global warming
Newsletter
Credit: chrisd2105/Big Stock Photo
GOP convention ignores climate change as heat crisis worsens
Despite record-breaking heat and public concern over climate change, the Republican National Convention focuses on expanding fossil fuel use, dismissing climate science.
In short:
- The Republican National Convention in Milwaukee highlights energy policies favoring oil, gas, and coal.
- Former President Trump and party leaders dismiss climate change as a priority, mocking scientific evidence.
- A significant portion of Americans support renewable energy, but the GOP platform promotes fossil fuel development.
Key quote:
“Global warming is fine. In fact, I heard it was going to be very warm today. It’s fine.”
— Former President Donald J. Trump
Why this matters:
Ignoring climate change can worsen environmental and public health crises. The push for fossil fuels contradicts global efforts to mitigate climate change impacts, potentially leading to severe long-term consequences.
Keep reading...Show less
Newsletter
Tourists are more vulnerable to extreme heat than locals
Tourists are at greater risk of heat-related illnesses than locals when visiting hot destinations during heat waves, experts warn.
In short:
- Six tourists died in Greece during a June heat wave, likely due to heat stress.
- Visitors from cooler climates lack acclimatization to extreme heat, increasing their health risks.
- The trend of "coolcationing" is rising, with tourists opting for cooler destinations to avoid heat.
Key quote:
“It takes at least 1-2 weeks to acclimatize to heat stress. That means, a tourist who lives in a cooler climate and travels for a week-long vacation to a warmer climate or area experiencing a heat wave won’t have time to acclimatize during their time in the warm area.”
— Alisa Hass, geographer at Middle Tennessee State University
Why this matters:
Tourists face higher health risks from extreme heat due to lack of acclimatization and vacation behaviors like reduced hydration and increased alcohol consumption. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are serious threats, exacerbated by strenuous activities like sightseeing and outdoor excursions. Unlike locals who have adapted to the heat and know the best ways to stay cool, tourists might not recognize the signs of heat stress until it’s too late.
Keep reading...Show less
Newsletter
Credit: Dzmitry Dzemidovich/Big Stock Photo
Earth stays above 1.5°C warming for a year
Earth's average temperature remained 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for a full year, signaling ongoing and severe climate shifts.
In short:
- Earth's average temperature stayed above 1.5°C for 12 consecutive months, the first such occurrence in recorded history.
- Scientists stress that this 12-month period does not mean the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C limit has been breached, as that target is based on longer-term averages.
- Climate experts warn that, without significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, more temperature records will be broken, and long-term warming trends will continue.
Key quote:
"This is more than a statistical oddity and it highlights a large and continuing shift in our climate."
— Carlo Buontempo, director of Copernicus Climate Change Service.
Why this matters:
This sustained warmth has far-reaching consequences. Extreme weather events such as hurricanes, heatwaves and wildfires are becoming more frequent and intense, wreaking havoc on communities and ecosystems. Rising temperatures also accelerate the melting of polar ice, contributing to sea-level rise that threatens coastal cities and island nations.
Keep reading...Show less
Newsletter
Credit: DRI Science/Flickr
Scientists rush to save historical data locked in melting glaciers
As glaciers worldwide melt, scientists are scrambling to retrieve vital ice cores that hold historical climate records before they are lost forever.
In short:
- Researchers are urgently retrieving ice cores from glaciers worldwide, as warming temperatures melt and corrupt these historical climate records.
- The Ice Memory Foundation aims to store ice cores in Antarctica to protect them from further damage.
- The Foundation's goal is to get cores from 20 glaciers around the world in the next 20 years and lock them away in an ice cave in the Antarctic.
- Many glaciers have already lost valuable data, raising concerns about the future availability of these critical climate archives.
Key quote:
"When you are standing on a glacier that’s literally melting under your feet, you really feel the urgency.”
— Margit Schwikowski, environmental chemist at the Paul Scherrer Institut in Germany and scientific lead for the Ice Memory Foundation.
Why this matters:
Preserving glacial ice cores is important for scientific understanding of historical climate patterns and predicting future environmental changes that can influence global efforts to combat climate change and protect public health. Read more: People are flocking to see melting glaciers before they're gone—bringing both benefit and harm.
Keep reading...Show less
Newsletter
Credit: Brent Olson/Pixabay
Texas weather extremes becoming increasingly common
Extreme weather in Texas, including wildfires, thunderstorms and flooding, is intensifying due to climate change, according to scientists.
Alejandra Martinez and Yuriko Schumacher report for The Texas Tribune.
In short:
- Texas experienced record-breaking wildfires, tornadoes, severe storms and a tropical storm in the first half of 2024.
- Scientists attribute these events to rising temperatures and altered precipitation patterns from greenhouse gas emissions.
- Texas is witnessing more intense rainfall in wet regions and amplified drought in dry regions.
Key quote:
“Rainfall is being concentrated in these really high-intensity storms. And then the areas that are historically dry, the lack of rainfall is also being amplified.”
— Avantika Gori, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Rice University.
Why this matters:
For the residents of Texas, these changes are not just statistics but a harsh reality. Families are being displaced, properties are being destroyed and the landscape of the state is being reshaped. Farmers and ranchers are particularly hard-hit, with crops and livestock suffering from the unpredictable and extreme weather patterns.
Keep reading...Show less
Newsletter
Credit: Marek Piwnicki/Unsplash
New emissions regulations may worsen global warming
While cutting fossil fuel emissions has reduced deadly air pollution, it has also eliminated particles that cool the planet, potentially accelerating global warming.
In short:
- Fossil fuel burning produces sulfur aerosols that reflect sunlight and cool the Earth.
- Recent regulations have reduced these aerosols, potentially increasing global temperatures.
- Scientists debate the extent of the warming, but agree it will impact climate goals.
Key quote:
“We’re starting from an area of deep, deep uncertainty. It could be a full degree of cooling being masked.”
— Zeke Hausfather, a climate scientist and research lead for the payments company Stripe
Why this matters:
Particulate pollution, often blamed for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, also reflects some of the sun’s energy back into space. By cutting back on fossil fuels, we reduce these harmful emissions and improve air quality, but we also lose this reflective shield. The consequence? A potential acceleration of global warming.
Keep reading...Show less
Newsletter
Wealthy backers undeterred by failed geoengineering test
Despite a failed attempt to block sunlight, wealthy donors plan to continue funding solar geoengineering research to combat global warming.
In short:
- Wealthy philanthropists intend to fund future solar geoengineering experiments despite a failed attempt by the University of Washington.
- The Alameda, California experiment was halted due to public backlash, but donors remain committed to advancing research in this controversial field.
- Critics argue geoengineering could impede efforts to reduce climate pollution, though funders emphasize its importance in climate science.
Key quote:
“We remain firmly committed to advancing transparent, equitable, and science-based approaches to understand and potentially mitigate climate risks.”
— Greg De Temmerman, chief science and programs officer, Quadrature Climate Foundation
Why this matters:
Continued funding for geoengineering research illustrates the urgency of addressing climate change but raises concerns about unintended environmental consequences and public opposition
Keep reading...Show less
ORIGINAL REPORTING
MOST POPULAR
CLIMATE
