School of forestry and environmental studies

School Notes: School of the Environment
March/April 2014

Ingrid C. “Indy” Burke | http://environment.yale.edu

For metals of the smart phone age, there may not be a Plan B

According to a recent Yale F&ES study, many of the metals needed to feed the surging global demand for high-tech products—from smart phones to solar panels—cannot be replaced, leaving some markets vulnerable if resources become scarce. In a comprehensive analysis, a team led by Thomas Graedel evaluated how all 62 metals and metalloids are used in consumer products, and the extent to which each of those metals could be replaced if reserves dwindle or supplies become unreliable. According to their findings, published December 2 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, not one metal has an “exemplary” substitute for all of its major uses. And for a dozen metals, potential substitutes for each of their primary uses are either inadequate or do not exist at all. “We all like our gadgets; we all like our smart phones. But in 20 or 30 years, will we still have access to all the elements necessary to provide the particular functions that make a smart phone so great?” said Barbara Reck, a research scientist and coauthor of the study.

Yale center ranks 178 countries on environmental performance

On January 25, the Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy released its latest Environmental Performance Index, which ranks 178 nations on how well they address critical environmental challenges, including air quality, water management, and climate change. According to their findings, Switzerland leads the world in environmental performance, followed by Luxembourg, Australia, Singapore, and Czech Republic. “Many perennial top performers repeat their strong showings in 2014,” said Angel Hsu, the lead author of the report. “A quick scan of who does well year after year suggests that good environmental performance is securely tied to policymakers prioritizing environmental concerns and committing resources to them.” The 2014 EPI ranks 46 more countries than the last EPI release, which was published two years ago. YCELP is a joint undertaking of F&ES and Yale Law School. The full report is available at http://epi.yale.edu.  

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