by Natasha Connor | Mar 13, 2024 | Blog
Deep sea mining – the process of extracting minerals from the deep sea floor – has reached a critical turning point. Despite international outcry, Norway has approved future deep sea mining in its territory, becoming one of the first countries to do so. This could trigger a ‘race to the bottom’ between nations. Some consider deep sea mining necessary for the green transition, as certain areas of the ocean floor are abundant in metals used in electric vehicle batteries, wind farms, and solar panels. But mining these metals could destroy one of the Earth’s last pristine habitats and cause far-reaching impacts within and beyond the ocean.
Why mine the deep sea?
Building enough batteries and renewable power sources to meet global energy needs will require a huge amount of metal. Up to 6.5 billion tonnes of materials could be needed between 2022 and 2050 to enable a transition that limits global warming to 1.5°C. Shortages of critical metals like copper, lithium, cobalt and nickel may cause delays. While the Energy Transitions Commission has reported that all the materials needed are contained in land-based reserves, the terrestrial mining process used to extract these materials is often associated with environmental and human rights abuses. For example, nickel mining for electric vehicle (EV) batteries has been driving deforestation in Indonesia. Concentration of supply adds to this issue: for example, China accounted for nearly 70% of global rare earth element production in 2023. This makes the green transition more vulnerable, as concentrated supply chains are less resilient and can be used as geopolitical leverage by supplier nations.
Deep sea mining is being positioned as the silver bullet. Potato-sized lumps of minerals called polymetallic nodules that lie nestled in the deep sea sediment contain the valuable metals needed for the green transition, including nickel, cobalt and copper. The nodules are abundant in certain places: the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), a six million km2 plain between Mexico and Hawaii, is thought to hold 21 billion tonnes of them. Mining operations plan to dredge up nodules with a tractor-like vehicle and pump them to the surface. But at what cost?
The arguments for and against
The deep sea is a pristine habitat we are only just beginning to understand. It has been unchanged for millennia. Its slow-growing, long-lived, and specialised inhabitants are unlikely to easily adapt to disturbance caused by mining, and many may be pushed to extinction. The nodules are habitats: half the visible creatures found in the CCZ by researchers in a 2016 study only occurred on nodules. Removing the nodules puts the species that rely on them at risk. Restoration, for example by replacing the nodules with artificial clay ones, may not be financially feasible – one report found that achieving successful restoration is not only unlikely, but would cost more than the revenue generated by the whole mining operation.
One of the key arguments for deep sea mining is the suggestion that it’s the lesser evil when compared to terrestrial mining in rainforests. Copper, manganese, nickel and cobalt together make up 12% of terrestrial mining (the largest category after gold and coal) and drove 997 km2 of deforestation between 2001 and 2019. Deep sea mining advocates argue that although a much larger area would be mined for the same amount of metal, deep sea mining would still remove less biomass per unit metal compared to terrestrial mining. Yet mining’s impacts on marine and terrestrial habitats are not easily comparable. Not only do deep sea and terrestrial mining require different methods, air and water affect the magnitude of the impacts differently. For example, sound can travel far further in water than in air. Marine and terrestrial lifeforms would likely respond to impacts differently, being adapted for very different environments. We don’t currently know how severely the ocean would be impacted by deep sea mining, but given that ocean ecosystems are highly interlinked, damage to deep sea ecosystems may impact those within the broader ocean.
In addition, direct impacts of deep sea mining could also go far beyond the mining area. One of the most talked-about issues is the waste sediment that would be pumped back into the sea, potentially spreading hundreds of thousands of kilometres. Again, the effects are currently unknown, but scientists fear this sediment could choke filter-feeding organisms, introduce toxic metals and radioactive particles into marine food chains, block animals’ vision and sunlight, and smother fisheries.
The sound of mining could also impact marine life. One analysis found that noise from one mine could travel over 500 kilometres. Marine life is very sound-dependant – just two hours of artificial noise was found to impair the energy storage and gravity detection abilities of seagrass, a widespread plant that stores 10-18% of the ocean’s CO2. Deep sea mining operations are required to conduct baseline studies before beginning work, and The Metals Company —a key player in the push for deep sea mining — reports that it is investigating noise pollution. However, acknowledging potential impacts will not necessarily stop them from occurring.
If mining causes mass extinctions, as one study predicts, we could lose species that would have yielded important medical discoveries. Take marine sponges – 2,700 new chemical compounds have been identified from sponges in the last decade alone, and around half are potentially useful for medicine. With the vast majority of deep sea species still unknown (a recent study found that 92% of nearly 5,600 species it documented in the CCZ were unnamed), we don’t know what valuable compounds would be lost.
The mining process’ impact on climate change is also unknown. Nodules may require less energy to process than terrestrial metal as they are generally more concentrated, and so may produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions. But scraping the carbon-rich deep sea floor may release some of the carbon it stores. Deep sea mining could also potentially impact the ocean’s CO2 uptake – sunlight-blocking sediment may reduce photosynthesis, and biodiversity loss may disrupt the ocean’s carbon cycle.
The lesser of two evils?
Terrestrial mining also has severe side effects, with evidence suggesting it may produce up to 65 billion tonnes of waste each year, and could expose 23 million people around the world to unsafe metal concentrations as a result. For example, the 2019 dam collapse in Brumadinho, Brazil, released toxic mining sludge that killed 272 people, destroyed 125 hectares of forest and polluted waterways. The waste produced per unit of metal is generally increasing as higher-quality metal deposits are exhausted.
Both types of mining have consequences, and there are other ways of acquiring the minerals needed for the green transition. With only around 17% of electrical waste currently recycled, scaling metal recycling would significantly reduce the need for new metal. However, metal recycling can be difficult and costly, especially for EV batteries (the main driver for deep sea mining). The foams, glue, and varied battery designs make reclaiming metal a hugely labour and chemically intensive task — more expensive than buying new metal. For circularity to work, recycling must be considered at the design stage.
The best option may be to remove the need to mine, or even use, these metals at all. Lithium and cobalt, two critical battery metals, can now be extracted via absorption directly from sea water, although the technology is still young. And lithium-free and cobalt-free EV batteries have been invented. Better yet, improved public transport infrastructure and uptake could significantly reduce the need for car batteries.
The impacts of deep sea mining on ocean life are far from clear, but current evidence suggests they could be devastating. As well as potential mass ecosystem destruction, deep sea mining could accelerate climate change by damaging the ocean’s ability to absorb carbon. The green transition must not be delayed, but many are questioning whether it should come at the expense of the ocean, via untested measures with unknown consequences. The risks posed by deep sea mining could instead drive investment in innovation, to reduce our reliance on finite natural resources and support a circular economy.
by Sarah Walkley | Mar 6, 2024 | Blog
An estimated 129 million girls are not in school around the world. That is more than the entire population of Japan or Mexico missing out on the opportunity to learn to read and write, to access better jobs and to escape poverty.
Those girls will also grow up without an understanding of our changing climate and how they can help their community to adapt to, address and mitigate the effects of climate change. They will be more vulnerable to climate-related shocks. According to the United Nations, 80% of people displaced by climate-related events are women and girls.
Countries that have invested in educating girls have experienced far fewer deaths from droughts and flooding than countries with lower levels of girls’ education. It is estimated that climate-related deaths in sub-Saharan Africa would drop by 60%, if 70% of women aged 20-39 years completed early secondary education. Education fosters an understanding of the risks and empowers people to decide how to respond for the benefit of themselves and their families, whether that is changing the crops they grow to more drought-tolerant varieties or taking shelter when water levels rise.
To date, multiple factors have prevented girls from going to school, including war, poverty and religious and cultural beliefs. Climate change is adding to the list of barriers. Research shows that girls across Asia, Africa, South America and the Caribbean are increasingly dropping out of education due to the impact of extreme weather events. Schools are destroyed. Flooding, fallen trees and collapsed bridges make the journey to school impossible. Failed harvests leave families destitute, often with no option but to send girls out to work or force them into early marriages.
By 2025, climate change will be a factor in preventing around 12.5 million girls from completing their education. But reversing this trend will have a massive impact. Project Drawdown lists equal access to education supported by voluntary access to family advice among the most powerful solutions to the climate crisis – third only behind reducing food waste and the transition to plant-based diets. By 2050, universal education could help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by almost 70 gigatons – or close to twice as much as was emitted globally in 2022.
Education supports climate resilience and small gains matter. The Brookings Institute calculates that a country’s climate resilience score on the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative index increases by over three points for every additional year of education that girls receive on average.
Jacinda Ardern attracted wide-spread praise for her leadership on climate issues during her time as Prime Minister of New Zealand. However, she is not alone in taking bold climate action. A review of the climate policies in over 90 countries found that countries with strong female representation in national and regional governments have implemented more stringent climate policies. This has resulted in more rapid progress to cut emissions. Education is not the only factor in increasing the proportion of women in government — economic, political orientation and cultural factors also play a role. However, education is critical to equip girls with the skills and knowledge they need to enter politics.
There have also been suggestions that a shift in mindset around gender equality stimulates a shift in views about the planet and environment. Links have been identified between exploitation of people, including women and girls, and exploitation of nature and natural resources. A path towards equality for women and girls helps to stamp out exploitative practices generally, according to the Malala Fund.
The Malala Fund has suggested four priorities that would provide young people, both girls and boys, with the skills and values that they need to build and thrive in climate-resilient economies:
- Ensuring all girls benefit from 12 years of school and learning;
- Giving girls an expanded vision of green skills beyond vocational education in sectors such as renewable energy and forestry;
- Promoting sustainable values through climate education; and
- Empowering students to take action on climate justice.
It will take a global effort on the part of governments, communities and individuals to get more girls into schools. But with girls’ education being one of the most powerful ways of tackling the climate emergency now and for generations to come, it is an investment worth making.
by Pippa Greenwood | Mar 6, 2024 | Blog
As the urgency to combat climate change continues to grow, so does the importance of having a robust and credible climate strategy and net zero roadmap. Getting this right is key to the success of your organisation’s wider corporate sustainability strategy. Here are my 10 top tips for developing, implementing and evolving your climate strategy and driving meaningful change within your business.
1. Make the business case
Before developing your climate strategy, make sure your key stakeholders understand the business case for it. Use stakeholder mapping and analysis to find your champions and hear from your challengers. Clarify the benefits for the planet, and also for your business — gain competitive advantage, improve reputation, meet customer and investor expectations and retain and attract employees.
2. It’s all about the data!
Your net zero roadmap is only as robust as your greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory. And your GHG inventory is only as accurate and complete as the underlying data — such as energy consumption, travel, supply chain and waste data. Improving your source data gathering, verifying, and storing processes is essential to an accurate and reliable climate strategy.
3. Understand the science
A solid grasp of climate science is key when developing your net zero roadmap and overall climate strategy. Stay informed about the latest research, frameworks, trends, and projections to make informed decisions, align to reporting requirements and set science-based goals.
4. Set ambitious, but realistic goals
Establish clear and measurable targets aligned with the latest science-based criteria. Aim for ambitious GHG emissions reductions while ensuring feasibility within your organisation based on capabilities and resources.
5. Engage your stakeholders throughout the process
You can’t do this alone. Effective climate action requires collaboration with stakeholders across your full value chain. Engage leaders, employees, suppliers, customers and partners to gain and maintain buy-in, gather diverse perspectives, and combine collective expertise. Fostering cooperation and setting shared goals will support you to implement your plan and successfully manage change.
6. Start with quick wins
This may sound like an obvious one, but focusing on the quick wins should show return on investment and positive results early on. This will help with stakeholder buy-in and future requests for resourcing and investment as you scale up the programme and shift the focus to longer-term initiatives.
7. Prioritise renewable energy alongside energy efficiency
Transitioning to renewable energy sources is the foundation of any climate strategy. Explore opportunities to invest in and generate new solar, wind, hydro, or other renewable energy, alongside procuring renewable energy contracts. In parallel, implement measures to optimise energy efficiency. Upgrade equipment, improve insulation, and adopt smart technologies to reduce energy consumption and costs.
8. Embrace innovation
Encourage innovation and creativity to deliver solutions for your climate challenges and develop opportunities. Embrace emerging technologies, explore alternative materials, and think outside the box — for example, by partnering with disruptors and peers, and testing out new business models.
9. Manage your climate-related risks
Climate change brings risks and uncertainties — such as extreme weather events, resource scarcity and supply chain disruptions. Assess, monitor and mitigate your climate-related risks as part of your wider risk management procedures, resilience planning and adaptation measures.
10. Stay agile and adapt
Establish robust monitoring and reporting mechanisms to track your climate goal progress. This will help you evaluate performance and identify areas for improvement. Remember that your net zero roadmap is not a static plan until you achieve your net zero target. As legislation, frameworks and climate science evolve, so will your strategy. Keep agile and adapt your strategy as needed.
by Natasha Connor | Jan 31, 2024 | Blog
Cashmere, once a rare emblem of luxury, now lines the shelves of the fast fashion giants. Demand for the fabric has skyrocketed over the past few decades, and it’s no surprise. A tenth of the width of human hair and reportedly eight times as warm as sheep wool, cashmere is renowned for its sleek softness and warmth. It takes a single goat four yearsto produce enough cashmere for a jumper. However, the cost of this premium fibre goes far beyond its price tag. Unbeknown to most shoppers, increasing demand for the fabric has wreaked environmental devastation in the countries that produce it. This is most apparent in Mongolia, which produces around 40% of the world’s cashmere.
Herding livestock semi-nomadically is the traditional way of life in Mongolia. A third of the population rely on cashmere for their main source of income. The country’s extreme environment is key, as the goats grow thick fleeces to survive temperatures as low as -40°C. Mongolian herders traditionally grazed sheep and goats in a 3:1 ratio to protect the land from the goats’ over-enthusiastic grazing habits. However, the high demand for cashmere has prompted a dramatic increase in the number of goats. With numbers of sheep and goats now almost equal, the land’s ability to regenerate is impaired.
Until the 1990s, Mongolian heads of state moderated goat numbers. The fall of the communist government saw the removal of these restrictions, and the number of goats skyrocketed from 5 million in 1990 to 27 million today. Around 70% Mongolia’s grasslands are now severely degraded, turning the land into desert and increasing dust storms in the region.
Decades of overgrazing means there’s now less grass to eat, and an undernourished goat is a vulnerable one. This is especially true when compounded by the impacts of climate change. Mongolia is heating faster than the rest of the world – the average temperature has risen 2.1% since 1940 – and their increasingly extreme and unstable weather is bringing more droughts and harsher winters. Mongolian livestock has evolved to survive extreme environments, but this goes beyond what they can handle and goats are dying in huge numbers. The particularly harsh 2009/2010 winter took 22% of Mongolia’s livestock, with severe social and economic impacts — extreme winters can result in losses of up to 12% of Mongolia’s GDP. Many herders have been forced to leave their traditional way of life, moving to cities or slums to find other work.
Herders face a catch-22. They can increase herd size as a precautionary measure, but this makes it harder to feed their animals. It also affects the product: undernourished goats produce lower-quality cashmere, which is shorter, less fine, and less valuable. These goats in turn give birth to goats that produce less cashmere.
Of course, people and livestock aren’t the only ones that depend on Mongolia’s landscape. Wild animals, such as elk, camels, and ibex, need to eat too. As these wild species decline, the impacts ripple across the food chain. Starving snow leopards are more frequently forced to attack domestic animals to survive, creating conflict with herders who may kill them to protect their herd.
What will the future hold for Mongolia’s cashmere industry? The Mongolian government, fashion companies, and we as consumers each have a part to play in solving the crisis.
Mongolia’s government is unlikely to regulate herd sizes any time soon. It would be a highly contentious issue amongst herders, whose votes rural politicians depend on. The government hopes to reduce overgrazing by processing more cashmere in-country so it can be sold at a higher price. Currently, Mongolia sells around 90% of its cashmere to Chinese companies, who process it and mix it with Chinese cashmere. In late 2023, the Mongolian cashmere producer Gobi received a US$30 million loan from the Asian Development Bank to up its processing capacity.
Shifting towards less environmentally damaging materials is vital to undo the impact our shopping habits are having in places like Mongolia. Some companies are now only using cashmere certified by the Good Cashmere Standard (GCS) or the Sustainable Fibre Alliance (SFA), which require certain herding or farming practices with the aim to reduce negative impacts. Using recycled cashmere, or forgoing cashmere altogether, reduces the demand for the virgin fibre and its associated production impact. Replacing cashmere with the wool of less destructive creatures, such as yaks, would be a win for Mongolia’s grasslands. Another traditional member of Mongolian herds, yaks also shed warm, soft fibres, but they produce more of them while leaving grass roots unharmed.
The future of Mongolia’s land will likely depend upon a holistic approach taken by the government, fashion companies, and consumers alike. If we can shift market demand towards options with lower environmental price-tags, Mongolia’s land may be allowed to breathe again.
by Context | Dec 18, 2023 | Blog
Each year, we produce more than 2 billion tonnes of solid municipal waste globally. By 2050, it will be 3.4 billion — far outpacing population growth. At the current rate, we will need three earths to sustain us. Included in this “waste” are valuable resources such as $500 billion in textiles and $62 billion in rare earth metals used in electronics.
Why is so much going to waste? Partly because we buy cheap goods and bin them before their time. In the UK, a third of appliances, and nearly a quarter of electronics are tossed out while still in working order. The temptation to upgrade can be irresistible, in part because identity can be tied to our stuff. On average, people replace smartphones, which should last about seven years, every one to three years.
Many products, like clothing and household appliances, are more affordable than they used to be, making them easier to replace. A new washing machine, for example, is 10-20 times cheaper today compared to 1960. In some cases, replacement parts cost more than whole items — think printer cartridges. Some items are intentionally manufactured to fall apart or be irreparable through “planned obsolescence”.
Previous generations were more likely to fix broken household items, or at least take them to repair shops. Home repair was easier, of course, as many items had fewer electronics. But nowadays it’s less hassle to replace items than to fix them. Why bother repairing a toaster if a new one can be delivered to your door the next day? Even if you wanted to repair the toaster, where would you take it?
Of course, people of previous generations didn’t all behave sustainably, but many things considered normal today are incredibly wasteful. Unwanted textiles, single use plastics, and gadgets like smart water bottles and electric wine bottle openers clog our landfills and are often a disproportionate burden to communities and regions not equipped to manage large amounts of imported waste. For example, in Ghana, 40% of the 15 million items of used clothing taken there from all over the world end up as landfill or polluting waterways, and in countries like the Philippines and Malaysia, plastic waste from developed nations is causing similar issues.
What is the solution? We can demand longer lasting products, and refuse to buy ones designed to be disposable. We can upcycle and buy second-hand. We can hang onto products longer. And we can make it cooler to be sustainable than it is to be a consumer. This is the current trend amongst younger generations. The question is: will people change fast enough?
by Talia Vicars | Dec 8, 2023 | Blog
Aisha Shillingford, an artist and strategy consultant from Trinidad and Tobago, asked a room full of suits in New York last month to imagine their “Happy Place.” “Close your eyes,” she whispered. “Think of a place that holds meaning for you. Now, envision it in the year 2223.”
Shillingford was speaking at a recent event during Climate Week NYC. Her mission? Help people see how world building, a creative process of building future worlds used in video games, books and movies (think post-apocalyptic like The Last of Us or fantastical like Harry Potter) can help society innovate.
I’m a corporate sustainability consultant with a special interest in encouraging companies to rethink the way they impact people and the planet. When prompted to envision my “Happy Place,” I immediately thought of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. In particular, I thought of Truro, the place I first visited when I was three. We stayed at a small house on a marsh. My mom hauled me and my two brothers around on a bike trailer. We ate saltwater taffy as she pedaled up hills and along the shoreline path of Route 6.
My mom first went to the Cape with her mother. My grandmother, after escaping the Holocaust in Germany, found serenity in a place of extreme beauty. She passed along her love of the Cape to her daughter, and my mom passed it along to me. It is a place that is ingrained in my family’s culture, and even now as I sit in my small, New York City apartment, I can smell the Rugosa Roses and the spray off the Atlantic.
Over the years, the Cape has changed. It’s become increasingly expensive, driving out many low-income residents. Short-term rentals have exploded over the past decade, disrupting what were once tight-knit neighborhoods. The Cape is facing significant climate-related threats. Rising sea-levels, storm surges, flooding, erosion, strong winds, wildfires and scorching summer temperatures are damaging natural habitats and communities. By 2100, vast portions of Cape Cod could be underwater.
Following Shillingford’s exercise, I imagine a better Cape Cod in 2223. In my world, warm sun bathes the landscape, thanks to heat-absorbing sidewalks. McMansions have disappeared, offering everyone breathtaking views of the sparkling sea. Bio-based structures, mirroring the resilience of coral and oyster reefs, are barely visible under the water, a new development to act as coastal barriers and prevent erosion. On the horizon, a wind farm powers the peninsula, designed with high-tech features in low-carbon steel frames to protect local bird and fish populations. Short-term rentals are history, replaced by affordable options. Over two centuries, community-driven innovation has transformed Cape Cod into a place that is more inclusive, just, and resilient.
Shillingford asks participants to share their imaginings. Someone says that they’re invigorated by these speculative futures that could become reality. Her point is that we can use world building to brainstorm a future that doesn’t currently seem possible. Companies, non-profits, and governments can use Shillingford’s framework by applying a three-step process: 1. Identify a problem. 2. Envision potential solutions. 3. Develop tools, technologies, and processes to bring these solutions to life.
At least one company already employs this technique. Superflux, a London design studio and consultancy, uses world building to bridge the gap between future uncertainty and present-day decision-making. As an example, Superflux worked with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government to help it make better future energy policy decisions. Together, they recruited policy makers, nonprofit partners, and other stakeholders to explore potential energy-related scenarios to inform their future energy strategy.
The group identified five future scenarios. For each, they made a model metropolis to help decision makers see the future world and how it could be impacted by new energy policies. These included renewable energy technologies, new means of public transport like low-carbon trains, and peer-to-peer energy trading that can democratize energy generation. Participants could also track a future happiness index, monitor energy diversification, and observe the affordability and sustainability of each future. Each scenario offered different costs and carbon emissions based on these factors. The group saw how society would shift based on the consequences of each decision made. Following the exercise, the findings significantly shaped the UAE’s National Energy Strategy 2050, leading to substantial investments – including $163 billion in renewables, making up roughly 44% of their energy sourcing.
Shillingford’s bottom line to the NYC event participants is that the future isn’t set in stone. Reality is shaped by what we imagine now.
