All articles tagged with #environment and technology
The video game industry, valued at $200 billion, presents an opportunity for climate change education and action. Terra Nil, a city-building strategy game, challenges players to rebuild a city while balancing resource management and environmental sustainability. With over 300,000 players in its first week, the game exemplifies how engaging gameplay can raise awareness and promote renewable energy solutions.
A new study utilizing satellite imagery has revealed extensive illegal fishing activities by the 'Ghost Fleet,' which accounts for 75% of the fish industry's unmonitored and unregulated operations. This breakthrough in mapping industrial activities at sea from 2017 to 2021 highlights the challenges in tracking maritime activities due to limited vessel-tracking systems and the lack of mandatory tracking devices on all vessels. The findings are significant given the ocean's vital role in global trade, food supply for over a billion people, and employment for 260 million in the marine fisheries sector.
A study by Global Fishing Watch, published in Nature, utilized satellite imagery and machine learning to reveal that a significant portion of the global fishing industry operates outside of public tracking systems, with about three-fourths of industrial fishing vessels and nearly a third of transport and energy vessels not publicly tracked. The analysis of two petabytes of orbital imagery from 2017-2021 showed a substantial underrepresentation of Asian fishing activities in public data, with satellite data indicating that Asia, particularly China, accounts for a much larger share of global fishing than previously thought. This research highlights the need for better tracking and data sharing to inform policy and protect marine resources, including efforts to monitor fishing in protected areas like the Galapagos Islands.
ClimateAI, a climate resilience platform, predicts that champagne could face a shortage due to climate change, with key grape varieties like pinot noir, chardonnay, and merlot at risk of extinction. The company's AI-driven data forecasts significant impacts on viticulture, potentially altering the quality and production regions of champagne by 2050. Adaptation strategies may include moving production, changing grape varieties, and blending different grapes to maintain wine quality. Despite the challenges, ClimateAI remains optimistic, providing tools to help the industry adapt to the changing climate.