“Breaking News! Code Yikes!
“The latest CO2 data just came in from Mauna Loa and the 3-year rate of CO2 growth just hit a new record high, now growing at a rate of 7.97 ppm per 3 years.
“(That dip in the mid-1990’s is Mt. Pinatubo. Google is your friend.)” [Prof Eliot Jacobson]
https://x.com/EliotJacobson/status/2008551223251915064
“Oceans struggle to absorb Earth’s carbon dioxide as microplastics invade their waters…
“”Climate disruption and plastic pollution are two major environmental challenges that intersect in complex ways. MPs (microplastics) influence biogeochemical processes, disrupt oceanic carbon pumps, and contribute directly to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions,” they write in a study…”
https://phys.org/news/2026-01-oceans-struggle-absorb-earth-carbon.html
“Marine geoscientists link warming with ancient ocean ‘salty blob’…
“The findings, the researchers said, are evidence of the crucial role the Southern Ocean plays in planetary climate. This is because it is one of the few places that truly deep waters—with their high load of carbon dioxide—surface and “exhale” the gas back into the atmosphere.”
https://phys.org/news/2026-01-marine-geoscientists-link-ancient-ocean.html
“ABSOLUTE INSANITY GOING ON IN THE ARCTIC – Mind blowing MINIMUM +4.4C [39.9F] Grise Fiord [Arctic Canada] – HOTTEST NIGHT EVER RECORDED IN THE NOVEMBER – APRIL SEMESTER.
“+1.8C at Alert 82N considered the northernmost inhabited station (but by researchers, not native indigenous) – the first time it rises above freezing in the first quarter of the year. 30C above average.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2008757772985541001
“Specieswatch: tough times for reindeer as rain increases in warming Arctic.
“When rain falls on snow, the snow melts and refreezes, creating layers of ice that make it more difficult for reindeer to scrape through to the fodder below. Climate records going back to 1960 show that warmer winters have resulted in more rain-on-snow events in Arctic regions.”
“Norway Sees Hottest Year On Record In 2025.
“Norway recorded its hottest year ever in 2025, following a strong summer heatwave and an unusually mild winter that started late in the year, the Norwegian Meteorological Institute said on Wednesday.”
https://www.barrons.com/news/norway-sees-hottest-year-on-record-in-2025-13e7fc35
“2025 warmest year on record in North Sea according to German maritime agency.
“Germany’s Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) has reported that the North Sea endured its warmest year ever in 2025, with average surface temperatures hitting 11.6°C – the highest since records began in 1969.”
“Italy’s scenic Amalfi Coast was cut in two by a landslide as heavy rains and snow continued to sweep the country Wednesday…
“Elsewhere flights from major airports to Albania were diverted to Brindisi whence travellers took ferries. Schools were closed due to the extreme weather in Trieste…”
“‘It’s a disaster’: Kosovo battles floods, blackouts as heavy rains lash country.
“Heavy rains caused severe flooding and power outages in Kosovo this week, prompting emergency services to respond to incidents across the country. “Water has entered up to two meters into the house. It is very dangerous, there is a huge amount of water (from the rain), and even the river is unable to take all this water.”
“Heavy Rains Cause Evacuations and Discontent in Albania.
“Several towns and villages have been seriously affected by the heavy rain that started on Tuesday in Albania… The Ministry of Defence has not yet published a report on the damage done so far, since the situation is ongoing, but it appears dramatic in several towns.”
https://balkaninsight.com/2026/01/07/heavy-rains-cause-evacuations-and-discontent-in-albania/
“Warmest January spell ever in Europe. Hundreds of records of winter warm nights keep falling in Greece, Turkey, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Russia, Ukraine…
“Update: We are witnessing the most insane unbelievable event in European climatic history. Greeks from Crete sleeping with AC in January with temperatures up to 26C [78.8F] in the middle of the night. It’s like August.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2009095238498078813
“4.4 Million at Risk: Action Against Hunger Responds to Somalia’s Worsening Drought…
“Somalia is facing a catastrophic drought emergency, with millions of people at risk of hunger, malnutrition, and preventable death. Consecutive poor rainy seasons have left communities struggling to access food and water, pushing the country into one of its most severe humanitarian crises in recent years.”
“HISTORIC HEAT IN MIDDLE EAST – Hundreds of records smashed between Europe, Africa and Asia.
“35.0C [95F] at Yenbo [Saudi Arabia] on the North Red Sea coast: hottest January day in history. Over 170 countries are breaking heat records.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2008970196690809313
“Muddy water, repeated cuts disrupt daily life in Ankara, Turkey.
“Ankara’s water crisis is worsening, with frequent outages and poor water quality disrupting daily life across the capital. Infrastructure failures and falling network pressure have left many districts without regular access to water, prompting mounting public anger…”
https://www.dailysabah.com/turkiye/muddy-water-repeated-cuts-disrupt-daily-life-in-ankara/news
“Water shortage forces Iraq to shut fish farms…
“Iyad Al-Talibi, head of the Iraqi Fish Producers Association, told Shafaq News that the Ministry of Water Resources ordered the shutdown of all licensed earthen fish farms from November 2025, citing severe water shortages. The measure was later postponed allowing producers to sell existing stock.”
https://shafaq.com/en/society/Water-shortage-forces-Iraq-to-shut-fish-farms
“Drought and Water Mismanagement Leave Thousands of Iranian Villages Deserted.
“Iran faces a rural collapse with 31,000 villages deserted due to drought and water mismanagement. Officials report a massive demographic shift as drying wetlands force millions into cities.”
“People are leaving cities to escape toxic air [India].
“There is a growing trend of productive people leaving polluted metros for smaller cities, leaving behind growth prospects and their roots for cleaner air… The ability to exit, however, is unequal. The affluent can afford to distance themselves from pollution, while poor households remain disproportionately exposed.”
https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/toxic-air-pushing-people-to-migrate-from-cities/
“Drought-hit Barind sees agricultural shift as farmers turn to fruit cultivation [Bangladesh].
“Once heavily dependent on water-intensive crops such as rice, jute and wheat, farmers are now increasingly turning to fruits and vegetables like tomato, guava, dragon fruit, malta and orange as profitable alternatives amid declining irrigation facilities and rising production costs.”
https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/nation/400518/drought-hit-barind-sees-agricultural-shift-as
“Indonesia’s illegal gold boom leaves a toxic legacy of mercury pollution.
“A nearly 70% rise in global gold prices has accelerated illegal gold mining across Indonesia, including in Bukit Gajah Berani, a forest buffer next to Kerinci Seblat National Park, threatening critical tiger habitat and protected forests nationwide.”
“22 villages in Aceh vanish after Cyclone Senyar, dozens remain isolated…
“Mr Murthalamuddin, spokesman for the Aceh Hydrometeorological Disaster Response Post, said Gayo Lues regency is hit hardest, with eight villages – Kuning Kurnia, Tetingi, Seneren, Remukut, Agusen, Pasir, Uyem Beriring and Pungke – completely swept away by floods and landslides.”
“Death toll from flash floods in Indonesia’s North Sulawesi rises to 16.
“Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency said late Tuesday that at least 22 people were injured and 682 others displaced after flooding hit the Siau Tagulandang Biaro Islands Regency on Monday. In a statement, the agency said authorities declared a state of emergency for 14 days…”
“EXTRAORDINARY HEAT IN OCEANIA AND SE ASIA:
“Records are being smashed all over the tropics. PHILIPPINES has been breaking heat records for almost 1000 consecutive days EVERY SINGLE DAY. Today Min 25.5 [77.9F] Dagupan Monthly record… Also MALDIVES had its hottest January night on record.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2008731509411508492
“Western Australia’s current heatwave is breaking records, with parts of the state almost reaching temperatures of 50 degrees.
“The remote town of Paraburdoo recorded a minimum temperature of 35.8 degrees [96.4F] yesterday morning, the highest ever recorded in the state, according to Weatherzone.”
“As Australia bakes through an extreme heat wave, even insects aren’t immune to its impact…
“Adding rocks to birdbaths can provide somewhere for flying insects to land and drink. This is a simple way to help them beat the heat—but don’t forget to regularly clean the bird baths to prevent mosquitoes.”
https://phys.org/news/2026-01-australia-extreme-insects-immune-impact.html
“‘The most dangerous day’: bushfires break out in Victoria as BoM warns of catastrophic conditions to come.
“Victoria’s Hume Highway was closed on Thursday and regional trains were cancelled as firefighters from at least two states fought bushfires in the worst heatwave to descend on Australia since 2019-20.”
“More than 3,000 tourists evacuated as Patagonia battles wildfires.
“Thousands of hectares of forest have been devoured by fire since Monday in a part of Argentina still recovering a year on from its worst wildfires in three decades. Hundreds of firefighters with backup from helicopters and six water-bombing planes were working to contain the flames whipped up by high temperatures, strong winds and severe drought conditions.”
“Another regional record broken in CHILE the day before yesterday: 37.7C [99.9F] Chile Chico hottest day ever recorded in The Aysen Region. (Chile Chico is also a long term station).
“In total 3 regions of Chile had their hottest days in history.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2008531498660426039
“Tiny patches of deforestation drive [majority of] tropical carbon loss…
“Most of these small patches are not the result of dramatic clear-cutting or catastrophic fires, but rather the cumulative effect of modest human actions – expanding croplands, creating pasture, building roads and establishing settlements.”
“Urban sprawl and illegal mining reshape a fragile Amazon frontier [Colombia]…
“The Amazonian forests, rivers and Indigenous communities who surround Mitú are impacted by urbanization, the overexploitation of natural resources, cattle ranching, illegal mining and timber extraction which have caused deforestation, soil degradation and water pollution.”
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/illegal-mining-and-urban-sprawl-reshape-a-fragile-amazon-frontier/
“Heavy rains cause flooding and waterlogging on main roads in Bogotá.
““Due to heavy rains, flooding is beginning to occur on the Autopista Norte and Carrera 7. The Bogotá Mayor’s Office is conducting ongoing monitoring with units on the ground. Motorists are advised to drive with caution and pay attention to information from Transit Bogotá.””
“EXCEPTIONAL JANUARY WARM SPELL. After the most record breaking December warm spell in history, we have the second round in January [US]:
“Expect several monthly records this week in over a dozen States. Texas and Louisiana will also see MINIMUMS in the 70s. More 90s maxes in Texas.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2008571622467527106
“Where record warmth far outpaced the cold last year…
“With springlike temperatures and numerous warm records expected across the U.S. to open January, this year is starting off in similar fashion.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2026/01/07/record-warm-cold-temperatures-2025-maps/
“America’s tornado hot spots are shifting. Experts say this might be why…
“The findings build on previous observations showing “Tornado Alley” – the Plains-centered region that has long been known as tornado central – has moved eastward in recent decades due to regional climate change…”
https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/us-tornado-alley-hot-spots-b2895642.html
“How is drought in New England affecting water levels and the environment?
“Recent reports of wells drying up in New Hampshire reflect a pattern we’re increasingly seeing across New England: extended dry periods and below-normal precipitation are stressing shallow groundwater systems that many homeowners depend on.”
https://phys.org/news/2026-01-drought-england-affecting-environment.html
“Nova Scotia wild blueberry crop reduced 55% after drought…
“Wild blueberry growers in Nova Scotia are reviewing prospects for the coming season following severe drought conditions during the summer of 2025. Janette McDonald, Executive Director of the Wild Blueberry Producers Association of Nova Scotia, said the prolonged dry period resulted in a reduction of around 55 per cent…
“Climate change shifts the North Pacific storm track polewards…
“Our analysis further reveals that climate models underestimate the polewards shift of the storm track in recent decades, suggesting that the future human-induced impacts on both the North Pacific ecosystem and western North America might be larger than in current predictions.”
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09895-y
“New ECMWF guidance aggressively predicts the development of a planet-warming El Niño this year, with changes in Pacific wind patterns signaling that a transition is underway.
“While possible impacts vary by region, El Niño would play a key role in shaping global weather patterns.” [Ben Noll]
https://x.com/BenNollWeather/status/2008546597072732180
“Trump moves to pull US out of bedrock global climate treaty, becoming first country to do so.
“The Trump administration is pulling the United States out of the bedrock treaty that underpins international cooperation on climate change, along with dozens of other global bodies, according to a memorandum released by the White House Wednesday evening and an accompanying social media post.”
https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/07/climate/trump-withdrawal-climate-treaty-international-agreements
“Can recycling urine help combat the climate crisis?
“…the phosphorus required for fertilizer is getting harder and harder to source. Currently, all phosphorus used in synthetic fertilizers comes from mining. When it’s gone, it’s gone (aside from the nuclear waste it leaves behind). Without phosphorus, we have far less access to fertilizers. Without fertilizer, we have no food.”
https://phys.org/news/2026-01-recycling-urine-combat-climate-crisis.html
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You can read the previous “Climate” thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an “Economic” thread.
From a link above: about wealthy people in India leaving the cities to escape the toxic air pollution.
‘The affluent can afford to distance themselves from pollution [[where they can continue to generate even more toxic air and other pollutants]], while poor households remain disproportionately exposed.’
There, I fixed it for you.
Bob Shaw Are Humans Smarter than Yeast?
Bob, we’ve seen similar exoduses of the wealthy out of polluted cities in nations like Iran, Bangladesh and Mongolia. China has been cleaning up its air, especially in the big cities, but that’s had a knock on effect on warming. Us humans just can’t win.
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2474067-dramatic-cuts-in-chinas-air-pollution-drove-surge-in-global-warming/
“The last round has been called, but this is no friendly closing time. This is the moment when the bar empties without settling the bill. Bottles disappear under coats, the cash register stays open, the tap is torn loose. The mirrors behind the bar shatter. Bar stools turn into projectiles. Whatever was still standing is knocked over before someone else can use it. What remains is an empty space full of shards and debris that no one cleans up anymore.”
– zip
Hat tip to all the great comments on our polycrisis predicament lately. Cassandra, Truth Wizard, bob shaw, Heather B, jupiviv and all. And of course our hard-working host, Panopticon! The comments from the previous day and my morning coffee, good stuff.
I agree about all the wonderful comments. And like you said, as always Pano’s intrepid reporting.
What’s your favorite metaphor, friends?
“Wild Wild West” (coincidentally my favorite TV show growing up 🤪 one of the two shows per week I was allowed to watch.)
“The wheels are coming off.”
“Over the Seneca cliff we go.”
And so many more.
❤️😎😱
My favourite metaphor comes from a sign I saw in an English pub recently. It was prompted by zip’s excellent prose and flippr’s pulling out of a paragraph from it
‘Void a hangover, keep drinking’
At humanity level, this says it all.
Another creative doom strategy!
Flippr, thank you for the nice compliment and thank you to all commenters for helping make the comments section so vibrant. 💛
It’s a curse to be science literate in a time of climate crisis. I should have done hard drugs during my 75 yrs. Then, my ignorance would have blissful, if not my health.
“Iran faces a rural collapse with 31,000 villages deserted due to drought and water mismanagement. Officials report a massive demographic shift as drying wetlands force millions into cities [[whereby they can watch each other die of agonizing thirst in a very crowded & up close and personal way]].”
Sadly, I fixed that article too!
I can vouch that it is abnormally hot here in the hill country of central Texas. The past two days have hit 82F or 28 C in Mason, Texas [average elevation 1588 feet or 484 meters above sea level.
Normal temps for January in Mason are:
————————————–
January, like December, is another refreshing winter month in Mason, Texas, with temperature in the range of an average low of 40.3°F (4.6°C) and an average high of 59.4°F (15.2°C).
January, on average, is the coldest month, registering a high temperature of 59.4°F (15.2°C) and a low of 40.3°F (4.6°C).
https://www.weather-us.com/en/texas-usa/mason-weather-january
——————————-
ME: I am up early because it is too warm inside our house for a decent sleep. It was built in 1911 and has NO air-conditioning. We usually go north to our off-grid house in Canada in April, but we want to go north now.
Our Mason house is now for sale. Climate is changing Too Fast. Recall Pan’s posting yesterday about how nearly half of Americans want to move now:
https://www.independent.co.uk/us/money/homeowners-climate-change-2026-b2894707.html
Take a look at a map of Texas. Lots of small towns, but big problems if water becomes scarce. Are the people going to migrate into the big Texas cities like the desperate village people in Iran?
Or will the northern tier of states see a Texas Stampede thundering north?
Bob, thank you for the local intel. I’m horribly nosy, so I get a kick out of knowing where commenters are from. I have family in Texas and have always wanted to visit.
“New ECMWF guidance aggressively predicts the development of a planet-warming El Niño this year, with changes in Pacific wind patterns signaling that a transition is underway.”
Meanwhile a thousand denialist flowers are blooming at Zerohedge, where they’ve done a deep dive into an enormous conspiracy – STATIONGATE!!! The UK government is deliberately deploying weather monitoring stations at unnaturally warm locations in order to “justify” net zero. The premise being that net zero is genuinely intended to be a serious mitigation policy that politicians, bureaucrats and corporations who play for the other team genuinely want to see through to its conclusion, even at their own expense.
That this is obviously not the case, and that net zero is motivated primarily by the desire to minimize direct parasitism on the fossil fuel value chain while maximizing currently advantageous parasitism on renewables (which also require fossil fuels but not at the final consumption stage), is precisely why the socio-economic reality of net zero has to be sublated into the realm of abstract politics/ideology. Thus, the “pro” FF politics of Zerohedge cannot possibly be motivated by the interests of those sections of the wealthy and middle classes who benefit more from Russian gas than Chinese wind turbines. Indeed there are no interests on any “side” since both sides deny net energy decline and the climate normalist/denialist/anti-alarmist side denies both that and climate change.
In conclusion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_SaCZbENZk
Well, that’s an out-to-lunch conspiracy theory. 😂
The only time I’ve ever cast a quick eye over the comments section at ZH is when Gail Tverberg’s posts have washed up there. It is not an edifying experience. The UK’s enthusiasm for net zero will only last until the next election, I suspect.
Now read this!
https://www.collapse2050.com/venezuela-attack-raises-ww3-risk/
The transition from peace to a state of war in the year 2026 results from the failure of deterrence and the convergence of systemic crises…
——————
Yikes!
Bob, some of that conjecture looks premature to me.
I could certainly see India attempting to seize the Yarlung Tsangpo/Brahmaputra headwaters from China – but China is a nuclear power and this sort of gamble would only be born out of absolute desperation. I’m still thinking GFC 2.0 hits before WW3, but I’m not as confident about that as I used to be.
In the end of organized life on Earth.
Free Markets, not anymore! Power rules…
—————————
Jan 07, 2026 – 4:30 AM
Axel Merk says the post World War II economic order has broken down, replaced by a volatile era he describes as “State Activism,” where power dynamics now drive markets more than traditional signals. Speaking with Kitco News Anchor Jeremy Szafron, Merk pointed to silver breaking $80 and copper testing $6 as signs of a structural shift that defies standard models such as yield curves and price to earnings ratios.
He argued that global asset prices are increasingly shaped by national security priorities rather than free market efficiency, creating a permanent floor under inflation and forcing capital toward neutral reserve assets with no counterparty risk….
https://www.kitco.com/news/video/2026-01-07/power-now-drives-markets-as-the-old-economic-order-breaks-down-says-axel-merk
———————————
ME: 50 minute video
I don’t know if anyone here has ever listened to funeral doom. It’s the kind of music that envelops you, immerses you, and delivers so much fitting atmosphere with how the world is just… dying.
If you’re down for a long listen with this in the background, here’s one of my favorites. The Maniacal Vale by Esoteric. Be warned, this is a form of extreme metal and the songs are VERY lengthy and crushingly sluggish… and totally bereft of hope. but that’s kind of the point. Enjoy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5eoiEM0g9U
Kord, that is indeed a fitting soundtrack to these times. It’s not my bag… I prefer to wallow in melancholy than nihilism when it comes to music, but I’m sure it will resonate with some!
I hate the word mismanaged this is being used by those denying severe climate extremes and other climate issues. Its being used with the California fires and with the severe Colorado drought. Its being used by those who don’t understand where the water comes from and the water cycles or how our water systems operate. So be careful with how the language is being weaponized to deny everything now. There is also alot of misinformation going around to surrounding all of these issues.
There is no place to which one can escape, that will make them immune to the consequences of their stupidity.
To tourist from around the world who might want a short escape to America. Our Republican controlled government kills a white mother, American citizen, wonder what they might do to tourist families regardless of their skin color. To idiots that use “unalived”, soft language doesn’t protect one from violence & reality.
Life is a blast being an unfiltered, Independent, old codger. I don’t need a knife, cutting idiots with facts can spill a lot of mental blood.
Just TR drinking Clever Ape tears. 😉
It’s *$#&@ing hot in SE Oz, only upside is the current heatwave is not expected to last more than a few days… And it’s been awhile, we got like a 5 year reprieve… So a wake-up call not to get too complacent…
Methinx we are already in WW3, it’s just not going to go the same course of earlier World Wars with an identifiable date/event, and then massive armies battling each other across 3 or 4 specific locations or fronts. Just more and more, and then some more, illegal, immoral, bloody provocations & black op “operations” and economic escalation. & meddling in the socio-political situations inside other countries in strategic spots on the map to bring down govts, law & order, civil institutions etc until they collapse from within… over and over to neutralise the players. Mainly because unlike the earlier conflicts, the technology has advanced so much, requiring new tactics and new strategies.
Nobody has the financial or industrial base to fight wars that old-fashioned way, they are going to continue wW3 the cheapest way possible. (Other than spending human capital as the cheapest of all)
As for Financial collapse, just like the continuing global aggression of increasing frequency of “incidents”, financial decline will just continue simultaneously with peaks & pauses, big or little blows & sucker punches.. Many historical empires have fallen when they can no longer afford the enormous costs of maintaining their imperial structures, or their armies or on expanding their borders, or repressive social control mechanisms in their “spheres of influence”.
One talking head I heard the other day, said along the lines of the AngloAmerican Empire is desperately trying to both cut costs, eg reducing commitments to NATO, (would like to dump Israel but just not possible, and secondly, increase its revenue to keep paying for its empire (stealing & looting & hoarding resources, as cheaply as possible.
He also likened it to a star in “Red Giant” phase.. first it expands burning up everything around it,s core, before imploding.
Meanwhile, Earths Nature spirit, keeps fighting back and may well have the Last Word! 😅
And the heat around my space is real bad.. my dog really, really wants to have a swim session at the nearby ponds, but it’s too hot & windy for me to venture out.. and she has turned up her snout in disgust at the new indoor toys I bought for her!
Hope the heat eases soon, Rain. My dog has the reverse problem – a sore paw-pad from the grit and snow, so is on limited exercise. I am also trying to amuse her around the house with limited success.
What kind of losers even want to be ICE agents?
I’d love to see a thoughtful documentarian interview applicants and recruits for a film.
Saddest sacks of shit I’ve seen in a while.
Two shot & wounded in Portland, Oregon by Border Patrol.
Can’t wait to see 400 million guns on the streets. That should give a boost to the economy.
Urea imports up by 125% . This means the soil is dying . Where will these 1.4 billion go with the air pollution and the dying soil .
https://manufacturing.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/chemicals/indias-urea-imports-more-than-double-to-7-17-mt-in-apr-nov-fai-data/126349671