June 2022 Newsletter
Published June 1st at 10:00am PST
Sunlight and Shadow: The Newbury Marshes
c.1871/1875
oil on canvas
30.5 x 67.3 cm (12 x 26 1/2 in.)
Martin Johnson Heade
American, 1819-1904
Table of Contents
June Astrological Events
Food and the Planet: Sustainable Eating
Wind Turbines and Their Effects on the Environment
Future of Climate Change: Adaptation and Mitigation
Climate Refugees
Earthians Care Scholarship Fund
Energy Hour
JUNE ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS
ASTRO BOY
June 14: Supermoon, Full Moon (Strawberry Moon, Rose Moon, Honey Moon)
June 16: Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation
June 21: June Solstice
June 29: New Moon
FOOD AND THE PLANET: SUSTAINABLE EATING
MR. GREEN
By Sam Townson
I want to start off by saying that this is not about shaming anyone’s food choices or suggesting that there are any right or wrong ways to eat and is in no way prescriptive. It is here as a guide, a prose of facts and as a way to make you think.
Everyone has a different body with different hunger cues, cravings and needs. Our diets are also a huge part of our culture, identity and way of connecting with others, but at the same time do not define us entirely. Sustainable eating must start with you; it is first and foremost about eating in a way that ‘sustains’ you, your identity and your relationships to the world. Veganism, for example, isn’t sustainable or feasible for everyone – whether this be for physical health, mental health, financial constraints, cultural reasons, and so many more reasons.
What follows is an exploration of how our diets impact the world around us, the way our food reaches our plates and what we can do to reduce the impact of our food on the natural world.
FOOD MILES
The term ‘food miles’ was coined by Tim Lang in the early 1990s and is used to describe the distance the food we eat has travelled before it reaches our plates.₁ For example, if we buy an apple in a UK supermarket that has been imported from the US it has travelled around 10,133 miles, and these miles are referred to as food miles.₂
It is a quick and simple way to gauge how sustainable the foods we are eating are; and reducing food miles can seem like an excellent way to reduce the carbon footprint of our diet. The UK imports 95% of all fruits and 50% of all vegetables, and startlingly the overall quantity of food imported by plane rose by 140% between 1992 and 2020.₃ However, food miles are only a small snapshot of a more complex issue.
First off, food miles are more nuanced than they might first appear as not all food miles are created equally.₄ Food transported by short haul plane travel is over 4,000 times more polluting than foodstuffs shipped in bulk.₄ Here in the UK less than 1% of total food miles comes from air-freighted products but they are responsible for around 11% of the total CO2 emissions connected to food transport.₅
Research also found that only 11% of emissions related to our food comes from its transport with the majority (83%) coming from production.₆ An excellent way of looking at this is to look at the humble tomato. In Northern Europe, Canada and northern US states tomatoes can only be grown during the spring and summer months while in winter and autumn they can only be grown in energy intensive hot houses. As a result, importing tomatoes during the winter and autumn months is comparatively more sustainable than growing them locally, contradicting the simple idea of food miles.
This shines a light on the importance of the interplay between local, seasonal and sustainability. One of the best ways to eat sustainably is to eat locally and seasonally; especially important with plant-based products. Eating plant-based products locally and seasonally means they do not need to be transported long distances, require energy intensive production methods, such as the hot houses described above, or use large quantities of fertilisers. Moreover, by eating locally not only are we reducing food miles but we are also contributing to the local economy and supporting local farmers and businesses.
Even better for the environment and your health, as well as being a whole lot of fun, is growing your own vegetables and possibly fruits at home. Here in the North of England I’ve been able to grow tomatoes, chillies (albeit inside), carrots and potatoes all in my garden in pots, and I’ve also seen a huge variety of veggies being grown on allotments all around the UK! So, why not get a big pot, some vegetable seeds and plant your own foods this spring! The ultimate local, fresh produce with zero food miles!
What I hope this shows you is that the idea of food miles cannot be looked at in isolation and we have to look at the carbon footprint of what we eat more broadly. BUT, we can’t look at the carbon footprint alone either. We must consider the resources it takes and the way we use, or in some cases don’t use, the food we buy.
FOOD WASTE
Food waste is a huge problem. If it were its own country it would be the third largest emitter of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.₇ It has been estimated that just 1kg of food sent to landfill in the UK can generate 3.8kg of CO2e. What’s more, an area larger than China is required to grow food that is never even eaten.₈ This makes food waste a huge contributor to the climate crisis, deforestation and diversity loss, and a huge part of the unsustainable lifestyle we lead.₉
However, it is not just an issue of climate change but food waste plays directly into global injustices. It was found that in the European Union (EU) around 88 million tonnes of food is wasted each year; enough to feed the 55 million Europeans living in food poverty more than 9 times over.₁₀ So, where does food waste come from?
In most higher income countries, over 50% of food waste comes directly from households. In the UK, 70% of all food waste produced after the farm is from households₁₁ and in the average UK home food waste reaches a value of around £730 per year.
Household food waste is often a result of a misunderstanding of use by dates, facilities at home and fridge/freezer management. A study by WRAP (2019)₁₂ found that homes with limited access to freezer or storage space or a lack of confidence in how to store or freeze foods were leading to more waste than others. This shows that communities are in need of educational resources as well as support to access the facilities they need – action that must come with aid from the government.
Large scale top down policy action is required to help tackle this major problem, but it is also important to remember the role we can all play as individuals too. We can buy the ‘ugly’ fruits which might otherwise go to waste – an idea that gained traction a few years back with the UK supermarket giant Tesco introducing the ‘Imperfectly Perfect’ range. We can plan our meals and shopping. WRAP has come up with the ‘shelfie’ idea which means taking a picture of your cupboards and fridges before you leave for the shops to remind you what you already have so you don’t over purchase. Freezing leftovers is something I often do and then when I can’t be bothered to cook on another day I have a ‘freezer lottery’ taking out one of the frozen portions I have and surprising myself (I have a bit of a boring life during lockdown). These are some really simple ways you can personally save yourself some cash and reduce the food waste in your home.
Together by taking action on our food waste we can drastically cut GHG emissions and redistribute land away from food growth (to produce food that won’t even be eaten) towards other more sustainable uses such as forest land, wild meadows and more!
VEGANISM AND VEGETARIANISM
It is a frequently discussed topic within sustainability and environmentalism that veganism and vegetarianism are the best ways to eat a sustainable diet. This is in many ways true with at least 14% of GHG emissions globally coming from meat and dairy production.₁₃ Furthermore, it is thought that by halving consumption of grain-fed meat globally we could feed two billion more people.₁₃ This is partly due to it taking 133 times more water to produce the same weight of beef compared to whole wheat – not a direct comparison but an example of the resource intensity of meat production.₁₄ It is also reported that a vegan diet can allow an individual to reduce their carbon footprint from food by as much as 73%.₁₅
However, going completely vegan or vegetarian isn’t the only option. We’ve seen movements such as Meat Free Monday advocating the idea of having one plant-based day each week as well as Veganuary and National Vegetarian Week. These are all campaigns and organisations purporting the benefits of a meat-free or vegan diet while not pushing individuals to entirely change their diets. It is estimated that by being vegan for just one month an individual can save the lives of 33 animals, save 150,000 litres of water, reduce emissions by 272 kg CO2 equivalent and prevent the deforestation of 900 square feet of forest.₁₆ This shows that although veganism and vegetarianism are amazing ways of eating more environmentally sustainably, everyone can do what is sustainable for them while helping the planet.
There are plenty of places you can go to check out excellent vegan and vegetarian recipes such as the Vegan Society, Vegetarian Society, BOSH and more!
FINAL THOUGHTS
However, we need to acknowledge that there are barriers to sustainable eating. Our perception of cost can often stand in the way as we often expect that fresh (more sustainable) foodstuffs will be more expensive than the convenience packaged foods. It is also clear that wealthier individuals are the most likely to consider local options as local often equals expensive in people’s minds. Time is often a barrier for the busy modern individual and family as sustainable meals cooked from scratch can be time consuming. Individuals can often lack the skills and knowledge required as people don’t know how to cook from scratch or how to use up leftovers.
But, there are solutions! We need to educate and change perceptions of fresh food – it is not always more expensive – and the same is true for local options. Time constraints can be bypassed with batch cooking or the use of slow cookers, or there are cookbooks or website sections providing 15-30 minute meals from scratch. We need local communities to provide cooking courses for those who might be lacking skills – something governments should be helping to provide.
We do need to be conscious about our diets and how sustainable it is or how it is affecting the planet we live on. This can be with regards to the locality of our food, the way it is produced or the level of meat and diary we are consuming. However, we should not feel overwhelmed; these changes and understandings take time and we can’t always do everything all at once (sadly).
Moreover, it is important for us as consumers to define the values that we want to support through our purchasing decisions. We need to think about when and where local foods support their values. We also need to think about ourselves and what is sustainable for us and what we can achieve.
QUICK FIRE FACTS
Unchanged, the global food system is forecast to generate enough greenhouse gas emissions to heat our climate above 1.5°C (Lynch, 2020)
Food accounts for 70% of water used globally – £14 billion worth was intended for consumption (OECD, 2022)
The global food system causes almost 60% of all biodiversity loss (WWF, 2022)
A basket of 20 fresh foods bought from major UK supermarkets had food miles totalling 100,943 miles (Lewis, 2003)
95% of fruit in the UK is from abroad and half of all veg is imported (Geography Food, 2022)
The average family of 4 can save £60 per month by reducing their food waste (BBC, 2022)
In the UK in 2017 an estimated 1 in every 6 meals ended up in the bin (WRAP, 2021)
Around 33% of all food produced globally is wasted (WRI, 2013)
Annual value of food wasted globally is $1 trillion (WRI, 2013)
1% of UK food imports come by plane and this produce 11% of emissions (Agile Applications, 2018)
Resources to Help Tackle Food Waste:
Works Cited
Rayner, J. (2007) The Man Who Invented Food Miles. The Guardian. Accessed 20 May 2022. Available from https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2007/mar/25/foodanddrink.features5
Robyn L., Lawrence, F. and Jones, A. (2003) Miles and miles and miles. The Guardian. Accessed 19 May 2022. Available from https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2003/may/10/foodanddrink.shopping6
Stratford, H. (2020) Food Miles: The Environmental Impact of Food. Pollution Issues. Accessed 21 May 2022. Available from: http://www.pollutionissues.co.uk/food-miles-environmental-impact-food.html
Wilson, L. (2013) The Tricky Truth about Food Miles. Shrink that Footprint. Accessed 20 May 2022. Available from http://shrinkthatfootprint.com/food-miles
Agile Applications. (2018) The carbon footprint of our food. Agile Applications. Accessed 21 May 2022. Available from https://agileapplications.co.uk/blog/the-carbon-footprint-of-our-food/
Weber, C. and Matthews, H. (2008) Food Miles and the Relative Climate Impacts of Food Choices in the United States, Environ. Sci. Technol. 42, pp.3508-3513.
Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). (2013) Food Wastage Footprint – Impacts on Natural Resources – Summary Report. FAO. Accessed 20 May 2022. Available from http://www.fao.org/3/i3347e/i3347e.pdf
Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). (2012) Food Waste Footprint. FAO. Accessed 21 May 2022. Available from http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/nr/sustainability_pathways/docs/Factsheet_FOOD-WASTAGE.pdf
WRAP. (2020) Sustainable Eating. WRAP. Accessed 20 May 2022. Available from https://www.wrap.org.uk/content/sustainable-eating-wraps-work
Henderson, E. (2017) Sustainable Eating: Why we all need to be going the whole hog. The Guardian. Accessed 19 May 2022. Available from https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/sustainable-eating-veget
WRAP. (Jan 2020) Final Report – UK Progress against Courtauld 2025 Targets and UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3. WRAP. Accessed 20 May 2022. Available from https://wrap.org.uk/sites/files/wrap/Progress_against_Courtauld_2025_targets_and_UN_SDG_123.pdf
WRAP. (2019) Healthy Sustainable Eating and Food Waste. WRAP. Accessed 21 May 2022. Available from https://www.wrap.org.uk/sites/files/wrap/Healthy_Sustainable_Eating_and_Food_Waste_0.pdf
Friends of the Earth. (2017) Sustainable Eating: our position. Friends of the Earth. Accessed 20 May 2022. Available from https://policy.friendsoftheearth.uk/policy-positions/sustainable-eating-our-position
Kreith, M. (1991) Water Inputs in California Food Production. Water Education Foundation.
Petter, O. (2018) Veganism is ‘single biggest way’ to reduce our environment impact on planet, study finds. Independent. Accessed 19 May 2022. Available from https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/veganism-environmental-impact-planet-reduced-plant-based-diet-humans-study-a8378631.html
Kahn, J. (2020) The Environmental Impacts of Going Vegetarian for Just One Day. VegNews. Accessed 20 May 2022. Available from https://vegnews.com/2017/7/the-environmental-impacts-of-going-vegetarian-for-just-one-day
WIND TURBINES AND THEIR EFFECTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT
ENERGY GIRL
BY PRESTON BRUNK
With the recent discussions throughout society regarding more sustainable energy sources, wind power has been a highly considered option for places that receive a prevailing wind. The topic of wind power became increasingly popular around the 1970’s when there were oil shortages and people began talking about alternative and more sustainable energy sources.₁ Throughout the world wind energy has been used dating back to 5,000 BC where wind was harnessed to move boats in the Nile River.₁ Experimentation with wind continued and greatly improved as society and technology became more advanced. Around the 11th century wind pumps and windmills were being utilized in agriculture around much of the Middle East.₁ People became so efficient with the use of wind energy that they were able to drain entire lakes and swamps, pump water, and even cut wood. It wasn't until immigrants from Europe brought wind technology to North America₁ that wind power existed here but since then wind power has been used for various applications. Wind pumps were highly utilized in the Western migration across the Western US as the need for water was a huge driving force. It was around the late 1800’s that wind turbines were vastly utilized for electricity generation.₁ Starting around 1980’s, California was beginning to install hundreds of wind turbines as federal and state policies were fascinated by the use of this sustainable energy alternative.
Wind turbines are implemented throughout much of California covering the length of the state. There are 17 counties that contribute to the statewide wind energy electricity generation with the largest county being Kern county generating 7,654,859 MWh and the smallest wind energy generation taking place in Tehama county with 1,759 MGw.₂ California has generated roughly 13,708 gigawatts-hour in 2020 alone which accounts for 7.18% of California's in-state generation portfolio.₂ Throughout the rest of the U.S. wind energy production has increased from roughly 6 billion kWh in 2000 to 380 billion kWh in 2021.₃ United States electricity generation has attracted many capital markets from 1990 to 2021 when shares grew from 1% to 9.2%, respectively.₁ Country wide, wind energy generated from wind turbines was 9.2% of the total U.S. utility scale.₃ Worldwide the use of wind electricity has increased drastically from 16 countries generating 3.6 billion kWh in 1990 to 129 countries generating 1,597 billion kWh.₁ Throughout many governments there have been numerous incentives issued to expand the use of wind energy. Countries such as China have invested so heavily in wind energy that they have become the leading electricity generators of wind energy.₁ There is a considerable amount of energy generated from this energy alternative and once they are established they generate power whenever there is wind acting on the blades. With more and more wind turbines being built around the world, there have been concerns regarding the environmental effects that come along.
The installation of wind turbines can degrade habitat for wildlife, fish and plants and are also a huge threat to birds and bats.₄ When wind turbines are built they require large, open spaces so the removal of trees and other herbaceous vegetation might be required. There have been many occasions where collisions between the blades of the turbine and avian species result in many bird and bat deaths every year. The United States Geological Survey states that there are anywhere from tens to hundreds of thousands of bat casualties from wind turbines every year.₅ It is not known what is exactly the cause or the attraction of bats to the blades but during the months of late summer and early fall the migration is happening and this also tends to be the time when a majority of the collisions occur. Many of these bat collisions are “tree bats” that migrate far distances and use trees to roost in instead of caves.₅ Some researchers suggest that the tree bats might mistake these turbines for being trees. As for bird casualties it was estimated that 140,000 to 500,000 die every year from direct collisions.₆ A reason for this many collisions is due to the height of these wind turbines and their location in bird migration routes. Many times these collisions occur at night when the turbines are less visible and birds are migrating in the dark, unable to see the blades, or mistaking a slow moving turbine for being still and trying to land on it.
Wind turbines are also said to be quite loud and are considered noise pollution while also being unpleasant to look at for some people in society. They also have a life span and do not last forever, often requiring the replacement of blades due to constant wear from spinning on a main shaft as well as normal wear from air particles colliding with the blades all day. These blades have a lifespan of 25-30 years and need to be replaced after that. Ranging in size from 50 meters to 100 meters (the size of a football field) makes the transportation of expired blades extremely difficult and disposing of these blades adds another challenge.₉ As more turbines are installed worldwide there will be an increasing amount of expired blades. In the U.S. there are 54,000 turbines currently operating with 164,000 blades, it is estimated that 35,000 of those will be taken off and needing disposal which tends to be open fields or landfills.₉
Some solutions to the bat and bird collisions that have been achieved with improved technology are turbines that move at slower speeds as well as predator noises that deter avian species from entering wind farms.₇ This has proven to help with some of the collisions and has reduced the number of casualties every year. Regardless of how many collisions occur, that number is still significantly less than the number of casualties resulting from car and building collisions.₇ The concern over avian collisions is happening worldwide and researchers are conducting studies to mitigate the effect of wind turbines on bird populations. In Norway the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research painted a single turbine blade the color black on four randomly selected turbines out of a wind farm and found that this reduced the number of fatalities by 72% and was most effective reducing the collisions of their white-tailed eagles.₈ Wind power is one of the most sustainable forms of renewable energy solutions. As technology advances and more studies are being carried out for mitigation efforts the reduction of avian collisions will continue to decrease and the disposal of turbine blades will eventually be mitigated.
Works Cited
“U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - Independent Statistics and Analysis.” History of Wind Power - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), 30 Mar. 2022, https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/wind/history-of-wind-power.php.
Nyberg, Michael. “California Energy Commission.” Electricity From Wind Energy Statistics and Data, https://ww2.energy.ca.gov/almanac/renewables_data/wind/index_cms.php.
“U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - Independent Statistics and Analysis.” Electricity Generation from Wind - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/wind/electricity-generation-from-wind.php.
“Environmental Impacts and Siting of Wind Projects.” Energy.gov, https://www.energy.gov/eere/wind/environmental-impacts-and-siting-wind-projects.
“How Are Bats Affected by Wind Turbines?” How Are Bats Affected by Wind Turbines? | U.S. Geological Survey, https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/how-are-bats-affected-wind-turbines.
Society, National Audubon, and July 21. “Wind Power and Birds.” Audubon, 16 Nov. 2020, https://www.audubon.org/news/wind-power-and-birds.
Alternative Energy Tutorials. “Environmental Impact of Wind Energy and Wind Turbines.” Alternative Energy Tutorials, Alternative Energy Tutorials, https://www.alternative-energy-tutorials.com/wind-energy/environmental-impact-of-wind -energy.html.
Jethro George Gauld PhD Candidate in Conservation Science. “Painting Wind Turbines Black Could Help Protect Birds – as Long as It Doesn't Disrupt Their Migration.” The Conversation, 3 Sept. 2020, https://theconversation.com/painting-wind-turbines-black-could-help-protect-birds-as-lon g-as-it-doesnt-disrupt-their-migration-145407.
“How a Wind Turbine Works - Text Version.” Energy.gov, https://www.energy.gov/eere/wind/how-wind-turbine-works-text-version.
FUTURE OF CLIMATE CHANGE: ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION
CULTURE RADAR
BY ABRAR HASANAT
Climate change is increasingly distressing and is becoming one of the most complex global problems that can be felt locally. The planet is already seeing increases in average temperature, seasonal shifts, an increase in the occurrence of natural disasters, and other climate change consequences and slow-onset occurrences.₁
Many Americans can already see the effects of climate change at their front doors, whether the view is obscured by smoke from regular wildfires in the West or washed away by severe rains in the Midwest and Northeast. According to the Fifth National Climate Assessment, rainfall has already become more intense in certain areas, and the threats posed by increased temperatures, drought, and storm surges are increasing. These consequences might endanger people's well-being, economy, ecosystems, and societal systems. And they are expected to worsen as carbon pollution builds up in the atmosphere.₂
Thus, whether we like it or not, climate change is here. Even though there are several things that can be and must be done for the future of climate change, all can be divided into 2 wide categories: climate change adaptation and climate change mitigation.
Climate change mitigation entails controlling and lowering heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere in order to keep the earth from heating too much more severe temperatures. Climate change adaptation entails changing our behavior, systems, and, in some circumstances, lifestyles to safeguard our families, economy, and the entire environment from said effects of climate change.₃ The sooner the climate changes and the longer adaptation measures are delayed, the more difficult and costly adaptation may become.
Now, adapting to climate change might seem new to us and our immediate predecessors; however, it’s not new for human beings. People and communities have adjusted to and dealt with climate changes with varied rates of success throughout history. Climate change has had a role in the rise and fall of human civilizations. For the past 12,000 years, the Earth's climate has been relatively unchanged, and this stability has been important to the success of our human civilization as we see it. Modern society is geared toward the predictable climate we've become accustomed to. However, we will have to learn to adapt as our climate changes.₄
Adaptation solutions come in a variety of forms, depending on the specific circumstances of society, industry, organization, country, or area. There is no "one-size-fits-all" answer; adaptation can range from constructing flood defenses, establishing early warning systems for cyclones, and shifting to drought-resistant crops to rethinking communication networks, corporate operations, and government regulations. Many nations and localities are already taking measures to construct robust societies and economies in regard to climate change threats, but much more action and ambition will be required to manage risks cost-effectively today and in the future.
A few examples of how different communities and societies are adapting to climate change are:₅
Prepare for longer, hotter fire seasons, especially where wildfires are increasing.
Raising roads and barriers, constructing sea walls and massive drains where sea levels are rising
Ensure that "calamity and public health" strategies are taken into consideration for more extreme weather.
Protect farmlands and food production against the effects of climate change.
Take measures to improve air quality
Prioritize climate justice
Prepare for managed retreat i.e giving up on adapting to a place and migrating elsewhere
Successful adaptation is dependent not only on government agencies, but also on the efficient and sustained involvement of stakeholders such as national, provincial, multilateral, and international bodies, the public and private sectors, non - governmental organizations, and also other related authorities, as well as efficient information management. Adaptation to the effects of climate change can occur across several areas, industries, and levels.
The mitigation aspect of the problem is simple to describe but harder to implement. Mitigation seeks to avoid substantial human interference with the climate system and stabilize greenhouse gas levels in a timespan required to support biodiversity to adapt organically to the changing climate, guarantee that food supply is not jeopardized, and allow economic growth to move ahead in a consistent manner.₆ We must shift from utilizing carbon fuels to just using clean, green energy. And we must cease deforestation and rebuild natural ecosystems until we achieve net-zero carbon emissions, which means that the emission of greenhouse gases is countered by the collection and preservation of those gases in places such as tree roots. The sooner we act to prevent the effects of climate change, the better off we'll be in the long term.₇
Climate experts agree that even though it is too late to avert some of the bad repercussions of climate change, it is not too late to escape the most severe consequences.₈ While climate change is a global concern, its effects are noticed on a local level. Local authorities are thus at the forefront of adaptation. Cities and local communities throughout the world have been working on tackling their own climate concerns in the absence of regional or global climate change policy guidance. They are constructing flood defenses, preparing for heatwaves and greater temperatures, installing water-permeable surfaces to help cope with floods and runoff, and improving water storage and consumption.₉
However, we’re in this together. Both adaptation and mitigation are equally critical and time-sensitive, and we must do both. We can help reduce climate change by decreasing our personal emissions, notifying the politicians that we favor climate-smart legislation, and assisting businesses and organizations who are adopting renewable energy. Learn how our neighborhood is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and advocate for wise policies that lower risk to help the community adapt. We can also encourage local efforts that assist people in preparing for and recovering from extreme weather events or just minimize our water consumption during droughts. Climate change is a significant issue, but our world can continue to thrive if we all work together to prevent the worst consequences and adapt to our changing environment.
Works Cited
EPA. Environmental Protection Agency. Accessed May 31, 2022. https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/climate-change-indicators-us-and-global-temperature.
Globalchange.gov. Accessed May 31, 2022. https://www.globalchange.gov/nca5.
“Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation.” NASA. NASA, August 23, 2021. https://climate.nasa.gov/solutions/adaptation-mitigation/.
“Climate Change and the Rise and Fall of Civilizations – Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet.” NASA. NASA, October 2, 2014. https://climate.nasa.gov/news/1010/climate-change-and-the-rise-and-fall-of-civilizations/.
“Climate Adaptation.” United Nations. United Nations. Accessed May 31, 2022. https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/climate-adaptation.
“IPCC WG3 ar5 Summary for Policymakers.” Accessed June 1, 2022. https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2018/02/ipcc_wg3_ar5_summary-for-policymakers.pdf.
“Climate Change Mitigation.” European Environment Agency, November 23, 2020. https://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/climate/intro.
“Is It Too Late to Prevent Climate Change? – Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet.” NASA. NASA. Accessed May 31, 2022. https://climate.nasa.gov/faq/16/is-it-too-late-to-prevent-climate-change/.
“Feature: Putting Local People at the Centre of Climate Change Adaptation - World.” ReliefWeb, January 15, 2021. https://reliefweb.int/report/world/feature-putting-local-people-centre-climate-change-adaptation.
CLIMATE REFUGEES: THE OVERLOOKED VICTIMS
CULTURE RADAR
ARCHIVE: SEPTEMBER 2021
BY ABRAR HASANAT
As the global climate crisis worsens, the impacts are becoming clearer every single year. From food scarcity to the extinction of various members of the living world, from global warming to the destruction of nature, the negative impacts of this climate crisis are well-known and widely discussed.
However, one of the most unfortunate sets of people who face the repercussions of the climate crisis is being completely ignored or forgotten. They are the people who have lost everything to natural disasters, drought, or other weather events. They are the people who are forced to leave their homes due to sudden or long-term changes to their local environment. They are the part of the lower-income portion of the society who suffers the most due to the activities of the higher-income portion. They are - the Climate Refugees.
Climate refugees or environmental migrants don’t fit in with any of the legal definitions of a refugee. This is because 1) they usually don’t migrate to a distant place, more often than not - they migrate to nearby cities or just across the borders from the coastal/rural areas. 2) The refugees aren't leaving their homes because of fear they will be persecuted, or because of generalized violence or events seriously disturbing public order.₁
So what are the main reasons one becomes a so-called climate refugee? The answer is in the name, the CLIMATE crisis. Hazards resulting from the increasing intensity and frequency of extreme weather events, such as abnormally heavy rainfall, prolonged droughts, desertification, environmental degradation, or sea-level rise and cyclones are already causing an average of more than 20 million people to leave their homes and move to other areas in their countries each year.₂
According to the data released by UNHCR in April 2021 - in the last decade, 21.5 million people have been displaced from their homes due to the climate crisis on average every single year. In addition to sudden disasters, climate change is a complex cause of food and water shortages and difficulties in accessing natural resources. All these result in the mass displacement of people as climate refugees or environmental migrants.₃
Another threat is the rising sea level due to global warming. In the last 30 years, the number of people who are at high risk of being affected by the rising sea level has increased from 160 million to 260 million. What’s worse is 90% of those people live in poor developing countries. For example, in Bangladesh, it is predicted that 17% of the country will be submerged by the rise in sea level by 2050, and 20 million people living there will lose their homes.₃
There are several types of climate refugees or environmental migrants. The three most recognized ones are:
Environmental emergency migrants: people who flee temporarily due to an environmental disaster or sudden environmental event. (Examples: someone forced to leave due to a hurricane, tsunami, earthquake, etc.)
Environmental forced migrants: people who have to leave due to deteriorating environmental conditions. (Example: someone forced to leave due to a slow deterioration of their environment such as deforestation, coastal deterioration, etc.)
Environmentally induced economic migrants: people who choose to leave to avoid possible future problems. (Example: someone who leaves due to declining crop productivity caused by desertification.)
So, what has been the global response? Only recently, a few steps are being taken in response to this crisis. The “Global Compact on Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration”₄, adopted by the UN in 2018, clearly states that one of the factors causing large-scale movements of people is the adverse impacts of climate change and environmental degradation. The compact also states that governments should work to protect climate refugees in the countries of their arrival by devising planned relocation and visa options if adaptation and return are not possible in their countries of origin.₃
In March 2018, the UN Human Rights Council published a document that pointed out the fact that people who “didn’t legally qualify” as refugees but had to cross borders due to various environmental reasons - should not be forced to be deported. It then urged governments to incorporate the concept of human rights protection into the planning and implementation of climate change measures.₅,₃
Ending the article on a high, the climate refugees or environmental migrants are finally being considered in serious crisis-solving talks, as opposed to not even being acknowledged as a real crisis in the past. However, solutions need to be brought about quickly. The refugee crisis as we know of isn’t getting better, neither is the deterioration of the climate. Hence, the more this issue is pushed around and delayed - the worse it will get.
Works Cited
García, Stephanie. “What a UN Ruling Could Mean for Climate Refugees.” PBS. Public Broadcasting Service, December 13, 2019. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/as-cop-25-ends-a-look-at-why-climate-migrants-dont-have-refugee-status.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. “Climate Change and Disaster Displacement.” UNHCR. Accessed September 1, 2021. https://www.unhcr.org/climate-change-and-disasters.html.
Ida, Tetsuji. “Climate Refugees – the World's Forgotten Victims.” World Economic Forum. World Economic Forum, June 18, 2021. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/06/climate-refugees-the-world-s-forgotten-victims/.
“Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.” United Nations: General Assembly, January 11, 2019. https://undocs.org/A/RES/73/195
Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General. “The Slow Onset Effects of Climate Change and Human Rights Protection for Cross-Border Migrants.” United Nations, March 22, 2018. https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/RegularSessions/Session37/Documents/A_HRC_37_CRP.4.docx. DOWNLOAD
WOW! Two years have come and gone since our relaunch in May 2020. Thank you for Exploring, Learning, and Achieving with us, and here’s to many more years to come. This is still just the beginning!
Earthians Care is made possible completely through volunteered time by youth many of whom are both in school and working at least one job. They do this without expecting anything in return. To thank them, we would like to offer scholarships for their fall semester that can go towards courses, school supplies, or education/career support. We ask that you please help us by donating to our Earthians Care Scholarship Fund either through our GoFundMe or on Venmo @Earthians-Care.
Our goal is to raise $1,000 by September 1, 2022. Earthians Care volunteers (excluding Administrative Team) are eligible to receive a scholarship. Funds raised after $1,000 will roll over to our next scholarship cycle in Spring 2023. All funds gifted will go directly to scholarships.
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ENERGY GIRL
ENERGY HOUR
Tuesdays from 7pm-8pm
Turn off all energy-using lights, appliances, and heating/cooling systems!
If you're wondering what to do without TV or a laptop charger here's some ideas!
-Color, Arts and Crafts
-Puzzles: jigsaw, crosswords
-Board Games
-Clean
-Talk to your housemates!
Editor’s Note: Earthians Care is a dual education platform. While our writers are here to spread information to readers, they are themselves learning about these topics. Our writers are not professionals in the field, nor are they professional writers and researchers. While we all do our best to relay accurate information, we encourage you to explore topics on your own as well. The sources given in the newsletter are a great place to start! If you are aware of any inaccurate information presented in our newsletter, please notify us at earthianscare@gmail.com Subject: Correction.