Archives for Climate Change

Coastal Conversations 9/25/15

Producer/Host: Natalie Springuel
Studio Engineer: Amy Browne

Issue: Maine coastal and ocean issues

Program Topic: Phenology and Citizen Science

Key Discussion Points:
How can phenology (the tracking of seasonal changes within plants and animals in our communities) help inform climate change research?
What are the impacts of global climate change on our backyard plant and animals?
What are some of the indicator species that volunteers are tracking and why?
How can Maine citizens become involved in phenology projects like Signs of the Seasons, the Loon Count, and others?

Guests:
Hannah Weber, Research and Education Projects Manager, Schoodic Institute
Abe Miller-Rushing, Science Coordinator, Acadia National Park
Esperanza Stancioff, Associate Extension Professor, UMaine Cooperative Extension and Sea Grant
Susan Gallo, Wildlife Biologist, Maine Audubon

RadioActive 4/16/15

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Issue: Environmental and Social Justice

Program Topic: Generation Climate Rising Rally in Augusta

Key Discussion Points:
a) This past Saturday, April 11th, Maine Students for Climate Justice held a rally and march in Augusta, calling it Generation Climate Rising. Students from colleges, universities and high schools from across state, and supporters, called on Governor LePage to put a freeze on all new fossil fuel infrastructure and to support measures to bring more solar and conservation to the state.
b) Speakers and participants spoke on climate justice, the need for Maine’s government to take climate change seriously, the already changing environment and the need for immediate action.
c) This year’s Maine Youth Activism Gathering will be held Saturday April 18th -Monday April 20th, three days of workshops and community building.
maineyag.wordpress.com/
www.facebook.com/pages/Maine-Youth-Activism-Gathering/199809673382110

Guests:
A) Organizers with Maine Students for Climate Justice : Meaghan LaSala (USM), Maddie Lamal-Brown (Bowdoin), Matthew Miles Goodrich (Bowdoin), Iris SanGiovanni (USM), Catherine Fletcher (UMO), Michelle Fournier (350 Maine)
mainestudentjustice.wix.com/mainestudents#!about_us/c14e3
www.facebook.com/MaineClimateJustice
www.centralmaine.com/2015/04/09/generation-climate-rising-demonstration-in-augusta/
B) student participants from universities, colleges and high schools across the state
C) Christine, Pine Tree Youth Organizing, ptyo.org/

RadioActive 6/5/14

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Program Topic: Analysis of Obama Administration New Rules on Carbon Pollution

Key Discussion Points:
a) Earlier this week, the Obama administration announced proposed carbon pollution standards, they say, will cut national emissions by 30%, from 2005 levels, by 2030. Rules would be finalized in June 2015.
b) Janet Redman, director of the Climate Policy Program at the Institute for Policy Studies, gives analysis on the discrepancy in individual state reduction requirements, the allowance of cap and trade, offsets and other controversial means to meet requirements and the lack of federal oversight.
c) Redman also speaks to these rules in the context of international climate negotiations at the IPCCC, and on the climate meeting UN Secretary General Ban KI-moon is convening in NYC in September.

Guest:
Janet Redman, director of the Climate Policy Program, at the Institute for Policy Studies

Special: Camden Conference 3/3/14

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

Presentation entitled “Overheated: The Human Cost of Climate Change” from the 2014 Camden Conference, Andrew Guzman, Professor of Law, Berkeley Law School

1. What is the current effect on access to fresh water of melting glaciers around the world?
2. How many people are dependent on water originating in glaciers?
3. What will the effect be on those people as the climate warms?

RadioActive 11/21/13

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Issue: Environmental and Social Justice

Program Topic: The 19th Conference of Parties(COP) to the United Nation’s Framework Convention on Climate Change conclusion and analysis

Key Discussion Points:

a) The UN climate talks in Warsaw were meant to build towards a goal of a binding agreement in 2015, but even this modest directive has disintegrated. Today, established environmental groups and other social movement representatives walked out of the COP 19, saying they felt not enough was being done. They say they will focus on building a movement to pressure on governments for the next conference.
b) Main areas to be addressed at the climate talks are the mitigation of climate change, adaption to the increasing extreme weather effects and funding for countries who are the hardest hit, the least able to afford it, and have had the least contribution to carbon dioxide levels. On Wednesday, members of the G77 and China temporarily walked out negotiations on “loss and damages”, responding to the lack of engagement by developed countries, who want to put off the issue until 2015.
c) With all the current carbon dioxide emissions reduction goals submitted by party countries, there is still a projected mitigation gap of 8-13 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide. To hold the planet to 2 degree Celsius, CO 2 emissions can’t exceed 44 gigatonnes by 2020. With the current party goals, the planet will be at 52-58 gigatonnes at 2020.

Guest:
A) Janet Redman, the Institute for Policy Studies, director of the Climate Policy Program.

www.ips-dc.org/
www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/nov/21/mass-walk-out-un-climate-talks-warsaw
www.theguardian.com/global-development/2013/nov/20/climate-talks-walk-out-compensation-un-warsaw
climate-connections.org/
allafrica.com/stories/201311210409.html
allafrica.com/stories/201311210463.html
www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/20/climate-change-fight

RadioActive 11/14/13

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Issue: Environmental and Social Justice

Program Topic: Climate Change and Increasing Storm Intensity

Key Discussion Points:
a) As the 19th round of UN climate talks open in Poland and the Philippines reels from Typhoon Haiyan, climate scientist with the National Center for Atmospheric Research, Kevin Trenberth, talks about how global climate change effects the intensity of extreme weather, like typhoons.
b) Trenberth discusses the science behind how rising temperatures and rising sea levels effects the severity of storms, how carbon outputs effect ocean acidification,
c)and some of the recommendations for mitigation outlined in a recent report by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Guest:
Kevin Trenberth, climate scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Talk of the Towns 6/28/13

Producer/Host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Engineer: Amy Browne

Issue: Community concerns and opportunities

Program Topic: The role of sustainability science in helping us weather the storms

Key Discussion Points:
a) What do we know about the effect of increased numbers and intensity of rain storms on Maine cities and towns and their businesses and residents? What is the scope of the problem, overall and specifically in Ellsworth?
b) In general, how do towns handle stormwater? (civil engineering exercise: water runs downhill, towns channel stormwater in ditches and through culverts, trying to prevent erosion, damage to roads and the problems of flooding)
c) How does Ellsworth budget for repairs to roads, culverts, etc… how many years are you looking ahead to try to plan for managing storm water… how do City Council members and voters respond to your plans to invest in “infrastructure” in hopes of preventing future damage due to storm water?
d) We suspect that these sorts of storms are part of a trend related to climate change… in simple terms, what is happening in the climate that would result in greater numbers of storms and storms of greater intensity?
e) Science has always had two kind of results: advancing basic knowledge and solving problems… the University’s Sustainability Solutions Initiative helps focus science on the latter… give an overview of this effort and what inspired you to link research and municipalities to better adapt to increases in storm water.
f) How is the project working out in Ellsworth… who is involved, what are the various components of the project, what are you learning, what have you tried so far, what shows promise for the future?
g) What are messages for other towns and municipalities? How do listeners learn more?

Guests:
Esperanza Stancioff, Extension Professor, UM Cooperative Extension and Sea Grant
Michelle Gagnon, Planner, City of Ellsworth
Michelle Beal, City Manager, City of Ellsworth (by phone??)
Shaleen Jain Associate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering Cooperating Associate Professor, Climate Change Institute

RadioActive 12/6/12

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Issue: Environmental and Social Justice

Program Topic: Ocean Acidification

Key Discussion Points:
a) As the United Nations climate talks conclude this week, we look at another serious consequence of carbon dioxide emissions : ocean acidification. The world’s oceans absorb 25-30% of the global CO2 outputs, resulting in lowering pH. This acidification is corrosive to shellfish and other calicifiers.
b) This week, Washington state became the first state to adopt a policy to address ocean acidification and its effect on shellfish fisheries.
c) This weekend, an event organized by community organizations and the University of Maine at Machais will look at ocean acidification and its effect on Down East fisheries.

Guests:
A) Bill Rucelshaus, co-chair of Washington State Blue Ribbon Panel on Ocean Acidification
www.ecy.wa.gov/water/marine/oceanacidification.html
www.ecy.wa.gov/water/marine/oa/2012report_summary.pdf
fortress.wa.gov/ecy/publications/publications/1201015.pdf
B) Sven Huseby, producer of film “A Sea Change”. www.aseachange.net
C) Andy Burt, environmental justice consultant for the Maine Council of Churches, [email protected] or 380-5387