAP, the city aims to plan and invest in its green development by addressing key issues, such as managing solid waste, reducing pollution and energy consumption and tackling pressing climate and environmental challenges.

The investment will improve public transport in this city of four million inhabitants, while serving as a crucial first step in a transition to low-carbon transport infrastructure.

The “partnership for transformation” between the Green Climate Fund and the EBRD has seen the GCF support six EBRD programmes with USD 830 million, catalysing more than USD 3.6 billion in total project value. The GCF is the largest climate fund in the world to support the efforts of developing economies as they respond to the challenge of climate change.

Since the start of its operations in Jordan in 2012, the EBRD has provided more than EUR 1.4 billion in 54 projects to the country’s economy. The Bank’s priority in Jordan is to support sustainable energy, finance private enterprises and promote infrastructure reform.

Source: EBRD

ABB Energy Management Solutions Support Asia’s Largest Wastewater Treatment Plant

12.01.2021

night-šangaj-shanghai — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Adi Constantin)

ABB successfully completes delivery of medium- and low-voltage digital solutions for the expansion of the Shanghai Bailonggang Wastewater Treatment Plant in China guaranteeing continuous and reliable power supply.

The expansion of the facility, which also included the introduction of more advanced wastewater treatment processes, required ABB’s high reliability and precision power management solutions to bolster efficiency and reliability. As part of the project, ABB also developed a custom power management scheme to ensure ongoing operations and prevent downtime during the facility upgrade.

The Shanghai Bailonggang Wastewater Treatment Plant is the largest sewage treatment plant in Asia and one of the largest in the world. With a capacity of 2.8 million cubic meters per day, the facility handles around a third of the municipal wastewater produced by the Shanghai metropolitan area, serving more than 7 million residents.

Upgrades to the facility will improve water discharge quality in the Changjiang River and will further support government strategies to minimize Shanghai’s chemical oxygen demand, a key factor in improving air quality and meeting local sustainability targets.

ABB’s medium- and low-voltage solutions ensure continuous, precise and resilient power supply for processes such as advanced phosphorus removal, along with chlorination and UV light disinfection of the discharged water guaranteeing water quality and reducing pollutants.

ABB China’s Electrification Business Area lead business manager, James Zhao, said: “It is a great honor to work with Shanghai Bailonggang Wastewater Treatment Plant on its mission to support Shanghai’s sustainable development. ABB is uniquely positioned to support the demanding energy requirements of water processing plants with safe, reliable power distribution systems and efficient energy management. Our digital electrical solutions are empowering industries across China, promoting sustainable development and advancing the construction of smart cities.”

ABB’s medium- and low-voltage electrical distribution solutions provide data-driven energy management and predictive maintenance functions. The treatment plant will benefit from a range of ABB products including switchgear, air circuit breakers and contactors. Remote monitoring of power consumption and early identification of any safety risks are enabled by the company’s intelligent medium-voltage power distribution solution that allows plant managers to make informed decisions earlier to maximize productivity and minimize plant disruption.

Source: ABB

2020 Ties With 2016 as World’s Hottest Year on Record

11.01.2021

beach-1838501_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Last year tied with 2016 as the world’s warmest year on record, rounding off the hottest decade globally as the impacts of climate change intensified, the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service said.

After an exceptionally warm winter and autumn in Europe, the continent experienced its hottest year on record in 2020, while the Arctic suffered extreme heat and atmospheric concentrations of planet-warming carbon dioxide continued to rise.

Scientists said the latest data underscored the need for countries and corporations to slash greenhouse gas emissions quickly enough to bring within reach the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement to avoid catastrophic climate change.

“The extraordinary climate events of 2020 and the data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service show us that we have no time to lose,” said Matthias Petschke, Director for Space in the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm. The bloc’s space programmes include the Copernicus earth observation satellites.

In 2020, temperatures globally were an average of 1.25 degrees C (2.7 degrees F) higher than in pre-industrial times, Copernicus said. The last six years were the world’s hottest on record.

The Paris accord aims to cap the rise in temperatures to “well below” 2 degrees C and as close as possible to 1.5 degrees C to avoid the most devastating impacts of climate change.

“The key here is to… reduce the amount we emit,” Copernicus senior scientist Freja Vamborg told Reuters.

Last year also saw the highest temperature ever reliably recorded, when in August a California heatwave pushed the temperature at Death Valley in the Mojave Desert up to 54.4C (129.92°F).

The Arctic and northern Siberia continued to warm more quickly than the planet as a whole in 2020, with temperatures in parts of these regions averaging more than 6C above a 30-year average used as a baseline, Copernicus said.

The region also had an “unusually active” wildfire season, with fires poleward of the Arctic Circle releasing a record 244 million tonnes of CO2 in 2020, over a third more than in 2019.

Arctic sea ice continued to deplete, with July and October both setting records for the lowest sea ice extent in that month.

Scientists who were not involved in the study said it was consistent with growing evidence that climate change is contributing to more intense hurricanes, fires, floods and other disasters.

In the United States, the costs in lives and damage is fast rising, said Adam Smith, a climate scientist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

“We need another dictionary to help us describe how these extremes continue to play out and unfold year after year,” said Smith, who tracks climate-related disasters that cause more than a billion dollars worth of damage.

Smith said that the 16 billion-dollar disasters that occurred in the United States in the first nine months of 2020 matched previous annual records set in 2011 and 2017.

A preliminary tally found that 13 of last year’s disasters led to at least 188 deaths and costs of $46.6 billion, Smith said. NOAA was to release a complete survey of damages in 2020 at 1600 GMT (1100 a.m. EST).

Source: World Economic Forum

The Plan To Map Every Coral Reef on Earth – From Space

11.01.2021

korali — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Veronica Reverse)

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (David Clode)

In October 2020, Australian scientists found a detached coral reef skyscraper on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef—nearly 500 meters tall and 1.5 kilometres wide — that exceeds the height of the Eiffel Tower and New York’s Empire State Building. This was the first discovery of its kind in 120 years.

It also signals a challenge – that we know relatively little about what lies underwater, given the high costs and still-nascent technology of ocean exploration.

To better understand the mysteries of the world’s oceans, a team of scientists is using satellite imaging to map out, in unprecedented detail, one of the planet’s most iconic underwater ecosystems: the shallow coral reef.

The researchers are part of the Allen Coral Atlas project, which is led by Vulcan, a philanthropic organization created by late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is working with Vulcan to build capacities of coral reef practitioners, managers and policy-makers around the world, especially in developing countries, on how to use the new Atlas.

“The atlas is meant to improve our understanding of our coral reef systems and drive better evidence-based policies to protect corals,” says Chuck Cooper, Managing Director of Government and Community Relations at Vulcan.

Corals under threat

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Milos Prelevic)

Coral reefs foster one-quarter of all marine species and provide food, livelihoods, security and recreation for at least a billion people. But, pollution, overfishing and heatwaves due to climate change are threatening their existence.

Most coral reefs are still unmapped. Scientists are aiming to monitor, in real-time, these biodiverse underwater worlds to protect and restore them. Further, they want to identify patches of coral that are naturally more resistant to climate change. These “refugia” may hold secrets to learning how to mitigate the impact of warming seas on coral reefs.

The atlas, available to the public, uses satellite technology to create high-resolution images of corals that are then processed into detailed maps. The maps capture features that will allow scientists and the conservation community to compare coral reef health over time and understand the pressures reefs are facing.

The atlas will provide baselines for monitoring coral reef bleaching events and other short-term changes, evidence to inform policymaking, and compelling science to capture the public’s interest on the plight of corals.

Bleaching occurs when coral—tiny animals that secrete calcium carbonate for protection—become stressed by factors such as warm water or pollution. As a result, they expel the microscopic symbiotic algae called zooxanthellae, which reside within their tissues. The corals then turn ghostly white; they become ‘bleached’ (watch these coral bleaching explainer videos).

The origins of the atlas

Three years ago, Paul Allen charged Vulcan with saving the world’s corals, says Paulina Gerstner, the Allen Coral Atlas Program Manager. “As a technologist, he saw tremendous data gaps and challenged us to figure out how to apply the emerging availability of satellite imagery to map and monitor the world’s coral reefs. All of them.”

Allen – an avid scuba diver – was deeply committed to the protection of marine ecosystems. He was already funding coral research, but his concern intensified in 2017 when Allen found his favourite reef dive sites bleached and dying. That’s when he tasked the team with the ambitious goal of mapping the world’s corals. (Allen died in 2018.)

“Our goal is to make conservation restoration and protection much easier, affordable and faster for all conservationists around the world,” says Gerstner.

“In the face of inaction, coral reefs will soon disappear,” says Leticia Carvalho, the Coordinator of UNEP’s Marine and Freshwater Branch. “Humanity must act with evidence-based urgency towards effective ecosystem management and protection to change the trajectory.”

UNEP is training officials in coastal states on how to use the atlas and supporting efforts to develop policies that safeguard coral reefs. Alongside Vulcan, which is funding the project, other partners include the University of Queensland, Planet Inc., Arizona State University and the National Geographic Society.

An instrumental tool

In May 2020, a long-standing partner of UNEP, the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), called on its 44 member states, which are home to 75 percent of the world’s coral reefs, to step up their conservation efforts. Francis Staub, the ICRI Secretariat Coordinator, says the atlas will be instrumental in that process, helping countries understand “where coral reefs are and the area they cover.”

The atlas uses images from Planet Labs, which operates the world’s largest fleet of Earth-observing satellites. Daily, the Planet Labs’ satellites photograph Earth’s entire surface in minute detail. Researchers will analyze the satellite images and produce maps that catalogue the depths of reefs and their location, while differentiating them from other underwater phenomena, including seagrasses, rocks and sand.

The atlas coincides with the launch of two major environmental campaigns: the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

Notable coral reefs that have been mapped include the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, and systems in Fiji, the Bahamas and Hawaii. The project aims to have 100 percent of the world’s reefs mapped by the summer of 2021.

Source: UNEP

Development of Electromobility in Serbia: Stairway to Heaven or Highway to Hell?

10.01.2021

electric_car_električni_automobil — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Jannes Glas)

Achieving sustainability in transportation is based on increasing its cost-effectiveness while at the same time increasing the energy efficiency, reducing the negative impact on the environment, preventing (or at least limiting) the harmful consequences on the life and health of the population and the use of renewable energy sources.

When it comes to road and urban public passenger and freight transport, their sustainability depends on the increase in the cost, environmental and energy efficiency. This does not only mean reducing emissions of harmful substances and gases with the greenhouse effect, but also energy saving (in terms of both cost and energy).

In focus:

With the synergy of all three factors we can expect: the reduction of imports and dependence on non-renewable (fossil) energy sources, an increase of vehicle and fleet energy efficiency, a decrease of transport costs and their share in the price of a product, and thus greater product competitiveness, increased traffic safety, a cleaner and healthier environment, better living conditions, as well as more secure future for new generations.

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Okai Vehicles)

In order to introduce the principles of traffic safety and environmental protection besides the economisation in (poorer), developing countries as part of the requirements in vehicle procurement can only be done by strengthening the awareness of the population and influential social groups that fight for better living conditions.

In addition to the emissions of harmful gases from the transport vehicle itself at the point of consumption (i.e. in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle), the environmental criteria must also include the pollution of the environment which is a consequence of the way of obtaining propulsion energy in the energy sector (i.e. the pollution from nuclear and thermal power plants in electricity generation), but also pollution from vehicle production, i.e. from the automotive industry.

With all this in mind, we can consider the electric vehicles a sustainable form of transport, but only under certain conditions. A properly used electric vehicle should be used rationally and adequately in terms of occupancy (number of transported passengers) or its load capacity (amount of transported cargo); it also needs to consume electricity efficiently and regenerate it during movement, i.e. regenerative braking.

On the other hand, we must not leave out the economy factor of electricity production, i.e. necessary increase in investment in infrastructure for energy production, storage and distribution.

This is of great importance because we are witnessing a rapid increase in the number of consumer electronics in every household. If each household were to purchase only one electric vehicle at a time, we would face a severe blow to the electricity system, the lack of capacity of the electricity distribution network and “restrictions” so well known to us, and not only in developing countries but also in the most developed ones.

Hybrid electric vehicles which both produce electricity and use other forms of propulsion as a substitute, mostly ones based on fossil fuels, have been introduced as a transitional solution towards complete transport electrification.

Developed countries, aware of their social responsibility and the consequences of their current actions on the future, are solving the road transport efficiency problem by focusing on increasing the energy and environmental efficiency of newly manufactured passenger cars while at the same time promoting and subsidising the broader use of sustainable and renewable propulsion vehicles. Whereas in Serbia, the only criterion is still the economic importance of procurement and exploitation of vehicles of certain propulsion. In other words, individual (but also corporate) motor vehicle users do not have the motivation or a “susceptibility” to perceive the importance of the reduction of harmful effects on their surroundings and the environment.

The lack of joint and coordinated strategic action of executive authorities is also noticeable (both the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Ministry of Energy on the one hand, and ministries responsible for finance, transport and internal affairs, on the other hand).

Text by: Professor Vladimir Momcilovic, PHD

Read the whole text in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT, september-november, 2020.

Water, Our Ally in Adapting to Climate Change in the Western Balkans

09.01.2021

In times of crisis, such as the one we are facing right now due to COVID-19, proper hygiene and access to clean water are crucial. Just as important is a set of measures that adequately addresses the challenges faced by society. This holds true for emergencies of public health as much as for other types of societal challenges and disasters.

While increased focus over the last few weeks and months has been placed on adequate protection from the pandemic, achieving long-term resilience requires a closer look at the numerous related challenges that affect ecosystem health and societal wellbeing across different regions. These challenges are often exacerbated by climate change.

Photo: Srđan Kis Bicskei (Waterfall walk)

According to the European Environment Agency report on Climate change, impacts and vulnerabilities in Europe, south-eastern and southern Europe are considered highly prone to climate change effects. This means that the region faces the highest impact of climate change with a number of sectors and domains severely affected, including water resources and related ecosystems as well as water infrastructure.

Climate change projections for the Western Balkans indicate increases in extreme weather events over the next decades. Land use changes are predicted to be the dominant factor in determining water availability in the short-term, while the intensity of climate change is likely to become the principal factor over the long-term.

The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) also identified the Western Balkans as one of the most vulnerable areas in Europe.

In focus:

The region will face rises in temperature larger than the European average, changes in precipitation patterns, leading to increased flood risk, extended periods of drought, soil erosion and forest fires. Climate change will most probably increase negative impacts, resulting in significant habitat, human and economic losses. The floods in 2014 demonstrated that the region is not prepared nor adequately equipped to deal with the increasing dangers posed by climate-related impacts. Although improvements in flood prevention and protection systems have been made since 2014, more recent flood events in 2019 and 2020 showed that more needs to be done to adequately address floods and related disasters.

Rivers are considered one of the most productive ecosystems and important biodiversity areas and play a vital role in the life of humans providing key ecosystem goods and services.

The Aoos/Vjosa River in Greece and Albania, for example, is of regional and even European importance. However, this unparalleled resource of outstanding natural and social values is threatened by the construction of about 40 hydropower projects endangering the entire ecosystem. If these plans are materialised they will transform the water catchments into a chain of accumulation lakes, interrupting any natural river flow and biodiversity functions.

The project “Saving Europe’s last free flowing wild river – Vjosa/Aoos” is currently working towards the prevention of the devastating developments aiming also to designate the river catchments as a transboundary protected area.

Managing competing ecosystem and societal needs and priorities is a key challenge when balancing human wellbeing against ecosystem health and biodiversity conservation. A vision for conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services in the Vjosa catchment area is being developed to enable the protection of critical freshwater ecosystems and at the same time support local communities’ livelihoods through safeguarding the provision of vital ecosystem services.

Text prepared by: Kristin Meyer and Sofia Tvaradze from IUCN Regional office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Belgrade

This article was published in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT, september-november, 2020.

Protected Areas Are the Best „Tool“ for Nature Conservation

08.01.2021

uvac_nature_priroda_serbia_srbija — Foto: Ljubica Štivić

Headlines about the extinction of numerous plant and animal species have experienced the fate of the majority of bad news. They are multiplying and, unfortunately, drowning in a sea of information that fails to encourage society to take adequate action. Footage of endangered animals from our exotic areas once seemed far and foreign to us, but they managed to melt our hearts or worry us. Today, numerous plant varieties and animal species are slowly disappearing from our region, almost under our windows, in silence.

However, in order not to be in a situation to make sure if there will be someone to at least shed a tear for the last specimens of a species, it is necessary to determine to which local plants and animals, as well as habitats, endangerment or rarity criteria can be applied. The key step after the formation of such a database is to facilitate and ensure their long-term survival.

One such project is currently being implemented in our country called “EU for Natura 2000 in Serbia”, with the aim of supporting activities for the conservation of biological diversity. It should help our Ministry of Environmental Protection and other competent institutions in establishing the first list of potential sites that will be included in the international ecological network of protected areas of the European Union. This largest network is known as the Natura 2000 network and consists of 26,106 areas classified into two categories, according to the Birds and Habitats Directive.

In focus:

Although the development of a geographic information system for the Natura 2000 network in our country is underway, the main goal is not to form a list of locations. It is just the initial step. We asked Ana Iñigo, Team Leader of the “EU for Natura 2000 in Serbia” project funded by the European Union, why it is important for our natural areas to be part of this European network. The main goal of this project is to provide assistance to the Republic of Serbia in preparing for the establishment of the Natura 2000 network.

Photo: Miloš Karaklić (Evening on Zlatibor)

“Membership in the Natura 2000 network implies legal regulation following the Birds and Habitats Directive, European regulations that ensure the conservation of the most important habitats and species in Europe. This system enables the long-term survival of rare and endangered species and habitats thanks to the support of the European Commission and European legislation”, says Ana, who with her team has been supporting our institutions in preparing a list of potential locations in Serbia for a year. She says the sites were chosen in a different way than it is done when declaring national parks or nature reserves.

“Among the main differences are the criteria for designating protected areas within the Natura 2000 network. They highlight specific habitats and species that are not always a priority in naming other protected areas, where different values of biodiversity or ecosystems can be preferred,” explains Ana, adding that aims to ensure the conservation of all habitats and very rare species in Europe.

From a socio-economic point of view, it is also important to emphasise that the Natura 2000 network does not exclude or limit the possibility of performing certain economic activities, such as agriculture and livestock. Quite the opposite. These activities are fully compatible with the purpose of these areas, as long as they do not endanger species and/or habitats.

When it comes to data on biological diversity in Serbia, Ana Iñigo points out that we have solid records.

“A large number of institutions are developing various research and monitoring programs to obtain key scientific data, which are also important for naming Natura 2000 sites. However, there is no centralized database, and the main difficulty for institutions responsible for implementing and declaring Natura 2000 sites is the ability to access those data, as well as to determine the most relevant data in the central information system.”

The project led by Ana Iñigo will contribute to nature protection in two very important ways. The first refers to data collection because the project largely includes such activities in the field, with the cooperation of Serbian experts who are part of the project. The second value of the project is the development of the Information System and the contribution to the development of the central database, which will facilitate the future process of implementing the Natura 2000 network.

Interview by: Tamara Zjacic

Read the whole interview in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT, september-november, 2020.

New Year’s Resolution? Slim Your Carbon Footprint by a Tonne in 2021

07.01.2021

oporavak_planete — Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (Fateme Alaie)

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Grant Ritchie)

Get fit, quit smoking, eat healthily. Most years begin with good intentions that often fall by the wayside as life gets busier again.

But how about trying a different challenge for 2021 which goes beyond personal improvement and benefits the planet too?

A new initiative offers guidance on how to shed planet-warming emissions rather than weight – and lets you keep tabs on how you’re doing.

Endorsed by the United Nations, the campaign ‘Cut a Tonne in ’21’ launched with a report detailing tangible ways to lead a more sustainable life and reduce your personal carbon footprint by one tonne a year, helped by a web-based tool.

“We’re facing a climate emergency and we need to do everything we can together to address that,” said Jo Hand, co-founder of Giki, the UK-based social enterprise behind the campaign, which stands for “Get Informed Know your Impact”.

“Starting with cutting a tonne in ’21 as a New Year’s resolution is a great way for us all to play our part,” Hand told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

What’s the big picture?

Under the 2015 Paris Agreement, nearly 200 countries agreed to limit the rise in average global temperatures to “well below” 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial times this century, and ideally to 1.5C, to avert the worst effects of climate change.

Yet the planet has already heated up by about 1.2C, and the United Nations said this month that annual greenhouse gas emissions reached a new high in 2019, putting the world on track for an average temperature rise of at least 3C this century.

The U.N. climate science panel has said global emissions need to be slashed by 45 percent by 2030 and to net zero by mid-century to have a decent chance of keeping warming to 1.5C.

Achieving net-zero emissions means releasing no more greenhouse gases – the main one being carbon dioxide (CO2) – than can be offset elsewhere, through measures such as protecting carbon-storing rainforests.

But scientists say offsetting cannot be a substitute for cutting emissions by switching to cleaner sources of electricity and heat, and using less energy.

What’s my carbon footprint?

While action by governments, cities and businesses is key to curbing warming, individuals also have a major role to play, Giki said in a statement.

On a global basis, individuals account for almost three-quarters of greenhouse gas emissions through their homes, transport, food, goods and services consumption, it added.

People’s carbon footprints vary widely across the world.

On average, each person accounts for 5 tonnes of carbon dioxide emitted every year – but that increases dramatically with wealth, according to the “Cut a Tonne in ’21” backers.

The richest 1 percent has an annual footprint of about 70 tonnes, while the average Briton emits 9 tonnes a year, said the report, co-authored by Richard Carmichael of the Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial College London.

That per capita tally needs to drop to 2.5 tonnes by 2030 to be in line with the 1.5C warming goal, it said.

How do I cut a tonne of carbon?

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Carlos Grury Santos)

Giki Zero, a free online tool, provides users with an estimate of their carbon footprint based on a questionnaire about their lives including how often they drive or fly, what they eat and how much electricity they use.

Giki measures individual footprints against global targets and offers a choice of more than 120 steps people can take to shrink their contribution to climate warming.

These range from “easy peasy” to “hardcore”, with options such as using shampoo bars instead of hair products in plastic bottles, cycling to work, going vegetarian and switching to a green power provider.

Users can pick their battles and track how the changes they make affect their overall carbon output. “It is about finding out what fits with your lifestyle and your budget,” said Hand.

Basic things most people could try are halving the time they spend in the shower and heating their homes a little less, she suggested. “If we turn (the thermostat) down by just one degree (Celsius), that can actually cut quite a lot of carbon,” she said.

Is the goal achievable?

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Carl Cerstrand)

Cutting a tonne of CO2 over a year can be done by making a few big changes, such as going car-free and installing a heat pump, or with a wider selection of small steps like using lids when cooking and drinking plant-based milk, the report said.

“The first tonne is the easy tonne for most of us – but for some it will be more difficult due to cost and degree of effort,” said Tim O’Riordan, professor emeritus of environmental sciences at the University of East Anglia.

Going further gets trickier.

Most users can reach a “Paris-aligned” lifestyle by cutting down on consumption and switching to more sustainable habits.

But reducing your emissions to net zero requires additional steps like paying to plant trees or protect forests – projects often led by green charities, said Hand.

And for individuals’ one-tonne-a-year carbon saving to have a real impact, millions of people must get on board over the next decade, she added.

Katharine Lewis, a green campaigner and co-founder of the Helston Climate Action Group in southwest England, said the Giki Zero initiative was a good start but wider shifts were needed.

“We know that as a society we need to make radical changes to the way we live if we are to stay below 1.5C, and this can feel daunting,” she added.

Source: World Economic Forum

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