“330,000 Chinese facing drinking water shortages as drought hits south: Rainfall since October in regions south of Yangtze River down 50 to 80 per cent on normal levels, water ministry says
“About 2.4 million people in Zhejiang, Guangdong and Fujian already affected, concerns growing in Guangxi, Hunan and Yunnan, it says.” [You may recall that these regions experienced severe floods in 2020].
“Unremitting torrential rains unleashed a flood fury that inundated 51 villages in 13 sub-districts in Sambas District, West Kalimantan Province, Indonesia.
“”Based on the temporary data that came in, 51 villages in13 sub-districts were submerged by subsequent floods,” Yusran, head of the the Sambas District Disaster Mitigation Office (BPBD), stated on Tuesday.”
“‘Fighting for life’: Bangladesh shrimp farmers destitute in wake of cyclone.
““The shrimp farm was under water for nine months. Three to four feet of silt has accumulated there. Everything on the farm is ruined. Now a lot of money is needed to fix these again. I am now carrying the burden of debt. Where can I get money for shrimp farming?””
“At least 171 people are missing and 26 have died in northern India after part of a Himalayan glacier fell into a river sending a devastating avalanche of water, dust and rocks down a mountain gorge, and crashing though a dam.
“Rescue teams worked through the night to find survivors trapped under the debris. Most of the missing are workers from two hydroelectric projects in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, which were hit by the avalanche.”
“Experts are citing climate change as the reason behind the flood caused by a glacier breaking off in Uttarakhand, a “rare incident” by any measure according to them.
“Prima facie this looks very much like a climate change event as the glaciers are melting due to global warming, says Anjal Prakash, the lead author of the ongoing 6th Assessment report of IPCC.”
“At least 24 people have been killed after heavy rain caused a flood in an illegal underground textile workshop in a private house in Morocco, the state news agency reported.
“Rescue workers recovered 24 bodies from the Tangier property and rescued 10 survivors who were taken to hospital, the MAP agency said on Monday, citing local authorities.”
“A study by the National Observatory of Athens on weather trends in the Greek capital since 1860 showed 2011-2020 as being the warmest decade on record with an average temperature of 19 Celsius.
“That is 1.5C higher than previous averages, putting Attica on the cusp of climate change limits under the Paris Agreement.”
“Flooding has sent carpets of waste plastic down river into Hungary over the past few days, officials say, despite earlier pleas to its upstream neighbours Ukraine and Romania for an end to the pollution.
“As of Monday, floating garbage disposal units have removed 500 cubic metres of waste from the Tisza and Szamos rivers…”
“Southwestern France was hit by heavy flooding on Monday following days of torrential rain, and several other regions including eastern Paris were onflood alert ahead of a cold snap expected later this week.
“The worst flooding was in Saintes, 115 km (71 miles) north of Bordeaux, where the river Charente stood at a near-record level of 6.20 metres (20 feet).”
“Authorities in the Netherlands declared a rare “code red” emergency for the entire country as it was hit by its first proper snowstorm in more than a decade.
“Storm Darcy, which has also sent temperatures plummeting across Germany, packed winds of up to 90km (55 miles) an hour and sent temperatures as low as -5C (23F).”
“A polar vortex continues to bring bitter cold to the Prairies, resulting in cancellations of schools and buses in all major Prairie cities…
“According to Environment Canada, 22 cold-weather records were broken throughout the three provinces. The coldest temperature was recorded in Uranium City… where it was –48.9 C/-56F, breaking a previous record of –40 C/-40F set in 2019.”
“The climate crisis is multiplying the miseries faced by people with allergies, with new research finding that the pollen season in North America is now an average 20 days longer than it was three decades ago.
“Rising global temperatures are helping lengthen the period of time, typically in spring, when pollen is released by plants, trees and grasses, according to the study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.”
“Heat wave in Magallanes, Chile: Magallanes is experiencing a heat wave, 25 degrees /77F are expected for this Tuesday in Punta Arenas. High temperatures will last until Wednesday.”
[This is in the very far south of South America, of course. The all-time high record is 26.1C/79F].
“From shrimp to whales, marine animals use sound to communicate with each other and interpret their underwater environment.
“But since the Industrial Revolution, noise from human activity has been polluting the ocean soundscape, stressing animals and disrupting their behaviors.”
“Efforts to slow the process of global warming focus on the future harms of continuing to burn fossil fuel, but new research released Tuesday shows that deadly consequences from pollution are killing larger numbers of people right now than had been assumed…
“A global study of fine-particle pollution doubles previous mortality estimates and shows that even lower levels—as seen in the U.S.—are more deadly than previously shown.”
“As many as 150 people were feared dead in northern India after a Himalayan glacier broke and crashed into a dam early on Sunday, with floods forcing the evacuation of villages downstream…
“It came very fast, there was no time to alert anyone,” Sanjay Singh Rana, who lives on the upper reaches of Raini village, told Reuters by phone. “I felt that even we would be swept away.”
“Locals fear that people working at a nearby hydro-power project had been swept away, as well as villagers roaming near the river looking for firewood or grazing their cattle, Rana said. “We have no idea how many people are missing.””
“Record Rainfall Linked to Surging Methane Emissions in East Africa: Scientists have long warned the public about compound climate events when climate change drivers combine with climate disasters. One occurrence may already be happening in East Africa, a study published Wednesday found.
“In 2018 and 2019, East Africa experienced unusually wet seasons, provoked by warmer ocean temperatures in the western Indian Ocean and cooler temperatures in the eastern Indian Ocean. Together, the seasons caused widespread flooding and rising water levels. At the same time, scientists also noticed a dramatic increase in methane emissions in the same region.”
“Persistent heavy rains and tropical storms have claimed at least 10 lives in Mpumalanga [South Africa]while two people have gone missing after being swept away by floods.
!Last week, the South African Weather Service issued a red level 10 warning for the province, stating that predicted heavy rains would put serious strain on the province’s emergency services.”
“The series of weather disasters Indonesia experienced in early January could indicate that the country faces an increased risk of hydrometeorological hazards amid the ongoing climate crisis.
“Authorities are urged to adapt disaster preparedness and mitigation measures in alignment with the potential for higher risk…”
“Forest fires in El Bolsón: danger and shocking images: Several sources of forest fires were reactivated in El Bolsón [Patagonia, Argentina]. Thousands of hectares of native forest have been burned, and the fire is already reaching some homes.”
@ExtremeTemps on Twitter reports: “The Patagonian town of El Bolson got even hotter today 5 February and set a new record of highest temperature ever with 38.2C [100.76].”
“An extratropical cyclone with explosive features is forming near the border between Brazil and Uruguay, in southeastern Rio Grande do Sul. The phenomenon, known as a bomb cyclone, is a rare event in summer…
“This phenomenon occurs at higher latitudes, further south, and typically in winter months so it is completely atypical,” explains meteorologist Estael Sias.”
“Lots of us are feeling pretty anxious about the destruction of the natural world. It turns out, humans aren’t the only ones stressing out.
“By analyzing hormones that accumulate in fur, researchers found that rodents and marsupials living in smaller patches of South America’s Atlantic Forest are under more stress than ones living in more intact forests.” [This is not a surprising result.]
“Human-caused global heating is directly responsible for the threat of a devastating flood in Peru that is the subject of a lawsuit against the German energy company RWE, according to groundbreaking new research.
“The study establishes links from human-made greenhouse gas emissions to the substantial risk of a dangerous outburst flood from Lake Palcacocha, high in the Peruvian Andes.”
“Since 1877, when there is a record of the temperature of Mexico City, there has never been a February 4 or 5 with such high temperatures, as reported in the National Meteorological System.
“Jorge Zavala Hidalgo, general coordinator of the National Meteorological System, explained that the heat record was broken in these two days, on February 4, Mexico City registered 27.5 degrees Celsius [81.5F] and on February 5, 29.3 degrees Celsius [84.7].”
“California’s rainy season now starts a month later than it did decades ago, prolonging the state’s destructive wildfire season into November, the American Geophysical Union said on Thursday, citing new research.
“… the results are consistent with scientific predictions of drier autumn months and a warming climate.”
“The polar vortex has gone wandering again. The weather pattern that’s most at home over — you guessed it — Earth’s polar regions has started pushing south, and is bringing plenty of frigid Arctic temperatures and snow along with it.
“…some are wondering if the wintry impacts barreling down on the United States right now might become more frequent thanks to climate change.”
“Recent blockbuster snow totals along East Coast [US] may be tied to climate change:
“Above-average sea-surface temperatures off the East Coast are adding more moisture to the atmosphere… The evidence started accumulating in the 1990s, and observations from snowstorms this winter add new weight to this counterintuitive idea.”
“Nornickel Fined Record $2Bln for Arctic Oil Disaster:
“A report by outside consultants into the disaster — commissioned by Nornickel — also supported that view. It found that a cocktail of the tank’s design flaws, management failures, and rising temperatures had made the disaster “inevitable.””
“Authorities in Jordan have recovered the bodies of three people who went missing after their vehicle was swept away in a flash flood early Friday.
“The Public Security Directorate said the brother of one of those missing died during the search near the town of Ruwaished, some 300 kilometers (190 miles) east of the capital, Amman.”
“As the Mediterranean Sea becomes increasingly warm, extreme tropical weather could displace millions, and with that, alter the geography of North African countries.
“Rising global temperatures, driven mainly by greenhouse gas emissions, will result in millions being displaced from the coastal cities of North Africa…”
“Splashing out in Mallorca in February. The island is enjoying record winter temperatures….and some even went for a swim!
“As our photographs, taken this morning by Humphrey Carter show, Mallorca is a paradise throughout the year. Temperatures reached 25 degrees Centigrade [77F] this morning.”
“The French prime minister says that a natural disaster will be declared after floods in the south west…
“The département of Lot-et-Garonne in south west France on Friday morning had 45 roads that were impassable, while six schools were closed and dozens of people were evacuated from their homes.”
“Bordeaux hits back with balloons that turn hail into harmless rain:
“In recent years it has become common to see [the winemakers of Bordeaux] break down in tears in the spring and summer after losing their harvest to the hail storms that arrive with increasing regularity.”
“Snow melt, rain causing widespread flooding in Germany:
“Rivers around Germany continued to swell Thursday, fed by melting snow and regular rain and leading to widespread flooding and disruptions to shipping traffic.”
“Melting glaciers, rising seas: Approaching climate tipping points: Glaciers have shrunk at high speed during the last 30 years, raising fears of future land loss and more climate refugees…
“…leading climate scientist Johan Rockström, the director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, said that we have already gone beyond some key tipping points. Losing the resilience of the planet was the nightmare that is keeping scientists awake at night, Rockström said.”
“An elusive record that has stood strong for nearly 122 years might have been broken during the monster snowstorm that has pummeled New Jersey during the past three days.
“The National Weather Service announced Tuesday night it received a preliminary report of 35.1 inches of snow on the ground in Mount Arlington in Morris County.
“If that report is confirmed, it would top the state’s longtime record of 34 inches of snow, which fell during a multi-day blizzard that stretched from Feb. 11 to Feb. 14 in 1899.”
“A powerful winter storm engulfed the US Northeast on Monday, blanketing much of the region in heavy snow, blasting coastal areas with high winds and bringing New York City and other major urban centres nearly to a standstill…
““It’s the storm of the century!” predicted snowplough operator James Carew, 56, of Union, New Jersey…” [Photos]
“Extreme drought could become common in Scotland as climate change alters our weather over the next two decades, scientists suggest.
“Research published by national agency NatureScot predicts that the number of extreme drought events could increase from an average of once in 20 years to one every three years.”
“Park staff at Ferry Meadows, Peterborough (UK) are once again dealing with the effects of heavy rainfall at the park – with this winter described as the worst ever for flooding…
“Greg Higby, Park Manager, said this year had been the worst he could remember – and because of climate change, he was expecting it to get worse in the future.”
“The leading climate scientist James Hansen has warned Boris Johnson that he risks “humiliation“ over plans for a new coal mine in Cumbria.
“The UK government, which hosts a climate summit this year, has allowed the mine at Whitehaven to go ahead. Dr Hansen, formerly Nasa’s leading global warming researcher, urged the PM to halt production – or be “vilified”.”
“A Paris court has convicted the French state of failing to address the climate crisis and not keeping its promises to tackle greenhouse gas emissions.
“In what has been hailed as a historic ruling, the court found the state guilty of “non-respect of its engagements” aimed at combating global warming.”
“Days of torrential rain has caused rivers across France to burst their banks, overflowing roads and villages, with 18 départements still on high flood alert on Thursday…
“The Garonne river that passes through the southwestern département of Lot-et-Garonne, was at risk of “major flooding”, according to the national weather forecaster.”
“Located in Central Anatolia and once known as Turkey’s grain warehouse, the Konya Closed Basin is fighting droughtdue to improper irrigation activities and uncontrolled agriculture.
“Çıralı Sinkhole, one of the most important natural formations in the region with an area of nearly 17,500 square meters, has also dried up after weeks without rain.”
“Morocco’s unemployment rate rose last year to 11.9% from 9.2% in 2019, the planning agency said on Wednesday, citing the double impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and drought.
“Farm income hinges on volatile rainfall levels in the semi-arid North African country, pushing more rural people to seek work in urban areas.”
“Climate crisis accelerates the risks of another catastrophic Western Cape drought:
“The recent Western Cape drought cannot be written off as a once-in-a-lifetime event. If we were living in a world without human-induced climate change, this might be the case – but we are not.”
“Torrential rains are wreaking havoc across Botswana with weather experts predicting more rains and thunderstorms in most parts of the southern African country.
“These torrential rains caused by the remnants of Cyclone Eloise have triggered flashflood in many parts of the country especially in Botswana’s capital city, Gaborone…”
“Madagascar: Thousands Migrate North to Escape Hunger and Drought:
“Famine hit the Androy and Anosy regions harder than usual in 2020. In a local health centre in southern Madagascar, the number of malnourished children doubled in one year.”
“The Jakarta provincial administration has deployed around five thousand members of the trash task force (pic), including river troops, to clear several main rivers of waste, as part of flood prevention measures during rainy season…
“In early 2020, flash floods triggered by high-intensity rainfall over several days had swamped several parts of 17 sub-districts of Jakarta as well as many other sub-districts in its metropolitan areas, including Bekasi and Bogor.”
“Flash floods inundated certain areas of the villages of Lamolda and Sekinyak near the Indonesia-Malaysia land border in West Kalimantan after heavy rains pelted the areas from morning to afternoon on Wednesday (Feb 3).
“The floodwaters that submerged certain areas of the two villages in Lumar Sub-district, Bengkayang District, reached as high as an adult’s waist…”
“Dubbo’s warmest February [NSW, Australia] night is usually around 24 degrees, more than two degrees warmer than it was 50 years ago.
“However, last year’s warmest February night smashed this average, reaching 31.6 degrees… Its not just night time temperatures that are changing in Dubbo.”
“How Heatwaves and Drought Combine to Produce the Perfect Firestorm:
“Long heatwaves during entrenched drought often trigger fears of bushfire. It’s easy to imagine rolling days of hot, dry weather desiccating leaves, bark and twigs, transforming them into a potent fuel.”
“Fiji grapples with unfolding crisis of cyclones and COVID-19 tourism downturn, urges Australia to allow travel bubble:
“Days after being smashed by a second devastating cyclone, Fiji is grappling with an unfolding crisis, with roads in some areas cut, food in short supply and concerns over dirty drinking water.”
“The heavy and unseasonal rainfall in much of Chile over the weekend has caused an unprecedented disaster for the fruit industry, according to the chief of the Federation of Fruit Producers (Fedefruta)…
“”These rains were a climatic phenomenon out of proportions, a catastrophe that the fruit sector had not seen before,” Jorge Valenzuela told Agriculture Minister María Emilia Undurraga on Monday.”
“Increasing risk of floods as glaciers recede in Central Andes:
“A researcher at the University of Huddersfield has examined the rate at which glaciers have been retreating in the Central Andes and says further monitoring is needed to address the growing risk of ‘Glacial Lake Outburst Floods’ to communities located downstream from the melting glacier lakes.”
“Eight dead and more than 30,000 families affected by floods in Bolivia:
“Floods and other disasters caused by the latest rains in Bolivia have so far left eight dead and 30,943 families affected, of which more than a fifth have suffered great losses, reported the Vice Minister of Civil Defense, Juan Carlos Calvimontes.”
“Floods after unusual rain: more than a thousand houses were affected in Cordillera [Paraguay]:
“The road network in the department of Cordillera was literally destroyed and today the routes, bridges and other roads remain disabled. About a thousand homes were affected by the floods.”
“Antarctica Is Melting in a Way Our Climate Models Never Predicted, Scientists Say:
“”The ice sheet is not changing with a constant rate – it’s more complicated than a linear change,” explains Lei Wang, who researches civil, environmental, and geodetic engineering at Ohio State University.
“”The change is more dynamic: The velocity of the melt changes depending on the time.””
“Global heating-driven ice melt could result in blooms of potentially toxic plankton algae in the Arctic:
“As a result of climate change, the sea ice is shrinking in the Arctic, which in turn has an impact on the plankton community that forms the foundation of the entire marine food web.”
“Rising Arctic Temperatures Bring Wild Weather Around the World: This week’s winter storm is part of a pattern caused by disturbances to the upper-atmosphere phenomena known as the polar vortex that can send icy blasts from the Arctic into the middle latitudes, chilling Europe, Asia and parts of North America.
“The disturbance and its effects have persisted for an unusually long time this year, said Jennifer Francis, a senior scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Center, with two disruptions of the polar vortex so far this year and, potentially, a third on the way.”
“A powerful winter storm has engulfed the US north-east, blanketing much of the region in heavy snow. The storm is expected to bring nearly 2ft of snow to New York, Boston and several other cities.
“’This is a dangerous, life-threatening situation,’ New York’s governor, Andrew Cuomo, said while declaring a state of emergency in 44 counties and New York City.”
“January crammed 5 months of Austin [Texas] weather into 4 weeks: Snow, springlike heat, bit of rain…
“In what was possibly the most anticipated January of all time as we looked to get rid of the wretched year of 2020, the month did not disappoint. We got snow in Central Texas, for crying out loud! January brought five months’ worth of weather in four weeks…”
“The number of heat-related deaths in Arizona soared to a new high last year as people endured the hottest summer on record and the complications of the pandemic.
“The deaths of at least 494 people were linked to heat during 2020, state health officials said this week, a preliminary number that may continue to grow as more deaths under investigation are resolved.”
“Further drop in Lake Mead water level could trigger water shortage declaration:
“The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s recent study shows the water level at Lake Mead is being closely monitored as it is nearing a mark that could cause a federally declared water shortage.”
“Have you noticed this December and January has been warmer than usual this year? Well there’s a reason.
“The National Weather Service says this December and January 2020-21 is shaping up to tie last winter as the second warmest on record in Portland, Oregon.”
“The Arctic has seen rapid transformation in recent years as a result of climate change, with rising temperatures and significant fluctuations in sea ice thickness.
“Those changes could be causing three species of Arctic seals to lose body mass at alarming rates, according to a new study.”
“Photographs taken in 1989 and 2020 by a father and son reveal how Vatnajökull [Iceland], one of Europe’s biggest glaciers, has shrunk by about 150 square miles (400 square kilometres) due to climate change.
“Dr Kieran Baxter from the University of Dundee followed his father’s footsteps to Iceland more than 30 years on to recreate photos of the Vatnajökull glacier.”
“A firefighter was killed on Monday in the region of Evros in northeastern Greece during an operation to rescue dozens of children that were trapped in a school flooded by torrential rains.
“The incident occurred as the fire service was called to a kindergarten and a primary school in the small town of Apalos, near Alexandroupolis.”
“Torrential rains caused flash floods Tuesday morning in Izmir [Turkey], blocking main arteries in the downtown area and surrounding districts of Aliağa, Foça and Dikili. [The article doesn’t quite capture how nuts these floods were; there is footage on YouTube for the curious].
“Calling the situation a disaster, the municipality urged residents to not leave their homes unless necessary.”
“Jammu and Kashmir’s summer capital Srinagar [India] witnessed the lowest temperature of minus 8.8 degree Celsius [16.6F] on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, a record since the January of 1991.
“Kashmir continues to be under the grip of a severe cold wave…”
“Guam suffered a severe cold snap, at least by local standards.
“In fact it was so cold on the island of Guam that it broke a 71 year record with a recorded temperature of 69 degrees fahrenheit just after dawn Saturday… The previous record was 70 degrees in 1950…”
“More than meets the eye (of the storm): Typhoons in Korea amplified wildfires in America…
“…the Oregon wildfire intensified to an uncontrollable extent and was spread over a wide area by strong gusts of wind that carried it forward. These unseasonably strong winds may have been stoked by an unexpected source: typhoons on the other side of the Pacific Ocean.”
“One person has died, and five, including a three-year-old boy, are still missing after Cyclone Ana pummelled Fiji on Sunday, just over a month after category 5 Cyclone Yasa tore through the country’s northern islands.
“Two more cyclones are already forming off Fiji’s coastline, and cyclone season still has three months left to run.”
“Amid fears of huge damage to marine ecosystems from the giant A68a berg [Antarctica], British researchers are setting sail to assess its impact…
“”Essentially we have this gigantic ice cube floating in the ocean and it is cooling and freshening the water around it… That raises worries about the food-chain…”
“The largest mammal ever to live on the Earth, the blue whale, is under threat from boat collisions as one of its main feeding grounds in Chilean Patagonia is overrun with vessels, a new study has revealed.
“The endangered whales must contend with up to 1,000 boats moving daily through an important feeding area in the eastern South Pacific…”
“A new report documents draconian budget cuts to Brazilian environmental monitoring and firefighting of 9.8% in 2020, and 27.4% in 2021 — reductions, analysts say that were inflicted by the Bolsonaro administration in “a clear policy for dismantling national environmental policies.”
“Brazil’s environmental agencies under Bolsonaro have also been subjected to nearly 600 administrative and rules changes, invoked by presidential executive order and resulting in massive environmental deregulation.”
“An atypical summer storm continues to hit Chile this Monday after a three-day pass through the south-central part of the country, where it left floods, floods and blackouts, and threatens to leave almost six million people in Santiago without drinking water.
“The unexpected rains at this time of year in the central area, which suffered the worst drought in its history in the last 10 years, affected crops, mainly table grapes, an export product in this country and of which it is estimated that half of the production has been decimated.”
“Sea lions in California had been dying of a mysterious cancer for decades. Now, scientists say they have finally uncovered the likely cause: toxic chemicals from industrial trash, pesticides and oil refinery waste.
“A team of mammal pathologists, virologists, chemists and geneticists have concluded that sea lions with higher concentrations of DDT, PCBs and other chemicals in their blubber are more prone to cancer triggered by a herpes virus.”
“Ocean pollution is widespread, worsening, and poses a clear and present danger to human health and wellbeing. But the extent of this danger has not been widely comprehended – until now.
“Our recent study provides the first comprehensive assessment of the impacts of ocean pollution on human health…”
“Spain swings from record cold to record heat: “Yesterday was also a record, but today it was even hotter!
The stunning weather today turned out to be the hottest January day on record, hitting 28.7 degrees Celsius [84F] in the capital city of the region, Murcia at 15.40 this afternoon.” #climatecrisis
[Other northern hemisphere nations that have seen record heat for Jan include Malta, Greece, Turkey, Georgia and Russia].
“Unusual almond blossoms lift spirits in Alicante [Spain] as spring-like weather causes trees to bloom in abundance:
“According to figures released by Observatory of Climatology of the University of Alicante, January 28 registered a whopping 29.2 [84.6] degrees on thermometers, equalling the all-time record for Jan, which was set in 1982.”
“It was warmer in Mallorca on Friday than it had been on Thursday, and new records for January were set at six Aemet weather stations on the island. The highest temperature was 26.8C [80.2F] at the Son Servera weather station.
“Humanitarian staff have been working “round the clock” to reopen access roads and provide emergency relief from the disastrous impact that recent floods have unleased on displaced people living in camps in northwest Syria, the UN’s deputy humanitarian coordinator there said on Friday.
“Providing shelter, food, clean water and other relief supplies is “a massive undertaking…[that] will continue for months”, Mark Cutts told a press briefing in Geneva.”
“Shell must pay damages to four Nigerian farmers for two oil spills back in 2008, a Dutch court has ruled today. [So, only 13 years that the villagers had to wait in their unliveable villages. Sheesh.]
The court found that the Nigerian subsidiary of Shell was liable for two pipeline leaks that occurred in the Niger Delta 13 years ago. The plaintiffs argued that the oil spill meant that their villages had become unliveable due to the pollution.”
“The export of Cameroonian timber to Vietnam conceals enormous environmental and fiscal abuses. According to a report published by two local non-governmental organisations (NGOs), these exchanges are marked by the illegal cutting of protected species and the issuing of false invoices.
“The loss of income due to this illegal flow is estimated at 58 million dollars, over the period from January 2016 to July 2020.”
“The death toll from Storm Eloise has risen to 21 across southern Africa after Mozambique and eSwatini reported a further five and two people killed respectively.
“Eloise, at the time a cyclone, slammed into Mozambique’s central port city of Beira and surroundings – an area still recovering from the devastation of Cyclone Idai in 2019 – on Saturday.”
“The onset of tropical cyclone Eloise across the Southern Africa region last weekend has raised the spectre of widespread crop damage to South Africa’s corn crop…”
“High-intensity tropical cyclones have been moving closer to coasts over the past 40 years, potentially causing more destruction than before.
“The trend of tropical cyclones – commonly known as hurricanes or typhoons – increasingly moving towards coasts over the past 40 years appears to be driven by a westward shift in their tracks, say the study’s authors from Imperial College London.”
“Analysts say Chinese officials are diverting so much water from dams along the upper Mekong River system that Southeast Asian countries are going dry during prime agricultural seasons and turning to other powers for help.
“Eleven southwest China dams have left much of the Lower Mekong region, with its population of 60 million, dry since 2019, according to data from the Stimson Center in Washington.” [Not a totally unbiased source, obviously, but I do believe this is an issue.]
“Downpours caused widespread flooding across Fiji. The Ba River broke its banks yesterday, resulting in floodwaters pouring into the town and adjacent areas.
“Rakiraki Town was underwater from Thursday while many low-lying areas in Vanua Levu, Nausori, and Tavua reported incidences of flash flooding from unrelenting overnight rain.”
“From the National Meteorological Service (SMN) they reported that the high temperature event that originated the famous heat wave in localities of 9 Argentine provinces lasted from January 18 to 27…
“Meanwhile, Cipolletti and Malargüe registered [all-time] record temperatures. In the first case it reached 43.8 ° C [110.8F] while in the second 38.9 ° C [102F].”
“Through a municipal decree, Buenavista [Bolivia] declared itself in a disaster zone due to the damage caused by the flooding of the rivers and the constant rain in recent days.
“They are more than 25 affected communities, where crops were lost houses, bridges, animals. While the roads were impassable.”
“Heavy rain from a winter storm system pounded Southern California on Friday, triggering car accidents, road closures, mudslides and lightning flashes that temporarily closed L.A. County beaches.
“There was moderate mud and debris flow near the area burned last year by the Bond fire, which scorched over 6,000 acres in Orange County, destroying vegetation and causing the soil to destabilize.”
“Marine heatwaves becoming more intense, more frequent:
“When thick, the surface layer of the ocean acts as a buffer to extreme marine heating—but …this “mixed layer” is becoming shallower each year. The thinner it becomes, the easier it is to warm. The new work could explain recent extreme marine heatwaves, and point at a future of more frequent and destructive ocean warming events as global temperatures continue to climb.”
“Arizona in 2020 saw its second hottest and second driest year on recordwith Phoenix seemingly leading the way, according to weather officials.
“Phoenix set a new record for the most days in a year with high temperatures at or above 100 degrees, totaling 145 days… In July, Phoenix set a new record for the hottest month ever with an average temperature of 98.9 degrees; however, the record was toppled by August…”
“It has been almost two years since Washington had a day with highs at or below 32 degrees, the longest period on record.
“At the same time, the mercury hasn’t dropped below 22 degrees since February 2019, even at night, the longest period by far without colder temperatures.”
“Calling attention to climate emergency, Lapland town Salla [which normally markets itself as the coldest place in Finland] launches parody bid for 2032 Summer Olympics.
““Please, don’t let these games happen,” the municipal authorities in Salla writes in their call to host the 2032 Summer Olympics.”
“How long might the Arctic’s ‘Last Ice’ area endure? …”The warming of the Arctic and decline in Arctic ice have come “far faster” than models had been projecting just two decades ago, says Chris Horvat of Brown University.
“Don’t think of it as being the warmest day, or the warmest month, over the past hundred years,” he cautions.
“Think of its being the coolest month for the next hundred.”
“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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About This Site
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.
“330,000 Chinese facing drinking water shortages as drought hits south: Rainfall since October in regions south of Yangtze River down 50 to 80 per cent on normal levels, water ministry says
“Unremitting torrential rains unleashed a flood fury that inundated 51 villages in 13 sub-districts in Sambas District, West Kalimantan Province, Indonesia.
“‘Fighting for life’: Bangladesh shrimp farmers destitute in wake of cyclone.
“At least 171 people are missing and 26 have died in northern India after part of a Himalayan glacier fell into a river sending a devastating avalanche of water, dust and rocks down a mountain gorge, and crashing though a dam.
“Experts are citing climate change as the reason behind the flood caused by a glacier breaking off in Uttarakhand, a “rare incident” by any measure according to them. 
“Five people are still missing in Mpumalanga, South Africa, following heavy rain and floods this week but the death toll remains at eight.
“At least 24 people have been killed after heavy rain caused a flood in an illegal underground textile workshop in a private house in Morocco, the state news agency reported.
“A study by the National Observatory of Athens on weather trends in the Greek capital since 1860 showed 2011-2020 as being the warmest decade on record with an average temperature of 19 Celsius. 
“Flooding has sent carpets of waste plastic down river into Hungary over the past few days, officials say, despite earlier pleas to its upstream neighbours Ukraine and Romania for an end to the pollution.
“Southwestern France was hit by heavy flooding on Monday following days of torrential rain, and several other regions including eastern Paris were onflood alert ahead of a cold snap expected later this week. 
“Authorities in the Netherlands declared a rare “code red” emergency for the entire country as it was hit by its first proper snowstorm in more than a decade.
“February is set to be the coldest month on record in Scotland after bookies slashed odds as an amber weather warning for snow is issued…
“A polar vortex continues to bring bitter cold to the Prairies, resulting in cancellations of schools and buses in all major Prairie cities…
“The climate crisis is multiplying the miseries faced by people with allergies, with new research finding that the pollen season in North America is now an average 20 days longer than it was three decades ago.
“Heat wave in Magallanes, Chile: Magallanes is experiencing a heat wave, 25 degrees /77F are expected for this Tuesday in Punta Arenas. High temperatures will last until Wednesday.”
“Whales are starving to death due to rising ocean temperatures:
“From shrimp to whales, marine animals use sound to communicate with each other and interpret their underwater environment. 
“Efforts to slow the process of global warming focus on the future harms of continuing to burn fossil fuel, but new research released Tuesday shows that deadly consequences from pollution are killing larger numbers of people right now than had been assumed…
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“Forest fires in El Bolsón: danger and shocking images:
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“Lots of us are feeling pretty anxious about the destruction of the natural world. It turns out, humans aren’t the only ones stressing out. 
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“Melting glaciers, rising seas: Approaching climate tipping points: Glaciers have shrunk at high speed during the last 30 years, raising fears of future land loss and more climate refugees…
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“A powerful winter storm engulfed the US Northeast on Monday, blanketing much of the region in heavy snow, blasting coastal areas with high winds and bringing New York City and other major urban centres nearly to a standstill…
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“Have you noticed this December and January has been warmer than usual this year? Well there’s a reason.
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“The Arctic has seen rapid transformation in recent years as a result of climate change, with rising temperatures and significant fluctuations in sea ice thickness. 
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“That dream house in southern France that so many fantasise about is going to become uncomfortably hot in coming decades… 
“Out of the frying pan… 
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“Guam suffered a severe cold snap, at least by local standards. 
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“From the National Meteorological Service (SMN) they reported that the high temperature event that originated the famous 
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