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<i><font size="+1"><b>July 22, 2021</b></font></i> <br>
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<p>[Universal - global warming ]<br>
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<p><b>Climate change spares no country, poor or rich, says Amitav
Ghosh</b><br>
Nations need to wake up to the reality that climate change will
affect everyone — and not in some far-off fictional future, says
the New York-based Indian author.<br>
</p>
<p>- -</p>
<p>"In a sense, one of the things that is really becoming clear is
we are in an era where our expectations of the past really don't
apply. For example, it's often said that affluence and good
infrastructure will protect people from terrible natural disasters
and so on. And I think, increasingly, we see that is not the
case," Ghosh says.<br>
<br>
He illustrates his argument with another example: the wildfires
that are raging in northern California, also one of the richest
parts of the world. <br>
<br>
Ghosh also points out that climate change is not just limited to
natural disasters that uproot people's lives. It can be as
innocuous as Californian vineyard owners complaining that their
businesses are being destroyed because of smoke getting into wine
grapes, he says.<br>
<br>
Ghosh believes that fiction needs to catch up with this reality.
Since the 2016 publication of his book-length essay, The Great
Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable , Ghosh has been
actively discussing climate change, especially in the context of
writing stories.<br>
<br>
<b>When fiction is actually reality</b><br>
In recent times, there have been landmark novels focusing on
climate hazards. These include George Turner's The Sea and Summer
(1987); James Bradley's Clade (2015); Barbara Kingsolver's Flight
Behavior (2012); Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake (2003) and The
Year of the Flood (2009); and Richard Powers' The Overstory
(2018).<br>
<br>
Ghosh's own book from 2019, Gun Island, deals with issues like
global warming and the danger to fish from chemical wastes in the
Sunderbans.<br>
<br>
But Ghosh still has a problem with most current fiction works on
global warming, a genre often referred to as eco-fiction, climate
fiction, or cli-fi. He argues that it displaces natural disasters
from the present time, when in fact it's all happening right now.
<br>
<br>
"I really have a problem with these genres. ... You treat this
reality as though it was somehow unreal. You project it into the
future or you make it into some kind of a fantasy," Ghosh says.<br>
- -<br>
Ghosh cites an example: "New York City was hit by a terrible
cyclone in 2012. It was called Hurricane Sandy, and it devastated
New York. And New York City has so many writers, poets,
filmmakers, artists and so on, but you'll find very little written
about Hurricane Sandy, yet you'll find many books about the future
drowning of New York."<br>
<br>
He says this could reflect a denial of lived reality. <br>
<br>
"Today, what is so obvious is that this is an overwhelming
reality, for those people in Germany, for example," Ghosh says.
"They keep saying it's unbelievable, they can't believe it, it's
never happened before. And that's just the point. The whole point
is, it's not just unbelievable: It's real, it's happening. It's
happening to us right now." <br>
<br>
<b>The 'arrogance' of the West</b><br>
Ghosh believes the West has brought about the current global
warming crisis through colonialism, industrialization. and,
consequently, the new global culture of consumerism and increased
production. This has helped Western countries dominate
international policy in almost every aspect and be dismissive of
cultures in less developed countries.<br>
<br>
"The West has been so isolated by its incredible arrogance and its
sense of superiority. It really needs to start learning from the
rest of the world," he argues. Bangladesh experiences floods every
year in the monsoon when the Padma — the Ganges in the South Asian
country — overfloods its banks. "But very few people die because
people are prepared, people know how dangerous floods can be," he
says.<br>
- -<br>
Ultimately, the increasing frequency of climate change-related
catastrophes has made it clear that we as humans share a common
predicament, Ghosh says, but adds that countries need to wake up
to this new reality.<br>
<br>
"I hope that one of the lessons people take away from this
terrible tragedy in Germany is that nobody can afford to be
complacent," he says. "All human beings are now facing the same
plight. You cannot expect that, simply because you belong to an
affluent country, that you're in some way protected."<br>
</p>
<p><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.dw.com/en/climate-change-spares-no-country-poor-or-rich-says-amitav-ghosh/a-58575186">https://www.dw.com/en/climate-change-spares-no-country-poor-or-rich-says-amitav-ghosh/a-58575186</a><br>
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[NPR]<br>
<b>The Western Wildfires Are Affecting People 3,000 Miles Away</b><br>
July 21, 2021<br>
Smoke traveling from the Western wildfires is reaching all the way
across the U.S., bringing vibrant red sunsets and moon glow to the
East. But it's also carrying poor air quality and harmful health
effects thousands of miles away from the flames.<br>
<br>
Large fires have been actively burning for weeks across the Western
U.S. and Canada. Currently, the largest in the U.S. is the Bootleg
Fire in Oregon, which has now burned more than 600 square miles of
land and become so large it generates its own weather.<br>
<br>
For days, Eastern states have been trapped in a smoky haze
originating from the fires across the nation. Smoke has settled over
major cities nearly 3,000 miles from the fires, including
Philadelphia and New York, and even in the eastern parts of Canada.<br>
<br>
It's the second year in a row that smoke has traveled so far into
the East. The sight has become normal during wildfire season as
fires have become more intense, long lasting and dangerous because
of climate change.<br>
- -<br>
"As long as active fires are burning and high pressure remains
across the central part of the United States, many locations will at
least see some reduction of visibility in their environment east of
the Rockies," she said.<br>
<br>
"Once fire activity decreases and precipitation reenters the picture
for places that are receiving this reduction in visibility due to
smoke, then that will help to mitigate smoke impacts," she added.<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.npr.org/2021/07/21/1018865569/the-western-wildfires-are-affecting-people-3-000-miles-away">https://www.npr.org/2021/07/21/1018865569/the-western-wildfires-are-affecting-people-3-000-miles-away</a><br>
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[Radical actions discussed - video starts 16 min in]<br>
<b>Vandana Shiva and the Hubris of Messing With Nature</b><br>
July 21, 2021<br>
Climate One<br>
From clearing land for pasture to building dams, humans have long
changed the face of the Earth. We are tool users and problem solvers
by nature. But what happens when solving one problem — the need for
cheap energy, for example — creates another? Pumping carbon into the
skies has led to climate chaos; should we now apply more technology
to try to get out of the mess we created? Stopping the burning of
fossil fuels is imperative if we are to prevent the worst effects of
climate change, but it may not be enough. One proposed emergency
solution is geoengineering — man-made ways to cool the planet.
Physicist, ecologist, and activist Vandana Shiva argues that
geoengineering is the ultimate hubris, without democratic control.
“Geoengineering is an experiment, not a solution.” But when our
house is burning down, does it really make sense to take some
options for stopping the conflagration off the table? What if
lower-tech solutions like regenerative agriculture aren’t enough?<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRIh6YIqBFY">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRIh6YIqBFY</a><br>
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[Hey, I live in Seattle]<br>
<b>Experts Say Seattle, Puget Sound Cities Need Specific Plans for
Heat Waves</b><br>
Evan Bush / The Seattle Times (TNS) July 21, 2021 <br>
SEATTLE — No one needs to die in a heat wave...<br>
- -<br>
Heat waves test the fabric of society. They reveal who can't get to
a cooling center, access water or find the help they need to beat
the heat.<br>
- -<br>
The city of Seattle, which has the most resources of any Washington
city, did not have a specific plan for heat response, only two of
its community centers have air conditioning and only 20% of its
public drinking fountains, which had been turned off during the
COVID-19 pandemic, were operational before the June heat wave
struck.<br>
<br>
In our current climate, a heat wave of similar severity could be
expected, roughly, once every 1,000 years across the Pacific
Northwest, according to a recent study that has yet to receive peer
review. But as global warming advances, such a severe heat wave
could be expected once every five to 10 years, the research
suggests.<br>
<br>
As temperatures continue to rise, and other effects of climate
change intensify, such as wildfire smoke, experts say the need for
coordinated planning grows.<br>
- -<br>
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan pushed out news releases warning of the
heat and held a news conference detailing the city's preparation.
Behind the scenes, the Seattle Office of Emergency Management began
coordinating with the National Weather Service and other agencies on
June 22, four days before the heat wave.<br>
<br>
Seattle City Light called off all scheduled maintenance work in
advance of the heat wave. The Durkan administration lobbied Gov. Jay
Inslee's office on June 24, asking it to relax COVID-19 restrictions
for cooling centers, to which the governor assented.<br>
<br>
But the city's actions did not follow a specific advance game plan
for extreme heat, and some of its infrastructure was ill-equipped to
deal with a heat-related disaster.<br>
<br>
The heat wave — which began June 26 — would send temperatures at
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport above 100 degrees for a record
three days. Normal high temperatures for Seattle in late June hover
around 74 degrees; they would climb to a record 108 on June 28.<br>
- -<br>
Fewer than half of Seattleites have home air conditioning, according
to data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Housing Survey,
leaving many people without simple options to cool down at home. It
is the least air-conditioned metro area in the U.S.<br>
<br>
"If you are vulnerable, or if you have vulnerable people in your
household, it's important to have cooling resources," said Dr.
Deepti Singh, a climate researcher at Washington State University —
Vancouver, in the days before the heat wave hit.<br>
<br>
But many city facilities aren't equipped to be cooling centers.<br>
<br>
Only two of the city's 26 community centers (Northgate and Chinatown
International District) have air conditioning, according to Jesús
Aguirre, the superintendent of Seattle Parks and Recreation. A
third, Rainier Beach, "has some cooling capacity in the lobby."<br>
<br>
Tom Fay, The Seattle Public Library's interim chief, said 19 of 27
branches have air conditioning, but staffing limitations allowed
only 13 to open.<br>
- -<br>
<b>Plans, But Not Specific to Heat</b><br>
<br>
While Seattle's All-Hazards Mitigation Plan does mention excessive
heat events, Seattle does not have a specific plan for dealing with
them.<br>
- -<br>
Seattle is one of many local governments that has yet to develop
fundamental plans for heat waves, experts say. So-called "heat
action plans" are common in areas with more frequent heat waves,
such as Phoenix and Chicago.<br>
<br>
Ebi, a top researcher on heat-wave preparedness, said she knew of
nowhere in the state with a heat-action plan. Historically, extreme
heat kills more people in the U.S. than any other weather
phenomenon.<br>
<br>
As part of these plans, local meteorologists typically work with
city or county governments to develop a tiered early warning system
based on temperature thresholds. When a forecast reaches a certain
point, emergency managers can send out specific messaging to
residents about cooling centers, how to spot symptoms of heat
illness, and other advice. They can also notify doctors and
pharmacists, who would then warn patients taking medication that
might place them at higher risk.<br>
<br>
In the days approaching the heat wave, Seattle and King County
public agencies sent some of these key messages — through Twitter,
emails, news releases and other means — but it was more of an ad hoc
approach, not part of an established early-warning system.<br>
- -<br>
Heat can kill by myriad methods.<br>
<br>
Organs can overheat dangerously if the body loses its ability to
regulate temperature, risking death. Heat can also exacerbate
symptoms from underlying ailments like cardiac disease, diabetes or
kidney problems.<br>
<br>
When the heat wave struck, doctors compared the onslaught of
patients in hospitals to the early days dealing with COVID-19.<br>
- -<br>
Seattle City Light, the electric utility, had to buy extra power to
meet record demand, as residents cranked air conditioning units.
That cost $3 million, General Manager Debra Smith said. Line workers
meanwhile sweated in underground vaults to deal with repeated,
heat-related power outages in neighborhoods like Wedgwood.<br>
<br>
Nine library branches open on June 27 served 1,682 people throughout
the day; eight open on June 28 served 2,127 people.<br>
<br>
The city's beaches, spray parks, wading pools and swimming pools
were crowded throughout the weekend, and about 700 parks employees
were working.<br>
<br>
But only 107 people visited community centers that were open for
cooling (just one person visited Rainier Beach Community Center),
while 100 people used the Amazon Meeting Center downtown, which the
Durkan administration had requested the company open.<br>
More than 110 case managers who work for the city and county Aging
and Disability Services agency worked during the heat wave. They
made phone calls to check 2,137 vulnerable clients and distributed
88 fans. The senior centers that opened as cooling sites contacted
clients, as well.<br>
- -<br>
City workers did not conduct widespread canvassing to check on
residents or inform of heat concerns.<br>
<br>
Scoggins said the city needs to develop a more robust outreach plan
to help reach older Seattleites before they need emergency help.<br>
- -<br>
The recent heat wave was rare, but risks are expected to grow.<br>
<br>
And even smaller heat events can take a toll.<br>
<br>
Tania Busch Isaksen, a University of Washington researcher who has
studied the impacts of heat here, said King County begins to see
health impacts "on a mid-80s day" when humidity percentages are in
the 40s.<br>
<br>
Seattle's All-Hazards Mitigation Plan is being updated this year to
include more emphasis on heat events, identifying them as a deadly
hazard "projected to become more intense in the future due to
climate change."<br>
<br>
The updates, for 2021 to 2026, are pending approval by the City
Council and call for improving community centers so they can be
cooling sites and expanding the city's tree canopy, among other
actions. These plans are not meant to guide the city's response
during crises.<br>
<br>
Ebi said specific heat-action plans should be developed and then
stress-tested for worst-case scenarios, such as a two-week heat wave
during which the power grid fails.<br>
<br>
"That could happen now," she said. "There needs to be thinking more
about what climate change is going to throw at us, and how we can be
better prepared."<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/experts-say-cities-need-specific-plans-for-heat-waves-why-doesnt-seattle-have-one/">https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/experts-say-cities-need-specific-plans-for-heat-waves-why-doesnt-seattle-have-one/</a><br>
<br>
<p><br>
</p>
[Chan 4 ]<br>
<b>Will world take action after a week of major climate disasters?</b><br>
Jul 20, 2021<br>
Channel 4 News<br>
Today, there was yet another warning on climate change: the
International Energy Agency predicting global emissions of
greenhouse gases will reach an all-time high in 2023 - as
governments all over the world fail to 'build back better' as they
recover from the pandemic. <br>
<br>
(Subscribe: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://bit.ly/C4_News_Subscribe">https://bit.ly/C4_News_Subscribe</a>)
<br>
<br>
There are, of course, constant reminders of the real impact of the
Emergency on Planet Earth.<br>
<br>
We have correspondents across the globe in climate crisis hotspots -
from a proposed oil field off the coast of Shetland, to monsoon
rains in India, wildfires in the United States, and the devastating
floods in Germany.<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNiH-sujjRk">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNiH-sujjRk</a><br>
<br>
<p><br>
</p>
[Over-exuberance means trouble]<br>
<b>California couple whose gender-reveal party sparked a wildfire
charged with 30 crimes</b><br>
The pyrotechnic device sparked the destructive El Dorado fire, which
destroyed five homes and killed one firefighter<br>
<br>
A California couple has been criminally charged for their role in
igniting last year’s destructive El Dorado wildfire after they used
a pyrotechnic device during a gender-reveal party.<br>
<br>
The blaze torched close to 23,000 acres (9,300 hectares), destroyed
five homes and 15 other buildings, and claimed the life of a
firefighter, Charlie Morton.<br>
<br>
Refugio Manuel Jimenez Jr and Angela Renee Jimenez were indicted for
30 crimes including involuntary manslaughter, said Jason Anderson,
the San Bernardino county district attorney, during a press
conference. The couple pleaded not guilty and were released to await
their court date.<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jul/21/couple-gender-reveal-party-wildfire-charged">https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jul/21/couple-gender-reveal-party-wildfire-charged</a><br>
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<br>
[The news archive - looking back]<br>
<font size="+1"><b>On this day in the history of global warming July
22, 2013</b></font><br>
<p>July 22, 2013: Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ), a carbon-tax advocate
running for the seat left vacant by the passing of Sen. Frank
Lautenberg (D-NJ), shocks the Washington establishment by bluntly
stating that "millions will die" if something is not done to
address carbon pollution. (Rep. Holt would go on to lose the
Democratic Senate primary to Newark, NJ mayor Cory Booker, who won
the seat in the general election.)<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_O4nEMAtP4&sns=em">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_O4nEMAtP4&sns=em</a><br>
</p>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.politifact.com/new-jersey/statements/2013/jul/28/rush-holt/rush-holt-warns-millions-will-die-climate-change-g/">http://www.politifact.com/new-jersey/statements/2013/jul/28/rush-holt/rush-holt-warns-millions-will-die-climate-change-g/</a><br>
<br>
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