World Environment Health Day, which every year falls on September 26, is a day to reflect on the connection between environmental and human health and to encourage sustainable living practices.

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Earth is the only place with perfect conditions for human existence. Nature supplies absolutely everything for our physical and mental well-being. With the human population increasing at an unprecedented rate over the past century, nature exploitation has also reached unsustainable levels, so high that many natural resources and living creatures are now on the verge of complete extinction.

Sustainable development has not always been a priority and as a result, we live in polluted or even contaminated environment that harms our own health. Many health problems and deaths around the world as a consequence of unhealthy environments could be preventable or drastically reduced through efforts put into better environmental quality. Now more than ever, it is crucial that we understand and take action to protect our environmental health. 

Environmental Health Matters

We live in a world with quite unlimited options for living. Naturally, some people have more options in deciding where to live than others. The leading criteria for the best places to live usually include affordability, job opportunities, home value, proximity to family and friends, safety, good schools, and climate and weather conditions. However, it was not until the beginning of the 20th century that people started to realise how air pollution could cause a dent in the atmosphere. Basically, that was the beginning of an academic discipline created to try to understand the environmental threats mostly caused by human activities and their consequences on the environment and also to find a way to reduce the negative impact on nature and maintain the Earth in the best possible condition for the generations to come. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines public health as “the art and science of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts of society.” Public health thus involves the protection of the health and well-being of the whole population. These populations can be represented by smaller local neighbourhoods, larger regions, or even the entire world. 

The quality of the environment we live in is affecting us every day without us even realising it. The food we eat, the place we live in, and the community we interact with on daily basis all affect our physical and mental well-being. This is a part of a broad area of study called ‘Environmental Health’, a discipline that – as the name suggests – speaks for every aspect of the environment that can influence our health. 

6 Sources Responsible For Environmental Health Issue

1. Air Pollution

Pollutants are a mixture of natural and manmade elements, molecules, and particles with an undesired effect on human health. Breathing air polluted by nearby factories or heavy traffic affects the lungs and heart, causing asthma and even increasing the risk of heart attack or stroke. According to World Health Organization (WHO), 600,000 children die every year from infections of the respiratory system caused by air pollution. 9 out of 10 people breathe polluted air which results in almost 9 million deaths annually. 

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2. Water Contamination

Access to clean water is a common human right but unfortunately, it is still a privilege for many. 780 million people in the world lack access to safe drinking water and a stunning 2.5 billion people, equivalent to almost one-third of the world’s population, do not have access to acceptable sanitation services as simple as bathrooms. Over 2,000 children die daily due to diseases linked to non-adequate water and sanitation.

3. Toxic Substances and Hazardous Waste

Toxic substances can be found in discarded materials with properties that can cause harm to the environment and human health, such as heavy metals or chemicals. Such waste is often stored in landfills or simply thrown away as rubbishcontaminating the environment. Man-made production of chemicals has increased drastically between 1930 and 2000, from one million to approximately 400 million tons a year and the trend shows no sign of slowing down. An average human absorbs around 300 man-made chemicals and according to WHO, exposure to them leads to more than 1.6 million deaths annually.

4. Climate Change and Natural Disaster

Climate change is the biggest single human health threat of the 21st century. Increasing global temperature and changes in rain patterns, which result in extreme weather events such as cyclones, hurricanes, droughts, and wildfire have catastrophic effects on entire communities and infrastructure, in many cases resulting in loss of lives. A very well-remembered earthquake in Haiti in 2010, which lasted just about 30 seconds, cost more than 160,000 lives, with many more injured or affected.

5. Infrastructure Issues

Infrastructure represents one of the main pillars of high-quality life. Healthcare centres and hospitals should be integrated into the wider community. Yet, local, state, and federal governments must allocate more resources in order to overcome infrastructure problems and must make this a priority. 

Better infrastructure naturally comes with better access to health care. As Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director–General of the World Health Organization (WHO), said: “It is completely unacceptable that half the world still lacks coverage for the most essential health services.” 

The Danger of An Unhealthy Environment

As Anne Stauffer, director for Strategy and Campaigns of the European not-profit Health and Environmental Alliance (HEAL) rightly says: “There is not that much of a difference between 2012 and 2020, in fact, the urgency to tackle environmental pollution and climate change has only increased.” She also highlights that “one root cause of the problem is that our whole way of production, consumption and way of life is based on fossil fuels.”

A 2019 report by the European Environment Agency found that heatwaves are the deadliest type of extreme weather in Europe. It also reveals that, under current global warming scenario, the death toll due to heatwaves could be higher than 130,000 per year. Other statistics suggest that 23% of all deaths (26% of deaths of children aged 0-5) are utterly preventable environmental health problems. 

For more on the topic, check out our 3-part heat series.

What Can We Do to Enhance Environmental Health?

• Afforestation: More plants and trees to help absorb carbon dioxide and reduce its content in the atmosphere, helps build new ecosystems, helps with the wood demand 
• Reduce the Use of Plastics: Plastic waste makes up 80% of all marine pollution. Researchers worry that by 2050, plastic might even outweigh all fish in the sea.
• Practice Sustainable or Regenerative Agriculture: Regenerative agriculture and other methods of sustainable farming help cut emissions and boost soil health. Agriculture is responsible for 80% of the soil degradation in Europe alone. With unhealthy soils, there will be not enough food of sufficient quality for the increasing population. 
• Electric Cars: Electric cars are not only a great alternative to gasoline-powered cars but they can also reduce a car’s carbon footprint by up to 70%. Additionally, these types of vehicles do not produce the same exhaust noise level as gasoline cars, which can help in very populated areas where noise pollution is a concern already.
• Rainwater Collection: Harvesting rainwater helps manage stormwater runoff and prevents erosion, flooding, and poor water quality in water bodies. Using rainwater as a source for irrigation helps replenish groundwater supplies. 
• Energy Saving: Simple switching to energy-saving bulbs can reduce electricity used in homes anywhere between 25-80%. Adopting this and other energy-saving practices, significantly decreases our reliance on fossil fuels, which still represent the major source of energy around the world
• Reducing Industrial Emissions and Waste: Earth will become uninhabitable if fossil fuel emissions do not decrease quickly. The majority of the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere over the last 150 years has originated from human activities. 

You might also like: How to Lower Your Carbon Footprint Through An Eco-Friendly Home Audit

Final Thoughts

Environmental health has never been more important. All we need to do is to care about our planet. Many might feel too little to stop the climate change or environmental tragedies, but there are numerous ways we can help and be part of this change. To live longer and to enhance the quality of people’s life, supporting a healthy environment is essential.

This article was first published on November 29, 2022

The post Why We Should Care About Environmental Health appeared first on Earth.Org.

Agriculture represents a crucial sector that underpins our population growth and well-being. It has been providing nourishment for generations. According to the United Nations, agricultural development is one of the most powerful tools to combat extreme poverty, boost prosperity, and feed the global population However, our current methods of food production, including monocropping and intensive tilling, have degraded over one-third of the world’s productive topsoil while failing to provide the agricultural yields necessary to sustain the growing global population. We take a look at the major challenges the agricultural sector faces and what alternatives to traditional agriculture should be prioritised.

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What Are the Biggest Challenges the Agricultural Sector Faces

1. Climate Change

Changing weather patterns, weather extremes, and climate change-triggered droughts are among the key drivers of food insecurity. All these events have a huge impact on food production, as they significantly limit the quality, availability, and accessibility of resources, and compromise the stability of food systems around the world.

Agriculture is highly dependent on climate and weather conditions. Prolonged drought or extensive rainfall can have devastating repercussions on soil health and fertility. Average global crop yields for maize or corn are projected to drop by 24% in the next 60 years. Maize is a crucial food staple in most countries and it is grown all over the world, but the largest quantities are produced in nations near the equator, including North and Central America, West Africa, Central Asia, Brazil, and China.

While agriculture is heavily compromised by the climate crisis, the sector is also one of the main contributors to global warming. In fact, agriculture contributes almost one-third to global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, reason for which scaling up alternative, more sustainable practices must become a priority.

2. Insufficient Agricultural Land

Of the 1.38 billion hectares of arable land available worldwide, more than one-third has been irreversibly compromised since 1961 owing to extensive land conversion and traditional agricultural methods such as monocropping and intensive tilling and land conversion that lead to soil erosion, desertification, and salinisation.

In 2011, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported a decline of 54 million hectares of arable land across developed countries in North America, Europe, and South Asia. Meanwhile, some countries in East and North Africa as well as South Asia have already reached their limit of farmable land. Only 12% of the global land surface is used for crop production and it is unlikely this number will increase mostly due to urbanisation. That’s why the pressure remains to preserve the existing arable land, despite most of it already starting to degrade..

3. Growing Population

In 2022, the world population hit 8 billion and if growth continues at the same rate, it will double in next 50 years if the growth continues at the same rate.  The reasons behind such unprecedented growth are obvious: high fertility levels and drastic increases in human lifespans – thanks for the most part to remarkable advancements in public health and medicine as well as nutrition and personal hygiene – have accelerated population growth significantly over the last century.

An obvious consequence of population growth is a higher demand for food, but if agriculture cannot keep up, then more people will become hungry. And current figures are already alarming. 

In 2021, as many as 828 million people suffered from hunger, an increase of 46 million compared to the previous year. The agricultural sector must undergo serious changes to prevent a catastrophe because of an already scarce arable land to provide sufficient nutritious food resources, combined with other impacts of climate change on food resources.

A constantly growing global population can also have adverse effects, including the lack of water resources and added pressure on available arable land. Agriculture already accounts for 70% of all freshwater used on the planet. As the global population is estimated to exceed 9 billion by 2050, it is becoming increasingly urgent to find alternative solutions that allow feeding the world without destroying it.  

4. Biodiversity Loss

The benefits of biodiversity for our planet are remarkable. There would be no healthy ecosystems to provide the food we eat or air we breathe without a wide range of all kinds of animals, plants or microorganisms. Soil is one of the main global reservoirs of biological diversity – 25% of animal species on Earth live underground and 40% of organisms in terrestrial ecosystems are in contact with the soil at some point during their existence. 

The extensive loss of biological diversity in agriculture is an example of what biologists call genetic erosion. It is a process that results in the loss of an entire species, for instance, in ancient North America, when corn (a species native to Central America) was introduced, it began replacing a number of domesticated plants. Genetic erosion can also happen within species. For example, in India, of the 400,000 varieties of rice that existed originally, only about 30,000 remain today. Genetic erosion happens over time, yet the process accelerated due to the rise in hybridised seeds and genetic modification in the 20th century. 

In some parts of the world, people can already feel the negative impacts of the loss of biodiversity on their lives and diets. In Gambia, for example, large losses of wild foods have pushed local communities to turn to industrially processed foods to supplement their diets. Several countries including Ireland, Norway, Poland, and Switzerland also reported declines in bumblebee populations. In Oman, the loss of pollinator populations due to extreme heat associated with climate change has seen the decline of wild food, as well as figs and berries. 

You might also like: ​​How Climate Change Is Threatening Honey Bees and Other Endangered Bee Species

5. Low Investment In Agriculture

The agricultural sector plays an irreplaceable role in our societies. It is not only a source of raw materials, such as cotton, sugar, and wood, which makes it important for international trade but it is also a source of employment and is responsible for providing food supplies to the world. Countries with strong agricultural sectors often show higher levels of health and standards of living in that country. 95% of food supplies worldwide depend on soil, whether by growing crops or the grasses and other plants used to feed livestock. 

Despite the countless amounts of research suggesting the need to invest in agriculture, this remains a relatively uncommon practice. Investing in agriculture basically means putting the funds behind food and crop production, processing, and distribution. However, it is not a very attractive strategy for the average investor as it requires a large capital commitment, and the time and costs of operating or leasing a farm are often substantial too. Agriculture also represents a market with very volatile prices, usually lower income for farmers, it comes with the environmental costs of intensive farming and agriculture is a key component of rural life, which is less and less popular in our modern society.

You might also like: The Future of Farming: Can We Feed the World Without Destroying It?

3 Sustainable Agriculture Practices We Must Scale Up 

Simply focusing on more sustainable practices in agriculture, such as reducing tillage, practicing crop rotations, planting cover crops, and integrating livestock into crop production systems has already proven to have immense benefits. Mimicking natural processes of the Earth can improve soil conditions as well as increase biodiversity and yield production. Sustainable agriculture often uses practices that help to store carbon in the soil.

1. Regenerative Agriculture

Despite both sustainable and regenerative agriculture trying to respect the natural processes and their practices often overlap, the main goal of sustainable agriculture is to maintain the soil’s conditions and not worsen them. Regenerative agriculture goes one step further, as it tries to improve the quality of soil, it has the potential to rebuild natural systems and it can contribute significantly to reversing climate change. Regenerative agriculture tries to mimic the natural processes in ecosystems and hence revitalise the environment for future generations. Its main focus is to improve the biodiversity of the soil. Increased biological diversity of communities provides higher resilience during environmental stress periods, such as drought or intensive rains. As the world experiences an increasing amount of weather shocks, strong and adaptable soils and crops are crucial. 

Moreover, regenerative farming practices like no-till cultivation, cover crops, and crop rotation keep the carbon in the soil, where it builds over time. In turn, carbon-rich organic matter feeds healthy plants. In turn, carbon-rich organic matter feeds healthy plants. Additionally, these practices often reduce input costs.

2. Vertical Farming

Farming does not always have to be about rows of fields covered with crops. Vertical farming is an innovative agricultural practice that has the potential of solving the impending food crisis. Instead of growing our crops horizontally, produce is grown in stacked vertical layers. By doing so, crops require less or even no soil at all, and water efficiency is increased at the same time. Vertical farming can guarantee regular produce output and boost crop yields based on its controlled environment, including temperature, light, humidity, and artificial intelligence, without pesticides and fertilisers.

This results in less pressure on arable land and saves water resources. Moreover, plants are not exposed to contamination as vertical farms are usually sealed off and crops grow faster than they do on an outdoor farm. 

Dubai is home to the “world’s largest vertical farm”, which produced 900 tonnes of leafy greens every year. Emirates airline passengers have been eating the produce from the vertical farm ECO1 since July 2022 and UAE residents can buy the greens in stores. 

“It’s our mission to cultivate a sustainable future to meet global demand for fresh, local food, and this new farm is the manifestation of that commitment,” said Craig Ratajczyk, the company’s CEO. “This new facility serves as a model for what’s possible around the globe.”

If you want to learn more about vertical farming, check out this article next: Ways in Which Vertical Farming Can Benefit Our Environment

3. Hydroponics

While all vertical farms use hydroponics, not all hydroponics systems are located in a vertical farm. Hydroponics can be used in vertical farms, greenhouses, or even outdoors. The main idea of hydroponics is that this system does not require soil for growing plants. The soil in hydroponic systems is substituted by coco fibre, rock wool, or peat. The nutrients are delivered to the roots of plants through a water-based mineral nutrient solution. Hydroponics use water up to 90% more efficiently compared to traditional soil-grown production, crop production is 3-10 times higher in the same amount of space, and no fertilisers are needed.

You might also like: Pros & Cons of Hydroponic Farming

Conclusion

Agriculture, although most times overlooked, is one of the most important sectors for economies and often sustains every other sector. That is why governments should understand the importance of supporting farmers in the transition to more sustainable agricultural methods.

Sufficient food production relies on nutritious and good-quality soils. This is the main reason why reforms in the agriculture sector are required. However, as John Scott, Zurich’s Head of Sustainability Risks, explains: “Finding a remedy will require changes that extend far beyond the soil itself. It will involve changing the way we farm and potentially the whole nature of the agrochemical industry. It could also change the way we feed people all around the world.”

This article was first published on February 13, 2023

The post 5 Challenges the Agricultural Sector Faces and What We Can Do About It appeared first on Earth.Org.

In an era of increasing global environmental concerns, the significance of sustainable supply chains cannot be overstated in the pursuit of global decarbonization. As businesses and industries strive to reduce their carbon footprint, adopting sustainable practices throughout the supply chain becomes a vital step towards achieving long-term environmental goals.

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We live in a world where the adoption of a sustainable lifestyle is not just a trend but an integral part of modern society. However, consumers often face barriers where sustainable choices are either not affordable or widely accessible. Many organizations across every industry are now facing increasing calls from their consumers, investors and employees to play a greater role in accelerating the transition to more sustainable business practices. 

This collective drive underscores an increasing awareness and shared responsibility to contribute to the universal purpose of reaching a world without emissions. Connecting this to the concept of a sustainable supply chain is crucial. It involves integrating ethical and environmentally responsible practices at every stage, from sourcing materials to production, logistics, and recycling. 

This article emphasizes the urgency for businesses to move beyond compliance and embark on a journey towards sustainable supply chain practices. 

What Is a Sustainable Supply Chain?

A report by Iowa State University defines supply chain as the material, information, and services, typically crossing several different organizations, involved in producing and delivering a product or service to an end user. Integrating a sustainability aspect into the supply chain means fully integrating ethical and environmentally responsible practices into a competitive and successful model. Ensuring end-to-end supply chain transparency is critical; sustainability initiatives must extend from raw materials sourcing to last-mile logistics, and even to product returns and recycling processes.

Why Is Sustainability Important in the Supply Chain?

According to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, the supply chain falls under the Scope 3 upstream category and in numerous countries, it continues to be part of the voluntary emissions category. This is the main reason why Scope 3 has been neglected as most of the organizations have rather concentrated on reducing emissions in their own manufacturing plants and offices or resulting from their purchase of third-party electricity and heat (Scope 1 and 2). However, Scope 3 often represents the largest source of emissions for companies, usually between 60-90%, depending on the industry. This automatically opens probably the most significant opportunities to influence greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions and achieve a variety of GHG-related business objectives. 

A typical company’s supply chain accounts for 80% of its GHG emissions and more than 90% of its contribution to air pollution generated in the production and distribution of a consumer product. Moreover, 50-70% of operating costs are attributable to supply chains. It is because of their very nature as supply chains often involve energy-intensive production and transportation as goods are made and moved around the globe. This is also the reason why organizations can often make the biggest difference by making changes to their supply chain rather than other business operations. 

Eight supply chains account for more than 50% of global emissions. Food, construction, fashion, fast-moving consumer goods, electronics, automotive, professional services and freight account for more than half of all global GHG emissions. According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), one billion metric tonnes of emissions could be saved if key suppliers to 125 of the world’s biggest purchasers increased their renewable energy input by 20%.

But decarbonizing supply chains can be challenging. One of the most significant challenges, even for many large companies, is obtaining crucial data and establishing clear sustainability targets. This challenge is even tougher for smaller businesses, creating a double struggle. 

Additional obstacles are associated with increased financial costs for reducing environmental impact and accurately assessing sustainability expenses. Operationally, complexities arise in identifying and measuring sustainability aspects. Lots of uncertainties also persist in governmental regulations, long-term development, and consumer behavior, which might also bring some conflicts among stakeholders.

You might also like: 5 Ways to Spot Sustainable Suppliers and Manufacturers 

7 Steps to Sustainably Manage Supply Chains

1. Build a comprehensive emissions baseline, gradually filled with actual supplier data

This should be a first step that represents a proactive and strategic approach to tackle the complexity of the supply chain. This data-driven approach enables businesses to identify key contributors to carbon emissions within their supply network. Continuous updating and refining the emissions baseline with real-time supplier data helps companies take proactive steps to cut emissions, improve transparency, and encourage eco-friendly practices in the supply chain. 

2. Set ambitious and holistic reduction targets, reducing emissions by revisiting product design choices and reconsidering (geographic) sourcing strategy

By simply incorporating environmental aspects into product design, companies can create products which are eco-friendlier and more energy efficient. Additionally, considering geographic sourcing in relation to the reduction of the carbon footprint associated with transportation and production fosters a more sustainable and resilient supply chain, further enhancing environmental stewardship and minimizing ecological impact. 

3. Set ambitious procurement standards

This is integral to managing the supply chain sustainability as it establishes clear expectations for suppliers. This is the step where, by setting high sustainability standards, organizations can drive positive changes throughout the supply chain. Moreover, ambitious procurement standards act as a catalyst for new products and technologies.

4. Work jointly with suppliers to co-fund emission reduction strategies

This represents a strategic move that fosters shared responsibility in reducing emissions across the supply chain. By closely cooperating, both parties can gradually identify and invest in sustainable initiatives or technologies that would contribute to lower emissions. On top of that, this collaborative approach strengthens the partnership between the organization and its suppliers, creating a win-win scenario for sustainability and business resilience. 

5. Work together with peers to align sector targets that maximize impact and level the playing field

A “combined” strength of the sector peers can represent a key driver in advocating for more supportive policies and innovations that can make the entire industry more sustainable through maximizing the urge to achieve a more sustainable supply chain. 

6. Use scale by driving up demand to lower the cost of green solutions

With higher demand for greener products and services, economies of scale come into play; this almost always leads to higher production volumes, and automatically reduces costs for green technologies and products. This, in turn, makes sustainable options more accessible and affordable for businesses throughout the supply chain. 

7. Develop internal governance mechanisms that introduce emissions as a steering mechanism and align the incentives of decision-makers with emission targets

Often, when decision-makers are motivated by emission targets, they are more likely to choose eco-friendly options, making the organization’s supply chain stronger and more sustainable. 

Global Efforts for Supply Chain Decarbonization

Decarbonization of the supply chain presents a giant and as yet untapped opportunity for international climate action. It can enable companies with relatively small direct emission footprints to have a significant impact on a global scale. Upstream decarbonization, however, is hard and takes time. 

Nevertheless, rather than sitting back, we must look at the companies who are proactive and are trying to find a way to make it work. For instance, Walmart, the largest retail company in the world, launched the Project Gigaton program, which aims to reduce or avoid one billion metric tons (one gigaton) of GHG emissions from product supply chains by 2030. The project was launched in 2017, and over 4,500 of Walmart’s suppliers already reported a cumulative total of more than 574 million metric tons of emissions reduced or avoided. In collaboration with HSBC, a leading international bank, sustainable suppliers of Walmart are rewarded with faster payment on invoices and access to capital. This is a great demonstration of how major companies working together can make significant strides towards environmental responsibility. 

To address global challenges associated with climate change, it is imperative to start looking beyond the basic requirements and start a journey that builds a sustainable supply chain. The world needs to build a robust supply chain that is founded on sustainability, collaboration, trust, transparency, visibility and diversification of supply. 

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The post The Importance of Sustainable Supply Chains to Unlock Global Decarbonization appeared first on Earth.Org.

In an era defined by climate change concerns and growing environmental awareness, the need to reevaluate and transform our relationship with carbon emissions has never been more pressing. This article aims to shed light on the importance of carbon baseline reporting as the first step for UK-based small and middle-sized enterprises (SMEs) towards environmental responsibility.

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What Is the Carbon Baseline?

A carbon baseline, also often interchangeably referred to as a carbon inventory or carbon footprint assessment, serves as a comprehensive measurement of an organisation’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It acts as a one-year snapshot, essentially providing a starting point for organisations to not only comprehend their current emissions but also track changes and progress over time. In essence, a carbon baseline functions as a historical record of greenhouse gas emissions produced during a specified period (typically a year) before any active efforts to reduce emissions are initiated.

This record then becomes a benchmark against which future emissions levels are compared. It plays a crucial role in setting goals, monitoring performance, and developing effective strategies for reducing emissions and contributing to sustainability and climate goals.

5 Key Reasons to Establish a Carbon Baseline

1. Setting targets

A measured carbon baseline is a first step in achieving net-zero emissions. Understanding where you stand will help an organisation set meaningful and achievable carbon reduction targets. These pre-set targets are important in guiding an organisation’s sustainability initiatives and help it track progress over time. 

2. Identifying Emissions Hotspots

An established Carbon Baseline can help organisations recognise areas where carbon emissions are the highest. This will then allow them to initiate efforts to reduce carbon emissions in the most impactful and cost-effective manner, often leading to significant cost savings. 

3. Monitoring Progress

To set effective measures that would lead towards carbon emission reduction, it is crucial to understand the scope of the emissions identified in the Carbon Baseline. The progress in carbon reduction can then be measured and monitored by comparing the emissions levels with the carbon baseline data.

4. Regulatory Compliance

In the UK, Streamlined Energy Carbon Report (SECR) is a compulsory program that targets large British businesses. Under the Companies Act 2006, large companies are those that meet at least two of the three criteria: turnover of £36 million (US$44.2 million) or more, a balance sheet total of £18 million or more (US$22.1 million), and at least 250 employees. 

SECR reporting typically includes information on energy use and associated carbon emissions, along with any energy efficiency measures taken by the company. However, with the growing pressure to reach net zero, it is expected that the UK government will extend demands related to emissions reporting to smaller companies, too. The Carbon Baseline will help precede the future regulatory requirements for the companies in question.

5. Enhancing Sustainability Reporting

Beyond compliance with regulations, Carbon Baseline’s data will help companies communicate their sustainability efforts more effectively, attract environmentally conscious customers and investors, and enhance reputation.

The core principle that underpins the Carbon Baseline Report is encapsulated in the famous adage: “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.” This means that to effectively address and reduce carbon emissions, it is essential to have a clear and accurate measurement of the current carbon footprint of a company or entity. Without this foundational data, it is nearly impossible to set meaningful reduction goals, track progress, and implement targeted strategies to achieve sustainability and contribute to carbon emission reduction objectives. 

The Carbon Baseline Report serves as the tool that provides this initial measurement and insight, empowering businesses, especially SMEs, to take meaningful steps toward a more sustainable future.

Why Do SMEs Play a Crucial Role in Reducing Carbon Emissions?

SMEs are vital to the economic health of any country. They offer the backbone to communities, provide economic growth, job creation, and innovation. SMEs constitute a staggering 99.9% of all businesses in the UK and play a pivotal role by employing more than 60% of the country’s workforce.

The role of SMEs in the fight against climate change and the pursuit of the Paris Agreement’s objectives is undeniably significant. While individual SMEs might appear to have a relatively small carbon footprint, their collective impact is significant due to their sheer number. In the UK, there are around 5.5 million small or medium-sized enterprises, yet, only 9% of small businesses, and 5% of microbusinesses, are measuring their carbon footprint, according to a survey of around 1,000 companies conducted by the British Chambers of Commerce. 

Any single SMEs climate impact may seem small at first glance but the combined effect of the category is sizable, with SMEs making up 90% of business worldwide. 

Is the Carbon Baseline a Solution for SMEs?

While large enterprises in the UK are legally bound to comply with Streamlined Energy Carbon Reporting (SECR) requirements, the situation for SMEs is different. Although SMEs are not under any legal obligation, many of them would like to actively support government legislation aimed at achieving net zero by 2050. For these SMEs, the Carbon Baseline Report represents the ideal solution. Carbon Baseline is similar to the aforementioned SECR and typically includes a comprehensive set of information related to an organisation’s initial or historical carbon emissions. 

Neil Sullivan, Head of the Projects at Boxfish, a company with 27 years of experience in utility management and over four years of expertise in sustainability projects, explains what SMEs can do to align with the growing demand for sustainable and responsible business practices in today’s global market. 

“For SMEs who are just under the threshold where they don’t have to comply with the UK legislation, there is a way to set them on the carbon reduction journey,” Sullivan said. “Carbon Baseline, which follows the same methodology of SECR, but is a ‘lighter version’, allows them to get the same benefits and support the government in their goals.”

The Carbon Baseline Report is more than a mere compliance document, it can be used as a compass to guide businesses towards a greener future. It helps organisations gain power to set meaningful emissions reduction targets, prioritise investments in efficiency and renewables, and engage with investors and clients who increasingly demand a commitment to environmental responsibility. It is not only about reducing the carbon footprint, but also about maximising the positive impact on the world.

The post Carbon Baseline: A Solution for UK Enterprises to Help Achieve Net-Zero appeared first on Earth.Org.

Soil represents a priceless foundation for all life on Earth. Fertile soils are a source of nutrients for plants and crops that are crucial to feeding people across the world. But the dirt under our feet often goes unnoticed and many still cannot fully see its real value. Globally, almost 2,000 million hectares of soil have been degraded by human activities. By practicing regenerative agriculture, farmers are now trying to reverse the already declining trajectory of soil health in a bid to avoid food insecurity globally. Here’s why we should step away from traditional agriculture and start investing more in this practice.

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Why Is Soil so Important?

According to Professor Bridget Emmett of the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, soil is “one of the most underrated and little understood wonders on our fragile planet.”

Soil is a free surface material that consists of various organic and inorganic particles. The combination of different physical and chemical properties of soil determines the soil type and each soil type determines an agricultural production potential. Soils represent a non-renewable resource on which human life depends. It takes hundreds of years to generate one centimetre of new soil but it can take just one year or even less to destroy it. 

Soil represents a vital source of nourishment and medicine, it is home to millions of living species, and it is also a great carbon sink, as it can absorb and store carbon. For these reasons, it is considered one of the most important and valuable natural resources on Earth. 

Despite seeing it everywhere around us, the amount of arable soil is in sharp decline. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that 30% of the soil in the world has been degraded due to climate change, pollution as well as poor soil management and usage, typically for agricultural, urban, or industrial purposes. FAO also estimates that over 90% could become degraded by 2050 if no action is undertaken soon.

The Dangers of Unhealthy Soils

Healthy soils are crucial as they provide several benefits, including feeding the world population, filtering rainwater, and cycling nutrients. Unfortunately, the need to fulfil the challenges relating to food security often leads us to adopt agricultural practices that do not take into account the multi-functionality of soils, thus leading to degradation. Unhealthy soils inevitably reduce their potential, leading to crop failures. 

To achieve stability in the food supply, healthy soils are a must. Indeed, approximately 95% of per capita caloric consumption worldwide comes from food that either directly or indirectly depends on the soil. This is a clear sign of the crucial yet fragile relationship between nature and human existence. Healthy soils determine physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to meet people’s dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.

Nowadays, over 50% of agricultural land has been degraded. Food shortage inevitably leads to gradual growth in food prices. These are estimated to increase by 30% by 2035. With many regions of the world already struggling to get enough nutritious food, a reduction in land productivity coupled with increasing prices could have catastrophic consequences.

Agriculture plays a major role in soil depletion, especially when it comes to intensive farming techniques such as tilling, which negatively affects the surface runoff, causes erosion and biodiversity loss, and results in a decrease in the soil organic matter and overall soil fertility.

Using chemical or inorganic fertilisers is still extremely popular among farmers. However, these fertilisers have a devastating impact on the environment and especially the soil. Leaching and groundwater pollution are just two of the most common consequences of using chemical fertilisers. Aside from this, the accumulation of acids from chemical fertilisers – such as hydrochloric and sulphuric acids – can result in soil friability. 

Another example of intensive farming practice is the cultivation of monocultures. This method of farming is more popular in industrialised regions and it involves the growing of a single crop on a large plot of land. However, planting a single crop robs the soil of its nutrients and contributes to a drastic decrease in its fertility by reducing varieties of bacteria and microorganisms that are crucial in maintaining the processes within the soil. The crops are also more prone to pests and diseases which require higher use of pesticides or herbicides to protect the crop.

With climate change showing its devastating effects now more than ever, many farmers around the world are starting to realise the importance of taking care of the soil, not just as a way to guarantee food security but first and foremost to keep their business going. Given that, according to the United Nations, the world will have an extra 2 billion people to feed by 2050, this problem needs to be addressed as soon as possible.

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Is Regenerative Agriculture the Solution We Need?

Nowadays, there is more and more acknowledgment about what is at stake, and the pressure among farmers to rethink their agricultural practices is increasing.  Regenerative agriculture offers a great opportunity to help them maintain their business while improving soil health and working towards a more sustainable world.  

The main idea behind regenerative agriculture is to mimic the natural processes in ecosystems and hence revive landscapes for generations to come. Despite an increasing interest in more sustainable techniques in the agricultural sector, there is still no legal or regulatory definition of the term ‘regenerative agriculture’.  One of the most generally accepted definitions sees regenerative agriculture as “a system of farming principles and practices that increases biodiversity, enriches soils, improves watersheds, and enhances ecosystem services”. Regenerative agriculture represents a holistic approach to farming, designed to benefit the ecosystem. 

Six practices fall into the category of regenerative agriculture:

1. Reduced or No-Tillage

Undisturbed soil provides a higher abundance and diversity in microbes that can in turn improve ecological benefits and also help crops become more resilient to environmental stress. Overall quality and quantity of crops are enhanced as well.

2. Cover Cropping

Covering crops and thus soil with plants can help increase soil quality and fertility, manage erosion, support water retention, and increase natural biological diversity. It also helps with weed, pests and diseases management.

3. Animal Integration

Raising crops and livestock together brings many benefits. It improves soil health, reduces fertilisers input and animal feed costs, reduces labour and machinery expenditure, and increases carbon sequestration. 

4. Agroforestry

Agroforestry represents a land use management system where trees, shrubs, palms, and bamboos grow among or around the crops. Trees (shrubs and others) play a special role in bringing back nutrients to the soil, catching rainwater, and helping with water infiltration. They also provide a habitat for millions of living organisms.

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5. Compost and Manure 

Compost and manure increase the organic matter in the soil, enhancing its texture and pH which directly affect its fertility. This way, the soil is able to retain more moisture, meaning that less irrigation is needed. Using compost or manure to fertilise soils also reduces the need for harmful and often costly and energy-intensive petrochemical pesticides and fertilisers.

6. Crop Rotation

When the crop rotation is done properly, it builds a great potential in reducing soil erosion, enhancing biological diversity, and boosting the actual soil quality and fertility. With the combination of some other practices, this can have a significant impact on carbon sequestration and overall reduction of the climate change consequences. 

Future Outlook

Changing farmers’ strategy and their behaviour toward the environment will represent the biggest challenge in achieving the transition from conventional farming to regenerative. While agriculture provides a living to farmers, it is important that they understand the importance of shifting to more sustainable practices, not only to protect the environment and ensure food security for future generation but also to protect their own business in the years to come.

The agricultural sector has three main challenges to overcome in the coming years: Increasing the productivity of food, becoming more resilient, and reducing its environmental impact. Regenerative agriculture can significantly help overcome these challenges. 

Regenerative agriculture’s main focus is to improve the biodiversity of the soil. Biologically diverse communities are generally more resilient during environmental stress periods such as in times of drought and heavy rains. Resilient soils and crops are crucial in today’s changing environment with the ever-increasing amount of weather shocks we keep experiencing.  

While implementing such a transformation will have its very own challenges, it is the only solution we have to protect food security and the future of agriculture. However, farmers cannot do this alone. Governments need to step up their efforts by increasing investments and providing support through policies.

In a letter sent to the country’s governors in 1937, former US president Franklin D. Roosevelt said: ‘The nation that destroys its soil, destroys itself’.

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The post The Remarkable Benefits of Regenerative Agriculture appeared first on Earth.Org.

Global climate change is not a future problem. We can already see the consequences of human-induced global warming such as melting glaciers, more intense heatwaves, and sea level rise. While there is no doubt among scientists that severe weather events will keep increasing in frequency and intensity in the coming years, climate services can play a key role in the adaptation process. 

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The Potential of Climate Services

Generally defined, climate services represent a decision aide obtained from climate information. This helps prepare societies for the weather conditions they will experience. The end-users are usually represented by various stakeholders at national, sub-national, or community levels. To make these systems work, it is crucial to understand users’ data requirements.

Another definition comes from the World Food Programme (WFP), which explains climate services as “the provision of climate information and products, such as agro-meteorological bulletins and crop weather calendars, to inform and assist in the decision-making process to manage climate-related risks”. These data can help communities predict, prepare and maybe even adapt to climate shocks. 

Climate services are derived from national and international databases and contain high-quality data on temperature, rainfall, wind, soil moisture content, and ocean conditions as well as maps, risk and vulnerability analyses, assessments, and long-term projections. This climate information often needs to be combined with non-meteorological data, such as road and infrastructure maps or agricultural production.

To make climate services reliable, all the data must be based on scientifically credible information and expertise, focus on the needs of societies and be discussed by end-users and providers before the uptake. The climate services can speak to a large audience but can also be adjusted to a specific sector or a particular site. 

The Global Framework for Climate Services

In 2009, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) organised the World Climate Conference-3 (WCC-3) in Geneva with the goal of institute “an international framework for climate services that links science-based climate predictions and information with the management of climate-related risks and opportunities in support of adaptation to climate variability and change in both developed and developing countries”.

At the conference, the international community established ‘The Global Framework for Climate Services’ to allow better management of the risks related to changing climate and weather conditions and adjustment to global warming. These services “would help ensure that every country and every climate-sensitive sector of society is well equipped to access and apply the growing array of climate prediction and information services made possible by recent and emerging developments in international climate science and technology.”

Over the following decades, the priority is to ensure that every climate-sensitive sector of society can access the information services and climate prediction made by international science and developing technology.

Source: World Meterological Organization (WMO)

Climate Services Priority Areas

The main purpose of the establishment of The Global Framework for Climate Services was to provide a reliable and integrative platform for guiding and supporting climate adaptation and mitigation activities implemented within the investment areas that are highly climate-dependent, such as agriculture, energy sector disaster risk reduction, human health, and the water sector.

1. Agriculture and Food Security

Weather patterns have been changing significantly over the last decades and that is not favourable for crop planting or livestock farming. The number of extreme weather events, such as prolonged heatwaves, the severity of sudden rainfalls, and reduced snow cover just to name a few, is expected to recur even more often.  Farming at higher altitudes might become more productive due to longer growing seasons, but on the other hand, arid and semi-arid areas of the world will struggle due to water shortages. Better understanding and ability to predict weather variability will help farmers cope with climate change. 

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2. Disaster Risk Reduction

Natural hazards are extreme natural events often resulting in huge damages to the environment, properties, and human lives.  Weather and climate-related disasters represent 90% of all the commonly reported events. With a growing population and expanding urban areas, humans will be inevitably more exposed to natural hazards. Each country must develop risk management strategies using an early warning system to minimise the casualties, and economic losses, to also build livelihood resilience.

3. Energy

Energy systems are the pillars of each country’s social and economic development. Indeed, energy is the backbone of all aspects of human welfare, whether we mention access to water, agricultural production, education, or environmental sustainability. Environmental planning and operations in general depend remarkably on meteorological conditions. Therefore, climate information will help energy systems to be more resilient in times of weather extremes and can significantly support the development and use of renewable energy sources. 

4. Health

Climate change and climate variability can have major negative consequences on public health. Different weather extremes result in millions of injuries and premature deaths every year. Different rainfall levels and prolonged heatwaves can also help spread different infectious diseases. Climate information is essential in clinical practice and public health programming.

5. Water sector

Water is vital for our life. Climate change can drastically change the water quantity and quality and it is already affecting water sources for people around the world. Extreme weather events are making water scarcer and more polluted. Unpredictable weather also makes it very hard to estimate the water availability for the foreseen seasons. Weather and climate information can significantly help with water supply management. 

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Benefits of Climate Services

The use of weather and climate services can have broad benefits for societies as they enable individuals, households, businesses, or governments to decide on the actions that lessen the impacts of weather and climate. When looking at the socio-economic value of climate and weather services, it is estimated that with an investment of US$1 billion per year, upgrading early warning systems across developing countries could lead to between US$300 million and $2 billion of avoided asset losses besides saving around 23,000 lives each year.

Nowadays, 5-10% of national agricultural production losses are related to climate variability. However, as stated in the inaugural report on the State of Climate Services, which focuses on agriculture and food security: “Climate information and associated services have demonstrably led to improved agricultural and food security outcomes and benefits for stakeholders in the sector.” This means that the losses in agriculture and in other sectors can be reduced with the help of climate information.

Some Obstacles In Using Climate Services

Climate services represent important information about future climate variability which can help make decisions in a variety of sectors that are either more or less affected by the weather. However, information availability does not always guarantee its use in the decision-making process. 

One of the main issues related to the usage of climate services is communication between scientists and the decision-makers (e.g. site managers, farmers, energy consultants etc.). Both use very different “languages” and in order to engage in fruitful collaborations, overcoming certain communication barriers is imperative. 

  Awareness is another common barrier. Incorporating climate data services into development planning comes with full comprehension of the issues involved in climate change adaptation. Unfortunately, there is a low level of awareness of climate change issues at the sub-national and local levels where incorporating climate services often takes place. 

Another reason why many sectors do not wish to implement climate services is the lack of reliability. This barrier is often linked to existing perceptions of high levels of uncertainty, especially in long-range forecasting and lack of accuracy in weather predictions. Consequently, services become less reliable and thus less useful.

The Future of the Climate Services

According to the new EU Adaptation Strategy, climate services are extremely helpful in the process of adaptation to global warming. The interest in understanding and considering implementing these in decision-making processes has increased significantly since the 1970s. 

There is lots of work to be done to see climate services used in every sector. But it must start with realising the urgent need for action. Climate change is a real threat to humanity and our planet and climate services can help minimise its devastating effects. They can also help increase productivity in the agricultural sector.

In 2017, UNESCO adopted six ethical principles with the Declaration of Ethical Principles in relation to Climate Change. One of them is the “scientific knowledge and integrity in decision-making”, meaning that “every decision needs to be guided by the best available knowledge and social science.” Based on this principle, climate services should definitely be part of the decisions made in each climate-sensitive sector.

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The post What Are Climate Services and What Benefits Do They Have? appeared first on Earth.Org.

Wars have always been a part of human history. There are many costs of wars; they kill, injure and disable people also causes major trauma and mental issues in survivors. Nature is not left out in all this chaos. Through history we know how many natural ecosystems have been destroyed in wars, most often irreversibly. The military of many countries have already accepted that climate change is real and that they have to act accordingly. The role of each military is to protect its country from any potential harm; this should also include climate change. Simply put, nature must become a part of the protection.

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Wars are very much a part of human’s history. The first war ever recorded happened in 2700 BCE between Sumer and Elam. Since then, hundreds more have occurred and the reasons for them have varied from economic and religious, to defence, and revolution. 

Nowadays, a country’s defence is handled by its military, bringing a sense of security for its nation. But that security comes at a cost for the environment; the military is one of the most energy-intensive sectors in the world. As retired US army general and former CIA director David Petraeus already said in 2011, “energy is the lifeblood of our warfighting capabilities”. War efforts and the military overall requires significant energy, and it’s mostly derived from fossil fuels.

Armaments and the military both do not appear in the Paris Climate Agreement, meaning that they are not obliged to report to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on their climate action and progress. Yet the global military sector is on the top of the list of the world’s climate polluters. 

The environmental impact of war starts long before the war begins. The building and maintenance of military forces alone require extensive natural resources. When conflict breaks out, the war itself causes devastating destruction to ecosystems including species loss, and creates the potential for invasive species. Other monumental impacts to the environment include deforestation, waste dumping, soil and water poisoning, crops destruction, and the reduction and extinction of animals and plants. The worst is that wars don’t just end with a signed agreement between the fighting countries; many regions affected by war are not expected to recover for decades, forcing people to fight for a better life with limited resources and a damaged environment which they depend on. 

Emissions From the Military

The US Department of Defense is the world’s single largest institutional consumer of oil, which makes them one of the world’s top greenhouse gas emitters. Military vehicles, aircrafts, ships and buildings all require huge amounts of energy, usually oil. All these heavy duty machines also emit far more carbon dioxide (CO2). In 2017, the US Air Force used USD$4.9 billion worth of fuel; and in the same year, the US military was responsible for 59 million tons of CO2 – equivalent to the overall emissions of some industrialised countries such as Switzerland or Sweden. According to the NGO Oil Change International, the Iraq war alone is said to have generated 141 million tonnes of CO2 in four years – the equivalent of 25 million extra car exhaust being emitted over a whole year.

Likewise in the United Kingdom, emissions from its military activities represent nearly 50% of the overall UK’s emissions, highlighting the sector’s significant – yet often disregarded – role in global warming. 

Military leaders accept that climate change is real and the consequences can be felt daily around us. A very clear message was sent during the White House climate summit in 2021 where Lloyd J. Austin III, an American retired United States Army four-star general, described the climate crisis as “a profoundly destabilising force for our world,” and brought to attention the potential for widespread havoc and bloodshed that has been and will continue to be experienced.

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Environment Impact and Costs of Wars

The former UN Secretary general Ban Ki-moon once said: “the environment has long been a silent casualty of war and armed conflict. From the contamination of land and the destruction of forests to the plunder of natural resources and the collapse of management systems, the environmental consequences of war are often widespread and devastating”. 

The environmental impact of wars and the extent of which depends on various factors, such as the nature and length of the conflict, what weapons were mostly used, and how big an area is occupied etc.

One example is the Vietnam War (1955-1975). The rainforests in Vietnam provided ideal conditions for Vietnamese soldiers to hide whilst US soldiers had no knowledge on how to survive and adapt to them. It became the reason why between the years between 1961 and 1971 the US military became highly dependent on defoliants. They cleared out forests to enable them to see their enemies more easily, and it would liquidate their enemy’s source of food. Overall, 73 litres of chemical substance was sprayed over rainforests, targeting specifically on cultivated land to disrupt rice production and destroy crops. The results seen in Vietnam were horrific and the consequences are still being felt today. Nearly 50% of the mangroves – which are important carbon sinks and coastal protection – have been destroyed. The natural habitats within the Vietnamese forests that were homes for vulnerable species such as tigers, elephants, bears, and leopards have been irreversibly destroyed. Soil across the land has lost its nutrients and eroded. As a result, the ecosystem services that people and wildlife depend upon have been widely reduced and limited. 

But it’s not just large-scale conflicts like the Vietnam War that causes detrimental i pacts on the environment; war of any size can lead to long-lasting consequences, too. For instance, during the Rwandan civil war (1990-1994), around 750,000 refugees settled at the edge of the Virunga National Park and used the environment to satisfy their daily needs. Based on the statistics, nearly 1,000 tons of wood were cut a day for two years for home building and cooking. In the wake of the conflict, a total of 105 sq km of forest were completely damaged and another 35 sq km stripped bare. These beautiful forests were home to at least 190 species of trees, 275 species of birds, and 12 species of primates. The same Virunga National Park was home to the largest population of hippos in the world with nearly 30,000 individuals living there in 1974. Compounded with the rise of wildlife poaching, the population number reduced to just about 1,000.

What Can Be Done?

While, as the United Nations says, it may not be possible to entirely prevent all conflicts and wars, there are ways in which we can reduce the military’s carbon footprint and impacts on the environment. As Lieutenant Richarch Nugee, a retired senior British Army Officer once said, “by changing the way we operate, across land, sea and air domains, defence will play its part in the fight against climate change.”

In the US for example, the US Department of Defense finally recognised global warming as a national threat in 2010, and subsequently took efforts to reduce its greenhouse gas emission. Most notably, 44% of their petroleum-fuelled vehicles have been replaced by hybrid and electric cars. The sector has also installed huge solar arrays to generate electricity for their bases. As a result, the Pentagon announced they have reduced their petroleum use by 41% compared to 2005 levels, and cut greenhouse gas emissions by 23% relative to 2008 levels. 

The Ministry of Defence in the United Kingdom has similarly launched the Climate Change and Sustainability Strategy where they aim to reduce emissions and to use renewable energy as much as possible, which would contribute to UK’s net zero by 2050. One of its first goals is to reduce the build estate emissions no less than 30% by the year 2025. 

Militaries around the world have been gradually adopting more sustainable initiatives. For the US Army, their sustainability goals can help enhance mission effectiveness, reduce their environmental impact, comply with federal sustainable mandates, and achieve levels of energy independence that enhance continuity of mission-essential operations.

Switzerland, a country known for its neutrality, wants to invest USD$705 million by creating a carbon neutral military by 2050. By 2030, they plan to exchange all oil heating systems within military buildings and replace them with “alternative ones” – presumably with renewables. Some other measures include the enhancement of self–produced electricity, all suitable roofs and facades to be fitted with photovoltaic systems, and independence from foreign energy suppliers. The Swiss Armed Forces also plans to plant trees and support sustainability projects where possible. Certainly, the Swiss Army cannot be compared in size with that of the US, Russia, China or other big capacity military, but it is a real start and sets a great example on how to emphasise sustainability priorities in the military department. 

Climate change represents a real threat to global security, and every country has its priority to protect itself from any potential harm. Building and maintaining military  forces require huge amounts of energy and resources, and only by gradually replacing fossil fuel-powered equipment with ones powered by renewable energy sources can we achieve military sustainability. Of course the ideal scenario would be for no war to ever again happen; wars only bring about destruction to the innocent people and to even more innocent a party – nature –  which we depend highly upon. Wars are never worth starting and as H.G. Wells once said: “if we don’t end war, war will end us.”

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The post The Environmental Costs of Wars appeared first on Earth.Org.

Globally, increasingly more people are moving into urban environments, and cities have begun to adopt and implement sustainable initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint and energy consumption. But it is also crucial for these sustainable city programmes and urban development to consider the importance of bodies of water and blue spaces, and the wide ranges of services that they offer. 

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What are Water Bodies?

Blue space, also referred to as a water body, is an urban design term for visible water including waterfront parks, harbours, ports, marinas, rivers, open air streams, canals, lakes, ponds and fountains. Generally, blue spaces are any outdoor environments – either natural or manmade – that greatly feature water and in which people have free access to. 

Importance of Bodies of Water

Biodiversity represents a key point that underpins the ecosystem’s functions and processes that provide humans with necessary goods and services. Aquatic biodiversity can be defined as the variety of life and the ecosystems that make up the freshwater, tidal, and marine regions of the world, as well as all their interactions. The biodiversity of water bodies provides a number of services that affect human health and well-being directly and indirectly. For humans, aquatic ecosystems represent a source of water, food, materials as well as a room for recreation, commercial fishing, and tourism. Another huge importance of water bodies comes with the aquatic plants and animals and their ecological functions for our survival. Each day, aquatic organisms (bacteria and fungi) continually break down harmful toxins and nutrients that we flush into our sewage systems or discard directly into our rivers and streams. Some of the other very important benefits of blue spaces include flood prevention, trapping sediments and contaminants, retaining nutrients and maintaining biodiversity, which supports the ecosystem functions. A water body also represents a buffer for new diseases, it creates job opportunities in places rich in tourism and provides a source for medicine. 

The importance of bodies of water cannot be overstated and are part of our lives in many forms. Nowadays, when the world needs a solution to tackle climate change and food shortages, water bodies can be a part of that solution. Today, 75% of humanities’ food is generated from only 12 plants and five animal species, which makes the food system less resilient to diseases, pests, and climate change. “Aquatic foods seem to be a unique win-win,” said Christopher Golden, an assistant professor of nutrition and planetary health. “They have very high nutrient richness and also can be produced with relatively low environmental impacts in comparison to terrestrial meats.”

Moreover, many new researches can confirm that being surrounded by nature reduces stress levels and improves one’s mood and general mental health. Dr Mathew White, an environmental psychologist and a senior lecturer at the University of Exeter, conducted research about health and wellbeing benefits of blue spaces in 18 countries (mostly European) in his study. He explains three main reasons as to why the presence of water plays an important role in humans’ health, well-being, and happiness.

Firstly, blue spaces are linked with less polluted air, which affects our health, and more sunlight which provides vitamin D. Secondly, the presence of the water body close to peoples’ houses encourages them to be more physically active – water sports, walking, and cycling. Thirdly, as Dr White says, water has a psychologically restorative effect. It induces a positive mood and reduces stress with even a higher effect than green spaces do.

The Potential of Many Water Bodies is Often Neglected

Historically, water bodies, especially rivers, have played a very important role in transportation. Many countries created canals to join important rivers, lakes, and oceans. As a sample, the most important canal in the US was built in 1825. The Erie Canal was 363 miles long, linking Lake Erie to the Hudson River and the Atlantic Ocean. 

Nowadays in most cities, access to water spaces is often the biggest problem. In many UK cities there is still an immense network of these canals, but just a few of them are in use. For example, the second largest city in the UK, Birmingham, accommodates more canals than Venice. But unfortunately, the access to them is blocked by tall buildings and their fences which lowers the potential of the water space to the minimum. Often they even cause a problem to the environment, creating the perfect conditions for plastic litter pollution and hence water eutrophication, reduced biodiversity, and causing harm to wildlife. 

Especially in the UK, there have been numerous projects trying to regenerate canal networks to improve the local economy by creating valuable real estate. These canals are also beginning to be used as a greener transport option, and this win-win-win combination unites environmental, economic, and health benefits into one. 

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Image by: Piqsels

Increasing Urbanisation and Its Effect on Water

On October 31, the UN celebrates Cities Day to promote the interest in global urbanisation. Globally, more people live in urban areas than in rural areas, with 55 % of the world’s population residing in urban areas in 2018. In 1950, about 70% of the world’s population lived in rural settlements. By 2007, the year saw, for the first time in history, global urban populations exceeding global rural populations, and the amount of people living or moving to the cities has continued to grow at an even more rapid speed. It is projected that by 2050, the world will be more than two thirds urban (68%), roughly the reverse of the global rural-urban population distribution of the mid-twentieth century.

Moving to the cities can be for various reasons. Either there are better job opportunities, a pursuant for  education, or simply a preference for a technologically advanced lifestyle. For many living in rural regions, it can represent a life coupled with hardships and that of reduced opportunities for a diverse social life. 

Yet urbanisation has been necessary for the development of the world economy. In most parts of the world however, it has had a very unfavourable effect on environmental sustainability and surface water. Building up cities linked with higher water usage and increasing impervious layers result in the declination of water. Every day, cities across the world move 504 billion litres of water across 27,000km to hydrate their populations and industries. According to new World Resources Institute data, 17 countries around the world are currently under extremely high water stress, meaning they are using almost all the water they have.

Growing demand for the developments of cities causes the degradation of the environmental conditions. People living in urbanised areas of developing countries are also more vulnerable to obesity due to lack of physical spaces, continually sitting in workplaces, and excessive energy intake and low energy expenditure. In these areas, infrastructure is often lacking, including sufficient space for recreational activities.

Building Sustainable Cities with Blue Spaces is a Must

Increasingly more research on urban freshwater recognises importance of bodies of water, and the role they have in protecting health and supporting well-being by minimising traffic noise, making summertime temperatures more favourable, and providing high levels of restorativeness. Its very presence also allows for routes and spaces for physical activities, recreation, and socialising. 

The UN Sustainable Development Goal 11 defines sustainable cities as those that are dedicated to achieving green sustainability, social sustainability, and economic sustainability. Nowadays, when cities are built, every planning decision should include an economic and ecological element. One of the ecological elements in creating a sustainable community is represented by having a water body. Water resources and also water services which would be able to satisfy the changing demands placed on them, now and later, without ecosystem degradation. 

Urbanisation and the demographic movement, especially in developing countries is already causing natural resources difficulties and it is our main responsibility to protect the environment and allow for the generations that follow an environment to satisfy their needs and to enjoy the beauty of nature as well. Failure to address the current unsustainable use of water now will mean greater struggles in the future to achieve goals in a myriad of other areas. Water development and management should be based on a participatory approach, involving users, planners and policy-makers at all levels. The benefits of sustainable urbanisation have to be fully shared and inclusive. Policies which are responsible for managing urban growth have to make sure everyone has access to infrastructures, social services, and natural riches which blue spaces are part of.  

Blue spaces are not just natural areas but they also represent significant growth and development in terms of social, economic, and environmental. They need  careful spatial planning and they need to be treated as properties and assets to the local governments and communities. It is within our grasp to create a reality where more and more people would be given the opportunity to enjoy the countless benefits of water bodies while living in a city.

Featured image by: Pixabay

The post Importance of Bodies of Water and Blue Spaces Within Growing Urbanised Areas appeared first on Earth.Org.

Climate change is affecting countries in various ways, from warming temperatures to severe and more frequents floods. But for Scotland, one of the wettest countries in Europe, is becoming water scarce. Drought adversely affects ecosystems and if it prolongs, the changes could be irreversible. Scotland’s National Water Scarcity Plan sets out ways in which responsible bodies, stakeholders, businesses and people to manage water resources to minimise the impact on the environment and tackle water shortage in Scotland.

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Scotland is a water rich and water savvy country, where its water is sourced from either rain or snow. Scotland’s average rainfall rarely falls under 1,500 millimetres per year, however the rainfall total varies across Scotland. The western highlands of Scotland in particular, is one of the wettest places in Europe with annual rainfall reaching up to 4,577 mm. Average measurable rainfall also occurs over 250 days in the Highlands and 175 days in other parts within the year. What’s more, the country is home to Loch Ness, one of the world’s most famous water bodies, which comprises more freshwater (7,452 million cubic metres) than all English and Welsh lakes combined. 

Drier Conditions in Scotland

It is known that global temperatures are rising all round the world and Scotland is no exception. According to research by Fairlie Kirkpatrick Baird, one of NatureScot’s graduate placement staff, extreme droughts have been on rise in Scotland in recent years. 

“When we think of extreme climate events in Scotland, we usually think of flooding and storms, but droughts are increasing here too,” said Baird “As in the drought over the summer of 2018, we are already seeing the negative impacts that can have on human and ecological environments.” The study shows that an increase in extreme droughts has wide-ranging implications, which will occur likely not just in the distant future, but over the next 20 years or so. 

Scotland has experienced 10 of its warmest years since 1997. Looking at the figures from the stations with more than 50 years old data, 71% of recorded warmest July days occurred within the last 20 years. Measurements from the longest–serving weather stations in Scotland recorded their warmest January in 20 years and almost 90% of them recorded their warmest February day.

As a result of rising temperatures, Loch Ness has dropped to its lowest level in five years, according to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). It also confirmed that drier than usual conditions in recent months have likely been a “significant contributing factor” for the drop.

New research published in February 2021 by an organisation formerly known as  the Scottish Natural Heritage showed that the extreme dry periods could increase from an average of one every 20 years to one every three years, and could last two to three months longer than in the past. 

Environmental Impacts of Water Shortage in Scotland

Naturally, ecosystems can adapt to some short-term conditional changes. However if the stresses are prolonged, greater and potentially irreversible environmental impacts will occur. 

With increased drought, river level drops, and the depth and width of the channel will contract and flow velocities will reduce. This may fragment the river and reduce the suitable habitat space.

Water shortage can reduce soil’s ability to support crops. This can consequently affect fish, animals and plant life. Wildlife habitat may become degraded due to insufficient soil quality and lack of important plants for building nests. If the river completely dries up, it creates a  problem for animals that are dependent on the river. Biodiversity may be affected significantly, where frequent or long-lasting droughts can mean too much stress on endangered species. 

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What Water Shortage in Scotland Could Mean for the Economy 

One of Scotland’s best-known products, whisky, is intrinsic to this beautiful country. The majority of Scottish whisky distilleries have been built right next to a river or lake for easier access to water. 

The word ‘whisky’ originated from the Gaelic word “uisge,” meaning “water.” It is proven that water improves the taste of whisky because alcohol molecules and those that determine the whisky’s flavour stick together. Whisky pairs well with water as wine pairs well with cheese.

Water is considered the most important factor in making good whisky. Water needs to be clean, clear and free of all the taste changing impurities such as iron. Some other whiskeys from Kentucky, Maryland, Indiana use water rich in carbonates, which alters the flavour. Scottish water, on the other hand, has one of the best qualities in the world. In the annual report published in 2017, the Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland said that 99.9% of samples passed stringent water quality tests and the quality of the water in Scotland is considered as one of the best in the world. 

On average, a total of 296 litres of cooling water and 17 litres of process water were used for every litre of whisky produced. Currently there are 134 operating whisky distilleries across Scotland and 36 bottles (70cl @40% ABV) of Scotch whisky are shipped from Scotland to 166 markets around the world every second. According to the Scotch Whisky Association, the Scotch whisky industry contributes roughly £5 billion to the British economy each year. The United Kingdom, which Scotland is part of, generates more revenue from Scotch whisky than it does from shipbuilding.

Scotland’s National Water Scarcity Plan 

To prevent water shortage in Scotland, the government plays an active role in improving the quality of all fresh and marine waters in the country and in ensuring all the water resources are managed and supplied responsibly.

The reduced amount of rain showers during summer, increased demand for water, and the rising awareness about water scarcity resulted in the first Scotland’s National Water Scarcity Plan in July 2020. The purpose of the plan is to set out how water resources will be managed prior to and during periods of prolonged dry weather. 

To successfully manage water resources, all stakeholders must take part in minimising the impacts during periods of water scarcity. Nowadays, the forecaster can predict potential water shortages even weeks ahead and that’s why all the stakeholders should have a plan to deal with the range of conditions they may experience in advance. They should monitor their water usage and equipment to ensure they are operating at maximum efficiency and avoiding any unnecessary leakages.

Of course, we all can help reduce water intake by simple actions like taking bath instead of showers, or taking short showers, turning off the faucets when they’re not in use, fixing any leaks, as well as investing in low flush toilets. 

For those who own businesses and use large amounts of water, other actions can be taken, such as making sure there are no leaks in the equipment when irrigating land, or switching to alternative supplies such as boreholes. 

There’s scientific consensus that the natural systems around the world are being affected by regional climate changes, especially increased global temperature, which disrupts weather patterns. Many countries around the world are experiencing extreme weather events.

“Everyone agrees that water is a vital resource. We need to get used to the idea that, even in Scotland, it is a finite resource – as shown by the increasing severity of the water scarcity picture in large areas of the country. This is just one of the many consequences of climate change Scotland is facing, and it is becoming more common,” Terry A’Hearn, Chief Executive at the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, said. 

Global warming has taken effect in the world over the last century and the only way to reduce the consequences of global warming on the environment is to take urgent action. To prevent significant harm on the environment and peoples’ health in Scotland, responsible bodies have to monitor the changing weather patterns, communicate well with each other and apply the preventive measures where possible. 

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