[TheClimate.Vote] May 8, 2019 - Daily Global Warming News Digest.

[Richard Pauli]

/May 8, 2019/


[USA Today observation]
*Climate change the new Vietnam War? Generation Z poised to change US 
politics with activism*
Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY Published May 6, 2019
Politicians take note: The current crop of young climate change 
activists could signal the emergence of a generation of politically 
involved youth not seen since the 1960s. And research shows the younger 
people become civically engaged, the more likely they are to stay 
engaged in activism and politics for their entire lives, potentially 
creating a generation of change, an article that appeared Monday in the 
journal Nature Climate Change suggests.

Generation Z, mostly still under 18, is not only demographically large 
but increasingly worried about the threat climate change poses to its 
future. The group has spawned a host of climate change activists and 
protests globally, including the Sunrise Movement, Zero Hour, Youth for 
Climate and #FridaysForFuture demonstrations.

"What we're seeing is a movement, if it continues to expand, that has 
the potential to substantially change the political landscape, as well 
as its focus," said Dana Fisher, a professor of sociology at the 
University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland who studies climate 
change activism. She authored the piece in the journal.

Young people also bring their parents along with them. Research shows 
that when children become concerned about global warming, their parents 
start to care more too.

Data on people under 18 is difficult to get because it requires parental 
permission, which dramatically decreases response rates on surveys. But 
research shows that young people are increasingly engaged in electoral 
politics and activism, Fisher said.

Not only is there a global youth climate movement, it's growing...
- - -
"Over 1,000 students, high school students and middle school students, 
marched down the street in total silence," she added. "It was stunning 
and moving beyond word. Their silence conveyed a gravity that hangs over 
their future like a storm cloud about to burst."
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2019/05/06/generation-z-poised-change-us-politics-climate-change-activism/1090104001/



[Here is some Tweet activism for us]
*Oil Change U.S.*
@OilChangeUS
*Presidential Candidate Signers*
Twelve major 2020 Democratic Presidential candidates have signed the No 
Fossil Fuel Money pledge. These signers are listed below, as well as all 
major* candidates on the Democratic side who have not yet signed the pledge.
Take action today: Use the buttons provided below to thank candidates 
who've signed, and urge those who haven't to get on board and stand with 
people, not big polluters.
http://nofossilfuelmoney.org/presidential-signers/
- -
Who hasn't signed? There are still several who've yet to reject 
contributions from PACs, executives, & lobbyists of the oil, gas, & coal 
industry.
They're welcome to sign the *#NoFossilFuelMoney* pledge at any time - 
the time is always right to stand w/ people, not big polluters.
Here's our most recent rundown of who's signed and who hasn't - it 
includes the specifics of each candidate's signing and the picture / 
video of them doing so, and then runs through the candidates that have 
yet to sign:
https://twitter.com/OilChangeUS/status/1125836635898351616
Any boosting / amplification much appreciated - particularly as we start 
to ramp up pressure on Booker, Harris, Castro, etc.
Here's the rundown of who's yet to sign:
https://twitter.com/OilChangeUS/status/1125836660313341952
Candidates who haven't YET signed to reject fossil fuel $$:
@MichaelBennet
@JoeBiden
@CoryBooker
@JulianCastro
@JohnDelaney
@KamalaHarris
@Hickenlooper
@amyklobuchar
@TimRyan
Who will be next to step up, stand on the right side of history, & 
pledge to take #NoFossilFuelMoney?
They're late to the party, but still plenty of time to join the rest. 
Anyone who's able to apply some pressure to relevant folks or has ideas 
on how to do so, shoot me a note and I'd love to chat.
https://twitter.com/OilChangeUS/status/1125836660313341952



TILclimate - Podcast
*MIT Climate's podcast (Today I Learned: Climate)*
ABOUT TILCLIMATE PODCAST
Climate change is confusing. This MIT podcast breaks down the science, 
technologies, and policies behind climate change, how it's impacting us, 
and what we can do about it. Each quick episode gives you the what, why, 
and how on climate change -- from real scientists -- to help us make 
informed decisions for our future.
https://climate.mit.edu/users/tilclimate-podcast
- - -
[first podcast is about flying]
*E1: TIL about planes*
"I love to travel. But I hate the fact that something I love to do, 
creates so much pollution." In this episode of TILclimate (Today I 
Learned: Climate), MIT professor Steven Barrett and host Laur Hesse 
Fisher dig into how -- and why -- air travel impacts our earth's 
climate, and what solutions are on the horizon. They explore the 
surprising heating effect of condensation trails ("contrails"), how 
computer simulations of the earth's climate system are built, and what 
scientists and engineers are doing to make flying, well, less bad for 
the planet.
Prof. Barrett is a professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics and the 
Director of the Laboratory for Aviation and the Environment. Through 
this lab, he coordinates the MIT Electric Aircraft Initiative, which 
aims to assess and develop sustainable electric aircraft technology. To 
read more about Barrett's research on contrails, biofuels, fuel 
efficiency, electric aviation technology, and more,...,
https://climate.mit.edu/podcasts/e1-til-about-planes


[Crude diplomacy]
*U.S. stuns audience by tongue-lashing China, Russia on eve of Arctic 
Council ministerial*
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stunned onlookers Monday by 
tongue-lashing China and Russia during an Arctic policy speech on the 
eve of the Arctic Council ministerial.

"China's words and actions raise doubts about its intentions," Pompeo 
said to a packed audience mostly made up of Arctic Council delegates at 
Rovaniemi's Lappi Areena.

"Beijing claims to be a near-Arctic state," Pompeo said refrencing 
China's 2018 white paper on the Arctic. "Yet the shortest distance 
between China and the Arctic is 900 miles. There are Arctic states, and 
non-Arctic states. No third category exists. China claiming otherwise 
entitles them to exactly nothing."...
- -
The intergovernmental forum is made up of the eight northern nations and 
six Arctic Indigenous groups, and its mandate is to discuss sustainable 
development and environmental protection in the North.The countries meet 
biennially to transfer the rotating chairmanship and sign a declaration 
that establishes their priorities for the next two years. On Tuesday, 
Finland hands the chairmanship to Iceland....
- -
Gao Feng, China's special representative for the Arctic and head of the 
Chinese delegation at the Arctic Council ministerial, said the speech 
left him floored.

"The business of the  Arctic Council is cooperation, environmental 
protection, friendly consultation and the sharing and exchange of views. 
This is completely different now," he said shaking his head as he talked 
to reporters. "And talking to the biggest Arctic Council nation, Russia, 
like that? I can't find a good word (in English) to describe it.

Lassi Heininen, Research Director at Finland's University of Helsinki, 
said the content and timing of the speech were unherd of at Arctic 
Council ministerial meetings, where traditionally, no one state or 
minister tries to "steal the show."

"What has happened that he has to act so aggressively towards China and 
Russia?," Heininen said. "(Because) even when there are turbulence or 
uncertainties, the Arctic Council says 'let's keep this out' because we 
have certain common interests, to have some solid ground. Particularly, 
this is just the day before the ministerial where (typically) all the 
parties have respected having a good mood and spirit here because of 
common interests.

"Maybe this is the Trump administration's way to show their foreign 
policy? But is there a need for that? What is the need? What are you 
aiming to gain?

"I hope that this will not open a new kind of use of the Arctic Council, 
or mis-use of it, for other purposes."
https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/arctic/2019/05/us-stuns-audience-tongue-lashing-china-russia-eve-arctic-council-ministerial


[Wildcare winner Harriet Riley's essay...]
*Endlings*
Harriet Riley last year won our Wildcare Nature Writing Prize. Her 
prized essay Endlings has been published in Island 146. We invite you to 
read Harriet's beautiful and moving story here, and purchase the 
magazine online to see it in print.
By Harriet Riley

In 1996 a correspondence published in Nature coined the term 'endling' 
to refer to an animal that was the last of its species. It's a 
fantastical word, like something out of a fairytale. An endling lives 
deep in a dark forest beneath distant mountains, and can only been seen 
at midnight once every hundred years.

In a way, this isn't so far from the truth. Every now and then there's a 
sighting of an animal, like the Australian night parrot, long thought 
extinct. But just as often we know exactly when and where the last 
member of a species died.

Whether it's Martha the passenger pigeon or Lonesome George the Pinta 
Island tortoise, every endling is a lesson in how humans should - or 
rather, shouldn't - interact with the natural world. But the word 
endling itself tells us something important too, about how we relate to 
species on the brink of extinction. We do not see them as real.

Or, perhaps more accurately, we do not see extinction as real.

I first noticed this while consoling a heartbroken ornithologist... 
[more at:]
https://www.taswriters.org/wildcare-winner-harriet-rileys-essay-endlings/
https://twitter.com/harrietlr01
- - -
[Interesting, fictitious conjecture]
*THE BILLIONAIRES' GUIDE TO HACKING THE PLANET*
What would it look like if a small group of billionaires took unilateral 
climate action through solar radiation management?
DAVE LEVITAN - MAY 2, 2019
Three billionaires stand on a runway, watching the last of the planes 
climb toward the stratosphere. The sky is cloudless, and it is hot, with 
little breeze. As the whine of the engine fades, the billionaires turn 
and head inside one of the few buildings in view. The South Pacific's 
waves lap at the sand lying only steps away, and the gaudy blue of the 
ocean stretches to the horizon in every direction.

They say nothing to the crew working inside a small control room. A 
collection of monitors displays impenetrable information as the fleet of 
planes soars higher and higher, beyond the reach of commercial jetliners 
and all but a few types of military aircraft. In the corner of the room, 
several screens are streaming CNN, the BBC, and other major news 
outlets; no one pays much attention as the talking heads discuss the 
global initiative launching from this remote island.

The billionaires fidget, displaying a nervousness to which few such 
titans of industry would ever admit. They mutter to each other, stealing 
glances at the newscasts. A screen display counts down, and eventually 
the process starts: the planes dump their payload, tons and tons of tiny 
particles known as sulfate aerosols, designed to reflect sunlight back 
into space and to offer some degree of cooling respite to a warming 
planet. They will do this from thousands of flights each year, 
unceasingly, until the world finally, mercifully, gets its shit together....
- - -
The Triumvirate holds the press conference from the island, via remote 
uplink. The questions start with details. How many planes? How much 
sulfur? Then they turn to the broader issues. Will this really cool the 
planet? It should, says Server Billionaire. What are the downsides? 
There may be many, Mars Billionaire replies. He lists a few possibilities.

Finally, someone lands on the correct question: When will you stop?

The three glance at each other. One of them, any of them, answers: We 
can't. Not until emissions drop. As the world brings carbon dioxide 
emissions toward zero, we can start ramping down the flights. Until 
then, stopping would cause rapid warming that could be more catastrophic 
than the original problem. This is known as "termination shock."

The reporters jump over each other to follow up, asking if this is a 
certainty, and whether they worry that some natural disaster might stop 
the flights before emissions can be drawn down. "So this is essentially 
a hostage situation?" one yells. "You're holding us all for ransom until 
we do what you want?" The islands, comes the answer, they asked us to. 
It's not what we want. This is for everyone. Voices beamed in from 
dozens of countries, from the northernmost parts of the world and from 
the Global South, cite polling at home suggesting opposition to SRM, 
while others point to a study projecting decreased rainfall or increased 
drought as a result...
more at - 
https://psmag.com/ideas/the-billionaires-guide-to-hacking-the-planet



[Darkly sarcastic opinion from The Onion]
COMMENTARY
*Bye!*
By The Animal Kingdom
So you've probably heard about the new report saying human-caused 
climate change is putting about a million different species of animals 
and plants at risk of extinction, and we just wanted to pop on over and 
say that it's true, a lot of us are on our way out the door.

Bye!

Seriously, look at the time! We can't believe it's been hundreds of 
thousands of years already! That's a pretty long time, when you think 
about it, and you can't go on coexisting as humans and animals on the 
same planet forever. And you know what they say: It's better to burn out 
than to fade away. We're gonna take our cue here and get out of your 
hair pretty soon. So arrivederci, and adios!

We've had some really good times, us and you humans. Who can forget the 
crazy days of the Pleistocene epoch? Sure, the Ice Age was no picnic, 
but it was honestly pretty great later on hanging out and watching y'all 
evolve. We've had this whole symbiotic thing going where animals and 
Homo erectus could live side by side. Over the years, we've gotten to 
migrate with you as you've moved around and really had a chance to find 
ourselves and flourish in new places. It was paradise. It would've been 
awesome if life could've stayed that way forever, you know?

We're not trying to flake or anything, believe us. Look, you guys are 
obviously busy with your machines and your wars and your relentless 
pursuit of profit. Sometimes, people and animals grow apart. And that's 
okay. We've always been pretty chill with what you guys are doing, so 
don't worry, it's totally cool. A flourishing ecosystem that supports 
all of Earth's creatures isn't going to be everyone's thing. It's your 
habitat now, after all, and you've been gracious hosts to us for a long 
time. So thanks!

Since we've got you here, we do want to mention that it hasn't been all 
fun and games. If we're being honest, we're still not totally keen on 
poaching, pollution, zoos, deforestation, or raising us in terrible 
conditions for the express purpose of slaughtering and eating us. Those 
things are kind of a buzzkill. Don't get us wrong, we're not trying to 
be overly critical, since you obviously have your reasons. We just 
wanted to get that off our chests before we get going.

Also, it's sort of weird you breed some of us as pets. Just saying.

Do we wish we could stick around longer? Sure, a little. When the dodo 
peaced out back in the late 1600s, we were like, really? Already? The 
party's just getting started! But now when we look around--the oceans 
are heating up, the food's running out, and most of our natural 
environments are gone--we wonder if maybe the dodo was right to take off 
when it did. The vibe is getting kinda weird in here. Not that the last 
couple hundred years of rapid industrialization have been all bad for 
us, but let's just say the Earth's not quite as fun for us as it used to be.

We don't want to belabor our departure--no one likes a guest who 
overstays their welcome--so we'll just do a quick soundoff of who's 
heading out soon so you can say a quick toodle-oo: the Bengal tiger, 
Amur leopard, hawksbill sea turtle, Chinese giant salamander, Javan 
rhinoceros, Sumatran rhinoceros, black rhinoceros, giant panda, vaquita, 
eastern gorilla, Sumatran orangutan, Borean orangutan, saola, gharial, 
Asian elephant, Philippine crocodile, Chinese pangolin, Malayan tiger, 
mountain pygmy possum, Andaman shrew, western swamp turtle, Philippine 
forest turtle, Ploughshare tortoise, Cross River gorilla, eastern 
lowland gorilla, saola, South China tiger, pika, giant otter, red wolf, 
Tasmanian devil, peppered tree frog, northern tinker frog, mountain mist 
frog, armored frog, Eungella torrent frog, Sumatran elephant, African 
wild donkey, Saiga antelope, giant muntjac, addax, bowhead whale, beluga 
whale, Balkan lynx, Asiatic cheetah, gloomy tube-nosed bat, Armenian 
whiskered bat, Hill's horseshoe bat, Thongaree's disc-nosed bat, Aru 
flying fox, central rock rat, pygmy hog, Gilbert's potoroo, Allan's 
lerista, Carpentarian rock rat, Kangaroo Island dunnart, Darwin's fox, 
Peruvian black spider monkey, the red wolf, spoon-billed sandpiper, 
Siberian crane, Bengal florican, regent honeyeater, orange-bellied 
parrot, great Indian bustard, sociable lapwing, white-billed heron, 
whooping crane, red-vented cockatoo, Himalayan quail, Hainan 
black-crested gibbon, Bulmer's fruit bat, Philippine naked-backed fruit 
bat, Fijian monkey-faced bat, Northern white-cheeked gibbon, indri, 
Andohahela sportive lemur, Manombo sportive lemur, Sahamalaza sportive 
lemur, all the other sportive lemurs, Celebes crested macaque, Pagai 
Island macaque, Sarawak surili, kipunji, hirola, tamaraw, wild Bactrian 
camel, white-rumped vulture, red-headed vulture, Indian vulture, 
slender-billed vulture, longcomb sawfish, Ganges shark, red-finned 
blue-eye, finless porpoise, squatina, northern river shark, Pondicherry 
shark humphead wrasse, orphan salamander, cloud forest salamander, Monte 
Escondido salamander, El Cusuco salamander, Zarciadero web-footed 
salamander, Cerro Pital salamander, blue whale, black-footed ferret, 
Yangtze finless porpoise, Zapotec salamander, and basically everyone 
from the wetlands.

We're definitely missing a bunch who are just slipping out really 
quickly without saying farewell. We hope that's okay. You probably won't 
even notice they're gone! We're not all leaving yet. Just a lot of us.

But we don't want to go out on a bad note. We have so many wonderful 
memories of the pre-Anthropocene era, and we don't want those fond 
recollections of vibrant, life-sustaining forests and jungles and 
prairies to be forgotten. But it's time for us to mosey on out down the 
dusty trail. Sayonara!

Oh, and we hope you don't mind, we're taking most of the plants with us too.
https://www.theonion.com/fda-launches-food-awareness-month-to-get-americans-inte-1834585826


*This Day in Climate History - May 8, 1989 - from D.R. Tucker*
May 8, 1989: The New York Times reports that the Office of Management 
and Budget in the George H. W. Bush administration altered NASA climate 
scientist James Hansen's upcoming Senate testimony to emphasize alleged 
uncertainties in climate science.

http://www.nytimes.com/1989/05/08/us/scientist-says-budget-office-altered-his-testimony.html
/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------/

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