Environmental Sustainability Test 4

Greenhouse effect

• sunlight passes through atmosphere

• some gets bounced back into the atmosphere, some gets absorbed

→ This usually keeps the environment warm enough for life to thrive

• planet naturally produces greenhouse gases (warm blanket buffer that keeps some radiation in, to keep the planet warm)

greenhouse gases

• Carbon dioxide- 26% (residence time= 100-200 years)

• O3- 8% res time- 4 months

• CH4- res time of 8-12 years

• water vapor- 60%

why dont you come across water vapor in the media?

• residence time 

residence time

how long something spends in a particular state

water vapor is not heard of because it has a residence time of 9 days in the atmosphere before the hydrolic cycle moves everything around

solar radiation 

• 22% gets bounced into atmosphere

• 24% gets absorbed by atmosphere 

• 7% makes its way to the ground

• 47% gets absorbed by Earth 

back radiation

• gets sent back down to the Earth DUE TO greenhouse gases

• causes a cascade effect

• creates a cycle called Positive Feedback loop

what do greenhouse gases do?

magnify issue of radiation 

anthropogenic alterations of greenhouse gases: increases

• carbon dioxide- fossil fuels, biomass burning/deforestation, concrete manufacturing (main base ingredient in concrete is carbonate)

• methane- cows (other ruminants), landfills

other climate drivers: albedo

• a natural climate driver

• exists naturally on planet

• the way that sunlight is reflected off of Earth’s surface (atmosphere, ocean, land)

• human alterations to albedo: land use change- ex= cities, which wouldn’t exist without human alterations.

albedo of snow is high; albedo of grass is low (because grass absorbs sunlight whereas snow reflects it)

overall, albedo gives the planet a NET COOLING EFFECT

anthropogenic alterations of albedo0 land use 

• in 1750 6% of Earth was used for crop or pasture

• 1999 cropland and pasture converted to 35% of Earth’s land

• land use has resulted in a more reflective surface (has increased albedo)

increased albedo → NET COOLING EFFECT

• if you increase your reflectivity, cooling increases

anthropogenic alterations of albedo: black carbon

• sources: wildfires, fossil fuels, biomass burning 

• geographic sources of black carbon are high in areas that practice a large amount of biomass burning

• black carbon absorbs radiation

• WARMING EFFECT because you increase the absorption of radiation that DECREASES albedo—> net warming effect 

climate drivers: evapotranspiration

• evaporation- the transformation of water molecules from a liquid to a gaseous state due to an increase in heat energy

• transpiration- the loss of water as it moves from the soil through plants to the atmosphere

• net cooling effect

intergovernmental panel on climate change

• we are seeing unprecidented warming on the planet

• we experience negative environmental impacts due to various factors

• we can impact how severe these impacts are

• if we take back damage by 2030, we can prevent the tipping point, point of no return, from occurring

consequences: wildfires 

Since 1985 wildfires…

• have become more frequent

• last longer

• longer fire season

main drivers:

• higher temperatures

• earlier snowmelt

• land use change 

consequences: melting ice and rising seas

• increased warming results in melting of ice sheets and glaciers

• loss of ice= decreased albedo (positive feedback loop)

• IPCC project sea level will rise 18-59 cm by 2100

consequences: biological systems

• we see a tipping point

• if we curtail ourselves, the effects are mitigated

consequences: disease 

• mosquitos are popping up continuously- they carry disease

• ex- Lyme disease, malaria

• water and foodborne diseases

• respiratory issue 

consequences: the urban heat island

• urban areas have higher temperatures than rural areas

• this is because urban areas have reflective surfaces

• urban areas have LOWER albedo, and this is why they are warmer

solutions

• reduce emissions of fossil fuels and other greenhouse gases

• lower impact through land use changes or ecosystem restoration

• make infrastructure changes

geologic timescale

• scales of billions of years ago

• Eon → era → period → epoch (largest to smallest time scale measure)

• geologic timescale is divided up by nature and major appearances and disappearances of fauna and flora

how is geologic time defined?

With GSSP’s

• global boundary stratotype section and point (GSSP)= GOLDEN SPIKE

• GSSP is a marker of time which defines the lower boundary on the geologic time scale

• AND an internationally agreed upon reference point

• there is one for each time scale, they can be anywhere

example of a GSSP

• Ordovician ended 445 million years ago

• cause- rapid glaciation (rapid cooling around the planet) and other global changes triggered a mass extinction event → disappearance of organisms

• a location in Scotland has a black rock which marks the boundary between the Ordovician and Silurian periods → SHOWS THE APPEARANCE OF GRAPOLITE FOSSILS

Holocene or Anthropocene

• the HOLOCENE is the current geological epoch

• Anthropocene is a proposed geological epoch:

→ starts from the beginning of significant human impact on Earth’s geology and ecosystems

anthropocence: the age of humans

• term coined by environmental scientists, Paul Crutzen and Eugene Stoermer (2000)

• expert panel of 33 scientists formed an Anthropocene Working Group and spent 14 years studying whether or not we could be in the Anthropocene

• the scientists agreed that there is enough evidence to suggest that we have entered into a new period of time in the geologic timescale

evidence of the Anthropocene:1#- landscape changes 

• net gains of forest

• net loss of forest (very prominent and impacts every continent on the planet)

• land degradation in drylands  

evidence of the Anthropocene: #2- impacts on biodiversity

• living planet index- looks at biodiversity

• with time, across all ecosystems, there is a DECREASE in biodiversity

• major factors, caused by humans, lead to biodiversity loss

evidence of the Anthropocene: #3- changes to Earth’s lithosphere

we have changed the Earth’s surface

evidence of the Anthropocene: #4- changes to Earth’s chemistry 

• ex= introduction of nutrients like nitrogen phosphorous into the environment

• permanent or memorable changes 

the controversy 

• the proposal must pass supermajority (>60%)

• argument 1: climate change is not at the scale of other epochs

• argument 2: we are in the middle of the Anthropocene, which is presently changing

• failed to pass the muster of the supermajority 

the final vote on the Anthropocene

• rejected due to claims it is a relative term that cannot be pinned down in time and space, precisely identified, or measured

• proceeding marked by irregularities

• do geologists get the final say?

recall: intergovernmental panel on climate change

• who: IPCC met in 1988 to review scientific literature and summarize evidence for climate change

• takeaway: we will experience negative impacts, but we can change the severity of the impacts

• solution: limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius

all we can do is curve the severity of the impacts

exploring global inequity: environmental impact

higher income countries:

• industrialized nations with high average income per person

• 17% of the world’s population

• use 70% of world’s natural resources

lower income countries:

• 83% of the world’s population

• use 30% of world’s natural resources

exploring global inequity: CO2 emissions

• to be in the richest 10% of the total population, you must make at least 20,000 dollars a year

which countries emit the most CO2 today?

• 2017= 36 billion tons of co2 were emitted, 53% were from Asia

• China is the world largest emitter, with 27%

• top 10 countries are responsible for 75% of global emissions

which countries have emitted the most CO2 in total (historically)?

• US and EU knock China

• US is responsible for 25% of the world’s emissions, historically

• then the UE, then China

which countries emit the most co2 per person?

• countries with major oil and gas productions

• ex= Qatar, Trinidad and Tobago, United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia

• Australia → US → Canadian

• China is the largest emitter, but also the most populous country (per person=7tons)

• wealth is a strong indicator of carbon footprint

richest half of countries=responsible for 86% of emissions

who should be responsible?

• many of today’s richest countries became rich due to industrial production

• essentially, everyone needs to do the best they can, and this currently is not happening

the Paris agreement 

• 2015 world leaders at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris reached an agreement

• legally binding international treaty stating that we would reduce our CO2 emissions, as a world

• today, 195 parties have joined the agreement 

details of the Paris Agreement

Paris Agreement states that member countries must:

1. reduce their emissions

2. review countries commitments every 5 years in a “global stocktake”

3. provide continued and enhanced support (Green Climate Fund) to developing countries for adaption

Decarbonizing the economy

reduction or elimination of CO2 emissions from the production of energy resources or in processes such as manufacturing:

• reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions from fossil fuels

• absorb carbon from the atmosphere by capturing emissions and enhancing carbon storage in carbon sinks

key terms

• net zero= greenhouse gas emissions produced by a country, state, city, company, or even a building are counterbalanced by an equal amount of emissions that are reduced

• zero emissions= no carbon or greenhouse gases are released at all

• carbon negative= you remove more carbon than is emitted

pathways to net zero: make clean electricity

• power generation is currently responsible for 30% of global CO2 emissions

• US generates 40% of its electricity from carbon-free sources

• to reach net-zero goals, we must

pathways to zero: make everything electric

• electric vehicles, stoves, etc

pathways to net zero: capture carbon from difficult to electrify sources 

• cant make planes electric, so we can capture carbon

• its a futuristic idea

summary

1. electrify our current energy uses and increase efficiency

2. power electric grid with more clean fuels

3. subsidize carbon capture storage and protect land sinks

4. reduce all GHG emissions beyond CO2

COP28 in 2023

• held in Dubai

• first global stocktake of the Paris Agreement

• progress found to be too slow across all areas of climate action

• decision to accelerate action across all areas by 2030

UN climate report 2023: red alert 

• chart busting records were broken for GHG temps (ocean and land) sea level rise, ice cover, and glacial retreat

• current path= +1.45 degrees Celsius above baseline (should not exceed 1.5 degrees c)

• missed a generation of action

• led to displacement, food insecurity, biodiversity loss, and health issues.

hopeful news

• renewable increased by 50%

• increased local disaster risk strategies

• global climate related finance doubled

COP30 in Belem, Brazil

• host country has asked COP30 to forge pledges and work on how to deliver on old promises

• not enough actions have occurred (since last stocktake) to avoid the tipping point

• we see the same talks repeating

• disagreement surrounding main goals:

1. pledges into action

2. open a reform process

2015 UN sustainable development goals

• must be done by 2030 to make change to reverse catastrophic climate change

• ex’s= no poverty, zero hunger, good health, education, gender equality, clean water, affordable clean energy, decent work and economic growth, etc

details of the sustainable development goals

17 goals target critical areas:

1. people- end poverty, ensure equality

2. planet- protect planet from degradation

3. prosperity- economic, social, and tech progress occurs in harmony

4. peace- peaceful and inclusive

5. partnership- ensure that no one is left behind

challenges with meeting 2030 targets

• not every country has access to the money and resources needed to make sustainable changes

Laudato Si- written by Pope Francis

• climate is a common good, belonging to all and meant for all

• climate change is a global problem with grave implications: environmental, social, economic, political, and for the distribution of the goods

• poor are most vulnerable to the harmful effects

Laudato Deum

• more visceral and critical on the world leaders (how they fail to act)

• tells the world leaders that they need to act

VU initiatives

In 2007, Father Peter signed an agreement on behalf of Villanova to:

1. complete an emissions inventory (hasn’t been done in some time)

2. set target and milestones for climate neutrality

3. reduce GHG emissions

4. integrate sustainability into the curriculum