“Scientists reveal the impact of air pollution on the human body.
“Breathing in air pollution like ozone and PM2.5 harms nearly every major system in the human body. It is particularly hard on the cardiovascular, respiratory and neurological systems… Even short-term exposure to either PM2.5 or ozone can increase hospitalizations for heart attacks and strokes.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/air-pollution-effects-health-heart-b2904649.html
“Prolonged air pollution linked to increase of incurable muscle-wasting diseases, study suggests…
“Swedish scientists found that long-term exposure to air pollution was associated with a 20 to 30 per cent higher risk of developing motor neurone disease (MND) including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) – even in the “relatively low levels” found in Sweden.”
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/air-pollution-mnd-als-disease-sweden-b2904528.html
“Air pollution a major financial risk for companies and investors.
“A new report released today (January 21st) warns that air pollution has evolved from a public health emergency into a severe and systemic financial risk, threatening trillions of dollars in economic value and exposing companies and investors to escalating regulatory, legal and operational pressures.”
“Next week the US will have the “relative” coldest air on Earth. But notice the mid-latitudes in general from the US to Europe to Russia feature a band of cold anomalies, whereas the Arctic is warm all around.
“That’s precisely why the cold is being displaced south.” [Jeff Berardelli]
https://x.com/WeatherProf/status/2014182059078525204
“‘Wavy’ jet stream dumps record snowfall on Russia. Extreme weather paralyses region as Arctic blast sweeps across Asia…
“In Russia’s far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, vast snowdrifts several metres high blocked building entrances and buried cars, after more than 2m (6.5ft) of snow fell in some areas in the first half of January, following 3.7m in December, according to weather monitoring stations.”
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/01/20/wavy-jet-stream-dumps-record-snowfall-russia/
“On the afternoon of January 21, the second floor of a shopping center on Naumova Street in Novosibirsk’s Pervomaysky District collapsed [under the weight of heavy snow]. Several people were trapped under the rubble, and one died .
“The shopping center building turned out to be illegal, and its owner was arrested . NGS reports on the tragedy and how the structure evolved from a car wash.”
https://ngs.ru/text/incidents/2026/01/22/76227143/
“Biodiversity collapse threatens UK security, intelligence chiefs warn.
“The global attack on nature is threatening the UK’s national security, government intelligence chiefs have warned, as the increasingly likely collapse of vitally important natural systems would bring mass migration, food shortages, price rises, and global disorder.”
“Food price inflation rises unexpectedly. [UK]
““The last few days have been a reminder that an uncritical reliance on volatile and unreliable forces leaves the UK with little room to manoeuvre. Food inflation ticking back up shows this vulnerability extends even to something as basic as food affordability.”
https://eciu.net/media/press-releases/food-price-inflation-rises-unexpectedly-comment
“Severe hailstorms increasing most rapidly in Europe.
“The frequency of severe hailstorms is increasing more rapidly in Europe than anywhere else in the world. Closely linked to climate change, such storms can cause considerable damage. This is a key takeaway from a recent study compiled by researchers from the European Severe Storms Laboratory…”
https://www.munichre.com/en/insights/natural-disaster-and-climate-change/hail-research-2025.html
“Two people died on Jan 21 in Greece after torrential rain flooded homes and businesses in Athens and other parts of the country, the authorities said.
A woman died after being hit by a car that was carried away in flash floods in the southern Athens suburb of Glyfada, a fire brigade official told Reuters.”
https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/two-dead-as-rainstorm-pound-greece?ref=latest
“Storm Harry, the Island [Sardinia] reckons with the storm: “Immense damage.”
“Now that the great fear has passed, Harry is no longer the cyclone but the damage count. “Immense,” said Governor Alessandra Todde , who yesterday, together with Environment Councilor Rosanna Laconi and Civil Protection Director General Mauro Merella, conducted an initial reconnaissance…”
“One person was killed and 15 others were injured on Tuesday as a sandstorm hit eastern and southern Libya, causing extensive damage in the eastern city of Benghazi.
“Khaled Al-Qadhafi, an official with the East Libya-based Health Ministry, said the injuries ranged from moderate to minor, without giving further details.”
“Flooding in Tunisia has killed five people, authorities said, as media reported four others missing on Wednesday after the country experienced its heaviest rainfall in over 70 years.
“Four deaths occurred in the town of Moknine in the Monastir governorate, while a fifth death was reported in Nabeul town, civil defence spokesman Khalil Mechri told AFP.”
https://www.newarab.com/news/tunisia-flood-death-toll-rises-five-four-missing
“Strong winds reignite wildfires near Cape Town.
“Wildfires burning in Franschhoek, east of Cape Town, flared up on Tuesday, leaving fire crews scrambling to contain the blaze once again. Local reports say fierce winds of up to 50 km an hour have exacerbated the situation in an area laden with dry combustible materials that are fueling the flames.”
https://www.africanews.com/2026/01/21/fire-crews-battle-to-contain-wildfires-east-of-cape-town/
“Mozambique floods spiralling into escalating emergency, UN warns.
“”We are working, but we don’t have all the data about what is happening now,” says Manuel Tule, Governor of Maputo Province. “This moment we are making plans to go to the affected areas where there are people waiting to be rescued. We are still working.””
“HISTORIC HEAT IN SOUTHERN AFRICA:
“4 consecutive Minimums >29C [84.2F] in Juan de Nova Island, French Southern Territories [off Mozambique]. Unprecedented in climatic history of all tropical Africa south of equator. Once again, climatic history is being rewritten.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2013869168379228298
“Sharp rise in malnutrition cases, preventable diseases in Somalia: MSF.
“Somalia is facing a deepening health and nutrition emergency as consecutive failed rainy seasons, soaring water prices and sharp cuts to humanitarian aid drive a surge in malnutrition and outbreaks of preventable diseases…”
“In Africa it was another day with >40C [104F] in CHAD with the hot air moving Northeast.
“Next 2 days we can expect 40C in Sudan, >30C in Egypt and tropical nights on the Red Sea coast. Several records will fall all over the area.”
[Extreme Temps]
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2014045612719681792
“The Omani port of Sultan Qaboos, near the capital Muscat, has never dropped below 20C [68F] once so far this winter.
“It’s the only place in the world outside the tropics where all nights are…tropical (min >20C). This happened only once in world history – in 2024 in the same place.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2013998354414649579
“Uttarakhand’s Vanishing Winter: A Crisis In The Himalayas.
“Uttarakhand is grappling with an unprecedented climate crisis. November and December passed without a drop of rain or a flake of snow, and with more than half of January gone, there are still no signs of relief.”
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/uttarakhands-vanishing-winter-a-crisis-in-the-himalayas-10792649
“Man-Animal Conflict Undergoes Change In Uttarakhand With Involvement Of Younger Wildlife…
“Most of the tigers captured following incidents of man-animal conflict in the last five years are young tigers aged between three and seven. This is a worrying signal that also demonstrates the continuing deterioration of the balance between forests and humans.”
“Strange circular sea current off Vasai [W India] coast sparks panic.
“A strange circular whirlpool has been seen about 66 nautical miles off the Vasai coast near Palghar, puzzling local fishermen. The unusual ring-shaped formation appeared over the past ten days, and one fishing boat got caught inside but escaped safely.”
https://www.newsband.in/article_detail/strange-circular-sea-current-off-vasai-coast-sparks-panic
“In Bangladesh, thousands of volunteers are battling climate-fueled disease at its source…
“Mosquitoes are now breeding more rapidly, bringing with them diseases like dengue and chikungunya. The insects thrive in warm, humid environments rich in the kind of organic matter found in much of Dhaka’s waste.”
https://grist.org/health/bangladesh-clean-volunteers-dhaka-mosquitoes/
“From record warmth to record cold in few days. Incredible turnaround in Northern CHINA where dozens of January warm records were broken 1 week ago.
“Today 5 stations broke their January cold records (3 Mins+2 low maxes). In particular, -33.1C at Linxi is a new all time record low.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2013662533308068129
“Firefighters battle wildfire raging in Busan for 2nd day [Korea].
“Hundreds of personnel were mobilized to put out a wildfire raging for the second day in the southeastern city of Busan, with 17 helicopters set to be deployed Thursday, officials said… A dry weather advisory has been issued for days in Busan, with conditions making the area susceptible to wildfires.”
https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10660426
“East Asia seas hit near-record heat as global oceans store more warmth.
“Sea surface temperatures in waters around South Korea and East Asia hit some of their highest levels on record last year, accelerating climate risks to marine ecosystems and the country’s fisheries, government data showed.”
“Forest and land fires have erupted in several regions across the country despite most areas still being in the peak of the rainy season [Indonesia].
“In Aceh, authorities are continuing efforts to extinguish fires that broke out last week in several villages in West Aceh regency.”
“A tornado unleashes chaos in Karangpandan, Karanganyar [Java, Indonesia].
“Emergency teams and local authorities were deployed to the area to assess the damage and assist those affected, while cleanup and reconstruction efforts began.”
https://www.tiempo.com/videos/un-tornado-desata-el-caos-en-karangpandan-karanganyar.html
“INDONESIA ENDLESS RECORD HEAT: Another scorching hot night with Minimums up to 28C in Vanuatu and in West Papua (Indonesia).
“New Records of hottest night in history MINIMUMS: 27.2 [82.4F] Manokwari, 26.6 Jayapura AP. Its last remaining glaciers, the Carstensz, are on their way to the extinction.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2013802368316674126
“50 DEGREES [122F] IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
“50.0c Hamelin Pool WA today; 49.2C Shark Bay AP – monthly record smashed. This is just the beginning of one of the harshest coastal heat waves ever seen worldwide.”
[Extreme Temps]
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2013554196323410400
“Heatwave and fire warnings as parts of Victoria expected to approach ‘all-time maximum record’ temperatures.
“Victorians are being warned to brace for another heatwave, with temperatures set to soar towards record levels in some parts of the state, putting authorities on alert in fire-affected areas.”
“Victorian bushfires to drive premiums higher in high-risk areas.
“The Victorian bushfires are expected to add further upward pressure on insurance premiums, particularly in regional and high‑risk areas, as insurers absorb additional catastrophe losses on top of existing claims inflation in personal lines.”
“Damaged cars near Great Ocean Road recovered after flash floods from record rainfall.
“One of Australia’s most iconic and picturesque roads had to be temporarily closed for a dramatic recovery operation following a severe flood last week. Victoria’s Wye River and surrounding waterways became swollen and broke their banks after more than 170 millimetres of rain fell in seven hours…”
“Rescuers in New Zealand were searching for several people, including at least one child, after a landslide tore through a popular holiday campsite as days of record-breaking rain and flooding continued to batter the country.
“The landslide struck a campground at the base of Mount Maunganui on Thursday morning…”
“NZ is again being soaked this summer – record ocean heat helps explain it…
“This week, fresh downpours on already saturated ground have again triggered flood warnings and road closures across the upper North Island. These are individual weather events, but they are unfolding against unusually warm seas that load the atmosphere with extra moisture and energy.”
“EXTRAORDINARY – records all over New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Indonesia:
“MINIMUMS: 28.5 [83.3F] Aneityum, 27.0 Tanna, VANUATU HOTTEST NIGHT EVER. NEW CALEDONIA: 27.9 Ouvea,26.6 Koumac. INDONESIA: 27.9 Luwuk,27.0 Ternate and 26.2 Labuha.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2014156846655762535
“Chile’s wildfire crisis was fueled by record heat.
“The fires have been burning in many locations along Chile’s coastline, with some of the hardest-hit areas in the Ñuble and Biobío regions. Authorities declared a state of catastrophe as conditions worsened.”
https://www.earth.com/image/chiles-wildfire-crisis-was-fueled-by-record-heat/
“Chile’s fire-ravaged communities pull together as frustrations mount over state response…
“Boric’s government was criticized for a slow reconstruction following deadly fires in Valparaiso in 2024. President-elect Jose Antonio Kast, who takes office on March 11, has vowed to prioritize reconstruction in fire-hit communities.”
“Costa Rica Firefighters Battle Surge in Wildfires Amid Dry Winds.
“Firefighters across Costa Rica report a sharp rise in wildfire incidents this year, with dry weather and strong winds fueling larger blazes. In the first three weeks of January, emergency calls for fires have nearly doubled compared to the same period in 2025…”
https://ticotimes.net/2026/01/21/costa-rica-firefighters-battle-surge-in-wildfires-amid-dry-winds
“Drought conditions intensify across Texas.
“Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialists and county agents are reporting widespread drought conditions with symptoms ranging from ungerminated wheat fields and declining rangeland conditions to low water levels in stock ponds due to unseasonably warm temperatures and little rain since July.”
https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/2026/01/21/drought-conditions-intensify-across-texas/
“Two-thirds of the US is facing drought in the middle of winter. Here’s why scientists are worried.
“The conditions have set off alarm bells across the country, especially in regions like the Mountain West, which is dependent on snowfall both for winter tourism dollars and water supplies from snowmelt.”
https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/drought-us-states-snow-water-climate-b2904392.html
“A whopper storm could soon engulf a 2,000-mile stretch with snow and ice…
““We’re about to witness a truly legendary winter storm setup in the Southern U.S. later this week,” wrote Defense Department meteorologist Eric Webb… around 55 percent of people living in the contiguous United States are forecast to experience snow, sleet or freezing rain at the same time.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2026/01/21/winter-storm-forecast-snow-ice-travel-impacts/
“Half the world’s 100 largest cities are in high water stress areas, analysis finds…
“Watershed Investigations and the Guardian mapped cities on to stressed catchments revealing that Beijing, New York, Los Angeles, Rio de Janeiro and Delhi are among those facing extreme stress, while London, Bangkok and Jakarta are classed as being highly stressed.”
“Climate change is pushing insurance to breaking point.
“Climate change is no longer a distant scenario for risk teams to model; it is showing up in annual losses, premium hikes and insurer retrenchment, with knock-on effects that reach far beyond household cover.”
https://fintech.global/2026/01/21/climate-change-is-pushing-insurance-to-breaking-point/
“For 50 years, global warming had a very consistent trend (+0.19 °C/decade) with a boring, predictable range of natural variations around it.
“During the last three years, we’ve broken out above that range, suggesting the pace of change has quickened.”
[Dr Robert Rohde].
https://x.com/RARohde/status/2013546834900255097
“Will 2026 end up surprising those who made these predictions, again?
“Earth’s Energy Imbalance suggests the next (starting) El Niño year could turn out much warmer than most realize.”
[Leon Simons]
https://x.com/LeonSimons8/status/2014021218563723475
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>>> A whopper storm could soon engulf a 2,000-mile stretch with snow and ice…
A direct hit for me but it should be snow anyway. Cassandra, ice for you?
Snow, sleet, ice. I gotta see if my mini generator will fire up.
Hope everyone affected manages to stay warm. That storm is no joke!
Can we the readers of CandE come up with an “official” definiation of when the beginning of civilizational (societal,industrial) collapse has begun. As an example one definitionf could be when the world’s population declines by 500 million or more people for 2 consecutive years. Or when the earths population declines by one billion people over a 2 year period.
Maybe there are other criteria that should be considered in the definition other than the decline in the world’s population.
Hello Curt Kastens,
IMO, official collapse begins when govts refuse to provide aid to badly stricken countries. An unpleasant ethical choice, yes, a tragic decision point, but perhaps the more humane solution.
It would be better if professional ethicists could have their articles broadly disseminated to psychologically prepare the general populace of what awaits us all.
Just as those few crowded lifeboats launched from the Titanic had to row away from any swimmers trying to board [which would sink them all!], govts will have to do the same.
We have already seen cutbacks or zero pledges to promised funding. COP27 [2022 meeting] setup a Loss & Damage Fund to transfer money to poor countries. Trump in March 2025 withdrew US participation. CoPilot AI states that no money has arrived as of now.
Us, ‘the useless eaters’ need to prepare as this year might be when the misery becomes much more widely distributed around the globe.
The Texas drought is just another reason why my house is for sale. Like many Texas towns, this town is entirely supplied by groundwater pumping–>no place to go with water jugs when the aquifer goes dry.
Bob Shaw Are Humans Smarter than Yeast?
“The Texas drought is just another reason why my house is for sale.”
Bob, it sounds like you’re becoming a climate refugee before the fact, as it were – a sensible move.
Yep, snowbirding south each winter will be much more constrained for us, if at all. Water won’t be a problem where we live up north. The big worry will be a wildfire burning down our little cabin. It came close last summer.
If we’re looking at a financial heart attack as a likely scenario then it would take little recognising. Payment systems would grind to a halt; retail and everyday transactions would break down, and there would be panic in the streets.
“Gordon Brown discussed deploying troops on Britain’s streets as news of the 2008 financial crisis became clear, an ex-Labour spin doctor has claimed…
“Mr Brown is quoted as saying: “If the banks are shutting their doors, and the cash points aren’t working, and people go to Tesco and their cards aren’t being accepted, the whole thing will just explode.”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24184728
It’s worth reading the report referenced in the Guardian article – although it is UK centred it applies globally.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/696e0eae719d837d69afc7de/National_security_assessment_-_global_biodiversity_loss__ecosystem_collapse_and_national_security.pdf
I think its “starting in 2030” events are probably already happening and “starting in 2050” are far earlier.
On a related subject I have been reading some of the work by Daniel Rothmann who proposes that the rate we are releasing CO2 makes a mass extinction similar to the great dying (PT event) highly likely even though the amount of CO2 will be much less. I think given all the other stressors we are imposing on other species on top of climate change (habit loss, invasive species, pollution, constant human activity and population pressure, over exploitation) it is inevitable.
George’s point are very forceful. That UK report was subject to a censorship campaign, but it did get out.
To relate to Curt’s question, another point should be made that the Climatastophe leading to human civilizational collapse has only not happened because of the massive service the world’s oceans have performed in absorbing 30% of the CO2 emissions and 90% of the waste heat from all of humanity’s fossil fuel industrial life.
No oil company or fossil fueled hedge fund knew that the oceans would perform this beyond-essential service to keep each and every one of us alive – that’s simply what ungoverned nature provided to absorb the idiocy of conducting a civilization on this basis.
Until now. That yeoman’s work by the mighty oceans of saving a lunatic species from its own violence is being curtailed and lessened by the effects of that all-out fossil fuel binge itself, so this life for all of us is on increasingly threatened and diminished borrowed time.
Sure, there may be other causes of collapse that rush in before the turning of sinks into sources goes into full gear, but it’s all just dumb luck that the oceans were there to shield humanity from the heat death it brought on itself by its heedless fossil fuel extraction/production corporate system.
Dumb luck always runs out for addicts.
But wjat of those countries are on the fringes of the world system, for example, Mongolia, New Zealand, Ireland, Somalia. or the UK.
Poops my reply did not end up in the right place.
George, I am agnostic on extinction but clearly a lot of people are going to die. Humanity has been through traumas – bottlenecks, the Black Death, two World Wars – but nothing on this scale.
Martin, you are right re that report. It was supposed to be released in October but has been “sat on”, no doubt because it admits that national security planning now has to assume nightmarish disruptions.
Well, no fear! Jim Hansen is *almost* finish writing Sophie’s Planet (how many years has he been working on that??) It will be his magnum opus so I am SURE it will influence our “leaders” to take important steps for stopping, errr, no, adapting (LOL) to climate catastrophe!
Science to the Rescue….got to have Faith 😁🙏 people
“Enormous freshwater reservoir discovered off the East Coast may be 20,000 years old and big enough to supply NYC for 800 years
News
By Sascha Pare published 22 hours ago
“An expedition off the coast of Massachusetts has confirmed the existence of a freshwater reservoir beneath the seafloor. Now, scientists are starting to understand when and how it formed.
A giant reservoir of “secret” fresh water off the East Coast that could potentially supply a city the size of New York City for 800 years may have formed during the last ice age, when the region was covered in glaciers, researchers say.
Last summer, researchers went on an expedition to follow up on reports from the late 1960s and early 1970s of fresh water beneath the seafloor off the East Coast. “It was quite the project and sort of a lifelong dream,” Brandon Dugan, the expedition’s co-chief scientist and a professor of geophysics at the Colorado School of Mines, told Live Science.”
…
“Our goal is to provide an understanding of the system so if and when somebody needs to use it, they have information to start from, rather than recreating information or making an ill-informed choice,” he said.”
“When somebody needs to use it”….that says it all about the mindset of the curse we find ourselves in regards how we “used up and trashed this beautiful planet in a flash”
Forgive them, for they now not what they do……drunk on fossil fuels…
I kind of feel we need a Zip essay here. 😂
But let me jump the gun and point out that this would be prohibitively expensive and impractical.
Information purposes only . Coalition of the willing .🤣
Board of Peace members so far
USA, Bahrain, Morocco, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Mongolia, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UAE, Uzbekistan
And Tony Blair on the executive board. 🤢
A good one from Collapse2050:
6 Takeaways from an Actuarial Warning on Planetary Insolvency
https://collapse2050.substack.com/p/6-takeaways-from-an-actuarial-warning
(Not Tverberg!)
Gold hit $4920, Silver hit $96.50. In an 18-minute video: David Tait, CEO of the World Gold Council, says gold’s strength is being driven by structural forces that extend well beyond central bank buying…
… He says concerns around debt sustainability are increasingly shaping investor behavior, describing them as “the prospects of a debt spiral runaway.”
Near the video end he discusses how if gold continues up in value [$10,000 possibly] that it will environmentally devastate the water courses of Africa & South America from artisanal miners digging and panning for any amount of gold.
“…something about the song that disturbs you…”
https://www.kitco.com/news/video/2026-01-22/gold-s-demand-story-has-broadened-beyond-central-banks-david-tait
I wish that more would wake up to the weather warfare occuring in our skies. If people just took the time to observe their skies I am sure they would realise this is real and ongoing.