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Global Carbon Project Launches Global Carbon Budget 2022
The science team at the Global Carbon Project, a Global Research Network, launched its latest Global Carbon Budget at COP27. The research shows that global carbon emissions in 2022 remain at record levels with no signs of the decrease that is urgently needed to limit warming to 1.5°C. If current emissions levels persist, there is now a 50% chance that global warming of 1.5°C will be exceeded in nine years. View the latest report here.
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Join Happy Hour Sponsored by IGAC at AGU
Will you be at the AGU Fall Meeting? Interested in connecting with like-minded folks working on clean air? Come to the Clean Air Happy Hour on 13 December 2022 from 6-8 pm (CST). Sponsored by the Air Quality Life Index at the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago and the International Global Atmospheric Chemistry Project (IGAC), the event will showcase a variety of clean air-focused organizations and initiatives working in non-profit, academic, and for-profit settings. There will also be plenty of time to network with the larger community passionate about working toward cleaner air. Find more and RSVP here.
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Register for PECS Webinar on the University-Community Partnership for Improving Green Space: Reimagining Urban Futures from the Lens of Environmental Justice
The Programme on Ecosystem Change and Society (PECS) Collaborative Working Group will organize a webinar titled "Reimagining Urban Futures from the Lens of Environmental Justice" on 1 December 2022 from 8:30 am (MST), with Dr. Marta Berbés-Blázquez. Dr. Berbés-Blázquez is the Caivan Communities professor at the School of Planning and the Faculty of Environment at the University of Waterloo and will introduce a university-community partnership to improve green space in Phoenix, AZ. In this project, a group of researchers from Arizona State University partnered with a school teacher from Academia del Pueblo, a middle school that serves predominantly Latinx and low-income students, to imagine better and greener futures for their community. The webinar will reflect on this project's journey and the power of anticipatory tools in community settings. Register from here.
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Latest Updates from European Space Agency (ESA)
- ESA Externally-hosted Climate Fellowships
Closing: 31 January 2023
Early-career researchers are invited to submit project proposals to the 2022 Climate Change Initiative (CCI) fellowship call to implement leading-edge research that contributes to the aim of the CCI programme. The objective of this initiative is to support early-career scientists in the field of Earth Observation for Climate Research. To date, the CCI has funded 24 research fellowships to further improve and exploit Essential Climate Variable (ECV) products. To continue this research-excellence, ESA is calling for new proposals under the umbrella of the CCI Fellowship scheme. Host organization’s candidates shall propose a 2-year research plan contributing to at least one of the following areas: exploitation of the CCI ECVs to improve our understanding of carbon, water, and energy cycles and investigate the long-term response of our climate system; cross-ECV research topics ranging from (but not exclusive to) teleconnections, tipping points, ice-ocean- atmosphere interactions, ocean surface currents, sea level budget closure, atmospheric trace gases, land-atmosphere exchange, terrestrial hydrology, and climate and human health; topics related to the exploitation of CCI ECVs in the context of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP). For more information, visit the website. For queries and proposals please contact climate.office@esa.int.
- ESA Internal Fellowships in EO for Earth System Science (5 Posts)
Closing date: 7 December 2022
The successful candidates will be part of the Earth System Science Hub: a new science facility in ESA and center for networking and scientific collaboration among world-class researchers in ESA Member States (MS) and worldwide. The Hub will bring together young and senior scientists of different disciplines in Earth Observation and Earth System Science to contribute to developing the next generation of EO products and jointly address some of the major science challenges of this decade. The Hub will also contribute to developing a solid scientific basis for the implementation and evolution of “Digital Twin Earth” (an advanced high-resolution replica of our planet, its processes, and its interactions with human activities and ecosystems). Visit the website for more information. If you would like to discuss this further, please write to contact.human.resources@esa.int.
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Latest Updates from the Earth System Governance (ESG)
- Updates to the Leadership and Administration of the ESG Project
The ESG project is thrilled to share that Prof. Aarti Gupta and Prof. Louis Kotzé will take chairing roles in the Scientific Steering Committee of the project. Aarti and Louis have already been working in various capacities as part of the Scientific Steering Committee and convening task forces throughout the past years. Jane Butler has taken on the role of the new Executive Director of the International Project Office. Jane is looking forward to working with the community and Scientific Steering Committee to make sure earth system governance research continues to grow, be relevant, and include more scholars globally in 2023.
- 2022 Toronto Conference on Earth System Governance
Scholars from across the world gathered in Toronto and online last month for the 2022 Earth System Governance Conference themed ‘Governance Accelerated Transitions: Justice, Power and Creativity in a Changing World’. The 2023 conference will be held at Radboud University from 23-27 October 2023. The call for papers under the theme ‘Bridging Sciences and Societies’ will launch in December. We welcome contributions from across Future Earth! Visit the website to stay up to date!
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Scientists Uncover Widespread and Ongoing Clearcutting of Old Forests in Sweden
A new study published in the journal Earth’s Future finds that almost a quarter of Sweden’s last unprotected old-growth forest was logged between 2003 and 2019 – equivalent to a loss of 1.4% per year. At this rate, all of these ecologically unique and valuable forests will be lost in about 50 years. The study was presented last year at a webinar on boreal forests and climate change that was organized by Future Earth Sweden and the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Read more here.
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Global Sustainability News with Some Good News
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New Zealand Will Be the First to Tax Cow Burps
New Zealand is known for having seven times as many sheep and cows as people and relies on dairy, meat, and wool for more than half of the nation's export revenue. Consequently, half of the country's greenhouse gas emissions come from biological methane and nitrous oxide caused by livestock burps, urine, and manure. In order to tackle this issue, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced a plan to tax New Zealand's farmers for their livestock emissions. The tax money will be used for agriculture research, technology, and incentive payments for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. There are still many obstacles and challenges to the realization of this tax, but the country is trying to be the icebreaker for the rest of the world. Read more here.
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Abandoned Airport in Greece Will Turn into a 600-acre Green Space
Early next year, the site of Ellinikon International Airport, which used to be a gateway to Greece, will be turned into the Ellinikon Metropolitan Park with a 600-acre restorative landscape. The abandoned airport will transform into a green space with a park, playground, and cultural center. Ultimately, the goal is to strengthen the climate resiliency of the city while also promoting mental and physical health. Read more here.
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World Population Reaches 8 Billion Posing Challenge for Climate Change
The world population reached 8 billion on 15 November 2022, according to the United Nations. In addition, the UN stated that there will be challenges for regions with resource scarcity as the population is projected to reach around 10.4 billion, by the 2080s. Since 2011, population growth has been seen in middle-income countries, mostly in Asia, with an increase of 700 million people. For example, India added around 180 million people and is expected to be the most populous nation in the world next year.
According to the Institute for Economics and Peace, the sub-Saharan African population is projected to increase by 95%, by 2050, and warned that much of this region may become unsustainable. Specifically, the region is facing resource scarcity, and around 738 million people do not have enough food supplies. Tackling issues of climate justice will be critical as our population increases around the world. Read more here.
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COP27: What was Achieved and What Work Remains
COP27 took place from 6-20 November 2022 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, attended by nearly 200 countries. The countries agreed to set up a “loss and damage” fund for countries vulnerable to climate disasters and agreed to nearly halve their greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. This was a step forward, but challenges still remain. A number of nations, including China and Saudi Arabia, did not agree to a proposal to phase out fossil fuels. Read more here.
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Anthropocene Magazine's Daily Science - Latest
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Orchestrating Chatter Between Appliances Could Save a Surprising Amount of Energy
An algorithm that enables neighborhood air conditioners to coordinate and stagger their operation could shrink peak power demand on hot days by more than one-quarter, a new analysis reveals. “The way they operate today, machines like air conditioners, water heaters, and heat pumps collectively cause spikes in electricity demand that can stress power lines, transformers and other electrical infrastructure,” says study team member Kevin Kircher, a mechanical engineer at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. “A little communication and slightly modified control logic can significantly reduce those demand spikes.” Read more…
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Improving Wild Bat Habitat Could Prevent a New Deadly Disease Outbreak
What if a deadly disease outbreak could be prevented by something as seemingly unrelated as protecting flowering trees? It might seem like a small price to pay, given what can happen when a virus jumps from wild animals to humans. Witness the cost of the COVID-19 pandemic, thought to have originated in bats. The death toll today is more than 6.5 million people worldwide.
Now, scientists for the first time have uncovered a strong link between habitat destruction and eruptions of a bat-borne disease that can kill both horses and humans. Their meticulous detective work traces how climate and habitat loss can conspire to spark a “spillover” event – when a disease hops from one species to another. Read more…
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To see more upcoming events, and share your own, visit the Future Earth Membership Portal.
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Apply for Frontiers Planet Prize: Science for a Sustainable Planet
Closes: 1 December 2022
Frontiers Research Foundation has launched the Planet Prize to recognize and reward exceptional scientists. Three prizes worth a total of CHF 3 million (~ USD $3.2m) will be awarded in 2023 to the world’s most innovative sustainability scientists who are able to offer globally scalable solutions which protect and restore planetary health. All domains of science will be considered. Apply by 1 December 2022 through the website.
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Join WCRP Open Science Conference: Advancing Climate Science for a Sustainable Future
Abstract Submission Opens: 1 December 2022
Abstract submission will open on 1 December 2022 for the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) Open Science Conference (OSC), which will be held in Rwanda from 23-27 October 2023. With a hybrid (in-person and online) format, the conference will bring together international climate researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.
The focus of the conference is ‘Advancing Climate Science for a Sustainable Future' and the three conference themes are:
- ‘Advances in Climate Research’
- ’Human Interactions with Climate’
- ’Co-produced Climate Services and Solutions’
The full list of 40 sessions and over 40 poster clusters is available on the website, as well as the details of dedicated early and mid-career events. Registrations for the conference will open on 15 December 2022. WCRP warmly invites the Future Earth community to join us in Rwanda to discuss together and find ways forward for some of the critical challenges that we face under a changing climate. Find more here.
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Assistant Professor Position at the University of Toronto
Closes: 15 December 2022
The Department of Earth Sciences in the Faculty of Arts and Science at the University of Toronto invites applications for a full-time tenure stream position in Near Surface Geophysics. The appointment will be at the rank of Assistant Professor, with an expected start date of July 1, 2023. Applicants must have earned a Ph.D. in earth or environmental sciences, geophysics, physics, or a closely related discipline by the time of appointment, or shortly thereafter, with a demonstrated record of excellence in research and teaching. We seek candidates whose research and teaching interests complement and enhance our existing departmental strengths. The successful candidate would be pursuing innovative research in near-surface geophysics, combining field-based and modeling approaches to topics such as hydrogeology, cryosphere science, natural hazards, archaeology, forensics, and/or other environmental aspects of critical zone science. Find more here.
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Ph.D. position at the University of Neuchâtel in Switzerland
Closes: 15 December 2022
The Centre for Hydrogeology and Geothermics of the University of Neuchâtel (CHYN) is accepting applications for the Ph.D. position contributing to a project that aims to develop an improved understanding of the role of groundwater at the catchment scale by jointly incorporating micropollutant and environmental tracer data (e.g. stable and radioisotopes) in conceptual and numerical models. The Ph.D. position is planned to collaborate with the Climate and Environmental Physics Institute of the University Bern on environmental tracer methods. The CHYN provides a stimulating research environment with about 50 collaborators working on a wide range of topics in hydrogeology and geothermics. Find more here.
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Position at Duke University for an Executive in Residence
Closes: 14 January 2023
The Pratt School of Engineering and the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University invite applications for an Executive in Residence to lead and manage the new collaborative DESIGN Climate Program. This program aims to confront the climate crisis by deploying interdisciplinary teams of students and faculty to create highly innovative and sustainable climate solutions that can lead to a dramatic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and help societal stakeholders adapt to the effects of climate change. The major responsibilities of this position will be to (1) establish and grow the DESIGN Climate program; (2) serve as the thought leader and academic director of the program; (3) work collaboratively with the scholarly community at Duke and cultivate user-facing partnerships with industry and communities. Find more here.
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Faculty Positions in Earth Science and Engineering at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
Closes: 31 January 2023
The KAUST Earth Science and Engineering (ErSE) program is seeking faculty member candidates at any rank for the areas below.
- Structural Geology and/or Marine Geophysics, with expertise in a quantitative field, computational and/or laboratory methods to work on topics related to offshore structure, resources, geothermal reservoirs, and/or CO2 storage.
- Atmospheric Chemistry, Aerosols, and Air Quality, with a focus on experimental, field, and/or numerical modeling for climate and air quality research to study air pollution, dust, aerosol processes, and/or regional climate.
- Machine Learning in Geosciences, with expertise in acquiring, processing, understanding, analyzing, and/or inverting large data sets for geoscientific applications by using machine learning and other data-driven approaches.
Find more details, including the qualifications and application instructions here.
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Woodwell Climate Research Center: Government Relations Director
Desired Start Date: January 2023
Woodwell Climate Research Center (Woodwell), which conducts science for solutions at the nexus of climate, people, and nature by partnering with leaders and communities for just meaningful impact to address the climate crisis, is hiring the Government Relations Director. This position facilitates the effective delivery of Woodwell science to U.S. federal policymakers. The Government Relations Director is responsible for providing strategic and tactical management of Woodwell’s outreach to Congress and U.S. federal agencies. Application review will be ongoing and the desired starting date is January 2023. Find more here.
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"In the face of impending catastrophe, whose warning signs are already unbearably disastrous, weak action is unwise. No action is dangerous."
—William Ruto, President of Kenya at COP27
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