20-20-20. 20% Savings from Energy Efficiency. 20% Rise in Renewable Generation. 20% Reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions. WOW, i’m impressed. If you are just thinking “woah that’s a lot of 20s…”, let me break it down for you. The European Union, comprised of 28 member states, has committed to making ALL THREE of those amazing …
Continue reading Towards a 100% Renewable Future for the European Union
Read More »I was privileged to listen to Dr. Saikawa deliver a lifelong learning webinar, called “What does Climate Change Mean to Us and What Can We Do About it.” The title foreshadows how she structured the lecture, starting with an overview of the basics of climate change and ending with salient examples of climate action. As Dr. …
Read More »*this is not one of my five blogs for the final assignment The economics of climate change is simple. Ask Elsa Santos of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (pictured above) and she will tell you the same. When we burn fossil fuels, we emit CO2 into the atmosphere, and this leads to many …
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Read More »EU flag representing LIFE, a climate finance mechanism to support climate action National Climate Action The European Union plays a critical role in global climate policy. The European Commission, the executive of the EU, often sets centralized climate targets, which requires member states to focus on the issue. This also sends a message to the …
Read More »Effects of Climate Change India is considered one of the most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change due to high rates of poverty, illiteracy, and dependence on agriculture. Drought, rising sea level, pollution, and increased storm intensity threaten the livelihoods of this rapidly growing rural population. As the third largest contributor of greenhouse …
Read More »In the United States, climate skepticism runs rampant. I attended a talk called “Communicating Irma Raises Questions” with Dr. Shepard, a well-known local meteorologist who shares accessible strategies to each everyone about climate change. There are many challenges of communicating climate science. A selection of these challenges that he addressed in his talk included: skepticism …
Continue reading Extreme Weather Events & Climate Zombie Theories
Read More »The photo above represents the ideal partnership between developed and developing nations working together to preserve traditional island culture. Together, both women, one from Germany and the other a native Fijian, represent the island’s travel industry. Their sign references a quote from the Fiji’s prime minister’s inspiring speech at the beginning of the conference, which …
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Read More »In the context of international climate governance, the European Union is a world climate leader. In fact, the EU generates 3 times more renewable energy per person than anywhere else in the world. How do they achieve such ambitious goals? POLICY DIFFUSION is one of the least costly and most effective ways to encourage the adoption …
Continue reading Policy Diffusion in the European Union
Read More »From Europe to Fiji: How National Identity Shapes Perception of Climate Change This November, I had the extraordinary privilege to attend COP 23 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change a.k.a the UN Climate Change Negotiations in Bonn, Germany as a representative of Emory University. This unbelievable event draws distinguished diplomats, politicians, activists, …
Continue reading Shining a Spotlight on Global Climate Action
Read More »Climate Change in Africa: A Foreign Concept & A Daily Threat In northern Nigeria, desertification plagues the land. Lake Chad, the source of water for 50 million residents of this region lost 90% of its water mass in the last 45 years, shrinking from 25,000 km2 to 2,500 km2. Drought leaves the fulani herdsman, who …
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