“An unseasonably rare forest fire has engulfed the Russian tundra as the country faces significant changes from climate change, Interfax reported Wednesday.
“Some 360 hectares are burning despite below-zero temperatures in the Magadan region some 10,000 kilometers east of Moscow.”
“Snow on strike in the world’s coldest region – Siberia’s Pole of Cold…
“Videos and pictures show the unseasonal lack of a snow cover in Olyokminsk, Mirny and Oymyakon… Locals in southern Yakutia share surprise over bare ground, as Russia’s leading meteorologist says some areas of Siberia are 12C too mild.”
“A look at Siberia’s methane-emitting craters, amid pledge to cut global methane emissions at COP26…
“A leading theory to how the craters formed is that they emerged from melted permafrost due to global warming. Bubbles of methane and other gases pushed their way up, forming these major methane-emitting craters.”
“A powerful, historic storm has walloped southern Alaska for days, unloading extreme amounts of precipitationand overwhelming its infrastructure in some areas…
“Alyeska, Alaska, situated on the Kenai Peninsula where it meets the rest of Alaska, reported 9.53 inches on Halloween — the station’s highest daily total ever recorded.”
“2021 Pacific Northwest heat wave ‘virtually impossible’ without global warming, scientists find.
“In June 2021, a record-breaking heat wave scorched the Pacific Northwest. High temperatures in Portland are usually in the seventies that time of year. But in 2021, they reached more than 110 degrees. Hundreds of people died…”
“California farm town lurches from no water to polluted water.
“…for years, probably decades, the water coming from Teviston taps has been laced with the carcinogen 1,2,3-Trichloropropane, or 1,2,3-TCP, the legacy of pesticides.”
“Dangerous ‘forever chemicals’ contaminate US tap water: Report…
“Decaying infrastructure and pollution from toxic “forever chemicals” are causing tens of millions of United States residents to drink contaminated water, increasing the risk of cancer and other ailments, according to a new report.”
“A landslide triggered by heavy rains has killed at least 11 people in southern Colombia…
“UNGRD Director Eduardo Joze Gonzalez is scheduled to travel “first thing in the morning” to the site of the landslide. He already deployed rescue teams to the area. However, operations were suspended because of the potential for more landslides due to rains.”
“Bernardo Guarachi’s eyes light up as he reminisces about the glory days of Chacaltaya — once the highest ski resort in the world but now a crumbling relic to climate change in the Bolivian Andes. “Today, it’s a cemetery,”said Guarachi…”
“The longest-lasting patch of snow in Britain has melted for just the eighth time in the past 300 years, according to experts monitoring the Cairgnorm phenomenon.
“Known as ‘The Sphinx’, the 13ft strip is the ‘most durable patch of snow’ in Britain, but the rate of melting appears to be increasing – four times in the past five years.”
“Europe’s record summer ‘impossible’ without global heating…
“The summer of 2021 was the hottest on record in the continent, with average temperatures about 1C above normal. The elevated heat caused wildfires and premature deaths.”
“After being flooded by heavy rains, last Sunday night, the General Hospital of Jaén, in Cajamarca [Spain], this morning restarted the attention to the public in 90% of its facilities…
“The rains put at risk the equipment and medicines that are in the first level of the hospital…”
“Eight out of South Sudan’s 10 states have now been hit by flooding, affecting access to healthcare and other services, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a briefing note.”
“Food crisis looms as Kano farmers count losses [Nigeria]…
“Kano farmers have expressed worry as the rainy season seemed to have come to an end abruptly. The situation has made it difficult for most of the farmers to achieve expected harvests.”
“A hailstorm hit parts of Mutare rural and left a trail of destruction with over 100 homesteads, schools and clinics, among other infrastructure heavily damaged.”
“Turkey proxies weaponising water in north Syria: report.
“Turkish-backed groups in northern Syria have weaponised water by building dams on a river that serves as a lifeline for communities living downstream in Kurdish-dominated areas, a report alleged Wednesday said.”
“‘Catastrophe’ faces Jordan’s water sector as climate heats up.
““No one knows what to grow any more. The tomato yield is bad, and onions are the same. Every farmer in Al Ghor is at zero.”.. Jordan is the second most water-scarce country in the world, and water levels have been falling in recent years.”
“‘Great distress’: Bangladesh bears brutal cost of climate crisis.
“Experts say the effects of global warming are devastating Bangladesh and destroying the livelihoods of millions, particularly increased cyclones and flooding that brings saltwater further inland.”
“Hail damage mars start of harvest in Western Australia.
“A complex weather system led to the formation of a series of hail storms that dumped enormous hail stones across Western Australia, South Australia and Victoria last week.”
“Gisborne flooding: State of Emergency declared in Tairāwhiti [New Zealand], residents told to evacuate.
“IRB boats are being used to help evacuate residents in parts of Gisborne as wild weather caused flash flooding and rivers to rise rapidly. At 2pm the district council broadcast the alert…”
“‘Reality check’: Global CO2 emissions shooting back to record levels.
“Global carbon emissions are shooting back to the record level seen before the coronavirus pandemic levels, new analysis has shown. Scientists said the finding is a “reality check” for the world’s nations gathered at the Cop26 climate summit.”
You can read the previous ‘Climate’ thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an ‘Economic’ thread.
If you found value in this content, please help me continue this work by becoming a patron of my work via Patreon. And if you are already a subscriber or have donated – thank you! It means a lot.
“New month….new records. Once again the Middle East doesn’t waste a day.
“On 1st November the United Arab Emirates had their hottest November day on record with 39.9C [103.8F] at Swiehan. Close to national records also Qatar, Oman, Iran.”
“Iraq environment crisis: drought this year has ‘turned our life upside down’.
“On a cracked dry spot in Iraq’s historic marshlands, Raheem Noor Dawood watched helplessly as his water buffaloes fell sick and died. “We went through tough years before but the drought and the high temperature that we have seen this year were unparalleled,” Mr Dawood, 57, told The National.”
“Blaming Climate Change, Turkish Farmers Count the Cost of Drought.
“Rain fell on Bicar Icli’s fields in southeastern Turkey for the first time in eight months last week, but he and other farmers are already counting the cost of a drought they blame on climate change.”
“Residents began to assess damage to homes and other structures in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region a day after flash flooding impacted the Erbil area on October 30.
“Intense rainfall and hail were reported in Erbil on Saturday, breaking a period of drought. Officials said several neighborhoods in the area had suffered damage.”
“Flooding destroyed his home four times in three years. This is the reality of climate change for India’s poor.
“The monsoon is a natural weather phenomenon caused by warm, moist air moving across the Indian Ocean toward South Asia as the seasons change. But the climate crisis has caused the event to become more extreme and unpredictable.”
“Uttarakhand recorded 474% surplus rainfall in October, mainly due to the ‘unprecedented’ heavy rain spell across the state on October 18 and 19…
“…the Himalayan state received 203.2 mm rainfall against the normal of 35.3 mm in October. The state had registered a 99% rain deficit in October 2020 when just 0.1 mm rainfall was recorded…”
“A Forest Fire in Tibet Has Been Ablaze for a Week.
“As of Tuesday, the northern side of the fire site is still spreading, as the high mountainous terrain and the steep cliffs make it difficult to stifle the flames, Sixth Tone’s sister publication The Paper reported…”
“Scorching temperatures broke heat records in Queensland and the Northern Territory in October, with meteorologists reporting a 2-degree C increase in average temperatures.
“According to the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), October was hotter than usual for Australia as a whole, with every state except Victoria noticing significantly warmer-than-average weather.”
“Welcome to ‘trash island’ – the Maldives’ festering home of rubbish now crucial to its climate fight.
“The extreme weather Mr Adam describes is driven by climate change, and it is threatening to destroy the Maldives, killing its coral reefs and submerging the islands. The Maldivians – on their own – are powerless to stop this. But they are doing what they can to protect their country.”
“Do not trust Brazil’s ‘greenwashing’ promises, say Amazon activists.
“Brazil will field one of the biggest delegations at the UN climate talks in Glasgow and fund a lavish promotional pavilion inside the conference centre… the message is that Brazil is “a longtime champion of the environmental agenda and an agrifood powerhouse”.”
“Nicaragua is home to lush forests filled with unique wildlife, including part of the second-largest rainforest in the Americas. But rampant deforestation is destroying these natural habitats at a faster rate than anywhere else on the planet…”
“‘So many have gone’: storms and drought drive Guatemalans to the US border.
“Guatemala is one of five Latin American nations – along with Honduras, Nicaragua, Colombia and Haiti – identified among the 11 countries most at risk from climate chaos…”
“As Wanda Forms, Hurricane Forecasters Run Out of Names for Atlantic Storms…
“There have been so many storms in the Atlantic Ocean this year that the National Hurricane Center has used up all 21 available names, the third time in recorded history that has happened.”
“Oklahoma sees record number of tornadoes in October.
“Oklahomans probably were not expecting the beginning of fall to feel more like spring, but the state saw more tornadoes in October alone than during the previous nine months put together…”
“Record-warm October in eastern U.S. yielding to jarring shot of cold…
“Numerous locations had their warmest October on record, including Milwaukee, Toledo, Columbus, Washington Dulles, Baltimore, Harrisburg, Pa., Scranton, Syracuse, Newark and New Haven. Unusually mild nights were especially pervasive…”
“UK’s ‘collapsing’ peatlands have emitted ’50 million tonnes of carbon’ since 2016.
“The UK has emitted around 50 million tonnes of carbon in the past five years from collapsing peatlands, a first-of-its-kind survey has revealed… This collapse is a likely a sign of “extensive damage”, and indicates the nation’s peatlands are now emitting significant amounts of pollution.”
“Three dead after flooded Welsh river sparks search and rescue operation for paddleboarders.
“Three people have died and another is in a “critical condition” in hospital after a group of paddleboarders got caught in a flash flood on the River Cleddau in Haverfordwest, South Wales, police have confirmed.”
Multiple small tornadoes across the UK rom Northern Ireland to East Sussex. I won’t list all the headlines here but some links are below; one example:
““I’ve never seen anything like it” – ‘Tornado’ hits Tackley, Oxfordshire… Louie Bass, who lives in Tackley, said a ‘tornado’ hit the village leaving cars ‘smashed up’ and fallen trees.”
“Blood oranges grown in Sicily severely damaged by storms.
“”Our thoughts are with those who have suffered damages to their farms and homes, but we are particularly saddened by the loss of human lives. The exceptional bad weather conditions have hit the production area of Sicily’s Blood Oranges in full…”
““It was horrific.” That’s how a devastated farmer described how it felt to lose hundreds of ostriches to a hailstorm that struck… the Eastern Cape [South Africa] last week…
“Grant Krige, the owner of Chelmsford Farm, said the hour-long hailstorm struck on Wednesday. “I’m 54 years old and I have never experienced a storm quite as severe as that.”
“Free State farmer [South Africa] lost 300 sheep in [a separate] ‘freak hailstorm’…
“Edenville farmer, Heinz Theron suffered major losses on Monday after 300 of his sheep perished following severe hailstorm in the area. The small township situated in the northern Free State on Monday experienced hail rain of 100 millimeters which elevated to 1021 millibar pressure.”
“Siberia’s stark warning to Scotland for Cop26: climate change in the planet’s last great wilderness…
“Russia was 3.2C degrees warmer than the average in the three decades to 1990. Winter temperatures are milder than ever, with air warming up to 5C above the norm. The number of forest fires have increased four-fold, while storms and hurricanes are ten times more likely.”
“Climate change worries Finland’s young reindeer herders.
“Some 100,000 reindeer are slaughtered in a typical year, but last autumn this number was just half of that at 50,000, owing to unusually heavy snowfall which hampered grazing. Weather patterns and vegetation changes are affecting reindeer populations.”
“‘Extreme ice melt in Greenland raises global flood risk’…
“Writing in the journal Nature Communications, researchers said that Greenland’s meltwater runoff had risen by twenty-one percent over the past four decades. Extreme melting events in Greenland have been increasing in frequency for at least forty years.”
“Sea level is already guaranteed to rise by 5 feet, climate scientist says.
“Based on the amount of greenhouse gases humans have already added to the Earth’s atmosphere, the world is guaranteed to experience approximately 5 feet of sea level rise in the coming decades, climate scientist Benjamin Strauss told “The Climate Crisis Podcast.””
“Temperature rises threaten ocean flow catastrophe in the Atlantic.
“Climate models have long predicted that Amoc will weaken as the world warms… The best estimate is that anthropogenic global warming has reduced the mass flow of Amoc by 15 per cent, says Andrew Meijers, deputy science leader of the British Antarctic Survey’s polar oceans team.”
“COP26: Melting Antarctic glacier named Glasgow to highlight need for urgent climate action… [Glacier is honoured but says, with apologies, it is going to continue melting.]
“The Glasgow Glacier is one of nine areas of fast flowing ice in the Getz basin in Antarctica to be named after locations of major climate summits, including Stockholm, Kyoto and Paris.”
“Climate change: Extreme weather events ‘now the norm’ as last seven years hottest on record…
“The last seven years since 2015, when countries secured the Paris Agreement to curb temperature rises to 1.5C or well below 2C to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, have been the hottest in records dating back to 1850.”
You can read the previous ‘Climate’ thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an ‘Economic’ thread.
If you found value in this content, please help me continue this work by becoming a patron of my work via Patreon. And if you are already a subscriber or have donated – thank you! It means a lot.
“Kenya’s drought: A national and humanitarian disaster
“Wells are dry, millions of livestock are dead and people’s livelihoods have vanished. President Uhuru Kenyatta has declared the situation a national disaster. The United Nations says that 2.4 million are at risk of going hungry next month.”
“People forced to eat cattle feed and cacti in Madagascar due to climate-driven drought…
“Alice Rahmoun, of the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP), said that people in some areas were surviving by eating locusts and cactus leaves. And to make matters worse, cacti are now dying from the lack of water, she added.”
“Half of Syria has been displaced by war. Now record drought threatens millions more…
“…today Syria is in the grips of the worst drought in seventy years. The Khabour has run completely dry like other rivers, lakes and dams across the war-ravaged country, where crops are failing, livestock is dying and clean drinking water is becoming increasingly scarce.”
“After a summer of searing heat and record temperatures, Kuwait is bracing for the arrival of the rainy season…
“The extreme rise in temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns are suggesting that climate change is impacting Kuwait as well, along with the rest of the world.”
“Pakistan: Life in one of world’s hottest cities reveals devastating impact of climate crisis for world’s poorest…
“Amnesty International has documented the lives of the people of Jacobabad in Pakistan – one of the world’s hottest cities – highlighting the immediacy of the climate crisis for some of the world’s poorest people.”
“Muddier Rivers Are Jeopardizing Dams and Water Quality for Millions [in Asia]…
“Local temperatures have risen more than 2 degrees Celsius since the 1950s, more than twice the global average, amplifying melt and intensifying rains. This has caused a dramatic increase in the amount of earthen material coursing through the region’s rivers…”
“China and India cast pall over climate ambitions ahead of COP26…
“China and India cast a pall over the opening of the COP26 summit in Glasgow when they rejected calls to set tough new climate targets, calling into question whether the world’s biggest polluters will start cutting emissions this decade.”
“Huge dust storm blankets outback Queensland town of Thargomindah [Australia].
“Winds up to 93 kilometres per hour brought the wall of thick brown dust through the town of about 270 people. As the storm swept through, typically blue skies gave way to a hazy orange hue, giving the town an apocalyptic feel.”
“Cleanup begins after once in a decade storm lashes Victoria.
“More than 100,000 Victorians remain without power after freak wind storms lashed the state yesterday, bringing down trees, powerlines and wreaking havoc on hundreds of homes.
The winds – of nearly 150km an hour – were the strongest seen in Victoria in more than a decade…”
“Two minutes of fury – apples “exploded” in $100m hailstorm…
“Fruit growers and vineyard owners are reeling after Thursday’s freak, destructive hailstorm, which has caused an estimated $100m in damage to fruit crops, wiped out entire vineyards and collapsed and flooded buildings.”
“Rain drenches Tasmania as part of one of wettest Octobers on record.
“Tasmania is on track to chalk up one of its wettest Octobers on record, with another deluge hitting the area on Friday. Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Brooke Oakley said October was not likely to be the state’s wettest on record — but it would not fall far short…”
“Conservationists in Chile aim to freeze water in man-made glaciers… The goal is to store 100 million liters (26.4 million gallons) of water next year…
““The Nilus Project seeks to help resolve the huge water crisis that we are facing both in Chile and the world,” Enrique Gellona, director of the project, told Reuters.”
“Chile didn’t escape the extraordinary heat wave which is affecting Argentina and Uruguay.
“On 28th October it was the October hottest day in history in the Santiago Quinta Normal Observatory (oldest station in Latin America still working since 1862) with 33.4C [92.1F] – 0.1C above 1941.”
“Argentina Heat Wave day #4: The heat spread south on 29th October with absolutely impressive temperatures below 40S of latitude for a mid spring month.
“San Antonio Oeste rose to 38.6C [101.5F] and Viedma to 36.4C pulverizing their monthly records.A cold front is advancing in these hours.”
“Active forest fires in nine provinces [Argentina]…
“The fire affects the provinces of Catamarca , Chaco , Corrientes , Entre Ríos , Tucumán , Jujuy , Córdoba , La Rioja and San Luis . The most critical situation is that of Jujuy.”
“Brazil’s greenhouse gas emissions rose 9.5% in 2020 with Amazon deforestation…
“Brazil’s greenhouse gas emissions increased by 9.5% in 2020 largely due to increased deforestation in the Amazon during the second year of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro’s government, said a report published on Thursday by climate change experts.”
“From flood to drought, Brazil’s Acre state swings between weather extremes.
“Extreme weather conditions, from massive flooding to severe water shortages, have rocked cities and small communities alike in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon this year, a trend experts attribute to climate change and human actions.”
“Drought to downpour: California weather whiplash is climate change sentinel.
“”California is a sentinel state. It’s like a canary in a coal mine,” said Justin Mankin, a Dartmouth College professor who specializes in climate change. “The state is a crucial bellwether… And it’s not looking good.””
“Eyewitnesses to climate change: The Californian tribe battling drought, wildfires and dust storms.
“The Paiute tribes of eastern California have a deeply alarming insight into the future. We must listen to their story, for soon it may be our story too. The indigenous people here are being encircled by three inter-connected threats: drought, dust storms and wildfires.”
“Bomb cyclone winds stressed Pacific Northwest trees early this year, while still full of leaves…
“The combination of lots of rain, microbursts of wind and leaves is a doozy; trees are not built for that kind of punishment. “When the leaves are on, the canopy acts more like a sail; it catches the wind,” said Dave Bayard.”
“Minnesota has seen a remarkable string of warm Decembers… Nine of the last 10 Decembers in the state have been exceptionally warm…
“December 2015 was the warmest in state history (back to 1895)… In addition, the Decembers of 2011, 2014, 2018 and 2020 rank among the 20 warmest months of December in state history.”
“East Coast storm bringing worst coastal flooding since 2003 to parts of Mid-Atlantic…
“The anticipated flooding could be the worst since 2003′s… thanks to the combination of onshore flow, astronomically high “king tides” and the gradually accrued effects of rising seas spurred by human-induced climate change.”
“Two bridges swept away amid flooding in Scottish Borders.
“Torrential downpours overnight have caused flooding and disruption across the UK, from Scotland to down to Cornwall, with multiple flood warnings in place as heavy rain continues.”
“Climate threats: living in the shadow of a crumbling mountain.
“The COP26 summit aims to secure more ambitious climate action from participants. For some it’s already too late. At the popular Alpine resort of Kandersteg in the Bernese Oberland, villagers live with the threat of the nearby Spitzer Stein mountain tumbling down.”
“September 2021 in Tunisia was extremely hot. With a national temperature anomaly of +3C above the 1981-2010 average it was the hottest September on record.
“It was also the driest on record. This after the hottest summer on record. Exceptional.”
“Deforestation soars in Nigeria’s gorilla habitat: ‘We are running out of time’.
“Afi River Forest Reserve (ARFR), in eastern Nigeria’s Cross River state, is an important habitat corridor that connects imperiled populations of critically endangered Cross River gorillas. But deforestation has been rising both in ARFR and elsewhere in Cross River…”
“Climate change is shifting polar bears’ Arctic menu, research shows…
“In Nunavut, one of Canada’s northern territories, Inuit people are allowed to hunt polar bears. Over the years, the Inuit hunters have been sending muscle and fat samples to York University. It is these fat samples, dating back to around 2010, that Galicia and her team looked at for their findings.”
“Climate change means Arctic may no longer be a safe haven for nesting birds…
“Wildlife research scientist Paul Smith… has witnessed an earlier ice melt that leads to bears coming to shore sooner… “The bears are swimming onto islands where there are nesting colonies of birds, and gobbling up thousands of eggs,” said Smith…”
“The cost of food commodities that make up a typical breakfast has soared to its highest point in a decade under the strain of bad weather and supply-chain crunches, providing another in a long list of upward pressures on global inflation.”
“A huge solar flare is due to strike the Earth on Halloween and Disrupt Satellites…
“A major solar flare was discharged from the Sun yesterday, one of the strongest yet in our star’s cycle, with the flare expected to reach the Earth this weekend.”
You can read the previous ‘Climate’ thread here. Solar flare allowing, I’ll be back on Monday with an ‘Economic’ thread.
If you found value in this content, please help me continue this work by becoming a patron of my work via Patreon. And if you are already a subscriber or have donated – thank you! It means a lot.
“Canadian food banks prepare for ‘tidal wave’ of new clients.
“”A volatile combination of high housing costs, pandemic job losses, rising food costs and an anticipated further pull-back on government supports is creating a ‘perfect storm’…” the Food Banks Canada HungerCount 2021 report said in part.”
“‘We are struggling every day’: Supply chain crunch threatens to leave some of the neediest Americans without enough to eat…
“As families across the country deal with wide ranging impacts of the congested supply chain — from delayed furniture to rising car prices — others are facing a more acute problem: finding enough to eat.”
“US GDP growth slows sharply in Q3 as consumers downshift spending.
“The United States economy grew at a slower pace in the three months ending September, as a wave of COVID-19 cases, supply chain bottlenecks, surging inflation and ebbing federal financial lifelines downshifted the pace of the nation’s economic recovery.”
“Energy crisis: UK consumers face rising fuel poverty this winter.
“Some 4.5 million Britons are desperate, facing cuts to welfare, rising energy prices and a long, cold winter… over a dozen small energy suppliers have gone bust since September…”
“France Threatens to Raise Energy Prices in U.K. Fish Fight…
“France could lift prices for the electricity it provides via undersea cables to the British Channel Islands off the country’s northwest coast, Clement Beaune, junior minister for European affairs, said Thursday on broadcaster Cnews.”
“Fears Of Rising Baguette Prices Pose Crunch For The French.
“A hike in the cost of wheat is alarming French households who fear a possible rise in the price of the prized baguette, seen by many as a barometer of the country’s economic health.”
“Germany: Inflation reaches 28-year high amid surge in energy prices.
“The annual inflation rate continued to soar for the fourth month in a row, rising to 4.5% in October, with energy prices shooting up 18.6%, estimates from the German federal statistics agency Destatis showed.”
“Energy costs push Spain’s inflation to 29-year high, threatening recovery.
“Spanish inflation surged to a 29-year high in October as national consumer prices rose 5.5% year-on-year, flash data from the National Statistics Institute (INE) showed on Thursday, threatening the economic recovery.”
“Europe’s energy crisis: Spain presses Algeria to guarantee natural gas supply.
“For the second time in a month, a Spanish minister met with Algerian officials on Wednesday to guarantee the European country’s [only] supply of natural gas after Algeria closes a pipeline that runs through Morocco this weekend.”
“Japan’s factory output hit by supply snags as outlook darkens.
“Japan’s factory output shrank for the third straight month in September as the auto sector was hit by a persistent global supply shortage, raising the risk of an economic contraction in the third quarter and throwing the recovery into doubt.”
“China’s Manufacturing Likely Contracted Again on Power Shortages.
“China’s factory slump showed no signs of letting up in October, with activity likely contracting for a second straight month as electricity shortages and soaring commodity prices hit manufacturers.”
“Why China’s economic downturn warrants more than a shrug from global investors…
“The failure to reckon with a much sharper than expected slowdown in China is a grave mispricing of risk at a time when global growth is slowing sharply and central banks are preparing to tighten monetary policy.”
“Third of Chinese developers could face debt problems as Evergrande contagion grows…
“Even if the embattled developer Evergrande manages to meet its latest debt repayment on Friday and head off a potentially disastrous default, analysts at the credit rating agency S&P warned that many other property companies could be heading towards bankruptcy.”
“Vegetables have become so expensive in China recently that they are sometimes pricier than meat, sparking fears about food inflation in the country.
“The sharp rise in prices is due to heavy rain destroying crops earlier this month in major growing regions and soaring coal prices fueling electricity prices…”
“North Africa, one of the world’s biggest grain importers, is increasingly feeling the impact of higher food costs on grocery bills… [Food price] peaks in 2008 and 2011 are linked with food riots and, in tandem with broader inequity, unrest in areas including North Africa.“
“Zimbabwe: Violent Clashes Erupt As Zanu-PF Blocks Chamisa Entourage in Hurungwe.
“Gun-totting Zanu-PF activists and MDC Alliance supporters engaged in violent clashes at Zvipani business centre in Hurungwe Wednesday after the former attempted to disrupt MDC Alliance president, Nelson Chamisa’s scheduled public address.”
“Somalia: Renewed clashes dim hopes of a credible election.
“Several days of fighting between government troops and militia have heightened political uncertainty over the long-overdue national polls. In addition, there is still no agreement on the electoral procedure.”
“Death toll rises as Sudan’s capital rocked by more clashes…
“Security forces have clashed with protesters furious over a military coup that derailed a fragile transition to democracy and sparked an international outcry, with the United States and United Nations dialling up the pressure on Sudan’s new military government.”
“The Central Bank of Brazil implemented its largest rate hike since 2002 on October 27, in a fresh bid to tame rising inflation and respond to concerns on fiscal sustainability.
“The monetary policy committee unanimously voted to increase the key Selic rate by 150 basis points to 7.75%.”
“Colombians say role in protests made them targets of vengeful authorities…
“Roughly 95 percent of cases brought against people arrested in anti-government demonstrations fell apart after “extremely exaggerated charges” were brought against them…”
“Ecuador president calls for dialogue with Indigenous protesters.
“Indigenous and rural Ecuadorans have blocked roads in several provinceson the second day of protests against rising fuel prices amid a state of emergency as the president called for dialogue.”
“Gangs Rule Much of Haiti. For Many, It Means No Fuel, No Power, No Food…
“With gangs holding up fuel trucks at will, truck drivers have refused to go to work, setting off a nationwide strike by transportation workers and paralyzing a nation dependent on generators for much of its power.”
“Black swan meat now on the menu in North Korea as food supply problems persist.
“Industrial breeding of ‘delicious’ black swan meat kicked into high gear at new farm facility, state media says… Kim Jong Un declared a food crisis in June and urged workers last month to come up with ways to solve the country’s persistent “food problem.”
“Here’s what every degree of heat rise could do to the global economy.
“… the financial damage from runaway climate change could surpass the amount of money that currently exists on the planet, according to one estimate.” [an odd way of framing the issue but…]
You can read the previous ‘Economic’ thread here. I’ll be back over the weekend with a ‘Climate’ thread.
If you found value in this content, please help me continue this work by becoming a patron of my work via Patreon. And if you are already a subscriber or have donated – thank you! It means a lot.
“Sicilian cyclone drops a year’s rain in 48 hours and kills at least two people as roads are submerged after four-day storm…
“Footage shows roads submerged under raging flood water and roads and buildings being left overwhelmed after almost 20 inches of rain fell in just 48 hours.”
“Farmers in the southern Italian region of Puglia have warned local institutions that the severe drought that hit the country will result in lower olive oil yields than previously expected.
“They asked for compensation and for the strategic overhauling of critical infrastructures, such as irrigation…”
“One of Austria’s largest ever forest fires is raging.
“In Lower Austria, around 115 hectares of forest have been destroyed in a huge forest fire that was not under control as of Wednesday morning. The fire is located in Hirschwang an der Rax…
“A total of 300 firefighters worked to fight the blaze, their work made difficult by steep vertical slopes in the area and strong winds.”
“French corn farmers are being told to leave crops unharvested in the latest sign of how soaring energy prices are heightening the risk of global food inflation.
“The grain typically needs to be dried down after it’s collected to ensure the proper moisture content, a task that’s becoming increasingly costly as natural gas prices skyrocket.”
“Thousands of sea creatures are washing up on beaches in the North East of England in ‘waist-deep’ mountains with fears pollution could be to blame.
“Dead and alive crabs, lobsters and other crustaceans are continuing to wash up on the sand along the Teeside coast, between Marske and Saltburn, and local residents are calling it the ‘worst’ they’ve ever seen.”
“Glasgow hit by floods just days before city hosts COP26 – with warning of more heavy rain to come.
“Footage and pictures on social media shows cars driving through flood water in some streets as heavy rain lashes the city and causes disruption to transport.”
“A large storm that hit the US north-east has been labeled a “bomb cyclone” – a storm that rapidly intensifies and features plunging air pressure within a 24-hour period, according to meteorologists…
“The Nor’easter became a bomb cyclone after the storm system’s pressure dropped from 1,008 millibars to 980 as 31m under a flood watch.”
“Dramatic videos showed tornadoes in Louisiana and Texas, with one twister seen striking a powerline moments after touching down on a freeway, while another lifted an ATV into the air…
“Another in Orange, Texas, captured an ATV flying through the air, after it was lifted off the ground by the force of the extreme weather event.”
“Colombia saw 42,600 hectares deforested in Amazon through June this year. [Better than 2020 but this is still irreplaceable forest.]
“Some 42,600 hectares (105,267 acres) of rainforest were destroyed in Colombia’s Amazon across three of the Andean country’s provinces in the first half of 2021, the government said on Tuesday.”
“Scientists discover how forest fires influence rain cloud formation in the Amazon.
“A Brazilian study published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment shows how wildfires and forest burning for agriculture influence rain cloud formation in the Amazon.”
“36.1C [97F] – hottest October day in history for Buenos Aires, in ferocious spring heatwave. Records go back to 1906 and beats the record of 35.6°C from 2014.”
“Argentina Heat Wave Day 2 – Another extraordinary record breaking day is ongoing in Argentina and Uruguay with several monthly records falling by a huge margin.
“The coastal city of Bahia Blanca with 37.2C [99F], and rising, is already destroying its October record of 34.9C.”
“Temperature soars to 28.9C [84F] as Napier [NZ] records second-warmest early spring day…
“The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) said Wednesday’s maximum temperature was the second highest recorded in the Hawke’s Bay city between September 1 and October 27 since records began in 1870.”
“Huge storms smashes Adelaide bringing golf ball sized hail and power outages.
“There are reports that more than 6000 homes are without power, 2500 of those in the Adelaide Hills. Several schools have been closed. Social media users have called the sudden pelting of the city with hail as “incredible” and “crazy”.”
“Perth’s October rainfall record broken after storm moves over west coast, bringing hail.
“Perth has recorded its wettest October since records began, after a low-pressure system delivered heavy downpours and hail to the south-west corner of the state last night.”
“Fertiliser scarcity hits Punjab, Rajasthan, three other states, crops affected.
“Farmers in Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh have complained of a shortage of Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) fertiliser for weeks, saying the shortage will affect crops.”
“Tehran suffering worst drought in 50 years, says water official.
“The Iranian capital is suffering its worst drought in half a century, a water resources official says, citing a 97 percent drop in monthly rainfall compared with last year.”
“Turkey’s second largest lake, Lake Tuz, dries up amid drought and farm use in country.
“All 643 square miles of Lake Tuz have dried up this year, amid droughts and farming demand on water. Environmental activist, Fahri Tunc, said: ‘The situation is catastrophic…” [Video]
“Morocco’s Marathon des Sables is famously challenging, covering 155 miles of Saharan dunes. This year, dropouts reached an all-time high, and a runner died…
“Some outlets report a recorded high of a staggering 132F for the race. While isolated days of extreme heat are standard on the MdS, many consider this year’s race unusually hot from start to finish.”
“World faces growing threat of ‘unbearable’ heatwaves.
“From Death Valley to the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent to sub-Saharan Africa, global warming has already made daily life unbearable for millions of people.”
“Wildfires, deforestation and global heating turn 10 Unesco forests into carbon sources.
“Forests in at least 10 Unesco world heritage sites have become net sources of carbon since the turn of the millennium due to wildfires, deforestation and global heating, says a new report.”
“Siberia’s permafrost melt is causing swamps, lakes, making land difficult to live on.
“…in Siberia climate change is literally re-shaping the landscape, as rapidly warming temperatures start to alter what has long been a given in much of Russia’s vast hinterland: that the ground is frozen.”
“Scientists are increasingly warning that the melting Arctic could push the planet into a vicious cycle of uncontrolled heating as vast stores of carbon in thawing ground release powerful greenhouse gases.”
You can read the previous ‘Climate’ thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an ‘Economic’ thread.
If you found value in this content, please help me continue this work by becoming a patron of my work via Patreon. And if you are already a subscriber or have donated – thank you! It means a lot.
“the UN’s World Meteorological Organization… said every part of the region had been affected with the 38C registered at Verkhoyansk in Russia recorded provisionally as the highest known temperature anywhere north of the Arctic Circle.”
“‘Nowhere is safe’: Philippine typhoon victims live in fear.
“Albay climate change activist Bill Bontigao said Goni was a “wake-up call” and urgent action was needed to prepare the region for stronger cyclones. “I’m worried that the next generations, my nephews and nieces, won’t have a good future,” Bontigao, 21, told AFP.”
“Oodnadatta holds the record for Australia’s hottest temperature and it looks set to get even warmer…
“The town is one of several remote areas included in what’s known as South Australia’s unincorporated area, which covers about 60 per cent of the state’s land area but is only home to just under 4000 people.”
“Authorities reported that due to the torrential rains that were registered on Saturday night by Hurricane Rick, a 35-year-old man died in the municipality of Tepoztlán, Morelos [Mexico]…
“According to the authorities, the man died when he was dragged by the current of the water on Netzahualcóyotl street, in the Santísima Trinidad neighborhood, in Tepoztlán.”
“Record-breaking California bomb cyclone linked to climate change…
“As the storm system pushed on land, its barometric pressure dropped to 945.2 millibars, making it the strongest storm ever recorded to hit the West Coast of the United States.”
“The National Weather Service called preliminary rainfall totals “staggering,” including 11 inches (28 centimeters) at the base of Marin County’s Mount Tamalpais…
“Northeast of San Francisco, 5.44 inches (13.82 centimeters) fell on downtown Sacramento, shattering the one-day record for rainfall that had stood since 1880.” [after the longest dry-spell on record, ie 212 days]…”
“Not a drought-buster. The rainstorm pelting Sacramento and Northern California will help remedy the state’s woeful water situation. But it won’t be nearly enough to end the epic California drought…
““We’re basically missing two years of ‘precip’ in this basin.””
“It’s been a tough season for U.S. apple growers. Climate change made it worse.
“From late-spring frosts in western Michigan to triple-digit heat in the Pacific Northwest, apple growers saw a nearly 19 percent drop in fresh-market apple holdings in June 2021 compared with June 2020…”
“Vancouver Island’s glaciers are disappearing — and fast.
“About 40 of the ice packs exist — on average, about a third of a kilometre in size along the long mountainous spine of the Island — but none of them will last much longer, says a glaciologist. “They are receding before our eyes,” says Brian Menounos…”
“Arctic wildfires threatening North America’s black spruce trees.
“The black spruce is a common species in North American boreal forests and it needs wildfires to survive, but the blazes are now so frequent that the spruces are struggling.”
“Lake Michigan is experiencing record-breaking high temperatures for late October…
“”In fact, as of this morning the average surface water temperature on the lake is around 2°F warmer than 2016, which had been warmest on record dating back to 1995,” the Chicago office report.”
“New Jersey and New York issue states of emergency ahead of nor’easter…
“New Jersey’s state of emergency began at 8 p.m., Gov. Phil Murphy said. “Severe weather conditions will impact the state starting tonight through the next several days,” he said.”
“A new study shows an increase in mercury levels in Nordic sea birds, RÚV reports. More particularly, higher levels of mercury are found in birds south of Greenland than anywhere else in the North Atlantic.”
“Britain’s migratory birds ‘may stop flying south for winter’…
“Analysis of more than 50 years of bird records from the Gambia and Gibraltar has found that some migratory species that cross the Sahara are [already] spending between 50 and 60 fewer days on average in Africa each winter.”
“Record rainfall pushed 60 million litres of London’s raw sewage into Thames…
“It’s a consistent problem in London, usually linked to dramatic rainfalls that overwhelm old sewers that handle both stormwater and sewage and ultimately the city’s wastewater treatment plants.”
“Concern grows as MPs vote against blocking water companies from discharging sewage into rivers…
“Environmental campaigners have condemned a parliamentary vote against amending a bill to stop water companies dumping raw sewage into Britain’s rivers.”
“Drought alerts continue in Dordogne and other French departments.
“Several areas of France are under ‘crisis level’ restrictions, as 2021 proves to be one of the driest years in last half-century… The maximum alert level (Crise or ‘crisis’) has been imposed on upstream areas around the Céou river, as well as Tournefeuille…”
“Man dies as Mediterranean hurricane batters southern Italy.
“Fierce storms battered southern Italy for a second day on Monday, killing at least one person, triggering landslides and leaving roads and fields flooded, police said.”
“In Thala, a town in northwest Tunisia, two people aged 20 and 27 died after their car was washed away by surging waters, agency spokesman Moez Triaa said. A 24-year-old died in floods in Borj Chakir near the capital Tunis, added Triaa.”
“Tears of relief for farmers: Rain falls in drought-stricken Karoo [South Africa]…
“Farmers in the Karoo were crying — and singing — after rain fell over the area, which has been in the grip of a prolonged drought. But while there were tears of joy, more rain is needed, and soon.”
“Kashmir reels under bitter cold after record rainfall…
“The summer capital Srinagar recorded a cumulative rainfall of 66 mm on Friday and Saturday. The previous extreme rainfall record for the month of October for 48 hours in Srinagar was 65.4 mm in 1966, the official said.”
“Unseasonal rains and hailstorms have damaged crops in Varpal village of Amritsar [Punjab, India].
“While speaking to ANI, Mandeep Singh, a farmer, said, “Vegetables and crops got damaged due to heavy rain and hailstorms. In the coming days, it will be difficult for the farmers to survive.””
“1,500 mm [59 inches] and counting: Delhi’s annual rainfall this year highest since 1933.
“Having already received 1,502.8 mm of rainfall so far this year, Delhi is poised to break the all-time record for annual precipitation… Delhi witnessed one of the most delayed and erratic monsoons this year…”
“‘It still gives me nightmares’: the firefighters on the frontline as the world burns.
“As global heating sees a surge in wildfires, we hear from those tackling the blazes, who face injury, death and trauma, often without proper equipment or support.”
“Carbon stores, long locked in the permafrost, are now seeping out.
“Between carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane, permafrost contains some 1,700 billion tonnes of organic carbon, almost twice the amount of carbon already present in the atmosphere.”
“Climate scientists fear tipping points (maybe you should too).
“Anyone who has leaned back in a chair balancing on two legs knows there is a threshold beyond which you irrevocably crash to the floor. That portal between two stable states — in this case, an upright versus a fallen-over chair — is a tipping point, and Earth’s complex, interlocking climate system is full of them.”
You can read the previous ‘Climate’ thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an ‘Economic’ thread.
If you found value in this content, please help me continue this work by becoming a patron of my work via Patreon. And if you are already a subscriber or have donated – thank you! It means a lot.
“As far as I know, your work is unique in pulling together stories from all over the world. Very sobering but a better and more complete view. Terrific and necessary work. Thank you!” – Simon
“With the inundation of so much depressing news, Justin Panopticon presents it in a succinct format that one can quickly go thru and see the big picture of climate and economics/politics to stay current and if a particle topic is of interest one can delve into the details… I try never to miss any of his posts…I am a Patreon of his work.”
– Karina S.
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Weekday updates on both climate change and the global economy. Stay current with what’s happening around the world with a quick scan of top news.
“An unseasonably rare forest fire has engulfed the Russian tundra as the country faces significant changes from climate change, Interfax reported Wednesday.
“Snow on strike in the world’s coldest region – Siberia’s Pole of Cold…
“A look at Siberia’s methane-emitting craters, amid pledge to cut global methane emissions at COP26…
“October was the warmest on record in Northern Quebec, Labrador and much of Nunavut [Canada]…
“A powerful, historic storm has walloped southern Alaska for days, unloading extreme amounts of precipitation and overwhelming its infrastructure in some areas…
“2021 Pacific Northwest heat wave ‘virtually impossible’ without global warming, scientists find.
“California farm town lurches from no water to polluted water.
“Dangerous ‘forever chemicals’ contaminate US tap water: Report…
“A landslide triggered by heavy rains has killed at least 11 people in southern Colombia…
“A strong hail storm hit Taija on Sunday, causing floods and damage across the southern Bolivian city.
“World’s highest ski resort a Bolivian memory.
“The longest-lasting patch of snow in Britain has melted for just the eighth time in the past 300 years, according to experts monitoring the Cairgnorm phenomenon.
“Europe’s record summer ‘impossible’ without global heating…
“After being flooded by heavy rains, last Sunday night, the General Hospital of Jaén, in Cajamarca [Spain], this morning restarted the attention to the public in 90% of its facilities…
“Heavy rain, storms and snowfall are forecast across Italy over the next few days due to the arrival of another cyclone, according to weather reports.
“760,000 affected by South Sudan floods: UN…
“Food crisis looms as Kano farmers count losses [Nigeria]…
“Hailstorm ravages Mutare [Zimbabwe]…
“‘We run from men only to meet crocodiles’: Kenya’s drought is deadly for women.
“Turkey proxies weaponising water in north Syria: report.
“‘Catastrophe’ faces Jordan’s water sector as climate heats up.
“‘Great distress’: Bangladesh bears brutal cost of climate crisis.
“Hail damage mars start of harvest in Western Australia.
“Gisborne flooding: State of Emergency declared in Tairāwhiti [New Zealand], residents told to evacuate.
“‘Reality check’: Global CO2 emissions shooting back to record levels.
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Multiple small tornadoes across the UK rom Northern Ireland to East Sussex. I won’t list all the headlines here but some links are below; one example: 
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