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There is no time for “blah, blah, blah” says Mark Carney, the UN Special Envoy for Climate Action and Finance, when referring to commitments made to meet COP26’s financial goals. Here is where the funding numbers stood on ‘Finance Day,’ November 3, 2021, at COP26 in Glasgow: Almost 500 global financial services companies agreed at COP26 to align $130 trillion—about “40% of the world’s financial assets”—with Paris Agreement climate goals of limiting global warming to 1.5°C. The commitment from the companies, including most major Western banks, requires using “science-based guidelines” to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, a 50% reduction by 2030, and a “25% reduction in the next five years.” The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) says their Emissions Gap Report shows that a gap of 500 gigatons (of CO2 emissions) are left under pre-COP26 funding. Pre-COP26 reduction plans had 4 gigatons of emissions being removed annually while emissions stood at 55 gigatons a year. At COP15 in 2009, climate finance funding of $100 billion a year by 2020 was agreed upon, but officially delayed to 2023. COP26’s president reported that “90% of the world’s economy is now covered in a net-zero target. Only 30% was committed at the beginning of 2020.” He expressed confidence during the conference that “we will meet it ($100 billion per year) in 2023.” The UNFCCC reported that the US and EU pledged at COP26 to fund a South African transition from coal to the tune of “8.5 billion overall.” According to the UNFCCC, COP26 commitments were made to finance $12 billion for forest-related climate efforts between 2021–2025. – Source: United Nations

Goldfish, or Carassius auratus, are popular aquarium fish that come in other colors besides gold. In the wild, they are considered to be an invasive species since they can compete for resources and tolerate water pollution better than native fishes. Get to know more about these stocky, popular pets: Carassius auratus are known for being gold-colored, but they come in other colors, such as olive green and white. They have a long dorsal fin with 15 to 21 rays and a lateral line with 25 to 31 scales in a lateral series. Goldfish usually live about six or seven years but have lived up to thirty years. Goldfish do not reach the size of carp, but they can reach 23 in (59 cm) in total length and weigh up to 6.6 lbs (3.0 kg). Their usual size is 5.9 to 7.8 in (15 to 20 cm) with weights between 3.5 and 10.5 oz (100 to 300 g). Most adult goldfish thrive well in salinities between 0 to 6 ppt and can survive in water temperatures between 32 to 106°F (0 to 41°C). Researchers speculate that goldfish, introduced in the 1600s, were the first foreign species brought to the United States. The fish have often hybridized with carp. Goldfish have been found in the wild in all fifty states of the United States, but only twice in Alaska—once in Anchorage in 1980 and again in the Nenana River in 2019. – Source: United States Geological Survey, US Department of the Interior

Lithium is the lightest of all metals and more abundant than tin, lead or silver. It is best known as a component in batteries, but it has many additional uses. Global consumption held steady in 2020 despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are the numbers: Owing to continuing exploration, identified lithium resources worldwide total about 80 million tons (data in metric tons). Lithium resources in the United States—from continental brines, geothermal brines, hectorite, oilfield brines, and pegmatites—are 7.9 million tons. Lithium resources in other countries have been revised to 78 million tons. Lithium is nearly half as dense as water, and is the lightest of all metals. At its current level of abundance, lithium ranks 30th among the elements, behind copper and ahead of lead, tin, and silver. Five mineral operations in Australia, two brine operations each in Argentina and Chile, and two brine and one mineral operation in China account for most of the world’s lithium production. Respectively, in 2020, Australia produced the most lithium (40,000 tons), followed by Chile (18,000 tons), China (14,000 tons), and Argentina (6,200 tons). The only lithium production in the United States is a brine operation in Nevada; domestic production numbers are privately held by two mining companies. Global consumption of lithium content in 2020 was 56,000 tons, about the same as in 2019. While the COVID-19 pandemic initially reduced customer demand, there was strong growth in the lithium-ion battery market later in the year. Although lithium markets vary by location, global end-use markets are estimated as follows: batteries, 71%; ceramics and glass, 14%; lubricating greases, 4%; continuous casting mold flux powders, 2%; polymer production, 2%; air treatment, 1%; and other uses, 6%. Millions of people worldwide are treated with a daily dosage of lithium carbonate for bipolar disorder. It is estimated that worldwide resources of lithium will meet projected demand at least to the year 2100. – Source: United States Geological Survey

For much of Earth’s history, stars have been easily visible in the darkness of the night sky. But today, artificial lighting has changed the landscape. What can lawmakers do about nighttime “light pollution”? In 19 US states, they have enacted laws to literally turn down (or turn off) the lights. In the 1970s, astronomers started complaining about light pollution when they realized they could no longer clearly see certain stars and celestial bodies. Under normal nighttime conditions, stargazers should be able to see over 2,000 stars. But people in a typical American suburb can usually see only a few hundred stars, and in a large city, residents would be lucky to see a few dozen stars. The US National Park Service estimates that as much as 60% of light from most light sources is wasted. About half of that wasted light bounces off molecules and aerosols in the atmosphere, returning to Earth to form what is called urban sky glow. Some 10% of the sky glow impacts our vision through glare. John E. Bortle created the Bortle Scale in 2001 to help classify night skies from Class I (pristine and natural) to Class 9 (large, compact cities). Nineteen US states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have enacted “dark skies” laws to reduce light pollution on public buildings and roads. – Source: National Conference of State Legislators and United States National Park Service.

The constant construction of new buildings—many of which are not “green”—are a challenge to the international target of 30% energy intensity improvements in buildings by 2030, as per the Paris Climate Change Agreement goals. The numbers tell us why: The buildings sector accounts for 38% of total global energy-related CO2 emissions and 35% of final energy use. Carbon dioxide emissions from the buildings sector in 2019 are the highest ever, recorded at almost 10 GtCO2. Leading climate change trackers say this sector’s rate of annual improvement is declining and needs to be quickly turned around. To make up for lost ground, direct building CO2 emissions must halve by 2030 to be on track for net-zero carbon building stock by 2050. In 2019, spending on energy-efficient buildings rose for the first time in three years, to $152 billion, a 3% increase. However, the energy-efficient spending was a small fraction of the $5.8 trillion spent in total in the building and construction sector. Green buildings represent one of the biggest global investment opportunities of the next decade; its value is estimated to be $24.7 trillion by 2030 by the International Finance Corporation. – Source: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Type 2 diabetes is the most prevalent type of diabetes today, but there are steps we can take to prevent it or reduce its presence. According to the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH): Your chances of developing type 2 diabetes are greater if you have a family history of diabetes, are overweight, or are age 45 or above. Prevention or delay of type 2 diabetes can be achieved by losing excess weight, engaging in 30 minutes of aerobic activity several days a week, and eating a healthy diet. Food portions are important. An easy way to judge size is to think of one serving of meat = the palm of your hand, one 3-ounce serving of fish = a checkbook or a cellphone, and one serving of cheese = six dice. Half or more of daily grains should be from whole grains. If you plan to begin an exercise program and have not been active, first consult a medical professional on which activities are best. Try doing aerobic exercise for 30 minutes a day several days per week. If you have been sitting for an extended period of time, take time to engage in some type of light movement for a few minutes or more every half hour. The blood pressure goal for most people with diabetes should be under 140/90 mmHg. Consult a health professional on what your goal should be. Youth diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are at higher risk of multiple complications within 15 years from diagnosis, according to the New England Journal of Medicine. – Source: National Institutes of Health, US Department of Health and Human Services

Marine mussels have been recently found in Antarctica, raising alarms about the impacts of non-native species on that continent’s frigid coasts. In 2019, a scientist found a colony of juvenile mussels on King George Island, the largest of the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica. Researchers said later these were Patagonian blue mussels—plentiful in Chilean waters— that most likely arrived on the hull of a ship. This mussel colony is viewed as the first ever invasive species to be found alive on Antarctica. Notably, when scientists returned to the same site after Antarctica’s winter (in which water temperatures drop below 30ºF for several months), they did not find any more mussels. The discovery of mussels has heightened concerns about climate change affecting Antarctica and its unique ecosystems and wildlife. Conservationists are also concerned that ship traffic related to tourism, research, and fishing is also exposing Antarctica and its pristine wilderness to human impact. At least five ports are already considered “Antarctic gateway cities,” but between 2014 and 2018 another 53 ports had vessels departing directly to Antarctica. In addition to mussels, which are notoriously proficient in attaching themselves to ships, algae, barnacles, and crabs have been found to have “hitchhiked” to Antarctica. – Source: National Academy of Sciences, Nature, The Weather Channel

Coral reefs are highly diverse ecosystems, valued globally at about $9.8 trillion each year. Since the 1980s, however, three mass coral “bleaching” events have been observed. Efforts to understand and prevent this damaging phenomenon are bringing new data to the surface. Coral “bleaching” refers to the loss of symbiotic algae that give coral reefs their distinctive colors and energy. If a coral is severely bleached, it can become diseased and die. There have been three “global coral bleaching events,” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The latest one, 2014-2017, started in the north Pacific in 2014, expanded to the south Pacific and Indian oceans in 2015, and spread to the Hawaiian Islands. The first global bleaching event was observed in 1998 when a strong El Niño was followed by an equally strong La Nina. A second event occurred in 2010. Corals can and do recover from mild bleaching episodes. However, severe or long-term bleaching can destroy the corals, leading to degradation of the reefs. This in turn affects shorelines and habitats for fish and other marine life. Bleaching occurs when normal summer temperature limits are exceeded by more than a few weeks. Risk factors include global climate change, fishing practices, and pollution from land. Real-time satellite and other monitoring of coral reefs can lead to early detection of oceanic heat stress, and actions can be taken, such as temporarily closing a reef to fishing and scuba diving, to protect these ecosystems. – Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, US Department of Commerce

Whether displaced by war, famine, or weather, refugees throughout the world are in desperate need of shelter. The situation in Yemen is particularly dire. Here are some numbers from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC): More than 6.6 million global refugees live in temporary camps. Among those, 4.6 million live in camps that were created/managed for them. Two million live in self-made camps. A total of four million people in Yemen are internally displaced by war. Many live in urban centers and about 150 informal settlements. About 190,000 people live in camps where conditions have been reported to be deplorable. Due to conflict, only 21% of displaced residents in Yemen can be reached by aid organizations. Nine out of ten settlements in Yemen are built on private land. Threat of eviction is real. Some 85% of Yemen’s displaced families are unable to regularly pay rent. 80% of the displaced are women and children. – Source: United Nations Human Rights Council

Animal pollinators play a crucial role in flowering plant reproduction and in the production of most fruits and vegetables. Among the most familiar animal pollinators are birds, bees, bats and butterflies. Here’s why we need them: Most plants require pollinators to produce seeds and fruit. 80% of flowering plants and over three-quarters of the crop plants that feed us rely on animal pollinators. Pollinators visit flowers in their search for food, mates, shelter, and nest-building materials. More than half of the world’s diet of fats and oils come from animal-pollinated plants. More than 150 food crops in the US require pollinators, including almost all fruit and grain crops. The USDA estimates that pollinator-dependent crops are worth more than $10 billion per year. If we don’t take care of pollinators, we lose them. Honeybees, for instance, are under tremendous stress. The prevailing theory is that the declining health of honey bees is related to multiple stressors including: Pests, pathogens and viruses. Poor nutrition due to the loss of foraging habitat, as well as increased reliance on supplemental diets. Pesticides. Bee management practices (e.g., long migratory routes). Lack of genetic diversity. Neither plant nor pollinator populations can exist in isolation–if one disappears, the other is a generation away from disaster. –Sources: EPA and the US Forest Service

Australia is tackling plastic waste through a new National Plastics Plan. In a government-sponsored survey for 2018-2019, the compilers decided to see how Australia has been doing with those one-use plastic retail supermarket bags that end up in landfills and trash heaps across the planet. Take a look at their findings: Australian manufacturing of single-use HDPE retail carry bags basically ended in 2017. Almost all bags are now imported. Until mid-2018 the most commonly used single-use plastic bags were made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic (the standard supermarket single-use bag). Over a two-year period from 2016–17 to 2018–19, plastic retail carry bag use decreased in Australia 32% by weight and 54% by number. Single-use HDPE plastic bag consumption has fallen by 77% since 2016–17, driven by instituted bans that began on July 1, 2018. The 77% reduction was further assisted by major retailers, Woolworths and Coles, phasing out single-use bags in July 2018. Single-use bag consumption in 2002 numbered 5.95 billion units, weighing 32,700 tons. By 2018-2019, those use-numbers had dropped to 1.30 billion units, weighing 7000 tons. –Source: Australian government’s department of Agriculture, Water, and the Environment

Want to know the potential for reforesting the Earth? Here's what NASA researchers found: Earth’s ecosystems could support another 900 million hectares (ha), or over 3.4 million square miles, of forests. That would be a 25% increase from the forests we have today. Planting over a half-trillion trees could capture about 205 gigatons of carbon (one gigaton = one billion metric tons = 1.1 billion tons) That would cut atmospheric carbon by about 25%. That’s enough to negate nearly half of all carbon emitted by humans since 1960. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change proposed that 950 million ha (3.7 million square miles) of new forests could help limit the increase in global average temperature to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels by 2050. Reforesting a region the size of the United States and Canada (1 billion to 2 billion ha or over 7 million square miles) could take from one to two thousand years to accomplish—if we plant a million ha per year at 50 to 100 trees per ha. Source: NASA Information in this article was derived from NASA’s Vital Signs of the Planet: https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2927/examining-the-viability-of-planting-trees-to-help-mitigate-climate-change/