Invasive pests are wreaking havoc across the planet, destroying crops, disseminating pathogens, depleting fish people rely on for food and driving native plants and animals toward extinction, according to a major report backed by the United Nations.
On the world stage, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni talks up the dangers of climate change. But at home, even in the face of record heat, fires and floods, her government is far from convinced.
Air pollution cuts in North America and Europe helped to increase tropical Atlantic hurricane activity, and may do the same in the Western Pacific as Asia cuts emissions.
Climate scientists warn that emissions need to fall quickly. Those cuts will be even tougher with the Build Back Better legislation shelved for the foreseeable future.
A measure under Bellingham City Council consideration would require new commercial buildings and new apartment buildings more than four stories high to use electricity for heating and water heating, meet certain energy-reduction standards and use solar energy or provide rooftop space for eventual solar energy installation.
