📰 EwA News Digest: Silent Species of Frog, Ice Caps Melting in Greenland, and New Clean Energy Jobs
Meghan Cahill
Hi everyone! I’m Meghan, the new EwA Spring Lesley University intern, here to share my first monthly news digest:
In Tanzania, researchers have discovered a new species of frog in Africa that does not make any noise! Located in the Ukaguru Mountains, a biodiversity hotspot, the Ukaguru spiny-throated reed frog is among one of the few frogs discovered around the world that does not use any type of vocalization. Without vocalization, the species need a way to be able to recognize each other. Scientists believe they do so through the recognition of each other's spines. Finding a new species under this rare and endangered group is a big win for conservation in this area!
Another astounding biodiversity hotspot is the Intag Valley in the tropic Andes region of Ecuador. This ecologically important area has been recently targeted by mining companies for its large mineral resources, such as copper. Local communities in the area have been organizing to protect the area from these threats for decades, having one of the longest-continuing resistances to mining in Latin America. Recently, they posed a legal challenge to a new mining proposal through the “rights of nature” article added to Ecuador's constitution in 2020.
Now moving to news on the climate change front: according to this article, new research shows that Greenland’s increasing temperatures are causing the ice caps to melt faster than ever. The melting of these ice sheets has a dramatic effect on the global climate system due to the fact that it disrupts ocean circulation, impacts weather patterns, and causes the sea level to rise. Researchers believe the melting of Greenland’s ice sheets could raise the sea level by about half a meter (20 in) with the continuation of current greenhouse gas emissions.
Astrophysicists at the University of Utah are proposing an obscure way to fight this climate change battle. Researchers are proposing to mine the moon and then fire plumes of moon dust from a gun into space to deflect the sun's rays away from Earth. They believe this would create some kind of “solar shield,” where the floating grains would partially block the sunlight. This is a new and controversial idea, as many people believe it’s more important to fight the climate crisis by putting in the effort of reducing greenhouse emissions, but it could be a good backup plan!
The United Nations is proposing a more realistic way of helping with the climate crisis by promoting global sustainability through making the ocean its own legal entity with rights. The ocean is a huge component in stabilizing Earth's climate and supporting the life on this planet. The UN has declared a Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development from 2021 to 2030, which outlines ten challenges to be tackled to help improve the ocean’s conditions. The Rights of Nature movement is also pushing for this by recognizing that nonhumans have inherent rights and value, trying to move people away from the idea that nature is only for human services.
Legislative actions are also another prominent way to help the climate crisis. 100,000 new clean energy jobs are set to be created after President Joe Biden's landmark climate bill came into law. Private job sectors are aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through electric vehicles, solar and wind energy, and home energy efficiency. Through these sectors, over 90 new clean energy projects in 31 states have been announced since Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act, which aims to cut the nation’s climate emissions by 40 percent from 2005 levels by 2030!
I hope you enjoyed my first monthly news digest! See you next month!
-Meghan (: