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| It’s only been two days since voters flooded the polls in an off-year election cycle with Virginia’s race for governor taking front and center. Elections may be over but we’re still analyzing what the results mean for public opinion of President Biden’s agenda and efficacy in office. Central to Biden’s platform right now is taking on climate change, and this week could be a great press opportunity for the Biden camp at the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow. Today’s Daily Dose takes a look at how we can reimagine our political systems and the creative ways climate change and politics are intersecting. There’s so much happening, let’s keep you up to speed! | |
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POLITICAL REPAIR | | 1 - Hitting Closer to HomeIn recent decades, American politics and media — not to mention our food — have become increasingly nationalized, while technology allows us to bridge any distance and makes us more mobile than ever. It has come at a cost to our sense of community, and it may take a new localism to tame America’s vicious political and cultural polarization. Think about it: The ties that bind you to the Atlanta Falcons or to a local arts festival transcend political affiliation, and local governments tend to be much more pragmatic and less ideological than national ones … or at least they used to be. At a time when globalism is often seen as the ticket to open-mindedness, this approach flips conventional wisdom on its head. |
| 2 - House RankingsWhat if you were represented by more than one U.S. House member? Not too long ago, this was fairly common: Multi-member districts were only outlawed in 1967, as they were often used to dilute Black political power. But a growing number of advocates and leaders believe bringing back multi-member districts, when coupled with ranked-choice voting, could help bring down the temperature in a House riven by extremes. How? If you can rank several candidates over a wider area, with, say, the top three finishers in a district going to Washington, it gives a wider array of candidates a chance and forces them to appeal to a broader coalition. It also would give an opening to some red-state Democrats and blue-state Republicans to finally get representation. | |
| 3 - Changing TermsIn the U.S., presidencies have a tendency to become cults of personality. But what if we followed the example set south of the border? Mexico limits its presidents to one six-year term. Their policies might remain, but few remember much about Enrique Peña Nieto or Vicente Fox today. This rule could help American presidents avoid breaking the law in pursuit of re-election and sidestep the second-term scandal. |
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CLIMATE INNOVATIONS | 1 - The Promise of Poverty AlleviationAn Indonesian direct-payment program to lift rural residents out of poverty had a verdant side effect — it reduced deforestation by 30 percent, say researchers who examined the impact of the program on about 7,500 forest villages from 2008 to 2012. That’s because villagers no longer felt a desperate need to increase their area of cultivation to reduce the risks of low crop yields. Could a universal basic income help elsewhere? In the United States, think tanks are begging policymakers to incorporate farmers and rural Americans in their climate-change-fighting endeavors, given the integral role they will play. |
| 2 - Revolutionizing PhotosynthesisStep aside, artificial intelligence: Meet artificial photosynthesis. The process in which plants take sunlight and water and convert them into oxygen, fueling growth and reducing carbon dioxide, could soon be within reach for machines, too. Such work is being pioneered by Yale University and other institutions, funded in part by a recent $6.25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense. A recent major breakthrough was a tabletop device that could operate on sunlight alone for more than 3,000 hours without degradation, converting methane into benzene and reducing nitrogen into ammonia, an important element for fertilizer. Using light to fuel chemical processes could be crucial to pushing renewable energy forward. | |
| 3 - Transitional SpacesThe Museum of the Future in Dubai has gotten a little wild while imagining the future of cities. One idea: harnessing the natural desalinating energy of jellyfish to create a city-wide, saltwater-converting jelly that could ease water scarcity concerns, particularly in the parched Middle East. Another? Converting parking garages, which could soon become woefully outdated with the arrival of self-driving cars, into hubs for growing and delivering fresh food to locals with an Amazon-like ability to predict your preferences. |
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BLACK PEOPLE ARE UNDERREPRESENTED IN OUTDOOR SPACESSoul Trak Is Changing That 
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POLAR POLITICS | 1 - Arctic BiddingOnly eight coastal Arctic states have territorial claims. But six international Indigenous groups are considered “permanent participants” of the Arctic Council, and there are 13 non-Arctic countries with observer status. Among those countries? Singapore, the sovereign Southeast Asian island city-state, which joined in 2013. So why haven’t Gulf nations joined the fold? Vested interest, not proximity, is the primary criterion for inclusion — and the oil industry could be deeply influenced by Arctic action. While individual states could apply to join, experts suggest a bid by the Gulf Cooperation Council to become a player on behalf of the entire region is more feasible. | |
| 2 - Reversing the DamageJust three months into his term in 2017, former U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order that opened up federal waters in the Arctic for oil and gas developers to lease, with the goal of creating jobs and achieving energy independence. His executive order did very little though to expand drilling and boost the economy, as his auction of these oil leases just weeks before he left office attracted few bidders. The day President Biden took the White House, he signed an executive order placing a temporary halt on Trump’s oil and gas leasing in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Reinstating Obama-era efforts that withdrew large areas of Alaska’s lands and coasts from oil drilling development, Biden’s order aims to protect environmental and public health, taking a step toward his campaign promise to permanently protect the refuge. However, Biden’s efforts have been in vain. In June, a federal judge ordered for the actions to resume, saying the government was required by law to offer acreage to the oil and gas industry, citing the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. | |
| 3 - Solar AbundanceA region that only gets a few hours of sunlight per day in winter might seem like the last place to invest in solar energy. But when places like Alaska have energy prices that are almost double that of the rest of the country, residents are eager to find any sustainable, affordable alternative to fossil fuels. Advancements in technology have allowed solar energy to take off around the Arctic. And as winds tend to be stronger in the winter while sunlight is abundant in the summer, the combination of wind and solar could provide season-round sustainability in the Great North. |
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QUOTE OF THE DAY“We are, after all, the greatest problem solvers to have ever existed on Earth. If working apart, we are a force powerful enough to destabilize our planet. Surely working together, we are powerful enough to save it. In my lifetime, I’ve witnessed a terrible decline. In yours, you could and should witness a wonderful recovery.” -David Attenborough, British natural historian |
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COMMUNITY CORNERShare your thoughts, shoot us an email at ozycommunity@ozy.com! |
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ABOUT OZYOZY is a diverse, global and forward-looking media and entertainment company focused on “the New and the Next.” OZY creates space for fresh perspectives and offers new takes on everything from news and culture to technology, business, learning and entertainment. Welcome to the New + the Next! | |
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