Eco Minute 13:30

BULLETIN 29 October 1:30 pm

Good afternoon, here is your Eco Minute:

# American company Boulder Imaging has introduced an artificial intelligence system called IdentiFlight to protect birds from wind turbine collisions in the Eastern Cape. The system, showcased at Cape Town’s Windaba Conference, has already reduced bird deaths by 97-percent at a United States wind farm. Using cameras, it identifies and tracks birds, stopping turbines if they’re at risk. IdentiFlight’s Susan Downey says the high cost is worth it to protect sensitive species, as conservation concerns grow around renewable energy projects. 

# A group of scientists have warned of a potentially catastrophic collapse of ocean currents in the Atlantic. This highlights the underestimated risk to Nordic countries. In an open letter to the Nordic Council, the group notes the serious threat posed by changes to the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation which is crucial for Arctic living conditions. While the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change suggests a collapse is not likely before 2100, the scientists argue new research indicates it could happen within decades, leading to severe global impacts.

# And finally: Greenhouse gas concentrations have hit a record high in 2023. According to the World Meteorological Organisation, CO2 levels reached 420 parts per million, alongside methane at one-thousand-934 parts per billion and nitrous oxide at 336.9 parts per billion. This surge is reportedly driven by increased emissions from vegetation fires and high fossil fuel use, compounded by reduced carbon absorption from forests. The organisation’s secretary-general, Celeste Saulo, highlights the urgent need for action to meet climate goals, and warns of the severe impacts of rising greenhouse gases.

Stay tuned for more news………….