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<p><i><font size="+1"><b>July16, 2021</b></font></i></p>
[little warning]<br>
<b>How have dozens died in flooding in Germany? - BBC News</b><br>
Jul 15, 2021<br>
BBC News<br>
More than fifty people have died and thousands of others have been
displaced by extensive flooding in parts of western Germany and
Belgium.<br>
In Germany - the most severely affected country - dozens of people
are still missing.<br>
The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has called it a catastrophe,
linking the events to climate change.<br>
Ros Atkins looks at how the events unfolded and the impact across
Europe.<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ANdYaMDJHM">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ANdYaMDJHM</a><br>
<br>
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</p>
[breathless tv report]<br>
<b>Scientists Warn Of Climate Change Dangers As Extreme Weather Hits
U.S.</b><br>
Jul 13, 2021<br>
NBC News<br>
Pennsylvania was hit with serious flooding, while historic heat
fuels wildfires in the West. The extreme conditions show that the
dangerous impacts of climate change are only intensifying,
scientists warn. <br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxzNYbTslZI">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxzNYbTslZI</a><br>
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[over-harvesting of trees - amazing ressource]<br>
<b>The Amazon rainforest is the world’s carbon sink. Parts of it now
release more carbon than can be absorbed.</b><br>
By Rachel Pannett - July 16, 2021<br>
The Amazon is emitting more carbon than it can absorb, in what
scientists say is a disturbing new signal that the Earth may be
reaching a tipping point on climate change.<br>
<br>
A study recently published in the journal Nature suggests that fire
and deforestation, along with warmer temperatures and markedly drier
conditions, mean the world’s largest rainforest is gradually losing
its ability to be a carbon sink.<br>
<br>
The impact of changes to the Amazon reach far beyond South America.
For generations, the rainforest has stored an immense amount of
carbon in its soil and enormous trees, playing an important role in
keeping the global environment stable.<br>
<br>
“When this study shows that the carbon budget from a believed carbon
sinking area is actually a source of 0.3 billion tons of carbon per
year, it sounds the alarm bells,” said Lucas Domingues, an
environmental scientist and one of the paper’s co-authors. (The
Southeast Asian kingdom of Thailand emitted roughly 0.3 billion tons
of carbon in 2018, according to Our World in Data.)<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/07/16/amazon-rainforest-climate-carbon/">https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/07/16/amazon-rainforest-climate-carbon/</a><br>
<p>- -<br>
</p>
[tswitch from <b>sink to source</b> is a very big deal]<br>
14 July 2021<br>
<b>Southeast Amazonia is no longer a carbon sink</b><br>
Atmospheric measurements show that deforestation and rapid local
warming have reduced or eliminated the capacity of the eastern
Amazonian forest to absorb carbon dioxide — with worrying
implications for future global warming...<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01871-6">https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01871-6</a><br>
<p>- -<br>
</p>
[Next comes a savanna]<br>
<b>Carbon loss from forest degradation exceeds that from
deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon</b><br>
Yuanwei Qin, Xiangming Xiao, Jean-Pierre Wigneron, Philippe Ciais,
Martin Brandt, Lei Fan, Xiaojun Li, Sean Crowell, Xiaocui Wu,
Russell Doughty, Yao Zhang, Fang Liu, Stephen Sitch & Berrien
Moore III <br>
Nature Climate Change volume 11, pages442–448 (2021)Cite this
article<br>
<blockquote><b>Abstract</b><br>
Spatial–temporal dynamics of aboveground biomass (AGB) and forest
area affect the carbon cycle, climate and biodiversity in the
Brazilian Amazon. Here we investigate interannual changes in AGB
and forest area by analysing satellite-based annual AGB and forest
area datasets. We found that the gross forest area loss was larger
in 2019 than in 2015, possibly due to recent loosening of forest
protection policies. However, the net AGB loss was three times
smaller in 2019 than in 2015. During 2010–2019, the Brazilian
Amazon had a cumulative gross loss of 4.45 Pg C against a gross
gain of 3.78 Pg C, resulting in a net AGB loss of 0.67 Pg C.
Forest degradation (73%) contributed three times more to the gross
AGB loss than deforestation (27%), given that the areal extent of
degradation exceeds that of deforestation. This indicates that
forest degradation has become the largest process driving carbon
loss and should become a higher policy priority.<br>
</blockquote>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-021-01026-5">https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-021-01026-5</a><br>
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[KXLY local TV news video]<br>
<b>‘Maybe things are even worse than we thought’: Local experts
worry about climate change</b><br>
Posted: July 14, 2021 6:18 PM<br>
by Esther Bower<br>
SPOKANE, Wash. — Almost all of Washington is now under a drought
state of emergency after dry conditions, extreme heat and little
precipitation have plagued the state. Local experts have been
studying these changes and are worried the path we’re on isn’t a
good one.<br>
<br>
“I’m surprised that we’re at this point now in 2021 that we were
expecting to arrive at in 2050, which makes us wonder maybe things
are even worse than we thought,” said Brian Henning, a member of the
Spokane Climate Project and a professor at Gonzaga University in the
Climate Center.<br>
He says these high temperatures and extended periods of dry weather
are on track to become what’s normal in our region.<br>
<br>
“This is a little early, but this is consistent with what the
climate models are seeing,” he said.<br>
<br>
The Climate Project has analyzed changing climate models in our
region. You can find their research HERE. Henning says these changes
could mean less snow and more rain during the year, causing more
floods. He also says these dry spells will be more frequent which
will affect dryland farming severely, as we’re seeing now with
hindered agriculture production.<br>
The Lands Council is another organization committed to protecting
and preserving our environment. Spokane is surrounded by nature, and
the Spokane River is one of the many gems. The aquifer is the main
water source for thousands of people in our community, but it’s also
taking a hit from these conditions.<br>
<br>
“I think there’s a misconception that it will always be there,” said
Amanda Parrish, the Executive Director for The Lands Council. “As
more people come to our beautiful city and our beautiful region,
we’re going to see more strains on that resource. With the effects
of climate change, and with the effects of these droughts happening
more often, that’s going to be another strain.”<br>
<br>
More people are having to water their lawns and use water for
irrigation purposes. She says it’s not a guarantee we’ll have all
this water to freely use in the future.<br>
<br>
“I think a lot of us want to increase our watering to keep our
landscaping alive, but that is actually exacerbating the effects of
low water levels in the Spokane River,” Parrish said. “We’re already
at a pretty low level for the river, and we’re not seeing any more
precipitation in the forecast.”<br>
<br>
She says the current levels are what we would see in September which
is concerning. The city is encouraging less household water use to
help this problem. You can find resources to conserve water HERE.<br>
<br>
Gov. Inslee declared a state of emergency on Wednesday to combat
these droughts in every county, except the Seattle metro area. He
made the declaration because water supply is 75% below average in
most places throughout the state. Now, the Ecology Department has
more flexibility and resources to fight these droughts that many
hope won’t continue.<br>
<br>
“It should be a wake-up call to all of us to try and take
significant action to try and reduce those forms of pollution that
are causing climate change and plan to be a resilient community,”
Henning said.<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.kxly.com/maybe-things-are-even-worse-than-we-thought-local-experts-worry-about-climate-change/">https://www.kxly.com/maybe-things-are-even-worse-than-we-thought-local-experts-worry-about-climate-change/</a><br>
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<p><br>
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<p>[Long predicted opinion]<br>
<b>Canary in the coal mine: Gaza, the Levant, and climate change</b><br>
The environmental degradation in Gaza should be an early warning
for what is to come for the whole of the Levant.<br>
Karim Elgendy - 7 Jul 2021<br>
Sustainability consultant<br>
<br>
Located on the dividing line between the Mediterranean climate to
its north and the desert to its south, Gaza was first settled as
an oasis by the sea. It was built to take advantage of the coastal
groundwater aquifer as well as Wadi Gaza, into which several
streams flowed from across the Negev Desert. It benefitted from
fertile soils, access to the Mediterranean, and excellent trade
links which made it a strategic and economic hub.<br>
<br>
However, in the 19th century, Gaza’s significance declined, as it
was eclipsed by the ports of Jaffa and Haifa, while the creation
of Israel in 1948 disconnected it from the rest of historic
Palestine. Today, the Gaza Strip is not only economically
devastated but also considered “unlivable” by the United Nations,
in large part due to repeated Israeli military assaults and a
debilitating 13-year siege imposed by Israel.<br>
<br>
Gaza’s limited freshwater resources are being pumped at an
unsustainable rate, and 95 percent of its groundwater is deemed
undrinkable due to contamination with wastewater and seawater. In
addition, its agricultural land, constantly shrinking due to
Israeli military encroachment, is increasingly insufficient to
feed its rapidly growing population.<br>
<br>
Climate change is expected to compound these challenges by making
precipitation even more erratic and unpredictable, further
weakening the depleted and contaminated coastal aquifer, upon
which life in the strip depends. It is also expected to increase
temperature and water evaporation, reducing agricultural
productivity and further worsening food insecurity.<br>
<br>
While the situation in Gaza may seem exceptional, it is the canary
in the coal mine for the environmental and humanitarian disaster
the whole of the Eastern Mediterranean region will face, if urgent
climate action is not taken.<br>
<br>
<b>A struggling region facing a changing climate</b><br>
While the precarious situation in Gaza is significantly
intensified by the blockade and regular Israeli attacks, the rest
of the Levant – including the occupied Palestinian territories,
Israel, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan – is also struggling with these
environmental challenges.<br>
<br>
The eminent geographer Tony Allan has pointed out that the region
between the Mediterranean and the Jordan River already “ran out”
of water and food self-sufficiency some 50 years ago. If one looks
at the food imports of the region, it becomes apparent why he made
that point. Even in Israel, which is often hailed as a pioneer of
agricultural technology, more than half of the calories consumed
are imported.<br>
<br>
The Levant is struggling with scarce and overexploited water
supplies, especially parts of Syria and Jordan. The region is no
stranger to periods of drought, and has always experienced
contraction of agricultural and pastoral land to its south and
east during such periods – a pattern that has shaped its culture
and history. But the intense droughts and desertification expected
due to climate change could be far worse.<br>
<br>
Global climate change is widely expected to bring wetter
conditions to many places around the world. But due to the Eastern
Mediterranean’s unique geography, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, and
the island of Cyprus are all likely to experience the opposite.
Climate models suggest that climate change will bring less
rainfall and longer droughts to the region, with less groundwater
available to help bridge dry periods.<br>
<br>
The consequences of these changes cannot be overstated. Droughts
currently experienced in the Eastern Mediterranean are already
harsh. According to research by NASA, the dry spell between 1998
and 2012 was 50 percent drier than the driest period in the past
five centuries, and 10 to 20 percent drier than the worst drought
since the 12th century.<br>
<br>
Some scholars have argued that this drought contributed to the
uprising in Syria in 2011, which ultimately led to the Syrian
civil war, although the role it played remains a subject of
academic debate. What is not in doubt, however, is that climate
change will lead to cascading socioeconomic and political
challenges.<br>
<br>
Rising temperatures and falling water supplies are expected to
increase food insecurity and employment fragility, inevitably
leading to migration. These impacts will be felt the hardest in
areas struggling with conflict, displacement, military occupation,
limited natural resources, and rapid population growth.<br>
<br>
One of the Levant’s hotspots where many of these factors intersect
is the Jordan Valley. In a forthcoming Chatham House paper, Glada
Lahn and I concluded that climate change is unlikely to lead
directly to conflict around the Jordan Valley, but will exacerbate
existing social tensions and competition over resources. While
adaptation on the Jordanian side is a matter of political
coordination and financial resources, in the West Bank, climate
action is restricted by the Israeli occupation.<br>
<br>
<b>Collective action needed</b><br>
In the past, the Levant relied on Egypt’s food exports to weather
periods of drought. For centuries, Egypt served as a shock
absorber, supplying surplus grain when the Levant was hit by
famine. This was only possible due to the independence of Egyptian
food production from the Mediterranean climate and its use of the
Nile River, fed by the monsoons of East Africa.<br>
<br>
In fact, the Eastern Mediterranean’s reliance on two totally
independent climate systems for food supply ensured the prosperity
of various regional empires throughout history.<br>
<br>
But this is no longer the case. Egypt today is no one’s
breadbasket, having become the world’s largest wheat importer. The
construction of the Aswan Dam in the 1960s reduced its soil
fertility, while the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is expected
to further diminish food production. Depending on the rate at
which the dam’s reservoir is filled, as much as two-thirds of
Egypt’s agricultural land could be lost.<br>
<br>
To put this in perspective, the last time both Egypt and the
Levant faced simultaneous water and food shortages was a
millennium ago. Back then a series of droughts spanning more than
a century gave rise to a famine every five years on average. This
dark period in the region’s history includes a seven-year drought
known as The Great Calamity (1065–72), that led to mass deaths,
unprecedented economic crisis, the destruction of the city of
Fustat, and even cannibalism.<br>
<br>
Globalised trade has greatly diminished the chances of such
famines happening today, and the growing global momentum for
climate action holds out hope that climate change in the region
can be managed. But the race to mitigate climate change is
incredibly tight, and the region urgently needs to do more to
adapt to changes already taking place. Conflict is currently
preventing meaningful collaboration on this, but the region’s
governments have to realise that it is in their common interest to
take collective action. After all, what pollutes and damages
natural resources in one area will soon affect everyone else
around.<br>
<br>
Gaza’s high susceptibility to changes in its environment is an
early warning sign to the rest of the region about the impending
risks of climate change. The region will survive, only if this
early warning is acknowledged and appropriate action is taken.<br>
<br>
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do
not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2021/7/7/canary-in-the-coal-mine-gaza-the-levant-and-climate-change">https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2021/7/7/canary-in-the-coal-mine-gaza-the-levant-and-climate-change</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p><br>
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[ClimateCast audio interview SkyNews]<br>
<b>The New Climate War - A conversation with Dr Michael E. Mann</b><br>
On this special episode of ClimateCast, guest host Samantha
Washington is joined by Dr Michael E. Mann, Distinguished Professor
of Atmospheric Science at Penn State University, in the United
States, to discuss his new book The New Climate War.<br>
Mann is one of the world’s most prominent climate scientists, who
first shot to fame in the 1990s when he published possibly the most
famous chart in all of climate science - now known as simply the
hockey stick graph - which showed how burning fossil fuels and the
resulting greenhouse gases, caused global temperatures to rise.
Something most of us now take for granted.<br>
<br>
Sky News' Climate reporter Victoria Seabrook also joins Sam in the
studio to discuss all of this week's climate headlines, including a
damning report published by the Climate Change Committee which said
the government is failing to ensure the UK can cope with climate
change already happening, how the UK is using renewable energy from
Norway which could power over one million British homes using the
world's largest undersea electricity cable, and how extreme weather
has caused a worrying shortage of chocolate, coffee and wine.<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://news.sky.com/story/alaska-one-of-the-worlds-largest-oil-pipelines-threatened-by-thawing-permafrost-12354352">https://news.sky.com/story/alaska-one-of-the-worlds-largest-oil-pipelines-threatened-by-thawing-permafrost-12354352</a><br>
<p><br>
</p>
<p><br>
</p>
[The news archive - looking back]<br>
<font size="+1"><b>On this day in the history of global warming July
16, 1992</b></font><br>
<br>
July 16, 1992: At the 1992 Democratic National Convention, Senator
and Vice-Presidential nominee Al Gore notes:<br>
<br>
“I've spent much of my career working to protect the environment,
not only because it is vital to the future of my State of Tennessee,
our country and our earth, but because I believe there is a
fundamental link between our current relationship to the earth and
the attitudes that stand in the way of human progress. For
generations we have believed that we could abuse the earth because
we were somehow not really connected to it, but now we must face the
truth. The task of saving the earth's environment must and will
become the central organizing principle of the post-Cold War world.<br>
<br>
“And just as the false assumption that we are not connected to the
earth has led to the ecological crisis, so the equally false
assumption that we are not connected to each other has led to our
social crisis.”<br>
<br>
He also declares that President George H. W. Bush and Vice
President Dan Quayle “embarrassed our nation when the whole world
was asking for American leadership in confronting the environmental
crisis. It is time for them to go.”<br>
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/27161-1">http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/27161-1</a><br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.speeches-usa.com/Transcripts/al_gore-1992dnc.htm">http://www.speeches-usa.com/Transcripts/al_gore-1992dnc.htm</a><br>
<br>
<p>/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------/</p>
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