[TheClimate.Vote] May 28, 2019 - Daily Global Warming News Digest
Richard Pauli
richard at theclimate.vote
Tue May 28 09:33:03 EDT 2019
/May 28, 2019/
[new swarm]
*Severe thunderstorms unleash damaging tornadoes from Iowa to Indiana on
Memorial Day*
A relentless week-long severe weather pattern continued to unleash
destructive tornadoes across parts of the Midwest on Monday. Large trees
and power lines were reported down, and numerous structures damaged
throughout Memorial Day in the central United States.
Many midwestern residents may have hoped to celebrate Memorial Day with
outdoor festivities, which are more typically associated with the
holiday. Instead, many residents were warned to take shelter as tornado
watches and warnings spread across the region.
As of Monday evening, there were over 50 tornado reports listed on the
National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center website, many of
which from the central states like Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota and
Indiana. Tornadoes were also reported in northeast Colorado and western
Nebraska.
On Monday night, the tornadoes shifted into Ohio, where a large and
destructive tornado swept through Dayton.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/severe-thunderstorms-unleash-damaging-tornadoes-from-iowa-to-indiana-on-memorial-day/70008379
[destabilization persists]
*Records to keep falling in southeastern US as scorching heat wave
persists this week*
https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/unrelenting-heat-wave-to-keep-breaking-records-in-southeast-into-beyond-memorial-day/70008360
[Trump pounds more sand]
*Trump Administration Hardens Its Attack on Climate Science*
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/27/us/politics/trump-climate-science.html
[Asymmetric political expression]
*Throwing milkshakes as a political statement makes a splash in Britain*
He and his tailored suit became the latest target of "milkshaking," a
political statement making a splash in Britain. Protesters are targeting
right-wing politicians on the campaign trail...
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nigel-farage-milkshake-video-throwing-milkshakes-as-a-political-statement-makes-a-splash-in-britain/
- - -
[Stand Buy a Milkshake]
*The sweet hypocrisy of the far-right reaction to milkshake protests*
Politics Opinion
In equating the lobbing of milkshakes at fascists with burning down
mosques, the far right is making a startling admission about hate speech
23May 2019 - Text Laurie Richards
- -
For years, the far-right and its mainstream enablers have argued
(against all evidence) that there's no link between political words and
political violence. From the Times to the Spectator, hate speech is
breathlessly conflated with free speech, as an essential liberty that
might sound mean, but is harmless in real life. Words, they have long
insisted, don't matter.
But the new trend of publicly "milkshaking" famous figures has caused a
drastic change of tune, with the movement known for sneering about the
inferiority of "soy boys" suddenly becoming lactose intolerant.
"See, it starts with milkshakes," tweeted Raheem Kassam, former chief
adviser to Nigel Farage, "then it becomes bricks." Setting aside the
absence of milkshakes at the historic Battle of Cable Street, is the
humble strawberry shake truly a harbinger of oppression, or is
refrigeration the only chilling effect here?
It was a tweet by Burger King that left Kassam and others particularly
milkshook (sorry). Shortly before a Farage rally in Edinburgh, a
McDonald's branch 200 metres from the venue posted the sign: "We will
not be selling milkshakes or ice cream tonight. This is due to a police
request given recent events."
The sign went viral, those 'recent events' being obvious to the public,
which caused Burger King to jump on the bandwagon by tweeting: "Dear
people of Scotland. We're selling milkshakes all weekend. Have fun." A
"#justsaying" was added by the fast food corp attempting to get a greasy
boot at the zeitgeist. The tweet was criticised on the right with
accusations of 'inciting violence'.
Part of their frustration is that milkshakes are funny. Beyond the
inevitable public laughter, though, lies a much more serious own goal
scored by the far-right, with potentially disastrous implications: by
crying violence at Britain's milkshaking meme, they just admitted words
do matter after all.
As far as debating etiquette is concerned, it is at least reasonable to
consider a milkshake to the face uncivil behaviour. The problem with
emphasising civility, however, is how easily it invites questions about
what makes milkshaking less civil than, for instance, calling migrant
workers "cockroaches" - because unlike right wing punditry, no
milkshake, eggs, or cream pie ever encouraged anyone to set fire to a
mosque.
The Christchurch shooter exhorted his fans to subscribe to popular
racist YouTuber PewDiePie during his killing spree, and claimed
inspiration from American alt-right star Candace Owens ("who influenced
me above all"), who saw fit to use a laughing emoji in her online post
about the attack. Owens, who recently claimed the Third Reich only
stopped being "fine" after it invaded other countries, enjoys mainstream
support and acceptance in the UK from prominent figures like
Conservative politician Jacob Rees-Mogg.
Norwegian terrorist Anders Breivik claimed in the manifesto of his July
2011 mass murder of 77 innocents (injuring 319) that his actions were
inspired not only by outright fascist writers, but also mainstream right
wingers such as Daily Mail columnist Melanie Phillips. Phillips
denounced Breivik in 2011 and has made no criticism of milkshaking so
far, but continues profitably arguing in the Times that "anti-hate
groups have become the real voices of hate."
Milkshaking has been denounced by fellow Mail opinion provocateur and
Trump enthusiast Piers Morgan, who tweeted: "Throwing milkshakes over
@Nigel_Farage is pathetic & will make him even more popular". If that
were true perhaps someone ought to have poured milkshake on Morgan's
short and deeply unpopular TV career in the USA.
And Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, better known as 'Tommy Robinson' - milkshaked
twice in two days, both strawberry - has (as usual) failed to denounce
the outpouring of death threats by his supporters against the Wigan man,
now under police protection, who merely filmed the incident. Robinson,
perhaps the most notorious words-don't-matter denialist, claims not to
have inspired Finsbury Park terrorist Darren Osborne despite having
personally emailed words of encouragement to Osborne shortly before his
2017 van attack.
Careless talk has always cost lives. Now is a good time to remember when
King Henry II famously uttered "will no one rid me of this troublesome
priest?" and the archbishop in question was summarily murdered by four
enterprisingly attentive knights (sadly there were no milkshakes in 12th
century England). Henry responded in horror by performing public penance
for his sin - he did not say "hey, free speech" and shrug off
responsibility before doing it all again. It is as true now as it was
then that words absolutely matter.
For us to take the far right's milkshaking 'threat' claim seriously, for
us to agree that the slippery slope to bloodshed is indeed slick with
delicious milky treats, we would have a responsibility to keep firmly in
mind the bloody recent history of whose words have led to which
outcomes. Before they demand we agree with them, these right wing
provocateurs would do well to consider the implications of the question:
do you really want us to believe you?
https://www.dazeddigital.com/politics/article/44591/1/far-right-reaction-milkshake-nigel-farage-tommy-robinson-brexit-protest
[New list, new book, free summary]
*New Book Identifies 1000 Tools to Decarbonize the US Economy*
The book, *Legal Pathways to Deep Decarbonization in the United States*,
...contains a "legal playbook" for deep decarbonization in the United
States, identifying well over 1,000 legal options for enabling the
United States to address the greatest problem facing humanity.
A summary of the book is available at
https://biotech.law.lsu.edu/blog/deep_decarb_summary_booklet_online.pdf
- - -
However, if the burgeoning public demand for government action is
successful in initiating an "all hands on deck" response to climate
change by all levels of government, private organizations, and citizens
so desperately needed to avoid climate catastrophe, civil society will
need legal tools and strategies to achieve the rapid economy-wide
decarbonization...
The book ends with organizing the tools that are identified earlier in
the book by who the actor is identifying 333 tools for the US government
and Congress, 20 tools for the US executive branch, 322 tools for the US
federal agencies, 306 tools for US states and state governments, 53
tools for US state agencies, 97 tools for US state legislatures, 147
tools for companies, associations, NGOs, schools, individuals, and other
private entities, 3 tools for US ports, 16 tools for public utilities, 6
tools for regional transportation organizations, 6 tools for independent
system organizations, and 52 tools for public utility commissions, thus
identifying 1513 tools that can be used by various actors.
- - -
The tools to achieve deep decarbonization of the US economy identified
in this new book, along with the 541 strategies deployed by 44 cities
identified in the prior entry on this site, The Enormous Potential of
Cities to Reduce GHG Emissions, 571 Strategies Adopted by 44 Cities
Around the World, demonstrate that despite the enormity of the challenge
facing the world to prevent dangerous climate change, huge reductions in
GHG emissions are achievable if the political will to do so arises.
https://ethicsandclimate.org/2019/05/28/new-book-identifies-1000-tools-to-decarbonize-the-us-economy/
- - -
[articles]
*The Enormous Potential of Cities to Reduce GHG Emissions, 571
Strategies Adopted by 44 Cities Around the World*
571 Strategies To Reduce GHG Emissions Adopted by 44 Cities
https://ethicsandclimate.org/2017/09/01/the-enormous-potential-of-local-governments-to-reduce-ghg-emissions-a-paper-that-identifies-571-strategies-adopted-by-44-cities-around-the-world/
- -
[released in March 2019]
*Legal Pathways to Deep Decarbonization in the United States*
Authors: Michael B. Gerrard and John C. Dernbach, Editors
Price: $64.95
Release Date: March 2019
ISBN: 978-1-58576-197-5
Pages: 1120
https://www.eli.org/eli-press-books/legal-pathways-deep-decarbonization-united-states
[rising seas rule all]
*Homeowners Fear Losing Property Over 'Managed Retreat' Policies To
Address Sea Level Rise*
PACIFICA (KPIX 5) -- Cities up and down the California coast are
grappling with a looming crisis: How to deal with rising sea levels. By
2100, the U.S. Geological Survey predicts some 600,000 homes will be at
risk of flooding. While the state Coastal Commission wants to let nature
take its course, homeowners are fighting back.
Though he lives on the coast Jeff Guillet has never worried about sea
level rise. But last fall all that changed when the city of Pacifica put
out a draft of a local coastal plan that includes something called
"managed retreat." In essence, it means homeowners and businesses could
be moved away from the shore to give rising tides more room.
Pacifica's plan reads "The city shall establish and pursue funding of a
managed retreat program … for voluntary removal, modification or
relocation of development when necessary." For Guillet that means live
here at your own risk. "We started researching it and it started looking
more and more scary," said Guillet....
- -
"Certainly if you are a landowner who has a home along the beautiful
coastline here in California, I think you might think it is quite
drastic, in fact you might think it's unconstitutional," said Damien
Schiff. He's a senior attorney with the Pacific Legal Foundation, a
group that helps defend property rights along the coast.
"In our own Bill of Rights it says that one of the rights that is
fundamental is the right to use and to protect one's private property,"
said Schiff. His foundation is helping property owners in Solana Beach
and Marin County sue to stop managed retreat plans.
Pacifica appears to be taking note. "Oftentimes things do get resolved
in the courts, so that is one course of action," said city manager Kevin
Woodhouse. But Woodhouse acknowledges there may be some new zoning
regulations, not for all the coastal zone and not for Guillet's
neighborhood, but possibly along the city's already defined hazard zone,
right along the bluff.
Guillet is not reassured by that. "It still has the same effect as
managed retreat they are just not calling it that," he said. "It is our
home and it's not fair that they should impose any kind of restrictions
on us."
The city of Pacifica submitted its first sea level rise plan last year.
The Coastal Commission came back with revisions. Then Pacifica
re-submitted with some compromise changes. Now the ball is in the
Coastal Commission's court...
https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2019/05/23/california-homeowners-managed-retreat-sea-level-rise/
[Antarctic field research]
*Study uncovers surprising melting patterns beneath Antarctica's Ross
Ice Shelf*
Using the new map of the seabed under the ice shelf, the team ran a
model of ocean circulation and its effect on ice shelf melting. Compared
with the Amundsen Sea to the east, where warm water crosses the
continental shelf to cause rapid melting of the ice shelves, little warm
water reaches the Ross Ice Shelf. In the Ross Sea heat from the deep
ocean is removed by the cold winter atmosphere in a region of open
water, called the Ross Shelf Polynya, before flowing under the ice
shelf. The model showed that this cold water melts deeper portions of
east Antarctic glaciers, but it is steered away from the west Antarctic
side by the depth change at the ancient tectonic boundary.
In a surprise twist, however, the team found that the polynya also
contributes to a region of intense summertime melting along the ice
shelf's leading edge. This melting was confirmed in the radar images of
the ice shelf's internal structure. "We found that the ice loss from the
Ross Ice Shelf and flow of the adjoining grounded ice are sensitive to
changes in processes along the ice front, such as increased summer
warming if sea ice or clouds decrease," said Laurie Padman, a co-author
and senior scientist at Earth and Space Research.
Overall, the results indicate that models used to predict Antarctic ice
loss in future climates must consider changing local conditions near the
ice front, not just the large-scale changes in the circulation of warm
deep water. "We found out that it's these local processes we need to
understand to make sound predictions," said Tinto.
https://phys.org/news/2019-05-uncovers-patterns-beneath-antarctica-ross.html
[CFC-11]
*China has been emitting illegal greenhouse gas that destroys ozone
layer, scientists find*
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/23/china-emits-illegal-greenhouse-gas-that-destroys-ozone-layer-study.html
[Air Pollution May 30 Webinar]
*The Role of Green Infrastructure in Air Pollution Abatement *
The third webinar series on the "Air Pollution Mitigation Using Passive
Techniques in the Built Environment: Sharing International Best
Practice" will be presented at 11 a.m. EDT/ 8 a.m. PDT on May 30. The
webinar is on "The Role of Green Infrastructure in Air Pollution Abatement."
Richard Baldauf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is
chairing the webinar and will give a presentation on Exploring Green
Infrastructure Air Quality Impacts as Part of Sustainable Urban Design
Dr. Sara Janhall of RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Sweden, will
present on Deposition and Dispersion - Interaction between Vegetation
and Particle Air Pollution
Dr. David Nowak, USDA Forest Service, will present on The Role of Urban
Trees in Mitigating Air Pollution
EPA is participating in the international webinar series, which aims to
bring together experts to collaborate in a community forum on best
practices around passive mitigation of air pollution in the built
environment. Experts are providing their unique experiences for
gathering evidence on passive techniques to mitigate air pollution, such
as green infrastructures, solid barriers and urban design.
The series has attracted over 750 registrants from more than 55
countries, which reflects the international community participating in
the webinars.
https://www.tcd.ie/civileng/air-pollution-webinar-series/programme-details/
*This Day in Climate History - May 28, 2003 - from D.R. Tucker*
The New York Times reports on ExxonMobil's crucial role in the
climate-denial industry.
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/28/business/exxon-backs-groups-that-question-global-warming.html
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