Category: Earth Science

Last week, a team around Dr Jens Holtvoeth , including 3^rd-year BSc students Connor Bishop and Matthew Oliver Jinks and environmental technician Miles Dimbleby, took part in this year’s Mine Analogue Research event (MINAR XI) at the UKRI Underground Laboratory in the ICL Polyhalite and Salt mine at Boulby. Every year, this two-week event brings together national and international teams of scientists, working on a wide range of subjects related to space exploration and extreme environments, for which the Underground Lab and its surroundings 1,000m below the surface provide ideal conditions.

The purpose of Team Teesside’s visit was to drill and recover intact large diameter salt cores from the so-called polygon layer. This deposit formed in the late Permian during the evaporation of the Zechstein Sea, about 250 million years ago, and is the main layer of halite (NaCl) at Boulby. It prominently features backfilled desiccation cracks from a sea-level lowstand that now appear as dark polygons in the ceiling of the many tunnels in the mine. Traces of organic matter preserved in the salt and the backfill material carry information on the microbial communities living in the brine at the time and the vegetation on the nearby land, which reflect the environmental conditions.

One of the aims of Dr Holtvoeth’s research is to produce a biogeochemical fingerprint of microbial biomass preserved in the ancient evaporites and to see how this relates to microbes living in modern brines in the mine. The modern microbial community will be further characterised through their DNA, which is the responsibility of Dr Caroline Orr. Such a biogeochemical characterisation will help collaborators at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to interpret data produced from the same sample material by an optical analytical tool (Raman spectrometer), which they are currently developing for the next generation Mars rover. If microbial life ever existed on Mars, the evaporating Martian oceans would have been the last places where it could have been found. Thus, evaporites are a prime study target in the search for life on Mars.

A number of technical issues have hampered progress so far. Last week, the team had to abandon their sampling campaign due to electrical problems. It turns out that drilling and recovering a large-diameter salt core is a lot harder than anyone had anticipated. However, with the continuing support of the UKRI Underground Laboratory and the mine operators the team hopes to succeed next time.

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

ICCF2023: Navigating the Future of Cocoa Sustainability

The International Cocoa and Chocolate Forum, ICCF2023, held over two insightful days, delved deep into the heart of the cocoa industry, addressing pressing issues and forging a path towards a more sustainable future. Organized by the International Cocoa Diplomacy (ICD), this conference served as a platform for the scholarly exchange of ideas, addressing the pressing challenges faced by the cocoa industry and paving the way towards a more sustainable future.

Exploring the Conference Theme

ICCF2023 was built around a central theme – “The new EU policy, its effect on cocoa-producing regions, and the way forward for the global cocoa trade and industry that supports transformation with regards to the resilience of cocoa farmers.” This overarching theme shaped the discussions and provided a robust framework for academic exploration. Under the overarching theme the conference was a confluence of knowledge, ideas, and a resounding call to action.

Day 1: Seeds of Transformation

On the first day of ICCF2023, Dr Oluseye Oludoye had the honor of being one of the keynote speakers on the first day, presenting on the topic of “Good Agricultural Practices for Sustainable and Quality Cocoa Production.” His presentation was a highlight, shedding light on essential practices for the sustainable and high-quality production of cocoa. Also, other speakers including Soji Sanyaolu, Patrick Adebola, Chantal Coady OBE, Lynn Lockwood, Carrie Pemberton Ford Ph.D., Lorna Marah, Lisette Davis, Gbolahan Peter Macjob, and Jules Achard, shared their expertise on topics ranging from “Good Agricultural Practices” to “Sustainable and Traceable Practices.” The day’s discourse explored critical issues, including “Addressing global resource gaps,” “Utilization of technology/AI and incentivizing new generation farmers,” “The role of media in bridging the gap between producing and consuming regions,” and “How to address social issues around slavery, human trafficking, child, and forced labor.”

Day 2: Unraveling Challenges and Opportunities

Day 2 marked a deep dive into the European Union’s Directive on Sustainable Cocoa (EUDR). The conference tackled EUDR compliance, the industry’s responsibility, and the timelines for its implementation. This day was instrumental in aligning the cocoa industry with evolving global policies and standards. The second day was equally remarkable, with Dr Oluseye Oludoye actively engaging in a roundtable discussion that centered around the theme “Social responsibility or social investment? Defining the role of key stakeholders along the cocoa value chain from production to consumption for positive social impact.” His insightful contributions added depth to the discussions on the crucial role of stakeholders in driving positive social change throughout the cocoa value chain.

Discussions didn’t stop there; they extended to examine the positive or lack of impact and effectiveness of sustainability labels, offering a critical assessment of investment opportunities within the global cocoa industry. A central theme revolved around redefining the role of key stakeholders along the cocoa value chain, shifting focus towards investment rather than purely social responsibility for a positive social impact. A pivotal question posed was whether achieving value addition in cocoa production regions was an achievable reality or a mere myth. Other second day’s discussant including Antonie Fountain, Robin Dand Fuad Mohammed Abubakar, Dela Akuffo, Lynn Lockwood, Carrie Pemberton Ford Ph.D., Soji Sanyaolu, Patrick Adebola, Jules Achard, Francis Anatogu, and Clay Gordon, delved into these discussions, closing the evening with a “Call to Action” Presentation of ICD.

A Transformative Conclusion: ICCF2023 and Beyond

The International Cocoa and Chocolate Forum, ICCF2023, was more than a conference; it was a catalyst for change. As the event came to a close, it left attendees inspired, informed, and motivated to drive positive transformations within the cocoa industry.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Dr Oluseye Oludoye currently serves as a Lecturer in Environmental Science at Teesside University, UK, where he is dedicated to the trifecta of education, research, and administrative roles. His primary research interests revolve around pro-environmental behaviour, with a keen focus on effective waste management and promoting agricultural sustainability. Before joining Teesside University, he had the privilege of being a postdoctoral research fellow at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand. There, he delved deep into researching pro-environmental behaviour of single-use plastic waste management.
With over a decade of experience, he had the opportunity to work across various sectors as an agri-environmental researcher, educator, and consultant. He had successfully executed funded research projects and shared his insights at international conferences, workshops, and seminars.
His dedication to research is reflected in my authorship of several publications in esteemed international journals. He has received numerous honours and awards throughout his career, including a Scholarship Award from the United Nations University-Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS), Tokyo, Japan, in 2019. He recently received the prestigious Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship (2023) which bolsters my commitment to advancing sustainability on a global scale.

New paper from Dr Kerry Pettigrew

Just Transition is a principle and strategy that ensures that the shift from a fossil-fuel-based economy to a sustainable, low-carbon economy is carried out in a fair and equitable manner, involving fair outcomes (Distributional justice), fair processes (Procedural justice), and fair and green employment (Restorative justice). This article, focusing on the Asia Pacific region, is the fourth to utilise our analytical approach of assessing and comparing national performance in just transition, using open-access global data from international organisations such as the UN and World Bank. We use indicators, selected to reflect energy behaviours and fairness in outcomes, processes and employment, to rank and compare nations’ performance on aspects of just transition, and to make policy suggestions based on the observed trends.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421523003932

Climate change is affecting the dynamics of greenhouse gas emissions depending on land use, a new study by Guo et al. (2023) has found.

Climate change is now a fact. Experts all over the world agree that we are going to suffer more frequent extreme weather. This is then more frequent heavy rain leading in many cases to severe flooding, and more frequent heat waves leading to severe droughts. Water is a main factor affecting soil biogeochemistry, so these changing soil conditions (prolonged flooding and flooding-drying) were the main driver of the study, including land-use change. The study was conducted by a group of multidisciplinary and multi-institutional scientists leaded by Prof Sami Ullah and Dr Yafei Guo from the University of Birmingham (Biogeochemists), Dr Ernesto Saiz from Teesside University (Biogeochemist), Dr Aleks Radu from Lincoln University (Chemist), and Prof Sameer Sonkusale from Tufts University (Engineer). Also, this study was used for testing new sensor prototypes for continuous monitoring of soil ions (potassium, ammonium, nitrate, and pH). The findings suggest that extreme weather and land-use should be consider for the calculations of the Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions.

Link to the paper: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geodrs.2023.e00697

Dr Ernesto Saiz has visited the Birmingham Institute of Forest Research (BiFOR) free-air CO₂ enrichment (FACE) experiment located in Staffordshire. He was accompanied by some of the PIs of the project he is involved in: Prof Sami Ullah (University of Birmingham) and Prof Sameer Sonkusale (Tufts University), in addition to some other researchers, and a distinguished visiting fellow from the University of Delaware Prof Delphis F. Levia. The main objective was to show the engineers (from Tufts) in-situ what are the main characteristics of the soil (texture and moisture) where the prototypes developed will be deployed. With this visit the engineers can now make the final modifications needed for the device to work wireless in the field. The state-of-the-art sensor probe will be capable of continuous monitoring of potassium, ammonium, nitrate and pH in the soil.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

We are excited to announce a recent promotion in our team, Dr Lisa Baldini is now an Associate Professor.  Lisa specialises in palaeoclimate  and environmental geochemistry research.

Lisa has recently led an expedition to Gabon, funded by National Geographic Explorer Level II Grant to explore West Africa for stalagmite-bearing caves and generate the region’s first-ever stalagmite palaeoclimate reconstruction

Congratulations