Economic Impact of the Green Energy Transition | EarthxNews Full Episode - video Dailymotion

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EarthX Website: https://earthxmedia.com/   2024 climate predictions; severe storms threaten Britain's seals; can old rocks solve climate change?; the green transition and the global economy; an Australian man saves wombats with mange.   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

00:00Future forecasts. Some climate scientists are already speculating about the potential weather patterns we'll see in 2024.

00:10We'll explain some of their predictions. Plus, some severe storms may be threatening seals in Great Britain.

00:17What the wicked weather could mean for the animals' population numbers.

00:21And Spain marks a milestone when it comes to renewable energy. We'll be talking about that.

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

00:43I'm Christina Thompson. Let's get into some of the biggest headlines facing our planet.

00:47We start with this. It's a new year, which means new predictions for what to watch climate-wise in 2024.

00:54Experts have been sharing their predictions for the headlines that will impact us all the most this next year.

01:00According to a report from the World Meteorological Organization, 2023 was the hottest year on record.

01:07And scientists are saying it's not expected to cool off in 2024.

01:12Much of Earth's oceans were record warm for most of 2023, and it takes a while for them to release that heat.

01:18Plus, the planet-warming El Nino climate pattern is nearing its peak.

01:23If history is any indication, that means an even warmer 2024.

01:28When the last El Nino occurred in 2016, it pushed the planet to break record temperatures.

01:34According to some climatologists, add planet-warming fossil fuels into the mix,

01:38and it could be enough to, for the first time on an annual basis,

01:43push the average planetary temperatures to more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

01:49Here's the director of the Office of Climate Change of the United Nations.

01:53We mustn't become numb to these records after records toppling because they have implications.

01:59Implications in terms of increased frequency of extreme weather events.

02:05Implications in terms of more forest fires, in terms of droughts, floods, etc.

02:09And all of these are impacting people, impacting people, especially those on the front lines,

02:15like the agricultural communities.

02:17So these records matter.

02:19Now, we need to react to it.

02:21We can't just be sort of passive observers of a changing climate.

02:26And agriculture has a central role to play.

02:29Now, another prediction for 2024, continued high levels of food waste.

02:34A third of the food intended for human consumption, around 1.3 billion tons, is wasted or lost.

02:40This is enough to feed 3 billion people.

02:43Food waste and loss account for approximately one quarter of greenhouse gas emissions annually.

02:48Basically, if it was a country, food waste would be the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases behind China and the U.S.

02:56Scientists also fear biodiversity loss.

02:59The past 50 years have seen a rapid growth of human consumption, population, global trade, and urbanization,

03:06resulting in humanity using more of Earth's resources than it can replenish naturally.

03:12A 2020 World Wildlife Fund report found that the population sizes of mammals, fish, birds, reptiles,

03:18and amphibians have experienced a decline of an average of 68 percent between 1970 and 2016.

03:26More plastic pollution is also on deck for the new year.

03:30In 1950, the world produced more than 2 million tons of plastic per year.

03:35By 2015, this annual production swelled to 419 million tons and exacerbating plastic waste in the environment.

03:44By all accounts, it's not slowing down.

03:46Here's Jeff Angel, the director of Boomerang Alliance, to campaign against plastic pollution.

03:51And now we have this great gap where we need new, strong government regulation to make industry do the proper thing

04:03and get this plastic out of the environment.

04:06Plus, deforestation is also likely to continue into the new year.

04:10Every hour, forests the size of 300 football fields are cut down.

04:15By the year 2030, some estimate the planet might have only 10 percent of its forests left.

04:22If deforestation continues at the same pace, they could virtually disappear in less than 100 years.

04:28One of the biggest environmental problems today and in the new year is outdoor air pollution.

04:33Data from the World Health Organization shows that an estimated 4.2 to 7 million people die from air pollution worldwide every year

04:42and that 9 out of 10 people breathe air that contains high levels of pollutants.

04:47The climate crisis is warming the Arctic more than twice as fast as anywhere else on the planet.

04:53Today, sea levels are rising more than twice as quickly as they did for most of the 20th century

04:58as a result of increasing temperatures on Earth.

05:02Seas are now rising an average of 3.2 millimeters per year globally

05:06and they will continue to grow up out to 0.7 meters by the end of this century.

05:11If the Arctic, the Greenland ice sheets poses the greatest risk

05:15because melting land ice is the main cause of rising sea levels.

05:20Representing arguably the biggest of the environmental problems for 2024,

05:24scientists are even more concerned about it after last year's summer

05:27triggered the loss of 60 billion tons of ice from Greenland.

05:31That was enough to raise global sea levels by 2.2 millimeters in just two months.

05:37If the entire Greenland ice sheet melts, sea levels would rise by 6 meters.

05:41And global temperature rise has not only affected the surface,

05:46but it is the main cause of ocean acidification.

05:49Our oceans absorb about 30% of carbon dioxide that is released into the Earth's atmosphere.

05:54As higher concentrations of carbon emissions are released through actions such as burning fossil fuels

05:59and due to the increased rates of wildfires,

06:02the amount of carbon dioxide that is absorbed back into the sea increases as well.

06:07Ocean acidification has devastating impacts on marine ecosystems and species.

06:12Once pH levels drop to a certain level, marine organisms, such as oysters,

06:17could see their shells and skeletons even start to dissolve.

06:212023 was undoubtedly a year of massive shifts for the environment and climate.

06:27These 2024 predictions point to a continued trend of issues,

06:30both man-made and naturally occurring.

06:33We will, of course, be keeping an eye on them for all of our viewers.

06:35Japan is starting to get concerned over the safety of the Shikha nuclear plant.

06:41A series of earthquakes have recently rocked central Japan

06:44and triggered public concern over their proximity to the plant.

06:48The plant was too close for comfort to the epicenter of a major earthquake

06:52that happened earlier this month.

06:54Now, the plant has been offline since the 2011 Fukushima disaster,

06:58and there have been some power outages and oil leaks following the jolt,

07:02but no radiation leakage.

07:03That's according to the electric power company that operated the Shikha plant.

07:08The Hakariku electric power company has been actively working to restart the plant.

07:14However, the recent earthquakes and aftershocks have sparked some concern amongst local residents

07:19regarding the safety of the facility once it resumes operations.

07:22This month's earthquakes of up to 7.6 magnitude have struck Ishikawa and its vicinity,

07:29resulting in more than 80 deaths and an additional 80 people unaccounted for.

07:34Can the issue of climate change be resolved with some old rocks?

07:38Well, it's not that simple, unfortunately,

07:41but experts have recently discovered what appears to be a pretty easy and cheap method

07:45of removing carbon dioxide from the world's warming atmosphere.

07:49They were inspired by the natural breakdown of rocks as they are exposed to weather.

07:54Now, scientists are working with rock quarries, truckers, and farmers

07:57to pump resources into a process that could literally suck pollution out of the sky

08:02and turn it into a harmless substance that eventually just washes into oceans.

08:06The method is called Enhanced Rock Weathering, or ERW,

08:11and the main material is a powdery dust made from basalt,

08:14the most abundant form of volcanic rock on the planet.

08:17Hundreds of business people and scientists have become involved in turning ERW

08:22from a process of breaking down rocks that takes millions of years in nature

08:26into what they hope is a partial solution to reducing climate change.

08:30In early experiments, basalt dust boosted corn and soybean production,

08:34and it also absorbed CO2 from the air in what appears to be a win-win.

08:39In the tiny pieces of rock, the impacts of wind and rain exposure

08:43turned the carbon dioxide into bicarbonate, a natural substance that makes up seashells

08:48and dissolves in groundwater, eventually washing away into the ocean.

08:52So how can it be used?

08:54By farmers.

08:55Farmers traditionally use limestone to de-acidify and help fertilize their fields,

09:01but basalt can be just as effective.

09:03It's found in abundance in rock quarries where it is generally considered waste.

09:07It can be delivered to farmers to use as an alternative to limestone to improve soils.

09:12Experts say that basalt is much less expensive than using filters, fans,

09:17and electricity to remove carbon from the air.

09:20An increase in inclement weather in parts of Western Europe and the UK

09:23is wreaking havoc on Britain's wildlife.

09:26Specifically, the weather is turning the corner of North Cumberland's coast,

09:30typically a safe haven for gray seals, into a nightmare.

09:33Now, as stormy weather hits, seal pops are getting washed off rocks

09:37and becoming separated from their mothers at sea,

09:40with an increasing number of rescues by environmental groups.

09:44These storm surges and the waves come and they basically wash the beach away.

09:48They wash the sand dunes away.

09:50And it means there's literally, the babies get washed off the island.

09:54So even if they've got a good mom that's hanging around trying to give them milk,

09:57and that white fur, it's not waterproof.

09:59Those pure white seals, they don't belong in the sea.

10:03Luckily, some seals have been able to be rescued,

10:06but the rescuers are so frequent that there's a shortage of spots

10:09for the pups at special centers.

10:11Around 40% of the world's gray seals breed in the UK,

10:15so this country is extremely important for the species.

10:18Meantime, in Spain, the country generated more than half of its electricity

10:22from renewable sources such as wind and solar power last year.

10:26That's a historic record according to the country's national power grid.

10:30Production of electricity from renewable sources reached nearly 135,000 gigawatt hours last year,

10:37equivalent of 50.4% of the overall national energy mix.

10:41That's eight points higher than Spain reached in 2022,

10:44and this is the first time the country passed the 50% threshold for renewable electricity.

10:49Spain relies heavily on wind, solar, and nuclear power.

10:53Gas-generated power fell seven points to 17.2%.

10:56Spain is aiming to be up to 74% renewable by 2030.

11:01Coming up, transitioning to more eco-friendly solutions can hold some economic promise,

11:07but others are sounding the alarm bells about making the switch

11:10and the impact it could have on the global economy.

11:13Stay tuned.

11:14We'll explore some of the pros and cons that's just ahead.

11:17The policies that we craft to deal with the issue of the environment,

11:22they certainly impact the bottom line.

11:24They certainly impact your pocket.

11:26And so we need to have forward-thinking policy that ATSI engages in all the things we know

11:33need to be done over these next 5 and 10 and 20 years.

11:36We'll see you next time.

12:06Ireland could become the next nation to recognize environmental human rights.

12:12The country is currently considering a nationwide referendum on the rights of nature

12:16and the human right to live in a clean, healthy environment.

12:20If it passes, Ireland will join the more than two-thirds of the 27 European Union countries

12:26that recognize a universal human right to a healthy environment

12:29and become the first European country to constitutionally recognize that ecosystems,

12:36similar to humans and corporations, possess legal rights.

12:39Supporters say the law aims to protect the integrity of the habitat

12:42so that they can persist into the future while not abolishing other rights

12:47like human rights to private property.

12:49Some critics have called the laws anti-human

12:52and claim that the rules will chill investment in mining and other extractive projects.

12:57As the world works towards a greener future,

12:59some policymakers are raising some concerns about what the green transition could mean

13:04for the global economy across the world.

13:07Joining us now to discuss is Senior Fellow for Deploy U.S.

13:10and Public Policy Analyst Joe Pinion.

13:12Joe, thanks for coming on.

13:13We appreciate it.

13:14Glad to be here.

13:15So if interest rates and inflation may not be the first thing that comes to mind

13:19when we think of improving the environment,

13:21what's the connection between the two?

13:22Well, look, I think people need to recognize that the policies that we craft

13:27to deal with the issue of the environment, they certainly impact the bottom line.

13:33They certainly impact your pocket.

13:35And so even if you're looking at what we're trying to do on the global stage,

13:39you have to remember that 87 percent of all the carbon emissions we are trying to reduce

13:43come from China.

13:45And so the policies that we have as it relates to their importing of goods,

13:49that certainly impacts the actual emission of those, of that carbon.

13:54I mean, if anything, energy was more expensive in 2023 than it had been in 2022 or 2021.

14:02What can we expect for 2024 when it comes to how much we're paying just to keep our houses warm?

14:07Some of the policies that are being passed state by state around the country,

14:11we are seeing the end to existing nuclear capacity.

14:14So energy prices are going to continue to go up as long as we end up having policies

14:19that are going to take away our ability to double down on the best sources of carbon,

14:26low carbon emitting fuel sources or zero emitting carbon fuel sources.

14:31So top policymakers, they're warning that the global economy is entering an even more uncertain,

14:38volatile period and that climate change might actually be a key reason.

14:42Can you explain why that is?

14:43Well, look, I think we should be honest about the fact that if the oceans are rising,

14:49if we believe in thermometers that the temperature is rising, that should not lead to us being

14:54alarmist, but it should lead to us making wise and practical decisions.

14:58That means where we build property matters.

15:01How we actually make sure that those properties stay safe matters.

15:05Every time those ocean levels go up, the actual threat to bases that we have all around the world,

15:11there is an economic cost for all of this.

15:14So, yes, there is an unseen economic impact, but we can do things to prevent that impact

15:19from hamstring in the American economy.

15:22The most important thing we need to do is not try to figure out how to solve a global problem

15:27by actually dealing with it internally within the bounds of this nation.

15:31America can be part of the solution, but, again, if you're looking at where the overrun majority

15:36of those emissions are coming from, they're coming from beyond our borders, and we need

15:40policies that address that reality, not trying to penalize the average American by having

15:46them adopt solutions that aren't actually going to lead us to having a wholesale actual problem

15:53solved for these issues.

15:54So what do you think are some smart policy changes that would benefit the environment

15:59while still making sure that the average American's wallet isn't being stretched too thin?

16:04Absolutely.

16:05We need more nuclear, and we need it today.

16:07We have new nuclear technologies, modular nuclear, that is much safer, that allows us to reuse

16:13some of that spent nuclear waste that's not a one-cycle-fits-all solution.

16:18So that is one way that we can begin to attack both the emissions and the cost.

16:23We need to make sure that we have more natural gas.

16:26So there are plenty of things that can be done, not only to make the American people safer,

16:31not only to make energy costs less, but also to ensure that the world, as we know it, the

16:35stability that's required for people who love freedom, to ensure that that compact remains

16:40intact.

16:41Well, the green transition is coming.

16:44Some might argue that it's already here.

16:45Do we have even more solutions, maybe beyond just nuclear, that would lessen the economic

16:49impact of it?

16:51Certainly.

16:51I think, again, if you look at things that are underutilized, there are hydroelectric

16:56options that are at our disposal.

16:58Certainly, we have that in abundance.

17:00We have not fully tapped into that.

17:02There are geothermal solutions right now, the ability to try to repurpose some of these decommissioned

17:08coal mines, to try to access the energy potential that is hidden beneath our feet.

17:13So all of these are things that are forward-looking, that is not us looking into a science fiction

17:19novel.

17:19The technology exists.

17:21We need policy members to identify these technologies and put resources behind them.

17:26We need to have forward-thinking policy that actually engages in all the things we know

17:32need to be done over these next five and 10 and 20 years.

17:35All right, Joe Pinyon, thank you for coming on.

17:38We appreciate it.

17:39Thank you so much.

17:40And coming up, would you quit your job to save an endangered animal?

17:44One man did.

17:45We have his incredible story after the break.

17:48One concerned citizen in Australia is on a mission to help save and protect one of the country's

18:13most iconic animals, being threatened by a potentially deadly skin condition, and he even

18:19left his job to do it.

18:22Alex Salvey has more.

18:24Australia's wombat population is being ravaged by a deadly parasite, mange, a mite that's wreaking

18:30havoc on the native animal.

18:31Mange is an introduced parasite that burrows beneath a wombat's skin and slowly eats them alive.

18:38Without human intervention, it is 100% fatal for wombats.

18:4225-year-old Toby Bourne is doing what he can to prevent that, quitting his job in marketing

18:48to dedicate his time to saving wombats.

18:50That's where I come in.

18:52I've been treating mange in the Hawkesbury since 2015.

18:56Locals simply report sick wombats, and I come over with a big net to give them medicine.

19:03It's a lot of work, but there's nothing more rewarding than watching these zombie wombats

19:08regrow their hair, regain their vision, and go back to being nocturnal.

19:12Mange is curable, and I want to help cure every single mangy wombat in my area of the Hawkesbury.

19:19It's an extensive process, with the first step being finding the infected marsupials, then

19:25capturing them with a large net, and finally using cattle soak to rid them from mange.

19:31Wombats require weekly treatment for about two months to overcome the infection, but monitoring

19:38the marsupials is a difficult task, needing to be recaptured each time, as they often die

19:43outside of their environment.

19:45Toby says it's a Monday to Friday, 12 hours a day job, and can oftentimes be costly due

19:50to the expenses he pays out of pocket.

19:52Although I'm grateful to have received some funding over the years, 90% of the medicine

19:58has been paid for out of my own pocket.

20:01It can cost hundreds of dollars to cure a wombat with mage, and in 2021 alone, I treated

20:0627 of them.

20:08That figure doesn't include petrol, wildlife cameras, or even the time I spend in the field.

20:14Toby was able to save 36 wombats in 2023, and is looking to expand his efforts as he gets

20:20more people involved.

20:21He's been able to raise over half a million dollars for his operation, and says it's just

20:26the first step towards revitalizing Australia's beloved animal.

20:30For EarthX, I'm Alex Salvi.

20:33Alex Salvi, thank you.

20:34And I am bugging out about this next story.

20:38Some environmentalists want you to eat bugs in the name of sustainability.

20:43Edible insects are a potential sustainable alternative to other forms of protein.

20:48If compared to livestock, insects require less feed, water, and space per kilogram of protein

20:54produced, and the cultivation of insects also produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions.

21:00Insects have optimized, through millions of years of evolution, optimized their ability

21:05to be able to take food in and efficiently convert it into mass, into body mass.

21:12Eating insects as a food source for animals and humans could help humanity combat climate

21:17change, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and produce protein more efficiently.

21:22I don't think I can hop on that band bucket, though.

21:25And before we leave you, check out this super cute video.

21:28This is the adorable moment that a tourist visiting a zoo in China made friends with an arctic fox.

21:34The video shows the woman jumping up and down in front of the little guy.

21:37Then the fox from behind the glass starts mirroring her every move.

21:42When the woman steps away, the fox stops.

21:45But then he starts bouncing up and down again when she returns.

21:48Well, that's it for this edition of EarthX News.

21:50Please join us again next week.

21:52I'm Christina Thompson.

Economic Impact of the Green Energy Transition | EarthxNews Full Episode

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