The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry is touted to be environmentally friendly. In March of this year the European Union launched its industrial strategy for a green and digital Europe. It is fashionable, albeit unjustified, to couple digital with green.
Pollution
Climate Change is Ecocide
We should be aware that these small percentage temperature increases, reflecting climate changer, will have disproportionately huge consequences. The 1°C, 1.5°C or 2°C increases hide extreme weather conditions; extreme heat, desertification; extremely cold, glacial temperatures; cyclones and forest fires; floods and rising seas; unprecedented drought and famine; migrations of millions of people fleeing unbearable weather conditions and food and water shortages.
Carbon Emissions Countdown (2) – The Reality
We can understand better what these emissions and temperature measures and target dates mean by looking at the facts on the ground. At the end of 2019 we passed the 1°C increase threshold. The increase of 1°C in average global temperature is by definition an ‘average’ and hides the reality of extreme weather conditions.
Carbon Emissions Countdown (1) – The Failure
These convoluted and ambiguous carbon emissions targets that have an inbuilt failure expectation of 34% or even 50% are not targets at all. Whilst being adequate for a scientific study giving the parameters within which the findings are true and to what extent, it is however highly inadequate as a policy objective.
Greta Thunberg – EU Green Deal is Surrender
Greta Thunberg: “When the EU presents this climate law and net zero by 2050, you indirectly admit surrender, that you are giving up, giving up on the Paris agreement, giving up on your promises and giving up on doing everything you possibly can to ensure a safe future for your own children. Because this law is based on insufficient CO2 budgets that in reality gives us much, much less than a 50% chance of limiting average global temperature rise to below 1.5 degrees Celsius.”
Malta – The Air We Breathe
Strange as it may seem, the majority of people have forgotten or do not understand what keeps them alive. It must be a sort of amnesia or a type of stupor. Politicians in particular, please listen up. We live because we breathe clean air, drink fresh water, eat healthy food, and have …
Plastic: Stop it at the Border
We are fascinated by plastic, its look and usefulness, and have totally ignored the collateral damage it causes to our health and in the environment. The extent of the damage being caused to our life supporting Earth is mind blowing and this has finally reached global public awareness. Of the …
The Lies about Plastic
It is important to understand where plastic comes from and who is benefitting from the wholesale devastation of our planet. Over 99% of plastic is produced from chemicals that are derived almost entirely from fossil fuels i.e. Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) and crude oil. For this reason plastic manufacturing plants are …
Massive Air Pollution from Shipping
Large ships currently use heavy fuel oil with 3.5% sulphur. This needs to go down to at least 0.5% (one seventh). The problem apparently is that reducing the toxic emissions would double the cost for ship operators. It seems that in shipping and political circles human life has a …
Cruise Liners are Heavy Air Polluters
Passengers on cruise ships could be exposing themselves to dangerous levels of pollution, according to an investigation by UK’s Channel 4’s Dispatches team that found some public areas on the ships’ decks were more polluted than the world’s worst-affected cities. The undercover …