Week 10 – 3 Articles

(Bai, 2019)
- SOC is an indicator of soil health and plays a role in food production, greenhouse gas
balance, climate change mitigation and adaptation.
- SOC is regulated by balance btw carbon inputs and outputs but is altered by climate
change.
- Agricultural soils has less SOC bc of land conversion and cultivation.
- CSA is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance soil carbon sequestration and
soil health
- To get more carbon in soil = increase carbon inputs and decrease carbon outputs.
- Potential of sequester soil carbon varies among CSA practices (single vs multiple
practices)
- compares conversation tillage, cover crops, and biochar on SOC
o biochar: enhances SOC (39%)
o Cover crops (6%)
o Conservation tillage (5%)
- how does climate change effects it the process?
o Arid climate = CSA conceals more SOC
o Colder climate = 3 practices conceal more SOC.
o Colder climate = increase RT-induced
o SOC increase in wet areas

(Trinks, 2017)
- Fossil fuel divestment = insist investor to sell their stakes in companies that supple coal,
oil or gas.
- Divested portfolios do not have significantly underperformed
- Fossil fuel stock do not outperform other stocks

Compare/Contrast
- Within these following 3 articles, commonly the main focus was looking at mitigation
practices that will reduce greenhouse gas emission. They each differ on their mitigation
methods – from finding ways within agricultural practices, creating divestment
campaigns to phasing out unabated fossil fuels. Bai et al, approach on using Climate –
smart agriculture management practices to balance greenhouse gas emission through
soil organic carbon, illustrates that the effectiveness for these practices to reduce GHG
while ensuring crop productivity is dependent on the environmental factors such as the
climate and soil property. As climate is a major driving force in regulating SOC
distribution, it was found that CSA practices work better in arid or cool areas than in
warm environments. This article results are dependent on the current climate, and the
outcomes from campaigns such as the Fossil fuel divestment which was explained
within the Trinks et al article. However, according to Shindell et al, the climate can be
influenced into cooling from the combustion of fossil fuels that form atmospheric
 aerosols. Although, these particulates allow for cooling of the earth, they are highly
toxic when inhaled.
- Trinks et al, approach directly interacts with the investors to resell their stake in
companies that supply coal, oil and gas. Their outlook is to cut off these greenhouse
emission companies by stopping the funding they get to run their business and instilling
a more socially responsible investment. Though the environmental benefits caused from
divestment are contestable and are not systematically analyzed, the importance still
stands on reducing the funding towards fossil fuel companies that illustrated by Shindell
et al, contribute to the formation of atmospheric aerosols. Shindell et al, instead of
defunding these companies, models a scenario of transforming power generations,
industries and transformations by phasing out – unabated fossil fuel usage. This seems
to be a more realistic approach but as well an aggressive transition to a cleaner air
quality. As Bai et al, resulted demonstrated that using a combination of different CSA
management practices might significantly enhance SOC sequestration, perhaps this
approach can also be used in regard to both articles by Trinks et al, and Shindell et al. In
turn, maybe using both a divestment campaign on encouraging investors to invest their
stake in fossil fuel companies that are transitioning or willing to transition into a clean-
energy society. With these practices in play to reduce future emission of GHG, then can
we see better results within the CSA management practices that combat the current
GHG already within our atmosphere.
- Overall, all three articles depict some layer of uncertainty, in which future research is
expected to include a variety of climate and geographic conditions, various
biogeochemical process and more research on the use of multiple CSA practices (Bai et
al). Within Shindell et al, uncertainty was also seen in the lack of incorporation of
different models which can change the outcome as changes within the climate are
sensitive in response to other emissions. Trinks et al article is also seen limited in its
narrow view to assess a system wide impact. In turn, a broader view of using divestment
as a tool to address climate change must be better considered in incorporating
environmental and social outcomes that will help provide a more accurate investment
strategy that investors can back.

NEWS article:

Shell gives customers option to offset their carbon emission for two cents per litre.

- At least once a week, I have to refill my gas tank – though some weeks it differs from
how much I have driven within those few days but none the less the amount of gasoline
being exhausted is still high. Shell’s Drive Carbon Neutral Program allows customers to
help buy offset credits to reduce the net carbon dioxide emissions from the production,
refining and burning of fossil fuel. If this is not a case of greenwashing, then I believe this
can be a great way for people who want to help the transition of renewable fuel/power
but cannot afford to buy an electric car.
 - I think to ensure that Shell does right and keeps their word on transitioning to
renewable power and energy as customers is to make sure Shell is transparent with
their process. As a lot of company’s fall to greenwashing due to the increase demand of
environmentally friendly products. I think it is our responsible as the
customer/consumer to put in that extra effect to make sure where our money is going.
- Asking the right questions, making sure that there are supporting information to explain
how Shell plans on transition to renewable energy, doing your own research and
spreading awareness to bring more attention and scrutiny on the work Shell’s doing are
some of the many ways we can ensure active change. It is our responsible to ensure we
are not following blindly to what may be sustainable but instead make sure it is
sustainable.
-
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/shell-canada-carbon-emissions-offset-gas-station-
pumps-1.5799313

Bai, X., Huang, Y., Ren, W., Coyne, M., Jacinthe, P. A., Tao, B., &
Matocha, C. (2019). Responses of soil carbon sequestration to
climate‐smart agriculture practices: A meta‐analysis. Global change
biology, 25(8), 2591 - 2606.

Trinks, A., Scholtens, B., Mulder, M., & Dam, L. (2018). Fossil fuel
divestment and portfolio performance. Ecological economics, 146, 740
-748.

Shindell, D., & Smith, C. J. (2019). Climate and air - quality benefits of a
realistic phase - out of fossil fuels. Nature, 573(7774), 408 - 411.