Paradoxes of #FossilFuels that contribute to #CarbonLockIn, by @JPTilsted: 1. "Everywhere, yet [made] invisible" (slow violence is overlooked); 2. "needed" [claim producers] yet inherently problematic, history of self-regulation a failure; 3. Booming, yet sector in decline
#fossilfuel producers are adding massive capacity, boosted by #plastic production, but industry projections for "transformative change" continue to dispose (yellow) + mismanage (red) plastics. @JPTilsted at @LUCSUS_LU seminar 2/n
Who produces and owns #fossilfuels? Wide range of actors including int'l + national oil firms, states, but also petrochemicals, "emerging market firms". "co-evolution of energy and engineering." Indirect ownership hard to trace + reinforces lock-in, shows @JPTilsted 3/n
Analysis of networks and ownership structure in petrochemical industry by @JPTilsted using @CDP database to analyze >38,000 subsidiaries of top 50 companies.Innovation focused on incremental improvements of existing tech, favors multi-nationals, creates barriers to new entry. 4/n
Preliminary network analysis by @JPTilsted of @CDP database shows "all major multinational petrochemical companies are connected". Plastics, petrochemical, fertilizers highly integrated, e.g., through joint ventures. Shifting $ btwn these fossil uses locks in existing regime. 5/n
Biobased + circular + degrowth economy (all 3) would be needed for sustainable #plastics, says @JPTilsted. One or two legs of the "stool" would not be sufficient. Must address both production + consumption with a systems perspective. 6/n
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Webinar on tools for assessing national #climate pledges (NDCs) by @WRIClimate. @davidwaskow reminds: #ParisAgreement is meant to work thru an iterative process of increasing ambition (faster emission reductions), leading to #netzero emissions by 2050. (Thread 1/n)
The world is currently WAY over our #carbonbudget for where we need to be to align with #ParisAgreement. Orange= countries will do under any event; red = conditional (e.g., will do if they get needed finance). We have LOTSA emissions to reduce fast @davidwaskow@WRIClimate (2/n)
Of 21 indicators assessed for #ParisAgreement:
2 are on track (e.g., crop yields)
13 right direction but too slow (e.g., need electric vehicle sales to be 22x faster than now)
2 in wrong direction: forests, ag emissions @davidwaskow from @climateactiontr, @WRIClimate et al 3/n
.@theAGU hosts a massive conference of Earth and space scientists every December, usually in San Francisco (photos below from previous years). My 1st meeting was in 2003 as a masters' student. In this #thread I'll share highlights from #AGU20, my first time attending virtually!
Something cool I discovered this year at #AGU20 (thanks to @KateBrauman) is the MacGyver session, w/ hacks including a test for #COVID19 in wastewater & a system to lure vineyard pests away with mating calls instead of harmful sprays. agu.confex.com/agu/fm20/meeti…
Now virtually attending @theNASEM workshop on #Sustainability science- input to the 2021 #NobelPrize Summit “Our Planet, Our Future." Register to watch livestream below. Some highlights to follow over next 3 days #Thread
"Autocracies don't publish much data," says @MarshallBBurke. Do existing methods reinforce existing problematic power structures & unsustainable patterns? Given data gaps, need more ways to measure at scale to be able to shine a light on and potentially address power imbalances.
"Equity is about justice and achieving equality of outcomes, so that everyone can see the football match" says @mleach_ids. Seven forms of equity interact to drive how groups experience the world.
Martin Hultman finds 4 kinds of #ClimateChange denial: 1. Organized: groups that spread and support misinformation 2. Party political-ideological: political parties 3. Response: decisions incompatible with claimed climate goals 4. Everyday: ppl know but don't act. @becc_sweden
Very relevant research questions from Martin Hultman. Focus on three key actors in #ClimateChange denial: extractive industries (since 1960), conservative think tanks (1989-), and right-wing nationalism (2008-). @GeoffreySupran, @BenFranta are you in touch with Martin?
Depressingly long history of #ClimateChange denial from Martin Hultman. Glaring gap between knowledge and action- partly explained by deliberate misinformation campaigns, as illustrated with #ExxonKnew tactics to delegitimize science, greenwash & mislead the public.
Communicating #ClimateChange: @NinaWormbs reflects on using technology (satellites) as stand-in for "seeing with our own eyes"; a scientific gaze used to support an economic claim ("melting sea ice will opens Northwest Passage shipping") becc.lu.se/event/theme-me…
Scientific language needs to be precise and non-emotional; @NinaWormbs likens Rachel Carson and Jim Hansen as facing similar communication struggles to convey scientific problems in a way people understand emotionally. @becc_sweden
A re-evaluation of what is rational for people: @NinaWormbs gives overview of research that can help us make sense of #climatechange denial.
Agriculture is the most destructive human activity invented. Major cause of biodiversity loss, water and ocean pollution, climate pollution. @LennartLUCSUS says the root cause is using annual plants instead of perennials - a 10,000 year old mistake. Thread on his talk 👇🏽
@LennartLUCSUS Annual crops (cereals, oilseeds, legumes) are 80% of food. This means overturning soil and destroying its structure & life at least 1-2x/year. @LennartLUCSUS
@LennartLUCSUS .@LennartLUCSUS quotes Wes Jackson on natural system agriculture. The key is diversity in space (polyculture) + perennial crops living for many years w/ large/deep roots. Jackson's vision for perennial ag he thought would take 100 years, closer to reality in 50.