Categories
Antarctica

December 26, 2019 – Antarctic journeys…

Five years ago, on this day, December 26th, 2019, 

On December 26, 2019, Erin Pettit trudged across a plain of glaring snow and ice, dragging an ice-penetrating radar unit the size of a large suitcase on a red plastic sled behind her. The brittle snow crunched like cornflakes underneath her boots—evidence that it had recently melted and refrozen following a series of warm summer days. Pettit was surveying a part of Antarctica where, until several days before, no other human had ever stepped. A row of red and green nylon flags, flapping in the wind on bamboo poles, extended into the distance, marking a safe route free of hidden, deadly crevasses. The Thwaites Ice Shelf appeared healthy on the surface. But if that were the case, Pettit wouldn’t have been there. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/antarcticas-collapse-could-begin-even-sooner-than-anticipated/

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was roughly 412ppm. As of 2024 it is 425ppm, but check here for daily measures. 

The context was

We are forever doing impact science, while the production science kills us all. So it goes.

What I think we can learn from this

Brave people have gathered the data.  Lazy and scared people (including myself) don’t make the data matter.

What happened next

The emissions kept climbing, obvs.

Categories
Carbon Capture and Storage

October 11, 2019 – London Protocol amended to allow cross border C02 transport and storage

Five years ago today (October 11 2019), the rules were amended – as they so often are – to allow for a new wheeze…

 In 2019, Contracting Parties to the London Protocol adopted a resolution (LP.5(14)) to allow provisional application of an amendment to Article 6 of the Protocol to allow export of CO2 for storage in sub-seabed geological formations. Two or more countries can therefore agree to export CO2 for geological storage. To do so they must deposit a formal declaration of provisional application with the Secretary-General of IMO, and also notify IMO of any agreements and arrangements for permitting and responsibilities between the Parties, following the existing guidance. https://www.imo.org/en/OurWork/Environment/Pages/CCS-Default.aspx#:~:text=In%202019%2C%20Contracting%20Parties%20to,CO2%20for%20geological%20storage.

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was roughly 411ppm. As of 2024 it is 422ppm, but check here for daily measures. 

The context was that CCS was becoming important for the rhetoric of mitigation, but there were various legal barriers. This helped remove one of them.

What we learn is that who is gonna let laws get in the way?

What happened next. The CCS bandwagon keeps trundling on. Too important to powerful actors not to.

What do you think? Does this pass the ‘so what?’ threshold? Have I got facts wrong? Interpretation wrong? Please do comment on this post, unless you are a denialist, obvs.

References

Wettestad et al 2023. ESG on Norway and Mongstad to Longship

Also on this day: 

October 11, 1990 – Australian Federal Government makes climate promise, with fingers crossed

October 11, 2006 – “Climate Institute” begins tour of rural Victoria