Global News & Policy – Ecosystemic Magazine

How Americans View the Climate Crisis: Acting on a Problem Many Believe is Non-Existent

2Apr

By Anvi BhateNo Comments

Global News & Policy

How Americans View the Climate Crisis: Acting on a Problem Many Believe is Non-Existent

By Anvi Bhate Currently, around 60 percent of Americans view climate change as a major threat to the prosperity of the United States and two thirds of the country’s adults observe the federal government is not doing enough to reduce the effects of global climate change (Pew, 2020). The majority of Americans believe the government should try different approaches to reducing climate change such as planting more trees, placing tougher restrictions on power plant carbon emissions, and establishing tougher fuel efficiency standards for cars (Pew, 2020). However, even as more Americans begin to believe in climate change and its alarming need to be addressed, two thirds of the population refuse to quit fossil fuels (Forbes, 2021). While not all Americans are completely convinced with the li...

Will European Countries Retreat From Russian Gas and Use Green Alternatives?

20Mar

By Jasmine SinghNo Comments

Global News & Policy

Will European Countries Retreat From Russian Gas and Use Green Alternatives?

By Jasmine Singh According to Eurostat, Russia is currently responsible for roughly 40% of the EU’s natural gas imports. As Western nations continue to impose sanctions on Russia as a result of the Russo-Ukrainian War, finding alternative options for fuel becomes crucial. According to Deputy National Security Advisor Daleep Singh, “This crisis underscores the urgency of speeding our transition to cleaner, more secure, renewable sources of energy like solar, wind, and hydrogen.” Political Cartoon by Elson Bankoff Many have begun to call for companies and governments across the world to terminate their imports of Russian gas. Ultimately, this will further destabilize Russia’s economy. According to the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, 40% of Russia’s federal budget revenue...

20Mar

By William AshfordNo Comments

Global News & Policy

Europe Must Switch to Renewables Now

By William Ashford The current argument for clean and renewable energy sources is about more than just combating climate change; it is about nations’ independence from authoritarian states. According to the Columbia University Climate School, In 2021, the European Union (EU) imported 142 billion cubic meters (BCM) of Russian natural gas, accounting for 45% of its total natural gas imports. That same year, Europe (including Turkey) imported 185 BCM of Russian oil, 36% of the continent's total gas demand. In 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine; but the reliance on non-renewables persisted. On Thursday, Feb. 24, Russian troops, tanks, and armored cars rolled into Ukraine in the first European military land invasion since World War I. On Feb. 22, in response to Russian aggression on the U...

The Case for Climate Education in American Schools

19Feb

By Alix Nikolic de JacintoNo Comments

Global News & Policy

The Case for Climate Education in American Schools

By Alix Nikolic de Jacinto The climate emergency is the issue of the day, the headline scrawled across news outlets, and near the center of political discourse. Yet the topic still remains a point of contention in the United States, from federal climate policy to the role of climate action in our education system. This attitude has bred a powerful youth movement that skyrocketed in engagement over the past few years, largely due to mass-student support and emerging youth voices. This youth initiative exemplifies a key element of inequity that climate change provokes: the prior generations responsible for the crisis will escape the worst of its effects, leaving impossible odds to today’s youth. As time closes in on the climate emergency, we the youth find power in organizi...

5Feb

By Jaiden SaranNo Comments

Global News & Policy

The Nigerian Heat Crisis

Jaiden Saran McLean High School As months pass and global temperatures rise, West African climates are warming far faster than the global rate. In Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, the temperatures are reaching startling highs of up to 99 °F nearly every day. And these temperatures will continue to increase. For decades, people have used fossil fuels that contribute to climate change. However, with every generation, the use of fossil fuels has increased. The newest generation has polluted the most, resulting in a half-degree increase in temperature over the past century. In Nigeria, the rising temperature has led to alarming issues such as water scarcity, food shortages and poverty. Part of the reason Nigeria is affected by climate change is due to its abundant fossil fuels and oil-...

21Jan

By Abby KelsoNo Comments

Global News & Policy

Build Back Better Bill Overview

By Abby Kelso, Sidwell Friends School After President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better Bill passed in the House of Representatives on Nov. 19, the $2.2 trillion measure now faces a long and arduous path through the Senate before it becomes law. Speaking in a press conference about the importance of passing the bill, Biden said: “[W]e need Congress to finish the job, to come together and make a difference in people’s lives.” The overarching goal of the Build Back Better Framework is to reassess the economy to benefit the middle class. The bill includes provisions to offer free universal preschool, to provide tax cuts for families, to expand affordable health care and to invest in affordable housing. CBS News states that $550 billion of the bill goes to stopping the climate crisis, an ...

Heated! On The Mexican Government’s Lack of Climate Change Action

21Jan

By Luisa ZittleNo Comments

Global News & Policy

Heated! On The Mexican Government’s Lack of Climate Change Action

By Luisa Zittle– Fridays for Future, Mexico The Mexican government lacks a methodical plan to combat the climate crisis. The most recent example of this is the COP26 summit, a climate change conference held by the United Nations in Oct. and Nov. of 2021. Our President, Andrés Manuel Lopéz Obrador, failed to simply attend this summit, and instead chose to learn through his representatives. This lack of engagement was evident in his morning reports, which were indifferent and uninformed. The COP26 summit led to public conclusions that the government must provide concrete funds toward climate action. According to the United States Energy Information Administration, in 2020, Mexico was one of the largest producers of petroleum in the world and the fourth-largest produc...

21Jan

By Dia AuroraNo Comments

Global News & Policy

Climate Change in Uganda

By Dia Aurora, McLean Highschool Climate change is a worldwide issue that affects countless lives in countless ways. However, Uganda has begun to suffer harder than other communities around the globe. The African country is experiencing catastrophic floods, as well as other natural disasters. According to the World Bank, “local media reported that the October floods [in 2018] … displaced another 8,000 others from … nine affected sub-counties” (World Bank, 2019). The consequences of these floods include lost loved ones, destroyed crops, and the death of livestock. Homes are drifting away into oblivion and schools are being crushed in soda cans. The most prominent issue comes when buildings and shelters are not the only items taken away from the Ugandan community. BBC News explai...

3Jan

By Navin DesaiNo Comments

Activities, Global News & Policy

How-To Guide for Contacting Legislators

Navin Desai, Georgetown Day School In a nation where the government dictates what and will be done about issues facing every one of us, influencing policy is imperative in shaping both the future of our country and the entire planet. Given the urgency of climate change, advocating for bills is even more impactful when it comes to environmental issues. Here is your quick how-to guide for contacting legislators: Find them! There are many ways to figure out who your representative(s) and senators are. The easiest method is simply to use a website. Try visiting MyReps, entering your address and looking through the results. If you want to advocate for a federal bill, locate your two senators and representative(s) — you’re now ready to move on to the next step! Go to t...

Phaseout of Coal in South Africa Through Funding from the US, UK, and EU

18Dec

By Quinn PatwardhanNo Comments

Global News & Policy

Phaseout of Coal in South Africa Through Funding from the US, UK, and EU

By Quinn Patwardhan, Sidwell Friends School During the COP26 Summit held in early Nov., the United States, United Kingdom and the European Union announced a partnership with South Africa that would reduce the nation’s reliance on coal. South Africa is currently responsible for around 1.29% of global carbon dioxide emissions, making it the world’s 12th biggest emitter of CO2. Coal provides over 80% of South Africa’s energy and serves as one of the nation’s most important exports, explaining the country’s reliance on coal from both an energy and an economic standpoint. Furthermore, South Africa’s state utility company Eskom is in over $27 billion of debt, caused in part by its investments in coal power plants. All of this has led the U.S., U.K., and the E.U. to grant South Africa ...