Day 1 of my 3- (half) day workshop on "Trigger Point Theory as Aesthetic Activism," in the world Culture Center in Copenhagen. Making progress with participants on exercizes to identify and locate primary conceptual and physical concerns in relation to global warming and hope to build on these ideas over the next couple days.
Went on to Bella Center. Protestors have swelled to about 5 different groups and about 500 people on the way in. Lines long for those still registering. Inside, it's like a NY subway of packed people. More protestors inside. Most moving was the silent line of young people holding flags from every nation and the signs: "We Stand With Africa." Got lunch, in a packed cafe area and spilled my roll on the way out trying to navigate the crowds. Space has become hard to negotiate at the Bella Center: an analogy to the coming world populations overload an migration pressures away from coastal regions? I'm waiting for a session on US coastal community impacts of global warming. Most of the reports from island nations so far, have been from southern nations that will be entirely subsumed. North, aside from the issue of impact on LDC, effects are less dramatic.
Now sitting in at the US Center on roadmapping future energy sources & developing smart grids to capture various natural energy resources, as solar from Africa but even carbon emissions. Representative from Sweden saying 60% of energy is lost in transport and can be used more efficiently by addressing the systems, Connecting the education of women in Least Developed Countries to more efficient fuels. China lobbying for coal. India confronted as only 29% efficiency. Asserting their goal is 60%. Italian lobbyists for biofuels: sugar cane (most destructive crop to habitat).
Moderator asking panelists to name biggest obstacle to greenhouse gas emissions. No one responding. Finally Italian saying we need a framework of common rules to work together. Chinese asking for more innovation. UK: act on 400 options. Sweden: we're stuck in old thinking; see possibilities. Norway: must address deforestation & step up energy efficiency do alongside carbon storage. Germany: efficiency of developed countries and economies of scal to bring LDC.
John Strickland from Dept of the Interior with EPA & NOAA, Tom Armstrong senior advisor Dept of Interior. Overview: climate change coastal impact internationally: biodiversity, human population. Need better tools to fully know impact. Using adaptive management, helping American Indians & Alaskan Natives- playing catch up after many years in absentia (Bush). Dept Interior: manages 1/5 USA, manages 500 Mil acres surface land, half protected. USGS carbon storage analysis: 90 bil tons stored in plants & soil (deforestation issues). Goal: do no harm.
Protection = preserving buffering vs development. co-ordinating information and science, responding to a Secretarial order for regional centers, landscape co-ops at ecosystem management. Off-shore waters critical. Fast-tracking solar & wind projects. Managing intercontinental shelf first regs permitting wind power off shore in East. Carbon footprint reduction part of strategy. Coast from upper Maine to Baltimore relatively low. Cape Hatteras, however, very vulnerable. North Carolina washing out. Developing landscape scale restoration of Everglades task force: significant progress (65 threatened species). Important daylighting in "river of grass" to restore natural tidal flushing, fresh water.
What is striking me is how much they accomplished below the radar even while Bush was in power & how quickly Obama has moved forward with environmental mandates without much attention.
United State Geographical Survey (USGS) on Gulf of Mexico: loss of dune barriers for barrier islands, making restoration efforts: Gulf Coast Restoration Strategy. Major loss of wetlands: 34 sq miles for past fifty years due to channelization & flood protection vs tidal flushing. Now trying to reverse, starting with mapping to focus efforts at implementation. 56 mil acres held in trust for Native Peoples; acknowledging special knowledge & working with. With melting ice, larger waves, exaggerating erosion.
Goals are trying to share knowledge- wildlife without borders, tech assistance, collaborating on mitigation with ocean pollution, wetlands loss. USGS shared internationally to monitor losses working w/ West Africa, ie., Senegal reforestation w/ "Whispering Pines (what about monocultures?)."Monitoring mangroves in India.
Skypeing in from Washington DC John Wilson & Jeremy Martinich US EPA on estuaries. CRE case studies (we keep losing the phone connections but they were persistent). Looking at Baltimore- challenge of diversity: rocky highlands, beaches to swamps. Invasion of changes of life cycles, intenser storms net loss TK & economies regardless of emissions: retreat. Still can't predict timing & certainty; lack of adequate co-ordination. Relying on past inadequate to planning for future because of rapid & unpredictable change due to climate change. Inadequate $ support. Lessons learned previously from- 28 estuaries (NERR) programs. Climate change must be integrated into all other decisions. Must be locally directed based on priorities from each community- scale of individual properties. Start with existing priorities. communicate & support for adaptation essential- part of planning & implementation- start as early as possible. Rapidly evolving.
I have too many questions to ask all of them- for example, how direct local planning if local residents deny importance?
Jeremy on adaptation in estuary programs: Casco Bay, Maine vulnerability in Oyster Bay, New Hampshire. Comprehensive adaptation & stakeholder communications- lobsters- listening sessions & establishing priorities. Most support around icons, as lobsters. Ice disappearance (ice out change of 2-3 weeks on Lake Sebago). Involving public in listening sessions (answer to my question about engagement?)
Stormwater infrastructure problems, ie in New Hampshire. Mapping reveals inadequacy and trying to retrofit infrastructure. Economic issues in Delaware- costs of protections, ecosystem services lost. Prioritizing what to protect, value as salinity moves up estuaries= modeling & habitat equivalency- changes in spatial distribution, cost of restoration vs cost of replacement. Cost benefit relationships to conservation & adaptation. Charlotte Harbor, Florida. Punta Gorda protecting sea grass, xeriscaping, comprehensive plan, restricting fertilizer use, green building & drought protection. redesigning shoreline to account for habitat migration, ie seawall levels: Read: "Synthesis of Adaptation Options," "Climate Ready Estuaries: 2009 Progress Report."
Dr. Batton: Climate Change adaptation & mitigation for humans & wildlife co-ordinates all agencies. Interagency & deep marine resources organized by Obama ( despite Republicans apparently). In Calif. dealing with fresh water loss: levees- soil lost 25'- reintroducing native wetlands to raise soil surface 4' & sequester carbon (what about impact of water irrigation from Colorado River & Mexico?).
Dr. Armstrong on scientific assessment projects (SAP study 3.4, 4.1) re: sea level rise on east coast. Exacerbated by glacial subsidence. Significant changes similar to So Pacific. Not just thermal dynamics but tectonic subsidence, geomorphology, tidal surges, plant types & buffering capacity. Challenge of scale on local level.
My question (only one they had time to answer: what about species migration (lobster)? Strickland gave example of monitoring/ controlling Pika species migration paths in West- didn't really answer my question. Took his card after session, to ask about policy & be directed to technical people.
Just spoke with someone from Shell: formerly working for their sustainability program, quit so they can look at themselves in the mirror (minimal progress, 30-33 people killed annually, stupid, selfish choices re: developing countries.) Asked not to be identified,
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