APES Current Events

Global greenhouses gases emissions are set to plunge eight percent the largest drop to ever be recorded due to the worldwide lockdown trying to fight the coronavirus. The coronavirus has caused a decline in use of fossil fuels but the drop shouldn't be seen as a positive effect on climate change. When the pandemic declines and the nations start to take steps to restart their economies there will be a soar in emissions if governments do not take efforts to shift to a cleaner energy source. Scientists cautioned that the world is facing an enormous task to get global warming under control which means the global emissisons will have to fall about eight percent every single year until 2030 if they want to keep global warming under two degrees Celsius. During this lockdown cities have seen a dramatic reduction in air pollution and smog since fewer people are driving on the road. I think that if we take steps to shifting to cleaner energy sources it can have a huge impact on climate chang...

Since people have been quarantined because of the coronavirus, lots of wildlife is coming out. Along the Emirati coastline recently, there have been rays flocking to Dubai Marina, dolphins playing around the man-made Palm Jumeirah islands and large gatherings of sharks off Ras al Khaimah. The sightings of these animals in these spots shows that without humans in the way the animals are able to travel around more in different areas and live better. Scientists are sighting some of the largest groups of animals ever seen in areas. Now Conservationists are able to push to increase the coverage of marine protected areas. It is likely that once human activity picks up again that it will reverse some of these benefits. I think it is really good for these animals that humans have not been getting in their way lately, but it is sad to think they only get to enjoy this until human activity picks up again. All of these areas where wildlife activity is picking up are areas that were originally th...

Summary: In this article, the idea of borders being closed and animal traffickers' businesses being put on hold, is brought up. Seen specifically in a flight from South Korea, that was meant to go to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam but ended up being diverted to Can Tho, officials discovered illegally trafficked parts of wildlife animals (in this case 11 rhino horns) that traffickers had planned on sending somewhere, but ultimately ended up somewhere else. It is this circumstance that is causing animal traffickers to worry that they won't be able to trade their shipments as easily as they normally would be able to, and are thus reducing their prices and decreasing their amounts of shipments. However, it is with accounts that are recorded in this article by those involved with the businesses, that say they believe that once this pandemic ceases to cause such closings of borders and transportation, that their business will rise again. Coronavirus Disrupts Illegal Wildlife Trafficki...

Due to the risk of Covid-19 being exposed to grocery workers, California is providing plastic bags in stores for 60 days.  Plastic bags have been banned in the state since 2016, causing people to have their groceries bagged in reusable bags.  This is great however, not in a time like this.  Many people have the store workers bag their groceries which is unsafe for them to do right now.  Those bags have been in contact with the costumer who could contain the virus.  Having workers touch those bags, puts them in a risk of getting the virus.  Although, the 60 days of providing plastic bags in stores was only suppose to be used if needed.  The belief was that costumers would bag their own groceries in their own reusable bags, but people are taking this suspended band for granted.  It is concerning since people should not be more at risk of receiving the virus, but plastic waste should not increase.  The only solution I can really think of is tell...

For the first time in almost 30 years people in Northern India could clearly see the Himalayas due to India's corona virus lock down, clearing air pollution. Many people haven't been able to see the Himalayas in decades, and now they can see it 100 miles away. India held 21 of the 30 worst polluted areas in the world, and now hold 6 of the top ten, after India's lock down.  According to the report 85 cities across India saw less air pollution in the first week of the nationwide lock down. Just on the first day,  Delhi saw up to a 44% reduction in air pollution levels.  Link :)

The BP oil spill of 2012 is the largest oil spill ever in which 130 million gallons of crude oil was spilled into the ocean. During the spill 11 workers and millions of sea animals lost their lives. Now, over a decade later we are still seeing the effects of the spill. Many species of aquatic creatures like sea trout, coral, and dolphins population never fully recovered. Scientists are still unsure of what effects the spill would have had on longer livng speices like dolphins and turtles but it seems that populations may be on a slight decrease. Its likely that for years to come unless new generations of those affected by the spills begin to return numbers to nromal that certain animals may be in danger of nearing extinction. THe BP oil spill was a horrendous event and while terrible I think its most important that ie be taken as a learning experience. 10 years after the spill the world is now aware of wildlife conservation and protection maybe more than ever before and protection of...

This past winter was one of the warmest in history with two of the surprisingly mild winter months being January and February and then March which was second-warmest March ever recorded. The NOAA says it is apparent that we are at the beginning of a long-term warming period. The models they have created suggest 2020 may be the hottest year recorded since 1880. https://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/earth-had-its-second-warmest-march-ever-recorded-n1185566 This is very alarming to me because this is very climate-altering evidence that climate change is very real and that it is much more of a threat than many believe. If this trend continues we are in for many environmental changes and that could lead to many problems.