rising temperature
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Water crisis looms in Oklahoma panhandle as pork processing booms
A pork processing plant has revitalized Guymon’s economy but has accelerated the depletion of the region’s vital groundwater supply.
In short:
- Seaboard Foods' pork processing plant has markedly increased groundwater depletion in the Oklahoma panhandle, exacerbating an already declining water supply.
- Weak state water laws and lack of enforcement have allowed unchecked water use, creating a looming crisis for local agriculture and residents.
- Guymon officials are concerned about the sustainability of water resources, with new wells needed to support continued economic activity.
Key quote:
“Seaboard takes a lot of water, but if we didn’t have the feedstuff to feed the million-plus pigs, Seaboard would not be there and Guymon would dry up and blow away, as with the rest of the panhandle.”
— Oklahoma senator, Casey Murdock
Why this matters:
The depletion of the Ogallala Aquifer threatens both the economic stability and future viability of agriculture in the region, impacting food production and local livelihoods. Read more: As hog farms grow in size and number, so do Iowa water problems.
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Credit: UN Women Asia and the Pacific/Flickr/Photo: UN Women/Mohammad Rakibul Hasan
Earth warms at a record pace but climate change isn't accelerating
A new study reveals that Earth's warming rate reached an all-time high in 2023, driven primarily by human activity, but there is no evidence of accelerating climate change.
In short:
- A group of 57 scientists found that last year’s record temperatures are primarily due to increased fossil fuel burning.
- Despite the record warming rate, there is no significant acceleration in human-caused climate change beyond what was expected.
- The report highlights an alarming situation, with Earth likely to surpass the 1.5 degrees Celsius warming threshold within 4.5 years if current emission trends continue.
Key quote:
“The future is in our hands. It’s us — not physics, but humans — who will determine how quickly the world warms and by how much.”
— Katharine Hayhoe, Texas Tech climate scientist and chief scientist at the Nature Conservancy
Why this matters:
With Earth on the brink of crossing critical temperature thresholds, urgent action is needed to mitigate severe health and environmental impacts, including extreme weather events and loss of biodiversity. Read more: Heat, air pollution and climate change … oh my! Was summer 2023 the new normal?
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‘Fire Weather’ author John Vaillant: What I told Parliament
Invited to testify alongside Suncor’s CEO, the writer pulled no punches about what’s at stake and who’s to blame.
Credit: Pixelshot
What is environmental health?
Examining a massive influence on our health: the environment.
We've been reporting on environmental health for 20 years. But what is environmental health? You've got questions, and we have answers.
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www.reuters.com
Siberian city residents advised to stay home to avoid smoke from wildfires
Smoke from wildfires covered the Siberian city of Yakutsk on Sunday where people were advised by the mayor to stay home and not open windows as the region fights unprecedented blazes the Kremlin blames on climate change.
www.cnn.com
Great Salt Lake is shrinking fast. Scientists demand action before it becomes a toxic dustbin
Great Salt Lake is also known as America's Dead Sea -- owing to a likeness to its much smaller Middle Eastern counterpart -- but scientists worry the moniker could soon take new meaning.
www.thetimes.co.uk
Editorial: The Times view on flooding and drought: Action on Climate
The scenes of devastation caused by this week’s storms in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands are harrowing. More than 120 people are confirmed dead, and over 1,000 are still missing. Across parts of
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