A big week in climate news as James Hansen and his team of global scientists publish a new peer-reviewed report – Global warming in the pipeline, published by Oxford Open Climate Change. The report states that the planet is on track to heat up at a much faster rate than scientists have previously predicted, and this means the key global warming threshold of 1.5C° could be breached this decade.
If you don’t know James Hansen, he is definitely a climate scientist worth listening too, because he operates outside of the “consensus science” which is where the IPCC sits. What I call consensus science is always more conservative, because it must meet the requirements of governments and businesses around the world, including the fossil fuel industry, and it doesn’t factor in other issues that are critical to the big picture challenge we face.
This report is causing a lot of backlash within the scientific community, and a lot of the coverage will be about this schism in the ranks of climate scientists. I definitely recommend reading all perspectives and working out what you think is right.
This report states that we are now in the early phase of a climate emergency, warning that there is a surge of heat “already in the pipeline” and this is expected to push global temperatures beyond what has been predicted, resulting in warming that exceeds 1.5C° above pre-industrial levels in the 2020s, and then above 2C° before 2050.
If you’re still hopeful that we will not pass the 1.5C° limit agreed in Paris, James Hansen and his team will tell you that this possibility is “deader than a doornail.” Hansen did say, however, that “the 2-degree limit can be rescued, only with the help of purposeful actions.” I recommend we take this warning to heart and act massively – now.
One of the biggest issues we currently face is an Earth energy imbalance. This means that more energy from the sun is coming to Earth than is being radiated back to space. Many suggest the energy imbalance is the equivalent of 400,000 Hiroshima atomic bombs being dropped a day, and most of that energy is being absorbed by the ocean… and well, we have seen the ocean heat records this year.
In fact, this week, October heat records have also been released – another hottest month on record – and this is what the heat anomalies look like:
Image credit Berkley Earth.
Here is the research
Global warming in the pipeline | Oxford Open Climate Change | Oxford Academic (oup.com)
Here is some of the coverage to date
There is a video interview with all of the scientists involved in the paper. I haven’t had a chance to watch it yet, but will be sure to include it in the Weekend Reads next week.
Comments on New Article by James Hansen | MICHAEL E. MANN (michaelmann.net)
Friend’s content and mine
Grant ‘Axe’ Rawlinson is swimming around Phuket to raise money for Good Shepherd Phuket Town – have a listen to understand his motivation.
An interview with Jerome Tagger: “I also see the chasm between what professionals in ESG want, and what their institution will let them do”. | The Diversity Blog Praveen Gupta is a wonderful human being doing great work. This is one of the blogs we discussed
How much does Halloween cost the earth? – Uncommon Courage – An Invitation the record spending on Halloween confirms we’re not getting the message about reducing our consumption.
Can you help me co-create the circular economy? Have a quick watch and you’ll understand what I’m talking about!
Donation time
If everyone gave #just10percent of their time, talent, money or voice, we’ll change the world. Can you donate? Why not make a regular donation to the World Food Programme. Or donate to the UN Refugee Program, Medicine Sans Frontier, PowerOf, Kiva.org, Red Cross, and so many more, including urgent fundraising and those supporting animals, like the Soi Dog Foundation. A fabulous organisation I support is B1G1 – check it out and set up an account. It’s a time for giving and taking care of each other.
Content to read
And here’s the content I’ve been reading, listening to or watching. Scan the headlines, read the ones that jump out at you, read, listen to or watch them all. It’s time to pay attention to the information that matters.
Planetary emergency
Are we in the age of the polycrisis? – Institute of Development Studies (ids.ac.uk)
An exotic tick that can kill cattle is spreading across Ohio (phys.org)
This year’s potato harvest ‘worst in living memory’, says IFA (thejournal.ie)
Comments on New Article by James Hansen | MICHAEL E. MANN (michaelmann.net)
Global warming in the pipeline | Oxford Open Climate Change | Oxford Academic (oup.com)
A Smoking Gun for Biden’s Big Climate Decision? | The New Yorker
In Brazil town turning to desert, farmers fight to hang on (phys.org)
Global evidence of rapid urban growth in flood zones since 1985 | Nature
Assessing the size and uncertainty of remaining carbon budgets | Nature Climate Change
Scientists believe they have finally uncovered what killed off dinosaurs (msn.com)
Vanessa Nakate On Navigating Climate Activism As A Young Woman | Glamour UK (glamourmagazine.co.uk)
Halloween sales climb to $12.2 billion in candy, decor spending binge (usatoday.com)
It’s record Halloween spending, from pet costumes to candy : NPR
Five modern-day ghost towns created by the climate crisis | CNN
ORG ASX: Origin in box seat to import LNG through South Australia (afr.com)
Soy expansion in Brazil linked to increase in childhood leukemia deaths (medicalxpress.com)
Climate crisis: carbon emissions budget is now tiny, scientists say | Climate crisis | The Guardian
Climate change raises concerns for future of marathons: Analysis – ABC News (ampproject.org)
Climate crisis: carbon emissions budget is now tiny, scientists say | Climate crisis | The Guardian
Obituary: Saleemul Huq, climate voice of the Global South (downtoearth.org.in)
Millions of Baby Birds Are Dying from Extreme Heat – Scientific American
Opinion | El Niños Are Predictable. We Should Prepare for Them. – The New York Times (nytimes.com)
They went hunting for fossil fuels. What they found could help save the world | CNN
When Idiot Savants Do Climate Economics (theintercept.com)
Day of Judgement is already here, and verdict is—guilty – The Week (ampproject.org)
Current Climate: Humanity Is Close To Multiple Environmental Tipping Points (forbes.com)
CoreLogic pegs Hurricane Otis insurable loss at $10bn to $15bn – Reinsurance News
Chemical crisis: The unseen toxic threat contaminating wildlife worldwide | The Hill
Warmer oceans have bleached corals at depths previously thought impossible | Euronews
Climate Change and its Impact on Mental Health – One Green Planet
Accelerating Progress on Sustainable Development Goals | BCG
The Scientists Watching Their Work Disappear From Climate Change – The New York Times (nytimes.com)
UK weather: heavy showers could bring flooding to already soaked areas | UK weather | The Guardian
Hurricane Otis: Dozens killed in Mexico’s Guerrero state – BBC News
Food waste in US landfills produces emissions equal to 12 million cars | New Scientist
Global politics
Israel says it has completed the encirclement of Gaza City | Euronews
Israel-Gaza war: Three reasons Egypt tightly controls the Rafah crossing – BBC News
Strikes on south Gaza: BBC verifies attacks in areas of ‘safety’ – BBC News
J’Accuse – An Open Letter to Hamas Apologists | LinkedIn
Dear world: I don’t care | Avi Lewis | The Blogs (timesofisrael.com)
Why Netanyahu Must Go | Foreign Affairs
Dagestan: Mob storms Russian airport in search of Jews – BBC News
UN General Assembly calls for ‘humanitarian truce’ in Gaza as humanitarian crisis worsens | Euronews
Opinion | Where Hamas Is Winning – The New York Times (nytimes.com)
The future of Hamas after October 7 – Part 1 | Gershon Baskin | The Blogs (timesofisrael.com)
Vladimir Putin signs Russia’s withdrawal from the treaty banning nuclear tests | Euronews
House Speaker Mike Johnson Widens Partisan Climate Change Divide – Bloomberg
Mike Pence: Former US Vice President withdraws from 2024 presidential race – BBC News
Three former senior Lib Dems sue Sun and NoW publisher over phone hacking | News UK | The Guardian
This is how floating female voters in the UK could decide the next general election | Euronews
Business and technology
Russians book 50% of Phuket high-end suites for New Year (thephuketnews.com)
Adobe is selling fake AI images of war in Israel-Palestine (crikey.com.au)
Elon Musk’s net worth drops $41 billion on Tesla earnings amid EV souring | Fortune
I Was Axed As Oatly’s Creative Director – Here Are 5 Arguably Useful Lessons | The Drum
Elon Musk’s X Is Now Worth $19B—a Cool $25B Less Than He Paid for It: Report (thedailybeast.com)
Big Tech Is Inflating Fears About AI’s Risk to Humanity: Google Brain Cofounder (ampproject.org)
NASA Terrified of Space Station Careening Out of Control and Crashing Into People (futurism.com)
Social issues
Shore principal John Collier says Lilie James accused killer was ‘not a monster’ (ampproject.org)
Psilocybin and LSD: What I learnt after experiencing ‘psychedelic flashbacks’ – BBC Future
China’s Male Leaders Push to Get Women to Stay Home for Family – The New York Times (nytimes.com)
WHITE MAN’S DARK MONEY: MEET THE BANKROLLERS – The Klaxon
Erin Patterson charged over alleged mushroom lunch that left three dead in Leongatha | 7NEWS
Suspected mushroom poisoning: Australian woman charged with three murders – BBC News
Scientists seriously believe we could live forever by the 2030s (thebrighterside.news)
More Chinese Migrants Are Journeying to the U.S. Border to Seek Asylum | TIME
When you go sober for even a month, your body will change. Here’s how. (nationalgeographic.com)
Why I Get Sick Selling A Curriculum To Homeschool Parents | HuffPost HuffPost Personal
Tourist Plunges to Their Death After Glass Bridge Shatters (thedailybeast.com)
The Good Bloke Effect: Men and Violence Against Women (mamamia.com.au)
Stephen King Reacts to the Mass Shooting in His Home State of Maine – NowThis (nowthisnews.com)
Passion/humour/history/celebs
‘Bridgerton’ Actor Calls Out Netflix For Lack Of Emotional Support (rollingstone.com)
Matthew Perry: Friends stars ‘devastated’ by death – BBC News
Matthew Perry’s life in pictures – BBC News
Adele Honors Matthew Perry: ‘Best Comedic Character of All Time’ (rollingstone.com)
Friends star Matthew Perry dies at 54 – BBC News
‘Friends’ Star Matthew Perry Dead at 54 After Apparent Drowning (tmz.com)
So, what did you read? What jumped out at you? Or share with me what you’re reading? I love that!
Cheers
Andrea
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Uncommon Courage: an invitation
Uncommon Courage is an invitation to be your courageous best self every day. It’s also an antidote to the overwhelm, fear, and rage rolling around the world. But it’s more than a book; it’s an invitation to join an inclusive community that wants to better understand humanities challenges – both global and personal – in order to take courageous action and create a better world for everyone. If Covid19 has given us the time and space to reflect, Uncommon Courage gives us the nudge we need to create lasting change.
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