[✔️] August 11, 2021 - Daily Global Warming News Digest

[👀 Richard Pauli]

/*August 11, 2021*/

[rising rate of change]
*The Dixie Fire is moving too fast for California’s emergency alert systems*
TV broadcasts and phone calls are no match for today’s quick-moving fires.
Joseph Winters - - Aug 10, 2021
Northern California’s Dixie Fire continued to make history this weekend, 
jumping past Oregon’s Bootleg Fire to become the biggest active blaze in 
the United States. As of Monday afternoon, it is California’s 
second-largest wildfire in recorded history, having ripped through 
nearly half a million acres since it sparked last month.

But it’s not just the Dixie Fire’s size that’s notable; it’s also 
incredibly fast-moving. Since its inception, the Dixie Fire has devoured 
California’s parched forests at a mind-boggling rate — on some days 
tearing through an acre of land every second. As a result, authorities 
have had to work swiftly to try to disseminate up-to-date information to 
local residents whose homes may be endangered by the flames.

“We’re seeing truly frightening fire behavior,” said Plumas National 
Forest supervisor Chris Carlton in a public briefing on August 5, 
shortly after the historic town of Greenville, California, was razed by 
the Dixie Fire. “We have a lot of veteran firefighters who have served 
for 20, 30 years and have never seen behavior like this, especially day 
after day.”

While that behavior is new, it’s not entirely unexpected. The Dixie Fire 
is just the latest in a series of wildfires that are much more extreme 
than the blazes of the previous century. A century-long history of bad 
forest management is partly to blame, but so is climate change: Severe 
drought and rising temperatures have sucked moisture out of California’s 
forests, creating tinderbox conditions that are ripe for massive and 
quick-moving conflagrations. Once wildfires get going, they can even 
create their own positive feedback cycles: On July 20, the Dixie Fire 
generated a “pyro cumulonimbus” cloud system that sparked lightning and 
drove strong winds, helping to accelerate the fire’s spread.
Even though California has been bracing itself for a potentially 
devastating fire season by spending hundreds of millions of dollars on 
prevention measures, some experts say the state hasn’t invested enough 
in systems that alert residents of evolving risks given wildfires’ new, 
faster pace.

“These fires are outpacing the traditional communication structures,” 
said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California 
Los Angeles. Televised public briefings, for example, usually only occur 
every few hours, if not even less frequently. And opt-in alert systems — 
like CodeRed or a “reverse 911” system, in which authorities call 
households’ landlines or cell phones to warn them of an approaching 
wildfire — may have low coverage, leaving large swaths of an at-risk 
population with incomplete information.

“I’ve spoken to people who are panicked and don’t know whether they need 
to leave, or which direction to leave,” Swain said.

In the wake of such rapidly-moving wildfires, many people have turned to 
social media for the most up-to-date fire news — especially Twitter, 
where nearby residents, hobbyists, and other amateur wildfire trackers 
have posted updates using the hashtag #DixieFire. Andrew Burke, whose 
home in Butte Creek Canyon, California, was burned in the 2018 Camp 
Fire, has kept tabs on this year’s flames by aggregating information 
from a number of sources — everything from online wind maps to specific 
Twitter accounts.

“You have to be an armchair expert,” he said, otherwise, information 
from the authorities might not come until it’s too late. He said he and 
other residents of fire-prone areas have come to treat an evacuation 
warning as an order. “And if you actually get an order, that’s like 
where your hair is getting singed,” he added.
Although wildfire information crowdsourced from social media may help 
fill an information vacuum for now, Swain says it is no substitute for a 
centralized emergency notification system that is updated for the fires 
of the 21st century — something that utilizes all possible modes of 
communication and makes available information that is currently 
inaccessible to the general public, such as real-time firefighter 
communications. He also recommends that firefighting units 
operationalize the Twitter model, hiring their own public information 
officers for the sole purpose of disseminating information as quickly as 
they can across multiple channels.

Beyond preventing infernos in the first place, an improved communication 
infrastructure may be one of the most efficient ways to save people’s 
lives and property. “It’s something that could be addressed really 
fast,” Swain said, “if there were motivation and funding to do it.”
https://grist.org/climate/dixie-fire-california-fast-climate-evacuation-communication/

- -

[fire news]
*Update and Forecast for Dixie Fire, Monument Fire, River Complex, and 
Other Western Wildfires*
Aug 8, 2021
Holt Hanley Weather
The Dixie Fire, River Complex, Monument Fire, Antelope Fire, Mcfarland 
Fire, and a number of other wildfires continue to burn in Northern 
California.
Throughout this video, we'll dive into all the important updates, as 
well as the fire weather forecast to predict how all these wildfires may 
change in the coming days.
You can subscribe to stay updated on all major wildfires throughout the 
2021 season.
I hope this video was helpful, and thanks for watching.

You can also check out Holt Hanley Weather on Twitter, where I post more 
concise updates on the current wildfires:
https://twitter.com/HoltHanleyWX
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aHfbnRJ1oY

- -

*Climate emergency report: Chinese, US and Indian response - BBC News*
Aug 10, 2021
BBC News
Nations around the world have been reacting to the landmark United 
Nations climate report that issued a “code red” warning to humanity.

Experts agree that without big reductions in global carbon dioxide 
emissions the world cannot win the fight against climate change.

China is the world's largest emitter of carbon dioxide, followed by the 
United States and India.

Sophie Raworth presents BBC News at Ten reporting of reaction to the new 
warnings - from Barbara Plett-Usher in the US -  Dan Johnson in Delhi - 
and  Robin Brant in Shanghai.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78PV6-5M6G0



[The IPCC press release Aug. 9, 2021 - in the most succinct form]
*Climate change widespread, rapid, and intensifying – IPCC*
https://www.ipcc.ch/2021/08/09/ar6-wg1-20210809-pr/



[time to talk about it - 
https://grist.org/fix/climate-change-is-scary-this-therapist-says-lean-into-those-feelings/]
*Climate change is scary. This therapist says lean into those feelings.*
Too many people are avoiding climate reality. A professional offers 6 
ways to stay engaged — for the planet and for our mental health.

Ariella Cook-Shonkoff
Ariella Cook-Shonkoff is a psychotherapist, art therapist, and freelance 
writer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is a steering committee 
member of Climate Psychology Alliance North America.

During a recent dinner party, the hosts intercepted a colleague of mine 
at the door. “Please,” they begged, “whatever you do, do not talk about 
climate tonight.”

My colleague is on the East Coast and I’m on the West, but climate 
avoidance is happening everywhere. While attending my daughter’s 
preschool orientation last month, one student’s parents told me, “We 
keep reserving campsites each year and do our best to pretend like 
wildfires aren’t going to be a problem.”

As a mental health professional in Berkeley, California, I’m keenly 
aware of how almost everyone — clients, neighbors, and friends — prefers 
to not discuss the fires ravaging much of the West. For that matter, 
when I posted a call-to-action in April for colleagues on my local 
list-serve, citing urgency in developing our professional tools to meet 
the climate emergency, only one therapist out of several hundred responded.

I understand this behavior: Survival and comfort are strong human 
motivators. Imagine standing before two closed doors, one marked 
“Climate Emergency” and the other “Business as Usual.” Which would you 
choose to open?

Even as frightening evidence of human-caused climate change mounts, many 
are doubling down on avoidance strategies; my clients are distracting 
themselves with video games or TV, casually dropping “the world is going 
to end,” or quickly redirecting conversations to more personal matters.

Avoidance is a common way that people protect themselves from trauma. 
But don’t let the veneer fool you; many avoiders are completely freaked 
out — their defense mechanisms are straining to not notice that the 
Climate Emergency door has suddenly blown wide open.

There’s no doubt avoidance works as a short-term strategy, offering 
temporary comfort or solace while keeping gritty emotions at bay. 
Compartmentalizing allows us to function. But suppressing our gut 
responses eventually catches up to us; the “dis-ease” can cause 
irritability, insomnia, difficulty concentrating, loneliness, and 
anxiety. It can even lead to chronic autoimmune conditions. As physician 
and author Gabor Maté puts it: “If we are not conscious, then we are not 
free.”

Another problem with avoidance is that we don’t engage or take action. 
Instead of walking or biking, we keep driving gas-guzzlers. Instead of 
buying second-hand clothing or furniture, we keep ordering overly 
packaged things online. And groundswell calls for government action 
can’t occur if we won’t address what we don’t allow ourselves to see. 
Our defense mechanisms become our own worst enemies, particularly when 
we need to act on the collective level, and fast.

There is a broad spectrum of responses to the climate emergency, which 
is to be expected. I have colleagues who have lost homes to fire — 
understandably, they need space to grieve and recover. Grief is a 
normal, healthy response to climate change for anyone living on this 
planet. But if we stay individually frozen, numb, distracted, 
disengaged, or place climate too low on our list of priorities, then we 
threaten our chances of survival.

People only have so much energy, and avoidance takes a surprising 
amount. That energy could instead be applied toward climate action in 
productive ways. If you’ve fallen into fatalism or hedonism or numbness, 
I want you to know you can begin engaging with the climate crisis 
without careening over the edge into panic or despair. While not all of 
us have copious free time or money to donate, there are things we can 
all do.

*Visit communities impacted by climate change *
Highways get us where we want to go — and fast. But they also allow us 
to bypass communities and terrain, which can keep us disconnected from 
climate impacts. We can take the long way instead. A year after the 2018 
Camp Fire, while driving past Paradise, California, I pulled off the 
road to walk among the scorched tree trunks. I touched stubby, charred 
branches with my fingertips and inhaled ash. There was a deadness in the 
air that stood in cruel irony to the freeway noise — it was a stark 
reality check that TV coverage could never convey.

If we feel connected to a place, we are more likely to answer calls for 
donations or volunteer work. When visiting local farm stands, my husband 
and I will sometimes ask about the impact of drought conditions on their 
crops. Not only do we come to understand how climate change affects 
their lives, but also our own dinner tables.

*Welcome climate conversations at home and at school*
In my work with teenagers, a common complaint I hear is, “Adults are to 
blame for the climate crisis, but they’re not doing anything about it, 
and they don’t take me seriously when I try to talk about it.” Not only 
will kids bear the brunt of the consequences, but they’re made to suffer 
quietly by the adults around them. That can lead to feelings of panic or 
despair. It is emotionally relieving for kids when adults speak the 
truth, so we need to normalize climate conversations for people of all ages.

*Join or start a discussion group*
Avoidant behaviors sometimes manifest in the form of social isolation. 
If we don’t let anyone get close, we can guard our innermost feelings 
from the outside world. However, we need social connection for our 
emotional well-being; research shows that connecting with others — even 
going for a walk with somebody or meeting for tea — reduces stress, 
anxiety, and depression. Joining a group like Good Grief Network’s 
10-Step Program, Carbon Conversations, or Climate Cafes — or starting 
your own — can be empowering and comforting, and makes everyone feel 
less helpless. It can also be the launching pad for local action.

*Check in with yourself during the off-season*
During wildfire season on the West Coast, many people operate in crisis 
mode; their sympathetic nervous systems activate in response to imminent 
threats like smoke or evacuation orders, prioritizing safety above all 
else. Lesser threats, such as air-quality restrictions, can also trigger 
a “fight-flight-freeze” response, pumping adrenaline into the 
bloodstream, increasing heart rate, and dimming access to rational 
thought. Understandably, this may not be the time for deeper reflection.

When wildfires abate, however, people who’ve been in survival mode must 
pause and reflect. If they mentally check out until next year, it 
creates a vicious cycle of avoidance rather than emotional integration. 
Emotional distress that remains locked up inside of the body can 
manifest into trauma symptoms and a nervous system that becomes 
activated more easily and more frequently. One can express feelings with 
a therapist or in a group, or even through writing (check out The 
Climate Journal Project), storytelling (share yours with the Climate 
Stories Project), art, music, martial arts, or dance — the key is to 
allow emotions to flow through us rather than stay stuck.

*Turn toward solutions rather than away from problems *
The climate crisis can feel daunting. Don’t underestimate the small, 
concrete actions we can take in the present moment — they are also a 
powerful antidote to avoidance. Bring reusable shopping bags to the 
store, order less takeout, ride public transit, eat less meat. Share 
your actions with others so they ripple into the community and inspire 
others to do the same.

*Use mind-body tools to lessen internal avoidance*
When it comes to challenging cyclical avoidance, or even managing 
climate distress, mindfulness has proven benefits. Mindfulness is the 
simple, yet deliberate, act of bringing conscious awareness to daily 
life. Rather than spin out in endless mental loops — by thinking, for 
example, “There’s nothing I can do, this situation is beyond my control” 
— positive reframing is a tool that can help calm the mind; regulate our 
emotions (“In this moment, I am safe. I have a plan and support”); and 
reconnect to our bodies: breath, sensation, and sensory input. While 
avoidance is problematic, being anxious isn’t any better.

Managing climate distress is less a sprint than a marathon. To avoid 
what’s happening — to ignore our emotional compass — is to live in a 
false, fragmented reality. Earth and humanity need us to stay connected.

*The good news is that there are numerous support groups and creative 
ways to process climate anxiety, climate grief, and other related 
emotions. Community advocacy groups such as**Citizens' Climate Lobby, * 
<https://citizensclimatelobby.org/about-ccl/>*facilitated forums 
called**climate cafes* <https://climatecafes.org/>*, religious or 
spiritual institutions, and interactive projects like**Dear Tomorrow* 
<https://www.deartomorrow.org/>*offer community, connection and 
opportunities to vocalize and express feelings and concerns.*

*When someone is struggling to function in their daily life -- such as 
getting out of bed in the morning or finding it difficult to focus at 
work or school  -- seeking professional mental health support is 
especially important. Another sign that someone might need help is if 
their mood or behavior significantly changes (e.g. more agitated, 
restless, intense mood swings, social avoidance, risky behaviors, 
increased drug/alcohol use). In some cases, a person will initiate 
therapy on their own, but in others, they might not be aware that they 
could use help; if you are concerned, it can be helpful to approach 
someone in a non-judgmental way, and help direct them to resources.*


The views expressed here reflect those of the author.
Fix is committed to publishing a diversity of voices, and we want to 
hear from you. Got a bold idea, fresh perspective, or insightful news 
analysis? Send a draft, along with a note about who you are, to 
fix at grist.org.
Ariella Cook-Shonkoff is a psychotherapist, art therapist, and freelance 
writer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is a steering committee 
member of Climate Psychology Alliance North America.
https://grist.org/fix/climate-change-is-scary-this-therapist-says-lean-into-those-feelings/



[video explanation]
*How Does Climate Change Make Extreme Weather Worse? Featuring Dr. 
Friederike Otto*
Aug 10, 2021
The Climate Pod
#climatechange #weather #friederikeotto #ipcc #climatechange2021
Dr. Friederike Otto, one of the lead authors of the IPCC's Climate 
Change 2021 Assessment Report, and acting director of the Environmental 
Change Institute at the University of Oxford and co-investigator on the 
international project World Weather Attribution, joins the show to talk 
about how climate change impacts individual extreme weather events like 
wildfires, hurricanes, droughts, heatwaves, and more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eg9Mtpziruk




[opinion]
*'This must sound a death knell for coal and fossil fuels, before they 
destroy our planet'*
UN chief pulls no punches as renewables sector says devastating IPCC 
study on climate emergency must mean faster, deeper energy transition

By Andrew Lee -- 9 August 2021
The head of the United Nations labelled a devastating new report on 
climate change as a “code red for humanity” as the renewables sector 
said a deeper, faster energy transition must now be a top priority globally.

UN secretary general António Guterres said latest analysis by the 
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) “must sound a death 
knell for coal and fossil fuels, before they destroy our planet… 
countries should also end all new fossil fuel exploration and 
production, and shift fossil fuel subsidies into renewable energy.


“The alarm bells are deafening, and the evidence is irrefutable: 
greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel burning and deforestation are 
choking our planet and putting billions of people at immediate risk.”

Guterres’ comments came as the IPCC issued its starkest warning yet that 
catastrophic impacts of global heating are already being seen around the 
world, with only “immediate, strong and large-scale” emissions cuts able 
to keep warming within 1.5 degrees.

Some of the effects are already irreversible, said the IPCC as it 
presented the work of thousands of experts in the most comprehensive 
analysis yet of the climate emergency.

The COP26 climate summit in Glasgow is now widely being spoken of as the 
last chance to secure meaningful action.

Guterres said: “By 2030, solar and wind capacity should quadruple and 
renewable energy investments should triple to maintain a net zero 
trajectory by mid-century.

“If we combine forces now, we can avert climate catastrophe. But, as 
today’s report makes clear, there is no time for delay and no room for 
excuses. I count on government leaders and all stakeholders to ensure 
COP26 is a success.”

The renewable energy sector said the IPCC study should be a last-ditch 
wake-up call for policymakers.

Francesco La Camera, director general of the International Renewable 
Energy Agency (Irena) said: “Choices we make today will have a 
far-reaching impact. Only an energy transition grounded in renewable & 
efficient technologies gives us a realistic option for a climate-safe 
world.”

Industry group WindEurope said the IPCC study is a “saddening read” with 
net zero emissions and an accelerated energy transition the only 
solution to global heating.

The IPCC analysis follows calls by the International Energy Agency (IEA) 
to end new fossil fuel projects amid sobering analysis that suggests 
power sector emissions will actually rise to record levels in 2022 
despite massive renewable energy growth as Asian economies continue to 
expand their coal fleets.(Copyright)
https://www.rechargenews.com/energy-transition/this-must-sound-a-death-knell-for-coal-and-fossil-fuels-before-they-destroy-our-planet/2-1-1049691



[Great Street Art]
*Banksy is on the prowl again*
Several works of art by the elusive painter have emerged across coastal 
towns in England. Here's a look at some of the mysterious artist's works 
in the past.

https://static.dw.com/image/58817765_303.jpg

A possible Banksy painting in Nicholas Everitt Park, Lowestoft, England
'All in the same boat'
This work appeared on a wall in Nicholas Everitt Park, in Lowestoft, 
England on August 7 and seems to be a continuation of Banksy's theme 
with the refugee boat. The artwork, part of which has been removed 
because it was blocking a drain, has not yet been claimed by the 
mysterious artist. Simultaneous paintings have appeared on walls in 
other coastal English towns like Yarmouth.
https://www.dw.com/en/banksy-is-on-the-prowl-again/g-51618590



[Oh please, stop]
*UW study links fine particulate air pollution to dementia*
Ruby de Luna - -AUG 04, 2021

Air pollution is often associated with respiratory illness. But a new 
University of Washington study adds to a growing body of evidence that 
links air pollution to greater risk for dementia.

Researchers reached that conclusion using data from two existing Seattle 
projects. One has been measuring air pollution in the region since the 
1970s. Another, started in 1994, monitors cognitive changes in older adults.

Lead author Rachel Shaffer says when a person in the second study was 
diagnosed with dementia, they looked at air pollution in the area where 
they were living for the past 10 years. She found that even a small 
increase in fine particle pollution was associated with a 16% increased 
risk of dementia.

“Our study was focused on fine particulate matter that’s less than 2.5 
micrometers in diameter,” Shaffer said. “It’s about 30 times smaller 
than a single strand of hair.”

The size category is relevant.

“They’re so small you can more penetrate easily the body,” she explained.
The particles could be made up of dust, dirt, or metal.

While wildfire smoke tends to get a lot of attention, microscopic 
pollution that we can’t see is affecting our bodies, too.

There are no effective treatments for dementia. Shaffer hopes the study 
can help change policy for air pollution standards. In the meantime, 
there are a few ways people can reduce their risks.

“More and more people are investing in home air purifiers and I think 
that is a good thing to use perhaps year round especially if you live 
near busy roads.”

She also recommends adjusting outdoor activities based on the air 
quality. And wearing masks.
https://kuow.org/stories/uw-study-shows-fine-particulate-air-pollution-linked-to-dementia 





[The news archive - looking back]
*On this day in the history of global warming August 11 ,*
The New York Times reports on the machinations and secrecy of EPA head 
Scott Pruitt.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/11/us/politics/scott-pruitt-epa.html?mwrsm=Email 



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