The Thing About Tipping Points?

The UN's World Meteorological Organization has pointed out, that inspite of the worldwide Covid19 lockdowns, the last 8 years have been the hottest on record. By this, they mean, of course, the hottest since humans recorded weather temperatures (its been hotter in geological time). The UN now generally accepts that the Paris Accord (limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Centigrade above pre-Industrial levels), is 'barely within reach'. It's also been suggested that the planet is 'on course' to reach climatic 'tipping points' (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/nov/06/climate-crisis-past-eight-years-were-the-eight-hottest-ever-says-un). Tipping points are changes that, once exceeded, cannot be reversed. The problem with tipping points is that they are not clearly signposted. Tipping points do not have signs saying 'approaching the tipping point, now'. The only way we can be certain we have exceeded a tipping point, is when we try (and fail) to reverse it. We really don't want to get close to dabbling in such things.

Seeing the Changes 1729

Some very white fungi in Loughor. Field rose (Rosa arvensis) was still in bloom on the Bynea-Penclacwydd border.

Codswallop!

Charles Clover of the Blue Marine Foundation opines we need to conserve cod stocks around the UK. He also makes, however, several highly contentious statements about where the 'attack' on our 'national dish' of 'cod 'n chips' is coming from (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/nov/04/brexit-overfishing-uk-waters). Certainly Clover's most contentious claim is that 'our' cod populations "...belong to King Charles on behalf of the people.." Is Clover after a knighthood? The idea that a wild species 'belongs to' anyone individual, is bizzare (this could have been intentional, simply to get us to read the article?). Clover claims that declining cod stocks in UK waters are the result of '40 years of mismanagement' (presumably by the EU). He opines that 'Brexit creates an opportunity to do our seas and our fishers a favour by managing fish stocks for recovery.' Most of the 'attacks' on cod stocks he describes appear, however, to involve the actions of UK fishers and government bodies. Scottish fishers are said to destroy juvenile cod stocks as 'bycatch', whilst trawling for more lucrative langoustines. The UK government was pressured by fishers to increase the size of cod catches in the North Sea, to a level incompatible with fish stock recovery. Meaningful conservation of cod stocks seems more likely to be achieved by multinational agreements. Cod don't carry passports and governments appear to find it easier to stand up to fishers, when acting as a collective.

Copping Out?

Loss and damage is a key considerations for Cop27. This is basically a move to agree to transfer some finance from big polluters to less polluting nations. We currently have a situation, where the latter are often disproportionately impacted by environmental damage they have a minimal role in causing. It's argued that these fund transfers should be seen as provision of aid for adaptation rather than as simple compensation (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/nov/05/loss-and-damage-must-be-at-heart-of-cop27-talks-experts-say). 'The polluter should pay' is a very reasonable principle. It's very difficult, however, to see meaningful agreement being reached, when the Presidents of China, India and Russia (major polluters) are not even going to Sharm-el-Sheikh. Other countries are likely use the impacts of the cost of energy/living crises on their finances, to minimise financial transfers.

'Happy Hormone' and Human Depression?

Serotonin is actually a neurotransmitter and not a hormone. The chemical has been dubbed the 'happy hormone' (aliteration) because some people have repeatedly suggested that low concentrations of this factor can be linked to depression. Indeed, many of the psychoactive drugs used to treat this neurosis are linked to serotonin receptors. In spite of this, a major review has concluded that there is little evidence depression is a consequence of low brain serotonin levels. A recent study in Biological Psychiatry seems to counter the review's 'firm' conclusion (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/nov/05/study-finds-first-evidence-of-link-between-low-serotonin-levels-and-depression). The new study contrasted 17 patients with a major depressive disorder or depression linked to Parkinson's disease (a movement condition linked to low brain levels of another neurotransmitter, dopamine) with 20 healthy volunteers. All were scanned using Positron Emission Tomography (PET). This scan used a radioactive tracer, to determine how much serotonin was bound to designated brain receptors. All subjects were then given amphetamine ('speed'), a psychoactive drug that stimulates serotonin release and rescanned. Only the depressed patients, showed a reduced serotonin response. This was taken as evidence that serotonin does play an important role in depression. The Biological Psychiatry study is, however, small and doubts have been raised about the statistical analysis used. Perhaps the following points are worth noting? Firstly, there has long been antagonism between folk who advocate treatment of depression with psychoactive drugs and those who favour other therapies (e.g. talking therapies). Secondly, 'depression' is certainly not a specific 'disease', like, for example, a simple infection. Depression covers a range of conditions, of varying intensity (and causation?). Thirdly a simple link between concentrations of a neurotransmitter in specific brain regions and a neurosis or psychosis seems inheritently unlikely. The kinetics of neurotransmitter actions appear complex. There are sub-types of many transmitters and all may exhibit binding, release from the binding site, reuptake etc. It's also very evident that different parts of the brain 'talk to eachother', in complex ways. As they say, 'This one will run and run'!

Compostable Plastic Is Anything But!

The UK's Big Compost Experiment involved almost 10,000 participants. It confirmed that 85% of those involved were enthusiastic about buying 'compostable plastics'. Unfortunately, most plastic marketed as 'home compostable', doesn't actually compost, Sixty percent of such plastics, failed to disintegrate after 6 months (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/nov/03/greenwash-home-compostable-plastics-dont-work-aoe). Plastic that people put in their compost, generally shouldn't be there. Most so-called 'compostable plastic' seems to be a 'greenwash' product. The only truly beneficial strategy, is to carry out composting with no plastics.

Jelly Bellies

'Jellyfish' ia a common name applied to the medusae of some Coelenterates. Twenty years of 'citizen science' by the Marine Conservation Society (MCS), has recorded an increasing number of 'new' species on UK beaches (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/nov/03/climate-crisis-brings-growing-numbers-of-unusual-jellyfish-to-uk-seas ). The MCS note that, many of the 'new' species washing up on Britain's beaches, are more typically found in warmer seas. Three typical medusae from Welsh beaches are shown. In addition the citizen scientists have been noting comb jellies (like Pleurobrachia pileus) and even the Portuguese man o' war (Physalia physalia) on UK shores. Neither of these last two are strictly 'jellyfish'. Comb jellies are Ctenophora (not Coelenterates) and the man o' war is a floating colony of specialised individuals.