Xeritown: Maximum Sustainability

We live in a world in which human populations impact the environment more and more with each passing year. Thinking outside the box means that we need to approach the entire scope of ”living” in revolutionized ways. Case in point: Xeritown, Dubai. The 60-acre town is built by Dubai based architecture firm X-Architects & SMAQ, and in desert climate is designed to use a minimal amount of water. The town’s goal is sustainability, by re-using water as much as possible, constructing buildings to direct cool breezes and deflect hot desert wind, and providing clean energy from abundant sun via photovoltaic cells (PVC) panels.

Notice the solar panals also provide shade

A great step in the right direction for urban design, and media attention to promote awareness about energy efficient living. I hope that other firms, companies and government take notice and attempt to develop ways to implement this philosophy in existing communities.

EU’s New Emissions Guidelines Overshadow G8 Deal

Protesters dressed as G8 leaders hold balloons representing the carbon their countries emit per capita.

The members of G8 backed a deal today endorsing emission cuts by 50% by the year 2050, but did not set goals for the near term. The agreement also urges nations to become more energy efficient, use clean technology and help developing nations build green infrastructure. These recommendations are not binding and are not new ideas in climate change policy. In addition, the G8 nations did not specify how to meet emissions reductions or pledge to reduce emissions below 1990 levels, as many environmental leaders say is necessary.

I believe the more important climate change story of the day came out of the European Parliament. Members of the Parliament overwhelming voted to include aviation emissions cuts in their Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), developed under the Kyoto Protocol several years ago. This is the first time that the aviation industry has come under regulation in the EU’s revolutionary ETS. Airline companies in the U.S. and Europe issued protest saying it was outside of the EU’s jurisdiction to regulate flights outside the 27 member nations and that it will raise costs for travelers. However, it is my opinion that we must pay for the pollutants we emit into the atmosphere and the aviation ruling is a step in the right direction for world climate change policy. Encompassing the entire transportation sector will make people aware of the real impacts of global warming and hopefully translate into a similar ETS policy worldwide (including the stingy U.S.).

What the G8 Summit Means for Climate Change

Proof beyond a reasonable doubt about global warming

This Monday kicks off the final summit President George W. Bush will attend as the U.S. representative in the economic cooperative, the G8. Expected to be at the top of the agenda is a global emissions reduction policy to slow the effects of climate change. Many believe that the G8 nations need to agree on a set of goals to curb GHG (greenhouse gas) pollution before a major treaty can be drafted, such as Kyoto in 1997. Still, there are those who believe that unless the major developing nations are at the table that no such agreement can take place. While the G8 includes large emitters such as the U.S., the real problem with slowing anthropogenic effects on our ecosystem in the future is nations like China and India, where booming growth is expected to drive pollution. The G8 created an outreach group to address the problems in the developing world, inviting China, India, Mexico, Brazil and South Africa to the table, but more needs to be done to create a global solution.  Compromise must be at the heart of any agreement and sacrifices must be made on all sides.

When GHG’s are released into the air, they do not hover above from which they came, rather they blend into the ozone layer, lessening the capacity for heat to escape. This means that increasing carbon concentrations effects us all equally and it truly is a problem of global proportions. The U.S. has a lot of catching up to do internally, and recently the World Wildlife Fund labeled the U.S. the worst emitter among all G8 nations. While many experts continue to debate the effects that climate change will have on human populations, the general consensus is that further emissions will not be good for future generations (this summary from the IPCC is the bible on the scientific consensus for climate change). There is no doubt that this issue will cement itself as one of the primary issues of our time.