“NASA’s “Ocean Heat Content” data confirms record high Earth Energy Imbalance!
“For the past three years (IAP/CAS) OHC (in 10 ZJ) indicates a global Energy imbalance of +1.5 W/m². And for the past year an Energy Imbalance of >2.0W/m²!
“The 3-year averaged Ocean Heat Content based Earth’s Energy Imbalance is off the chart.”
“”It is likely that the current global warming level has now reached (or exceeded) 1.5 °C”.
“The next 15 years will likely be much warmer than ΔT +1.5°C, resulting in a 30 average of +1.5°C centered at or even before 2023.[Leon Simons is a co-author of Hansen’s “Global Warming in the Pipeline” paper].”
“This Year Is ‘Virtually Certain’ to Be Hottest in Human History, Researchers Say…
“…the World Meteorological Organization announced on Thursday at COP28 [that] 2023 has been about 1.4 degrees Celsius, or about 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit, above the global average preindustrial temperature from 1850 to 1990”[what a dishonest metric; intentionally oblique, I would suggest].
“Gray Whale Die-Offs Driven By Food Supply Swings In Changing Arctic Conditions…
““These findings demonstrate the consequences of a warming ocean and retreating sea ice on a marine species that’s very sensitive to rapid environmental changes that reduce prey availability and affect survivorship,” said Roberto Delgado, a program director in NSF’s Office of Polar Programs.”
“Study Finds Western Alaska Chum Survival Rate Being Impacted By Marine Heatwave.
“After looking at nearly two decades of survey data, scientists found evidence to suggest that recent marine heatwave events in the eastern Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska may have played a key role in juvenile chum salmon survival. Scientists also suspect this impacted subsequent adult returns to western Alaska rivers.”
“Drier than the Dust Bowl: Iowa, facing more drought, preps for water shortages.
“The nearly 50-year-old Regional Water Rural Water Association treatment plant ran nonstop a record 72 days this summer, struggling to keep up with drought-driven demand. With the Avoca-based utility’s wells drying up, the district was pulling reserves from its nine water towers…”
“The tragedy of the infamous Dust Bowl era of the 1930s was repeated in the “mini” dust storm on I-55 in the heart of the U.S. Corn Belt in May 2023… A dust storm led to near blackout conditions along I-55 in Illinois May 1, 2023, resulting in 8 deaths, 32 hospitalizations and 72 destroyed vehicles.”
“September hail storm caused $600 million in damage to Austin area, NWS estimates…
“Of the $700 million in the state, the NWS determined $600 million of that loss happened in Travis and Williamson counties. This $600 million in losses will go down in the books as the costliest hailstorm in Austin-area history, far outdistancing the following hailstorms.”
“Bolivia’s Indigenous women climbers fear for their future as the Andean glaciers melt.
“When they first started climbing the Andes peaks, they could hear the ice crunching under their crampons. These days, it’s the sound of melted water running beneath their feet that they mostly listen to as they make their ascents.”
“Scientists Say 2023 Amazon Drought Most Severe in Recorded History.
“Rivers and lakes reached record low levels before rising in recent weeks. Thousands of people were isolated because of the lack of water in tributaries. Scientists say this should be considered a warning of what climate change can do. Yan Boechat reports from Manaus, Brazil.”
“This 1 December will be remembered as one of the most extreme day in climatic history.
“Records falling in all Continents, in dozens countries, in thousands stations. SOUTH AMERICA also had its share. Temperatures >40C [104F] in BRAZIL beat several December records (including Salinas again).”
“Uruguay Rains and floods: an intense storm left Montevideo under water. In some areas of the city, 100 millimeters [nearly four inches] fell in just two hours.
“”The problem is that it rains in an hour what it rains in a month,” said Mayor Carolina Cosse.”
“In Chile’s far south, scientists record an island’s quickly shifting ecology.
“The beautiful landscape [of Navarino Island] has seen increased temperatures and decreased rainfall. Wetlands have dried up, ice floes have disappeared, populations of various animals have declined significantly and the life cycles of some insects have changed.”
“Norfolk Broads land still flooded one month after Storm Ciarán [UK].
“Land and businesses in an area of the Norfolk Broads remain under water almost a month after Storm Ciarán hit the county. Water continues to seep into a shop in Potter Heigham from its car park.”
“Luxembourg experiences second-hottest autumn since 1838.
“The country saw its second-warmest autumn on record since 1838, with an average temperature of 11.7°C, between 1.8° to 2.6°C warmer than the average in the same months from 1991 to 2020, the Agriculture Ministry’s weather service, AgriMeteo, said in a press release [only 2006 hotter].”
“Insane historic warm spell in EUROPE. Unbelievable MINIMUM temperature of 22.0C at Loznica in SERBIA, widespread tropical nights. Not even the historic December 1989 warm spell did this.
“A night like this would be above average even in July let alone in December.”
“North Africa Braces for a Dangerously Dry Future…
““It’s been years since we’ve [been talking] about climate change, but I think today we’re really with our backs to the wall,” said Daoud, who began farming in the 1990s and is a member of Tunisia’s farming union Synagri. “We need to find solutions and change our agriculture, so it respects the resources we have.””
“Water crisis forces Tunisia to boost sea and wastewater purification.
“Throughout summer, Tunisia grapples with fresh water supply problems, exacerbated by reservoirs running dry and the rise in demand from urban growth. The north African country has imposed a water ban for months…”
“Farmers race to innovate as climate change threatens African food supply…
“Rising temperatures mean large chunks of Africa are whipsawing between increasingly severe droughts and more frequent and intense cyclones, threatening staple foods for hundreds of millions of people.”
“Cocoa prices surge to 44-year high as extreme rainfall devastates crop in West Africa…
“During the past three to six months, the cocoa-producing West African region has experienced extreme rainfall, which poses a significant risk of crop losses, according to Everstream Analytics, a global company that provides supply chain insights and risk analytics.”
“Historic heat wave also in AFRICA: Records are falling all over the Sahel:
“Mali (39.7 San, 39.8 Mopti), Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso (39.6 Ouahigouya), Ghana, Cameroon (which also missed by 0.1C its national monthly record),with the record heat going to increase. A day like no other.”
“…in recent years, this precarious lifestyle has grown all the more untenable, as more severe droughts arrive more frequently. Of the 17 that have hit Kenya since 1965, five occurred between 2011 and 2019. Then, in late 2020, the region’s severest drought on record started.”
“Monster heat wave in SOUTH AFRICA. Today the heat moved West with record heat like:
“44.5 [112.1F] Fort Beaufort also tied all time high; 44.4 Addo; 43.4 Somerset East… Records have been falling by dozens since weeks in heat waves one after another in South Africa.”
“August, September & November warmest on record in India, winter temperatures to remain above normal…
“According to IMD’s seasonal forecast, the maximum temperatures from December 2023-February 2024 are likely to be above normal in most parts of the country, except some areas of central and northwest India. These regions may record normal to below-normal maximum temperatures.”
“China’s unprecedented December heat is about to hit! December 3rd～5th is the first wave of warming, and then cold air arrives to temporarily curb the warming.
“Starting on December 7th, a more ferocious heat will cover China! Hundreds of stations will break records!”
“Japan experienced its hottest autumn on record this year, with the September-November period soaring 1.39 C above the nation’s average between 1991-2020, the Japan Meteorological Agency said Friday…
“High temperatures are attributed to record high sea surface temperatures in the waters around Japan.”
“Indonesia — Torrential rain triggered flash floods and a landslide on Indonesia’s Sumatra island, leaving at least 12 people missing, officials said Saturday.
“Tons of mud, rocks and trees rolled down from a mountain late Friday, reaching a river that burst its banks and tore through mountainside villages, said Budiono, who heads the local search and rescue agency.”
“November 2023 saw the most lightning ever detected in Australia.
“November 2023 will go down in history… Never before has so much lightning been recorded across Australia, with Weatherzone’s Total Lightning Network detecting 40,465,119 individual lightning pulses over the Australian region during November.”
“Perth heatwave leaves hospitals overwhelmed with injuries.
“Doctors in Western Australia are calling on the government to take urgent climate action, as hospital admissions increase during extreme weather events. A hospital in Perth saw a 60 per cent rise in emergency patients during last week’s heatwave.”
“Sydney maxima averaged 24.7°C for the season, making it the warmest spring in terms of daytime maximum temperatures on record (records go back to the 1850s)… On the other side of the country, Perth also recorded the warmest spring on record in terms of maxima, averaging 26.2°C.”
“‘Support the blemished cherry’: NSW Christmas harvest hit by wild storms.
“Hundreds of tonnes of ripe cherries have been dumped in New South Wales after heavy rains, reducing supply in the lead up to Christmas… Deniliquin experienced its wettest November day on record, with 135mm [5.3 inches] of rain on Wednesday.”
“Great Southern Reef scientists say they are “concerned and alarmed” at the [Australian] Government’s lukewarm response to a request for urgent funding to set up monitoring before a forecast marine heatwave…
““With the summer’s marine heatwave already upon us, the government’s inaction is a matter of national concern.””
“The UN highlighted Friday that climate change is increasingly threatening the agrifood sector.
““Agrifood systems are facing an escalating threat from climate change-induced loss and damage, and actions – including increasing financing— must be taken to address their vulnerabilities,” the UN Food and Agriculture Organization said…”
“Efforts to eliminate malaria are at a “crunch point” as climate change drives a deadly surge in cases, the World Health Organization has warned.
“In its annual World Malaria Report, the agency said malaria is “driven by the environment” and is especially sensitive to temperature, rainfall and humidity.”
“Not so dead as a dodo: ‘De-extinction’ plan to reintroduce bird to Mauritius.
“An audacious collaboration between geneticists and conservationists plans to bring back the extinct dodo and reintroduce it to its once-native habitat in Mauritius… The full genome of the dodo has been sequenced by Beth Shapiro, lead paleogeneticist at Colossal.”
You can read the previous “Climate” thread here. 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 is an enormous help as the cost-of-living crisis ratchets up here in the UK.
“It’s been a quiet year for Arctic sea-ice as its Southern twin has been getting all the headlines. So here’s an update:
“As of Nov. 28, Arctic sea-ice extent is 5th lowest on record at 620,000 km² above the record low set in 2016, the last El Niño year. Next year will be “fun.””
“Ski homes lose some lustre as high interest rates, wildfires scare off buyers [Canada].
“Sales of winter recreational properties fell by double-digits in most regions. Many potential recreational homebuyers in Canada’s most popular ski regions stayed on the sidelines this year, deterred by high interest rates and the worst wildfire season on record, says a new real estate report.”
“As global warming continues to shrink glaciers and ice fields in Glacier National Park [Montana], another feature is growing on the landscape — small lakes from the melting ice and snow.
Flathead Lake Biological Station scientist Joe Vanderwall has been studying these new bodies of water with great interest.”
“Oregon regulator to investigate PacifiCorp’s request to limit wildfire liability…
“That request came four months after an Oregon jury found PacifiCorp must pay at least $87 million in compensatory and punitive damages for four wildfires that damaged more than 2,400 properties over Labor Day in 2020.”
“New York City‘s Central Park has gone nearly two years without an inch of snow in a single day, doubling the previous record.
“Nearly 22 months, or 652 days, have passed since more than an inch of snow fell at the location, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). The previous record for no snow was 383 days in 1998.”
“As the calendar prepares to flip to December, most El Paso trees are still holding their leaves – the result of the warmest autumn on record following a record-hot summer. El Paso’s average monthly temperature has been at least 5 degrees above the 1991-2020 normal temperatures every month since July.”
“Louisiana suffered worst wildfires in century as flames threatened towns, destroyed timber.
“Louisiana Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain will ask the Legislature for $43 million to beef up firefighting equipment and personnel after the state suffered its worst wildfire season in a century, wiping out 62,000 acres of mostly forestland.”
““We just don’t have enough water”: Louisiana crawfish farmer on unprecedented drought…
“For sixth generation farmer Christian, little to no rain means high expenses. The low water levels are leading farmers like Christian to pump more water from his wells to properly irrigate the crops. Christian is pumping on average five times more water from his wells than the previous season causing his electricity bill to rise.”
“Arson, logging and water theft: The avocado industry deforests Mexico.
“…the cost is being paid by the ecosystems of the states of Michoacán and Jalisco, with widespread logging and fires to clear the way for plantations, the theft of water from rivers and streams and violence against environmental leaders.”
“Yesterday 35.6C [96.1F] in the town of Santiago, it’s the highest temperature ever recorded in November in the town. November is usually very rainy in Panama but with El Niño has been much warmer and drier than usual.”
“Bolivia wildfires: Locals care for animals affected by blazes.
“In a year that has seen around 3 million hectares (11,583sq m) of Bolivian land burnt by wildfires, some of the country’s animals have been left exposed. President Luis Arce has called on South America’s international community to provide aid to Bolivia – where a chunk of the Amazon rainforest sits.”
“Winter arrives in Northern Europe, with dangerous roads in Germany and record lows in Scandinavia…
“To the north, Scandinavia was also experiencing unusually cold temperatures for November… Several locations on Norway’s west coast recorded record lows for the month on Monday, according to public broadcaster NRK.”
“Copenhagen gets coldest November night for a century.
“A temperature of 15 degrees Celsius below zero [5F] was registered in Denmark on Tuesday night, the lowest recorded in November for 30 years, while an even older record was broken in capital Copenhagen.”
“With two days to go, November is set to be the wettest on record [Netherlands].
“So far rainfall has reached 150 millimetres and that, coming on top of October’s rainfall, means autumn 2023 is also likely to be one of the wettest on record… This autumn has also been extremely warm.”
““This year, the Algarve is worse than last year, it’s in the worst situation ever. We’ve never been like this. It’s a new path we’re treading,” said APA vice-president José Pimenta Machado at the national meeting of water management organisations (ENEG), which kicked off on Monday…”
“Hundreds of fish die in Costa Vicentina rivers [Portugal].
“The lack of water in the south of Portugal is causing problems in streams and rivers, most markedly this week along the Costa Vicentina: in Aljezur hundreds of fish have died in recent weeks due to the impact of the drought, recent bad weather and summer fires…”
“Barcelona raises water bills due to long-running drought.
” Water bills will rise sharply in Barcelona and neighbouring cities due to a long-running drought in Spain’s northeast as the costs of desalination and water purification rise… As Catalonia endures its worst recorded drought, officials announced last week that part of the region, including Barcelona, was entering a pre-emergency phase.”
“A potentially dangerous Atmospheric River will take aim at northern Italy and the northern Balkans (Slovenia, Croatia) later this week with very heavy rain and localized but highly impactful flooding possible given already elevated streams and saturated soils.”
“Effects of storm continue to impact Ukraine, likely 12 dead.
“Wide swathes of Ukraine are still without power, and the number of dead resulting from the historic storms has risen to 12, with an additional 23 injured, including two children, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said on Nov. 29.”
“Black Sea storm disrupts Russian and Kazakh oil exports.
“A severe storm in the Black Sea region has disrupted up to 2 million barrels per day (bpd) of oil exports from Kazakhtsan and Russia, according to state’s officials and port agent data. Oil loadings from Novorossiysk and the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal in nearby Yuzhnaya Ozereyevka have been suspended since last week.”
“Powerful storm paralyzes daily life in Marmara region [Turkey].
“Fierce storms and torrential rain, which have battered the Black Sea over the past weeks, have now wreaked havoc in the Marmara region, bringing daily life to a standstill… The storm also disrupted maritime traffic as the Istanbul Strait was closed for both directions, and ferry and boat services were canceled.”
“November breaks heat records in South Africa — a clear reminder of what’s to come in a warming world…
“Meteorologist Annette Botha, from Vox Weather, told Daily Maverick temperatures reached record-breaking highs this week – above 40°C in the Northern Cape, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State, and the high 30s in Gauteng and North West.”
“The Water Mafia crisis sees South Africa’s most vital resource under threat.
“In a disturbing parallel to the notorious ‘construction mafias’, water or tanker mafias—criminal syndicates thriving on the country’s water crisis—are sabotaging water infrastructure for profit. These groups are capitalising on government failures, ensuring taps remain dry, and creating a state of dependence on their costly services.”
“Death toll from Kenya floods surges as thousands left homeless…
“The death toll from floods that have devastated many parts of Kenya has almost doubled to 120, a government official said on Tuesday. More than 89,000 households have also been displaced and are being sheltered in over 112 camps, top interior ministry official Raymond Omollo said in a statement.”
“Extremely high temperatures this month also in the Southern parts of VIETNAM.
“The islands, including the disputed Spratly Islands, have recorded MINIMUM TEMPS. between 26C and 29C [84.2F] every night including a Tmin of 29.4C at Huyen Tran the highest ever recorded in Vietnam in November.”
“Tmin 27.8 [82F]; Tmax 36.0, insanely hot for November but this feat also sent San Jose to be the Asian hottest station today. It’s EXTREMELY rare, if ever happened, that the Asian daily highest temperature happens in the Philippines.”
“‘This is unusual’: areas burnt in Black Summer already bushfire prone again [Australia]…
“Large areas of Queensland, NSW and the NT are at increased risk of bushfire in coming months, the Australasian Fire Authorities Council (AFAC) says, as are some areas of Tasmania, Victoria, SA and WA. Forested areas burnt during Black Summer have regrown rapidly…”
“Parts of Queensland triple their monthly rainfall average in a day.
“October was Queensland’s driest since 2006, but a rainy November has sent wet weather records tumbling… parts of the state are looking at the wettest November on record, with some areas already collecting more than three times their average monthly rainfall in a single day.”
“Chris Bowen warns global heating will fuel political instability in annual climate statement [Australia].
“The climate change minister, Chris Bowen, will declare runaway global heating remains a national security threat and predict that countries vulnerable to sea level rise will look to Australia to provide “mobility with dignity” as the climate crisis deepens.”
“Record day in the French Southern and Antarctic Lands:
“35.0C [95F] yesterday 27 November in the Juan de Nova Island is the highest temperature ever recorded in November in the territory which includes some tropical, temperate and polar islands/lands.”
“In 2.5 years, Cadman Glacier retreated 5 miles before its ice shelf collapsed… “We were surprised to see the speed at which Cadman went from being an apparently stable glacier to one where we see sudden deterioration and significant ice loss,” team lead Benjamin Wallis, a glaciologist at the University of Leeds…”
“Climate crisis, extreme weather drove 27 million children into hunger in 2022.
“…children made up nearly half the 57 million people pushed into crisis levels of acute food insecurity or worse across 12 countries because of extreme weather in 2022, according to data from the IPC hunger monitoring system. Out of the 12, countries in the Horn of Africa were most affected.”
“One in 3 children – or 739 million worldwide – already live in areas exposed to high or very high water scarcity, with climate change threatening to make this worse, according to a new UNICEF report.
“Further, the double burden of dwindling water availability and inadequate drinking water and sanitation services is compounding the challenge, putting children at even greater risk.”
“Every Bitcoin transaction uses, on average, enough water to fill “a back yard swimming pool”, a new study suggests.
“That’s around six million times more than is used in a typical credit card swipe, Alex de Vries of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, calculates. The figure is due to the water used to power and cool the millions of computers worldwide Bitcoin relies on.”
“Climate scientist reflects on year of disastrous weather, and what’s to come.
“Unrelenting wildfires in Canada and Hawaii. Catastrophic floods in Libya. Sweltering temperatures across the globe. These climate disasters, which once would have happened every decade or longer, all took place in 2023.”
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 is an enormous help as the cost-of-living crisis ratchets up here in the UK.
“Rescuers battle huge squadron of South Africa’s deadliest snakes due to heatwave.
“The relentless heatwave experienced by some provinces since last week has led to an alarming increase of snakes slithering about in residential areas…oh, and lest we forget, it has also been cited as the culprit for Eskom implementing Stage 6 load shedding.”
“Kenya flooding death toll rises to 76, with thousands marooned by worsening rains…
“The Kenyan government on Monday urged people living in flood-prone areas to relocate to higher ground as heavy rains and flash floods continued to wreak havoc across East Africa… State House spokesperson Hussein Mohammed also noted “disease outbreaks, destruction of infrastructure and property…”
“Disease stalks Somali district ravaged by floods.
“”I have never seen such devastating floods before, everything happened quickly. When we realised the water was coming it was too late to collect all our belongings. We left our houses at midnight and all we were able to grab was our children,” Shukri Abdi Osman, a 34-year-old mother of three told AFP.”
“Rains in UAE: Demand grows for car insurance against floods, natural calamities…
“Heavy rains lashed the UAE earlier this month, resulting in roads and vehicles being submerged in water in many parts of the country. The floods and waterlogging damaged vehicles’ engines and other parts, causing motorists losses.”
“Sixty percent of farmers surveyed in four provinces of drought-hit Iraq reported having to reduce cultivated areas or water used, an international rights group said Sunday.
“The Norwegian Refugee Council called on the Iraqi authorities to improve governance of water resources in the country that has been described as one of the most vulnerable to climate change and water scarcity.”
“HISTORIC – absurd endless record heat in Central Asia, temperatures are locally 10/12C above the highest ever recorded this time of the year (the most the world has ever seen outside Antarctica).
“MINIMUM T 19.6C [67.3F] at Baharly, TURKMENISTAN. A summer night and Highest Nov Tmin on records.”
“IRAN: 31.0 [87.8F] Rasht; 30.9 Anzali; 30.3 Parsabad hottest November day on records beaten by 2.3C at the end of the month! 29.1 Garakhil… TURKMENISTAN; 29.0 Serdar; 28.9 Bakharly; 28.8 Bereke… Tomorrow the heat will move to Kazakhstan and Tajikistan.”
“Wildfires Ravage Iran’s Hyrcanian Forests For Fifth Consecutive Day.
“Fires that ignited in the Hyrcanian forests in northern Iran on Thursday have persisted for the fifth consecutive day, posing a severe threat to the ecologically significant region. Despite initial containment efforts, the situation escalated on Monday morning due to strong gusts of warm wind, rekindling the flames.”
“Afghans fight drought with small dams as Taliban shut out of COP28.
“When the Taliban seized power in August 2021, the international community froze most aid for development, including climate adaptation projects. The south Asian country is one of the most vulnerable to climate change with increasing droughts and flash floods destroying livelihoods and fuelling hunger.”
“Doomsday scenario in the making [Pakistan]… These two photos were captured from roughly the same location in Upper Chitral, at around the same time of year, 38 years apart.
“The photo on the left, taken in July 1973, shows the impressive white face of the Chhatiboi glacier as its snout debouches into the River Yarkhun. The photo on the right was taken in 2011, showing how the glacier had dwindled into nothingness.”
“Lightning strikes kill 24 people in India amid unusually heavy rain storms in Gujarat state [India].
“Lightning strikes killed 24 people and injured 23 more over the past two days in the western Indian state of Gujarat, government authorities said Monday. Three buffalo were also killed by the strikes, which came amid a deluge of rainfall atypical for this time of year in the region.”
“Maharashtra’s farmers thirst for a trickle of hope amid water crisis.
“Currently, numerous individuals across villages in the state are squarely dependent on external sources of water, such as tankers, to quench their drinking water needs. Others Who Cannot Afford To Buy Water Have Resorted To Chopping Down Their Orchards To Cut Down On Their Expenses.”
“Northeast China unusually cold as temperatures dip to January levels…
“So far this month, precipitation, be it snow, sleet or freezing rain, has blanketed the northeastern Chinese provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning… Precipitation at many weather stations including the three provincial capitals of Harbin, Changchun and Shenyang has shattered previous records…”
“Fire season in Australia starts, early and ominous.
“The warmest winter on record, followed by an unusually warm and dry spring. Hundreds of fires along Australia’s east coast, including one that razed 53 homes in Queensland. And last week, on the west coast…”
“Today Pohnpei recorded a MIN. temperature of 82F/28C (Micronesia uses officially Fahrenheit ) which ties its highest Min. Temperature in November and it’s 1F from the highest ever.”
“The heat wave moved North from Patagonia to La Pampa, where yesterday the station of General Pico rose to 39.5C [103.1F] tying its highest temperature on records for November (set just 1 year ago). Victorica also recorded 39.5C.”
“Vampire bats may soon take up residence in the United States and bring with them an ancient pathogen.
“”What we found was that the distribution of vampire bats has moved northward across time due to past climate change, which has corresponded with an increase in rabies cases in many Latin American countries,” said Paige Van de Vuurst, a Ph.D. student in Virginia Tech…”
“Western gray squirrel placed on endangered list in Washington state…
“Only three isolated pockets of western gray squirrels survive, the officials say, acknowledging the failure of recovery efforts since unprecedented major wildfires in 2014 and 2015 killed a multitudinous number and destroyed vast swaths of their natural territory.”
“Arviat declares a state of emergency in response to extended power outage [Arctic Canada].
“Many homes have been without power since a blizzard tore through the Nunavut hamlet on Tuesday… In Arviat, Environment Canada meteorologist Samantha Mauti told CBC that winds during the blizzard reached up to 119 km/h [74 mph] on Tuesday, a record for the community for November.”
“Abnormal warmth in GREENLAND, where in some areas there are higher temperatures than most of Europe.
“14.1C [57.4F] at Narsarsuaq today after a MIN temp of +6.9C. 18 stations out of 31 rose above freezing, 3 of which remained above freezing even in the TMINs.”
“A flooding expert has warned of unusually high levels of groundwater accumulating beneath Lincolnshire [UK].
“Dr Paul Ellis, from environmental consultancy Geosmart, said this increased the potential for flooding. Heavy rainfall in recent weeks, linked to Storm Babet, meant boreholes and aquifers were “exceptionally high”.”
“Could ships bring water to the Costa del Sol [Spain] if the drought crisis continues?
“Currently Catalonia in the north of Spain is talking about bringing water in ships to the region to respond to their serious drought crisis. In Cadiz, during the 1995 drought, water was brought into the port from Huelva. And in Malaga city on the Costa del Sol?”
“Temperatures are near record levels in dozens stations in several regions: Hard frost even in Sardinia with -6.8C [19.8F] at Villanova Strisaili. More East it’s like summer with temperatures approaching 30C in Northern Turkey.”
“…climate change—in this case, the absence of deep winter—is proving too much for even this gnarled veteran to cope with. “The climate has changed and the trees cannot cope with these big changes. We no longer have winter at all,” she told AFP.”
“More than a dozen dead as storm sweeps through Russia, Ukraine and Moldova [after record Nov temps along the Black Sea on Sunday, eg 24C / 75F at Sochi]…
“Hurricane force winds, snowfall and flooding that swept parts of southern Russia, Ukraine and Moldova left at least 13 people dead Monday and almost two million without power, authorities said.”
“Storm in Black Sea floods Azov port, delays grain shipments.
“The port of Azov has seen heavy rain since Nov. 24, which has flooded the Black Sea port and prevented the loading of grain aboard coaster vessels, market participants said to S&P Global Commodity Insights Nov. 27.”
“NOAA report says declining snowpack means worldwide food disruptions.
“Human-caused climate change resulting in higher average temperatures has caused a global decline in snowfall, according to a new analysis from NOAA. That means more precipitation is likely to fall as rain, causing a disruption to food supplies and less water for billions of people, the report said.”
“OPEC says oil industry unjustly vilified ahead of COP28 climate talks…
“OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais pushed back against accusations that the industry is not doing enough to reduce carbon emissions. The industry was taken to task last week for its role in the climate crisis and its commitment to clean energy by the Paris-based International Energy Agency.”
“Revealed: Saudi Arabia’s grand plan to ‘hook’ poor countries on oil…
“Little was known about the oil demand sustainability programme (ODSP) but the investigation obtained detailed information on plans to drive up the use of fossil fuel-powered cars, buses and planes in Africa and elsewhere, as rich countries increasingly switch to clean energy.”
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 is an enormous help as the cost-of-living crisis ratchets up here in the UK.
“As new land is exposed by melting ice caused by climate change, Arctic nations and corporations are poised to make trillions of dollars from newly exposed land and sea.
“A new paper published in the journal Science has warned that melting areas in the Arctic have become ‘frontlines for resource extraction’, describing it as a ‘modern day gold rush’.”
“Oil and gas industry needs to let go of carbon capture as solution to climate change, IEA says…
“An “inconceivable” 32 billion tons of carbon would need to be captured for utilization or storage by 2050 to limit climate change to 1.5 degrees Celsius under current projections for oil and gas consumption… The necessary technology would require 26,000 terawatt hours of electricity to operate in 2050, more than total global demand in 2022.”
“CO2 readings from Mauna Loa show failure to combat climate change.
“Just above this column on the weather page of the Guardian’s print edition is the daily atmospheric carbon dioxide readings from Mauna Loa in Hawai… A week before the 28th annual meeting of the United Nations Framework Climate Change Convention opens in oil-rich Dubai, it makes depressing reading.”
“Hottest day in climatic history tied in the remote island of Christmas (pronounced Kirimati in local language) in the Lines islands, Republic of KIRIBATI, Pacific Ocean.
“34.4C [93.9F] the max. temperature on 23 November in the Cassidy Airport located near a settlement called Banana.”
“Wildfires gripped Canada last year. Now, US farmers are feeling the burn…
“Haerr was initially puzzled at the slow maturation but believes he has hit on the culprit: smoke from wildfires in Canada that lingered over Ohio and the wider eastern corn belt for days last June and July – a critical time for corn plant development.”
“Fort Lauderdale saw historic rain in 2023, while the Florida West coast deals with a drought…
“2023 is now Fort Lauderdale’s wettest year on record and after November’s rainfall, the city earned the title of “America’s Wettest City.” But on the other side of the peninsula, even in more-western parts of South Florida, it is a completely different story with below-average rainfall and even some drought…”
“Sea turtle nests break records on US beaches, but global warming threatens survival…
“A study led by FSU professor Mariana Fuentes that was published recently in the Global Change Biology journal found sea turtles will have to nest much later or much earlier than they currently do to cope with changing environmental conditions. Even that may not be enough…”
“Bolivians use hoses, water bottles to battle wildfire blazes…
“The wildfires, which come as its neighbor Brazil battles with scorching temperatures and its own fires, have led to canceled flights and shut schools due to smoked-filled air and devastated ecosystems. Over a dozen people have died.”
“Amazon region hit by trio of droughts in grim snapshot of the century to come.
“The Amazon is facing an unprecedented drought that is projected to continue affecting the region at least until mid-2024. The lowest water levels in 121 years of river-level records have been recorded in the city of Manaus. Vast areas of the Amazon River’s bed have been exposed…”
“Big contrasts in South America where a cold front is just South of a historic heat wave in BRAZIL.
“Temperatures are exceeding 42C [107.6F] in the State of Minas Gerais with records broken at Almenara and Espinosa. The State of Caerà is close to its all time highest temperature.”
“Kingston locals fear one more winter storm could turn their village into an island [Scotland]…
“”The amount of erosion along the coastline here has been unreal. The sea is getting closer and closer to the village,” said Jim Mackie. “We already have problems with emergency services’ lack of access to the community when there are floods or the spring tides – they can’t get in.”
“West European potato production under severe pressure…
“Due to significant precipitation in recent weeks, there are still many potatoes to be harvested in the NEPG countries – Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands and France. The North-Western Potato Growers (NEPG) says in a press release the harvesting period was too short for all potatoes to be harvested and stored under good conditions this season.”
“It’s rare to get surprised about magnitude and speed of environmental changes due to climate change when working with weather and climate data day by day.
“However, what I recently learned about Schilthorn, a scenic Swiss mountain peak, worries me…”
“Wildfires and floods in Greece ate into Jet2 profits this summer…
“Travel company Jet2 took a financial hit this summer due to traffic chaos caused by wildfires and flooding on Greek islands, in an illustration of the potential risk climate change poses to businesses.”
“Extreme heat in sub-Saharan Africa ‘under-reported and under-studied’.
““Extreme heat is under-reported and understudied in most [sub-Saharan] African countries, leading to a low level of awareness of [its] dangers,” WWA add, making it “critical communities and governments take steps to become more resilient, including investment in weather forecasting, early-warning systems and heat planning.””
“Terrible Heat wave in SOUTH AFRICA: Extreme heat even at high elevations.
“45.7 [114.3F] Augrabies Falls 635m; 44.4 Twee Rivieren 882m; Many monthly records fell, including the judicial capital; 43.9 Upington 840m; 40.7 Glen College 1297m; 38.5 Bloemfontein AP 1354m. And It will get worse…”
“Malawi: Lhomwe Belt Cyclone [Freddy] Survivors Surviving On Cooked Mangoes.
“Muchanakhwaye Mpuluka, the Board Chairperson for Mulhako Wa Alhomwe, disclosed the sad tidings on Thursday in Phalombe… “Our people are still suffering, they are back in their villages but they have nothing, they lost everything; they do not have food to eat; some are even sleeping after eating mangoes,” said Mpuluka.”
“Ethiopia drought: Fifty die of hunger in Tigray and Amhara amid aid freeze.
“More than 50 people have died in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray and Amhara regions amid drought and an aid freeze, local officials have told the BBC. The Horn of Africa has had five failed rainy seasons since 2019, according to the UN.”
“At least eight people are feared to have died after being swept away by floods at Mukaa area in Makueni County [Kenya] following heavy rains that pounded the region on Thursday night.
“According to a witness who spoke to Citizen Digital, the eight are said to have attempted to cross the Muuoni river, which was already overrun by the floods, at around 10pm.”
“Never ending record heat in Saudi Arabia. On 19 November Jeddah had an insane MIN temperature of 28.8C [83.8F] the highest ever recorded in November in Saudi Arabia (beaten twice already).
“The abnormal heat will last week into December with December records likely smashed by huge margins.”
“Punjab [Pakistan] announces closure of schools, colleges on Friday and Saturday in smog-hit areas.
“The caretaker Punjab government announced on Thursday that all educational institutions would be closed on Friday (November 24) and Saturday (November 25) in six divisions of the province in an effort to combat smog.”
“A year after Pakistan’s floods, 44% of children have stunted growth…
“The extensive flooding in Pakistan in August 2022 submerged one-third of the country… One year later, the rate of child undernutrition has increased by 50% and an estimated 44% of children under five are now stunted, meaning they have a low height for their age.”
“An unusually warm Indian Ocean has paved the way for yet another cyclonic storm heading towards the Bengal coast, the fourth one this year.
“Beyond the Bay of Bengal, the upcoming cyclone Michaung… is the sixth such event forming in the Indian Ocean this year, proving that Indian waters have been busier than usual compared to the customary four cyclones that occur in most years.”
“HISTORIC: 20 DEGREES [68F] IN HOKKAIDO, JAPAN. Never happened so late.
“20.0C at Yamaguchi today and many other stations 18C/20C. This is the same warm air originated in….Saudi Arabia which passed through Central Asia, Siberia and China and moved East.”
“Bushfire emergency continues in Perth’s north-east as firefighters seize on ‘favourable’ change…
“Despite the best efforts of firefighters, 10 homes and several other structures have been confirmed lost. The majority of the destruction has been identified in the semi-rural suburb of Mariginiup, while residential areas in Tapping and Banksia Grove have also been hit.”
“Hopetoun bushfire victim moves into new home after seven addresses and no government support.
“…the state and federal governments said they could not provide any financial assistance because there was not enough collective damage caused to meet the disaster criterion. That left Ms Lodge feeling “forgotten” and alone in the recovery effort.”
“Naracoorte in South Australia’s south-east has broken a longstanding local rainfall record, the weather bureau says, with the town’s gauge recording almost 120mm [4.7 inches] in two days…
“Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) duty forecaster Hannah Marsh said the town has never before recorded so much rain on a November day, at either the current or former local weather station.”
“A climate change protest off the coast of Australia’s New South Wales State disrupted operations at the country’s biggest coal export port on Saturday, the port operator said.
“Climate activist group Rising Tide, which claimed responsibility for the action, said more than 200 protesters were in the shipping channel near the Port of Newcastle…”
“Australia Insurance Head Sounds Alert on Spiraling Climate Costs…
“Increasing numbers of Australians are abandoning their insurance policies as premiums surge in response to climate-linked natural disasters, the head of the Insurance Council of Australia said… Emergency services are bracing for a severe bushfire season in 2023…”
“The blind spots in climate-adjusted catastrophe modelling.
“When adjusting insurance catastrophe models for current and future climates, it is important to consider whether there could be unquantified risks lurking in the tail, argues Cameron Rye, head of modelling research and innovation at WTW Research Network… insurers could be underestimating the physical risks to which they are exposed.”
“Populists seek dividends from a climate change backlash…
“The Guardian’s Jon Henley drew the conclusion that voters’ enthusiasm for climate change policies weakens as they see potentially undesirable effects on their incomes and lifestyles.”
You can read the previous “Climate” thread here. 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 is an enormous help as the cost-of-living crisis ratchets up here in the UK.
“Industrial pollution in the Russian Arctic is an environmental nightmare: A list of the dirtiest companies.
“Several large industries have been operating in the Russian Arctic for decades — many of them dating back to Soviet times — and are having an unprecedentedly destructive impact on the region’s environment. The environmental problems associated with their work in many cases have not been resolved…”
“October 2023 in Russia was the 2nd warmest in climatic history after 2018.
“Temperature anomalies were generally between +2C and +5C above average, excluding a portion of European Russia including Moscow which was 0.3C below average.”
“Bears in Far East Russia Struggle to Hibernate Amid Abnormally High Temperatures.
“Abnormally high November temperatures in Russia’s Far East are preventing local bears from hibernating, with some animals wandering around their winter dens in a “half-asleep state,” the Amur region’s Wildlife Conservation Authority said Tuesday.”
“Three people have been killed and three are missing after a deadly landslide barrelled down a rain-soaked mountainside and smashed into homes in Alaska.
“The slide – estimated to be 450ft (137m) wide – happened at around 9pm on Monday during a storm near Wrangell, an island community of 2,000 people.”
“Carriers weigh options as Panama Canal restrictions become a fact of life.
“Persistent drought-driven restrictions on container ships traversing the Panama Canal are in the cards for at least the next several years… Those restrictions, which effectively reduce the maximum stowage capacity of larger vessels and limit the overall number of transits, will likely force carriers to alter networks as they try to push higher costs onto shippers.”
“Peru has lost more than half of its glacier surface in the last six decades, and 175 glaciers became extinct due to climate change between 2016 and 2020…
““In 58 years, 56.22% of the glacial coverage recorded in 1962 has been lost,” said Mayra Mejía, an official with Peru’s National Institute of Research of Mountain Glaciers and Ecosystems, or Inaigem.”
“Heat waves one after another in South America. Yesterday in ARGENTINA new record of Highest Minimum temperature in climatic history at Jujuy Aero (907m asl) with 25.4C [77.7F].
“Fierce heat will increase and spread to Brazil with temperatures up to 43C again next 3 days.”
“Vegetation stressed in Brazil’s top soy state as rains disappoint…
“Forecasts late on Tuesday suggest that Mato Grosso’s heaviest crop region will finish November with total rainfall around 45% below normal, and that follows a 35% deficit in October. Temperatures over the last month have been noticeably above average, compounding the issue.”
“High temperatures may have caused over 70,000 excess deaths in Europe in 2022.
“The burden of heat-related mortality during the summer of 2022 in Europe may have exceeded 70,000 deaths according to a new study. The authors of the study revised upwards initial estimates of the mortality associated with record temperatures in 2022 on the European continent.”
“Greek floods and fires expose Europe’s frail climate defences…
“The flooding in September – Greece’s worst on record – devastated the fertile region [Thessaly], swept away agricultural land, roads and railways, and killed 16 people. It was the second major flood in three years to hit Thessaly, part of a pattern of worsening extreme weather in Europe.”
“Squeezing the last drops of water out of the Axarquía’s drought-hit reservoir [Malaga, Spain].
“A series of surface pumps are being installed in La Viñuela in an effort to extract as much water as possible from the reservoir which is at a historic low, at 7.6% of its capacity.”
“Temperatures up to 31C [87.8F] at 1am at night at Frontera (Tenerife). TMIN didn t dropped below 28.5C. At 5am it was 29C in La Gomera Island. Historic. Very warm also in MADEIRA Island today with 28C.”
“Months after deadly floods in Libya, migrants’ families still await news of the missing.
“Aid agencies say as many as 20,000 undocumented people were in Derna when Storm Daniel hit. Now their relatives, fear they may never know their fate. It has been more than two months since Storm Daniel unleashed devastating floods in eastern Libya…”
“From drought to deluge: Kenyan villagers reel from floods.
“Flash floods from the Tana river in Garissa, a county on the border with Somalia, forced the 42-year-old fruit vendor to flee at night from her submerged home built from mud and corrugated metal sheets to the nearest dry land with her family of 12, including seven children.”
“Longer droughts in Zimbabwe take a toll on wildlife and cause more frequent clashes with people…
“The split and shattered trunks of the massive baobab trees and the damage to the umbrella-like acacia trees, the savanna’s shade providers, are evidence of desperate elephants searching for food and water in the 5,000-square-kilometer (1,900-square-mile) park.”
“A record-breaking heatwave in Madagascar in October would have been “virtually impossible” without human-caused global heating, a study has shown.
“The extreme temperatures affected millions of very poor people but the damage to their lives was not recorded by officials or the media. Many governments in Africa lack the capabilities to record climate impacts.”
“Record November heat in Saudi Arabia: still hot days and nights even at high elevations: Gizan MIN. temperatures up to 28.2C [82.8F].
“TMAXES: 35.0 Sharurah 720m; 34.0 Najran 1200m… There is no end in sight to this abnormal heat. December will start breaking records all over Africa and Asia.”
“Iraqis displaced by climate change fall into poverty.
“Drought chased the father of 10 out of the countryside, where he had been a herder and farmer, and into a life of unemployment and urban poverty. “We lost the land and we lost the water,” said the father in his 40s, wearing a traditional white robe.”
“The warmth moved to TAJIKISTAN where temperatures at dawn were summer-like 23C [73.4F] at Dangara 670m asl.
“The 20.4C TMIN yesterday at Serkhetabat, Turkmenistan not just destroyed both November and October records by >3C in 120 years but it’s the highest ever after a 12 September.”
“People face water shortages in northern Afghanistan.
“Children carry barrels of clean water from a public water pump in Jawzjan province, Afghanistan, Nov. 22, 2023. Rainfall in northern Afghanistan has been deficient this year, and the people of Jawzjan face water shortages.”
“Mountain villages fight for future as melting glaciers threaten floods…
“Pakistan is among the world’s most at-risk countries from glacial lake floods, with 800,000 people living within 15km (9.3 miles) of a glacier. Many residents of the Karakorams built their homes on lush land along rivers running off glaciers.”
“Indonesia is living an extraordinary heat wave since months: Records are falling one after another.
“Today 38C in Java, 37.4C Flores Island,37.2C in Sulawesi. Historic heat in the Sambu Island with 37.3C [99.1F] at Waingapu, hottest day in climatic history of the island.”
“Over 35,000 evacuated as massive floods hit Samar [Philippines]…
“than 35,000 people were brought into safer grounds as floodwaters engulfed large areas in the provinces of Northern and Eastern Samar in Eastern Visayas region on Tuesday, November 21, 2023. Northern Samar Governor Edwin Ongchuan suspended the classes in the province…”
“Firefighters battle bushfires in Australia’s Perth in rare spring heatwave.
“Firefighters were tackling bushfires that destroyed homes in the city of Perth amid a rare spring heatwave in Western Australia, with temperatures expected to reach as high as 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) on Thursday. Ten homes have already been destroyed…”
“Persistent marine heatwaves in Cook Strait are thought to be behind record-breaking sea temperatures in the Marlborough Sounds. Since 2020, there’s been an upturn in sea temperatures in Pelorus and Queen Charlotte Sound, threatening marine species…”
“Climate change: Rise in Google searches around ‘anxiety’…
“Climate anxiety – defined as feelings of distress about the impacts of climate change – has been reported globally, particularly among children and young people. Data from Google Trends shows that search queries related to “climate anxiety” have increased dramatically.”
“Climate conspiracy theories flourish ahead of COP28.
“Climate conspiracy theories are flourishing with lifestyle influencers joining in the misinformation war and scientists hounded on social media, researchers say, as pressure rises on leaders at the COP28 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 is an enormous help as the cost-of-living crisis ratchets up here in the UK.
“Brazil has recorded its hottest ever temperature – 44.8C (112.6F) – as parts of the country endure a stifling heatwave.
“The record was hit on Sunday in the town of Araçuaí, in Brazil’s south-eastern state of Minas Gerais… According to the National Institute of Meteorology (Inmet)… Araçuaí’s high of 44.8C had beaten the country’s previous record of 44.7C, measured in 2005.”
“‘Hell de Janeiro’: scorching heat highlights Brazil’s glaring inequality.
“It felt like 58.5C [137.3F] in Rio on Tuesday – and the soaring, indeed dangerous, temperatures are hitting the poorest hardest… Following Brazil’s hottest July, August, September and October on record, this week’s temperatures were expected to “rewrite climate history” in the country.”
“Torrential rains in Brazil leave at least six dead…
“The fatalities occurred in the states of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, and major property damage in the latter was reported as thousands of people sheltered in gymnasiums, deputy governor Gabriel Souza said on X, the former Twitter.”
“At least 21 dead after heavy rain causes flash flooding in Dominican Republic…
“Torrential storms over the past 48 hours have caused flooding, damaged infrastructure and brought down houses in the Caribbean nation, in what President Luis Abinader has called the “largest rainfall event ever” in the country’s history.”
“Never ending record heat in Mexico: Unprecedented temperatures for November with records smashed with huge margins all over the country. More records fell:
“…about a quarter of the glaciers are gone. And what I mean by gone is, yeah, some of them disappeared entirely. Others just became little snow patches. And then there’s others that just shrank below our threshold area, which is, like, 0.01 square kilometers.”
“Those with smaller farming operations often pay the price of extreme weather.
“Following historic rainfall and flooding earlier this summer, farmers in Graves County, Kentucky sustained field damage and crop loss… Human-caused climate change is only anticipated to amplify the number and intensity of those extreme events…”
“Warming winters: How climate change is making allergy seasons worse and longer…
“”As climate change happens and temperature levels start going up, we’re seeing a much earlier start to allergy season and often the season then becomes protracted and last a lot longer,” says Dr. Sebastian Leghvani, a New York City Allergist…”
“UK says new science initiative to work on climate-resilient crops…
“The summit, a joint initiative between Britain, Somalia, the UAE, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is due to be attended by representatives from more than 20 countries.”
“Flooded Fields Delay European Sugar Harvest and Risk Beet Losses…
“Europe’s flooded fields are delaying sugar harvesting and threatening to wipe out 15% of beet crops still to be collected in France, one of the region’s biggest growers of the sweetener.”
“Extreme weather and falling demand are pushing wineries into the red…
“Jordi Ustrell expects his vineyard’s tinder-dry plants to produce about half of their usual 15,000 bottles of wine this year… Ustrell is one of scores of European winemakers struggling to grow enough grapes as extreme and unseasonable weather becomes more commonplace. High input costs and declining consumption are adding to the woes…”
“The Black Sea is experiencing very large temperature anomalies of 4C-6C above normal… Such heatwaves can influence the marine ecosystems of a region, but also have an impact on weather patterns, with the relatively warm waters providing extra energy to the weather systems.”
“Extreme Weather Kills 2 in Bulgaria, Leaves Many Without Power…
“A state of emergency has been declared in the Black Sea city of Varna, where officials said the extreme weather poses serious risks to the population. The port city was struck by gale-force winds and torrential rain mixed with snow.”
“Turkey searches Black Sea for lost sailors following deadly storms…
“The storms that broke out in northwestern Turkey caused havoc over the weekend, destroying another cargo ship, forcing the evacuation of a prison, and killing at least nine people. A Cameroon-flagged vessel split into two…”
“After their harshest October heat wave in history, Morocco and Canary Islands have experienced the warmest spells on record in November with temperatures 30/36C [96.8F] all week.
“Today was one last day with 32C for both, but a cooling is on the way from tomorrow.”
“A disappearing island: ‘The water is destroying us, one house at a time’ [Sierra Leone]…
“As recently as ten years ago, it still measured some 2,300 feet from end to end. What’s left today is a patch of sand barely 300 feet long and 250 wide. The forests are gone, swamped by saltwater.”
“France begins massive handouts of bottled water in drought-stricken Mayotte.
“Months into an historic drought on the Indian Ocean islands of Mayotte, France is ramping up its distribution of bottled water. From Monday everyone on the archipelago – no longer just its most vulnerable residents – will be entitled to a one-litre bottle per day…”
“Precious water: As more of the world thirsts, luxury water becoming fashionable among the elite…
“…even as extreme heat dries up more aquifers and wells and leaves more people thirsty, luxury water has become fashionable among the world’s privileged, who uncap and taste it like fine wine.”
“Zimbabwe declares state of emergency amid cholera epidemic…
““People have dug wells close to pit latrines, especially in mushrooming settlements and other suburbs which do not have running water. This means their drinking water is contaminated,” Mr Makone said. The epicentre is Harare’s densely populated suburb of Kuwadzanam…”
“Somalia flood toll climbs to 50: disaster agency…
“Flash flooding in Somalia has killed 50 people and driven nearly 700,000 from their homes, a government official said, with heavy rains starting Tuesday expected to worsen the country’s plight. The Horn of Africa region is experiencing torrential rainfall…”
“Israel’s Mount Canaan breaks 73-year rain intensity record amid storms.
“Rain intensity in the Mount Canaan region near Safed hit a 73-year record on Sunday. The most rain that fell in a 20-minute period was 22 mm, 28 mm in 30 minutes and 38 mm in an hour.”
“Iraqi provinces announce public holiday amid heavy rain…
“Videos shared on social media showed wet weather, including thunderstorms. Torrential rain caused flooding and disrupted traffic, with some videos and images showing cars floating away in the torrents. More thunderstorms have been forecast this week.”
“EXCEPTIONAL EVENT… Central Asia is living something mind blowing: It’s 5am in Ashkabad, the capital of former USRR Republic of Turkmenistan and the temperature is almost 29C [84.2F] with similar heat in other areas of the country.
“Nothing even close has ever happened in November.”
“Incredible warmth for a 18 November with the highest temperature ever recorded in Siberia in the second half of November today: 19.9C [68F] at Krasnoshchekovo, Altai Republic. Who could expect to wear a T-shirt in Siberia in Mid-November?”
“Three people were killed as hurricanes with winds reaching 38 metres per second hit several regions in Russia’s Siberia on Sunday.
“A fallen tree crushed two people to death in their car, in the Russian city of Novokuznetsk, TASS news agency quoted a regional official. The third victim was killed in Altai Krai, the regional emergencies ministry said in a statement, adding three people were hurt.”
“Bangladesh battles record dengue deaths as disease pattern changes…
“Bangladesh is undergoing its worst-ever dengue outbreak in history, with hospitals packed to the brim and the death toll rising. Last Wednesday, the country recorded 24 deaths – the highest in a day – from the mosquito-borne disease.”
“‘There are no crops to celebrate’: climate crisis wipes out a way of life in Taiwan’s mountains…
“…mountain communities like Nantou are particularly vulnerable to extreme weather, and things are getting worse amid the climate crisis… some are beginning to wonder how much longer their traditional way of life can continue.”
“Today the long term station of Bidyadanga had a MIN temperature of 29.0C [84.2F] which ties its highest in November in climatic history. The heat wave will be intense and long lasting in the West but cold spells will affect Central/Eastern Australia.”
“Record-breaking heat set to hit southern hemisphere as summer begins.
“The northern hemisphere experienced a sweltering summer due to climate and meteorological patters. Scientists say the south will not escape. Andrew King, a climate scientist at the University of Melbourne, Australia, says… coupled with the El Niño conditions, the full effect of the changing climate is “emerging properly”.”
“The key monitoring region (Niño 3.4) in the central equatorial Pacific has just risen to over 2.0˚C above average for the first time during this El Niño event.
“The last time that this part of the ocean was this unusually warm was in February 2016.”
“Global daily average temperature 2C above pre-industrial norm for first time [and on two consecutive days].
“On Friday the temperature reached 2.07C above the temperature average for 1850-1900, a larger increase than at any other time in recorded history, while provisional figures show the following day to have reached 2.06C.”
“World facing ‘hellish’ 3C of climate heating, UN warns before Cop28…
“Guterres said: “Present trends are racing our planet down a dead-end 3C temperature rise. This is a failure of leadership, a betrayal of the vulnerable, and a massive missed opportunity.”
“Could spraying chemicals into the atmosphere really stop or reverse global warming?
“…Some of the risks related to stratospheric aerosol injection include the possibility of “termination shock”, a rapid rebound of global temperatures to pre-stratospheric aerosols injection levels should the decades-long treatment be interrupted. Geoengineering could also change weather patterns around the world.”
“Study shows dire outlook for amphibians: 40% threatened with extinction…
“The highlight this time is the increasing role of climate change in the global decline of amphibians, considered the most threatened of all vertebrate animals. No less than 40% of their species are at some risk of extinction.”
“Oil producers accused of stalling progress on plastics pollution treaty…
“Oil-producing countries have stalled efforts to draft the first legally binding international agreement on cutting plastic pollution, proposing to move the focus to waste management rather than scaling down production, according to official observers at week-long UN talks in Nairobi.”
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 is an enormous help as the cost-of-living crisis ratchets up here in the UK.
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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.
“NASA’s “Ocean Heat Content” data confirms record high Earth Energy Imbalance! 
“The hits keep coming.
“”It is likely that the current global warming level has now reached (or exceeded) 1.5 °C”.
“This Year Is ‘Virtually Certain’ to Be Hottest in Human History, Researchers Say…
“Amazing +5.4C [41.7F] Today at Grise Fiord at 76 latitude Nunavut [Arctic Canada], it smashed its December record of highest temperature.
“Gray Whale Die-Offs Driven By Food Supply Swings In Changing Arctic Conditions…
“Study Finds Western Alaska Chum Survival Rate Being Impacted By Marine Heatwave.
“Drier than the Dust Bowl: Iowa, facing more drought, preps for water shortages.
“Dust Storm Catastrophe Serves as Major Warning…
“September hail storm caused $600 million in damage to Austin area, NWS estimates…
“Bolivia’s Indigenous women climbers fear for their future as the Andean glaciers melt.
“Scientists Say 2023 Amazon Drought Most Severe in Recorded History.
“This 1 December will be remembered as one of the most extreme day in climatic history.
“Uruguay Rains and floods: an intense storm left Montevideo under water. In some areas of the city, 100 millimeters [nearly four inches] fell in just two hours.
“In Chile’s far south, scientists record an island’s quickly shifting ecology.
“Norfolk Broads land still flooded one month after Storm Ciarán [UK].
“Luxembourg experiences second-hottest autumn since 1838.
“HISTORIC WARM SPELL IN EUROPE: Bosnia and Herzegovina 23.5C [74.3F] Zenica NEW NATIONAL RECORD HIGH FOR DECEMBER.
“Insane historic warm spell in EUROPE. Unbelievable MINIMUM temperature of 22.0C at Loznica in SERBIA, widespread tropical nights. Not even the historic December 1989 warm spell did this.
“North Africa Braces for a Dangerously Dry Future…
“Water crisis forces Tunisia to boost sea and wastewater purification.
“Farmers race to innovate as climate change threatens African food supply…
“Cocoa prices surge to 44-year high as extreme rainfall devastates crop in West Africa…
“Historic heat wave also in AFRICA: Records are falling all over the Sahel:
“Kenyan herders on the edge after record drought.
“Monster heat wave in SOUTH AFRICA. Today the heat moved West with record heat like:
“August, September & November warmest on record in India, winter temperatures to remain above normal…
“China’s unprecedented December heat is about to hit! December 3rd～5th is the first wave of warming, and then cold air arrives to temporarily curb the warming.
“Japan experienced its hottest autumn on record this year, with the September-November period soaring 1.39 C above the nation’s average between 1991-2020, the Japan Meteorological Agency said Friday…
“December started few hours ago and records are already falling allover.
“Indonesia — Torrential rain triggered flash floods and a landslide on Indonesia’s Sumatra island, leaving at least 12 people missing, officials said Saturday.
“November 2023 saw the most lightning ever detected in Australia.
“Perth heatwave leaves hospitals overwhelmed with injuries.
“Hottest spring on record for Sydney and Perth.
“‘Support the blemished cherry’: NSW Christmas harvest hit by wild storms.
“Great Southern Reef scientists say they are “concerned and alarmed” at the [Australian] Government’s lukewarm response to a request for urgent funding to set up monitoring before a forecast marine heatwave…
“The UN highlighted Friday that climate change is increasingly threatening the agrifood sector.
“Efforts to eliminate malaria are at a “crunch point” as climate change drives a deadly surge in cases, the World Health Organization has warned.
“Not so dead as a dodo: ‘De-extinction’ plan to reintroduce bird to Mauritius.
“Global Sea Surface Temperatures keep running record high.
“November 2023 is about 0.8°C warmer than November 2022 was.
“It’s been a quiet year for Arctic sea-ice as its Southern twin has been getting all the headlines. So here’s an update:
“Ski homes lose some lustre as high interest rates, wildfires scare off buyers [Canada].
“As global warming continues to shrink glaciers and ice fields in Glacier National Park [Montana], another feature is growing on the landscape — small lakes from the melting ice and snow.
“Oregon regulator to investigate PacifiCorp’s request to limit wildfire liability…
“New York City‘s Central Park has gone nearly two years without an inch of snow in a single day, doubling the previous record.
“El Paso continues to shatter heat records.
“Louisiana suffered worst wildfires in century as flames threatened towns, destroyed timber.
““We just don’t have enough water”: Louisiana crawfish farmer on unprecedented drought…
“Arson, logging and water theft: The avocado industry deforests Mexico.
“Record after record…now it’s PANAMA.
“Bolivia wildfires: Locals care for animals affected by blazes.
“Winter arrives in Northern Europe, with dangerous roads in Germany and record lows in Scandinavia…
“Copenhagen gets coldest November night for a century.
“With two days to go, November is set to be the wettest on record [Netherlands].
“Algarve faces “worst ever” water shortage.
“Hundreds of fish die in Costa Vicentina rivers [Portugal].
“Barcelona raises water bills due to long-running drought.
“Effects of storm continue to impact Ukraine, likely 12 dead.
“Black Sea storm disrupts Russian and Kazakh oil exports.
“Powerful storm paralyzes daily life in Marmara region [Turkey].
“November breaks heat records in South Africa — a clear reminder of what’s to come in a warming world…
“The Water Mafia crisis sees South Africa’s most vital resource under threat.
“Death toll from Kenya floods surges as thousands left homeless…
“Record heat allover Asia: Today 34C [93.2F] QATAR and BANGLADESH, for both it’s unprecedented for this time of the year.
“More crazy warmth in Central Asia: 26.6 Guzar [79.9F] UZBEKISTAN 524m asl; 25.0 Shymkent KAZAKHSTAN 600m asl; MINUMUM temperatures up to +18C.
“Extremely high temperatures this month also in the Southern parts of VIETNAM.
“Scorching hot day at San Jose PHILIPPINES.
“‘This is unusual’: areas burnt in Black Summer already bushfire prone again [Australia]…
“Parts of Queensland triple their monthly rainfall average in a day.
“Chris Bowen warns global heating will fuel political instability in annual climate statement [Australia].
“Record day in the French Southern and Antarctic Lands:
“This Antarctic glacier dramatically retreated. Then, its ice shelf totally collapsed (satellite image).
“Climate crisis, extreme weather drove 27 million children into hunger in 2022.
“One in 3 children – or 739 million worldwide – already live in areas exposed to high or very high water scarcity, with climate change threatening to make this worse, according to a new UNICEF report.
“Every Bitcoin transaction uses, on average, enough water to fill “a back yard swimming pool”, a new study suggests.
“Climate scientist reflects on year of disastrous weather, and what’s to come.
“BREAKING NEWS: RECORD 46.7C [116.1F] currently at Augrabies Falls, South Africa.
“Rescuers battle huge squadron of South Africa’s deadliest snakes due to heatwave.
“Kenya flooding death toll rises to 76, with thousands marooned by worsening rains…
“Disease stalks Somali district ravaged by floods.
“Rains in UAE: Demand grows for car insurance against floods, natural calamities…
“Sixty percent of farmers surveyed in four provinces of drought-hit Iraq reported having to reduce cultivated areas or water used, an international rights group said Sunday.
“HISTORIC – absurd endless record heat in Central Asia, temperatures are locally 10/12C above the highest ever recorded this time of the year (the most the world has ever seen outside Antarctica).
“Insane heat wave in the Caspian:
“Wildfires Ravage Iran’s Hyrcanian Forests For Fifth Consecutive Day.
“Afghans fight drought with small dams as Taliban shut out of COP28.
“Doomsday scenario in the making [Pakistan]… These two photos were captured from roughly the same location in Upper Chitral, at around the same time of year, 38 years apart. 
“Lightning strikes kill 24 people in India amid unusually heavy rain storms in Gujarat state [India].
“Record heat also in INDIA.
“Maharashtra’s farmers thirst for a trickle of hope amid water crisis.
“Northeast China unusually cold as temperatures dip to January levels…
“Fire season in Australia starts, early and ominous.
“Stifling hot in MICRONESIA: day and night.
“ARGENTINA.
“Vampire bats may soon take up residence in the United States and bring with them an ancient pathogen.
“Western gray squirrel placed on endangered list in Washington state…
“Arviat declares a state of emergency in response to extended power outage [Arctic Canada].
“Abnormal warmth in GREENLAND, where in some areas there are higher temperatures than most of Europe.
“Our North Atlantic Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly graphs went viral around the world in June. Some thought it would cool down soon.
“A flooding expert has warned of unusually high levels of groundwater accumulating beneath Lincolnshire [UK].
“Could ships bring water to the Costa del Sol [Spain] if the drought crisis continues?
“Exceptional cold spell in Italy.
“Winter isn’t coming: climate change hits Greek olive crop.
“More than a dozen dead as storm sweeps through Russia, Ukraine and Moldova [after record Nov temps along the Black Sea on Sunday, eg 24C / 75F at Sochi]…
“Storm in Black Sea floods Azov port, delays grain shipments.
“NOAA report says declining snowpack means worldwide food disruptions.
“OPEC says oil industry unjustly vilified ahead of COP28 climate talks…
“Revealed: Saudi Arabia’s grand plan to ‘hook’ poor countries on oil…
“As new land is exposed by melting ice caused by climate change, Arctic nations and corporations are poised to make trillions of dollars from newly exposed land and sea.
“Oil and gas industry needs to let go of carbon capture as solution to climate change, IEA says…
“CO2 readings from Mauna Loa show failure to combat climate change.
“Hottest day in climatic history tied in the remote island of Christmas (pronounced Kirimati in local language) in the Lines islands, Republic of KIRIBATI, Pacific Ocean.
“Wildfires gripped Canada last year. Now, US farmers are feeling the burn…
“Fort Lauderdale saw historic rain in 2023, while the Florida West coast deals with a drought…
“Sea turtle nests break records on US beaches, but global warming threatens survival…
“Bolivians use hoses, water bottles to battle wildfire blazes…
“Amazon region hit by trio of droughts in grim snapshot of the century to come.
“Big contrasts in South America where a cold front is just South of a historic heat wave in BRAZIL.
“Kingston locals fear one more winter storm could turn their village into an island [Scotland]…
“West European potato production under severe pressure…
“It’s rare to get surprised about magnitude and speed of environmental changes due to climate change when working with weather and climate data day by day.
“Wildfires and floods in Greece ate into Jet2 profits this summer…
“The Black Sea cyclone this weekend is forecast to make new all-time minimum pressure records (not just monthly!) in the region.
“Extreme heat in sub-Saharan Africa ‘under-reported and under-studied’.
“Terrible Heat wave in SOUTH AFRICA: Extreme heat even at high elevations.
“Malawi: Lhomwe Belt Cyclone [Freddy] Survivors Surviving On Cooked Mangoes.
“Ethiopia drought: Fifty die of hunger in Tigray and Amhara amid aid freeze.
“At least eight people are feared to have died after being swept away by floods at Mukaa area in Makueni County [Kenya] following heavy rains that pounded the region on Thursday night.
“Never ending record heat in Saudi Arabia. On 19 November Jeddah had an insane MIN temperature of 28.8C [83.8F] the highest ever recorded in November in Saudi Arabia (beaten twice already).
“Punjab [Pakistan] announces closure of schools, colleges on Friday and Saturday in smog-hit areas.
“A year after Pakistan’s floods, 44% of children have stunted growth…
“An unusually warm Indian Ocean has paved the way for yet another cyclonic storm heading towards the Bengal coast, the fourth one this year.
“HISTORIC: 20 DEGREES [68F] IN HOKKAIDO, JAPAN. Never happened so late.
“Another record hot day in Western AUSTRALIA:
“Bushfire emergency continues in Perth’s north-east as firefighters seize on ‘favourable’ change…
“Hopetoun bushfire victim moves into new home after seven addresses and no government support.
“Naracoorte in South Australia’s south-east has broken a longstanding local rainfall record, the weather bureau says, with the town’s gauge recording almost 120mm [4.7 inches] in two days…
“A climate change protest off the coast of Australia’s New South Wales State disrupted operations at the country’s biggest coal export port on Saturday, the port operator said.
“Australia Insurance Head Sounds Alert on Spiraling Climate Costs…
“The blind spots in climate-adjusted catastrophe modelling.
“Populists seek dividends from a climate change backlash…
“Breaking news! Code Yikes! 
“Global sea-surface temperatures are cruising along at about 5.2 standard deviations above the 1982-2011 mean (first 30 years of available data).
“Industrial pollution in the Russian Arctic is an environmental nightmare: A list of the dirtiest companies.
“October 2023 in Russia was the 2nd warmest in climatic history after 2018.
“Bears in Far East Russia Struggle to Hibernate Amid Abnormally High Temperatures.
“Three people have been killed and three are missing after a deadly landslide barrelled down a rain-soaked mountainside and smashed into homes in Alaska.
“Carriers weigh options as Panama Canal restrictions become a fact of life.
“Peru has lost more than half of its glacier surface in the last six decades, and 175 glaciers became extinct due to climate change between 2016 and 2020…
“Heat waves one after another in South America. Yesterday in ARGENTINA new record of Highest Minimum temperature in climatic history at Jujuy Aero (907m asl) with 25.4C [77.7F].
“Vegetation stressed in Brazil’s top soy state as rains disappoint…
“High temperatures may have caused over 70,000 excess deaths in Europe in 2022.
“Greek floods and fires expose Europe’s frail climate defences…
“Squeezing the last drops of water out of the Axarquía’s drought-hit reservoir [Malaga, Spain].
“Extraordinary heat in the CANARY ISLANDS.
“Months after deadly floods in Libya, migrants’ families still await news of the missing.
“Despite being the world’s pri mary cocoa bean supplier, the Ivory Coast is set to have a very meagre harvest this year due to heavy rains.
“From drought to deluge: Kenyan villagers reel from floods.
“Longer droughts in Zimbabwe take a toll on wildlife and cause more frequent clashes with people…
“Southern Africa Heat Wave: Hot day and night with records of November Highest Tmins broken in SOUTH AFRICA:
“A record-breaking heatwave in Madagascar in October would have been “virtually impossible” without human-caused global heating, a study has shown.
“Record heat in MADAGASCAR. Yesterday Majunga (Mahajanga) rose to 39.0C [102.2F] destroying its all time record.
“Record November heat in Saudi Arabia: still hot days and nights even at high elevations: Gizan MIN. temperatures up to 28.2C [82.8F].
“Iraqis displaced by climate change fall into poverty.
“The warmth moved to TAJIKISTAN where temperatures at dawn were summer-like 23C [73.4F] at Dangara 670m asl.
“People face water shortages in northern Afghanistan.
“Mountain villages fight for future as melting glaciers threaten floods…
“Indonesia is living an extraordinary heat wave since months: Records are falling one after another.
“Over 35,000 evacuated as massive floods hit Samar [Philippines]…
“Firefighters battle bushfires in Australia’s Perth in rare spring heatwave.
“‘Sobering’: Marlborough Sounds reach record-breaking sea temperatures [NZ]…
“Climate change: Rise in Google searches around ‘anxiety’…
“Climate conspiracy theories flourish ahead of COP28.
“Brazil has recorded its hottest ever temperature – 44.8C (112.6F) – as parts of the country endure a stifling heatwave.
“‘Hell de Janeiro’: scorching heat highlights Brazil’s glaring inequality.
“Torrential rains in Brazil leave at least six dead…
“Breaking News: RECORD… WORLD CLIMATIC HISTORY REWRITTEN… MINIMUM temp. of 34.6C [94.3F] at Mariscal Estigarribia PARAGUAY, Chemorrenegaiterei!
“At least 21 dead after heavy rain causes flash flooding in Dominican Republic…
“Never ending record heat in Mexico: Unprecedented temperatures for November with records smashed with huge margins all over the country. More records fell:
“America’s glaciers are disappearing…
“Those with smaller farming operations often pay the price of extreme weather.
“Warming winters: How climate change is making allergy seasons worse and longer…
“UK says new science initiative to work on climate-resilient crops…
“Flooded Fields Delay European Sugar Harvest and Risk Beet Losses…
“Extreme weather and falling demand are pushing wineries into the red…
“Marine heatwaves hit Mediterranean…
“Extreme Weather Kills 2 in Bulgaria, Leaves Many Without Power…
“Turkey searches Black Sea for lost sailors following deadly storms…
“After their harshest October heat wave in history, Morocco and Canary Islands have experienced the warmest spells on record in November with temperatures 30/36C [96.8F] all week.
“A disappearing island: ‘The water is destroying us, one house at a time’ [Sierra Leone]…
“Intense heat wave in Southern Africa with temperatures reaching temps of 43C [109.4F] in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi.
“France begins massive handouts of bottled water in drought-stricken Mayotte.
“Precious water: As more of the world thirsts, luxury water becoming fashionable among the elite…
“Zimbabwe declares state of emergency amid cholera epidemic…
“Somalia flood toll climbs to 50: disaster agency…
“Israel’s Mount Canaan breaks 73-year rain intensity record amid storms.
“Iraqi provinces announce public holiday amid heavy rain…
“EXCEPTIONAL EVENT… Central Asia is living something mind blowing: It’s 5am in Ashkabad, the capital of former USRR Republic of Turkmenistan and the temperature is almost 29C [84.2F] with similar heat in other areas of the country.
“Historic: 20 DEGREES IN SIBERIA…
“Three people were killed as hurricanes with winds reaching 38 metres per second hit several regions in Russia’s Siberia on Sunday.
“Record warmth is sweeping most of tropics from Indonesia to the Indian Ocean.
“Bangladesh battles record dengue deaths as disease pattern changes…
“‘There are no crops to celebrate’: climate crisis wipes out a way of life in Taiwan’s mountains…
“New Heat Wave in Western Australia:
“Record-breaking heat set to hit southern hemisphere as summer begins.
“The key monitoring region (Niño 3.4) in the central equatorial Pacific has just risen to over 2.0˚C above average for the first time during this El Niño event.
“Global daily average temperature 2C above pre-industrial norm for first time [and on two consecutive days].
“World facing ‘hellish’ 3C of climate heating, UN warns before Cop28…
“Could spraying chemicals into the atmosphere really stop or reverse global warming?
“Study shows dire outlook for amphibians: 40% threatened with extinction…
“Oil producers accused of stalling progress on plastics pollution treaty…