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Showing posts from April, 2024

Green Economy

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There is a common misconception that moving away from fossil fuels will cause the loss of jobs. The carbon neutral world can offer so many new opportunities. To work towards a world that is carbon neutral it is apparent that we need to change our ways in almost every aspect. Society is currently orientated towards the use of fossil fuels and to change that the entire infrastructure of our country needs a complete rework. A green economy is what the United States and the rest of the world should be working towards as fast as possible. A green economy seeks to reconcile economic growth with environmental protection and social equity, recognizing the interconnectedness of economic, social, and environmental systems for sustainable development. a green economy seeks to reconcile economic growth with environmental protection and social equity, recognizing the interconnectedness of economic, social, and environmental systems for sustainable development. Implementing renewable energy into so...

Governmental Support of Fossil Fuel Development and Infrastructure

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By: Savannah Wirth By now everyone knows that the burning of fossil fuels is the main contributor to global climate change … Right? Unfortunately, we also know how much money is generated by the fossil fuel industry. And world governments know that too. Modern society, literally, runs on fossil fuels. But for decades now scientists have been warning that our carbon emissions will, and already are, catching up to us. Despite this, and agreeing at global summits like COP26, to decrease fossil fuel investment by phasing out fossil fuel subsidies, global fossil fuel subsidies have risen $2 trillion to $7 trillion in just two years from 2 021 to 2023. Government subsidies for the fossil fuel industry for the year 2022 were highest in China and the United States. China leads with a whopping $2.2 trillion in subsidies and the US with $760 billion in subsidies. The rest of the highest fossil fuel subsidies in 2022, in descending order, are Russia, India, the EU, the Middle East, and Canada. ...

Intergenerational Justice

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   By Kaely Cooper      Intergenerational justice is the idea that the rights to a healthy, safe planet are equal among past, present, and future generations. Future generations, as well as young generations, are the most vulnerable to the effects of the climate crisis, as humans are not currently properly managing the climate crisis. This concept requires a radical mindset and implementation, in order to focus on long-term preservation rather than short-term gain, and put the safety of people and the planet above all else.       It can be extremely difficult to avoid a "presentist" orientation for many voters and politicians. This tends to be the case in many of today’s democracies as long term investments by politicians do not usually lead to re-election, since by the next election cycle, there has not been substantial pay-off. Since sustainable futures are viewed through a long term lens, the concept is ignored by many politicians.  ...

Failure To Protect Nature - Savannah S

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Habitat Loss   Habitat loss is primarily, though not always, human caused . The clearing of land for farming, grazing, mining, drilling, and urbanization impacts 80 percent of global species who call the forest home. Approximately 15 billion trees are cut down each year. The number of trees worldwide has decreased by 46 percent since the start of civilization. Habitat destruction is one of the biggest threats facing plants and animal species throughout the world. The Campaign for Nature calls upon world leaders to take action in helping to protect 30 percent of the Earth’s land and ocean by 2030, on the way to 50 percent of the planet in a natural state by 2050. This commitment represents our best opportunity to preserve the ecosystems necessary for our survival.   The Global Impacts of Habitat Destruction (nationalgeographic.org)   Animal Extinction In 2005, heatwaves decimated a subspecies of lemuroid ringtail possum, a rare marsupial, in Queensland, Australia, ac...