Category: Policy

Why Disinformation Campaigns Threaten to Destroy Climate Progress

Why Disinformation Campaigns Threaten to Destroy Climate Progress

Why Disinformation Campaigns Threaten to Destroy Climate Progress

01/06/23

“Why do disinformation campaigns threaten to destroy climate progress?”

Climate change is near-universally regarded by the scientific community as something occurring on this planet because of human activity. However, many individuals and organizations make large profits from carbon-intensive activities. To prevent monetary shortfalls, these entities have invested in disinformation campaigns to sow doubt about climate change. They may paint climate denial as a “fair alternative”, project renewable energy as unrealistic, or even use racist and antisemitic tropes to portray climate change as a foreign hoax to destroy the United States. Over time, some people absorb these views and fight against climate spending. This is Why Disinformation Campaigns Threaten to Destroy Climate Progress.

Storm Emergency Declarations

Storm Emergency Declarations

Storm Emergency Declarations

01/05/23

“Why can storms be so large they result in an emergency declaration?”

Storms of any kind can wreak havoc. But sometimes they become so substantial that it becomes a public emergency (often in the case of bomb cyclones). Officials may make Storm Emergency Declarations if these storms pass a certain threshold. When an emergency declaration is enacted, resources may be allocated to build quick resilience. Repair crews will be called up, status alerts may go out to residents, roads may close, and much much more. The threshold for enacting a storm emergency declaration differs by location. A place that witnesses frequent storms and has the infrastructure in place may only do so when a biblical-sized event occurs, while places not used to storms may declare an emergency with a comparatively moderate-sized one.

Why Torrents of Winter Rain in California Can Make the State More Fire-Prone in The Dry Season

Why Torrents of Winter Rain in California Can Make the State More Fire-Prone in The Dry Season

Why Torrents of Winter Rain in California Can Make the State More Fire-Prone in The Dry Season

01/02/23

“Why do torrents of winter rain in California make the state more fire-prone in the dry season?”

As of writing, California is undergoing rain patterns of almost biblical proportions. The City of Oakland has received more rain in a single day than its entire history since records began. Road closures, power outages, and property damage can be seen throughout the Golden State. There are some upsides, such as the easing of the drought. While intuition may say that another benefit will be a safer fire season, the reality is much more complicated. Plant overgrowth is bound to happen after these rains, and if the moisture is not kept up for the rest of the wet season then much of this new flora going to die off. This in turn will lead to more combustible fuel during fire season, making the state a living match. This is Why Torrents of Winter Rain in California Can Make the State More Fire-Prone in The Dry Season.

Why Transparent Device Covers Should Be Used for Engineering Education

Why Transparent Device Covers Should Be Used for Engineering Education

Why Transparent Device Covers Should Be Used for Engineering Education

01/01/23

“Why should transparent device covers be used for engineering education?”

Engineers learn many skills by analyzing how devices work. However, much of the time they are protected by a physical cover, blurring everything out of site. But if these were replaced with transparent covers, then every detail will be up for view. This will show the true beauty of human ingenuity. Clocks will have their intricate gears visible, blow driers their electromechanical workings, and countless more items. Engineers can greatly improve their understanding of the field if they have access to this. This is Why Transparent Device Covers Should Be Used for Engineering Education.

U.S. Executive Order 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad

U.S. Executive Order 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad

U.S. Executive Order 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad

12/31/22

“What was the executive order that rolled back much of the Trump environmental policies and provided a course correction roadmap?”

A week into taking office, U.S. President Joe Biden signed U.S. Executive Order 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad. This lengthy executive order not only rolled back much of the previous administration’s environmental policies but also set a course correction roadmap. Specifically, it tried to organize the U.S. federal agencies to reduce carbon broad-scale carbon emissions in the economy, promote climate adaptation, protect public health, lands, waters, and biodiversity, and spike union jobs and economic growth by driving the clean energy sector.

Why It Will Become a Political Liability to Cut Climate Spending

Why It Will Become a Political Liability to Cut Climate Spending

Why It Will Become a Political Liability to Cut Climate Spending

12/29/22

“Why will it become a political liability to cut climate spending?”

In the past few decades, climate spending seemed to many to be a luxury. However, with the advent of devastating storms, fires, and floods, the reality of climate change is here. These further damages are going to rupture communities and destroy billions of dollars of infrastructure. This will cement demand for climate funding, and proposing cuts may turn into a political liability. This is Why It Will Become a Political Liability to Cut Climate Spending.

Why Climate Adaptation Planners Have to Select an RCP Forecast

Why Climate Adaptation Planners Have to Select an RCP Forecast

Why Climate Adaptation Planners Have to Select an RCP Forecast

12/28/22

“Why do climate adaptation planners have to select an RCP Pathway?”

Climate adaptation planners have to predict how climate change will evolve over the years. However, analyzing the future is excruciatingly difficult. There are untold ways for society to change and temperatures to rise. Planners can simplify matters by selecting an RCP forecast. These IPCC-developed pathways are vetted by some of the world’s preeminent scientists and are already standard practice in climate work. This is Why Climate Adaptation Planners Have to Select an RCP Forecast.

Why New Adaptation Initiatives May Want to Implement Easier Projects Earlier

Why New Adaptation Initiatives May Want to Implement Easier Projects Earlier

Why New Adaptation Initiatives May Want to Implement Easier Projects Earlier

12/27/22

“Why may new adaptation initiatives consider implementing easier projects earlier?”

New climate adaptation initiatives may have to learn quickly and show their effectiveness early. One potential avenue to accomplish this is to concentrate on implementing easier projects earlier. Not only will this show stakeholders visible progress, but also enable more rapid learning that will lead to more success with long-term projects. This is Why New Adaptation Initiatives May Want to Implement Easier Projects Earlier.

Leading Practices in Climate Adaptation

Leading Practices in Climate Adaptation

Leading Practices in Climate Adaptation

12/26/22

“What exactly are leading practices in climate adaptation?”

“Best Practices” is a term often applied to standard-bearing methodologies in a field. However more nascent and rapid-growing fields such as climate adaptation do not have the maturity to label a certain practice as “best” A technique that is popular today may become obsolete in a couple of years. For this reason, the Water Utility Climate Alliance (WUCA) has adopted the term Leading Practices in Climate Adaptation. Leading Practices are practices that are currently popular, but (like everything in the field) may be subject to change.