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September 02, 2022 07:00 AM California, bracing for its longest and most intense heat wave of the year, faces the threat of its power grid being pushed beyond capacity and triggering rolling blackouts for the first time since 2020. Electricity use is expected to climb to a five-year high early next week, regulators said, when demand is expected to peak at around 48,000 megawatts. The situation has led the state’s Democratic leadership to make a policy 180, supporting efforts to keep fossil-fueled plants online and to extend the life of the state’s last nuclear power plant in the hope of avoiding a shortfall. Here’s why the grid is being stressed: DEMAND IS HIGH California’s grid has been strained due to high heat and severe drought conditions, which drive up its demand for power, largely due to heightened air conditioner use, and limit its ability to produce hydroelectric power. "On a supply side, we are challenged by these extremes, and on the demand side, not surprisingly, people are turning up the AC," Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, told reporters yesterday. "People are understandably trying to escape the heat, so we have to address that twin challenge anew." The grid is most strained between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m., when demand is still high but solar power generation decreases. To offset that imbalance, grid operators can call for consumers to conserve electricity voluntarily via its Flex Alert program, which asks residents to turn up their thermostats to at least 78 degrees and to avoid charging electric vehicles or using other large appliances during peak hours of demand. But some experts said they do not think the alert system provides enough incentive for consumers to reduce demand. “I am not a believer that we should be doing this through voluntary pleading,” Severin Borenstein, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley's Haas School of Business and a member of the California ISO Board of Governors, said in an interview. “I think we should have a price system that actually lowers the price most of the time and then raises the price when the system is tight because that would give people the right incentives to conserve power when the system is really tight.” “Demand response” payments, or payments to customers who temporarily curb their consumption at times of peak demand, are also gaining more traction. SUPPLY IS CONSTRAINED Hydropower: The historic drought conditions and record-low reservoir levels have reduced the state’s ability to generate hydropower by 48%. In-state hydroelectric power fell last year to just 7% of California's utility-scale net generation, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, down from nearly 21% in 2017. That’s not the only effect of heat and drought on the supply of energy. They also exacerbate the risk of wildfires, which can damage transmission infrastructure and can prompt operators to shut off power. California narrowly avoided such a blackout last summer after the Bootleg Wildfire on the California-Oregon border damaged interstate transmission lines and temporarily halted some electricity imports. Imports: Interstate imports are key for California, which receives roughly 25% of its electricity from other Western states, Borenstein, also the faculty director at Haas’s Energy Institute, said in an interview. But the reliability of these imports has gone down a bit in recent years, due in part to states phasing out coal-fired power plants in the West, as well as the rise of heat waves and drought that have limited their ability to pass along excess resources. California imports energy from five Western states: Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. But these states are also grappling with the same heat and drought conditions as California and have taken many of their own fossil fuel-powered plants offline. Since 2013, these states retired more than 10 gigawatts of fossil fuel generating capacity, leaving them with little excess resources to sell to California. Operators noted yesterday that four of the five states that supply energy to California are also expecting to be hit by the heat wave, limiting California's ability to import power. "We're monitoring for any potential energy supply shortfalls, and changes in conditions, such as wildfires or generation or transmission outages, that would impact supplies or the grid," CAISO said in a statement. The United States is “starting to see these Westwide heat waves” that have restricted states’ ability to sell power to California, Borenstein said. “We used to be able to pretty reliably count on some part of the West having excess capacity they can sell, and that is not as true anymore.” Renewable energy sources: California produces a huge amount of renewable energy through wind and solar power and produces more solar power than it can use during the middle of the day. The challenge is in the evening when solar power declines but people are still running their air conditioners, increasing the importance of dispatchable generation assets. In its annual summer reliability assessment, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation put the entire West at elevated risk for reserve shortages, with regulators warning that the state could face a power shortage of up to 1,700 megawatts on the hottest days. In addition, operators warned of possible disturbances to the state’s solar photovoltaic, or PV, system, which converts solar into electricity. Disturbances to PV technology “continue to be a reliability concern,” NERC said in its assessment, noting that California experienced four solar PV loss events between June and August 2021. New renewable battery storage projects for wind and solar could keep that supply online for longer, though so far, California has been unable to match peak summer demand with its increased capacity. (Its battery storage capacity is slated to rise to 6.2 megawatts by the end of 2024.) Supply chain problems have also delayed many solar projects from advancing. To mitigate supply risks in both the short and long term, planning reserve margins “need to be increased — in some cases significantly — or other actions taken to reduce the probability that demand exceeds resource availability,” the Western Electric Coordinating Council said in a 2021 assessment of resource adequacy. California has been held up as both a model and a cautionary tale of what can go wrong for states that are looking to phase out their own fossil fuel-powered plants. A heat storm in August 2020 forced regulators to impose rolling blackouts across the state for the first time in nearly 20 years. In the two years since, California has added nearly 4,000 megawatts of battery storage. That’s a “very significant change” in a system forecast to peak at 48,000 megawatts, Borenstein said, noting that the added battery storage is dispatched when the sun is going down and grid demand is the most strained. “So they are providing a lot of power,” he said. “They’re four-hour batteries, so they can really span a lot of that end-of-day [reliability] problem.” Nuclear power: California has backed away from nuclear power in recent years. It closed the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, or SONGS, in 2012. A 2016 study published in the American Economic Journal: Applied Economics found that in the 12-month period after the Southern California facility was shuttered, the power it generated was largely replaced by natural gas, increasing emissions and driving up costs for consumers by an estimated $350 million that year alone. In the 12-month period following the closure of SONGS, researchers found that carbon emissions also rose by 9 million metric tons — the equivalent of putting an additional 2 million gas-consuming cars on the road. The state is now changing course, though. In August, lawmakers voted to extend the life of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant, the last remaining nuclear facility in the state, by an additional five years. The Diablo Canyon facility generates more than 8% of California’s total electricity and 17% of the state’s zero-carbon electricity. A recent study published by the Brattle Group found that extending Diablo Canyon’s capacity could help California decarbonize “more quickly, more reliably, and at a lower cost” — approximately $5 billion less, in fact — than if the plant shut down in 2025, as previously planned. To help augment strained grid capacity, California lawmakers also passed a bill this summer granting the state the authority to extend the life of existing fossil fuel-powered plants or to build new or temporary power plants in a supply emergency. Keeping these fossil fuel plants available for supply emergencies is “very helpful,” Borenstein said. “They are old plants that actually are fairly expensive to run but fairly cheap to keep available. And so the question is, do we want to keep those available? Given that when they do run, they put out a lot of emissions for a gas plant — but we wouldn't run them very often.” “And the compromise seems to be, ‘We will keep them available, and we will commit to not running them very often,'" he said. THE TRADE-OFF Grid constraints and the rise of extreme heat events have forced leaders in California to walk a fine line between pursuing the state’s ambitious goals on climate and renewable energy and avoiding a supply emergency by turning to readily dispatchable sources of power, such as fossil fueled-plants. “Paying to keep old resources around as backup for bad days is like buying insurance,” Mark Dyson, a managing director of the carbon-free electricity program at RMI, said in an interview. “You hope you never have to use it.” Ultimately, he said, “it’s a matter of delivering megawatts to customers during peak events. And the economics of doing that with different kinds of resources should be the primary driver of the decisions to keep or not keep these assets.” In the long term, Dyson said, “I think we need to recognize that we're just in a different planning environment than we have been … even just in the last 10 years, with this increasing prevalence of extreme weather. We need to get ahead of that. We need to build, and we need to build the renewable storage and transmission.” “We need all of those resources to be actually ready for the new climate reality that grids must adapt to in 2022 and beyond,” he added. “We know reliability is going to be difficult,” Alice Reynolds, president of the California Public Utilities Commission, told reporters at the time. “We know climate change is putting Californians at risk of further outages.” LOOKING AHEAD The new subsidies for solar and wind projects provided under the Inflation Reduction Act are set to “dramatically change the cost effectiveness of maintaining old fossil just for reliability versus building something new that's actually used every day and doesn't emit carbon,” Dyson said. | Climate Change |
Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen says he will introduce the government’s Climate Change Bill in the first week of Parliamentary Sittings.Mr Bowen outlined the bill’s four main elements in his address to the National Press Club on Wednesday afternoon.“We’ll seek to enshrine in law our nationally determined contribution of 43 per cent emissions reduction by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050,” he said.“Secondly, we will explicitly task, in law, the Climate Change Authority, to assess and publish progress against these targets and advise government on future targets, including the 2035 target.”Mr Bowen also said the bill will legislate a requirement for the Climate Change Minister to report on progress and will ensure the nation’s targets are inserted into a range of government agencies. | Climate Change |
An emergency crew rescues two ponies from a flooded area in Milperra, Sydney metropolitan area, Australia July 3, 2022 in this screen grab obtained from a handout video. NSW State Emergency Service/Handout via REUTERS Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSummaryFrustration swells after third major flood this year30,000 NSW residents face evacuationsNASA rocket launch to be delayed, cargo ship strandedSYDNEY, July 4 (Reuters) - Fresh evacuation orders were issued for tens of thousands of Sydney residents on Monday after relentless rains flooded several suburbs in Australia's largest city, with officials warning of more wild weather to come.An intense low-pressure system off Australia's east coast is forecast to bring more heavy rain through Monday across New South Wales after several places in the state were hit with about a month's rain over the weekend.With about 30,000 residents in New South Wales state facing evacuation, frustration swelled in several suburbs in Sydney's west after floods submerged homes, farms and bridges there, some for the third time this year.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com"It's just devastating. We are in disbelief," Camden Mayor Theresa Fedeli said."Most of them have just come out of the last flood, getting their homes back in place, their businesses back in place and unfortunately we are saying it is happening again."An operation was underway to rescue 21 crew members from a cargo ship, which lost power south of Sydney and risked being swept ashore, local media reported."It has been a very difficult time for many months to have this flood event off the back of others, (it) makes it more challenging," New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet said during a televised media briefing.No loss of lives has been reported so far as officials urged people to leave their homes when ordered and avoid driving on flooded roads.Tracey, a resident from flood-hit Windsor, said she can't cope with the frequent floods."We are over it. We are so over it. (This) is a bit much for us," she told ABC television after returning home to rescue some of her animals.AUSTRALIA 'UNDER-PREPARED'About 100 millimetres (4 inches) of rain could fall in the next 24 hours over a swath of more than 300km (186 miles) along the New South Wales coast from Newcastle to the south of Sydney, the Bureau of Meteorology said."We are expecting the rain to pick up again from this afternoon," Jonathan How, BoM meteorologist said.More than 200mm of rain have fallen over many areas, with some hit by as much as 350mm since Saturday. read more Climate change is widely believed to be a contributing factor to the frequent severe weather events, the Climate Council said, adding Australia is "under-prepared".The wild weather could trigger flash floods and landslides, with river catchments already near full capacity after the La Nina phenomenon, typically associated with increased rainfall, dominated Australia's east coast over the last two years.Bad weather has delayed by 24 hours Monday's scheduled launch of a NASA rocket from the Arnhem Space Centre in north Australia, operator Equatorial Launch Australia said.Federal emergency management minister Murray Watt has offered more troops and said on Monday the government has activated the satellite emergency management system to help with the flood relief efforts.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Renju Jose; Editing by Sam Holmes and Lincoln Feast.Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Climate Change |
U.S. climate envoy John Kerry gives a statement ahead of the meeting of the G7 Climate, Energy and Environment Ministers during the German G7 Presidency at the EUREF-Campus in Berlin, Germany May 26, 2022. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse/File PhotoRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comHANOI, Sept 6 (Reuters) - U.S. climate envoy John Kerry on Tuesday urged China to resume bilateral talks to avert a global warming crisis, and called on world leaders to speed up their energy transition away from fossil fuels.The United States and China, the world's biggest economies, must work together to address climate change, Kerry said. The two countries are also the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitters."My hope is that President Xi will get back to the table with us so that we can work together to deal with this international threat," he said.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comChina last month suspended talks with the United States on climate, security and other areas in response to a controversial visit to Taiwan by U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi. It has said the United States must dispel the "negative influence" of that visit before talks can resume. read more Speaking to a group of U.S. businesses in Hanoi, Kerry also called on the private sector to boost its investment in the energy transition process. He highlighted the urgency with which countries need to move away from dirty fuels like coal and oil to renewable sources, to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels."No government on earth has enough money to fund the transition," he said. "The only way to fund this is to bring the private sector to the table."The former U.S. secretary of state spoke just days after environment officials from the Group of 20 (G20) major economies failed to agree a joint communique following a meeting in Bali. read more Kerry also said Vietnam's utilisation rate of renewable energy sources was too low. Wind and solar energy account for 23% of Vietnam's installed power generation capacity, but, he said, their utilisation rate is only 4%, partly due to weak transmission infrastructure.Vietnam, a regional manufacturing hub, last month said it needs investment of between $8 billion and $14 billion a year through to 2030 to develop new power plants and expand its grid. read more Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Khanh Vu; Editing by Kanupriya KapoorOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Climate Change |
Sept 27 (Reuters) - Methane leaks have emerged as a top threat to the global climate, with the latest incident involving two Russian gas pipelines under the Baltic Sea that are at the heart of an energy crisis since Russia invaded Ukraine.Methane, the main component of natural gas, can leak from pipelines and drill sites, and is also emitted from farming and food waste.Research increasingly shows that reducing emissions of methane is vital to limiting planetary warming to 2 degrees Celsius or less above pre-industrial times to avert the worst impacts of climate change.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comAfter decades focusing on the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, policymakers have begun to recognise the threat posed by methane, and last year over 100 nations signed a pledge to slash methane emissions by 30% from 2020 levels by 2030.MATTER OF URGENCYAfter being largely ignored for decades, scientists now know that methane is much more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas in the short term, even though it lingers for only a decade in the atmosphere before breaking down while CO2 lingers for centuries.Scientists normally compare the warming effects of methane and carbon dioxide over one century, and over that timescale methane is 28 times worse. Over 20 years, however, methane is 80 times worse, according to recent research.That’s important because the world is on track to exceed the 2015 Paris Agreement goal of limiting warming to less than 2 degrees in mere decades."If I thought we had 100 years to deal with climate change, I'd be an awful lot more relaxed about it," Mike Berners-Lee, expert and author on carbon footprints, said. "If you're interested in the climate impacts we'll be experiencing in 2050 ... you'd be absolutely screaming about methane emissions."Methane's frontloaded climate impact is doubly worrying because the world is closer than previously thought to crossing "tipping points" at which climate feedback loops kick in to make global warming self-perpetuating.A study in September suggested that some of the events that could touch off those feedback loops, like the collapse of the Greenland Ice Sheet or the melting of Arctic permafrost, are imminent.WHERE IT COMES FROMThree-fifths of the world's estimated methane emissions are from human activity; the rest, from natural sources like swamps.Of the human-caused emissions, two-thirds are from livestock farming and fossil fuels, with much of the rest from decomposing waste as well as rice cultivation, Climate and Clean Air Coalition data shows.But emitters have not kept good records and scientists trying to improve them in the past decade have had a shock."Everywhere we looked, methane emissions turned out to be higher than agencies said they should be," said Robert Jackson, who was the lead author of the September study on climate tipping points. "That was true of oil and gas fields, landfills and feedlots."While scientists can accurately measure the level of methane in the atmosphere, understanding where it is coming from is crucial for policymakers seeking to impose regulations that reduce the emissions.WORSE THAN COAL?Petroleum-producing companies and nations are lobbying hard for natural gas as a "bridge fuel" to renewables as the world undertakes a clean energy transition to fight climate change. Their argument: burning natural gas emits half as much carbon per kilowatt as coal.But factor in gas industry leaks from drill pads, pipelines, compressors, and other infrastructure, and those gains can quickly be erased."There's a break-even point in how much methane is leaked for ... natural gas (to be) actually worse than coal for the climate," said Sam Abernethy, co-author of the September study.World governments, including the United States, are introducing requirements that the oil and gas industry detect and repair leaks after studies showed leaks in the industry were a huge problem.The European Union recently endorsed labeling some natural gas projects as "green" in a major boost to the industry.Read more:What is known about the Nord Stream gas pipeline leaksEXCLUSIVE-Mexican regulator has no record of Pemex reporting methane leakRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Tim Cocks in Johannesburg; Editing by Lisa ShumakerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Climate Change |
ROME — Thunderstorms hampered Monday the search for more than a dozen hikers who remained unaccounted for a day after a huge chunk of an Alpine glacier in Italy broke off, sending an avalanche of ice, snow and rocks down the slope. Officials put the known death toll at seven.“I hope the numbers stop here,’’ said Veneto Gov. Luca Zaia, whose region in northeast Italy borders the Dolomite mountain range including the Marmolada glacier. He spoke in the resort town of Canazei, where a morgue was set up in the ice rink.Another regional leader, Maurizio Fugatti, said that by Monday afternoon 14 persons remained unaccounted for: 10 Italians, three from Czechia and one from Austria. “We were contacted by families because these people didn’t return home,’” said Fugatti of the Trentino-Alto Adige Alpine region.In the mountain’s parking lot, four cars remained whose occupants hadn’t been traced — two cars had plates from Czechia, one from Germany and the fourth from Hungary.Fugatti raised the possibility that there might be persons whose families don’t know their status since they might be on holiday and only check in with relatives at vacation’s end.At least three of the dead were Italians, authorities said. Italian news reports said one of the deceased was from Czechia, which is more widely known in English as the Czech Republic.On Sunday, officials said nine persons were injured, but officials at a news conference Monday in the resort town of Canazei said there were eight persons, including two hospitalized in what they described as “delicate,” grave condition.A rescue helicopter hoovers over the Punta Rocca glacier near Canazei, in the Italian Alps in northern Italy, Monday, July 4, 2022, a day after a huge chunk of the glacier broke loose, sending an avalanche of ice, snow, and rocks onto hikers. (Luca Bruno/AP)Zaia said the hospitalized included two Germans and a 40-year-old patient yet to be identified.The avalanche came roaring down when dozens of hikers were on excursions, including some of them roped together.Italian Premier Mario Draghi, flanking the officials after meeting with family members of some of the dead, expressed “the most sincere, affectionate, heartfelt closeness” to the families.Looking grim, he demanded that action be taken so such a tragedy doesn’t happen again. “This is a drama that certainly has some unpredictability,’’ Draghi said, echoing several experts who said an avalanche triggered by a glacier’s breakup couldn’t be forecast.But what happened “‘certainly depends on environmental deterioration and the climate situation,” the premier said.Marmolada glacier has been shrinking for decades, and scientists at the government CNR research center have said it won’t exist within 25-30 years.“Today, Italy gathers close” around the stricken families, Draghi said. “The government must reflect on what happened and take measures, so that what happens has a very low possibility, or none, of repeating itself.”The detached portion of glacier was massive, estimated at 200 yards wide, 80 meters tall and 60 meters deep. Zaia likened the avalanche to an “apartment building (sized) block of ice with debris and Cyclopean masses of rock.”“I can’t say anything else other than the facts, and the facts tell us that the high temperatures don’t favor these situations,” Zaia told reporters.Italy is in the grips of a weeks-long heat wave, and Alpine rescuers said that the temperature at the glacier’s altitude last week topped 50 F when usually it should over around freezing at this time of year.Drones were being used to help look for any of the missing as well as verify safety, but even they had to stop operating when thunderstorms lashed the area in late morning.What caused a pinnacle of the glacier to break off and thunder down the slope at a speed estimated by experts at nearly 200 mph, wasn’t immediately known.But high temperatures were widely cited as a likely factor.Jacopo Gabrieli, a polar sciences researcher at Italy’s state-run CNR research center, noted that the long heat wave, spanning May and June, was the hottest in northern Italy in that period for nearly 20 years.“It’s absolutely an anomaly,’’ Gabrieli said in an interview on Italian state TV Monday. Like other experts, he said it would have been impossible to predict when or if a serac — a pinnacle from a glacier’s overhang — could break off, as it did on Sunday.Operators of rustic shelters along the mountainside said temperatures at the 6,600 foot level recently reached 75 F - unheard of in a place where excursionists go in summer to keep cool.The glacier, in the Marmolada range, is the largest in the Dolomite mountains in northeastern Italy. People ski on it in the winter. But the glacier has been rapidly melting away over the past decades, with much of its volume gone.The Mediterranean basin, which includes southern European countries like Italy, has been identified by U.N. experts as a “climate change hot spot,” likely to suffer heat waves and water shortages, among other consequences.Pope Francis, who has made care of the planet a priority of his papacy, tweeted an invitation to pray for the avalanche victims and their families.“The tragedies that we are experiencing with climate change must push us to urgently search for new ways that are respectful of persons and nature,” Francis wrote. | Climate Change |
Hollywood actress and humanitarian Angelina Jolie arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday afternoon to support families affected by the devastating floods. Jolie visited Dadu in Sindh province to meet with flood-affected people and survey the damage that was caused. She wished to bring attention to the effects of the climate crisis through her visit. Jolie arrived at Zamzama oil fields in Dadu via helicopter and surveyed the villages of Johi, Dadu and surrounding areas by using a motorboat. She distributed relief items among the flood victims and discussed their needs. The Pakistan Army provided Jolie with security during her visit. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) reported that she was visiting Pakistan to help people affected by the devastating floods. More than 1,500 people have died, 33 million have been impacted, and one-third of the country has been submerged under water due to heavy rains and floods in Pakistan. Jolie has arrived to assess the situation and to hear from people directly about their needs and discuss steps to prevent such suffering in the future. Jolie has been to Pakistan twice before, in 2010 and 2005, to support people affected by earthquakes. Her recent visit is part of the International Rescue Committee’s relief efforts. The actor from Maleficent will talk about the urgent support needed for the people of Pakistan and the long-term solutions needed to address the issues of climate change and human displacement. The IRC released a statement hoping that her visit would inspire the international community, especially the US who contributes the most to carbon emissions, to take action and provide much-needed support to countries struggling with the climate crisis including Pakistan. IRC Pakistan Country Director Shabnam Baloch said, “The climate crisis is destroying lives and futures in Pakistan, with severe consequences, especially for women and children. The resulting economic loss from these floods will likely lead to food insecurity and increased violence against women and girls. We need immediate support to reach people in urgent need, and long-term investments to stop climate change from destroying our collective futures. With more rains expected in the coming months, we hope Angelina Jolie’s visit will help the world wake up and take action.” The most recent assessment from the IRC shows that people are urgently in need of food, water, shelter, and healthcare. A survey reported that women and young girls have no access to menstrual hygiene products. The IRC has provided humanitarian assistance to more than 50,000 women and girls, which includes hygiene kits to address the sanitary concerns brought up by women. Humanitarian work of Angelina Jolie Angelina Jolie has been highly dedicated to humanitarian work since the early 2000s. In her role as an ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, she has visited numerous refugee camps around the world. She has also been a fierce advocate for education for all children, especially girls. From 2005-2007, she financially supported the launch of the US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants’ National Center for Refugee and Immigrant Children. In 2013, she was awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, an honorary Academy Award. In 2014, she was appointed an Honorary Dame for her services to the UK’s foreign policy and her efforts to end sexual violence in war zones. Read More: Global flood relief efforts for Pakistan — Dubai Cares, UN Antonio, Sahem, USAID, Turkish Red Crescent Education Transformation in Pakistan: Washed away, or possibility for a great design? Balochistan ‘looking at the sky’ amid monsoon rains havoc, flashfloods Ibrahim Hasan Murad for reviving 1965 spirit to counter monsoon havoc Monsoon rains swept away houses, hopes and people in Upper Kohistan, Karachi Read Next September 19, 2022 Faces Pakistan with Austria’s Caritas dispatch relief goods for flood-hit victims September 18, 2022 Bread for all: UAE launches free bread via smart vending machines across Dubai September 13, 2022 Global flood relief efforts for Pakistan—Dubai Cares, UN Antonio, Sahem, USAID, Turkish Red Crescent September 9, 2022 UAE Police arrest 391 Afghan fans for violence; impose fines for damaging Sharjah Stadium September 2, 2022 Court orders MPA’s property auction in bank loan default case September 1, 2022 Activists want legislation to end all forms of violence August 27, 2022 State must address South Punjab’s long-standing grievances August 26, 2022 Tourism in Punjab eyes new heights as stakeholders agreed on action plan August 24, 2022 Pakistan Court permits Imran Khan to contest elections August 19, 2022 Lahore court issues arrest warrants of 12 PMLN leaders | Climate Change |
The first-ever climate lawsuit in Russia has been filed by a group of activists demanding that the the government take stronger action over the climate crisis.The group wants the Russian authorities to take measures that will reduce the country’s greenhouse emissions, in line with targets of limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5C agreed under the 2015 Paris climate accords.Russia is the fourth biggest producer of carbon emissions worldwide, and its average temperatures have risen twice as fast as the global average. The country’s emissions are predicted to reach 2,212m tons of carbon dioxide by 2030.However, to have a two-thirds chance of meeting the Paris climate goal, Russia needs to reduce its greenhouse emissions to 968 m tons of CO2 by 2030, which would be 31% of 1990 levels. By 2050, Russia plans to reduce its emissions to 1,830m tons of CO2, when under Paris targets the country should be emitting just 157m tons.The figures, taken from a report written by Mark Chernaik of the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide, warns of the devastating consequences that Russia faces due to climate change, ranging from severe health impacts due to recent heatwaves and outbreaks of vector-borne diseases, to increased exposure to anthrax disease and infrastructure damage due to melting permafrost.By taking the government to Russia’s supreme court, the group hopes it will “save the lives of hundreds of thousands of people”.Grigory Vaypan, the spokesperson for the group’s legal team, said: “The Russian government’s approach to climate change is irresponsible and contrary to its international law obligations.”For Vaypan, the case represents the need for “the court to recognise that these [climate] targets are manifestly insufficient to fulfil Russia’s obligation to mitigate climate change, and order the government to set new, Paris-compliant targets.”The group says Russia’s insufficient measures on climate change are “violating the Russian constitution and the European convention on human rights”. Russia will withdraw from the ECHR on Friday 16 September, which means the climate lawsuit could be among the last cases in the country that the ECHR could issue a binding agreement on, if it is taken to the European courts.Activists from several climate action groups in Russia joined forces to file the court case against the government. They include members of the Fridays For Future school strikers, senior figures from climate NGOs such as Ecodefense and the Russian Socio-Ecological Union, and human rights campaigners from various Indigenous populations.The group filing the court case says it faces “considerable risks”, in light of recent government crackdowns on civil and opposition movements in Russia, especially since the invasion of Ukraine. Many of the climate activists in the country are also anti-war activists, who worry that they are already “paying a heavy price” for speaking out.For activist Arshak Makichyan, this court case goes beyond climate policy in Russia. “This is a case against the government,” he said. “Russia after 24 February [the date of the Ukraine invasion] became a dictatorship, and I can no longer live my life there. I don’t understand how Russia will negotiate any climate deals … they have been lying to people about the climate crisis.”“The government has never wanted to have a climate policy. For them, the climate is a way to not talk about the war in Ukraine, but they have never cared about the climate.”Makichyan, who has since moved to Germany, is sceptical that the present government’s promises on climate change will lead to sufficient action. “We keep lying to ourselves – they’re not going to do anything. It’s the same government as 20 years ago.”The court case presents a great opportunity to “make noise”, Makichyan said. “I want to shout and make noise because the government is responsible for all the suffering due to climate change in the country, but most people do not care. I want people to see the truth, and shouting is the only thing we can do.”The Russian government has been contacted for comment. | Climate Change |
World August 24, 2022 / 8:35 AM / AP Passengers walk by a billboard promoting Buick's new electric-powered SUV at Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing on August 23, 2022. Hainan island in the South China Sea said it will become China's first region to ban sales of gasoline- and diesel-powered cars as it seeks to cut back on climate-changing carbon emissions. Andy Wong / AP Beijing — Hainan island in the South China Sea says it will become China's first region to ban sales of gasoline- and diesel-powered cars, in an effort to curb climate-changing carbon emissions. Sales of fossil fuel-powered cars will be banned by 2030 and electric vehicles promoted with tax breaks and by expanding a charging network, the Hainan provincial government said in a "Carbon Peak Implementation Plan." The announcement comes as China struggles through its hottest, driest summer in decades, which has wilted crops and shrunk rivers and reservoirs used for generating hydropower."By 2030, the whole province will ban sales of fueled vehicles," according to the plan, which was released Monday. A deputy Chinese industry minister said in September 2017 that Beijing was working on a plan to stop making and selling gasoline- and diesel-powered cars, but the government has yet to release details. Hainan aims to have electric vehicles account for 45% of its vehicles by 2030, the plan said, adding that cities would develop "zero-emissions zones" where fossil fuel-powered vehicles would be banned. The ruling Communist Party is promoting electric cars to help clean up China's smog-choked cities and gain an early lead in a growing industry. China accounted for more than half of last year's global electric car sales. In: Climate Change China | Climate Change |
Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen has taken a swipe at the Coalition over its opposition to the government’s emissions reduction legislation, accusing the Liberal Party of being “out of touch” with Australia's climate challenges.The Albanese Government tabled its signature Climate Change Bill last week with the House of Representatives set to vote on it in the coming days.But Liberal leader Peter Dutton has again confirmed that his party would not support the legislation as he unveiled he would commit to a more ambitious target than his predecessor.Mr Bowen said while the government’s legislation had a “very broad coalition” of support from business and social groups, the Opposition was set on continuing its own “nine years of denial and delay”.Stream more on politics with Flash. 25+ news channels in 1 place. New to Flash? Try 1 month free. Offer ends 31 October, 2022“This is the bill which locks in our emissions reductions target, makes them the law of the land and, importantly, sends the signal to the investors around the world that the 22 failed energy policy era is over,” Mr Bowen said during Question Time on Tuesday.“After nine years of deniable and delay, they want to continue, keep the nine years going longer.“It just goes to show, you can change the face at the front of the shop but they are still selling the same old dud product.”The government has remained steadfast on its 43 per cent emissions reduction target despite calls from the crossbench to go further.But Labor has maintained it has a mandate for its climate change agenda following its election triumph in May.The Coalition took a 26-to-28 per cent 2030 target to the election, but Mr Dutton has told party colleagues that he would bolster the commitment at the next election.The Climate Change Minister though hit out at the Liberal leader and mocked his proposal to explore nuclear power as an energy alternative.“Their answer to rising energy prices is to put more of the most expensive form of energy, nuclear, into the system,” Mr Bowen said.“That is the Leader of the Opposition's big announcement today. He supports the most expensive form of energy available, nuclear energy.“The fact of the matter is this is the modern Liberal Party, out of touch with the challenges of today.“The biggest economic opportunity facing our nation is climate change and these guys didn't get it for nine years and they still don't get it. They are still selling the same old dud product.”On Tuesday, Mr Dutton announced the party would establish an internal process to investigate the benefits of nuclear energy development.The Labor Government has mocked the idea since Nationals leader David Littleproud called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after the election to begin a consultative process to explore nuclear energy.A domestic nuclear energy industry has been banned in Australia since the former Howard Government introduced a moratorium in the 1990s. | Climate Change |
Climate scientists described the shocking images of gas spewing to the surface of the Baltic Sea as a "reckless release" of greenhouse gas emissions that, if deliberate, "amounts to an environmental crime."Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty ImagesTwo subsea pipelines connecting Russia to Germany are at the center of international intrigue after a series of blasts caused what might be the single largest release of methane in history — and many suspect it was the result of an attack.An initial crime scene investigation last week into what caused the gas leaks on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines reinforced suspicions of "gross sabotage."As investigations continue, many in Europe suspect the incident was the result of an attack, particularly as it occurred during a bitter energy standoff between the European Union and Russia.The Kremlin has repeatedly dismissed claims it destroyed the pipelines, calling such allegations "stupid" and "absurd," and claiming that it is the U.S. that had the most to gain from the gas leaks.The White House has denied any involvement in the suspected attack.What happened?On Sept. 26, a flurry of detonations on two underwater pipelines connecting Russia to Germany sent gas spewing to the surface of the Baltic Sea. The explosions triggered four gas leaks at four locations — two in Denmark's exclusive economic zone and two in Sweden's exclusive economic zone.The magnitude of those explosions was measured at 2.3 and 2.1 on the Richter scale, respectively, Swedish and Danish authorities said, and likely corresponded to an explosive load of "several hundred kilos."Neither of the Nord Stream pipelines was transporting gas at the time of the blasts, although they both contained pressurized methane — a potent greenhouse gas.Remarkably, the signature of the gas bubbling at the surface of the Baltic Sea could be seen from space.A satellite image of the Nord Stream leak in the Baltic Sea, captured on Sept. 26, 2022.PlanetClimate scientists described the shocking images of the methane erupting from the burst as a "reckless release" of greenhouse gas emissions that, if deliberate, "amounts to an environmental crime."At the time, Denmark's armed forces said video footage showed the largest gas leak created a surface disturbance of roughly 1 kilometer (0.62 miles) in diameter, while the smallest leak caused a circle of approximately 200 meters.The Nord Stream gas pipelines have become a focal point of tensions between Russia and Europe in recent months, with Moscow accused of weaponizing gas supplies in a bid to gain sanctions relief amid its onslaught in Ukraine.Who's to blame?Sweden's national security service said Thursday that detonations caused "extensive damage" to the pipelines and "strengthened suspicions of gross sabotage."Sweden's Security Service said certain seizures had been made, without offering further details, and that these would now be reviewed and analyzed."The continued preliminary investigation must show whether someone can be served with suspicion and later prosecuted," Sweden's Security Service said.Sweden's prosecutor's office said in a separate statement that the area was no longer cordoned off.Environmental campaigners argue the risk of sabotage or an accident makes fossil infrastructure a "ticking time bomb."Lisi Niesner | ReutersThe European Union has warned that any deliberate attack on European energy infrastructure would be met with the "strongest possible response," calling what it suspects is an intentional attack "utterly unacceptable."Most Western governments have stopped short of pointing the finger directly at Russia, while the Kremlin has sought to pin the blame on the West.U.S. President Joe Biden described the blasts on the Nord Stream pipelines as a "deliberate act of sabotage" late last month, saying Washington was working with its allies to work out exactly what happened.Fatih Birol, the executive director of the International Energy Agency, said at a conference in Paris last month that it was "very obvious" who was responsible for the gas leaks, Reuters reported. He did not say who that was, however.Russia has denied it was responsible for the gas leaks. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on Thursday that such claims were "absurd," according to Tass news agency.Zakharova emphasized the "enormous investment" that the Kremlin took in the infrastructure project and lashed out at the West for blocking Moscow from taking part in the investigations.Environmental impactThe unexplained Nord Stream gas leaks pose serious questions about the incident's environmental impact.Climate scientists acknowledged in the aftermath of the event that it was hard to accurately quantify the exact size of the emissions and said the leaks are a "wee bubble in the ocean" compared with the massive amounts of methane emitted around the world every day.Methane is 84 times more potent than carbon and doesn't last as long in the atmosphere before it breaks down. That makes it a critical target for combatting climate change quickly while simultaneously minimizing other greenhouse gas emissions."It was a deliberate act and in my opinion it can very likely be linked to the push for constant provocation by the Kremlin," Spanish Energy Minister Teresa Ribera told reporters last month, according to Reuters.Europa Press News | Europa Press | Getty ImagesThe two Nord Stream pipelines were estimated to have contained enough gas to release 300,000 tons of methane — more than twice the amount released by the 2015 Aliso Canyon leak in California, the largest known release of methane in U.S. history.While that means it could be one of the largest single releases of methane, the incident pales in comparison with the roughly 70 million tons of methane emitted by the oil and gas industry each year.The European Space Agency estimated that the emissions leak from the Nord Stream gas pipelines was roughly equivalent to one and a half days of global methane emissions.Nonetheless, environmental campaigners argued the incident serves as yet another reminder of the risks associated with fossil fuel infrastructure.— CNBC's Emma Newburger contributed to this report. | Climate Change |
The headquarters of the African Development Bank (AfDB) are pictured in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, January 30, 2020.REUTERS/Luc GnagoRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comRABAT, July 6 (Reuters) - Rich countries and international financial institutions need to provide more funding for Africa to support global climate goals by preventing African nations from pursuing carbon-intensive development, a senior African Development Bank executive said on Wednesday.The bank's vice president Kevin Urama said the regional development lender was seeking a new type of special drawing rights (SDRs) from the International Monetary Fund that would be channelled to "climate resilience."Only 5% of SDRs went to African countries, he said, urging rich countries to reallocate more of the IMF's reserve currency for Africa's climate finance.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com"I am not calling for aid, I am not calling for grants or a favour for Africa, I am actually calling for the global community to realise that fixing Africa is fixing the world," Urama told Reuters."Because otherwise if Africa chooses to develop on high carbon intensive pathways the planet is at risk."Urama was attending a meeting of African finance ministers and central bank chiefs in Marrakech, Morocco.Meeting the nationally determined contributions to fight climate change requires African countries to mobilise $1.6 trillion between 2022 and 2030, but so far, they have only received $18.3 billion, the bank said in a recent report."Financing needs are huge and the fiscal capacities of African countries are squeezed so much by external shocks that are not their responsibility," Urama said, citing the coranvirus pandemic, the war in Ukraine and imported inflation.The global financial architecture "needs to be reviewed" as the overlapping crises deepen the gap between the global north and south, he said.Financial inflows into the continent have been declining and financing tightening, pushing many African countries to borrow in open markets and issue bonds with "shorter terms and higher risk."Some countries are "basically mortgaging their future assets to get funds" through resource-backed loans, Urama said.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Ahmed Eljechtimi
Editing by Tomasz JanowskiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Climate Change |
Cars drive along a road in central Brussels February 7, 2007. REUTERS/Yves Herman (BELGIUM)/File PhotoRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSummaryEU countries seek deals on new green policiesDispute over fund to shield citizens from CO2 costsGermany throws weight behind 2035 fossil fuel car banLUXEMBOURG, June 28 (Reuters) - European Union countries struggled to agree on new legislation to help combat climate change on Tuesday, with disagreements over how tough the laws would be and how to help poorer citizens shift away from fossil fuels.Environment ministers from the EU's 27 members met on Tuesday in Luxembourg to negotiate their joint positions on more ambitious laws to reduce planet-warming emissions, including reforms to the EU carbon market and a 2035 phase-out of new fossil fuel-powered cars."Nobody's going to leave the room without a bit of pain," EU climate policy chief Frans Timmermans said, adding that he was hopeful the ministers would reach a deal.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comThe raft of new laws is designed to deliver the EU's 2030 target of reducing net emissions by 55% from 1990 levels. What ministers agree will set their position for negotiations with the EU Parliament on the final laws.But countries were at odds over the plans, with talks set to resume in the afternoon after a first round of negotiations did not yield a deal. One point of contention is a fund to shield poorer households from CO2 costs under a new EU carbon market.Brussels' proposal would introduce costs on polluting fuels used in transport and buildings from 2026. It has faced resistance from countries such as Poland who fear it could add to soaring energy bills.Ministers disagreed on Tuesday over the size of the new fund. The Commission proposed it contain revenues from a quarter of the CO2 permits sold in the new carbon market - expected to yield roughly 72 billion euros ($76 billion) from 2025-2032.Wealthier states, who would receive less from the fund than they pay into it, say that is too big. Germany made a compromise proposal on Tuesday of 48.5 billion euros, which won support from Denmark and the Netherlands but was opposed by countries including Poland - who along with other central and eastern countries, wants a bigger fund.France, which is chairing the ministers' meeting, proposed delaying the new carbon market's launch to 2027, in a bid to win support from sceptics. Any deals need to win support from a majority of EU countries, who must together represent at least 65% of EU citizens.An EU plan to effectively ban new combustion engine car sales from 2035 got a boost on Tuesday when Germany, the bloc's biggest car market, backed the proposal, despite opposition expressed by the German finance minister last week.Environment minister Steffi Lemke told the EU meeting Germany would back the goal if a separate proposal is made to allow cars running on "CO2 neutral" fuels to be sold after 2035.Italy, Portugal, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania want the car target delayed to 2040, however, according to a document seen by Reuters. read more The average lifespan of new cars is 15 years, and Brussels has warned a later ban would stop the EU reaching net zero emissions by 2050, the global milestone scientists say would avert disastrous climate change.($1 = 0.9454 euros)Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Kate Abnett; additional reporting by Marine Strauss; Editing by Lincoln Feast, Angus MacSwan and Raissa KasolowskyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Climate Change |
LISBON, Portugal (AP) — A spate of wildfires is scorching parts of Europe, with firefighters battling blazes in Portugal, Spain and southern France on Wednesday amid an unusual heat wave that authorities are linking to climate change.In Portugal, Civil Protection commander André Fernandes said that multiple fires have caused the evacuation of more than 600 people. About 120 people needed medical treatment, with two people — one civilian and one firefighter — suffering serious injuries, Fernandes said.Water-dumping planes helped 1,300 firefighters combat the worst of the blazes in the nation’s central area, while another 1,000 worked to bring other fires under control.The European heat wave is also sparking flames in Spain and France — and in Turkey at the other end of the Mediterranean.This photo provided by the fire brigade of the Gironde region (SDIS33) shows a wildfire near Landiras, southwestern France, Wednesday, July 13, 2022.SDIS33 via APMore than 800 firefighters battled two wildfires in the region outside Bordeaux in southwest France, according to the regional emergency service. The fires began Tuesday near the towns of Landiras and La Teste-de-Buch, and firefighters hadn’t been able to contain them by Wednesday morning.About 6,500 people have been evacuated from campgrounds and villages in the forested area. The number of injuries is unclear. The two fires have destroyed more than 1,800 hectares (4,400 acres) of terrain, the emergency service said.Images from firefighters showed flames racing through thickets of trees and grassland, fanned by strong winds, and smoke blackening the horizon.A helicopter flies during forest fire extinction works near Becerril de la Sierra, on the outskirts of Madrid, Tuesday, July 12, 2022. AP Photo/Bernat ArmangueThe regional administration banned activity in forested areas at risk. Several regions in southern France are on fire alert because of hot, dry weather and high winds. Wildfires swept through the Gard region in southeast France last week.Portugal has long experienced fatal forest fires. In 2017, wildfires killed more than 100 people. No one has died from a wildfire since then as Portugal improved its forest management and firefighting strategies.Last year, Portugal recorded its lowest number of wildfires since 2011. But a mass of hot and dry air blown in by African winds are driving temperatures in the Iberian Peninsula beyond their usual highs.The Atlantic country, which has been on alert of wildfires since last week, is sweltering under a spike in temperatures that is forecast to send thermometers in the central Alentejo region to 46 C (115 F) on Wednesday and Thursday. Authorities said that 96% of the country was classified at the end of June as being in either “extreme” or “severe” drought.This photo provided by the fire brigade of the Gironde region (SDIS33) shows a wildfire near Landiras, southwestern France, Wednesday, July 13, 2022.SDIS33 via APMore than 3,000 hectares (7,400 acres) had been consumed alone in the district of Leiria, just north of Lisbon, Mayor Goncalo Lopes told Portuguese state broadcaster RTP.Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa, who canceled a trip abroad to deal with the emergency, said that better care of woodlands and abandoned farmland was key to protecting them.“In 2017 the country realized that having enough firefighters is essential, but it is not enough,” Costa said. “We have to get to the root of the problem … The abandonment of property and its non-management is one of the biggest risk factors for forest fires.”Neighboring Spain hit highs of 43 C (109.4 F) in several southern cities on Tuesday.Over 400 people were evacuated on Tuesday because of a wildfire that has consumed 3,500 hectares (8,600 acres) in western Spain.European Union officials issued a warning last week that climate change is behind the extremely dry and hot summer so far on the continent, urging local authorities to brace for wildfires.Cayetano Torres, spokesman for Spain’s national weather forecaster, said that the “unusual” heat wave and lack of rainfall in recent months has created ideal circumstances for fires.“These are perfect conditions for the propagation of fires, which when you add to that some wind, you have have guaranteed propagation,” he said.In southwestern Turkey, a blaze erupted in an area close to the village of Mesudiye, near the Aegean Sea resort of Datca, and was moving in the direction of some homes in the area, according to the provincial governor’s office. It said at least nine water-dropping helicopters and five planes were deployed to battle the fire.In this image from video, smoke rises from a wildfire in the mountains close to Mesudiye village, Turkey, Wednesday, July 13, 2022.AP Photo/Oguzhan ArslanLast summer, blazes that were fed by strong winds and scorching temperatures tore through forests in Turkey’s Mediterranean and Aegean regions. The wildfires, which killed at least eight people and countless animals, were described as the worst in Turkey’s history.President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government came under criticism for its inadequate response and preparedness to fight large-scale wildfires, including a lack of modern firefighting planes.___Joseph Wilson reported from Barcelona, Spain. Angela Charlton in Paris, Renata Brito in Barcelona, and Suzan Fraser in Istanbul, contributed to this report.___Follow all AP stories on climate change issues at https://apnews.com/hub/climate | Climate Change |
Internal documents from major oil companies released by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee appear to cast doubt on their supposed climate and green energy commitments Shell’s website says that the company’s “target” is to “become a net-zero emissions business by 2050.” But internal messaging guidance documents released by the committee state that “Shell has no immediate plans to move to a net-zero emissions portfolio over our investment horizon of 10-20 years.” Net-zero emissions are when a company’s contribution to climate change is fully offset by its actions that mitigate climate change — making its total emissions equal to zero. Shell spokesperson Curtis Smith said via email that the internal assertions about the company’s net-zero ambitions appear to be outdated. The messaging guidance document appears to be attached to an email dated January, 31, 2020. A few months later, in April 2020, Shell unveiled a pledge to reach net-zero. But, later that year, in October 2020, Helen O’Connor, Shell’s manager for U.S. stakeholder relations, in an email exchange, appeared to imply that a certain company climate policy had “nothing to do with our business plans.” In a separate email exchange, from 2019, O’Connor states that Shell’s Paris agreement pathway “is not a Shell business plan.” The Paris agreement is a global agreement to try to limit global warming to less than 2 degrees celsius. Similarly, the aforementioned messaging guidance document states that company “scenarios” like its Paris pathway “Sky Scenario” are not intended “to be predictions of likely future events or outcomes.” Smith said that Shell has been putting forward such “scenarios” for decades and said it’s “widely understood they are not prescriptions, predictions or meant to represent Shell’s current business plan.” The documents also show that an ExxonMobil official suggested pushing the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative, a group that says it is leading the sector’s climate response, away from including the Paris agreement in a 2019 policy statement. In a memo to CEO Darren Woods, Peter Trelenberg, Exxon’s manager of environmental policy and planning warned that “creating a tie between our advocacy/engagements and the Paris Agreement could create a potential commitment to advocate on the Paris Agreement goals.” However, company spokespesron Todd Spitler said via email that the company has supported the Paris Agreement since its 2015 inception. “Certain groups have sought to misrepresent ExxonMobil’s positions and its support for effective policy solutions by recasting genuine policy debates as a disinformation campaign. These charges are baseless and any suggestion to the contrary is false,” Spitler said via email. The committee released the documents it received from the companies as it attempts to make the case that such companies are “greenwashing” — that is — participating in deceptive practices that make them appear more environmentally friendly than they actually are. “The documents I released today as part of my investigation into Big Oil’s efforts to deceive the American public about the climate crisis are explosive,” Environment Subcommittee Chair Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), said in a statement. “Internal emails and messaging guidance show that Big Oil’s climate pledges rely on unproven technology, accounting gimmicks and misleading language to hide the reality,” he added. | Climate Change |
World September 2, 2022 / 12:29 PM / CBS News WFP looks to expand aid in Pakistan amid floods World Food Programme looks to expand aid in Pakistan amid devastating flooding 03:45 Islamabad — Just over a week after the world was alerted to the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe caused by devastating floods in Pakistan, foreign aid was staring to flow into the country of 220 million people to help those left stricken by the disaster. By Friday, planes carrying fresh supplies had formed an air bridge of relief as the death toll from the flooding surpassed 1,200.Officials have said that at least 416 children are among the dead, and thousands of families are now among those increasingly at risk as waterborne diseases spread, and many Pakistanis remain homeless after the floodwaters and landslides destroyed their homes. A boy stands next to his destroyed home after heavy rains brought devastating floods in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, September 2, 2022. AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad A massive military-backed rescue operation was well underway to reach the 30 million people estimated to have been affected by the disaster. So far, Pakistan has received aid from China, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Uzbekistan and the UAE, among other countries. The U.S. announced earlier this week that it would provide $30 million in aid for the flood victims, and on Friday, Colonel Joe Buccino, communications director for the U.S. military's Central Command, said an assessment team would head to Islamabad "to determine what potential support DoD [Department of Defense] can provide to USAID as part of the United States' assistance to the flooding crisis in Pakistan."The recent deluges are said to have submerged a third of the country, with climate change minister Sherry Rehman saying the "monster" monsoon floods had washed away 45% of the country's crops, with the southeast province of Sindh hit particularly hard. The overall damages from the flooding have been estimated at $10 billion. Death toll tops 1,000 in Pakistan floods as officials declare a "climate catastrophe" 01:50 As the aid has started to get to those who need it, the focus of relief efforts shifted largely to Sindh, where water levels in the river Indus were just starting to peak at the end of the week.Local officials said around 1.2 million people had been left homeless in Sindh's Dadu district alone, and they've warned people still in their homes to move to higher ground. In May, residents in parts of Sindh saw the highest temperatures in the country, exceeding 122 degrees in some places. By Friday the floodwaters were receding across much of country, but some districts in Sindh remained underwater, and thing could still get worse. "We're on high alert as water arriving downstream from northern flooding is expected to enter the province over the next few days," a Sindh government spokesperson said Thursday. Pakistani women wade through floodwaters as they seek refuge in Shikarpur district of Sindh Province, Pakistan, September 2, 2022. Fareed Khan/AP Given that impending threat, hundreds of families in the province have taken refuge in makeshift camps along roads — the only dry ground in sight. But that creates its own risks: It emerged on Friday morning that three siblings, aged 18, 12 and 10, were killed when a speeding truck ran them over as they slept on the side of a main road. The government and Pakistan's army have established camps for flood evacuees in both the north and south of the country. As the situation in the north improves some residents have been allowed to leave the camps and return to their devastated homes. But the damage to roads and bridges remained an impediment to their safe passage. In the 24 hours leading up to Friday afternoon, officials said at least 1,991 stranded individuals were rescued and 163 tons of relief materials delivered. More than 50,000 individuals have been moved to safer areas from disaster zones and 147 relief camps were up and running on Friday. But despite the herculean efforts, many families were still out of reach, and some were complaining of a lack of direction on how to get help. Displaced people are seen at a makeshift camp after flooding hit their homes following heavy monsoon rains, in Jamshoro district, Sindh Province, Pakistan, September 1, 2022. Shakeel Ahmad/Anadolu Agency/Getty "We lost our house in the apocalyptic rain and floods, and no one has come to help us," Naila Ali, who left Dadu with her six children and whatever belongings they could cram onto a donkey cart, told CBS News. "We will now go to my sister in Karachi and pray that the government will help us rebuild our lives."Pakistan's largest civil society network, the Rural Support Programs (RSPN), was working across the flood zones, sending in aid and first responders. Shandana Khan, who heads the network, said its local organizations were working with the government and other charity groups to get relief to the people who need it. "The relief goods and compensation are reaching some flood victims, but the task is mammoth," she told CBS News. "This is the biggest calamity that we have had to deal with to date, in terms of number of people and area impacted." Climate impact "not a conspiracy, this is a reality"Pakistan and the U.N. have blamed the global climate crisis — and the wealthy nations who's carbon footprints have disproportionately fueled it — for the heavy monsoon rains that triggered the floods, and for speeding up the melting of Pakistan's glaciers, which has exacerbated the crisis. Asim Iftikhar, a spokesperson for Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, said the disaster lent credibility to the warnings scientists have issued for years about climate change. "This is not a conspiracy, this is a reality, and we need to be mindful," he said. Scientists warn world needs to prepare for risks of "climate endgame" 01:13 Data published in 2019 showed that, since 1959, Pakistan had emitted about 0.4% of the heat-trapping carbon dioxide that poured into the environment, compared with 21.5% from the U.S. and 16.4% from China. Pakistani officials say there has been a 400% increase in average rainfall this year in some regions, including Balochistan in the southwest and Sindh, which led to the extreme flooding.Earlier this week, the United Nations and Pakistan issued a joint appeal for $160 million in emergency funding to help the estimated 33 million people affected by the floods. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is scheduled to visit Pakistan on September 9 to discuss the ongoing relief effort with officials. In: Climate Change Pakistan Severe Weather Asia Flooding Flood Thanks for reading CBS NEWS. Create your free account or log in for more features. 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The damage will rise sharply as climate change accelerates – and so will the costs This is now officially the most extreme heatwave on record in the UK, writes our science correspondent Thomas Moore. The warmest-ever night has been followed by the warmest-ever day. And temperatures will continue to climb for several more hours.While the blistering heat is just uncomfortable for most, for some it can be serious.The NHS is seeing a spike in 999 calls as people struggle with heat exhaustion or worse.Sadly there will be deaths directly related to the temperature too. Heatwaves are becoming more intense and more frequent as a result of climate change. Temperatures of 40C are unprecedented now. But by the end of the century the Met Office predicts they'll be reached every decade or so. The damage from heat, storms and flooding will rise sharply as climate change accelerates – and so will the costs. Not just in repairs, but also in the adaptation that will become more and more pressing.Our infrastructure and buildings are just not built for the heat we are experiencing now, let alone in the future.And the longer it takes to reach net zero, the more extreme the weather will be in the future. Wavering on our climate commitments would end up costing us all more. Got a question about the heatwave? From keeping yourself and your family safe to what the future could hold with climate change, our panel of experts will be answering your questions live on Sky News at 7pm. Submit a question using the form in this article... Man in his 20s dies at water park A man has died after being pulled from the water at Cotswold Water Park, Ashton Keynes. Police were called to the scene just after 6pm yesterday. The man, who was in his 20s, was confirmed dead shortly afterwards. Wiltshire Police did not provide further details about what happened, but said the death is not being treated as suspicious. Sports days being held indoors By Sabah Choudhry, Sky News correspondent It's sports day at the London Enterprise Academy.But not outdoors - indoors.The school was keen to continue its annual tradition to ensure the students did not miss out.Headteacher Mr Ashid Ali told Sky News: "We'd normally go to a running track for sports day. But we've done a risk assessment, cancelled the outdoor sports day, and modified it so our students get the opportunity to do some competitive mini games. The risks are limited."The students do not seem to mind too much.Ayaan Ismail, in year eight, told Sky News that sports in the heat is difficult but bearable.She said: "I'm coping because the day is going by quickly… in school you're with your friends, we do fun activities… the teachers plan a lot of things for us to do so we are distracted from the heat."We have an AC - so we don't get as hot!"Ayaan added: "Coming to school during a heatwave is so much better than being at home. It's way more fun at school."Sara Saif - in year seven - agrees. She told Sky News that as long as you're being sensible, being at school in this heat is not too bad.She said: "Teachers make sure we are constantly drinking - they keep encouraging us to drink and to keep our water bottles with us at all times and to keep hydrated." Heatwaves are going to get worse, warn scientists As we have been reporting, the UK has hit its highest-ever temperature today, surpassing the previous record of 38.7C (101F) which was set in Cambridge in 2019.While some people just put this down to it being summer, the science clearly says things are changing. Sky's climate change and energy correspondent Hannah Thomas-Peter looks at why we might need to get used to record temperatures... UK to be hotter than 98.8% of the planet today - here's where's hotter We have reported that the UK is forecast to be hotter than 98.8% of the planet today.Ben Noll, a meteorologist from the US, says that only California, the Sahara Desert, France, Belgium, the Middle East, India and Western China will be warmer than the UK.He adds: "The highest predicted UK temperature on Tuesday (near 41˚C) would be hotter than about 98.8% of Earth."The hottest UK temperatures on Tuesday are expected to be about 30C warmer than the global average maximum temperature."In other words, it's very anomalous on a global scale."This short clip shows the tiny number of places that are forecast to be hotter than the UK today... Keep phones out of sun to prevent overheating, experts warn Tech experts have urged smartphone users to keep their gadgets out of the sun during the heatwave to ensure they continue working properly.Many gadgets can overheat in direct sunlight, leaving them unable to function properly or be charged.People are also being encouraged to take cases off phones, tablets and laptops to improve airflow around them and help a device's ability to cool.According to the mobiles team at Uswitch.com, extreme temperatures can cause gadgets to stop working as well as doing lasting damage to the technology.If a device such as a smartphone begins to overheat, many will show users a warning to tell them they need to cool the phone down.But experts have warned gadget owners not to put their devices in a fridge or freezer in an effort to cool them down. Man missing in water off Clacton Pier A person is believed to be missing in the water near Clacton Pier. Five people were rescued from the water but the sixth - a man - is still missing, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said. Lifeboat and coastguard teams, as well as a rescue helicopter, police officers and paramedics have all been sent to the incident. Essex Police earlier said it was on the scene of a "serious and ongoing incident" at Clacton Pier.It added there is a "significant emergency services presence in the area". Several people have died or are believed to have drowned after getting into difficulty in water during the heatwave. Yesterday, a man in his 70s died after being pulled from water off the coast of the Isle of Wight and a 14-year-old boy is believed to have drowned in the River Thames in Richmond, London. Meanwhile in Wales, thunderstorms are developing While much of the UK is seeing sun and extreme heat, parts of south Wales are currently experiencing thunderstorms.The storms are moving north and expected to continue into the early afternoon, the Met Office said. Wales is still under an amber warning for extreme heat, but large parts of the south and west will see thunderstorms today. There is heavy rain forecast for Pembroke, St David's and Cardigan, and thunder in Carmarthen, Llandeilo, Lampeter, Penrhiw-lan and surrounding areas. How temperatures are recorded - and why they start off as 'provisional' By Dan Whitehead, home news correspondentThe Met Office has been keeping temperatures in the UK since 1853 - but when a possible record is reached, how is it verified?Thermometers which the Met Office uses must be stored inside something called a Stevenson Screen - a white slatted box 1.25m above level grass and at least 20 metres away from concrete. This is to ensure consistency across sites.If a record is reached (like yesterday in Wales or overnight in West Yorkshire) a verification process begins.Specialist engineers physically travel to the site to double check there are no anomalies. The site in question is cross referenced with other nearby monitoring stations. While the records we report are most likely accurate, they can remain technically provisional for weeks until full verification has been completed. Due to your consent preferences, you’re not able to view this. Open Privacy Options | Climate Change |
Story at a glance Challenges wrought by climate change demand existing systems re-analyze their operations to better meet these hurdles. Next week, the U.S. Navy plans to conduct a table-top wargame to assess how climate change might affect conflicts. The decision follows a plan released last month that committed the branch to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Rising sea levels and heightened intensity of tropical storms bring along a number of challenges for the world’s shipping industry and other maritime activities. For the U.S. Navy, the effects of climate change may mean significant changes in warfare and operational tactics. To better understand how the crisis might affect future conflicts, the organization plans to hold an open-source table-top wargame next week, an official announced. Officials from Capitol Hill, the Defense Department, and representatives from think tanks, academia, and the defense industry are slated to attend the event. “We’re going to create the right level of stress in a very responsible way to see that it is hard to make these choices and there [are] unanticipated consequences and there’re costs and impacts and all sorts of intervening circumstances that we need to think about from each other’s perspectives,” said Navy assistant secretary for energy, installations and environment Meredith Berger in a statement. America is changing faster than ever! Add Changing America to your Facebook or Twitter feed to stay on top of the news. Rising incidence and heightened intensity of natural disasters will also prompt mass migrations, which have the potential to strain existing welfare infrastructure and may create new tensions. In May of 2022, the Navy released its Climate Action 2030 Plan, which aims to put the department on track to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. “Climate change is one of the most destabilizing forces of our time, exacerbating other national security concerns and posing serious readiness challenges,” said Secretary of the Navy, Honorable Carlos Del Toro at the time. Energy efficiency is also one of the Navy’s goals when it comes to developing new programs or updating old ones. “The department is a big market driver and this is an opportunity to signal what our requirements are so that we are meeting those climate objectives,” Berger added. Each branch of the military currently has its own chief sustainability officer to ensure resilient infrastructure is in place and that each department is equipped to adapt to a changing climate. One method of cutting down on the branch’s emissions involves transitioning equipment to electric power as opposed to fossil fuels. Published on Jun. 22, 2022 | Climate Change |
SummaryWildfires burn forests in Gironde, southwest FranceUK temperatures exceed 40C for the first timeGermany, Belgium brace for possible record-breaking temperaturesMore than 30 wildfires ravage parts of SpainPortugal has more than 1,000 excess deaths due to heatwaveLONDON/PARIS, July 19 (Reuters) - Firefighters in southwestern France battled on Tuesday to contain massive forest wildfires and Britain recorded its highest ever temperature, while Portugal reported more than 1,000 heatwave-related deaths as Europe scorches.Southern and western Germany and Belgium were also braced for potentially record-breaking temperatures as the heatwave, which scientists attribute to climate change, edged north and east.Numerous wildfires were reported in Italy. One of the biggest blazes broke out on Monday night in the hills of Massarosa in Tuscany, and was still raging on Tuesday afternoon.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com"Fire continues to devour the woods in a frightening way due to the wind," Tuscany Governor Eugenio Giani said, noting that 365 hectares (900 acres) of land had been destroyed.Fires were also reported in woods near Rome, as well as on the shores of Lake Orta north of Milan and near the northeastern city of Trieste.A wildfire fuelled by strong winds raged on a mountainous area near homes on the outskirts of Athens, prompting authorities to order the evacuation of at least one area.A temperature of more than 40C (104F) was provisionally recorded for the first time in Britain, the Met Office said, and authorities have put Britain on a state of "national emergency" over the unprecedented temperatures.Train routes from London up the east and west coast of the country were cancelled and normally busy city centres appeared quiet. Network Rail tweeted pictures showing bends and kinks in the tracks.To the east of the capital a large fire engulfed homes in the village of Wennington, with flames tearing across neighbouring fields and approaching a historic church. Large grass areas around the capital were on fire.FIRES 'NOT STABILISED'In southwestern France, the wine-growing Gironde region saw its biggest wildfires in over 30 years and authorities said a man had been detained on suspicion of arson.The fires have spread across 19,300 hectares (about 75 square miles) in the countryside surrounding Bordeaux since July 12, forcing 34,000 people to evacuate their homes.About 2,000 firefighters, supported by eight water-bomber aircraft, were battling the blazes.A view shows debris at a camping site of Dune du Pilat destroyed by a major fire near La Teste-de-Buch forest as wildfires continue to spread in the Gironde region of southwestern France, July 19, 2022. REUTERS/Pascal RossignolWith human-caused climate change triggering droughts, the number of extreme wildfires is expected to increase 30% within the next 28 years, according to a February 2022 United Nations report."We are seeing more frequent heatwaves, and the heatwaves are hotter than they would have been without climate change," Friederike Otto, senior lecturer in climate science at Imperial College London, told Reuters.The health impact of the heatwave has been in focus, with particular care given to the elderly and vulnerable.The head of Portugal's health authority DGS, Graça Freitas, told Reuters that 1,063 excess deaths due to the heatwave, above normal levels, were recorded from July 7 to 18."Portugal ... is among one of the areas of the globe that could be (more) affected by extreme heat," Freitas said. "We have to be more and more prepared for periods of high temperatures."Carlos Antunes, a researcher at Lisbon University's faculty of sciences, said the data showed the elderly were most likely to die due to heatwaves.Hot nighttime temperatures are also hindering firefighting responses across Europe and worsening health conditions as the night hours fail to provide a cooling reprieve, experts said on Tuesday. read more FLAMES AND SMOKEIn Italy, temperatures were expected to hit 40C across a swathe of the north and centre this week, as well as the southern heel of Italy's boot, Puglia, and the islands of Sardinia and Sicily.Five cities were placed on the highest red alert because of the heatwave on Tuesday. The alert, which warns of serious health risks tied to the weather, will cover nine cities on Wednesday, rising to 14 on Thursday, including many of Italy's largest metropolitan areas such as Rome, Milan and Florence.Although the mercury dipped back towards more normal summer levels in Spain and Portugal, firefighters in both countries were still battling multiple blazes.More than 30 wildfires continued to ravage parts of Spain, with authorities paying special attention to four blazes in Castile and Leon and Galicia.In Losacio, in northwestern Zamora province, where two people have died and three were critically injured, more than 6,000 people in 32 villages have been evacuated.So far this year 70,000 hectares (173,000 acres) have been burned in Spain, around twice the average of the last decade, official data showed before the heatwave.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comAdditional reporting by Marie-Louise Gumuchian in London, Catarina Demony in Lisbon, Dominique Vidalon in Paris and Renee Maltezou in Athens, Aleksandar Vasovic in Belgrade, Crispian Balmer in Rome, Bart Biesemans in Belgium; Editing by Nick Macfie, Gareth Jones, Bernadette Baum, Alexandra Hudson and Richard ChangOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Climate Change |
More than half of the digital data firms generate is collected, processed and stored for single-use purposes. Often, it is never re-used. This could be your multiple near-identical images held on Google Photos or iCloud, a business’s outdated spreadsheets that will never be used again, or data from internet of things sensors that have no purpose. This “dark data” is anchored to the real world by the energy it requires. Even data that is stored and never used again takes up space on servers – typically huge banks of computers in warehouses. Those computers and those warehouses all use lots of electricity. This is a significant energy cost that is hidden in most organisations. Maintaining an effective organisational memory is a challenge, but at what cost to the environment? In the drive towards net zero many organisations are trying to reduce their carbon footprints. Guidance has generally centred on reducing traditional sources of carbon production, through mechanisms such as carbon offsetting via third parties (planting trees to make up for emissions from using petrol, for instance). A digital carbon footprint While most climate change activists are focused on limiting emissions from the automotive, aviation and energy industries, the processing of digital data is already comparable to these sectors and is still growing. In 2020, digitisation was purported to generate 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Production of digital data is increasing fast – this year the world is expected to generate 97 zettabytes (that is: 97 trillion gigabytes) of data. By 2025, it could almost double to 181 zettabytes. It is therefore surprising that little policy attention has been placed on reducing the digital carbon footprint of organisations. A huge Microsoft data centre in the Netherlands. Mauvries / shutterstock When we talk to people about our work, we find they often assume that digital data, and indeed the process of digitisation, is carbon neutral. But that is not necessarily the case – we are in control of its carbon footprint for better or worse. To help reduce this footprint, we have introduced the idea of “digital decarbonisation”. By this, we don’t mean using phones, computers, sensors and other digital technologies to reduce an organisation’s carbon footprint. Rather, we are referring to reducing the carbon footprint of digital data itself. It is key to recognise that digitisation is not itself an environmental issue, but there are huge environmental impacts that depend on how we use digital processes in daily workplace activities. To illustrate the magnitude of the dark data situation, data centres (responsible for 2.5% of all human-induced carbon dioxide) have a greater carbon footprint than the aviation industry (2.1%). To put this into context, we have created a tool that can help calculate the carbon cost of data for an organisation. Using our calculations, a typical data-driven business such as insurance, retail or banking, with 100 employees, might generate 2,983 gigabytes of dark data a day. If they were to keep that data for a year, that data would have a similar carbon footprint to flying six times from London to New York. Currently, companies produce 1,300,000,000 gigabytes of dark data a day – that’s 3,023,255 flights from London to New York. What does your dark data add up to? Steve Mann / shutterstock The rapid growth of dark data raises significant questions about the efficiency of current digital practices. In a study recently published in the Journal of Business Strategy we identified ways to help organisations reuse digital data, and highlight pathways for organisations to follow when collecting, processing and storing new digital data. We hope this can reduce dark data production and contribute to the digital decarbonisation movement, which we will all need to engage with if net zero is to be realised. You can even make a start yourself by deciding which photos and videos you no longer need. Every file stored on the Apple iCloud or Google Photos adds to your digital carbon footprint. | Climate Change |
It's been almost a year since the storm hit the low-lying city of Houma, where residents are now confronting frustrating economic realities.Tiffany Walters and Wendy Billot, sisters from Golden Meadow, La., at the FEMA trailer where they are currently living, in Houma, La., on Wednesday. Emily Kask for NBC NewsAug. 27, 2022, 8:30 AM UTCNearly a year after Hurricane Ida slammed into the U.S. Gulf Coast and devastated bayou communities on the southern end of Louisiana, the hard-hit city of Houma is still struggling to recover.“Unfortunately, it looks apocalyptic out there,” said Jonathan Foret, 45, the executive director of the South Louisiana Wetlands Discovery Center in Houma. “It feels like you’re on the set of a movie and the zombies are coming out. It’s really disheartening.”In this city of roughly 30,000 people southwest of New Orleans, locals confront a dismaying landscape: boarded-up storefronts, half-collapsed office buildings, roofless homes draped in sun-baked tarps, Federal Emergency Management Agency trailers parked on the outskirts of town.Houma and other storm-beaten areas in Terrebonne Parish have made some progress since Ida crashed into Louisiana as a Category 4 storm Aug. 29 last year, becoming one of most destructive hurricanes to hit the state since Katrina in 2005. Ida was responsible for the deaths of 87 people in the United States, including 30 in Louisiana, according to a National Hurricane Center report.But locals say rebuilding efforts have been hampered by supply chain woes, inflation, a shortage of qualified building contractors, conflicts with insurance companies and other vexing issues.Damaged and abandoned government housing in Houma, La.Emily Kask for NBC NewsThe storm displaced people in low-lying Houma and across Terrebonne, forcing some to move in with relatives, take refuge in FEMA trailers or abandon the region altogether. “Houma is like a ghost town,” said Amee Autin, who was displaced from her public housing unit and experienced homelessness for several months.As with other disasters, Ida also inflicted psychological scars, heightening experiences of anxiety and depression that started during the early months of the coronavirus pandemic. In the wake of the storm, some are experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, according to Start Corp., a local nonprofit organization.The challenges in Houma illustrate how powerful storms, intensified by climate change, leave lasting wounds on small communities. In the meantime, Houma residents are bracing for the next possible natural disaster as the U.S. approaches the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season.“It’s about to start all over again,” said Farren Clark, 42, a Houma resident who teaches at Nicholls State University in the neighboring town of Thibodaux. “It’s a feeling of: inhale, exhale, let me focus but let me prepare.”Farren Clark at his home in Houma, La.Emily Kask for NBC NewsThe slow road to recoveryIda lashed parts of South America, the Caribbean, and swaths of the northeastern U.S. But the storm, driven by damaging winds that were less ferocious in other regions of the country, ripped into Louisiana with particular intensity.Houma’s historic downtown area, once a low-key commercial hub, was trashed. Nearly a year later, the district is “still in shambles,” said Zachary Durocher, 42, a materials manager with a shipyard who has spent much of his adult life in the racially diverse and largely working-class city.“The streets aren’t necessarily dirty with rubble anymore, but a lot of the buildings are trashed. You see windows that are busted out, boarded up with plywood. Broken-down buildings, chipped plaster.”The economic stress has been particularly pronounced for homeowners who say they are locked in drag-out battles with insurance companies that purportedly have refused to cover Ida-related damages or pulled out of the state altogether.Damaged properties in downtown Houma.Emily Kask for NBC NewsJenny Schexnayder, 52, a program manager at Nicholls State University who lives 30 miles outside Houma, said her home sustained nearly $200,000 in damage that her insurance company largely refused to cover for months, until reversing course in June under the threat of litigation.“We survived. We rode out the storm,” she said. “Everything we’re trying to repair is so we can feel safe for the next storm.”Attorneys representing two apartment complexes filed lawsuits in federal court Aug. 17 alleging that one carrier, Steadfast Insurance Co., refused to fully cover damages wrought by Ida. Belmere Apartments in Houma and Acadia Villas in Thibodaux say they sustained severe damage during the storm’s fury.The legal news service Law360, which first reported on the lawsuit, said the filing could be the first of many as the statute of limitations on cases approaches. Three spokespeople for Zurich Insurance Group, Steadfast’s corporate parent, did not respond to an email seeking comment on the lawsuit.‘I don’t want to wind up homeless again’Ida splintered homes and apartment units in Houma, leaving many people without a permanent place to live in a city where the median household income was roughly $45,000 a year as of July 2021, according to U.S. Census Bureau data — roughly $20,000 under the national average.The Houma-Terrebonne Housing Authority condemned nearly all of the city’s 517 public housing units after the storm, leaving the buildings mostly abandoned and tenants adrift.Abandoned government housing in Houma.Emily Kask for NBC NewsFEMA stepped in to try to fill the gap, setting up trailer camps across the parish, according to Elizabeth Daigle, 42, a social worker and program manager at the South Central Louisiana Human Services Authority, or SCLHSA, a local governing entity.She said that at least 120 families have been staying in hotels or living with family members while they wait for additional FEMA housing. FEMA deployed some $150 million in individual assistance to the parish, according to a parish official, but many locals are still struggling to find and keep permanent residences.“We have a housing shortage here,” said Earl Eues, the director of the Terrebonne Parish homeland security and emergency preparedness office. “Even before the storm, we had very little available to people that were here, and the storm just exacerbated that issue,” he said, referring to low-income housing.Ida hit at a financially perilous time for Amee Autin. In the early months of the pandemic, the 50-year-old retail store manager needed to stop working and go on disability benefits because she was experiencing painful complications from a childhood diagnosis of scoliosis. When the storm arrived, she was nearly broke.Aimee Autin in her home in Houma.Emily Kask for NBC NewsThe storm wrecked her public housing unit — cracked foundations in the bedroom, floodwater and mold seemingly everywhere in sight. The building was condemned and she started living in a hotel room with help from Start Corp., a local nonprofit organization that provides medical and mental health services.Autin recently rented a small house, but she is deeply anxious that her monthly disability checks will not be able to cover the roughly $1,000 monthly rent and basic necessities for survival for much longer — and she knows that affordable housing in the area has become increasingly scarce.“I have to cover gas, lights, insurance, medicine, household supplies, toilet paper, paper towels, the normal needs — needs, not wants. Everything is just so outrageous. I’m struggling every day.” Autin said. “I don’t want to wind up homeless again.”“Houma was my safe place,” she added. “But now that I’m older, this is no longer my safe place.”Aimee Autin outside her rented house.Emily Kask for NBC News‘Deathly afraid’ and on edgeIn April, bad weather struck the Gulf Coast again. The clouds darkened, stirring up painful memories of Ida’s wrath and other natural disasters. The mental health phone line at the SCLHSA was inundated with calls for weeks.Terrebonne Parish residents were “deathly afraid,” said Lisa Schilling, the executive director of the SCLHSA. Incoming calls related to mental health went up 93% during that period, she said.In the year since Ida slammed the region, locals have been “dealing with a lot of anxiety and depression and post-traumatic stress related to the hurricane,” Schilling said. “It’s not just adults. It’s adolescents and children, too.”Start Corp. says it hopes to help people who have confronted mental health challenges since Ida turned their worlds upside down.What to know about Hurricane IdaThe storm made landfall near Louisiana's southernmost seaport on Aug. 29, 2021 — 16 years to the day Hurricane Katrina slammed the Gulf Coast.Images and videos captured widespread damage and flooding that devastated communities.Louisianans in Houma and the neighboring town of Thibodaux told NBC News about Ida's wrath on a "long and scary night."The organization is working with parish officials to secure some $2 million for a 24-hour mental health crisis center in Houma, where mental health resources have traditionally been scarce. (The news was first reported by the publication Houma Today.)“The mental health crisis is so prevalent that people who, before Ida, weren’t experiencing issues are definitely feeling them now,” said Casey Guidry, the chief executive of Start Corp.Guidry added that incoming calls to his organization’s mental health line have spiked 74% since last August.Clark, the Nicholls State University professor, said he and others in his social orbit are also grappling with another emotion: frustration. He knows the national attention span can be short, and he wants more of the country to remember the devastation along the bayou.“The storm did a lot of damage to communities and homes,” he said. “But it’s difficult to get the nation to understand that unless it happens in a big city. You probably won’t hear about it. It’s as if we’re overlooked.“Well,” he added, “just imagine if this happened in your town.”Daniel Arkin is a national reporter at NBC News. He specializes in popular culture and the entertainment industry, particularly film and television. | Climate Change |
“The 360” shows you diverse perspectives on the day’s top stories and debates.What’s happeningCalifornia regulators last week approved a plan to ban the sale of gas-powered cars in the state by 2035, setting an aggressive timeline for reducing the use of fossil fuels that contribute to climate change.A nationwide transition from gas-powered cars to electric vehicles is widely viewed as an essential step toward meeting the country’s long-term emissions reduction goals. And though the market has expanded substantially in the past few years, electric vehicles still make up less than 1 percent of the estimated 250 million cars, trucks and SUVs on the road in the U.S.Even in California, which has more than five times as many electric cars as any other state, zero-emission vehicles account for only about 16 percent of total car sales. The new rules will require automakers to gradually increase the share of EVs sold — to 35 percent in 2026 and 68 percent by 2030 — while imposing hefty financial penalties on companies that fall short of those benchmarks. The policy applies only to new cars and does not apply to consumers. After 2035, it will still be legal to own a gas-powered car in the state, buy one used or purchase one from out of state.California has long been a trendsetter for other blue states when it comes to climate policy. These new regulations appear to be no different. More than a dozen states are expected to adopt their own versions of the Golden State’s gas car ban. Some even have laws that require them to match California’s emissions rules. One of them is Virginia, where recently elected Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin has vowed to prevent what he called the “ridiculous edict” from being put in place despite apparently being legally bound allow it under the terms of a law signed by his Democratic predecessor last year.Why there’s debateSupporters of the policy believe this could be exactly what the U.S. needs to jump-start a transition to cleaner transportation sources. They say California is so large and influential that its policies will force automakers to follow through on their oft-stated plans to end production of fossil-fuel-burning cars — a shift that will change the car market even in states where the bans aren’t in place. Others say the ban will have broad benefits beyond emissions reductions, including saving consumers money on gas and maintenance, reducing harmful air pollution and expanding the availability of EV-charging infrastructure outside of major cities.But some climate activists say the policy isn’t nearly aggressive enough to meet the scale of the challenge posed by climate change. They argue that the U.S. shouldn’t wait 13 years to ban gas cars, especially since many gas-powered cars that were bought new in 2034 will still be on the road a decade later. Others say that as much of an improvement as EVs are, the real solution is to move away from reliance on cars in general.Conservatives generally reject what they view as heavy-handed government intervention in the free market. They argue that such strict rules could threaten the long-term stability of the U.S. auto industry and deny Americans their right to choose the vehicle that suits their needs best. There are also broad concerns about whether California and other states can overcome the many logistic, technological and potential legal challenges that will need to be conquered for the ban to become a reality.What’s nextCalifornia can’t officially begin enacting its plan until it’s given a waiver to do so by the Environmental Protection Agency, a step most experts expect to happen without much drama. The EPA’s authority over states’ climate policies could pose a threat to the policy, though, if a Republican reclaims the White House after 2024.PerspectivesCalifornia has put the country on the path to a better, greener future“This is California’s ‘for all mankind moment,’ a second chance to create an alternate future that we gave up on last time. Our kids and their kids and generations to come will thank us for it.” — Edward Humes, Los Angeles TimesConsumers may not be ready for a complete shift away from gas cars“The rule can’t force California’s car shoppers to actually buy the new electric vehicles that automakers will now have to offer. And if consumers don’t follow along, that’s a much harder problem to address.” — Lisa Friedman and Brad Plumer, New York TimesThe era of fossil fuels is already ending; these rules will speed up its demise“Your gas-guzzler won’t disappear tomorrow, but the formal decision by California, one of the world’s largest car markets, is further evidence that transportation’s future is electric. Major car and truck makers have acknowledged this reality, and are moving, some more quickly than others, into the electric vehicle world.” — Editorial, Kansas City StarTurning the plan into a reality may prove impossible“Declaring that the sale of gas-powered cars will end 13 years hence is the easy part. Actually transforming a huge component of Californians’ daily lives, and a big chunk of the state’s economy, will be immensely difficult.” — Dan Walters, CalMattersThe ban is far too weak to make a real difference“Banning sales of new gas cars by 2035 is laughably too little, too late. This is not something to do victory laps over. It’s 2022, the world is already flooding and burning horrendously, it’s accelerating fast, and the damage is irreversible.” — NASA climate scientist Peter KalmusThe rules will force automakers to finally go all in on EVs“The government has relied mainly on more gentle efforts to prod the car industry along, like consumer tax rebates for zero-emission vehicles. The result was that the industry was able to keep squeezing money out of 100-year-old internal combustion engine technology, while slow-walking a transition away from fossil fuels. … The world needed an electric vehicle transition, but the U.S. was going to get it at whatever pace the car industry felt like.” — Alejandro de la Garza, TimeOverzealous Democrats are out to kill the American auto industry“The American car industry is buckling under pressure from federal bureaucrats targeting the end of the affordable, internal-combustion engine.” — Henry Payne, National ReviewCalifornia’s policy could change the entire global car market“Automakers don’t like making different cars for different states, so California sets the de facto standard for the country and other parts of the world.” — Umair Irfan, VoxThe ban will put car ownership out of reach for many low-income Americans“Electric vehicles are quite expensive. And so this policy, which would be burdensome even in a relatively car-free place like New York City, will be crushing in a state whose entire geography and culture center on the automobile. This new price might make certain legislators feel good about themselves, but it will price many low-income Californians, already stressed by high housing prices, out of their commutes as well.” — Editorial, Washington ExaminerThe real green solution is to end our dependence on cars entirely“A gas-car ban like this can’t exist in a vacuum. California needs a similarly historic and binding commitment to funding other transportation modes. … It’s important to move toward retiring gas-guzzling, emissions-spewing cars. Now we just need more ways to get out of them entirely.” — Alissa Walker, CurbedIs there a topic you’d like to see covered in “The 360”? Send your suggestions to [email protected] illustration: Yahoo News; photos: Getty Images | Climate Change |
Government says it will aim to conserve 30 percent of Australia’s land mass in attempt to protect its unique wildlife.Australia has set a target of zero extinction for its unique plants and animals, promising to preserve at least 30 percent of its land amid severe pressure on the country’s environment.
Unveiling the Threatened Species Action Plan: Towards Zero Extinctions on Tuesday, Minister for the Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek said the 224.5 million Australian dollar ($145.9m) plan offers a pathway for threatened species conservation and recovery over the next 10 years.
It prioritises 110 species and 20 places where action is most needed and includes a commitment to prevent any new extinctions of plants and animals.
Plibersek said the government was “determined to give wildlife a better chance” amid increasing threats from climate change, natural disasters, feral predators, and human activity.
She accused the previous government, which lost power in May’s elections, of having its “head in the sand” over the environment.
“Our current approach has not been working,” she said in a statement, describing Australia as the mammal extinction capital of the world. “If we keep doing what we’ve been doing, we’ll keep getting the same results. The need for action has never been greater. I will not shy away from difficult problems or accept environmental decline and extinction as inevitable.”
A landmark government report that was released after months of delay in July, found that the state of Australia’s environment was “poor and deteriorating” and that it had lost more mammal species than any other continent in the world.
The report said many of the worst changes had occurred in the past five years, with 202 animal and plant species declared “threatened” over the period. Australia also had more introduced foreign plant species than native ones, it said. Unlike the previous government, I’m not going to accept extinctions as inevitable.
We need to protect our precious wildlife. pic.twitter.com/TzCdvzlrmg
— Tanya Plibersek (@tanya_plibersek) October 3, 2022 Conservation groups welcomed Plibersek’s announcement but said the government needed to do more considering the challenges facing the Australian environment.
Almost half the country is now used for grazing sheep and cattle, and about 6.1 million hectares (15 million acres) of primary forest have been cleared since 1990.
“Stopping the destruction of wildlife habitat is the key to achieving this objective,” the Australian Conservation Foundation’s nature programme manager Basha Stasak said in a statement.
“Unfortunately, Australia has a woeful record when it comes to protecting our unique species. Australia is a world leader in sending mammals to extinction and it is largely because we keep destroying their homes.”
Among other measures, the foundation says deforestation and land clearing need to end, and the government should stop approving damaging fossil fuel projects.
Extreme climate events such as the bushfires that ravaged southeastern Australia in late 2019 and early 2020 have also taken a severe toll on wildlife, with World Wide Fund for Nature-Australia estimating some three billion animals — from frogs to mammals — were in the path of the flames. Later analysis found some 60,000 koalas had died in the fires. The animals were designated an endangered species in February.
The fires that swept southeastern Australia caused enormous damage to wildlife populations [File: Tracey Nearmy/Reuters]
In her statement, Plibersek said independent scientists had helped identify the species and places for priority assistance on principles including the risk of extinction, multiple benefits, and uniqueness.
She added that 15 species and three ecological communities had also been added to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act list of threatened species, while four species had been upgraded to a higher threat category.
Among the newly-listed species are the Western Beautiful Firetail, a bird with a distinctive red tail that was severely affected by the 2019-2020 bushfires, the Parma Wallaby, which also faces threats from bushfires, and the grey snake, which is at risk from habitat loss as a result of agriculture. | Climate Change |
A worker displays pistachios at a factory in the town of Morek, Syria August 8, 2022. REUTERS/Firas MakdesiRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSummaryPistachio crop hit by war, drought and sanctionsKnown in Syria as 'a golden tree in a poor land''I need fertiliser. I need water. There is none.'MAAN, Syria, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Returning to their orchards after years of war, Syrian pistachio farmers hoping to revive their valuable crop have had their hopes dashed by scorched trees and the ravages of climate change.Laden with maroon-coloured bunches of nuts that are harvested in summer, the pistachio tree is known in Syria as "a golden tree in a poor land", reflecting the value of a fruit long exported across the Middle East and Europe.But farmers near the northwestern village of Maan are harvesting just a quarter of the crop they gathered before the war, farmer Nayef Ibrahim said.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comIbrahim and his family left their farms when the area became a frontline in the conflict that erupted in 2011. They returned after government forces drove out rebels in 2019.They found pistachio trees slashed and burned during the conflict - and the new ones they have planted will take up to 12 years to bear fruit, Ibrahim said.A successful harvest on his farm would likely take longer, with the road to recovery slowed by "the lack of rainfall, climate change as a whole, and the lack of basic materials that a farmer needs," he told Reuters.Syria saw its worst drought in more than 70 years in 2021, with harvests across the country hit hard, according to the International Rescue Committee aid group.Ibrahim estimated his fields had received half the rainfall of previous years but that the rising costs of fuel to pump in water meant he couldn't afford an alternative.Nutrient-rich soil that could help him boost production was also unavailable or expensive, he said."I need fertiliser. There is none. I need water. There is none," he said.HARVESTED AT DAWNImporting fuel, fertilizer and other basic needs for farming into Syria has been hampered by around a decade of Western sanctions, a collapsing local currency and now the conflict in Ukraine, which has prompted global price hikes.The West has tightened its sanctions on the Syrian government since conflict broke out in 2011 over rights violations, but many Syrians say the measures have hit regular citizens the hardest."It's hard for me to get pesticides because of the economic siege," Ibrahim told Reuters.Some farmers have tried to find workarounds, with solar panels installed at one pistachio orchard to power irrigation.The nuts are harvested at dawn and sunset - the times of day when their shells split naturally, generating a cracking noise that guides farmers to trees ready for picking.They are poured into machines that peel and sort them by size before being bagged in 50 kg sacks labelled "Aleppo pistachio" - a name recognised across much of the Middle East.Clutching a bunch of freshly picked pistachios, farmer Youssef Ibrahim said he was disappointed at the size of the kernels. "If there was adequate irrigation, the nut should be bigger than this."Farmers across Syria have been struggling with similar problems, with indications of a poor wheat harvest adding to concerns about food supplies in a country where the U.N. says more people are in need than at any point since 2011.Agriculture ministry official Jihad Mohamed said pistachio farming had suffered because the areas where they are grown had been badly affected by the war, noting widespread tree cutting.Despite that, exports continued with Syrian pistachios selling in markets including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon, he said.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comWriting by Tom Perry; Editing by Maya Gebeily and Andrew HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Climate Change |
An array of bitcoin mining units inside a container at a Cleanspark facility in College Park, Georgia, U.S., on Friday, April 22, 2022.Elijah Nouvelage | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesThe White House Office of Science and Technology Policy on Thursday warned that cryptocurrency mining operations could hinder the country's ability to mitigate climate change. It also said federal agencies should consider information from crypto miners and local utilities "in a privacy-preserving manner" to help understand and mitigate the problem.Crypto operations in the U.S. now consume as much energy as all home computers or all residential lighting, the White House said in a report. The findings come amid mounting criticism over the amount of electricity that crypto mining operations produce.The process of cryptocurrency mining involves running banks of computers to solve complicated math equations in order to create new coins and validate transactions. Bitcoin, the most popular cryptocurrency, is wedded to this "proof of work" system, although the second-most poplar currency, ether, is moving to a different method that may not require as much energy.U.S. crypto production represents between 0.2% and 0.3% of global greenhouse gas emissions and between 0.4% and 0.8% of domestic emissions, respectively, though the estimates are uncertain, the report said. Mining crypto produces planet-warming emissions primarily by burning coal, natural gas and other fossil fuels to generate electricity.This year, crypto mining produced between 110 and 170 million metric tons on carbon pollution across the world and roughly 25 to 50 million metric tons in the U.S. alone, the report said. The process produces electricity by purchasing it from the power grid or by producing and disposing of computers and mining infrastructure."Electricity usage from digital assets is contributing to GHG emissions, additional pollution, noise, and other local impacts, depending on markets, policies, and local electricity sources," the White House said in the report."Depending on the energy intensity of the technology used, crypto-assets could hinder broader efforts to achieve net-zero carbon pollution consistent with U.S. climate commitments and goals," it added.The report is a result of President Joe Biden's executive order in March that called on the government to examine the risks and benefits of cryptocurrencies. The president has pledged to reduce U.S. emissions from 2005 levels at least in half by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.The report said that global crypto mining emissions are greater than the emissions of many individual countries and equivalent to the global emissions from all barges, tankers and other ships on inland waterways. Additionally, Bitcoin, the world's largest digital currency by market value, generates approximately two-thirds of global crypto greenhouse gas emissions. | Climate Change |
Greta Thunberg has urged society to take on its "historic responsibility" to tackle the global climate crisis during an appearance at Glastonbury. Delivering a speech from the festival's Pyramid Stage, the environmental activist gave the crowd a stark warning that the world is facing a "climate and ecological emergency".
"The biosphere is not just changing, it is destabilising, it is breaking down," the 19-year-old said, before stressing that the "consequences could be catastrophic"."And no, unfortunately, this is not the new normal," she added."This crisis will continue to get worse until we manage to hold the constant destruction of our life-supporting systems, until we prioritise people and planet over profit and greed," she added. Placing blame on global leaders, Ms Thunberg they have "actively created loopholes" and society has come to "expect" them to lie.
"We should be fighting for people and for nature, but instead we are fighting against those who are set on destroying it," she urged. More on Greta Thunberg COP26: In some ways Greta Thunberg is wrong to call the summit a 'failure' and 'PR event' Global Day of Action: Tens of thousands to march in Glasgow against climate change alongside millions around the world as city hosts COP26 COP26: Duke of Edinburgh-style scheme to reward pupils for climate action - as Thunberg prepares to join Glasgow strike "Today our political leaders are allowed to say one thing and do the exact opposite. They can claim to be climate leaders, while at the same time expand their nation's fossil fuel infrastructure." 'Together we can do the seemingly impossible'However, the campaigner went on to say that there is still time for the world to choose a "sustainable" path that "leads to a future for everyone".Addressing the thousands of festival-goers in the crowd, Ms Thunberg said: "You and I have been given the historic responsibility to set things right."Together we can do the seemingly impossible. But make no mistake, no-one else is going to do this for us. This is up to us here and now. You and me."Read more:Kalush Orchestra perform first UK gig at GlastonburyIt once cost £1 to get into Glastonbury - but now fans are feeling the effects of spending squeezeFollowing her speech, Erin Rudkin, a 32-year-old from Manchester, said you could tell the Glastonbury audience was captivated by the speech as you could "hear a pin drop" in the crowd.Ms Thunberg's address was followed by a set by pop-rock band Haim, with Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds taking to the stage after them. On Saturday evening, Sir Paul McCartney will become Glastonbury Festival's oldest solo headliner a day after Billie Eilish became the youngest ever solo artist.The former Beatle's headline show will come exactly a week after he celebrated his 80th birthday and after more than 60 years of making music. | Climate Change |
Sea of Galilee, Israel CNN — Despite its name, the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel is actually a freshwater lake, and it’s one that has sustained life for millennia. Even today, the lake irrigates vineyards and local farms that grow everything from green vegetables to wheat and tangerines. Its archeology, hot springs and hiking trails bring tourism and livelihoods for local communities. But this place of religious pilgrimage — where the New Testament says many of Jesus’ miracles were performed — is facing a bleak future. The climate crisis is causing huge fluctuations in the lake’s water levels. Now it happens to be fairly full, but just five years ago, it hit a record low. Climate change and unsustainable water management are leaving lakes dried up all over the Middle East and beyond, but the Israeli government is hopeful it has a solution: It plans to pump water from the Mediterranean sea, take the salt out of it and send it across the country to top up the lake when needed. It’s a dramatic change for the Sea of Galilee, called the Kinneret in Hebrew, which once pumped out nearly all of Israel’s drinkable water. The water will now flow in the opposition direction. Israel has plenty of expertise in desalination. As a water-insecure nation, it has for more than two decades been taking seawater from the Mediterranean and treating it through a process called reverse osmosis, essentially taking the salt out of the water to make it drinkable. It’s a process that other parts of the world, including California, have turned to in times of drought, but in Israel, it’s an everyday reality. Five desalination plants along the coast now provide nearly all the tap water for the country’s 9.2 million people. One problem is that these plants tend to run on natural gas, a fossil fuel that contributes to the climate crisis, which only worsens the extreme weather that is causing the lake’s water levels to fluctuate in the first place. But in time, as grids transition to greener energy sources, Israel’s solution may become more attractive. The new project looks a little underwhelming — a 1.6-meter-wide water pipe laid across 31 kilometers — but it’s the first of its kind. It will take the desalinated water and pump it through the Tsalmon stream that feeds the lake. When he first heard of the project, Noam Ben Shoa, head engineer at Israel’s national water company, Mekorot, thought it was a strange idea. “But very soon, we understood the value it has to the national market itself,” he told CNN at a construction site for the pipe. It also helps with the development of agriculture in the wider region, he said, as well as relations with neighboring Jordan. Israel has a long standing agreement with Jordan to sell tens of millions of cubic meters of water annually to the kingdom. In 2021, the two countries signed a new agreement where Jordan would receive 200 million cubic meters of desalinated water a year from Israel — about 20% of Jordan’s water needs — in return for solar energy to help power Israel’s electric grid. Emirati companies would build 600 solar power plants in Jordan to generate the energy. Within months, the new $264 million pipeline is expected to be functional, and will be able to move 120 million square meters of water per year, but will only pump to the lake when necessary, Ben Shoa said. “The uniqueness of this project is that it gives us almost infinite flexibility,” he said. “We can basically take the water where it is available … and just divert it and transport it to wherever it is needed. In the population centers, for agricultural or industrial uses as well.” The need to do things radically differently hit home during the most recent, five-year drought, which ended in 2018. Despite a ban on pumping water from the lake, water levels here still reached a record low. But it’s also what’s to come with the worsening climate crisis that has pushed Israel’s water authority to intervene now. “They looked into the future climate change, and what’s going to happen [with] rainfall in this area, and also looked at the increase in population and projected increase in demand of water,” Gideon Gal, senior scientist and head of the Kinneret Limnological Laboratory, told CNN. “And they realized that 30, 40 years from now, there’s going to be a serious problem in maintaining [water] levels in the lake, and maintaining water quality unless something is done.” But that something had never been done before. Even if salt is removed, the makeup of the water is also different in other ways, Gal said. “When you mix desalinated water with natural water, you see an impact on the biology in the experiments,” Gal said. “We’ll be bringing things to the lake that may not exist naturally.” But so far, Gal says their experiments show the new water won’t cause a huge impact on existing species. In fact, it may even help the lake combat the effects of climate change by causing a higher rate of water turnover, which helps prevent too much bacterial growth, and could help cool the water’s temperatures. Even with the potential benefits, Gal said he wished the lake didn’t need any human intervention. “But given what we think we know about climate change, and what’s going to happen in the lake,” Gal said. “The risk of introducing desalinated water is a risk that is worthwhile taking.” | Climate Change |
The new center-left Labor Party government expects EVs will account for 89% of Australian new car sales by 2030.The Port Kembla Steelworks in Wollongong, Australia on July 14, 2019.Mark Metcalfe / Getty Images fileJune 29, 2022, 2:42 PM UTC / Source: Associated PressCANBERRA, Australia — Australia’s new government is putting climate change at the top of its legislative agenda when Parliament sits next month for the first time since the May 21 election, with bills to enshrine a cut in greenhouse gas emissions and make electric cars cheaper, a minister said on Wednesday.A bill will be introduced to commit Australia to reducing its emissions by 43% below 2005 levels by 2030 when Parliament sits on July 26, Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen told the National Press Club.Another bill would abolish import tariffs and taxes for electric vehicles that are cheaper than the luxury car threshold of 77,565 Australian dollars ($53,580).Only 1.5% of cars sold in Australia are electric or plug-in hybrid, and passenger cars account for almost 10% of the nation’s emissions, the government said.The new center-left Labor Party government expects EVs will account for 89% of Australian new car sales by 2030.The government’s fleet will be converted to 75% no-emission vehicles, bolstering a second-hand EV market as government vehicles are sold after three years.The new government has already officially informed the United Nations of Australia’s more ambitious 2030 target than the previous conservative Liberal Party-led administration had pursued, a reduction of 26% to 28%.But Bowen said legislating the 43% target would create greater confidence.“It’s about certainty and stability, mainly for the business investment community,” Bowen said.“It sends a signal if a parliament hasn’t legislated that maybe the country’s not serious. Maybe a future government, heaven forbid a Liberal government, might walk it back,” Bowen added.Opposition leader Peter Dutton has ruled out his Liberal Party senators getting the Labor target through the upper chamber. Labor holds only 26 seats in the 76-seat Senate so needs outside help to pass its legislative agenda.If Labor got all 12 senators from the minor Greens party to support the target, the government would only need to persuade one of six remaining independent or unaligned legislators to reach a majority.Greens leader Adam Bandt has said he will push the government to ban new coal mines and gas projects when that target legislation is negotiated. The Greens want Australian emissions reduced by 75% by 2030.Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions rose last year by 0.8%, or 4.1 million metric tons (4.5 million U.S. tons).Bowen described the increase as one of the biggest emissions spikes in 15 years and blamed the previous government’s inaction during nine years in office.Factors that caused the increase included a 4% rise in transport emissions as pandemic travel restrictions eased and 4.2% more agricultural emissions as rain ended years of drought across large swathes of southeast Australia. | Climate Change |
London mayor Sadiq Khan to is to publish his first book, described by his publisher as a “warm and practical guide” to tackling the climate emergency.Khan became mayor of London in 2016, and since then has brought in a range of environmental measures, including introducing the world’s first ultra-low emission zone, overseeing hundreds of kilometres of new cycle lanes and announcing plans to rewild Hyde Park.He was diagnosed with adult-onset asthma when he was 43, while training for the London Marathon. He has said his asthma is down to breathing polluted London air, and it was his diagnosis that drove his interest in addressing air pollution and climate change.Khan’s book Breathe, which will be released in 2023, will outline seven ways in which “environmental action gets blown off course”, said publisher Hutchinson Heinemann. Khan would also lay out how to get discussion and action on climate change “back on track”.Khan described climate change as the biggest threat facing our world.“This summer has shown climate change isn’t a faraway problem,” he continued. “London saw record temperatures, an official drought declared and wildfires raging across the city. I hope this book spurs more people on to the urgent action we need to fight climate change.”Editorial director Rowan Borchers said Breathe would be “both an intriguing inside account of life in City Hall, and a warm and practical guide to green politics”.Since Khan – who in 2021 was elected chair of C40, a global network of almost 100 megacities with a shared ambition to fight climate change – became mayor, he has presided over some of the hottest temperatures ever seen in London, including this summer, when the city’s fire services saw their busiest day since the second world war.And at the beginning of this year, Londoners were warned to avoid strenuous physical activity for a short period due to “very high” levels of pollution.A study commissioned by City Hall found that in 2019 between 3,600 to 4,100 deaths in Greater London were estimated to have been attributable to air pollution. The highest number of deaths was in outer London boroughs, mainly due to the higher proportion of elderly people in these areas, the study found.Breathe will be published on 4 May 2023. | Climate Change |
Catastrophic floods in Pakistan have submerged large swathes of farmland, swallowed whole villages and turned some communities into islands ― and the water likely won’t be gone anytime soon.Floodwaters will take an estimated three to six months to fully recede, Sindh province’s chief minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said in a statement, according to CNN. As of late August, the southern province had already gotten almost six times as much rainfall as its 30-year annual average.Those rains combined with glacial melt have caused the flooding that has devastated the country. “We are living on an island now,” cotton farmer Muhammad Jaffar told The New York Times in a story published this week. Filthy water had completely drowned his fields, along with the well he used for drinking water. Victims of flooding from monsoon rains carry belongings salvaged from their flooded home in the Dadu district of Sindh Province, of Pakistan, Sept. 9, 2022.AP Photo/Fareed KhanPakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority said the floods have killed at least 1,314 people, including 458 children, according to The Guardian. Around 33 million others have been affected by the flooding. Many have had to flee their waterlogged homes to stay in shelters or tent encampments.Internally displaced flood-affected people take refuge at a makeshift camp in Dadu district of Sindh province on Wednesday.AFP via Getty Images)And those who have been able to stay in their homes contend with lack of access to food, clean water and medicine. One woman told the Times that her teenage cousin has to swim 20 minutes through snake-filled floodwaters to get to a village and buy food for his family.Disease-carrying mosquitoes also thrive in stagnant floodwaters. Sindh’s capital, Karachi, is facing an outbreak of the mosquito-borne virus dengue, with hundreds of thousands of cases, Pakistan’s climate minister Sherry Rehman said.A man pushes his auto-rickshaw through a flooded street after heavy rains in Karachi on Tuesday.RIZWAN TABASSUM/AFP via Getty ImagesEarlier this month, Pakistan’s foreign minister Bhutto Zardari called the flooding “a climate disaster of biblical proportions” in an interview with CNBC. Climate change fueled the floods in multiple ways. Intense heat waves earlier in the year caused the air to hold more moisture, and meteorologists at the time said that would lead to “above normal” rain in the monsoon season, Islamabad water-resources engineer Zia Hashmi told the journal Nature. That same heat melted glaciers in the north of the country, swelling the rivers that lead to the south.“Pakistan at this point in time, are paying in their lives and in their livelihoods for a climate disaster that is not of their making,” Zardari told CNBC. The network noted that while Pakistan contributes to less than 1% of the world’s carbon emissions, it’s one of the top 10 countries hit hardest by rising temperatures. | Climate Change |
Sept 8 (Reuters) - Smoke from hundreds of wildfires darkened skies over the Alaskan Interior this summer, with the state experiencing its fastest start to the fire season on record amid hot and dry conditions.Tens of thousands of lightning strikes ignited the majority of active fires, according to the Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service. By late August, more than 3 million acres had burned across the state—roughly triple what’s seen in an average year, but no longer unusual in a warming world.With climate change raising Arctic temperatures faster than the global average, wildfires are shifting poleward where the flames blaze through boreal forest and tundra and release vast amounts of greenhouse gases from the carbon-rich organic soil. (Graphic: https://tmsnrt.rs/3ewSUmI)Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comLast year, Siberian wildfires scorched some 65,000 square miles (168,000 square kilometers) of Siberian forest, or an area nearly the size of Cambodia. While cloaking the region for months in acrid smoke, some of which reached the North Pole for the first time, those wildfires set a sobering new record for the share of carbon emissions from the world’s highest latitudes.The Republic of Sakha was the Arctic region hardest hit by fires, which consumed vast swathes of larch forest. By summer’s end, nearly 50% more carbon had been released in this region than in any year in the past two decades.Arctic wildfires that sparked above the 66th parallel north unleashed an estimated 16 million tonnes of carbon in 2021 — roughly equal to the annual carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of Peru — according to a report by the Copernicus Climate Change Service.Scientists count fire emissions in carbon, rather than CO2, because they are also assessing impacts on air quality in addition to climate warming.Fires in the Arctic and boreal regions “have really gone off in ways we haven’t seen in the observed satellite record” beginning in 2003, said scientist Brendan Rogers at the Woodwell Climate Research Center in Massachusetts.Though the charred boreal forests and tundra still represent just 3% of the global area burned each year, the richness of their soils means those wildfires account for roughly 15% of the world’s annual carbon emissions from fires — and that number is growing. A Reuters analysis of the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service’s Global Fire Assimilation System found that high-latitude wildfires were responsible for a greater share of total global fire emissions in 2021 than in any year since monitoring began in 2003, releasing nearly a third of last year’s total carbon emissions from wildfires.Fires in the lowest latitudes, between 60 degrees South and 30 degrees North, including those deliberately set with deforestation or agricultural clearing, accounted for slightly more than half of all emissions. Those between 30 and 60 degrees North, or roughly between North Africa and Scandinavia, accounted for the remaining 18%.ARCTIC DRIVERSWildfires are a natural part of the Arctic tundra and boreal forest ecosystems. Some pine trees even rely on the heat from fire to open their cones so seeds can be dispersed.But climate change is altering the frequency and scale of Arctic-boreal wildfires in recent years.The polar jet stream that normally circulates air between the mid- and northern latitudes is slowing down, and at times getting stuck for days or weeks at a time, leading to punishing bouts of hot and dry air.In turn, heatwaves are increasingly gripping the Arctic. In March 2022, the Arctic as a whole was more than 3 Celsius warmer than the 1979 to 2000 average, with records broken in Norway as temperatures surged more than 30C (54F) above the normal for that time of year. read more Though the Arctic has been warming roughly four times as fast as the rest of the world, “it’s the extremes that matter for fire — droughts, heatwaves, lightning storms,” said Earth system scientist Sander Veraverbeke at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. “That’s what’s been happening in Siberia.”In June 2020, the Russian town of Verkhoyansk, located along the 67th parallel, registered a new Arctic temperature record of 38C (100F), according to the World Meteorological Organization.Lightning, which ignites most northern wildfires, has also increased in the high latitudes. Alaska saw a 17% rise in lightning strikes between the mid-1980s and 2015, according to University of Alaska Fairbanks scientists.“Some places have had astounding increases,” said Randi Jandt, a fire ecologist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, noting that during the same period summer lightning activity in northcentral Alaska increased by roughly 600%.That’s linked to the warmer air in the U.S. state, where the average temperature in fire-prone areas of Alaska has risen by more than 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) since 1979.Lightning-ignited fires have more than doubled in Alaska and the Northwest Territories since 1975, according to 2017 research in the journal Nature Climate Change.All three of these trends — more frequent extreme temperatures, slowing air circulation, and increasing lightning strikes — are expected to escalate in coming years, leading to an even more worrisome future where northern wildfires could challenge the world’s efforts to rein in climate-warming emissions.One study in April in the journal Science Advances projected that wildfires in North America’s boreal forests could end up releasing nearly 12 billion cumulative tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2050, equivalent to roughly a third of global energy-related CO2 emissions in 2021.THE THREAT UNDERGROUNDGreenhouse gas emissions released during a wildfire aren’t even the greatest concern. Scientists estimate there are 1.5 trillion metric tonnes of carbon stored in the world’s northern permafrost —more than twice what’s already in the atmosphere.Fire makes permafrost, ground that remains frozen year-round, more vulnerable to thaw as it strips away upper insulating layers of vegetation and soils. When that happens, ancient organic materials — dead plants and animals — begin to decompose, releasing their carbon. (Graphic: https://tmsnrt.rs/3itHMTN)“It’s a one-two punch” of emissions, said Sue Natali, also of Woodwell Climate Research Center.But these post-fire permafrost emissions have been left out of climate models. Measurements rely on long-term field observations, which are hard to get in remote and frigid areas. Severed ties with Russia, after its February invasion of Ukraine, may also hurt data collection. About half of all Arctic landmass is in Russia.Copernicus’ Global Fire Assimilation System, which Reuters used for its analysis, also does not include post-fire emissions.This means the world is likely underestimating the impact of high-latitude fires on the world’s carbon cycle.“This is a source of greenhouse gases going into the atmosphere that can further contribute to climate warming that we hadn’t really been … counting on,” Natali said.WORLD ON FIREWhile the rapid spike in Arctic wildfire activity is alarming for scientists, the global area that burns each year shrank by about 25% between the late 1990s and 2015, according to a 2017 study in the journal Science.Africa is largely driving this downward trend. New pastures and roads have created fire-breaks that stop flames from advancing through the grasslands, and northern savannas are transitioning into tropical forest. This has also led to a decline in global fire emissions since monitoring began in 2003, though new regional emissions hotspots have emerged, such as in the Arctic and western North America. And people are still intentionally burning the world’s dense tropical ecosystems.Every year, farmers burn large swathes of Southeast Asia’s carbon-rich peatlands and the Amazon rainforest to clear agricultural land, resulting in big emissions. A 2021 study in the journal Nature found that the fires in the Brazilian Amazon were releasing about 1.5 billion metric tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.Not all emissions are the same either. Though fires blaze through more than 1 million square miles in Africa every year, grasses offer less fuel to burn than the boreal forest, resulting in fewer emissions per scorched square mile.Total emissions from grasslands remain higher simply because “much more land burns, even though the fuel is less dense,” said Christine Wiedinmyer, a research scientist at the University of Colorado Boulder.But grasses also regrow quickly, locking in the carbon that was released when they burned. The charred boreal, however, might take more than a century to return and sequester the carbon lost.Plus, fires set by farmers to clear land are much easier to control than raging infernos in remote, northern ecosystems.Still, the Arctic-boreal can’t burn forever. After three bad wildfire years in Siberia, eventually “there is nothing left to burn,” said Veraverbeke. “Maybe that is a little bit hopeful.”Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Gloria Dickie in London; Graphics by Manas Sharma, Adolfo Arranz and Simon Scarr; Editing by Katy Daigle and Lisa ShumakerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Climate Change |
Climate activists have said a deal to update a “dangerous” energy treaty has failed to make the agreement compatible with the urgency of the climate crisis.After more than four years of talks, 52 countries and the EU on Friday struck a deal to “modernise” the energy charter treaty, a 1994 agreement that allows investors to sue governments for changes in energy policy that harm their profits.The treaty has been described by a former whistleblower as “a real threat” to the landmark Paris climate agreement, which aims to cap global heating at 1.5C, because it is feared that governments would blow their green transition budgets on compensating the owners of coalmines, oil wells and other fossil fuel projects.This week 76 climate scientists told EU leaders that even a modernised ECT would “jeopardise the EU climate neutrality target and the EU green deal”, referring to a swathe of policy proposals launched last year to tackle the climate crisis.The compromise agreement, which was largely designed by the EU, reduces the protection afforded to companies that have invested in oil and gas projects. But a fossil fuel exemption would not kick in until 2033 at the earliest.Under the deal, new fossil fuel investments will cease to be protected in the EU and UK from mid August 2023. Existing fossil fuel investments in the EU and UK would lose protection after 10 years. But the 10-year phase-out for oil and gas only comes into force once the treaty has been ratified by three-quarters of the ECT’s 53 signatories.Moreover, the fossil fuel carve-out does not bind countries. While the EU and UK have chosen to end protection for oil and gas investments, other ECT signatories, such as central Asian states, Switzerland and Japan, can maintain protection for fossil fuel investors. Member countries are expected to formally approve the deal in November, but it would still need to be ratified by each capital.“With a 10-year phase-out period for fossil fuel investments, EU countries could still be sued for putting in place progressive climate policies for at least another decade – the key window for action if humanity is to avoid climate catastrophe,” said Amandine Van Den Berghe, a lawyer at the NGO ClientEarth.“The new treaty will also open the door to a wave of financial compensation claims protecting investments in energy sources and technologies raising significant sustainability concerns, such as biomass, hydrogen and carbon capture storage,” she said, referring to the decision to extend treaty protection to these areas.“The bottom line is we are still left with a dangerous agreement that will obstruct urgent action to tackle the climate crisis for years to come. The EU must finally do what is necessary for climate and legally right: walk away.”France, Germany, Spain, Poland and the Netherlands have called on the European Commission to study withdrawing from the agreement. This week Spain’s deputy prime minister went public with her concerns. Speaking before the outcome of negotiations was confirmed, Teresa Ribera said 14 rounds of talks on reforming treaty had made clear it “will fail to ensure the alignment of the ECT with the Paris agreement and the objectives of the European green deal”. She told Politico it was time for the EU and its member states to “initiate a coordinated withdrawal”.Her intervention casts doubt over whether the EU can ratify the treaty, which also must be approved by the European parliament.EU officials say their negotiating position was endorsed by all 27 EU member states. Officials argue that withdrawing from the treaty does not protect EU interests, because investors would have a 20-year period to sue governments, because of a lengthy sunset clause.The commission said the modernised ECT preserved “the right of governments to pursue their public policy objectives, including for climate change mitigation and adaptation. This fully preserves the EU’s ability to develop our climate policies. We have thereby aligned the ECT with the Paris agreement and our environmental objectives.”Climate activists disagree, contending that countries could quit the treaty and agree to protect each other from ECT claims.“We are talking about timeframes that could protect the benefit of the fossil fuel industry well into 2030, and the thing is we don’t have time to wait until 2030 for climate action, we need it now,” said Chloé Mikolajczak, a spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion Belgium.Sign up to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every weekday morning at 7am BSTOn Thursday Extinction Rebellion activists delayed the start of treaty negotiations by about an hour by gluing themselves to meeting tables, before their protest was broken up by police. Outside the Brussels headquarters of the ECT secretariat, a few dozen activists staged a “die in”, lying on the entrance steps amid fake oil, with a banner reading “stop protecting fossil fuel profits”.Mikolajczak said they would continue to target the treaty among “any policy that is harmful for the climate”.The British government welcomed the agreement, saying it would protect “the UK government’s sovereign right to change its own energy systems to reach emissions reductions targets in line with the Paris agreement”. Greg Hands, the energy minister, said: “The UK cannot support an outdated treaty which holds back investment in clean energy and puts British taxpayers at increased risk from costly legal challenges.” | Climate Change |
King Charles still 'cares deeply for the planet' and hopes to 'attend COP27 summit' in Egypt - following 50 years of campaigning against climate changeKing Charles to meet with Liz Truss to discuss attendance at COP27, reports sayThe then-Prince of Wales made a speech at the COP26 opening ceremonyCharles has a long history of campaigning to reduce effects of climate change Published: 03:37 EDT, 22 September 2022 | Updated: 03:46 EDT, 22 September 2022 King Charles, a keen environmentalist, is hoping to attend the COP27 summit in Egypt this November despite now being the monarch, according to reports.In his role as the Prince of Wales, Charles often championed causes related to conservation, campaigning to take action on global warming and climate change. However now he has acceded the throne, he will be expected to remain somewhat more neutral on political and social issues.However, the Evening Standard reports the new King will meet with Prime Minister Liz Truss to decide if he will be able to attend the COP27 summit from 6-18 November - a year after he spoke at COP26 in Glasgow. The King is said to be keen to attend the COP27 summit in Egypt this November, following his opening speech at last year's Glasgow meetingThe newspaper reported both the King and William, Prince of Wales, hold environmental issues very dear.'That won’t change now [Charles] is King,' a source told the publication.'But the King, as head of state, will seek clarification about his possible attendance from the Prime Minister before taking a decision over COP27.'Although it is not typical for a reigning monarch to intervene in political and social issues, Her late Majesty made a speech to the Glasgow summit last year via video.She urged world leaders to act now, 'for our children and our children's children.' The King and the Prince of Wales (pictured at COP26 in Glasgow, November 2021) are both keen environmentalistsThe Queen also praised her family's work on environmental issues.'It is a source of great pride to me that the leading role my husband played in encouraging people to protect our fragile planet, lives on through the work of our eldest son Charles and his eldest son William,' she said.'I could not be more proud of them.'At the opening ceremony of the summit, Charles gave a speech that drew upon the Covid-19 pandemic as an example of a cross-border crisis that has the potential to stop life in its tracks.He said: 'I can only urge you, as the world’s decision-makers, to find practical ways of overcoming differences so we can all get down to work, together, to rescue this precious planet and save the threatened future of our young people.'The King's commitment to tackling climate change is often demonstrated in his own personal life.At his beloved Highgrove House, His Majesty has an organic farm and garden which is open to the public. It is also thought around 90% of the energy used in the then-Prince of Wales's office and home life was sustainably sourced. During last year's summit in Glasgow, the Queen addressed world leaders in a pre-recorded video statement in which she urged world leaders to act on climate changeIn recent years the monarch has also published his annual carbon footprint for transparency.In an interview with the BBC last year, the monarch also confirmed his Aston Martin, which he has owned for around half a century, had been modified to The King's Aston Martin, which he has owned for half a century, was modified so it now runs on surplus English white wine and whey that is produced during the process of making cheese.In the same interview he added: 'The risks now are so great that if you don't make the right moves... it will be catastrophic. It is already beginning to be catastrophic.'As King Charles ascends the throne, plans are beginning to emerge that show a somewhat reformed monarchy in the UK. It is expected the King will opt for a scaled-back coronation ceremony amid a cost-of-living crisis that has hit many families hard. The new Prince of Wales is also expected to have a smaller investiture ceremony to formalise his new role. Advertisement Read more: Prince Charles: My Aston Martin runs on wine and cheese - BBC News King Charles ‘still hopes to deliver key speech at climate summit one year on from COP26’ | Evening Standard | Climate Change |
Countries across Europe broke temperature records in June - with an unprecedented 32.5C (90.5F) reported in the Arctic Circle.Norway's Meteorological Institute has warned the high temperatures are a clear signal of climate change.
In Banak, where this new record was broken, average temperatures for June typically stand at 13C (55F).The World Meteorological Organization tweeted: "Many June temperature records have tumbled in Asia, North Africa, parts of the Arctic and Europe."Stations throughout Scandinavia on Wednesday had 'tropical days' above 30C (86F). Central Asia and Japan are gripped by intense heat." Forecasters said an unusually early end to Japan's rainy season has led to widespread temperatures above 35C (95F).
The Japanese government is urging its citizens to cut their power use as much as possible, while running air conditioners to keep safe. More on Climate Change How the electric car industry is turning copper into gold Hydrogen-powered lorry to be mass produced by Essex fleet operator Major blow to Biden's domestic climate agenda as US Supreme Court limits federal power to curb emissions Tokyo hit 37C (98.6F) - and it's unusual to see such heat at this point in the year. Image: Japan has experienced such extreme heat that there have been fears for power supplies The heatwave has been making its presence felt across Europe, too.Heat warnings are still in force across Poland, with thunderstorms expected as the heat breaks down.In Italy, the worst drought in 70 years has meant salt water from the Adriatic Sea is following back into the country's longest river - further damaging crops blighted by the early summer heatwave. Image: Italy has had its worst drought in 70 years And over in North Africa, high temperatures and fires have badly affected Tunisia's grain harvest.Sky News meteorologist Kirsty McCabe said: "Many parts of Europe have been unusually hot for June, with the UK experiencing its own blast of heat earlier in the month."The high temperatures across Europe are due to a ridge of high pressure allowing hot air to move northwards from Africa."Climate change projections say that global warming will make these events more likely, with heatwaves growing more intense, more frequent and longer-lasting." Image: Spain had its hottest June temperatures in years Earlier this week, the EU's earth observation programme Copernicus warned hundreds of millions of people have been impacted by these heatwaves - "with implications for health and wellbeing, agriculture and food supplies, energy prices and demand, and natural ecosystem".It said: "Each of these heatwave episodes is striking; either for the extreme temperatures reached locally, their duration, and/or unusually early occurrence for the season."Copernicus added that while these heatwaves were exceptional, they are not unexpected - and they are set to continue as the climate continues to warm globally. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Why heatwaves are getting worse Read more:High stakes, heroes and villains: Tom Heap on our fight to avoid catastrophic climate change'How much more evidence do we need'? Planet breaks four climate records in one year, WMO warnsBack in the UK, provisional figures from the Met Office show the average mean temperature for June 2022 was 13.9C (57F) - 0.6C higher than the long-term average between 1991 and 2020.So far, not a single month in 2022 has delivered a mean temperature that is below average - and the period from January to June has been in the top five warmest for the UK in a series from 1884.Dr Mark McCarthy of the National Climate Information Centre said: "This doesn't mean that cooler months won't still occur, such is the natural variability of the UK climate, but a warming trend for the UK over a longer period is consistent with what we've seen in our climate figures."Watch the Daily Climate Show at 3.30pm Monday to Friday on Sky News, the Sky News website and app, on YouTube and Twitter.The show investigates how global warming is changing our landscape and highlights solutions to the crisis. | Climate Change |
By Esme StallardClimate and science reporter, BBC NewsImage source, Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The San Francisco Chronicle Scientists have identified the weather conditions that create dry lightning, which starts California's most devastating wildfires.These conditions can be modelled over the long term to better predict these very rare weather events. And this will help governments and emergency services respond more quickly, as extreme wildfires increase in frequency and size.Dry lightning strikes when there is less than 2.5mm (0.01in) of rainfall.The lower part of the Earth's atmosphere - the troposphere - is so dry that the rain that normally comes with lightning evaporates before it falls.Now, the scientists have identified the conditions that allow this:higher land temperaturesdryness in the low tropospheremoisture and instability in the mid-troposphereThe high temperatures and dryness are also ideal conditions for vegetation to burn.And climate change is expected to raise temperatures and reduce rainfall in California in coming years.In August 2020, more than 12,000 dry-lightning strikes started over 650 wildfires across California, burning more than 1.5 million acres of land, with hundreds of thousands of people evacuated.Dry lightning also started the McKinney fire, the state's largest this year, burning for the past week.Media caption, California wildfire grows to more than 50,000 acres in 48 hoursThe paper's lead author, Dmitri Kalashnikov, from Washington State University, said the multiple ignitions in dry-lightning events made them difficult to control."Contrast that to a human-caused fire," he said."That's one location, whether it's arson or accidental, and typically they are near where people can access them. "Consequently, the fire-suppression response can be much faster."But dry-lightning fires could start more than 100km (60 miles) from the nearest road, spreading quickly before firefighters reached them.Lightning had started 28.5% of California wildfires between 1987 and 2020, the study found, but caused 50% of the burnt land.Image source, David McNew/Getty ImagesImage caption, Lightning wildfires can start in remote regions away from emergency servicesCo-author Deepti Singh said the paper could help "understand the meteorology of dry lightning across this region [which] is crucial to inform forecasting, helping to better constrain future risk of wildfire ignition in California". And the scientists now hope to study dry lightning across other parts of the western US, including Oregon and the Rocky Mountains. | Climate Change |
Growing up, I heard the phrase “40 acres and a mule” from all the adults in my life, usually in the context of an unkept promise. “We’re still waiting for our 40 acres,” they’d say, referring to yet another violation of our rights sprayed across the news. When I was old enough to grasp the concept, my parents explained that after the Civil War, our ancestors were promised 40 acres of land and a mule as an “apology” for forced servitude. Growing up in Brooklyn, it was obvious that neither I nor any of my community members were descendants of people who had received such an apology.It took some time before I fully understood that there’s a nuanced relationship between climate change, colonialism, enslavement and reparations that affects all of us profoundly today. When we discuss the reasons for accelerating global warming, our conversations often focus on the corporate waste littering waterways, or emissions pumped into the ozone from factories. While these present-day practices contribute substantially to rising temperatures and more destructive and more frequent natural disasters, colonialism and chattel slavery also play a huge part. And even beginning to address this damage is going to take more than money — it’s going to take new laws and a deeper understanding of how all this damage came to fruition.As one 2019 BBC article explains: “Enslaved people were brought [to North America] to work on the cotton, sugar and tobacco plantations. The crops they grew were sent to Europe or to the northern colonies, to be turned into finished products. Those finished goods were used to fund trips to Africa to obtain more slaves who were then trafficked back to America.” During slavery in North America, it’s believed that 40% of New York’s cotton revenue was earned by shipping companies, insurance companies and financial institutions through this very process.This wealth, in turn, was used to facilitate the pillaging of land stolen from its stewards, Indigenous people. So in many ways, slavery allowed for unbridled greed and a rapid rise in industrialization that exploited people of color while kicking global warming into overdrive.Fast forward to today. The economy that thrived as a result of this system is still operating at the expense of the environment and the lives of people deemed less than human. And so reparations should be thought of not just as repayment for historical wrongdoings, but as a way to fight for a sustainable future.Most of our understanding of reparations comes from a plan to redistribute about 400,000 acres of seized Confederate land to formerly enslaved Black people. This plan is commonly known as the “40 acres and a mule” approach, or the Sherman Field Order No. 15, named for Union General William Sherman, who issued the order. According to various historical accounts, it was initially devised by a group of Black ministers in Savannah, Georgia, and was set to take place on the seized Southern coastal land stretching from South Carolina to Florida. For the first time, there was a plan that could decrease the power held by the Confederacy while addressing the desires of formerly enslaved people to own land and establish their own sovereign state. It would be a place where they could recreate their world outside of enslavement.As historian Lisa Betty puts it, justice is about way more than just a check; it’s about reimagining the world as a place where degradation and land theft are no longer normalized. Betty is a leading reparations advocate who’s been vocal about how reparations are not just an act of social justice, but one of climate justice. In a recent article for Ethical Style Journal, she examines the ways in which white supremacy, colonialism and the enslavement of Black people not only affected the wealth of Black and Indigenous people in this country, but laid a foundation for the current climate crisis. The water tower at the Flint Water Plant looms over Flint, Michigan, on March 4, 2016, nearly two years after the start of the city's water crisis.GEOFF ROBINS via Getty Images“When my ancestors were fighting in the Morant Bay Rebellion of 1865, it was about being against plantation economies,” Betty says, referring to the rebellion in Jamaica led by formerly enslaved people who mobilized against poor living conditions and poverty exacerbated by a drought. “It was about saying no, we shouldn’t have monocrop sugar cane or coffee run through the land, and no food for our communities ... We weren’t fighting to create plantation systems but to sustain and create alternatives to them.” In other words, formerly enslaved people had demands that were bigger than financial restitution; they were more in line with a desire to build something that would ensure a safer, healthier future for Black people. A combination of rabid capitalism and racial erasure has clouded our understanding of what reparations initially entailed: the building of a sustainable future absent of violence against people and nature. Of course, that starts with money. But even those conversations are often left unresolved, because it feels impossible to create a system that provides financial restitution for every descendent of a formerly enslaved person. A recent New York Times piece, about the millions of dollars that descendants of enslaved Haitians paid France for the end of enslavement, reminds us that when it comes to gaslighting Black people, anything is possible.White supremacy has led to an abuse of resources that is literally killing us and the planet. Even if we executed a plan for financial restitution today — say, Venmo-ing all Black Americans — it wouldn’t fix our problems. Many of us have ended up living on land that’s been abused and that abuses us in turn with chemicals, illnesses, floods and higher temperatures. For those experiencing climate apartheid in places like Flint, Michigan, and Louisiana’s Cancer Alley, the history of enslavement leaves an inescapable residue. We need to totally rethink our relationship with each other and with the natural world around us.“We’re still living in a plantation economy, but it’s worse because now more people are reliant on the plantation economy than even before,” Betty says. Our inextricable reliance on the global exploitation of land and people fostered by the institution of slavery, she argues, is expediting the climate crisis. So where do we start with reparations as a solution, and how would it address or even slow down climate change?Catherine Kaiman, attorney and co-founder of the University of Miami School of Law’s Environmental Justice Clinic, pulls from legal scholarship and existing reparationist ideology to propose community-based environmental justice reparations, which she says would allow “for a more narrow and tailored reparations program that centers around the affected community and its needs.”Similar to the reparative demands of formerly enslaved people in 1865, this framework focuses on wrongdoers taking accountability by acknowledging what they did and using their wealth and power to come up with solutions. “This is done by considering the physical injuries of the community, as well as the property damage, financial damage, reputation damage, and psychological damage,” Kaiman says. “These same principles apply to any reparations initiative.”To provide reparations to communities facing environmental injustice, Kaiman says, lawmakers must implement legislation, and wrongdoers have to use their wealth and influence as resources that fund community-based programming centered around the people and environment they exploited. This would restore power to the people and the environment. Though the ultimate goal is to insure that those who are harmed receive the proper redress, Kaiman also acknowledges the shortcomings that come with completely relying on existing environmental legislation. “Environmental laws are actually more adept at addressing current environmental injustices than they are historic injustices, meaning that communities that were previously exposed to contamination through air, soil, or water, have even less legal recourse through environmental laws than those who continue to be actively contaminated,” she says.While an emphasis on current-day climate justice-based reparations may sound like it overlooks historical injustice, Black Americans are currently 75% more likely to live near commercial facilities that produce noise, odors, traffic or emissions that directly affect them. Again, these are the residuals of slavery and Jim Crow-era neighborhood redlining. Ultimately, we need reparations not just as an apology for our nation’s racist past, but for a chance at a sustainable future.“We’re owed so much more than just a little check,” Betty says. “We’re owed the eradication of plantation-based societies, civilizations and economies — and alternatives that were founded in the midst of the chaos that is the ‘colonial climate crisis.’” | Climate Change |
The sun rises above the London skyline, as a second heatwave is predicted for parts of the country, in London, Britain, August 11, 2022. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File PhotoLONDON, Oct 7 (Reuters) - England saw the highest excess mortality figure from heatwaves this year since records began in 2004, health officials said on Friday, after a hot summer that saw temperatures rise to all-time highs.England recorded 2,803 excess deaths among those aged 65 and over during summer heatwaves this year, possibly due to complications arising from extreme heat, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said in a statement. The figures exclude deaths from COVID-19."These estimates show clearly that high temperatures can lead to premature death for those who are vulnerable," UKHSA Chief Scientific Officer Isabel Oliver said.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com"Prolonged periods of hot weather are a particular risk for elderly people, those with heart and lung conditions or people who are unable to keep themselves cool such as people with learning disabilities and Alzheimer's disease."Britain recorded its highest ever temperature, of just above 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in eastern England on July 19.The heatwave, which caused fires across large grass areas, destroyed property and pressured transport infrastructure, had been made at least 10 times more likely because of climate change, scientists said. read more Around 1,000 excess deaths were recorded among those over 65 between July 17-20, the UKHSA said, while the Aug. 8-17 period recorded an estimated 1,458 excess deaths.Statisticians use "excess deaths" — a term that became more commonplace during the coronavirus pandemic — to describe the number of fatalities in excess of normally observed mortality numbers for a particular time of year.Despite peaks in mortality during heatwaves, the majority of days in the winter usually show a higher number of deaths than in the summer, ONS Head of Mortality Analysis Sarah Caul said.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Sachin Ravikumar; Editing by Alistair SmoutOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Climate Change |
A general view of the Norwegian central bank, where Norway's sovereign wealth fund is situated, in Oslo, Norway, March 6, 2018. REUTERS/Gwladys Fouche/File PhotoRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSummaryCompaniesFirms it invests in must cut emissions to net zero by 2050Plan is in line with the Paris AgreementFollows proposal by Norwegian governmentFocus on dialogue rather than divestmentOSLO, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Norway's $1.2 trillion wealth fund, the world's largest, said on Tuesday it would decarbonise its holdings by pushing firms to cut their greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050 in line with the Paris Agreement.The fund invests the revenue from Western Europe's biggest oil and gas producer for future generations in stocks, bonds, property and renewable projects abroad.One of the world's largest investors, it owns on average 1.3% of all listed global stocks and its size is equivalent to $219,000 for every Norwegian man, woman and child.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com"Our long-term return will completely depend on how the companies in our portfolio manage the transition to a zero emissions society," CEO Nicolai Tangen said.Tuesday's plan follows a proposal made in April by the government, which said the fund should push the 9,300 companies it invests in to cut their net emissions to zero by 2050. read more Reuters GraphicsThe fund has engaged with the companies it invests in on climate change for over a decade by, for instance, setting out its expectations as a shareholder on climate change.Under the new plan, the fund will prioritise its dialogue on the 174 companies that are the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases and account for 70% of the fund's emissions via its shareholdings.All companies the fund invests in will also need to have a plan to cut emissions to net zero by 2050."They need zero targets, they need to anchor these targets in plans that follow plans to reduce emissions globally," Wilhelm Mohn, global head of corporate governance, told reporters."We use our vote against companies ... Sometimes we will have our own motions at annual general meetings."Still, the fund reiterated it would not divest from big emitters to achieve these targets but instead be an "active shareholder" to effect change. read more "The easy way to cut down emissions is to sell out," Tangen told a news conference. "But someone needs to own these companies and it does not solve the problem, quite the contrary."Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Victoria Klesty, editing by Gwladys Fouche and Jason NeelyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Climate Change |
As the climate impact of food becomes clearer, consumers are considering how they can alter their diets. The food we eat is responsible for one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions — but what is the actual carbon cost of your weekly shop?Weigh your favourite items“People are much more attentive to food now,” says Robin May, chief scientific adviser for the UK’s Food Standards Agency. “We know that a very significant portion of the population has shifted their diet, or tried to shift their diet in the last 12 to 18 months in order to become more sustainable.” Consumers, he says, have a right to “honest, transparent labelling of food”.This is where carbon labelling comes in. A 2020 survey for the net zero emissions advocacy group Carbon Trust found that the majority of consumers in the UK, US and various European countries supported the idea of carbon labels on food items.Denmark has announced it will spend DKr9mn ($1.3mn) to develop carbon labelling proposals by the end of the year, becoming one of the first nations to do so. Oat milk company Oatly has carbon labels on its products, while plant-based food group Quorn started to put carbon data on some of its products in 2020 and is aiming to do so for the rest by the end of this year.Access to reliable data is crucial, as the public’s gut feeling is “absolutely terrible” when it comes to judging which steps of food production created the most emissions, says David Bryngelsson, chief executive of CarbonCloud, a climate change research company that calculates the environmental impact of food.As food companies, retailers and environmental groups work on carbon labelling schemes, the Financial Times has created an interactive tool to help you calculate the greenhouse gas emissions of your groceries so that you can understand the carbon cost of what you eat.The scales use data from CarbonCloud to show the climate footprint of each item, from farm to aisle. On top of the calculation for the production process, the figures capture the emissions from transporting the item from a typical country of origin to a UK supermarket. The footprint includes all greenhouse gases, from carbon dioxide to methane and nitrous oxide, that play a significant role in the food industry.Meat, fish and alternativesThe single most emission-intensive item in our digital supermarket is beef fillet steak.Multiple studies have shown that producing a kilogram of animal protein requires significantly more land, energy and water than producing the same weight in plant protein. Emissions at the farm stage typically dwarf those from processes later in the supply chain, such as transport and packaging.“Most [greenhouse gas] emissions occur in agriculture, either due to ruminant animals burping methane or due to the use of fertilisers,” says Adisa Azapagic, an expert in environmental systems analysis at the University of Manchester.Climate footprint of selected foods, in kgCO2eq/kg05101520Beef mince21Prawns, frozen19.9Salmon fillet, frozen7Pork chops5.8Chicken breast4.1Plant-based burger1.8Tofu1.3“The most important change we can make to reduce the carbon footprint of our diet is to eat less meat,” says Hannah Ritchie, head of research at the University of Oxford’s Our World in Data, a scientific online publication. Eating less red meat, specifically beef and lamb, was particularly effective as these animals produce large amounts of methane, a short-lived but extremely potent greenhouse gas.There is some debate about the differing impact of grass-fed beef and grain or soya-fed beef. Proponents of the former argue that it minimises the environmental harm from producing the animals’ feed. They also say responsibly managed pastureland cuts the need for inputs such as fertiliser in the chain and acts as a carbon sink. Advocates for grain-fed beef counter that these animals reach slaughter-weight more quickly and therefore release less methane into the atmosphere over their lifespans.A 2018 study found that wild-caught fishing resulted in fewer emissions than beef or lamb on average, although there were large variations between regions of the world, as well as between different species of fish.Crustacean fisheries, such as those catching prawns and lobster, were found to use the most fuel and generate the most emissions relative to the size of their catch. Per kilo, frozen prawns are responsible for around three times the emissions of pork chops.Industrial fishing also causes other issues. Roughly one-third of the world’s fish stocks are overexploited and in decline. The climate footprint of farmed fish is highly variable too — the species of fish, production of the feed and location of the farm all play a role. Another concern is farms polluting coastal areas with excess nutrients from fish faeces and uneaten feed, which can lead to oxygen depletion and destruction of local ecosystems.Dairy and alternativesIn the dairy aisle, substantial greenhouse gas savings can be made by replacing cow’s milk with a plant-based alternative. Rice, oat and soya drinks all generate less than half the emissions of milk.Ritchie says it is a common misconception that food products for human consumption made from soya, such as tofu or milk, are among the causes of Amazon deforestation.Climate footprint of selected foods, in kgCO2eq/kg05101520Cheddar14.2Mozzarella8.7Plant-based cheese2.6Milk, full-fat1.9Rice milk0.7Oat milk0.4Soya milk0.4“It’s true that soya [production] is linked with deforestation across South America, but the vast majority of the world’s soya is fed to livestock”, she says.The US Department of Agriculture estimates that 75 per cent of the world’s soya output is used as feed for animals. As demand for meat has grown, so has the rate of destruction of the Amazon rainforest and savannas. Some brands of soya milk are now certified to show that they have no deforestation links.Almond milk, which is not included in CarbonCloud’s dataset, was found to carry a relatively modest carbon footprint in other studies. The major drawback is that almonds require large amounts of water for irrigation — 370 litres to produce 1 litre of almond milk, according to one analysis.Cheese products have a high climate footprint, although they tend to be eaten in smaller portions than meat. It takes about 10 litres of milk to make 1kg of cheese and the resulting emissions can be three times higher than those required to produce 1kg of chicken or pork.Taste and texture differences aside, a plant-based cheese substitute generates between one-third and one-fifth of the emissions of a cheese made from cow’s milk. Butter also weighs heavily on our scales. Producing 1kg of the traditional cow’s milk variety creates more than four times the emissions of chicken thighs or breasts.Fruit and vegetablesAs we move into the fruit and vegetables aisle, the stakes become lower. While there is a lot of variation between products, they are all significantly more climate-friendly than meat or dairy products.This is true even for items transported halfway around the world, such as bananas from South America. “People often think ‘eat locally’ is the most important thing they can do . . . [but] transport accounts for only a small percentage of food’s emissions,” says Ritchie.Climate footprint of selected foods, in kgCO2eq/kg05101520Cucumber2.2Tomatoes1.8Avocado1.1Bananas0.5Carrots0.4Apples0.3That is because many of the foods people assume travel by air are actually transported by ship, which is a more efficient form of transportation despite still being predominantly powered by fossil fuels. According to one analysis in the journal Science, less than 1 per cent of food miles come from air travel.Avocados imported from tropical regions — often perceived as a symbol of western consumers’ increasingly unsustainable food preferences — are only modestly more costly in emissions terms than most fruits and vegetables grown in the UK. However, there are environmental concerns about high water and land use.Azapagic says one factor that can drive up the climate footprint of certain vegetables is cultivation in heated greenhouses. Tomatoes sold in British supermarkets are often grown this way for part of the year, whereas carrots can be grown in the UK’s natural climate all year round. According to CarbonCloud’s data, the climate footprint of tomatoes is almost seven times as high as that of carrots.Snacks and drinksWhat is the climate impact of our guilty pleasures? The same general rule applies as in previous categories: dairy-based products such as milk chocolate or ice cream tend to have larger footprints than those made from plants and cereals.A study by the University of Manchester shows that chocolate is among the least environmentally sustainable products because of factors such as deforestation and emissions from raw materials, including dairy. Energy use and packaging also raise sustainability issues.Climate footprint of selected foods, in kgCO2eq/kg05101520Milk chocolate5.9Ice cream4.3Potato crisps2.9Peanut butter2.1Raspberry sorbet1.4All data provided by CarbonCloud. The figures represent benchmark averages rather than specific brands or products.Each product’s climate footprint includes greenhouse gas emissions generated from producing the food as well as packaging, transport and storage. The modelling assumes that the consumer is based in the UK.The portion sizes are based on suggestions from the Association of UK Dietitians and additional FT research for specific food items not included in their list.The numbers include emissions of carbon dioxide as well as methane and nitrous oxide, which play a significant role in the food industry. All greenhouse gases are converted into a comparable unit — carbon dioxide equivalents — based on their global warming potential, which is a measure of their effect on the climate.Where one production process results in multiple products, such as different cuts of meat from the same cow, a larger share of the emissions has been assigned to the more expensive products. This is referred to as “economic allocation”.Illustrations by Carolina VargasCopyright The Financial Times Limited 2022. All rights reserved. | Climate Change |
All future coal and gas projects would be assessed on whether they would make climate change worse under legislation the Greens will introduce into the Senate, as support for the so-called “climate trigger” grows among those crucial to passing Labor’s climate bill.The push comes as industry and conservation groups on Monday called on the parliament to pass the Albanese government’s bill, which legislates its 43% emissions reduction target, hailing it as an important step towards “greater climate policy certainty”.The government cannot pass the bill without the support from the Greens and independent senator David Pocock, who also called for a climate trigger last week.The “sticking point” in the discussions between Labor and the Greens centre around future coal and gas projects: the Greens want an agreement that no new projects will be approved, but Labor has said that is not feasible.The Greens’ environment and water spokesperson, Sarah Hanson-Young, said a climate trigger would force the government to look at the actual impacts new projects would have on the climate.“Putting a ‘climate trigger’ in law will force corporations to be honest about how much pollution their new projects and mines will create and force the minister to consider the climate impacts before giving any environmental approval,” she said.“Current environment laws are not fit for purpose. It makes no sense that an application for a new mine or development is not assessed for the impact the project’s emissions will have on the climate.“Any suggestion a project can ‘stack up environmentally’, justifying the environment minister giving it the green light, is a complete furphy.”The environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, has previously not ruled out a climate trigger in new laws on fossil fuel project assessments, but she has also pointed to a major review of laws last year that said climate impacts could be addressed in other ways.Labor’s bill will not pass the Senate without the Greens’ support. The climate change and energy minister, Chris Bowen, has said the government does not need to legislate its 43% emissions reduction target to take action, but that putting it into law will give security and certainty to business and investor groups, as well as signal that Australia is serious about taking action on climate. Sign up to receive an email with the top stories from Guardian Australia every morning Sign up to receive the top stories from Guardian Australia every morningSignatories to a joint statement released on Monday, which include the Australian Industry Group, the Australian Energy Council, the Australian Conservation Foundation and the Australian Institute of Company Directors, said the lack of settled national policy had hurt Australia.“There is bipartisan and broad community and business support for achieving net zero emissions by 2050,” the group of eight signatories said. “The government legislating a 2030 target of at least a 43% emissions reduction under the Paris agreement establishes some much-needed policy certainty.“Importantly the legislation includes a process for advice and adoption of deeper targets over time. It also provides clarity to investors and the business community more broadly, given all nations have committed under the Paris agreement to only strengthen their stated contributions.”The week in Australian politics with Amy Remeikis: parliament is back – videoThe previous Morrison government refused to entertain legislating its own lower emission reduction targets, insisting regulation changes were all that were needed.But the group of signatories, which also includes the Investor Group on Climate Change, the Governance Institute of Australia, the Responsible Investment Association Australasia and the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors, said legislating the target “was a timely signal” that would “further encourage” organisations to “progress their own decarbonisation plans”.The government plans on passing its climate bill through the House this week. The Senate has already started an inquiry into the legislation. | Climate Change |
World September 16, 2022 / 10:20 AM / CBS/AP Floodwaters triggered by heavy rainfall swept through several towns in a hilly region of central Italy early Friday, leaving 10 people dead and at least four missing, authorities said. Dozens of survivors scrambled onto rooftops or up trees to await rescue."It wasn't a water bomb, it was a tsunami," Riccardo Pasqualini, the mayor of Barbara, told Italian state radio of the sudden downpour Thursday evening that devastated his town in the Marche region, near the Adriatic Sea. This picture released by Italian firefighters shows an aerial view of the Senigallia area after floods hit the Marche region in central-east Italy, Sept. 16, 2022. Italian firefighters - Vigili del Fuoco via AP He said the flooding left the 1,300 residents of Barbara without drinking water and with spotty telephone service. A mother and her young daughter were missing after trying to escape the floodwaters, the mayor told the Italian news agency ANSA. While firefighters reported at least seven confirmed deaths and three people missing, RAI state TV quoted the local prefect's office as saying there were 10 confirmed deaths. Two children, including a boy swept out of his mother's arms in Barbara, were among four people still unaccounted for as of late Friday morning.Some 50 people were treated at hospitals for injuries. Many of the 300 firefighters on rescue operations waded through waist-high water in flooded streets, while others operated rubber dinghies to scoop up survivors along their path.The fire department tweeted that dozens of people who were trapped in cars or had clambered up to rooftops or climbed trees to escape rising floodwaters had been brought to safety. Aerial video posted by the fire department showed the devastation. #Maltempo #Marche, la ricognizione aerea dell’elicottero dei #vigilidelfuoco del reparto volo di Pescara sulle aree alluvionate di #Senigallia (AN) #16settembre pic.twitter.com/vOzmav8unM— Vigili del Fuoco (@vigilidelfuoco) September 16, 2022 Police officers in the town of Sassoferrato recounted the rescue of a man trapped in a car. Unable to reach him, they extended a long branch, which the man grabbed onto and then officers pulled him to safety.Helicopters were also deployed to rescue seven people in the more remote towns of the Apennine Mountains, which form the backbone of central Italy. Reuters footage showed the flash floods left a trail of trapped and damaged cars."My fruit shop has been turned upside down," Luciana Agostinelli, a local resident, told Reuters.Floodwaters invaded garages and basements and with its weight and force knocked down doors."It was an extreme event, more than an exceptional one,'' climatologist Massimiliano Fazzini told Italian state TV. He said that based on his calculations the amount of rain that fell, concentrated over four hours that included an especially heavy 15-minute period, was the most in hundreds of years.In a space of a few hours, the region was deluged with the amount of rainfall it usually receives in six months, state TV said.Some of the worst flooding struck in and around the town of Senigallia, where a river overflowed its banks. Hamlets in the hills near the Renaissance tourist town of Urbino were also inundated when fast-moving rivers of water, mud and debris rushed through streets.Storms spark climate change debate ahead of electionsThe tragedy occurred just days before the Sept. 25 general elections, and condolences for those affected poured in from across the political spectrum. Front-runner Giorgia Meloni, whose far-right Brothers of Italy party is hoping to become prime minister, offered "full solidarity" with those affected.The president of the region surrounding Ancona, Marche, is a member of her party.The flooding came after a drought in Italy, and many have drawn the link with climate change — a subject which has taken a back seat during the election campaign."How can you think that the fight against climate change is not the first priority?" said Meloni's main rival, Enrico Letta, head of the center-left Democratic Party.He said he was "stunned and speechless" at the news from Marche, saying he was suspending campaigning in the region.Francesco Rocca, president of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said its teams were heading to help."Very concerned by the growth of extreme weather events," he said on Twitter. This summer's drought, the worst in 70 years, drained the Po River, Italy's largest water reservoir.The baking heat has in recent weeks been followed by storms, the water flooding land rendered hard as concrete.In July, 11 people were killed when a section of Italy's biggest Alpine glacier gave way, in a disaster officials blamed on climate change.The EU's economy commissioner, Paolo Gentiloni, a former Italian premier, said he shed tears for the victims of the floods in Marche."Italy and Europe must take climate change seriously," he tweeted.Paola Pino d'Astore, an expert at the Italian Society of Environmental Geology, told Reuters the floods were due to climate change."It is an irreversible phenomenon, a taste of what our future will be," she said. AFP contributed to this report. In: Italy Flood Thanks for reading CBS NEWS. Create your free account or log in for more features. Please enter email address to continue Please enter valid email address to continue | Climate Change |
The 2022 Atlantic hurricane season is in full swing, and most meteorology experts expect another active season like the previous two years. There are already some things that have caught my eye. However, is there anything particularly unusual or out of the ordinary about the season so far? Let’s explore this question from a couple of different perspectives. Resident leave the Bluefields port before the arrival of Tropical Storm Bonnie in Bluefields, ... [+] Nicaragua, on July 1, 2022. - A potential tropical cyclone was moving towards the Caribbean coasts of Nicaragua and Costa Rica in Central America on Thursday, as citizens braced for the storm's possible consequences. (Photo by OSWALDO RIVAS / AFP) (Photo by OSWALDO RIVAS/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images The next storm would be called “Danielle.” Is it unusually early to have the “C” storm (Colin) by July 4th? Yes. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the third named storm is typically not expected until around August 3rd. In fact, the second named storm of the year, from a climatological lens, does not typically happen until around July 17th. In the Atlantic Basin, the first hurricane is usually expected around August 11th. From this perspective, the season is off to an early start compared to the climatology over the most recent 30-year period. As I write this, the tropical Atlantic basin is fairly quite. According to NOAA, an outbreak of Saharan Dust is hindering any significant development. However, there is something else a bit anomalous according to tropical meteorology expert Dr. Michael Ventrice, a meteorological software engineer with DFW. He told me in a message, “The biggest anomaly I'm seeing right now is the abnormally hot water in the northern Gulf of Mexico, with a pocket of 30C+ ocean temperatures.” That’s really hot water for this time of year. Additionally, the western Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico are the typical breeding spots for tropical cyclones in the early part of the season. Ventrice went on to say, “If you remove the atmosphere out of the equation, this ocean state does promote risk for rapidly intensifying tropical cyclones prior to landfall across the Gulf States.” Dr. Ventrice also pointed out something to me about the Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO), which is explained at this link. He said, “ The suppressed phase of the MJO will be propagating over Africa and the Indian Ocean over the next few weeks, which will quiet down the Atlantic basin.” He cautioned, however, that there are indications that the active phase of the MJO could push back across Africa and the Indian Ocean during the front half of August. He warned, “This could lead to a burst of Atlantic Hurricane activity during the 2nd-3rd week of August.” Stu Ostro is Senior Meteorologist at The Weather Channel. He has also noticed a few curious idiosyncrasies this season, but he says there is nothing that jumps out to him as particularly meteorologically significant. He pointed out that both Alex and Bonnie were designated as Potential Tropical Cyclones (PTC) for a particularly long time before being named. The PTC designation is a relatively new tool used by the National Hurricane Center to initiate risk communication. Ostro also noted that Bonnie maintained its low-level circulation and thus name as it crossed into the Pacific. Ostro was one of the first meteorologists to pick up on “Colin” before it was actually given a name near coastal Carolinas and Georgia. It was a quick spin-up system near the warm Gulf Stream current that certainly can happen. I saw a few meteorologists on social media complaining about the storm receiving a name because it was not causing “headline grabbing winds”, but I believe that it was warranted. Noted broadcast meteorologist Richard “Heatwave” Berler made an excellent point when he tweeted that satellite-based scatterometer data was significant in helping to nail the storm circulation of Tropical Storm Colin. With so many people at the coast for the July 4th weekend, naming the storm, in my view, helped with messaging for dangerous currents and other hazards. Ostro makes another important point. He messaged, “PTCs are a relatively new designation (if it had always been around, might there have been many other such cases?); crossovers from the Caribbean to east Pac have happened before; and there have been other quick spin-ups near the Southeast coast (and whether or not to designate 96L as Tropical Storm Colin involved at least some human subjectivity).” Ostro also added a little weather geekery into his message and said, “The main thing that caught my eye meteorologically was how, for a while, convectively active the African Easterly Waves (AEWs) were from Africa across the tropical Atlantic so early in the season.” A man rides his motorbike along a street flooded with rain water in the Venezuelan city of La ... [+] Guaira, as Tropical Cyclone "Bonnie" arrives in the country, on June 29, 2022. - Venezuela suspended classes at all levels of education on Wednesday and Thursday before the arrival of a tropical cyclone in the next few hours, which will also restrict general and private flights. The United States National Hurricane Center (NHC for its acronym in English) earlier this week reported the formation of a "potential" tropical cyclone, Bonnie, with an impact on the Caribbean, Venezuela and northern Colombia. (Photo by Pedro RANCES MATTEY / AFP) (Photo by PEDRO RANCES MATTEY/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images University of Miami hurricane expert Brian McNoldy pointed out this oddity. He wrote, “Agatha went from the Pacific and reformed in the Atlantic as Alex. Then Bonnie went from the Atlantic and survived intact to remain Bonnie in the Pacific.” He went on to add that, “Crossovers aren't too common to begin with, so having both types occur almost immediately in the season is quite bizarre.”
Bonnie was also a bit unique in how far south it formed and tracked before crossing over into the Pacific. The storm scraped northern portions of South America before affecting Central America. Stu Ostro circled back to me and said, “Apparently this is the first time a system (Bonnie has been a tropical storm on the Atlantic/Caribbean side and then become a hurricane over the Pacific, much less a Cat 3.” He cautioned on what to read into these oddities by saying, “So I suppose that gives Bonnie more of a "oddity" nature, though I'm still not sure whether there's any more to be read into that vs. it just being interesting but random.”
I think Andy Hazleton probably captures the big picture that many of the aforementioned experts also alluded to. Hazleton, an assistant scientist at the University of Miami and NOAA’s Hurricane Research Division, wrote, “I wish I could give you something interesting but honestly nothing really jumps out at me. Pretty climatologically typical development (and now the quiet period) so far.” My own interpretation is that there have been some quirks and early activity but nothing outside of the boundaries of what experts have seen. However, it would be irresponsible for me to ignore that climate change is certainly associated with warming sea surface temperatures (see Ventrice’s comment earlier). We have also seen two of the most active hurricane seasons on record (2020 and 2021). My point here is to note that natural variability and a “recency” bias during the satellite in naming quick spin-up or smaller storms are real things. However, neither of those things refutes the literature that the DNA of climate change is likely now affecting tropical cyclone activity. TOPSHOT - In this aerial view, storm damaged boats are seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael on ... [+] October 11, 2018 in Panama City, Florida. - Residents of the Florida Panhandle woke to scenes of devastation Thursday after Michael tore a path through the coastal region as a powerful hurricane that killed at least two people. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP) (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images | Climate Change |
A plan to triple the rate of peatland restoration in Wales to help combat the climate emergency and protect one of the country’s most celebrated birds, the curlew, has been announced by the Welsh government.The Labour-led administration said on Monday it had accepted a raft of recommendations from an expert panel on how to halt biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse across the country’s varied land and seascapes.It agreed that one of its most pressing was to restore its peaty bogs, moors and mires, which are crucial because of their role in storing carbon, alleviating the risk of flooding by slowing the flow of water from uplands and providing vital habitats for birds such as curlew, skylark and golden plover. It will ramp up its restoration target from 600 hectares a year to 1,800.Peatlands in Wales, as across other areas of the world, have vanished over the last few centuries because of extraction, burning, over-grazing and global warming.The Welsh minister for climate change, Julie James, said: “Taking peat out of the ground has been one of the worst abuses of the planet in the last 100 years and more.” She said restoring peatland was crucial because it sequestered carbon so effectively.“It is also deeply embedded in our culture and heritage.”Speaking at a conference at the National Botanic Garden of Wales in Carmarthenshire, south-west Wales, James picked out the curlew – gylfinir in Welsh – as one of the creatures that will benefit. The bird’s bubbling, haunting call is traditionally regarded by many as a harbinger of spring but there are concerns there could be as few as 400 breeding pairs left in Wales.The five-day conference is hearing about a wide range of projects ranging from helping protect the angelshark (Squatina squatina) off the Welsh coast to saving the country’s ancient trees.The peatland plan follows a “deep dive” commissioned by the Welsh government to assess how nature recovery can best be accelerated.Its recommendations ranged from improving the condition, connectivity and resilience of protected sites to creating larger conservation areas at sea. Another specific recommendation is to establish a “targeted scheme” to support restoration of seagrass and salt-marsh habitats along the Welsh coastline.The government said it would accept all the recommendations and establish an independent expert working group to monitor Wales’ progress against the targets. James said “a decade of decisive action” was needed to “jump-start the restoration of our ecosystems”.A report published in 2019 said that one in six species of flora and fauna is at risk of disappearing from Wales, blaming loss of habitat due to farming and climate change.Sharon Thompson, of RSPB Cymru and a member of the panel that undertook the deep-dive, welcomed the move on peatland but said it would be important to improve the quality of all protected sites, make them bigger, create new sites and make sure they are better connected.The Welsh Conservatives accused Labour of “empty rhetoric”. The shadow minister for climate change, Janet Finch-Saunders, said: “It is all well and good for Labour to set a new series of targets but why haven’t we seen this sooner? Labour ministers need to act and act now.” | Climate Change |
World Sep 16, 2022 10:01 AM EDT Floodwaters are receding in Pakistan’s worst-hit southern Sindh province, officials said Friday, a potentially bright sign in an ongoing crisis that has left hundreds of thousands of people homeless in the impoverished South Asian country.
The Indus River, which remained swollen until earlier this month, was now rushing at “normal” levels towards the Arabian Sea, according to Mohammad Irfan, an irrigation official in hard-hit Sindh. The water level in the past 48 hours receded as much as three feet in some of the inundated areas nearby, including the Khairpur and Johi towns, where waist-high water damaged crops and homes earlier this month.
WATCH MORE: Millions of flood victims in Pakistan now at risk of waterborne disease
A day earlier, engineers had opened a key highway in the southwestern Baluchistan province, allowing rescue workers to speed aid to those suffering in a race against the spread of waterborne diseases and dengue fever.
Still, hundreds of thousands of people in Sindh are living in makeshift homes and tents. Authorities say it will take months to completely drain the water in Sindh.
Nationwide, floods have damaged 1.8 million homes, washed away roads and destroyed nearly 400 bridges, according to the National Disaster Management Authority. The deluge has killed 1,508 people since mid-June, inundated millions of acres of land and affected 33 million people. More than half a million people have been left homeless. At one point, nearly a third of the impoverished country was underwater. Several economists say the cost of the disaster may reach $30 billion.
READ MORE: How to help Pakistan’s flood victims
Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has urged developed countries, especially those behind climate change, to scale up aid to his country. Sharif on Friday met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Uzbekistan on the sidelines of a summit of a security group and thanked him for sending aid, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said.
The previous day, scientists and experts in the latest study about ongoing floods in Pakistan said that the country’s overall vulnerability, including people living in harm’s way, was the chief factor in the disaster. But “climate change” also played a role in causing heavy rains, which triggered flooding in the country.
August rainfall in the Sindh and Baluchistan provinces — together nearly the size of Spain — was at least seven times normal amounts, while the country as a whole had more than triple its normal rainfall. That’s according to the report by World Weather Attribution, a collection of mostly volunteer scientists from around the world who do real-time studies of extreme weather to look for evidence of climate change.
READ MORE: UN chief links Pakistan floods and climate change, urges international community to deliver aid
In Pakistan, the country’s minister for climate change, Sherry Rehman, was the first to publicly blame the developed world for causing climate-induced unusually heavy monsoon rains, which started in June and are expected to continue this month.
“Pakistan, at least in the south, is totally inundated. Outside of Karachi, go a little further up in Sindh and you will see an ocean of water, with no break,” she tweeted recently. “Where to place the tents, where to find dry ground? How to feed 33 million people plus? How to get them healthcare? Help us.” Left: A woman and a girl wash themselves as they stand amid flood water, while taking refuge in a camp, following rains and floods during the monsoon season in Sehwan, Sindh province, Pakistan September 14, 2022. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro | Climate Change |
Climate scientists described the shocking images of gas spewing to the surface of the Baltic Sea as a "reckless release" of greenhouse gas emissions that, if deliberate, "amounts to an environmental crime."Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty ImagesTwo subsea pipelines connecting Russia to Germany are at the center of international intrigue after a series of blasts caused what might be the single largest release of methane in history — and many suspect it was the result of an attack.An initial crime scene investigation last week into what caused the gas leaks on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines reinforced suspicions of "gross sabotage."As investigations continue, many in Europe suspect the incident was the result of an attack, particularly as it occurred during a bitter energy standoff between the European Union and Russia.The Kremlin has repeatedly dismissed claims it destroyed the pipelines, calling such allegations "stupid" and "absurd," and claiming that it is the U.S. that had the most to gain from the gas leaks.The White House has denied any involvement in the suspected attack.What happened?On Sept. 26, a flurry of detonations on two underwater pipelines connecting Russia to Germany sent gas spewing to the surface of the Baltic Sea. The explosions triggered four gas leaks at four locations — two in Denmark's exclusive economic zone and two in Sweden's exclusive economic zone.The magnitude of those explosions was measured at 2.3 and 2.1 on the Richter scale, respectively, Swedish and Danish authorities said, and likely corresponded to an explosive load of "several hundred kilos."Neither of the Nord Stream pipelines was transporting gas at the time of the blasts, although they both contained pressurized methane — a potent greenhouse gas.Remarkably, the signature of the gas bubbling at the surface of the Baltic Sea could be seen from space.A satellite image of the Nord Stream leak in the Baltic Sea, captured on Sept. 26, 2022.PlanetClimate scientists described the shocking images of the methane erupting from the burst as a "reckless release" of greenhouse gas emissions that, if deliberate, "amounts to an environmental crime."At the time, Denmark's armed forces said video footage showed the largest gas leak created a surface disturbance of roughly 1 kilometer (0.62 miles) in diameter, while the smallest leak caused a circle of approximately 200 meters.The Nord Stream gas pipelines have become a focal point of tensions between Russia and Europe in recent months, with Moscow accused of weaponizing gas supplies in a bid to gain sanctions relief amid its onslaught in Ukraine.Who's to blame?Sweden's national security service said Thursday that detonations caused "extensive damage" to the pipelines and "strengthened suspicions of gross sabotage."Sweden's Security Service said certain seizures had been made, without offering further details, and that these would now be reviewed and analyzed."The continued preliminary investigation must show whether someone can be served with suspicion and later prosecuted," Sweden's Security Service said.Sweden's prosecutor's office said in a separate statement that the area was no longer cordoned off.The European Union has warned that any deliberate attack on European energy infrastructure would be met with the "strongest possible response," calling what it suspects is an intentional attack "utterly unacceptable."Most Western governments have stopped short of pointing the finger directly at Russia, while the Kremlin has sought to pin the blame on the West.U.S. President Joe Biden described the blasts on the Nord Stream pipelines as a "deliberate act of sabotage" late last month, saying Washington was working with its allies to work out exactly what happened.Fatih Birol, the executive director of the International Energy Agency, said at a conference in Paris last month that it was "very obvious" who was responsible for the gas leaks, Reuters reported. He did not say who that was, however.Russia has denied it was responsible for the gas leaks. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on Thursday that such claims were "absurd," according to Tass news agency.Zakharova emphasized the "enormous investment" that the Kremlin took in the infrastructure project and lashed out at the West for blocking Moscow from taking part in the investigations.Environmental impactThe unexplained Nord Stream gas leaks pose serious questions about the incident's environmental impact.Climate scientists acknowledged in the aftermath of the event that it was hard to accurately quantify the exact size of the emissions and said the leaks are a "wee bubble in the ocean" compared with the massive amounts of methane emitted around the world every day.Methane is 84 times more potent than carbon and doesn't last as long in the atmosphere before it breaks down. That makes it a critical target for combatting climate change quickly while simultaneously minimizing other greenhouse gas emissions."It was a deliberate act and in my opinion it can very likely be linked to the push for constant provocation by the Kremlin," Spanish Energy Minister Teresa Ribera told reporters last month, according to Reuters.Europa Press News | Europa Press | Getty ImagesThe two Nord Stream pipelines were estimated to have contained enough gas to release 300,000 tons of methane — more than twice the amount released by the 2015 Aliso Canyon leak in California, the largest known release of methane in U.S. history.While that means it could be one of the largest single releases of methane, the incident pales in comparison with the roughly 70 million tons of methane emitted by the oil and gas industry each year.The European Space Agency estimated that the emissions leak from the Nord Stream gas pipelines was roughly equivalent to one and a half days of global methane emissions.Nonetheless, environmental campaigners argued the incident serves as yet another reminder of the risks associated with fossil fuel infrastructure.— CNBC's Emma Newburger contributed to this report. | Climate Change |
BP's Deepwater Horizon rig burns in April 2010 following an explosion that led to the worst oil spill in US history.Associated Press This story was originally published by the Guardian and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration.
Campaigners have urged governments to intervene after oil companies were accused of misleading the public about their commitment to reducing carbon emissions.
Oil and gas companies including Britain’s Shell and BP were urged to “stop their deception” this week as the US House committee on oversight and reform released documents showing that oil industry executives privately downplayed their public messages on efforts to tackle the climate crisis.
The memo claimed that internal BP documents highlighted how carbon capture and storage (CCS)—a nascent technology that involves inserting CO2 emissions into underground rock formations—could “enable the full use of fossil fuels across the energy transition and beyond.”
Congressional investigators also unearthed an internal Shell email discussing carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) in which an executive said: “We want to be careful to not talk about CCUS as prolonging the life of oil, gas or fossil fuels writ large.”
The committee said internal Shell messaging guidance—developed to “insulate Shell” from lawsuits about “greenwashing” and “misleading investors” on the climate crisis—calls on employees to emphasize that net zero emissions is “a collective ambition for the world” rather than a “Shell goal or target.” The guidance tells employees: “Please do not give the impression that Shell is willing to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to levels that do not make business sense.”
In separate documents, the oil companies ExxonMobil and Chevron appeared to ask the industry-led Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI) to “remove language that potentially commits members to enhanced climate-related governance, strategy, risk management, and performance metrics and targets” and to avoid any “explicit commitment for OGCI companies to align their advocacy with their climate related positions”—including advocacy for the 2015 Paris agreement.
Climate campaigners and some investors have pushed energy companies to commit to more ambitious emissions reduction targets. The activist investor Follow This has tabled resolutions at shareholder meetings in an attempt to get companies to agree to targets in line with the Paris accord.
Shell lost a landmark ruling in the Dutch courts last year, when a judge ordered it to cut its global carbon emissions by 45 percent by the end of 2030 compared with 2019 levels. Campaigners hope the incoming chief executive, Wael Sawan, whose appointment was announced on Thursday, can increase the company’s investment in green energy.
The committee said that, after Shell posted on Twitter asking others what they would do to reduce emissions, a communications executive wrote privately that he agreed this could be seen as “gaslighting” the public. “We are, after all, in a tweet like this implying others need to sacrifice without focusing on ourselves,” he said.
Carolyn Maloney, the chair of the House committee on oversight and reform, said: “As we face more deadly, extreme weather around the globe, fossil fuel companies are reaping record profits and ramping up their misleading PR tactics to distract from their central role in fueling the climate crisis.
“My committee’s investigation leaves no doubt that, in the words of one company official, big oil is ‘gaslighting’ the public. These companies claim they are part of the solution to climate change, but internal documents reveal that they are continuing with business as usual. I call on the big fossil fuel companies to stop their deception and cut their emissions now—before it is too late.”
Jamie Peters, a campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said: “Big oil firms like Shell, Exxon, and Chevron can try to gloss over their murky PR image as much as they like, as we’ve seen in the millions of dollars pumped into disingenuous greenwash campaigns by the industry. But though unsurprising, this bombshell disclosure confirms what remains utterly transparent about big oil. That it has every intention to keep on extracting in pursuit of profit, rather than transforming how it operates for the sake of our communities and our planet.
“Millions are already experiencing dangerous climate breakdown in extreme heatwaves and devastating floods, like those in Pakistan, as the world’s biggest polluters continue to shirk their responsibilities. They’ll continue to act only in the interests of their shareholders unless governments intervene.”
The Guardian revealed last month that BP has spent more than £800,000 on social media influence ads in the UK this year that champion the company’s investments in green energy.
A Shell spokesperson said: “Of the nearly 500,000 pages provided to the committee, the small handful they chose to highlight are evidence of Shell’s extensive efforts to set aggressive targets, evolve its portfolio, and meaningfully participate in the ongoing energy transition.”
An ExxonMobil spokesperson said: “We have supported the Paris agreement from its start in 2015 and continue to support the US government’s participation in the framework. The selective publication of dated emails, without context, is a deliberate attempt to generate a narrative that does not reflect the commitment of ExxonMobil—and its employees, to address climate change and play a leading role in the transition to a net zero future.”
BP told Bloomberg it has set near-term targets consistent with its ambition to become a net zero company by 2050.
Chevron has been contacted for comment. | Climate Change |
Gina McCarthy -- President Joe Biden's top climate adviser -- will step down from her post on Sept. 16, the White House announced on Friday.The National Climate Advisor role will then be filled by McCarthy's deputy, Ali Zaidi, just weeks after the president signed historic climate legislation.Longtime Democrat John Podesta, who served as President Bill Clinton's chief of staff, was a senior adviser to President Barack Obama, and managed Hillary Clinton's 2016 White House bid, will oversee the implementation of the climate and energy provisions of Democrats' recently passed Inflation Reduction Act while also chairing the President's National Climate Task Force, according to the White House.White House Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy holds a news conference in the parking garage at Union Station in front of new EV charging stations in Washington, D.C., April 22, 2021.Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters, FILE"Under Gina McCarthy and Ali Zaidi's leadership, my administration has taken the most aggressive action ever, from historic legislation to bold executive actions, to confront the climate crisis head-on," Biden said in a statement announcing the administrative moves.Biden also nodded to his recruitment of Podesta, under the title, "Senior Advisor to the President for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation." While with the Obama administration, Podesta's focus was on coordinating climate-related policy initiatives."His deep roots in climate and clean energy policy and his experience at senior levels of government mean we can truly hit the ground running to take advantage of the massive clean energy opportunity in front of us."After decades of federal inaction to curb climate change, the The Inflation Reduction Act includes $369 billion in investments in climate and clean energy programs– lauded by experts as one of the country's most important steps to address the issue and potentially decrease energy costs for households nationwide.Ali Zaidi, deputy national climate advisor, speaks during a news conference in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Dec. 16, 2021.Bloomberg via Getty Images"This is an absolute game-changer," McCarthy said about the IRA's climate provisions at a recent summit in Lake Tahoe.McCarthy, 68, led the Environmental Protection Agency for four years during the Obama administration. During her nearly two-year tenure with President Biden, she played an outsized role promoting climate initiatives across federal agencies and moving climate legislation through Congress. Her office helped craft the IRA.President-elect Joe Biden looks towards appointee for National Climate Advisor, Gina McCarthy, as he announces members of his climate and energy appointments at the Queen theater, Dec. 19, 2020, in Wilmington, Del.Joshua Roberts/Getty ImagesThe Washington Post had reported in April that she was mulling the decision to step down from her position, however."Yes, she is stepping down," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at her Friday briefing. "She, as you know, has been a leader in what we have seen as one of the largest investment in dealing with climate change … She is a -- not the first time that she's been in an administration, and we are very sad to lose her."--ABC News' Ben Gittleson contributed to this report. | Climate Change |
Hello!It’s been a strong start to the week for climate policy in the United States as Democrats scored a major policy victory 🙌 when the Senate passed a $430 billion climate change, healthcare and tax bill 🥳.Elsewhere, the European Central Bank (ECB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) urged the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) to align 🤝 their climate disclosure standards with existing EU and U.S. rules. Dramatically scaled backThe package passed by the U.S. Senate, called the Inflation Reduction Act, is a dramatically scaled-back version of a prior bill that was blocked by Senate Democrats Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema as too expensive 💸. The bill aims to reduce the carbon emissions 🌳 that drive climate change while also cutting drug costs for the elderly. With $370 billion in climate-focused spending, it would become the most consequential climate change bill ever passed by Congress ✅.The bill offers businesses and families billions in incentives to encourage purchases of electric vehicles 🚗 and energy-efficient appliances ⚡.It also spurs new investments in wind and solar power 🌞 that would double the amount of new, clean electricity-generating capacity coming online in the United States by 2024, according to modeling by the Repeat Project at Princeton University.Iron out differencesThe new climate bill comes as the ECB and IMF urged global standard setters, like the Frankfurt-based ISSB, to come up with company climate disclosures that align 🤲 with European and U.S. alternatives. The aim is for more rigorous reporting to make 'greenwashing,' 💚 or inflated climate-friendly claims, harder.While widely backing the creation of global norms, many call for better definitions of key concepts, a longer phase-in, and stress the need for them to be 'interoperable' with standards being written ✍️ by the European Union and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.The ECB called 📣 on the ISSB and other standard setters to "iron out" differences and come up with baseline standards which are widely implemented globally as the EU aims to finalize its first batch of ESG disclosure rules by November, with the ISSB expected to finalize its own rules by year end.And finally, I want to hear from you about what you like about the Sustainable Switch newsletter, and what could improve 🤗. I’d be super grateful if you could please take a minute or two to click on this link and respond to this short survey.Quote of the Day“We’ve already seen the impact of rising gas prices on larger firms – with the food and drink industry suffering in particular. Small businesses are also set to feel the consequences, and reduced levels of cash-flow and liquidity will only make things worse for many.”Alan Thomas, UK CEO at Simply Business, a small business insurance providerESG LensDegrowth - the idea that a finite planet cannot sustain ever-increasing consumption - is about the closest you can get to a heresy in economics, where growth is widely held as the best route to prosperity. But, as climate change accelerates and supply chain disruptions offer rich-world consumers an unaccustomed taste of scarcity, the theory is becoming less taboo and some have started to ponder what a degrowth world might look like 🤔.ESG Movers and ShakersUK-headquartered asset manager Insight Investment has appointed David McNeil as head of responsible investment research. McNeil joins Insight from American credit rating agency Fitch Ratings, where he spent three years – most recently as head of climate risk. He was particularly associated with climate vulnerability scores for rated sectors. He was previously a senior analyst at Trucost, part of credit rating agency S&P, and an environmental economics consultant for global consulting and tech services company ICF International.German solar power construction company Belectric has appointed Dr. Thorsten Blanke as its new chief executive officer.. He currently serves as chief commercial officer of Belectric and will succeed Ingo Alphus. Alphus will join Elevion, Beletric’s parent company, as its new country manager in Germany and Austria. Blanke brings more than 10 years of experience in developing and building large-scale solar farms.Ostara, a Canadian-based phosphate fertilizer and nutrient management firm, has appointed Kerry Cebul as CEO. Cebul has 15 years of experience building and investing in organizations to scale sustainable solutions in agriculture and energy markets. He joins Ostara from Grosvenor Food & AgTech where he supported the firm’s expansion into the United States. Prior to Grosvenor, he was a founding member of a sustainable farmland investment and management firm, SLM Partners’ North American grains fund.The U.S. Certified Financial Planning Board of Standards (CFPBS) has hired Kate Healy as managing director of the CFP Board’s Center for Financial Planning, with a focus on generating a more diverse workforce in the wealth management sector. Formerly a senior executive with TD Ameritrade, Healy has a long history with the CFP Board dating back to 2013 when she became an inaugural member of the group’s Women’s Initiative.Like what you see? This is just a taste of Sustainable Switch. To receive the complete newsletter straight to your inbox twice a week, subscribe here. | Climate Change |
Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSummaryHeatwave moves east after scorching western EuropeAlarm about climate change, health impact as temperatures soarWildfires still raging in Spain and PortugalNew fires erupt in Italy, one blaze spreads to SloveniaHundreds evacuated in Slovenia as wildfire spreads from ItalyATHENS/MILAN, July 21 (Reuters) - The vast heatwave covering swathes of Europe moved steadily eastwards on Thursday, forcing countries including Italy, Poland and Slovenia to issue their highest heatwave alerts as firefighters battled wildfires across the continent.Since temperatures in southern Europe began to soar earlier this month, the heatwave has caused hundreds of deaths and sparked wildfires that have burned tens of thousands of hectares of land in countries including Spain, Portugal and France. Britain and France both saw record high temperatures on Tuesday.The extreme heatwave is part of a global pattern of rising temperatures, widely attributed by scientists and climatologists to climate change caused by human activity. It is forecast to dump searing heat on much of China into late August. read more Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comGreece, which contained a huge wildfire that raged near Athens for two days and was fanned by high winds, urged Europe to do more to tackle climate change."The climate crisis is now evident across Europe, with particular intensity in the wider Mediterranean region. The cocktail of high temperatures, gusty winds and heavy drought inevitably leads to wildfires," government spokesman Giannis Oikonomou said on Thursday."Europe must act in a coordinated and rapid manner to reverse the climate crisis," Oikonomou told reporters. "The solution cannot be given at a national level, because the problem is transnational and huge."Greek fire fighters had tackled 390 forest fires in one week, about 50-70 blazes a day, he said. According to the meteorological station in Penteli outside Athens, where the fire broke out on Tuesday, winds reached 113 km per hour (70 mph) at one point.Fuelled by climate change, wildfires are increasing in frequency and intensity in many countries, spreading smoke that contains noxious gases, chemicals and particulate matter and that can be damaging to health. read more MORE WILDFIRESIn Poland, the authorities issued heat warnings for many parts of the country, with temperatures as high as 36.7 Celsius (98 Fahrenheit) measured in the western town of Kornik. In the northern port city of Gdansk, many residents and tourists headed for local beaches to cool down.A large wildfire fire broke out near the southern town of Brzesko, the Onet news website reported. Firefighters told Onet that more than 50 hectares (120 acres) of fields had already burned, and that the fire was moving towards a forest.A house is engulfed in smoke as a wildfire burns nearby in the Pikermi suburb of Athens, Greece, July 20, 2022. REUTERS/Louiza VradiTemperatures in Poland are expected to ease on the weekend.In Italy, blazes in Tuscany and Friuli Venezia Giulia continued to rage but did not appear to have spread, Italian news agency ANSA reported. New wildfires were spotted in the mountains near Bologna and bordering the A9 highway, north of Milan, it said.Fourteen cities, including Rome and Milan, were placed on the country's highest heatwave alert on Thursday, with the number set to increase to 16 on Friday, the health ministry said.ANSA also reported that a fire that began in northern Italy near Carso has spread across the border to Slovenia, damaging an area of over 2,000 hectares (5,000 acres).On the Slovenian side, 400 people from three villages had to be evacuated because of the blaze, Slovenian news outlets said.Wildfires continued to burn in Portugal and Spain.Sitting in a large sports hall filled with cots and plastic chairs, Fernando Gimenez, 68, shed tears as he spoke about leaving his home in central Spain, west of Madrid.Gimenez was one of thousands of residents evacuated from the village of El Hoyo de Pinares because of a wildfire."I don’t know what I will find. Burnt trees. Nothing. I can’t even think about it," Gimenez told Reuters. "I feel kind of emptiness inside," he added.The Spanish Red Cross has organized temporary accommodation for him and hundreds of evacuees."We work a lot with them on psychological support, because leaving their home behind without knowing what is happening, it's hard," said a Red Cross team leader, Belen Lopez.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting Reuters bureaus
Writing by Raissa Kasolowsky
Editing by Frances KerryOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Climate Change |
HONOLULU — Towering waves on Hawaii’s south shores crashed into homes and businesses, spilled across highways and upended weddings over the weekend.The large waves — some more than 20 feet high — came from a combination of a strong south swell that peaked Saturday evening, particularly high tides and rising sea levels associated with climate change, the National Weather Service said Monday.A wedding Saturday evening in Kailua-Kona was interrupted when a set of large waves swamped the event, sending tables and chairs crashing toward guests.Sara Ackerman, an author who grew up in Hawaii and attended the wedding, filmed the waves as they barreled ashore.“It just was huge,” she said. ”I was filming it and then it just came over the wall and just completely annihilated all the tables and chairs.”Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politics She said it happened about five minutes before the ceremony was scheduled to begin.“It wasn’t like a life-threatening situation by any means whatsoever,” she said. “It was just like, ‘Oh my gosh ... what are we going to do? Where are we going to put the tables?’”She said they went ahead with the ceremony and cleaned up the mess after the newlyweds exchanged vows.“We had the ceremony and it was beautiful, having all the (sea) spray,” she said. “The ocean was really wild. So it was great for the photos.”Chris Brenchley, the meteorologist in charge at the National Weather Service office in Honolulu, said several factors came together to create such huge waves.“Waves over 12 or 15 feet, those become extremely big and really rare to have,” he said. “It’s the largest it’s been in several decades.”Brenchley said the swell was produced in the South Pacific, where it’s currently the winter season.“They had a particularly strong winter storm where the winds were focused directly towards places like Samoa and then further on to the north into Hawaii,” he said.Remnants of Hurricane Darby passed south of Hawaii but had no major impact on the surf, he said.While singular events like this hard to pin directly to climate change, Brenchley said the warming planet is playing a role.“The most direct type of impact that we can use with climate change is the sea level rise. Any time you add just even small amounts of water, you raise that sea level just a little bit,” he said. “And now those impacts will be exacerbated whenever we have a large storm event or a ... high, high tide.”Most large summer swells that come from the south are no bigger than about 10 feet, which would trigger a high surf advisory.“We had some waves that were reaching 20 feet, 20 feet-plus even,” Brenchley said. “That’s getting on the level of historic.”Hawaii’s north shores, where professional surfers often compete, usually get much larger waves than other parts of the islands. The predominant swell hits the north shores in the winter and the south shores in the summer.Lifeguards and rescue crews across the state had a busy weekend.They conducted at least 1,960 rescues on the island of Oahu alone on Saturday and Sunday.Honolulu officials reported one serious injury when a surfer suffered a laceration to the back of his head. | Climate Change |
By Aya Elamroussi, Dakin Andone and Amir Vera | CNN
More than 85% of Americans are bracing for temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit through the weekend, with millions in the south-central US expected to experience readings in the triple digits.
More than 100 million people are under various heat alerts Thursday in more than two dozen states from parts of the American West to New England, a suffocating cocoon that experts believe will become increasingly common due to the effects of climate change.
“Widespread high temperatures in the mid-to-upper 90s and low 100s will encompass a majority of the country on Thursday and Friday,” the National Weather Service warned Wednesday. The areas at the highest risk for the dangerously hot temperatures span the Southwest, central and south-central US along with the coastal mid-Atlantic region and the Northeast, the weather service noted.
Dallas County, Texas, reported its first heat-related death of the year — a 66-year-old woman — according to a Thursday news release from Dallas County Health and Human Services. The agency is not identifying the woman, but did say she had underlying health conditions.
The distressing heat wave — which has exacerbated a flash drought in the southern and central Plains — has pushed state and local leaders to issue heat emergencies and offer resources to residents to mitigate the high temperatures.
The mayor of Washington, DC, on Thursday announced a heat emergency — triggered when the district sees a temperature of 95 degrees or higher — that will last until Monday morning.
“Stay hydrated, limit sun exposure, and check on seniors, neighbors & pets,” Mayor Muriel Bowser said on Twitter. Philadelphia declared a heat health emergency for Thursday due to the expected oppressive heat, activating emergency programs likes special field teams that conduct home visits and outreach for people experiencing homelessness, the department of health said in a news release.
Similarly in New York, residents are encouraged to stay indoors in the upcoming days as the heat continues to sweep across the state to avoid “dangerous conditions that can lead to heat stress and illness,” according to Jackie Bray, the commissioner of the state’s homeland security and emergency services division.
Temperatures over 90 degrees are expected to remain in New York City, Philadelphia and Boston through the weekend — if not longer.
The excessive heat across the US has been matched by deadly conditions in Europe, where records have been smashed and the European Forest Fire Information System put 19 European countries on “extreme danger” alerts for wildfires.
Heat index values indicate danger
Meanwhile, triple-digit heat will continue to bake parts of California, Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Tennessee on Thursday — meaning 1 in 5 Americans will endure dangerous conditions after what has already been a historic week in terms of topping heat records, said CNN meteorologist Robert Shackelford.
The heat is expected to persist through the weekend in many places, and more than 85% of the population — or 275 million Americans — could see high temperatures above 90 degrees over the next week. More than 60 million people could see high temperatures at or above 100 degrees over the next seven days.
Heat index values — the temperature it feels like when heat is combined with humidity — could top 100 degrees in a number of states through this weekend, particularly in the Midwest, the Southeast and on the East Coast.
Large swaths of the South — including parts of eastern Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama — and the central East Coast from South Carolina to New Jersey will see some of the most pronounced danger (seen in these maps in dark orange) from the heat on Thursday.
That danger becomes more apparent in parts of the Midwest this weekend, in parts of southern Illinois, Missouri and Iowa, before shifting back to the East Coast on Sunday.
Forecast heat index values indicate much of the rest of the US should exercise extreme caution.
Triple-digit heat records across multiple states
While much of the western US has been gripped by an extended, unrelenting drought, the recent heat and lack of adequate rain has catalyzed a “flash drought” in other parts of the country. The US Drought Monitor last week announced states including Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Massachusetts were experiencing a flash drought, which the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration defines as the “rapid onset or intensification of drought.”
It grew even worse this week in the central and southern Plains, the Drought Monitor said in its weekly update Thursday: More than 84% of Texas is in severe or worse drought conditions, the highest percentage in over a decade, while the area of Oklahoma experiencing drought doubled in size.
Arkansas went from less than 1% of the state seeing severe drought to more than a quarter of the state. Missouri similarly went from 2% to a third of the state experiencing severe drought.
Meanwhile, triple-digit records were set Tuesday and Wednesday in multiple locations across Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma, where Tulsa EMS reported responding to nearly 250 heat-related emergency calls so far this year.
“Those numbers are what we would expect to see in mid- to late-August,” Adam Paluka, spokesperson for the Emergency Medical Services Authority, said Wednesday. “So we’re four to six weeks ahead of where we would normally see those mid-200 call numbers.”
“It’s very concerning,” he added, “especially because the amount of patients that are being transported indicates that some of those calls are heatstroke, which can be deadly.”
In Abilene, Texas, temperatures on Wednesday reached 110 degrees, breaking a 1936 record on that date. Another record of 104 degrees was set in San Antonio, Texas, surpassing the 101 degrees last experienced in 1996.
And as of Tuesday, the Austin area reached at least 100 degrees on 38 out of the last 44 days, according to the weather service.
“We’re asking people to conserve power so that the systems continue to operate,” Austin Mayor Steve Adler said Wednesday. “We’re asking everybody to do that so that we can get through this together.”
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which operates about 90% of Texas’ power grid, said it set another record Wednesday for power demand — surpassing a record set a day prior.
Also, Wednesday, a record high of 103 degrees in Fayetteville, Arkansas, topped the 102 degrees seen on that date in 2012.
Another Arkansas city, Mountain Home, saw 107 degrees Wednesday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.
“This would shatter the old record high of 102 degrees for this date set back in 2012. Official record reports are not sent out until midnight but it sure looks like a new record high,” the weather service wrote Wednesday evening.
Several US communities set or tied new daily records for high low temperatures this week, according to the National Weather Service. In Needles, California, the low temperature never got below 95 degrees Wednesday, tying a record set in 1901.
In Texas, the low temperature was 86 degrees Tuesday in Galveston, and Wichita Falls never got below 84 degrees on the same day. Elsewhere in the state, Houston and Laredo both had low temperatures of 81 degrees Wednesday. All of these were new daily records.
In Arkansas, the cities of Little Rock and Pine Bluff set low temperature records at 82 degrees Wednesday.
Extreme heat causes businesses to alter operations
The extreme heat is causing Texas farmers to sell off their cattle at a rate not seen in more than a decade, according to a livestock economist.
“A lot of ranchers rely on ponds and tanks that capture rainfall,” said David Anderson with Texas A&M University. “I’ve heard a lot of stories about ranchers running out of water.”
The weather conditions also are causing grass to die off, severely thinning the pastures where cattle graze. That leaves many ranchers no choice but to send cattle they can’t feed to slaughter, which has a ripple effect on the beef supply in future years.
It’s so hot in Oklahoma that the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden postponed a Thursday event “due to extreme temperatures,” the zoo posted on its Facebook page.
The zoo’s after hours Sip and Stroll event would not have a significant impact on the animals, but the zoo postponed the event to protect guests and team members from the extreme temperatures, zoo spokesperson Candice Rennels told CNN.
Confronting the heat
To help residents brace through the heat, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu announced that at least 12 community centers will open to anyone who wants to cool off. Additionally, more than 50 splash pads will be available at city parks and playgrounds, she said, as she declared a heat emergency through Thursday.
Meanwhile, some local officials have taken the step to hire chief heat officers to help navigate the response to the extreme heat.
Jane Gilbert, chief heat officer for Miami-Dade County, told CNN’s Don Lemon on Tuesday that Miami now has nearly double the days with a heat index — what the air feels like — over 90 degrees than it did in the 1970s.
“That is not only concerning to people’s health but their pocketbooks. Our outdoor workers can’t work as long, they lose work time. People can’t afford this AC, the higher electricity cost. It’s both a health and an economic crisis.”
David Hondula, director of the Office of Heat Response and Mitigation for Phoenix, echoed that sentiment, saying, “The heat can affect everyone, we’re all at risk.”
High temperatures are one of the top weather-related causes of death in the US, according to Kimberly McMahon, public weather services program manager with the National Weather Service. | Climate Change |
New research suggests that hurricane season might be starting earlier in the year — whether it’s marked on our calendars or not.The Atlantic hurricane season, as traditionally defined, begins June 1 and ends Nov. 30. But a paper published Tuesday in Nature Communications suggests climate change could be pushing the formation of tropical cyclones in the western Atlantic to earlier dates on the calendar.“It’s gotten really noticeable in the past 10 years. You have all this activity happening outside hurricane season over and over again during the preseasons,” said Ryan Truchelut, a lead author of the paper and the chief meteorologist at WeatherTiger, a hurricane forecasting startup. “The first landfall, the first named storm, that’s what’s shifting earlier.”The new research could play a role in a debate among weather forecasters and hurricane researchers over whether to redefine what we consider hurricane season.“There is this risk of damaging impactful flood events. The risk onset is now in late May. I think the bounds of the season should be changed to reflect that,” Truchulet said. “It’s a discussion that needs to be had between a lot of different stakeholders.”Residents walk down a flooded residential street in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida on Aug. 30, 2021 in Norco, La. (Scott Olson / Getty Images file)More evidence and research are needed to understand whether climate change is shifting the hurricane season. The new research is one analysis and does not represent scientific consensus.Matthew Rosencrans, lead seasonal hurricane forecaster at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center, said earlier research has suggested that the beginnings of hurricane seasons aren’t tied closely to climate change but instead are driven by high-activity periods for hurricanes.“In the last 50 years, we’ve only been in two different eras,” Rosencrans said, which makes data comparisons in recent decades challenging. Since 1995, we’ve been experiencing an “active” period.Rosencrans noted that the advent of satellite technology has allowed researchers to record storms that would have been missed before.“You could have a tropical storm out there and you’d never know it,” Rosencrans said. “Better technology is responsible for finding about two tropical storms a year.”Tropical storms have developed before June 1 each year from 2015-2021, according to the World Meteorological Organization. Last year, the National Weather Service formed a team to examine the ramifications of changes to the hurricane season.“At this time, we’re not considering moving the hurricane season any earlier,” said Jasmine Blackwell, a NOAA spokesperson.NOAA officials predicted a substantial slate of tropical storms and hurricanes this season, saying there was a 65% chance of an above-average season with 14 to 21 named storms, meaning one featuring winds 39 mph or higher.Image: Hurricane Ida (Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images file)So far, it’s been a relatively slow season. NOAA in August downgraded the probability of an above-average season to 60%, but the agency expects activity to pick up. Peak season — August through October — accounts for 90% of all cyclone activity in the Atlantic, according to Rosencrans.“We’re just getting into the peak months of August through October for hurricane development, and we anticipate that more storms are on the way,” Rick Spinrad, the agency’s administrator, said in a news release this month.Truchulet’s data — which reviewed Atlantic tropical cyclone data from 1979–2020 and the landfalls in the U.S. from 1900–2020 — normalizes between quiet and busy years and focuses on the overall distribution of tropical storm activity.“The first named storm of the year is developing about half a day earlier per year, or 5 days per decade,” he said. “The first U.S. landfall of the year has been happening two days earlier per decade.”Truchulet said the storms developing before June 1 are typically smaller tropical storms that can catch people off guard because they “underestimate the risks of flooding from tropical storms.” | Climate Change |
The re-election of president Jair Bolsonaro would severely harm the Amazon rainforest, while his rival Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is promising to reverse much of the recent environmental damage and meet climate change targets Environment | Analysis 26 September 2022 Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (left) and Jair Bolsonaro are the main presidential contenders in the Brazilian electionFoto Arena LTDA/Alamy
The upcoming Brazilian election will decide the fate of the Amazon rainforest, ecologists have warned, as the country looks set to choose between re-electing current president Jair Bolsonaro or his rival and former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Since Bolsonaro took office in 2019, deforestation records have repeatedly been broken as his administration pursued a policy of environmental deregulation. Now, ahead of the 2 October poll, the Amazon is under increased threat as land-grabbers are exploiting what could be their final opportunity to clear trees without retribution, says Philip Fearnside at the National Institute for Research in Amazonia.
The number of fires in the Brazilian Amazon usually increases in June, when ranchers take advantage of a drop in rainfall to clear land. But even for the dry season, the level of blazes in the Amazon this year has shocked conservationists: 31,513 fires were detected by Brazil’s national space agency in August, the highest number in 12 years and almost half the number seen in the entirety of 2018.
“People realise they can get away with ignoring all the current environmental regulations under Bolsonaro, but the end of his first term is looming and many assume he may not be re-elected,” says Fearnside. Issues like soaring inflation and hunger levels are high on the political agenda, but the vote is also a referendum on the future of the Amazon, say researchers.
“I don’t say this lightly as a scientist, but this is the most important election ever in Brazil for the Amazon and its survival,” says Erika Berenguer at the University of Oxford.
The amount of forest lost in the Amazon is now 74.65 per cent higher than when Bolsonaro took office, with 13,000 hectares cleared in 2021 alone, the largest annual figure since 2008.
This deforestation has pushed the Amazon to a tipping point, say ecologists. Unless this is halted, the rainforest will no longer be able to store enough moisture to support itself and will become a savannah.
Experts blame Bolsonaro for the destruction. The president has stripped environmental regulations, appointed military officials who seek to develop the Amazon to run environmental institutions and publicly encouraged colonisation of the forest. “The Bolsonaro administration has been a complete disaster for the environment,” says Fearnside.
Bolsonaro’s main opponent, Lula, was president from 2003 to 2010 and leads the latest polls with 41 per cent to Bolsonaro’s 37 per cent. To win in the first round and avoid a run-off poll, scheduled for 30 October, a candidate must gain 50 per cent of the votes. Former governor of the state of Ceará, Ciro Gomes, and senator Simone Tebet are also in the presidential race, but are outsiders, polling 8 and 6 per cent, respectively.
Lula says he will reverse the environmental damage by dissolving many of Bolsonaro’s decrees, appointing experts to environmental agencies and purging Indigenous reserves of illegal miners.
The former president has also proposed more ambitious measures, such as the creation of a carbon-pricing scheme, a ministry dedicated to Indigenous peoples and a National Climate Change Authority to ensure Brazil’s policies are in line with its Paris Agreement targets.
Conservationists have raised concerns over mega-dams constructed when Lula was in power, but the former union leader has a strong track record on defending the Amazon: deforestation plunged 72 per cent between 2004 and 2016, when Lula and then Dilma Rousseff – his successor as both leader of the Workers’ party and president – were in power.
Lula’s administration made Amazon conservation a central goal for all government ministries, says Suely Araújo at the Climate Observatory in São Paulo. As well as stepping up forest monitoring, they sought to tackle the causes of deforestation by promoting sustainable production and formalising land ownership.
The task this time would be more complicated. Growing mining communities depend on the illicit gold they extract from Indigenous reserves, new roads have been constructed and regions of the Amazon have become lawless. If elected, Lula’s strategy will have to be more ambitious this time round, says Izabella Teixeira, the candidate’s adviser on the environment and Brazil’s environment minister from 2010 to 2016.
As well as military operations to clear the Amazon of illegal miners, loggers and ranchers, the government has to better regulate food and gold markets, incentivise sustainable production and use technology to make agriculture more sustainable, she says.
“I think that Lula is very cautious to understand that this is a huge challenge and is completely different than it was in the past,” says Teixeira.
Lula would unite the government with the private sector, scientists and civil society to tackle the root causes of deforestation, Teixeira adds. He would also seek to restore the international relationships and conservation funding that have been lost under Bolsonaro, making Brazil a global leader on tackling climate change, she says.
Meanwhile, Bolosonaro has played down the growing deforestation. He told the UN General Assembly in New York on 20 September that the Amazon is as pristine today as it was in the 1500s. His office didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Sign up to our free Fix the Planet newsletter to get a dose of climate optimism delivered straight to your inbox, every Thursday More on these topics: politics The Amazon rainforest | Climate Change |
An aerial view shows the rubble and destruction in a residential area following a large blaze the previous day, on July 20, 2022 in Wennington, Greater London.Leon Neal | Getty ImagesEurope is suffering under an unprecedented heat wave, leaving firefighters in London dealing with a huge surge in emergency calls."Yesterday was the busiest day for the fire service in London since the Second World War," Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, told Sky News on Wednesday.Fireman work next to buildings destroyed by fire on July 19, 2022 in Wennington, England. A series of grass fires broke out around the British capital amid an intense heatwave.Carl Court | Getty ImagesOn a normal day, the fire service will get 350 calls, Khan said. On a busy day, the London fire service would get 500 calls. On Tuesday, the London fire service received more than 2,600 calls, Khan said. There were 41 properties destroyed in London due to wildfires and 16 firefighters were injured battling the blazes, Khan said."It is important for us to recognize that one of the consequences of climate change and these sorts of temperatures that lead to the fires you are seeing," Khan said. "The challenge in London is we have a lot of grass, a lot of green spaces and a lot of that impinges on properties. And when you have not had rain for a long period, when the grass is incredibly dry, fires can start very quickly and spread even faster because of wind and that leads to properties being destroyed."The scene after a blaze in the village of Wennington, east London after temperatures topped 40C in the UK for the first time ever, as the sweltering heat fuelled fires and widespread transport disruption. Picture date: Wednesday July 20, 2022.Aaron Chown | Pa Images | Getty Images"A lot of the problems we have here today are a direct consequence of climate change, excess death because of the heat wave," Khan said. "A lot of these problems can be solved by tackling climate change expediently, rather than kicking the can down the road."Beyond the U.K., firefighters in In France, Spain and Greece are fighting to keep back wildfires exacerbated by heat and dry conditions.A wildfire broke out late in the late afternoon hours, on the 19th of July 2022 on Mount Penteli outside of Athens.Iason Raissis | Nurphoto | Getty Images"High temperatures and ongoing drought are two primary factors that contribute to wildfire conditions, and southern Europe has had both of those lately," Alexandra Naegele, a researcher at the Woodwell Climate Research Center, told CNBC."Combined with high wind days, these conditions have resulted in the rapid spread of wildfires across the continent," Naegele told CNBC. Firefighters guard while the wildfire burns the hills outside Tabara, Zamora, on the second heatwave of the year, in Spain, July 18, 2022.Isabel Infantes | Reuters"In the future, this kind of heatwaves are going to be normal. We will see stronger extremes," Petteri Taalas, the Secretary General of the World Meteorological Organization, part of the United Nations.Firefighters gestures as they work to extinguish a wild fire in Drafi agglomeration, north of Athens, on July 19, 2022.Aris Oikonomou | AFP | Getty Images"We have pumped so much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that the negative trend will continue for decades. We haven't been able to reduce our emissions globally," Taalas said in a statement published Tuesday. "I hope that this will be a wake-up call for governments and that it will have an impact on voting behaviors in democratic countries."Firefighters work during a fire that broke out in the Monts d'Arree in Brasparts, in Brittany, France, July 19, 2022 in this handout picture obtained on July 20, 2022. Julien Trevarin/sdis 29 | ReutersThe high temperatures have been influenced by a meteorological event called a "heat dome," Alyssa Smithmyer, a meteorologist with weather forecasting company, AccuWeather, told CNBC. A heat dome has been causing the record-high temperatures in western and central Europe, she said."A heat dome is a term used when a widespread area of high pressure sits over a region or country and lingers for days or even weeks, trapping a very warm air mass beneath it. An area of high pressure will push air to the surface, and this process will warm the air through compression," Smithmyer told CNBC.Firefighters prepare to operate as the wildfire approaches in the region of Pallini. A wildfire rages for a second day in Mount Penteli near Athens in Greece causing extensive property damages.Nicolas Koutsokostas | Nurphoto | Getty ImagesThe heat dome conditions make rain unlikely."Due to the influence of the high pressure, there is often minimal chances of precipitation or even clouds as the heat dome lingers over a region. As the high pressure lingers over a region for an extended period of time, temperatures can rise to extreme values," Smithmyer told CNBC. "The lack of precipitation or cloud cover will further exacerbate temperatures under these conditions." Smoke rises as a wildfire burns on Mount Penteli, next to the Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport, in Athens, Greece, July 19, 2022.Alkis Konstantinidis | ReutersSmoke billows from a wildfire at the border with Slovenia seen from Rupa, Italy, July 20, 2022.Borut Zivulovic | Reuters"The potential impacts of very high ozone pollution on human health can be considerable both in terms of respiratory and cardio-vascular illness," Mark Parrington, a senior scientist from Copernicus, said in a written statement published Tuesday."Higher values can lead to symptoms such as sore throat, coughing, headache and an increased risk of asthma attacks. The Climate and Clean Air Coalition estimates that ozone pollution causes approximately one million additional deaths per year. This is why it is crucial that we monitor surface ozone levels," Parrington said.Firefighters try to extinguish a wildfire burning in Ntrafi, Athens, Greece, July 19, 2022.Costas Baltas | Reuters | Climate Change |
The Albanese Government will seek to legislate its 2030 and 2050 emissions reduction targets, as part of its Climate Change Bill, to be introduced in the first week of parliamentary sittings. Chris Bowen says he will introduce the Albanese Government’s Climate Change Bill during the first week of parliament sittings in late July.The Climate Change and Energy Minister made the announcement during his National Press Club address in Canberra on Wednesday.Mr Bowen outlined four key elements of the bill, which he said would help provide policy stability and certainty to the energy sector.“Firstly, we will seek to enshrine in law our nationally determined contribution of 43 per cent emissions reduction by 2030 and net zero by 2050,” he said.Stream your news live & on demand with Flash for $8/month and no lock in contracts. New to Flash? Try 1 month free. Offer ends 31 October, 2022“Secondly we will explicitly task in law the Climate Change Authority to assess and publish progress against these targets and advise government on future targets including the 2035 target.“Thirdly we will legislate a requirement for the minister for climate change to report annually to Parliament on progress in meeting our targets“Finally as part of the consequential legislation we'll insert the nation's targets in the objectives and functions of a range of government agencies including ARENA, CFC infrastructure Australia and the NAIF.”Mr Bowen said the Albanese Government would consider “sensible” amendments to its legislation but warned crossbenchers it would pursue its climate agenda even if it did not have the numbers.“If there’s a good idea which improves, not undermines, the bill I’m happy to hear it and work with it, but we won’t be entertaining any amendments which are not consistent with our agenda and mandate,” he said.“Just as we are being clear that we regard legislation as being best practice, we’ve also been clear that the legislation is not required and if the parliament doesn’t wish to pass it we’ll simply get on with the job as we have already started to do.”Alongside the bill, the Albanese Government will seek to legislate tax breaks for electric vehicles (EV), which will take effect retrospectively from July 1. The legislation will also lift import duties on a range of electric vehicles, as well as make some models exempt from the fringe benefits tax.“We promised to cut the tariffs and abolish fringe benefits tax on affordable EVs from 1 July this year and that’s exactly what we will do,” Mr Bowen said.“Of course, the Parliament doesn’t sit until late July, and so we will ask the Tax Office to make the tax cut retrospective, in accordance with usual procedure.” | Climate Change |
In just over four weeks the yearly United Nations climate talks will kick off in Egypt.COP27 is the successor to last year's COP26 climate talks in Glasgow, but an energy crisis, the war in Ukraine and tensions over Taiwan have changed the geopolitical context dramatically.
Here, Sky News looks at what you need to know about COP27.When and where is COP27?The COP climate talks change location each year, with Egypt hosting COP27 on behalf of Africa in Sharm El-Sheikh between 6-18 November.
A host country's job is to rally other nations in the run-up to and during the conference to ratchet up their climate action. Egypt must also try to build consensus so that all countries can reach an agreement in the end.Developing nations hope Egypt, as a middle-income developing nation, will as host give a stronger platform to their demands. More on Climate Change Failure to persuade public to change behaviour means UK will miss net zero target, Lords warn New Zealand government plan to tax cow and sheep burps faces backlash Half of Centrica's carbon offsets banned by EU emissions trading system in 2013 What is a COP?Every year almost 200 countries meet to discuss how to jointly tackle the climate crisis and its impacts. Thousands of observers, civil society groups and media attend too. France hosted the 2015 talks, which yielded the historic Paris Agreement, under which countries agreed the need to limit global warming to below 2°C, and ideally to 1.5°C, of warming above pre-industrial levels.COP stands for Conference of the Parties, referring to governments that have signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).Who is attending COP27?About 90 heads of state have confirmed so far, Egypt has said, and US President Joe Biden is reportedly attending.The UK has refused confirm whether Prime Minister Liz Truss will attend, or whether business secretary Jacob-Rees Mogg will go instead, which would dismay climate groups because he supports fossil fuel expansion.King Charles, renowned for his environmentalism whilst Prince of Wales, pulled out following discussions with the prime minister, according to reports. Why is COP27 important?A key success of COP26 was countries agreeing on the more ambitious target of limiting global temperature rises to 1.5°C, rather than the much more dangerous 2°C limit.But current policies put the world on course for around 2.4°C warming, with every fraction of a degree fuelling worse impacts.While COP is an imperfect process, it is the single biggest geopolitical forum for countries to work out how to together tackle a threat that is impacting all of humanity.What are the aims of COP27 and what will be the sticking points?As the world remains off-track to meet its targets, Egypt wants to make COP27 all about the "implementation" of climate policies, but fears geopolitical tensions and the energy, food and climate crises will distract leaders.Experts point out climate action can address the energy, food and climate crises together.Broken promises on cash will continue to plague the negotiations. A target set in 2009 by rich countries to channel $100bn (£89.8bn) a year by 2020 to poor countries to help them cut their emissions and adapt to climate change has also still not yet been met, to the anger of developing nations. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Floodwaters close in on cut-off city The violent flooding that ravaged Pakistan reignited the contentious issue of whether richer countries, responsible for the vast majority of emissions, should pay reparations to poor countries, which have usually polluted the least yet are suffering the worst impacts of climate change.Rich countries fear that paying compensation for such loss and damage would open the floodgates to future claims not just for climate impacts, but things like who should eventually pay for the damage in Ukraine, or reparations for slavery.Africa's untapped gas fields could be another "flashpoint" at COP27, said Nick Mabey, chief executive of think tank E3G, with countries there divided over whether to exploit untapped gas or leapfrog from fossil fuels to clean power.Campaigners usually stage mass demonstrations during COP talks, designed to heap pressure on leaders.But they fear Egypt's oppression of environmental groups and government critics - tens of thousands are currently thought to be imprisoned - will hinder the participation of journalists, activists and civil society groups at COP27. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Incentives to stop blackouts What impact will Russia's war in Ukraine have on talks?COP talks rely on international co-operation and goodwill, with teams bringing commitments to the negotiating table in good faith that others will do the same.Russia's latest invasion of its neighbour has fractured already shaky geopolitical relations and distracted from climate action at key diplomatic meetings like the Group of 20 (G20) major economies and the United Nations General Assembly.The ensuing energy crisis has changed the context of climate negotiations, and heightened tensions between the US and China over Taiwan could also hamper this year's climate talks.What is happening each day?The summit will kick off with a two-day summit for world leaders, who will fly in to show commitment to and priorities for the process.They then leave their negotiators to thrash out the details, aiming to reach agreements on different issues by the end of the week. This year won't yield a big moment where one overarching pact is agreed as there was at COP26 with the Glasgow pact.Meanwhile, talks and events happen each day based on a theme:• Wednesday 9 November: Finance• Thursday 10: Science and youth day• Friday 11: Decarbonisation• Saturday 12: Adaptation and agriculture• Monday 14: Gender and water• Tuesday 15: Civil society and energy• Wednesday 16: Biodiversity• Thursday 17: Solutions | Climate Change |
By Mark Sherman | Associated Press
WASHINGTON — In a blow to the fight against climate change, the Supreme Court on Thursday limited how the nation’s main anti-air pollution law can be used to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants.
By a 6-3 vote, with conservatives in the majority, the court said that the Clean Air Act does not give the Environmental Protection Agency broad authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants that contribute to global warming.
The court’s ruling could complicate the administration’s plans to combat climate change. Its proposal to regulate power plant emissions is expected by the end of the year. The decision also could have a broader effect on other agencies’ regulatory efforts beyond climate change and air pollution. President Joe Biden aims to cut the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions in half by the end of the decade and to have an emissions-free power sector by 2035. Power plants account for roughly 30% of carbon dioxide output.
“Capping carbon dioxide emissions at a level that will force a nationwide transition away from the use of coal to generate electricity may be a sensible ‘solution to the crisis of the day,'” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in his opinion for the court.
But Roberts wrote that the Clean Air Act doesn’t give EPA the authority to do so and that Congress must speak clearly on this subject.
“A decision of such magnitude and consequence rests with Congress itself, or an agency acting pursuant to a clear delegation from that representative body,” he wrote.
In a dissent, Justice Elena Kagan wrote that the decision strips the EPA of the power Congress gave it to respond to “the most pressing environmental challenge of our time.” Kagan said the stakes in the case are high. She said, “The Court appoints itself—instead of Congress or the expert agency—the decisionmaker on climate policy. I cannot think of many things more frightening.”
Richard Revesz, an environmental expert at the New York University School of Law, called the decision “a significant setback for environmental protection and public health safeguards.”
But Revesz said in a statement that the EPA still has authority to address greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector.
The court held that Congress must speak with specificity when it wants to give an agency authority to regulate on an issue of major national significance.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said the decision would have a wider effect. “The consequences of this decision will ripple across the entire federal government, from the regulation of food and drugs to our nation’s health care system, all of which will put American lives at risk,” Schumer said.
Several conservative justices have criticized what they see as the unchecked power of federal agencies.
Those concerns were evident in the court’s orders throwing out two Biden administration policies aimed at reducing the spread of COVID-19. Last summer, the court’s 6-3 conservative majority ended a pause on evictions over unpaid rent. In January, the same six justices blocked a requirement that workers at large employers be vaccinated or test regularly and wear a mask on the job.
The justices heard arguments in the case on the same day that a United Nations panel’s report warned that the effects of climate change are about to get much worse, likely making the world sicker, hungrier, poorer and more dangerous in the coming years.
The power plant case has a long and complicated history that begins with the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan. That plan would have required states to reduce emissions from the generation of electricity, mainly by shifting away from coal-fired plants.
But that plan never took effect. Acting in a lawsuit filed by West Virginia and others, the Supreme Court blocked it in 2016 by a 5-4 vote, with conservatives in the majority.
With the plan on hold, the legal fight over it continued. But after President Donald Trump took office, the EPA repealed the Obama-era plan. The agency argued that its authority to reduce carbon emissions was limited and it devised a new plan that sharply reduced the federal government’s role in the issue.
New York, 21 other mainly Democratic states, the District of Columbia and some of the nation’s largest cities sued over the Trump plan. The federal appeals court in Washington ruled against both the repeal and the new plan, and its decision left nothing in effect while the new administration drafted a new policy.
Adding to the unusual nature of the high court’s involvement, the reductions sought in the Obama plan by 2030 already have been achieved through the market-driven closure of hundreds of coal plants.
Power plant operators serving 40 million people called on the court to preserve the companies’ flexibility to reduce emissions while maintaining reliable service. Prominent businesses that include Apple, Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Tesla also backed the administration.
Nineteen mostly Republican-led states and coal companies led the fight at the Supreme Court against broad EPA authority to regulate carbon output.
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Associated Press writers Matthew Daly and Cathy Bussewitz in New York contributed to this report. | Climate Change |
Smoke raises from a chimney of a hard-coal-fired power station REUTERS/Timm ReichertRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSummaryEnvironmental groups pushed for renewed ban despite slump in coal interestFederal judge says a thorough environmental review of the coal leasing program is needed(Reuters) - A federal judge on Friday revived a nationwide Obama-era ban on new coal leases that was tossed during the Trump administration, saying a thorough environmental assessment is needed before the moratorium can be lifted.In 2019 as a result of a lawsuit by the Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity and others, U.S. District Judge Brian Morris found any lifting of the coal-leasing ban required a National Environmental Policy Act review.In April 2021 U.S. Interior Department Secretary Deb Haaland overturned the Trump-era reversal but stopped short of reinstating the ban itself.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comEnvironmental groups then asked Judge Morris to weigh in, arguing the administration left the door open for future coal development on federal lands despite their concerns that development could exacerbate the climate crisis.Morris on Friday agreed with the environmental groups that Haaland's actions weren't enough. He said the ban needed to remain in place to be consistent with his 2019 ruling requiring an environmental review."The Haaland order maintains the potential environmental harm that could result from lifting the coal leasing moratorium ... that the court determined required NEPA review in its earlier order," Judge Morris said.The newly reinstated ban comes amid a slump in federal coal leasing sales, according to government data. The Biden administration, which has identified climate change as a priority, launched a review of coal leasing impacts on climate change and taxpayers in April 2021.Jenny Harbine, an attorney at Earthjustice who represented the environmental groups, said in a statement: “While this ruling reinstates the moratorium on new coal leasing on public lands, the Biden administration must go further by urgently phasing out the existing coal leases that are destroying our planet."A spokesperson for the federal government didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.The case is Citizens for Clean Energy et al. v. U.S. Department of the Interior et al., District of Montana, No.4:17-cv-00030.For the environmental groups: Jenny Harbine and Amanda Galvan of Earthjustice and Ted Zukoski of the Center for Biological DiversityFor the government: Joseph Kim, John Most and Marissa Piropato of the U.S. Department of JusticeRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Climate Change |
U.S Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry (right) with President of COP26 Alok Sharma at the G-20 Joint Environment and Climate Ministers' Meeting in Nusa Dua, Indonesia's Bali island, on Aug. 31, 2022.Firdia Lisnawati | Afp | Getty ImagesBALI, Indonesia — G-20 ministers have gathered in Indonesia to discuss their progress on carbon emissions. But expectations are low.The group of 20 countries represents about 75% of the world's total greenhouse gas emissions. In 2021, the group recognized that limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels would require "meaningful and effective" steps.But there's frustration about a lack of concrete measures at a time when Russia's invasion of Ukraine has pushed several governments to continue to use coal for longer than they'd hoped."A lot of countries in the world are strongly condemning the Russian aggression in Ukraine … so it's been hard to have negotiations with the Russians," Rob Jetten, the Dutch minister for climate and energy, told CNBC in Bali.Russia is among the G-20 nations. This month, Sky News and others reported that Russia is flaring off natural gas that it would normally have exported to Europe. According to the G-20 host nation, Indonesia, Russia's President Vladimir Putin will take part in a leader's meeting scheduled for November."There's also a huge energy crisis, worldwide prices are high, people are struggling to pay for energy. And this is also ... not helping climate actions, because a lot of countries are going back to fossil fuels again," Jetten said.In the wake of the Kremlin's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the disruption of natural gas flows from Russia to Europe, countries including the Netherlands, Germany and Austria said they would have to burn more coal — a fossil fuel.Other parts of the world have stepped up their consumption of coal, including China, which has experienced a severe heat wave this summer and is using record amounts of energy.Those decisions, even if temporary, diverge from previous agreements.An official from one of the participating nations, who did not want to be named due to the sensitivity of the negotiations, said the main challenge going into these meetings is "how can we keep countries following (climate) targets."Read more on climate change"Many (nations) are trying to be flexible. Can we please keep the targets?" the official said.The Indonesian government acknowledged the negotiations are tough."The discussion on the commitment is rather challenging as it brings certain implications to some member countries," the Indonesia presidency of the G-20 said in a statement ahead of the meetings."The current geopolitical condition also create(s) a challenge in the ongoing negotiation process," it added, in reference to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.Tanya Plibersek, Australia's minister for the environment and water, said Russia's attack on its neighbor has "complicated negotiations. But there is no way that countries could ignore that illegal invasion of Ukraine. It has to be something that is talked about in international meetings like this."Meanwhile, extreme weather events across the world would seem to make the need for government action ever more urgent. Pakistan, for example, is experiencing brutal floods, with a third of the nation under water.A government minister there told Reuters the international community has a "responsibility" to help Pakistan and prevent future extreme weather events, given the country's carbon footprint is among the lowest in the world.In Europe, a German drought has reduced water levels of the Rhine River, making it harder to transport fuel, wheat and other items."We need to step up our game, and all these extreme weather events all over the world — in Europe, in Asia Pacific, but also in America, [are] our real wake up call, for everyone. that we have to act now," the Dutch minister Jetten said. | Climate Change |
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House on Thursday launched a formal partnership with 11 East Coast governors to boost the growing offshore wind industry, a key element of President Joe Biden‘s plan for climate change.
Biden, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and other top administration officials met with governors, wind industry officials and labor leaders Thursday at the White House. The session focused on ways to expand important segments of the offshore industry, including manufacturing facilities, ports and workforce training and development.
“Together we’re stepping up. We’re about to build a better America,” Biden said. “It’s not just about the future. It’s about right now.”
The partnership comprises governors of both parties from Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.
READ MORE: Administration sets plan for 7 offshore wind farms by 2025
Missing from the compact is Virginia, where Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin has moved to withdraw the state from a regional carbon-limiting initiative meant to combat climate change.
Spokesperson Macaulay Porter said Youngkin supports the offshore wind industry, and his administration has participated in calls with the White House on the topic.
“The commonwealth is already a leader in offshore wind, and the Youngkin administration is focused on … this emerging sector in a way that is consistent with promoting jobs for Virginia and its right-to-work philosophy,” Porter said, referring to a state policy that promotes a worker’s right not to be required to join a labor union.
Youngkin is “fully committed to Virginia’s current offshore wind project” and will continue to support any future project “that meets Virginia’s economic needs and protects ratepayers from high energy costs,” Porter said.
In working with states and the private sector, the White House said it will “provide Americans with cleaner and cheaper energy, create good-paying jobs and invest billions in new American energy supply chains,” including construction of wind turbines, shipbuilding and servicing.
Biden has set a goal of deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore wind power by 2030, enough to provide electricity to 10 million homes, support 77,000 jobs and spur $12 billion per year in private investment in offshore wind. Offshore wind is a key component in the Democratic president’s plan to make the nation’s electric grid carbon free by 2035.
The Biden administration has approved two large-scale wind projects, Vineyard Wind in Massachusetts and South Fork Wind off New York and Rhode Island. Both are under construction with union labor. The Interior Department has begun reviews of another 10 offshore projects that, if approved, would produce 22 gigawatts of clean energy.
Danish wind developer Orsted signed a project labor agreement last month with a national union representing 3 million people in the building trades to construct the company’s U.S. offshore wind farms with an American union workforce. Orsted currently has six offshore projects in five states.
A national agreement signed with North America’s Building Trades Unions covers contractors working on those projects and future ones, with no termination date on the project labor agreement. It sets the terms and conditions for union workers to build offshore wind farms, with targets to ensure a diverse workforce. It contains provisions for training to ensure they can construct the complex infrastructure, which costs billions of dollars.
“We recognize that states are huge players here,” said David Hayes, a White House climate adviser. With a formal partnership, the Biden administration can “work with the governors on policies going forward and help ensure that there is an American-made supply chain for this brand-new industry,” Hayes said.
READ MORE: Floating wind farms offshore could boost California’s power supply – here’s how they work
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, said he and other East Coast governors “are united with our regional and federal partners not just by geography but by a shared commitment to clean and affordable energy, economic opportunity and a future in which all community members are shielded from the worsening impacts of climate change.”
The federal-state collaboration comes as the Biden administration has announced a plan to conduct up to seven offshore wind auctions by 2025, including one held last month off North Carolina and earlier this year in a coastal area known as the New York Bight. Other sales are expected in the Gulf of Maine, the central Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, as well as offshore in California and Oregon.
Environmental and clean energy groups hailed the federal-state collaboration.
“Today, there are just seven offshore wind turbines in the United States, and we’re going to need a lot more, done responsibly, to meet our clean energy goals,” said Diane Hoskins, campaign director for the conservation group Oceana. She called for “strong safeguards for marine life to avoid, minimize and mitigate the impacts of offshore wind.”
Heather Zichal, CEO of the American Clean Power Association, an industry group, said wind energy developers support the federal-state initiative. “Clear and predictable permitting for offshore wind is essential to recognizing its potential, and there is still work to do,” Zichal said.
Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani in Washington and Sarah Rankin in Richmond, Va., contributed to this story. | Climate Change |
Sundry Photography/ iStock Patagonia sign above the entrance to the store located near the Gondola on March 23, 2018 South Lake Tahoe, California. Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard is giving away the multibillion-dollar outdoor apparel company, the climber-turned-businessman announced on Wednesday. Chouinard and his family are transferring ownership of Patagonia to a trust and nonprofit in an effort to maintain the company’s environmentalist values and increase its contributions toward fighting climate change. “Earth is now our only shareholder,” Chouinard said in a statement. As part of the shift, Chouinard committed Patagonia to giving away all its excess profits to efforts to fight the environmental crisis. The company’s excess profits will go to the Holdfast Collective, an environmental nonprofit organization that is also receiving the entirety of Patagonia’s nonvoting shares — about 98 percent of the company. The remaining 2 percent of the company — the voting shares — will go to the Patagonia Purpose Trust. The trust, which was created to protect and maintain Patagonia’s values, will have final say on key decisions. Chouinard noted that they chose not to sell Patagonia or take the company public for fear that its values would be compromised. “Instead of ‘going public,’ you could say we’re ‘going purpose,’” Chouinard said. “Instead of extracting value from nature and transforming it into wealth for investors, we’ll use the wealth Patagonia creates to protect the source of all wealth.” Despite giving away ownership, Chouinard said he and his family will continue to guide the Patagonia Purpose Trust and Holdfast Collective and sit on the board of directors. Tags Climate change Climate change climate crisis patagonia Patagonia Yvon Chouinard | Climate Change |
Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSummaryFirefighters tackling blazes in Portugal, Spain and FranceTourists evacuated from campsites in FranceTemperatures could test records in Portugal and SpainLEIRIA, Portugal, July 13 (Reuters) - Thousands of firefighters battled more than 20 blazes that raged on Wednesday across Portugal and western Spain, menacing villages and disrupting tourists' holidays amid a heat wave that pushed temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) in some parts of Europe.In France, hundreds of firefighters, supported by six water-bomber aircraft, battled two wildfires in the southwest, which prompted the evacuation of thousands of campers, Gironde prefect Fabienne Buccio said.In Santiago de Guarda in the central Portuguese district of Leiria, Albertina Francisco struggled to hold back tears as a cloud of black smoke billowed over the tiny village.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com"It was very hard," said Francisco, 42, who was helping her sick sister evacuate. "Nobody helped - the firefighters and the (water-bomber) aircraft only got here now...The state must do more to help us."Some villagers rescued pets while others helped firefighters battle the flames.In Leiria, where over 3,000 hectares have burned so far, authorities blocked major motorways and side streets as strong winds made it harder for firefighters to fight the flames. Portugal's most important highway, connecting its capital Lisbon to Porto, was also blocked due to another fire farther north.Nearly 900 firefighters were combating three active blazes in Leiria alone, while in the whole of mainland Portugal there were 2,841 firefighters on the ground and 860 vehicles.In Portugal's southern Algarve region, popular with tourists, a fire broke out in the city of Faro and spread to the Quinta do Lago luxury resort. Videos shared online showed flames edging close to villas, burning palm trees and parts of golf courses.About half of drought-hit Portugal will remain on red alert for extreme heat conditions on Thursday, with the highest temperatures expected in the Santarem and Castelo Branco districts, the IPMA weather institute said.Wednesday's highest temperature was registered in the central town of Lousa at 46.3 degrees C (115 Fahrenheit), one degree below a 2003 record.Retiree Antonio Ramalheiro blamed inadequate forest management in addition to the heat wave for the wildfires."It is scary when the fire comes," the 62-year-old said. "If it reaches the house it is a disgrace...you lose everything."Firefighters watch a wildfire in Ourem, Santarem district, Portugal July 12, 2022. REUTERS/Rodrigo AntunesAt least 135 people have suffered mainly minor injuries since wildfires began in Portugal last week, and about 800 people have been evacuated from their homes, according to the Civil Protection Authority.CAMPSITES EVACUATEDMore than 2,700 hectares have burned so far in France's Gironde region, prefect Buccio told BFM TV. The biggest of the two fires is around the town of Landiras, south of Bordeaux, where roads have been closed and 500 residents evacuated.The other one is along the Atlantic Coast, close to the iconic "Dune du Pilat" - the tallest sand dune in Europe - located in the Arcachon Bay area, above which heavy clouds of dark smoke were seen rising in the sky.That fire led to the preventive evacuation of 6,000 people from five surrounding campsites. They were taken to a local exhibition centre for shelter."Other campers woke us up at around 4:30 in the morning. We had to leave immediately and quickly choose what to take with us," Christelle, one of the evacuated tourists, told BFM TV.On the eve of Bastille Day, the Gironde prefecture has forbidden all fireworks until Monday in towns and villages in close proximity to forests.The World Meteorological Organisation warned on Tuesday the heat wave was spreading and intensifying in large parts of Europe.With human-caused climate change triggering droughts, the number of extreme wildfires is expected to increase 30% within the next 28 years, according to a February 2022 U.N. report.Searing temperatures also swept across China's vast Yangtze River basin on Wednesday; firefighters tackled a forest fire near the tourist town of Datca in Turkey; and power demand in Texas hit an all-time high as consumers cranked up their air conditioners to escape the heat. read more In Spain's western region of Extremadura bordering Portugal, firefighters battled a blaze that swept into Salamanca province in the region of Castile and Leon, burning more than 4,000 hectares.Parts of the Extremadura, Andalusia and Galicia regions were on red alert for extreme heat, Spain's AEMET meteorology service said, adding the country's highest temperature on Wednesday stood at 45.6 C in Huelva province.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Catarina Demony, Miguel Pereira and Rodrigo Antunes in Leiria;
Additional reporting by Andrei Khalip in Lisbon, Emma Pinedo in Madrid, Benoit Van Overstraeten and Dominique Vidalon in Paris; Editing by Peter Graff, Deepa Babington and Cynthia OstermanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Climate Change |
Story at a glance A new report from the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives found transitioning countries to zero-waste pathways can significantly reduce emissions. Better waste management strategies include increased composting and greater investment in recycling. According to authors, past initiatives aimed at combating climate change have largely ignored waste industry reforms. Broad adoption of composting, recycling, and production cuts could help reduce waste-related emissions by 84 percent, according to a new report from the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), an anti-waste nonprofit. Introducing zero-waste systems in cities around the world is also one of the quickest and most affordable ways of keeping the Earth from reaching the 1.5 degree celsius benchmark warming set by the Paris Agreement, authors wrote. Globally, the waste sector accounts for 20 percent of the world’s methane emissions — a greenhouse gas that drives at least a quarter of current global warming and is more than 25 times as potent as carbon dioxide when it comes to trapping heat in the atmosphere. To estimate the benefits of zero waste systems, GAIA worked with local researchers to collect city-specific data from eight cities around the world: Bandung, Indonesia; Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania; Detroit, USA; eThekwini, South Africa; Lviv, Ukraine; São Paulo, Brazil; Seoul, South Korea; and Temuco, Chile. Models showed that cities like Detroit, São Paulo and Seoul could even reach net-negative emissions by 2030, or greater emissions reductions than waste’s carbon footprint, if they adopt the zero-waste policies. America is changing faster than ever! Add Changing America to your Facebook or Twitter feed to stay on top of the news. When focusing on organic (plant or animal) waste and easy-to-recycle materials like glass and paper, the report found scaled-up shifts in waste management could lead to a global reduction of 1.4 billion tonnes of greenhouse gasses and 42 million tonnes in methane emissions, amounting to 13 percent of the total. The cuts to greenhouse gas emissions are equivalent to removing all U.S. motor vehicles from the road for a year. Apart from the reductions seen in the waste industry, a focus on less waste could significantly drive down emissions from other sectors like the manufacture, transport and use of goods. For food and plastic in particular, using less of the resource in the first place can play a major role. Currently, plastic production is doubling every two decades, while the majority of plastic produced is not recyclable, the report reads. Implementing bans on single-use plastic and cutting down on food waste are two areas for improvement. “Better waste management is a climate change solution staring us in the face,” said study co-author Neil Tangri in a press release. “It doesn’t require flashy or expensive new technology – it’s just about paying more attention to what we produce and consume, and how we deal with it when it is no longer needed.” Although some have proposed the solution of landfill methane capture to help offset emissions from excessive waste, the process can be challenging and relies on a host of variable factors including the weather. Another waste management option, incineration, emits greenhouse gasses and soot that can be damaging to human health and the environment. “Previous climate talks have largely overlooked the potential of reforms to the waste sector, particularly for reducing methane, which over 100 countries have now pledged to do,” added Mariel Vilella, Director of GAIA’s Global Climate Program. “Zero waste strategies are the easiest way to rapidly and cheaply bring down emissions, while building climate resilience, creating jobs, and promoting thriving local economies.” In November, the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 27) is scheduled to convene. GAIA hopes initiatives like prioritizing food waste reduction and single-use plastic bans will be discussed. Additional actions countries can take include introducing separate collection and treatment of organic waste, and investing in efficient waste management and recycling systems, among others. These initiatives could have far-reaching effects as zero-waste pathways can also help reduce flooding, stymie disease transmission and improve soil health. Improperly managed waste can clog drainage systems, while uncollected plastic can host disease vectors. Not only is composting good for soil health, but healthier soil can help prevent loss of food crops and mudslides. | Climate Change |
Major sea-level rise from the melting of the Greenland ice cap is now inevitable, scientists have found, even if the fossil fuel burning that is driving the climate crisis were to end overnight.The research shows the global heating to date will cause an absolute minimum sea-level rise of 27cm (10.6in) from Greenland alone as 110tn tonnes of ice melt. With continued carbon emissions, the melting of other ice caps and thermal expansion of the ocean, a multi-metre sea-level rise appears likely.Billions of people live in coastal regions, making flooding due to rising sea levels one of the greatest long-term impacts of the climate crisis. If Greenland’s record melt year of 2012 becomes a routine occurrence later this century, as is possible, then the ice cap will deliver a “staggering” 78cm of sea-level rise, the scientists said.Previous studies have used computer models of ice cap behaviour to estimate future losses, but the physical processes are complex and this leads to significant uncertainties in the results.In contrast, the study published in the journal Nature Climate Change used satellite measurements of ice losses from Greenland and the shape of the ice cap from 2000-19. This data enabled the scientists to calculate how far global heating to date has pushed the ice sheet from an equilibrium where snowfall matches the ice lost. This allowed the calculation of how much more ice must be lost in order to regain stability.“It is a very conservative rock-bottom minimum,” said Prof Jason Box from the National Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (Geus), who led the research. “Realistically, we will see this figure more than double within this century.”The 27cm estimate is a minimum because it only accounts for global heating so far and because some ways in which glacier ice is lost at the margins of the ice sheet are not included.The advantage of this study is that it provides a solid estimate of inevitable sea-level rise but the method used does not give a timescale over which the ice will be lost. Nonetheless, based on scientists’ overall understanding of how sheets such as Greenland lose ice into the ocean, the researchers said most of the rise would occur relatively soon. In 2021, other scientists warned that a significant part of the Greenland ice sheet was on the brink of a tipping point.“The minimum of 27cm is the sea-level rise deficit that we have accrued to date and it’s going to get paid out, no matter what we do going forward,” said Dr William Colgan, also at Geus. “Whether it’s coming in 100 years or 150 years, it’s coming. And the sea-level rise we are committed to is growing at present, because of the climate trajectory we’re on.”Colgan said: “If [2012] becomes a normal year, then the committed loss grows to 78cm, which is staggering, and the fact that we’re already flickering into that range [of ice loss] is shocking. But the difference between 78cm and 27cm highlights the [difference] that can be made through implementing the Paris agreement. There is still a lot of room to minimise the damage.”Mountain glaciers in the Himalayas and the Alps are already on course to lose a third and half of their ice respectively, while the west Antarctic ice sheet is also thought by some scientists to be past the point at which major losses are inevitable. Warming oceans also expand, adding to sea-level rise.“There is growing support in the scientific literature for multi-metre levels of rise within the next 100 to 200 years,” said Colgan. A collapse of the colossal east Antarctic ice sheet, which would lead to a 52-metre rise in sea levels if it all melted, could be averted if rapid climate action is taken.Prof Gail Whiteman, at the University of Exeter, who was not part of the study team, said: “The results of this new study are hard to ignore for all business leaders and politicians concerned about the future of humanity. It is bad news for the nearly 600 million people that live in coastal zones worldwide. As sea levels rise, they will be increasingly vulnerable, and it threatens approximately $1tn of global wealth.” She said political leaders must rapidly scale up funding for climate adaptation and damage. | Climate Change |
Villagers harvest edible seaweed, sea snails and other food sources during low tide next to Serua Village, Fiji, July 14, 2022. REUTERS/Loren Elliott Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSUVA, Fiji, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Karen Vusisa has been struggling to find a decent catch of a favourite Fijian edible seaweed, amid concerns that ocean temperatures have hit harvests and are threatening livelihoods of fisherwomen like her.Like many others, Vusisa, 52, is managing to collect only about half as much of the seaweed, nama, as she once did. She must hunt for it over wider areas, spending more time at sea."We are struggling to find some spot for a lot of nama," Sera Baleisasa, another Fijian fisherwoman, told Reuters.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comNama, found mostly in the waters off Fiji, resembles small green grapes. It is part of the Pacific island nation's daily diet and usually served soaked in coconut milk and added to salads.It is also crucial for the livelihoods of hundreds of fisherwomen, who earn about $10 to $20 for a bag weighing 10 kg (22 lb.).When harvesting, they leave the seaweed's roots intact to help with regrowth, then move on to collect at a regenerated patch. But for the past several years, they say, nama has been taking longer to grow back.Marine biologist Alani Tuivucilevu blames warmer oceans for impairing growth of nama, which she says is "very sensitive to heat.""It's saddening, really; it's saddening, because this has been their way of life," said Tuivucilevu, who works with research group Women in Fisheries Network Fiji. "Depletion of nama supply means eroding of a way of life and, to a certain degree, of culture and traditions."Reports by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency showed that 2021 was the warmest year for the world's oceans since records began in the late 1800s.Climate scientists have been warning that Pacific island countries are more vulnerable to climate change due to their reliance on the ocean for resources.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Jill Gralow; Writing by Renju Jose; Editing by Bradley PerrettOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Climate Change |
Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan warned parts of the East Coast could be "swallowed by the ocean" in a dissenting Supreme Court opinion in an environmental regulation case Thursday. "If the current rate of emissions continues, children born this year could live to see parts of the Eastern seaboard swallowed by the ocean," Kagan wrote in her dissent. Justices Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor joined Kagan's dissent in the 6-3 case. "Today, the Court strips the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the power Congress gave it to respond to ‘the most pressing environmental challenge of our time,'" Kagan wrote. SUPREME COURT DEALS BIDEN CLIMATE AGENDA SERIOUS BLOW WITH EPA DECISION Kagan said the dangers of rising temperatures and, as a result, devastating environmental effects, including, "Rising waters, scorching heat, and other severe weather conditions [that] could force ‘mass migration events[,] political crises, civil unrest,’ and even state failure.'"Kagan elaborated that the Earth was "now warmer than any time" in modern history, highlighting the importance of scientific research on carbon dioxide contributing to global warming. She also wrote global warming could be the cause of "4.6 million excess yearly deaths."She added that the EPA's authority in curbing greenhouse emissions did fall into the parameters set by Congress. Justice Elena Kagan at the Supreme Court in Washington, April 23, 2021. (Erin Schaff/Pool via Reuters)"Section 111 of the Clean Air Act directs EPA to regulate stationary sources of any substance that ‘causes, or contributes significantly to, air pollution’ and that ‘may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare,’" she wrote. Kagan wrote carbon dioxide and other such greenhouse gases did, in fact, categorize as such per the description. She said regulating fossil fuels constituted one of "the most significant of the entities [the EPA] regulates" and curbing such emissions was a factor in any effective strategy in addressing climate change. Kagan wrote in the dissenting opinion that the EPA has now been blocked from enacting generation shifting in power plants as a means of shifting electricity generation to lower emission alternatives as a result of the decision. DEMOCRATS, ENVIRONMENTALISTS SLAM 'CATASTROPHIC' SUPREME COURT RULING CURBING FEDERAL CLIMATE POWERS"The Court today issues what is really an advisory opinion on the proper scope of the new rule EPA is considering. That new rule will be subject anyway to immediate, pre-enforcement judicial review. But this Court could not wait—even to see what the new rule says—to constrain EPA’s efforts to address climate change," Kagan wrote. The majority, led by Chief Justice John Roberts ultimately ruled the EPA cannot make sweeping rules that could overhaul industries without the approval of Congress. In this photo taken with a slow shutter speed, taillights trace the path of a motor vehicle at the Naughton Power Plant, Jan. 13, 2022, in Kemmerer, Wyoming. (AP Photo/Natalie Behring / AP Newsroom)The case comes as a result of the Clean Power Plan created in 2015 during the Obama administration, which aimed to reduce carbon emissions at power plants by shifting from coal to natural gas and finally to wind and solar energy. The court later stayed the plan while it was under review by lower courts. The plan was then repealed by the Trump administration and replaced with the Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) Rule. Under the Biden administration, the ACE was eventually vacated by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, prompting the repeal of the Clean Power Plan. The Biden administration announced that it would not reinstate the Clean Power Plan but, rather, implement a new rule, citing Section 111 allowing the EPA to "regulate stationary sources of any substance that ‘causes, or contributes significantly to, air pollution’ and that ‘may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare.’"ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS SUE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OVER FIRST ONSHORE OIL AND GAS LEASE SALEWest Virginia sued, citing the "major questions doctrine," which states there must be a clear statement for the court to conclude Congress intended on granting the EPA such authority to regulate such a large portion of the economy. In the majority opinion, Roberts said it is "not plausible" Congress gave such authority to the EPA via Section 111. The U.S. Supreme Court building, May 4, 2022 in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File / AP Newsroom)"Capping carbon dioxide emissions at a level that will force a nationwide transition away from the use of coal to generate electricity may be a sensible ‘solution to the crisis of the day.’ But it is not plausible that Congress gave EPA the authority to adopt on its own such a regulatory scheme in Section 111(d). A decision of such magnitude and consequence rests with Congress itself, or an agency acting pursuant to a clear delegation from that representative body," the decision read. GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency proved a blow to the executive branch's reach and the Biden climate agenda. The case was the last of two rulings on Thursday as the court closes for its summer recess. Thursday also marked Breyer's last day on the bench, after he notified President Biden Wednesday of his retirement to go into effect at 12 p.m Thursday. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was sworn in on Thursday as his replacement. | Climate Change |
The spotlight on energy should be the UK’s opportunity to finally adopt a green agenda that sets a clear path to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. But Truss’s own pronouncements – more oil drilling, more gas fracking – and many of her cabinet appointments suggest action on net zero could be undermined rather than boosted by her government. As the makeup of her government comes into focus, will it head in the direction environmentalists say the UK urgently needs to travel?Department for Business, Energy and Industrial StrategySqueezing “every last cubic inch of gas” from the North Sea is top of the agenda for Jacob Rees-Mogg, the new business secretary, despite clear advice that increasing gas production will do nothing to ease prices for consumers. Equally concerning for green advocates, Rees-Mogg has long voiced climate scepticism and spoken against the net zero target.However, Truss’s appointment of Graham Stuart as junior minister for climate change struck a different note. Stuart was one of the leading voices urging Theresa May to enshrine the net zero target in law and has long been involved in the Globe group of legislators who push for laws mandating climate action to be passed by national parliaments.“His appointment is very positive, as is the fact that he will attend cabinet,” said one green Tory adviser. “That’s moving in the right direction.”Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs“Another fucking Defra secretary who hasn’t got a pair of wellies,” was the gruff response of one farmer who sits on a Natural England regional board to the appointment of Ranil Jayawardena to the role of secretary of state for environment, farming and rural affairs. Truss took the top job at Defra in 2014.Jayawardena, who is said to have asked for the Defra job, is the youngest secretary of state in the new cabinet. He has little record on green issues, though he was president of the all-party parliamentary group on endangered species, which has cheered wildlife campaigners.Farmers are more alarmed by his background as a trade minister, cutting deals with overseas governments that campaigners say sidelined animal welfare and food quality concerns in favour of cheaper imports. He will also have to tackle the pressing issue of sewage in our rivers, which has enraged the public, and air quality concerns. Under the Environment Act, decisions on post-Brexit regulations for air quality standards must be made this autumn.Shaun Spiers, the executive director of the Green Alliance thinktank, said Jayawardena, as a committed Brexiter, should see that the greatest opportunity for a Brexit dividend lay in the “green Brexit” promised by the former Defra secretary Michael Gove. “Otherwise, what was the point of leaving the EU?” he asked.TreasuryKwasi Kwarteng is seen as ‘extremely supportive of renewables’. Photograph: Tolga Akmen/EPAUnder Rishi Sunak, the Treasury acquired a reputation for blocking any green initiatives that required public spending. Interestingly, the proposer of many of those initiatives was Kwasi Kwarteng, the former business secretary, now chancellor of the exchequer.When he entered the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) in 2019, Kwarteng was known as a free marketeer, but colleagues say he underwent a conversion at BEIS, becoming convinced of the need for intervention and the potential for clean energy. Spiers said: “I heard Kwarteng say that all his instincts were free market, but the more he understood of energy policy, the more he understood the need for intervention.”He was seen as “extremely supportive” of renewables, says one renewable industry insider, so his appointment is viewed with relief by investors, as Truss spoke out against solar farms and vowed to keep regulatory barriers to onshore wind during her campaign.He may also be willing to set up an insulation programme because, says Sam Hall of the Conservative Environment Network, under Truss’s plans for an energy bill cap, the Treasury is “on the hook” for the rising cost of energy. The more energy that can be saved by consumers, the lower the cost to the public purse of the price cap policy, giving HMT for the first time an incentive to invest in demand reduction.International policyAlok Sharma will want to hold together the fragile coalition that reached agreement at Cop26. Photograph: Victoria Jones/PAAlok Sharma, the cabinet minister who chaired Cop26, retains that position as the UK presidency ends in November when Egypt will take on the role of president of the UN talks. Sharma will spend those weeks in close negotiations with leading countries, trying to hold together the fragile coalition that reached agreement at Cop26.During the leadership campaign, Sharma said he might resign if the new leader failed to show sufficient commitment to net zero and climate action. Truss has said she intends to follow policies that would reassure him.No 10Truss promises to be a very different prime minister to her predecessor, tightly disciplined and with no doubt over who is in control.Ministers will be on a close rein when they make any policy decisions and the tone will be set from the top, according to the environmentalist Tom Burke, the co-founder of the E3G thinktank. He said: “She’s going to run a tight ship, with political control. Cabinet ministers will have less room to wander off on their own to influence policy.”The peopling of Downing Street with advisers from “Tufton Street” – a collective name for rightwing, free-market, low-tax thinktanks, including figures from the Taxpayers Alliance and the Institute for Economic Affairs – means that any minister with a bent for interventionist policies will have a struggle, said Burke.Boris Johnson was seen by green Tories as their champion, which led to strong rhetoric on net zero if not always action. Truss has shown she will take a strikingly different view.Overall verdict?Joshua Marks, of the Bright Blue thinktank, is mildly optimistic: “It’s a mixed bag [of early measures and appointments by Truss]. There is not a clear direction, there are positive and negative signs. But net zero ties in with so many pressing concerns, such as the cost of living this winter and next winter, so the government must recognise that solving this crisis is not possible without reducing energy consumption and going for renewables.”Burke is more gloomy. “It just looks like Liz Truss is going to take us in the wrong direction. There is a massive gulf between what the public wants from the government – action on climate change, and on the cost of living, which requires investment in energy efficiency – and the direction Liz Truss appears to be taking.” | Climate Change |
A Shell employee walks through the company's new Quest Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) facility in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Canada, October 7, 2021. REUTERS/Todd KorolRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comAug 15 (Reuters) - Tax credits in the $430 billion U.S. climate and tax bill set to be signed into law this week will kickstart carbon sequestration projects, say oil and gas proponents, offsetting startup costs for some of the anti-pollution initiatives.Carbon capture and storage hubs that take gases from chemical, power and gas producers and oil refineries have become the energy industry's preferred way to combat climate warming. But large-scale development has snagged over costs and lack of guaranteed revenue.The Biden administration's Inflation Reduction Act, which was approved by lawmakers last week, provides a tax credit of up to $85 per ton for burying carbon dioxide produced by industrial activity, and up to $180 per ton for pulling carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comThe bill also greenlit new leases of federal land for oil and gas development, without considerations of climate impacts. Importantly, it automatically approved high bids from a November 2021 offshore auction that included a drilling project intended for a carbon-burying scheme. read more "It's a pretty big deal," said Tim Duncan, chief executive of Talos Energy Inc (TALO.N) , an offshore oil and gas producer that is building a business around carbon sequestration. Talos has launched four projects and signed up big backers including Freeport LNG and Chevron Corp (CVX.N) .“This is going to unlock a significant amount of emissions that could become economic for capture,” added Chris Davis, a senior vice president at Milestone Carbon, which develop carbon projects for mid-sized companies.CONTINUED STRUGGLESOver the last two decades, companies have tentatively tried and largely struggled to make a business from using CO2 to boost oil production. More recently, big investors want firms to address global warming, and the oil industry aims to show it takes climate change seriously.There are carbon sequestration hubs proposed around the world - in Alberta in Canada, Rotterdam in the Netherlands, and Huizhou, China. Another type of carbon capture, which directly catches the greenhouse gas from the atmosphere rather than industrial production, also are being considered. read more A massive expansion of carbon capture is vital to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050, according to energy consuming nations advocate, the International Energy Agency (IEA). The sector must go to storing 7.6 billion tonnes a year from around 40 million tonnes currently. read more The new tax incentives mean "a number of small to mid-scale projects have a better chance of becoming economical," said Frederik Majkut, a senior vice president for energy services company Schlumberger's (SLB.N) Carbon Solutions business.There are some 5 billion tons of carbon released in the United States annually that could be captured by these sequestration schemes. Previously, very little of that could be captured economically, said Milestone's Davis said."With $85 a ton, I think you can get another billion tons," he said. "It starts to look like an attractive investment."BIGGER PROJECTSLarger projects, such as that advanced by Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N) , which floated a $100 billion plan for a massive carbon hub serving refineries and chemical plants, will need carbon taxes and other initiatives, said analysts.Widespread deployment of these industrial hubs will require additional policy support from the Biden administration, an Exxon spokesperson said of the bill's climate provisions.Smaller projects are more likely to advance but still face hurdles including underground pore rights and permits, said Tracy Evans, chief executive of CapturePoint, which struck a partnership with pipeline operator Energy Transfer(ET.N) for a Louisiana hub.Currently, permitting for carbon injection wells can take years to secure. And while offshore auctions cover large blocks, aggregating smaller tracts of private land owners onshore can slow the process, he said."It will drive more investment in the space for sure," Evans said.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Liz Hampton in Denver, additional reporting by Sabrina Valle in Houston
Editing by Marguerita ChoyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Climate Change |
The climate crisis made the record drought across the northern hemisphere this summer at least 20 times more likely, scientists have calculated. Without human-caused global heating, the event would have been expected only once every four centuries.The drought hit crop production and power supplies, exacerbating the food and energy crises already sparked by Russia’s war in Ukraine. Droughts will become even more severe and more frequent unless the burning of fossil fuels is phased out, the researchers warned.The dry conditions, assessed using data on soil moisture, largely resulted from the heatwaves that struck across North America, Europe and Asia, with lower rainfall relatively less important. The scientists said a summer as hot as that of 2022 would have been “virtually impossible” without global heating and in Europe alone there were 24,000 heat-related fatalities.The analysis examined conditions across the northern hemisphere, excluding the tropics, and in western and central Europe, where the drought was particularly severe and significantly reduced crop yields. The European summer was the driest in records that stretch back to 1950, while the northern hemisphere drought was the second driest on record, after 2012.The dry conditions caused widespread water shortages and wildfires, with a record number of blazes in Europe, the first national drought alert in China and more than half of the US being declared in drought. In the UK, temperatures hit 40C for the first time on record, shocking scientists, and hosepipe bans are still in place across much of the country.“The 2022 summer has shown how human-induced climate change is increasing the risks of droughts in densely populated and cultivated regions,” said Prof Sonia Seneviratne, at ETH Zurich, Switzerland, and part of the analysis team. “We need to phaseout the burning of fossil fuels if we want to [prevent] more frequent and more intense droughts.”Dr Friederike Otto, at Imperial College London, UK, and also part of the team, said: “In Europe, drought conditions led to reduced harvests. This was particularly worrying as it followed a climate change-fuelled heatwave in [India and Pakistan] that also destroyed crops, and happened at a time when global food prices were already extremely high due to the war in Ukraine.”The scientists had already found that the deadly South Asian heatwave was made 30 times more likely by the climate crisis and that the intense rainfall, which caused devastating floods across Pakistan, was made 50% worse by global heating. In August, an analysis by the Guardian laid bare the devastating intensification of extreme weather around the world, supercharged by human-caused climate change of just 1C to date.The drought study was carried out by an international team of researchers as part of the World Weather Attribution group. It analysed soil moisture levels in June, July and August 2022 in the top metre of soil, where plants take up water. The team used weather and soil data and computer models to compare the likelihood of the summer drought in today’s heated world and in a world without global heating.The scientists found the record northern hemisphere drought of 2022 would be expected once every 20 years in today’s climate but only every 400 years without climate change. The drought in western and central Europe was made at least three to four times more likely by global heating. But they said this does not mean that climate change has had less influence in Europe as the fingerprint of climate change is harder to discern in smaller regions.The analysis is complex and carries uncertainties, but the researchers said the estimates in the study are conservative, with the real influence of human activities likely even higher.Prof Maarten van Aalst, director of the Red Cross Red Crescent climate centre, said: “Climate change is really hitting us hard, not just in poor countries like Pakistan, but also in some of the richest parts of the world, like west central Europe, that had been considered less vulnerable. It’s playing out in front of our eyes even faster than we might have expected.”“We’re also seeing the impacts compounding and cascading across regions and sectors,” he said. For example, the drought cut hydropower production, as well as power from nuclear and coal plants, due to lack of cooling water. “That compounded a situation where electricity prices were already under stress, due to the Russia-Ukraine war and when we needed lots of electricity for air conditioning all across Europe to deal with the high heat.”“This new study clearly points to the fingerprint of climate change and should be another wake-up call to reduce emissions, but also to invest more in resilience,” van Aalst said. | Climate Change |
President Joe Biden used part of his remarks in Florida on Wednesday to blame Hurricane Ian, a recent Category 4 storm, on human-caused climate change despite recent pushback from experts."We're in a situation where the Colorado River looks more like a stream," Biden said during a speech in Fort Myers, Florida, on Wednesday afternoon. "There's a lot going on, and I think the one thing this has finally ended is a discussion about whether or not there's climate change, and we should do something about it."Biden visited Fort Myers alongside Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., and Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Rick Scott, R-Fla., to survey Hurricane Ian's damage and reaffirm the federal government's commitment to assist with the state's recovery efforts. Last week, the storm pummeled Florida's west coast, causing more than 100 deaths and over a million residents to lose power.As the storm struck Florida, though, several Democrats, left-wing commentators and media outlets claimed its existence and intensity was a result of carbon emissions and global warming. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., even appeared to suggest that voting for Democrats would help avoid future hurricanes.DEMOCRATS BLAMING CLIMATE CHANGE FOR HURRICANE IAN AT ODDS WITH SCIENCE, EXPERTS SAYHowever, experts, including the Biden administration's top hurricane expert, have since pushed back against such claims, saying there wasn't enough evidence to tie the storm to climate change."We can come back and talk about climate change at a later time. I want to focus on the here and now. We think the rapid intensification is probably almost done," Jamie Rhome, the acting director of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Hurricane Center, told CNN in an interview on Sept. 27. BIDEN SUGGESTS AMERICANS NOT PROUD OF US IN DIVISIVE FUNDRAISER SPEECH AS FLORIDA PUMMELED BY HURRICANE IANAfter CNN anchor Don Lemon reiterated a question about the hurricane being linked to climate change, Rhome again pushed back."I don’t think you can link climate change to any one event. On the whole, on the cumulative, climate change may be making storms worse," he continued. "But to link it to any one event, I would caution against that." On Wednesday, President Biden visited Fort Myers alongside Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., and Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Rick Scott, R-Fla., to survey Hurricane Ian's damage (Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images)A recent NOAA study similarly concluded that it was "premature to conclude with high confidence" that human-caused increasing greenhouse gases have had any impact on hurricane activity in the Atlantic.And on Sunday, Michael Shellenberger, an energy policy expert and founder of the group Environmental Progress, tweeted a series of NOAA analyses showing there is no definitive long-term trend in hurricane frequency, there may be a negative trend in land-falling hurricanes since 1900, and there is no long-term trend on increasing hurricane intensity.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPIn addition, experts told Fox News Digital last week that blaming Hurricane Ian on climate change was inappropriate politicization."Trying to blame global warming for Hurricane Ian not only defies scientific evidence — the clear weight of scientific evidence — but it is a despicable politicization of a real tragedy that requires our attention and focus on the people negatively affected," said James Taylor, the president of conservative think tank Heartland Institute."These types of hurricanes existed before SUVs and coal-fired power plants were invented. In fact, they were much more frequent and severe before coal power plants and SUVs." Thomas Catenacci is a politics writer for Fox News Digital. | Climate Change |
The UK heatwave was causing havoc today as a fire broke out at a solar farm, a hospital declared a critical incident and wildfires swept across the countryside - with an extreme heat amber warning now extended into next week.Temperatures have already hit 32C (90F) this week and will do so again today before dipping slightly between tomorrow and Friday – then bouncing back at the weekend with an unprecedented 40C (104F) possible.Some 20 firefighters tackled a large blaze at the solar farm at Verwood in Dorset, where a 500ft by 330ft patch of grass was ablaze for three hours at the 113-acre site which has 81,400 panels – some of which were damaged.Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth has now declared a 'critical incident' due to staff sickness and the prolonged hot weather, with staff having to prioritise emergencies amid 'extreme pressure on services'.And South Oxfordshire District Council warned that bin collections could have to stop because of the heat - with residents advised to leave bins out for two days after their scheduled collection if they are not emptied.On Salisbury Plain, a fire on open land in a military training area near Urchfont continued today with a huge plume of smoke in the sky. Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service urged local residents to 'keep windows and doors closed'. Fire crews in Norfolk have battled more than 50 fires over the past 48 hours with undergrowth left parched after weeks with little rain, amid warnings that one spark from a match could set areas alight. And part of a main road linking Norfolk and Suffolk - the A140 at Stonham Barns - now requires repairs after it began to melt in the heat. Meanwhile homeless charities have activated a severe weather response to offer emergency shelter to anyone sleeping rough; while schools across North Staffordshire are telling students to remove their blazers and ties.It comes as the Met Office today extended an extreme heat amber warning into next week - and unions urged companies to allow staff to work from home and Britain prepared for what could be its warmest day on record.Meteorologists had yesterday issued an extreme heat warning for Sunday, but today this was extended for all of Monday - saying that the heat will be 'likely peaking on Sunday and Monday, but may last into Tuesday in places'.Temperatures have already hit 32C (90F) this week and will do so again today before dipping slightly between tomorrow and Friday – then bouncing back at the weekend with an unprecedented 40C (104F) possible. Forecasters warned of 'widespread impacts to people and infrastructure' in the life-threatening Saharan heatwave that could cripple travel networks, trigger power blackouts, and cause 'potential serious illness or danger to life'.Temperatures hit 30.5C (86.9F) in Surrey at noon today, while Hampshire was at 30C (86F) and London had got up to 29.7C (85.5F) by the same time. The mercury had already reached 28C (82F) by 9am in the capital this morning. Firefighters tackle a large fire at a solar farm at Verwood in Dorset yesterday, where a 500ft by 330ft patch of grass was alight A fire on open land in a military training area on Salisbury Plain near Urchfont continues today with smoke sent into the sky A 500ft by 330ft patch of grass was on fire for three hours at the 113-acre site which has 81,400 panels in Verwood, Dorset Photos of the fire at the solar farm in Verwood, Dorset, yesterday show flames under the panels as crews battled the blaze The incident at the solar farm was attended by crews from Verwood, Ferndown, Wimborne, Cranborne, Ringwood and Poole Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service posted this tweet yesterday of crews putting out a fire. The force told its followers: 'It's hot and dry this week, this means wildfire risk is extremely high. Please enjoy Norfolk's greenspaces safely this summer'And the Trades Union Congress is calling for an absolute maximum indoor temperature of 30C (86F) - or 27C (81F) for those doing strenuous jobs - to legally indicate when work should stop. No official limit currently exists.It also wants firms to allow staff to come in earlier or stay later to 'avoid the stifling and unpleasant conditions of the rush hour commute', adding: 'Bosses should also consider enabling staff to work from home while it is hot.' What are the potential impacts of extreme heat during amber warning?The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning for extreme heat for the whole on Sunday, covering most of England and some of Wales. The extreme heat warning system ranges from yellow to red and indicates how likely and how much of an impact the weather will have on public life. An amber warning states that temperatures are likely to have a high impact.The warning for Sunday states: 'Some exceptionally high temperatures are possible during Sunday and could lead to widespread impacts on people and infrastructure'.Forecasters say the heatwave could impact the health of everyone – not only the vulnerable – while it could also impact electricity, gas and water supplies. Here is how it could impact different parts of daily life:RAIL TRAVELThe Met Office says that delays and cancellations to rail travel are possible with 'potential for significant welfare issues for those who experience even moderate delays'. Network Rail has warned that services across the UK may be subject to speed restrictions to avoid tracks buckling, with South Western Railway and Heathrow Express among the operators warning of potential disruption. West Midlands Trains imposed a 20mph limits yesterday on the route between Stratford-upon-Avon, Leamington Spa and Kidderminster.ROADS The Met Office says that delays on roads and road closures are possible during the heat alert period. The RAC has urged motorists to 'think carefully before they drive, and do everything they can to avoid a breakdown'. It says motorists should check the coolant and oil levels under the bonnet when the engine is cold. It added: 'If temperatures were to go as high as around 40c as some are predicting, then people should question their decision to drive in the first place.'Hampshire County Council is preparing to deploy gritters in response to melting roads, saying that the machines will be spreading light dustings of sand which 'acts like a sponge to soak up excess bitumen'.Motorists who find tar stuck to their tyres are advised to wash it off with warm soapy water.AIRPORTSThe Met Office has warned that air travel could also be disruption during the heat. This is because planes can become too heavy to take off in very hot weather due to reduced air density resulting in a lack of lift.This happened during a heatwave in summer 2018 at London City Airport when some passengers had to be removed so the services become light enough to take off on the relatively short runway.UTILITIESThe Met Office has warned that a failure of 'heat-sensitive systems and equipment' is possible. This could result in a loss of power and other essential services, such as water, electricity and gas. Hot weather can lead to high demand on the power network because people are turning on fans and air conditioning - and the heat can also lead to a drop in the efficiency of overhead power cables and transformers.WORKPLACESThe Met Office says that 'changes in working practices and daily routines will be required' in the extreme heat. There is no specific law for a maximum working temperature, or when it is too hot to work.But employers are expected to ensure that in offices or similar environments, the temperature in workplaces must be 'reasonable'. Companies must follow follow health and safety laws which include keeping the temperature at a comfortable level, known as 'thermal comfort'; and providing clean and fresh air.The Trades Union Congress says that during heatwaves staff should be allowed to start work earlier, or stay later, leave jackets and ties in the wardrobe and have regular breaks. It is also calling for an absolute maximum indoor temperature of 30C (86F) - or 27C (81F) for strenuous jobs - to legally indicate when work should stop.HEALTH The Met Office has said that adverse health effects could be 'experienced by all, not just limited to those most vulnerable to extreme heat, leading to serious illness or danger to life' during the amber warning. In addition, charity Asthma and Lung UK has warned up to three million asthma sufferers could be affected by high pollen levels, so should use their inhalers. SCHOOLS Plans to cope with the heat, created by the NHS and UKHSA, say children should not do 'vigorous physical activity' when temperatures rise above 30C (86F).Some sports days have been cancelled this week, while official advice suggests moving school start, end and break times to avoid the hottest points in the day.Official word from the Government on how schools should respond to the heat could be sent later this week - but it may be left to headteachers to decide.Congestion data appears to show that more staff are working from home this week - with morning rush-hour figures from TomTom for London today revealing that traffic was slightly down on the same time last Tuesday.The location services firm revealed a figure of 43 per cent between 7am and 8am today, compared to 46 per cent last Tuesday; and 60 per cent between 8am and 9am today, compared to 66 per cent at that time last Tuesday. The Government is now responding to the Met Office amber warning in place from midnight on Saturday night until midnight on Monday night – by drawing up plans for Britain's first national heatwave emergency response. This afternoon, Downing Street said that 'significant work' is being done within Whitehall to ensure the most vulnerable are protected during the heatwave. Prime Minister Boris Johnson's official spokesman said Cabinet Office Minister Kit Malthouse briefed ministers on the preparations at the weekly meeting of the Cabinet today.The spokesman said that planning had been taking place within the NHS and with local councils as well as across transport networks. 'Officials have met to discuss and co-ordinate the response. We continue to monitor the results of the heatwave,' he added. 'There is significant work going on across government in making sure those who are most vulnerable to high temperatures are looked after and given the requisite advice.'A Cobra (Civil Contingencies Committee) meeting was held at Downing Street yesterday about the risks, despite claims by critics that bureaucrats are guilty of alarmism and Whitehall 'snowflakes are melting' in the heat. The RAC has warned motorists across England and Wales to 'think carefully before they drive and do everything they can to avoid a breakdown' such as checking coolant and oil levels, adding: 'If temperatures were to go as high as around 40C as some are predicting, then people should question their decision to drive in the first place.' Events are already starting to be cancelled ahead of Sunday - such as children's football matches; a cheese market in Chiswick, West London; and a dog sanctuary open day in Lincolnshire, with others set to follow later this week.Today is expected to be the UK's hottest day of the year so far, reaching 33C (91F) in the South East – beating the current high of 32.7C (90.86F) set on June 17. Yesterday reached highs of 32C (89.6F) at Northolt in West London.Britons struggled to sleep overnight, which saw the warmest night of the year so far for all four UK nations - with Sheffield at 20.5C (68.9F). This was also the highest overnight minimum temperature so far this year for Britain. The UK's hottest day of 2022 so far was June 17 when Santon Downham in Norfolk got up to 32.7C (90.8F) - while the country's highest temperature ever recorded was the 38.7C (101.6F) in Cambridge on July 15, 2019. Bookmaker Coral is now offering just 5-4 that the UK will record its hottest temperature on record by the end of this month.Network Rail has warned that services across the UK may be subject to speed restrictions to avoid tracks buckling, with South Western Railway and Heathrow Express among the operators warning of potential disruption.And the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) could declare a national 'level four emergency' if the heat becomes so extreme that 'illness and death may occur among the fit and healthy' as well as those more vulnerable.A UKHSA spokesman told the Daily Telegraph: 'There's a possibility of a level four heatwave. If it gets above 104F (40C), then it is likely to be a level four heatwave for the first time.'This level of emergency also points to food supplies being hit, disruption to roads and trains, schools shutting and nuclear power plants being out of action, as people are told to only call 999 in an emergency.The RAC has called on motorists to consider whether journeys are necessary over the coming week, with breakdown spokesman Rod Dennis telling MailOnline: 'An amber warning for extreme heat over such a wide area is rare and as a result we strongly urge drivers in England and Wales to think carefully before they drive, and do everything they can to avoid a breakdown.'This starts with checking the coolant and oil levels under the bonnet when the engine is cold. Oil should be topped up if it's low, and if coolant isn't between the 'min' and 'max' levels then drivers should top it up – or take it to a reputable garage to get it checked without delay.'He added that anyone who needs to travel in very high temperatures should ensure they carry plenty of water with them and an additional camping-style water carrier so they can top up as needed.Mr Dennis continued: 'Starting journeys early in the morning or later in the evening is also a good idea, to avoid the hottest parts of the day.'Think very carefully before carrying pets in cars in these sorts of temperatures as well, and also be prepared to keep dogs under control should you have to leave your car in the event of a breakdown.'It's also advisable to carry plenty of water – including a dog bowl if necessary – as well as an umbrella and hats for shade while waiting for assistance.'He also said: 'If temperatures were to go as high as around 40C as some are predicting, then people should question their decision to drive in the first place.' A man and woman enjoy the morning sunshine on Bournemouth beach in Dorset today as the hot weather continues A woman sunbathes on Bournemouth beach this morning as people make the most of the heatwave in EnglandA woman goes into the sea off Bournemouth beach this morning as sunbathers make the most of the heatwave An RNLI lifeguard monitors swimmers on Bournemouth beach today as people head to the Dorset coast to enjoy the weather Three people enjoy sunbathing on Bournemouth beach in Dorset this morning as they sit on deckchairs on the sandThere is also a heightened risk of wildfires this week, with footage captured yesterday showing a field of crops ablaze outside Ripon, North Yorkshire, as people were urged to avoid the area. How to look after your wellbeing in heatwave At what point should you be concerned that symptoms you feel in the heat might point something more worrying? Here, doctors tell you what to look out for:- Loss of appetite'In hot weather, you may notice a decrease in your appetite,' says Dr Bryony Henderson, lead GP at digital healthcare provider, Livi. 'This is because our bodies are trying to regulate our body temperature by cutting down on heat-generating functions like the digestion of food. However, if you have been experiencing a persistent loss of appetite that doesn't seem to be related to a simple explanation, such as the hot weather, consult with your GP.'- Feeling thirstyIt is important to stay hydrated during a heatwave, particularly as you might be losing more fluids than normal due to sweat. But what if your thirst feels like it just cannot be quenched? This could be 'a sign of high sugar or diabetes', said Dr Angela Rai, GP at The London General Practice, so you might want to see a doctor.- BreathlessnessBreathlessness could be a sign of heat exhaustion - along with dizziness, headaches, cramps and nausea. Dr Henderson says: 'It's important to take action to cool your body down quickly and avoid heatstroke. Move to a shady area or cool room as soon as possible, then lie down and raise your feet slightly. 'Make sure to drink plenty of water or a sports drink. Cool your skin by spraying it with tepid water or switching on a fan, and, if you can, try placing ice packs on your groin, armpits or neck. If you're still feeling unwell 30 minutes after cooling down, call emergency services.' If breathlessness persists - or you suspect it is not due to the heat - Dr Rai says it can also be a sign of heart or lung conditions. She recommended watching out for signs of wheezing, as this could potentially signal 'an underlying lung condition'.- Fingers swellingIf you regularly wear rings, you will be well acquainted with the feeling of panic when you realise your fingers have swollen up in the heat, making it difficult to slide them off. And it is not just your fingers - your shoes might feel tighter, too. Dr Henderson said this is 'because the blood vessels in our bodies expand to send more blood to the skin to cool down the body'. There is a simple fix for it though - 'Running your hands under a cool tap can help to reduce swelling and remember to keep hydrated by drinking plenty of water,' she says. While fingers and feet typically do swell in the heat, Dr Rai adds: 'It can also be linked to autoimmune and rheumatological conditions.' - Clammy skinFeeling sweaty is part and parcel of extreme temperatures. However, if your normal sweating is coupled with pale and clammy skin, Dr Rai said this can be associated with heart conditions, especially if there is also chest pain. She added: 'If there is chest pain and sweating, this could be angina or even signs of a heart attack, and urgent medical attention is required.'Meteorologists have warned that 'exceptionally high temperatures are possible from Sunday' and 'could lead to widespread impacts on people and infrastructure', with major disruption to road transport, railways and flights expected.But the response has been criticised by some Tory MPs, including Sir John Hayes, chairman of the Common Sense Group of Conservative MPs.He told the Telegraph: 'We live in a country where we are frightened of the heat. It is not surprising that in snowflake Britain, the snowflakes are melting. Thankfully, most of us are not snowflakes'.Sir John also criticised Britons for 'clamouring' for the heat, and then struggling when it arrives.Plans to cope with the heat, created by the NHS and UKHSA, say that children should not do 'vigorous physical activity' when temperatures rise above 30C (86F).'Some schools have had to close classrooms where conditions are too hot,' the plans noted.Some sports days were also cancelled yesterday, while official advice suggests moving school start, end and break times to avoid the hottest points in the day.Official word from the Government on how schools should respond to the heat may be sent later this week, it is understood. But a Department for Education source said it may be left to headteachers to decide.A level three health alert has already been issued, which puts hospitals and care homes on high alert, but does not indicate a national emergency. This alert came into force at 9am yesterday, and runs until 9am on Friday.Care home staff have been told to place cool damp cloths on the back of residents' necks, and gently spray cold water on them.Official advice has also urged people to avoid using a fan when temperatures exceed 35C (95F) as this can cause dehydration.The amber warning is also leading to fears of disruption to weekend music and sports events, after the taxpayer-funded officials warned that it could be too hot to work and homes could be left without water, gas or power.Singer-songwriter George Ezra is playing his biggest headline show to date on Sunday in Finsbury Park in London, with fans speculating online as to whether it will be cancelled due to the hot temperatures.The day will also see England welcome India to Manchester's Old Trafford for a one day international cricket match. And two Women's Euro 2022 games are due to be held in Sheffield and Wigan as Switzerland take on the Netherlands and Sweden play Portugal.As it stands, all four events are going ahead, however event organisers may watch the evolving forecast and make decisions later in the week.The Met Office also warned that 'population-wide adverse health effects are likely' with 'substantial changes in working practices and daily routines likely to be required'.It said the heat could lead to 'potential serious illness or danger to life', adding: 'Government advice is that 999 services should be used in emergencies only; seek advice from 111 if you need non-emergency health advice.'Forecasters added: 'Significantly more people are likely to visit coastal areas, lakes and rivers leading to increased risk of water safety incidents. 'Delays on roads and road closures are possible, along with delays and cancellations to rail and air travel, with potential for significant welfare issues for those who experience even moderate delays.'The amber warning covers the East, East Midlands, London, South East, North East, North West, South West, West Midlands and Yorkshire and Humber.Atmospheric scientist Dr Simon Lee pointed out that the weather warning had been issued 'at the maximum lead-time for an operational weather warning from the Met Office', with six days still to go until it comes into force. A man carries a fan along a road in Westminster today as the heatwave gripping the country continues Commuters hold fans as they cross London Bridge during the morning commute today as they head to work in the heat Low water levels are seen at Llwyn Onn Reservoir in South Wales this morning as the UK endures a heatwave Commuters feel the heat on the Central line as they pass through Bethnal Green station in East London this morning Lorraine Stalford gives her four-year-old dog Barney some water during the hot weather in Belfast this morning William and his grandmother cool down in the River Darent in Eynsford, Kent, this morning as the heatwave continues Commuters cross London Bridge during the morning commute today as they head to work in the heat Scorched grass at Forest recreation ground in Nottingham is pictured from above today as the heatwave conditions continue London commuters head to work on the Jubilee line during rush-hour this morning amid the very hot weather The first green is pictured during practice day three of The Open at the Old Course, St Andrews in the sunshine this morning Scorched grass at Forest recreation ground in Nottingham is pictured from above today as the heatwave conditions continueThe extreme heat weather warning system ranges from yellow to red and indicates how likely and how much of an impact the weather will have on public life. The Met Office said 'exceptionally hot air' is on the wayAn amber warning states that temperatures are likely to have a high impact. The Met Office confirmed that this is only the third extreme heat warning it has issued.It comes after wheel timber beams on a rail bridge in Battersea, South London, set on fire yesterday - with Network Rail saying they are 'very dry' amid the lack of rain and 'although we don't know for sure, it's possible a stray spark set them alight'.Meanwhile 20mph speed restrictions were imposed on West Midlands Trains routes between Stratford-upon-Avon, Leamington Spa and Kidderminster to avoid tracks buckling. The normal speed limit for most of that section of line is 60mph, Network Rail confirmed. The rail issues could spread, because specialist weather teams are monitoring key hotspot locations this week and may enforce restrictions to reduce the risk of buckling because slower trains exert less force on the track.Meanwhile Hampshire County Council is preparing to deploy gritters in response to melting roads. Officials said the machines will be spreading light dustings of sand which 'acts like a sponge to soak up excess bitumen'. Commuters cross London Bridge during the morning commute today as they head to work in the heat A man carries a fan along a road in Westminster today as the heatwave gripping the country continues Low water levels are seen at Llwyn Onn Reservoir in South Wales this morning as the UK endures a heatwave A temperature of 30.1C is recorded on the Central line on the London Underground during rush-hour this morning Scorched grass at Forest recreation ground in Nottingham is pictured from above today as the heatwave conditions continue Commuters feel the heat on the Central line as they pass through St Paul's station in the City of London this morning London commuters head to work on the Jubilee line during rush-hour this morning amid the very hot weather Passengers wait for the doors to close on board a Central line service at Liverpool Street station this morning Commuters cross London Bridge during the morning commute today as they head to work in the heat London commuters head to work on the Jubilee line during rush-hour this morning amid the very hot weather London commuters head to work on the Jubilee line during rush-hour this morning amid the very hot weatherGritters are normally used to distribute salt during the winter to stop ice forming on roads. The areas most likely to be targeted by the vehicles this week are those with older road surfaces, in rural locations and south facing.The Met Office warned people to take care with cigarette butts and barbecues because the 'ground is tinder dry at the moment' and there was a huge wildfire on Ministry of Defence land at Salisbury Plain. What are Britain's ten hottest days on record? 1) 38.7C - July 25, 20192) 38.5C - August 10, 20033) 37.8C - July 31, 20204) 37.1C - August 3, 1990=5) 36.7C - July 1, 2015=5) 36.7C - August 9, 19117) 36.6C - August 2, 19908) 36.5C - July 19, 2006=9) 36.4C - August 7, 2020=9) 36.4C - August 6, 2003A Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: 'Yesterday, during the day, the Service was advised by the military that there was a fire on Salisbury Plain, but we were not required to attend as it was within the impact area, and it is not safe for firefighters to go there due to the risk of unexploded ordnance.'Last night, we did have four fire engines and two water carriers at a fire on the Plain near Enford, outside of the impact area. As at 9am this morning, we have no resources in attendance as the incident is being managed by our colleagues in the military, but we are liaising closely with them and will continue to offer support. If they request it, we may return to the scene if we can safely assist.'We are aware the smoke plume is travelling some distance, towards Swindon, and would encourage residents to keep windows and doors closed to avoid breathing this in.'And a Ministry of Defence spokesman told MailOnline yesterday: 'We are tracking several fires within the Salisbury Plain Training Area and can confirm there is no risk to the public at this time.'We are monitoring the fire and maintaining close communications with Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service, who stand ready to assist should the fire spread beyond the impact area.'Also this week, human resources experts called on employers to allow them to work from home in the heat to avoid an 'arduous' commute in the stifling conditions, adding that hot weather 'always increases sick days being called in'.Other employers could follow the trend of offering their staff 'sunny days', which is one or two extra days of annual leave that workers can use for unexpected warm days.Parts of the UK will be hotter than some of the world's top beach destinations such as Hawaii, Jamaica, the Maldives and the Bahamas this week - with 33C (91F) highs expected today, and 30C (86F) tomorrow. This will be followed by 27C (81F) this Thursday, 28C (82F) on Friday and 31C (88F) on Saturday. The Met Office said there is a 30 per cent chance of the UK experiencing its hottest day ever day this Sunday.Events such as cheese markets, brewery open days and dog sanctuary visits are being cancelled due to the UK heatwaveForecasters said a persistent area of high pressure centred over the southern half of the UK is responsible for this week's warm spell, bringing largely dry and clear weather for the week, with little cooling into the evenings. Sunscreen brand to stop making low SPF products to encourage safetyA sun cream brand is to stop producing products with an SPF of lower than 50 for children and 15 for adults to encourage customers to lower their risk of developing skin cancer.Boots' own-brand Soltan has stopped making SPF 30 products for children and SPF 8 products for adults as part of a partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support to improve awareness of sun safety.SPF (Sun protection factor) refers to the amount of UVB protection a product provides from the damaging effects of the sun. The higher the SPF, the greater the protection from UVB rays and sunburn and the lower the risk of developing skin cancer.Soltan spokesman Clare O'Connor said: 'Through our partnership with Macmillan, we're committed to taking action to improve sun safety.'We know that using sunscreen is one of the main methods of keeping skin protected in the sun, so we want to support our customers to make a simple switch to protect their skin with higher SPF with UVA protection.'This is particularly important for children, whose skin is more vulnerable to sun damage, so we want to help parents in choosing the highest protection available.'Dr Anthony Cunliffe, national clinical adviser for primary care at Macmillan, said: 'Initiatives like this are really important because wearing higher factor SPF, along with steps like spending time in the shade, can provide better protection from the sun and lower your risk of developing skin cancer.'Anyone with concerns about changes to their skin should contact their GP, and they can also chat to specially trained nurses on the Macmillan support line.'The whole of England will experience largely sunny days with some cloud throughout this week, but Scotland and Northern Ireland could see downpours today - and northern England will see some rain on Friday.The forecast comes after a very hot weekend that saw Britain enjoy UK highs of 30.1C (86.2F) on Sunday and 27.5C (81.5F) on Saturday, after 29.3C (84.7F) last Friday - with all three temperatures recorded in London.Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Rebekah Sherwin said: 'Today, temperatures are likely to peak at 33C in the South East, with warm weather likely to continue throughout this week and it looks likely to ramp up late this week and into early next week.'From Sunday and into Monday, temperatures are likely to be in excess of 35C in the southeast, although the details still remain uncertain. Elsewhere, temperatures could be fairly widely above 32C in England and Wales, and in the mid-to-high 20Cs further north.'She added: 'Weather forecast models are run hundreds of times to determine the most likely weather outcome.'For late in next weekend and early next week, some runs of these models are allowing exceptionally high temperatures to develop, which is something we'll be monitoring closely and adding details in the coming days.'Some models have been producing maximum temperatures in excess of 40C in parts of the UK over the coming weekend and beyond. At longer time scales temperature forecasts become less reliable, so whilst these figures can't be ruled out, they are still only a low probability.'A number of weather scenarios are still possible and at the current time, mid- or perhaps high-30s are looking more likely.'Dr Mark McCarthy, the head of the Met Office National Climate Information Centre, added: 'The highest temperatures experienced in the UK tend to occur when our weather is influenced by air masses from continental Europe or North Africa – as it will be at the weekend - there is already a strongly-embedded warming due to climate change across the continent, that is increasing the likelihood of challenging the existing UK temperature record.'Meanwhile, speaking about the prospect of people taking more sick days during the heatwave, Laura Rennie, managing director of Arena HR in Kilmarnock, said: 'The hot weather always increases sick days being called in.'So many employees are fed up with their work and lifestyle in general that an opportunity for a day off in the sun is just too much of a temptation.Some schools have cancelled their summer sports days for pupils be | Climate Change |
The Barclays logo is seen in front of displayed stock graph in this illustration taken June 21, 2017. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File PhotoRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSept 7 (Reuters) - British lender Barclays (BARC.L) on Wednesday appointed Standard Chartered's (STAN.L) Daniel Hanna as its global head of sustainable finance for the corporate and investment bank to help deliver its climate strategy.Hanna was, for the past four years, the global head of sustainable finance at Standard Chartered."As the world deals with the impact of high energy prices and climate change, Barclays has a strong platform to help channel capital to the new technologies, and companies, that can help economies decarbonize and drive sustainable growth," Hanna said in a statement.According to the company, Barclays has already facilitated 74 billion pounds ($85.06 billion) of green financing, including supporting the British government issue its first green bond.($1 = 0.8699 pounds)Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Yadarisa Shabong in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra EluriOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Climate Change |
In June, the Biden administration made an announcement that irked fossil fuel companies and utilities: federal regulators would begin reinstating a rule empowering states and tribes to protect waterways against pollution from energy development.
Now, a mere three months later, the Biden White House just declared its support for a secret deal designed to expedite approval of those energy projects, potentially helping oil and gas conglomerates steamroll local opposition to new pipelines near water supplies.
The apparent shift in priorities comes as energy companies have poured big money into Democratic campaign coffers, and as former staffers for top Democrats are lobbying for fossil fuel clients. One of the largest natural gas pipeline companies is now celebrating the Biden administration’s “tailwinds” for the fossil fuel industry amid the worsening climate crisis.
The situation has scrambled congressional politics: Some Democrats who once attacked the Trump administration’s rollback of long-standing environmental protections are now backing the secret deal that could make that rollback permanent.
The tension between President Joe Biden’s environmental regulators and the “permitting reform” side deal reflects the outsize power of Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Congress’s top recipient of fossil fuel industry campaign cash. The West Virginia coal magnate conditioned his Senate vote for the Inflation Reduction Act on an agreement to separately pass a “permitting reform” bill that could make it more difficult for communities to use the Clean Water Act and other environmental laws to protect their water resources from new energy infrastructure.
“This is a reckless piece of legislation that would undermine President Biden’s climate goals, as well as efforts within the administration to protect waterways and states’ rights to protect their waterways from damaging fossil fuel projects,” Jim Walsh, policy director at Food and Water Watch, told us. Constructing pipelines through waterways poses ecological risks from drilling fluid leaks, large removals of soil and sediment, erosion, or other types of disruption. For instance, just last month the pipeline company Energy Transfer was convicted of criminal charges for massive water contamination caused by the construction of its Mariner East natural gas pipeline network in Pennsylvania.
Additionally, when it comes to oil infrastructure, once pipelines are constructed, leaks and spills also pose a threat to water supplies: since 1986, pipeline accidents have been spilling more than three million gallons a year in the United States, according to federal data compiled by the Center for Biological Diversity. The Biden administration has spent months attempting to resurrect local authority under the fifty-year-old Clean Water Act in the wake of President Donald Trump’s efforts to dismantle it — a move bolstered by the Supreme Court this spring.
That saga began in 2020. That year, as $63 million of fossil fuel industry cash flooded into Republican coffers, Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) limited the power of states and tribes to enforce Section 401 of the Clean Water Act, which was written to ensure new energy infrastructure would not violate local water pollution laws. Trump’s new rules were designed to bypass opposition from state legislatures to fossil fuel projects, after a trio of such projects were blocked or delayed in New York, Washington, and Oregon.
A slew of states and environmental groups sued to block the Trump rule from taking effect, and in 2021, a district court in California vacated the rule. But this spring, the Supreme Court reinstated the Trump rule through the so-called shadow docket.
Before the Trump changes, “Section 401 was used all the time to attach conditions to projects,” Patrick Hunter, senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center, told us. “It is rare that it is used to veto anything — but it is common that it is used to add conditions to a project to ensure that water quality is protected.”
In June, Biden’s EPA proposed a new rule, supported by sixty-five environmental groups, that would return authority to states and tribes to impose conditions on federal permits for infrastructure projects if they would impact local waterways.
“For 50 years, the Clean Water Act has protected water resources that are essential to thriving communities, vibrant ecosystems, and sustainable economic growth,” said Michael Regan, head of the EPA, in a statement on the proposed rule. “EPA’s proposed rule builds on this foundation by empowering states, territories, and Tribes to use Congressionally granted authority to protect precious water resources while supporting much-needed infrastructure projects that create jobs and bolster our economy.”
Hunter noted that Biden’s proposed rule is an evenhanded way to “require whoever is building the project to provide more information up front with their certification request — so that actually has an opportunity to make things run more efficiently.”
That is apparently unacceptable to the powerful corporate lobbies that went to work to try to stop the initiative.
The US Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, and CMS Energy, a natural gas company, all reported lobbying on Section 401 of the Clean Water Act in the second quarter of 2022.
Natural gas pipeline companies submitted scathing comments on the rule, arguing it would give states and tribes too much power to slow down or block projects. They didn’t mince their words in pointing out that the rule could interfere with their ambitions to ramp up natural gas production, especially for export to Europe.
The two primary industry trade groups, the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America and the American Gas Association, submitted an extensive comment letter with suggested changes to Biden’s proposed rule.
“The 2020 Certification Rule was EPA’s first update to the Agency’s Section 401 regulations in nearly 50 years,” the comment letter said, in reference to the Trump rule. In reference to the Section 401 regulations that had been in place since the 1970s, the letter later continued:
Under the prior regime, states blocked energy infrastructure projects that were in the public interest of both individual states and the nation as a whole for reasons unrelated to water quality, such as for the project’s perceived climate change impacts or general opposition to fossil fuels.
A coalition of utility companies, including NextEra Energy, one of the developers of the Mountain Valley Pipeline in West Virginia and a top Democratic donor, also asked the EPA to retain key components of the Trump rule.
Williams Companies, the largest natural gas supplier in the United States, argued in a comment letter that the proposed rule would interfere with Biden’s efforts to ramp up natural gas exports to Europe in the face of dwindling supply from Russia.
“President Biden made robust energy supply commitments to the European Commission that will require a rapid expansion of our domestic energy infrastructure,” the company wrote to the EPA:
If the United States is to support the natural gas supply commitment President Biden made to our European Allies, the EPA must rescind this Proposed Rule and propose a rule that better aligns with the commitments and goals set forth by President Biden. While Biden’s EPA rule is currently moving forward, fossil fuel companies may still get the victory they’ve been seeking, in the form of the Manchin side deal that could render the EPA initiative moot.
Last week, the Biden administration began portraying that deal as a win for renewable energy.
“We support the permitting reform bill, which will help us realize the benefits of the historic investments in the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law as well,” said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. “We want to see it enacted.”
However, Manchin made clear the permitting deal is a GOP priority designed to hasten approval of fossil fuel infrastructure.
“This is something the Republican Party has wanted for the last five to seven years I’ve been with them,” Manchin said about the permitting legislation, whose leaked text was emblazoned with an American Petroleum Institute watermark.
Manchin is particularly interested in expediting the Mountain Valley Pipeline, a natural gas pipeline that cuts through West Virginia and that critics say would result in gas emissions equal to twenty-six new coal plants.
That pipeline was originally held up by the very Clean Water Act provisions that Biden’s EPA rule aims to restore, as the Natural Gas Supply Association, a lobbying group for natural gas companies, said in a comment on the proposed Biden rule.
To be sure, the leaked draft of the pipeline deal differs from the Biden EPA rule in a number of ways, including by adjusting the amount of time states and tribes have to certify permits. While the timing issues are technical — they deal, for example, with when the clock starts on the one-year period that states and tribes have to certify permits — the implications are huge for projects, and a fierce battle is now underway in Congress.
Last week, seventy-seven House Democrats released a letter calling on their party leaders to keep permitting reforms out of an unrelated stopgap spending measure. Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Congress’s top recipient of utility industry cash, responded by pledging to include the deal in that spending bill, as Manchin has reportedly been enlisting the help of fossil fuel CEOs to pressure lawmakers.
House leaders have said they are waiting to see the final text of the permitting deal to decide whether to include it in the spending measure.
Then on Monday, Republicans released their own permitting reform proposal, which would codify Trump’s 2020 version of the Clean Water Act rule into law. That industry-parroting proposal could help Democratic leaders cast Manchin’s pipeline deal as a moderate compromise. All of the lobbying and policy zigzagging has happened amid a flood of cash from the energy industry.
In the 2022 election cycle, Democratic candidates and committees have vacuumed in more than $13 million from donors in the fossil fuel, utility, and pipeline industries. Schumer, Manchin, and Democrats’ Senate and House campaign committees have together accepted more than $760,000 from donors at NextEra, the conglomerate leading the Mountain Valley Pipeline project.
Manchin’s former chief of staff was recently hired as a lobbyist at the namesake firm of a former House Energy and Commerce Committee staffer who helped sculpt federal energy legislation. He has been lobbying for a separate pipeline giant and an oil conglomerate. Manchin’s former energy adviser is also now lobbying for two pipeline conglomerates and a utility company. Similarly, a former Schumer staffer has also been lobbying on those issues for a major utility firm.
As that lobbying blitz has intensified, some Democratic lawmakers who lambasted Trump’s repeal of the original Clean Water Act rule and praised Biden’s proposed rule are now backing the still-secret permitting reform deal.
“The Clean Water Act quite clearly gives states, territories, and Tribes the ability to protect their water quality when projects are permitted or licensed,” said Senator Tom Carper (D-DE), chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, in a statement on the proposed Biden rule. “I commend Administrator Regan and the technical experts at EPA for taking a prudent step to help these governments act to address local water quality.”
Carper is now backing the permitting reform deal. His office did not respond to a request for comment.
Williams Companies, the United States’ largest natural gas supplier, last week told shareholders that policy changes under the Biden administration have created “tailwinds” for the company. (Source: Williams Companies shareholder presentation, 9/8/22)
Meanwhile, the fossil fuel industry is celebrating its policy victories. At an energy conference in early September, Williams Companies CEO Alan Armstrong said Biden and the Democrats are creating favorable conditions for his company.
A slide on a presentation, headlined “Recent U.S. policy changes present tailwinds for Williams,” included a list of benefits from the Inflation Reduction Act, as well as “potential for constructive permitting reform.” | Climate Change |
Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSummaryCompaniesHundreds flee in Tuscany as fire-hit gas tanks explodeBlaze contained near Athens after hundreds evacuatedStep up climate fight, UK warned, after hottest dayNew power use records expected as U.S. braces for heat-waveChina braces for new heat-wave; could last well into AugustATHENS/LONDON, July 20 (Reuters) - Emergency services battled wildfires across swathes of southern Europe amid mass evacuations on Wednesday, as warnings sounded in London after Britain's hottest day that the fight against climate change needed to be stepped up.Hundreds fled in central Italy as gas tanks exploded in a forest fire near the Tuscan town of Lucca, while similar numbers fled in Greece as a blaze fuelled by gale-force winds raged in mountains north of Athens. read more A brutal heat-wave with spikes well above 40 Celsius (104F) settled over southern Europe last week, part of a global pattern of rising temperatures, widely attributed by scientists and climatologists to human activity. It is forecast to dump searing heat on much of China into late August. read more Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comIt is also expected to expose around 100 million Americans to temperatures above 38C on Wednesday and set records in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas. read more Power consumption is predicted to hit new peaks in Central U.S. states - adding to greenhouse gas emissions - as homes and businesses crank up air conditioners to combat a heat-wave forecast to last into next week. read more While the record heat last week around parts of the Mediterranean has eased, mercury readings have begun heading up again in Portugal, Spain and Italy.Portugal's northern region's Civil Protection commander Armando Silva said rising temperatures and strong winds would make it harder to fight the country's largest wildfire centred on the municipality of Murça.It has burned 10,000-12,000 hectares (38-46 square miles) since Sunday and around 800 firefighters and six water planes have been deployed to tackle it.ABOVE 40CIn Spain, where emergency crews were tackling fires in five regions, national weather service AEMET also forecast higher temperatures.Wildfires burned in several areas of Italy, including one that threatened to leave part of the northeastern city of Trieste without power and water, and 14 metropolitan areas including Rome, Milan and Florence were due to be put on the country's highest heat-wave alert on Thursday.Forecasters there said that temperatures were expected to hit 40C across a swathe of the north and centre this week.That mark was topped in Britain for the first time on Tuesday, shattering the country's previous temperature record by 1.6 degrees Celsius. At least 13 people have died while swimming to cool off. read more A firefighter tries to extinguish a wildfire burning in Pallini, near Athens, Greece July 20, 2022. REUTERS/Stelios MisinasThe Chief of Science and Technology of Britain's Met Office, Stephen Belcher, said that unless emissions were reduced, the country might experience similar heatwaves every three years.Treasury Minister Simon Clarke said Tuesday's "remarkable, unprecedented" record served as "a reminder ... of the importance of tackling climate change."British engineers raced on Wednesday to fix train tracks that buckled in the heat after firefighters worked through the night to damp down wildfires. On Tuesday, London firefighters endured their busiest day since World War Two. read more 'OUR GRANDCHILDREN WILL SUFFER'In southern Europe, far larger wildfires continued to rage.In Italy, emergency crews in Tuscany battled the Lucca wildfire, which forced around 500 people to evacuate as flames reached villages overnight and caused liquefied gas tanks to explode, the region's governor, Eugenio Giani, tweeted.Another fire close to the border with Croatia and Slovenia forced state-owned shipbuilder Fincantieri (FCT.MI) to close down its plant in the port city of Monfalcone, which employs 3,000 people.As the fire crossed into Slovenia, the mayor of nearby Trieste told local TV that parts of the town could soon stop receiving power, which would shut off the water supply.In Greece, thick smoke darkened the sky over Mount Penteli, 27 km (16 miles) north of Athens, where close to 500 firefighters, 120 fire engines and 15 water-carrying planes managed to control the spread of a blaze.Authorities said they evacuated nine settlements and a hospital, and police helped at least 600 residents out of fire zones. Strong winds were forecast to persist in the area until Thursday.In France, where firefighters in the southwestern Gironde region have been battling since July 12 to contain huge forest fires, Agriculture Minister Marc Fesneau said more money needed to be invested to tackle such threats. read more In Portugal, as the Murça fire raged nearby, olive tree grower Manuel Lopes, 67, feared for his plantations and for the future of his drought-stricken region."Our grandchildren ... will suffer if this (climate change) doesn't stop," he said.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Renee Maltezou, Angeliki Koutantou, Karolina Tagaris and Vassilis Triandafyllou in Athens; Dominique Vidalon and Sudip Kar-Gupta in Paris; Kate Holton and William James in London, Emma Pinedo in Madrid and Catarina Demoney in Lisbon; Writing by John Stonestreet; Editing by Nick Macfie and Alex RichardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Climate Change |
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations Patricia Scotland attend the Leaders' Retreat executive session on the sidelines of the 2022 Commonwealth heads of Government meeting at the Intare Conference centre in Kigali, Rwanda June 25, 2022. Dan Kitwood/Pool via REUTERSRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comKIGALI, June 25 (Reuters) - The newly-expanded Commonwealth made broad commitments on Saturday to address climate change and boost trade, concluding a summit aimed at shoring up the relevance of a group that evolved from the British empire.The club, whose 56 members range from India to the tiny Pacific island nation of Nauru, covers some 2.5 billion people or about one-third of the world's population. It presents itself as a network for cooperation, but critics say it needs to carve out a more concrete role and be less of a talking shop.The week-long summit in Rwanda's capital Kigali included comments from Britain's Prince Charles expressing sorrow for his country's role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade, the first time the Commonwealth has publicly addressed the subject. read more Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSome members urged the organisation to go further by discussing reparations to countries hurt by the slave trade.There was no mention of the topic in the final communique or news conference, which instead focused on broad policy pronouncements about sustainable development, health care and gender equality.A "Living Lands Charter" stated that Commonwealth countries would work to implement previously-signed international deals like the Paris climate agreement."We know that we are at code red when it comes to climate change and that the small member states are facing a crisis that could be existential," Patricia Scotland, re-elected during the summit as Commonwealth secretary-general, told reporters.Scotland also touted rising trade between Commonwealth members, which she said she expected to hit $2 trillion per year by 2030 after collapsing during the COVID-19 pandemic.Gabon and Togo were newly accepted into the Commonwealth, part of a trend of French-speaking African states seeking new alliances beyond Paris' old networks of influence."If the Commonwealth wasn't alive and vibrant and constructive, why would countries such as Gabon ... and Togo join?" Michael Moussa Adamo, Gabon's foreign minister, told Reuters.HUMAN RIGHTSMostly absent from the summit's public discussions were awkward issues concerning the host country.Many human rights groups consider Rwanda among Africa's most repressive countries. The U.S. State Department has cited credible reports of arbitrary killings by the government, including politically motivated reprisal killings abroad.Neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo accuses Rwanda of supporting rebels waging a major offensive in eastern Congo.Rwanda denies all of these charges. At the news conference, Rwandan President Paul Kagame defended Rwanda's human rights record and accused Western governments of hypocrisy."There is nobody that is in prison in Rwanda that should not be there," he said. "Actually there are people who are not in prison who should be there."Also in the spotlight has been Britain's controversial policy to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, described as "appalling" by Prince Charles, according to British media.Kagame defended his country's role and denied it was motivated by the 120 million pounds ($147 million) Britain is initially paying Rwanda to house the asylum seekers. The arrangement was put on hold last week after the European Court of Human Rights blocked the first flight to Rwanda."We try to do our best to give them a sense of security and normalcy," he said. "If they don't come, we won't complain. It's not like we are dying to have people come to us in this manner."($1 = 0.8155 pounds)Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Ayenat Mersie; Writing by Aaron Ross; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel and Peter GraffOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Climate Change |
Vehicles move along a flooded road, following rains and floods during the monsoon season in Mehar, Pakistan August 29, 2022. REUTERS/Akhtar SoomroRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSummaryAt least 1,000 killed in historic floodsTorrential rains wash away roads, crops, homes and bridgesPakistan blames climate change and calls for international helpPakistan, with lowest carbon footprint, blames developed worldCountry already suffering from economic crisis before floodsISLAMABAD, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Early estimates put the damage from Pakistan's recent deadly floods at more than $10 billion, its planning minister said on Monday, adding that the world has an obligation to help the South Asian nation cope with the effects of man-made climate change.Unprecedented flash floods caused by historic monsoon rains have washed away roads, crops, infrastructure and bridges, killing at least 1,000 people in recent weeks and affecting more than 33 million, over 15% of the country's 220 million population. read more The climate change minister has called the situation a "climate-induced humanitarian disaster of epic proportions." read more Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com"I think it is going to be huge. So far, (a) very early, preliminary estimate is that it is big, it is higher than $10 billion," Ahsan Iqbal told Reuters in an interview."So far we have lost 1,000 human lives. There is damage to almost nearly one million houses," Iqbal said at his office."People have actually lost their complete livelihood."Iqbal termed the recent floods worst than the 2010 in Pakistan, for which United Nations (UN) had issued its largest ever disaster appeal.The minister said it might take five years to rebuild and rehabilitate the nation, while in the near term it will be confronted with acute food shortages.To mitigate the shortage, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail said the country could consider importing vegetables from arch-rival India. read more The two neighbouring countries have not had any trade for a long time."We can consider importing vegetables from India," Ismail told local Geo News TV, adding other possible sources of food imports included Turkey and Iran.Food prices have already shot up due to flooded crops and impassable roads.India Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was saddened by the devastation caused by the floods.Historic monsoon rains and flooding in Pakistan have affected more than 30 million people over the last few weeksCLIMATE CHANGE VICTIMSocial media users posted videos showing stranded people and whole families washed away by floodwater. Reuters was unable to independently verify such footage.Southern, southwestern and northern Pakistan have been the hardest hit by the floods, which have swept large swaths of farmland and stored crops, also isolating the regions from rest of the country for the last several days.Tens of thousands of families have left their homes for safer places, moved in with their relatives, or to state run camps, while others have been spending nights in the open, waiting for any help, such as tents, food and medicine.Pakistan has appealed for international help and some countries have already sent in supplies and rescue teams.The nation's foreign minister told Reuters on Sunday he hoped financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund would provide financial aid, taking the economic cost of the floods into account.However, Iqbal said any formal requests for financial help would need to wait until the entire scale of the damage was known, something Pakistan was now evaluating with partners, including the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.He also said the world owed Pakistan, which was a victim of climate change caused by the "irresponsible development of the developed world.""Our carbon footprint is lowest in the world," he said. "The international community has a responsibility to help us, upgrade our infrastructure, to make our infrastructure more climate resilient, so that we don't have such losses every three, four, five years," he said."Those areas which used to receive rainfall aren't receiving rainfall and those areas which used to receive very mild rains are receiving very heavy rainfall," he added.Iqbal said 45% of cotton crops had been washed away with early wheat sowing in southern Pakistan also affected, as large swaths of land remained inundated with flood water, and severe damage to rice fields as well as vegetable and fruit crops.Pakistan's finance ministry in its latest economic outlook update has warned of the impact on critical seasonal crops, particularly cotton, which is key for Pakistan's textile sector that makes up more than 60% of the country's exports.Analysts say the impact could be devastating for the country, which was already in the midst of an economic crisis, faced with high inflation, a depreciating currency and a current account deficit.The IMF on Monday approved long awaited over $1.1 bln in bailout funds to resume a programme that had been stalled since early this year. read more ($1 = 221.7500 Pakistani rupees)Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comAdditional Reporting by Jibran Ahmad in Peshawar and Gul Yousafzai in Quetta; Writing by Asif Shahzad and Charlotte Greenfield; Editing by Hugh Lawson, Tomasz Janowski, Cynthia Osterman and Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Climate Change |
Wageningen University & Research is working on a road-map to future-proof crops as part of EU-project CropBooster-P. Future crop yields will increase with optimal use of water and minerals. In addition to that nutritional value and crop quality are high on the list of targets. To feed a future population of 10 billion people and alleviate climate change these new crops need to eventually double the total world wilde food production. The great news that has been scientifically proven to be possible.Feeding the world in 2050To be sure that there is enough food in the world in 2050, agricultural production needs to increase drastically. An increase in yield of 70 to 80 percent is necessary. According to the program developer of Wageningen University & Research and coordinator of the CropBooster-P-project, René Klein Lankhorst, this is a hefty task. He s states that cutting down rainforests for more farmland is not an option as the ecosystem of the world would be damaged by doing so. From non renewable to biobased resourcesClimate change is forcing the world to switch from non renewable resources to biobased resources. This is also easier said than done as there is a need for an additional 30% of agricultural production to realize this. Klein Lankhorst states that we will need enormous quantities of biomass to supply industries with alternative resources. At the request of the EU, 18 European partners led by Wageningen University & Research will create a road-map to develop these new crops. Doubling European agricultural production is technically feasibleAccording to René Klein Lankhorst it is technically feasible to double the total European agricultural production in 2050. The key will be photosynthesis optimization. René Klein Lankshorst goes on to state that current crops convert a surprisingly low percentage of sunlight to biomass: approximately 0.5% to 1%. If we succeed in doubling this amount to 1% to 2%, we are already there. The good news is that it is scientifically proven to be possible. However photosynthesis is not the only key factor; improved crops wil need to be able to be economical with water and minerals like nitrogen and phosphorus. And of course higher yield should not come at the expense of nutritional value. A lot of additional research will be needed to be able to realize such an outcome. Together with social partnersCropBooster_P is supposed to clear the way for long term research. To get this done the road-map needs toe be as wide as possible with all current and future possibilities to increase crop yield. To ensure the successful development and introduction of improved crops, broad support in Europe is a necessity.According toe Klein Lankhorst a few social partners are opposing the use of modern technology for plant breeding. He hypothesizes that those people do not feel heard in their doubts and concerns regarding technological developments. CropBooster-P will therefore involve society from day 1 in creating the road-map to future-proof our crops. To realize this the plan is to organize workshops in which consumers, industrial partners and farmers will be able to discuss possible solutions to provide future generations with sufficient, high quality food. CropBooster-P predicts that the end result will be a road-map that can expect support from the community. The European Commission will subsequently be able to use this road-map to carry out necessary research to safeguard our future food supply.Source: Wageningen University & Research press release - Further Reading: Photosynthesis, the green engine of life on Earth If you enjoy our selection of content please consider following Universal-Sci on social media: | Climate Change |
NEW CITY, Rockland County (WABC) -- The impacts of climate change have been felt throughout the Northeastern U.S., with rising sea levels, heavy precipitation and storm surges causing flooding and coastal erosion.But this summer has brought another extreme: a drought that is making lawns crispy and has farmers begging for steady rain. The heavy, short rainfall brought by the occasional thunderstorm tends to run off, not soak into the ground.And now, local municipalities are declaring water emergencies and imposing water restrictions.WATCH | Lee Goldberg monitors severe drought across the Tri-StateIn Connecticut, Governor Ned Lamont announced a Stage 3 drought level for New London and Windham counties due to more serious conditions emerging in those areas.All other counties in Connecticut (Fairfield, Hartford, Litchfield, Middlesex, New Haven, and Tolland) will remain in Stage 2, as declared on July 14.Stage 3 identifies a moderate drought event, potentially impacting water supplies, agriculture, or natural ecosystems. Stage 2 is a notification of an emerging drought and is intended as an awareness stage regarding the possibility of a developing drought.The decision to move two counties to Stage 3 is based on an assessment of indicator data monitored by state and federal agencies, including precipitation, surface waters, groundwater, reservoirs, soil moisture, vegetation, and fire danger conditions."Connecticut continues to experience the impacts of climate change with this exceptionally dry summer, and while the entire state is experiencing drought conditions, we are seeing the most severe of those conditions right now in the areas of New London and Windham counties," Lamont said. "There are steps that residents and businesses can take to help reduce the impacts of this drought, including by voluntarily reducing water usage to only those things that are absolutely necessary and limiting the amount of water being used. Those who depend on private wells, fire or irrigation ponds, and other highly localized water resources should be especially mindful of local conditions, most particularly in places where previous droughts have had a significant impact on water supplies."In New York, Rockland County officials declared a Stage 2 water emergency beginning Thursday, implementing mandatory restrictions on water use.County Executive Ed Day and Commissioner of Health Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert made the announcement, saying dry conditions have led to unprecedented flow levels in the Ramapo River.That has limited the use of Veolia's Ramapo Valley Well Field, a significant source of water for Rockland residents.Rockland encountered a similar issue in 2016, and out of an abundance of caution -- in tandem with recommendations from water suppliers -- the county is taking proactive measures to preserve water usage.The water saving measures, which primarily impact outdoor water usage, apply to all residents and businesses, regardless of whether the water is from a public supplier or private well.In Connecticut, state and local governments, residents, and businesses are being asked to voluntarily take the following measures:--Reduce, to the extent possible, the watering of lawns, recreational and athletic fields, gardens, or other landscaped areas (if watering is essential, late evening hours are best)--Avoid burning in or near woodlands or brushlands--Report dry fire/irrigation ponds or private wells to municipal drought liaisons or regional emergency management liaisons--Postpone the planting of any new lawns or vegetation--Minimize overall water use by fixing leaky plumbing and fixtures--Take shorter showers--Run dishwashers and clothes washing machines with full loads--Shut off water while washing dishes, shaving, brushing teeth, and lathering up to wash hands, rather than running the water continuously--Avoid washing vehicles or power-washing homes and other buildings--Do not use water to clean sidewalks, driveways, and roads--Do not use public water to fill residential swimming poolsIn Rockland County, the restrictions are as follows:LawnsLawns may be watered twice a week only on specified days. Properties with odd numbered addresses may water lawns during specific hours only on Mondays and Thursdays, and properties with even numbered addresses may water lawns during specific hours on Tuesdays and Fridays.Watering hours are between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. for automatic, in-ground irrigation systems.For manual sprinklers or hose fed irrigation, the hours are between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m.Gardens & Landscape Flower gardens, vegetable gardens and landscaped areas (trees, shrubs, potted plants or other outdoor plants) can be watered during specified hours every other day of the month according to property address.Properties with odd numbered addresses may water on odd days of the month, and properties with even numbered addresses may water on even days of the month.Watering hours are between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. for automatic, in-ground irrigation systems. For manual sprinklers or hose fed irrigation, the hours are between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m.Other Restrictions:--Nursery facilities and golf courses may exercise a water conservation plan, that is compliant with Article V of the Rockland County Sanitary Code, in lieu of the specified watering restrictions. The conservation plan must reduce average monthly usage by 10%. In addition, all water use at golf courses shall occur between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. except for hand-watering of greens.--Water may not be used to wash any paved surfaces (public or private) such as streets, sidewalks, driveways, tennis courts, garages, parking areas and patios, except as required for an emergency.--Water will not be served in restaurants unless the patron requests it.--The use of flow-through (non-recycled) fountains, artificial waterfalls and reflecting pools is not allowed.--Water cannot be used for flushing sewers or hydrants except for emergencies.--All water leaks must be repaired within 48 hours.--No bulk water supply from any source within the county may be exported outside the county.Officials say to continue to use water efficiently indoors, with low-flow shower heads and toilets, fix any leaks, sweep rather than wash paved surfaces, run only full loads in washing machines and dish washers, don't use toilets to dispose of tissues, and consider switching to high-efficiency appliances when it's time for replacement.Residents can notify the health department of water leaks or water being used outside the allowable schedule by filling out a complaint form on the county website.ADORABLE MOMENT: New Jersey dad shocked when newborn returns kiss in viral video----------* More Northern Suburbs news* Send us a news tip* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts * Follow us on YouTube Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply. Copyright © 2022 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved. | Climate Change |
Britain is less able to deal with high temperatures than many other countries, according to global heat mortality data.Some have wondered why in other parts of the world, like in the Middle East and Australia, temperatures of 40C (104F) do not warrant similarly high levels of alarm as seen in the UK this week.But the global picture shows that the UK, like much of northern Europe, is ill-equipped to deal with hot temperatures relative to warmer parts of the world.It helps explain why researchers are predicting that the current heatwave could lead to almost 1,000 deaths in England and Wales. The map shows the minimum mortality temperature (MMT) for different countries. This is the average daily temperature at which fewest people die – a rise in temperature above this point leads to more deaths. The UK has an MMT of 17.0C – calculated from an average of 10 different regions. Looking across Europe, there is a clear north to south trend. Hotter countries in the south have a higher minimum mortality temperature – Italy’s is almost 5C above that of the UK’s. It shows that these countries are better able to deal with hotter weather. When average daily temperatures exceed 17C in the UK more people die, but in Italy this doesn’t happen until temperatures exceed 21.7C.
But these differences in MMT are small compared to those between European countries and places like Iran, where the figure is 28C.
And the MMT in nearby Kuwait is the highest in the world at 31C. In tropical climes the MMT is also consistently higher – it tops 27C in Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines – and is 22.7C across China’s varied climate.
Across the world there is a wide variation in the MMT, but it generally follows a pattern that it is higher in hotter places, suggesting these countries are better equipped to deal with higher temperatures.
The data shows that when it comes to health outcomes, a 40C day in the UK is not the same as a 40C day in Iran. More excess deaths would be expected in London than Tehran at the same high temperature.This is largely due to the fact that people and societies adapt to warm environments when they become used to them.This includes adaptations such as constructing homes with good ventilation or air conditioning and the public being consistently aware of the dangers of hot weather.There is also some evidence that people may become physiologically better at coping with hot environments when acclimatised to them.The findings suggest that as climate change leads to warmer temperatures, societies will move to adapt.Yet heatwave events that significantly exceed the average temperature, as is the case in the UK currently, will likely continue to lead to more deaths.MethodologyMinimum mortality temperature data was collected by the Multi-Country Multi-City (MCC) Collaborative Research Network. Several studies were performed in some countries at different locations. The reported figure is the median figure for these studies per country.The Data and Forensics team is a multi-skilled unit dedicated to providing transparent journalism from Sky News. We gather, analyse and visualise data to tell data-driven stories. We combine traditional reporting skills with advanced analysis of satellite images, social media and other open source information. Through multimedia storytelling we aim to better explain the world while also showing how our journalism is done.Why data journalism matters to Sky News | Climate Change |
GIRONDE, France — Firefighters in southwestern France battled on Saturday to contain massive wildfires that have spread to an area twice the size of Paris as blazes across the continent continued to rage. After more than a week of round-the-clock battling against ferocious flames by more than 1,000 firefighters and up to four water-dropping planes, officials said two major wildfires in the tinder-dry pine forests in southwestern France had been contained but were not extinguished.In the country's wine region of Bordeaux, more than 50,000 acres of land have been destroyed, the local authority for the Gironde Department said in a statement Saturday.It added that 36,750 people had been evacuated from the region, although 12,000 had since been allowed to return. An additional 4,000 would be allowed to return to their homes on Saturday, the statement said. “The problem is wind, temperatures and the forest. Forest and very low humidity is a problem,” Lt. Col Éric Florensan, a firefighter, told NBC News Thursday at a fire control center in Langon. The flames were “exceptional,” he said. Farmers also pitched in using their water trucks to fill up fire engines on the front lines.“We rally, we try to help as much as we can. We have the equipment,” one farmer, Kevin Mouragnon, told NBC News Thursday in a cordoned-off area in the Hostens commune.A firefighter works in the Gironde region of southwestern France on Monday.Philippe Lopez / Pool/AFP via Getty Images“It’s heartbreaking to see such a beautiful thing go up in smoke and we’re powerless,” he said, adding that it was “really sad and makes you feel powerless. You take these big trucks and put it out and it comes back.”Elsewhere, wildfires have ripped through swaths of land across dozens of countries in Europe this week as the continent swelters under an extreme heat wave.In Spain, some of the 11,000 people who evacuated because of the fires began to return home, and a major highway in the north-western Zamora province reopened after two days.And on the eastern Aegean island of Lesbos, residents were evacuated Saturday as a wildfire, which started in mountainous forests, threatened properties at the beach resort of Vatera. Thick billowing smoke fanned by strong winds could be seen in the area. Wildfires have also broken out in Italy, Poland and Slovenia, where authorities issued their highest weather alerts this week, and firefighters continue to battle blazes in Portugal. The U.K. and France both recorded record-high temperatures on Tuesday.Experts have linked the extreme temperatures in Europe to climate change. European Union officials in early July warned the unusually hot and dry summer was the result of climate change, urging local authorities to brace for wildfires.More recently, they have called on the 27-nation bloc to coordinate better responses to the effects of climate change. “Europe must act in a coordinated and rapid manner to reverse the climate crisis,” Greek government spokesperson Giannis Oikonomou said Thursday. Firefighters in his country have also been battling wildfires this week.“The solution cannot be given at a national level, because the problem is transnational and huge,” he added. Elizabeth Kuhr and Meagan Fitzgerald reported from Gironde, France. Rhoda Kwan reported from Taipei, Taiwan.Elizabeth KuhrElizabeth Kuhr is an NBC News producer based in London. Meagan FitzgeraldMeagan Fitzgerald is a correspondent for NBC News.Rhoda KwanRhoda Kwan is a Taipei-based journalist. | Climate Change |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! A New York Times op-ed accused Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W. Va., of siding with Republicans in being "deeply hostile" to the Biden administration's green climate agenda.Author Paul Krugman criticized Manchin for "pulling the plug" on what he calls the Biden administration's "last chance to do something meaningful about climate change," referring to the West Virginia senator's decision last Thursday to withhold his support for key Biden agenda elements, including tax increases for America's wealthiest and support for climate programs."[Manchin] represents a state that still thinks of itself as coal country, even though mining is now a trivial part of its economy, dwarfed by jobs in health care and social assistance — with much of the latter paid for by the federal government," Krugman wrote.He went on to cite Manchin's political contributions from the energy industry and a "conflict of interest" stemming from familial ownership of a coal business.MANCHIN DENIES HE OPPOSES DEMOCRATIC SPENDING BILL, SAYS HE'LL WAIT UNTIL AUGUST TO DECIDE In this Nov. 15, 2010 photo, Sen. Joe Manchin talks with family members after being ceremonially sworn in at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. (Reuters)"Yet my guess is that his Lucy-with-the-football act has as much to do with vanity as with money. (And nothing at all to do with inflation.)," Krugman wrote, adding, "His act has, after all, kept him in the political limelight month after month."He went on to rail against Republicans as well, tying in their "unified" opposition to actions limiting global warming. SENATE POISED FOR VOTE ON SEMICONDUCTOR BILL AFTER MANCHIN AGAIN SHRINKS DEMS' RECONCILIATION PACKAGE U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) talks with Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) in the Senate subway at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., December 15, 2021. (REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz)"This opposition has only grown more entrenched as the evidence for looming catastrophe has grown — and the likely financial cost of effective action has declined," he said, trudging along to lament that most American voters are reluctant to pay the "short-run costs" necessary to prevent a "long-run disaster."Krugman then pointed to Manchin's reluctance to support a carbon emissions tax and focus instead on the Biden administration's agenda goals of offering incentives for encouraging green energy transitions, something he lambasted Republicans – and Manchin – for failing to support."I don’t think they were solely motivated by the desire to see Biden fail. They’re just deeply hostile to clean energy," he wrote.Tying in pandemic politics, Krugman listed Republicans' contempt for mask and vaccine mandates, creating parallels between their stances on key pandemic issues to their less-than-enthusiastic support for climate programs.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP"The answer was, much of the G.O.P. Vaccination became and remains an intensely partisan issue, with deadly consequences," he said. "The fact is that one of America’s two major political parties appears to be viscerally opposed to any policy that seems to serve the public good. Overwhelming scientific consensus in favor of such policies doesn’t help — if anything, it hurts, because the modern G.O.P. is hostile to science and scientists." Taylor Penley is a production assistant with Fox News. | Climate Change |
Men walk along a flooded road with their belongings, following rains and floods during the monsoon season in Sohbatpur, Pakistan August 28, 2022. REUTERS/Amer Hussain Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comISLAMABAD, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Early estimates put the damage from Pakistan's deadly floods at more than $10 billion, its planning minister said on Monday, adding that the world has an obligation to help the South Asian nation cope with the effects of man-made climate change.Unprecedented flash floods caused by historic monsoon rains have washed away roads, crops, infrastructure and bridges, killing at least 1,000 people in recent weeks and affecting more than 33 million. read more "I think it is going to be huge. So far, (a) very early, preliminary estimate is that it is big, it is higher than $10 billion," Ahsan Iqbal told Reuters in an interview.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com"So far we have lost 1,000 human lives. There is damage to almost nearly one million houses," Iqbal said at his office."People have actually lost their complete livelihood."The minister said it might take five years to rebuild and rehabilitate the nation of 200 million people, while in the near term it will be confronted with acute food shortages.To mitigate the shortage, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail said the country could consider importing vegetables from arch-rival India. read more The two neighbouring countries have not had any trade for a long time."We can consider importing vegetables from India," Ismail told local Geo News TV, adding other sources for food imports included Turkey and Iran.Food prices have already shot up due to flooded crops and impassable roads.India Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was saddened to the devastation caused by the floods."We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, the injured and all those affected by this natural calamity and hope for an early restoration of normalcy," he said in a tweet.Historic monsoon rains and flooding in Pakistan have affected more than 30 million people over the last few weeksSocial media users posted videos showing stranded people and whole families washed away by floodwater. Reuters was unable to independently verify such footage.Pakistan has already appealed for international help and some countries have already sent in supplies and rescue teams.The nation's foreign minister told Reuters on Sunday he hoped financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund would provide financial aid, taking the economic cost of the floods into account.However, Iqbal said any formal requests for financial help would need to wait until the scale of the damage was known, something Pakistan was now evaluating with partners, including the World Bank and Asian Development Bank.He also said the world owed Pakistan, which was a victim of climate change caused by "irresponsible development of the developed world.""Our carbon footprint is lowest in the world," he said. "The international community has a responsibility to help us, upgrade our infrastructure, to make our infrastructure more climate resilient, so that we don't have such losses every three, four, five years."Iqbal said 45% of cotton crops had been washed away with early wheat sowing in southern Pakistan also affected, as large swaths of land remained inundated with flood water, and severe damage to rice fields as well as vegetable and fruit crops.Southern Sindh and southwestern Balochistan provinces have been hit the hardest by the floods that swept through farmland and towns, with large parts of both and northern Pakistan districts cut off for many days from the rest of the country.($1 = 221.7500 Pakistani rupees)Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comAdditional Reporting by Jibran Ahmad in Peshawar and Gul Yousafzai in Quetta; Writing by Charlotte Greenfield and Asif Shahzad; Editing by Hugh Lawson, Tomasz Janowski and Cynthia OstermanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Climate Change |
CBS Mornings July 21, 2022 / 9:28 AM / CBS News Heat burning parts of western Europe Fires rage as European countries continue to swelter in record heat 02:35 Rome — Italy's worst drought in decades has dropped the water level in Rome's Tiber River by about five feet — parched conditions that have only been exacerbated by the deadly heat wave that gripped much of Europe this week. There were unprecedented temperatures in the United Kingdom on Tuesday, and the extreme heat stretched all the way to Athens. Temperatures have eased over the past couple days in much of Western Europe, helping fire crews get a handle on blazes charring tinder-dry brush in Greece, Italy and Spain.Firefighters in Greece raced against flames to help vulnerable residents escape from their homes around Athens as a wildfire descended from the hills above. Sometimes the fires have outrun the firefighters, leaving it to locals using buckets and whatever else they can carry water in to try to defend their property. What's driving Europe's extreme heat and deadly wildfires 06:39 But as CBS News correspondent Chris Livesay reports, in much of Europe, water is in dangerously short supply. All around Italy's biggest river, the Po in the country's north, once-fertile fields that produced risotto rice, wine, and pasta are now brittle patches of cracked soil. Water is so scarce that a barge emerged from the depths of the Po for the first time since it was sunk during World War II. A bird sits on the ruins of the Pons Neronianus, or Bridge of Nero, on the River Tiber in Rome, Italy, July 15, 2022. Oliver Weiken/dpa/Getty In Rome, long-submerged ruins dating back almost 2,000 years, to the reigns of emperors Hadrian and Nero, now poke above the surface of the Tiber. The ancient Romans used the Tiber to navigate and supply the city — even to build it. Rome simply would not exist without the river, but Livesay said the worst drought recorded in 70 years has reduced parts of it to a stagnant swamp.Towns all around Italy have been evacuated due to wildfires, with nine cities on a heat wave alert.The government blames climate change. A large wildfire on the Slovenia-Italy border is seen from Rupa, Italy, July 20, 2022. Residents in at least five villages in the area were evacuated. Luka Dakskobler/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty In central Spain, forests are ablaze. The smoke and flames have forced thousands of people to flee their homes. Many sought shelter in a sports arena in Ávila province, including 68-year-old Fernando Gimenez. He said he didn't know what he might find when he can eventually go back home. "Burnt trees? Nothing? I can't even think about it," he said. "I feel, kind of, emptiness inside." Scorching summer temps and wildfires roast Europe 03:30 The wildfires and the drought are devastating farmland, exacerbating a global food crisis made even worse by the war in Ukraine, which has seen Russia block millions of tons of grain from shipping out of the country's Black Sea ports. It's a perfect storm of climate change and conflict, squeezing global food supplies and driving up prices, and jeopardizing millions of lives in the developing world in the process. In: Climate Change Italy Wildfire Heat Wave European Union Drought Thanks for reading CBS NEWS. Create your free account or log in for more features. Please enter email address to continue Please enter valid email address to continue | Climate Change |
A fast-moving wildfire in northern California is threatening rural communities near the Oregon border, injuring people and torching homes.About 7,500 people in Weed and several nearby communities were under evacuation orders on Saturday as the flames raced through tinder-dry grass. Much of California is facing a brutal heatwave this weekend that’s likely to see some of the hottest weather of the year.The blaze, dubbed the Mill fire, began on Friday afternoon and quickly blew into a neighborhood on the northern edge of Weed but then carried the flames away from the small city, which has a population of about 2,600.Evacuees described heavy smoke and chunks of ash raining down. Annie Peterson said she was sitting on the porch of her home near Roseburg Forest Products, which manufactures wood veneers, when “all of a sudden we heard a big boom and all that smoke was just rolling over toward us”.She said the scene of smoke and flames looked like “the world was coming to an end”.Suzi Brady, a Cal Fire spokeswoman, said several people were injured, and local hospital officials told the Associated Press that multiple people have been treated for burns.The Mill Fire was pushed by strong winds of 35mph (56 km/h), and quickly engulfed 4 sq miles (10.3 sq km) of ground. The state’s governor, Gavin Newsom, has declared a state of emergency for Siskiyou county, where the fire is located. It was the third large wildfire in as many days in California, which has been in the grip of a prolonged drought and is now sweltering under a heat wave that was expected to push temperatures past the 100F (38C) mark in many areas through Labor Day.Elsewhere, fires were also burning in Castaic, north of Los Angeles, and a blaze in eastern San Diego county, near the Mexican border, where two people were severely burned and several homes were destroyed. Those blazes were 56% and 65% contained, respectively, and all evacuation orders had been lifted.The Mill fire was burning about an hour’s drive from the Oregon state line. A few miles north of the blaze, a second fire erupted Friday near the community of Gazelle. The Mountain fire has burned more than 2 sq miles (6 sq km) but no injuries or building damage was reported.Scientists say climate change has made the west warmer and drier over the last three decades and will continue to make weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive. In the last five years, California has experienced the largest and most destructive fires in the state’s history. | Climate Change |
This aerial photograph shows makeshift tents for people displaced due to the floods after heavy monsoon rains at Sohbatpur in Jaffarabad district of Balochistan province on September 4, 2022Photo: Fida HUSSAIN / AFP (Getty Images)A third of Pakistan is covered in floodwaters as the country suffers a devastating monsoon season. An inland lake seems to be forming around the southern Sindh province, satellite images show, while an existing lake has swelled dramatically.OffEnglish Images taken by NASA’s MODIS satellite sensor in late August show the overflowing Indus River and an inland lake forming. They reveal the stark differences in Pakistan between August 2021 and August 2022. This year’s chaotic monsoon rains have also affected Lake Manchar, Pakistan’s largest freshwater lake. It has overflowed several times, which has put about 100,000 residents in the path of more floodwater, according to the NASA Earth Observatory. The lake is just west of the Indus River in the Sindh province, which has seen more than five times its average rainfall this year. Images obtained by the Landsat 8 and Landsat 9 satellites show the differences in the overflowing lake on June 25, August 28, and September 5. Lake Manchar from June to September 2022.Photo: Landsat 8, Landsat 9G/O Media may get a commissionMore than 30 million people across the country have been affected by the floods. About half a million people have been displaced and nearly 1,200 people have died, NBC News reports. Major roads and highways are unusable and some bridges have been washed away, making it harder for some to evacuate badly affected areas, the AP reports. This has also made it harder for emergency services to reach those in need, especially villagers whose homes have been completely washed away. People have begun setting up camp on roadsides and in abandoned buildings near their sunken homes in the hopes that they can eventually return, according to a release from the UN Refugee Agency.Monsoon season, which is a regularly occurring rainy season in the tropics, usually begins in June and continues until the end of September throughout Pakistan. Communities there know to expect this, but climate change has messed with the intensity. Warmer air holds more moisture, and extreme rainfall events are occurring more frequently. Some monsoon seasons are also occurring earlier or shifting when they begin and end, giving people in those areas little time to adjust and prepare. This leads to more displacement and death, especially for poorer communities with limited resources.“The Pakistani people are facing a monsoon on steroids — the relentless impact of epochal levels of rain and flooding,” UN Secretary General António Guterres said last week in response to this year’s destructive season. | Climate Change |
BARCELONA — With Europe suffering through an extreme drought worsened by climate change that has dried up rivers and left millions sweltering in triple-digit heat this summer, farmers across the continent are sounding warnings about crop losses."Our vines are suffering," said vintner Xavier Collart Dutilleul, who, with his wife Pascale, runs Château Mazeris Bellevue near Saint-Emilion in southwestern France. Lacking rain, the organic vineyard’s parched clay-rich soil is "almost as hard as cement," he told Yahoo News, and he predicted that his harvest, which typically yields enough for 35,000 bottles, will be down by 30% this year.In Northern Italy, there was little winter snow this year and even less springtime rain, and extreme summer temperatures have evaporated what little moisture remains. Just as rivers across Europe have all but dried up, the Po river, a major source of irrigation in the river’s fertile valley, is a trickle and the normally marshy rice paddies it irrigates are brown and cracked."We have no water," Fabrizio Rizzotti, a seventh-generation rice farmer, told Yahoo News. "The plants are curling up and dying in the fields." This year, he expects his harvest of carnaroli rice, favored for risotto, to be 30% of what it was last year.This year, the grape crop at Château Mazeris Bellevue in Saint-Michel-de-Fronsac, France, is down by 30%. (Pascale Collart Dutilleul/Château Mazeris Bellevue)In Spain, which provides nearly half the world’s olive oil, Agricultural Minister Luis Planas last week warned that "this year’s olive harvest could be notably lower than previous ones." Spain's Association of Young Farmers and Ranchers (Asaja) predicts that olive yields will drop by a third. "We are in a very bad situation, with a fundamental water deficit in our agriculture," José-Luis Miguel, technical coordinator for Spain's largest agricultural group COAG, told Yahoo News. He also said that restrictions on irrigation and scant rainfall have meant that "many crops have not been able to be planted or have had to be replaced by others with less water needs." Grain production, for one, is down by 25%, he said."What's happening this year is very scary," enologist Ton Mata, third-generation owner and CEO of the Recaredo vineyard in Spain’s cava region, Alt Penedès, told Yahoo News. "We have little rain and a very long, dry, hot period with three heat waves. We are seeing that the grapes are very small and weigh less." Although the harvest is just beginning, he's sure that the yield will be down by 20% to 40%.This summer, Europe is breaking all kinds of records, from high temperatures to low precipitation amounts. Nearly two-thirds of the territory in the 27-country European Union is either dealing with drought or is poised to enter one. The European Drought Observatory this week said that 47% of the EU territory was in warning conditions while 17% was "under alert," meaning that vegetation is stressed due to lack of water. The countries most affected — France, Spain and Italy, as well as Germany — are those that produce the bulk of Europe’s food, a fact that means prices for European commodities are sure to soar this fall and winter.Climate expert Jorge Olcina, professor of regional geographic analysis at Spain’s University of Alicante, told Yahoo News that what is happening across Europe is "further evidence of the process of global warming" — and he expects it to continue. "The trend is clear. We've failed to reduce the level of greenhouse gases we put into the Earth's atmosphere and the process of heating continues its unstoppable process."One of the rice fields dried up and can no longer be cultivated in Vespolate, Italy. (Davide Bertuccio for the Washington Post via Getty Images)Hydrologist Jesús Carrera foresees "a severe reduction in precipitation throughout the Mediterranean." But the main problem, he said, is not only "that there will be longer and more intense droughts, but there will be also very wet periods. So obviously, the way to manage this is to save water from the wet periods."It's not just blistering summer heat and water shortages that are reducing food supplies — it's the strange weather in general that's been plaguing Europe for over two years that has farmers and climatologists concerned. "These last years have been crazy," said Spanish agricultural consultant Montse Boldú Giménez.Seasons when rain usually comes are instead dry; when the skies open up, they dump torrents that wash away topsoil. A late spring frost destroyed many of Spain's fruit crops, and hailstorms, like the one a few weeks ago that wiped out a vineyard next to Château Mazeris Bellevue, are becoming more frequent. "The hailstones were as big as eggs," said vintner Collart Dutilleul.Last year, a fluke blizzard hit central Spain, blanketing olive groves in Toledo in 5 inches of snow, and two weeks of below-freezing temperatures killed a quarter of the zone's oldest olive trees."We've been observing changes for many years — but now it's more obvious. You can see it everywhere," José Antonio Peche Marín-Lázaro, managing director of premium olive oil producer Casas de Hualdo, which lost 250 acres of olive trees in that storm, told Yahoo News.He said that locals who are 80 or 90 years old and have worked in the fields their whole lives often tell him they don't remember anything like the weather of recent years. "And when you look at the olive trees here in this area, some of which are 200 years old, that have survived for such long periods, but now, this weather is threatening their survival, that definitely means that something has changed," he added.The changing weather patterns are forcing many Europeans to rethink centuries-old farming practices."Some crops will have to alter their production cycles, and irrigation systems should be improved to increase their efficiency," said Olcina, who views climate change not only as "the most important issue we're facing," but also "as an opportunity to get things right."A view shows Po's dry riverbed during the worst drought in the last 70 years, in Malcantone, near Ferrara, Italy. (Gabriele Pileri/Reuters)Indeed, some food producers already are starting to change. Casas de Hualdo has put water monitors into its olive groves and has installed a more effective subterranean irrigation system and solar panels to power it. Mata's Recaredo vineyard is trying out different grapes that are better suited to unrelenting sun; it is also changing rootstocks to varieties "that need less water and that go deeper into the soil" to allow vines to get more water. Recaredo is also using biodynamic practices, with ground cover in its vineyard that encourages more worms to aerate the soil. At Château Mazeris Bellevue, they are also trying out different grapes that are more resistant to heat and drought.Nancy Harmon Jenkins, author of "The New Mediterranean Diet Cookbook" and owner of an olive grove in Tuscany, isn't all that anxious about this summer's diminishing crops. Olives and grapes can survive droughts, she pointed out to Yahoo News, and vineyards have suffered disasters like the wave of phylloxera that wiped out many French vineyards in the 1800s. "I think there'll be plenty of olive oil and plenty of wine for my grandchildren," she told Yahoo News. What she is concerned about is how climate change will change their world. "They have to worry about keeping cool in the summer and rising sea levels" — along with droughts. "Those are much more critical issues to me than olive oil and wine."Despite this tumultuous summer, hydrologist Carrera isn't sure the public or politicians are grasping the need to change. "Society only reacts when it's hurt," he observed. "It doesn't hurt enough yet." | Climate Change |
President Joe Biden participates in a virtual meeting with leaders of the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate.Michael Reynolds/ Zuma This story was originally published by the Guardian and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration.
Joe Biden’s election triggered a global surge in optimism that the climate crisis would, finally, be decisively confronted. But the US Supreme Court’s decision last week to curtail America’s ability to cut planet-heating emissions has proved the latest blow to a faltering effort by Biden on climate that is now in danger of becoming largely moribund.
The Supreme Court’s ruling that the US government could not use its existing powers to phase out coal-fired power generation without “clear congressional authorization” quickly ricocheted around the world among those now accustomed to looking on in dismay at America’s seemingly endless stumbles in addressing global heating.
The decision “flies in the face of established science and will set back the US’s commitment to keep global temperature below 1.5C,” said Saleemul Huq, director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development in Bangladesh, in reference to the internationally agreed goal to limit global heating before it becomes truly catastrophic, manifesting in more severe heatwaves, floods, droughts and societal unrest. “The people who will pay the price for this will be the most vulnerable communities in the most vulnerable developing countries in the world,” Huq added.
The “incredibly undemocratic SCOTUS ruling” indicates that “backsliding is now the dominant trend in the climate space,” said Yamide Dagnet, director of climate justice at Open Society Foundations and former climate negotiator for the UK and European Union. António Guterres, the secretary general of the United Nations, who has called new fossil-fuel infrastructure “moral and economic madness,” said via a spokesman that the ruling was a “setback” at a time when countries were badly off track in averting looming climate breakdown.
In the 6-3 ruling, backed by the right-wing majority of justices, the Supreme Court did not completely negate the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to regulate emissions from coal plants. But it did side with Republican-led states in stating that the government could not set broad plans to shift electricity generation away from coal because of the nebulous “major questions doctrine” that demands Congress explicitly decide on significant changes to the US economy.
“The court appoints itself, instead of Congress or the expert agency, the decision-maker on climate policy,” wrote justice Elena Kagan in an unusually blunt dissenting opinion. “I cannot think of many things more frightening.”
Al Gore, the former US vice-president said the ruling was the “result of decades of influence and coordination by the fossil fuel lobby and its allies to delay, obstruct, and dismantle progress toward climate solutions.”
For Biden, who called the ruling “devastating,” the court’s decision is just the latest crushing jolt to what was billed as a “climate presidency” when he was elevated to the White House.
Landmark legislation to bolster clean energy has stalled in Congress, largely due to the opposition of Joe Manchin, a centrist Democrat who has a coal-trading firm, and is perilously close to not being resurrected in time before midterm elections later this year in which Democrats are expected to lose their tenuous hold on Congress. The US, almost uniquely among major democracies, still has no national climate or energy policy in place.
Biden’s promise to end oil and gas drilling on public land has been unfulfilled, while Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has caused gasoline prices to leap, prompting the president to urge oil companies to ramp up production, to the horror of climate campaigners. The president has vowed that the US will cut its emissions in half by 2030, but this goal, and America’s waning international credibility on climate change, will be lost without both legislation from Congress and strong executive actions. Both of these factors remain highly uncertain, with the Supreme Court’s ruling sharply restricting the latter option. Gina McCarthy, the White House’s top climate adviser, has admitted the administration will have to get “creative” in forcing down emissions.
“Congress acting on climate was important before this decision, now it’s even more important,” said John Larsen, partner at Rhodium group, a climate and energy analysis organization. According to Rhodium, the Supreme Court ruling is not fatal to US climate targets, but there are still 1.7 billion to 2.3 billion tons of greenhouse gases that will need to be prevented on top of current policy if the 2030 goal is to be met.
“The EPA still has authority, although it is more narrow than it was, so they need to get moving and crank out some rules because there’s not a lot of time left,” Larsen said. “It’s entirely possible the US will meet its emissions target but we have just eight years until 2030. The ball needs to start rolling very fast, very soon, if we are to get there. Everyone needs to really step up and start delivering.” | Climate Change |
California is, for the first time in a series of negotiations, offering to cut back its use of water from Lake Mead next year. California on Wednesday offered to conserve 400,000 acre-feet, or 130 billion gallons, of water from Lake Mead annually from 2023 through 2026. “This water, which would otherwise be used by California’s communities and farms, will meaningfully contribute to stabilizing the Colorado River reservoir system,” state water agencies said in a letter to the federal government. Both water usage and drought, which has been accelerated by climate change, in the West are contributing to shortages in Lake Mead — a Colorado Reservoir in the southwestern U.S. — leaving the region with a need to conserve water. Lake Mead provides water from the Colorado River to about 25 million people. The water is used for municipal, industrial and farming purposes. The head of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, a federal agency that’s in charge of the country’s water resources, recently said that the region needs to conserve between 2 and 4 million acre-feet, or at least 651.7 billion gallons, of water in 2023 to protect Lake Mead and Lake Powell. Experts have described California’s proposal as both an important step, but also not nearly enough to solve the problem. “It’s a really good first step and it’s a good sign that things could be moving, but we’re going to need 4, 5, 6, 7 times that amount of water here in the very near future,” said Chris Kuzdas, a senior water program manager with the Environmental Defense Fund. Kuzdas said that the additional cuts won’t just need to come from California, though, saying that several parties need to bring down their water use. “It’s going to need to come from everyone, certainly more from California, Arizona, Nevada, Upper Basin, Mexico, municipal water users, agricultural water users,” he added. Sarah Porter, director of Arizona State University’s Kyl Center for Water Policy, likewise described California’s offer as “momentum” in the right direction, but also not enough. Porter also noted that California’s proposal is based on voluntary conservation, meaning that the cuts it calls for may or may not be met in practice. “It’s hard to say just from this letter how real that 400,000 acre-feet is,” Porter said. But, she said that it is just a starting point in negotiations, and said the state — and other parties — could bring more significant offers to the table in the near future. “You don’t open with your final offer,” she said. | Climate Change |
The hydrogen-diesel direct injection dual-fuel system developed at UNSW enables a traditional diesel engine to be retrofitted to run as a hydrogen-diesel hybrid engine. Credit: Prof. Shawn Kook Engineers from UNSW Sydney have successfully converted a diesel engine to run as a hydrogen-diesel hybrid engine—reducing CO2 emissions by more than 85% in the process. The team, led by Professor Shawn Kook from the School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, spent around 18 months developing the hydrogen-diesel direct injection dual-fuel system that means existing diesel engines can run using 90% hydrogen as fuel.
The researchers say that any diesel engine used in trucks and power equipment in the transportation, agriculture and mining industries could ultimately be retrofitted to the new hybrid system in just a couple of months.
Green hydrogen, which is produced using clean renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, is much more environmentally friendly than diesel.
And in a paper published in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Prof. Kook's team show that using their patented hydrogen injection system reduces CO2 emissions to just 90 g/kWh—85.9% below the amount produced by the diesel powered engine.
"This new technology significantly reduces CO2 emissions from existing diesel engines, so it could play a big part in making our carbon footprint much smaller, especially in Australia with all our mining, agriculture and other heavy industries where diesel engines are widely used," says Prof. Kook.
"We have shown that we can take those existing diesel engines and convert them into cleaner engines that burn hydrogen fuel.
"Being able to retrofit diesel engines that are already out there is much quicker than waiting for the development of completely new fuel cell systems that might not be commercially available at a larger scale for at least a decade. "With the problem of carbon emissions and climate change, we need some more immediate solutions to deal with the issue of these many diesel engines currently in use."
High-pressure hydrogen direct injection
The UNSW team's solution to the problem maintains the original diesel injection into the engine, but adds a hydrogen fuel injection directly into the cylinder. The collaborative research, performed with Dr. Shaun Chan and Professor Evatt Hawkes, found that specifically timed hydrogen direct injection controls the mixture condition inside the cylinder of the engine, which resolves harmful nitrogen oxide emissions that have been a major hurdle for commercialisation of hydrogen engines. The Hydrogen-Diesel Direct Injection Dual-Fuel System has been developed by a team from the UNSW Engine Research Laboratory led by Professor Shawn Kook (right), and including Xinyu Liu (back left) and Jinxin Yang (front left). Credit: Prof. Shawn Kook "If you just put hydrogen into the engine and let it all mix together you will get a lot of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, which is a significant cause of air pollution and acid rain," Prof. Kook says.
"But we have shown in our system if you make it stratified—that is in some areas there is more hydrogen and in others there is less hydrogen—then we can reduce the NOx emissions below that of a purely diesel engine."
Importantly, the new Hydrogen-Diesel Direct Injection Dual-Fuel System does not require extremely high purity hydrogen which must be used in alternative hydrogen fuel cell systems and is more expensive to produce.
And compared to existing diesel engines, an efficiency improvement of more than 26% has been shown in the diesel-hydrogen hybrid.
That improved efficiency is achieved by independent control of hydrogen direct injection timing, as well as diesel injection timing, enabling full control of combustion modes—premixed or mixing-controlled hydrogen combustion.
The research team hope to be able to commercialize the new system in the next 12 to 24 months and are keen to consult with prospective investors.
They say the most immediate potential use for the new technology is in industrial locations where permanent hydrogen fuel supply lines are already in place.
That includes mining sites, where studies have shown that about 30% of greenhouse-gas emissions are caused by the use of diesel engines, largely in mining vehicles and power generators.
And the Australian market for diesel-only power generators is currently estimated to be worth around $765 million.
"At mining sites, where hydrogen is piped in, we can convert the existing diesel engines that are used to generate power," says Prof. Kook.
"In terms of applications where the hydrogen fuel would need to be stored and moved around, for example in a truck engine that currently runs purely on diesel, then we would also need to implement a hydrogen storage system to be integrated into our injection system.
"I do think the general technology with regards to mobile hydrogen storage needs to be developed further because at the moment that is quite a challenge." More information: Xinyu Liu et al, Direct injection of hydrogen main fuel and diesel pilot fuel in a retrofitted single-cylinder compression ignition engine, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2022.08.149 Citation: New system retrofits diesel engines to run on 90% hydrogen (2022, October 7) retrieved 9 October 2022 from https://techxplore.com/news/2022-10-retrofits-diesel-hydrogen.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only. | Climate Change |
A man, displaced because of the floods, wades through flood water to fill the canisters, following rains and floods during the monsoon season in Sehwan, Pakistan September 20, 2022. REUTERS/Stringer/File PhotoRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSept 23 (Reuters) - Pakistan should suspend international debt repayments and restructure loans with creditors after recent floods added to the country's financial crisis, the Financial Times reported on Friday, citing a UN policy memo.The memorandum, which the UN Development Programme will share with Pakistan's government this week, states that the country's creditors should consider debt relief so that policymakers can prioritise financing its disaster response over loan repayment, the newspaper said.The country's foreign office in Islamabad did not respond to a Reuters request for comment on the memorandum. Pakistan's finance minister and information minister could not be immediately reached for comment.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comPakistan has earlier estimated the damage at $30 billion, and both the government and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have blamed the flooding on climate change.The memo further proposed debt restructuring or swaps, where creditors would let go of repayments in exchange for Pakistan agreeing to invest in climate change-resilient infrastructure, FT said.Floods have affected 33 million Pakistanis, inflicted billions of dollars in damage, and killed over 1,500 people - creating concern that Pakistan will not meet debts. read more Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Jyoti Narayan in Bengaluru and Asif Shahzad in Islamabad; Writing by Gibran Peshimam; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Sam HolmesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Climate Change |
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen speaking at a news conference on July 14.Made Nagi | ReutersTreasury Secretary Janet Yellen will be touting tax credits and other private sector incentives passed in the Inflation Reduction Act in North Carolina this week, saying they will help low energy costs for consumers and greenhouse gas emissions across the U.S.The act, which was signed into law in August, represents the largest climate spending package in U.S. history, with $369 billion earmarked for domestic energy initiatives and to combat climate change. The investment, Yellen will say Tuesday at the Cypress Creek Renewables plant in Durham, N.C., puts the nation on a "strong course" toward substantially cutting greenhouse gas emissions by the end of the decade, according to excerpts of her speech released ahead of her trip.Thousands of dollars in tax breaks and rebates for electric vehicles and home efficiency upgrades — such as energy-efficient skylights, water heaters and solar panel installation — are money-saving features in the act expected to translate to lower energy costs for families. But Yellen says the government will also rely on the private sector to help meet its climate goals by reducing emissions by at least half from 2005 levels in 2030."Specifically, government must provide the basic foundations and long-term certainty that businesses need to invest at scale and drive the transition toward a clean energy future," Yellen will say.The legislation will spur "a significant mobilization of private investment into the clean energy sector," according to her remarks."Combined with the business tax credits, this investment is expected to further push down the costs of clean energy production. This, in turn, is expected to help bring down retail electricity rates at the same time as the law electrifies a greater share of the American economy," Yellen will say. | Climate Change |
The fire service in London faced its busiest day since the second world war on Tuesday as fires raged throughout the UK amid brutal temperatures.Temperatures dropped dramatically on Wednesday, but further travel disruption was expected as repairs were carried out on road and rail networks and at airports. Heavy showers and thunderstorms were predicted to hit parts of the country, potentially causing localised flooding.The London mayor, Sadiq Khan, warned Londoners not to have BBQs and to take care with bottles in public areas, where grass remains tinder-dry after temperatures topped 40C in the UK for the first time. The sun shining through glass bottles can create heat and cause a fire.Khan said the fire service would usually expect 500 calls on a busy day, but had received more than 2,600 calls on Tuesday, when more than a dozen fires were raging at the same time.Fire brigades in London, Leicestershire and South Yorkshire declared major incidents on Tuesday, as fires destroyed business, houses, schools and churches.Three fires broke out around London, affecting grassland, farm buildings, houses and garages from midnight in Wennington, Uxbridge and Erith, with almost 300 firefighters deployed in the early hours of the morning. Evacuations were carried out and no injuries were reported.Smoke around houses in the village of Wennington, east London. Photograph: Leon Neal/Getty ImagesKhan said he spoke on Wednesday morning to the fire commissioner, who expressed concern about the potential for further fires.“The grass is like hay, which means it’s easier to catch fire. Once it catches fire, it spreads incredibly fast like wildfires, like you see in movies or in fires in California and parts of France,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.Asked if the need to get net zero by 2050 was in danger of being ignored, Khan said it “beggared belief” that global heating was not being spoken about more prominently by the Conservative leadership candidates.“Look, it’s unarguable now that the weather we’ve faced in our city and in our country over the last few days is a direct consequence of climate change,” he said. “We should be dealing with the consequences of climate change adaptations of our cities and country, public transport homes and so forth, but also dealing with the causes of climate change as well.”Sixteen firefighters were injured tackling blazes in the capital on the hottest day of the year, with two admitted to hospital, according to the London fire brigade’s assistant commissioner, Jonathan Smith.Smith told Times Radio: “The conditions that our firefighters were operating in were unprecedented – operating in 40C heat, needing to drag significant amount of hose across fields, making sure we were rescuing people where we needed to.”Sign up to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every weekday morning at 7am BSTSimon Clarke, the chief secretary to the Treasury, told Sky News that the fires were a “warning sign” about the impact of climate change.“This is a reminder today I think of the importance of tackling climate change. This is a remarkable, unprecedented event and something which obviously, because people have been saying, we are not used to seeing in this country,” he said. “What we’ve seen in recent days is not normal and it is a warning sign.”Dozens of trains were cancelled or delayed across England on Wednesday morning because of problems caused by the extreme heat. Record temperatures caused damage to overhead wires, tracks and signalling systems.National Rail told customers to check before setting off on their journeys and to travel only if absolutely necessary as tracks and overhead wires were repaired. | Climate Change |
Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSummaryPhoto essay:NAKATOSA, Japan, July 12 (Reuters) - For half a century, Takeo Nakajo has been catching katsuo, or skipjack tuna - indispensable in Japanese cuisine whether eaten raw, dried or used as a base for the broth.But he and other fishermen in Kure, in Kochi prefecture in southwest Japan, have seen something worrying in the past two years - an unprecedented number of unusually fatty katsuo.While heavier katsuo means more money, locals and experts say it indicates climate change and a risk for katsuo numbers already under threat due to growing demand and overfishing.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com"The fatty katsuo must have something to do with the water temperature," said the 70-year-old Nakajo. "I have a sense of urgency thinking what if katsuo doesn't come to the bay some day." (Photo essay: https://reut.rs/3AFtYSQ)Noriaki Ito, the head chef at a century-old restaurant Tsukasa in Kochi City, said he too had "never seen such fatty katsuo during this season of the year".This is worrying as changes in the sea and climate have already wiped out some other fish "including a shellfish called chambara-gai that used to be Kochi's speciality", Ito added.Originally from tropical waters, some Pacific katsuo migrate northward on a warm ocean current every spring, making Kochi's arc-shaped bay a fertile fishing ground.The average surface temperature of the bay in winter has risen by 2 degrees Celsius in the four decades to 2015, local fisheries lab data shows, and the fatter katsuo may be due to ample prey in the warmer sea.But longer term, this warming may prevent mineral-rich water from rising to the surface, resulting in a drop in plankton and smaller fish to feed on, leading to fewer katsuo, said Hiroyuki Ukeda, an agroscientist and vice president of Kochi University.This comes as Japan's ageing population is threatening the sustainability of local fishing and related businesses such as the production of dried and fermented katsuo, and wasabi horseradish - an eye-watering condiment tucked under fish in a piece of sushi. read more In Kure, a district in Nakatosa town, many fishermen have gone out of business in the past three decades, said Takahiro Tanaka, a fourth-generation owner of a fishmonger who calls himself a "katsuo sommelier"."We can distinguish different tastes of katsuo, just like ordinary French farmers may savour subtleties of wine ... this place might be one of Japan's last communities where katsuo is part of the daily culture," he added."But without fishers, this won't last," Tanaka said.Fisherman Nakajo also rued the ageing community and fewer successors. "I asked my grandson if he would take over, but he's now studying to work at a government office," Nakajo said.Crew members on the Nakajomaru katsuo (skipjack tuna) fishing boat catch katsuo using traditional ipponzuri (single pole fishing method), in Tosa Bay, Kochi Prefecture, Japan, May 15, 2022. Locals and experts say fatty katsuo indicates climate change and a risk for the fish numbers already under threat due to growing demand and overfishing. It "must have something to do with the water temperature," captain Takeo Nakajo, 70, said. "I have a sense of urgency thinking what if katsuo doesn't come to the bay some day." REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon SUSHI CULTURE AT RISKOverfishing has already hit catch numbers and dealt a blow to the fishermen in Kochi who have stuck to traditional single pole fishing methods versus large-scale seine fishing across the western Pacific.Government data shows catch numbers in Kochi are only at a quarter of their 1980s peak."We have observed a catastrophic decline in landings over the last 10 years or so," said Ukeda."A growing number of people fear we may no longer be able to eat katsuo in the near future if things continue like this."Production of katsuobushi, dried and fermented katsuo, often used as a shaved condiment over traditional Japanese dishes or as a broth base, is already suffering.The number of katsuobushi manufacturers in Kochi has plunged from dozens some forty years ago to only a few, said Taichi Takeuchi, who runs one in the town of Usa."I'm really unsure if we can continue this," said Takeuchi.Wasabi, the tangy horseradish that is an essential for Japanese food, especially sashimi and sushi, is facing similar production challenges. read more Typhoons and rising temperatures have hurt production in Okutama, a mountainous area to the west of Tokyo, said Masahiro Hoshina, 72, head of the local wasabi growers' association."I am extremely worried about the future of our farming," Hoshina said.The number of farmers in the area is down 75% from the 1950s due to depopulation, and unless something changes, some worry sushi itself could be endangered."The combination of raw fish and spice, as in katsuo and wasabi, is an art, and we must maintain both," said Ukeda. "I never want to think about a future" without them, he added.(The story corrects name in paragraph 8, Hiroyuki Ukeda not Hideyuki Ukeda)Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Kantaro Komiya in Nakatosa; Additional reporting by Kim Kyung-hoon and Irene Wang; Editing by Elaine Lies and Himani SarkarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Climate Change |
The next Conservative party leader could be swayed into ditching its net zero strategy in order to receive the backing of climate-sceptic MPs, senior Tories fear. Prominent backbenchers have been plotting for months to persuade any possible replacement for Boris Johnson to ditch climate commitments in favour of expanding the use of fossil fuels.Any opposition would come from the green wing of the Tory party, which admits it is disorganised and weak, with one environment minister saying the ostensibly large grouping has many MPs who “do fuck all and don’t give a shit”.The attorney general, Suella Braverman, this weekend vowed to suspend net zero measures, saying: “In order to deal with the energy crisis we need to suspend the all-consuming desire to achieve net zero by 2050. If we keep it up, especially before businesses and families can adjust, our economy will end up with net zero growth.”While she is not a frontrunner in the contest, there is a fear that any winning candidate could be forced to weaken their climate stance in order to gain the backing of her supporters.Eco-friendly conservatives are concerned that she has joined forces with MP Steve Baker, whohas denied climate change is a pressing matter and wants to dismantle green policies. Instead, he favours expanding the use of gas and reinstating fracking. The MP for Wycombe holds sway within the party’s right wing and commands the powerful Eurosceptic ERG group. His pugnacity during the EU negotiations led Baker to dub himself the “hardman of Brexit”. Another worry is that Kemi Badenoch, who is also running for leader on an “anti-woke” platform, also this weekend came out against net zero by 2050.Meanwhile, the green wing of the party is still scrambling to fall behind an ecofriendly candidate, with nobody yet setting out a positive climate policy vision. A number of green conservatives have unenthusiastically mooted Nadhim Zahawi and Sajid Javid as potential contenders for their support, but neither has yet committed to net zero.Chris Skidmore, the chair of the environment all-party parliamentary group, is organising a climate hustings with the Conservative Environment Network (CEN) and trying to get candidates to sign up to net zero commitments.He is pointing to the successful election of the Tees Valley mayor, Ben Houchen, who ran on a green jobs platform. He said: “MPs in the red wall know that the price of rowing back on net zero would be to pull the plug on economic regeneration in their seats.“Thousands of jobs could be at stake. It would be economic and electoral madness to abandon net zero, which is why I am calling on every candidate to set out their plans to commit to the environment, nature and net zero.“We will be holding hustings and ensuring that this contest does not put one of the Conservative party’s greatest achievements in recent years at risk”.Skidmore is warning prospective candidates that while ditching climate commitments could play well to some of the Tory base, that it would lose them the next general election.Sign up to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every weekday morning at 7am BST“The Conservative party cannot afford to abandon the progress it has made on the environment and climate change over the past decade,” he said. He added that “polling has repeatedly shown that the party would pay the penalty at the next general election if we abandoned or watered down commitments to protect our environment” by up to “1.3m votes”.Skidmore is confident that with the support of the 133 MPs in CEN, a green candidate could win. He thinks Baker’s support is a “mirage”, and notes that the net zero scrutiny group, which the MP co-founded, has only 20 supporters.However, sources close to the Braverman campaign, with which Baker is helping, told the Guardian they had spoken to MPs in CEN to win them over to the anti-net zero cause, calling members of the group “windsocks”, adding that the argument for cheaper energy is powerful.Zac Goldsmith, an environment minister and conservative peer, agrees that support for green measures among his colleagues could be at risk.“There are loads of MPs in CEN, but most aren’t fighters,” he told the Guardian. “Others sign up just so that they can tell their constituents they are members – but they do fuck all and don’t give a shit. Very few really care. I’m going to be fighting this very, very hard in the coming days and weeks.”If net zero was ditched but then reinstated after a general election 2024, this would be too late to avoid exceeding 1.5C, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The IPCC says in order to avoid climate catastrophe, we must reach peak fossil fuel use by 2025.This week, the Green MP Caroline Lucas said she feared the climate could be put at risk by “Tory psychodrama”. | Climate Change |
The European Commission is facing backlash for its decision last month to classify some natural gas and nuclear energy projects as “green,” even though those energy sources produce CO2, methane, and toxic waste. The policy comes as Europe seeks to expedite progress on its climate goals and reduce reliance on Russian fossil fuels. The move will allow natural gas and nuclear projects to obtain a “sustainable” label within a classification system designed to help financial markets define green investment. Critics include European Union governments, environmental activists, and green investors who say the move could divert money away from renewables. It could also encourage other nations to follow suit, undermining global efforts to reduce dependency on fossil fuels. Proponents say the opposite is true: that natural gas and nuclear power can help transition Europe away from dirtier energy sources such as oil and coal while adding to the energy supply at a crucial moment. The policy comes with conditions. To be “transitionally sustainable,” natural gas plants must limit their greenhouse gas emissions. Nuclear power can be classified as a sustainable economic activity as long as countries dispose of toxic waste effectively and prevent environmental damage. Nuclear power plants can be considered sustainable if the construction permit is issued before 2045. “The Commission gave in to massive, massive pressure from a wide group of member states,” said Martin Hojsík, a Slovakian liberal member of the European Parliament. The big winners from the decision are Germany, which still relies on gas for 27% of its overall energy mix, and France, which relies on nuclear energy for around 70% of its energy needs. “It became a very politicized issue, completely detached from expert and scientific advice,” added Tsvetelina Kuzmanova, policy adviser at climate change think tank E3G. “Large-scale investment for projects like gas and nuclear is extremely costly: That is automatically diverting money from cleaner investments.” EU member states Luxembourg and Austria and NGOs including Greenpeace have said they will take the EU to court over the decision because it contradicts preexisting EU legislation and undermines the EU’s progress to meet climate goals. The European Climate Law outlines targets to cut emissions 55% by 2030 and achieve climate neutrality by 2050. Others say the policy is a necessary interim step in the bloc’s transition to renewables. “Even if we were to set aside the events of the last four or five months with Russia and the Ukraine, it would have been extremely difficult to get agreement to completely rule out funding for nuclear and natural gas,” said Jonathan Stern, distinguished research fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. “For many countries, gas is going to be crucial for a period of time, because of the phasing out of coal.” Falling back on fossil fuels The decision comes as Europe is attempting to wean itself off Russian fossil fuels under its REPowerEU plan. Russia has throttled the amount of gas it provides Europe as a form of leverage in the dispute over Ukraine, sparking an energy crisis that has seen the EU backsliding on fossil fuel use. Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands have fallen back on coal-fired power amid energy pressures. Critics say the new policy only further undermines the EU’s claims to global climate leadership. African countries have lambasted the EU for hypocrisy over its attempts to discourage investment in gas in developing countries while continuing to rely on the fossil fuel itself. Stern encountered a similar outcry at the World Gas Conference in May. Although developing countries are concerned about climate change, he said, they are also “concerned about having enough energy to provide themselves with a way of industrializing and developing.” There are also fears about whether other countries might copy the EU’s taxonomy decision, potentially influencing global climate targets. In late 2021, South Korea classified liquefied natural gas as transitionally sustainable, relying on arguments similar to those of the EU. The U.K.’s talks on its taxonomy have been paused for several months, and there are concerns it may follow suit. Conversely, a number of countries have excluded natural gas and nuclear from their taxonomies, including Bangladesh, China, and Russia. Hojsík says it’s “very possible” the European Court of Justice will strike the taxonomy down in its current form. If not, the financial sector may reject it anyway. The Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change, whose members control more than $52 trillion in assets, has complained about the decision creating confusion for green-minded investors. In 2021, Werner Hoyer, president of the European Investment Bank, stated plainly that “gas is over.” Despite the current turmoil Russia’s Ukraine invasion has unleashed, some are hopeful the situation will eventually expedite the EU’s shift to renewables—as set out in the REPowerEU plan. “In light of the situation in Ukraine, it’s clear that very quickly we need a lot of investment in renewables, energy efficiency, and electrification to be able to solve this,” Kuzmanova said.
This story is part of The Path to Zero, a special series exploring how business can lead the fight against climate change. | Climate Change |
MONDOLIKO, Indonesia (AP) — All the crops had died and the farmed fish had escaped their ponds. The only road to the village was flooded and the water just kept getting higher, says Asiyah, 38, who like many Indonesians uses only one name. She knew that she had to leave her home on Java’s northern coast, just as many fellow villagers had done months earlier. So about two years ago, after agonizing over the decision for months, she told her husband it was time to go and started to pack. ___EDITOR’S NOTE: This story is part of an ongoing series exploring the lives of people around the world who have been forced to move because of rising seas, drought, searing temperatures and other things caused or exacerbated by climate change.___Java, home to some 145 million people and the Indonesian capital Jakarta, is the most populated island in the world. Scientists say parts of the island will be entirely lost to the sea in the coming years.Much has been written about the sinking capital, which is being moved partially due to destructive flooding. Other parts of the country with persistent flooding have received less attention.Some 300 miles (500 kilometers) from Jakarta, entire villages along the Java Sea are submerged in murky brown water. Experts say rising seas and stronger tides as a result of climate change are some of the causes. Gradual sinking of the land and development are also to blame. Mondoliko, where Asiyah is from, is one of those villages. Asiyah smiles as she describes what Mondoliko was like when she was young: Lush green rice paddies, tall coconuts trees and red chili bushes grew around the some 200 homes people lived in. She and other children would play in the local soccer field, watching snakes glide through the grass while butterflies flew through the air.“Everyone had land,” she says. “We were all able to grow and have what we needed.”But around 10 years ago, the water came — sporadically and a few inches high at first. Within a few years it became a constant presence. Unable to grow in salt water, the crops and plants all died. With no land left as the water got higher, the insects and animals disappeared.Asiyah says she and other villagers adapted the best they could: Farmers swapped their crops for fish ponds; people used dirt or concrete to raise the floors of their homes above the water. Net fences were put in yards to catch the trash the tide would bring in. For seven years Asiyah, her husband Aslori, 42, and their two children lived with the floods, the water getting higher every year. But they noticed changes as well: Neighbors were leaving their homes behind in search of drier land. The call to prayer at the village mosque went quiet. Even new fish ponds became futile, the water rising so high that the fish would jump over the nets.She remembers the day she decided they had to leave her lifelong home. Her father, who lived with them, had been battling bone cancer and prostate issues, and some days he was so frail he couldn’t stand. Her son was getting bigger and faced an increasingly difficult, waterlogged commute to school over 2 miles (about 3 kilometers) away.“I was worried when the road flooded — how can we go about our daily lives?” she remembers wondering to herself. “The kids can’t go to school or play with their friends. ... We can’t live like this.”The flood water getting higher, she told her husband that it was time to leave. Early one morning in the pouring rain, Asiyah and Aslori loaded what items they could into their boat: pictures of their wedding and family, documents and a big plastic bowl filled with cooking supplies. She left her house for a final time, making the trip 3 miles (almost 5 kilometers) away to Semarang, where she had found to rent an empty one-bedroom concrete apartment. The first night in their new apartment Asiyah slept on the ground, trying to soothe her distraught son.“I tried to make them understand that there was no other option. We can’t work and they can’t go to school if we stayed in Mondoliko,” she says. “It’s uninhabitable.” Asiyah confesses that while she was comforting him, she wanted to go home, too. But even if she wanted to return, it would have been impossible — the road to the village had flooded.Others from Mondoliko have abandoned their homes since then. When The Associated Press visited the village in November 2021, 11 homes were still occupied. By July 2022, that number dwindled to five, as the village continues to be swallowed by the sea.Asiyah and her fellow villagers are just a few of the some 143 million people who are likely to be uprooted by rising seas, drought, searing temperatures and other climate catastrophes over the next 30 years, according to the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report published this year. Some villagers in the region are still living in their flooded homes. In Timbulsloko, some 2 miles (about 3 kilometers) from Asiyah’s village, homes have been fortified with raised floors and dirt walkways, causing people to crouch when walking through shortened doors. Some residents of the village have received aid from the local government, but many are still left without a dry place to sleep, afraid a strong tide in the middle of the night could wash them out to sea. Adjusting to her new home has been an ongoing process, Asiyah says. Aslori still works as a fisherman close to their home and brings back whatever waterlogged items he can. (AP Video/Victoria Milko and Dita Alangkara)In early September, on a day when the tide was especially low, Asiyah went back to the old house for the first time since leaving. Months earlier she had cried when she had seen a photograph of her home on a neighborhood chat group, the bridge that once led to the house completely washed away. But while in the house, she calmly sorted through old school books, saying her son’s name over and over as she carefully selected items like water bottles and a rusted gas canister to bring back to her new home.Aware that the tide was soon to rise and that they could be stranded, Asiyah, Aslori and the other former villagers of Mondoliko who had come to gather items began the journey back to drier land. “I miss my home,” she says. “I never imaged it would become ocean.”___Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content. | Climate Change |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Every area of the U.S. could be in danger of experiencing power outages this summer amid a push to convert to renewable energy sources while taking traditional sources of power offline."I think the entire country is incredibly vulnerable, because the entire country is facing a huge energy shortage and I don’t think there is any place that is truly safe," Daniel Turner, founder and executive director at Power the Future, told Fox News. A wind farm in Glenrock, Wyoming. (AP)At issue are blackouts that could become widespread across the country this summer as grid operators struggle to meet the increased demand, a problem that has plagued some states for years but now could threaten much of the country.Turner said some states are under increased threat this year, especially those that have made political pushes to switch over to so-called sources of "green energy."RENEWABLE ENERGY DEPENDENCE COULD LEAD TO ROLLING BLACKOUTS IN MICHIGAN THIS SUMMER"The areas of the country I’d be most concerned about are the ones that already have inherent weaknesses," Turner said. "Texas, California, New Mexico, New York, all of New England. These are areas whose policies and political decisions have weakened their electric grid."The potential outages come as many states have moved to quickly take plants that produce traditional sources of energy such as coal and natural gas offline and switch production over to renewable energy sources, which currently do not have the capacity to keep up with the demand of a hot summer.Part of the issue with renewable sources of energy such as wind and solar is that it is dependent on variables outside human control, with some areas not having enough wind or sunshine to continuously produce power. Batteries are in development that could help store excess energy production for later use, but the technology is currently expensive and not fully developed.That could force grid operators into tough decisions to maintain the integrity of the overall electric grid when demand picks up, but Turner argues that the move to renewable energy is a mistake altogether.TEXAS POWER GRID OPERATOR URGES RESIDENTS TO CONSERVE ENERGY AS PLANTS GO OFFLINEThe Midwest is particularly vulnerable this summer, even though it has for decades been more immune to the rolling blackouts and brownouts that typically plague the West.Regulators in Illinois have warned of controlled outages that could occur this summer, with one electric company sending a warning letter to customers during potential heatwaves."A recent generation capacity auction has revealed that the Midwest could fall short of needed generation capacity to serve the summer peak load under certain conditions," SouthEastern Illinois Electrical Cooperative said in the letter. "In the event that this happens, your Cooperative would be directed to disconnect a portion of the load in order to prevent an electric grid failure."Critics have blamed the potential shortages on Illinois Gov. Jay Pritzker’s vow to move the state to 100% renewable energy by 2045, which has caused investment in traditional sources of energy generation to plummet."If you look at any country worldwide, or any state in America, that has pushed green energy mandates by government action, not one of them has been successful," Turner argued. "And you can measure that on multiple levels of success, in terms of what they’ve actually purported to or claim that they would produce in terms of electricity, reliability, cost. In terms of actual construction, or cost to the consumers."Grid operators in Michigan have also been bracing for the possibility of blackouts this summer, with the Midcontinent Independent System Operator's seasonal assessment finding "capacity shortfalls in both the north and central regions of MISO… leaving those areas at increased risk of temporary, controlled outages to preserve the integrity of the bulk electric system," JT Smith, the MISO executive director, told NPR last month.Michigan has been one of the states pushing to switch over to renewable energy sources while simultaneously taking traditional plants offline, with the Michigan Public Service Commission currently considering taking two more plants offline in the near future."Michigan is going down the same route that before it, New Mexico has gone, California has gone," Turner said.GRID OPERATORS WARN OF ELECTRICITY SHORTAGE AMID SWITCH TO RENEWABLES: REPORTElectric companies in the state have resorted to calls for action, taking to social media to urge their customers to demand the state keep the plants online."We need your help to keep the lights on in Michigan this summer and beyond," Thumb Electric Cooperative General Manager Dallas Braun said on Facebook Monday. "Electric reliability is at risk today and demand is projected to grow. As soon as this WEEK Michigan regulators are considering closing down more power plants in Michigan. Please join ME in telling them that reliability matters and that they shouldn’t prematurely close these plants." Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)Joe Trotter, the Energy, Environment, and Agriculture Task Force director for the American Legislative Exchange Council, told Fox News last month that policymakers should be more aware of the impact their decisions will have on their constituents."Our leaders need to be real cognizant of the day-to-day impact," Trotter said. "It’s great to look at the future, but the present has a huge impact on their constituencies."STAYING SAFE DURING EXTENDED POWER OUTAGES: WHAT TO DO IN THE ABSENCE OF HEAT, REFRIGERATION AND ELECTRICITYMeanwhile, Turner argued that the outages are most likely to affect people from poor and minority neighborhoods."They will choose what neighborhoods go into darkness," Turner said. "Historically, when we have done this, we have chosen poor and usually minority neighborhoods to do that."Previously planned power outages in states such as California have a history of disproportionately impacting poor neighborhoods, including one instance in 2019 where a poor, mostly Hispanic neighborhood in Sonoma County had its power cut for eight days in October. The deliberate outages not only plunged residents of the area into darkness for days, but the resulting food spoilage strained already tight budgets."Even if the electricity doesn’t arrive… the bills do," one resident said at the time.HIGHER GAS PRICES ARE ‘ACCEPTED’ BY AMERICANS AMID TRAVEL DEMAND, ENERGY ECONOMIST SAYS"Look who they shut off. Have you ever seen a Kardashian complain about lack of power, or Silicon Valley… Facebook’s headquarters? They’re all fine… they’re never the ones plunged into darkness," Turner said.Turner noted that there are trade-offs when policymakers decide to switch to renewable sources of energy, arguing that one such trade-off is increased suffering for people. Wind turbines in Vermont. (AP)"Just watch and see what neighborhoods get turned off," he continued. "Watch and see what happens in neighborhoods in California, New Mexico, and New York that are turned off the grid. That will tell you what our politicians think about their constituents and will tell you what effect the green agenda has on our country."RECORD-HIGH GAS PRICES DRAIN TEXAS COUNTY'S FUEL BUDGET, PUT PRESSURE ON FIRST RESPONDERSBut some argue that renewable energy sources are not the problem, instead pointing to climate change-driven heatwaves that stress the grid beyond its limits, regardless of what source of energy is used."Climate change is fueling extreme heat, droughts, wildfires, and hurricanes, which are overtaxing America’s outdated power grid," Climate Nexus said in an analysis earlier this month, citing a North American Electric Reliability Corporation report that argued "extreme temperatures, ongoing drought, and supply chain issues could strain the power grid in vast regions across the country."The analysis noted that there is a "growing rate of record-breaking climate events," which it argued contributes to both climate change and the stress it places on the grid."Fossil fuels are both a root cause and exacerbating influence on these blackout events," the analysis reads. "The extraction and burning of oil, gas, and coal are the primary drivers of climate change, while outdated fossil infrastructure accompanied by wild market volatility have made these fuel sources expensive and unreliable." But Turner argues that there are few rewards for the environment when grids switch over to wind and solar."The notion that they have baptized themselves as green is a joke," Turner said. "They use more fossil fuels in the production, installation, and then the redundancies of wind and solar than if they just burn those fossil fuels directly to make electricity. So the idea that they’re green is just purely a lie.""It just amazes me that we look at this, we look at all the data, and politicians are still hell-bent on pushing renewable energy when it’s proven to be nothing but a failure," he added.Turned said that the U.S. was already the cleanest country in the world before the push toward renewable energy sources.CITADEL CEO SAYS ENERGY POLICY IN THE US AND EUROPE IS A ‘TRAIN WRECK’"We all want clean air and clear water and a clean earth. No one does it better than the United States of America. By far we are the cleanest nation on Earth," Turner said, adding that the switch from reliable energy sources will "plunge entire neighborhoods into darkness."He pointed to other examples of countries that have been ahead of the U.S. on switching to wind and solar such as Germany, arguing that people there have still yet to see any benefit from the transition. Windmill of windfarmer Jan Marrink is pictured in Nordhorn, Germany. (The Associated Press)"Germany pays the highest electricity price for the developed world. … they pay almost five times what we do for electricity," Turner said. The move towards renewables has also caused Germany to be dependent on Russian natural gas to fill the void in their capacity, while the country has even begun to bring some coal plants back online. They have also resorted to buying energy from neighboring France, which produced over 80% of its electricity with nuclear power.HANNITY: LET'S TAKE A DEEP DIVE AND EXPOSE THE TRUTH ABOUT THESE LIESTurner believes nuclear could be a solution in the U.S. as well, but he notes that a move to more nuclear energy would receive plenty of pushback."Nuclear is absolutely one of the strongest solutions. Nuclear is absolutely a viable solution that has the smallest footprint," Turner said. "The biggest problem nuclear has against it is there is a very aggressive and very effective fear campaign."Turner placed much of the blame for the current situation on the Biden administration, considering President Biden's renewal of the push to switch the country over to wind and solar.But energy prices are now soaring as families already deal with decades-high inflation, leaving little hope for relief in the near future.THIS IS AMERICAN ENERGY'S BIGGEST THREAT"Natural gas right now is trading at probably more than three times what it should," Turner said. "There are runs on natural gas, we have a huge shortage of it and the price is insane. Coal is probably four times what it should be, and these are all the results of Biden’s energy policies."The rush to convert to renewable energy has not been limited to Democratic administrations, with Republican-run Texas having outage issues amid a transition to wind power. Solar energy panel photovoltaic cell and wind turbine farm power generator in nature landscape for production of renewable green energy is friendly industry. Photo: istock. Biden Photo credit: Getty Images (iStock, Getty Images)A winter storm last year caused widespread outages across Texas, with many of the windmills that failed being deliberately turned off, so they wouldn't freeze. The problem was exacerbated because the state lacked adequate backup from natural gas plants to keep the lights on in many communities."It’s bipartisan stupidity," Turner said. "It was Republican governors of Texas who for years pushed renewable energy mandates. If that can happen in Texas, then we’re doomed as a country."CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP"There was no backup. Why? Because Republican governors bought into this lie that all we need is wind and we’ll be fine," Turner said.Texas' vulnerability to outages has already started to show this year, with the state needing to dip into power reserves already this month amid a surge in demand. Grid operators in Texas insist that they have the resources in reserve to power the state through the coming summer months, while Texas Oil & Gas Association President Todd Staples said the state "has excess capacity available when plants are online and renewables are able to put power on the grid."But Turner is skeptical, arguing that policymakers should start pushing back against the "green agenda.""It takes an awful lot of political courage to say ‘this is all just a load of nonsense, right?,’" he said. "These are failed technologies, very expensive technologies, made in Chinese slave camp technologies, and they’re not green, that’s the biggest lie."My question for the Biden administration or any other governors is, why do you continue to go down this path?" Michael Lee is a writer at Fox News. Follow him on Twitter @UAMichaelLee | Climate Change |
September 25, 2022 02:22 PM A video appears to show House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) being booed onstage by the crowd in a surprise guest appearance at a music festival. During the Global Citizen Festival at Central Park in New York City on Saturday, featuring such artists as the Jonas Brothers, Usher, and Metallica, actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas introduced Pelosi to talk about pollution and climate change, according to the New York Post. The audience apparently didn't warm up to the surprise, with loud boos being heard in videos of the moment. "As speaker of the House, I am here to thank you for your dazzling advocacy, entrepreneurial thinking, and determination as global citizens," she said. “It’s thanks to your help that the United States recently enacted historic climate legislation, which will be a game changer. It will slash carbon pollution by 40% by 2030, it will give a historic — an historic $370 billion to fight the climate crisis.” Pelosi concluded her remarks, shrugging off the hecklers, by giving shout-outs to her grandchildren Paul and Thomas in the audience, saying that she agreed to keep her comments at a minimum so as to allow the show to continue as quickly as possible. Despite the chilly reception, the verified Twitter account for Global Citizen tweeted out its appreciation for Pelosi's appearance. "Thank you @SpeakerPelosi, for recognizing Global Citizens all around the world who took action in support of the new, historic climate legislation in the US!" the account tweeted. Thank you, @SpeakerPelosi for recognizing Global Citizens all around the world who took action in support of the new, historic climate legislation in the US!— Global Citizen ⭕ (@GlblCtzn) September 25, 2022 The heckling of Pelosi wasn't the only viral awkward encounter of the festival. Another video shows the confused reaction of audience members when singer Mariah Carey brought up 9/11. mariah carey performing at the global citizen festival and randomly bringing up the 9/11 twin towers attacks saying “no no no no well you don’t wanna hear about 9/11” while the crowd says “what?” pic.twitter.com/oEHjufAUSE— média (@selenasbirkins) September 25, 2022 | Climate Change |
Since the 1990s, Lake Erie has been periodically swamped with algal blooms that turn its waters a bright green color. The plague reached a crescendo in 2011, when pernicious algae covered a record-breaking 2,000 square miles and threatened the drinking water of millions of people. Experts say similar blooms will become more frequent in the near future.When an excess of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus accumulate in a body of water, algae can grow out of control. There, algal blooms create “dead zones” by greedily consuming the environment’s oxygen and blocking sunlight from reaching underwater plants. Some blooms, called harmful algal blooms because of the danger they pose to humans and other animals if consumed, are produced by a type of algae called cyanobacteria that churn out harmful toxins.Lake Erie’s algal blooms flare up when rainfall washes the nutrients left behind by human activity — mainly in the form of agricultural fertilizers and untreated sewage — into connecting streams. Freshwater ecosystems around the world share a similar risk, especially as climate change makes intense storms more common during spring and summer.But, although such anthropogenic influences ramped up during the industrial era, algal blooms are not a modern phenomenon. In fact, unbeknownst to scientists until recently, ancient cities also dealt with toxic pollution; and the blooms may even have contributed to the eventual demise of civilizations.From Life-Sustaining to Sickness-InducingThe pre-Columbian Maya civilization once stretched across hundreds of miles in modern-day Mexico, Guatemala and Belize. It boasted more than 40 intricate cities, advanced agriculture techniques and a booming economy. But sometime between the eighth and 10th centuries, the Maya abandoned everything — leaving their large cities to be destroyed by the encroaching jungle.Read More: The Lost World of the Maya is Finally Emerging From the JungleArchaeologists have proposed a number of reasons for the sudden population fluctuations, ranging from war and trade disruption to drought and deforestation. Recently, however, research has pointed toward algal blooms potentially playing a role.In 2020, a geochemical analysis by University of Cincinnati scientists found that two large reservoirs near a palace and temple in Tikal — an ancient Maya city in northern Guatemala that was abandoned during the late ninth century — contained two types of cyanobacteria around the same time. Although other reservoirs that ringed the city had fewer contamination problems and therefore ample potable water, a series of droughts that occurred shortly after, from around A.D. 820 to 870, might have forced the people of Tikal to become desperate.Tikal National Park's Grand Plaza. (Credit: WitR/Shutterstock)"The conversion of Tikal’s central reservoirs from life-sustaining to sickness-inducing places would have both practically and symbolically helped to bring about the abandonment of this magnificent city,” write the study’s authors. They suggest that because the authority of ancient Maya rulers was linked to the provision of clean water, algal blooms combined with ongoing drought might have been viewed as a failure to appease the gods.Connecting the DotsThat being said, the link between cyanobacteria and toxicity is complex. Just as it’s possible for a very small bloom to produce a large amount of toxins, it’s equally possible for a bloom not to produce any toxins at all. Last year, however, a team of researchers led by Auburn University paleolimnologist Matthew Waters found evidence of both algal blooms and their associated toxins near another major Maya city.In a study published in PNAS, the researchers examined an 18-foot-long sediment core from Lake Amatitlán in Guatemala, representing the past 2,100 years. Today, the lake often turns a bright green color, as it routinely sees some of the most harmful algal blooms in the world. Waters and his colleagues discovered a similar rise in toxicity from A.D. 550 to 1200, a period that coincides with high human population numbers in the area and the expansion of the nearby Maya city of Kaminaljuyú.Lake Amatitlán. (Credit: Wirestock Creators/Shutterstock)The study’s authors concluded that the Maya “experienced [harmful algal blooms] that were similar in intensity to those in the modern lake and that ancient watershed inhabitants likely had to contend with compromised water quality…” Although it’s unlikely that the blooms were the sole reason for the destabilization of Maya society, if the same scenario played out in other cities as well, the lack of potable water could very well have been a contributing factor.Past Lessons LearnedThe theory is a stark reminder to carefully manage our own land and water. Although we modify our environments with the best of intentions, often we bring about unintended consequences even today — some of which, like algal blooms, can have lingering impacts for centuries.A 2019 study published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters, for example, examined how long it took for Switzerland’s Lake Murten to recover from an algal bloom that occurred during the height of the Roman Empire. Around 20,000 people lived in the nearby city of Aventicum, now mostly in ruins, during the first and second centuries. Archaeological evidence shows that the Romans cleared a significant amount of land around the city for farming during this time, which led to increased runoff of nutrient-rich soil into the small Lake Murten until after its abandonment in the third century.The lake didn’t bounce back quickly. The researchers found that it took around 50 years for the lake’s bottom-dwelling organisms to recover from the lack of oxygen in the environment; but another 250 years passed before the surrounding vegetation, struggling to recover from extensive deforestation, was strong enough to prevent soil (and therefore more nutrients) from continuing to erode into the lake.“These findings suggest that the legacy of anthropogenic perturbation to watersheds may persist for centuries,” write the study’s authors, adding that recovery rates for modern pollution issues are likely to be equal or even slower. | Climate Change |
WASHINGTON (AP) — More than 500 days into his presidency, Joe Biden’s hope for saving the Earth from the most devastating effects of climate change may not quite be dead.But it’s not far from it.A Supreme Court ruling Thursday not only limited the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to regulate climate pollution by power plants, but also suggests the court is poised to block other efforts by Biden and federal agencies to limit the climate-wrecking fumes emitted by oil, gas and coal.It’s a blow to Biden’s commitment to slash emissions in the few years scientists say are left to stave off worse and deadlier levels of global warming. And it’s a sign, to Democrats at home and allies abroad, of the dwindling options remaining for Biden to reverse the legacy of President Donald Trump, who mocked the science of climate change. Trump’s three Supreme Court appointees provided half of the affirmative votes in Thursday’s 6-3 ruling.After the ruling, a veteran Democratic lawmaker acknowledged he saw little hope of Congress producing any meaningful climate legislation, either. “There’s no easy fix from Congress from this mess,” Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse said. The foreign allies whom Biden once spoke of leading to a global clean-power transformation are wondering if the United States can even lead itself.The climate decision in some ways “may have broader impacts at least on the European populace that this is a country that, A: can’t get things done and B: is going in a really bizarre direction domestically,” said Max Bergmann, director of the Europe program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.And in a Houston neighborhood entering hurricane season, a man who had spent four decades advocating for the Black communities and other communities of color and poorer communities hit hardest by pollution and the record heat, cold, floods and storms of climate change reacted to the ruling like many others did — saying salvaging climate efforts depends on Biden now, and his willingness to act and lead.“This is real,” said Robert Bullard, an academic who became a pioneer in what became the U.S. environmental justice movement, of the multiplying natural disasters – the kind scientists say are influenced by the heating atmosphere -- wrecking cities on America’s vulnerable Gulf of Mexico. “Those communities that have been flooded out...some of those communities still have blue tarps on their houses,” Bullard said. “So I don’t think the Supreme Court and and some of our elected officials are speaking about the urgency of where we are when it comes to our climate.” Biden’s EPA still has meaningful moves left to make, but must move quickly, Eric Schaeffer, a former director of civil enforcement at the agency, said in a statement. Among them: speed up setting of new carbon limits for carbon pollution from power plants, make long overdue updates to standards on toxic discharges from the plants and move faster to crack down on leaks of climate-damaging methane in natural gas as the Biden administration has already promised.Biden has pledged to cut the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions in half by the end of the decade and to have an emissions-free power sector by 2035.“Our fight against climate change must carry forward, and it will,” Biden said in a statement after the ruling that offered no guarantees of success.His team would “find ways that we can, under federal law, continue protecting Americans” from pollution and climate change, Biden said.The dismay expressed at the Supreme Court action by many among what is a majority of people in America who say they care deeply about climate change reflected this was only the latest setback to Biden’s early promises to slash emissions.A divided Congress already handed Biden what’s been the worst climate defeat of his term so far when two Democrats, including coal-state lawmaker Joe Manchin, joined Senate Republicans in refusing to pass Biden’s Build Back Better package. Climate parts of the legislation were meant to kickstart America’s transformation into a land of electric cars, clean industry and energy-efficient buildings. Biden was able to move forward some smaller parts of his proposal, including electric car chargers.And this year, in a development as dangerous for Biden’s early climate hopes as the Supreme Court ruling, a global oil and gas supply crunch has sent gas prices pinging off record highs. It’s fueled inflation and voter anger against Biden, and potentially other Democrats. The energy shortfall left Biden scrambling for additional oil and gas. It’s also left it unclear whether he still feels he has the political capital to lead the U.S. move to renewable energy as decisively as he promised as a candidate and in his first months in office.The ruling left policy experts, lawmakers and ordinary people saying Biden, Democrats and climate-minded Republicans still have some routes left to push through climate efforts. One is ambitious, shrewd executive action — if Biden dares — to push through carefully targeted emission-cutting steps. A second is climate action by California and the other blue states that earlier swung into action to challenge Trump’s climate rollbacks in court. A third option is a pitch that Biden and Democrats are throwing to voters more and more — elect enough Democrats in the midterms to allow Congress to pass laws thwarting rollbacks by conservatives, in Congress and on the Supreme Court.The Supreme Court ruling came as Biden was savoring a successful gathering with NATO allies, who have rallied behind the U.S. in confronting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. After Biden’s early proclamations in summits at the outset of his term that “America is back!,” the setback in the Supreme Court underscored to allies how vulnerable the U.S. president remains on the domestic front, including when it comes to fulfilling climate commitments. As the ruling was released, Biden envoy John Kerry was flying out after an oceans conference in Portugal, still working for global and country-by-country commitments to cut emissions. The domestic climate setbacks have helped slow early global momentum for climate breakthroughs. They’ve weakened U.S. leverage as Kerry presses countries including China to swing away from coal and other damaging fossil fuels — something Biden had pledged the U.S. would lead on by example.—-AP writers Nancy Benac and Jennifer McDermott contributed to this report.a | Climate Change |
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