“Atmospheric levels of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, increased by a record amount for the second year in a row in 2021, according to US government data.
“The concentration of methane in the Earth’s atmosphere jumped by 17 parts per billion (ppb) in 2021, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administation (Noaa) monitoring found, the largest annual increase recorded since modern measurements began in 1983.”
“Machynlleth farmer says tornado lifted lambs into the air [Wales].
“A business owner claims a “tornado” caused thousand of pounds worth of damage to her farmhouse. Deilwen Breese from Pennal, near Machnynlleth, said the powerful winds lifted her lambs in the air and pulled up trees near her property.”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-61022539
“Meningitis killed Greenland shark found off coast of Cornwall, postmortem shows.
“Meningitis is caused by a viral or bacterial infection. The same Pasteurella bacteria has been found to cause meningitis in humans but it is extremely rare… Its gastrointestinal tract will reveal if there are microplastics present…”
“Dogs poisoned by hashish washed up on Marbella beaches by the storm [southern Spain, worst in 40 years].
“The drug has a strong smell which attracts them but if they eat it they can suffer very serious symptoms which can even lead to death… Drug traffickers heading to the shore in boats had previously thrown the packages into the water because they had been spotted by the police.”
https://www.surinenglish.com/malaga/marbella-san-pedro/dogs-poisoned-hashish-20220408105711-nt.html
“Rains Drive Biggest South African Locust Infestation in Decades; Parts of country had heaviest rain on record in December…
“The infestation, which started in September, has spread to three provinces – the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and Western Cape – and 80 million rand ($5.4 million) has already been spent combating it.”
“As rains in South Sudan start again, communities face more flooding amid a growing hunger crisis…
“This is the latest in an unprecedented cycle of climate disasters, as cycles of extreme drought followed by heavy rainfall have caused devastating floods for the fifth consecutive year in South Sudan.
“Four people have been killed due to a heavy sandstorm in Iraq, according to hospital records.
“Tuz Khurmatu Hospital said in a statement on Friday that it had received dozens of cases complaining of respiratory problems due to the sandstorm, confirming the death toll… The hospital said it is possible to receive more cases.”
https://www.yenisafak.com/en/world/sandstorm-kills-four-people-in-northern-iraq-3593390
“Extreme heat wave in India and Pakistan with unprecedented temperatures that early in April.
“Another 46.5C [115.7F] in Pakistan. In India 45.8C [114.4F] at Akola; incredible 45.3C at Ganganagar; 44.4C at Jaisalmer; 43.0C at Varanasi; 42.0C at Delhi AP; 43.4C also in the United Arab Emirates.”
https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1512439706738434049
“10-fold rise in intense forest fires in India from 2000 to 2019, study points to climate change…
“India ranked seventh among countries most impacted by climate change in 2019, according to the Global Climate Risk Index, and now a study by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water has found that India’s forests are a major casualty.”
“According to scientists, retreating glaciers and seismic movement resulted in the 2021 glacial disaster in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli.
“A portion of the Nanda Devi glacier had broken off, triggering an avalanche and a deluge claiming the lives of hundreds and damaging hydroelectricity project sites.”
“Exceptional heat wave in Central Asia with record heat for this time of the year:
“On 7th April Mongolia rose to 26.2C [79.1F] at Orkhontuul; the capital Ulan Bataar (1729m) to 21.0C [70F]; In Tajikistan 35.7C [96.3F] at Ganjina in Tajik (563m); in China 35.0C in Turpan; in Kazakhstan 30.5C at Almaty (847m).”
https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1512111429448519692
“The Taiwan Water Shortage Dilemma…
““What seems to be happening in Taiwan is the severity of drought is increasing,” said Nneka Chike-obi, a director of sustainable finance at Fitch Ratings. “It’s not just that they are getting less rain, it’s that they are incredibly dry for longer periods of time…”
https://earth.org/the-taiwan-water-shortage-dilemma/
“In charts: Sydney’s record-breaking 2022 rainfall.
“Sydney has received an unprecedented amount of rain so far this year… The state has been hit by repeated flooding in recent months, with the northern rivers area devastated by two deluges within weeks and Sydney drenched in its wettest March on record.”
“‘This is an emergency’: Australia’s extreme weather crises spark anger at climate inaction.
“Unprecedented rainfall and record heat have marked a concerning start to 2022, with mounting calls for leaders to tackle the climate crisis… Meanwhile… corals on the Great Barrier Reef bleached en masse for the sixth time – and the first instance the event has occurred in a La Niña year.”
“This summer’s heat wave in La Plata, Argentina confirmed as the hottest in a hundred years of record-keeping…
“The Faculty of Astronomical and Geophysical Sciences of the UNLP carried out an intensive study… As they explained, there were two intense heat waves: the first between January 9 and 11, and the second between January 13 and 16, when the temperature exceeded 41 degrees [106F].”
“Brazil has set a new grim record for Amazon deforestation during the first three months of 2022 compared with a year earlier [up 64%], government data shows…
“Al Jazeera’s Monica Yanakiew… said the new data was especially worrying because Brazil is in the midst of its rainy season… “So there should be less activity, there should be less deforestation,” said Yanakiew.”
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/4/8/brazil-sets-worrying-new-amazon-deforestation-record
“Death Toll Rises To 13 In Flooding In Colombia.
“The number of miners killed by a flash flood in northwest Colombia earlier this week has risen to 13, local officials have said. Heavy rains caused a river to overflow Wednesday, swiftly inundating a mining camp in a rural part of Abriaqui, a town in the Colombian department of Antioquia…”
https://ommcomnews.com/world-news/death-toll-rises-to-13-in-flooding-in-colombia
“Chile sues BHP, Albemarle, Antofagasta over water use.
“The Chilean government of ecologist and feminist President Gabriel Boric is suing mines operated by giants BHP (ASX: BHP), Albemarle (NYSE: ALB) and Antofagasta (LON: ANTO) over alleged environmental damage caused in the northern Salar de Atacama salt flats, the world’s driest place on earth.”
https://www.mining.com/chile-sues-bhp-albemarle-antofagasta-over-water-use/
“Companies are draining Mexico’s water supply amid drought: Activists.
“Mexico is currently undergoing massive droughts throughout most of its territory, with some pointing out the role large companies are playing in the recent water shortage crisis… activists have called for the authorities’ intervention in what they call a systemic plundering of the natural resource.”
“California’s recent heat wave shattered high-temp records across the state.
“The heat wave that billowed across the Bay Area this week broke records in multiple locations across the region, according to the National Weather Service… High-temperature records were also broken in Southern California.”
https://www.sfchronicle.com/weather/article/California-s-recent-heat-wave-shattered-17068119.php
“A warm, dry March worsened record drought conditions in the West [States].
“March 2022 marked the third month in a row where precipitation was below average across the contiguous U.S., which led to an expanding drought and areas of record dryness throughout the West. March also brought several rounds of severe weather that pounded parts of the nation.”
https://www.noaa.gov/stories/warm-dry-march-worsened-record-drought-conditions-in-west
“Drought and high winds have sparked wildfires in a pair of Western Corn Belt states.
“Nebraska Farm Bureau President Mark McHargue tells Brownfield a large fire started Thursday morning in South Central Furnas County. “We’ve had ranchers texting me this morning that they’ve been trying to get their cattle out of the way to make sure they’re out of the path of the fire.””
https://brownfieldagnews.com/news/high-winds-extended-drought-spark-wildfires-in-nebraska-kansas/
“Minnesota’s winter winds set records; Gusty days in Duluth have doubled in recent years.
“It’s not just a Duluth phenomenon. In the Twin Cities, winds gusted to 30 mph or higher on 46 days this winter, blowing away the previous record of 32 gusty days… Something has happened since 2011, the beginning of much gustier times in Minnesota…”
https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/minnesotas-winter-winds-set-records
“After rounds of tornadoes across the South, storm system threatens North Carolina, Virginia and Florida next.
“After dozens of tornadoes rolled through the South, another storm system is threatening to deliver powerful winds and possibly more tornadoes Thursday to the coasts of North Carolina and Virginia along with parts of Florida.”
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/04/07/weather/severe-weather-south-thursday/index.html
You can read the previous ‘Climate’ thread here. I’ll be back on Monday with an ‘Economic’ thread.
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