2DEGREESC
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Mission Statement
2°C is a nonprofit citizen science organization building a global community of individuals who are committed to gathering climate data from remote places and sharing them with scientists worldwide in an effort to reduce climate uncertainty and identify practical and scientifically sound solutions.
About This Cause
While warming is global, its effects are felt locally, and the places most vulnerable to climate change typically have insufficient climate information needed to innovate and deliver climate solutions. Many such places do not have sustained environmental observation, as the climate observations on which climate action depends are made at a few thousand fixed locations globally, leaving important natural spaces, often hundreds of kilometers from the nearest observing station. Climates can differ dramatically over short distances, particularly in rugged landscapes, influencing habitat geographies, natural hazard risk, and species health. Critical habitats may extend just a few hectares and rely on a unique local climate, but without sustained local observations, we cannot reduce uncertainty or understand climate change at those hyper small scales, putting people and ecosystems at risk, and hinders effective climate strategies. High-resolution data is a catalyst for innovative environmental solutions needed by impacted and vulnerable communities and ecosystems. Establishing a fixed environmental observing network is expensive, as research-grade platforms can exceed $50,000, and annual network maintenance is considerable and complex in application. Even then, most climate networks are sparse, with perhaps a few sensors scattered across a vast landscape and mostly favoring highly populated areas. Furthermore, most such networks are in North America and Europe, leaving important, biodiverse places on other continents with insufficient climate monitoring capacity. While satellites can provide estimates of conditions over these areas, they have limitations and can be biased by atmospheric conditions such as cloud cover, and even mixed land cover, and must be verified using surface in-situ observations, meaning uncertainty in satellite observations can be sizable in data sparse areas. They also can be unreliable in areas of complex terrain or dense forest canopy, as is common in many natural areas. 2°C hyper-local data can resolve these existing data gaps providing certainty. The 2°C initiative is a low-cost, dynamic network of individuals, each collecting scientifically valid, georeferenced observations by carrying wearable technology in the spaces between the fixed climate observing stations. With accurate low-cost automated sensor technology attached to citizen scientists, individuals visiting or working in these management areas can reduce environmental data gaps, such as in the temperature and relative humidity that these critical habitats experience. This novel approach allows for the generation of large volumes of new climate observations, that supplement existing observing data to greatly enhance quantification and attribution of climate change at local to regional scales, and support science-based conservation responses. Scientists, innovators, conservation managers and businesses can use 2°C data collected by participants to improve ecological models, calibrate satellite data, identify areas of concern and apply resources to adaptation or mitigation efforts. 2°C data enhance resolution and accuracy, further strengthening research and conservation in these underserved areas. Our 2°C LEAF Climate Sensor clips to a participant’s backpack, pocket or hat, and is designed to minimize the effects of body heat or sunlight, and observing is started and stopped by the participant via a mobile App. The 2°C End-to-End (E2E) solution pairs a participant’s smartphone with their 2°C LEAF Climate Sensor and the 2°C mobile App receives data from the sensor, appends GPS and barometric information, performs rudimentary quality control, displays data, transmits the collected data to 2°C cloud servers on Amazon AWS, receives 2°C LEAF firmware updates, and interacts with the participant (e.g., alerts when their data are used, tracking their rankings/progress, etc.). These small, wearable sensors, use a low-cost, user-replaceable battery and sample Temperature and Relative Humidity data once per minute. Our solution cannot exist without technology and our success hinges on the passive collection and transmission of accurate climate data while participants enjoy the outdoors. Temperature and humidity are considered “Essential Climate Variables” by the World Meteorological Organization as they are key to scientific understanding of the behavior of the atmosphere. The barriers to expanding the climate observing capacity into wild areas includes substantial costs and logistics (i.e., permitting, engineering, communications, operation, security) of establishing and maintaining stations in remote locations. Combining public participation in environmental science and conservation with readily available low-cost sensing technology, is a simple, proven, low cost, and effective alternative, which has the potential to make a sizable impact on the reduction of climate data gaps worldwide. As people share their experience, and scientists see the value in the data, both participation and use will grow organically and exponentially. With proper resourcing, we will extend the 2°C network to the ocean, taking our current prototype submersible sensor - 2°C Wavelet - from the bench to the coral reefs on the gear of recreational scuba divers. This project is endorsed by UNESCO as part of the Ocean Decade. Out Founders: Dr. Karsten Shein is a climatologist who specializes in atmosphere and ocean observation. He has 30 years of experience with NASA, NOAA, and as director of the Midwestern Regional Climate Center at the University of Illinois. Dr. Shein is an award-winning partnership expert, lead editor of international climate assessments, and author of over 250 articles. Ms. Jenny Dissen is an environmental engineer (NCICS) and is responsible for cultivating engagement between projects and local decision-makers. Ms. Dissen is director of engagement for the North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies at NC State University and an expert in environment data access, climate information services across public - private partnerships, user engagement in climate resilience, entrepreneurship and business development. Mr. van Niekerk is a Climatebase Fellow and computer systems engineer, responsible for the nonprofit management, partnerships within the conservation sector, and managing the production of the technology and serves as Executive Director. In-Kind Contributors (Professional): Mehgan Heaney-Grier, Marian Daniels, Alex Bansleben, Brian Hellemn, Joey Durr. Our Board Advisors: Marjorie McGuirk - CASE Climate Consultants Peter Hillenbrand - Founder/Chairman of Central Caribbean Marine Center J.V Hart - Screenwriter / Nonprofit Founder - Lionfish University Stacy Frank - Nonprofit Founder - Lionfish University Arif Quronfleh - CEO Tahmo.Inc Daniel Konopacki - Konopacki Family Fund Andrew Wise - Sigma Funders: Clif Family Foundation Washington Gives PayPal Giving Fund Amazon Smile Impact Donors: Mack B. Pearsall, Peter Hillenbrand, J.V Hart, Stacy Frank, Daniel Konopacki, Whispell Family, Shein Family Foundation, Parmar Family, Meyer Family. Partners: Tahmo. Inc (Technology) Cognivista (Database) High Touch High Tech (STEM) CASE Climate Consultants We Don't Have Time (Social Platform Sweden/USA) 1% for the Planet - Nonprofit Partner Mission Blue - Alliance Partner Crowd For Impact (Finland) On The Level Project Collaborators: NASA JPL City College New York MHG Ocean Impact Grumeti Fund Earthranger Proteus Ocean Group Breaking The Cycle Education OCN.ai Alpha Tests: Mount Rainier - All Women's Climb - July 2021 Klaseri Reserve South Africa - August 2021 Andes, Atacama, Altiplano Expedition - March 2022 COP26 Presentation - November 2021 European Geosciences Union Presentation - August 2022 UNESCO Ocean Decade Endorsement - September 2022 "Submersible Technology to Advance Reef Science" - Project 112.2