Environmental News

While only a small proportion of bird species migrate, it seems quite a strange thing for those that do. It has been difficult for ornithologists to explain.

An explanation has now been advanced that seems to make a lot of sense. Plus, it is based on concepts of thermodynamics:

A Thermodynamic Answer to Why Birds Migrate | Quanta Magazine

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There are also long-distance migrations by some fish and cetaceans that may or may not have similar bases.

 

Handy gadget for small-scale potable water:

Engineers upgrade ancient, sun-powered tech to purify water with near-perfect efficiency: Low-cost device -- shaped like a birdhouse -- could help provide drinking water to people affected by natural disasters -- ScienceDaily

 

Carbon Monitoring System will lose US funding in future years. Seems like an activity that other countries could take over. Very likely that they will, given its importance for calculating national CO2 emissions.

Trump White House axes Nasa research into greenhouse gas cuts - BBC News

Trump White House quietly cancels NASA research verifying greenhouse gas cuts | Science | AAAS

 

Wholly untouched (by human) forests are mostly limited to high northern latitudes. Few indeed are tropical and subtropical forests where keen eyes do not see hand of prior man.

But some are less altered than others, and thus may present (intangible?) value as things to hang on to. In linked example following, an additional factor is disturbance effects on Great Barrier Reef. One might perceive GBR as thing of inherent value, or (merely) as a source of tourism and fisheries revenue.

Or, as neither it seems:

Swaths of native forest near Great Barrier Reef set to be bulldozed

I'm not familiar with details of "Melaleuca swamplands" but I'm willing to guess that they are not excellent choices for agricultural 'conversion' or 'bulldozing' or 'improvement'. Choose whatever verb you like, but the meaning of the matter is elsewhere.

 

Global tourism footprint@348 asserts 8% of anthropogenic CO2 emissions and $4.7 Trillions USD in revenue. Both are large numbers. Global GDP (the whole thing) is above $126 Trillions.

So, there it is. If one uses a larger (including indirect) valuation of tourism of 8.27 Trillion,

Global tourism industry - Statistics & Facts | Statista

it is, in a sense, on par with global economy. As with any other sector with large emissions, appropriate questions are how that sector can be 'decarbonised' without crippling it or limiting future growth.

Jet fuel-economy improvements are being developed but they are small increments. Ground-vehicle economy can be further improved, and IMHO room for incremental growth is greater there. Likewise greater for electrical power generation and energy efficiency of buildings.

Anyway, every sector deserves scrutiny, so it is perfectly appropriate to consider global tourism among them.

 

I must admit that flights I've enjoyed the most are those where many passenger seats were unoccupied. Implying those flights had relatively large per person carbon footprints. Further implying that airline would have to increase fares to maintain profits.

Perhaps I am not unusual in feeling that way. It is 'perverse' but in a seemingly distant sense.

 

Global ecotourism is a small fraction of total, to be sure. But it makes important contributions to keeping 'lightly impacted' areas that way. I hope such indirect effects do not go unnoticed in our discussions.

 

Lighthouse avatar@348. Might be at Portland Head, Maine. But I'll call it representative of a 'class' that may stimulate New England tourism. Were we to crimp tourism on a CO2 basis (which I consider highly unlikely), what might happen to such glorious anachronisms?

There are also forms of tourism I don't much appreciate. Some deluxe hotels and golf courses come to mind. But fortunately for all, I am not in charge of selecting winners and losers.

 

As mentioning lighthouse avatar might be seen as a cheap shot, I draw your attention to the 'unlike' button

 

Lighthousefriends is a nifty site.

 

Lighthousefriends links to google (maps and docs). Folks in one large Asian country feel a crimp. All you others, graze and enjoy...