A big thank you to October’s sponsor, Rusty Flanagan.
“Trees and land absorbed almost no CO2 last year. Is nature’s carbon sink failing?
“In 2023, the hottest year ever recorded, preliminary findings by an international team of researchers show the amount of carbon absorbed by land has temporarily collapsed. The final result was that forest, plants and soil – as a net category – absorbed almost no carbon.”
“What happens to the world if forests stop absorbing carbon? Ask Finland…
“For decades, the country’s forests and peatlands had reliably removed more carbon from the atmosphere than they released. But from about 2010, the amount the land absorbed started to decline, slowly at first, then rapidly. By 2018, Finland’s land sink – the phrase scientists use to describe something that absorbs more carbon than it releases – had vanished.”
“Warmer winters mean world’s highest places may store less carbon.
“Climate change is raising winter temperatures faster than those of summer, especially in high-altitude areas. This “asymmetric” warming could spell trouble for the vast amount of carbon stored in soils there by altering microbial activity more than expected.”
“Mount Rainier [Washington State] Loses Summit as Climate Change Melts Iconic Glacier.
“…the mountain’s traditional summit, the Columbia Crest ice cap, has decreased by 22 feet. This reduction lowers Mount Rainier’s elevation from 14,410 feet to 14,399.6 feet, making a rocky spot on the southwest rim the new highest point.”
“Good Lord! September 2024 was *by far* Canada’s hottest September in ERA5’s 84 year record. It was 0.64°C hotter than the previous record September, which was… last year.
“Some parts of Canada were more than 6°C warmer than the typical September of the late 20th Century.”
https://x.com/ryankatzrosene/status/1845207187225813058
“Public urged to prepare for floods after wettest 18 months on record [UK gov press release]…
“As climate change brings more extreme weather, there has already been flooding this autumn. Only last month, heavy rainfall led to the first major incident of the season with almost a thousand properties flooded. It followed the wettest 18 months on record in England up to February 2024.”
“Europe’s medical students to receive training for climate-related health problems…
““From the spread of infectious diseases to increasingly deadly heat waves, the health impacts of climate change are becoming ever more dangerous,” said Professor Iain McInnes, a Vice-Principal and Head of College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences at the University of Glasgow.”
“The heat has been relentless also in the Black Sea area. UKRAINE has seen record hot months almost every month and this one is not an exception.
“Tropical nights still in mid October with a record hot night at Chornomorske with a min of 19.7C.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1845056826045247888
“Tons of rubbish clogs river in Bosnia after flash floods and landslides.
“The rubbish and debris is clogging the river Neretva in Bosnia after flash floods and landslides hit parts of the Balkan country last week, killing 26 people and injuring scores more.”
“A major motorway on the Costa del Sol [Spain] flooded due to extreme rainfall in the early hours of this morning.
“Parts of the A-7 motorway between Cancelada in Estepona and San Pedro Alcántara in Marbella were submerged in water at around 7.30am today, Monday 14 October.”
“The city of Marrakech, one of Morocco’s top tourist destinations, has been submerged following strong thunderstorms over the weekend.
“The heavy rainfall left streets transformed into rivers and vehicles inundated. Videos circulating on social media show cars partially submerged.”
“Africa floods wreak havoc on crops, deepen food crisis.
“Widespread flooding across West and Central Africa has plunged nearly 6.6 million people in 16 countries into crisis, exacerbating an already dire food insecurity situation in the region, where several nations have declared a food security and nutrition emergency.”
https://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202410/15/WS670dc03aa310f1265a1c7977.html
“More record heat in SOUTH AFRICA:
“Temperatures reached 35C [95F] at 1700/1800m asl! Monthly records broken today include: 38.9 Pofadder 984m, 5.2 Vereeniging 1481m, 35.1 Springs 1644m.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1845498003601142082
“Gauteng water crisis: ‘The crisis we sought to prevent has now materialised’…
“As parts of the country experience a heatwave, Rand Water has stressed that Gauteng municipalities are facing an impending disaster because of critically low water reservoirs. The utility said storage levels throughout Gauteng have significantly declined…”
https://www.citizen.co.za/news/rand-water-gauteng-residents-water-shortage/
“Botswana’s deadly drought is wiping out animal populations…
“Desperately thirsty animals wade in, seeking a drop to drink, and become lodged in the thick, sticky mud. Writhing, crying and baking under temperatures exceeding 99°F (37°C), they slowly die over many days.”
https://animalsurvival.org/appeal/botswana-camelthorn-drought-october-2024/
“Alarm As Drought Kills 12 000 Cattle [Zimbabwe]…
“As the drought continues to strain livestock farming, the government’s proactive measures are crucial for safeguarding the remaining cattle and supporting affected farmers.”
https://www.zimeye.net/2024/10/14/alarm-as-drought-kills-12-000-cattle/
“Evening humid-heat maxima near the southern Persian/Arabian Gulf [study]…
“Arabian Peninsula extreme events already closely approach both the dry and humid uncompensable-heat limits—the most intense conditions in which human heat balance can be sustained indefinitely. For these reasons, extreme heat is increasingly attracting scientific attention and governmental regulation in the region.”
https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-024-01763-3
“Iran reports over 7,000 tuberculosis cases, partly fueled by dust storms…
“Environmental challenges, such as frequent dust storms, weaken respiratory health, making people more vulnerable. Socioeconomic factors, including poverty and overcrowded living conditions, further facilitate its spread.”
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202410142005
“The Plight of Female Farmers [Sindh, Pakistan]…
“Women play an important part in agriculture in Sindh, completing chores such as sowing, weeding, harvesting, and post-harvest processing… They typically labour in tougher settings and are more susceptible to external shocks such as climate change.”
https://www.dawn.com/news/1864948/the-plight-of-female-farmers
“Farmers in Multan bear the brunt of extreme heat in a warming Punjab.
“In Multan, fierce heat and other effects of the climate crisis are hurting the health and livelihoods of agricultural workers, resulting in damaged crops, heat-related illnesses, and other adverse effects.”
“Three people killed and 7,000 forced to leave homes as heavy rainfall causes floods in Sri Lanka…
“Heavy downpours over the weekend wreaked havoc, flooding homes, fields and roads, and affecting over 158,000 people in at least 12 districts, authorities said. The government closed all schools in the capital and its suburbs on Monday as heavy rainfall continued to batter the island.”
https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/south-asia/sri-lanka-flood-schools-shut-latest-b2628760.html
“Endless record heat in THAILAND. 37.0 [98.6F] Takfa broke its October record again. Record at Butuan in the PHILIPPINES as well.
“Record heat has been going on for nearly 600 consecutive days in Thailand and will go on for any foreseeable future.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1845817747764064746
“Floods in Malaysia cause traffic chaos in Kuala Lumpur, delay parliament sitting.
“Floodwaters in Malaysia’s north reached the rooftops in some places on Monday, as torrential rain also caused traffic and rail chaos across Kuala Lumpur and delayed parliament with lawmakers struggling to travel through waterlogged roads.”
“INCREDIBLE INDONESIA – NATIONAL HOTTEST OCTOBER NIGHT IN HISTORY BEATEN AGAIN.
“MIN 28.8 [83.8F] Madura Island. Records of October hottest nights also fell: 27.2 Cilacap, 26.6 Bau Bau.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1845785791017988308
“New Australian research using satellite imagery to monitor the location of emperor penguin colonies in East Antarctica, shows the birds are struggling to adapt to rapid changes in their environment…
“…recent untimely loss of their fast-ice habitat and record low sea-ice extent in 2022 and 2023, has led to breeding failure in some colonies.”
https://phys.org/news/2024-10-satellite-imagery-emperor-penguins-struggle.html
“At least eight people died after heavy rains in Brazil, authorities said Saturday, as storms swept parts of the country following a severe drought that fueled a record wave of wildfires…
“Central and southeastern Brazil have been pounded since Friday… Blackouts struck large parts of Sao Paulo city… around 1.6 million homes and businesses were still without electricity.”
https://phys.org/news/2024-10-dead-heavy-thrashes-brazil-drought.html
“Colombia and Ecuador fight to save vital wetlands amid drought…
“Rural communities in the Andes of Colombia and Ecuador are fighting to protect fragile high-altitude wetlands that regulate the area’s water cycles, as sharp water and energy rationing hit both nations.”
“Heat waves are sweeping all over Latin America from Mexico to Bolivia. Yesterday exceptional 45.4C/114F Plutarco MEXICO near the record heat for mid October in all Hemisphere history.
“SABA ISLAND 33.9C October hottest day again. BRAZIL Hottest night in history at Peixe Tmin 28.3C.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1845937588789477466
“This summer was the most oppressive in Tampa on record. Tampa broke their record – set last summer – of most days with a heat index of 100+ – with 99 days.
“The long term average is 40.”
https://x.com/WeatherProf/status/1846005263771619402
“Another historic day in TEXAS – October hottest day in history in Houston, 100 [37.8C] Hull Field, 99 International Airport.
“Several more monthly records broken or tied including 100 New Braunfels, 98 Port Lavaca and Gonzales.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1845984179181572210
“Phoenix record streak of daily heat reaches 3 weeks on Monday…
“Phoenix’s streak of 21 days of record heat is triple its previous high. The city has bested daily heat records 19 times and tied two more since the streak began Sept. 24.” [US national record streak prior to this was 14 days].
https://ktar.com/story/5614985/phoenix-record-streak-daily-heat-3-weeks/
“Nearly half a million acres have burned in Idaho as fires engulf national forestland across the state.
“As of Saturday, more than a dozen wildfires were blazing across the mountain West state, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.”
https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/10/12/idaho-wildfires-national-forests/75649028007/
“No one should be surprised by the record high temperatures of the past 16 months (+1.6°C on average).
“The rate of global warming has more than doubled.
“That was already clear from evidence of increased heat uptake from NASA satellite data and ocean temp data from NOAA.”
https://x.com/LeonSimons8/status/1845831049252667819
“We know how to cool the planet. Is it worth the risk?
“The proceeds of a City of London trading firm are set to help scientists answer one of the most controversial questions in climate science: can humanity safely alter the atmosphere to cool the planet?”
“‘Very concerning’: BP dilutes net zero targets as global retreat from green standards gathers pace…
“Oil companies are not alone in scaling down their green promises. Volkswagen has quietly dropped a voluntary target to cut CO2₂ emissions… And Unilever… signalled earlier this year that it would abandon or water down a string of ESG pledges.”
“Globalization isn’t finished – it can unlock new growth and beat the climate crisis…
“Achieving shared carbon-neutrality goals will require a fine-tuned strategic approach to industrial policy in green sectors… A successful green transition for the globe requires targeted re-globalization.”
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2024/10/globalization-climate-crisis-growth-economy/
“Will climate change turn shipwrecks to polluters?
“As climate change increases, more extreme storms are created and ocean temperatures rise, meaning shipwrecks – some with fuel in – are degrading fast… Wrecks with fuel remaining onboard could pose serious pollution problems as the metal breaks down.”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0jp0qq07pvo
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You can read the previous “Climate” thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an “Economic” thread.
I looked up what happens when land and sea are no longer carbon sinks and AI gave me this:
“AI Overview
If land and sea cease to function as carbon sinks, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would rapidly increase, leading to significantly accelerated climate change with more extreme weather events, as the planet would no longer have a natural mechanism to absorb excess carbon dioxide, resulting in drastically higher global temperatures and potentially catastrophic impacts on ecosystems and human societies.”
I think it may be safe to say we have officially jumped off the cliff and are headed for a marked acceleration to the cliff bottom. This is not good.
I also did not realize Finland had gone all right wing and are logging old growth. That was disturbing to hear.
I cant imagine Panopticon what it must be like to be doing this blog all these years and having the news stories turn rapidly more dire over the years. Terrifying!
Also been telling the truth on my YouTube channel, EMJ. It’s called the Doom Wizard.
That carbon sink story is catastrophic.
All going off the cliff together right.
EMJ, It definitely felt as if the wheels were starting to come off last year with the Antarctic sea-ice lows and that extraordinary surge of ocean warming, particularly in the N Atlantic, well before El Nino.
But, to be honest, I don’t think it is any more terrifying for me than it is for people visiting this blog. Living my life at 100mph doesn’t leave much time for reflection, which is probably a blessing.
Climate Change
New climate report released by OSU researchers shows more extremes on the way
Researchers say we’re entering into a “critical and unpredictable” phase of our climate crisis.
Researchers at Oregon State University recently released an annual report suggesting that we’re entering an even more unpredictable phase of the global climate crisis, which could include stronger hurricanes and more intense heat waves.
“We could have never predicted that a hurricane was going to hit a mountainous region that we thought was a climate refuge,” said Dr. Jillian Gregg, co-author of the OSU climate study and professor in the school’s sustainability double degree program.
Hurricane Milton gained strength in the Gulf of Mexico, where it started as a category one hurricane. Ten hours later, it turned into a category five storm.
“It’s the ocean temperatures that are evaporating into the air, that drives hurricane intensity — and then we see these really intense hurricanes,” said Gregg.
She believes the big reason for the extremes that we’re seeing can be tied back to our oceans.
“It’s only tenths of a degree, but it’s the consistency and that fact they are consistently getting warmer month after month,” Gregg said about how oceans are warming across the globe.
It’s those extremes that are sending global temperatures to heights we’ve never seen before, and that has led to extreme heat waves.
Regan, you are more correct in your assessment…everything is converging together all at once.. we’ve been fiddle faddling for some decades now pretending to act while going flat out parting with BAU..now the doorman is knocking for what is due
Like the Midnight Oil Song..Beds are Burning
How can we dance when our earth is turning?
How do we sleep while our beds are burning?
How can we dance when our earth is turning?
How do we sleep while our beds are burning?
The time has come to say fair’s fair
To pay the rent now, to pay our share
Four wheels scare the cockatoos
From Kintore, east to Yuendemu
The Western Desert lives and breathes
In forty-five degrees
Vince, IIRC that song was about compensating the aboriginal Australians for being forcibly removed from their lands, but that chorus is certainly apt in 2024. How do you work, raise the kids and generally get on with BAU when you know it is lurching towards some apocalyptic end?
It’s not easy.
“Globalization isn’t finished – it can unlock new growth and beat the climate crisis…
“Achieving shared carbon-neutrality goals will require a fine-tuned strategic approach to industrial policy in green sectors… A successful green transition for the globe requires targeted re-globalization.”
Sometimes you need a good laugh.
It’s a weird thing to read, Nat. The language is slick and there’s a sort of superficial plausibility there, but on closer inspection you realise it is totally divorced from reality – the journalistic equivalent of an escaped mental patient in a three-piece suit.
Sometimes you just have to stand there and applaud:
“While carbon emissions continue to grow, the collective commitment to reducing them in the United Nations COP process offers collaborative pathways to progress in developing and adopting sustainable technologies.”
Comic genius from Prof. General Laura Tyson and the dean of something or other at Northeastern for the World Comic Economic Forum.
Ya’ll are talking about the upcoming COP in the wonderfully-chosen eco-economic hell of Azerbaijan, amirite?
The only “collaborative pathway” that can be said to exist for contemporary humanity is the one running from its microplastic-laden sphincter out its anus.
Yeah, there’s something in another link at weforum to a well-paid eco-science professoriate-type whinging about getting rich nations to pay into a climate justice fund, or words to that effect.
When will it be that we can’t even laugh anymore at this shit?
🎯 Martin! I do quite a bit of laughing AND crying at this point.
Thanks, I knew that myself, just took a line out for a point…heh, got another one for you today..
Free Solo’ climber Alex Honnold often sees melted glaciers on his climbs. It’s changed the course of his career.
‘Free Solo’ climber Alex Honnold witnessed the effects of climate change throughout his career.
He’s seen glaciers and ice features melt away in Patagonia and Alaska.
It inspired him to start the Honnold Foundation, investing in community-based solar energy projects.
Throughout his climbing career, Honnold has witnessed similarly stark environmental changes. It inspired him to start the Honnold Foundation in 2012, a non-profit that builds renewable energy resources around the world.
“It makes it easy to talk about climate change to people because you see it with your own eyes,” he said.
Business Insider
Oh, over at Gail’s OFW the same …climate is always changing rant …
It’s getting old there….Natural climate change is driven by Milankovitch cycles
The “purpose” of the money printing is often to support what are supposed to be alternatives to fossil fuels (or poor people who might be able to afford more fuel for their cars, or better home heating). But wind turbines and solar panels are made using fossil fuels, so their building, at least temporarily, supports extracting fossil fuels. The system is strange!
Yep, sure…nothing happening out there …just take like the aboriginals
https://lifehacker.com/us-cities-safest-from-climate-change-1850809083
So called safe cities from climate change right i don’t think so. So lots of marketing to make it seem its not that bad. Good luck
Heather, this list was created by Jesse Keenan, associate professor of real estate at Tulane University. His list the year prior was topped by …Asheville. Which tells us all we need to know about how seriously to take his lists:
https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-haven-cities-us.html