New Algorithms Improve Accuracy Of Geoengineering Projections. Is That A Good Thing?
New algorithms make it possible for scientists to predict the effect of injecting sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere to cool the planet. Is that a good thing?
flooding
Girl Scouts Meet With Pope Francis
Originally published on EdenKeeper.org On the day of the Epiphany in 1965, twenty-one Girl Guide associations established the International Catholic Conference of Guiding (ICCG). It was a time of radical change around the world — from the Vietnam War, to civil rights movements, to a growing environmental awareness — there was a sense that things were shifting.
World Record-Breaking 2014 Weather And Climate
It isn’t official yet, but 2014 appears to have been the hottest year on the world temperature record. In December, during the U.N. climate talks in Lima, Peru (COP20), the World Meteorological Organization announced in a provisional statement that this conclusion about 2014 weather and climate was virtually certain. WMO bases its report on datasets
The Nefarious Connection Between Agriculture and Our Rivers (Part 3 of 4)
This is part 3 of a 4 part series by Brad Walker of the Missouri Coalition for the Environment analyzing The Nefarious Connection Between Agriculture and Our Rivers. Read parts 1 and 2 Part 3: Small steps towards river repair There are currently effective Congressionally-authorized programs on the Missouri, Illinois and Upper Mississippi Rivers that
The Nefarious Connection Between Agriculture and Our Rivers (Part 2 of 4)
This is part 2 of a 4 part series by Brad Walker of the Missouri Coalition for the Environment analyzing The Nefarious Connection Between Agriculture and Our Rivers. Read Part 1 Part 2: The major culprit There are many well-documented critiques of the industrialized agricultural system, so we will not dwell in detail about why
The Nefarious Connection Between Agriculture and Our Rivers (Part 1 of 4)
This is a 4-part article as written by Brad Walker, Rivers & Sustainability Director for the Missouri Coalition for the Environment (bio below). I provided the illustrations and a few other minor contributions. The article will run one part per week for the next four weeks. Part 1: Introduction — What we have wrought on
UCS Examines Climate Change From Sea To Shining Sea
More imminent than deadly viruses or terrorists at national events is the phenomenon of climate change, a force examined in a groundbreaking new report released today by the Union of Concerned Scientists. Titled National Landmarks at Risk: How Rising Seas, Floods and Wildfires are Threatening the United States’ Most Cherished Historic Sites, the study examines
Climate Change Impacting Health, Safety And Economy of US Coasts
A new report authored by leading scientists and experts explains that the effects of climate change are going to continue threatening the health of coastal communities throughout the United States. The report emphasises the need for increased coordination and planning to protect US coastal communities in the face of a continually changing climate. “[Hurricane] Sandy
Removing Sea Defences Could Reduce Impact of Flooding on Coastal Regions
It might sound counter-intuitive, but a new study has shown that removing sea defences and allowing natural erosion may in fact in times of rising sea level flooding. Robert Nicholls, Professor of Coastal Engineering at the University of Southampton and co-author of this study, says the research shows that protecting our coastline from erosion simply
US Experiences A Dozen Billion-Dollar Weather Disasters in 2011
For the United States, 2011 has been a costly year when it comes to weather and climate disasters, suffering 12 separate billion dollar disasters in the year alone. The total aggregate damage for the year totals an approximate $52 billion, breaking the previous record of nine separate billion dollar weather/climate disasters in 2008. Sadly, across
Bangkok: Worst Flooding Since 1942 ("Most Critical Natural Disaster in Thai History")
We’ve written about Thailand’s flooding a few times now. Over a week ago, Michael wrote that 10% of the country’s rice crop had already been destroyed (and Thailand is the world’s leading rice exporter). The cost to the nation was already about $4 billion. Now, the flood waters are taking over the nation’s largest city and
Thailand Suffers Most Costly Flood in History – 10% of Annual Rice Crop Destroyed
The tropical tourist paradise of Thailand is currently suffering through enormously costly floods, resulting from a “weak” La Niña monsoon season. Following September’s extremely heavy rains — five feet of rain for the month — the monsoon season continues virtually unabated into this month, where it also coincided, last weekend, with the highest tides of the month. It is estimated that 10 % of the nation’s rice crop has been destroyed, so far, costing nearly 4 billion USD, and growing. This will have certain impact on global food prices (driving them higher) and on food security for tens of millions of people.
From New York to Maryland, 100,000 Ordered to Evacuate their Homes because of Flooding
Still recovering from Hurricane Irene, the East Coast is being hit again by remnants of Tropical Storm Lee. Rain comes on and off for the East Coast, sometimes only drizzling, but the rivers and streams continue to rise. Among many of the areas flooded are the many towns along the Susquehanna River. Rural towns are nestled along 444 miles of water that lead down into the Chesapeake Bay. As water surged over flood walls built decades ago to protect residences from potential flooding from the Susquehanna River, 20,000 people were ordered to head for higher ground. This is said to be the worst flooding in the history of Binghamton, at least since the flood walls were built in the 1930s and ’40s. Besides the town of Binghamton, nearly 100,000 people from New York to Maryland were ordered to flee the rising Susquehanna River on Thursday.
Floods in Seoul Displace over 11,000 & Kill Dozens; Floods in Bangladesh Displace over 10,000
Floods, one of the hallmark natural disasters resulting in greater occurrence and strength from climate change, are tearing about homes, cities, and people in Bangladesh and Seoul, South Korea this week. Seoul has seen the heaviest rains in July since 1907 now. At least 59 people are dead and 10 missing, according to the latest reports. About 10,000 people from about 4,800 homes have been left homeless.
South Korea Hit with Deadly Landslides (from Heavy Rains)
South Korea just got nailed with some heavy rain that has triggered landslides in and flooding in and near its large capital city, Seoul. 32 have been confirmed dead so far. (Whatever you do, don’t consider that is has anything to do with climate change, even though this is exactly the sort of catastrophe climate scientists have predicted will become more and more common.)
Nebraska Nuclear Situation Gets Worse
Well, it’s no Fukushima, but the concerning news from Nebraska, where one (Calhoun) nuclear power plant is shut down and waiting for flood waters to recede to start up again (something that may not be until the Fall) and another (Cooper nuclear power plant) has mostly been in operation but is under threat as well now. The news is that, yesterday, a dam (or AquaDam) built around the Cooper nuclear power plant and other flood protection systems broke. And that may just be a sign of things to come….
Extremely Extreme Weather in 2010.. Perhaps Most Extreme on Record
Dr. Jeff Masters, a world-leading meteorologist, just finished a compilation of what he considered 2010’s top 20 extreme weather events. All in all, he considers 2010 to be the most extreme year for weather since records began and, unfortunately, with a good understanding of climate change, he hints at what we could be in for if we don’t turn things around quickly.
Join the 'Climate Hot Map Scavenger Hunt' & Win a Trip to Brazil
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) has unveiled its latest salvo in the fight to curtail human-caused global warming: an interactive ‘Climate Hot Map Scavenger Hunt’. The Climate Hot Map educate sand entertains as it stimulates the user’s curiosity to sift clues and scavenge for answers. What’s more, completing the scavenger hunt qualifies you for a chance to win the fabulous Grand Prize: an Earthwatch Institute trip for two to assess climate impacts in Rio Cachoeira national Reserve in Brazil!
Montana Floods Kill One, Leave One Missing — More Extreme Weather to Come
Yes, it’s not rainy season anymore, it’s flooding season (unless you live in areas of the country experiencing “exceptional drought” — the highest level of drought — and wild fires). Montana is the latest to get extreme floods and they are now moving on towards neighboring states such as Wyoming and Utah.
Let me reiterate yet again, global warming (aka global weirding) = extreme floods AND extreme drought.
Cars Swept Away by Floods in Colombia {VIDEOS}
While the U.S. faces tremendous flooding of the Mississippi River and concurrent droughts in Texas and the Southwest, other nations around the world are suffering from global weirding as well.
Mississippi River Floods, Texas Drought, and Global Weirding (& Food Prices/Crises)
With all the climate change denier propaganda and bad messaging/confusion in the media, I have to wonder how much a ‘normal’ person recognizes the relationship between tremendous flooding of the Mississippi River and drought in Texas and a few other states (at the same time).
La Nina to Continue through First Quarter of 2011
A report from the UN’s weather agency, the World Meteorological Organization, has reported that the current La Nina event will last through the first quarter of 2011, and possibly into the second quarter. However, the report noted that “the strength of the event is likely to decrease during the course of the coming 4 months.”
Who Gets the Blame for the Queensland Floods?
Residents of Queensland’s flood hit communities have been returning to their homes to find devastation, and to begin the long process of cleaning and rebuilding. At least 31 have died, with an additional 40 currently listed as missing. Already there are claims of governmental mismanagement, and blame is being heavily laid at the feet of
Flooding in Brisbane Suburbs
This detailed astronaut photograph illustrates flooding in suburbs of the Brisbane, Australia metropolitan region. The Brisbane area experienced catastrophic flooding following unusually heavy rainfall on January 10, 2011. With surficial soils already saturated from previous rainfall events, eastward-draining surface flow caused the Brisbane River to flood—inundating an estimated 20,000 homes in suburbs of the capital
Global Weirding News of the Week: Global Weirding is Here, Cancun News, Failure of the Press…
There is more global weirding news streaming through my news feeds every week than I could ever cover in depth here on Planetsave. There are a number of pieces every week that I wish I had more time for but, unfortunately, just don’t. So, I think I am going to get back to weekly news
Canadian Insurance Companies Seeing Effects of Climate Change
I heard some years ago that the insurance industry was one of the leading industries as far as acknowledging climate change. Why? Because they get screwed if they don’t recognize the risks of climate change and adjust their policies accordingly. Canadian insurance companies recently reported that they were, indeed, hit hard by claims in 2009,
Future at Risk on a Hotter Planet
Lester R. Brown We are entering a new era, one of rapid and often unpredictable climate change. In fact, the new climate norm is change. The 25 warmest years on record have come since 1980. And the 10 warmest years since global record keeping began in 1880 have come since 1998. The effects of rising temperature
US Media Ignore Pakistan's Worst Disaster in Modern History
TIME magazine once gave us the photos that were painful to accept of the Vietnam War, so did our TVs, and Walter Cronkite. Due to these images, we rose up as a country to question the status quo. These days, the Great Pakistan Deluge happens, and what does TIME magazine do? Pull the story. An
Aussie Activists Protest Government's Weak Climate Target
Friends of the Earth has planned an extensive day of protest against the Australian Prime Minister’s declaration that Australia will decrease its carbon emissions a mere 5 percent by 2020. To illustrate the problem, activists dressed in emergency gear will surround four separate government offices with sandbags today.
Hurricane Ike Soaks Chicago
Hurricane Ike battered Texas, causing untold damage for millions of home-owners in Houston and Galveston. But some people in Chicago had a pretty bad weekend, too. After raining all day on September 13 and 14, the Windy City became the flooded city. The far-reaching tendrils of the hurricane dumped 9 inches of rain in less
Contaminants in Flood Waters Threaten Food Part I: Who is Watching?
Farming near a river bed is a great idea until it floods. Soil near riverbeds tends to be more fertile, producing more abundant crops. But when the river beds flood and drench contiguous farm land, the water can drag unwanted contaminants to the farmland, exposing health risks to anyone eating the crops from the flooded
