Did you know that what we observe and know about the Earth has changed significantly in the past decade? While we might be well aware of climate-related challenges, there have also been exciting developments, including geological discoveries, a rise in renewable energy, species that have made a comeback, and much more! To celebrate Earth Day, we’ll be looking at what’s new with the Earth over the past 10 years.
Lost Continent in the Indian Ocean
Geologic formations take a considerable amount of time to develop, perhaps millions or even billions of years. In the last 10 years, there wouldn’t be entirely “new” formations in the traditional sense, but scientists have found geological formations that were previously hidden. Ongoing research and new technology have been key in revealing these formations.
Scientists discovered a potential sunken ancient continent based on new data from zircons, a type of crystal. Geologists measured zircons that originated from volcanic eruptions on Mauritius and dated them at billions of years old. Far surpassing the much younger age of the island, these crystals present proof of an ancient continent sitting beneath the island.
Hidden Lakes in Antarctica
Researchers have discovered hidden ancient lakes beneath the Antarctic ice sheet. In 2018, scientists used a new method called magnetotelluric imaging to discover a massive network of hidden lakes and streams beneath the ice sheet. This vast network of waterways had likely been present for millions of years, but its existence was only recently confirmed and found to be more expansive than previously understood.
Warming Temperatures and Extreme Weather
The past decade has included some of the hottest years on record globally. Heat waves, droughts, floods, and intense storms have become more frequent and severe, impacting public health, infrastructure, and agriculture. California has witnessed a dramatic increase in the frequency and intensity of wildfires due to hotter temperatures, drier conditions, and longer fire seasons. Several countries in East Africa have also experienced prolonged and severe droughts in recent years, leading to food insecurity and mass displacement.
Warmer ocean temperatures provide more energy for storms to develop and intensify. While the total number of hurricanes in Florida has not changed significantly, the storms that do form have been stronger in the past decade.
Southeast Asia has also seen a rise in the number of powerful typhoons. In the Philippines in 2020, Typhoon Molave arrived on October 25th, which was followed about one week later by Super Typhoon Goni on October 31st, and then by Typhoon Vamco less than two weeks later on November 11th. These storms caused significant damage to infrastructure and livelihoods.
Rapidly Changing Landscapes
Natural disasters wreak havoc and often are accompanied by much tragedy, but these phenomena can also birth something new. Landscapes and shorelines can change dramatically due to eruptions, earthquakes, coastal erosion, and deposition. The ongoing eruption of Kilauea volcano in Hawaii between 2018 and 2019 significantly altered the coastline and created new landscape features. After the eruption, the new coastline in Kapoho Bay extended nearly a mile from what had been the original shoreline.
Additionally, erosion and deposition of sediment can reshape shorelines over time. Examples include the ever-changing shoreline of Louisiana due to Mississippi River Delta changes, or the impacts of powerful storms that can lead to rapid coastal erosion.
Decline of Coal and Rise of Renewables
The way that we power the world has changed. Coal consumption has been declining globally, particularly in developed countries, due to concerns about air pollution and climate challenges. Many coal-fired power plants are being switched to natural gas, due to its abundance and lower emissions compared to coal.
Solar and wind energy have experienced explosive growth in the last decade. The cost of solar panels and wind turbines has dropped dramatically, making them increasingly competitive with fossil fuels. Many countries are now getting a significant portion of their electricity from these sources. Major corporations and governments are investing heavily in renewables, and in some regions, they are even the cheapest source of new electricity generation.
Shifting Precipitation Patterns
While some countries have experienced dry weather becoming drier and wet weather becoming wetter, some regions have been experiencing both. In South Asia, observations suggest the annual summer monsoon, which is crucial for agriculture in the region, has been waning in strength. This can lead to water shortages and affect food production. Despite the weakening monsoon, there has also been an observed rise in intense rainfall events, leading to flash floods and landslides.
Melting Ice
Glaciers and ice sheets are melting at an alarming rate, contributing to sea level rise and impacting water resources. Glaciers, such as those in the Swiss Alps and the Tibetan Plateau of the Himalayas, are rapidly receding due to rising temperatures. This threatens water resources and could disrupt major river systems. Low-lying areas are particularly vulnerable to flooding and rising sea levels, threatening coastal communities and ecosystems.
Protection and Recovery of Species
The past decade has seen certain animal populations make a comeback. Bald eagle populations in the United States have made a remarkable recovery after being nearly driven to extinction by DDT use and were delisted from the Endangered Species Act in 2007. After a 400-year absence, beavers have been successfully reintroduced to parts of England. Their dams help reduce flooding and create wetland habitats for other species.
Increased international cooperation has led to stricter regulations on wildlife trafficking to help protect endangered species. International bans on commercial whaling have led to a significant rebound in Humpback whale populations worldwide.
Additionally, thanks to stricter anti-poaching measures and habitat protection, Black rhinoceros populations have shown signs of recovery in some regions of Africa. In mid-2022, the African Wildlife Foundation helped develop the official government strategy for conserving the species, known as Kenya’s Black Rhino Action Plan. It targets a national population of 2,000 by 2026. As of earlier this year, the population is on track to reach that target, growing at a rate of over 5% each year.
Global Awareness and Willingness to Take Action
Some of the changes we’ve explored can leave us feeling concerned about the future. However, there is reason to be optimistic as the number of people who care about taking environmental action is continually increasing.
A recent study that surveyed about 130,000 individuals across 125 countries asked participants if they’d be willing to donate 1% of their income toward climate action. In every instance, the actual support exceeded the perceived support of this issue, which meant that people underestimated the amount of people in their country that would be willing to give money toward taking climate action.
What Now?
It’s important to keep in mind that we can’t fix what we don’t measure. To address issues with air quality, the best action we can take is to start measuring to understand how the environment is changing over time. That way, we can zero in on the sources of change and start to fix the problem at the root.
At Temboo, we partner with community groups to collect hyper-local air quality data, which is shared through a daily email service. We’ve recently rolled out two new exciting features:
- Sentiment surveys to understand how the community is feeling about the environment over time, and
- Customizable report buttons that make it easy for anyone to report bad air quality events via your existing channels e.g., environmental complaint forms or email to elected officials.
A crucial step towards affecting environmental change is to educate yourself on the environment, which you can do by checking out our environmental learning journey recap.
Looking to take action today? Read more about how to help the environment where you live. You can also contact us to learn how we can help you help your community take environmental action.
