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Panda Bears, Climate Change, Wine And Conservation
by Paige Donner
What do panda bears and wine have to do one another? Now that’s a question I never imagined I’d be posing here on myLocal Food And Wine blog. But, according to the recently released (April 8th, 2013) study from the Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences (Lee Hannah, lead scientist) panda bears will be one more species that is affected by adaptations humans will likely undertake in response to global climate change impacting wine-producing regions.
Let me explain…
In the PNAS.org study of 4/8/’13, Wine, Climate Change and Conservation, several scenarios are outlined as to how our current trajectory of global warming i.e. climate change is impacting the earth’s wine regions by 2050. In one scenario they state that the,
Area suitable for viticulture decreases 25% to 73% in major wine producing regions by 2050.
Alarming? They seem to think so. The 6-page report further reports that the areas most affected will be wine regions in a Mediterranean or Mediterranean-like climate zone. That means parts of southern Europe, Australia, parts of Chile and Northern California. The study does state that the areas that will suffer least, at least by 2050, will be higher elevation zones, coastal zones, and more Northern latitude areas – areas like New Zealand, Northern Europe and Canada’s British Columbia.
OK… so what about the Panda Bears?
This PNAS report includes discussion of how adaptation can mitigate some of these climate change effects on wine regions. Adaptation can take the form of tailored viticultural practices, adaptive irrigation techniques, and also planting at higher elevations to name a few.
In China, where viticulture and the planting of vineyards are firmly in a development phase, this could mean rapid adaptation so as to anticipate regional climate change. In plain English what this means is that some of the areas that are most suitable for high-quality wine grape cultivation in China are the same areas that are the natural habitat for giant panda bears.
… China is not known for its European-style wines, but it
is among the fastest growing wine-producing regions in the
world. It has significant areas suitable for viticulture (Fig. 1), and these areas are in the same mountains that are habitat for the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). Future conservation efforts for the giant panda need to incorporate consideration of viticulture as a potential land use and viticultural suitability trends in response to climate change. – PNAS.org April 8, ’13 Hannah
It seems that we may be seeing pictures of Panda Bears popping up everywhere in the coming decades as the new poster child of climate change, just as we’ve seen polar bears and melting ice caps in the past decade.
For more information about this topic go to PNAS.org or take a look at this short (3′) doc film preview. You can also LIKE Facebook.com/wineandclimatechange.
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PlanetSolar Launch 2013
February 28, 2013, Monaco Marine Shipyard – La Ciotat (France)
2013 will illustrate the MS Tûranor PlanetSolar’s numerous practical applications
planet solar 2013 Green Blog Network
In 2013, PlanetSolar intends to demonstrate the practical applications of the largest solar boat ever built. It will move beyond its role as mobile ambassador of solar energy and become a multi-functional tool, just like a Swiss Army Knife.
PlanetSolar Press Release, for immediate distribution
PlanetSolar takes the plunge again!
After over six months of maintenance and optimization, the MS Tûranor PlanetSolar is back in the water and preparing for its 2013 solar campaign! The recent improvements will expand and diversify the ship’s applications, and enable it to navigate to the northernmost part of the Atlantic for the first time. A scientific expedition along the Gulf Stream, a waste collection campaign in European waters, and even educational events, this is a brand new crew that will be leading the largest solar vessel ever built on its 2013 campaign, which will be officially launched on March 18 in Monaco.
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The success of the first trip around the world powered exclusively by solar energy has demonstrated the maturity of the prototype’s photovoltaic technology. Those two years of solar navigation were instructive for PlanetSolar and led to an initial assessment of the vessel’s performance. This assessment indicated where optimizations were needed to make the ship more efficient and maneuverable. These improvements will expand and diversify the ship’s applications and uses; notably, enabling it to navigate to the northernmost part of the Atlantic, near the Artic, for the first time.
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Six months of dry-docking were necessary for PlanetSolar to carry out the ship’s maintenance work and optimizations, such as refurbishing the cabins, creating a sundeck on the bridge, reinforcing the mooring cleats, increasing water tank capacity, and improving the rudder. The most substantial optimizations were made to the propulsion system—the surface propellers were replaced by a completely immerged system, and more powerful electric motors were installed on the bow thrusters. Now that this maintenance is complete, the MS Tûranor PlanetSolar is back in the water to begin a navigation phase test that will reevaluate its performance, and primarily its speed—a key element in the successful completion of its 2013 campaign.
2013 will illustrate the MS Tûranor PlanetSolar’s numerous practical applications
In 2013, PlanetSolar intends to demonstrate the practical applications of the largest solar boat ever built. It will move beyond its role as mobile ambassador of solar energy and become a multifunctional tool, just like a Swiss Army Knife.
The MS Tûranor PlanetSolar will officially begin its 2013 campaign on March 18 in the Principality of Monaco. It will then leave for the Atlantic, where it will attempt to break its own world record speed for a transatlantic crossing that is powered only by solar energy (26 days in 2010).
From May, in collaboration with the University of Geneva, the ship will become a platform for scientific research in the framework of the “PlanetSolar DeepWater”expedition. Led by Professor Martin Beniston, climatologist and co-winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, an onboard scientific team will collect new data along the Gulf Stream. The ship will follow the ocean current from Florida to the Far North and will put into port in Miami, New York, Boston, St. John’s, Reykjavik, Bergen, Oslo, and Paris.
In the summer, the MS Tûranor PlanetSolar will be called upon to clean up floating waste in European waters. In collaboration with the Waste Free Oceans Foundation, the ship will be equipped with an ingenious trawling net that can collect up to 8 tons of marine pollution. In the fall, the catamaran will continue its solar energy promotion campaign and sail to the cities of Izmir and Istanbul. These stopovers will be unique opportunities to meet with local populations and promote photovoltaic energy. Instructive events aimed at young audiences will be organized aboard the ship.
A brand new crew for the 2013 campaign
The crew that successfully led the MS Tûranor PlanetSolar on its first solar-powered trip around the world has left the ship to return to civilian life. The Swiss solar vessel will host a brand new international crew for its new missions. The crew members will be introduced on March 18 in Monaco during the official launch of the campaign.
About PlanetSolar
The MS Tûranor PlanetSolar, built in Kiel, Germany, is a catamaran that runs exclusively on solar energy. After two years of design and construction, PlanetSolar is responsible for many technological advances, notably in the domain of composite material manufacturing and solar energy storage. On May 4, 2012, after sailing for 584 days and travelling over 60,000 km, PlanetSolar completed the first solar-powered trip around the world in history. PlanetSolar SA’s trip around the world was primarily funded through private and institutional partners. Innovative routing software was developed specifically for this expedition.
Funding for PlanetSolar SA’s 2013 campaign is provided by Université de Genève, Ciel électricité, Switcher, Association suisse des AOC-IGP, Younicos, GoPro, BCCC Avocats, Tempur, Hempel, Présence Suisse, Energissima, Waste Free Oceans
http://www.planetsolar.org
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2013: Year of the L.A. Aqueduct – L.A. City Council Declaration
Los Angeles Aqueduct Day is the least noted, most important nonexistent holiday
DATE: January 18, 2013 2:57:52 PM PST
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Los Angeles City Council Declares
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 LOS ANGELES — (Jan. 18, 2013) The Los Angeles City Council officially declared “2013: Year of the Los Angeles Aqueduct” today, joining the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power in launching a centennial celebration to mark 100 years of continuous operation of William Mulholland’s great engineering achievement that brings water to Los Angeles from the Owens Valley, 233 miles away. The declaration, a City Proclamation, states, “the completion of the Los Angeles Aqueduct 100 years ago is a significant historical event that led to the growth and prosperity of Los Angeles and Southern California, helped spur an economy that today rivals many nations’ and supports a distinct culture synonymous with invention, creativity and entrepreneurship. It was presented by Councilmember Jose Huizar along with Councilmember Tom LaBonge.
 “The story of Los Angeles is the story of water, and Angelenos will keep on writing it for centuries to come, thanks to this aqueduct,” said Councilmember LaBonge. The entirely gravity-fed Los Angeles Aqueduct remains one of the engineering marvels of modern times, and to this day continues to supply water through effective and responsible management by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.” James B. McDaniel, Senior Assistant General Manager of the LADWP Water System, was in Council Chambers to unveil the Department’s plans for the Centennial celebration, called “L.A. Aqueduct Centennial: Our Legacy, Our Future,” and to describe the events, activities and public awareness campaign planned for the year. “The enduring legacy of the Los Angeles Aqueduct is a source of immense pride at LADWP, and its stewardship is what we do unfailingly each and every day,” he said. “On behalf of the men and women who help operate a system that supplies 600 million gallons of drinking water a day, and the countless others who built the aqueduct or worked for the Water System in the last century, we thank the Mayor and Council for its recognition and appreciation.” Also on hand was Christine Mulholland, great-granddaughter of aqueduct engineer William Mulholland. “Few times in the history of Los Angeles has there been such a reason to celebrate the feats and accomplishments of our ancestors. That the Los Angeles Aqueduct, one of the modern wonders of the world of engineering, continues to bring fresh, clean water to the the people of L.A. is a tribute to my great-grandfather, William Mulholland, and all the people who built, and now continue to maintain, the system,” she said.  Today, the Los Angeles Aqueduct still provides about half of the water needed for the city’s 4 million residents and retains a vital role in the city’s water supply portfolio. LADWP is working hard to expand local water resources through water conservation, recycled water, stormwater capture and groundwater cleanup. The Los Angeles Aqueduct Centennial will include special activities and events, a public awareness campaign and a celebration on November 5, 2013 to mark 100 years to the day when a crowd of 40,000 gathered at the northeast end of the San Fernando Valley to witness the first flow of water down the Cascades and to hear Mulholland’s immortal words: “There it is. Take it.”
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Tofino Has New, Green Mayor
“As a small village that is the gateway to a globally significant UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, I believe we have an opportunity and an obligation in Tofino to think ‘outside the box’ on social, environmental and economic issues, from transportation and housing to business diversity and entrepreneurship,” said Ms. Osborne. “I’m excited about working with all members of my community in this new role as Mayor, regardless of party affiliations.”
SIDNEY, BC – Green Party Leader and Member of Parliament for Saanich-Gulf Islands, Elizabeth May, welcomes the news that Josie Osborne was sworn in today as mayor of Tofino, British Columbia.
Ms. Osborne has worked as a fisheries biologist for First Nations communities and as a leader in social enterprise at the Tofino Botanical Gardens Foundation. She has recently been more engaged as a community and business representative, chairing the local destination marketing organization, Tourism Tofino. Josie Osborne is also an active member of the Green Party of Canada.
“I am so pleased that the new Mayor of Tofino, Josie Osborne, is a Green Party member. I know she will, as I have tried to do federally, put constituents first and party last. While party affiliations are not raised in most municipalities, the Green Party is nevertheless pleased and proud that one of our own has become mayor. This is a first in Canada,” said May.
“As a small village that is the gateway to a globally significant UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, I believe we have an opportunity and an obligation in Tofino to think ‘outside the box’ on social, environmental and economic issues, from transportation and housing to business diversity and entrepreneurship,” said Ms. Osborne. “I’m excited about working with all members of my community in this new role as Mayor, regardless of party affiliations.”
Tofino has a long record for innovations in things green. It is located in the heart of what was one of Canada’s most intense wilderness struggles, the fight to protect the old growth forests of Clayoquot Sound. It is a beacon for tourism, for everything from whale watching to year-round surfing, as well as aquaculture and First Nations business enterprises.
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«Ce petit village est la porte d’entrée d’une réserve de la biosphère de l’UNESCO. Je suis convaincue qu’à Tofino, nous avons la possibilité, et même le devoir, de sortir des sentiers battus sur les questions sociales, environnementales et économiques, que ce soit en matière de transport, de logement, de diversification économique et d’entrepreneuriat», a dit Mme Osborne. «Je suis impatiente de travailler avec tous les membres de notre collectivité dans mes nouvelles fonctions de mairesse et ce, sans égard aux allégeances politiques.»
Une nouvelle mairesse verte à Tofino
SIDNEY (C.-B.) – La chef du Parti vert du Canada et députée de Saanich—Gulf Islands Elizabeth May se réjouit de l’assermentation de Josie Osborne comme mairesse de la Ville de Tofino, Colombie-Britannique.
Mme Osborne fut biologiste des pêches pour les Premières Nations ainsi que responsable du programme d’entrepreneuriat social de la fondation des jardins botaniques de Tofino. Plus récemment, elle joua un rôle clé dans la collectivité et le milieu local des affaires, en dirigeant Tourism Tofino. Josie Osborne est également active au sein du Parti vert du Canada.
«Je suis très heureuse que la nouvelle mairesse de Tofino soit membre du Parti vert. Je sais qu’elle défendra les intérêts de ses commettants avant ceux du Parti, comme je m’efforce de le faire au niveau fédéral. Bien que l’allégeance politique n’ait généralement pas la même importance en politique municipale, le Parti vert n’en demeure pas moins fier et ravi que la nouvelle mairesse porte ses couleurs. C’est une première pour le Canada», a dit Mme May.
«Ce petit village est la porte d’entrée d’une réserve de la biosphère de l’UNESCO. Je suis convaincue qu’à Tofino, nous avons la possibilité, et même le devoir, de sortir des sentiers battus sur les questions sociales, environnementales et économiques, que ce soit en matière de transport, de logement, de diversification économique et d’entrepreneuriat», a dit Mme Osborne. «Je suis impatiente de travailler avec tous les membres de notre collectivité dans mes nouvelles fonctions de mairesse et ce, sans égard aux allégeances politiques.»
Tofino affiche un excellent bilan en matière d’innovation verte. Située au cœur d’une région témoin de l’un des combats environnementaux les plus féroces au pays, soit la campagne pour la protection des forêts anciennes de Clayoquot Sound, la Ville est une plaque tournante pour le tourisme et propose une multitude d’activités, de l’observation des baleines à la pratique du surf en toute saison, en passant par l’aquaculture et les entreprises autochtones.
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