Climate and Biodiversity Crisis - Recognise the Strength of the Linkages to Safeguard Human Civilisation

EASAC was formed by the national science academies of the EU Member States:- Norway, Switzerland and the former EU member state, the United Kingdom, to collaborate in giving advice to European policymakers. EASAC currently provides a means for the collective voice of European science to be heard. Through EASAC, the academies work together to provide independent, expert, evidence based advice about the scientific aspects of European policies to those who make or influence policy within the European institutions.

EASAC's Environment Programme Director, Prof. Michael Norton has contacted us and said:- "CLIMATE catastrophe is like a giant meteorite hitting the earth in super slow motion. Maybe too slow for us humans to understand its impact and urgency. Paradoxically and tragically, our planet's main source of resilience, biodiversity, is going through an ever accelerating mass extinction, maybe too fast for us humans to put an end to it."

As the Climate and Biodiversity Crises potentiate each other, EASAC's Commentary adds the most recent data to inform the Biodiversity Summit in China this April 2022. The Commentary's summary of EASAC's 10 years of scientific analysis covering environmental, energy and biosciences is set against the scary backdrop of an inexorable increase in temperature and humidity. In some areas, they are expanding to levels where it is difficult or impossible for humans or the crops and livestock they need to survive, or remaining ecosystems to adapt. Europe's Science Academies urge Governments to treat the Climate and Biodiversity Crises as 1, and as equally urgent.

Prof. Michael Norton added:- "Vicious circle of collapsing food systems, dangerous pathogens, and zoonoses. Biodiversity loss and dangerous Climate Change potentiate each other in their disastrous consequences. It's a vicious circle not only leading to extreme weather, but also collapsing food systems, and increasing risks of dangerous pathogens, zoonoses and other health impacts,"

Replacing tropical forests with agriculture reduces biodiversity. At the same time, it releases stored carbon, reduces carbon uptake in the land and increases emissions of other greenhouse gases (GHGs) illustrating how the multiple crises interact. Warming temperatures and associated changes to precipitation reduce agricultural productivity as well as moving species outside their habitable range, in some cases driving them to extinction. Warming and acidifying oceans alongside weakened circulation reduce the oceans' capacity to absorb and remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere, while shifting or degrading ecosystems.

Prof. Michael Norton also said:- "Even the tiniest creatures are important. The earthworm, for example, may be 1 of mankind's best friend, and victim, in its battle against the devastating consequences of climate change. Many find this slimly little creature disgusting, but they are irreplaceable in fertilizing and aerating soil, and thereby preventing soil erosion," Norton says. Droughts are particularly devastating for earthworm populations. If there are too few worms, the soil will become dense, poorly aerated and act like a blocked drain. The result is more frequent and more devastating flooding. But the scientists also see opportunities:- conserving, managing and restoring ecosystems for example can mitigate climate change and enable adaptation to its impacts while also enhancing biodiversity. Based on EASAC's past work, the Commentary includes a list of 16 fields for action where Governments should already have done more. They straddle climate change, the role of biomass energy, greenhouse gas emissions from different oil feedstocks, policies towards slashing emissions in transport, buildings and infrastructure, and the interactions between climate change and human health."

"As parents and grandparents we are as terrified as everyone else by what we see coming. But as scientists we know that there are ways to mitigate the worst and adapt. But only if Governments in Europe and worldwide take responsibility and show leadership now." says Lars Walloe, Chair of EASAC's Environment Programme. 

Building on last year's Climate Summit, negotiators at the UN Biodiversity Summit can take coordinated, bold and transformative action to take advantage of synergies between climate change and biodiversity policies, such as massive ecosystem restoration, and change humanity's course towards a sustainable future.
 

New Step Forward on Mersey Tidal Power Project

MAYOR Steve Rotheram's plans to develop a Mersey Tidal project are taking another step forward as the Region's Combined Authority seeks to appoint an expert technical advisor and designer to develop the next stage designs for the scheme. The massive renewable energy project could generate enough clean, predictable energy to power up to 1 million homes and create thousands of jobs in its construction and operation. It could be up and running within a decade, playing a huge role in the Region's push to net zero carbon by 2040; at least a decade ahead of national targets.

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region said:- "Given the cost of living crisis we're seeing from skyrocketing gas prices and the race against the clock we face to save our planet, there has never been a better time to develop and invest in new sources of clean, renewable energy. Mersey Tidal Power will be a project of international significance, whose success would have major implications for the global energy market. When up and running, we believe it has the potential to generate enough predictable energy to power 1 million local homes. But it's benefits wouldn't stop there. It would also create thousands of well paid local jobs and apprenticeships in its construction and operation, as well as pioneering research opportunities. And I am also committed to ensuring that we retain a public ownership stake in the project and exploring the potential for establishing a publicly owned energy company to retail the power we produce. This would be another string to our impressive bow when it comes to green energy. Alongside our existing strengths in wind and hydrogen power, I believe we have the potential to be the UK's Renewable Energy Coast. A project of this scale requires significant funding. We will put our money where our mouth is but we also need to secure investment from the private sector and, crucially, from Government. If levelling up is a serious proposition they should be looking to invest in cutting edge schemes like this."

Over the last 2 years, the Authority has undertaken early technical work to understand the potential scope of the scheme, including initial energy and hydrodynamic modelling, cost analysis and supply chain engagement and to develop possible funding and delivery models. It has also undertaken early environmental assessment work and held discussions to influence national Government's energy policy.

The current conceptual design was developed as a foundation that is now ready be developed into a more detailed proposal. This will allow for greater review and development of the scheme including its overall design and spatial requirements, materials and embedded carbon, and its construction risks, costs and methods. This new, highly specialist work will build on initial technical designs to further develop the concept engineering to support assessment of a tidal range scheme based on the River Mersey or in Liverpool Bay.

Project Director, Martin Land, said:- "Delivering a tidal power scheme is a huge technical and engineering undertaking, but with a huge prize at the end; the generation of clean, predictable, reliable energy for over 100 years. The specialist technical and design development work we are looking to commence will help us build on the work already done and enable us to better understand how we marry up inherent renewable power of the Mersey with the latest clean generation technology. That will help us move forward with shaping the design of the scheme including drawings, 3D models, bill of materials, construction programme and to get a handle on costs. It's still early days in the development of such a big scheme, but it's the beginning of a new, exciting phase for the project."