Foundation for Amazon Sustainability’s Post

I recently posted about the march of the armyworm as an example of how climate change was creating the conditions for this pest to establish itself in New Zealand. This was a reminder that its not just the acute events like storms, heatwaves or flooding that we need to prepare for or the well publicised sea level rise impacts. A gradual rise in ambient temperature is creating the perfect conditions for pests and threatening the existing players in the ecosystem. I promised a marine example as well and this one comes from learning a bit more about what marine temperature rise was doing in the ocean off Tai Tokerau (Northland). The ocean was a key theme that ran through the Climate Action Tai Tokerau conference highlighting the key role the ocean plays through photosynthesis and balancing temperatures. It was also a reminder that to keep the ocean healthy we need to be thinking about what we are doing on the land - stopping the flow of sediments and pollutants into the ocean. Presentations at the conference talked about the role that kina (or sea urchins) were playing in destroying kelp forests in the absence of their natural predators - large crayfish and snapper. Climate change is also at play with the gradual warming of the ocean along with sudden marine heat waves impacting on our kelp forests. This article from the Conversation is timely and provides a great summary of the challenges facing our kelp forests. With kelp forests being both a home and source of food for so many of our marine species we cannot afford to lose them. Check out my Climate Response Wheel to provide a useful reference for all the elements you may need to think about to get your organisation climate ready. https://lnkd.in/gB6aw-sB #climateready

What’s the Impact of Climate Change on Sea Turtles? 🌡️ Sea turtle hatchlings’ genders depend on nest temperatures. Warmer nests result in more females, while cooler nests yield more males. In Papua New Guinea’s Conflict Islands, an extraordinary balance in hatchling ratios has been found, despite rising temperatures. Conversely, Queensland’s Raine Island, the world’s largest green turtle rookery, faces a gender ratio crisis due to extreme feminisation. Great news: WWF-Australia, in collaboration with the University of Queensland, leads the Turtle Cooling Project, working to protect these magnificent creatures. Understanding the factors that support the thriving turtle population in the Conflict Islands is a crucial step towards helping them adapt to a warming world. Special thanks to the Conflict Islands Conservation Initiative (CICI) for their support in the Turtle Cooling Project, including facilitating data collection, deploying temperature loggers, and assisting in the construction of shading infrastructure. Learn about why this matters and what it means for turtles here: https://lnkd.in/g7pBYQEC

A recent CBC News article highlights significant climate changes in northern Manitoba, Canada, including an unusually early ice-free date for Hudson Bay due to a marine heat wave. This warming trend is having a profound impact on local wildlife, particularly polar bears that rely on sea ice for hunting. Earthwatch Institute's expedition Climate Change at the Arctic's Edge intersects with these concerns. Expedition participants work side by side with leading scientists in this comprehensive environmental monitoring program to track critical climate-related changes such as thawing permafrost, shifting treelines, and declining snow depth. This research is essential for understanding climate change impacts and supporting the local community's ecotourism-based economy. #ClimateChange #Arctic #AtlanticOcean #HudsonBay #Conservation #ParticipatoryScience

The importance of coastal studies, and in the need for protecting coastal communities and their distinct culture.

Sea-level rise poses an imminent threat to coastlines: A groundbreaking study by #NTUsg scientists from the Earth Observatory of Singapore and Macquarie University in Australia warns that coastal habitats face a grave threat from rising sea levels within the next 30 years. The research, involving scientists from 17 institutions across Australia, Singapore, Germany, the US, Hong Kong, and the UK, was published today in the prestigious journal Nature. Drawing parallels to habitat destruction following the last Ice Age, the team warns of a similar catastrophe should global warming exceed Paris Agreement targets. During the Ice Age, large regions of coastal habitats were decimated, and nature took millennia to rebound from the losses. The team's findings suggest that comparable devastation will affect vital ecosystems like mangroves and coral reefs, which are natural barriers against the adverse impacts of climate change. The second author of the paper, Prof Benjamin Horton, Director of NTU’s Earth Observatory of Singapore, said currently around one billion people worldwide are living in low-elevation coastal zones, with some 70 per cent in Asia. "Improving our understanding of past and present sea-level changes is crucial in minimising the effects of sea-level rise through appropriate coastal planning, adaptation, and mitigation strategies based on sound reasoning," he adds. https://lnkd.in/g6acjGwT #NTUsgResearch #climatechange #sealevelrise #coastalhazards Nature Portfolio

🌏🌊 A Culture at the Mercy of Climate Change: The San Bernardo Archipelago's Struggle 🏝️🏠 The Guardian's latest piece offers a poignant glimpse into the tangible, heart-wrenching impacts of climate change. In #Colombia's San Bernardo archipelago, the encroaching sea doesn't just erode shores but washes away the very fabric of a community's culture, displacing residents and reshaping the landscape they call home. Santa Cruz del Islote's plight is a microcosm of a global issue: rising sea levels threaten to submerge history, homes, and heritage. The islands' struggle is not just about lost land but about the bureaucratic inertia that hinders climate adaptation efforts. It's a stark reminder of the need for systemic change in our response to the climate emergency. This story is more than an environmental crisis; it's a cultural catastrophe. As we witness the displacement of communities and the loss of biodiversity, the question looms large: How can we transform our bureaucratic frameworks to address the urgency of climate change effectively? Let's bring this conversation to the forefront. How can we, as a global community, rethink our approach to climate action to preserve not just the environment but also the cultures that enrich our world? https://lnkd.in/e9dFsyhT #ClimateCrisis #CulturalHeritage #ClimateActionNow 🗣️🌍💡

THE IMPACT OF SEA LEVEL RISE — DON'T SAY YOU WEREN'T WARNED Sea level rise, due to climate change, is inexorable and accelerating, but regional impacts are sometimes difficult to separate from seasonal trends. A new report has estimated the impacts of rising seas on coral reefs, tidal marshes and mangroves around the world – ecosystems on which millions of people depend for their livelihoods and safety. Dr Hirotada Moki and colleagues of the Coastal and Estuarine Environment Group at Japan’s Port and Airport Research Institute (PARI) estimated the marine losses by the year 2100, in a paper just published in the open-access journal PLOS Climate. Cosmos spoke to Moki via video conference. Moki and his team forecast the catastrophic loss of up to three-quarters of our global coral habitat, including the Great Barrier Reef. And blue carbon sinks such as tidal marshes and mangroves could shrink by about 92% and 74% percent respectively. What do we lose? Read on... #climatechange #sealevelrise #coralreefs #climateemergency #mangroves

Mangroves are the superheroes of Brazil's tropical coastline. However, urbanization and climate change threaten them. The Roots of Cooperation project in Santa Catarina, Brazil, aims to restore and conserve these mangroves through restoration, replanting native species, educational workshops, and scientific research on carbon sequestration and sea level rise. The project, supported by various organizations, intends to enhance mangrove resilience, help coastal cities adapt to climate change, and protect biodiversity and traditional livelihoods. Read more on Mongabay here: https://lnkd.in/gszckCJ6

Raising awareness about climate change impacts is crucial for collaboration and innovation towards the right solutions. Therefore, as I learn more about our impact on the world, I will take you along with me.... 📚 This morning, I listened to the BBC's, The Climate Question (one of my favourites!). During this episode they discuss how rising sea temperatures are threatening our coral reefs 🌊 There are roughly around 1 million different species that rely on coral reefs for food and shelter 🐟 So, what are we doing to save them? 1. Institutions such as the Caribbean Coral Reef Institute use Coral Nurseries where they remove damaged corals, look after them and return them to the ocean. This is a much faster process than letting them grow in the wild. 2. Many institutions such as the EPA also have water protection programs in place to protect water quality across watersheds and coastal zones of coral reef areas. 3. Teams across the UK and in Florida are also breeding sea urchins and crabs as they eat algae. Algae is a competitor of coral reefs. This gives coral reefs a better chance of survival. What can you do ⁉ Dispose of litter properly, minimize the use of fertilizers, conserve water and join a beach clean-up! Overall, climate change poses a significant threat to the health and survival of coral reefs worldwide. I plan to share weekly learnings so watch this space 🌍 #climatechange #coralreef #esg

Discover the Unsung Heroes of Climate Change Mitigation: Peatlands 🌾 Did you know that peatlands, covering only 3% of Earth’s surface, store around 30% of all land-based carbon? These incredible ecosystems are vital in our fight against climate change, yet they remain one of the most underrated natural solutions. I recently came across this article on The Nature Conservancy’s blog that delves into the significance of peatlands. It highlights their role in carbon storage, biodiversity, and water regulation, among other ecological benefits. This was a new learning experience for me--as are most days in this role--and I encourage you to take a couple minutes to educate yourself on peatlands! #Peatlands #ClimateAction #Sustainability #NatureConservancy https://lnkd.in/esyJUKa7