Huge thanks to my sponsor for July, who has asked me to promote the excellent Environmental Coffeehouse YouTube channel. For the uninitiated, the channel covers climate, conservation, pollution, biodiversity, sustainability, and the intersection of environment, society, and policy.
“Earth is heating up faster than at any time in its history.
“…nowhere in the geological record is there evidence for the average temperature of our world climbing as quickly as it is now. This means 10 times faster than during the Palaeocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, which marked extreme hothouse conditions 56 million years ago, and at least 20 times faster than at the end of the last glacial period.” [picture from current Bordeaux wildfires]
“Tree rings are best proxies for Holocene climate reconstruction!
“This work shows that NH Common Era natural variability was ca 4°C, extended to 5.5 °C during the 21st c.! What are considered ‘warm periods’ (RWP, MCA) aren’t really that hot compared to the 21st century!”
[Melaine Le Roy]
https://x.com/subfossilguy/status/2080312495210660157
“We expect unusual sea surface temperature (SST) and global warming the rest of this year to make 2026 hotter than 2024 [ie the hottest year on record], despite 2024 being a peak El Nino year, while 2026 is only the lead-in year of an emerging El Nino.
“Beware the “surprise” record high being blamed on an extreme El Nino on top of global warming otherwise consistent with IPCC estimates.” [Prof Jim Hansen]
https://mailchi.mp/caa/beware-media-hype-its-not-the-el-nino
“Super El Niño Forecast Pushes Toward Record Strength as Winter 2026/2027 Signals Emerge.
“Latest data shows the 2026 El Niño is rapidly intensifying. Warm Pacific waters are expanding, and the new forecasts are pushing this event deeper into the Super El Niño category. Based on the latest data, this could be the strongest El Niño event in the historical record, with its atmospheric impacts already clearly visible.”
“Here’s today’s CFSv2 update on the projected El Niño strength, now peaking at 4.29°C above the 1991-2020 baseline.
“July’s rise is not yet playing out in actual Niño 3.4 SST measurements. The Climate 8-ball is expecting a big jump any day. Stay tuned!” [Prof Eliot Jacobson]
https://x.com/EliotJacobson/status/2080636052948279365
“Cairngorms National Park wildfire declared major incident as hundreds of villagers evacuated [Scotland].
“The wildfire has been raging since 15 July, but weather conditions experienced over the past 24 hours have aggravated the situation. Residents of Nethy Bridge are being sent to a dedicated respite centre at the MacDonald Aviemore Resort.”
“Drought declared in parts of Wales as July on course to be driest in nearly 200 years…
“Natural Resources Wales (NRW) said on Thursday that record-low river flows, back-to-back heatwaves and widespread wildfires have prompted the declaration of drought status in north Wales and the Upper Severn.”
“Dramatic satellite images show devastating impact of UK’s record-breaking heatwaves…
“Last month was England’s hottest June on record, the Met Office has confirmed, hitting 37.7C in Lingwood, Norfolk on the 26th. This surpassed the 35.6C set in 1957 and equalled the 1976 record. Sweltering temperatures have continued into July…”
“The UK’s Grid Is Wilting in the Heat Wave.
“…the UK’s national grid operator has not only been issuing increasingly shrill warnings that it does not have enough energy to power the heat wave-induced demand for more energy generation, but is now contemplating stopping the sharing of energy with our continental neighbours, Denmark, the Netherlands, France and Germany.”
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2026-07-24/the-uk-s-grid-is-wilting-in-the-heat-wave
“The summer that spilled out of the bell curve: ancient climate statistics said it was impossible [western Europe].
It’s insane what we’re seeing this year compared to previous years… We’re no longer talking about a warmer-than-normal year. The climate has shifted to a range that the old statistics said shouldn’t happen. [Dr JJ González Alemán]
https://x.com/glezjuanje/status/2080668518903628108
“Temperatures approaching 40 °C are once again expected across many parts of Europe.
“The video shows temperature anomalies compared to the 40-year average during the coming week.”
[Ventusky]
https://x.com/Ventuskycom/status/2080552670943727849
“German municipalities impose water restrictions.
“Germany is introducing water restrictions as prolonged drought and recurring heatwaves put pressure on water supplies. Around 80 municipalities have imposed limits on activities such as filling pools, watering gardens and washing cars.”
“Alps glaciers melt at record pace amid Western Europe heatwave.
“Glaciers across the Alps and Pyrenees are facing record melting this year, as western Europe endures its third heatwave since May, with scientists warning that 2026 could rival or surpass the historic ice loss recorded in 2022.”
“‘Without us, they are doomed’: volunteers save fish from French rivers drying up in heatwaves…
““The situation is catastrophic, far worse than we thought,” said Le Bouter, of the Finistère fishing federation. Once they catch the fish, he and his team transfer them to tanks of oxygenated water then release them 10 or 12 miles downstream where the rivers are joined by tributaries, raising the water level.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/25/france-rivers-heatwaves-water-levels-drop
“More than 220,000 flee as wildfires “beyond the capacity” of firefighters continue in France and Spain.
“French President Emmanuel Macron has mobilised the military to assist in the response, as around 200,000 people have been evacuated from the Gironde and Landes regions of south-west France. Meanwhile, a fire near Madrid is “beyond the capacity” of firefighters to contain, according to Spanish officials, after three fires west of the capital have merged.”
https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/220-000-flee-wildfires-firefighters-france-spain-5Hjdf8Z_2/
“Severe Storms Cause Widespread Crop Damage in Evros [northernmost Greece]…
“Powerful winds, combined with sudden and intense hail in the afternoon, battered fields of cotton, corn, alfalfa, seed crops, vegetables and beans. Extensive damage was also reported to tree crops, particularly walnut orchards.”
https://www.tovima.com/society/severe-storms-cause-widespread-crop-damage-in-evros/
“Water temperatures along parts of the northern coast have climbed above those in the Algarve, reversing what is normally expected during the summer [Portugal].
“The reason isn’t a heatwave in the north, but rather the absence of one of Portugal’s best-known summer weather features: the nortada, the strong northerly wind that usually blows along the west coast.”
“Today the central Mediterranean has reached 33 °C [91.4F]. We are entering uncharted territory.”
[Jesus Candel]
https://x.com/CandelJesus/status/2080402530266231211
“ANOTHER 49c DAY – North Africa has never seen anything like this heatwave.
“LAST RECORDS: TUNISIA 47.3 [117.1F] Gafsa, all time record; Min. 30.2 Djerba, high Min. MOROCCO: 47.2 Taourir,t all time record; LIBYA min. 31.4 Nalut, record high Min.”
[Extreme Temps]
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2080362980986741192
“Wildfires hound Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco.
“Deadly forest fires have been raging across Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia for more than a week, as an ongoing heatwave, dry conditions and strong winds fuel the flames and hamper firefighting efforts. Firefighters across the region are struggling to contain the blazes, which have burned vast areas and forced evacuations.”
https://www.france24.com/en/wildfires-hound-tunisia-algeria-and-morocco
“Chad’s desert east faces ‘dire need’ for access to water.
“In Chad’s far-flung east, a “dire need” for water blights lives and fuels deadly violence over access to wells in an impoverished and sweltering desert region… Chad, a largely semi-desert country grappling with major threats from climate change, began producing oil in 2003 but remains deeply poor…”
https://www.africanews.com/amp/2026/07/23/chads-desert-east-faces-dire-need-for-access-to-water/
“Another exceptional record in SAUDI ARABIA:
“On Tuesday scorching hot night at Makkah with a Minimum of 36.0C [96.8F], which is the July hottest night ever recorded at Makkah and one of the highest Minimums ever recorded in Saudi Arabia.” [Extreme Temps]
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2080272858081587575
“Heat, winds and storms fuel wildfires across Kazakhstan.
“Kazakhstan is grappling with an intense wildfire season, driven by extreme heat, strong winds and thunderstorms, with hundreds of fires recorded across the country, authorities said.”
https://caliber.az/en/post/heat-winds-and-storms-fuel-wildfires-across-kazakhstan
“Heavy hail hits Namangan: 18 anti-hail rockets deployed [Uzbekistan].
“On July 23, a heavy hailstorm hit the Yangikurgan district of the Namangan region, turning some roads white within minutes. Footage circulating on social media shows traffic disruptions and damage to fruit trees.”
https://zamin.uz/en/society/214046-namanganda-yollar-oqardi-dolga-qarshi-18-raketa-qollandi.html
“Pakistan monsoon death toll rises to 86 as more heavy rain forecast…
“The fresh weather warning comes after weeks of monsoon rains that have battered much of Pakistan, triggering flash floods, collapsing homes and damaging infrastructure.”
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2652178/amp
“Monsoon fury isolates Baltistan region [Pakistan].
“Monsoon rains and flash floods continued to batter Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) on Friday, severing road links to entire districts, destroying homes, bridges and farmland, stranding hundreds of tourists and triggering shortages of food and fuel…”
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620146/monsoon-fury-isolates-baltistan-region
“Gujarat [India] Under Water: 1,300 mm Of Rain [51.2 inches] In Just 48 Hours, 38,000+ Evacuated.
“Among the worst-affected areas is Umbergaon in Valsad district, which received an astonishing more than 1,300 mm of rainfall within 48 hours. The record-breaking rain submerged residential areas, damaged roads, and left several villages cut off from the outside world.”
https://www.vibesofindia.com/gujarat-floods-record-rainfall-umbergaon-mass-evacuations-red-alert/
“500% excess rainfall, not cloudburst, triggered upper Assam floods.
“Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday attributed the devastating floods in Upper Assam to unprecedented rainfall in Nagaland and parts of Assam, ruling out any role of cloudbursts or the release of water from hydroelectric projects.”
“Fourteen more new deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours from floods that started earlier this month in India’s northeastern Assam state, according to officials on Friday.
“The State Disaster Management Authority said the death toll has reached 61.”
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/14-more-die-due-to-floods-in-india-s-assam/4008790
“Sikkim tunnel disaster revives debate: How much can the Himalayas take?
“Three years after the catastrophic glacial lake outburst flood, the tragedy raises concerns over gross oversight, ignored geological warnings, and the true cost of ‘green energy’.”
“Bangladeshi flood victims wait next to bags of grains at a relief centre in Sarikandi…
“Millions of people made homeless in South Asia’s worst floods in one-and-a half decades were threatened by disease on Saturday as rising waters cut off access to food and drinking water.”
“Climate Change Deepens the Crisis in Madhesh [Nepal]…
“”First the rain and windstorms in April and May made life difficult, then came the intense heat in June,” Sada said. “We somehow managed to sow the seeds around mid-June. Even by mid-July, there hasn’t been enough rain. How are we supposed to transplant the paddy?“”
https://www.cijnepal.org/climate-change-deepens-the-crisis-in-madhesh
“El Niño Worsens Plight of Asia’s Rice Belt After War Price Shock.
“A dry spell is sweeping across Asia’s rice fields, dealing another blow to farmers grappling with steep fuel and fertilizer prices triggered by the war in Iran. From Vietnam to the Philippines, production of the region’s most important food staple is under threat…”
“HISTORIC HEAT IN CHINA & MONGOLIA:
“Endless heat wave in the area – 28 more records of July highest temperature in China and July record hottest night at Chengdu. But even more incredible mind blowing MINIMUM OF 31.3C [88.3F] at Ekhn-gol – MONGOLIA HOTTEST NIGHT EVER.” [Extreme Temps]
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2080640125839478844
“Toll from landslide in southwestern China rises to 11 dead, with 50 people still missing…
“The search continues but there have been no recent signs of life after many efforts to detect additional survivors from Friday’s collapse in Pengshui County at the edge of the city, the county government said in a statement.”
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/beijing-china-chongqing-chinese-hubei-b3020460.html
“Dashcam footage shows the moment a car in China was tossed through the air by a powerful tornado.
“It comes days after Typhoon Bavi, a storm that affected several regions in Asia, made landfall in Zhejiang on 11 July. It was the province’s strongest July typhoon since 1949, the State Council of the People’s Republic of China said.”
https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/news/china-tornado-car-typhoon-bavi-video-b3020043.html
“Typhoon [Noul] Set to Soak Southern China With Heavy Rain This Weekend.
“A typhoon is expected to strike the southern Chinese coast to the east of Hong Kong this weekend, dumping heavy rainfall across a region that has already seen a wetter-than-normal month.”
“HISTORIC HEAT WAVE IN JAPAN:
“4th consecutive day >40C [104F]! All time records: 40.8 Kuwana, 39.5 Okazaki,38.8 Hagiwara, 38.1 Gojo, 37.1 Nimi. Plus 21 Monthly records (see below).”
[Extreme Temps]
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2080571871276232891
“Never ending record heat in THAILAND:
“Today 37.2C 98.9F] at the Suvannaphum Int. Airport broke again its record of July highest temperature. Thailand has been breaking and rebreaking records non-stop since early 2023, in every region of the country.” [Extreme Temps]
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2080709899097354676
“What can the Galápagos Islands’ animals teach us about the threats of El Niño?
“…“The main question I have is if these climate shocks become so frequent that the ecosystem passes a tipping point and switches to another state of perhaps low productivity and biodiversity,” says Witman. “That happens with ecosystems. They get pushed so far that they end up in an entirely new state.””
“Peru is bracing for an El Niño event that threatens the citrus blossom season…
“According to David Maticorena, CEO and founder of Agrocitrus, the current situation is different from the severe drought that occurred two years ago. “We are now seeing the exact opposite,” he stated, as the sector expects high temperatures and heavy rainfall from November onward.”
“Masked men invading and taking Amazon communities ‘hostage’ in organised crime surge, say local leaders…
“Indigenous leaders on the Brazilian-Peruvian border have said their communities are being “taken hostage” by organised crime groups who are running rampant across the region, destroying rainforest, building roads and trafficking drugs.”
“RECORD HEAT IN FRENCH GUIANA:
“34.5C [94.1F] yesterday in the Cayenne Int. AP tied its record of the July highest temperature in history.” [Extreme Temps]
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2080550672110358732
“Yet another record in Mexico:
“The Minimum Temperature at Salina Cruz (Oaxaca State) was 29.7C [85.5F] tonight which is the highest ever recorded in history. Record hot nights on the Pacific coast have been going on since last year, non-stop.” [Extreme Temps]
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2079982428140003767
“EXCEPTIONAL HEAT FROM CANADA TO MEXICO:
“Hottest nights in history across the Pacific. MINIMUMS: 26.8C/80F Lytton- The famous Canadian hot spot; 97F/36.1C Phoenix – Highest Minimum tied; 30.7C/87F Mazatlan- The famous Mexican tourist resort town.” [Extreme Temps]
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2080769884296806680
“The planet’s strongest heat dome will soon tower over the Rockies and Plains.
“…another heat dome — predicted to strengthen Saturday into the most powerful one on the planet at that time — is threatening to break more records across the Plains and Rockies. Heat domes are towering and slow-moving areas of high pressure that trap hot air — and they often lead to heat waves.”
“Salt Lake City wants to limit non-residential water use to 200,000 gallons daily…
“”We have got to get our heads and our hands around the water crisis, and start to manage things more responsibly. It’s literally a human survival issue, so … I would be happier if we went even stricter,” said Salt Lake City Councilwoman Victoria Petro.”
“Arizona expected to take a 31% cut in Colorado River supplies…
“The bureau will be trying to at least reduce if not eliminate a massive deficit between the river’s annual flows and the amount of river water that cities, businesses, farms and tribes take from it.”
https://tucson.com/news/local/environment/article_dc17f7e9-e471-4d58-ae23-afccf8b0ebf2.html
“Oregon firefighters brace for windy and hot weather as they battle dozens of blazes.
“Firefighters battling two of the largest blazes burning in Oregon were bracing for windy and dry conditions forecast to arrive in some areas of the state Friday and into Saturday.”
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/oregon-national-weather-service-san-francisco-b3021344.html
“Thousands of lightning strikes trigger fresh wildfires in western Canada…
“Nearly 34,000 lightning strikes over the past week led to a series of fires and evacuation orders in southern British Columbia. There were 25 evacuation orders and 90 active wildfires in the province as of Friday morning, and authorities said warming and drying conditions could cause them to grow.”
“Anchorage ties record for wettest July, with more rain likely…
“A recent extended period of rainy weather in Anchorage and Southcentral Alaska led to flood watches in Anchorage and concerns in Talkeetna, Ninilchik and Seward about flood or landslide impacts.”
“Trump ally floats Republican pitch for sun-blocking technologies…
““If I were in this current White House, I’d say, ‘Well, we should support SRM because it’s a good insurance policy for continued fossil fuel use,’” said George David Banks, referring to solar radiation management, a largely theoretical response to global warming that involves spraying reflective particles into the stratosphere.”
https://www.eenews.net/articles/trump-ally-floats-republican-pitch-for-sun-blocking-technologies/
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You can read the previous “Climate” thread here. I’ll be back on Monday with an “Economic” thread.
Just stumbled upon this video in my feed. A fascinating glimpse into the cuisine of the 2030s – locusts!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh2N3iPVHsE
I didn’t know grasshoppers/locusts were a fairly common food source in antiquity. Makes sense considering they’re rich in protein and the uncertainty that loomed over agricultural output before FFs and industrial nitrogen fixation. Also you’re eating pests that would otherwise eat your crops, so two locusts with one stone as it were. You know what, sold! Bring on the locust revolution!
AI Overview
Humans mostly eat locusts fried, boiled, roasted, or sun-dried, though they are rarely eaten raw due to the risk of parasites and bacteria. Cooking methods vary widely by region and tradition.
ScienceDirect.com
+4
Cooking Methods
Fried: Pan-fried or deep-fried in oil until crunchy and golden brown, often mixed with spices, garlic, or chili.
Boiled: Briefly boiled in salted water before being eaten directly or laid out to dry in the sun.
Roasted: Cooked directly over an open flame or roasted in a pan without extra oil until crisp.
Raw: Generally avoided, though historical accounts note rare instances of consumption after immediate cleaning, cooking is strongly advised for safety.
Kooks like freeze dried it is
In Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart” locusts were a welcome addition to their usual diet of yams … they actually looked forward to the tasty morsels.
I suppose it’s a mental adjustment that people will make if they are hungry enough. There’s nothing inherently worse about eating insects than eating their fellow arthropods like prawns and crabs.
Perhaps here in the Hebrides, we’ll turn the tables on the midges by catching them in giant nets, compressing them into patties and frying them up, as they do on Lake Victoria. “Kunga cake” they call it, and it packs more protein than beef.
If eating insects makes you uncomfortable i recommend drying them and grinding them. Then add ad a powder to a cooked recipe
It would be more informative if most of Pan’s links would also report the wet-bulb temp next to the normal dry-bulb temp.
They need to establish a common, agreed upon format such as:
28C 82F (32.2 wC 90 wF)
lower case ‘w’ for wet bulb
This would be especially important info as dangerous wet-bulb temps become more frequent and widespread.
Bob Shaw Are Humans Smarter than Yeast?
If high humidity is a particular feature of a heatwave, as it was in the UK during our record-breaking June, for example, then I’ll try to get that information in, Bob. Otherwise, there just aren’t enough hours in the day, unfortunately.
Did you know that your sponsor for the month is being accused online of being in a cult? Her remark on the smoke from the Canadian wildfires somehow elicited the absurd accusation.
Are we in a cult-by-association, then?
“occultism is a cult’s schism”, Alexander Pope of Greenwich Village.
Rob, I should probably clarify that my sponsor is not Sandy Schoelles’ Environmental Coffeehouse itself but a very nice fan thereof. I didn’t know Sandy had unwittingly stumbled into a firestorm of controversy, but I found a video where she addresses it:
“After posting a video I took at Keuka Lake in Central NY on X that I honestly thought only the Climate Crisis Club folks would see, it exploded and I got lots of comments- some thoughtful, some skeptical, and many repeating the same old BS claims about climate change and wildfires.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JnRJxdllOE
Not you Pan, I was suggesting that all weather reporters get together to establish a uniform format.
The software could simplify the process for the reporters: just type in dry bulb temp in C & humidity, then hit some dedicated soft key.
Voila! The completed text result like in my suggested format above. Nobody has to do any conversions or calculations.
https://www.mining.com/us-estimates-federal-coal-could-power-nation-for-600-years/
Me: If this happens, then everyone 24/7 will wear oxygen tanks plus live inside an AC spacesuit.
I remember a similar article doing the rounds a few months ago. I don’t think I am spoiling any plots if I point out that we do not have 600 years.
It’s hard to convince humans there’s a PETM in their future when their future depends on it not happening.
http://www.johnrember.com/blog/a-billion-for-your-soul
I appreciate your essay, John. I agree the billionaires don’t seem to have souls. But unlike the “Democratic Socialists along with other utopians” I think we know that a “change in leadership” wouldn’t save us from our fate. We won’t be “finding a way to repair the damage to the world that has already been done.” There won’t be “draconian moral strictures that limit power and wealth and the ability to deliberately ignore or cause the suffering of others.” And there won’t be the achievement of “sanity on a species-wide basis.”
It’s no fun being a realist. I am going to tend to my soul with some Beethoven. Whatever works for you all, my friends.
John, it is a beautifully written piece. “Our civilization is experiencing a general psychosis of narcissism.”
This is it exactly. The existentially threatened human ego is running riot, desperately “seeking permanence through control, accumulation, and domination,” as Eckhart Tolle puts it.
“The current fascination with immortality science among billionaires is a symptom of the unpleasant truth that humans cannot live forever.”
Political leaders, too:
“Is it possible to become immortal with the help of organ transplants? That was the unexpected topic of discussion this week between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin when they met at a military parade in Beijing.”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly1w9z72r6o
“Scientists are working on making rejection-free organs, using genetically-altered pigs as the donors.
They use a gene editing tool known as crispr to remove some of the pig genes and add certain human genes to make the organ more compatible.
Breeding special pigs for this is ideal, say experts, since their organs are roughly the right size for people.
…
“Another avenue being explored is growing brand new organs using our own human cells.
Stem cells have the ability to grow into any type of cell or tissue found in the body.
No research group has yet been able to make fully functional, transplantable human organs, but scientists are getting closer.”
STOP!!! STOOOOPPPPPP! AGHHHHHHH!
Methinks you’re an Upton Sinclair fan.
https://youtu.be/_78Hlglk_sw?is=FUZJZrcIWCTbr-57
Shit your pants moment. It looks really bad for oil and gas supply.
Hormuz superspreading link below:
https://abcnews-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/abcnews.com/amp/International/scientists-warn-invasive-species-superspreader-event-due-stalling/story?amp_gsa=1&_js_v=a9&id=135051186&usqp=mq331AQIUAKwASCAAgM%3D#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=17850762561692&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&share=https%3A%2F%2Fabcnews.com%2FInternational%2Fscientists-warn-invasive-species-superspreader-event-due-stalling%2Fstory%3Fid%3D135051186
Me: also, intense wildfire smoke & ashes around power lines creates an ionization field causing high energy arcing which makes power flickering and temporary breaker tripping.
Today’s saying’ Without us they’re doomed LMAO