COP 26 Seals Break Through Climate Change Deal

The COP26 event is a global United Nations (UN) summit about climate change and how countries are planning to tackle it and any decisions made could lead to big changes to our everyday lives. When we talk about climate change, we are talking about global changes in the Earth's average temperature. The Earth's average temperature moves up and down naturally, but it has been increasing more rapidly than it usually does. This change is impacting on the planet's environment - which is everything natural around us; rivers, trees, plants, animals... everything!

An Ambitious Start

The Conference was attended by world leaders whose countries signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) - a treaty agreed in 1994. The summit brought together global leaders (presidents, prime ministers etc). This signified the importance and role of world leaders to take responsibility and deliver credible plans aimed at achieving a successful COP and coordinated action to tackle climate change.

The 2021 meeting is the 26th meeting, which is why it's called COP26. At COP26 delegates aimed to finalize the ‘Paris Rulebook’, the rules needed to implement the 2015 Paris Agreement, and conclude outstanding issues from COP25 in Madrid. They also sought to deliver on all essential negotiating items for 2020 and 2021.

The Intercessions!

While every president's speech is played on news outlets, the real work begins at the COP. Negotiations include discussions between different states, financial institutions, corporations, and groups on their needs and potential targets to achieve the 1.5 degrees target. The purpose of all these negotiations is to come out of the COP26 with a strong package of decisions, declarations, programs, financial funnels, and commitments all under the purpose of limiting global warming and climate change.

Some of the main agreements reached during the negotiation period of the COP26 included (BBC):

(a) More than 100 world leaders promised to end and reverse deforestation by 2030, including Brazil, home of the Amazon rainforest.

(b) More than 40 countries committed to move away from coal - but the world's biggest users like China and the US did not sign up.

(c) The US and the EU announced a global partnership to cut emissions of the green house gas methane by 30% come 2030.

A Slipshod Conclusion

As the COP26 came to a conclusion, a surprising turn of events occurred where an unexpected change was requested in the main text of the COP26 pact. India, with support from China, requested that the wording regarding coal be changed from "Phased Out" to "Phased Down." That means that the focus will not be on eliminating coal produced energy rather reducing it.

Many were unhappy with the final text. But eventually countries agreed to a compromise as the clock ticked down and protestors outside the venue demanded they take action to stem warming that is already led to floods, heatwaves, and rising sea levels. There was particular pressure to reach an agreement on carbon market rules as the private market outside the UN’s control booms, fueling worries about free-for-all trading that could facilitate greenwashing.

COP26 President Alok Sharma, expressed regret about how the last-minute haggling had been conducted in small huddles that excluded most countries. “I apologize for the way this process has unfolded, and I’m deeply sorry,” he said, close to tears. “I also understand the deep disappointment, but as you have already noted it is also vital that we protect this package.”

Sustainability in Action: Seafood Industry

The Pursuit for Sustainable Fishing

Did you know that 70.8% of the earth’s surface is covered by water? With four major oceans, holding about 96.5% of all the earth's water. These marine biomes encompass a wide variety of marine species, not to mention, they also diversified into different zones giving the necessary support required for the proliferation of marine life. Moreover, oceans play a leading role in global systems, making Earth habitable for humankind.

For the past decades, oceans all over the world have acted as the primary source of livelihood for over three billion people. In fact, fish continues to be one of the most globally traded food products.

However, as fishing industries partake in the cycle of production and consumption, many continue to question, “Is the fishing industry really as sustainable as they portray themselves to be?” The global fish production may have been able to supply 156 million tonnes of seafood for human consumption, but at what cost. At the current time, demand for seafood and advances in technology have led to fishing practices that caused marine populations around the world to decline at a rate that may soon result in a collapse of the world’s fisheries. It is undeniable that aside from the skyrocketing consumption, a continuous deterioration of coastal waters owing to pollution, overfishing, and climate change are the other challenges faced by the fishing industry. Due to this realization, many have switched to more sustainable methods of fishing but with it comes new economic challenges.

To begin, seafood production comprises two methods, specifically, wild fish catch and aquaculture. Wild fish catch, as its name pertains to, is the harvesting of already existing populations of fish, shellfish, and other aquatic animals. On the other hand, aquaculture is the purposeful cultivation and subsequent harvesting of both freshwater and marine animals. Although both types of methods have its benefits, it does not come without downsides of its own.

First, fishes caught in the wild are less likely to contract diseases because they live in their natural environment. Secondly, less treatment and monitoring are performed in their habitat, leaving them free to thrive. Third, since fishes continue to hunt for their next meal, they have a more diverse diet. Unfortunately, wild-caught fishes have their disadvantages:

First, there are several species of wild fish that are depleting in number and even close to extinction due to overfishing. Secondly, there are a number of fishing sectors that utilize destructive fishing methods which allow ships to make a big catch in such a short period of time. Examples of these harmful fishing techniques include dynamite fishing and bottom trawling which is extremely destructive as it alters the seafloor, destroying entire habitats as the ship tows the trawl. Every year bottom trawling destroys an average of 81.5 tons of deep-sea corals and sponge ecosystems that may take as long as a millennium to develop.

On the other hand, farm-raised fishes are raised in a controlled environment. Their homes are man-made tanks above the ground or pens that are placed in large bodies of water. The first advantage of fish farming is that it allows for cheaper access to fish. Secondly, aquacultures have proven to be capable of meeting the rising demands of the population. However, the emergence of aquacultures can also serve as breeding grounds for unsustainable practices which will eventually bring about adverse impacts on the state of the marine environment. First, it is more probable for farm-raised fish to have higher contamination which in turn, can harm consumers. Secondly, farmed fishes are more prone to diseases due to unhygienic farming conditions. Third, high antibiotic use in farm-raised fish is common, which, unfortunately, are passed along to consumers. Fourth, fish farms can pose a threat to the condition of natural habitats of native fishes through the pollution of local waters.

In conclusion, both farm-raised and wild-caught fishes have their gains and losses. The nutrition quality of seafood largely depends on what the fish eats. Wild-caught fishes have a varied diet; thus, offering a wider variety of nutrients. In contrast, farm-raised fishes may eat the same diet, day after day. However, it all depends on the fish farm as the diet could consist of the farms’ fortified feed resulting in higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids. Moreover, aquaculture seafood is not immediately guaranteed to be sustainable since some practices include the overfishing of wild fish to feed to the farmed fish. That is why choosing whether to support farm-raised fishes or wild-caught fishes, will still mainly depend on the fishing practices and methods of the fishery in raising and catching seafood.

In relation to the Sustainable Development Goals, responsible fishing practices are a key feature to building a sustainable ocean economy. Marine biodiversity is truly critical to the health of the people and our planet; thus, marine protected areas need to be effectively managed and well-resourced with stringent quality control procedures. Supplementary environmental legislations must also be implemented since in an absence of adequate regulations and laws, environment conservation cannot be fully realized. This will not only help reduce overfishing and marine pollution, both of which threaten the contribution of the sector but also encourage the fisheries to adhere to sustainable practices when raising and harvesting their fish. Doing so will ensure a food secure future and a stable source of livelihood for all.

The Power of Sunshine

Solar farms are being built across Africa, taking advantage of the region’s long sunshine hours and helping move the continent towards more reliable power supplies.

At the end of 2017, West Africa’s largest solar farm was inaugurated by President Macron in Burkina Faso having officially opened there in 2016. The massive 33MW, 473-hectre plant joined Africa’s other largest photovoltaic (PV) facilities in Morocco, - The Noor Solar Complex a 500MW solar park located in the municipality of Ouarzazate in the Agadir district of Morocco. It is the biggest concentrated solar power plant project in the world.

According to the International Energy Agency, hydropower and solar renewable energy will account for the lion’s share of the Continent’s overall energy output by 2030, which is projected to be 253GW at that time.

In South Africa, - The 96MW Jasper solar power project located in Northern Cape Province near Kimberly in South Africa is the biggest solar power plant in Africa. To make Africa one of the world’s leaders in pioneering solar power to meet the needs of a population too long experiencing little, irregular or no grid power at all.

VINCI Energies is also in the process and built eight photovoltaic power plants in Senegal, via its brand dedicated to energy transition – Omexom. The facilities, comprising a total of 62,850 solar panels, have a combined capacity of 17MW and supply isolated communities across the country. Together, the full set of photovoltaic solar plants generate enough power to cover the annual needs of 140,000 people and avoids atmospheric CO2 emissions amounting to 18,919 tons per year. In addition to solar panels, the plants have generator sets and batteries to help overcome intermittent production and ensure continuous supply.

The Installation of Niger's first mini solar-powered network marked the launch of a new program in 2017 by Plan International that provided funding and training to more than 6,000 women in Mali, Niger and Senegal, allowing them to establish and launch new businesses to take advantage of the growing sustainable energy sector in West Africa.

The mini-solar has been built in small village in Southwest Niger. The power grid provides electricity to 107 homes, a school, a health center, two mosques and some stores which are now able to sell ice and cold drinks. A new electric water pump has also been installed for drinking, washing and irrigation purposes.

Such renewable innovations from the likes of VINCI Energies, Wartsila and Plan International will help Africa towards a brighter, energy-sufficient future.

References

AFREPREN, 2020. AFREPREN Occasional Paper No. 10: Renewable Energy Technologies in Africa. An Energy Training Course Handbook.

Baguant, J., 2021. The Case of Mauritius. In: Bahaghavan, M.R., Karekezi, S., (Eds.), Energy Management in Africa. ZED Books and African Energy Policy Research Network (AFREPREN/FWD). London, U.K

Karekezi, S. and Karottki, R., 2017. A contribution to the Draft Paper on the Role of New and Renewable Energy Sources of Energy from the Perspective of Environmental Problems Associated With Current Patterns of Energy use and Consumption.

Teferra, M. 2019. Energy Sector Reform Theme Group: Data and Statistics Compilation - Ethiopia. African Energy Policy Research Network.

Raise Your Vibration

The law of nature states that everything has a vibration. If you have taken a Chemistry class you probably remember learning about atoms, and that everything is made up of atoms. These atoms are in a constant state of motion and depending on the speed of these atoms; things appear as a solid, liquid or gas. Sound is also a vibration and so are thoughts.

On the other hand, when you are around someone when you around someone and you just feel drained like you need to shower off the heavy feeling that has taken you over, this is ‘Personal Energy’ at its finest. Researchers at the Heart Math Institute (HMI) in California, study the heart and the amazing role it has in our overall mental wellness. They have discovered that the heart sends out an electromagnetic field of almost 3 feet from your body.

The hearts magnetic field, which is the strongest rhythmic field produced in the body, not only envelops every cell of the body, but also extends out in all directions into space around us. The heart’s magnetic field can be measured several feet away from the body by sensitive magnetometers. Research conducted at HMI suggests that the hearts field is an important carrier of information.   

Science has shown when you break a cell down, they are simply made of atoms. When you break an atom down, they are made of protons, electrons, neutrons and quarks. When you break protons, electrons, neutrons and quarks down, they are simply vortices of energy. In its simplest form, humans are made up of trillions of cells, cells are made from energy. Therefore, we are all simply energy.

When you hear about raising your vibrations or changing your frequency, people are referring to the vibrations your energy is giving off. Each one of us is vibrating and sending out different energy frequencies at all times. Guess what controls that energy and frequency we emit; our heart and our brain. In other words, the emotions we feel and the thoughts we think. This is why you are hearing so much about the power our thoughts and emotions have on our lives.

The more positive your emotions, the higher your energetic frequency. In ‘David R Hawkins’ book – ‘Power Vs Force,’ he created a diagram of vibrational states based on emotions. To put this in context, think of a time you were experiencing a moment of pure joy, laughter and love; you felt euphoric because your body was physically reacting by releasing different chemical energies of dopamine and oxytocin into your blood. Thus, changing your energetic vibrations. Now think of a time when you were feeling shame, guilt, fear or anger – your body was releasing cortisol or epinephrine into your blood stream, which creates a different energetic vibration, one that feels heavier.

Looking at the chart you can see the more positive emotions you encompass moment to moment, the more you will raise your vibrations. However, this is easier said than done. Especially when neuroscience has shown that out of the 60-70,000 thoughts, we have per day 80-90 percent of those are the same thoughts we had the day before. No wonder we feel mentally exhausted at times. 

We are constantly playing our thoughts on repeat, day after day, after day. Where understanding the importance of our thoughts come in, because on top of thinking the same thoughts day in and day out, thousands of times. Dr Joe Dispenza, has concluded that 95% of who we are by the time we are 35 years old is a set of memorized behaviors hanging out in our subconscious mind.