Solar Technology

India continues to be very forward thinking and ambitious will all of their goals they have presented at the COP21 in Paris. One area of great importance is the need for all countries, but especially developing counties is to invest in alternative forms of energy. At this current point in time, it is not feasible for India to shift completely to alternative energy sources because there is simply not enough potential to allow them to continue to grow as a country. Therefore, they recognize that fossil fuels cannot be completely avoided and they must find ways to be more efficient and clean with them. The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi has continued to stress their commitment to climate change and taking action which can be seen through the launch of the International Solar Alliance with the French President Francois Hollande. One of the main aspects to this alliance is the focus on countries with enormous solar potential that are located around the equator, Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn. It is very important to utilize this great potential because developing countries struggle the most with people lacking access to energy. Over 1.3 billion people in all of the developing countries do not have access to energy which is a very significant portion of our entire population around the world. This is very alarming and it is clear that serious steps must be taken to ensure that we are able to provide sufficient energy to our entire population. This is absolutely vital that these resources are taken advantage of because they will play a key determining role with regard to the ability of the developing countries to continue to grow their economies. The overall objective of the ISA is to significantly increase the amount of solar and other types of alternative energy sources through the implementation of joint projects, programs and policies in order to ensure that this is possible. There are also plans for financial assistance for the projects as it will require significant help from developed nations with an estimated cost of $1 trillion USD by the year 2030 to ensure that these projects are made possible. India is very committed to this and has already stated that they would aim to enable the implementation of 100 GW of solar energy by the year 2022. This is a very significant step toward a greener future for India. India is not only committed to implementing these measures, they have also committed a significant amount of land toward renewable energy as well as mobilized $30 million USD to build the necessary foundation for this project. This is very exciting and hopefully everything plays out as planned so that developing countries and work together toward a greener future.

India's Action Plan on Climate Change

Since the beginning of the COP21 in Paris, India has proven to be a developing country that is seriously committed to investing in a more sustainable future. Even though they continue to stress that the developing nations are not doing enough to ensure that the developing nations are able to succeed and continue to grow their economies while at the same time stressing both adaptation and mitigation strategies for climate change. With that in mind, India has still presented many ways in which they are showing great initiative in developing a greener future for their country. Although they have done many different things throughout the last couple weeks to show that they are completely committed, there are three key features to their sustainable habitat plan. One key feature is the extension of energy conservation that will not only implement LEDs in over 100 cities throughout the country, but will also stress the importance of following strict building codes when developing. This is very important because it will allow them to be able to continue to grow while at the same time building a foundation of sustainable development which will be very beneficial in years to come. Another key feature is the urban planning and shift in which public transportation will be drastically improved and will help reduce the amount of individuals on the road with an increased importance placed on sharing rides and utilizing alternative forms of transportation that do not cause as much pollution or help a greater number of people get to where they need to go. The third key feature is recycling and urban waste management which is a very significant issue that has caused many difficulties for members of this country in the past. This implementation will inevitably help India become a much cleaner and safer place for all citizens. Pollution is a very huge problem throughout the country and it is important to make sure the negative effects from the past are taken care of in order to be able to develop and more sustainable and cleaner future. Another great outcome is the proposal of $31.6 million has been approved and will be used to help implement the three key features mentioned.

India at COP21

As a developing nation in a time when an extreme level of importance and necessity is being placed on sustainability, India faces many problems with finding a way to both further develop their economy and country as a whole, while at the same time being as sustainable as possible. One program that has been introduced at COP21 is the Domestic Efficient Lighting Program that India is implementing that promotes LED based energy efficiency throughout the entire country. This is one of, if not the largest attempt by any country to promote energy efficiency. This is a very extreme commitment and will take some time to ensure that everything it entails comes together in the way it is intended. There are several key features to this program including the implementation of around 33 million LED bulbs that have the potential for 4 billion kilowatt hours in energy savings each year. Under this program, they will also make LED bulbs more affordable so that it can be used by an even wider range of people. So far this program has been very successful and is active in many major parts of India throughout 100 cities. The cost savings have already been very substantial and have already exceeded over $3 billion. There is also great benefits to the amount of CO2 emissions that have been reduced by 3.2 MT. The outlook for this program in the coming years is very optimistic with the target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 79 million tons of CO2, and annual energy savings of around 105 billion kilowatt hours. I think that this is a very good way for a developing country to take a very strong initiative and make a commitment such as this because it shows that even though they may face disadvantages when it comes to the ability to adapt or mitigate the effects of climate change, they are still willing to do everything in their power to ensure that they are able to move forward and still be as sustainable as possible. I think that India is a very good example of a leader for developing nations with regard to the very optimistic and determined approach they have shown so far at the COP21 in Paris. They are making very strong commitments and are willing to put in the time and resources to make sure that they are doing everything they can to ensure a greener future for their country. I think it is great to see a developing nation such as this take so many steps toward sustainability when they are still trying to grow. Overall, I believe that they will be much better off in the future through the various commitments they have made so far because they will have a solid foundation of sustainability practices that will make it easier as time goes on. Even though it will take some time to progress, it is great to see the urgency to get decisions made and help set the basis for substantial growth in the future.

Breakthrough Energy Coalition

I think that the Breakthrough Energy Coalition is a great thing that has been introduced early on in the COP21 in Paris. The main premise behind this is that we have the capability to develop ways to drastically reduce our carbon emissions and even stop producing it all together. However, there are many obstacles that stand in the way; one of which is the proper funding for the extensive research and studies that are needed in order to accomplish this goal. The great thing about this is there are several very powerful figures from all around the world that possess the ability to fund such operations. They have come together at COP21 and have realized that the direction our nations are heading is not sustainable or acceptable for upcoming years. Therefore, the urgency of climate change is being recognized, especially in the poorest parts of the world, which are most lacking in proper funding to combat this issue. Scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs need to all work together on this issue and help to created new and innovative technologies that will drastically change the way we impact our climate. The basic foundation of this program is the funding commitments for the necessary research that will be provided from the various billionaire entrepreneurs from around the world. It is not enough for the different governments to simply set policies or make regulations to reduce the amount of carbon. There must be a strong network created between the many sectors and everyone must work together and utilize the different specialties or capabilities in order to be the most progressive and successful when attempting to implement new areas in which we can all be sustainable. There is significant potential around the world for new operations and ways of doing things carbon neutral and this is not only very promising when approaching from and environmentalist standpoint, but also from an economic point of view because the investment in various forms of clean energy at these beginning stages could mean very significant profits in the future for the investors. This is important because in order to serious actions to be taken by the majority of our nations and governments, there must be some sort of vision for progression, not only in the sense of becoming more sustainable, but also maintaining economic growth. This is why it is absolutely essential to get these investors involved and work together to meet the common end goal.

COP21

After following the development of the COP21 in Paris over the last week, I have been pleasantly surprised by the amount of exciting and interesting occurrences. Many great things have already happened and I am sure that in the following days there will be even more. One initiative that I am particularly excited about is the new $500 million allotment to boost large scale climate action in developing countries. Four European countries including Germany, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland announced that they will invest this money to create incentives with the main goal being a drastic reduction to the amount of greenhouse gases emitted in developing countries. This is one of the many things that are absolutely vital to creating the type of situation that can be successful and maintained through time. It is very important for the developing countries to have adequate funding for mitigation efforts and this is only possible through the assistance of larger developed countries such as these that are willing to step up and help out where they are needed the most. The Transformative Carbon Asset Facility is what will help the developing countries implement their different plans for emission cuts. One way in which these issues will be addressed is through the implementation of different policies with the end goal of making sure that the amount of emissions are reduced such as making payments to the countries for the amount of emissions they are able to reduce and help set up different programs to support renewable energy, transportation, and waste management. This initiative is planned to start in 2016 with the initial funding commitment set at $250 million and the goal is to eventually make it up to the mark of $500 million. This is only one small part to the incredibly diverse network throughout the world that will play a role in the overall mitigation and adaptation abilities of both the developed and developing nations. I think that this shows great commitment from the World Bank and it is great to see this type of occurrence so early on in the meetings. I am very excited and hopeful for things to come as time goes on and more treaties and initiatives are formed as all of the major players from around the world continue to work together to stress the importance of a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future.

Climate Policy and Politics

I think that it was a really good idea to examine the climate change discussion from the perspective of politics and policy directly after the week we focused on the scientific side. This is one area that I have not paid as much attention to with regard to climate change even though it is a vital part and is necessary to get any real results and implementations. I found Jeff Anderson's presentation to be very engaging and educational because he was able to make the political side of climate change very easy to understand. One of the main things I took away from his presentation was about the four different ideal environmental world views. This list included the market liberals that have a strong focus on economic growth which is an important aspect because we need to continue to be focused on improving and becoming more successful, while at the same time addressing ways in which we can do that while at the same time being environmentally friendly and sustainable. The other views include institutionalists, bioenvironmentalists, and social greens.
Another thing from this week that I though was really interesting was the article Forget Paris because it provided a different perspective on the conference. I think that it is really important to examine the different perspectives and arguments and this one is especially negative and does not think that anything worth while will be accomplished in Paris. This is a drastic turn from the majority of the things we have heard or talked about leading up to the conference that were essentially every hopeful that nationally binding treaties would be implemented and we would be on the right track for upcoming years. I think that this article is great in the sense that is shed light on the issue that money is a very key factor when it comes to relatively anything significant getting accomplished in this country. This is a sad reality, but at the same time I think the negativity is misplaced and the most influential people in the world have now realized that the current path we are following is not sustainable and changes must be made in order to protect our world. I am confident that the influential leaders will take everything into account and make responsible decisions. This can be seen through the worlds and actions of many billionaires and leaders around the world in recent weeks. It seems as though they are committed to helping project us in the right direction and it is looking very promising that there will be substantial actions taken to not only fund different projects and initiatives, but also to make sure that this time it is more than talk and loose commitments and each country is completely committed to this initiative which will be very beneficial to the overall outlook of future sustainability efforts.

Technological Solutions

I really enjoyed Troy's second visit to the class because he has a way of explaining complicated environmental science topics so they are very easy to apply and understand. One aspect of his presentation that I found particularly helpful was his explanation of geoengineering. He essentially stated that it is any method that would counteract or reduce the effects of global warming. There are essentially two different categories. The first is solar radiation management that has many different subcategories that are currently being studied as potential ways to combat climate change. The methods include placing reflectors in space in order to make sure that solar radiation is not longer a significant factor, placing aerosols into the stratosphere, increasing the albedo of the clouds which would increase the reflectivity, and changes to the albedo of different structures and locations on earth's surface such as in grasslands, cities, deserts and croplands. I think that some of these ideas are more realistic than others such as increasing the albedo of different locations on the earth. I do not think that it is a good idea to but reflectors in space, however, because it seems too unrealistic and would have a significant cost and risk and the same time which in almost any case scenario is not a good decision. The other category discussed is the removal of CO2. This provides several methods that are much more realistic and easy to implement that could help us see improvements much faster. There are many different ways to remove CO2 such as increasing the land sink through afforestation, which is currently being utilized in different places around the world such as Tanzania and India and has the potential to be a very good way to help mediate the issue. Another method is through increasing the ocean sink using various methods such as a solubility pump and increasing the alkalinity of the ocean. One aspect of Troy's presentation that I really did not understand was when he began to get into the mathematics of how the concentrations and levels of carbon and other substances are calculated. I think that this type of study is very interesting, but it is not something that makes sense to me. Although, I do think that having him explain this very long procedure was helpful in a sense because it actually showed how the different figures are calculated and it helped to give a greater appreciation to just how intricate and demanding this entire process is.

Sociopolitical Solutions

One of the main things that I took away from this week was the discussion of cap and trade. Before this class I had heard of this but was not really sure what it was or what it entailed. After learning about how it is essentially a system for controlling the carbon emissions and other forms of pollution in the atmosphere that sets a limit on the amount that factories and other companies can produce, but allows other companies to purchase if they have not used their full amount the have been provided. If successful, it allows this mandatory cap on the emissions while at the same time giving flexibility on the issue. This allows for the innovation and efficiency of companies to increase without causing problems to the growth of the economy. I think this is a really good idea because even though it does not provide a long term solution to dealing with climate change, it does seem beneficial in the short term. It is a great example of how we can make changes that are not going to take a lot of commitment, that will still allow us to be environmentally conscious. I think this is a good start but it is not taking emissions out of the air. In theory, this should excuse companies for growing and simply replacing their emissions with those absorbed in other places of the world. However, at a certain point, this is not going to be a good solution to the problem. It is very important to find a balance between economic growth and environmentally responsible decisions because if we try to make drastic changes that will have consequences to our economy, there is simply no way that will be accepted with the way our country is set up. We must continue to grow our economy in order to have it viewed as successful and this is going to get harder as time goes on. Especially with the growing need to find alternative methods of sustainability in order to ensure that we are responsible with what we have and that we do not expend all of our resources and it is too late to make a change. We are making strides in the right direction and need to continue to find new ideas that can be implemented and agreed upon in order to ensure that we can allow our children and grandchildren to experience the beauty of the world in the same way that we have been able to. We can no longer take advantage of what we have been given and must come together to make responsible decisions for the future.

Climate Strategy at CSBSJU

I think that it was a great idea to have Alex, Judy and Jake in class to discuss the variety of things that are being done on the two campuses related to sustainability. I found these class periods particularly interesting because I was not familiar with many things that the schools have been doing other than trying to decrease the amount of food waste through getting rid of trays and implementing meatless Mondays to try to promote sustainability in not making meat the main focus of our meals each and every day. Alex had a really good presentation about the different things that have been done with regard to sustainability this year and I was really surprised to hear about all of the different ways that our school is attempting to become more sustainable. I think that it is really great that we are able to track the campus emissions and work towards lowering that number in the years to come. Another area that needs improvement that I was excited to hear about was the solar farm and the plans for expanding and making our campus more capable of utilizing this energy source. However, this type of energy is bitter sweet in a way because it is much better than the current sources, but at the same time we are giving up land that could be used for something else in order to put a large solar farm that is not particularly attractive.

Future Climates: modeling and worst case scenarios

One thing that stood out to me from this week was the idea of thinking globally and acting locally. I think that this is a really great motto for approaching climate change since there are many different areas that need to be considered and there is no catch all approach that will magically resolve all of the different climate related issues around the world. I think that it is really important to first focus on smaller scale approaches to climate change which encourage the cooperation of the people living in that particular area. They will be much more likely to be willing and able to contribute if they feel a direct connection to the issue which will be significantly easier to achieve if there are actions being taken in their area that interact with or affect their day to day life. There are many examples of easy ways to do this on a small scale whether it is through the implementation of all LED bulbs or getting the community together to make changes to the efficiency of transportation within a city through car pools or improving the transit situations. I believe that once there is a foundation established within communities around the world with a desire to combat climate issues, there will be a much better chance to make larger changes to the political agenda in different countries that will lead to more substantial changes and commitments all around the world. One this network is created, it will continue to grow and become stronger and will inevitably have beneficial outcomes in years to come.

Past and Present Climates

I really enjoyed having Troy Knight in class to discuss the climate systems. I think it was a really good idea to have an expert in this field of study explain his methods and present the information that was really easy to understand. I found that the timeline he drew on the board illustrating essentially the major events throughout the history of earth was very helpful in understanding just how old it really is and how recent trends in climate change do not seem as drastic when approaching from the perspective of millions of years. It was really interesting to see how things have developed on earth over time and the different factors that have progressed and changed over time to lead us to where we are today. One aspect of Troy's presentation that I found especially helpful in understanding the current global warming trends was through his explanation of the different causes of the most recent warming trend on earth. The aspect that stood out the most to me was his explanation of the earth's albedo and that volcanism sulfate aerosols diminish the amount of solar radiation that reaches the earths surface and this is important because in a way it regulates the amount of harmful radiation stays on the surface and how much is reflected back out. Another aspect to Troy's presentation that I really liked was the illustration he provided about the sun relative to the earth and the strength that could potentially change over time as well as the different levels of heat that reach the surface depending upon the angle in which it hits the earth.

Resource Guide

Barry, Ellen. 2015. “India Announces Plan to Lower Rate of Greenhouse Gas Emissions”. The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/02/world/asia/india-announces-plan-to-lower-rate-of-greenhouse-gas-emissions.html?_r=0

            This article examines India’s commitment which does not necessarily commit to absolute reduction in CO2 emissions, but would continue to rise at a slower rate than it would if no steps were taken. It discusses the economic benefits that India will see by 2030. In which they could grow significantly. This article will be helpful when explaining that even though the developing countries are taking a different route to development, they will still be able to be productive and successful.

Da Costa, Anna. 2015. “India Steps up Climate Change Efforts”. Worldwatch Institute. http://www.worldwatch.org/node/6278

            This article discusses that even though India stresses poverty alleviation and economic progress, they have been taking steps to encourage more global climate action, it also discusses the domestic approach they are taking to combat climate changes though forestry and other initiatives. This article will be useful when attempting to explore the different areas and methods to which India will be making changes in the future to promote green development.

“Drivers of EU External Climate Relations”. 2015. “Drivers of EU External Climate Relations”. In European Climate Leadership in Question: Policies Toward China and India, 35–72. MIT Press. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt16f98z9.8

            This chapter examines the engagement of the EU with Indian on climate change. It explains that with this connection between the two nations, there has been a void filled with concrete community level policies to work toward potential solutions to the problem of climate change. It also examines how the EU-India relationship has had strengths and difficulties with the development of EU engagement with India. The information in this chapter will be useful when attempting to explain the actions that have been taken in the past that eventually lead up to where the nation is today with regard to climate change and policies that could be implemented.

“Disinterest and Resistance: The EU-India Relationship”. 2015. “In European Climate Leadership in Question: Policies Toward China and India, 145–82. MIT Press. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt16f98z9.11.

            This chapter discusses the difficulties in the relations between the Europe and India with regard to climate change. They do not believe that they should have to make sacrifices to their development because they are emitting much less than other nations such as China, Europe and the United States. They are also much more vulnerable to the climate change effects, so therefore the difficulties of coming to an agreement are enhanced. This article will be useful when explaining the relationship between developing nations such as India and large nations such as Europe.

Goswami, Umi. 2015. “COP21 in Paris: India Vows to Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emissions”. The Economic Times. ET Bureau. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/cop21-in-paris-india-vows-to-reduce-carbon-dioxide-emission/articleshow/49189233.cms

            This article examines India’s commitment in its climate action plan they have already submitted for COP21. It explains that they will reduce the amount of CO2 produced for every dollar of GDP by 33-35% by 2030. They will also create a carbon sink of 2.5-3 billion tons of CO2 equivalent through forestry and tree coverage by 2030. This article will be helpful when explaining the various commitments made by India in order to develop more sustainably.

Kanitkar, Tejal, T Jayarman, Mario D'Souza, Prabir Purkayastha, D raghunandan, and Rajbans Talwar. 2009. “How Much 'carbon Space' Do We Have? Physical Constraints on India's Climate Policy and Its Implications”. Economic and Political Weekly 44 (41/42). Economic and Political Weekly: 35–46. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25663678.

            This article explains that even though developed nations have contributed more to the overall climate change, they are not alone in their responsibility to make changes in order to ensure emissions are cut. Developing nations such as India need to be very active in the mitigation processes in order to ensure that the goals set in place to not exceed and increase of 2 degrees as a national temperature. This article will be useful when explaining why it is not only the responsibility of large nations, that everyone is involved in some way and has an impact.

Kapur, Devesh, Radhika Khosla, and Pratap Bhanu Metha. 2009. “Climate Change: India's Options”. Economic and Political Weekly 44 (31). Economic and Political Weekly: 34–42. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25663389.

            This article discusses the difficulties India is facing as a developing country in a time when climate change is a serious issue and countries must come up with ways to reduce their impact on the environment. They will likely see a significant amount of impacts from climate change which is why development will be much more difficult as it compounds the pressure on both natural resources and the environment through economic and industrial growth. This article will be useful when discussing the different approaches developing nations such as India will have to take when formulating a plan that not only allows them to be economically successful, but also environmentally conscious.

Pandve, Harshal. 2009. “India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change”. National Center for Biotechnology Information, US National Library of Medicine. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2822162/

            This article examines India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change which is different strategies to combat climate change such as utilization of solar power, enhanced energy efficiency, sustainable habitats, water conservation, ecosystem protection, “Green India” which is promoting the advancement of forestry, sustainable agriculture and enhancing the general public’s knowledge on climate change. This will be helpful when explaining the steps India has already taken to combat emissions and climate change.

Rai, Varun, and David G Victor. 2009. “Climate Change and the Energy Challenge: A Pragmatic Approach for India”. Economic and Political Weekly 44 (31). Economic and Political Weekly: 78–85. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25663394.

            This article addresses the issue India is facing in a time of development, it does not seem fair5 that they will not be able to freely access the same resources that powerhouses such as the US and Europe were able to utilize in order to become as powerful as they are today. Overall, the main idea of this article is to explain that even though there are disadvantages brought upon the time in which India is beginning to develop, there will be long term benefits to developing a “greener” action plan. This article will be useful when examining the potential benefits that India will get when they are attempting to both develop economically, while at the same time minimizing their environmental impacts.

Sinha Amitabh. 2015. “Cop-out is not an Option, the Planet’s Future Could Hinge on a Deal in Paris”. In The Indian Express. http://indianexpress.com/article/explained/cop-out-is-not-an-option-the-planets-future-could-hinge-on-a-deal-in-paris/

            This article outlines the objectives of COP21 and explains the goals for emissions and the commitments of various countries. It also explains the difficulties pertaining to the situations in developing counties. Another area covered is the position Indian has taken and the potential actions to be taken at COP21. They have set a target for reducing emissions intensity for 2030. This article will be helpful when explaining the current ideas and measures that India is taking into account leading up to the COP21.

Subramanian, Arvind. 2015. “Green Road to Paris”. The Indian Express. http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/green-road-to-paris/

            This article examines the actions that have been taken by advanced counties and India with regard to action on climate change. It seems as though advanced counties are taking steps in the right direction but developing countries, India in particular, have taken more positive actions to combat climate change such as significant carbon taxation and approaching the issues in a local and domestic way. This article will be useful when explaining the actions that have already been taken and will need to be further advanced in the future.

“The Normative Gap in European, Chinese, and Indian Climate Relations”. 2015. “The Normative Gap in European, Chinese, and Indian Climate Relations”. In European Climate Leadership in Question: Policies Toward China and India, 73–96. MIT Press. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt16f98z9.9.

            This chapter discusses the fate of developing counties such as India and industrialized countries such as Europe that have very different levels of capability with regard to dealing with the various consequences of climate change. The chapter discusses the significant projected increase in global emissions in coming years from countries that are just now trying to develop on a large scale such as India. Countries such as this have a much lower ability to adapt, have contributed the least and will inevitably see the greatest impacts from climate change. This chapter will be useful for examining the differences between developing nations and advanced nations with regard to the steps they take to make climate action progressive choices in the future.

Vijaya Gupta. 2005. “Climate Change and Domestic Mitigation Efforts”. Economic and Political Weekly 40 (10). Economic and Political Weekly: 981–87. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4416308.

            This article examines the vulnerability of India to climate change with regard to its economy. Their economy depends heavily on natural resources and climate change could put much more stress on their agriculture, forestry, coastline and water resources. Thus, the vulnerability of India is taken into account when examining the actions that could be taken in order to help mitigate eh GHG emissions such as pollution control, conservation efficiency, forestry, research and renewable energy sources. This article will be useful to help explain the effects that climate change will have on India’s economy as well as the actions they can take to ensure they are able to last.

Science and Policy

I really liked the readings for this week and I think they both provided great insight into the complicated web of how science and policy work. I think it is important to understand the long process in which scientific articles go though in order to be published and ultimately seen by a larger audience. Not only are multiple reviews and revisions helpful when writing an article, they are vital for overall relevance and credibility. Even though there are so many steps involved in the editing process, there is always room for human error that can be seen in the example from the first chapter in which a date was mistyped and it was overlooked in every step of the review process. This essentially led to the credibility being questioned and could even fuel the argument for the skeptics. It is very important to have the most accurate information when writing a scientific study because there is a much better chance that this type of reliable information will be better understood and have a better chance to working its way into policy.

Industry and Development

I found the readings for this week interesting because I didn't know much about the problems they are having with water in Egypt in particular. It is alarming that the future water supply in Egypt is very uncertain and could either increase slightly, or decrease tremendously. This situation shows that the issue of waster availability and climate change in general needs to be approached from different directions and perspectives and not through a singular lens. People from different places and cultures around the world view things in different ways and have different ideas on what is most important. I really liked the statement the author made at the end of chapter 5 when they said international experts believe climate change in Egypt is about water, but water in Egypt is not just about climate change. This goes to show that there are many different factors that arise when trying to combat these issues and it is vital to have balance between different views in order to ensure success.

Denial, Skepticism and Contrarianism

One thing that I found particularly interesting about the readings this week was the ways in which people can become so consumed in their thoughts and beliefs that they are unwilling to approach the issue of climate change with an open mind to even consider the possibility of it being true. Also, some do acknowledge that climate change is happening, but we should do nothing about it because it is speeding up the end of the world which means that Jesus's return will come sooner. I think this mindset is strange because it seems very selfish to think about this issue from such a narrow lens. It seems to take away the importance of caring for the land that God has provided which one would think should be the most important thing, especially to a conservative Christian. This view also does not give any consideration for future generations and what their lives will be like due to our greedy tendencies and disregard for the consequences that inevitably follow the way of life to which most of us have become accustomed. I do not understand how people refuse to believe in the significance of climate change and do not think it is necessary for us to change our way of life before it is too late.

Encyclical

I really liked the reading for this week and I think that it was a great way to integrate another way a of thinking to the environmental issues we are facing today. I think it is really great that the reading had a spiritual argument to it which is very beneficial to and can work well with the scientific areas of discussion. It is important to approach the climate issue from different perspectives and I believe that the spiritual side can really hit home for a significant amount of people. When people take the time to stop and think about what their individual consumption patterns look like in comparison with other people around the world that are less fortunate, it becomes clear that there is a problem with the way we approach our daily lives. As the Pope discusses in his writing, we need to care for those in need and work to improve their lives  it is our responsibility as Christians and simply as humans. This particular aspect stuck out to me because it made me think about how greedy we are today, especially in the United States, and how we tend to look out for ourselves more than focusing on the wellbeing of others. This is a serious problem and the idea of interdependence among people is imperative in order for us to work toward a solution to our current climate crisis.

Why Climate Matters

I found the reading "The Collapse of Western Civilization" very interesting as well as eye opening. I really liked the way the book presented a hypothetical future of what our world would look like if we continue to follow our current path. Unfortunately, it does not look good. I always thought that it was important that I do whatever I can to be "green" and eventually others might do the same. After reading this book, I began to think about how irrelevant the little things I do such as buying food locally and recycling really are in the big picture. The actions of one person are not going to be enough to change the negative trajectory in which we are headed. I realize that the only way we are going to fix our current problem is though large scale change and everyone needs to be on the same page with the same objective in mind for anything to be successful. This is something that will be very difficult to do because many people are unwilling to makes changes and sacrifices to their way of life. This is due to the ignorance of people to just how serious our climate crisis is and we need to find a way to make them realize the urgency of our current situation because it will eventually have a significant effect on everyone.