“A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song” – Maya Angelou
This meditative seagull is a resident of Centennial Park, Puget Sound
Birds, bees, butterflies are angels of biodiversity and ecological services (BECS). The hardy service providers that keep Nature abuzz have a critical mission. Over half the world’s total GDP – is moderately or highly dependent on nature and its services and, as a result, exposed to risks from nature. It wouldn’t take rocket science to figure out what might result if say birds went amiss.
Last three months of closely following the US media there was one thing that gave me hope. Despite all the flooding, drought, hurricanes and forest fires news – it was the serious concern for one of nature’s great wonders – migrating birds.
As they seasonally flit between breeding and wintering grounds twice a year. North to south or south to north. It is an inherently risky process, due to predation and mortality.
Turn off the lights
“Keep an eye out for feathered friends Thursday night”, reminds the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR). It recommended that “Iowans be courteous and keep off unnecessary lighting to help birds find their way and reduce collisions…Keep your small pets inside, too”.
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology said peak migration traffic in Iowa includes more than 400,000 birds. Just Wednesday night, nearly 100,000 flew across the state”.
Birds usually begin to migrate 30 to 45 minutes after sunset, with the greatest number in flight two to three hours later, The Cornell Lab of Ornithology said online.
The eastern wood-peewee, American redstart, magnolia warbler and more will be among the nocturnal migrants in Iowa, according to The Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
“City lights confuse them as birds migrate into Oklahoma” – experts urge people to turn off lights at night.
Meditative to a yogic mode…
Virtues
What birds eat is often just as ecologically important as where they poop. For example, many birds are voracious predators of pests. Barn Swallows can consume as many as 60 insects an hour. Over an agricultural field, swallows rescue pest-prone crops and leave more food for us.
And installing Barn Owl boxes on farms reduces populations of destructive rodents, like gophers. Similarly, putting up nest boxes for Western Bluebirds can save grapes on vineyards. In this way, promoting and protecting bird habitat is a great alternative to widely used, harmful pesticides.
Night sky
Wisconsin naturalist Bill Volkert quoted in WPR: “During peak migration, more than 15 million birds can journey through Wisconsin skies in one night. These species join thousands of other birds making their way south for the winter”.
Hundreds of thousands of birds are migrating over the Pittsburgh area. Here’s how you can mitigate light pollution says CBS News. Peak migration season is typically mid-August to mid-October, and 200 million birds are predicted to migrate across the country on Monday night, it says.
They migrate at night because they use the stars and the moon to help with navigation,” said Rachel Handel, the communications director for the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania.
But Handel says Light pollution can be a big problem for birds on the move, says Handel. “That could be as big as stadium lights or really as small as keeping a light on in your home late at night. Those lights can distract the birds when they’re flying. That can lead to overexertion, that can lead to them becoming confused.”
Helping the hummingbirds
From Alaska to Mexico, many hummingbirds travel astonishing distances during late summer. These colorful pollinators will be spotted in many states as they journey southwards. In northern, cooler US hardiness zones, such as in Alaska or Michigan, this migration will happen much sooner than in southern locations, such as California or Florida, where some hummingbirds may even remain for the winter.
“There are hundreds of native flowers that attract hummingbirds. Here in Florida, hummingbirds love to feast on the nectar of flame vine, fire bush or the firecracker plant, just be sure to leave blooms and stems on the plant until the fall”, advises wildlife expert Melissa Lackey
A recent study by the University of Wyoming confirms the importance of native plants, stating that many hummingbird species are specialists, feeding only on one or a few species of flowering plants. Ensuring that we grow native plants in our yards is, therefore, vital.
Sadly, over 191 hummingbird species from across the Americas are experiencing declining population trends, but there are ways you can help native species as they commence their migration – here are some wildlife garden ideas from homesandgardens.com
Teaming up
And did you know that different bird species may team up for migration. A new study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that this mixing and mingling might not be coincidental.
Different bird species could have their own social networks that might boost each other’s survival.
Increasingly dangerous
Migrating birds will face many challenges during their flights south. Their winter and summer habitats are shrinking, as well as the stopover sites they use as refuge while they rest and refuel. There are tall buildings with deceiving windows, looming communication towers and predatory outdoor cats.
Essentially the world is getting more dangerous for birds, reminds Volkert.
Evolved with hurricanes
Both Hurricane Milton and Helene coincide with the fall migration of birds in North America. Scientists say such storms can be deadly for birds, but many species have ways to cope with hurricanes; some even benefit, writes Mongabay.
Birds evolved with hurricanes but climate change is fueling more frequent strong storms, and that change in intensity “has the potential to change migration patterns in ways that we don’t necessarily understand,” Andrew Farnsworth, visiting scientist at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, quoted by Mongabay.
An appeal
“Join the 10 Million Acre Challenge and bring habitat back for birds with American Bird Conservancy (ABC)!” Goes this appeal.
Over the past 30 years, thanks to dedicated members and supporters, ABC has helped conserve millions of acres of habitat for birds. More than 3,000 bird species, many of them endangered or declining in population, have now benefited from habitat conserved by ABC and its dozens of partners. That’s 30% of the world’s total bird species!
We need them
Birds make big contributions across habitats, and they’re crucial for people and the planet to thrive. When avian species are lost, their particular functions and benefits disappear, too. And introduced species can’t easily replace the critical roles of native ones, according to a new study published in Science Advances. That means holding onto the bird diversity we have is paramount.
Birds are canaries in the coal mine. Can we afford another Silent Spring?
October 4, 2024
Alexander Martin writes: https://therecord.media/cyber-insurance-ransomware-payments-anne-neuberger-op-ed
Does #insurance incentivize #extortion payments in #ransomware attacks?
Chartered Insurance Institute Blog
October 3, 2024
https://thejournal.cii.co.uk/2024/10/03/dangers-new-asbestos
Illuminem
October 2, 2024
My blog interview also published here:
Talking to the inimitable Dr. Mark Trexler is always a pleasure.
If you do wish to indulge in some ‘Trexlerian’ wit in the Time of #ClimateBreakdown, this is what you will surely find here:
Tells me why all students at Arizona State University, beginning this fall, must take a class on sustainability – “is a great initiative, although seems radically insufficient and decades too late in coming!’’
Recognises: “Systems thinking is a prerequisite to solving problems, but is far from the solution”.
The role of Milton Friedman (and Ayn Rand) in landing us where we are today.
“An obvious contradiction between focusing on shareholder returns while promoting voluntary pursuit of ESG”.
“Why would we expect insurers (or any company) to really prioritize double materiality?”
That insurers “are probably one of the most resilient sectors to physical climate risks, and they’ll make money as other risks get worse as well”.
And: “If we prohibited insurance companies from rapidly increasing premiums, or dropping lots of policies, in principle we would incentivize them to take climate change more seriously”.
September 29
Shared on LinkedIn: from the Week
Author and former diplomat Navtej Sarna paints an unfolding dystopia.
Were the Homo sapiens ever so resolved to self-destroy? Does it matter if we butcher the keystone species, pollute the Planet, destroy the magical Biodiversity?
Does it really matter if some idiots question ‘what climate change’? Does it matter “when widows howl and orphans cry”? Were we ever so close to success?
https://www.theweek.in/columns/navtej-sarna/2024/09/28/when-widows-howl-and-orphans-cry.amp.html
Reshared on LinkedIn
September 28, 2024
An #uninsurable #home isn’t great: Growing #insurance crisis in the US.
https://lnkd.in/dHESRyqY
https://fortune.com/2024/09/27/home-listings-climate-risks-zillow-floods-wildfire-extreme-heat-wind/
Dr. Mark C. Trexler directs the Climatographers’ work on climate risk knowledge management. He was previously Director of Climate Risk for DNV based in Oslo, Norway, and prior to that directed Global Consulting Services for EcoSecurities. His work on climate change dates back to the World Resources Institute (1988-1991), and as President of Trexler Climate + Energy Services (TC+ES) from 1991 to 2007. TC+ES was the first consulting firm in the United States to specialize in business climate change risk management.
In addition to private-sector clients around the world, Mark has worked with national and international clients including The Nature Conservancy, the United Nations Development Programme, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Global Environment Facility.
Mark is widely published on the technical and policy issues relating to climate change mitigation and carbon markets, has served as a Lead Author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and is a member of the editorial board of Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies, a leading climate journal. Mark’s graduate degrees are from UC Berkeley, he has spent almost 10 years living abroad, and speaks five languages.
PG: Beginning this fall, all students at Arizona State University are now also required to take a class on sustainability. How good a beginning and what should follow next?
MT: When you and I were on the phone I think I recall seeing a reference to the fact this requirement could be met with a course in wildlife conservation. I thought that was silly. But when I did go deeper into the actual requirement this is what I find:
“The Sustainability requirement provides students with an interdisciplinary understanding of socio-ecological systems in relation to global challenges and opportunities. The learning objectives emphasize systems thinking, where human and non-human systems are understood as intimately connected, with human actions affecting all life on a planet with limits and boundaries. Students should also become familiar with how cultural, political, economic, social and ethical beliefs, practices and systems are related to and impact planetary systems. Students will use course concepts and systems and futures thinking to address contemporary questions or challenges.
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of a course in Sustainability, students will be able to do the following:
- demonstrate an understanding of the earth and its ecosphere, including the measures that indicate their capacities and limits
- trace historical impacts of a range of socio-economic, political or cultural choices on integrated human-environmental well-being
- envision pathways toward futures characterized by integrated human-environmental well-being
- articulate an approach to addressing contemporary questions or challenges that employs concepts or practices of sustainability”
That doesn’t sound half-bad! Don’t really know why it’s called a “sustainability requirement,” which is pretty close to being a meaningless term. In terms of the content, I think it’s appalling in today’s world that most students are graduating from college having met math requirements that they’ll never have use for again, while this kind of absolutely foundational understanding of human/environmental systems is apparently not required at all. So I guess this is a great initiative, although seems radically insufficient and decades too late in coming!
“It’s appalling in today’s world that most students are graduating from college having met math requirements that they’ll never have use for again, while this kind of absolutely foundational understanding of human/environmental systems is apparently not required at all.
PG: As a champion of systems thinking, do you believe that to be the ideal way forward?
MT: Well, that makes it sounds like systems thinking could be “the” silver bullet. Yet that is entirely at odds with the whole premise of systems thinking. I think systems thinking is critical to tackling any Risk 2.0 problem in today’s world. But that’s just the beginning of the story. You still have to figure out how to communicate, teach, and learn the substance of the system you’re talking about (at whatever level is appropriate, from K-12 on up). Systems thinking is a prerequisite to solving problems, but is far from the solution.
PG: How do you reconcile with the fact that Jack Welch, “The Man Who Broke Capitalism” and “destroyer of corporate America”, continues to inspire multiple generations. As does Ayn Rand?
MT: You know, I’d have a hard time besting ChatGPT’s answer to this question! https://chatgpt.com/share/66f5e6ac-ec98-800d-838b-4485c11de632 😊 😊 There’s one paragraph in there that strikes me as particularly telling. Namely that successful people (and the people that want to emulate them) have every confirmation bias reason to want to believe that it was THEIR individual traits and hard work that accounts for their success, and that if government would just get out of the way they could accomplish so much more that could then trickle down to everyone else. That is clearly the story that will make them feel best about themselves. It’s sort of like asking whether the King of England believes in the monarchy and expecting a “no.” It’s almost a tautological question.
PG: While Welch credited Peter Drucker as his inspiration – he amplified Milton Friedman’s mantra on shareholder. Hasn’t it brought us where we are/headed?
MT: Well, in many respects Peter Drucker’s focus on management efficiency and Milton Friedman’s focus on shareholder returns are perfectly consistent. And in all fairness to Milton Friedman, companies were ignoring economic externalities long before Milton Friedman gave them “permission” to do so in the interests of shareholders. I suspect that Milton Friedman might have recognized the “small world model” nature of his argument, and might have argued that as part of that small world model government is regulating companies to ensure that necessary externalities are internalized.
“”And the oil companies have done their best to interfere with efforts to solve that problem, but that is a far cry from demonstrating that they “caused” the problem.
In some ways suggesting that Milton Friedman has brought us to where we are/headed is analogous to saying that oil company misinformation has brought us to where we are/headed on climate change. There is certainly an element of truth there, and easy to treat Friedman and oil companies as the scapegoat. But in the case of climate change, the much bigger issue is that fossil fuels are an amazingly convenient and low-cost way of powering things like industrial revolutions, economic growth, and the global middle class. They just have “one small problem” in the form of releasing millions of years of natural carbon storage back into the atmosphere in a very short timeframe. And the oil companies have done their best to interfere with efforts to solve that problem, but that is a far cry from demonstrating that they “caused” the problem.
PG: Do you think this ongoing obsession with shareholders undermines the effectiveness of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)?
MT: There is an obvious contradiction between focusing on shareholder returns while promoting voluntary pursuit of ESG. Focusing on shareholder concerns implicitly gives a company permission to heavily discount the future, to take advantage of economic externalities, to play down worker health and safety, et., all of which are fundamentally at odds with the stated goals of ESG. In what world can both be achieved? Certainly not in a world in which everything is left up to companies to decide, without the guidance of public policies and measures.
PG: Could this overarching influence also be responsible for insurers missing out on the double materiality and thus continue being reactive?
MT: In what sense are insurers “missing out on double materiality?” Why would we expect insurers (or any company) to really prioritize double materiality? Why is it their responsibility to look out for societal interests under our economic and political systems?
“Insurance companies have a lot of flexibility to adapt to climate change by changing premiums, by changing what they will insure, etc. etc.
PG: What must immediately change if insurers must make a course correction to educate the rank and file?
MT: Again, why “must they” make a course correction. Insurance companies have a lot of flexibility to adapt to climate change by changing premiums, by changing what they will insure, etc. etc. They are probably one of the most resilient sectors to physical climate risks, and they’ll make money as other risks get worse as well. I’ve never figured out why we would expect insurance companies to lead the charge when it comes to educating the rank and file. If we prohibited insurance companies from rapidly increasing premiums, or dropping lots of policies, in principle we would incentivize them to take climate change more seriously. But at this point we’d probably just be pushing them towards bankruptcy (since it will take too much time to change the course of climate change).
PG: Many thanks Mark for this very ‘Trexlerian’ perspective! Much appreciate your sense of humour in the Time of Climate Breakdown.
Illuminem
September 22, 2024
My blog interview with Rob de Laet also published by Illuminem: https://illuminem.com/illuminemvoices/tunnel-vision-has-overshadowed-the-need-to-cool-the-planet
Illuminem
September 4, 2014
https://illuminem.com/illuminemvoices/we-are-all-in-the-same-boat-lets-not-rock-it
The ‘Bayesian’ tragedy – first reported case of a billionaire consumed by climate violence – according to current estimates will cost insurers USD 150 million. An unsinkable super yacht going down may have repercussions on the insurance cost of keeping this class of vessels afloat.
Insurers will, however, not factor in pricing of externalities. It is not just about carbon emissions. Oceans are a critical climate regulator. All forms of shipping damage biodiversity and pollute heavily – the cost gets spread inequitably across the planet. With the likes of a ‘deteriorating’ Atlantic Meridional Ocean Current (#AMOC) staring us in the face, should we be burying our heads in the sand?
We are all in the same boat, let’s not rock it!
The Diversity Blog 