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Towards A Sustainable Future REASONS FOR URGENCY AND HOPE. Clark University Albert, Norma, and Howard Geller ‘77 Endowed Lecture. The Honorable Jane Lubchenco , Ph.D. Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere & NOAA Administrator April 5, 2011. OUTLINE. Challenges - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Towards A Sustainable Future
REASONS FOR URGENCY AND HOPE
The Honorable Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D.Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere & NOAA AdministratorApril 5, 2011
Clark UniversityAlbert, Norma, and Howard Geller ‘77 Endowed Lecture
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: Reasons for Urgency & Hope 2
OUTLINE1.Challenges 2.Advances in science and
policy3.Sustainability in the
Obama Administration4.NOAA’s role 5.Urgency and hope
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: Reasons for Urgency & Hope 3
SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGESRapid, radical changes with profound consequences
Cooperation, coordination and creativity needed
Environmental concerns seen as a barrier to progress
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: Reasons for Urgency & Hope
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LOSS OF ECOSYSTEM SRVICESEcosystem depletion and disruption
leads to the loss of ecosystem services, e.g.:
WATER PURIFICATION
PEST & PATHOGEN CONTROL
COASTAL BUFFERING
FOOD PROVISION
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: Reasons for Urgency & Hope
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DEEPWATER HORIZON TRAGEDY
Strong connections between people and nature
NOAA:ENSURE SEAFOOD SAFETY
PROTECT
HABITATS &
WILDLIFE ASSESS
DAMAGE & ENABLERESTORATION
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: Reasons for Urgency & Hope
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GULF COAST: SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES
Full recovery must address systemic issues that predated spill
CHEMICAL & NUTRIENT
POLLUTION
HABITAT DESTRUCTION
OVERFISHING
INVASIVE SPECIES
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: Reasons for Urgency & Hope 7
FIERCE URGENCY OF NOW BUT REASONS FOR HOPE
–Advances in science and policy
–New solutions and partnerships
–Increased public awareness of sustainability
– Engagement of business, faith leaders and youth
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: Reasons for Urgency & Hope
8
SCIENTIFIC ADVANCESOur Common JourneyMillennium Ecosystem AssessmentExplosion of sustainability science
Insights:– Resilience – Complex
Adaptive Systems
– Scale– Coupled human-
natural systems
9
STRENGTHENING SCIENCE-POLICY INTERFACE
Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: Reasons for Urgency & Hope
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: Reasons for Urgency & Hope 10
SUSTAINABILITY IS A PRIORITY FOR THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION
A) White House Committee on the Environment, Natural Resources, and Sustainability
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: Reasons for Urgency & Hope 11
B) NATIONAL OCEAN POLICYHealthy Oceans Matter
Holistic, ecosystem-based coastal and ocean management
12
C) SUSTAINABILITY EXECUTIVE ORDER
“Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance”
– Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
– Increase energy efficiency– Reduce waste
Department of Commerce:– 21% reduction target
established for greenhouse gas emissions by FY 2020.
– By FY 2013, 7.5% of electricity will come from renewable resources
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: Reasons for Urgency & Hope
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: Reasons for Urgency & Hope 13
D) BLUEPRINT FOR A SECURE ENERGY FUTURE
Challenge: grow clean energy sources
– Goal of 80% of electricity from renewable sources by 2035
– Overarching goals: security & sustainability
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: Reasons for Urgency & Hope 14
E) INTERAGENCY CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION TASK
FORCE23 Federal agencies & WH offices
> 35 listening sessions & outreach events
2010 Progress Report to President Obama:
– All Federal agencies now required to develop climate change adaptation plans
– Realignment of US Global Change Research Program to strengthen science in support of adaptation decisions at all scales.
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: Reasons for Urgency & Hope 15
NOAA’S ROLE IN SUSTAINABILITY
Advance scientific understandingCommunicate knowledge broadly to inform societal choices“Lead by example” through stewardship, sustainability policies and practices
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: Reasons for Urgency & Hope
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NOAA’S ROLE IN SUSTAINABILITYEXAMPL
ES: A) NOAA’S CLIMATE SERVICES
B) COASTAL & MARINE SPATIAL
PLANNING
C) NOAA SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES
Marine cadastre
NOAA “Green” Research Vessels
17
A) NOAA’S CLIMATE SERVICES1/3 U.S. GDP affected by weather and climate
2010 tied with 2005 for record warmest year
Increase in extreme weather
Explosion in requests to NOAA for climate information for decision making
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: Reasons for Urgency & Hope
“Snowmageddon” 2010 in DC
18
PROPOSED CLIMATE SERVICE LINE OFFICE
Single, reliable, and authoritative source for climate data, information, and decision support
Climate Service included in President’s FY 2012 BudgetTOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: Reasons for Urgency &
Hope
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: Reasons for Urgency & Hope 19
CLIMATE SERVICES IN ACTION: DIGITAL COAST
Working with partners to communicate risks of inundation
SEA LEVEL RISE IMPACTS VIEWER
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: Reasons for Urgency & Hope 20
B) COASTAL AND MARINE SPATIAL PLANNING
America’s coasts: tens of millions of jobs and trillions of dollars to economy annually
Framework: – Ecosystem-based
management – Minimizes user conflicts,
reduces impacts– Focus on stewardship
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: Reasons for Urgency & Hope 21
SPATIAL PLANNING IN MASSACHUSETTS
National leader in CMSP
–Oceans Act of 2008– Diversity of
stakeholders and scientists
–1st state to release comprehensive ocean management plan
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: Reasons for Urgency & Hope 22
INTERDISCIPLINARY TOOLS
Marine InVESTINtegrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: Reasons for Urgency & Hope 23
MARINE InVEST WAVE ENERGY SITING
Vancouver Island: Pelamis wave capture devices – 3 potential sites
Marine InVEST models energy generation and dollar value at each site Site #1 chosen
WP (kW)1 - 3
3 - 7
7 - 11
11 - 15
15 - 19
19 - 23
23 - 27
27 - 31
31 - 34
34 - 38
Captured WE = 46,080 MWh/yrNet Present Value = $ 19.8 mil
35,040 MWh/yr$ -2.3 mil
43,056 MWh/yr$ 14.0 mil
WEC device = PelamisNumber of WEC devices = 24Life-span of the WEC facility = 25 yrs; Price of Electricity = $ 0.2
WEC-1
WEC-2
WEC-3
Coastal Scale
24
MARINE InVEST INFORMING DECISIONS
Intersection between energy potential and fishing areas:
Site #1 has least impact
Site #1 achieves best balance: maximized energy potential, minimized fisheries impacts
IDRISI partnership (Clark Lab)
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: Reasons for Urgency & Hope
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: Reasons for Urgency & Hope 25
SUSTAINABLE USE OF COASTS & OCEANSAdvance economic & environmental interests
Foster partnerships (e.g. Regional Planning Bodies)
Address long-term impacts of climate and other environmental changes
Improve stewardship
Protect ecosystem services
Commercial
Fishing
Aquaculture
Wave Energ
y
Recreation
Coastal
Protection
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: Reasons for Urgency & Hope DRAFT | FOR REVIEW ONLY
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C) “WALKING THE TALK” AT NOAA:
GREEN INFRASTRUCTUREe.g., New Southwest Fisheries Science Center Laboratory in La Jolla, CA under construction
– Photovoltaic cells– Elaborate water retention
systems– Recycled materials and
green roofs planted with California coastal chaparral
– Expected to earn LEED Gold Level
Southwest Fisheries Science Center Laboratory
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: Reasons for Urgency & Hope DRAFT | FOR REVIEW ONLY
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NOAA’S GREEN SHIP INITIATIVEEntire NOAA Great Lakes research fleet is 100% petroleum-free
– Lowered emissions– Decreased costs– Healthier conditions for ship crew/scientists
GLERL research vessel fleet
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: Reasons for Urgency & Hope 28
OUTLINE1. Challenges for sustainability2. Advances in science into policy3. Sustainability in Obama Administration
A.CENRSB.National Ocean PolicyC.Sustainability Executive
OrderD.Blueprint for Secure Energy
FutureE.Interagency Climate Change
Adaptation Task Force
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: Reasons for Urgency & Hope 29
OUTLINE, con’t
4. NOAA’s role in sustainability
A.NOAA’s climate servicesB.Coastal and marine spatial
planningC.NOAA sustainability
initiatives5. Urgency and hope
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: Reasons for Urgency & Hope 30
REASONS FOR URGENCYWhile public understanding of sustainability opportunities and challenges has grown…
…it has not grown quickly enoughWhile we have made progress on sustainability efforts…
…further progress could be hindered by economic crisis and pending Congressional budgetary decisions
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: Reasons for Urgency & Hope 31
REASONS FOR HOPESocial change is highly non-linearInnovative solutions to sustain ecosystem servicesInspiring actions at local-to-global scales:
– Commitments to source sustainably caught or farmed seafood
– Consumers making more informed choices
– Business focus on “triple bottom line”If Federal agencies can transition to sustainability…
THANK YOU!QUESTIONS?
The Honorable Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D.Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere & NOAA AdministratorApril 5, 2011