Latest news with #InternationalInstituteforAppliedSystemsAnalysis
Forbes
7 days ago
- Health
- Forbes
Seaweed – The Superfood Tackling Health Emissions And Food Security
Healthy spirulina drink in the glass As the world battles rising chronic disease and climate instability, seaweed is emerging as a rare solution to both. Once relegated to coastal cuisines, this fast-growing marine macroalgae is now surfacing in dietary supplements, snacks, bioplastics and even methane-reducing livestock feed. Seaweed has emerged as a promising solution to help meet global food and material demands without expanding agricultural land. Researchers from institutions including the University of Queensland, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization found that scaling up the cultivation of commercially valuable seaweed species could significantly ease pressure on terrestrial farming. These findings underscore seaweed's potential to support both food security and climate goals, provided land and ocean resources are managed in an integrated, sustainable way. According to a Science Direct article, Western diets are deficient in fiber and essential micronutrients, contributing to gut imbalances, chronic inflammation, and metabolic dysfunction. Seaweed, particularly sugar kelp, naturally fills these gaps with a potent mix of insoluble fibers such as fucoidan, beta-glucan, alginate, and cellulose. When fermented by gut bacteria, these fibers produce short-chain fatty acids, compounds linked to improved insulin sensitivity, satiety, and immune health. TOPSHOT - Captain John Lovett, 52, uses a knife to harvest kelp and throws keepers into a large bin ... More on the boat in Duxbury, Massachusetts on May 9, 2023. (Photo by Joseph Prezioso / AFP) (Photo by JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images) Seaweed Health Support From The Ocean OCEANIUM, a UK-based biotech founded by Karen Scofield Seal and Dr. Charlie Bavington, is using seaweed to support both people and planet. Their flagship product, OCEAN ACTIVES® H+, delivers a clinically proven 250 mg dose that improves the ratio of beneficial to harmful gut bacteria, specifically increasing Bifidobacterium while decreasing Enterobacteriaceae. The company's proprietary green biorefinery process ensures their ingredients are bioavailable, food-safe, and traceable from sea to shelf. OCEANIUM is also collaborating with Wageningen University on dementia-prevention research through the gut-brain axis and working with Reading University to explore human and pet nutrition. From a sustainability standpoint, seaweed requires no land, freshwater, or fertilizer, making it one of the most sustainable crops on Earth. According to the company, it supports six UN Sustainable Development Goals, absorbs CO₂ and nitrogen, and increases marine biodiversity. OCEANIUM is not alone in the innovation game. PhycoHealth in Australia produces seaweed-based capsules targeting gut and skin health. FutureFeed, another Australian agritech company, has developed a seaweed-based cattle feed supplement that cuts methane emissions by over 80%, according to CSIRO. Challenges Facing Seaweed And The Way Forward Despite its potential, seaweed still faces hurdles to mainstream adoption. Limited processing infrastructure poses a bottleneck to scaling, and its taste and texture can be off-putting to some consumers. According to the OCEANIUM team, overcoming these challenges requires offering products in familiar, easy-to-use formats with a neutral flavor profile. Their approach focuses on refining seaweed into versatile ingredients that seamlessly integrate into everyday foods like snacks, soups, and protein bars. Just as crucial is consumer education, emphasizing seaweed's health benefits and sustainability value to build trust and encourage widespread use. Pills of seaweed spirulina, chlorella on a wooden spoon close up. Vegetarian Super food with plant ... More protein Seaweed is no longer a fringe ingredient, it is a frontier crop with the potential to nourish people and regenerate the planet. Backed by science, powered by innovation, and aligned with global sustainability goals, seaweed offers a rare convergence of health, climate, and economic opportunity. Seaweed brands are proving that with smart processing, strategic partnerships, and consumer education, seaweed can transcend its niche and become a mainstream force in food systems, bioeconomy, and environmental resilience. The path forward isn't without obstacles, but if cultivated with care, this marine resource could help reshape the future of both nutrition and planetary stewardship.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Scientists make surprising discoveries in fight against emerging public health threat: 'The goal now should be to make their efforts count'
Scientists make surprising discoveries in fight against emerging public health threat: 'The goal now should be to make their efforts count' Microplastics are everywhere. They're in our oceans, our food, and even our bodies. According to a new University of Portsmouth study highlighted how public volunteers can help combat this invisible threat. What's happening? Researchers at the University of Portsmouth in the U.K. published a study examining the effectiveness of different protocols to capture plastic pollution on coastlines and whether volunteers can help fill crucial data gaps, like those reported by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis. The research compared three leading microplastic and mesoplastic sampling methods across southern England, including two citizen science protocols and one used by European researchers. The goal was to determine which approaches are the most accurate, efficient, and easy to use. The findings revealed that while there's no one-size-fits-all method, public participation is a powerful tool. One technique, the Big Microplastic Survey, often detected more plastic than others, while AUSMAP was the fastest and most accessible. The EU's MSFD method provided the most accurate lab results but isn't practical without lab access or formal training. "In a perfect world, yes, we'd all be using the same protocol," Dr. David Jones, lead author of the study, said, per the University of Portsmouth. "But the variations in coastal geomorphology around the world make this challenging. We are not going to stop volunteers from getting involved — nor should we. The goal now should be to make their efforts count, even if their methods differ." Why are microplastics important to study? Plastic pollution is one of the most widespread environmental issues and is increasingly becoming a human health crisis. According to the study, up to 13 million tons of plastic enter our oceans every year. Larger plastics break down into smaller pieces called microplastics and mesoplastics, which can be easily ingested by marine life and passed on to humans through the food chain. Recent studies have detected plastic particles in human blood, lungs, and even the placenta. While we're just beginning to understand the long-term health impacts, early research suggests potential links to inflammation, hormone disruption, and increased toxicity. Better data collection leads to better chances to address the issue and protect our long-term health. "When it comes to understanding our plastic-choked coastlines, every piece of data counts — no matter how it's collected," Dr. Michelle Hale, co-author of the study, said, per the University of Portsmouth. What's being done about plastic pollution? While international organizations work toward global protocols, this research highlights the role of everyday people in tracking and combating pollution. Volunteer-based methods may not be perfect, but they are valuable, especially as researchers work to bridge the gap between different tools and environments. Do you think America has a plastic waste problem? Definitely Only in some areas Not really I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. The study advocates for improved systems that allow for more effective comparison of data from various methods. In the meantime, individual action still matters. Reducing reliance on single-use plastics, choosing reusable alternatives, and supporting policies to limit plastic pollution can all contribute to the solution. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Solve the daily Crossword
Japan Today
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Japan Today
Scientists long ago envisioned the end of climate cooperation
Scientists previously modelled various impacts on climate change and other global challenges By Kelly MacNAMARA They warned it could happen: a world of surging nationalism, stalling economic development and the unravelling of decades of international cooperation on climate change and other global challenges. Long before Donald Trump lurched away from diplomatic norms and the international rules-based order, scientists mapped out different potential futures to understand the possible implications for greenhouse gas emissions. Developed a decade ago, five of these "pathways" became crucial to the work of the United Nations' IPCC climate expert panel. These are not predictions for the 21st century. Rather, they envision what could happen with various societal changes including for trade, economic development, technological innovation and global population. The most optimistic narrative foresees sustainable growth and improved equality. A second "middle-of-the-road" scenario is an extension of current trends. The third is a world riven by rivalries, a fourth is blighted by increasing inequality, and the fifth assumes supercharged economic growth grounded in expanding fossil fuel use. Keywan Riahi, of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, who coordinated the development of the so-called Shared Socioeconomic pathways (SSPs), said the world has largely developed in line with the third scenario in recent years. While it is certainly not a perfect fit, what we see now "is a much more fragmented world," Riahi told AFP. "Collaboration is more difficult, economic development is actually also not so optimistic." Scientists' original description of the SSP3 scenario was: "A resurgent nationalism, concerns about competitiveness and security, and regional conflicts push countries to increasingly focus on domestic or, at most, regional issues." This "rocky road" is arguably the worst of all the hypothetical futures. Planet-heating emissions are second only to economic expansion driven by oil, gas and coal. But the fractured SSP3 world ranks first when it comes to damages from climate change, showing the largest population boom, and the weakest economic growth. This scenario "reflects a current strain of populist isolationist politics that is ascendent today", climate scientist Zeke Hausfather noted in a recent newsletter post. In 2021, Hausfather got blowback for calling SSP3 "Trump World". But "the actions in his second term around energy and trade seem to be playing out much more closely to SSP3 than other pathways", he said. The U.S. has ditched the Paris climate treaty, turned its back on global cooperation on science, trade and health, and eviscerating its international development budget. Washington has lambasted U.N. sustainable development goals, especially related to climate change and women's rights. Domestically, the world's second biggest carbon polluter has undermined progress on low-carbon technology, cancelled climate research, and even stymied weather data collection. World leaders have expressed their disquiet. "The global economy thrived on a foundation of openness and multilateralism underpinned by U.S. leadership... but today it is fracturing," said European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde in late May. Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney declared the global trade system in place for 80 years "over", and China's Xi Jinping urged the preservation of "the international order based on international law, and global fairness and justice". Not destiny There are important ways in which today's reality differs from the hypothetical SSP3 world. World population projections are significantly lower, for instance. And the development of climate tech has been "much more successful", Riahi said. A dramatic drop in the cost of solar and wind power, as well as electric vehicles and batteries, has boosted the growth of low-carbon technologies. Carbon dioxide emissions have also slowed, while predicted warming for the end of the century is lower than a decade ago -- albeit still reaching catastrophic levels. Scientists are currently updating SSP projections and crafting a new set of climate narratives. They have much to unpack. Riahi said that even if there was a "complete collapse of climate policies globally", the previous worst-case emissions projections will likely not materialise because clean energy has become so cheap. At the same time, he said, the world will almost certainly overshoot the Paris deal's aspirational goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels in the coming years. This has forced scientists to consider a new set of questions. What is the new best-case scenario for bending emissions down to zero? If current policies persist, will emissions stay high for a longer period, causing temperatures to keep rising in the coming decades? "What are the implications climatically of this high overshoot, which is unfortunately a more and more likely scenario if you extrapolate what we see at the moment?" said Riahi. © 2025 AFP
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Scientists long ago envisioned the end of climate cooperation
They warned it could happen: a world of surging nationalism, stalling economic development and the unravelling of decades of international cooperation on climate change and other global challenges. Long before Donald Trump lurched away from diplomatic norms and the international rules-based order, scientists mapped out different potential futures to understand the possible implications for greenhouse gas emissions. Developed a decade ago, five of these "pathways" became crucial to the work of the United Nations' IPCC climate expert panel. These are not predictions for the 21st century. Rather, they envision what could happen with various societal changes including for trade, economic development, technological innovation and global population. The most optimistic narrative foresees sustainable growth and improved equality. A second "middle-of-the-road" scenario is an extension of current trends. The third is a world riven by rivalries, a fourth is blighted by increasing inequality, and the fifth assumes supercharged economic growth grounded in expanding fossil fuel use. Keywan Riahi, of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, who coordinated the development of the so-called Shared Socioeconomic pathways (SSPs), said the world has largely developed in line with the third scenario in recent years. While it is certainly not a perfect fit, what we see now "is a much more fragmented world," Riahi told AFP. "Collaboration is more difficult, economic development is actually also not so optimistic." - 'Rocky Road' - Scientists' original description of the SSP3 scenario was: "A resurgent nationalism, concerns about competitiveness and security, and regional conflicts push countries to increasingly focus on domestic or, at most, regional issues." This "rocky road" is arguably the worst of all the hypothetical futures. Planet-heating emissions are second only to economic expansion driven by oil, gas and coal. But the fractured SSP3 world ranks first when it comes to damages from climate change, showing the largest population boom, and the weakest economic growth. This scenario "reflects a current strain of populist isolationist politics that is ascendent today", climate scientist Zeke Hausfather noted in a recent newsletter post. In 2021, Hausfather got blowback for calling SSP3 "Trump World". But "the actions in his second term around energy and trade seem to be playing out much more closely to SSP3 than other pathways", he said. The US has ditched the Paris climate treaty, turned its back on global cooperation on science, trade and health, and eviscerating its international development budget. Washington has lambasted UN sustainable development goals, especially related to climate change and women's rights. Domestically, the world's second biggest carbon polluter has undermined progress on low-carbon technology, cancelled climate research, and even stymied weather data collection. World leaders have expressed their disquiet. "The global economy thrived on a foundation of openness and multilateralism underpinned by US leadership... but today it is fracturing," said European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde in late May. Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney declared the global trade system in place for 80 years "over", and China's Xi Jinping urged the preservation of "the international order based on international law, and global fairness and justice". - Not destiny - There are important ways in which today's reality differs from the hypothetical SSP3 world. World population projections are significantly lower, for instance. And the development of climate tech has been "much more successful", Riahi said. A dramatic drop in the cost of solar and wind power, as well as electric vehicles and batteries, has boosted the growth of low-carbon technologies. Carbon dioxide emissions have also slowed, while predicted warming for the end of the century is lower than a decade ago -- albeit still reaching catastrophic levels. Scientists are currently updating SSP projections and crafting a new set of climate narratives. They have much to unpack. Riahi said that even if there was a "complete collapse of climate policies globally", the previous worst-case emissions projections will likely not materialise because clean energy has become so cheap. At the same time, he said, the world will almost certainly overshoot the Paris deal's aspirational goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels in the coming years. This has forced scientists to consider a new set of questions. What is the new best-case scenario for bending emissions down to zero? If current policies persist, will emissions stay high for a longer period, causing temperatures to keep rising in the coming decades? "What are the implications climatically of this high overshoot, which is unfortunately a more and more likely scenario if you extrapolate what we see at the moment?" said Riahi. klm/mh/srg/phz
France 24
04-06-2025
- Business
- France 24
Scientists long ago envisioned the end of climate cooperation
Long before Donald Trump lurched away from diplomatic norms and the international rules-based order, scientists mapped out different potential futures to understand the possible implications for greenhouse gas emissions. Developed a decade ago, five of these "pathways" became crucial to the work of the United Nations' IPCC climate expert panel. These are not predictions for the 21st century. Rather, they envision what could happen with various societal changes including for trade, economic development, technological innovation and global population. The most optimistic narrative foresees sustainable growth and improved equality. A second "middle-of-the-road" scenario is an extension of current trends. The third is a world riven by rivalries, a fourth is blighted by increasing inequality, and the fifth assumes supercharged economic growth grounded in expanding fossil fuel use. Keywan Riahi, of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, who coordinated the development of the so-called Shared Socioeconomic pathways (SSPs), said the world has largely developed in line with the third scenario in recent years. While it is certainly not a perfect fit, what we see now "is a much more fragmented world," Riahi told AFP. "Collaboration is more difficult, economic development is actually also not so optimistic." 'Rocky Road' Scientists' original description of the SSP3 scenario was: "A resurgent nationalism, concerns about competitiveness and security, and regional conflicts push countries to increasingly focus on domestic or, at most, regional issues." This "rocky road" is arguably the worst of all the hypothetical futures. Planet-heating emissions are second only to economic expansion driven by oil, gas and coal. But the fractured SSP3 world ranks first when it comes to damages from climate change, showing the largest population boom, and the weakest economic growth. This scenario "reflects a current strain of populist isolationist politics that is ascendent today", climate scientist Zeke Hausfather noted in a recent newsletter post. In 2021, Hausfather got blowback for calling SSP3 "Trump World". But "the actions in his second term around energy and trade seem to be playing out much more closely to SSP3 than other pathways", he said. The US has ditched the Paris climate treaty, turned its back on global cooperation on science, trade and health, and eviscerating its international development budget. Washington has lambasted UN sustainable development goals, especially related to climate change and women's rights. Domestically, the world's second biggest carbon polluter has undermined progress on low-carbon technology, cancelled climate research, and even stymied weather data collection. World leaders have expressed their disquiet. "The global economy thrived on a foundation of openness and multilateralism underpinned by US leadership... but today it is fracturing," said European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde in late May. Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney declared the global trade system in place for 80 years "over", and China's Xi Jinping urged the preservation of "the international order based on international law, and global fairness and justice". Not destiny There are important ways in which today's reality differs from the hypothetical SSP3 world. World population projections are significantly lower, for instance. And the development of climate tech has been "much more successful", Riahi said. A dramatic drop in the cost of solar and wind power, as well as electric vehicles and batteries, has boosted the growth of low-carbon technologies. Carbon dioxide emissions have also slowed, while predicted warming for the end of the century is lower than a decade ago -- albeit still reaching catastrophic levels. Scientists are currently updating SSP projections and crafting a new set of climate narratives. They have much to unpack. Riahi said that even if there was a "complete collapse of climate policies globally", the previous worst-case emissions projections will likely not materialise because clean energy has become so cheap. At the same time, he said, the world will almost certainly overshoot the Paris deal's aspirational goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels in the coming years. This has forced scientists to consider a new set of questions. What is the new best-case scenario for bending emissions down to zero? If current policies persist, will emissions stay high for a longer period, causing temperatures to keep rising in the coming decades? "What are the implications climatically of this high overshoot, which is unfortunately a more and more likely scenario if you extrapolate what we see at the moment?" said Riahi.
