Recent Events

US Absence at COP30

This year’s COP30 is currently taking place in Belém, Brazil. Countries from around the world have sent delegates to focus on climate action to mitigate the effects of climate change. For more context, almost 200 countries are participating in the summit, with tens of thousands of delegates in total. However, even though all these representatives are in Brazil, one key country is missing: the United States.

The United States has emitted more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than any other nation on Earth. We play a significant role in determining whether the goals of the UN Climate Change Conference can be achieved. One of the main goals of the conference is to meet the goal set in the Paris Agreement to limit the temperature rise to less than 2.0°C by 2050. Although the official number is 2.0°C, experts stress that 1.5°C is a more critical threshold that the world should not permanently breach. This is because, after this point, climate impacts become much more severe, posing a considerable threat. If the world hopes to meet this goal, then “greenhouse gas emissions must peak before 2025 at the latest and decline 43% by 2030” (UNCC).

With this being said, the United States’ absence at this year's Climate Change Conference is a worrying sign of how the country is currently pushing away from seriously addressing global warming. Other countries, like China, that have been major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, have already begun making substantial progress in transitioning to clean energy. A bigger reliance on solar and wind power allows these countries to mitigate the effects of climate change. Given that continued advances in renewable energy make investing in them more affordable and sustainable, the US’s reluctance to adopt these new technologies is a worrying sign if the world hopes to limit the dangers posed by climate change.

Historic Droughts in Iran Lead to Cloud Seeding

Iran is currently experiencing one of its worst droughts in history. In the country, water capacity is under 5% at 32 dams, and across the entire country, rainfall is 85% below the average (Luhn). In fact, Tehran, the capital city of Iran, has received only 1 mm of rain this year. This has led to potential talks of evacuating the city if the situation does not improve soon. These dire circumstances can be attributed to many factors, including increased climate change and mismanagement of current water resources. In hopes of increasing water supplies in the region, Iran has begun cloud seeding. 

Cloud seeding involves scattering particles, such as salt, and chemicals, such as silver iodide, into clouds to encourage water droplets to fall. This technique was developed in the 1940s and works by freezing water droplets in clouds, making them heavier and causing them to precipitate as snow or rain. Iran is not the only country to experiment with cloud seeding, as other countries have also used it for various reasons. In New Delhi, India, for example, cloud seeding is currently being used to help combat the city's smog by creating rainfall. The effectiveness of cloud seeding remains debated among scientists, as some claim it is effective while others doubt its role in triggering rainfall. Regardless of the matter, many nations have been using it, and Iran hopes it will help alleviate the water crisis it currently faces. 

Fresh water resource scarcity

Water is an essential resource for life. Although 70% of the Earth is covered by water, only 3% is actually usable fresh water. Further stressing this small percentage, agriculture uses up to 70% of the world’s accessible freshwater. And some 60% of this is wasted due to leaky irrigation systems (“Water Conservation Concerns”). Moreover, within the last 50 years, our population has doubled. Countless families are not receiving the proper accommodations to survive.

Out of the 8.2 billion people in the world, 1.1 billion people lack access to water, 2.7 billion people find water scarce for at least one month per year, and 2.4 billion people suffer from inadequate sanitation (“Water Scarcity: Causes, Impacts, and Solutions”).  These numbers continue to rise as the supply decreases and the demand increases.

Despite the benefits that building dams, water wells, and irrigation systems have brought to humans, rivers, lakes, and aquifers are increasingly stressed under human activity. In addition, as the population pumps more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, climate change disturbs weather patterns and the water cycle. Such changes affect downstream communities and reduce water availability worldwide. In addition to greenhouse gases, toxic chemicals also pollute the water. The improper disposal of motor oil and the overuse of fertilizers cut down the already tight supply (“How Can You Help Protect Source Water? | US EPA”). 

So what is the solution? Well, there are many. They range from improving the efficiency of irrigation systems in agricultural areas to turning off the faucet during tooth brushing. What’s important is not just the method of saving water, but the mindset behind it. When everyone is responsible and constantly looking out for others, small efforts will amount to significant changes. 

Tips: Reducing Phantom Energy Draw

Even when devices seem to be turned “off,” they may be drawing power from your outlets, costing you money and using resources. In fact, in the average home, 75% of electricity use occurs when appliances and other devices are turned off. Here are some strategies to prevent that from happening:

• Unplug appliances to stop “energy vampire” devices from drawing power passively.

• Use a power strip with a switch to physically cut off power.

• Look for ENERGY STAR appliances; these save energy — an ENERGY STAR computer uses 70% less energy than a non-ENERGY STAR computer, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. 

• Using a programmable thermostat can help your home regulate temperature more efficiently, intelligently optimizing energy use and saving power. 

• Use LED bulbs for lighting, as they use 75% less energy than their incandescent counterparts. 

• Make sure to regularly check your energy bill to make sure there are no sudden, unexpected spikes in usage.