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<font size="+1"><i>May 16, 2018</i></font><br>
<br>
[Hot, dry-weather flooding]<br>
<b><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://floodlist.com/america/canada-british-columbia-snowmelt-floods-may-2018">Canada
- Thousands Evacuated After Snowmelt Floods in British Columbia</a></b><br>
14 MAY, 2018 BY RICHARD DAVIES - IN AMERICAS<br>
Thousands of people have evacuated their homes in British Columbia,
Canada, after major flooding in the province that began on Thursday,
10 May 2018.<br>
British Columbia Premier John Horgan said, "The spring flood season
is upon us. Heavy rainfall, warm weather and rapid snowmelt have
triggered flood warnings and evacuations in the Interior. More than
4,000 British Columbians have been forced from their homes, while
thousands more anxiously wait to see what rising flood waters will
mean for their homes and their livelihoods."<br>
Evacuation orders affecting over 2,700 people were issued in parts
of Kootenay Boundary, from Christina Lake through the West Boundary,
including areas of Grand Forks. Firefighters rescued around 30
people by boat in Grand Forks, located at the confluence of the
Granby River and Kettle River and one of the hardest hit areas.<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://floodlist.com/america/canada-british-columbia-snowmelt-floods-may-2018">http://floodlist.com/america/canada-british-columbia-snowmelt-floods-may-2018</a><br>
- - - - <br>
<b><a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://floodlist.com/">FloodList
- Reporting floods and flooding news since 2008</a></b><br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://floodlist.com/">http://floodlist.com/</a><br>
- - -- -<br>
<b><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/05/180515081720.htm">Insurance
industry dangerously unprepared for extreme weather, study finds</a></b><br>
May 15, 2018 University of Waterloo<br>
Summary:<br>
As historic flooding caused by climate change devastates communities
in New Brunswick and British Columbia, new research reveals the
insurance industry hasn't considered a changing climate in their
practices, putting homeowners at financial risk.<br>
The study which looked at data from 178 insurers, found that most
insurance companies assumed the risk to property from extreme
weather is static and based their premiums on historical data.
However, as extreme weather events are increasing in severity,
frequency, and unpredictability, insurers have not adjusted.<br>
"As extreme events become more frequent, insurers that ignore
climate change will not put away enough money to cover their claims.
To re-coup those losses, they'll have to raise rates or pull
coverage from high risk areas," said Jason Thistlethwaite, a climate
change economist at the University of Waterloo. "When this shift
happens, thousands of people will lose coverage or it will be
unaffordable."<br>
Another finding in the report outlined how reinsurers, insurers for
insurance companies, have been better at reacting and adapting to
climate change-related financial risk. This dynamic could lead to
significant disruption in global insurance industry.<br>
"Some insurers are better at understanding climate change than
others. These organizations will survive, and likely be able to sell
climate services to their counterparts struggling to understand the
problem," said Thistlethwaite. "Those that don't, will fail.
Insurers are supposed to watch our backs by looking into the future
and protect us from unexpected events. We pay to not worry about
these things."<br>
A full version of the study, "Insurance and Climate Change Risk
Management: Rescaling to Look Beyond the Horizon," was published in
the British Journal of Management.<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/05/180515081720.htm">https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/05/180515081720.htm</a><br>
<br>
<br>
[News from the UN] <br>
<b><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/05/1009782">Climate
change: An "existential threat" to humanity, UN chief warns
global summit</a></b><br>
UN News<br>
None of the world's challenges loom as large as climate change, the
United Nations chief told a major climate action summit on Tuesday<br>
Both leadership and innovation are essential for climate action,
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in his keynote address to
the global gathering, known as the R20 Austrian World Summit - a
long-term initiative to help regions, States and cities implement
the Sustainable Development Goals and meet the Paris Agreement
targets. <br>
Mr. Guterres spelled out: "We must use all our resources to build a
sense of urgency", to raise ambition, while keeping temperature
rises in the years ahead, as close to 1.5 degrees Celsius as
possible.<br>
He said there was reason to hope, declaring that "the world is
seeing a groundswell of climate action", citing examples, including
Morocco's building of a solar farm "the size of Paris, that will
power over a million homes by 2020" and China's achievement in
already passing it's 2020 goal of producing 105 gigawatts of solar
power capacity.<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/05/1009782">https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/05/1009782</a><br>
- - - -<br>
[Hear it directly - video 1 minute]<br>
<b><a moz-do-not-send="true" href="https://youtu.be/hREC4wKVVUs">UN
chief: Climate change poses 'existential threat' to humanity</a></b><br>
United Nations Published on May 15, 2018<br>
Addressing a global summit in Austria, Secretary-General Antonio
Guterres spotlighted the importance of clean and renewable energy as
an integral part of the efforts to combat climate change.<br>
<font size="-1"><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://youtu.be/hREC4wKVVUs">https://youtu.be/hREC4wKVVUs</a></font><br>
<br>
<br>
[one part of the big picture]<br>
<b><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://insideclimatenews.org/news/15052018/algae-blooms-climate-change-methane-emissions-data-agriculture-nutrient-runoff-fertilizer-sewage-pollution-lake-erie">Toxic
Algae Blooms Occurring More Often, May Be Caught in Climate
Change Feedback Loop</a></b><br>
The blooms, primarily fed by farm runoff but exacerbated by warming,
release methane and CO2. Lake Erie is a 'poster child' for the
challenge.<br>
BY GEORGINA GUSTIN<br>
Blooms of harmful algae in the nation's waters appear to be
occurring much more frequently than in the past, increasing
suspicions that the warming climate may be exacerbating the problem.<br>
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) published newly collected data
on Tuesday reporting nearly 300 large blooms since 2010. Last year
alone, 169 were reported. While NOAA issues <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/project/harmful-algal-bloom-hab-forecasting/">forecast</a>s
for harmful algal blooms in certain areas, the advocacy group called
its report the first attempt to track the blooms on a nationwide
scale.<br>
The study comes as scientists have <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/news/climate-change-impact-harmful-algal-blooms/">predicted
proliferation of these blooms</a> as the climate changes, and amid
increasing attention by the news media and local politicians to the
worst cases.<br>
Just as troubling, these blooms could not only worsen with climate
change, but also contribute significantly to greenhouse gas
emissions....<font size="-1"><br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://insideclimatenews.org/news/15052018/algae-blooms-climate-change-methane-emissions-data-agriculture-nutrient-runoff-fertilizer-sewage-pollution-lake-erie">https://insideclimatenews.org/news/15052018/algae-blooms-climate-change-methane-emissions-data-agriculture-nutrient-runoff-fertilizer-sewage-pollution-lake-erie</a></font><br>
<br>
<br>
[<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.ncwarn.org/about-us/mission/">A very big deal</a>
in state power monopoly]<br>
<b><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://insideclimatenews.org/news/14052018/north-carolina-rooftop-solar-panel-laws-duke-utility-monopoly-court-ruling-church-clean-energy">How
Solar Panels on a Church Rooftop Broke the Law in N.C.</a></b><br>
An environmental group and a largely African-American church tried
to challenge North Carolina's utility monopoly by generating cheap,
clean power. They lost.<br>
By Dan Gearino<br>
A North Carolina environmental group that tried to challenge the
state's utility monopoly by installing solar panels on the roof of a
predominantly African-American church and selling the church cheap,
clean power has lost its appeal to the state's highest court.<br>
Advocates say they are disappointed in the ruling, but they aren't
giving up the fight to lift restrictions on clean energy.<br>
The case involved an attempt to bust through restrictions that solar
advocates face in much of the Southeast<br>
<font size="-1"><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://insideclimatenews.org/news/14052018/north-carolina-rooftop-solar-panel-laws-duke-utility-monopoly-court-ruling-church-clean-energy">https://insideclimatenews.org/news/14052018/north-carolina-rooftop-solar-panel-laws-duke-utility-monopoly-court-ruling-church-clean-energy</a></font><br>
- - - -<br>
[see you in court]<br>
<b><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.ncwarn.org/solarfreedom/">Solar Freedom Project</a></b><br>
<b><a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.ncwarn.org/">NC WARN</a></b>
is partnering with Faith Community Church in Greensboro on an
unprecedented test case that challenges Duke Energy's blockade
against competition from companies that install solar systems on
rooftops with little or no upfront cost to the customer. In June
2015, NC WARN installed solar panels on the church roof and the
church began buying the solar power from NC WARN at a price far
lower than what it pays on its monthly bill to Duke Energy. The sale
of power was suspended after the NC Utilities Commission ruled that
the project was unlawful. NC WARN appealed the case to the NC Court
of Appeals, which ruled for the Utilities Commission on a 2-1 vote.
NC WARN has now appealed the case to the NC Supreme Court, supported
by national groups including Center for Biological Diversity,
Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and Institute for Local
Self-Reliance. Read more below.<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.ncwarn.org/solarfreedom/">http://www.ncwarn.org/solarfreedom/</a><br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.ncwarn.org/about-us/mission/">http://www.ncwarn.org/about-us/mission/</a><br>
- - - -<br>
[Letter to radio news director]<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.ncwarn.org/wp-content/uploads/ltr-4-20-18-WUNC-Connie-Walker.pdf">Subject:
Continuing news media failure in coverage of Duke Energy, fracked
gas and accelerating<br>
climate urgency</a><br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.ncwarn.org/wp-content/uploads/ltr-4-20-18-WUNC-Connie-Walker.pdf">http://www.ncwarn.org/wp-content/uploads/ltr-4-20-18-WUNC-Connie-Walker.pdf</a><br>
- - - - - -<br>
[pushing open energy commerce]<br>
<b><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.ncwarn.org/solarfreedom/">Solar Freedom Project</a></b><br>
<b>The question at the heart of the case was this: Who gets to
provide electricity in a warming world where demand for
distributed solar power is rising?</b><br>
According to the lower court's 2-1 ruling, the answer is that in
North Carolina only a utility company can sell electricity to end
users. In this case, the utility was Duke Energy, the
Charlotte-based giant that serves millions of customers in six
states.<br>
"It's very unfortunate that Duke Energy remains able to protect its
monopoly against clean competition and to keep stifling the growth
of cheaper solar power across North Carolina," Jim Warren, executive
director of NC WARN, said in an email. The group's name stands for
North Carolina Waste Awareness and Reduction Network, reflecting its
original mission.<br>
Which States Restrict Third-Party Solar?<br>
The key point in the case was that NC WARN was selling electricity
on a kilowatt-hour basis, which regulators found was a violation of
rules that Duke Energy has the exclusive right to sell electricity
to end users in its territory.<br>
(Solar leasing, which became legal in North Carolina with a 2017
state law, is a different financing method in which customers pay a
flat fee per month to lease the equipment and the fee is not tied to
the amount of electricity generated.)<br>
NC Warn stopped charging the church for the electricity during the
case and has said it likely will donate the system to the church.<font
size="-1">..<br>
- - - <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://insideclimatenews.org/sites/default/files/styles/icn_centered_medium/public/Solar-States-Ranking-529px.png?itok=9K-d5Bq">https://insideclimatenews.org/sites/default/files/styles/icn_centered_medium/public/Solar-States-Ranking-529px.png?itok=9K-d5Bq</a>-<br>
</font>No. 2 in Solar, But Far Behind in Small-Scale<br>
Duke Energy has been involved in several state-level fights over
rooftop solar, including current ones in the Carolinas. The outcome
often has been very close to what Duke wanted.<br>
<b>"In a way, it has nothing to do with solar," Duke's Wheeless said
of the NC WARN case. "They could have a gas generator on the roof
and be selling electricity and it would still be illegal."</b><font
size="-1"><br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.ncwarn.org/solarfreedom/">http://www.ncwarn.org/solarfreedom/</a><br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://insideclimatenews.org/news/14052018/north-carolina-rooftop-solar-panel-laws-duke-utility-monopoly-court-ruling-church-clean-energy">https://insideclimatenews.org/news/14052018/north-carolina-rooftop-solar-panel-laws-duke-utility-monopoly-court-ruling-church-clean-energy</a></font><br>
<br>
<br>
[stranding toxins]<br>
<b><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-oil-arctic/arctic-oil-undrillable-amid-global-warming-u-n-s-ex-climate-chief-idUSKCN1IG0LQ">Arctic
oil 'undrillable' amid global warming: UN's ex-climate chief</a></b><br>
Reuters<br>
OSLO (Reuters) - An architect of the Paris climate agreement urged
governments on Tuesday to halt oil exploration in the Arctic, saying
drilling was ...<br>
<font size="-1"><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-oil-arctic/arctic-oil-undrillable-amid-global-warming-u-n-s-ex-climate-chief-idUSKCN1IG0LQ">https://www.reuters.com/article/us-oil-arctic/arctic-oil-undrillable-amid-global-warming-u-n-s-ex-climate-chief-idUSKCN1IG0LQ</a></font><br>
<br>
<br>
[adaptation verses mitigation] <br>
<a href="https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060081741"><b>Could
adaptation projects worsen global warming?</b></a><br>
E&E News [$]<br>
As the U.S. prepares for this year's Atlantic hurricane season, the
Trump administration and Congress are pursuing long-range policies
aimed at shoring up highways, bridges and other infrastructure
against climate change-fueled extreme storms and rising seas with
stronger, disaster-resistant materials.<br>
<font size="-1"><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060081741">https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060081741</a><br>
- - - - - </font><br>
<b><a
href="https://www.weadapt.org/knowledge-base/adaptation-decision-making/mitigation-and-adaptation-in-the-unfccc-debates">Mitigation
and Adaptation in the UNFCCC Debates | weADAPT</a></b><b><br>
</b>Adaptation and mitigation issues are both visible in the UNFCCC
negotiations. However mitigation has been from the very beginning a
top priority on the negotiations' agenda. In the first phase of the
negotiations little attention was dedicated to the actions of
developing countries to cope with the impacts of climate change.
Except that the most vulnerable members succeeded in putting the
issue of financing adaptation activities on the agenda from the
first COP.<font size="-1"><br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://www.weadapt.org/knowledge-base/adaptation-decision-making/mitigation-and-adaptation-in-the-unfccc-debates">https://www.weadapt.org/knowledge-base/adaptation-decision-making/mitigation-and-adaptation-in-the-unfccc-debates</a></font><br>
- - -<br>
<b><a
href="http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/index.php/Debate:_Climate_change_mitigation_vs_adaptation">Debate:
Climate change mitigation vs adaptation - Debatepedia</a></b><br>
Should governments focus on adaptation to global warming over
mitigation?<br>
Background and context<br>
This debate stems from some doubts as to whether it is possible or
worthwhile to attempt to mitigate climate change. Some believe that
climate change will happen, at this stage, no matter what we do.
Therefore, it is argued, perhaps it is best that humans simply focus
their limited resources on adapting to Climate Change. Or, there is
a more nuanced debate as to whether mitigation should be prioritized
over adaptation, even if approaches to both are pursued...<br>
<font size="-1">More at: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/index.php/Debate:_Climate_change_mitigation_vs_adaptation">http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/index.php/Debate:_Climate_change_mitigation_vs_adaptation</a></font><br>
- - -<br>
[plenty to discuss]<br>
<b><a
href="https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/lancet-commission/2015/06/23/mitigation-vs-adaptation-which-path-to-follow-under-uncertainty/">Mitigation
vs Adaptation - Which path to follow under uncertainty?</a></b><br>
Jun 23, 2015 -<br>
Mitigation vs Adaptation - Which path to follow under uncertainty?
... or non-action today and far in the future are, is a subject of
fierce debate...<br>
However, mitigation actions bring a host of co-benefits that are
desirable, even without the decarbonisation imperative. Broadly
speaking, investments to close the substantial 'energy efficiency
gap', and that improve energy security (reducing import dependencies
and vulnerability to fossil fuel price fluctuations), and stimulate
innovation and the creation of new industries and markets, are
likely to boost GDP (although, various actions and investments may
also have the opposing effect). In addition, evidence suggests that
the co-benefits for human health, which in turn provide economic
benefits, are substantial. Reduced air pollution and increased
active travel, for example, would have substantially reduce pressure
on existing healthcare budgets - the subject of another blog post in
this series. Indeed, whilst climate change is the biggest global
health threat of the 21st Century, action to combat it is likely to
be the greatest global health opportunity of the 21st Century.<br>
<font size="-1"><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/lancet-commission/2015/06/23/mitigation-vs-adaptation-which-path-to-follow-under-uncertainty/">https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/lancet-commission/2015/06/23/mitigation-vs-adaptation-which-path-to-follow-under-uncertainty/</a></font><br>
<br>
<br>
[elegant data visualization of the conversation the US has pulled
out of]<br>
<b><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://climaps.eu/#%21/map/absolute-and-relative-visibility-of-countries-in-the-unfccc-negotiations-1995-2013">Absolute
And Relative Visibility Of Countries In The UNFCCC Negotiations,
1995-2013</a></b><br>
FINDINGS<br>
The diagram shows a remarkable stability. Most countries tend to
maintain their relative rank throughout the 19 COPs. The 10 most
active countries are represented by a rather stable, small group,
which includes the United States, China, Europe, Australia, and
Japan. The three leaders of the negotiations - China, the United
States, and Europe - are ubiquitous and heading the negotiations.
China, often speaking in the name of the G77 developing countries,
never ranks beyond third position whereas Europe's position varies
between the first and fifth, and the United States between the first
and seventh ranks. It can also be observed that countries tend to be
more active when they host the negotiations: Germany is first in
Berlin 1995, Japan is fourth in Kyoto 1997; India is fourth in New
Delhi 2002; Canada is fifth in Montreal 2005.<br>
<font size="-1">See it at: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://climaps.eu/#%21/map/absolute-and-relative-visibility-of-countries-in-the-unfccc-negotiations-1995-2013">http://climaps.eu/#!/map/absolute-and-relative-visibility-of-countries-in-the-unfccc-negotiations-1995-2013</a></font><br>
<br>
<br>
<font size="+1"><b><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/world/2013/05/16/intv-global-warming-study-cook.cnn.html">This
Day in Climate History - May 16, 2013</a> - from D.R. Tucker</b></font><br>
May 16, 2013: On CNN, SkepticalScience.com's John Cook discusses the
scientific community's verdict on climate change.<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/world/2013/05/16/intv-global-warming-study-cook.cnn.html">http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/world/2013/05/16/intv-global-warming-study-cook.cnn.html</a><br>
<br>
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