| Most Powerful Storm in A Decade Threatens US: Nearly two million people have been urged to evacuate along the East Coast and more than 12 million are under hurricane watch or warning, after Hurricane Matthew strengthened overnight with winds reaching 125 mph. The storm is forecast to impact Florida today, possibly as a Category 4 storm. If it makes landfall, it would be the most powerful storm since Hurricane Wilma in 2005 to do so, and could cause as much as $15 billion in economic disruption. This morning, the National Hurricane Center warned of “life-threatening inundation during the next 36 hours along the Florida east coast and Georgia coast.” Matthew has caused at least 26 deaths across the Caribbean. (News: NBC, CNN, BBC, USA Today, Washington Post $, Fox News, Reuters, New York Times $, AP, NPR, Climate Central, Mashable. Commentary: AP, Seth Borenstein Q&A; ThinkProgress, Joe Romm column; Forbes, Marshall Shepherd column; Grist, Scott Dodd column; New York Times, John Schwartz Q&A $; Discover Magazine, Tom Yulsman column; Pacific Standard, Eric Holthaus op-ed; Miami Herald editorial. Background: Climate Signals)
No Going Back – Paris Agreement Takes Effect: The Paris Agreement crossed the last threshold needed to take effect after 12 more countries joined, bringing the total to 74 countries accounting for 58.82 percent of global emissions. The deal is now set to enter into force after 30 days, just days ahead of the 22nd UN Conference of the Parties in Marrakech. This is one of the fastest ever ‘entry into force’ of a comprehensive, multilateral treaty, and commits parties for at least four years. President Obama hailed the development as “turning point for our planet” and said, “This gives us the best possible shot to save the one planet we’ve got.” (News: TIME, Reuters, NBC News, CNN, CBS News, Pacific Standard, Bloomberg, AP, Washington Post $, Guardian, Wall Street Journal $, The Hill, Climate Central, Thomson Reuters Foundation. Commentary: TIME, Carter Roberts & Ray Offenheiser op-ed; Huffington Post, Jake Schmidt op-ed; Deutsche Welle, Sonya Angelica Diehn op-ed)
99.99% Drought Risk for American Southwest: The American Southwest is “virtually certain” to be plagued by “megadroughts” by the end of the century if global warming continues unchecked, according to a new study. Rising temperatures are a major factor in increasing the risk of megadroughts, which could last 35 years and match the intensity of the Dust Bowl. California, which just entered its sixth year of drought, has already experienced economic losses, drastic water restrictions and more intense wildfires.However, limiting global warming to under 2°C would cut the risk of megadrought in half. (Guardian, Carbon Brief, Popular Mechanics, AP, Mashable, Desert Sun, IB Times $)
Methane Emissions Blow Past Current Estimates: Methane emissions from the global fossil fuel industry are up to 60 percent greater than existing estimates, according to anew comprehensive analysis of global methane emissions. The unaccounted-for emissions are 300 times more than California’s Aliso Canyon leak. According to current estimates, the fossil fuel industry contributes about 22 percent of global methane emissions and about 30 percent of total US methane emissions. Methane has a higher warming potentialthan carbon dioxide in the short term. (Guardian, New Scientist, TakePart, TIME, AL Jazeera, New York Magazine, NPR, Colorado Public Radio, Gizmodo) |
