Daily updates on climate change and the global economy.

Daily updates on climate change and the global economy.
Stay current with what’s happening around the world with a quick scan of top news.

Daily updates on climate change and the global economy.
Stay current with what’s happening around the world with a quick scan of top news.

Daily updates on climate change and the global economy.
Stay current with what’s happening around the world with a quick scan of top news.

Daily updates on climate change and the global economy.
Stay current with what’s happening around the world with a quick scan of top news.

Huge thanks to this month’s donor, who wishes to remain anonymous but has asked me to post a link to this poem by their friend, Arthur L Wood. I’m no great shakes when it comes to literary criticism but I was moved by its tenderness and honesty, and heartily recommend giving it a listen.


“I just updated this graph with three more months of NASA CERES data it needs a bigger y-axis, again…

“There is so much more regional and global warming in the pipeline than most realize!

“This graph shows the regional increases in absorbed sunlight and outgoing heat radiation:”

[Leon Simons]

https://x.com/LeonSimons8/status/1996320940427530609


“Breaking News! Code Yikes!

“PIOMAS just posted their Arctic sea-ice volume data for September, October and November (catching up after the Gov’t shutdown). Here is the volume data, 1979 – 2025, showing a record low for both October and November… And “thickness” just set an all-time record low in October. [Prof Eliot Jacobson]

https://x.com/EliotJacobson/status/1996354466065592466


“Why glaciers are reaching their top speeds earlier each year…

“Using almost ten years of NASA satellite images, researchers tracked the seasonal speed of every land glacier on the planet larger than about two square miles. They found that warmer glaciers not only speed up more each year, they also tend to reach their top speeds earlier in the calendar.”

https://www.earth.com/news/why-glaciers-are-reaching-their-top-speeds-earlier-each-year/


“Breiðamerkurjökull (SE Iceland) 1984 | 2025

“6 km frontal retreat over 40 years for the 4th largest glacier in Iceland (900 km² in 2010), an outlet of the Vatnajökull ice cap! LIA max is tangent to coastline.” [Melaine Le Roy]

https://x.com/subfossilguy/status/1995914840313876747


“Autumn 2025 marked by record rainfall in Luxembourg.

“If the last three months have seemed a damp, it’s because they officially were – especially September… September saw several precipitation records broken across the Grand Duchy, with all weather stations registering unusually high rainfall, as the month marked the start of a notably damp autumn.”

https://www.luxtimes.lu/luxembourg/autumn-2025-marked-by-record-rainfall-in-luxembourg/109315167.html


“A tornado hits the Taranto coast, uprooting trees in Manduria and San Pietro in Bevagna [Italy].

“A tornado struck Manduria, in the province of Taranto. The vortex hit a predominantly agricultural area toward San Pietro in Bevagna. The severe weather struck the Taranto area late this afternoon, Tuesday, December 2nd, causing damage…

https://bari.corriere.it/notizie/cronaca/25_dicembre_02/02-dic-2025-f26f750b-8f79-4146-84fc-e25db1a47xlk.shtml


“Storm sweeps into Greece, raising alert level…

“On Friday, storms are forecast to intensify, with red alerts issued for Pieria, Imathia, Halkidiki, Thessaloniki, Thessaly, the Sporades, Evia, the eastern Aegean islands and the Dodecanese, with localized high risk also in the Cyclades and Crete.”

https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/1288722/red-weather-alert-issued-for-nine-regions-including-capital/


“While Central Mediterranean has been wintry for weeks, abnormal warmth never ends in Eastern Mediterranean.

“Next days we will see insane tropical nights in parts of Turkey, perhaps Cyprus and the Levant. There had never been anything like this in December: expect dozens of records.”

https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1996277920000770282


“Severe weather: several neighborhoods flooded in Algiers…

“Cities were indeed flooded. This was especially the case in the capital, Algiers, where several neighborhoods were submerged in the early evening following heavy rains that continued for several hours.”

https://lalgerieaujourdhui.dz/intemperies-plusieurs-quartiers-inondes-a-alger/


“When a Prayer Is Also a Climate Signal.

“New research in North Africa is validating calls for communal rain prayers as a means of tracking droughts in the region… “I was trying to find a proxy, something that would tell me when food production was impacted or soil moisture was impacted at this regional [scale],” he said. The call for rain prayers, he realized, could be a key data point…”

https://eos.org/articles/when-a-prayer-is-also-a-climate-signal


“Gauteng and KZN face severe weather: Flooding and hail warnings in effect [South Africa].

“Authorities in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal have issued urgent warnings as Level 4 and Level 5 severe weather alerts remain in place, with thunderstorms already causing flooding, hailstorms and disruptions to services.”

https://www.msn.com/en-za/news/other/gauteng-and-kzn-face-severe-weather-flooding-and-hail-warnings-in-effect/ar-AA1RyQOb


“Israel braces for weekend storms after record-warm November.

“After an unusually hot, dry November marked by two heat waves, Israel faces a sharp weather shift with thunderstorms, cooler temperatures and flash flood risks in the south and east as conditions turn unsettled heading into the weekend.”

https://www.ynetnews.com/environment/article/s1wxrv6bwe


“Experts warn of looming water crisis in northwestern Türkiye.

“Water levels at two vital reservoirs supplying Çanakkale, northwestern Türkiye, have fallen dramatically amid persistent drought conditions, triggering serious concerns about the city’s ability to meet drinking, irrigation and general water needs in the coming months.”

https://www.dailysabah.com/turkiye/experts-warn-of-looming-water-crisis-in-northwestern-turkiye/news/amp


“HISTORIC WINTER HEAT IN MIDDLE EAST – records destroyed with insane margins. 100% UNPRECEDENTED.

“KUWAIT: 33.6 [92.5F] Managish, 33.3 Al Wafra, 32.5 Int. AP; December National record smashed by 2C. All stations broke their records! IRAN: 31.6 Abadan, 31.0 Omidieh; IRAQ: 31.3 Al Salman, 31.2 Basra.”

https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1995779979519377471


“Facing Severe Drought Iran Plans to Purchase Water From Neighboring Countries.

“Iranian Energy Minister Abbas Ali Abadi said that the government is now exploring external options to meet urgent domestic needs. “If there is a country willing to sell water, we will buy it,” he stated, according to remarks carried by German news agency DPA.”

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/879248/facing-severe-drought-iran-plans-to-purchase-water-from-neighboring-countries


“Himalayan Glaciers Melting Faster: India Intensifies Large-Scale Monitoring Through Multiple National Missions And Early Warning Systems.

“The Centre has informed Parliament that Himalayan glaciers are showing signs of accelerated and uneven mass loss, prompting an expansion of monitoring efforts and early-warning mechanisms across the region.”

https://swarajyamag.com/news-brief/himalayan-glaciers-melting-faster-india-intensifies-large-scale-monitoring-through-multiple-national-missions-and-early-warning-systems


“Will glacier melt lead to increased seismic activity in mountain regions?

“…The scientists sought to determine whether glacial meltwater driven by global warming could play a hand in increasing seismic activity too. “Our study provides the first direct observational link between climate-change-driven snow and glacier melt and a measurable increase in short-term seismic hazard.””

https://phys.org/news/2025-12-glacier-seismic-mountain-regions.html


“Climate disasters deepen food insecurity in the Punjab…

“The child has faced circumstances far beyond anyone her age should have. The floods that wreaked havoc on the Punjab region in India and Pakistan in August submerged her family’s farm for over a month, destroying an entire season’s worth of crops and killing some of their livestock. Her only cow was not spared.”

https://dialogue.earth/en/climate/climate-disasters-deepen-food-insecurity-in-the-punjab/


“Tamil Nadu Reels Under Torrential Rain; Chennai Residents Rescued by Boats.

“Coastal and interior Tamil Nadu were battered by torrential rainfall throughout Wednesday as the remnants of cyclonic storm Ditwah, now degraded into a well-marked low-pressure area over the north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast, continued to dump massive volumes of water, transforming streets into rivers and residential colonies into isolated islands across multiple districts.”

https://www.indianwitness.com/amp/news/national/tamil-nadu-reels-under-torrential-rain-chennai-resident


“‘No one helped us’: The Sri Lanka community left in a mass of mud and loss after cyclone…

“Many locals say they were not warned about the threat Cyclone Ditwah posed here before it struck last Friday, and weren’t told to evacuate. They say they’ve received very little help since. Resourceful neighbours were left to try to help rescue survivors.”

https://news.sky.com/story/no-one-helped-us-the-sri-lankan-community-left-in-a-mass-of-mud-and-loss-after-cyclone-ditwah-13478889


“Families on rooftops, homes buried by mud: Asia floods show water is overtaking wind as main threat…

“A review by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projected that south and south-east Asia will suffer more intense rain as temperatures rise, with a “large increase” in flood frequency striking monsoon regions.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/02/global-heating-and-other-human-activity-are-making-asias-floods-more-lethal


“Forecasts of fresh rain on Thursday raised fears of more damage in flood-hit Indonesia and Sri Lanka, after earlier deluges killed more than 1,500 people in four countries…

“Two separate weather systems dumped massive rainfall on all of Sri Lanka, Sumatra, parts of southern Thailand and northern Malaysia last week.”

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20251204-rain-forecasts-raise-fears-in-flood-hit-indonesia-sri-lanka


“South Korea’s Autumn Was the Second-Warmest and Second-Rainiest on Record.

“This year’s autumn was characterized by sustained high temperatures, resulting in the second-highest average temperature on record. Frequent rain from September through October also led to the second-highest number of precipitation days for the season.”

https://www.dongascience.com/en/news/75389


“14 rain records shattered as November storms devastate central Vietnam.

“Fourteen rainfall records were shattered as three consecutive storm systems devastated central and south-central Vietnam in November, causing historic flooding and economic losses estimated at VND29.32 trillion (US$1.11 billion).”

https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/environment/14-rain-records-shattered-as-november-storms-devastate-central-vietnam-4989705.html


“Floods paralyze National Highway 1 in Lam Dong, boats swept away [Vietnam]…

“Torrential rain overnight caused severe flooding across Lam Dong province, submerging key areas and rendering National Highway 1 impassable. Emergency evacuations were carried out as water levels continued to rise.”

https://vietnamnet.vn/en/floods-paralyze-national-highway-1-in-lam-dong-boats-swept-away-2469374.html


“Filipinos wade through floodwaters due to sinking land, rising sea & corruption.

“Flooded homes and submerged roads are now reshaping life in coastal and island communities in the Philippines, showing how a combination of hazards are influencing the way communities adapt and struggle to cope with climate change.”

https://news.mongabay.com/2025/12/filipinos-wade-through-floodwaters-due-to-sinking-land-rising-sea-corruption/


“WINTER SCORCHER IN THAILAND – after the November cool, heat came back with strength in Thailand.

“Today up to 36.7C [92.3F] at Chachoengsao and some December records broken or tied: 35.7 Samut Prakan (Southern Bangkok), 34.9 Trang, 34.3 Hat Yai.”

https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1996173265765798171


“Thailand pushes for climate change legislation to address rising weather extremes…

“Pirun stressed that while policy collaboration could help Thailand meet its 2030 targets, achieving the 2035 and Net Zero 2050 goals will require new tools, such as the Climate Change Act.”

https://www.nationthailand.com/sustainability/net-zero/40059213


“Where Floodwaters Turned Piles of Timber Into Floating Battering Rams [Sumatra]…

““Everywhere you look — left and right along the road — there are piles of timber,” said Sarma Hutajulu, a voluntary rescue worker who was helping clear debris in Tukka District. “Those are what smashed into people’s homes.””

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/03/world/asia/indonesia-sumatra-floods-timber-logs.html


“‘Holy crap, this is insane’: mineworkers describe being caught in huge outback dust storm [NT, Australia].

“Lachlan Marchant and his colleagues were driving their golf buggies back to their shed when they saw the earth sweeping towards them. “It reminded us of Uluru, the sheer size and width of this thing,” Marchant said. “It was just rolling at us.””

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/03/holy-crap-this-is-insane-mineworkers-describe-being-caught-in-huge-outback-dust-storm


“Tens of thousands of cars damaged after hailstorms lash Queensland and parts of New South Wales.

“The Insurance Council of Australia says about 40,000 motor vehicle insurance claims have been made after storms in Queensland and parts of New South Wales since late October. Claims have included things like smashed windscreens and dents, with some vehicles written off completely.”

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-04/hail-damage-to-cars-what-to-do/106097274


“Heatwave warning for large parts of Australia as temperatures expected to reach low 40s.

“Communities across large parts of Australia have been urged to take precautions as temperatures begin to soar ahead of severe and extreme heatwave conditions, with parts of western Sydney expected to reach the low 40s by Saturday.”

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/04/heatwave-warning-australia-sydney-temperatures-expected-40s


“‘Seek shelter now’: Bushfire emergency warning issued in Tasmania amid multiple uncontrolled blazes.

“A bushfire emergency warning has been activated in Tasmania amid multiple uncontrolled blazes across the state. Tasmania Fire Service (TFS) issued the warning for an area at Dolphin Sands in the state’s east, with an emergency alert advising people to “seek shelter now”.”

https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/seek-shelter-now-bushfire-emergency-warning-issued-in-tasmania-amid-multiple-uncontrolled-blazes/news-story/1a0532ae71523b9a1b8ce454f7f78d05


“Marinelli Glacier (Cordillera Darwin) 1913 | 2024 – another mind-boggling comparison!

“Marinelli Glacier [Chile] has lost >15 km during this period!

[Melaine Le Roy]

https://x.com/subfossilguy/status/1996312533934751877


“Global warming accelerates in the mountains.

“The mountains are sick…

“As for temperature, not only is it increasing in all the mountainous areas of the planet, but it is growing more rapidly than in the surrounding plains.”

https://evidencenetwork.ca/global-warming-accelerates-in-the-mountains/


“Ulapes: Classes and activities suspended after severe storm [Argentina]

“Norma Corzo, deputy mayor of Ulapes, one of the towns hardest hit by the severe storm that struck Tuesday afternoon, reported this to MEDIOS RIOJA. “More than 100 millimeters [4 inches] of rain fell in 40 minutes,” she stated…”

https://mediosrioja.com.ar/ulapes-suspenden-clases-y-actividades-tras-el-fuerte-temporal/


“Brazil enters red alert: rainfall of up to 100 mm/day, flooding and landslides put 3 states at extreme risk..

“Forecasts of heavy rain, risk of flooding, and instability on slopes have put three states on high alert, while meteorological agencies and emergency teams are reinforcing their precautions for possible impacts in the coming hours.”

https://en.clickpetroleoegas.com.br/Brazil-enters-red-alert%3A-rainfall-of-up-to-100-mm-per-day%3B-flooding-and-landslides-put-3-states-at-extreme-risk-%28AFCH%29/


“GUYANA AGAIN – 2023, 2024, 2025 : 36 months out of 36 breaking records in Guyana. December didn’t have to wait much: – min 26.2 [79.2F] Lethem December hottest night on record.

“Here we are again and again – record after record in every corner of the tropics.”

https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1995889862772486145


“Forest loss, fires and invasions soar in Nicaraguan wildlife refuge, watchdog warns.

“The Rio San Juan Wildlife Refuge in southern Nicaragua is part of the best-preserved humid forest in Central America, but illegal invasions, deforestation and mining have destroyed nearly a third of this protected area in less than 10 years, according to an NGO.”

https://news.mongabay.com/2025/12/forest-loss-fires-and-invasions-soar-in-nicaraguan-wildlife-refuge-watchdog-warns/


“While a harsh cold spell in battering USA and Canada, the abnormal heat persists in Mexico, Central America and Caribbean, almost all countries are with record heat.

“In Mexico 32C/90F is being reached every day above 1600m asl/5250 ft like at Huajuapan de Leon, Oaxaca State.”

https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1996400965399060896


“Fire in Everglades explodes in size; smoke impacts South Florida…

“Billowing clouds of smoke from the fires has begun drifting toward populated areas, including the inland towns of Coral Springs and Miramar as well as coastal beach communities such as Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach and Deerfield Beach.”

https://www.aol.com/fire-everglades-explodes-size-smoke-131521757.html


“California wildfires extinguished but investors’ concerns remain…

“The January 2025 California wildfires continue to affect the communities and individuals that endured them. The wildfires are also having an impact on investors, with climate risk now being factored in or at the very least considered.”

https://www.lseg.com/en/insights/data-analytics/california-wildfires-extinguished-but-investors-concerns-remain


“Where low temperature records from the 1800s may be broken this week.

“Temperature records from the 1800s are forecast to be broken on Thursday and Friday as an air mass from Nunavut, Canada, reaches the Midwest and Northeast. Then, more record-breaking cold is possible late in the weekend and next week when more freezing air, currently located near the North Pole, reaches the central and eastern United States.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2025/12/03/record-cold-midwest-northeast-forecast/


“Tiny cup corals show accelerating ocean acidification in the Salish Sea [off British Columbia]…

“The findings shocked them. Their research showed that the Salish Sea has become 40% more acidic than other parts of the ocean in the 200 years since the start of the industrial revolution. This much faster pace is due to the constant deep upwelling off the west coast…”

https://www.knkx.org/environment/2025-12-03/cup-corals-ocean-acidification-salish-sea-university-of-washington


“‘Creeping catastrophe’: Climate change is driving global rise in infectious diseases, leading health experts warn.

“Data gathered in countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America identified that experts throughout the world consider vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue as the most rapidly escalating threats, followed by tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.”

https://www.tropicalmedicine.ox.ac.uk/news/2018creeping-catastrophe2019-climate-change-is-driving-global-rise-in-infectious-diseases-leading-health-experts-warn?ref=image


“Why Solar Geoengineering Is Now a Moral Imperative.

“As we confront the aftermath of a disastrous COP30, we not only face a warming planet, but we also find ourselves approaching a crisis of hope… one of America’s most influential climate scientists, James Hansen, believe that solar geoengineering may be the only tool that could allow us to avoid these tipping points.”

https://earth.org/why-solar-geoengineering-is-now-a-moral-imperative/


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You can read the previous “Climate” thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an “Economic” thread.