The number of cockroaches in Spain has increased sharply, which is related to global warming | Environmental Trumpet

Hello everyone, this is the 9th issue of the Environmental Trumpet column. In this column, you can see different topics such as climate, pollution, energy, agriculture, etc., and learn about the recent changes in our environment and what good and bad news there are.

In this issue, we have collected the following environmental research and news worth reading:

1. As sea water warms, the Great Barrier Reef suffers its most severe coral bleaching

2. Global warming causes cockroach infestation in Spain

3. Climate change may cause huge losses and trigger a global economic crisis

4. The United Nations holds its first Sustainable Development Week

5. New EU regulations require all new buildings to achieve zero emissions by 2030

6. "Naturally" certified as an artist, streaming royalties will be used for protection

Great Barrier Reef coral bleaching again

According to an official report released by Australia on April 17, the Great Barrier Reef is experiencing the most severe large-scale coral bleaching event in recorded history - nearly three-quarters of the coral reefs have experienced bleaching, and nearly 40% of the corals have experienced high or extreme bleaching. Currently, coral bleaching has been observed in all areas of the Great Barrier Reef, with the most serious damage in the central and southern areas.

Coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef again | CoralWatch

Corals are very sensitive to their environment and can bleach when they feel environmental stress. Rising seawater temperatures are the main cause of coral bleaching. In early April last year, global sea temperatures reached 21.1 ºC, breaking the record again; this year, the water temperature in the southern Great Barrier Reef was 2.5C higher than the historical summer peak.

When the water temperature is too high, coral polyps will expel the symbiotic colorful algae from their bodies in order to protect themselves, resulting in bleaching. Bleached corals will not die immediately. As long as the sea water cools down quickly enough, they can re-live with the algae and recover. However, the frequency of coral bleaching is increasing. This is the fifth bleaching event in the Great Barrier Reef in the past eight years . From 2020, 2022 to this year, it has occurred every other year. It is difficult for corals to have enough time to recover.

Coral bleaching and death | CoralWatch

In addition to the Great Barrier Reef, corals in other countries have also experienced bleaching. On the 15th of this month, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that the fourth global coral bleaching event in recorded history is occurring , and it is also the second global coral bleaching event in ten years.

If corals bleach repeatedly, we will lose more than just corals. Coral reefs cover less than 1% of the earth's land, but provide habitats for 25% of marine life . This is one of the most complex ecosystems on Earth. There is only one way to solve the problem of coral bleaching: reduce greenhouse gas emissions and curb global warming.

Cockroaches are spreading in Spain amid high temperatures

In Spain, cockroach populations are increasing, with numbers this year already up 33% from 2023. Global warming is likely to be to blame.

Under the trend of global warming, Spain has repeatedly experienced record high temperatures in recent years. The warm climate has prolonged the active period and breeding season of German cockroaches . In addition, traditional insecticides for cockroaches have been used since the 1990s, and cockroaches have developed a certain degree of drug resistance. The combination of these two factors has led to a sharp increase in the number of cockroaches in Spain, which may lead to wider public health problems.

Currently, pest control workers in Spain are working to solve the infestation problem. Since pesticides may not be effective, they are trying methods such as improving hygiene habits and setting up mechanical traps.

High temperatures trigger economic crisis

Global high temperatures will not only bring about the current coral bleaching and cockroach infestation, but also future economic crisis.

Global high temperatures will cause huge economic losses and even trigger an economic crisis｜Pixabay

Two recent papers published in Nature have examined the economic impact of climate change. One of the studies, which analyzed major climate change scenarios from now to 2060, suggests that extreme heat will disrupt global supply chains and trigger the worst economic crisis in history .

Even under the most optimistic assumptions, by 2060, the number of heatwave days will increase by 25%, and 600,000 people will die from heat every year. High temperatures will affect health and life expectancy, lead to labor losses, damage agricultural production, and disrupt industrial processes. These will cause a loss of 0.8% of GDP, or $3.75 trillion. Under more severe assumptions, this figure will reach $25 trillion, and the number of deaths from heat will reach 1 million per year.

If fossil fuels are phased out, economic losses can be contained | Pixabay

Another study analyzed the economic costs of climate change and found that average global income will fall by nearly one-fifth by 2050. Rising temperatures, more rainfall and more frequent extreme weather caused by global climate change will cause losses of $38 trillion per year by then; the economic losses caused by these environmental damages will be six times higher than the cost of limiting global warming to 2°C .

The economic impact of climate change will further exacerbate global inequality . According to forecasts, by the middle of this century, economic income in Europe and the United States will decrease by about 11%, while in Africa and South Asia it will be 22%, and in some countries it will be even higher - but these countries are often not the main cause of global warming.

The global economy will be affected by climate change, and this is an irreversible future. But we still have a choice - according to research models, if we do nothing, by 2100, the global average income will lose more than 60%; but if we can gradually phase out fossil fuels and reach zero carbon emissions by 2050, the income loss will stabilize at 20% by then, and will not get out of control.

The first United Nations Sustainable Development Week

From the 15th to the 19th of this month, the United Nations held its first Sustainability Week in New York, which brought together leaders from many countries and key UN officials to discuss topics such as debt sustainability, sustainable tourism, sustainable transportation, infrastructure and sustainable energy.

A girl in Côte d'Ivoire is taking a renewable energy course. Ensuring that everyone has access to sustainable energy is an important topic during Sustainable Development Week. Frank Dejongh/UNICEF

Take sustainable energy as an example. Since 2015, the global population with electricity has increased from 87% to 91%, but in the least developed countries, more than 73 million people still do not have access to electricity. Denis Francis, President of the United Nations General Assembly, stressed that efforts should be made to triple the penetration of renewable energy worldwide and save more than double the energy each year, so that everyone can truly have access to affordable, reliable and sustainable energy . Equality is also an important goal. Francis said that when billions of people do not have enough energy, others are planning commercial moon vacations, which is a "clear moral failure."

The purpose of the Sustainable Development Week is to promote the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which was adopted in 2015 and is based on 17 Sustainable Development Goals, including eradicating poverty, achieving gender equality, protecting ecosystems, and ensuring that everyone has access to affordable and sustainable energy.

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals proposed by the United Nations

New EU regulations: new buildings to be zero-emission by 2030

On April 12, the European Union adopted a revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, which requires all new buildings to achieve zero emissions by 2030 .

The construction and operation of buildings requires a lot of greenhouse gas emissions | Pixabay

The construction industry is currently the industry that emits the most greenhouse gases, accounting for 37% of the world's total emissions. In addition to the carbon emissions generated by lighting, cooling and heating during operation, the production, transportation and use of materials such as cement, steel bars and aluminum also generate a lot of greenhouse gases. The EU hopes that through this document, countries will reduce energy use and emissions in the construction industry.

According to the directive, new public buildings in EU countries must achieve zero fossil fuel emissions by 2028, and all other new buildings must achieve this goal by 2030. New buildings must be able to install photovoltaic or solar thermal devices; at the same time, from January 1 next year, subsidies for fossil fuel-driven boilers will be stopped, with the aim of completely phasing out fossil fuels used in cooling and heating by 2040. The ultimate goal of all measures is to achieve complete decarbonization of the building complex by 2050 .

As to whether this directive can be implemented in member states, we may just have to wait for time to give the answer.

Nature: Official Artist

Recently, "Nature" was certified as an artist on music streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music, which will raise funds for nature conservation.

Nature is a certified artist on Spotify

It has always been common to add insect chirping, bird calls, or rainforest waves to music arrangements. But after "Nature" is certified as an artist, as long as these music adds "Nature" as a cooperating artist, "Nature" can profit from the music playback on the streaming platform .

This is led by the non-governmental non-profit organization "UN Museum - UN Live". They are working with a number of nature conservation organizations and plan to use 50% to 70% of the royalties for environmental protection . As the person in charge said, recognizing that nature is a valuable artist will change the rules of the game.

Musicians have also shown their support, such as Brian Eno, who remixed his David Bowie song Get Real with the sounds of hyenas, rooks and wild boars, and tagged Nature as a collaborating artist. The songs can be found on Nature’s homepage.

Get Real, feat. NATURE

Author: Mai Mai