NASA analysis estimates unavoidable rise in ocean levels in the future

NASA analysis estimates unavoidable rise in ocean levels in the future

Author(s): DTE Staff

Melting of polar ice sheets has the potential to accelerate the rise in sea levels

The world's oceans are set to rise by at least three feet in the future, a research based on NASA observations has revealed. NASA's satellite data shows that seas around the world have risen by an average of three inches since 1992. 

This rise varies across regions with some regions reporting a nine-inch rise in levels. The Greenland ice sheet has lost 303 gigatonnes of ice a year over the past decade while the Antarctic ice sheet has lost an average of 118 gigatonnes a year.

"Given what we know now about how the ocean expands as it warms and how ice sheets and glaciers are adding water to the seas, it’s pretty certain we are locked into at least 3 feet of sea level rise, and probably more," said Steve Nerem of the University of Colorado, Boulder, and lead of NASA's Sea Level Change Team in an official release. "But we don't know whether it will happen within a century or somewhat longer."

Video by NASA: Twenty-two years of sea level rise  

In 2013, an assessment by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change had estimated that global sea levels would rise by one to three feet by the end of the century.

Scientists attribute the rise in sea levels to expansion of warmer ocean water, ice loss from the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets and melting mountain glaciers. The melting of polar ice sheets has the potential to accelerate this rise in levels, scientists say. 

"We’ve seen from the paleoclimate record that sea level rise of as much as 10 feet in a century or two is possible, if the ice sheets fall apart rapidly," said Tom Wagner, the cryosphere programme scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington in an official release. "We’re seeing evidence that the ice sheets are waking up, but we need to understand them better before we can say we’re in a new era of rapid ice loss."

Climate negotiations moving at a slow pace, but seemingly in the right direction

Climate negotiations moving at a slow pace, but seemingly in the right direction

Author(s): Rakesh Kamal

Loss and damage continues to be a contentious issue while multiple spin-offs have slowed down the process

With less than five days of negotiation left in the race to Paris COP 21, all parties attending the negotiations in Germany complained that discussions at the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP) were superficial.

While there has been no significant improvement in finalising of the text, reports on developments have been presented in the discussions informally. With the announcement to issue a new "basis" text for the Paris deal in the first week of October, things seem to be moving in the right direction.

To enable negotiations to move in a planned manner, the session co-chairs introduced a tool in the scenario note in July so that parties could come prepared. This tool consisted of three parts:

• Part one comprises of provisions that are by nature appropriate for inclusion in an agreement.
• Part two contains provisions that are appropriate for inclusion in a decision.
• Part three contains provisions whose placement requires further clarity among parties in relation to the draft agreement or draft decision.

But with little progress being made, groups have proposed different methods to give a push to the process. The African group suggested a clearer mandate for the co-facilitators to act. The Umbrella Group (non-EU developed countries) proposed that work must occur within spin-off groups, while others wanted to directly proceed with text-based negotiations.

A number of spin-off sessions were held on issues of contention like differentiation, adaptation, loss and damage and long-term goals. The objective of the spin-off was to develop common understanding of a specific issue in a small group and then bring it to a bigger group. But it has been seen as a way of slowing down the process with too many spin-off sessions at the same time, making it difficult for countries with smaller delegations to attend. There has also been discomfort among parties because the text has not been discussed yet.

Developed countries have reiterated that the outcome should be based solely on mitigation-centric goals while developing countries continue to stay committed to elements discussed in the Durban decision (mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology development and transfer, capacity-building and transparency of action and support). Discussion on loss and damage has been the highlight of ADP2 with a number of negotiation groups stressing the need to address them and to move them into the negotiation text.

AOSIS (Alliance of Small Island States) reminded parties that even if a two-degree limit was agreed upon, it would prove to be an existential crisis for them with sea levels rising rapidly. They called for parties to cut the limit down to 1.5°C. AOSIS also asked developing countries to stand by their commitment of providing US $100 billion every year up to 2020 and scaling up their effort post-2020.

It has been reported that the US and the EU are considering loss and damage options for the Paris deal, which is the only sign of hope for non-annex countries to address adaptation and loss and damage in the final text. There has been an emphasis on trust and fulfilling of pre-2020 targets to gain the trust of all parties.

Green innovation steals the show at SEED Awards

Green innovation steals the show at SEED Awards

Author(s): Moushumi Sharma

An Indian enterprise and 27 African ventures win prize for sustainable business models empowering communities

The 2015 SEED Africa Symposium, held in Nairobi on September 9-10, awarded the prestigious SEED award to enterprises from across the world for their efforts to develop eco-friendly business models benefitting local communities. This year’s theme was “Building Bridges for Impact: Green and Inclusive Growth through Entrepreneurship”. SEED 2015 had a special focus on Africa, with 25 of the awardees being enterprises based in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda.

The winning initiatives, ranging from providing affordable childcare options in urban slums to access to menstrual hygiene, from solar lamps and fuel-efficient cook stoves to recycling of solid waste, demonstrate how renewable energy and new technologies can drive community-led sustainable development. This becomes more significant as the world gears up to adopt the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) later this month.

“The winners of this year’s SEED Awards are mapping the road towards a sustainable future, and signposting the way to a fully fledged green economy,” a press release by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) quotes UN executive director Achim Steiner. Innovative enterprises like theirs demonstrate the tangible benefits of a low-carbon, resource-efficient approach to economic growth to communities, investors and partners. Their work exemplifies the green economy transition that will help realise the SDGs and the climate agenda to be agreed on this year,” he adds.

Special recognition to Indian enterprise

Tambul Leaf Plates, a dinnerware brand based in Assam, won in the SEED Special Recognition category for producing and marketing biodegradable disposable plates from the fallen sheath of the arecanut plant, thus reducing plastic waste pollution. Tambul Leaf Plates promotes production of arecanut leaf plates as a livelihood option amongst rural communities in the state, providing training, technical, financial and marketing assistance to the rural producers to enable them to establish their own plate-making enterprises. Tambul Leaf Plates provides 100 per cent buy back guarantees to the rural producers and purchases the plates at a fair price, the press releases states.

Apart from this, a host of African ventures made it to the winners’ category. This includes COMSOL Cooperative for Environmental Solutions, which empowers waste pickers in Maputo, Mozambique; SavvyLoo that aims to provide a waterless toilet system to rural areas across Africa; Masole Ammele, a Malawi-based enterprise that builds organic fish farming skills at community level; and People of the Sun, a green and inclusive handicraft-trading enterprise, again in Malawi, which trains and supports marginalised artisans to craft unique homeware products made from recycled materials.

“Across the African continent, local enterprises are tackling extreme poverty, environmental degradation and social exclusion. The 2015 SEED Winners are examples of what can happen when local ingenuity meets innovative partnerships. They offer a new, powerful paradigm for sustainable development and green growth based on community empowerment and the collective will for social change,” says Helen Clark, UN Development Programme (UNDP) administrator.

Boost to green innovation

SEED was founded in 2002 by UNEP, UNDP and the International Union for Conservation of Nature to contribute towards the Millennium Development Goals. The SEED Awards for Entrepreneurship in Sustainable Development is an annual awards scheme to discover the most promising, innovative and locally led start-up social and environmental enterprises in developing and emerging economies. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the awards. In addition to a financial contribution, every winner will receive technical assistance, free access to different supporting institutions and tailor-made support to develop their business and skills. The 2015 call for applications, which is now closed, saw contributions from 55 countries, representing the collaborative efforts of partnerships between enterprises, non-profits, women’s and youth groups, labour organisations, public authorities, international agencies and academia. According to the UNEP press release, most of the applications were in agricultural and rural development, energy and climate change, and ecosystem management. The winners were chosen in an online vote by more than 5,500 people worldwide.

SEED also published its 10-year flagship report at the event, titled “Turning Ideas into Impact: Setting the Stage for the Next 10 Years of Green and Inclusive Growth through Entrepreneurship”.

Canberra to shift completely to renewable energy by 2025

Canberra to shift completely to renewable energy by 2025

Author(s): DTE Staff

Australia’s capital has already seen a 400 per cent increase in renewable energy jobs in the past five years

Canberra is set to be powered by 100 per cent renewable energy by 2025. The Australian capital has already committed to a target of 90 per cent renewable energy within the next five years and has initiated a series of large-scale wind and solar projects, both locally and interstate.

"The commitment I’ll announce in my address to the ACT (Australian Capital Territory) Labor Conference today will put the ACT at the global forefront for a response to climate change—building on our current agenda which will see 90 per cent of our energy needs delivered through renewable sources by 2020," said Environment Minister Simon Corbell. "We can do this. We have shown it’s possible—now we have one small step left. 100 per cent renewable energy will drive further jobs growth in our research and corporate sectors." 

The city has already seen a 400 per cent increase in renewable energy jobs in the past five years, and there will be more to come, Corbell said.

The government will continue to divest the ACT investment portfolio of high-carbon emitting companies and sectors—all without costing the Canberra community one cent in lower returns.

Opposition Leader Jeremy Hanson was, however, less enthusiastic about the plan. "Well, we are very supportive of renewable energy but the problem is if you go to 100 per cent the cost of that is enormous, what we're going to see is power bills going up through the roof across Canberra,” he said.

India launches its first multi-wavelength space observatory ASTROSAT

India launches its first multi-wavelength space observatory ASTROSAT

Author(s): Karnika Bahuguna

The satellite’s ability to observe the universe in optical, ultraviolet, low and high energy X-ray regions and detect minute changes sets it apart from other satellites

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets the leaders of three of the five permanent member countries of the United Nations Security Council, including the heads of the US, France and the UK, back home a big development in space research has put India in the elite club of major powers.

The country has successfully launched its first dedicated multi wavelength space observatory, ASTROSAT, on Monday, thereby entering the club of select countries – including Japan, US and Russia to have their own space observatories. The development will help the country in getting a more detailed understanding of the universe.

ASTROSAT’s unique feature includes simultaneous multi-wavelength observations of various astronomical objects with a single satellite. The satellite can observe the universe in optical, ultraviolet, low and high energy X-ray regions of the electromagnetic spectrum that sets it apart from most other scientific satellites. Many other man-made satellites are capable of observing only a narrow range of wavelength band.

The country’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), in its thirty-first flight (PSLV-C30), on Monday, launched ASTROSAT into a 644.6 X 651.5 km orbit inclined at an angle of 6 degree to the equator.  The achieved orbit is very close to the intended one, according to the information available on the website of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).  This was the thirtieth consecutive success for PSLV.

Celestial objects emit various rays, including X-rays, ultraviolet rays, which cannot penetrate the Earth’s atmosphere. In simple terms, with ASTROSAT, India has sent a set of five telescopes in the space which can observe these various rays simultaneously and help in studying celestial bodies.

These multi-wavelength observations made by ASTROSAT can be further extended and enhanced with co-ordinated observations using other spacecraft and ground based information. All major astronomy institutions and some universities in India are likely to participate in these observations.

According to Somak Raychaudhury, director, The Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, ASTROSAT is a very unique satellite with five telescopes which work together to observe the same thing simultaneously thereby adding great value to the study of astrophysics.

“It is important in astrophysics to look at an object as a whole to understand it fully. Through ASTROSAT, we can study an object with various telescopes under different circumstances,” he said.

Another unique feature of the satellite is that it can detect quick and minute changes that happen in the space and can do so for a very long period. “In space, things flare up and die down within fraction of a second. ASTROSAT can detect those changes which might be difficult for other similar observatories to detect,” he said.

Quick space feats

Last week, India celebrated the first anniversary of its Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) or Mangalyaan in the Martian atmosphere. The noteworthy achievements in the field of space technology are not only bringing the country at par with developed nations but also opening up immense opportunities in terms of study and collaboration.

Various institutions, including Inter University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) of Pune, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) at Mumbai, Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIAP) and Raman Research Institute (RRI) of Bangalore, as well as some of the universities in India and two institutions from Canada and the UK collaborated with ISRO for developing ASTROSAT.

The PSLV was launched on Monday in its heaviest ‘XL’ version with six strap-on motors of the first stage. The launch took place from the first launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR (SDSC SHAR), Sriharikota.

Along with Astrosat, six satellites from international customers, namely 76-kg LAPAN-A2 of Indonesia, 14-kg NLS-14 (Ev9) of Canada and four identical LEMUR satellites of USA together weighing about 28 kg, were launched in the PSLV flight. 

What it means to scientists

“ASTROSAT will not only help India in better study of celestial objects but also reduce its dependence on foreign telescopes to some extent. Currently, Indian scientists get observing time on foreign telescopes. With this development, India will have its indigenous observatory and can also increase collaborations with other countries,” said Sujan K Sengupta, associate professor, Indian Institute of Astrophysics.

The observatory will be used by Indian scientists for the first two years and then it would be opened up for other countries, Raychaudhury said.

The spacecraft control centre at Mission Operations Complex of ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) at Bangalore will manage the satellite during its mission life of five years.

Asked what happens after the five year span of ASTOSAT ends, Raychaudhury said the team had already started planning its successor. He also added that the five years have been taken as a conservative estimate and the life of the satellite could go beyond that.

The scientific objectives of ASTROSAT mission are to understand high energy processes in binary star systems containing neutron stars and black holes, estimate magnetic fields of neutron stars, study star birth regions and high energy processes in star systems lying beyond our galaxy, detect new briefly bright X-ray sources in the sky and perform a limited deep field survey of the universe in the ultraviolet region.