Climate Crisis

( Tomdispatch.com ) – Admittedly, I hadn’t been there for 46 years, but old friends of mine still live (or at least lived) in the town of Greenville, California, and now… well, it’s more or less gone, though they survived. The Dixie Fire, one of those devastating West Coast blazes, had already “blackened” 504 square […]

Climate Crisis

Top 5 Environmental Impacts of Bipartisan Infastructure Bill, from Electric Vehicles to Electric Grid

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Although the the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill passed by the senate on Tuesday has been criticized by environmentalists for not doing enough for green energy and the environment, it should be pointed out that it is the largest investment in those issues ever in U.S. history. It is to […]

Climate Crisis

IPCC Alarm Bell: burning gas, coal is Intensifying Water Cycle: Expect more and worse Storms, Floods such as hit Germany, China this Summer

The Conversation

By Mathew Barlow | – ( The Conversation) – The world watched in July 2021 as extreme rainfall became floods that washed away centuries-old homes in Europe, triggered landslides in Asia and inundated subways in China. More than 900 people died in the destruction. In North America, the West was battling fires amid an intense […]

Acidification of Oceans

IPCC – Carbon Dioxide concentrations highest in 2 mn years, Provoking ever more Extreme Weather

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has issued its sixth assessment report. The product of vast international cooperation, the report reflects the scientific community’s certitude that the globe’s climate is rapidly changing as a direct result of humanity burning coal, gasoline and natural gas, putting tens of billions of tons […]

Climate Crisis

3 Lessons of Climate-induced Dixie Wildfire as it Destroys Historic Gold Rush Towns

The Conversation

By Bart Johnson and David Hulse | – A wildfire burning in hot, dry mountain forest swept through the Gold Rush town of Greenville, California, on Aug. 4, reducing neighborhoods and the historic downtown to charred rubble. Hours earlier, the sheriff had warned Greenville’s remaining residents to get out immediately as strong, gusty winds drove […]

Climate Crisis

A Really big Deal: The New IPCC Climate Report Focuses on Extreme Events and how Coal, Gasoline are Causing them

The Conversation

By David Karoly | – On Monday, an extremely important report on the physical science of climate change will be released to the world. Produced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the report will give world leaders the most up-to-date information about climate change to inform their policies. It is an enormous undertaking, […]

Climate Crisis

Germany’s solar PV expansion soars by over 20%, but incoming Government will need to do more

Clean Energy Wire

By Benjamin Wehrmann | – ( Clean Energy Wire) – The construction of new solar photovoltaic (PV) installations in Germany has grown by 22 percent in the first half of 2021 but would still have to be three to four times higher to be in line with the country’s climate targets, solar industry group BSW […]

Climate Crisis

Scientists: Slashing Methane Emissions key to avoiding Horrifying Frankenclimate Tipping Point

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Fiona Harvey at The Guardian reports that the new Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report due out Monday will stress the need to slash methane emissions if we have any hope of keeping extra global heating to 3.6 degrees F. (1.5C). Scientists worry that as we get above that […]

Climate Crisis

Biden’s Moonshot: America’s Cars are going Electric, “Fast!” with Union Labor

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Joe Biden is good at multi-tasking. His announcement on Thursday that he wants 50% of all cars sold in the US in 2030 to be electric or plugin hybrids will appeal to many environmentalists, or at least the electric part will. But the transcript at rev.com/ demonstrates that President Biden […]