Climate Change

[phkrause]

New England has been roiled by wild weather including a likely tornado. Next up is Hurricane Lee Hurricane Lee looks poised to wallop New England later this week even as the region still deals with the impact of days of wild weather that produced torrential rain, flooding, sinkholes and a likely tornado. Read more.

Why this matters: The looming arrival of the hurricane threatened to unleash more violent storms on a region that earlier in the week saw 10 inches of rain that fell over six hours and on Wednesday saw communities in Massachusetts and Rhode Island deal with tornado warnings and devastating flooding.   Areas from Watch Hill, Rhode Island, to Stonington, Maine — including Block Island, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket — are under a tropical storm watch. A storm surge watch has also been issued for Cape Cod Bay and Nantucket with the potential for life-threatening flooding there late Friday and Saturday.   New England has experienced its share of flooding this summer, including a storm that dumped up to two months of rain in two days in Vermont in July, resulting in two deaths. Scientists are finding that storms around the world are forming in a warmer atmosphere, making extreme rainfall a more frequent reality now.

Related coverage ➤ Heavy surf is pounding Bermuda as Hurricane Lee aims for New England and Atlantic Canada Rain-soaked New England hit by likely tornado amid wild weather ahead of Hurricane Lee’s arrival Deadly flooding is hitting several countries at once. Scientists say this will only be more common

[phkrause]

Rockefeller Foundation's $1B for climate

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

The Rockefeller Foundation today will announce a $1 billion, five-year commitment to climate-change programs, Axios' Andrew Freedman reports. Why it matters: The organization, founded with a fortune built by fossil fuel, is one of the biggest players in behind-the-scenes work to prevent climate change from worsening. Raj Shah — the foundation's president, and former head of USAID during the Obama administration — told Axios in an interview that climate-related giving will go from about 25% of its portfolio during the past five years, to more than 75% of giving during the next five years.

[phkrause]

YOU LOVE TO SEE IT: The Kids Are Alright

Good things are happening! The country’s largest private university just divested from fossil fuels — and we scored a behind-the-scenes account of the victory from one of the organizers responsible. And that’s not all: California’s legislature passed historic climate legislation and defended Medicare, plus the taxman is coming for the country’s negligent millionaires.

https://www.levernews.com/you-love-to-see-it-the-kids-are-alright/

[phkrause]

Building A Greener Tomorrow Today

Biden announces a youth climate corps, while California makes it easier to fix your gadgets and the government comes for Amazon.

https://www.levernews.com/you-love-to-see-it-building-a-greener-tomorrow-today/

[phkrause]

As climate change and high costs plague Alaska’s fisheries, fewer young people take up the trade

KODIAK, Alaska (AP) — Lane Bolich first came to work in Alaska for the freedom and excitement that comes with being a fisher.

https://apnews.com/article/alaska-fisheries-climate-change-young-people-7bfdb8826e49e8fa16349cc2e166aad7?

[phkrause]

Boost in solar energy and electric vehicle sales gives hope for climate goals, report says

The window to limit human-caused warming to a globally agreed goal is narrowing but still open because of the huge growth of solar energy and electric vehicles sales worldwide, a report said Tuesday.

https://apnews.com/article/iea-energy-transition-climate-change-paris-agreement-cop28-renewable-energy-15e7836dcc3b3d646f25d7b0cd972341?

[phkrause]

Inside scientists’ mission to save America’s wine industry from climate change

ALPINE, Ore. (AP) — The U.S. West Coast produces over 90% of America’s wine, but the region is also prone to wildfires — a combustible combination that spelled disaster for the industry in 2020 and one that scientists are scrambling to neutralize.

https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-wine-smoke-climate-oregon-california-washington-891148f5909d246e0d3dd3eff6fe5048?

[phkrause]

Should We Care About Climate Change?

An Adventist Today reader sent in a summary of a sermon preached recently by an Adventist pastor. The pastor had asserted that climate change is a punishment by God for human sin, and that hope for Adventists is not in preventing the planet from increasing two degrees in temperature, but in Jesus’ taking us away from this planet. Christians should not be concerned, the pastor admonished, about present or future harm and suffering caused to human or nonhuman life on the planet that are a result of climate change. Instead, we should be glad because climate change is a sign that Jesus is coming soon.

https://atoday.org/should-we-care-about-climate-change/

[phkrause]

Fire, other ravages jeopardize California’s prized forests

KYBURZ, Calif. (AP) — On a steep mountainside where walls of flames torched the forest on their way toward Lake Tahoe in 2021, blackened trees stand in silhouette against a gray sky.

https://apnews.com/article/california-forest-wildfires-climate-change-drought-f116c5a2b4192ffc90990dc4cbfddf0a?

[phkrause]

Worsening warming is hurting people in all regions, US climate assessment shows

Revved-up climate change now permeates Americans’ daily lives with harm that is “already far-reaching and worsening across every region of the United States,” a massive new government report says.

https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-future-warming-disasters-america-a419265bb733adcb7c62b4111028aa0c?

[phkrause]

Climate change is hastening the demise of Pacific Northwest forests

SHERWOOD, Ore. (AP) — Deep inside a forest in Oregon’s Willamette Valley stands a dead “Tree of Life.”

https://apnews.com/article/trees-climate-environment-pacific-northwest-iconic-cedars-d1f58b79c5c92376f4fe835f6b433602?

[phkrause]

Climate change in Texas science textbooks causes divisions on the state’s education board  How science textbooks in Texas address climate change is at the center of a key vote expected Friday after some Republican education officials criticized books for being too negative toward fossil fuels in America’s biggest oil and gas state. The issue of which textbooks to approve has led to new divisions on the Texas State Board of Education. Read more.

Why this matters: Friday’s vote will decide whether the proposed textbooks meet the standards set in 2021, which describe human factors as contributors to climate change, and do not mention creationism as an alternative to evolution.   Texas has more than 1,000 school districts and none is obligated to use textbooks approved by the board. Still, the endorsements carry weight.   The State Board of Education has faced other heated curriculum battles surrounding how evolution and U.S. history is taught to the more than 5 million students.

Related coverage ➤ South Carolina education board deciding whether to limit books and other 'age appropriate' materials  California governor signs law barring schoolbook bans based on racial, gender teachings  Eating less meat would be good for the Earth. Small nudges can change behavior

[phkrause]

Florida only state to turn down millions to lessen tailpipe emissions, feds say

Even Texas, whose governor often tries to outshine DeSantis on conservative credentials, plans to take share of $641 million

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/12/16/florida-only-state-to-turn-down-millions-to-lessen-tailpipe-emissions-feds-say/?

[8thdaypriest]

On 11/17/2023 at 8:51 PM, phkrause said:

Climate change in Texas science textbooks causes divisions on the state’s education board  How science textbooks in Texas address climate change is at the center of a key vote expected Friday after some Republican education officials criticized books for being too negative toward fossil fuels in America’s biggest oil and gas state. The issue of which textbooks to approve has led to new divisions on the Texas State Board of Education. Read more.

Why this matters: Friday’s vote will decide whether the proposed textbooks meet the standards set in 2021, which describe human factors as contributors to climate change, and do not mention creationism as an alternative to evolution.   Texas has more than 1,000 school districts and none is obligated to use textbooks approved by the board. Still, the endorsements carry weight.   The State Board of Education has faced other heated curriculum battles surrounding how evolution and U.S. history is taught to the more than 5 million students.

Related coverage ➤ South Carolina education board deciding whether to limit books and other 'age appropriate' materials  California governor signs law barring schoolbook bans based on racial, gender teachings  Eating less meat would be good for the Earth. Small nudges can change behavior

Big cities of Texas [Houston, Dallas, Austin] are Democrat controlled.   Rest is strongly Republican.  Hence the division.

NOTE:  Austin is beginning looking like California.   Homeless and trash everywhere, except in gated [fenced] communities. 

Powerful Democrats building their homes mere yards from the ocean.  Says it all.  They are NOT expecting any dramatic sea level rise.  

[phkrause]

Larry Fink’s Big Climate Lie

In early December, Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock, the world’s largest investment company, announced BlackRock was going all in on crypto currencies, helping revitalize interest in the dwindling, fossil fuel-heavy industry. This otherwise routine business story is noteworthy for one important reason: Three years ago, Fink was heralded by many in business media for ostensibly helping to usher in a new, green, and sustainable brand of capitalism. 

https://www.levernews.com/larry-finks-big-climate-lie/?

[phkrause]

As climate warms, that perfect Christmas tree may depend on growers’ ability to adapt

CHICAGO (AP) — Christmas tree breeder Jim Rockis knows what it looks like when one dies long before it can reach a buyer.

https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-soil-temperature-christmas-trees-90d88a843a07b5d6d943a98f11806cd5?

[phkrause]

White hot Christmas

NWS forecast temperature departures from average for overnight lows on Christmas Eve. Map: Weatherbell.com Forget the chance of a white Christmas in the Midwest and much of the East this year. Instead, record warmth is on tap, Axios extreme weather expert Andrew Freedman writes. Why it matters: The warm weather will be extremely noticeable to residents in the far northern reaches of the U.S. One of the most reliable regions for a white Christmas is northern Minnesota and Wisconsin. But this year, even that part of the U.S. will likely feature bare ground. Temperatures from Dallas to Minneapolis — and north into Canada — are likely to be 20 to 35 degrees above average during Christmas week. Some temperature records could be smashed by 5 to 10 degrees or more, an unusual margin at any time of year. 🔎 Zoom in: Residents of many Midwestern cities will likely wake up to temperatures in the low 40s on Christmas morning, according to current forecasts. For many, rain could be falling as well. Keep reading ...

[phkrause]

🕶️ Snowless Christmas for most of U.S.

National Weather Service's maximum temperature forecast for Christmas Day. Image: Pivotal Weather A significant winter storm is set to make travel in the Plains hazardous today. But much of the U.S. can expect unusually mild temperatures and no chance of a white Christmas, Axios' Rebecca Falconer writes. "Temperature-wise, it will not be feeling a lot like Christmas from the Upper Mississippi Valley ... to the Great Lakes and East Coast," the National Weather Service says. Dense fog hit holiday travel in Illinois, forcing airlines to cancel hundreds of Christmas Eve flights at Chicago Midway. Chicago can expect a wet Christmas, as can Minneapolis, Kansas City and St. Louis. Keep reading.

[phkrause]

A judge in Oregon refuses to dismiss a 2015 climate lawsuit filed by youth

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — A judge in Oregon has rejected a U.S. Department of Justice request to dismiss a 2015 lawsuit brought by young people that alleges the federal government knew the dangers posed by carbon pollution but that it has continued through policies and subsidies to support the fossil fuel industry.

https://apnews.com/article/oregon-climate-lawsuit-youth-justice-department-00f2e58f4b9b905c8a22d22f00312501?

[phkrause]

Interactive map shows Florida areas under water in 2100 due to climate change

Several parts of Florida could be underwater by the year 2100 if climate change leads to a temperature increase of 4.9°, according to this frightening map produced by Climate Central. Coastal areas are most prone to ending up underwater if the sea levels, accelerated by climate change, continue to rise.

https://local.newsbreak.com/florida-state/3289005743292-interactive-map-shows-florida-areas-under-water-in-2100-due-to-climate-change?

ps:Not sure about that!! I don't believe God would allow that to go that far!! Let alone allow the earth to last another 1000 yrs!!

[phkrause]

🌡️ Midwest "lost winter"

Data: NOAA; Graphic: Rahul Mukherjee/Axios Great Lakes ice cover is at a record low for mid-February, with parts of the Great Lakes states headed toward their warmest winters on record, Axios' Andrew Freedman writes. Why it matters: The below-average snow and ice, and unusually mild conditions, are likely tied to climate change and an El Niño climate pattern. 🖼️ The big picture: The absence of ice this winter coincides with record-warm temperatures and a "lost winter" in the Midwest. Lakes Erie and Ontario have ice that's tied with historic lows. Lakes Superior, Michigan and Huron (typically some of the coldest) are at record-low levels of ice, according to NOAA, Go deeper ...

[phkrause]

😤 Texas' air quality predicted to backslide

Data: First Street Foundation; Note: Maximum count of days with unhealthy air quality from anywhere within each county; Map: Kavya Beheraj/Axios After decades of progress in the U.S. toward cleaner air, climate change-related events are expected to set back gains in parts of Texas through 2054. The big picture: Nearly 70 of Texas' 254 counties are expected, by 2054, to see an increase in days with an average air quality index of 100 or higher under current climate conditions. Why it matters: Climate change and the increased likelihood of wildfires as far away as Canada stand to reverse improvements the U.S. has made so far in air quality, per new research from the nonprofit First Street Foundation. Details: Bad air quality days are when pollution is above 100 on the air quality index. North Texas is estimated this year to have the highest number of days with unhealthy air quality compared to other parts of the state. The number of days per year with harmful air quality in the North Texas counties are expected to increase over the next 30 years, per an analysis by Axios' Andrew Freedman. By the numbers: Based on current climate conditions, Dallas County will see an estimated four days with an air quality index (AQI) of 100 or higher in 2024, compared to five in 2054. Collin and Denton counties are estimated to have six days in 2054, two more than in 2024. Flashback: Dallas-Fort Worth's overall air quality was worse last summer than in previous years, in part because of Canadian wildfires. Zoom out: The U.S. population's exposure to "dangerous" days on the air quality index is likely to grow to 11.2 million, a roughly 13% increase, by 2054. States in the West are projected to see some of the worst air quality impacts. Reality check: Climate action requires global emissions cuts. Even sharp declines in greenhouse gas emissions may not alter trend lines for the next few decades.

[phkrause]

By deleting mention of climate change, Florida legislators try to hide from the problem

The other day, because I was in a hurry, I swung through a McDonald’s drive-through and ordered one of their burgers. You know, the ones that seem less like cooked meat and more like a warm hockey puck.

https://floridaphoenix.com/2024/02/29/by-deleting-mention-of-climate-change-florida-legislators-try-to-hide-from-the-problem/?

[phkrause]

Miami to Montreal: Cyclists take 3,300-mile ride starting in Florida for climate awareness

While most casual cyclists would balk at the idea of traveling more than 30 or 40 miles in a day by bike, one woman is making a three-month trek on two wheels from Miami to Montreal, spreading awareness about climate change along the way.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/03/15/miami-to-montreal-cyclists-take-3300-mile-ride-starting-in-florida-for-climate-awareness/?

[phkrause]

Spring showers could delay summer misery

A tale of two years. Maps: U.S. Drought Monitor

The recent rainfall in North Texas has helped the region steer clear of drought conditions so far this spring, new data from the U.S. Drought Monitor shows. Why it matters: Firefighters and weather forecasters keep a close eye on rain totals and drought risks heading into the summer, when the brutal heat typically worsens conditions. State of play: Around this time last year, almost 67% of Texas was in drought. As of the latest data released yesterday, a quarter of the state is experiencing drought conditions. Threat level: Droughts affect crop production, cattle health and wildfire risks. And they're costly. The big picture: Central and West Texas are the state's current drought hotspots, per the U.S. Drought Monitor. The drought map bodes well for North Texas, potentially giving the region some reprieve heading into the hotter months. By the numbers: DFW Airport's month-to-date rainfall as of Wednesday was 5.7 inches, significantly higher than the normal month-to-date rainfall of 2.9 inches, per the National Weather Service. The airport has seen 10.8 inches of rain this year, more than 2 inches ahead of average. The El Niño year likely accounts for the difference, NWS meteorologist Steve Fano tells Axios. What's next: Normal rainfall is forecast for April, May and June, per the weather service. The bottom line: "Heading into the summer, we'll pretty much take all the rain we can get," Fano says. "The rainier you are, the greener the vegetation is. As you head into the hotter parts of the year, that helps keep the temperatures from getting exceptionally hot."