Engineers Australia’s Post

In November of 2023, the U.S. released the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5). Since the First National Climate Assessment in 2000, the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) has led a team of climate scientists and subject matter experts from a wide variety of backgrounds and institutional sectors to develop this assessment of the best available science. NCA5 is complemented by a new web-based NCA Atlas that allows people to explore climate projections in U.S. states and counties. See our key takeaways. https://lnkd.in/efyJ7KmG

As the problem of climate change has become more widely recognized, people have started to look for solutions in earnest. Explore the potential benefits and risks of geoengineering, specifically Solar Radiation Modification, in Dr. Flavio Lehner's insightful article where he discusses the scientific basis, uncertainties, governance issues, and ethical considerations surrounding this emerging climate intervention strategy.

I gave an SPE presentation last week called Analysis of Climate Change for Engineers. It seemed quite well received. To make this talk more accessible I recorded a less hurried version and posted it on You-Tube. Here’s the link. If you have wanted to understand Climate from a quantitative perspective, I think you will find this helpful. Personally, I couldn’t find engineering style explanations of the science anywhere, so put this together over 6 months of reading. Hope some of you find this helpful. https://lnkd.in/gqTRds2F

I found Sabine Hossenfelder's recent predictions on geo-engineering in this video https://lnkd.in/g82x5hiA thought provoking. Currently our design rainfall and climate assumptions do little to consider anthropogenic responses excepting globally. In reality, we might expect regional winners and losers in terms of climatic variables. Many projects have design horizons that will be affected by climate change and potential responses to it (such as Geoengineering). It seems to me, that adaptive management might need to consider different established climate patterns for particular regions, rather than fiddling with a specific parameter by a few percentage points.

Methane: the invisible climate villain Being a Mechanical Engineering major with a strong passion for energy and sustainability. It is interesting to get regularly updated regarding climate challenges. Quite recently, I watched a TED Talk by Marcelo Mena titled, "Meet Methane: The Invisible Climate Villain." Although methane often is overshadowed by carbon dioxide in climate discussions, it's actually more than 80 times more potent as a greenhouse gas over a 20-year span. In this talk, Mena puts the focus on how this potent gas warms up the world and the actions we can take to make a difference. Studying the intersection of mechanical systems and sustainability, this presentation strengthened my goal of creating solutions that are both efficient and environmentally friendly. I highly recommend this video to everyone, particularly those interested in engineering and sustainable practices. I believe there is valuable insight for everyone to gain from it!

I had the privilege of taking the Energy & Environment engineering course from Dr Daniel Cohan at Rice University this spring. In this concise talk (~17min), he provides a summary of his Energy Transition research. I also recommend his book, Confronting Climate Gridlock. Enjoy!

New Episode: Climate Change Science In this special episode, recorded live at the Sustainable Energy Futures Annual Conference 2024, we feature Sir David King Head of the Climate Crisis Advisory Group. Sir David shares his expert insights during his closing remarks and a follow-up interview, addressing some of the most pressing climate challenges of our time. Key highlights include: • The history of climate science and its modern implications • The urgent need for climate interventions, including re-freezing the poles • The role of young professionals in the energy transition • Insights on global climate policy and the COP process This conversation is a must-listen for anyone passionate about tackling the climate crisis and driving the transition to a sustainable future. Listen now: https://lnkd.in/ebhzpkiJ Imperial College London Imperial College Business School Imperial Enterprise Lab Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College #EnergyFuturesPodcast #ClimateAction #NetZero #EnergyTransition #SustainableFutures Edoardo Taricco

A particularly egregious aspect of Woodside’s communication strategy for its revised climate plan has been its “science washing” (yes I just made that up) with numerous references to “the science” and IPCC scenarios in an effort to paint a picture of a strategy that is consistent with the Paris Agreement. In this recent Climate Insight, our Chief Scientist Dimitri Lafleur has done an excellent job pulling apart why Woodside’s use of scenarios is so problematic. We encourage investors to have a read, not just for its relevance to Woodside but for many companies that refer to scenarios in their climate reporting. https://lnkd.in/gpuBKAaR

Learn from the experts, Tan and David offer up many years of practical experience. learn how to plan, design, build and operate disaster resilient infrastructure.

Please attend this webinar from the World Federation of Engineering Organizations to learn about principles of climate change adaptation for engineers (includes new content on principles under consideration relating to resilience and nature based solutions):