Up in the Air: Birds, Flying Green, and Negotiations Regarding the World’s Much-Needed Plastic Treaty - 52nd Issue

A study published by Journal of Animal Ecology reveals that male and female Seychelles warblers “divorce” when fluctuations in rainfall prior to and during the breeding season occur. The 16-year study, conducted by an international team of researchers, highlights how the reproduction cycle of Seychelles warblers is particularly sensitive to climatic events.

Macquarie University's Frigg Speelman and his fellow researchers noted a few key findings, one of which states that “the study identified a quadratic relationship between rainfall and divorce rates, with the highest rates of divorce occurring in years with either extremely low or high rainfall during the breeding season.”

Macquarie University’s article on the study’s release quotes Speelman as saying, “This research not only enhances our understanding of animal behaviour in the face of climate variability, but it also provides valuable insights that could inform conservation efforts for species vulnerable to the effects of climate change.” It also shares that this bird species, endemic to the Seychelles islands, “is already facing numerous conservation challenges, making this research particularly relevant.”

BBC’s Climate Editor, Justin Rowlatt, recently published an in-depth article titled, “Will flights really reach net zero by 2050 - and at what cost to passengers?” Rowlatt’s fascinating piece details one of the most problematic elements of air travel: its environmental impact.

He discusses the vision behind Jet Zero, a plan that involves the quest to make air travel carbon neutral. He mentions that even Rolls Royce has a role in the project; they’ve developed a new jet engine (the “UltraFan”) that’s designed to “reduce average fuel consumption by 10%.”

A visit to Jet Zero’s website discloses that the US Air Force, NASA, and the FAA want to enter the JetZero Blended Wing aircraft into service by 2030, and, in doing so, they’ll take “the best first step toward the ultimate goal of zero-carbon emissions aviation.”

The plastic crisis is real, and nations around the world are interested in attempting to curb plastic pollution and, in turn, lessen the damage inflicted upon the environment.

Approximately 3,300 delegates from countries around the world have been conducting meetings in Busan, South Korea, since November 25 with the intention of negotiating a legally binding global treaty that, according to Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), would “protect our health, our environment, and our future from the onslaught of plastic pollution.”

Unfortunately, the fifth UN Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) did not result in an agreement, which means that talks will resume and key decisions will take place at a later date. This news comes as a disappointment to nations ardent about, UNEP’s website puts it, “securing the deal the world demands.”

Every year, National Geographic compiles the most stunning photos that their photographers took in locations throughout the world.

This year's compilation features an emperor penguin jumping off a 50-foot cliff in Atka Bay, Antarctica; a rare photo of the skittish Similipal tiger and its unique color pattern; and, arguably one of the most compelling photos, a 70-day-old fetus of a rhino conceived through in vitro fertilization.

This eye-opening collection of photos is both beautiful and tragic, thus making viewers appreciate the distinct moments of insight that each photo superbly captures.