Climate Week 2024

This was the first recorded work illustrating that atmospheric gases have the capacity to produce a greenhouse effect.  That means we’ve had some awareness, although not widespread, of the global warming capability of gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide for 167 years. We know, via ice core samples, that the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide in 1856 was 285 ppm. Only 40 years later, Svante Arrhenius developed the first theory of the greenhouse effect linking the cause to human activity. Ice cores dating to 1896 reveal that the atmospheric CO₂ concentrations were at 295 ppm. 

Jump forward to 1938, to Guy Callendar who compiled data over a 50-year period showing a notable rise in global mean temperatures and correlating that to increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. This was the first modeling of the global warming trend, and it came at a time when atmospheric CO₂ levels were at 311 ppm (ice core measurement).  In 1958, when CO₂ levels were 315.34 ppm, atmospheric measurements began at the Mauna Kea Observatory.  To this day, this observatory is responsible for maintaining and publishing the Keeling Curve (https://keelingcurve.ucsd.edu/) which continues to track the steady increase in atmospheric CO₂ levels.  The term Global Warming was coined in 1975 (CO₂ @ 332.03 ppm) by Wallace Broecker.  The late 1990s and early 21st century, thanks to increased global awareness, heralded an era of climate change agreements and actions including the 1997 Kyoto Protocol (CO₂ @ 363.88 ppm) and the 2015 Paris Agreement (CO₂ @ 401.01).  

In 2012 (CO₂ @ 394.06 ppm), Unity Environmental University became the first higher education institution in the US to divest from fossil fuels. This move was a significant step in the growing global movement to divest from fossil fuels, aligning with the university’s environmental mission and commitment to addressing climate change. Steps like this help to reduce the financial power of the fossil fuel industry, incentivizing a shift toward renewable energy sources.  To mitigate the devastating impacts of climate change, continuing efforts are required to decarbonize our world economy.  In 2024, atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations reached 424 ppm.  This is a 48.8% increase since the time of Eunice Foote’s discovery of greenhouse gases.  It is estimated that an atmospheric CO₂ concentration of approximately 478 ppm will trigger a catastrophic climate tipping point (https://oceans.mit.edu/news/featured-stories/5-questions-mits-ron-prinn-400-ppm-threshold.html). That would be a 12.7% increase over 2024 levels.  The only way to avoid this event is to make every effort to reduce greenhouse gases. The good news is that US greenhouse gas emissions have dropped 16% since 2022.  This is a great trend to report, but much more work is required globally to encourage other countries to commit to decarbonization efforts.    

Given Unity’s responsibility to “model how a sustainable business can operate in a manner that supports fiscal, human, and planetary wellbeing” (https://unity.edu/about/sustainable-achievements-initiatives/) how can Unity prompt each of us to act in ways that further the institution’s sustainability impact goals? Clearly, a single research study can provide food for thought but won’t give us a clear, widely applicable answer.

Researchers gave 165 German college students €25 each to participate in the study. Each also received €10 and was asked to choose how much of it to donate to carbon mitigation efforts at their university, keeping the remainder. The study looked at the effects of a nudge (a default contribution of €10, could opt out of the default to choose a lower contribution), short-term boost (context to inform the contribution decision), and social norm information (information about German students’ pro-environment attitudes). Each participant was randomly assigned to one group: 1) nudge with social information, 2) nudge only, 3) boost with social information, 4) boost only, or 5) control. Results showed no significant positive difference in average contribution between the control and any test group.

This may seem surprising, but is it? For most people, climate change is a complicated problem and is difficult to confront. The payback from choosing climate-friendly actions is uncertain, occurs in the distant future, and extends to a broad community. But the sacrifices involved in choosing climate-friendly actions fall directly and quickly on the individual. Due in part to this tug-of-war between the benefits and costs of individual contributions to address climate change, using behavioral approaches like nudges and boosts were not effective in this study. Instead, the study found that personal characteristics like positive attitudes toward sustainability and a history of environment-friendly behavior were linked to higher participant contributions.

What can Unity and other sustainability-minded organizations learn from this study? The results suggest that institutional policies to shape individuals’ climate-friendly behaviors can have unintended consequences or even backfire. Supporting, reinforcing, and rewarding people’s existing positive sustainability actions and beliefs can be a more effective way than rules or behavioral policies to make progress toward an organization’s environmental impact goals.

Bastini, K., Kerschreiter, R., Lachmann, M., Ziegler, M., & Sawert, T. (2024). Encouraging Individual Contributions to Net-Zero Organizations: Effects of Behavioral Policy Interventions and Social Norms. Journal of Business Ethics, 192(3), 543–560. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-023-05516-8

We can learn a lot about the present climate based on historical climate records, and there are different scientific techniques for collecting this climate data, which archaeologists may be involved in collecting or will refer to in their work. Some examples of this data collection include dendrochronology (the study of tree rings, which are excellent markers of climate conditions for each growth year), ice coring (the layers of ice cored from glaciers and ice sheets capture climate conditions throughout incremental time), and similar to ice coring, sediment coring (or capturing sediment layers deposited over time).

While climate changes have occurred throughout time, the current state of our climate and its anthropogenically driven changes is unprecedented. While we will not be able to find refuge in the past to reassure us that this has happened before, we can look at how different human cultures and societies have cared for their environments sustainably. My interests lie in how we can learn and apply these historical sustainable strategies to mitigate and adapt to our current climate crisis.

An interesting example is the chinampas or floating gardens found in the Basin of Mexico and used by farmers of the region from at least as early as 1250 CE. The use of chinampas by the Aztecs at their capital city of Tenochtitlan was observed and recorded by the Spanish in the 1500s. Chinampas are an agricultural system where garden beds are formed from layers of mud and vegetation in a wetland environment, and the beds are then bordered by canal systems, which provide irrigation. These garden beds are highly productive due to the organic rich soil used to create them and the diversity of plant species grown.

Chinampas continue to be used today, and they became increasingly important again during the Covid-19 pandemic. This ancient method of farming is helping Mexico City to be more resilient to changing conditions and external forces. Throughout the world today, there are sustainable agricultural systems practiced by different cultures for hundreds of years – some of which are registered as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS). The generational knowledge of these systems has created resiliency to climate changes and environmental pressures. As a global community, we can learn from these long-term and multigenerational practices to develop and apply more sustainable strategies. We can also look to the past to see how societies responded to environmental threats to better prepare us for how we will respond. There is hope and innovation in learning more about different cultural approaches to sustainability. Working together cross-culturally and exploring historical contexts will lead to more robust and creative sustainable solutions. 

While the ocean is naturally dynamic, with large-scale cycles and processes we still don’t fully understand, the undeniable reality is that the Gulf of Maine is warming rapidly, making it one of the fastest-warming bodies of water on the planet. With limited time, funding, and weather constraints, it’s increasingly important to use resources wisely, especially when searching for humpback and fin whales. We need to know where to look and work with the few individuals we can find within a single day. Areas that were once full of whale activity used to be teeming with seabirds, helping us locate whales as they share food sources. The water once held so much krill at sunset that you could scoop them up with a cup. Now, it feels like a completely different place. 

To someone unfamiliar with the region, these changes might go unnoticed. The landforms and cold water remain, but the overall productivity has shifted dramatically. Many times when I’ve been on the water—whether for research or training whale-watch interns—we haven’t been able to find large whales. We don’t see the same flocks of seabirds, and fish-finders often show little activity. This poses challenges for both research and the tourism industry. Whale-watching boats are now traveling farther and using more fuel to find remaining hotspots of activity. When we think about the anthropogenic impacts on whales, we often focus on more obvious threats like whaling, ship strikes, and entanglements. It’s harder to quantify the stress caused by shifting oceanographic conditions. 

Whales, as some of the largest animals on Earth, need enormous amounts of food. Their food supply depends on oceanographic factors like nutrient mixing, cold water that holds oxygen, and other environmental conditions. These factors are produced by complex systems involving physical bathymetry and water circulation, which is strongly influenced by temperature. As these conditions shift, so do the smaller organisms whales rely on for food. Consequently, whales must keep moving in search of the energy they need to survive. 

This past season actually brought an influx of deep cold water, possibly from melting glaciers, which increased productivity and brought more whale activity back to familiar spots. It was exciting to see! However, if the warming trend continues, these animals will likely keep moving north in search of food. And when their distribution is already at higher latitudes, there’s only so far they can go. It’s heartbreaking to think about. We’ve cataloged and followed these individual whales for years- it’s incredibly depressing not to see them here predictably anymore. The impacts of climate change on large whales are both real and alarming. While there’s no easy solution, I hope we can continue working to study and protect these creatures.

These annual markings, a kind of domestic dendrochronology, tend to recede into the background, becoming invisible most days, but every birthday we focus, draw a new line, and are genuinely startled at how much our daughter has grown. We are startled even though we see her every single day of the year. Gradual change easily escapes our notice; our baselines shift and change falls below our threshold for perception. We need tangible measurements to apprehend.

The tangible measurements of climate change abound. Temperature (two degrees Fahrenheit since 1850) is one. Sea level rise (nine inches since 1900) is another. Glacial retreat is what resonates with me. I grew up in Juneau, Alaska, home of the easily accessible Mendenhall Glacier. The Mendenhall Glacier (called Sít in the Tlingit language) is one of the top tourist attractions in Southeast Alaska, entertaining hundreds of thousands of visitors each summer. My first clear memories of the glacier are from 1980, when I was eight years old. At that time (we each set our own baseline), the glacier curved down like a frozen river, flowing fourteen miles from the Juneau Icefield, some 2,000 feet above sea level, and ending with its towering terminal face square in Mendenhall Lake, calving icebergs the size of pickup trucks. Since then, the terminus of the glacier has retreated over a mile, withdrawing from the lake and narrowing to a sliver of its former self. The nearly 700,000 tourists who visited the glacier this past summer saw something entirely different from those who visited in the decades before. For me, like the age marks on a doorframe, seeing the glacier today is genuinely startling.

These tangible measures don’t really tell us anything we don’t already know. I know that the climate is changing. In recent decades, Alaska has been warming twice as fast as the rest of the United States. The number of glaciers fed by the Juneau Icefield has dropped by 63 (out of 1,050) since 2005, and the icefield itself has lost ten percent of its area in the same period. Even without the kitchen doorframe, I know that my daughter is growing. But making these measurements, marking these lines, remains an essential task. It is important for us to be startled, to apprehend, while we all still have a chance to grow.

Being deep in the science on the topic, I can imagine the reverberating repercussions of pollinator losses across the landscape. Bumblebee populations fail to recover from a drought one year, or the timing of flowering has changed in response to abnormally warm temperatures too early in the spring. Without their pollinators showing up for their beautifully choreographed evolutionary dance, a whole generation of plants is insufficiently pollinated, they produce fewer seeds, and the genetic variation of these plants can dwindle. Scale this out to an ecosystem and imagine how this entire system could collapse if this cycle happens on repeat, year after year.

Such a message doesn’t seem to hit home for many and resonates more when I bring up the human food supply. 1 in 3 bites of food comes from plants pollinated by bees, and when you look at a plate without foods pollinated by bees, it lacks all the colors and nutrients that many fruits and vegetables provide. Helping people understand these intricate connections and honestly care about them to the point that they feel inspired to take action is a formidable mountain to overcome. With our food system disconnecting us more and more from our food sources, it is easy for people to imagine their food magically appearing on store shelves and more challenging for them to smell the soil and hear the buzz of the bees pollinating their berries.

During climate week, I continue to work on strategies for helping people feel more connected to their environments, their food, and the plants and animals around them. More than ever, we need an informed populace that is impassioned and ready to act. Getting out into nature, sitting in a garden, and just observing the beauty of the intricate web of interactions that sustains our planet can take my breath away. I hope this week, more of us can do just that, spend time in nature appreciating and cherishing all that it gives us.

I found the article Climate Change and Companion Animals: Identifying Links and Opportunities for Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies to be a novel perspective relevant for anyone in the animal care field and I have reviewed some main points from the article.  

It is predicted that more frequent and severe weather events will occur because of climate change. For animal sheltering professionals, this can mean more crowded shelters and less resources to go around. Animal shelters should have protocols in place in case of weather events that may overcrowd the shelter or may require the animals to be relocated. Foster programs in which volunteers are recruited to temporarily house animals can be a viable option in these instances. Foster programs should be set up prior to their need, to ensure enough volunteers are recruited and trained before an emergency. 

Another interesting consideration is that weather conditions can be associated with animal behavior. Warmer temperatures are correlated with both more frequent dog bites and a higher incidence of rabies. This means that as the temperature rises, so will the number of canine rabies cases. Additionally, free-roaming cats are more sociable toward humans on days with rain or snow present. Together, this indicates that as climate changes, so may the behavior of companion animals toward humans. 

It is also important to consider how companion animals can contribute to climate change. When taking care of companion animals, an amazing amount of waste is produced. Think about the number of waste bags, food containers, and toy packaging you open as you care for your pet. Much of this is made of single-use plastic which is not recyclable and can be a contributor to environmental pollution. Companies are beginning to offer sustainable packaging, and consumers can choose to support brands which utilize more eco-friendly packaging. 

The presence of outdoor, free-roaming cats and dogs can further exacerbate the negative impacts to wildlife. Instead, the animal can be taught to walk on a leash or be provided with an outdoor enclosure. For animals who already free roam, there is evidence that certain care methods can help reduce predation, for cats this includes the opportunity for more play and the provision of a high-meat-protein food in a location far from the forest’s edge to allow a buffer away from wildlife. 

Alexandra Protopopova and co-authors end their paper with an open call to companion animal professionals to join the climate change discussion. Given the inseparable links between humans, animals, and the environment, companion animals are an important and overlooked aspect. As animal care professionals it is your responsibility to reflect on your role in this emerging conversation.

Raptors exhibit very high diversity within this region with over 75% of all North American raptor species occurring. The response of this diversity of raptors to climate change is currently unpredictable as they appear to be responding in complex and often surprising ways. Some species, like the Gray Hawk and Crested Caracara, are expanding their ranges and increasing abundance, but this may be the exception rather than the rule. For other species, the changing climate may be expressed as range contractions, and within ranges the need for thermal refugia may limit abundance. In addition, reductions in primary productivity result in reductions in prey as well as shifts in what prey are present. These shifts to novel prey community’s results in bottom-up impacts on the raptor assemblage. In addition, climate change alters the prominence of parasites and disease in the region, such as the poultry bug, an ectoparasite found within nests that can reduce reproductive success through nestling mortality, that may pose a risk to some species. The combination of landscape change, prey species and abundance, and disease creates an array of challenges for already vulnerable species. In response to these mounting pressures, conservation efforts need to be recalibrated to address the unique needs of arid land raptors. Long-term monitoring programs should be established to track the full scope of climate change impacts to provide data to inform future conservation strategies. We need to identify needed resources such as thermal refugia and reliable water sources and may need to practice more intentioned management to provide these resources. As the Southwest’s raptors continue to navigate the rapidly changing environment, we need to remember that climate change impacts are more than just ranges shifting northward and focus on developing management strategies that provide for continuing presence in faunal communities that will be novel and substantially different than formerly present.

By the end of 2022, Lake Mead was only 27% full, with a water level about 14 meters lower than it was two years ago. The Colorado River Drought is in its 24th year. This Millennium Drought has dramatically decreased both snow runoff and precipitation in all the lakes and also rivers, alarming a water catastrophe for the country. An accurate drought forecasting system can deliver precise forecasts with appropriate lead times. My research is an example of sustainable systems engineering by Artificial Intelligence (AI) for predicting drought in Colorado. In this study, Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) are two AI models that are used for the daily streamflow prediction in two rivers in Colorado. This study utilizes these models because they can accurately predict droughts, do not require calibration, and can be used readily in operational drought forecasting. Daily discharge (Q) data will be gathered from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) from 2001 to 2019. The performance of the proposed methodologies will be validated against streamflow measurements. According to the initial results, both AI approaches can capture the monthly streamflow variations in Colorado rivers. Finally, the results from this project will be used to develop a very much-needed early drought warning system for Colorado and will mitigate the impacts of drought to achieve a sustainable future in the era of climate change and water crisis. Accurate prediction of droughts is important for government, water resources managers, and stakeholders to meet sustainable development goals by 2030.

As we progress into the 21st century, it becomes progressively clearer that the paradigms that we have applied to resource use and management are not resolving the fundamental disconnects between human use of resources and the ability of the planet to process the byproducts and recover from the extraction our use generates. The downside to the consistent application of outmoded solutions and methods is the rapidly declining health of the global ecological balance and the continued mass extinction of all species… signaling the inability of humans to persist under these circumstances, as well. The upside is the forced evolution of human perception and the subsequent blooming of complex, novel creativity and biophilia that marks the delineation between humans and other animals.

In the work I have conducted in the MBBR (resulting in 3 publications if you are curious), the threat and effects of climate change have brought a wide array of actors together to seek solutions to protect a species as resilient as it is fragile– The Monarch butterfly. From New England to the trans-volcanic mountains of south-central Mexico, this species inspires anticipation, appreciation, and hope. The Monarch butterfly highlights the surprising fortitude of the gentlest known creature that weighs less than a paperclip…and the mystery of their innate knowledge to continue a cycle no one teaches them to repeat. There is a lovely documentary called “Vida es Muerte” that covers the multicultural aspects of this migration, created by a dear colleague and friend.

The Oyamel and the Monarch are a gentle but firm reminder that the most valuable things in life are those that need our understanding to survive. Both species are fighting to thrive in a world that is changing faster than they can adapt. Your trajectory at Unity Environmental University is ideally preparing you to appreciate this relationship between us and our miraculous planet and to be competent stewards who consider the voices that are most notable when they go silent. Keep on, intrepid Environmental scholars. What you do is so important.

What seems like obvious, black and white choices, can quickly become much more murky as I factor in things such as carbon footprint of the transportation, or carbon outputs due to processing. It turns out that eggs from my backyard chickens may be a better choice than frozen peas. Tofu does not solve all the problems. I can’t survive for the year on the tomatoes I get from my garden for two weeks. The amount of information and learning how to analyze it more often leads to paralysis than to impactful environmental decisions.

So, like many wicked environmental problems, it takes work and effort to arrive at a place where I can move forward. I have to eat. And I still want to save the planet. Instead of giving up, I embrace the complexity and make the choices with the recognition that there are environmental impacts, and I do the best I can. While the amount of information is overwhelming, it is still powerful to know. While there is no perfect choice, I can still be empowered.

The first step to my empowerment is to acknowledge that I have an impact. While it may seem hard to accept that my food choices have a high carbon output, that also means that I can accept that I can make a difference. Choosing the locally grown produce as a snack over the bag of chips is powerful. It makes a difference in the climate (and my health too!). Are there better choices for the climate? Possibly. But by recognizing that I have an impact I am also giving myself the ability to try to have a positive impact.

I will keep trying. Keep learning. Keep eating. Everyone should. I highly recommend checking out some of the many ‘foodprint’ calculators that help identify opportunities in your diet for improving your carbon footprint. And instead of aiming for perfection, which doesn’t exist, aim for awareness and improvement.

From the perspective of Thoreau’s mantra, we would not be forced to face the super-wicked problem of the climate crisis if we had embraced simple riches rather than getting entrenched within the desperate complexities of industrialization. Complexity is a driver of civilization, including its many dignities, but when civilizations become too complex, many dysfunctions arise that may lead to collapse.

Those dysfunctions include Anthropocene addictions, or thinking that we can’t afford to leave things alone, which are bound up with narratives of linear progress (history as a straight line of bigger and better stuff), unlimited economic growth (more and better stuff leads to the good life), and technology as savior (minor problems from progress and growth will be solved by more and better technology).

Thoreau provides a different narrative, which I call the Waldencene, an age where we integrate the good kind of complexity, including complex, systems thinking, with the aid of simplicity, simplicity, simplicity. Such simplicity is not forced austerity or sacrifice but the giving up of addictions and willing embrace of simple riches.

The Waldencene would include the following orientations and actions, all advocated for and lived by Thoreau:

Openness to transcendent mystery, ecstatic experience, and receptive senses; the integration of the sciences and humanities and practice of the naturalist; criticism of dominant technology and embrace of appropriate technology; engaging a vibrant and vital inner life inspired by inner genius and expressed as self-reliance; redefining and reshaping economy and work; staying put and contributing to community; civil disobedience fueled by conscience in response to systemic injustice; and learning by listening beyond the human.

Thoreau also wrote about the need for spiritual transformation: “The highest we can attain is not Knowledge, but Sympathy with Intelligence.” And he knew the value of our lostness: “Every man has to learn the points of the compass again as often as he awakes, whether from sleep or any abstraction. Not till we are lost, in other words, not till we have lost the world, do we begin to find ourselves, and realize where we are and the infinite extent of our relations.”

The evolutionary timeline includes the history of lost humans responding to crises, sometimes with new learning, sometimes too late and with eco-social collapse. Climate crisis reflects a new level of lostness because we have reached new levels of complexity never before experienced.

If we are to respond with resiliency and find our way to the far side of this complexity, we must continually re-find the compass, again and again, realizing the infinite extent of our relations by living in sympathy with intelligence.

William Homestead is the author of An Ecology of Communication: Response and Responsibility in an Age of Ecocrisis. His new books, Not Till We Are Lost: Thoreau, Education, and Climate Crisis and The Active Soul: Emerson and Thoreau on Reform and Civil Disobedience, will be published in fall 2024 and spring 2025 respectively by Mercer University Press.

Warming temperatures and extreme heat have negatively impacted kelp forests, particularly in areas without sea otters. The study found that sea otter population density was identified as the primary driver of changes in kelp forests, with a significant positive impact on kelp canopy resilience.

In a warming climate, sea otters are super important for keeping kelp forests healthy. They eat sea urchins, which helps prevent predation on kelp. This way, the kelp forests are less susceptible to degradation and continue to offer crucial benefits like storing carbon and providing habitats for marine life. The authors suggest the need for integrating kelp forests into blue carbon initiatives, which currently focus on mangroves, seagrasses, and salt marshes. 

Citation: Nicholson TE, McClenachan L, Tanaka KR, Van Houtan KS (2024) Sea otter recovery buffers century-scale declines in California kelp forests. PLOS Clim 3(1): e0000290. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pclm.0000290

As I seek to understand the universe of intersecting issues within the climate crisis and climate justice, I immediately start with people’s essential needs in a world of massive inequality and inequities alongside the constant needs and changes of our environment and ecosystem. What stands out to me, consequently, is how overwhelming these needs can be to understand and actually address in our society, especially provided massive status quo systems that continue to exist, not to mention all of the inequality and inequities that exist within and as a result of these systems. I developed the Climate Justice Collaborative Toolkit to improve intersectional collaboration, capacity building, and reciprocal agreements that would ensure better mitigation and adaptation of climate crisis events. 

Climate crisis is an ongoing reality of our lives everywhere. Indeed, we are in what could also be called an era of climate chaos and instability. However, that does not mean that we have to live in despair and without hope and action. Rather, we must ask ourselves how we can collectively prepare for these inevitable crisis points. Ideally, these crisis points will not be the worst that they could be or as frequent as they could be, if we think collectively and collaborate and act on climate justice while continuing to advance the ecological and technological strategies integral to the whole climate movement already underway locally, nationally, and globally. Despite the remarkable advancements in modern sustainability strategies, we cannot do this work alone or in small or large silos and address the needs of the whole community. Thus, this means that collaboration is essential to making climate justice a reality as it fully needs to be addressed and acted on, to also ensure that there is longevity to these efforts that applies to many different contexts, from the individual to the neighborhood to the organization, to the project to the program, and to the whole community and society. 

The question then arises as to how to best plan for such efforts based on people’s essential needs, especially to help people with the least resources and supports to be able to withstand a climate crisis event, also with their essential needs met to help them move beyond it. It is possible if the necessary resources, supports, and collaborative efforts can be marshaled to prepare for the reality of ongoing climate crisis events. It is also possible to better help each other support the people most impacted by climate crises so we can be proactive and not reactive in planning for climate chaos, as well as go beyond just living through climate crisis events to both survive and thrive within our communities locally, nationally, and globally. Collective, intersectional climate justice is the movement that our times demand.

I wonder if that’s a fault in me, or if it’s representative of a larger pattern in how humans respond to abstract threats. Maybe what we fear losing most is not our lives but our cultures. Or is that the take of someone who is insulated from the worst of what’s to come? I can be stiltingly polite about my right to reflect on the pain of those whose circumstances are so different from my own. So: Perhaps I’ve invented an effete way to protect myself from the pain of others. Does fear for their traditional lacquer crafts even *register* in the minds of Maldivians when their very land faces annihilation? And yet: I can’t help but think we undersell and undervalue the fears we feel for our traditions – even those as embarrassingly bourgeois as skiing. Humans are very adept at survival. We will pay attention to ourselves to the very end, even as we let the most vulnerable – plant, animal and human alike – go unsaved. But if we plan to survive what is to come, we won’t be doing so with all of what makes us who we are. This isn’t just an existential threat. It’s a threat that will eat up the small things that make us happy and fulfilled. It will eat the snow on the mountains, and with that – some of my sweeter dreams.

Soil health, or the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans, is paramount. Healthy soil gives us clean air and water, abundant crops and forests, and diverse wildlife. 

Regenerative agricultural practices can also preserve water quality and increase availability, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, improve biodiversity, and more. These practices can also help in producing more nutritious food by sustaining more nutrient-dense soil. 

The 5 Principles of Regenerative Agriculture are: 

Don’t disturb the soil 

Keep the soil surface covered 

Keep living roots in the soil 

Grow a diverse range of crops 

Bring grazing animals back to the land 

In our modern society, we have become a bit disconnected from our natural world. Our environment does a great job regulating itself, in most cases. To me, the principles of regenerative agriculture align with natural systems and processes, which is why it can be a very successful method of conservation through farming. Food security is an issue that impacts everyone, even those who are far removed from traditional rural communities. After all, we all need to eat, right? I know that many of our students are already in the farming profession or are pursuing a degree so they can enter this profession. I want you to know that even if you aren’t an agricultural producer, you can support the advancement of regenerative agriculture too. Stay educated, talk to your loved ones, and stay informed on political candidates whose values also support conservation. Your voice and your vote are privileges that many people alive today still don’t have – don’t take them for granted. Food security and environmental security are issues that impact everybody, and their solutions can be promoted by anybody. Regenerative agriculture seems like a no-brainer as far as climate solutions are concerned.

In Atlanta, climate change is contributing to more frequent and intense heat waves, impacting both urban and rural areas. I see how the region is experiencing higher temperatures, which worsen air pollution and lead to poor air quality, putting vulnerable populations at greater risk of respiratory problems. The city faces increased flooding from more intense storms, as a result of changing precipitation patterns. These shifts threaten local infrastructure and disrupt communities. The rising temperatures and unpredictable weather patterns also negatively impact agriculture, water resources, and the economy. 

At its core, sustainability means meeting the needs of the present without jeopardizing the ability of future generations to meet theirs. I believe we must avoid practices that deplete natural resources and accelerate climate change. Prioritizing renewable energy sources like solar and wind over fossil fuels is essential. In cities like Atlanta, transitioning to clean energy would not only reduce emissions but also help counteract the urban heat island effect, where buildings and pavement trap heat, making the city even warmer. Promoting sustainable agriculture and curbing deforestation are equally important steps we must take to mitigate climate change and preserve biodiversity, especially in regions like the Southeast that are rich in forests and wildlife. 

Climate change is not just a local issue, it is a global problem that requires global solutions. International cooperation is key to developing and implementing effective policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to a changing climate. Global agreements like the Paris Agreement are crucial to this effort. Sharing knowledge, technology, and resources across nations can help us make faster progress. However, regions like Atlanta can also benefit from localized climate policies, such as expanding public transportation and enhancing green spaces to combat rising temperatures.

I also recognize that addressing climate change is not solely the responsibility of governments. Individuals and communities, including myself, play a vital role as well. By adopting sustainable habits such as reducing energy consumption, conserving water, and minimizing waste. I know we can all contribute to a more sustainable future. In Atlanta, efforts to increase energy efficiency, support local agriculture, and invest in green infrastructure are essential steps toward creating a more resilient city. Supporting businesses and organizations that prioritize environmental sustainability can also drive positive market changes that benefit both the local economy and the environment. 

The climate crisis demands a unified global response that is both sustainable and collaborative. From the local impacts I see in Atlanta to the broader global context, I believe we need to take essential steps to mitigate the worst effects of climate change and create a more resilient, equitable future for generations to come.

This type of weather exacerbates the spreading of various diseases as well. High temperatures are increasing the bites of mosquitoes which carry deadly diseases such as dengue and malaria in some countries. Other ways that hot weathers are altering the environment are natural disasters such as hurricanes, fires, and floods. These are causing too much damage to our earth and at the same time such disasters are killing many. There is no doubt that extreme weather changes are impacting humans.

We have about 15 amphibian species that depend on ephemeral wetlands as breeding habitat because they don’t have fish or large populations of invertebrate predators. Some of these species, like ornate chorus frogs and striped newts, are winter breeders and some, like the various treefrog species, migrate down to breeding ponds in the summertime. The timing and duration of wetland hydration is very important. What we are seeing here is a shift in the timing of rainfall, and hence wetland hydration. This shift particularly impacts winter-breeding species. As our winter rainy season shifts later, rather than hydrating in December or January, wetlands sometimes do not hold significant water until February. This impacts the ability of winter-breeding amphibians to successfully reproduce before leaf-out occurs and wetlands start drying due to increased photosynthesis and solar radiation. If wetlands hold water for shorter amounts of time, species with longer metamorphoses periods cannot successfully breed. The ponds will dry before metamorphosis is complete. This year is the first time in several years that we have had widespread successful breeding of winter species. We had a ‘normal’ year. I will definitely be keeping an eye on the phenology of pond hydroperiod, especially during the winter season, over the coming decades.

It demands a shift in the entire organizational culture, one that values environmental responsibility, social equity, and long-term economic success. And the key to making this shift? Leadership. Here are three things future leaders like you need to understand to drive sustainable change: 

• Influence and Change Management 

• Innovation and Empowering Teams 

• Holistic Approaches 

To successfully lead any cultural change, you must first grasp the power of influence and change management. Sustainable cultures are agile and adaptable, so the vision and approach must reflect that. It starts at the top, with leaders championing transparency, ethical decision-making, and accountability. But, it also needs buy-in from every level of the organization. As a future leader, it’ll be your job to create strategies that resonate with your team, stakeholders, and the wider community. Those strategies should be clear, measurable, and aligned with the company’s core values to make embracing the changes easier for everyone involved. 

Let’s face it: people don’t always like change. There’s often uncertainty and fear of the unknown. You’ll need to manage that by promoting open communication, involving your team in decision-making, and providing the resources and training they need to adapt. Changing the culture toward sustainability won’t happen overnight. It takes time, patience, and persistence. But if you lead with empathy and inclusion, you’ll make the transition smoother and help your organization overcome the challenges that come with change. 

Sustainable leadership also demands innovation. You’ve got to think outside the box and encourage your teams to do the same. It’s about questioning the status quo and constantly asking how things could be done better, smarter, and more ethically. By fostering a culture where experimentation is encouraged, even if it means failure, you’ll empower your team to push boundaries and come up with innovative solutions. And by giving your employees ownership of sustainability initiatives, you’ll deepen their commitment to the company’s goals. 

Ultimately, leadership is what drives the transformation toward a sustainable culture. As a future leader, it’s essential that you take a holistic top-down and bottom-up approach that integrates ESG factors into every corner of the business. This might mean reevaluating supply chains, business models, or even the organization’s mission and values to make sure sustainability is baked into the DNA of the company. Accountability is key, so setting measurable goals and regularly checking progress will be crucial. By embracing your role as a leader of change, encouraging innovation, and empowering your team, you’ll help create organizations that don’t just survive but thrive and, in doing so, contribute to a healthier, more sustainable world.

These blue carbon ecosystems provide a variety of ecosystem services that help achieve the SDGs, both directly and indirectly. Mangroves, for example, have historically provided coastal communities with access to productive fish and shellfish fishing grounds, food, and essential nutrients. They also serve as sources for charcoal, firewood, honey, textiles, dyes, tannins, and medicines. Mangroves are essential wetlands that play a significant role in the cycling of nutrients and water, providing habitats for fish and marine organisms, and supporting high biodiversity. 

Mangroves have attracted so much attention because they are exceptional carbon sinks, storing four times more atmospheric carbon than mature tropical forests, which is essential in combating climate change. This resilience of mangroves, even in the face of climate change, should inspire hope and optimism in our conservation efforts. However, mangroves remain among the most endangered tropical ecosystems due to human activities, which threaten local livelihoods and biodiversity while exacerbating climate change. 
In West Africa, women-dominated mangrove shellfisheries offer a valuable link between local ecological knowledge and scientific efforts to address mangrove loss, sea level rise, ocean acidification, and climate change. Acknowledging mangroves as coupled natural-human systems highlights the importance of local ecological knowledge for conserving biodiversity and critical habitats linked to fisheries productivity, and climate action. However, women’s knowledge may often be overlooked. The Try Oyster Women’s Association and the Densu Oyster Pickers in the Gambia and Ghana, respectively, are examples of successful women-led community-based conservation efforts. These initiatives developed oyster fishery management plans, including community-managed exclusive use zones and seasonal closures for oyster harvesting. Mangrove replanting efforts and oyster value chain development complemented these actions to enhance sustainability and economic benefits. Although relevant at local scales, replicating these initiatives can have multiplier effects at broader scales. I believe that local actions are pathways to mitigating climate change and ultimately, only by acknowledging the significance and complementary value of local ecological knowledge can we find solutions to local and global problems.

The increasing demand for corporate sustainability leaders is based on the growing need for three main skill sets to mitigate and adapt to climate change:

1.    multiple methods to assess the environmental risks of climate change,

2.    strategic climate planning for ESG, EMS, or ISO-complaint environmental management,

3.    development and implementation of sustainable solutions for climate resilience.  

Job descriptions with titles including ‘sustainability’ rose over 20% in 2019 (Davies 2020) for professionals who have these competitive, modern skills. Careers in corporate climate resilience are now replacing many traditional jobs. The most in-demand positions include Sustainability Managers, Chief Sustainability Officers, and a variety of Business Sustainability Professionals to constitute Sustainability Teams (ESG, EMS, or ISO Teams), which is why many professionals are seeking modern education and advanced training.

It is also why we need to rise to meet the demand to support, train, and launch corporate sustainability professionals. As Education Scientists reports, “Now, more than ever, the need is great for highly-educated professionals to study and implement more sustainable practices” (2022).

Forward-thinking corporate leaders are increasing their commitment to sustainability by pursuing the Triple Bottom Line (people-planet-profit) to generate more than profit; to generate social value and environmental sustainability. As evidence of this change, there was a 45% increase between 2016-2020 in the number of businesses expressly committed to sustainable practices (Marsh 2022).  

Gray Associates, a strategy firm focused on higher education, recently reported Sustainability is “one of the Top Ten Most In-Demand” programs for graduate study (2023). This is a direct contemporary result of business professionals actively seeking to retrain, upskill, and multi-skill to modernize their capabilities in climate resilient practices.

Corporate leaders are rising to meet the challenges of climate change, thus we also are rising to meet the demand for advanced education and upskilling in corporate sustainability. We are training professionals to assess environmental risks; develop strategic plans for Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG), Environmental Management Systems (EMS), International Standards Organization-compliance (ISO 14001+); and to develop sustainable solutions.

In response to modern corporate climate challenges, our programs in climate change and corporate sustainability are designed to generate value, demonstrate leadership, and drive positive impact. Our students and faculty want their careers to be purposeful. To meet this demand, we are leading into the future by offering substantive and impactful programs in climate change and corporate sustainability.

References:  

Davies, J., VP and Senior Analyst, GreenBiz Group, State of the Profession 2020, https://www.greenbiz.com/report/state-profession-2020-report, accessed September 2024.

Education Scientists. 2022. “A sustainability degree is worth it,” https://educationscientists.com/  is-a-sustainability-a-good-major/#.~:text=Yes%2C, accessed September, 2024.

Gray Associates. 2023. Higher Education Demand Trends, Gray Analysis of National Student Clearinghouse, https://www.grayassociates.com/grayreports-webcast/, accessed September 2024.

Marsh, J. 2022. “Understanding the Growing Demand for Sustainability Professionals,” https://greenerideal.com/news/business/growing-demand-for-sustainability-professionals/, accessed September, 2024.

Effective communication is essential to bridging the gap between scientific knowledge and societal action, particularly in addressing the urgent and complex nature of climate-related issues.

One of the most significant challenges in climate communication is overcoming misinformation and the polarization surrounding the topic. Climate science is often contested in public discourse, with varying degrees of skepticism, especially when political and economic interests come into play. This presents a unique challenge: how do we craft messages that resonate with diverse audiences while maintaining scientific integrity? The key lies in understanding the values and concerns of different communities and framing climate change in ways that align with their experiences. For example, rather than focusing solely on abstract global warming statistics, communicators can emphasize local impacts such as rising sea levels, extreme weather events, or agricultural disruptions that people can directly relate to in their daily lives.

Another critical aspect of climate communication is the need for inclusive narratives. Historically, marginalized communities—often those most affected by climate change—have been underrepresented in climate discussions. These communities experience disproportionate environmental harm, yet their voices are frequently left out of policy debates and media coverage. Amplifying the stories of these groups and ensuring that they are part of the conversation is crucial for developing equitable and sustainable solutions. Communication strategies that prioritize inclusivity not only broaden the audience for climate action but also foster a sense of shared responsibility and collective empowerment.

Finally, the role of communication in inspiring behavioral change cannot be overstated. Climate change can feel overwhelming and paralyzing, leading to what psychologist’s call “climate fatigue” or even apathy. Effective climate communication must balance the urgency of the issue with hope and agency. People need to believe that their actions, whether individual or collective, can make a difference. This is where storytelling, visuals, and calls to action come into play—communicating not only the risks of inaction but also the tangible benefits of taking steps toward sustainability.

In conclusion, addressing climate change requires more than just scientific understanding; it demands a concerted effort to communicate effectively, inclusively, and persuasively. As educators, we have a responsibility to equip students with the tools to engage in these vital conversations and to foster a climate-literate society capable of driving meaningful change. Through thoughtful communication, we can bridge divides, combat misinformation, and inspire a global movement toward a more sustainable future.

This issue is significant not only in North America but also globally, underscoring the need for comprehensive conservation strategies.

    Globally, rising temperatures and altered precipitation patterns have disrupted migratory routes, breeding cycles, and food availability. Long-distance migratory birds are particularly vulnerable, as they rely on precise environmental cues to time their journeys. For example, warmer temperatures are causing birds to arrive earlier at breeding grounds, leading to mismatches with peak food availability. BirdLife International (2024) reports that 37% of globally threatened bird species are affected by climate change. A study conducted in Asia, in which I participated, found that by 2100, 45% of species in Important Bird Areas in the Eastern Himalaya and Lower Mekong regions are likely to experience declines in suitable climate, resulting in substantial turnover in species composition (Bagchi et al., 2013). Nicholls and Cazenave (2010) also highlighted that habitat loss due to rising sea levels threatens coastal and wetland bird populations.

      In North America, climate change presents a major threat to avian species across various ecosystems. Rosenberg et al. (2019) report that over 3 billion birds have been lost since 1970, with many declines linked to changes in migration patterns and habitat loss. Migratory species are experiencing disrupted migration timing, affecting their breeding success. The National Audubon Society (2020) predicts that nearly two-thirds of North American bird species are at risk of extinction if global temperatures continue to rise. Wetland-dependent species, such as the American Black Duck, face threats from habitat degradation, while high-altitude species like the White-tailed Ptarmigan are losing suitable habitats as warming forces these environments further up the mountains.

     In conclusion, climate change poses a serious threat to bird species worldwide. The loss of suitable habitats, altered migration patterns, and mismatched breeding cycles are critical challenges for bird populations. Immediate actions, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and conserving critical habitats, are essential to protect biodiversity. Without these efforts, the future for many bird species remains uncertain.

References

1) Bagchi, R., Crosby, M., Huntley, B., Hole, D., Butchart, S., Collingham, Y., Kalra, M., Rajkumar, J., Rahmani, A., Pandey, M., Gurung, H., Trai, L., Nguyen, Q., & Willis, S. (2023). Evaluating the effectiveness of conservation site networks under climate change: Accounting for uncertainty. Global Change Biology, 19(4), 1236-1248. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.12123

2) Nicholls, R. J., & Cazenave, A. (2010). Sea-level rise and its impact on coastal zones. Science, 328(5985), 1517-1520. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1185782

3) Rosenberg, K. V., Bland, D. M., Barker, S. E., & Smith, A. C. (2019). Decline of the North American avifauna. Science, 366(6461), 120-124. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaw1313

4) State of the World’s Birds: 2024 Annual Update. (2024). BirdLife International. Retrieved September 16, 2024, from https://datazone.birdlife.org/2024-annual-update

5) Survival by Degrees: 389 Bird Species on the Brink. (2024). National Audubon Society. Retrieved September 16, 2024, from https://www.audubon.org/climate/survivalbydegrees

As I interviewed the driver of the boat he said “I go out with different people every hour and within that hour the iceberg melts and changes – it’s that quick.” I asked about climate change and the young man said “climate change is making Iceland more live-able during the tough winters and he’s hoping climate change is cyclical that perhaps we are just in the warming stage.” This was a great hope but Kaufman and Broadman (2023) state  “there are key differences between the last significant period of warming and the modern day. First, today’s warming breaks from the historical cycle. In fact, before human-caused warming began, scientists believed the Earth was roughly due to enter a cooling cycle”. Even with the young man’s hope for the future of his beloved Iceland he said “scientists do believe the icebergs in Iceland will be completely gone in 100 years”. This made me reflect and ask myself what can I do to make this not occur. What can we all do?

Kaufman, Darell, and Ellie Broadman, “Revisiting the Holocene global temperature conundrum.” Nature, Volume 614, 2023, doi:10.1038/s41586-022-05536-w.

 Grover explores the various challenges of individual climate actions and how those actions often place us in strange predicaments. Early on, for instance, he tells a memorable story of resolving to give up flying completely, just before meeting his future spouse, who lived with her extended family on a faraway continent. So much for that goal.

Throughout the book, Grover interrogates the notion of individual actions as the primary solution to the climate crisis. This is where the guilt and shaming for so-called hypocrisy come in. We’ve all seen or experienced examples of this hypocrisy. Mark drives an electric car, but what does it matter if he still eats beef? Laura recycles consistently, but her recycling bin is full of single-use plastics. Shockingly, Tammy has the audacity to prefer plastic straws to paper ones. If only people like Laura, Mark, and Tammy weren’t such hypocrites, we might be able to solve the crisis, right? Well, no. Grover seeks to dismantle such an argument, starting with the example of climate footprint calculators. In recent years, “the most prominent and widespread call to arms on the climate crisis [has been] proposing that you go online and calculate exactly how much of this [has been] your fault.”  In fact, the author traces the popularity of personal climate footprint calculators back to a British Petroleum (BP) greenwashing campaign in the mid-2000s.

So are individual actions pointless? I’m reminded of the widely-shared Guardian article with the headline “Just 100 companies responsible for 71% of global emissions, study says.” When faced with the challenge to do the right thing (give up those straws, finally buy that EV), it can be hard for one person not to feel hopeless and maybe insignificant. What’s one person against Exxon, after all? But Grover isn’t advocating that we stop trying to do the right thing. He doesn’t even think carbon footprint calculators are entirely a bad idea:

“…there is indeed value in understanding the nature of your carbon footprint. Not only will it allow you to identify some specific ways that you can meaningfully reduce it, but it may also help you get a better understanding of where the system gets in your way.”

That last part about finding where the system gets in your way seems to illustrate the crucial intersection between individual choices and systemic change.  We live in a system full of roadblocks to progress. Perhaps identifying those roadblocks and collectively calling for them to be removed is how we’ll avert the disaster, not by holding individuals to impossible standards.