Impacts, Adaptation, and Resiliency

impacts, adaptation, and resiliency.

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As our natural world around the globe continues to undergo irreparable pressure from human population growth, resource extraction, and habitat loss, no issue is more pressing than Climate Change. And while the current US administration blatantly rejects credible and peer-reviewed science, there is still hope. Cities, states, Tribes, and communities are stepping up, not a moment too soon.

This project is a journey into the impacts and drivers of Climate Change, and explores meaningful action being taken on the city, state, tribal, and community level to protect culture, the environment, and community livelihoods in the face of a changing climate.

USA. Boulder, Colorado. March 12, 2018. The Valmont Power Station is a recently decommissioned 186MW power station owned by Xcel Energy. The decommissioning of the plant reflects the aggressive Boulder Climate Action plan designed to reduce citywide emissions to 80% by 2050 and source 100% renewable energy by 2030. As a part of the long-term process, Valmont no longer burns coal, and natural gas will be phased out in the next few years.

“...without bolder action, our children won’t have time to debate the existence of Climate Change. They’ll be busy dealing with its effects. More environmental disasters, more economic disruptions. Waves of climate refugees seeking sanctuary. We CAN and SHOULD argue about the best approach to solve the problem, but to simply deny the problem not only betrays future generations, it betrays the essential spirit of this country.”

— Barack Obama

But why?

93-97% of peer reviewed climate experts agree: (1) climate change is occurring, (2) humans are contributing to it, and (3) Climate Change science is a trustworthy, mature and credible discipline. "Scientists who continue to claim otherwise are operating outside of the consensus, not just of climate scientists, but also of scientists as a whole" [1] [2].
Exemplified by the Paris Accord, 195 out of 196 countries (with the exception of the current US administration) agree that Climate Change is real, is caused by humans, and requires immediate action.
On January 18, 2017, NASA, NOAA and the US Center for Environmental Information (EIA) indicated that 2016 was the hottest year in 137 years of known record-keeping, and the third year in a row to boast that number one position. Of the 18 hottest years on human record, 17 have occurred since 2000. NASA indicates that September 2016 marked the 1st time in earths history we have not dipped below 400 ppm CO2 concentrations. Previously, in 800,000 years (determined through ice core samples in the Arctic, the earth has never reached above 300 ppm.

Who agrees?

The United Nations (The United Nations Development Program and the United Nations Environment Program); The World Bank; the World Meteorological Organization; the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs, the United States Department of Transportation, the U.S. Federal Highway Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, the United States Department of Agriculture, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the United States Department of Energy, the United States Department of Defense, the United States Department of the Interior, United States National Park Service, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, United States Urban Housing and Development (HUD), the United States Geological Society (USGS), the United States Department of State, NASA, the International Maritime Organization, and the Federal Transit Authority; 7,100 mayors from some of the largest cities in the world across 119 countries; 365 (and counting) of the largest corporations in the world including Nike, Walmart, Goldman Sachs, Starbucks, Johnson and Johnson, Proctor and Gamble... [3][4]; and, over 175 Native American Tribes (and counting). Even Royal Dutch Shell company acknowledges the roll of fossil fuels in Climate Change and their plan to brace for a renewable future.

“But are you sure it’s human inflicted?” NASA says so. It is clear that Shell and Exxon Mobil knew the risks and purposefully covered up the science.

Nepal. Gorakshep. March 23, 2011. According to a recent study by scientists from the University of Neuchatel, snow seasons in the Swiss Alps end five weeks sooner than they did in the 1970's and maximum annual snow depth has decreased (on average) by 25%. Glacier melt and snow loss are no stranger to the Nepalese who live in these high alpine regions.

Peru. Marañón River, Amazonas. October 3, 2013. Despite population growth, habitat encroachment, and illegal logging, the Huambiza and Awajun peoples have adapted their fishing and hunting practices to adapt to a changing climate and landscape.

USA. New York City. February 18, 2018. Activists protest in front of the New York Public Library. Climate Change is about human rights and environmental justice and ironically, often the actions of the largest emitters (USA, China, India) impacts the most vulnerable and smallest emitters (Kivalina, Alaska and Tuvalu)

NEPAL. Gokyo Ri, Sagarmatha National Park. March 20, 2011. Ngozumpa glacier, the largest glacier in the Himalayas, is located in the Khumbu region of Nepal, and is seeing dramatic effects from warming due to Climate Change in recent decades. At 5,357m (17,575 feet), the chain of lakes (seen covered in ice and snow) are the highest freshwater lakes in the world, and are sacred to Hindus and Buddhists. They are also ecologically vulnerable. The flux and flow of meltwater from the Ngozumpa glacier impacts the lakes dramatically, and villages downriver are at risk from floods and landslides.

Vietnam. December 29, 2010. Vietnam is ranked to be one of the top five countries worldwide most vulnerable to Climate Change. The formation of the Mekong Delta Forum (includes 13 provincial governments, the Southwest Steering Committee, and the Ministries) is working to change the policies driving habitat loss around key floodplains for agricultural purposes. Moving into "flood based agriculture livelihoods" helps address habitat and biodiversity loss as well as impacts to and from Climate Change by supporting solutions that are economically attractive to farmers including lotus farming, floating rice systems, and rice-aquaculture.

USA. Denver, Colorado. January 27, 2018. The Denver International Airport is a LEED accredited building and has made impressive strides to decrease its carbon footprint and produce its own energy on-site.

USA. Lyons, Colorado. January 28, 2018. In 2013, Lyons experienced a 1000 year rain event that killed 8 people, caused $2 billion worth of damage, a caused then governor Hickenlooper to declare a state of emergency in 14 counties. Carcass of a deer near St. Vrain Creek.

USA. Fort Collins, Colorado. February 6, 2018. The Colorado State Forest Service greenhouses cover nearly 18,000 square feet and host Climate Change resistant tree species to be planted across the state in post fire burn areas.

USA. Denver, Colorado. January 27, 2018. A passenger moves to board the light-rail outside of Union Station. Denver has prioritized spending on this interconnected system of light-rail trains to better connect the city and reduce its carbon footprint.

USA. New York City. February 16, 2018. A conEdison generating plant is shown on the east side of Manhattan. ConEdison is one of the largest investor owned energy companies in the US ($47 billion of assets)

USA. Drake, Colorado. January 28, 2018. A massive debris pile remains on the Sylvan Dale Ranch five years after the devastating Big Thompson floods.

USA. Cameron Pass, Colorado. April 22, 2017. The Never Summer Range is an important source of water for the Northern Front Range, and Climate Change has continued to shift precipitation patterns and reduce snow-pack across the Rockies in the last few years.

USA. Drake, Colorado. January 28, 2018. The Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch was caught square in the path of the Big Thompson floods of 2013 and is still undergoing recovery, cleanup, and restoration efforts.

USA. Fort Collins, Colorado. February 6, 2018. A Colorado State Forest Service employee reseeds Climate Change resistant tree species at the CSFS nursery.

USA. Red Feather, Colorado. February 4, 2018. Ponds at Fox Acres Golf Course (8,300 ft above sea level) open up in early February at the 12th annual Fort Collins Pond Hockey League Tournament. Unusually warm days have resulted in schedule alterations and shortened game times over the last few years.

NEPAL. Namche Bazar. March 16, 2011. While bridges, tunnels, and roads are generally designed to accommodate harsh weather systems in the US, extreme weather events due to Climate Change create massive challenges in predicting future risk and economic investment, especially in remote, rural, or developing areas like Namche Bazar. Climate Change impacts the world's most vulnerable communities first. Over 7.9 million people in South Asia were displaced in 2015 alone, due to Climate Change related disasters (IDMC).

“Only when the last tree has been cut down, the last fish caught, the last river poisoned, will we realize that one cannot eat money.”

— Alanis Obomosawin

Carlton, J. S., Perry-Hill, R., Huber, M., & Prokopy, L. S. (2015). The climate change consensus extends beyond climate scientists. Environ. Res. Lett, 10(9), 094025. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/10/9/094025
Stenhouse, N., Maibach, E., Cobb, S., Ban, R., Bleistein, A., Croft, P., Bierly, E., Seitter, K., Rasmussen, G., Leiserowitz, A. (2014). Meteorologists' Views About Global Warming: A Survey of American Meteorological Society Professional Members. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc, 95(7), 1029-1040. doi:10.1175/bams-d-13-00091.1
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/17/business/energy-environment/us-companies-to-trump-dont-abandon-global-climate-deal.html?_r=0
https://www.forbes.com/sites/causeintegration/2015/10/21/corporate-pioneers-unite-around-climate-change/#6dac2128d2e4