Monthly Archives: March 2023

Australia’s coal power fleet suffered forced outages for many hours over 2022, making the grid short of forecast coal generation for nearly one-quarter of the year. As per the latest analysis from Watt Clarity- the 44 operational units explain high levels of “unavailability”, leading to prolonged outages.

The above, however, excludes the “Liddell”,- which will be completely unoperational shortly. Read more

News Credit: RENEW ECONOMY

Picture Credit: Unknown

“The action is a victory for multilateralism”,– said Secretary-General António Guterres congratulating the UN member countries for finalizing a text to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction, calling it a “breakthrough” after nearly two decades of talks.

“It is the global efforts to counter the destructive trends facing ocean health, now and for generations to come,” said the UN chief in a statement issued by his Spokesperson, hours after the deal was struck at UN Headquarters in New York, where tough negotiations on the draft treaty have been underway for the past two weeks.

The agreement reached by delegates of the Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, better known by its acronym BBNJ, is the culmination of UN-facilitated talks that began in 2004.

The United Nations High Seas Treaty is a legal framework being developed to manage better and protect the high seas, which cover more than two-thirds of the world’s oceans and play a critical role in regulating the Earth’s climate and supporting marine biodiversity.

The treaty aims to fill gaps in the existing legal framework for the high seas, which is fragmented and lacks the necessary mechanisms to address the many challenges facing this global commons, including overfishing, climate change, marine pollution, and biodiversity loss.

One of the treaty’s key provisions is establishing marine protected areas (MPAs) on the high seas, which would be designated and managed by an international body. These MPAs would help protect vulnerable marine ecosystems, such as deep-sea corals and seamounts, and provide critical habitat for threatened and endangered species.

Another critical aspect of the treaty is creating a mechanism for sharing the benefits of marine genetic resources, such as medicines and new biotechnologies, discovered on the high seas. The treaty would establish a central repository of information on these resources and set out principles for equitable sharing and use.

Furthermore, the treaty would also establish a framework for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction. The same would include provisions for monitoring and assessing the state of marine biodiversity and addressing threats to its conservation and sustainable use.

The treaty is expected to be implemented through a series of protocols to establish the specific rules and procedures for carrying out its provisions. The said protocols will be negotiated by member states and address issues such as establishing and managing marine protected areas, sharing benefits from marine genetic resources, and monitoring and assessing marine biodiversity.

The treaty will be monitored by an international body, likely to be established through the treaty body itself. This body would oversee the treaty’s implementation, including establishing the marine protected areas (MPA) and sharing benefits from marine genetic resources. It would also be responsible for monitoring the state of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction and taking action to address threats to its conservation and sustainable use.

Finally, the United Nations High Seas Treaty represents a critical step in managing and protecting the high seas. Its provisions on marine protected areas, the sharing of benefits from marine genetic resources, and the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity are all essential for ensuring this global commons’ long-term health and productivity. As the treaty is implemented and monitored, it will be necessary for member states to work together to ensure that it effectively achieves its goals and protects the high seas for generations to come.

Climate change is one of the most pressing issues facing the world today, and rising sea levels are a major contributing factor. As the Earth’s temperature continues to rise, the polar ice caps are melting, leading to a significant increase in the volume of water in the world’s oceans. This increase in water volume is causing sea levels to rise, which has significant implications for the planet’s coastal regions and low-lying areas.

According to recent data, global sea levels have risen by an average of 3.7 millimetres per year over the past decade. Since the early 1990s, sea levels have risen by over 8 centimetres, and the rate of increase is accelerating. If current trends continue, sea levels could rise by as much as 1 meter by the end of the century.

According to a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the Greenland ice sheet alone has lost an average of 278 billion tons of ice per year between 2006 and 2015, and the Antarctic ice sheet has lost an average of 155 billion tons of ice per year over the same period. The melting of these ice sheets has contributed significantly to the overall rise in sea level.

Furthermore, glaciers worldwide are also melting at an accelerating rate. The World Glacier Monitoring Service reports that glaciers have lost an average of 267 billion tons of ice annually between 2000 and 2019. This melting has contributed about 21% of the overall rise in sea level.

The thermal expansion of seawater is another significant factor contributing to rising sea levels. As the oceans absorb heat, the water expands, and the sea level rises. According to the IPCC, thermal expansion contributed about 40% of the overall rise in sea level over the past century.

The global sea levels rose to nearly 3.6 millimetres per year between 2006- 2009, but between 2012 and 2019, the rate of increase was 4.8. This acceleration is due in part to the increasing rate of ice melt in Greenland and Antarctica.

The consequences of rising sea levels are already being felt around the world. In some areas, coastal communities are experiencing more frequent and severe flooding, which can cause damage to homes and businesses and lead to the displacement of populations. Low-lying islands and coastal regions are particularly vulnerable; some already face the prospect of being completely submerged by rising sea levels.

The economic impacts of rising sea levels are also significant. In the United States alone, it is estimated that by 2050, the cost of coastal damage and adaptation could be as high as $200 billion per year. In some areas, the cost of adaptation may be too high, leading to the abandonment of entire communities.

Several factors contribute to this rise in sea level:

· The most significant is the melting of the polar ice caps. The Arctic ice cap, for example, has lost an average of 13.1% of its mass per decade since the late 1970s, while the Antarctic ice cap has lost an average of 118 billion tons of ice annually since 2002.

· The expansion of seawater as it warms is another primary reason for rising sea levels. As the Earth’s temperature rises, the oceans absorb more heat, causing the water to expand and the sea level to rise. This thermal expansion is responsible for about half of the sea level rise over the past century.

The consequences of rising sea levels are significant and far-reaching:

o Coastal cities and communities are at risk of being inundated by water, which can cause flooding, erosion, and damage to infrastructure. In some areas, entire islands risk disappearing beneath the waves. Rising sea levels also affect the world’s food supply, as low-lying agricultural areas risk being flooded and destroyed.

o Additionally, rising sea levels also have economic implications. The cost of adapting to sea level rise can be high, with estimates ranging from $200 billion to $1 trillion per year by the end of the century. In some areas, the cost of adaptation may be too high, leading to the displacement of populations and loss of property.

In conclusion, rising sea levels are a significant and growing problem caused by climate change. The melting of the polar ice caps and the thermal expansion of seawater contribute to this rise, which has far-reaching consequences for coastal communities, the world’s food supply, and the global economy. Urgent action is needed to address this issue, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, investing in adaptation measures, and working to build more resilient communities.