Environment

By Ricardo Amansure, Stellenbosch University (The Conversation) – About 85% of South Africa’s electricity is produced by burning coal. The country’s move to renewable energy means that the coal industry will be phased out. To this end, the South African cabinet recently approved the country’s first renewable energy masterplan, which sets out what’s needed to […]

Climate Crisis

Europe was Hottest Ever Recorded last Year, and is Heating up Faster than any other Continent

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The Copernicus Climate Change Service (abbreviated as C3S) has just issued The European State of the Climate for 2024. These scientists report that last year was the hottest ever in Europe, which is the continent that is heating up faster than any other. They write, “60% of Europe saw more […]

Climate Crisis

South African Court said no to new Coal-fired Power: what’s behind the Ruling

The Conversation

By Melanie Murcott, University of Cape Town (The Conversation) – Three South African environmental and climate justice organisations took the South African government to court in November 2021, to challenge the authorisation of new coal-fired power as part of the country’s energy mix. Three years later, the court ruled that the government’s new coal plans […]

Climate Crisis

Wet Bulb Dead Zones could make Parts of Middle East, Pakistan, Uninhabitable — Even at Night

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Last fall, NASA scientist Colin Raymond and colleagues published an article showing that contrary to expectations, deadly heat and humidity combinations occur along the Persian Gulf at night rather than only during the afternoon. In this part of the Middle East, temperatures are rising at double the average global rate. […]

Climate Crisis

No, Even the Super-Rich Can’t Dodge the Climate-Change Bullet

Sam Pizzigati

They think they can — and that thinking just may doom the rest of us. ( Inequality.org) – So where do you see yourself living the rest of your life? The richest among us are keeping their options all open. On the one hand, our deepest pockets are buying up new super-luxury abodes as if the […]

Climate Crisis

Global Heating of more than 3°C this Century may wipe 40% off the world’s Economy

The Conversation

By Timothy Neal, UNSW Sydney (The Conversation) – The damage climate change will inflict on the world’s economy is likely to have been massively underestimated, according to new research by my colleagues and I which accounts for the full global reach of extreme weather and its aftermath. To date, projections of how climate change will […]

Climate Crisis

Big Banks accept a Catastrophic 5.4º F. Temperature Rise, Hope to sell People more Air Conditioners

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Corbin Hiar reports at the Scientific American that the big banks are now banking on a 5.4º F. (3º Celsius) rise in global temperatures above the pre-industrial average. Morgan Stanley let the conclusion slip in a report on air conditioner sales, which it expects to double, what with the extra […]

Climate Crisis

Your Gasoline Car is an Engine of Trump’s Fascism: Resistance requires going Green

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Mussolini defined fascism as the “merger of state and corporate power.” But not all corporations are equally complicit. Obviously, our current fascist moment is driven in part by a merger of the US government with the portfolio of companies owned by Elon Musk and Peter Thiel. The focus on the […]

Featured

China’s BYD has a $16K “Tesla-killer,” as IEA finds EVs are an Oil Company-Killer

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Incredible new developments in electric vehicles are taking place in China with global implications. China’s BYD sold $100 billion worth of its electric vehicles (EVs) in 2024, outstripping Tesla, the sales of which were $97 billion. Since CEO Elon Musk has ruined the Tesla brand by attacking Americans’ social security, […]