Helping Trafficked Wildlife | EarthxNews Full Episode - video Dailymotion

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EarthX Website: https://earthxmedia.com/   Federal judge blocks US ban on liquid natural gas exports; General Motors pays $146 million fine in emissions probe; PFAs discovered in EV batteries; Denmark creates livestock carbon tax.   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

00:00Pressing pause. A U.S. federal judge temporarily blocks a freeze on U.S. liquid natural gas

00:09after several states challenged the policy. Plus, General Motors is set to pay out millions of

00:15dollars in penalties related to a U.S. excess emissions probe. And a coalition of wildlife

00:21officials are working to expand a network aimed at caring and housing trafficked animals. We'll

00:28take a look at where the initiative started and where they're planning to go.

00:39Hello and welcome to EarthX News, where we focus on conservation, sustainability, and the environment.

00:46I'm Christina Thompson. Let's get into some of the biggest headlines facing our planet.

00:50The U.S. is holding off on a freeze of new liquefied natural gas exports, also known as LNG.

00:58A federal judge in Louisiana temporarily blocked the administration's ban after 16 states challenged

01:05the governmental policy put in place earlier this year. In January, the administration announced

01:11it would delay the new LNG export terminals in the country, despite exports skyrocketing as the U.S.

01:18urged Ukraine's European allies to buy natural gas from America and not from Moscow after Russia's

01:25invasion of Ukraine. Environmentalists praised the move as they feared an increase in exports

01:31is locking in potentially catastrophic planet warming emissions. The states who opposed this

01:37argued the administration violated the U.S. Constitution and other federal laws by banning

01:43exportation of LNG to countries without a free trade agreement. The judge wrote in his most recent

01:49ruling, quote, it appears that the DOE's decision is completely without reason or logic.

01:57General Motors is in some hot water with the federal government. The U.S. automaker will pay

02:03almost $146 million in fines to settle claims that nearly 6 million of its vehicles released more

02:10pollution than the automaker reported. That's according to a statement from federal officials.

02:16The car company will also cancel 50 million metric tons of greenhouse gas credits from the EPA,

02:22along with about 31 million gas mileage credits from the NHTSA, according to the agencies.

02:29The car manufacturer denied any wrongdoing and said that it had complied with all pollution and

02:34mileage certification rules. In a statement, the company said, quote, GM remains committed to reducing

02:41auto emissions and working towards achieving the administration's fleet electrification goals.

02:47The excess emissions were detected as part of a mandatory testing designed to make sure

02:52that vehicles are not violating federal tailpipe standards. Lithium ion batteries are the most common

02:59type of battery found in electric vehicles. But according to a recent report, scientists say the popular

03:04power source contains forever chemicals or PFAS that can also be found in air, water, soil, snow,

03:12and sediment. Joining us now to discuss are the researchers who co-authored the report. Associate

03:18Professor of Environmental Engineering at Texas Tech University, Dr. Jennifer Guelfo, and Associate

03:25Professor of Environmental Chemistry and Engineering at Duke University, Dr. Lee Ferguson. Thank you both so

03:32much for coming on. First, Jennifer, question to you. Can you define what a forever chemical or PFAS is?

03:41Sure. There's not an internationally accepted definition for PFAS, but generally what we're

03:46talking about are highly recalcitrant compounds that contain carbon fluorine bonds. I think would be the

03:54simplest way to define it. Thanks. And then, Lee, how ubiquitous are they? Well, they're present in many

04:02different types of consumer products, everything from firefighting foam to nonstick coatings,

04:08and then, of course, as we show in the study that we offered here, also in electronics, including

04:14lithium ion batteries. And Dr. Ferguson, tell us a little bit about your findings as it relates to EV

04:19batteries. Well, we conducted a study that really was fairly broad-ranging to understand the cradle to

04:28grave fate of some of the PFAS present in lithium ion batteries. And one of the things that we did here

04:34was analyze actual batteries that we're able to source from a variety of different applications,

04:40including electric vehicles, tablets, smartphones, as well as commodity batteries. And we found a

04:46particular compound that we're calling distriflamide that has not been well studied before. It's relatively

04:52recalcitrant and long-lived in the environment. We're finding it in the batteries up to tens of

04:58milligrams quantity. We then looked to see whether these materials were also entering landfills and

05:06landfill leachates, and we're finding them in those cases as well. Dr. Guelpho, can you add on to your

05:12findings also? Sure. So other pieces of the study looked at environmental occurrence near sites of

05:20manufacturing, and we detected distriflamide and other PFAS in surface water, snow, sediment, soil

05:28here in the United States, as well as in Belgium and France. And then colleagues of ours also assessed

05:36the ecotoxicity of these compounds, and still other colleagues were able to look at treatability using

05:45techniques that are commonly used to remove PFAS from water. So if these PFAS are all around us, or at

05:52least in those places that you just mentioned, Dr. Ferguson, what does that mean for the people who

05:57live there who might, you know, be walking near this water or walking near the soil that is contaminated?

06:02What does it mean for those people? Well, certainly there's the risk of exposure if we're drinking

06:08waters that have distriflamide or other PFAS present in them, especially if that water has not been

06:15treated to remove, specifically to remove PFAS. But living near these sources, there's really not a

06:22great understanding yet of what the health risks are from, in particular, distriflamide. And also,

06:28it's really not well understood the potential movement of these materials and these compounds

06:33in the environment after disposal in, for example, landfilling or during recycling processes for

06:39batteries. So this is research that needs to continue and needs to, to focus a little more on

06:45disposal. Dr. Guelfa, where are these PFAS coming from? So our hypothesis is that these are emitted from

06:57the manufacturing facilities near which we sampled. So our hypothesis is that they stem from those particular

07:03facilities. Dr. Ferguson, we are pushing towards EVs, but when it comes to their batteries,

07:08is there any way that we can replicate the role of PFAS in technology with maybe a non-toxic alternative?

07:16I think that's really a critical question and one that needs to gain more attention and more effort

07:21in research as well as in manufacturing development. Certainly, this triflamide and PFAS are not the only

07:27electrolytes or electrode materials that are actually used to build electric vehicles and,

07:35and in particular lithium ion batteries. So there are clearly alternatives. What really needs to be

07:40well understood is what are the risks of the alternatives? What are the fate and environmental

07:45behavior of those material as well? And I think our work hopefully is going to catalyze more attention to

07:52the cradle to grave life cycle of the materials being used in the clean energy revolution. Well, you're the

07:58expert. So in your opinion, what's the best alternative to PFAS? Well, certainly, I think that alternatives that are

08:07not as long lived in the environment that have some capability to break down would be preferable. So those

08:15would be compounds that have weaker chemical bonds, for example, that might be destroyed during conventional

08:23treatment processes or even by microbial activity in the environment. You guys obviously put a lot of

08:29time and effort into your research. Dr. Ferguson, what was the goal for your research for coming out

08:35with this and spending so much time on it? Well, so I think that we really wanted to shine a light

08:43on the potential use of problematic chemicals as replacements as we move into new technologies.

08:51And we wanted to make sure that as we're assessing the benefits of those technologies, we're also not

08:57missing some of the risks. And in particular, for bis trifamide, this is an example of a compound that has,

09:03for lack of a better term, flown under the radar for some time now and hasn't received a lot of attention

09:09from either environmental contamination, risk or toxicity. So our goal was really to shine a bit

09:14of a light on this compound in particular, and the larger issue of PFAS present in energy applications.

09:21Dr. Guelpho, the same question to you, your goal for putting together this research.

09:27Yeah, I think I would just add that, you know, in environmental engineering, we often talk about

09:31global challenges and two that are frequently mentioned are reductions in CO2 emissions, as well as

09:36mitigating aquatic pollution. And the study really highlights a situation where those two are in a bit

09:42of a tug of war with each other. And so I think one of our goals in highlighting that is so that we can

09:48ideally resolve that situation and do it differently, identify sustainable energy solutions that don't

09:55necessarily lead to increases in aquatic pollution with highly recalcitrant compounds. So I think now is

10:01the time as we ramp up this energy infrastructure to ideally do that better.

10:05Well, it's all very fascinating work. Thank you so much for coming on and speaking to us about it

10:10today and informing our viewers on some of the cool things that you guys are doing for the environment.

10:14Professor and Dr. Jennifer Guelpho and Professor and Dr. Lee Ferguson, thank you both for coming on.

10:20Thank you. Thank you for having us.

10:22Turning now to wildlife news, a group of wildlife organizations are working to expand a conservation

10:28initiative for illegally trafficked animals. Officials from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the

10:34Association of Zoos and Aquariums recently met with the Georgia Aquarium and more than a dozen other animal care

10:41facilities to talk about increasing the size of the Wildlife Confiscations Network into the Southeast.

10:47The pilot program was launched last year in Southern California as a way to help officials find a place

10:53to safely house and care for the smuggled animals once they are seized. Officials say since its inception,

10:59the effort has processed around 2800 animals, including coral, as part of more than 70 legal cases.

11:06According to data from Moody's Analytics, the estimated annual cost of global wildlife trafficking

11:12ranges from $7 billion to $23 billion. And according to a report from the United Nations Office on Drugs

11:19and Crime, corals were the third most confiscated wildlife group globally between 1999 and 2018,

11:27making up just over 14 and a half percent of all seizures. Coming up, one European country is placing

11:34a unique sort of tax on cattle as part of its strategy to fight carbon pollution. Stay tuned,

11:42that story is just ahead on EarthX News.

11:57Last year, the United States achieved a groundbreaking new record in energy production. Overall energy

12:13production surpassed energy consumption by nine quadrillion British thermal units. That's the first

12:20time this has happened since the 1950s, according to data from the Energy Information Administration.

12:26The boost in total U.S. energy production was primarily propelled by large increases in natural

12:32gas and crude oil. Natural gas production surged by four percent. Crude oil production spiked by nine

12:39percent from the previous year. Production of natural gas plant liquids, a byproduct of natural gas

12:45extraction, surged by eight percent. Scientists may have found a new use for algae. According to a recent

12:52research paper published in the journal Energies, researchers say they were able to make a renewable

12:58power source using the aquatic plant. In the report, scientists said they were able to extract energy from

13:05the algae by suspending it in a solution within a polarized electrical device and separating it by a honeycomb

13:13shaped proton filter. Scientists say the power source is a completely carbon negative technology. They also said the

13:21entire process works by capturing the electrons that the algae create during photosynthesis and harnessing

13:27them to create electricity. So far, the researchers have only discovered a maximum possible terminal voltage

13:34of one volt from a single micro photosynthetic power cell. Researchers say the results mean we're a long way from

13:41generating ample energy from algae to be enough to power a city. However, scientists believe that with sufficient

13:48research and development, the technology could be brought to scale. Researchers at the Julius Maximilians

13:54University in Germany have designed a new process for light harvesting. Their prototype system, named URPB,

14:01converts sunlight into electricity or other forms of energy more efficiently. The system converted 38 percent

14:08of incident light into fluorescence, a significant leap compared to other systems today. The researchers said

14:15they were inspired by naturally occurring systems like plants, which use a combination of organic dyes

14:21to absorb a broad spectrum light for photosynthesis. The university attempted to replicate the arrangement of

14:28those dyes, hence the name URPB, ultraviolet, red, purple, and blue, the four light wavelengths that can now be

14:36effectively absorbed by the system. Global energy storage is projected to grow 15-fold by 2030. According to

14:44Bloomberg NEF, the anticipated acceleration of the U.S. market follows the passage of the Inflation

14:50Reduction Act in August of 2022, since a lot of money was then allocated to wind, solar, and storage tax

14:58credits. While the new tax credit policy supports more growth, supply chain constraints cloud deployment

15:05expectations until 2024. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has had a clear impact on energy storage deployments in

15:12Europe. Plus, the world is still dealing with pandemic-related supply chain issues. Tack that onto

15:18inflation, high transport costs, and raw material prices making battery cells more expensive over the

15:24last year. The U.S. and China continue to be the two largest markets for energy storage, representing over

15:31half of global installations by the end of this decade. Denmark's government makes history as it issues the

15:37world's first carbon tax on livestock. Lawmakers say the levees are set to take effect in 2030 and come

15:46just months after farmers across Europe protested against a number of the EU's environmental policies.

15:53Alex Salvi has that story. Denmark is finalizing a first-of-its-kind tax, one that takes aim at greenhouse

16:00emissions coming directly from livestock. Farmers will have to pay nearly $100 per year for each animal,

16:06in addition to about $20 per ton of carbon dioxide emitted. The policy is set to go into effect

16:11beginning in the year 2030, as part of a new environmental approach in Europe, now spearheaded

16:16in Denmark. The decision comes in defiance of fierce opposition from farmers across the continent,

16:22who took to the streets over recent months, arguing regulations from their governments and bureaucrats in

16:27Brussels are threatening their livelihoods. They've been able to successfully negotiate some of their

16:32demands. But it's become clear that cracking down on the agriculture industry, which produces around

16:38a third of all greenhouse gas emissions, is a priority for European leaders. As heads of state gathered in

16:44Brussels back in June to select new European Union leadership positions, the Danish prime minister made

16:49it clear that addressing the environment was still a top priority. We have a lot of challenges in front of

16:55us, especially on migration, climate change. We still need a social balanced European Union, and

17:01we need to have a stronger Europe in the future. So with all these challenges and all the decisions in

17:07front of us, I think it's important that we take a decision as fast and as quick as possible.

17:13Officials in Denmark say there will still be tax breaks for farmers who comply with the new policy

17:18in order to alleviate some of the burden, with any revenue generated by the tax going to the

17:23industry's green transition. Prime Minister Fredrickson says she hopes this is just the start of a larger

17:28movement, one where the Nordic country paves the way for a similar tax that will take shape in

17:32neighboring countries and eventually around the world. For EarthX, I'm Alex Alvey. Alex Alvey,

17:39thank you. Coming up, a couple of giant pandas are headed for the U.S.

17:55Two beautiful pandas are now in the United States getting acclimated to their new home in Southern

18:13California. The San Diego Zoo announced that their arrival serves as part of a conservation effort of

18:18the iconic species. Our correspondent, Leonardo Feldman, has that story. Two giant pandas, Chuan Chuan

18:26and Chin Bao have arrived safely in Southern California. The pair are currently at a private

18:31habitat at the San Diego Zoo, where they're expected to get acclimated for the next several weeks.

18:36According to the zoo's Wildlife Alliance, they're being monitored closely by expert wildlife health

18:41and care teams who will determine when the pair are ready to meet the public. Chuan is a five-year-old

18:48male, while Bao is a four-year-old female. And this is definitely not the first time the zoo has cared

18:54for these beautiful animals. For over 30 years, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has worked alongside our

19:00Chinese conservation partners to save, protect, and care for giant pandas. Prior to the arrival of the

19:06two pandas in California, Paul Bauerbolt, the Wildlife Alliance president, stated that the long-standing

19:12partnership with China Wildlife Conservation Association has been instrumental in advancing

19:17giant panda conservation and that they look forward to continuing the work together to ensure the

19:22survival and thriving of this iconic species. For EarthX, I'm Leonardo Feldman. Leonardo, thank you.

19:30And this might sound like something out of a science fiction movie,

19:34but it's real. Researchers in South Africa have injected radioactive material into the horns of

19:41rhinos as part of a research project aimed at reducing poaching. The idea is that radiation

19:47detectors already in place at national borders would detect the horns and help police arrest poachers

19:54and traffickers. But injecting rhinos with a radioactive material is no easy task. The animals are

20:02tranquilized before a hole is drilled into its horn and the nuclear material carefully inserted.

20:09So far, researchers in South Africa have injected 20 live rhinos with these isotopes,

20:15with the help of veterinarians and nuclear experts.

20:18You get a thing like nuclear medicine nowadays. So it's not nuclear and radioactivity not only kills,

20:26but it also cures. So it's it's perfectly safe for the rhino, but it's not safe for the poacher

20:34because they can't move the horn. And this is really why it's all about it. It's a magic idea.

20:40They hope the process can be replicated to save other wild species vulnerable to poaching like elephants

20:47and pangolins. And before we leave you, a baby white rhino makes its debut in South America.

20:54Officials at a zoo in Chile presented Silverio to the public for the first time after he got a clean bill

21:01of health from veterinarians. Zoologists say the little one is the third baby born to parents,

21:07Hannah and Oliver, a pair of white rhinos who arrived at the facility 11 years ago.

21:12Zoo officials say Silverio's birth marks the ninth rhino to be born in captivity worldwide in the last year,

21:19giving the endangered species a population boost. Currently, there are just over 10,000 mature white rhinos

21:26left in the world, according to the red list of threatened species. And the director of the

21:31Wildlife Center in Chile says the calf's arrival is a tremendous contribution to the conservation of

21:36the species. That's it for this edition of EarthX News. Please join us again next week. I'm Christina Thompson.

21:56I'll see you next week.

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