Climate Change

The global reaction to two landmark new reports suggests the world could well lose that confrontation.

Future of Climate Activism: Dutch Court orders Gov’t to Reduce CO2 Emissions Dramatically

An appeals court in the Netherlands has upheld a 2015 lower court ruling in a class action case that the Dutch government needs to do more to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to 25% below 1990 levels by 2020. So far the Netherlands has only reduced 13% from 1990 levels. The court appealed to the principle […]

Climate Change

Ron DeSantis’s Policies Helped Summon Hurricane Michael and he Should not be Governor

Juan Cole

* WaPo reports of the most powerful storm to hit Florida’s panhandle in recorded history, coming in as a level 4 and briefly becoming 5: “Hurricane Michael roared ashore Wednesday near the Florida Panhandle, one of the most intense hurricanes to ever hit the United States. With winds as high as 155 mph, the Category […]

Climate Change

As Hurricane Michael Strikes, UN Warns cost of Climate-Linked Disasters Soaring

AFP

Geneva (AFP) – The economic cost of climate-related disasters hit $2.25 trillion over the last two decades, an increase of more than 150 percent compared to the previous 20 years, the UN said Wednesday. The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) noted that “climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of extreme […]

Climate Change

Reminder: Top 5 Climate Catastrophes to which Denialist Trump Condemned his own Supporters

Juan Cole

Reprint edition Trump delivered himself of one of the most brain-dead speeches ever given by an American president, more imbecilic even than Bush’s “Mission Accomplished” or Nixon’s “I am not a crook.” He withdrew from the Paris climate accords, saying that he was elected to represent Pittsburgh, not Paris. Trump alleged that he was somehow […]

Climate Change

UN Scientists on our Climate Emergency: We need Immediate ‘Transformational’ Change!

The Conversation

By Mark Howden and Rebecca Colvin | – A landmark report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, commissioned at the breakthrough 2015 summit that brokered the Paris climate agreement, outlines what’s at stake in the world’s bid to limit global temperature rise to 1.5℃. The report, released today, sets out the key practical differences […]

Climate Change

Fate of 190,000-years-old Human Race depends on Massive Greening Effort over just 30 Years

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – It strikes me as darkly humorous that we, the most intelligent species ever to have evolved on earth, homo sapiens (evolved circa 190,000 years ago), were so clever that around 1750 we started burning so much wood, coal and later on oil and natural gas that we started changing our […]

Climate Change

Methane is a Monster Global Heating Gas: Trump just ordered EPA to Kill Limits on its Emissions

Olivia Alperstein

The White House wants to clear the way for frackers to release more methane, which poisons communities and torches the climate.

Sea Level

Climate Crisis: If we Keep Burning Fossil Fuels, Will People have to be Moved Away from Coasts?

The Conversation

By Luciana Esteves | – We are all too familiar with images of flooding in low lying areas after heavy rainfall or houses destroyed by coastal erosion after a storm. For an increasing number of people, coastal flooding and erosion is a real threat to property, the local economy and, in some cases, life. Hurricane […]