Concerns Grow Over Climate Change Policies | EarthxNews Full Episode - video Dailymotion

EarthX Media

EarthX Website: https://earthxmedia.com/   World leaders debate fossil fuels at COP28; the EU cracks down on environmental crime; an oil spill raises concerns; AI helps farmers harvest; heat-related illnesses rise; restoring an ancient forest.   About EarthxNews:  A weekly program dedicated to covering the stories that shape the planet. Featuring the latest updates in energy, environment, tech, climate, and more.   EarthX & EarthXtra  Love Our Planet.  The Official Network of Earth Day.    About Us:  At EarthX, we believe our planet is a pretty special place. The people, landscapes, and critters are likely unique to the entire universe, so we consider ourselves lucky to be here. We are committed to protecting the environment by inspiring conservation and sustainability, and our programming along with our range of expert hosts support this mission. We’re glad you’re with us.     EarthX is a media company dedicated to inspiring people to care about the planet. We take an omni channel approach to reach audiences of every age through its robust 24/7 linear channel distributed across cable and FAST outlets, along with dynamic, solution oriented short form content on social and digital platforms. EarthX is home to original series, documentaries and snackable content that offer sustainable solutions to environmental challenges. EarthX is the only network that delivers entertaining and inspiring topics that impact and inspire our lives on climate and sustainability.       EarthX Website: https://earthxmedia.com/    Follow Us:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earthxmedia/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/earthxmedia  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EarthXMedia/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@earthxmedia  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EarthXMedia  Dailymotion: https://www.dailymotion.com/earthxmedia    How to watch:    EarthX - Cable:  - Spectrum  - AT&T U-verse (1267)  - DIRECTV (267)  - Philo  - FuboTV   EarthXtra - Streaming:  - Plex  - Fire TV  - Xumo  - Sling    #EarthDay #Environment #Sustainability #EcoFriendly #Conservation #EarthX

Transcript

00:00World leaders gathering for tough talks on climate change at COP28 in Dubai.

00:07But what about common ground when it comes to the phase-out of fossil fuels?

00:11We'll take a look.

00:12Plus, the European Union is looking to stiffen penalties for environmental crimes.

00:17And artificial intelligence and agriculture.

00:20We'll explore how the technology may be able to help farmers cope with climate change.

00:30Hello and welcome to EarthX News, where we focus entirely on sustainability and the environment.

00:36I'm your host, Christina Thompson.

00:38Let's take a look at some of the biggest headlines facing our planet today.

00:42Tense discussions happening at COP28, specifically on the fossil fuel debate.

00:47To phase them out or not to phase them out.

00:49And on that note, many were outraged at the home of this year's conference.

00:53The United Arab Emirates, as they are one of the world's biggest oil producers, yet hosting the negotiations.

01:00Now, the leader of this year's conference, Sultan Al Jubeir, has had his motives and his support for balancing renewable energy

01:06with the continued use of fossil fuels called into question.

01:10Allegedly, an internal document obtained by the Center for Climate Reporting and the BBC

01:15showed that UAE's COP team was told to promote oil and gas deals on the sidelines,

01:20something former Vice President Al Gore was not happy about, saying, quote,

01:25they went too far in naming the CEO of one of the largest and, by many measures,

01:30one of the dirtiest oil companies on the planet as the president of the UN Conference on Climate this year.

01:36However, Sultan Ahmad Al Jubeir still has many high-profile supporters,

01:41including U.S. Climate Envoy John Kerry, who has backed him during climate talks.

01:46Now, Sultan even calling on world leaders to work together on fossil fuels

01:49and how they play a role in lowering global warming to that magic number 1.5.

01:55We must look for ways and ensure the inclusion of the role of fossil fuels.

02:04I know there are strong views about the idea of including language on fossil fuels

02:08and renewables in the negotiated text.

02:11I ask you all to work together, be flexible, find common ground.

02:19Plus, we also saw the Biden administration pledged millions of dollars to an international fund

02:25at the climate summit.

02:26The fund is referred to as the Loss and Damage Fund,

02:30and its purpose is for developed countries to provide money on an annual basis

02:35to developing countries as, quote, compensation for the impacts of climate change.

02:39The U.S. promised more than $17 million to the fund.

02:43That's according to Axios.

02:45The administration says that all payments into the fund are voluntary

02:48and not an admission of wrongdoing.

02:51Other nations also committed contributions to the tune of $10 million from Japan,

02:56$75 million from the U.K., and $200 million from the EU.

03:01Notably, China, the largest emitter of greenhouse gases

03:04and the second-largest economy in the world,

03:07is not part of the fund as it's not considered a developed nation by the U.N.

03:12The European Union is cracking down on environmental crimes,

03:16making certain environmental infractions illegal,

03:19and ramping up the penalties.

03:21The new rules are meant to expand upon the Union nation's existing environmental laws,

03:26criminalizing nine new specific offenses,

03:29including illegal logging, the introduction of invasive species,

03:32and illegal water withdrawals.

03:34Offenders can face at least 10 years in prison.

03:37Companies can be hit with fines as high as 40 million euros.

03:41Environmental misdeeds make a lot of organized crime rings a lot of money.

03:45In fact, they are among the top four types of criminal activity worldwide,

03:50costing over $1 trillion per year.

03:53That's according to the World Bank.

03:55Meanwhile, the Biden administration recently announced new requirements

03:58for highway emissions regulations.

04:01The new rule, in addition to the bipartisan infrastructure law

04:04established by the Federal Highway Administration,

04:07requires state and local transportation agencies

04:09to create greenhouse gas reduction targets

04:12for federal-funded road projects.

04:15In addition, the department has also provided a framework

04:17for state agencies to track transportation-related emissions,

04:21which then allows them to reach their goals

04:23and gain access to the more than $27 billion in funding available through the law.

04:28A recent big oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico right off of Louisiana

04:32is concerning environmentalists.

04:34The U.S. Coast Guard says about 1.1 million gallons of oil

04:37may have been discharged from a pipeline system.

04:41That pipeline has since been shut down.

04:43As of late November, the Coast Guard said none of the oil had reached land,

04:47but its impact on wildlife is unknown.

04:49The pelicans I observed were still active,

04:53potentially capable of flying away

04:56if someone were to go and try to capture them.

04:58So, and I wasn't in position on that vessel

05:01to capture them and try to bring them in.

05:04The captain made very specific statements

05:06about the oil in the environmental conditions

05:10that we experienced with the high wind

05:11and the high sea state,

05:12how that would react

05:14and be changed into very, very small droplets

05:19and float within the top several feet of the water column.

05:22An environmental group described the 1.1 million gallons of oil lost as, quote,

05:27huge.

05:28To compare this to the BP oil disaster in 2010,

05:31134 million gallons of oil was released in the weeks following that oil rig explosion.

05:36More than 2,000 wildfires have ravaged Brazil's Pantanal,

05:40the world's largest wetland in November,

05:42taking an immense toll on wildlife there.

05:45One conservation group is taking the time to educate the public

05:49on just how detrimental these fires are through informational videos.

05:53In the video, the animal rescue group Grad Brazil

05:56lays out the bodies of animals found in just 20 square meters of scorched bush.

06:02Given the scale of the fires,

06:03Grad says it is impossible to calculate the number of animals killed.

06:07Grad said around 640,000 acres had burned since the start of November 2023.

06:14The area is still recovering from devastating fires in 2020

06:17that scientists said killed at least 17 million vertebrates.

06:23Could extreme climate change cause a chain reaction in agriculture

06:26that could be felt by everyone?

06:29Both heat and drought are causing the grass in pastures

06:32to be less than ideal for livestock.

06:34It's either not growing or growing the wrong kind.

06:37And because of this, ranchers who need the grass to feed the livestock

06:41either have to reduce their herds

06:43or pay for supplemental food sources.

06:46Add this to the long list of costs piling up

06:49for farmers, ranchers, and consumers across the country.

06:52How will you feel the impact?

06:54Well, beef prices are expected to rise even more through 2024 into 2025.

07:00So that cheap burger you like to eat,

07:03it might not be so cheap for much longer.

07:05But there is still hope.

07:06Many groups are banding together to test new ways to develop grasses

07:09that can withstand the weather variance.

07:12But finding one solution that can work across diverse ecosystems,

07:16that's certainly a challenge.

07:18Some traditional California apple farmers may have the secret

07:21to the juiciest, most delicious apples.

07:24Plus, their farming technique is low maintenance

07:26and good for the environment.

07:28It's called dry farming,

07:29which means they essentially grow entire orchards using no extra water,

07:34only what falls naturally from the sky or that already exists in the soil.

07:38This technique is especially effective in states like California,

07:41where agriculture makes up about 80% of water usage.

07:46If conditions are right and the location is appropriate,

07:49dry farming allows for smaller scale productions

07:51to turn out a great product while drawing less on the natural resource.

07:56Environmental specialists say there are both pros and cons.

07:59For example, dry farmed produce tends to be smaller

08:02and harvests are less bountiful.

08:05But producers claim the product lasts longer and tastes better.

08:10Artificial intelligence is helping farmers to grow more cost-effective harvests.

08:14A company out of Silicon Valley created the startup Climate AI.

08:18The AI technology helps farmers cope with the warming temperatures

08:21and climate change by assessing any location's climate, water, and soil conditions

08:25and forecasts for growing crops in the area over the next 20 years.

08:30The technology was first tested with tomato farmers in India.

08:34The farmers originally were planning to plant seeds in an area

08:37that the AI simulations predicted would decrease yield

08:41by about 30% in the next two decades.

08:44Thanks to the AI, they were able to change their plan

08:47and predict the best seeds and locations for the best harvest.

08:51One of the founders says that AI is a powerful tool

08:54to speed up and improve the solutions for climate change.

08:57The Journal of Climate Change Economics just published

09:00two new economic opinions on how to hold global climate temperatures to 1.5

09:05or to reach net zero.

09:07Both studies came to the exact same conclusion

09:09that climate change policies are expensive and ridden with subsidies.

09:14They suggest the costs far outweigh the benefits

09:17and the money could be better spent ramping up investments

09:19into cheap, low-carbon technologies

09:21that can compete with and even replace fossil fuels.

09:25Just to name a few points made.

09:27Damage from climate-related disaster, they say, is shrinking

09:30and delivering on the Paris Accord

09:32will cost between 8% and 18% of the annual GDP by 2050

09:37and 11% to 13% by 2100.

09:40Now that's pretty expensive.

09:42The studies argue that the anticipated policy costs

09:45will be so much higher than the anticipated benefits

09:48throughout this century and into the next.

09:50They both state that investing in energy innovation

09:53is the way to go.

09:54For example, ramping up research and development

09:56into low-carbon technologies to innovate green energy

10:00that will be cheap enough to out-compete fossil fuels.

10:03That would protect the economy and ensure that clean energy's adoption

10:07not only in rich climate-concerned countries,

10:09but in places like China, India, and Africa.

10:12People are dying of heat-related illnesses

10:15at a far faster pace than ever before.

10:18Before the situation becomes even more dire,

10:20countries partaking in the UN's annual climate summit

10:23are forming a plan to save lives and the planet.

10:27Correspondent Mike Carter explains.

10:29Countries participating in this year's UN Climate Conference

10:32have a dilemma on their hands.

10:34How to cut back on the increase in heat-related deaths

10:37as the world around us warms?

10:39Global inaction on the climate crisis

10:40will lead to a four-fold increase in heat-related deaths,

10:44according to a new study by over 100 researchers

10:46from around the world.

10:47Humanity's fight to curb climate change is failing.

10:50Heat-related mortality of adults over 65 years of age,

10:54a very vulnerable age group,

10:56have increased by 85% since the 90s alone.

11:00And we now know that more than half of that increase

11:03wouldn't have occurred if temperatures hadn't increased.

11:06So we know that it's climate change causing this today.

11:08COP28 is dedicating one day to the health effects of climate change.

11:12Spain was among the southern European countries

11:15hardest hit by the heat wave this year,

11:17and they have some ideas for how to help.

11:18Some scientists say it's time to offer solutions

11:21that have been locally tested,

11:22like the climate shelters that were set up last summer in Barcelona,

11:26and governments applying protocols to manage risks

11:28such as working outdoors and high temperatures.

11:31Reporting for EarthX News, I'm Mike Carter.

11:34Mike Carter, thank you.

11:36Coming up, some new regulations proposed by the EPA

11:40are sparking a debate over electric reliability.

11:43Stay tuned, we'll discuss.

11:45Welcome back.

12:09A startup in Sweden is aiming to reduce the carbon footprint

12:11with a faster and greener commute.

12:14Electric boatmaker Candela has developed a new high-speed passenger ferry.

12:20Developers say the new P-12 vessel can go as fast as 30 knots.

12:23That's about 34 miles per hour.

12:26It'll travel just over 65 miles on a single charge,

12:29use about 80% less energy,

12:31and slash some commuting times by 30 minutes.

12:35So how does it go so fast?

12:36Well, the company says the boat's carbon fiber hydrofoil wings

12:40allow it to travel above the water, reducing drag.

12:44The P-12 is still in testing,

12:46but is set to start service between Stockholm and a local suburb in July.

12:51A new technology may change the way we charge electric vehicles,

12:55and it's being developed and tested in Michigan.

12:58Cruise and Motor City recently installed what's billed

13:01as the nation's first wireless-charging public roadway beneath a street

13:05just west of downtown Detroit.

13:08The new quarter-mile corridor is equipped with copper coils,

13:11which allow vehicles outfitted with a special receiver

13:14to charge up their batteries while driving, idling, or parking above the coils.

13:20The Israel-based company who created the technology

13:23says that the electric road is safe for drivers, pedestrians, and wildlife,

13:27and that the coils only activate when a vehicle with an approved receiver passes over them.

13:34As the push for renewable energy projects grows along with the demand

13:38to get them connected to the grid,

13:40electric reliability is emerging as a major concern among some members

13:44in the power industry after the EPA recently proposed

13:48a new set of carbon pollution rules

13:50aimed at regulating the greenhouse gas from power plants.

13:54Joining us now to discuss is the former chief of staff

13:56at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Mandy Gunasakara.

14:00Yeah, it's great to be with you.

14:02Mandy, some are saying that the new rules aimed at cutting emissions

14:06from existing power plants is unworkable.

14:09Why is that?

14:10Yeah, I'd agree that they are unworkable,

14:13partly because this is getting EPA back into the position

14:16of forcing a fuel shift.

14:19If you were to shut down one coal-fired power plant

14:22or one natural gas plant,

14:23it takes a massive amount of wind energy

14:26or green hydrogen to actually replace it.

14:29And at the end of the day,

14:30we don't have the infrastructure to incorporate that

14:33in a workable way to where electricity could continue to be stable,

14:38to be reliable,

14:39and accessible in terms of being affordable.

14:42With how the grid is set up in the U.S.,

14:44it's not just as simple as plugging in wind or solar

14:47to the existing infrastructure, is it?

14:49So what needs to change, I mean,

14:52in order for some challenges with getting our current

14:54renewable sources to the existing grid?

14:57And you're right to point out, Christina,

14:59that you can't just plug this into the existing system.

15:03And one of the biggest problems with updating our infrastructure

15:06is something called the National Environmental Protection Act, NEPA,

15:11which was a good idea.

15:13It's a statute on the books.

15:15It was a good idea put in place to ensure that

15:17as big projects are developed and built out,

15:20that they are done with a nod towards their impact

15:24on the surrounding environment.

15:25But the problem is this rule or this law,

15:28and now the rules that have come from it,

15:30have been on the books for so long,

15:32they've been abused to ultimately be a barrier

15:34to any type of infrastructure development.

15:37So whether it's transmission lines,

15:39whether it's pipelines,

15:40whether it's the bits and pieces that are necessary

15:42for the whole system to be connected and actually work,

15:45you have a bureaucratic barrier

15:48where the permits that are required

15:51to build out this type of infrastructure

15:52that's necessary for wind, solar,

15:54and fossil fuels or anything else,

15:57it's going to take years to actually get off the ground

15:59by virtue of the stalemate that occurs

16:03among the various agencies

16:04and really holds up important projects.

16:07And it's really created a time issue

16:10in terms of getting permits issued

16:14that are necessary for the type of projects

16:17to be built out to modernize

16:19or even change out our existing grid infrastructure.

16:22Grid operators are worried

16:23that fossil plant retirements are accelerating too quickly

16:26to ensure that there are enough resources

16:29available to replace them.

16:30So how do we address their concerns?

16:33And are there any solutions to either slow the pace

16:35or adjust the grid to accommodate

16:37the country's energy and emissions goals?

16:39The stated goal should be to reduce emissions by X

16:43and then let the technologies that are out there

16:45achieve that.

16:46Instead, they're saying,

16:47we want to reduce emissions by X

16:49and then you can only use XYZ technologies

16:52to actually achieve it.

16:54And that is what's proving unworkable.

16:56So the better approach is more balanced regulations

16:59based off of existing technologies

17:02and letting the technologies

17:04that can deliver the energy we need

17:07while achieving the emissions reductions we want

17:09to proliferate on its own.

17:11Wind, solar, and some of these other new renewables,

17:14there's a role for those types of technologies,

17:16but because of physical limitations,

17:18they can never provide baseload energy

17:21that is most important for providing the stability

17:24and the efficiency requirements

17:26that we all ultimately want.

17:28So it's a more balanced approach

17:29to regulatory requirements.

17:31It's getting out of the way

17:32of picking winners and losers

17:33and trying to force technologies

17:35into energy roles that they are ill-equipped to achieve

17:39just by virtue of basic physics.

17:41Mandy Gunisakara, thank you.

17:43Thanks for having me, Christina.

17:45Coming up, volunteers work to spruce up

17:47an ancient woodland in the UK.

17:49Stay tuned.

17:50That story is just ahead.

17:54A revitalization project is underway

18:10to help restore a centuries-old woodland site in England,

18:13and the initiative may even prove to be therapeutic

18:16for some of the volunteers.

18:18Alex Salvi has more.

18:20With the unrest in the world,

18:21it's easy to lose sense of hope.

18:22To think that sanity is slipping away.

18:27To feel powerless in making meaningful change.

18:30Whether the turmoil is caused by mankind or nature,

18:34there are some problems that feel out of the control

18:36of any one individual.

18:38It's a feeling that applies to the climate,

18:40with 2023 on track to be the hottest year on record,

18:43having effects on ecosystems around the globe.

18:45The ancient woodland in Luton, England, is no exception,

18:50being reduced in half since the 1940s.

18:53But the Wildlife Trust Organization

18:55isn't going down without a fight,

18:57organizing volunteers to try and prevent the force's demise.

19:00Our sites, and those of so many other landowners,

19:03would not be in the good condition they're in

19:04without the help of volunteers.

19:07I know that we have hundreds signed up.

19:09We don't have hundreds at every session,

19:11but some sessions we have 20, 25 people

19:14come along to help us.

19:15Nearly one million members and 35,000 volunteers

19:18take part in projects around the country,

19:20putting actions behind their words.

19:23They've improved water quality in rivers and streams,

19:26restored over 100,000 acres of wetlands,

19:29and are turning their attention to Luton.

19:32Their work includes planting trees,

19:34cleaning up brush, and trimming back weeds and roots

19:37to allow the growth of new saplings.

19:39The manual labor can be hard and time-consuming,

19:43but for volunteers that can see the product of their work

19:46and the possibility of a better future for their communities,

19:49it's time well spent.

19:50Getting out into nature reserves,

19:52getting hands-on, dirty hands in the mud,

19:56and really feeling like you are working with the environment,

20:01it gives people a connection to their area.

20:04They can come back and see the tree that they planted years ago

20:06has grown and feel the positivity from that.

20:11The activity brings well-being to the environment

20:13and those involved.

20:15Volunteers range from young to old,

20:17and while the work is physical, it's not overly exhausting,

20:21meaning it can also be a safe form of exercise.

20:24Participants can come out to the woods on their own time

20:26and plant trees at their own pace,

20:28making the hobby a flexible and rewarding one.

20:31And for many people, the activity is serene,

20:34a getaway from their problems,

20:36especially knowing they're also investing in their futures.

20:39It helps to bring a lot of positive energy,

20:41stuff we don't really have around when talking about the environment.

20:43And there's also the benefit you bring to the environment,

20:46maintaining and just creating that space for nature to thrive, really.

20:50The Wildlife Trust and its members

20:51know they're playing a small part in addressing a much larger issue,

20:55but knowing there are others around the world who share their same outlook,

20:58they find comfort in knowing they're making steady progress

21:01and not tackling the problem alone.

21:04For EarthX, I'm Alex Salvi.

21:07Alex Salvi, thank you.

21:09And before we leave you,

21:10one of the world's rarest rodents

21:12has been seen on camera for the first time.

21:16The critically endangered giant rat

21:18was photographed by cameras set up

21:20on the remote South Pacific island

21:22of Van Gounu in the Solomon Islands.

21:25That's according to the University of Melbourne.

21:27The long mythical Aromus vika

21:30is able to grow as large as a human baby

21:33with teeth big enough to chomp through coconuts.

21:36The species was only discovered in 2017

21:38when a single ginormous rat was seen,

21:42but not photographed on the island,

21:44which remains the only place it's ever been spotted.

21:47That's all the time we have for this edition of EarthX News.

21:50Please join us again next week.

21:51I'm Christina Thompson.

21:52We'll see you soon.

21:53We'll see you soon.

21:54We'll see you soon.

21:55We'll see you soon.

21:56We'll see you soon.

21:57We'll see you soon.

21:58We'll see you soon.

21:59We'll see you soon.

22:00We'll see you soon.

22:01We'll see you soon.

22:02We'll see you soon.

Concerns Grow Over Climate Change Policies | EarthxNews Full Episode

Category

Transcript

Comments

Recommended