CelloMom On Cars

Climate-friendly cars that fit the planet and the budget - and the cello
Plus climate news

http://www.cellomomcars.com/

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Last Notes

2024-09-14 12:00:36

For the first time, the US is aiming to increase safety of people *outside* the vehicle.
This encourages active transportation.
Also, smaller vehicles use less energy.
"If enacted, automakers will have to test their vehicles using crash test dummies representing adult and child pedestrians for the first time. NHTSA says the changes could save up to 67 lives every year."
https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/10/24241047/nhtsa-rule-pedestrian-safety-fmvss-suv-truck-design

2024-07-19 18:06:19

"To deter long-distance travel, the band offered an initial presale of tickets for local postal codes only.
#MassiveAttack are giving train travellers special privileges: access to a VIP bar with separate toilets, extra pre-sale tickets and free transfers to and from the train station via electric bus. They are also working with the local train network, Great Western Railway, to lay on five extra trains for travelling fans."
https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20240717-the-band-that-doesnt-want-you-to-travel-for-their-tour

2024-07-12 12:27:41

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I also used to worry that the planet can't support all of us.
Then I discovered that 40% of the US corn crop is fed, not to people but to cars' gas tanks. Corn ethanol is a gasoline additive.
That's not a wise use of good farmland.
The story is similar with sugarcane in Brazil and in India.

2024-07-12 12:00:45

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I have found that people of a certain age - the ones that grew up during the "population bomb" discussion - are resistant to this kind of data. One of them even said to me, "It's still growing exponentially, only the exponent is decreasing." 😂 Like, whut.
Notably, younger people don't worry about population growth much.
And totally, girls' education is key.
(Camfed is cool).

2024-07-12 10:47:51

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A decade ago or so, the world population was projected to peak above 11 billion. This graph shows the peak at 10.4 billion, and will probably be adjusted soon to show the updated 10.3 billion peak at an earlier year.
Population growth was exponential. But decline, past that peak, is also exponential.
It's part of a thread, here:
https://ourworldindata.org/population-growth-over-time
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/773/104/140/732/520/original/fc2c94302acad67a.png

2024-07-12 10:43:14

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The world population is greying. It's time to learn from the experience of vanguard countries like Japan about how to live when there are fewer young people to take care of the old.
We need to build local mutual aid groups for older people who can support each other like an old fashioned extended family. Such groups already exist, here and there, it's great for the seniors who participate and for their children who may live far away.

2024-07-06 13:07:00

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‘Keir Starmer take note’: #UK’s #GreenTransition must start now, say experts
"Labour’s victory, alongside strong Green performance, gives next PM mandate to act boldly on net zero, say campaigners."
“Labour’s victory could have been even more emphatic, had it not been for votes cast to the Greens and Lib Dems, who stood on much bolder climate and nature pledges and fair tax reforms,” she said. “Starmer must take note.”
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/jul/05/keir-starmer-green-transition-must-start-now-say-experts

2024-06-21 13:10:30

#Stonehenge protest: if you worry about damage to British heritage you should listen to #JustStopOil
"The orange cornflour has been washed away by the charity English Heritage, which reports no visible damage. But #ClimateChange will continue to threaten Stonehenge, its wider landscape and the rare lichen living on the stones. We must channel our concern over potential damage to Stonehenge towards the real threats facing heritage sites."
https://theconversation.com/stonehenge-protest-if-you-worry-about-damage-to-british-heritage-you-should-listen-to-just-stop-oil-232934

2024-06-21 11:23:10

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"The U.S. is experiencing a number of extreme and varied weather events at once, from the prolonged #heatwave scorching the Northeast to the deadly wildfires blazing in New Mexico to the tropical storm drenching Texas’ Gulf Coast.
On Wednesday, Caribou, Maine — just south of the Canadian border — hit a record 103 degrees, nearly 10 degrees warmer than Miami."
https://www.npr.org/2024/06/20/nx-s1-5013299/us-extreme-weather-heat-wave-wildfires-tropical-storm-alberto

2024-06-21 11:14:27

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Deadly heat in #Mexico and #US made 35 times more likely by global heating
"According to the study, without meaningful political action to stop fossil fuels, deadly heatwaves will be “very common in a 2C world”, Otto said.
#ExtremeHeat increases the rates of cardiovascular, respiratory and renal diseases, as well as threatening to overwhelm power supplies, healthcare facilities and other infrastructure."
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/jun/20/mexico-central-america-us-heatwave

2024-06-21 10:28:59

Youth activists win ‘unprecedented’ climate settlement in Hawaii
"#Hawaii officials have announced a “groundbreaking” legal settlement with a group of young #climate activists, which they said will force the state’s department of transportation to move more aggressively towards a zero-emission #transportation system."
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jun/20/hawaii-youth-climate-activists-win

2024-06-20 12:25:21

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"People overwhelmingly want countries to take climate action together despite national disagreements
86% wanted to see their countries set aside geopolitical differences and work together on climate change. Steiner said this level of consensus was “stunning”, given the increase in conflict and the rise of nationalism around the world."
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/jun/20/most-people-in-petrostates-want-quick-switch-to-clean-energy-un-poll-finds
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/648/940/083/377/124/original/5fe9d8b382410452.png

2024-06-20 12:24:01

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"In China and India, the biggest coal producers, 80% and 76% respectively want a quick green transition.
In the US, the world’s biggest oil and gas producer, 54% of people want a fast transition, as do 75% of those in Saudi Arabia, the second biggest oil producer. The poll also found 69% of Australians want a quick transition away from its large coal and gas sector."
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/jun/20/most-people-in-petrostates-want-quick-switch-to-clean-energy-un-poll-finds

2024-06-20 12:20:34

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"But Achim Steiner, head of the UNDP, said these concerns do not necessarily translate into electoral and consumer decisions.
He pointed to what he called a “perception gap” when it comes to climate action, summing up people’s typical reaction as: “I would do more. But the others won’t. So I will not do anything.”"
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/6/20/four-in-five-people-want-more-climate-action-un-poll-finds
People consistently under-estimate their neighbours' willingness to undertake climate action. This poll helps correct that wrong impression.

2024-06-20 11:58:28

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During the Cold War, it was clear that ordinary Americans and ordinary Russians wanted peace.
The beginning of the end came when the USSR got into economic trouble it couldn't ignore or sweep under the rug.
The lesson?
With climate change also, it's still "the economy, stupid".
We need to talk about climate inflation: all the ways climate change makes life more expensive; the toll on the economy; the cost of climate disasters, etc.
And talk about the many solutions.
https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/science-environment/2988986-global-survey-shows-overwhelming-support-for-stronger-climate-action-unity-among-nations

2024-06-20 11:49:36

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"In countries such as the United States, Russia, Germany, China, South Africa, India, Brazil, Iran, and Italy, support for stronger climate commitments ranged from 66 percent to as high as 93 percent.
Moreover, a clear global majority of 72 percent favor a rapid transition away from fossil fuels, including substantial support from top oil, coal, and gas-producing nations."
https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/science-environment/2988986-global-survey-shows-overwhelming-support-for-stronger-climate-action-unity-among-nations

2024-06-20 11:48:05

Global Survey Shows Overwhelming Support for Stronger Climate Action, Unity Among Nations
"The Peoples’ Climate Vote 2024, the largest standalone survey on climat change attitudes to date, reveals that 80 percent of people worldwide are urging their governments to take stronger actions to combat the #climate crisis.
The survey engaged over 75,000 individuals across 77 countries, representing 87 percent of the global population."
https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/science-environment/2988986-global-survey-shows-overwhelming-support-for-stronger-climate-action-unity-among-nations

2024-06-20 11:27:25

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"The death count from this year's #hajj has exceeded 1,000, an AFP tally said on Thursday, more than half of them unregistered worshippers who performed the pilgrimage in extreme heat in #SaudiArabia.
This group was more vulnerable to the heat because, without official permits, they could not access air-conditioned spaces provided by Saudi authorities for the 1.8 million authorised pilgrims to cool down after hours of walking and praying outside."
https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/at-least-1-000-die-in-scorching-heat-during-hajj-report-5930416

2024-06-19 00:17:33

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Azerbaijan is the guy moving the cups and balls. Everyone knows their production is already maxed out as it is, so they have to get that extra gas that Europe will buy, from *somewhere*.
From where?
Don't look now, while they shuffle the cups.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-06-10/europe-in-talks-to-keep-russia-ukraine-gas-pipeline-flowing
All so Europe can pretend they don't support the drug dealer who would run them over if it can just get past Ukraine.

2024-06-19 00:14:23

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This is pretty wild.
Europe, addicted, wants the fossil gas.
Russia, at war, wants the gas income.
Ukraine wants the toll it can levy on the pipeline.
They will try a "swap"; this is a big-money version of the cups and balls trick:
Russia sells gas to Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan sells gas to Europe.
Europe pretends it didn't see under which cups the ball went .
It would be funny if it weren't for the climate damage and, oh, an assault on Europe's doorstep.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-06-10/europe-in-talks-to-keep-russia-ukraine-gas-pipeline-flowing

2024-06-19 00:05:29

An addiction is hard to shake
Europe in Talks to Keep Russia-Ukraine Gas Pipeline Flowing
"#Russia still ships around 15 billion cubic meters of gas to Europe a year via #Ukraine, mainly to #Slovakia and #Austria. In Austria, Russian gas has covered more than 80% of Austrian consumption for five straight months. Europe also imports Russian #LNG by ship, and despite frequent debates about whether it should, it has never sanctioned Russian gas."
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-06-10/europe-in-talks-to-keep-russia-ukraine-gas-pipeline-flowing

2024-06-18 22:22:38

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More than 550 hajj pilgrims die in #Mecca as temperatures exceed 50C.
"The pilgrimage is increasingly affected by climate breakdown, according to a Saudi study published last month.
Each year tens of thousands of pilgrims attempt to perform the #hajj without securing official hajj visas in order to save money, a more dangerous undertaking because these off-the-books pilgrims cannot access air-conditioned facilities provided by Saudi authorities along the hajj route."
https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jun/18/hundreds-of-hajj-pilgrims-die-in-mecca-from-heat-related-illness?

2024-06-18 18:28:32

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Schools are adopting half-day schedules, or closing early for the summer.
https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny/news/2024/06/17/heat-school-half-day
Here is one more reason to install heat pumps in schools: you get both heating and cooling from one system.

2024-06-18 18:24:23

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"The average cost of keeping the house cool in the U.S. is expected to jump by nearly 8% this summer, [on] average $719 for June - September 2024, compared to $661 last year.
[In 2015] about 1 in 5 U.S. households reported reducing or giving up certain necessities like food and medicine to cover the cost of their energy bill. Just over 1 in 10 said that they keep their house at unhealthy or unsafe temperatures to prevent using more energy. "
https://time.com/6989571/energy-bill-extreme-heat-effects/

2024-06-18 12:57:39

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While it's easy to dismiss the suffering of marginalised communities "far away" from where you live, a large majority of people deal with home owners' or tenants' insurance. This one really comes "home", so to speak: it touches everyone you know.

2024-06-18 11:39:15

Some Kind of Carbon Tax Is Coming to America, Like It or Not
"Fifty countries now have national systems for pricing carbon, involving a carbon tax, emissions trading or a combination of both. These cover 24% of the world’s carbon #emissions, up from just 7% in 2013.
The US government is one of three members of the Group of 20 nations that are in no hurry to price carbon. The other two are Russia and Saudi Arabia.
A #CarbonTax could raise $2 trillion over a decade."
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2024-06-13/climate-change-carbon-pricing-is-coming-to-america-like-it-or-not

2024-06-18 11:08:54

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A city that has learned strategies to cope with the heat:
"Some 98% of people in #Barcelona have a climate shelter within 10 minutes of their home and 68% have one within 5 minutes. Municipal facilities acting as climate shelters include indoors spaces such as libraries, community centres and museums, while outdoor spaces include parks, gardens, school playgrounds, nursery playgrounds and inner quadrangles between residential blocks."
https://www.barcelona.cat/barcelona-pel-clima/en/news/over-350-climate-shelters-open-to-help-beat-the-heat-1410886

2024-06-18 11:05:36

"The first significant #heatwave of summer 2024 is forecast to spread across a large part of #Europe.
Temperatures in #Greece and #Turkey have been astonishingly high, even record-breaking for parts of Greece and the Aegean Sea. At nighttime, the temperature was in the mid-30s, peaking into the low to mid-40s during the day."
https://www.severe-weather.eu/global-weather/first-significant-heatwave-summer-2024-forecast-europe-mk/

2024-06-17 12:24:35

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" Through the rest of the week, the most #ExtremeHeat risk is in place from the Great Lakes into the Northeast, according to the National Weather Service. This includes the major metropolitan areas of Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, New York City and Boston. "
https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/17/weather/heat-wave-east-us-climate-monday/index.html

2024-06-17 12:15:31

"At least 14 Jordanian pilgrims have died while on the #hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia as temperatures soar in the kingdom.
The heat reached 47C (116.6F) in Mecca on Sunday, a temperature that was forecast to continue on Monday."
https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jun/17/pilgrims-die-hajj-pilgrimage-mecca-saudi-arabia-heat-hot-weather-temperatures

2024-06-17 00:25:22

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"#ExtremeHeat kills more people in the United States than any other weather hazard, and the risk of longer and more frequent #heatwaves is only expected to increase as climate change worsens.
Multiple days of extreme heat, including warm nights that don’t allow our bodies to cool down, are especially dangerous."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/interactive/2023/heat-waves-map-us-tracker/?itid=hp-more-top-stories_p005_f005

2024-06-14 11:26:11

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This is an unsurprising outcome, as developed countries are in deep denial over their responsiblities in the climate crisis, and still suffer from a colonial mindset.
"Rich developed countries talked at length about what they can't commit to and who else should pay but failed to assure developing nations on their intent to significantly scale up financial support," Greenpeace International's Tracy Carty said in a statement.
https://www.lemonde.fr/en/environment/article/2024/06/14/un-climate-chief-deplores-lack-of-progress-at-talks-ahead-of-cop29-in-november_6674759_114.html

2024-06-14 11:19:05

#ClimateFinance
$2.4 tn needed annually by 2030 in developing countries to meet climate goals and protect their societies from extreme weather.
The Arab group of countries suggest a UN target of US$1.1 trillion per year, with US$441 billion coming directly from developed country governments in grants.
Loans provided at market rates, export credits should not count, as climate funding offered as loans is pushing poorer nations further into debt."
https://www.straitstimes.com/world/st-explains-the-global-fight-over-climate-change-funding

2024-06-13 19:36:27

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The UK Green Party struggles to be heard in an election where climate change is on the back burner
"The Green Party is battling a political system that makes it hard for small parties to win seats in Parliament, and a political climate that discourages expensive, long-term environmental promises."
https://apnews.com/article/uk-election-climate-change-green-party-e4456e757db67c6aad4f1f5d340467a6

2024-06-13 19:33:30

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"A closer look at the [UK #Conservatives'] proposals suggests that they are either poor (and eventually expensive) solutions for people and the climate, or suggest processes that are already in place through existing legislation.
The question in #climate policy is no longer how much adopting net zero technologies will “cost” us. It is how quickly the savings from their adoption can be realised to benefit households, the economy and above all the climate."
https://theconversation.com/the-conservatives-climate-change-plans-show-they-have-tried-but-failed-to-reinvent-net-zero-232417

2024-06-13 18:58:41

#UK election 2024: What the manifestos say on energy and #ClimateChange
"With the exception of climate-sceptic Reform, all major political parties continue to back the UK’s net-zero climate goal. Heading into the election, however, they have talked about the target in very different ways, with the Conservatives focusing on costs and Labour on benefits."
The election is on 4 July, 2024
https://www.carbonbrief.org/uk-election-2024-what-the-manifestos-say-on-energy-and-climate-change/

2024-06-13 13:17:56

"Seven to 9 billion tons of CO₂ per year must be sustainably removed from the atmosphere by mid-century if the world is to comply with the 1.5°C Paris Agreement limit."
Currently:
2 bn tons: tree planting
1.3 million tons (0.1%): "novel methods"
0.6 million tons (0.06%) permanent storage
"The report notes that companies involved in this issue have high ambitions. However, these ambitions have little credibility at present."
Politespeak for "hype".
https://phys.org/news/2024-06-billion-tons-atmosphere-year-paris.html
#CarbonCapture

2024-06-13 12:45:35

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"This is more than a #climate problem. N₂O also depletes the #ozone layer, which protects humans from harmful solar radiation. And #nitrogen runoff from fields pollutes waterways, increasing harmful algal blooms and creating oxygen-depleted dead zones."
https://theconversation.com/food-has-a-climate-problem-nitrous-oxide-emissions-are-accelerating-with-growing-demand-for-fertilizer-and-meat-but-there-are-solutions-231372
#N2O
h/t @npub1xzf…nwqr
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/609/404/994/068/265/original/c133faed065291d4.png

2024-06-12 18:37:04

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That small portion of farmers who took to the streets loudly protesting calls for reducing nitrogen emissions:
I want to know what they have to say about this finding. I want to know what farmers' parties have to say. I want to know what the politicians who caved to their loud demands have to say, after ignoring all the farmers who DID want to farm more sustainably.
Damnit Europe, you're riding a nitrogen bubble. And it just popped.
#BBB

2024-06-12 17:58:04

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"The research, published in Earth System Science Data, finds that nitrous oxide emissions from human activities rose by 40% over the past four decades, partly driven by growing global demand for #meat and dairy.
Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a long-lasting greenhouse gas that is around 270 times more potent than CO2. It is the third-largest contributor to climate change, after CO2 and methane."
https://www.carbonbrief.org/agriculture-major-driver-of-rise-in-nitrous-oxide-emissions-over-past-40-years/

2024-06-12 17:53:59

Nitrous oxide emissions surge in climate threat
"#Agriculture is the biggest offender, accounting for nearly three-quarters of human-related, #NitrousOxide in the 10 years to 2020, the report said.
Other culprits were fossil fuels, waste and wastewater, and biomass burning.
In the four decades to 2020, agricultural emissions of the gas surged 67 per cent, it found, with most of the blame placed on nitrogen-based #fertilisers and animal waste."
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/esg/nitrous-oxide-emissions-surge-climate-threat-study
#nitrogen

2024-06-11 12:48:14

"After historic floods recently claimed 172 lives in coastal #Brazil, the country now faces a new crisis as fires rage through the Pantanal wetlands. These fires have surged nearly tenfold compared to the same period last year, setting the stage for a potential catastrophe worse than the devastating fires of 2020. With severe to extreme drought conditions expected, the situation is becoming increasingly dire."
https://watchers.news/2024/06/09/historic-floods-tenfold-increase-in-wildfires-and-now-a-potential-extreme-drought-make-triple-suffering-for-brazil/
#wildfires

2024-06-11 12:19:29

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The hottest place on Earth is cracking from the stress of extreme heat
"Many of the plants and animals that live in #DeathValley are living on the edge of survival under current conditions."
For visitors:
"We're trying to help people make good choices by giving them information about what the consequences are if things go badly.
A helicopter will not come [to rescue you] when it’s above 120 degrees outside."
https://www.vox.com/climate/354222/death-valley-extreme-heat-record-climate-change

2024-06-10 20:01:01

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"There was no Modi wave. There was only the #heatwave.
There were reports of personnel at polling stations dying from the heat. Last week, the temperature in Delhi hit 49.9C."
One could say that the overbearing, unendurable heat was an obstacle to democracy because it was impossible for many – especially those who are poor, need to earn their livelihood or are without means of travel – to contemplate standing in a line to vote."
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/jun/05/india-election-results-heat-bjp-cllmate-crisis
#India

2024-06-10 15:25:06

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"All parties should commit to an "ambitious" programme of climate policies, say a group of the UK's leading climate scientists.
In an open letter, published on Monday, the academics said if the parties do not make this pledge they are not deserving of support.
It comes as the political parties are expected to announce their manifestos for the July election."
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy00vdj588xo

2024-06-10 12:12:37

"More than 400 experts on climate change have published an open letter to the leaders of the #UK’s political parties, [before] the General Election on 4 July."
"Climate change has largely been ignored by Party Leaders so far in this election campaign, demonstrating that they have failed to grasp just how much it is affecting lives and livelihoods in the UK."
"British people are worried and polling consistently shows strong support for politicians to act."
https://www.lse.ac.uk/granthaminstitute/news/hundreds-of-experts-call-on-uk-political-leaders-to-pledge-ambitious-action-on-climate-change/

2024-06-09 11:36:00

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Next: New York.
"After a swell of grassroots pressure, the #NewYork State Assembly passed the #ClimateChangeSuperfund Act by a vote of 95-46, to make fossil fuel polluters pay for costs associated with climate change, including climate resiliency projects. The Senate passed the bill in May; it now requires Governor Hochul’s signature to become law."
https://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/2024/06/08/ny-assembly-passes-climate-change-superfund-act/

2024-06-08 12:23:40

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"More than 25 million people from California’s Central Valley to Texas remain under heat alerts on Friday. The most extreme temperature forecasts triggered the highest levels of the National Weather Service’s HeatRisk forecast, which rates the danger to human health."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2024/06/07/western-heat-wave-records-how-long/

2024-06-07 18:46:08

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" The searing heat has already taken its toll. Since last weekend, multiple people in different parts of the US have died or have been hospitalized due to heat-related illnesses.
The worst of the #heat peaked Thursday for much of #California and the #Southwest, but unseasonably hot conditions will stick around in these areas and expand into the Pacific Northwest at least through the weekend. "
https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/07/weather/heat-dome-wave-record-temperatures-southwest/index.html

2024-06-06 11:20:47

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“This means that the more we develop new cities, the more we have to be mindful of not throwing people in the ditch with high heat.
This is a wake up call for urgent transformations to reduce the impact of the heat island effect. Between 1970 and 2018, #India’s urban population increased fourfold to 460 million. That’s more than one-third of Indians living in extreme vulnerability to #climate threats, impacting both productivity and health.”
https://www.thestatesman.com/supplements/science_supplements/indiaa-record-breaking-heatwave-a-sign-of-worsening-climate-change-1503307453.html

2024-06-06 02:48:41

This sounds -- not good.
"Almost four out of every 10 #journalists covering the #climate crisis and environment issues have been threatened as a result of their work, with 11% subjected to physical violence, according to groundbreaking new research.
Despite the breadth and magnitude of the problems, 39% of journalists surveyed reported having #SelfCensored – mostly due to fear of repercussions from “those undertaking illegal activities” or the government."
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/jun/05/climate-crisis-journalists

2024-06-04 11:53:16

"Spillage, or #curtailment, is an expected and efficient feature of #RenewableEnergy systems.
For example, we don’t build additional highway lanes to accommodate traffic for the busiest hour on an Easter weekend.
Coal generators prefer to continue to generate, even at negative prices, rather than completely shut down [which is even more costly. So] renewable energy is spilled, rather than coal shutdown. We actually have a glut of coal, rather than renewables."
https://theconversation.com/should-we-worry-about-wasting-renewable-energy-heres-why-spilling-excess-power-is-expected-and-efficient-229489

2024-06-04 11:34:15

"According to a survey conducted by #Korea’s national weather agency, 89.9 percent of 1,706 respondents said they believe global warming is bringing their country to a crisis ― a result demonstrating an overwhelmingly united public view on the issue.
Even more people (90.1 percent) said they have felt it is already affecting their lives through unusual weather patterns, and a fall in the production of certain grains among other changest."
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2024/06/113_375945.html

2024-06-03 23:42:37

"Searing heat and fire danger will quickly ramp up in #California and the West this week as a summerlike #HeatDome parks over the region. Thermometers will top triple digits for the first time this year in some locations as the early season heat wave sends daily records tumbling."
https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/03/weather/california-heat-dome-wildfires-west-climate/index.html

2024-06-03 11:32:04

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"Wind and #solar power generation in the #EuropeanUnion increased by 46% from 2019, when the current European Commission took office, to 2023, displacing a fifth of the bloc's #FossilFuel generation, a report by think tank Ember showed.
Without this expansion, fossil generation would have fallen just 1.9% (21 TWh) instead of 22%."
https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/eu-wind-solar-growth-displaces-fossil-fuel-generation-report-says-2024-06-02/
#EnergyTransition

2024-06-02 15:53:40

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"Claims that the majority of the UK’s housing stock is not suitable for a heat pump appear to be [lies].
Research published in 2022 found that properties including Victorian terrace houses and 1960s flats could have a heat pump successfully installed.
A 2021 study found: “Homes can convert to electric heating at a cost far lower than the accepted wisdom” and “with no threat to comfort”. Additionally, greenhouse gas emissions would “fall very dramatically as a result”."
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/may/31/can-heat-pumps-be-installed-in-older-properties

2024-06-02 12:10:27

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Limit of human endurance
"In public health we talk about #ExtremeHeat having a "long tail" in a statistical sense. The number of excess deaths spikes during and immediately after the #heatwave, but death rates don't drop back to zero straight away. Organ damage is a likely cause.
Clearly it's time for other hot countries to ramp up their own heat wave preparations."
https://phys.org/news/2024-05-delhi-limits-human-hot-countries.html

2024-06-02 12:05:33

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"At least 85 people died of suspected heat stress and related issues in Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, [#India] in 24 hours, senior officials in these regions said on Friday, amid an unforgiving #heat spell that has pushed temperatures to unprecedented levels in many of these regions. "
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/85-die-of-heat-stress-as-mercury-soars-101717182478232.html
As always, this does not count the deaths of other causes, that have been precipitated by the heat.

2024-06-01 22:44:37

"Studies have shown that #saltwater consumption has negative, long-lasting effects on nearly every stage of a woman’s #ReproductiveCycle, from menstruation to birth.
As sea levels rise and intensifying storms stress infrastructure systems along coasts around the world, salt water threatens to infiltrate freshwater drinking supplies in countries like Egypt, Italy, the United States, and Vietnam."
https://www.vox.com/climate/351534/salt-water-pregnancy-rising-sea-levels

2024-06-01 13:09:13

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Fossil fuel subsidies make oil and gas *seem* less expensive, slowing the energy transition.
"The report finds that incentives and greater support, particularly targeted at poorer households, can improve the uptake of clean energy technologies."
The report provides policy recommendations, "drawing on proven policies from countries around the world."
https://www.iea.org/news/rapid-rollout-of-clean-technologies-makes-energy-cheaper-not-more-costly

2024-06-01 13:03:05

Clean energy fights #inflation.
"Speeding up the move to #CleanEnergy technologies improves the affordability of energy and can relieve pressures on the #CostOfLiving more broadly, according to a new IEA special report released today.
Key task for governments is to make clean energy technologies more accessible to those that may otherwise struggle with the upfront costs, new IEA special report finds."
https://www.iea.org/news/rapid-rollout-of-clean-technologies-makes-energy-cheaper-not-more-costly

2024-05-31 18:35:42

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IT'S A LAW
"#Vermont has become the first state to enact a law requiring #FossilFuel companies to pay a share of the damage caused by #ClimateChange.
Republican Gov. Phil Scott allowed the bill to become law without his signature late Thursday, saying he is very concerned about the costs and outcome of the small state taking on “Big Oil” alone in what will likely be a grueling legal fight. "
https://apnews.com/article/vermont-climate-change-superfund-oil-companies-b6565729f23e85eed4d3da44b04ae2e5

2024-05-31 10:30:16

"#Climate-induced disasters, in the shape of devastating floods and excessive rains, have increased the burden of #malaria manifold, registering an alarming spike in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province [#Pakistan] in the preceding year of 2023.
Data compiled by the Public Health Department puts that in startlingly concrete terms: KP's malaria burden more than tripled in one year, a jump from 150,000 cases in 2022 to 500,000 in 2023, Dr Roghani disclosed."
https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/climate-change-causes-malaria-cases-triple-northwest-pakistan

2024-05-31 09:58:39

"Rightwing NZ government accused of ‘war on nature’ as it takes axe to #climate policies
Government of Christopher #Luxon has made sweeping cuts to climate projects in its first budget, with no new significant environmental investments"
https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/may/30/rightwing-nz-government-accused-of-war-on-nature-as-it-takes-axe-to-climate-policies?CMP=twt_a-environment_b-gdneco
#NewZealand

2024-05-30 14:56:48

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"Regardless of where or when a #heatwave strikes, one pattern has been a constant: Older adults are the most likely to die from #ExtremeHeat, and the crisis is worsening.
We study #ClimateChange and population #aging. Our research documents two global trends that together portend a dire future."
https://theconversation.com/heat-waves-can-be-deadly-for-older-adults-an-aging-global-population-and-rising-temperatures-mean-millions-are-at-risk-as-asia-is-experiencing-230486

2024-05-30 11:56:31

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A cautionary tale and a warning for other cities' future heat disasters:
"What truly makes #Phoenix’s slow-motion heat disaster so deadly is the government’s struggle to protect vulnerable citizens.
People experiencing #homelessness made up 45% of the county’s heat-related deaths last year.
And none of the 156 people who died indoors last year had functioning air conditioning. In 85% of those cases, AC units were present but broken."
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2024-05-29/phoenix-is-facing-a-deadly-hurricane-katrina-of-heat-spurred-by-climate-change

2024-05-30 11:41:51

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Meanwhile,
#ECB to Impose First-Ever Fines on Banks for Climate Failures
"The European Central Bank is set to take the unprecedented step of imposing fines on several lenders for their protracted failure to address the impact of #ClimateChange.
Fines per day can technically be up to 5% of daily revenue."
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-29/ecb-to-impose-first-ever-fines-on-banks-for-climate-failures

2024-05-30 11:29:37

Women are 14 times more likely to die in a climate disaster than men. It’s just one way #ClimateChange is gendered
But also:
"Evidence from across a range of sectors demonstrates gender-diverse leadership results in more effective and equitable approaches."
Example:
"Companies with more than 30% women on their boards display better climate governance, climate innovation and sustainability performance."
https://theconversation.com/women-are-14-times-more-likely-to-die-in-a-climate-disaster-than-men-its-just-one-way-climate-change-is-gendered-230295

2024-05-30 11:19:06

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"Majority of US voters support #climate litigation against big oil, poll shows
And almost half of respondents back the filing of criminal charges against oil companies that have contributed to the climate crisis"
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/may/28/poll-climate-change-lawsuit-oil-industry
That sound you hear is the crumbling of the fossil fuel companies' social license to operate

2024-05-30 10:54:58

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"European Union countries unanimously agreed on Thursday to quit an international energy treaty over concerns that it protects fossil fuel investments and undermines efforts to fight #ClimateChange.
The 1998 Energy Charter Treaty (#ECT) allows energy companies to sue governments over policies that damage their investments. In recent years, some companies have used it to launch billion-dollar lawsuits against measures to shut or restrict fossil fuel projects."
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/eu-agrees-quit-energy-investment-treaty-over-climate-concerns-2024-05-30/

2024-05-29 19:50:03

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"Temperatures in #Delhi have hit a record high of 50.5C (122.9F), as authorities warned of water shortages in #India’s capital.
At the SMS hospital in Rajasthan’s capital, #Jaipur, so many bodies of casualties of the heat have arrived at the mortuary that its capacity has been exceeded. Police in the city say many of the victims are poor labourers, who have no choice but to work outside, and homeless people."
https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/may/29/delhi-temperature-hits-499c-as-indias-capital-records-hottest-day

2024-05-29 11:30:25

"The health benefits of tackling #ClimateChange, such as cleaner air and more access to green spaces, were key drivers in city officials' decisions to continue with climate plans despite funding shortfalls caused by the COVID-19 crisis.
In general, decision-makers for Global South #cities have higher ambition in climate action and promoted more green recovery efforts despite facing greater funding shortfalls than cities in Europe and North America.
https://phys.org/news/2024-05-health-global-city-climate-action.html

2024-05-29 11:19:19

Climate court cases that could set precedents around the world
"Courts around the world are hearing an ever-growing number of #ClimateChange #lawsuits with some of the largest cases in history being decided in 2024 and 2025.
Here are the key cases to watch."
https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/climate-court-cases-that-could-set-new-precedents-around-world-2024-05-21/

2024-05-29 11:05:56

"The era of fossil fuels’ dominance is coming to an end.
For every dollar that goes to #FossilFuels, an average of $3 needs to be invested in low-carbon energy over the remainder of the decade – up from parity today. A fully decarbonized global energy system by 2050 could come with a $215 trillion price tag – not an insignificant amount, but only 19% more than in an economics-driven transition, where the Paris Agreement goals are missed and global warming reaches 2.6C."
https://about.bnef.com/new-energy-outlook/

2024-05-28 23:32:37

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"#Phoenix’s population is booming, making it the second-fastest growing U.S. city from 2021 to 2022. That’s also when heat deaths started to surge, after the U.S. Supreme Court ended a pandemic-era eviction moratorium, pushing more people onto the streets.
Now, heat is the second-biggest killer of #homeless people in the county, behind drug overdoses."
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/28/americas-hottest-city-phoenix-00158243

2024-05-28 23:04:46

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Over the Memorial Day weekend:
"A corridor of devastation running from north of Dallas to the north-west corner of Arkansas, recorded the highest concentration of death and destruction.
Harold Brooks, a senior scientist at the National Severe Storms Laboratory in Norman, Oklahoma, said a persistent pattern of warm, moist air is to blame for the string of tornadoes over the past two months."
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/may/27/storms-destruction-across-central-us

2024-05-28 23:01:43

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"More than a million customers in #Texas are without power Tuesday as powerful #storms delivered another round of violent weather to the state still reeling from an almost unrelenting parade of destructive and deadly storms in recent weeks."
https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/28/weather/texas-southern-plains-storm-forecast-tuesday/index.html

2024-05-27 12:37:11

"On May 20th, 2024, an #iceberg measuring 380 square kilometers (~147 mi2) broke off the Brunt Ice Shelf in #Antarctica.
The ongoing loss of Antarctic ice is one of the clearest indications of rising global temperatures and a dire warning."
https://www.sciencealert.com/gigantic-iceberg-in-antarctica-tears-loose-in-major-calving-event
#A83

2024-05-26 11:48:17

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Wild Weather Ahead: Summer 2024 Could Be a Scorcher After Hottest Year on Record
The #climate crisis is causing more severe #heatwaves and related events. Here's what to know about dealing with #ExtremeWeather in 2024.
https://www.cnet.com/science/climate/wild-weather-ahead-summer-2024-could-be-a-scorcher-after-hottest-year-on-record/

2024-05-26 11:05:35

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"Power demand in #Texas broke the record for the month of May for a second time this week on Friday as prices soared ahead of the U.S. Memorial Day long weekend with homes and businesses cranking up their air conditioners to escape a #heatwave."
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/texas-power-prices-soar-ahead-record-breaking-memorial-day-weekend-2024-05-24/

2024-05-25 23:45:34

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Nine Succumb to Heat-Related Incidents in #Rajasthan; Temperatures to Cross 50°C in Many Rajasthani Districts
While a large number of these heat-related deaths took place amidst the searing outdoors, a frequent #PowerOutage nuisance in these areas continues to aggravate the heat problem indoors as well. According to reports, at least 16 areas of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh have recorded maximum temperatures of 45°C or above on Thursday. "
https://weather.com/en-IN/india/news/news/2024-05-24-nine-succumb-to-heat-in-rajasthan-temperatures-to-cross-50degc

2024-05-25 13:33:25

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"This law doesn’t depend on proof of deception, or false advertising, or the campaign to sow doubt about #ClimateChange that the companies are accused of in over 30 lawsuits across the country. The companies are liable by virtue of what they do. It’s not that they’ve committed anything wrong, necessarily—”#PolluterPays” is the concept here.
The fact that your product creates carbon pollution, which is driving climate change, that’s enough to make you liable."
https://insideclimatenews.org/news/25052024/vermont-superfund-fossil-fuel-climate-impact-liability/

2024-05-25 13:29:56

"Republican attorneys general in 19 states have asked the U.S. #SupremeCourt to block several Democratic-led states from pursuing #ClimateChange lawsuits against the oil and gas industry in their own state courts.
The unusual request comes as dozens of states and local governments have filed lawsuits alleging that #FossilFuel companies deceived the public about the risks of their products contributing to climate change."
https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-lawsuits-oil-states-234edc15b4045ecb9eff0b5e27ca0aa5

2024-05-25 13:25:50

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"The #Vermont bill doesn’t outline the total amount it would seek from polluting companies.
Instead, it calls for the state treasurer to account for the costs Vermont has incurred because of #emissions from 1995 through 2024 — including future costs from those past emissions. That includes impacts from floods and heat waves, along with losses to biodiversity, safety, economic development and anything else the treasurer deems reasonable."
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/big-oil-may-pay-billions-for-climate-pollution-under-new-legislation/

2024-05-24 11:51:21

"The consumption of saline #water in coastal #Bangladesh has long been associated with various health risks, including hypertension, respiratory problems and pre-eclampsia, but its effect on kidney health remains relatively unknown.
#ChronicKidneyDisease is a major public health issue worldwide but studies suggest a higher prevalence (22%) among Bangladeshis than the global average (10%)."
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/article/2024/may/24/its-in-our-rivers-and-in-our-cups-theres-no-escape-the-deadly-spread-of-salt-water-in-bangladesh
Tell me again how climate action is so "expensive".

2024-05-22 23:50:56

"About 2.4 million adults were displaced by [#climate] disaster over the last year, about one-fifth of whom were over 65. Though most #displaced people are eventually able to return to their homes, even temporary shocks like these pose particular challenges for older people, many of whom live on fixed incomes and have health and mobility needs that make managing home repairs or finding new places to live difficult."
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/may/22/climate-change-affordable-housing-older-adults

2024-05-21 13:31:42

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The nation’s third-largest public pension fund — the New York State Common Retirement Fund — said it would vote against 10 of 12 #Exxon board members, for failing to address climate change.
At least seven other shareholders, including the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, have filed documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission protesting Exxon’s actions and in some cases urging shareholders to vote against Exxon directors."
https://www.eenews.net/articles/exxon-faces-shareholder-uprising-over-climate-policies-legal-tactics/
#AGM2024

2024-05-21 12:54:25

Experts: What are the biggest #geopolitical risks to #climate action in 2024?
"More than 50 countries, accounting for half of the global population, are going to the polls, with high levels of political uncertainty across many of the world’s largest economies.
Additionally, ongoing conflicts, extreme weather events, trade disputes and resource competition are contributing to geopolitical volatility."
https://www.carbonbrief.org/experts-what-are-the-biggest-geopolitical-risks-to-climate-action-in-2024/

2024-05-21 11:46:02

" Indonesian authorities seeded clouds on Wednesday, trying to prevent further rain and #FlashFloods after deluges that hit #Sumatra Island over the weekend left at least 67 people dead and another 20 missing.
Karnawati said an air force plane was sent up to shoot salt flares into the clouds on Wednesday to get the clouds to release water and break up before they reach the devastated areas in West Sumatra province."
https://apnews.com/article/indonesia-mount-marapi-flash-floods-cloud-seeding-f19bf53a1192ef9757c60e18619b0a8c

2024-05-20 23:20:35

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"#CalPERS, the biggest public pension plan in the United States, said on Monday it would vote against all #Exxon Mobil (XOM.N) board members at its upcoming annual meeting on May 29, citing the oil major's legal action against activist investors."
https://www.reuters.com/business/calpers-vote-against-exxon-board-members-2024-05-20/

2024-05-20 12:56:37

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How the #hydrogen hype fizzled out
"A seductive hydrogen narrative has been replaced with one in which the fuel’s complexities and limitations are more apparent. But even its much reduced role could still prove challenging to deliver."
https://www.ft.com/content/14a60649-172a-45c1-99a9-039f481430e7
– Despite all the subsidies, the production is way less than needed for the 2030 goal;
– It's expensive, $200 /MWh
– Other tech has developed faster, e.g. batteries

2024-05-20 12:40:55

Smelting #Steel Without Fossil Fuels: #Solar Power Shatters the 1,000°C Barrier for Industrial Heating
"Swiss researchers have developed a solar energy method using synthetic quartz to achieve temperatures above 1,000°C for industrial processes, potentially replacing fossil fuels in the production of materials like steel and cement."
https://scitechdaily.com/smelting-steel-without-fossil-fuels-solar-power-shatters-the-1000c-barrier-for-industrial-heating/
Caveat: this is a lab result, albeit a promising one.

2024-05-20 12:19:23

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The press is still failing at covering Trump properly.
"Take that New Jersey rally where he pledged to block #OffshoreWind farms (he also promised to go after electric cars). This didn’t get much attention because of Trump’s praise for “Hollywood’s most famous cannibal,” as a Post headline writer succinctly put it. “The late, great #HannibalLecter is a wonderful man,” Trump declared. Try arguing that #ClimateChange should have been the lead of the story that day."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/05/19/trump-climate-change-wind-energy-corrupt/

2024-05-20 11:59:16

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"More than 300 people died last week, according to UN and Taliban officials, after unusually heavy rains devastated scores of villages in the north [of #Afghanistan].
This has left much of the farmland covered in thick mud in a country where 80% of the more than 40 million people depend on agriculture."
And now more #rains have come.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4n1gg2p1ljo

2024-05-18 22:43:45

"A brutal #heatwave swept swathes of northwest #India on Friday, with maximum temperatures soaring to a scorching 47.4 degrees Celsius in southwest #Delhi's Najafgarh, making it the warmest place in the country."
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/india/intense-heat-wave-scorches-northwest-india-najafgarh-in-delhi-warmest-at-47-4-degrees-celsius-622140

2024-05-18 22:39:18

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Early installment:
"Record-breaking heat has struck South #Florida this week and will persist into the weekend, bringing the heat index up to 109 degrees and unusually hot weather to parts of the state not usually seen until the summer months."
https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2024/05/16/key-west-hits-115-degree-heat-index-in-may--as-us-prepares-for-another-extremely-hot-summer/?sh=6cb7484c95a3
#heatwave

2024-05-17 12:34:50

"Searing #heatwaves could be a common theme this summer in parts of the United States and might make it one of the hottest on record, according to an updated outlook released Thursday by The Weather Company and Atmospheric G2.
The West Coast, from California to southwest Washington, might be the exception. "
https://weather.com/forecast/national/news/2024-05-15-summer-forecast-temperatures-united-states

2024-05-17 12:12:14

Everyone is talking about building very large #batteries for energy storage, for when the sun doesn't shine or the wind doesn't blow. Turns out, that is *the* most expensive solution. There are faster solutions that *yield* money.
"Lovins and many other #EnergyEfficiency experts have spent decades pointing out that an integrated system approach that focuses as much or more on consumption than supply will be so much cheaper than the current approach focused on supply."
https://reneweconomy.com.au/worlds-biggest-grids-could-be-powered-by-renewables-with-little-or-no-storage-if-we-are-smart-enough/

2024-05-16 11:52:36

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"We have six months left to grapple with the fact that a second Trump term will do incalculable damage on a geological time scale. "
https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/its-a-climate-election-now
#US #elections

2024-05-15 13:21:26

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These global maps of heat deaths, heat death ratio, and heat death rates brings home how many of the deaths due to #ExtremeHeat go unreported in English-language media.
https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1004364
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/445/300/086/534/183/original/b8854959ed53cfea.png