Podcasts about world weather attribution

Episode 299 In a climate justice special episode of the podcast, the biggest issue of the century is up for discussion. Find out the true impact of climate change on our planet and who should be paying to fix the crisis. Rowan Hooper and Madeleine Cuff are joined by two climate experts - Friederike Otto and Joyce Kimutai from the World Weather Attribution project at Imperial College London. This episode is dedicated to answering three questions - starting with the issue of climate attribution. To what extent can we blame climate change for extreme weather events like hurricanes, droughts, heatwaves, floods and wildfires? Find out how climate attribution began as a fringe science and how it has evolved to become a firm part of public consciousness. The next question is one of climate justice - how can we make sure rich countries pay for the loss and damage caused to poorer countries by climate change? The argument is that poorer nations are least responsible for climate change, yet they are most affected by its impacts. So at the latest UN climate summit, COP28, a lot of money was pledged - yet hardly any of it has actually materialised. So what's going on? And the third question is about litigation - can climate attribution be used to achieve justice, by forcing climate polluters to pay up? A trial is ongoing where a company in Germany is being sued for its role in damaging the climate - but it's still unclear whether the case will be successful. The hope is with climate attribution, it'll be easier to bring cases like this forward and offer up a more detailed picture of how much damage has been done - and how much money is owed. Chapters: (01:16) Weather attribution (19:58) Climate justice (32:52) Climate litigation To read more about stories like this, visit https://www.newscientist.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump has been threatening to “take back” the Panama Canal since he regained power. In this episode, listen to testimony from officials serving on the Federal Maritime Commission who explain why the Panama Canal has become a focus of the administration and examine whether or not we need to be concerned about an impending war for control of the canal. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via Support Congressional Dish via (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Background Sources Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes Current Events around the Panama Canal March 5, 2025. the Associated Press. Sabrina Valle, Suzanne McGee, and Michael Martina. March 4, 2025. Reuters. Matt Murphy, Jake Horton and Erwan Rivault. February 14, 2025. BBC. May 1, 2024. World Weather Attribution. World Maritime News Staff. March 15, 2019. World Maritime News. July 29, 2018. Reuters. Panama Canal Treaty of 1977 U.S. Department of State. The Chinese “Belt and Road Initiative” Michele Ruta. March 29, 2018. World Bank Group. The Trump-Gaza Video February 26, 2025. Sky News. Laws Audio Sources Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation January 28, 2025 Witnesses: Louis E. Sola, Chairman, Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) Daniel B. Maffei, Commissioner, FMC , Professor, Scalia Law School, George Mason University Joseph Kramek, President & CEO, World Shipping Council Clips 17:30 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): Between the American construction of the Panama Canal, the French effort to build an isthmus canal, and America's triumphant completion of that canal, the major infrastructure projects across Panama cost more than 35,000 lives. For the final decade of work on the Panama Canal, the United States spent nearly $400 million, equivalent to more than $15 billion today. The Panama Canal proved a truly invaluable asset, sparing both cargo ships and warships the long journey around South America. When President Carter gave it away to Panama, Americans were puzzled, confused, and many outraged. With the passage of time, many have lost sight of the canal's importance, both to national security and to the US economy. 18:45 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): But the Panama Canal was not just given away. President Carter struck a bargain. He made a treaty. And President Trump is making a serious and substantive argument that that treaty is being violated right now. 19:10 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): President Trump has highlighted two key issues. Number one, the danger of China exploiting or blocking passage through the canal, and number two, the exorbitant costs for transit. 19:20 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): Chinese companies are right now building a bridge across the canal at a slow pace, so as to take nearly a decade. And Chinese companies control container points ports at either end. The partially completed bridge gives China the ability to block the canal without warning, and the ports give China ready observation posts to time that action. This situation, I believe, poses acute risks to US national security. 19:50 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): Meanwhile, the high fees for canal transit disproportionately affect Americans, because US cargo accounts for nearly three quarters of Canal transits. US Navy vessels pay additional fees that apply only to warships. Canal profits regularly exceed $3 billion. This money comes from both American taxpayers and consumers in the form of higher costs for goods. American tourists aboard cruises, particularly those in the Caribbean Sea, are essentially captive to any fees Panama chooses to levy for canal transits, and they have paid unfair prices for fuel bunkering at terminals in Panama as a result of government granted monopoly. Panama's government relies on these exploitative fees. Nearly 1/10 of its budget is paid for with canal profit. 21:25 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): Panama has for years flagged dozens of vessels in the Iranian ghost fleet, which brought Iran tens of billions of dollars in oil profits to fund terror across the world. 21:40 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): And Chinese companies have won contracts, often without fair competition, as the infamous Belt and Road Initiative has come to Panama. China often engages in debt trap diplomacy to enable economic and political coercion. In Panama, it also seems to have exploited simple corruption. 32:40 Louis Sola: The Panama Canal is managed by the Panama Canal Authority, ACP, an independent agency of the Panamanian government. The ACP is a model of public infrastructure management, and its independence has been key to ensure a safe and reliable transit of vessels critical to the US and global commerce. 33:25 Louis Sola: In contrast, the broader maritime sector in Panama, including the nation's ports, water rights, and the world's largest ship registry, falls under the direct purview of the Panamanian government. 33:35 Louis Sola: Unfortunately, this sector has faced persistent challenges, including corruption scandals and foreign influence, particularly from Brazil and China. These issues create friction with the ACP, especially as it works to address long term challenges such as securing adequate water supplies for the canal. 33:55 Louis Sola: Although the ACP operates independently, under US law both the ACP and the government of Panama's maritime sector are considered one in the same. This means that any challenges in Panama's maritime sector, including corruption, lack of transparency, or foreign influence, can have a direct or indirect impact on the operations and long term stability of the canal. This legal perspective highlights the need for diligence in monitoring both the ACP's management and Panama government's policies affecting maritime operations. 34:30 Louis Sola: Since 2015, Chinese companies have increased their presence and influence throughout Panama. Panama became a member of the Belt and Road Initiative and ended its diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Chinese companies have been able to pursue billions of dollars in development contracts in Panama, many of which were projects directly on or adjacent to the Panama Canal. Many were no bid contracts. Labor laws were waived, and the Panamanian people are still waiting to see how they've been benefited. It is all more concerning that many of these companies are state-owned, and in some cases, even designated as linked to the People's Liberation Army. We must address the significant growing presence and influence of China throughout the Americas and in Panama, specifically. 35:20 Louis Sola: American companies should play a leading role in enhancing the canal's infrastructure. By supporting US firms, we reduce reliance on Chinese contractors and promote fair competition. 36:55 Daniel Maffei: Because the canal is essentially a waterway bridge over mountainous terrain above sea level, it does depend on large supplies of fresh water to maintain the full operations. Panama has among the world's largest annual rainfalls. Nonetheless, insufficient fresh water levels have occurred before in the canal's history, such as in the 1930s when the Madden Dam and Lake Alajuela were built to address water shortages. Since that time, the canal has undertaken several projects to accommodate larger, more modern ships. In the last couple of years, a trend of worsening droughts in the region, once again, has forced limits to the operations of the canal. Starting in June of 2023 the Panama Canal Authority employed draft restrictions and reduced the number of ships allowed to transit the canal per day. Now the Panama Canal limitations, in combination with the de facto closure of the Suez Canal to container traffic, has had serious consequences for ocean commerce, increasing rates, fees and transit times. 39:30 Daniel Maffei: Now, fortunately, Panama's 2024 rainy season has, for now, alleviated the most acute water supply issues at the canal, and normal transit volumes have been restored. That said, while the Panamanian government and Canal Authority have, with the advice of the US Army Corps of Engineers, developed credible plans to mitigate future water shortages, they also warned that it is likely that at least one more period of reduced transits will occur before these plans can be fully implemented. 41:55 Eugene Kontorovich: We shall see that under international law, each party to the treaty is entitled to determine for itself whether a violation has occurred. Now, in exchange for the United States ceding control of the canal which it built and maintained, Panama agreed to a special regime of neutrality. The essential features of this regime of neutrality is that the canal must be open to all nations for transit. That's Article Two. Equitable tolls and fees, Article Three. An exclusive Panamanian operation, Article Five. The prohibition of any foreign military presence, Article Five. Article Five provides that only Panama shall operate the canal. Testifying about the meaning of the treaty at the Senate ratification hearings, the Carter administration emphasized that this prohibits foreign operation of the canal, as well as the garrisoning of foreign troops. Now, Article Five appears to be primarily concerned about control by foreign sovereigns. If Panama signed a treaty with the People's Republic of China, whereby the latter would operate the canal on Panama's behalf, this would be a clear violation. But what if Panama contracted for port operations with a Chinese state firm, or even a private firm influenced or controlled in part by the Chinese government? The Suez Canal Company was itself, before being nationalized, a private firm in which the United Kingdom was only a controlling shareholder. Yet this was understood to represent British control over the canal. In other words, a company need not be owned by the government to be in part controlled by the government. So the real question is the degree of de jure or de facto control over a Foreign Sovereign company, and scenarios range from government companies in an authoritarian regime, completely controlled, to purely private firms in our open society like the United States, but there's many possible situations in the middle. The treaty is silent on the question of how much control is too much, and as we'll see, this is one of the many questions committed to the judgment and discretion of each party. Now turning to foreign security forces, the presence of third country troops would manifestly violate Article Five. But this does not mean that anything short of a People's Liberation Army base flying a red flag is permissible. The presence of foreign security forces could violate the regime of neutrality, even if they're not represented in organized and open military formations. Modern warfare has seen belligerent powers seek to evade international legal limitations by disguising their actions in civilian garb, from Russia's notorious little green men to Hamas terrorists hiding in hospitals or disguised as journalists. Bad actors seek to exploit the fact that international treaties focus on sovereign actors. Many of China's man made islands in the South China Sea began as civilian projects before being suddenly militarized. Indeed, this issue was discussed in the Senate ratification hearings over the treaty. Dean Rusk said informal forces would be prohibited under the treaty. Thus the ostensible civilian character of the Chinese presence around the canal does not, in itself, mean that it could not represent a violation of the treaty if, for example, these companies and their employees involved Chinese covert agents or other agents of the Chinese security forces. So this leads us to the final question, Who determines whether neutrality is being threatened or compromised? Unlike many other treaties that provide for third party dispute resolution, the neutrality treaty has no such provision. Instead, the treaty makes clear that each party determines for itself the existence of a violation. Article Four provides that each party is separately authorized to maintain the regime of neutrality, making a separate obligation of each party. The Senate's understanding accompanying to ratification also made clear that Article Five allows each party to take, quote, "unilateral action." Senator Jacob Javits, at the markup hearing, said that while the word unilateral is abrasive, we can quote, "decide that the regime of neutrality is being threatened and then act with whatever means are necessary to keep the canal neutral unilaterally." 46:35 Joseph Kramek: My name is Joe Kramek. I'm President and CEO of the World Shipping Council. The World Shipping Council is the global voice of liner shipping. Our membership consists of 90% of the world's liner shipping tonnage, which are container vessels and vehicle carriers. They operate on fixed schedules to provide our customers with regular service to ship their goods in ports throughout the world. 47:15 Joseph Kramek: As you have heard, using the Panama Canal to transit between the Atlantic and Pacific saves significant time and money. A typical voyage from Asia to the US or East Coast can be made in under 30 days using the canal, while the same journey can take up to 40 days if carriers must take alternate routes. From a commercial trade perspective, the big picture is this. One of the world's busiest trade lanes is the Trans Pacific. The Trans Pacific is cargo coming from and going to Asia via the United States. Focusing in a bit, cargo coming from Asia and bound for US Gulf and East Coast ports always transits the Panama Canal. Similarly, cargo being exported from US and East Coast ports, a large share of which are US Agricultural exports, like soybeans, corn, cotton, livestock and dairy also almost always transits the Panama Canal. The result is that 75% of Canal traffic originates in or is bound for the United States. 48:55 Joseph Kramek: We've talked about the drought in 2023 and the historic low water levels that it caused in Lake Gatún, which feeds the canal locks, a unique system that is a fresh water feed, as contrasted to an ocean to ocean system, which the French tried and failed, but which is actually active in the Suez Canal. These low water levels reduced transits from 36 transits a day to as low as 22 per day. Additionally, the low water levels required a reduction in maximum allowable draft levels, or the depth of the ship below the water line, which for our members reduced the amount of containers they could carry through the canal. This resulted in a 10% reduction in import volumes for US Gulf and East Coast ports, with the Port of Houston experiencing a 26.7% reduction. 51:10 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): Are you aware of allegations from some vessel operators of disparate treatment such as sweetheart deals or favorable rebates by Panama for canal transits? Louis Sola: Thank you for the question, Mr. Chairman, we have become aware through some complaints by cruise lines that said that they were not getting a refund of their canal tolls. When we looked into this, we found a Panamanian Executive Order, Decree 73, that specifically says that if a cruise line would stop at a certain port, that they could be refunded 100% of the fees. And as far as I know, that's the only instant where that exists. 53:05 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): So Panama was the very first Latin American country to join China's Belt and Road Initiative, and right now, China is building a fourth bridge across the Panama Canal for car traffic and light rail. Chairman Sola, why should Chinese construction of a bridge near Panama City concern the United States? Louis Sola: Mr. Chairman, we all saw the tragedy that happened here in the Francis Scott Key Bridge incident and the devastation that had happened to Baltimore. We also saw recently what happened in the Suez Canal, where we had a ship get stuck in there. It's not only the construction of the bridge, but it's a removal of a bridge, as I understand it, called the Bridge of the Americas. It was built in 1961 and that would paralyze cargo traffic in and out of the canals. 53:55 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): Panama also recently renewed the concessions for two container ports to a Chinese company, Hutchison Ports PPC. Of course, Chinese companies are controlled by the Communist Party. How does China use control of those ports for economic gain? Louis Sola: Mr. Chairman, I am a regulator, a competition regulator. And the Chinese ports that you're referring to, let me put them into scope. The one on the Pacific, the Port of Balboa, is roughly the same size as the Port of Houston. They do about 4 million containers a year. They have about 28 game tree cranes. The one on the Atlantic is the same as my hometown in Miami, they do about 1 million containers. So where Roger Gunther in the Port of Houston generates about $1 billion a year and Heidi Webb in Miami does about $200 million, the Panama ports company paid 0 for 20 years on that concession. So it's really hard to compete against zero. So I think that's our concern, our economic concern, that we would have. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): Commissioner Maffei, anything to add on that? Daniel Maffei: Yeah, I do too also think it is important. I would point out that you don't have to stop at either port. It's not like these two ports control the entrance to the canal. That is the Canal Authority that does control that. However, I think it's of concern. I would also point out that the Panamanian government thinks it's of concern too, because they're conducting their own audit of those particular deals, but we remain very interested as well. 56:25 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): Would the facts discussed here be considered violations of the neutrality treaty in force right now between the United States and Panama? Eugene Kontorovich: So I think Senator, I think potentially they could, but it's impossible to say definitively without knowing more, in particular, about the degree of Chinese control and involvement in these companies. I think it's important to note that these port operation companies that operate the ports on both sides, when they received their first contract, it was just a few months before Hong Kong was handed over to China. In other words, they received them as British companies, sort of very oddly, just a few months before the handover. Now, of course, since then, Hong Kong has been incorporated into China, has been placed under a special national security regime, and the independence of those companies has been greatly abridged, to say nothing of state owned companies involved elsewhere in in the canal area, which raised significantly greater questions. Additionally, I should point out that the understandings between President Carter and Panamanian leader Herrera, which were attached to the treaty and form part of the treaty, provide that the United States can, quote, "defend the canal against any threat to the regime of neutrality," and I understand that as providing some degree of preemptive authority to intervene. One need not wait until the canal is actually closed by some act of sabotage or aggression, which, as we heard from the testimony, would be devastating to the United States, but there is some incipient ability to address potential violations. 58:10 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): If the United States determines that Panama is in violation of the treaty, what is the range of remedies the United States would have for that treaty violation? Eugene Kontorovich: So I think it may be shocking to people to hear today, but when one goes over the ratification history and the debates and discussions in this body over this treaty, it was clear that the treaty was understood as giving both sides, separately, the right to resort to use armed force to enforce the provisions of the treaty. And it's not so surprising when one understands that the United States made an extraordinary concession to Panama by transferring this canal, which the United States built at great expense and maintained and operated to Panama, gratis. And in exchange, it received a kind of limitation, a permanent limitation on Panamanians sovereignty, that Panama agreed that the United States could enforce this regime of neutrality by force. Now, of course, armed force should never be the first recourse for any kind of international dispute and should not be arrived at sort of rationally or before negotiations and other kinds of good offices are exhausted, but it's quite clear that the treaty contemplates that as a remedy for violations. 1:03:20 Louis Sola: I believe that the security of the canal has always been understood to be provided by the United States. Panama does not have a military, and I always believed that there's been a close relationship with Southern Command that we would provide that. And it would be nice to see if we had a formalization of that in one way or another, because I don't believe that it's in the treaty at all. 1:05:05 Daniel Maffei: While we were down there, both of us heard, I think, several times, that the Panamanians would, the ones we talked to anyway, would welcome US companies coming in and doing a lot of this work. Frankly, their bids are not competitive with the Chinese bids. Frankly, they're not that existent because US companies can make more money doing things other places, but even if they were existent, it is difficult to put competitive bids when the Chinese bids are so heavily subsidized by China. 1:06:10 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): What would China's incentive be to heavily subsidize those bids to undercut American companies and other companies? Daniel Maffei: Yeah, it's not a real short answer, but Senator, China's made no secret of its ambitious policies to gain influence of ports throughout the globe. It's invested in 129 ports in dozens of countries. It runs a majority of 17 ports, that does not include this Hong Kong company, right? So that's just directly Chinese-owned ports. So it has been a part of their Belt and Road strategy, whatever you want to call it, the Maritime Silk Road, for decades. So they believe that this influence, this investment in owning maritime ports is important to their economy. 1:07:05 Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE): In 2021, Hutchison was awarded those two ports, Port Balboa and Port Cristobal, in a no-bid award process. Can you tell me, does the United States have any authority or recourse with the Panama Canal Authority under our current agreement with Panama to rebid those terminal concession contracts. And perhaps Mr. Kantorovich, that's more in your purview? Louis Sola: Senator, both of those ports were redone for 25 years, until 2047, I believe. And they have to pay $7 million is what the ongoing rate is for the Port of Houston- and the Port of Miami-sized concessions. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE): And it can't be rebid until after that date? Louis Sola: Well, I believe that that's what the comptroller's office is auditing both of those ports and that contract. That was done under the previous Panamanian administration. A new administration came in, and they called for an audit of that contract immediately. 1:20:10 Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK): Are the companies now controlling both sides of the Panama Canal, the Chinese companies, subject to the PRC national security laws that mandate cooperation with the military, with state intelligence agencies. Does anyone know that? Eugene Kontorovich: They're subject all the time. They're subject to those laws all the time by virtue of being Hong Kong companies. And you know, they face, of course, consequences for not complying with the wishes of the Chinese government. One of the arguments -- Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK): Wouldn't that be a violation of the treaty? And isn't that a huge risk to us right now that the Chinese -- Eugene Kontorovich: That is a threat to the neutrality -- Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK): If they invaded Taiwan, invaded the Philippines, they could go to these two companies saying, Hey, shut it down, make it hard, sink a ship in the canal. And wouldn't they be obligated to do that under Chinese law if they were ordered to by the PLA or the CCP? Eugene Kontorovich: I don't know if they'd be obligated, but certainly the People's Republic of China would have many tools of leverage and pressure on these companies. That's why the treaty specifically says that we can act not just to end actual obstructions to the canal. We don't have to wait until the canal is closed by hostile military action. Thatwould be a suicide pact, that would be catastrophic for us, but rather that we can respond at the inchoate, incipient level to threats, and then this is up to the president to determine whether this is significantly robust to constitute -- Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK): So aren't we kind of walking up to the idea of a suicide pact, because we've got two big Chinese companies on both ends of the Panama Canal, who, if there's a war in INDOPACOM, Taiwan that involves us and China, these companies would be obligated to do the bidding of the Chinese Communist Party and PLA? I mean, are we kind of walking up to a very significant national security threat already? Eugene Kontorovich: Yeah, certainly, there's a threat. And I think what makes the action of the Chinese government so difficult to respond to, but important to respond to, is that they conceal this in sort of levels of gray without direct control. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK): Let me ask you on that topic, as my last question, Professor, let's assume that we find out. And again, it wouldn't be surprising. I think you can almost assume it that these two companies have Chinese spies or military officials within the ranks of the employees of the companies. Let's assume we found that out, somehow that becomes public. But I don't think it's a big assumption. It's probably true right now. So you have spies and military personnel within the ranks of these two companies that are controlling both ends of the Panama Canal for you, Professor, and Chairman Sola, wouldn't that be a blatant violation of Article Five of the neutrality treaty, if that were true, which probably is true? Eugene Kontorovich: Yeah, I do think it would be a clear violation. As former Secretary of State, Dean Ross said at the ratification hearings, informal forces can violate Article Five as well as formal forces. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK): Is there any evidence of Chinese spies or other nefarious Chinese actors embedded in these companies? Louis Sola: Senator, we have no information of that. That's not under the purview of -- Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK): But you agree that would be a violation of Article Five of the neutrality treaty? Louis Sola: I do. 1:26:25 Daniel Maffei: Senator Sullivan was talking about Hutchison Ports. That's actually the same company that runs terminals on both ends of the canal. I am concerned about that. However, if we want to be concerned about that, all of us should lose a lot more sleep than we're losing because if there are spies there, then there might be spies at other Hutchinson ports, and there are other Hutchinson ports in almost every part of the world. They own the largest container port in the United Kingdom, Felix Dow, which is responsible for nearly half of Britain's container trade. They control major maritime terminals in Argentina, Australia, the Bahamas, Germany, Indonesia, Mexico, Myanmar, the Netherlands, South Korea and Tanzania. If owning and managing adjacent ports means that China somehow has operational control or strategic control over the Panama Canal, they also have it over the Suez, the Singapore Straits, the Mediterranean Sea and the English Channel. 1:35:45 Louis Sola: The fees that I think we are looking at, or have been looked at, the reason that we went there was because of the auctioning of the slots. And so what Panama did is they had a smaller percentage, maybe 20% allocation, and then they moved it up to 30% and 40% because it became a money maker for them. So as they were doing -- Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN): Okay, let me interject here. The auctioning of the slots gives these the right to skip the queue? Louis Sola: Yes, ma'am. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN): Okay, so just for the record there. Continue. Louis Sola: So the auctioning of the slots. Under maritime law, it's first come first serve, but Panama has always put a certain percentage aside, and they started to put more and more. So we got a lot of complaints. We got a lot of complaints from LNG carriers that paid $4 million to go through, and we got a lot of complaints from agriculture that didn't have the money to pay to go through, because their goods were gonna go down. So if you look at the financial statements -- I'm a nerd, I look at financial statements of everybody -- the canal increased the amount of revenue that they had from about $500 million to $1.8 billion in the last three years just because of those fees. So this is what is very concerning to us. 1:39:20 Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN): Do you know of any instances where the United States has been singled out or treated unfairly under the neutrality treaty in the operation of the canal? Daniel Maffei: I do not. I would add that one of the reasons why saying the US is disproportionately affected by raises in Canal fees and other kinds of fees at the canal is because the United States disproportionately utilizes the canal. 1:44:55 Louis Sola: We have a US port there, SSA, out of Washington State that I actually worked on the development of that many years ago, and helped develop that. That used to be a United States Navy submarine base, and we converted that. As far as the two ports that we have, they're completely different. One is a major infrastructure footprint, and also a container port that's moving 4 million containers a year. That's really phenomenal amount. That's more than Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and you've probably got to get Tampa and a little bit of Jacksonville in there to get that type of volume. And on the other side, we have a very small port, but it's a very strategic port on the Atlantic. So how are the operations done?I don't know how they don't make money. I mean, if you want to come right down to it, if they've been operating the port for 20 years, and they say that they haven't made any money, so they haven't been able to pay the government. That's what concerns me is I don't believe that we're on a level playing field with the American ports. 1:58:50 Eugene Kontorovich: I think the charges and fees are less of an issue because they don't discriminate across countries. We pay more because we use more, but it's not nationally discriminatory. 1:59:00 Eugene Kontorovich: The presence of Chinese companies, especially Chinese state companies, but not limited to them, do raise serious issues and concerns for the neutrality of the treaty. And I should point out, in relation to some of the earlier questioning, the canal, for purposes of the neutrality treaty, is not limited just to the actual locks of the canal and the transit of ships through the canal. According to Annex One, paragraph one of the treaty, it includes also the entrances of the canal and the territorial sea of Panama adjacent to it. So all of the activities we're talking about are within the neutrality regime, the geographic scope of the neutrality regime in the treaty. 2:00:30 Daniel Maffei: I actually have to admit, I'm a little confused as to why some of the senators asking these questions, Senator Blackburn, aren't more concerned about the biggest port in the United Kingdom being run by the Chinese. Petraeus in the port nearest Athens, one of the biggest ports in the Mediterranean, is not just run by a Chinese-linked company, it's run directly by a Chinese-owned company, and I was there. So you're on to something, but if you're just focusing on Panama, that's only part. 2:01:45 Louis Sola: About a year ago, when we were having this drought issue, there was also a lot of focus on Iran and how they were funding Hamas and the Houthis because they were attacking the Red Sea. What the United States has found is that Iranian vessels are sometimes flagged by Panama in order to avoid sanctions, so that they could sell the fuel that they have, and then they can take that money and then they can use it as they wish. Panama, at the time, had a very complicated process to de-flag the vessels. There was an investigation, there was an appeals process. By the time that OFAC or Treasury would go ahead and identify one of those vessels, by the time that they were doing the appeals and stuff like this, they've already changed flags to somewhere else. So when we went to Panama, we met with the Panamanian president, and I must say that we were very impressed, because he was 30 minutes late, but he was breaking relations with Venezuela at the time because the election was the day before. We explained to him the situation. The very next day, we met with the maritime minister, with US embassy personnel and Panama actually adjusted their appeals process so to make it more expedient, so if the United States or OFAC would come and say that this Iranian vessel is avoiding sanctions, now we have a process in place to go ahead and do that, and 53 vessels were de-flagged because of that. 2:06:05 Sen. John Curtis (R-UT): Is there any reason that China can't watch or do whatever they want from this bridge to get the intel from these containers? And does that concern anybody? Louis Sola: Well, it definitely concerns Southern Command, because they've brought it up on numerous occasions that there could be some sort of surveillance or something like that on the bridges. 2:20:30 Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-MT): We segregate ourselves artificially in a way that they do not. We segregate ourselves. Let's talk about military. Let's talk about intelligence. Let's talk about economics. They don't. China doesn't work that way. It's a whole of government approach. They don't draw a delineation between an economics discussion and a military one. And their attack may not look like Pearl Harbor. It may look like an everyday ship that decides, you know, it pulls into the locks and blows itself up. And now the locks are non-functional for our usage, and we can't support an inter ocean fleet transfer, and our ability to defend it, as you referred to Chairman, is now inhibited by the fact that we no longer have the military infrastructure around the canal that we did just as recently as 1999. 2:21:10 Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-MT): So from a commercial perspective, do the shipping companies have concerns over the security of the narrow waterways? We've the Strait to Malacca, we've got the Suez Canal, we've got Gibraltar, we've got Panama. Is that a concern that's thrown around in the boardrooms of the largest shipping corporations in the world? Joseph Kramek: Senator, I think it's something they think about every day. I mean, really, it's drawn into sharp relief with the Red Sea. It was what I call a pink flamingo. There's black swans that just come up and there's pink flamingos that you can see, but you don't act. But no one really thought a whole lot that one of the most important waterways in the world could be denied, and moreover, that it could be denied for such a sustained period. The good news is that -- Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-MT): And denied, I might add, by a disaffected non-state actor of Bedouins running around with rocket launchers, who also managed to beat us in a 20 year war in Afghanistan. My point to saying all this is we're just debating operational control of the canal, yet it seems very clear to all of us that a very simple act can debilitate the canal and eliminate our ability to use it in a matter of minutes with no warning, and we have no ability to intervene or stop that. To me, that means we do not have operational control of the canal. 2:30:40 Daniel Maffei: I will say that certainly we need to look at other kinds of ways to get US companies in positions where they can truly compete with the Chinese on some of these things. Blaming it all on Panama really misses the point. I've seen the same thing in Greece, where Greece didn't want to give the concession of its largest port to a Chinese company, but because of its financial difficulties, it was getting pressure from international organizations such the IMF, Europe and even maybe some of the United States to do so. So I just ask you to look at that. 2:31:20 Daniel Maffei: Panamanians are making far more on their canal than they ever have before. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as long as it's going to the right place. But where they're really making the money is on these auctions, and that is why it remains a concern of mine and I'm sure the chairman's. That is where we are looking at, potentially, using our authority under Section 19 of the Merchant Marine Act where we could, if we can show that it is a problem with the foreign trade of the US, it's interfering with foreign trade of the US, there are certain things that we can do. Senate Foreign Relations Committee January 15, 2024 Clips 4:01:40 Marco Rubio: The thing with Panama on the canal is not new. I visited there. It was 2016. I think I've consistently seen people express concern about it, and it's encapsulized here in quote after quote. Let me tell you the former US ambassador who served under President Obama said: "the Chinese see in Panama what we saw in Panama throughout the 20th century, a maritime and aviation logistics hub." The immediate past head of Southern Command, General Laura Richardson, said, "I was just in Panama about a month ago and flying along the Panama Canal and looking at the state owned enterprises from the People's Republic of China on each side of the Panama Canal. They look like civilian companies or state owned enterprises that could be used for dual use and could be quickly changed over to a military capability." We see questions that were asked by the ranking member in the house China Select Committee, where he asked a witness and they agreed that in a time of conflict, China could use its presence on both ends of the canal as a choke point against the United States in a conflict situation. So the concerns about Panama have been expressed by people on both sides of the aisle for at least the entire time that I've been in the United States Senate, and they've only accelerated further. And this is a very legitimate issue that we face there. I'm not prepared to answer this question because I haven't looked at the legal research behind it yet, but I'm compelled to suspect that an argument could be made that the terms under which that canal were turned over have been violated. Because while technically, sovereignty over the canal has not been turned over to a foreign power, in reality, a foreign power today possesses, through their companies, which we know are not independent, the ability to turn the canal into a choke point in a moment of conflict. And that is a direct threat to the national interest and security the United States, and is particularly galling given the fact that we paid for it and that 5,000 Americans died making it. That said, Panama is a great partner on a lot of other issues, and I hope we can resolve this issue of the canal and of its security, and also continue to work with them cooperatively on a host of issues we share in common, including what to do with migration. 4:38:35 Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT): Now, President Trump has recently talked a little bit about the fact that there are some questions arising about the status of the Panama Canal. When we look to the treaty at issue, the treaty concerning the permanent neutrality and operation of the Panama Canal, we're reminded that some things maybe aren't quite as they should be there right now. Given that the Chinese now control major ports at the entry and the exit to the canal, it seems appropriate to say that there's at least an open question. There's some doubt as to whether the canal remains neutral. Would you agree with that assessment? Marco Rubio: Yes. Here's the challenge. Number one, I want to be clear about something. The Panamanian government, particularly its current office holders, are very friendly to the United States and very cooperative, and we want that to continue, and I want to bifurcate that from the broader issue of the canal. Now I am not, President Trump is not inventing this. This is something that's existed now for at least a decade. In my service here, I took a trip to Panama in 2017. When on that trip to Panama in 2017 it was the central issue we discussed about the canal, and that is that Chinese companies control port facilities at both ends of the canal, the east and the west, and the concerns among military officials and security officials, including in Panama, at that point, that that could one day be used as a choke point to impede commerce in a moment of conflict. Going back to that I -- earlier before you got here, and I don't want to have to dig through this folder to find it again, but -- basically cited how the immediate past head of Southern Command, just retired general Richardson, said she flew over the canal, looked down and saw those Chinese port facilities, and said Those look like dual use facilities that in a moment of conflict, could be weaponized against us. The bipartisan China commission over in the House last year, had testimony and hearings on this issue, and members of both parties expressed concern. The former ambassador to Panama under President Obama has expressed those concerns. This is a legitimate issue that needs to be confronted. The second point is the one you touched upon, and that is, look, could an argument be made, and I'm not prepared to answer it yet, because it's something we're going to have to study very carefully. But I think I have an inkling of I know where this is going to head. Can an argument be made that the Chinese basically have effective control of the canal anytime they want? Because if they order a Chinese company that controls the ports to shut it down or impede our transit, they will have to do so. There are no independent Chinese companies. They all exist because they've been identified as national champions. They're supported by the Chinese government. And if you don't do what they want, they find a new CEO, and you end up being replaced and removed. So they're under the complete control of their government. This is a legitimate question, and one that Senators Risch had some insight as well. He mentioned that in passing that needs to be looked at. This is not a joke. The Panama Canal issue is a very serious one. 4:44:30 Marco Rubio: In 2016 and 2017 that was well understood that part of the investments they made in Panama were conditioned upon Panama's ability to convince the Dominican Republic and other countries to flip their recognition away from Taiwan. That happened. Jen Briney's Recent Guest Appearances Travis Makes Money: Give and Take: Music by Editing Production Assistance

As the embers go cold, the smoke clears and the ashes are carted off in Los Angeles a stark reality emerges: not just winds but climate change played a significant role in this deadly and destructive event. A new World Weather Attribution study found that human-caused climate change increased the likelihood of extreme fire conditions by 35 percent and intensified their severity. In this recentWhoWhatWhy podcast, Daniel Swain, a leading climate scientist at UCLA and the University of California's Agricultural and Natural Resources division, frames the January disaster not simply as a fire event, but as “an extreme weather event with fire embedded in it.” This distinction, he explains, is crucial for understanding how climate change is reshaping fire risks.

Palisades Fire Courtesy of Last Chance Alliance On today's show, I'll speak to The Climate Center's Barry Vasser on the Water's Edge tax loophole for the fossil fuel companies.  We'll switch gears and  speak Center for Biological Diversity's Climate Law Institute Deputy Director and Eaton fire survivor Maya Golden Krasner discusses a study by World Weather Attribution and how the fossil fuel industry made the extreme fire weather conditions 35% more likely. The post Tax Loopholes and Climate Studies appeared first on KPFA.

Die Themen in den Wissensnachrichten: +++ Forscher haben eine Band mit humanoiden Robotern gegründet +++ Es dauert länger als gedacht, bis etwas zur Gewohnheit wird +++ Der Zeiger der Weltuntergangsuhr ist um eine Sekunde vorgerückt +++**********Weiterführende Quellen zu dieser Folge:Integrating humanoid robots with human musicians for synchronized musical performances, PeerJ Computer Science, 03.01.2025Männer überschätzen ihren Beitrag zur Hausarbeit – ungleiche Verteilung hemmt Erwerbsarbeit von Frauen, Bertelsmann Stiftung, 29.01.2025Climate change increased the likelihood of wildfire disaster in highly exposed Los Angeles area, World Weather Attribution, 28.01.2025Time to Form a Habit: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Health Behaviour Habit Formation and Its Determinants, Healthcare, 9.12.2024Post-growth: the science of wellbeing within planetary boundaries, The Lancet Planetary Health, Januar 2025Alle Quellen findet ihr hier.**********Ihr könnt uns auch auf diesen Kanälen folgen: TikTok auf&ab , TikTok wie_geht und Instagram .

This week's show features stories from France 24, NHK Japan, Radio Havana Cuba, and Radio Deutsche-Welle, http://youthspeaksout.net/swr250103.mp3 (29:00) From FRANCE- On their end of the year programs most radio stations gave a brief summary of the state of the environment- here is what France 24 reported from World Weather Attribution, an organization which quantifies global climate changes. Israeli airstrikes on Gaza continued through the year end with Israel saying they were responses to daily rocket launches from Hamas which has many new recruits. The political upheaval in South Korea over the President and his successor continues, with citizens manning the streets to express their views of the events. From JAPAN-First an update on a warrant issued for the ex-president, which he rejects as invalid. The Washington Post reported that Nippon Steel will allow the US government to veto on any potential cuts in steel production in the US if the sale of US Steel goes through. Pipelines through Ukraine are no longer carrying gas to the remaining European countries. UN Secretary-General Guterres delivered a year end presentation on climate breakdown. From CUBA- A brief survey of climate upheavals in Latin America. The last year saw leftist election victories in Mexico, Uruguay, and Venezuela, and an attack on the Mexican embassy in Ecuador.. There was an attempted coup in Bolivia. The right-wing government in Argentina accused Venezuela of kidnapping intelligence agents. From GERMANY- German claims of election interference have increased against Elon Musk for supporting for the far right political party, the AFD or Alternative for Germany. In Gaza over a million people are facing winter without enough food or adequate protection from the cold and rain. Available in 3 forms- (new) HIGHEST QUALITY (160kb)(33MB), broadcast quality (13MB), and quickdownload or streaming form (6MB) (28:59) Links at outfarpress.com/shortwave.shtml PODCAST!!!- https://feed.podbean.com/outFarpress/feed.xml (160kb Highest Quality) Website Page- < http://www.outfarpress.com/shortwave.shtml ¡FurthuR! Dan Roberts "Human beings can be redeemed. Empires cannot. Our refusal to face the truth about empire, our refusal to defy the multitudinous crimes and atrocities of empire, has brought about the nightmare Malcolm predicted. And as the Digital Age and our post-literate society implant a terrifying historical amnesia, these crimes are erased as swiftly as they are committed." --Chris Hedges Dan Roberts Shortwave Report- www.outfarpress.com YouthSpeaksOut!- www.youthspeaksout.net

Holiday Jam for Hunger will take over Sons of Kent Brewing in Chatham on Saturday night. Canadian parents are being told to check their children's stuffed animal collection for a certain plush toy that may pose a choking risk. If you need to renew your mortgage in 2025 there may be good news on the horizon. Concerns about Bird Flu are growing in Canada and the US. New global data from World Weather Attribution and Climate Central says on average people suffered 41 days of dangerous heat this year. The Canadian Press has compiled a list of the top stories that made people smile in 2024.

Dans le supplément de ce samedi, Grand reportage week-end est entièrement consacré au changement climatique. En première partie, ce samedi, direction le Tchad qui est confronté à la montée des eaux. Et, en deuxième partie, direction Naxos en Grèce qui fait face à la sécheresse. Il ne pleut presque plus depuis 3 ans. Au Tchad, les soldats de l'eau face au changement climatiqueÀ l'occasion de l'ouverture aujourd'hui de la COP29 à Bakou, Grand reportage vous emmène dans l'un des pays d'Afrique les plus touchés par les conséquences du réchauffement climatique. Après un épisode de chaleur extrême au mois d'avril, le Tchad fait désormais face à des inondations sans précédent qui ont déjà causé près de 600 morts et 2 millions de sinistrés, selon le dernier bilan officiel disponible, arrêté au 1er octobre.Selon un rapport du groupe World Weather Attribution, la saison humide a gagné près de 18% en intensité depuis 1981 au Sahel central et la pluie pourrait encore augmenter de 30% d'ici 2050, selon les prévisions du GIEC qui annoncent également une multiplication des phénomènes extrêmes et moins prévisibles qui perturbent l'agriculture. Dans ce Grand reportage, nous suivrons notre correspondant Carol Valade à travers la vaste zone semi-urbaine qui entoure la capitale tchadienne à la rencontre de ceux qui se battent pour protéger leur quartier de la montée de eaux. Pour certaines zones agricoles, il est malheureusement déjà trop tard… et c'est donc à pirogue que débute ce Grand reportage… Embarquement.Un Grand reportage de Carol Valade qui s'entretient avec Jacques Allix. Péril sur Naxos, l'agriculture de l'île grecque menacée par la sécheresseLa Cop Climat - la 29è - vient de s'ouvrir à Bakou, en Azerbaïdjan, après l'été le plus chaud jamais enregistré dans le monde. Ce changement du climat s'accompagne notamment d'épisodes de sécheresse, comme au Brésil, ou dans le bassin méditerranéen. Sur l'île grecque de Naxos, fertile depuis l'Antiquité, il ne pleut ainsi presque plus depuis trois ans. La pénurie d'eau a notamment entraîné une chute vertigineuse de la production traditionnelle de pommes de terre - produit phare de l'île - mettant tout l'écosystème agricole en danger. Un Grand reportage de Joël Bronner qui s'entretient avec Jacques Allix. 

À l'occasion de l'ouverture aujourd'hui de la COP29 à Bakou, Grand reportage vous emmène dans l'un des pays d'Afrique les plus touchés par les conséquences du réchauffement climatique. Après un épisode de chaleur extrême au mois d'avril, le Tchad fait désormais face à des inondations sans précédent qui ont déjà causé près de 600 morts et 2 millions de sinistrés, selon le dernier bilan officiel disponible, arrêté au 1er octobre. Selon un rapport du groupe World Weather Attribution, la saison humide a gagné près de 18% en intensité depuis 1981 au Sahel central et la pluie pourrait encore augmenter de 30% d'ici 2050, selon les prévisions du GIEC qui annoncent également une multiplication des phénomènes extrêmes et moins prévisibles qui perturbent l'agriculture. Dans ce Grand reportage, nous suivrons notre correspondant Carol Valade à travers la vaste zone semi-urbaine qui entoure la capitale tchadienne à la rencontre de ceux qui se battent pour protéger leur quartier de la montée de eaux. Pour certaines zones agricoles, il est malheureusement déjà trop tard… et c'est donc à pirogue que débute ce Grand reportage… Embarquement.Au Tchad, les soldats de l'eau face au changement climatique, un Grand reportage de Carol Valade, réalisé par Guillaume Buffet et Alexandre Cayuela.Merci aux associations Jeunesse active, et Anda, à la radio Terre nouvelle et à Médecins Sans Frontières.

This week at least 150 people have been killed due to devastating flash flooding sweeping through areas of Valencia in Spain. Ana Camarasa Belmonte, Professor of Physical Geography at the University of Valencia, has been studying the flood patterns and hydrology of the area for years. Even she was astounded by the magnitude of the inundation. And, as Jess Neumann of Reading University in the UK tells Roland, part of the tragedy is that the effective communication of risk somehow relies on citizens being able to adequately imagine the almost unimaginable.Ten years ago this week, Friederike Otto and colleagues founded the World Weather Attribution network. The network aims to provide quick analysis of climate change's impact on on extreme weather events. They have already found that the Spanish flooding was made more intense, and more likely, by our warming world. Earlier in the week they published a different analysis of the 10 most deadly, extreme-weather events of this century. They concluded that all 10 events were made more extreme or more likely by climate change, and that these 10 events alone account for some 570,000 deaths.In the US, Scientists have tested the strain of H5N1 bird flu swabbed from the eye of an infected Texan farm worker. They found it to be both lethal and transmissible via the respiratory tract of mice and ferrets. It contains a mutation PB2-627K, common in avian viruses in mammalian cells, as Amie Eisfeld of the Universoity of Wisconsin-Madison explains.Presented by Roland Pease Produced by Alex Mansfield Production Coordination by Jana Bennett-Holesworth(Image: Aftermath of catastrophic floods in Spain's Valencia. Credit: Anadolu via Getty Images)

"Das Klima”, der Podcast zur Wissenschaft hinter der Krise. Wir lasen den [sechsten Bericht](https://www.ipcc.ch) des Weltklimarats und erklären den aktuellen Stand der Klimaforschung. In Folge 124 erzählt Florian vom Hochwasser, das im September 2024 Mitteleuropa getroffen hat. Florian wohnt selbst mitten im Zentrum des damaligen Krisengebietes und berichtet einerseits aus persönlicher Sicht davon, diskutiert mit Claudia andererseits aber auch die wissenschaftliche Einschätzung des Ereignis. Fazit: Das war erst der Anfang… Wer den Podcast unterstützen will, kann das gerne tun: https://steadyhq.com/de/dasklima/ und https://www.paypal.me/florianfreistetter.

Les habitants de Floride ne s'étaient pas encore remis des dégâts matériels et humains causés par l'ouragan Helene, fin septembre, qu'ils devaient déjà se préparer à en affronter un autre, Milton. Il s'annonçait comme un des plus violents à frapper les Etats-Unis depuis un siècle, notamment en raison de son intensification très rapide : il est passé du stade de tempête à celui d'un ouragan de catégorie 5, la plus élevée, en seulement trente-six heures. Un record dans cette région.Et ce scénario est amené à se reproduire en Atlantique Nord, car le changement climatique augmente la proportion des ouragans les plus intenses dans cette zone. Selon le World Weather Attribution, des ouragans aussi violents que Helene, qui a provoqué la mort d'au moins 237 personnes aux Etats-Unis, sont environ 2,5 fois plus probables dans le climat actuel qui s'est réchauffé de 1,3 °C depuis l'ère préindustrielle.Pourquoi le réchauffement de la planète intensifie-t-il les ouragans ? Allons-nous assister à une multiplication des cyclones dans les prochaines années ? Deviennent-ils plus dangereux et risquent-ils de frapper l'Europe ? Audrey Garric, journaliste au service Planète du Monde, répond à ces questions dans cet épisode de « L'Heure du Monde ».Un épisode d'Adèle Ponticelli et Adélaïde Tenaglia. Présentation et rédaction en chef : Adèle Ponticelli. Réalisation : Quentine Tenaud. Musiques : Amandine Robillard et Epidemic sounds. Dans cet épisode, extrait de l'allocution de Joe Biden, le 10 octobre 2024.Episode publié le 16 octobre 2024.---Pour soutenir "L'Heure du Monde" et notre rédaction, abonnez-vous sur abopodcast.lemonde.fr Hébergé par Audion. Visitez https://www.audion.fm/fr/privacy-policy pour plus d'informations.

Let us know how we're doing - text us feedback or thoughts on episode contentAfter the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Helene and Milton over the past few weeks, it's a good time to review the science on why (and how) warming sea temperatures are affecting the intensity of these mega storms. Big, intense tropical cyclones are a part of our future and we should understand why today's storms are so much more powerful than those of just a few decades ago.For further research:"Are hurricanes getting worse? Here's what you need to know" - NPR"Yet another hurricane wetter, windier and more destructive because of climate change" - World Weather Attribution"Why Hurricane Milton Got So Strong, So Fast" - NY Times (video)"A Force of Nature: Hurricanes in a Changing Climate" - NASAFollow Paul on LinkedIn.

Die Themen in den Wissensnachrichten: +++ Nobelpreis für Chemie geht an drei Protein-Forscher +++ Badezimmer-Viren könnten neue Antibiotika bringen +++ Verletzte Quallen können miteinander verschmelzen +++**********Weiterführende Quellen zu dieser Folge:The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2024, Nobelpreis-Komitee, 09.10.2024Phage communities in household-related biofilms correlate with bacterial hosts, Frontiers in Microbiomes, 09.10.2024The 2024 state of the climate report: Perilous times on planet Earth, BioScience, 08.10.2024Rapid physiological integration of fused ctenophores, Current Biology, 07.10.2024Climate change key driver of catastrophic impacts of Hurricane Helene that devastated both coastal and inland communities, World Weather Attribution, 09.10.2024Alle Quellen findet ihr hier.**********Ihr könnt uns auch auf diesen Kanälen folgen: Tiktok und Instagram.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Hurricane Milton is churning closer to the west coast of Florida. Some residents are insisting they will ride out the potentially catastrophic storm. The National Hurricane Center predicts Milton will make landfall late Wednesday or early Thursday near the Tampa Bay region, which hasn’t seen a direct hit from a major storm in a century. The storm has been a Category 5 hurricane during much of its approach.  Israel's offensive has killed over 42,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not say how many were fighters. It has said women and children make up over half of the dead. The offensive has also caused staggering destruction across the territory and displaced around 90% of the population of 2.3 million people, often multiple times. STOCKHOLM (AP) — The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry to David Baker, Demis Hassabis and John Jumper for their work with proteins. Baker works at the University of Washington in Seattle, while Hassabis and Jumper both work at Google DeepMind in London.  WASHINGTON (AP) — A bill has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives to award Congressional Gold Medals to the 1980 “Miracle on Ice" Olympic hockey team.  February marks the 45th anniversary of the Americans beating the heavily favored Soviet Union on the way to the gold medal on home ice in Lake Placid. Scientists say human-caused climate change boosted the rainfall of deadly Hurricane Helene by about 10% and intensified its winds by about 11%. The rapid analysis by World Weather Attribution comes just as another big hurricane, Milton, is taking aim at the Florida coast less than two weeks after Helene hit.  In other news: Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld will all close ahead of Milton. Biden cancels trip to Germany and Angola because of hurricane. Tampa Bay hasn’t been hit directly by a major hurricane since 1921. Milton may be the one. The National Hurricane Center warns residents about the dangers of Milton as some ignore evacuation orders. Woodward book reveals Trump's calls with Putin and Biden's private remarks on Obama and Netanyahu. FBI arrests Afghan man who officials say planned Election Day attack in the US. States sue TikTok, claiming its platform is addictive and harms the mental health of children. Supreme Court takes up death row case with a rare alliance. Oklahoma inmate has state's support. A former aide to New York Mayor Eric Adams is charged with destroying evidence as top deputy quits. Luis Tiant, the charismatic Cuban who pitched the Red Sox to the brink of a championship, dies at 83. The Mets get within a game of advancing to the National League Championship Series, the Padres push the Dodgers to the brink of postseason elimination, the Panthers open the defense of the Stanley Cup by beating the Bruins, the NFL sees its first head coach get fired this season, the Patriots look to make a change at quarterback. and the Lynx set the WNBA Finals matchup. Musk's X to be reinstated in Brazil after complying with Supreme Court demands. North Korea vows to block border with South Korea and build front-line defense structures. Ishiba dissolves Japan's lower house to set up an Oct. 27 parliamentary election. MI5 spy chief says Russia and Iran are behind a 'staggering' rise in deadly plots. UN Human Rights Council presents report on Ukraine. —The Associated Press About this program Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

Dr Friederike Otto (pictured), a Senior Lecturer in Climate Science at the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment, was one of two speakers at a recent event staged by "Covering Climate Now". The press briefing staged by Covering Climate Now was aimed at equipping reporters with the knowledge and confidence to report the story; the story that is climate change. You can view the event: "Press Briefing: How Do We Know Climate Change Fueled That Storm?" here. Also, check out the "World Weather Attribution" website.

Za nami wielka fala. Przez Polskę, Austrię, Czechy, Słowację, Rumunię, Węgry przeszły niszczycielskie powodzie. W naszym kraju stanem klęski żywiołowej objęto około 750 miejscowości. Naukowcy mówią, że to nowa normalność i że lepiej nie będzie. Z czego to wynika? Co możemy zrobić?Badacze z World Weather Attribution wskazują, że prawdopodobieństwo wystąpienia powodzi w Europie Środkowej, wzrosło dwukrotnie na skutek zmiany klimatu. Ich koledzy z projektu badawczego ClimaMeter w nowym raporcie piszą, że cyklony takie jak Boris przynoszą nawet 20 proc. więcej opadów, niż średnia dla podobnych zjawisk w przeszłości. Jeśli poziom globalnego ocieplenia przekroczy wyznaczone w Porozumieniu Paryskim 1,5 °C, a prawdopodobnie nie będziemy na to czekać bardzo długo, to powodzi w Europie będzie coraz więcej - to z kolei opinia Międzyrządowego Zespołu ds. Zmian Klimatu (IPCC).Naukowcy są też zgodni: zmiany klimatu spowodowane są działalnością człowieka, spalaniem paliw kopalnych i wynikającymi z tego emisjami.Skąd takie nasilenie gwałtownych zjawisk pogodowych i klęsk żywiołowych? Dlaczego prognozy naukowców  są tak pesymistyczne i czy coś jeszcze możemy z tym zrobić? Nad tym m.in. zastanawiamy się z naszym gościem dr. hab. Mateuszem Grygorukiem, hydrologiem, profesorem Szkoły Głównej Gospodarstwa Wiejskiego w Warszawie i członkiem Państwowej Rady Gospodarki Wodnej i Komitetu Problemowego ds. kryzysu klimatycznego przy prezesie Polskiej Akademii Nauk.Dodatkowe informacje:Podsumowanie raportu World Weather AttributionPełen raport World Weather AttributionRaport ClimaMeterApel naukowców do Sejmu: “Powodzie, susze i upały to nowa rzeczywistość”Publikacje naukowe prof. Mateusza GrygorukaKsiążki polecane przez Gościa w odcinku:Wieniedikt Jerofiejew, “Moskwa-Pietuszki”Wit Szostak, “Rumowiska”Astrida Neimanis, “Ciała wodne - posthumanistyczna fenomenologia feministyczna”Peret Vohlleben, “Sekretne życie drzew”Podobają Ci się tematy, które poruszam w podcaście? Więcej znajdziesz tu:Instagram: http://bit.ly/3Vene60YouTube: http://bit.ly/3iddUR7TikTok: http://bit.ly/3gDdaobRealizacja: Karolina Deling-Jóźwik - redakcjaWawrzyniec Hłasko - montażP & C Paulina Górska | Varsovia Lab. 

A version of this essay has been published by firstpost.com at https://www.firstpost.com/opinion/climate-tragedy-of-wayanad-and-the-vulnerability-of-western-ghats-13808331.htmlAfter days of intense coverage of the landslides in Wayanad, the news cycle has moved on to other calamities. But the problems remain, and things cannot be left to benign neglect as is usually the case. For example there was a strange thundering noise from deep underground that alarmed people in the area. This is ominous, as it may presage a tectonic movement, although there have been no big quakes here for centuries.A dramatic before-and-after report from Reuters, using satellite images from Planet Labs, Google, Maxar Technologies and Airbus, shows how the landslide left a giant scar on the surface of the earth, washing away hundreds of houses, leading to widespread fatalities and destruction.Prime Minister Modi visited the afflicted area. Better governance, both by Center and State, is sorely needed to tackle the problem, because it is not simple: there are proximate, preponderant and root causes. A lot of it is anthropogenic based on local factors, but climate change is also a major factor, as the local climate and rainfall patterns have shifted dramatically in the recent past. There was a drought in 2015, followed by the Ockhi cyclone in 2017, and then landslides and floods in 2018 and 2019.As a resident of Kerala, who has visited Wayanad only twice (once in 2018 and the second time in April this year), both the problems and the possible solutions are of immediate importance to me, because the very same issues are likely to crop up all over the State, and unless remedial measures are taken now, we can expect further tragedies and endless suffering. Proximate Cause: Excess RainThe proximate cause is La Nina-enhanced rainfall, which has been higher this year along the west coast. In Wayanad itself, it rained 572mm in 48 hours before the landslide: about 1.8 feet, an enormous amount. Before the Wayanad landslide, there had been another in Shirur on the Karnataka coast near Ankola, where a number of people were swept away. The story of Arjun, a Kerala trucker whose truck full of lumber disappeared, was all over the news, and after a weeks-long search, there was no sign of him or the truck. The total rainfall since June 1 was of the order of 3000mm in Wayanad, which is unusually high, creating vulnerability to landslides. In a recent interview, environmental expert Madhav Gadgil mentioned that quarrying may have added to the intensity of the rainfall, because the fine dust from the mining and explosions forms aerosols, on which water molecules condense, leading to excessive precipitation. The intense rainfall saturated the soil, and in the absence of sufficient old-growth vegetation that might have held it together, the hillside simply collapsed. Preponderant Cause: Population Pressure, Over-Tourism, EcocideThe preponderant causes of the problems in Wayanad are obvious: population pressure, over-tourism and environmental destruction. The forest has basically ceased to exist due to human exploitation. According to India Today, 62% of the green cover in the district disappeared between 1950 and 2018 while plantation cover rose by around 1,800%. Fully 85% of the total area of Wayanad was under forest cover until the 1950s.Overpopulation, settlement and habitat lossMy first visit to Wayanad was in 2018, when we drove to Kerala from Karnataka: from the Nagarhole/Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuaries to the contiguous Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, all forming a Project Tiger ecosphere along with neighboring Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu. Together they form the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. Bandipur/Nagarhole actually looks like a forest. But I was astonished when we drove into Wayanad, because it does not look like a forest any more: it is full of human habitation. It looks like any of the other districts in Kerala: thickly populated, with settlements all over the place. It appeared to be only notionally a wildlife sanctuary.Habitat loss, especially that of forest cover, is true of all of Kerala, as highlighted in a study by IISc scientists. It is startling to see how much of this has happened in just a few decades. But it is the culmination of a process that started at least a century ago. Wayanad, according to myth and legend, was once a lovely, lush forest inhabited by a small number of tribals. There were fierce Kurichya archers (it is possible they were warriors banished to the forest after losing a war) who, with Pazhassi Raja, carried on a guerilla war against the British colonials in the 19th century until the Raja was captured and executed. I visited the Pazhassi Museum in Mananthavady this May, on my second visit to Wayanad. There were artifacts there from the tribal settlements.Then, in the 20th century, there was a large migration of lowland people, mostly Christians from Central Travancore, to the Wayanad highlands (and the Western Ghats uplands in general). They encroached on public/forest lands, cleared the forests, and created plantations and agricultural settlements. Their struggles against malaria, wild animals and the land itself was the subject of Jnanpith winner S K Pottekkat's renowned novel Vishakanyaka (Poison Maiden).The public land thus captured eventually made some people rich, but the whole process also in effect enslaved the tribals, who became an exploited underclass: the very same story as of Native Americans, who are still struggling for social justice after centuries of being untermenschen.Since most of the settlers were Christians, the Church became a powerful spokesman for them. Successive governments gave a lot of the settlers title to the land they had illegally captured. So there is a class of rich planters, and on the other hand, miserable plantation workers, often migrants especially from Tamil Nadu. The green deserts need to be turned back into forestsKerala's highlands, over time, became ‘green deserts', rather than ‘tropical rainforests'. The monoculture of tea, rubber, coffee, and especially invasive species such as acacia and eucalyptus is destructive. They crowd out native species, ravage the water table, do not put down deep roots, and offer almost no sustenance to wild animals. It may look deceptively green, but it is no forest. An expert committee, the Madhav Gadgil Commission, recommended in 2011 that the entire Western Ghats was ecologically sensitive (ESA or Ecologically Sensitive Area) and 75% of it must be preserved intact with minimal human presence. The report was scathing about quarrying, including blasting with dynamite, which upset the already fragile ecosystem, ravaged as it was by the removal of old growth forest and the root system that held the soil together. At the time, Gadgil did say that the calamity would not take a 100 years, but it would happen in ten to twenty years. He was right, but he was ignored as though he were Cassandra. The Church opposed the Gadgil report tooth and nail, and the Government of Kerala pushed back on it. So the Central government created the Kasturirangan Commission (2013), which reduced the proposed ESA to 37%. It classified 60% of the Western Ghats as a ‘cultural landscape' with human settlements, plantations and agriculture. But that too was not acceptable. In fact, Jayanthi Natarajan claimed that she was forced to resign as Environment Minister because she actually notified the order on protection of the Western Ghats the day before she was removed. Her successor duly put the order on hold.Sitting Congress MP in nearby Idukki, P T Thomas, says he was dropped in the 2014 elections because he supported the Gadgil report against “encroachments… illegal constructions, quarrying, timber smuggling, sand mining from the rivers and ganja cultivation…My stand upset the Idukki dioceses of the Syro Malabar Catholic Church. The Idukki Bishop had openly opposed my candidature.”The GoK convened a third committee, the Oommen Commission (2014), which was specific to Kerala, and it recommended keeping all inhabited areas and plantations out of the ESA altogether. Mission accomplished. No more restrictions on land use.Over-tourism and carrying capacity of the landThis is one reason for the proliferation of resorts and homestays in Wayanad. Every second house caters to tourists, as can be seen from a Google Map (of the area around Kalpetta). The environmental pressure from this (what about solid waste disposal? Do they dump liquid wastes into rivers?) is horrific and increasing. Trash lines the area near the Thamarassery Pass.As a tourist myself, I did not choose a plantation resort, but instead a homestay which has a working farm. Perhaps I made a wrong choice, because a plantation has a lot of space to absorb the tourist impact. The homestay had many youngsters from Bangalore over the weekend, and it was perfectly nice, but I wonder how much I contributed to the human toll on the environment. I had gone to Wayanad to visit the Thirunelli temple and the Edakkal caves, which have petroglyphs and drawings reliably dated back to 8000 Before the Present, making them second only to the Bhimbetka caves in Madhya Pradesh, whose rock art dates back to 10,000 BP and earlier. So this area, despite the geological fault lines, has indeed been inhabited for a very long time. The carrying capacity of the land was sufficient in those prehistoric times and even up until recently; now the land can no longer sustain the population. It is also host to another recent influx. Muslims from nearby lowland Kozhikode and Malappuram districts have come up the Thamarassery Pass and settled in Wayanad in numbers. They have added to the population pressure in Wayanad. Incidentally this is one reason Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency (which includes areas from nearby Kozhikode and Malappuram districts that are heavily Muslim) is so dependably a Congress citadel. When I made my trip in April, just before elections, I asked several people who would win there: the candidates were Rahul Gandhi (Congress), Annie Raja (CPI), K Surendran (BJP). All of them said “Rahul Gandhi”. One man told me “Rahul Gandhi is going to become the PM”. Another laughed and said, “Are you joking? We all know the answer”. It was, pun intended, a landslide win for the Congress candidate. Root Cause: Geology and Errant RainfallThe root cause of the problems in Kerala is the increasingly unstable landscape. It is remarkable that Kerala has such a high number of landslides and vulnerable spots. India Today reports that Kerala has recorded the largest number of landslides in the country, 2,239 out of 3,782 that occurred between 2015 and 2022. The “Landslide Atlas of India 2023” from ISRO lists 13 out of 14 Kerala districts among the top 50 landslide-prone areas of the country.This is surprising, because the more obvious fault lines must be in the North, where the Indian Plate continues to grind up against the Eurasian Plate, and the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau continue to gain a few centimeters in elevation every year. Indeed Arunachal, Himachal, J&K and Uttarakhand are landslide-prone. But why Kerala, at the other end of the land-mass?It must be the case that there have been severe tectonic movements in Kerala in the past: the Parasurama legend of the land coming up from the sea is based on a real event, presumably caused by an earthquake in a prehistoric time frame. More recently, the thriving Kerala port of Kodungalloor (aka Muziris), the principal West Coast port in historical times along with Bharuccha in Gujarat, was suddenly rendered bereft in 1341 CE after a severe flood in the River Periyar, and port activities shifted to nearby Kochi.More recently, old-timers talk about the Great Flood of ‘99, i.e. 1099 Malabar Era, or 1924 CE. Exactly 100 years ago there were torrential rains in July, and records suggest it was 3368mm or 1326 inches over three weeks, that is 11 feet of rain. Floodwaters rose up to 6 feet, rivers changed course, and at least 1,000 people died along with large numbers of livestock, and there was massive destruction of agricultural land and foodgrains. The Flood of ‘99 became etched in the collective memory of the area, but it mostly affected the lowland areas of Travancore and Cochin, leaving the highlands largely untouched. That has changed with deforestation, quarrying, construction, and denudation of hillsides.There were the floods of 2018, which affected the hills, especially in Munnar. A full mountainside fell 300 meters into a river there. Entire settlements were washed away. A total of 2,346mm of rain or 923 inches was recorded in July and August, almost 50% higher than the norm. 483 people were killed, with many more missing and unaccounted for. Infrastructure was wiped out, including roads and clean water supply. Dams had to be opened, wreaking havoc on those downstream. There is also the perennial threat of Mullaperiyar Dam overflowing or being breached, which is, among other things, a source of friction between Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Other root causes include the following: * Climate Change: A study by the World Weather Attribution group indicated that climate change has intensified rainfall in the region by about 10%, contributing significantly to the severity of the disaster. The ongoing increase in global temperatures has led to more extreme weather patterns, including heavier monsoon rains.* Soil Characteristics: Wayanad's soils are loose and erodible, particularly in areas with steep gradients exceeding 20 degrees. When saturated, these soils lose their structural integrity, making them susceptible to landslides. The presence of large boulders and mud further complicates the stability of the slopes during heavy rains.* Soil piping: Previous landslides in the region, such as the 2019 Puthumala event, created conditions for soil piping, where voids form in the subsurface soil, increasing the risk of subsequent landslides during heavy rainfall.* Lack of Effective Land Management Policies: There is a notable absence of comprehensive land use and disaster management policies in Kerala, particularly in ecologically fragile areas. Despite previous disasters, there has been insufficient progress in implementing hazard mapping and community awareness programs to mitigate risks associated with landslides.Thus Kerala is vulnerable to a host of issues, especially climate change (which is also eating away at the coastline). Behind the tropical paradise facade of “God's Own Country”, there lie tremendous dangers related to excessive human exploitation, amounting to ecocide. What is the solution? Maybe Madhav Gadgil was right, after all, and strict controls should be imposed on human activity, especially denudation of forest, and quarrying. His report had included Vythiri, Mananthavady and Sulthanbathery taluks in Wayanad as Ecologically Sensitive Zone ESZ-1, which means no change whatsoever in land use is permissible there. Chooralmala, Mundakkai, and Meppadi, where the worst of the disasters happened, are all in Vythiri taluk. No effective disaster prevention or mitigation efforts have been put in place. The only solution is reforesting and restoring green cover, and stopping construction, quarrying, and tourism and the most contentious issue, relocating people away from the ESZ. Unfortunately the tropical rainforest may not restore itself if simply left alone (as temperate-zone forests do), and perhaps efforts such as Miyawaki foresting with native species may need to be pursued.It is to be hoped that we have not passed the point of no return. Kerala's population is shrinking (Total Fertility Rate is 1.80, well below the replacement rate of 2.1 children per woman), but there is no limit to human greed.What needs to be done There are no magic solutions, but comprehensive climate action and improved disaster management strategies can mitigate things to an extent. Experts emphasize the importance of:* Enhanced Communication and Coordination: There is a critical need for better intergovernmental communication regarding disaster preparedness. This includes timely warnings and efficient evacuation plans to mitigate the impact of natural disasters.* Land Use Policies: Implementing stringent land use regulations is essential to prevent construction in ecologically sensitive areas. The degradation of green cover due to unregulated development has significantly increased the risk of landslides.* Early Warning Systems: Developing robust early warning systems for landslides and floods can provide crucial alerts to communities at risk. These systems should be supported by regular community education and drills to ensure residents are prepared for emergencies.* Afforestation and Environmental Conservation: Massive afforestation and reforestation drives (especially with native species) are necessary to stabilize hillsides and reduce landslide risks. Protecting and restoring natural habitats can help mitigate the effects of climate change and enhance biodiversity. Collaborating with local communities for reforestation projects can also provide economic incentives and foster a sense of stewardship.* Community Engagement: Empowering local communities to participate in disaster preparedness and environmental conservation efforts is vital. Education on risks and proactive measures can significantly reduce the impact of disasters.* Tourism Management: Over-tourism can exacerbate environmental degradation. Developing a sustainable tourism strategy that limits visitor numbers, promotes eco-friendly practices, and educates tourists about environmental conservation is essential. Establishing eco-tourism zones and supporting community-based tourism initiatives can provide economic benefits while preserving the natural environment.* Regulation of Quarrying and Construction: Strict regulation and monitoring of quarrying and construction activities are necessary to prevent ecological damage. Implementing sustainable practices in these industries, such as controlled quarrying methods and responsible waste management, can mitigate their impact on the environment. Regular audits and penalties for non-compliance can enforce these regulations.* Surveillance and meteorological data collection: With modern technology like drones, continuous monitoring of the landscape is possible at a relatively low cost; and this can also be used for collecting large amounts of meteorological data to support early-warning systems. Satellite images from India's own as well as foreign sources can be used to warn of dangerous construction, quarrying, and loss of forest cover. Some of these are purely technical solutions, offering computerized forecasts and disaster warnings. The social and governance aspects are even more important: discipline, co-operation and awareness on the part of the residents, and the strict enforcement of land use rules and regulations. Dealing with powerful settlers, encroachers, and vested interests requires a delicate balance of enforcement and negotiation, carrot and stick. Government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and local communities must collaborate to develop and implement policies that address these challenges. Advocacy for stronger environmental laws and community involvement in decision-making processes can help align interests and foster co-operation.With all these in place, it may be possible to repair the damaged hills of the Western Ghats, one of the global hotspots of biodiversity. 2200 words, Aug 17, 2024 updated 3000 words, Aug 19 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rajeevsrinivasan.substack.com

This week, we're rebroadcasting an episode from the Resources Radio archive while the team is on a break through the rest of August. We'll be back in September with new episodes; in the meantime, enjoy this throwback and poke around the archive at Resources.org for more topics you might be interested in. In this week's episode rerun, host Kristin Hayes talks with Jason Samenow, weather editor for the Washington Post and one of the leaders of the Post's Capital Weather Gang. They discuss the intersection of climate change and weather, with a particular focus on how meteorologists communicate with the public about climate change in a scientifically rigorous way and how that communication has evolved alongside climate science. Samenow and Hayes also talk about the increasing number of extreme weather events that have been occurring both globally and in the Washington, DC, area. References and recommendations: Climate Central; https://www.climatecentral.org/ World Weather Attribution; https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/ Penn State Weather Camps; https://weather-camp.outreach.psu.edu/ Lenticular clouds; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenticular_cloud Mammatus clouds; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammatus_cloud Kelvin-Helmholtz clouds; https://scied.ucar.edu/image/kelvin-helmholtz-clouds Snowmageddon 2010; https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2019/02/05/remembering-s-snowmageddon-images-scenes/ Eye on the Tropics newsletter by Michael Lowry; https://michaelrlowry.substack.com/ “The Weather” song by Lawrence; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9TYHOARDFI

Matt Malec delivers the latest news on a shooting at a grocery store in Arkansas, findings from the World Weather Attribution about the recent heatwave, and a Supreme Court ruling on those charged with domestic violence gun rights.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 212-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 23,194 on turnover of 14.9-billion N-T. The market continued to gain ground on Thursday - despite thinner trading compared to the previous session. Wall Street was closed overnight in observance of Juneteenth. MOFA Stressed Taiwan-Haiti Ties Remain Solid The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says Taiwan formal diplomatic ties with Haiti's transitional government are solid. According to the ministry's Office of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs, Taiwan's ambassador to the Caribbean nation, Gu Wen-jian has established friendly interactions with Haiti's key officials. Those officials include Haiti's interim prime minister, its foreign minister and the head of the Transitional Presidential Council. The foreign ministry says Gu has informed them that Taiwan looks forward to Haiti's continued progress in restoring (恢復) constitutional and social order. The minister also says Taiwan aims to strengthen cooperation with Haiti's new administration to deepen their diplomatic ties. Haiti's new Cabinet was formally inaugurated on June 12. SKorea Considers Sending Arms to Ukraine South Korea says it will consider sending arms to Ukraine after Russia and North Korea rattled the region and beyond. They signed a pact to come to each other's defense in the event of war. The office of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol issued a statement condemning the agreement. He called it a threat to his country's security and a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions, and warned that it would have negative consequences on Seoul's relations with Moscow. The comments came hours after North Korea's state media released the details of the agreement. Observers say it could mark the strongest connection between Moscow and Pyongyang since the end of the Cold War. It comes at a time when Russia faces growing isolation over its war in Ukraine and both countries face escalating (增加, 加劇. ) standoffs with the West. Climate Change Makes Extremem Heat More Likely in USMexicoCentralAmerica Climate change made extreme heat felt in the United States, Mexico and Central America around 35 times more likely, according to scientists. The World Weather Attribution says many extreme weather events are becoming more frequent (頻繁) and intense as a result of global warming. Sally Patterson reports from New York. France Joins Africa in Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator French President Emmanuel Macron has joined African leaders to kick off a planned $1 billion project to accelerate the rollout of vaccines in Africa. The effort comes after the coronavirus pandemic exposed gaping inequalities in access to vaccines globally. The African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator will provide financial incentives (獎勵) to vaccine manufacturers. Many African leaders and advocacy groups say Africa was unfairly locked out of access to COVID-19 treatment tools, vaccines and testing equipment when the pandemic swept the globe starting in 2020. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 中彰投分署為鼓勵轄區企業團體共同精進成長及經驗分享，廣徵各事業單位及團體在勞動力開發與運用或勞動力提升優良之提案，並透過本活動提供轄區企業團體交流學習之平台，一起為在地的人力資源永續發展努力。 [https://tcnr.wda.gov.tw/ContentList.aspx?n=B8A915763E3684AC] (https://tcnr.wda.gov.tw/ContentList.aspx?n=B8A915763E3684AC)

A team of international researchers says that climate change made recent flooding in southern Brazil twice as likely to happen.一个国际研究团队表示，气候变化使巴西南部最近发生的洪水发生的可能性增加了一倍。It also said that the El Niño Pacific Ocean current made the rains in Brazil more severe.他们还表示，厄尔尼诺太平洋洋流使巴西的降雨更加严重。Last month, flooding killed more than 170 people and displaced nearly 580,000 in Brazil's southern state of Rio Grande do Sul. Local officials said it was the worst disaster in the area's history.上个月，洪水在巴西南部的南大河州造成170多人死亡，近58万人流离失所。当地官员称这是该地区历史上最严重的灾难。A network of experts called World Weather Attribution said that the heavy rainfall in Rio Grande do Sul was an “extremely rare” event. The group said it expects such an event to happen only once every 100 to 250 years. However, the group added, it would have been even rarer without the effects of burning fossil fuel.一个名为世界天气归因的专家网络表示，南大河州的强降雨是一个“极其罕见”的事件。该组织称，这种事件预计每100到250年才会发生一次。然而，该组织补充说，如果没有燃烧化石燃料的影响，这种事件会更为罕见。The experts at World Weather Attribution also said the flooding was six to nine percent more severe than it would have been without climate change. The experts combined weather observations with results from climate models to make their estimates.世界天气归因的专家还表示，洪水比没有气候变化的情况下严重了六到九个百分点。专家们结合天气观测和气候模型的结果进行了估算。Lincoln Alves is with Brazil's space research center INPE. Alves said, "The climate in Brazil has already changed." He said that the study "confirms that human activities have contributed to more intense and frequent extreme events…” He added that the flooding showed Brazil's vulnerability to climate change.林肯·阿尔维斯（Lincoln Alves）在巴西空间研究中心（INPE）工作。阿尔维斯说，“巴西的气候已经发生了变化。”他表示，这项研究“证实了人类活动对更强烈和更频繁的极端事件有所贡献……”他补充说，这次洪水显示了巴西对气候变化的脆弱性。The researchers said that the El Niño Pacific Ocean current also played a part in the flooding in Brazil. Experts say the El Niño phenomenon contributes to higher temperatures in many parts of the world. It also brings increased rainfall and flood risk to parts of the Americas.研究人员表示，厄尔尼诺太平洋洋流也在巴西的洪水中起了作用。专家说，厄尔尼诺现象导致世界许多地方气温升高，还给美洲部分地区带来了更多的降雨和洪水风险。The scientists added that failure of important infrastructure, deforestation, and the fast growth of cities helped to increase the effects of the disaster. The flooding affected Porto Alegre, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul. The city is home to 1.3 million people.科学家们补充说，重要基础设施的失效、森林砍伐和城市的快速增长加剧了灾害的影响。洪水影响了南大河州的首府阿雷格里港。该市有130万人口。Regina Rodrigues is a researcher at the Federal University of Santa Catarina. She said that good flood protection infrastructure and the right urban planning are needed to reduce the effect of "such extreme events.”雷吉娜·罗德里格斯（Regina Rodrigues）是圣卡塔琳娜联邦大学的研究员。她表示，需要良好的防洪基础设施和正确的城市规划来减少“此类极端事件”的影响。

“The stakes could not be higher.” These are the recent words not of climate activists, but of a coalition representing major oil and gas companies in a letter to the US Supreme Court. The context? They're asking the Court to block dozens of lawsuits that seek to hold these firms to account for their role in driving the climate crisis, including by awarding damages for the costs of extreme weather events. But how would this actually work? While it's becoming more frequent, extreme weather has always been a part of our planet's natural variation - so how can we know which events are part of a new normal as a result of climate change - and which are just ‘normal'? For a long time, it was hard to give a clear answer. But thanks to the work of today's guest, Dr. Fredi Otto, that's all beginning to change. In this episode, Adrienne and Fredi Otto break down "attribution science" - a relatively new field that seeks to examine the role of climate change in extreme weather events. Through their work, we're gaining a much clearer picture not only of our changing planet, but also of how climate change is inescapably tied up with inequality and injustice. Dr. Otto is Senior Lecturer in Climate Science at the Grantham Institute at Imperial College London and co-founder of World Weather Attribution. Find the entire series of The Break Down, alongside fantastic original essays and other resources, over at ⁠www.break-down.org⁠ A massive thank you to all of our existing Patreon subscribers. You can support the show at: patreon.com/Macrodose We want to hear from you! Leave a comment or get in touch at ⁠⁠macrodose@planetbproductions.co.uk⁠⁠

En Brasil, según un estudio, el cambio climático duplicó las probabilidades de que ocurrieran las inundaciones que devastaron el sur de Brasil en mayo e intensificó las lluvias causadas por el fenómeno de El Niño. El equivalente a tres meses de lluvia cayó sobre el estado de Rio Grande do Sul en dos semanas en un evento extremadamente raro, que se espera que ocurra solo una vez cada 100-250 años, de acuerdo con el equipo de World Weather Attribution, una colaboración académica que estudia la atribución de eventos extremos, cálculos del impacto del cambio climático en eventos meteorológicos extremos como olas de calor, sequías y tormentas.

Scientists at World Weather Attribution have just completed a study into what role climate change did or didn't play in the unusually large number of storms between last autumn and this spring.

Scientists at World Weather Attribution have just completed a study into what role climate change did or didn't play in the unusually large number of storms between last autumn and this spring.

Storm rainfall in Ireland and UK has been made 20% more intense by human-caused climate change – that's according to a new study from the World Weather Attribution. Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast was John Sweeney, Climatologist and Professor Emeritus at Maynooth University.

Storm rainfall in Ireland and UK has been made 20% more intense by human-caused climate change – that's according to a new study from the World Weather Attribution. Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast was John Sweeney, Climatologist and Professor Emeritus at Maynooth University.

They were the best northern and southern lights in decades, but why? And what's next? We hear from astrophysicist Steph Yardley about the solar maximum, geomagnetic storms and atmospheric spectaculars.Also, the impossible heatwave in the Philippines made possible by global warming – the analysis of a continent-spanning climate extreme by the World Weather Attribution collaboration.Getting close up to raging tornadoes in order to fill in the big gaps that remain in the science of their development.And the tale of the lizard's tail, and how it could lead to safer buildings in the future. (Photo: The aurora borealis, also known as the 'northern lights', are seen over The Roaches near Leek, Staffordshire, Britain, May 10, 2024. Credit: Carl Recine/Reuters)Presenter: Roland Pease Producer: Jonathan Blackwell

Heavy rains and severe flooding have been hitting Kenya since March. They are among the most disastrous rainstorms to hit the East African country in recent years.自三月以来，肯尼亚遭受暴雨和严重洪水袭击。 这是近年来袭击这个东非国家的最具灾难性的暴雨之一。At least 169 people have died from the heavy rains. At least 91 others are missing, the latest government estimates say.至少有169人因暴雨死亡。 政府最新估计称，至少还有 91 人失踪。On Monday, at least 48 people died after water blew through a blocked river tunnel under a railway line in southwestern Kenya.周一，肯尼亚西南部铁路线下一条被堵塞的河流隧道被洪水冲破，造成至少 48 人死亡。The flooding has displaced more than 190,000 people and damaged roads and other structures.洪水导致超过 190,000 人流离失所，道路和其他建筑物受损。Seasonal weather patterns, climate change and other natural weather events all combine to create deadly rainstorms.季节性天气模式、气候变化和其他自然天气事件结合在一起，造成了致命的暴雨。Kenya and some other parts of eastern Africa have two main rainfall periods: the “long rains” season from March to May, and the “short rains” season from October to December.肯尼亚和东非其他一些地区有两个主要降雨期：3月至5月的“长雨”季节和10月至12月的“短雨”季节。The “long rains” season is when most of the country's average yearly rainfall happens.“长雨”季节是该国年平均降雨量的大部分时间。In its forecast for this year's “long rains” season, the Kenya Meteorological Department predicted above-average rainfall in many parts of the country. It also warned of flooding, landslides and other harmful effects.肯尼亚气象部门在对今年“长雨”季节的预测中预计，该国许多地区的降雨量将高于平均水平。 它还警告洪水、山体滑坡和其他有害影响。Last year's “short rains” season saw severe storms in many parts of the country. The meteorological department said Lamu, Mombasa and Garissa areas received nearly three times their long-term average rainfall.去年“短雨”季节，全国多地遭遇严重风暴。 气象部门表示，拉穆、蒙巴萨和加里萨地区的降雨量几乎是长期平均降雨量的三倍。Kenya's rainfall frequency and intensity are affected by a natural climate system called the Indian Ocean Dipole.肯尼亚的降雨频率和强度受到称为印度洋偶极子的自然气候系统的影响。The Indian Ocean Dipole makes the surface of the western Indian Ocean warmer and then colder than the eastern Indian Ocean. It causes heavy rainfall in areas west of the Indian Ocean, such as Kenya, and droughts in Indonesia and Australia.印度洋偶极子使西印度洋的表面比东印度洋先暖后冷。 它导致肯尼亚等印度洋以西地区出现强降雨，并导致印度尼西亚和澳大利亚出现干旱。Joyce Kimutai is a researcher at Imperial College London. She said that, in Kenya's case, the Indian Ocean Dipole and climate change are likely bringing more severe rainfall and flooding.乔伊斯·基穆泰 (Joyce Kimutai) 是伦敦帝国理工学院的研究员。 她说，就肯尼亚而言，印度洋偶极子和气候变化可能会带来更严重的降雨和洪水。In a study in December last year, Kimutai and other scientists from World Weather Attribution found that human-caused climate change had made last year's “short rains” season in Kenya and other parts of eastern Africa up to two times more intense.在去年 12 月的一项研究中，Kimutai 和世界天气归因组织的其他科学家发现，人为造成的气候变化使肯尼亚和东非其他地区去年的“短雨”季节强度增加了两倍。It has become more difficult to predict long-term weather in Kenya in recent years. The start and the length of dry and wet seasons have increasingly changed.近年来，预测肯尼亚的长期天气变得更加困难。 旱季和雨季的开始和长度发生了越来越大的变化。The Kenya Meteorological Department expects the “long rains” season to continue into June. In its latest weather report on Monday, the department said it expects heavy rain in six areas of the country. It also predicted flooding in low-lying areas and landslides in hilly areas.肯尼亚气象部门预计“长雨”季节将持续到六月。 该部门在周一最新的天气报告中表示，预计该国六个地区将出现大雨。 它还预测了低洼地区的洪水和丘陵地区的山体滑坡。Flooding in East Africa also has killed more than 150 people in neighboring Tanzania and Somalia. It has also affected hundreds of thousands of people in Ethiopia and Burundi.东非的洪水也导致邻国坦桑尼亚和索马里的 150 多人死亡。 它还影响了埃塞俄比亚和布隆迪的数十万人。

West Africa was hit with a severe drought following a humid heat wave that drove temperatures to record levels in February. 西非遭受了严重的干旱，此前潮湿的热浪使2月份的气温达到了创纪录的水平。 Scientists from the World Weather Attribution group say the unusually hot weather was made ten times more likely because of the greenhouse gases humanity has been pumping into the atmosphere. 世界天气归因组织的科学家们表示，由于人类一直向大气中排放温室气体，因此导致出现异常炎热天气的可能性增加了十倍。 Shortages of cocoa have helped drive prices to record highs, and since cocoa is the main ingredient in chocolate, you can expect the prices of people's favourite chocolate treat to rise in the coming months. 因供应短缺，可可豆价格创历史新高，由于可可豆是生产巧克力的主要原料，所以深受人们喜爱的巧克力的价格将在未来几个月上涨。 Some big chocolate companies, including Cadbury and Lindt, have said they have already had to increase prices in response to the cocoa shortage. 包括吉百利和瑞士莲在内的一些大型巧克力品牌公司表示，为了应对可可豆短缺的情况，他们已经不得不提高巧克力的价格。词汇表severe 严重的drought 干旱humid 潮湿的heat wave 热浪drove 推动了record levels 创纪录的水平，历史最高水平greenhouse gases 温室气体pumping 排放，向…注入shortages 短缺

Ondanks alle goeie bedoelingen wil het met die circulaire economie nog niet echt vlotten. Een nieuw initiatief van financiële instellingen moet de sector een handje helpen. Deze aflevering in het kort:⇨ Financieren van circulaire modellen⇨ Steeds meer zonnestroom⇨ Het verschil tussen weer en klimaatCirculaire ondernemers hebben nog steeds veel moeite om bankfinanciering op te halen. Financiële instellingen hebben om die reden de Kopgroep Circulair Financieren in het leven geroepen, bedoeld om dit probleem op te lossen. Zij presenteren deze week de Circulair Risk Scorecard, een soort framework waarmee circulaire bedrijven beter op waarde worden geschat.Schaarste van grondstoffenHet risicomodel kijkt naar aspecten die bij de beoordeling van de meeste kredietaanvragen nu nog geen rol spelen. Denk aan de circulariteit van het product en de schaarste van de gebruikte grondstoffen. Daarnaast wordt ook rekening gehouden met de robuustheid van contracten, de marktcompetitiviteit en de ervaring van het managementteam. Twee mensen van de Kopgroep Circulair Financieren zijn Tessa Eerenberg van Rabobank en Jeroen van Muiswinkel van Copper8. Zij leggen uit hoe dit initiatief de circulaire economie een duw in de juiste richting kan geven.Nationaal Solar TrendrapportJohn (hij vervangt Harm die grieperig is) noemt verder nog het Nationaal Solar Trendrapport 2024, dat vorige week werd gepresenteerd in Den Haag. De groei van zonnestroom was in de eerste helft van 2023 ongekend hoog. In de tweede helft van het jaar nam dit weer wat af, toch doen we het in Nederland erg goed. Naast Europees kampioen zijn we nu ook wereldkampioen met ongeveer 3,5 zonnepanelen per inwoner.Extreme kouOns groene geweten is Yvette Watson, van The 2B Collective. Zij haalt een onderzoek van World Weather Attribution. Het was de laatste weken namelijk behoorlijk fris in Scandinavië, met temperaturen van 35 graden onder nul. Dat betekent niet dat er geen sprake is van opwarming, stelt dit instituut. Zo'n koudegolf in Scandinavië komt nu eens in de vijftien jaar voor, rond 1900 was dat nog elke drie jaar.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Un examen mondial sur la dette, la nature et le climat a été officiellement lancé au cours de la COP28 par la Colombie, la France et le Kenya. Objectif : étudier les réformes nécessaires pour assurer la viabilité de la dette des pays en développement face aux besoins liés au changement climatique. Mais en quoi dette et climat sont-ils liés ?  Réaliser la transition énergétique pour limiter le réchauffement climatique, s'y adapter, cela demande des investissements. Encore faut-il pouvoir investir, a souligné Ali Mohamed, émissaire kényan pour le climat, en marge de la COP28 à Dubaï. « Malheureusement, de nombreux pays, y compris le nôtre, n'ont pas la marge budgétaire nécessaire pour avoir accès à des capitaux qui nous aideraient à être plus résilients et à agir pour le climat. Les marges se rétrécissent. Et en fait, beaucoup de pays sont au bord du défaut. Je pense qu'il y a plus de 54 pays dont la situation est alarmante. Au moins 24 d'entre eux sont en Afrique, mais il y a beaucoup d'autres pays en développement qui sont concernés. Ils ne peuvent pas développer des mesures pour être résilients face aux crises climatiques. »À écouter aussiCOP28 : la stratégie commune des pays africainsDes marges budgétaires amoindries à cause des dégâts liés au changement climatiqueMoins de résilience, c'est plus de dégâts. Et in fine, ce sont des marges budgétaires qui se réduisent encore. Le Kenya a été confronté en novembre à des inondations dévastatrices. Inondations favorisées par le changement climatique. Selon le World Weather Attribution, il a rendu les précipitations, liées au phénomène El Niño, jusqu'à deux fois plus intenses.« Un certain nombre de ponts au Kenya, qui ont été construits avec de la dette, ont été détruits par les eaux. Et le Kenya doit emprunter de l'argent pour reconstruire les infrastructures qui ont été détruites à cause des événements météorologiques extrêmes que nous vivons », rappelle Ali Mohamed.À lire aussiKenya: au moins 120 morts dans des inondations recordsEntrave au développement des énergies renouvelablesLes fonds pour financer reconstruction et dépenses climatiques, lorsqu'ils sont disponibles, le sont à des taux d'intérêts « insoutenables » aux yeux d'Ali Mohamed. Le coût du capital : une entrave, par exemple, au développement des énergies renouvelables, souligne Amos Wemanya, en charge de l'énergie chez Power Shift Africa, basé à Nairobi. « Les statistiques les plus précises indiquent que le coût du capital en Afrique est six fois plus élevé que dans d'autres régions. Et cela est dû au niveau de risque que présentent les prêts aux pays africains. Mais parfois, certains de ces risques, ne sont pas fondés. Je pense donc qu'un changement dans l'architecture financière mondiale serait une bonne chose. »L'accord de la COP28 promeut l'augmentation des financements basés sur des subventions ou des prêts hautement concessionnels, c'est-à-dire à des conditions préférentielles. Le Kenya, en avance sur les renouvelables, espère désormais attirer davantage de fonds pour l'adaptation. En 2021, seulement 27% de la finance climatique était dirigée vers l'adaptation, selon l'OCDE. 

Extreme weather is being increasingly linked to climate change, thanks to the work of scientists the world over. But Dr. Fredi Otto's contribution is unique: she is getting it done faster. That hurricane, that drought, that wildfire? Her team at World Weather Attribution can say the extent to which climate change was a factor, but within weeks, not years. In other words, she leads the world's only rapid reaction force of climate scientists. Why she says linking extreme weather events to climate change matters more than ever. Plus: the agreement that came out of COP28. And: Niala's Dubai dispatch on the smog blanketing the climate conference Guests: Dr. Fredi Otto, co-founder of World Weather Attribution, and a Senior Lecturer in Climate Science at Imperial College London Credits: 1 big thing is produced by Niala Boodhoo, Alexandra Botti, and Jay Cowit. Music is composed by Alex Sugiura. You can reach us at podcasts@axios.com. You can send questions, comments and story ideas as a text or voice memo to Niala at 202-918-4893. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The burning of fossil fuels releases the greenhouse gas CO2. Many countries at COP28 have expressed an interest in using carbon capture technology to permanently capture and store this CO2. Climate and energy expert Dr Richard Black tells us more about this technology and how helpful it is in the fight against climate change. Sticking with COP28, Dr Manjana Milkoreit, from the University of Oslo, contributed to this week's Global Tipping Points report, which revealed the Earth could be racing toward a set of critical thresholds that will put the Earth into a new state. Dr Joyce Kimutai is also at COP28. Originally from Kenya, she's the lead author of a new paper from World Weather Attribution. The paper found that climate change has made deadly rainfall in East Africa up to two times more intense. And finally, this week Professor Dany Azar published a paper in Current Biology that not only identified the oldest fossilised mosquito, but also found that it was a male with blood-sucking mouthparts – a trait only seen in female mosquitoes today. Presenter: Roland Pease Producer: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell Editor: Martin Smith Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth (Image: TBC. Credit: TBC / Getty Images)

This past spring, wildfires burned over 13 million hectares in Quebec. A new study by World Weather Attribution confirms that climate change and fossil fuel use contributed significantly to these wildfires. Lawyers at West Coast Environmental Law, representing the Sue Big Oil campaign, say the WWA study bolsters the case for a class action lawsuit against global fossil fuel companies by BC communities for their fair share of climate damages. We're joined by Andrew Gage, staff lawyer at West Coast Environmental Law.

Hitzewelle, Dürren, Starkregen und Unwetter: Die Attributionsforschung versucht herauszufinden, wie der Klimawandel solche Extremwetter beeinflusst — mit immer besseren Ergebnissen. (00:00:30) Begrüßung (00:01:18) Unterscheidung Wetter und Klima (00:01:57) Attributionsforschung - was ist das? (00:03:08) Was untersucht die World Weather Attribution? (00:05:08) Zusammenhang Wetterereigniss und Klimawandel (00:06:24) Wie geht man bei so einer Studie vor? (00:08:02) Woher weiß man, wie das Wetter ohne Klimawandel wäre? (00:09:11) Studien in Echtzeit - wie geht das? (00:10:42) Ergebnisse der Studien (00:12:25) Welche Faktoren machen aus Wetter Katastrophen? (00:13:46) Was haben die Forschenden zur Flut im Ahrtal herausgefunden? (00:15:04) Gerichtsfall in Australien (00:16:09) Was muss sich verbessern in dem Forschungsfeld? Hier entlang geht's zu den Links unserer Werbepartner: https://detektor.fm/werbepartner/spektrum-der-wissenschaft >> Artikel zum Nachlesen: https://detektor.fm/wissen/spektrum-podcast-extremwetter-klimawandel

Hitzewelle, Dürren, Starkregen und Unwetter: Die Attributionsforschung versucht herauszufinden, wie der Klimawandel solche Extremwetter beeinflusst — mit immer besseren Ergebnissen. (00:00:30) Begrüßung (00:01:18) Unterscheidung Wetter und Klima (00:01:57) Attributionsforschung - was ist das? (00:03:08) Was untersucht die World Weather Attribution? (00:05:08) Zusammenhang Wetterereigniss und Klimawandel (00:06:24) Wie geht man bei so einer Studie vor? (00:08:02) Woher weiß man, wie das Wetter ohne Klimawandel wäre? (00:09:11) Studien in Echtzeit - wie geht das? (00:10:42) Ergebnisse der Studien (00:12:25) Welche Faktoren machen aus Wetter Katastrophen? (00:13:46) Was haben die Forschenden zur Flut im Ahrtal herausgefunden? (00:15:04) Gerichtsfall in Australien (00:16:09) Was muss sich verbessern in dem Forschungsfeld? Hier entlang geht's zu den Links unserer Werbepartner: https://detektor.fm/werbepartner/spektrum-der-wissenschaft >> Artikel zum Nachlesen: https://detektor.fm/wissen/spektrum-podcast-extremwetter-klimawandel

Hitzewelle, Dürren, Starkregen und Unwetter: Die Attributionsforschung versucht herauszufinden, wie der Klimawandel solche Extremwetter beeinflusst — mit immer besseren Ergebnissen. (00:00:30) Begrüßung (00:01:18) Unterscheidung Wetter und Klima (00:01:57) Attributionsforschung - was ist das? (00:03:08) Was untersucht die World Weather Attribution? (00:05:08) Zusammenhang Wetterereigniss und Klimawandel (00:06:24) Wie geht man bei so einer Studie vor? (00:08:02) Woher weiß man, wie das Wetter ohne Klimawandel wäre? (00:09:11) Studien in Echtzeit - wie geht das? (00:10:42) Ergebnisse der Studien (00:12:25) Welche Faktoren machen aus Wetter Katastrophen? (00:13:46) Was haben die Forschenden zur Flut im Ahrtal herausgefunden? (00:15:04) Gerichtsfall in Australien (00:16:09) Was muss sich verbessern in dem Forschungsfeld? Hier entlang geht's zu den Links unserer Werbepartner: https://detektor.fm/werbepartner/spektrum-der-wissenschaft >> Artikel zum Nachlesen: https://detektor.fm/wissen/spektrum-podcast-extremwetter-klimawandel

Une étude du World Weather Attribution conclut que les changements climatiques sont les principaux responsables des incendies de forêt qui ont frappé le Québec ces derniers mois. Entrevue avec Yan Boulanger, chercheur en écologie forestière à Ressources naturelles Canada  Pour de l'information concernant l'utilisation de vos données personnelles - https://omnystudio.com/policies/listener/fr

More than 40 people died in wildfires as temperatures soared in the Mediterranean last week. The majority of those casualties were in Algeria, where 34 people lost their lives. In Tunisia more than 300 people were displaced. A team of climate scientists - the World Weather Attribution group - said this month's intense heatwave in the region would be virtually impossible without human-induced climate change. So, what can be done to prevent similar disasters in the future?

A cura di Daniele Biacchessi In ogni epoca, ad ogni longitudine e latitudine del pianeta, prendono forma e si affermano correnti negazioniste del pensiero umano. E' stato così con le scoperte più importanti in campo scientifico e sanitario. Anche nelle ultime settimane, con fenomeni di maltempo estremo in varie parti del nostro Paese, un robusto drappello di scrivani di provenienza culturale e politica trasversale, si cimenta nello sport preferito: la negazione del connubio tra clima ed eventi estremi. Secondo l'ultimo rapporto del Censis, Il 34,7% degli italiani è convinto che ci sia un allarmismo eccessivo sul cambiamento climatico e 16,2% sono negazionisti, convinti che non esista affatto. A loro risponde con chiarezza un rapporto pubblicato dal World Weather Attribution. Le differenze estreme che l'Italia ha sperimentato nelle ultime ore, dalla grandinate e nubifragi al nord sino alle temperature bollenti e i roghi del sud, per gli scienziati sono la faccia della stessa medaglia: gli eventi estremi intensificati dalla crisi del clima. Entrambi sono legati all'aumento di fenomeni estremi che è quello che noi ci aspettiamo dall'effetto sull'atmosfera da parte della crescita dei gas serra. Spiega Antonio Navarra, presidente del Cmcc (Centro EuroMediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici) e fra i relatori italiani dell'Ipcc (Gruppo intergovernativo sul cambiamento climatico). "L'atmosfera è molto complicata e l'effetto può manifestarsi in maniera diversa: sembra paradossale, ma temporali violenti e alte temperature sono strettamente connesse, esattamente come è appena accaduto". Secondo Antonello Pasini, Fisico del clima del Cnr, "quegli anticicloni che prima stavano stabilmente sul deserto del Sahara ora arrivano in Europa e permangono a lungo e poi appena cedono un attimo si verifica la possibilità che entrino correnti fresche da nord e dalle Alpi, come appena accaduto". Grandinate, supercelle, downburst. Ogni singolo fenomeno è ben spiegabile: il problema è che sta aumentando l'intensità e la frequenza con cui accadono e non siamo preparati per questo. La strada della corretta informazione è dunque ancora in salita.

A cura di Daniele Biacchessi In ogni epoca, ad ogni longitudine e latitudine del pianeta, prendono forma e si affermano correnti negazioniste del pensiero umano. E' stato così con le scoperte più importanti in campo scientifico e sanitario. Anche nelle ultime settimane, con fenomeni di maltempo estremo in varie parti del nostro Paese, un robusto drappello di scrivani di provenienza culturale e politica trasversale, si cimenta nello sport preferito: la negazione del connubio tra clima ed eventi estremi. Secondo l'ultimo rapporto del Censis, Il 34,7% degli italiani è convinto che ci sia un allarmismo eccessivo sul cambiamento climatico e 16,2% sono negazionisti, convinti che non esista affatto. A loro risponde con chiarezza un rapporto pubblicato dal World Weather Attribution. Le differenze estreme che l'Italia ha sperimentato nelle ultime ore, dalla grandinate e nubifragi al nord sino alle temperature bollenti e i roghi del sud, per gli scienziati sono la faccia della stessa medaglia: gli eventi estremi intensificati dalla crisi del clima. Entrambi sono legati all'aumento di fenomeni estremi che è quello che noi ci aspettiamo dall'effetto sull'atmosfera da parte della crescita dei gas serra. Spiega Antonio Navarra, presidente del Cmcc (Centro EuroMediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici) e fra i relatori italiani dell'Ipcc (Gruppo intergovernativo sul cambiamento climatico). "L'atmosfera è molto complicata e l'effetto può manifestarsi in maniera diversa: sembra paradossale, ma temporali violenti e alte temperature sono strettamente connesse, esattamente come è appena accaduto". Secondo Antonello Pasini, Fisico del clima del Cnr, "quegli anticicloni che prima stavano stabilmente sul deserto del Sahara ora arrivano in Europa e permangono a lungo e poi appena cedono un attimo si verifica la possibilità che entrino correnti fresche da nord e dalle Alpi, come appena accaduto". Grandinate, supercelle, downburst. Ogni singolo fenomeno è ben spiegabile: il problema è che sta aumentando l'intensità e la frequenza con cui accadono e non siamo preparati per questo. La strada della corretta informazione è dunque ancora in salita.

A new analysis finds the brutal heat waves the world has experienced over the past month would be virtually impossible without the impact of human-caused climate change. It comes from an international group of researchers that are part of an initiative known as the World Weather Attribution. William Brangham discussed the assessment with meteorologist Bernadette Woods Placky of Climate Central. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

A new analysis finds the brutal heat waves the world has experienced over the past month would be virtually impossible without the impact of human-caused climate change. It comes from an international group of researchers that are part of an initiative known as the World Weather Attribution. William Brangham discussed the assessment with meteorologist Bernadette Woods Placky of Climate Central. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Die Themen in den Wissensnachrichten: +++ Hände fühlen sich leichter an als sie sind +++ Bewegung hat den größten Einfluss auf ein langes Leben +++ Treibhausgase Hauptursache für aktuelle Hitzewellen +++ **********Weiterführende Quellen zu dieser Folge:Systematic underestimation of human hand weight/ Current Biology 24.07.2023Extreme heat in North America, Europe and China in July 2023 made much more likely by climate change/ World Weather Attribution, 25.07.2023Water in the terrestrial planet-forming zone of the PDS 70 disk/ Nature 24.07.2023Forced labour risk is pervasive in the US land-based food supply/ Nature Food, 24.07.2023Signalling males increase or decrease their calling effort according to the proximity of rivals in a wild cricket/ September 2023**********Ihr könnt uns auch auf diesen Kanälen folgen: Tiktok und Instagram.**********Weitere Wissensnachrichten zum Nachlesen: https://www.deutschlandfunknova.de/nachrichten

Femminicidio di Giulia a Segnago: confessa il compagno. Con noi Nadia Somma, responsabile del centro antiviolenza Diametra, consigliera nazionale del collettivo DiRe (Donne in Rete contro la violenza), autrice di "Le parole giuste. Come la comunicazione può contrastare la violenza maschile contro le donne" (presentARTsì).A Conselice finalmente l'acqua si ritira. Intanto secondo un rapporto del World Weather Attribution, il disastro in Romagna sarebbe frutto non tanto dei cambiamenti climatici quanto dell'eccessiva cementificazione. Ne parliamo con Davide Faranda, ricercatore del Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) a Parigi, tra gli autori dello studio.

"Das Klima”, der Podcast zur Wissenschaft hinter der Krise. Wir lasen den [sechsten Bericht](https://www.ipcc.ch) des Weltklimarats und erklären den aktuellen Stand der Klimaforschung. In Folge 86 erklärt Claudia, wie man es schafft, eine globale Durchschnittstemperatur für die Erde zu berechnen, was schwieriger ist, als man denken möchte. Florian beschäftigt sich zuerst mit der lokalen Temperatur in Westeuropa, wo im April eine nie gekannte Hitzewelle geherrscht hat. Und leider müssen wir feststellen: Sowas ist dank der Klimakrise hundert mal häufiger als früher. Abkühlung bringen Pilze, auch wenn man noch nicht weiß, warum die eigentlich so kühl sind und wieso sie kühl sein wollen. Wer den Podcast unterstützen will, kann das gerne tun: https://steadyhq.com/de/dasklima/ und https://www.paypal.me/florianfreistetter.

World Weather Attribution ties disasters and extreme conditions to climate change—providing crucial leverage for legal and policy battles.

World Weather Attribution ties disasters and extreme conditions to climate change—providing crucial leverage for legal and policy battles.

Au Tchad, plus d'1 million de personnes sont affectées par des inondations dues à des pluies hors normes. Au Nigeria, le même phénomène a tué 600 personnes et dévasté l'agriculture. Dans le sud-est du Niger, dans la région de Diffa, ce sont 2 800 personnes qui ont été déplacées par des inondations et qui vivent aujourd'hui dans le dénuement le plus total. C'est «le changement climatique causé par l'activité humaine qui a rendu ces événements 80 fois plus probable et 20 % plus intense». C'est la conclusion du World Weather Attribution, un réseau mondial de scientifiques capables d'évaluer en peu de temps le lien entre les événements météorologiques extrêmes et le changement climatique. Ces phénomènes vont s'accentuer, nous le savons. Mais, peut-on les anticiper pour mieux y faire face ? C'est l'objectif du premier centre de formation dédié au numérique pour lutter contre le dérèglement climatique en Afrique de l'Ouest qui s'est ouvert à Ouagadougou, à l'Université Joseph Kizerbo. Samuel Turpin nous y emmène. Mais quel va être le prix de l'action climatique pour les pays du sud ? 2 400 milliards de dollars par an, répond l'économiste britannique Nicholas Stern, dans le rapport qu'il a co-présidé avec l'économiste camerounaise Vera Songwe : Le financement de l'action climatique, accroître les investissements pour le climat et le développement. Nicholas Stern, est notre invité. 

Au Tchad, plus d'1 million de personnes sont affectées par des inondations dues à des pluies hors normes. Au Nigeria, le même phénomène a tué 600 personnes et dévasté l'agriculture. Dans le sud-est du Niger, dans la région de Diffa, ce sont 2 800 personnes qui ont été déplacées par des inondations et qui vivent aujourd'hui dans le dénuement le plus total. C'est «le changement climatique causé par l'activité humaine qui a rendu ces événements 80 fois plus probable et 20 % plus intense». C'est la conclusion du World Weather Attribution, un réseau mondial de scientifiques capables d'évaluer en peu de temps le lien entre les événements météorologiques extrêmes et le changement climatique. Ces phénomènes vont s'accentuer, nous le savons. Mais, peut-on les anticiper pour mieux y faire face ? C'est l'objectif du premier centre de formation dédié au numérique pour lutter contre le dérèglement climatique en Afrique de l'Ouest qui s'est ouvert à Ouagadougou, à l'Université Joseph Kizerbo. Samuel Turpin nous y emmène. Mais quel va être le prix de l'action climatique pour les pays du sud ? 2 400 milliards de dollars par an, répond l'économiste britannique Nicholas Stern, dans le rapport qu'il a co-présidé avec l'économiste camerounaise Vera Songwe : Le financement de l'action climatique, accroître les investissements pour le climat et le développement. Nicholas Stern, est notre invité. 

A new study has found that climate change severely worsened the heavy rains that caused large-scale flooding across swathes of Nigeria and Niger this year, killing hundreds of people. The floods were recorded as the worst-ever in the two countries. The report by World Weather Attribution says extreme seasonal rainfall and the release of water from dams caused the flooding from June to October. They concluded the event was made 80 times more likely by climate change. Almost 1.5 million people were displaced, hundreds of thousands of homes were swept away and over half a million hectares of farmland was devastated by the floods.mistake

Parmi les victimes des dérèglements climatiques, la région de Durban, située sur la façade est de l'Afrique du Sud, régulièrement frappée par les inondations. Celles d'avril dernier ont été particulièrement meurtrières, avec plus de 440 personnes décédées. En prévision de futures catastrophes, la municipalité et l'une des universités de la ville veulent s'inspirer d'un travail mené avec un quartier informel pour essayer de préparer au mieux les populations. De notre envoyée spéciale à Durban, Le bidonville de Quarry Road s'est développé sur les berges d'une rivière au nord de la ville. Déjà touchée par les inondations de 2019, la zone a vu de nouvelles maisons en tôle être emportées par celles de cette année. Nomandla, 35 ans, est encore très émue lorsqu'elle contemple le trou où se trouvait sa construction : « Ça, c'était le passage de ma maison, là où vous voyez les tuyaux arrachés, là-bas », indique-t-elle. « C'était vraiment un jour horrible. On a juste pu prendre nos documents avant de fuir. Et au matin, tout était parti. » ► À lire aussi : Afrique du Sud: après les inondations, Durban évalue les dégâts Cependant, les inondations d'avril n'ont pas fait de victimes directes dans le bidonville. Alors que l'université du KwaZulu-Natal étudie depuis une dizaine d'années les relations de cette communauté avec la rivière, un système d'alerte a vu le jour, grâce à des données fournies par la municipalité.  Et des résidents qui travaillent avec les chercheurs, comme Zandile, ont pu avertir leurs voisins : « Surtout les gens qui habitent sous ce pont, on leur a dit qu'il fallait qu'ils aillent dans un endroit sûr. S'il n'y avait pas eu ce système, beaucoup plus de personnes seraient allées se coucher chez elles et seraient mortes dans leurs maisons. Plus on a de connaissances autour des inondations, plus on peut faire preuve de prudence. » Des inondations qui vont se répéter à l'avenir Le service météorologique national avait pourtant lui aussi sonné l'alarme, mais si un travail en amont n'a pas été fait auprès des populations vulnérables, elles ne sauront pas comment réagir. Pour Cathy Sutherland, de l'université du KwaZulu-Natal, c'est cet échange avec les communautés qui doit faire partie de la solution pour l'avenir : « On a déjà observé, auparavant, à Durban, par exemple lors des émeutes, comment dans de nombreux quartiers les communautés se sont organisées et ont protégé la ville. Mais on ne se repose pas suffisamment sur ça, car on ne construit pas de partenariats entre ces initiatives communautaires et les autorités locales. » Selon le World Weather Attribution, des événements comme celui d'avril dernier sont amenés à être plus fréquents et plus intenses dans la région, à cause du dérèglement climatique. Se pose donc aussi la question du déménagement des habitants des zones à risque. Mais pour Nomandla, c'est un point difficile à résoudre : « Ce n'est pas évident de quitter ce quartier informel, parce que c'est tout ce qu'on peut se permettre. C'est près du centre, près des écoles, et le prix des transports pour aller en ville est abordable. » La municipalité et l'université souhaitent désormais étendre ce travail d'alerte et de sensibilisation des habitants à d'autres zones à risque.

Russia's war on Ukraine has spotlighted the interconnectedness of foreign and security policy, energy, and the environment. A deeper appreciation of the geopolitics of climate will shape not only EU-U.S. relations–as reflected in the recently unveiled Inflation Reduction Act in the United States and the Critical Materials Act in the EU–but also global affairs and events, including COP27.Olivia Lazard, a fellow at Carnegie Europe, is joined by Noah Gordon, a fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, to discuss the transatlantic approach to climate change, current blind spots in the race to net-zero, as well as their visions for the future. Olivia Lazard (June 30, 2022), The Blind Spots of the Green Energy Transition. TED.Olivia Lazard and Richard Youngs (July 12, 2021), The EU and Climate Security: Toward Ecological Diplomacy. Carnegie Europe.Noah Gordon (July 28, 2022), Carbon Pricing Isn't Enough to Mitigate Climate Change. Foreign Policy.Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, (April 17, 2019). A Message From the Future with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The Intercept.Dr. Paul Griffin, (July 2017). The Carbon Majors Database: CDP Carbon Majors Report 2017. CDP.Will MacAskill (August 2022). What We Owe the Future. Basic Books.Helena Horton (July 28, 2022). Climate breakdown made UK heatwave 10 times more likely, study finds. The Guardian.Adam Tooze, (July 24, 2022). Chartbook #130 Defining Polycrisis – From Crisis Pictures to the Crisis Matrix.Arianna Skibell, (September 23, 2022). Malpass Joins ‘I'm Not a Scientist' Hall of Fame. Politico.George Monbiot (August 2022). Regenesis: Feeding the World without Devouring the Planet. Penguin Books.World Weather Attribution, (July 28, 2022). Without human-caused climate change temperatures of 40°C in the UK would have been extremely unlikely.

Floods in Pakistan have destroyed or damaged millions of homes, schools and businesses. So far nearly 1500 people have died and 33 million have been affected. With Pakistan contributing less than 1% to global CO2 emissions, a keen sense of injustice is felt in the country, and demands for international support have been made. The Pakistan government has called it a “climate catastrophe” and according to the World Weather Attribution group, it is likely climate change led to intense rainfall. But critics blame mismanagement and say Pakistan should have been more prepared for the inevitable. In this programme, we tell the story of the collapse of one building to see how much of the crisis can be blamed on climate change. Guests: Saher Baloch, Correspondent at BBC World's Urdu service Zarmat Shinwari, owner of New Honeymoon Hotel Humayun Shinwari, owner of New Honeymoon Hotel Sayed Nabi, manager of New Honeymoon Hotel Email us: the climatequestion@bbc.com Presenter: Neal Razzell Co-presenter: Saher Baloch Producer: Lily Freeston Researcher: Natasha Fernandes Production Coordinator: Siobhan Reed and Helena Warwick-Cross Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell

A new report by the World Weather Attribution consortium demonstrates the impact of global warming on flooding in Pakistan. The consortium are helping to assess the link between humanitarian disasters and global change, faster than ever before. The work, conducted by a team of statisticians, climate experts, and local weather experts, is part of an emerging field in science called Extreme Event Attribution, and can reliably provide assessments in the immediate aftermath of an extreme weather event The report follows widescale flooding in Pakistan that has disrupted the lives of over 33 million people. Dr. Friederike Otto from the Grantham Institute for Climate Change explains some of the network's conclusions as to the causes behind this devastating flood. Can it all be down to climate change? Also this week, we speak to Prof Oyewale Tomori of the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases, who writes in this week's journal Science about what he believes African countries' role should be in response to the Monkeypox pandemic, and how future academic work in the area should be more homegrown. Finally, psychologist Lynda Boothroyd talks us through a new study about how the arrival of television in people's lives can help shape unhealthy and negative perceptions of body image. The study, conducted in Nicaragua, amongst communities only recently connected to electricity supplies, is helping to show how the media could play a part in contributing to conditions like eating disorders. Laugh and the world laughs with you, or so you might think. But watch any good comedian on TV by yourself and chances are you'll laugh a lot less than if you were sitting in a lively comedy crowd watching the same comedian in the flesh. But why is that? Is there such a thing as herd laughter? And do people from different cultures and corners of the world all laugh at the same things and in the same way? These are questions raised by CrowdScience listener Samuel in Ghana who wonders why he's always cracking up more easily than those around him. Presenter Caroline Steel digs into whether it's our personality, the people around us, or the atmosphere of the room that determines how much we giggle, following neuroscience and ergonomics on a global trail in search of a good laugh. (Image: Pakistani people move to a safer place due to flooding. Credit: Jan Ali Laghari/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Scientists working together as part of the World Weather Attribution collective say the “fingerprint” of climate change is on Pakistan's devastating floods - that left more than 1,500 people dead - after analysis found new links with heightened extreme rainfall. Drug therapy hope for young children with severe eczema. Charity's mission to clean 650 tons of rubbish from rivers, mangroves and coastline. Scottish ‘fireball' was likely just space junk burning up. We know where you fly...world's biggest airline club in biometrics plan. Oldest dinosaur fish heart is 380 million years old - and offers fresh clue to vertebrate evolution. Early festive gift for astronomy winner's Christmas Day photo. Two-legged dog living her best life is TikTok sensation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new report by the World Weather Attribution consortium demonstrates the impact of global warming on flooding in Pakistan. The consortium is helping to assess the link between humanitarian disasters and global change, faster than ever before. The work, conducted by a team of statisticians, climate experts, and local weather experts, is part of an emerging field in science called Extreme Event Attribution, and can reliably provide assessments in the immediate aftermath of an extreme weather event The report follows widescale flooding in Pakistan that has disrupted the lives of over 33 million people. Dr. Friederike Otto from the Grantham Institute for Climate Change explains some of the network's conclusions as to the causes behind this devastating flood. Can it all be down to climate change? Also this week, we speak to Prof Oyewale Tomori of the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases, who writes in this week's journal Science about what he believes African countries' role should be in response to the Monkeypox pandemic, and how future academic work in the area should be more homegrown. Finally, psychologist Lynda Boothroyd talks us through a new study about how the arrival of television in people's lives can help shape unhealthy and negative perceptions of body image. The study, conducted in Nicaragua, amongst communities only recently connected to electricity supplies, is helping to show how the media could play a part in contributing to conditions like eating disorders. (Image: Pakistani people move to a safer place due to flooding. Credit: Jan Ali Laghari/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) Presenter: Roland Pease Producer: Alex Mansfield, Robbie Wojciechowski

The summer of 2022 saw major, sustained drought over the globe, from Europe to China to the United States and Africa, with dire ramifications ranging from energy shortages to food insecurity. Dr. Mariam Zachariah, Research Associate working with the World Weather Attribution initiative, at the Grantham Institute for Climate change and the Environment of Imperial College London helps us understand what is driving these dry spells and what we can do about it.

The summer of 2022 saw major, sustained drought over the globe, from Europe to China to the United States and Africa, with dire ramifications ranging from energy shortages to food insecurity. Dr. Mariam Zachariah, Research Associate working with the World Weather Attribution initiative, at the Grantham Institute for Climate change and the Environment of Imperial College London helps us understand what is driving these dry spells and what we can do about it.

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K414: How climate change drives heatwaves and wildfires in Europe   Europe is in the grip of a record-breaking heatwave and wildfires are raging across the Mediterranean. Here's how climate change drives these events. HOTTER, MORE FREQUENT HEATWAVES Climate change makes heatwaves hotter and more frequent. This is the case for most land regions, and has been confirmed by the UN's global panel of climate scientists (IPCC). Greenhouse gas emissions from human activities have heated the planet by about 1.2°C since pre-industrial times. That warmer baseline means higher temperatures can be reached during extreme heat events. But other conditions affect heatwaves too. In Europe, atmospheric circulation is an important factor. FINGERPRINTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE To find out exactly how much climate change affected a specific heatwave, scientists conduct “attribution studies”. Since 2004, more than 400 such studies have been done for extreme weather events, including heat, floods and drought — calculating how much of a role climate change played in each. This involves simulating the modern climate hundreds of times and comparing it to simulations of a climate without human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. For example, scientists with World Weather Attribution determined that a record-breaking heatwave in western Europe in June 2019 was 100 times more likely to occur now in France and the Netherlands than if humans had not changed the climate. HEATWAVES WILL STILL GET WORSE The global average temperature is around 1.2°C warmer than in pre-industrial times. That is already driving extreme heat events. Temperatures will only cease rising if humans stop adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Until then, heatwaves are set to worsen. A failure to tackle climate change would see heat extremes escalate even more dangerously. Countries agreed under the global 2015 Paris Agreement to cut emissions fast enough to limit global warming to 2°C and aim for 1.5°C, to avoid its most dangerous impacts. Current policies would not cut emissions fast enough to meet either goal. CLIMATE CHANGE DRIVES WILDFIRES Climate change increases hot and dry conditions that help fires spread faster, burn longer and rage more intensely. Hotter weather also saps moisture from vegetation, turning it into dry fuel that helps fires to spread. CLIMATE CHANGE ISN'T THE ONLY FACTOR IN FIRES Forest management and ignition sources are also important factors. In Europe, more than nine out of 10 fires are ignited by human activities, like arson, disposable barbeques, electricity lines, or littered glass, according to EU data. Countries, including Spain, face the challenge of shrinking populations in rural areas, as people move to cities, leaving smaller workforces to clear vegetation and avoid “fuel” for forest fires building up. Some actions can help to limit severe blazes, such as setting controlled fires that mimic the low-intensity fires in natural ecosystem cycles, or introducing gaps within forests to stop blazes rapidly spreading over large areas. But scientists concur that without steep cuts to the greenhouse gases causing climate change, heatwaves, wildfires, flooding and drought will significantly worsen. 歐洲正受破紀錄熱浪的侵襲，地中海地區野火肆虐。氣候變化如何造成這些事件，說明如下。 更熱、更頻繁的熱浪 氣候變化使熱浪變得更熱、更頻繁。大部分陸地區皆然，此業經聯合國政府間氣候變化專門委員會（IPCC）證實。 人類活動所排放的溫室氣體，使地球溫度較前工業時期升高了約攝氏一點二度。較暖的基線表示極端高溫事件所達到的溫度可以更高。 但其他條件也會影響熱浪。在歐洲，大氣環流是個重要因素。 氣候變化的指紋 為準確了解氣候變化對一個熱浪的影響程度，科學家進行了「歸因研究」。自二○○四年以來，已有逾四百項針對高溫、洪水及乾旱等極端天氣事件的此類研究──計算氣候變化在各事件中之作用。 其研究方式為模擬現代氣候數百次，並將之與無人為溫室氣體排放的模擬氣候進行比較。 例如，科學家及世界氣候歸因組織確定，二○一九年六月西歐破紀錄的熱浪，現今在法國及荷蘭發生的可能性較人類未改變氣候時高一百倍。 熱浪仍將加劇 全球平均氣溫比前工業化時期高攝氏一點二度左右。這已在造成極端高溫事件。 只有人類停止在大氣中增加溫室氣體，溫度才會停止上升，否則熱浪勢必將惡化。若無法抑止氣候變化，極端高溫將會升高到更危險的地步。 根據二○一五年全球《巴黎協定》，各國同意以足夠快的速度減少排放，以將全球暖化限制在 2°C，並以 1.5°C 為目標，以避免其衝擊達到最危險的地步。目前的政策減少排放的速度不夠快，這兩個目標都無法達到。 氣候變化造成野火 氣候變化讓炎熱及乾燥加劇，這樣的條件助長了火勢，讓其蔓延速度更快、燃燒時間更長、肆虐得更猛烈。 更熱的天氣也會吸乾植被中的水分，把它變成助長火勢蔓延的乾燥燃料。 氣候變化並非火災之唯一因素 森林管理和火源也是重要因素。根據歐盟資料，在歐洲，十分之九的火災是人類活動所引發，例如縱火、拋棄式烤肉架、電線或亂丟的玻璃。 包括西班牙在內的國家面臨農村人口減少的挑戰，因為住民移居城市，讓勞動力變少，不足以清理植被，避免其成為森林大火的「燃料」。 一些行動對抑制嚴重的火災有所幫助，例如進行計畫火災，模仿自然生態系統循環中的低強度火災，或是在森林中導入空隙，以防止火災迅速蔓延至大區域。 但科學家一致認為，若不大幅減少導致氣候變化的溫室氣體，熱浪、野火、洪水及乾旱將會大幅惡化。

In this week's episode, host Kristin Hayes talks with Jason Samenow, weather editor for the Washington Post and one of the leaders of the Post's Capital Weather Gang. They discuss the intersection of climate change and weather, with a particular focus on how meteorologists communicate with the public about climate change in a scientifically rigorous way and how that communication has evolved alongside climate science. Samenow and Hayes also talk about the increasing number of extreme weather events occurring both globally and in the Washington, DC, area. References and recommendations: Climate Central; https://www.climatecentral.org/ World Weather Attribution; https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/ Penn State Weather Camps; https://weather-camp.outreach.psu.edu/ Lenticular clouds; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenticular_cloud Mammatus clouds; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammatus_cloud Kelvin-Helmholtz clouds; https://scied.ucar.edu/image/kelvin-helmholtz-clouds Snowmageddon 2010; https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2019/02/05/remembering-s-snowmageddon-images-scenes/ Eye on the Tropics newsletter by Michael Lowry; https://michaelrlowry.substack.com/ “The Weather” song by Lawrence; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9TYHOARDFI

According to the World Weather Attribution, the heatwave in India and Pakistan this year was a one-in-a-hundred-year occurrence. With global warming, things are only expected to get worse. Heatwave advisories ask people to not step out during extreme temperatures, but daily wage labourers have no choice. With unbearable working conditions, a 2021 study published in Nature Communications found that in India, the productivity lost per year due to heat is equivalent to 23 million jobs.  In this episode of Climate Emergency, host Suryatapa Mukherjee explores solutions with Dr. Dileep Mavalankar, the director at the Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar who designed South Asia's first heat action plan for the city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat; and Jagdish Patel, the Director of Peoples Training And Research Centre, who works on occupational health and safety rights. She also spoke to Arati Naskar and Sheela Chakraborty who work as sweepers with Kolkata Municipal Corporation, and Habibul who is contractually hired as a construction worker.  Stay Off Work In Afternoon, Labourers Told | Bhubaneswar News - Times of India  Kolkata heat rise worst in world, IPCC global warming report finds - Telegraph India  Disaster deaths, sinking: Unprepared Kolkata face multiple climate risks, warns IPCC report  Heat Exposure, Cardiovascular Stress and Work Productivity in Rice Harvesters in India: Implications for a Climate Change Future  Employee's State Insurance Corporation, Ministry of Labour & Employment, Government of India – ESIC Scheme |Coverage.  See sunoindia.in/privacy-policy for privacy information.

Global warming made the heavy rains behind South Africa's devastating floods last month twice as likely as they would have been if greenhouse gas emissions had never heated the planet, scientists said on Friday. Flash floods around the east coast city of Durban killed 435 people, left tens of thousands homeless and caused R10-billion worth of damage to roads, power lines, water pipes and one of Africa's busiest ports. The World Weather Attribution group analysed weather data and digital simulations to compare today's climate to that of before the industrial revolution in the late 1800s, when the world was about 1.2°C cooler. "The results showed that an extreme rainfall episode such as this one can now be expected to happen about once every 20 years," a report on the study said. "Without human-caused global warming, such an event would only happen once every 40 years, so it has become about twice as common as a result of greenhouse gas emissions." It added that when extreme downpours do happen, they can be expected to be 4-8% heavier than if no human-induced global warming had occurred. Attributing specific weather events to climate change is a tricky business that deals in probabilities, never certainty. But co-author Friederike Otto, from Imperial College London, said the study had examined data from the wider region, not just Durban. "Looking at the larger region is actually a very meaningful way of assessing the impact of climate change. (The study) means that, in any given year, there is a 5% likelihood of such an event occurring," she told a news conference, versus 2.5% in the absence of global warming. Africa's southeastern coast is on the front line of seaborne weather systems that climate change is making nastier, scientists say. South Africa's tropical northern neighbour Mozambique has suffered multiple cyclones and floods in the past decade, including one in April that killed more than 50 people. "The patterns we see in southern Africa are consistent with what we are seeing elsewhere in the world," Jasper Knight, a geoscientist at Johannesburg's University of Witwatersrand, not involved in the study, told Reuters.

With war raging in Ukraine, it was easy to miss warnings from the UN-backed IPCC that humans aren't adapting fast enough to climate change hazards and that regional conflicts could make things worse. The report came after the U.K. experienced three major storms in swift succession in February. Climate science professor Richard Allan speaks to Bloomberg Westminster's Yuan Potts and Caroline Hepker about the threat from storms and flooding and whether they can be linked to climate change. Plus, Bloomberg Green reporter Akshat Rathi discusses the IPCC report, along with Robert Vautard, director of the Institut Pierre-Simon Laplace and member of the World Weather Attribution group. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Das Klima”, der Podcast zur Wissenschaft hinter der Krise. Wir lesen den aktuellen Bericht des Weltklimarats und erklären den aktuellen Stand der Klimaforschung. Kapitel 11 des IPCC-Berichts handelt vom Wetter. Insbesondere vom extremen Wetter und der Frage, wie sehr sich die Extremwetterereignisse durch den Klimawandel verändern werden. Dazu braucht man die “Attributionsforschung” und zum Glück haben wir eine der Autorinnen des Kapitels zu Gast, die auch noch eine der Pionierinnen auf diesem Gebiet ist: Friederike Otto erklärt uns ausführlich, mit welchen Extremwetterereignissen wir rechnen müssen, was die Politik mit der Attributionsforschung zu tun hat und warum es keine Naturkatastrophen gibt.

Sieben Menschen sind am Montag in Darmstadt mit Vergiftungssymptomen ins Krankenhaus eingeliefert worden. Sie hatten sich unwohl gefühlt und Verfärbungen an Gliedmaßen festgestellt. Ein Student schwebte in Lebensgefahr. Offenbar waren mehrere Milch- und Wasserbehälter mit einem giftigen Stoff versetzt worden. Nun ermittelt eine 40-köpfige Sonderkommission wegen versuchten Mordes. ++ Korrektur: Im Podcast heißt es, die Vergiftungen hätten in der Mensa der TU stattgefunden. Tatsächlich fanden sie im Gebäude L201 des Fachbereichs Material- und Geowissenschaften statt. Wir bitten, diesen Fehler zu entschuldigen. ++ Extreme Regenfälle in Westeuropa, wie jene an Ahr und Erft im Juli, sind laut einer Studie durch den menschengemachten Klimawandel um den Faktor 1,2 bis 9 wahrscheinlicher geworden. Das geht aus einer Studie des Deutschen Wetterdienstes und der Initiative World Weather Attribution hervor. ZEIT-ONLINE-Wissensredakteurin Linda Fischer spricht im Podcast zu den Hintergründen. Und: Die Taliban haben nach ihrer Machtübernahme in Afghanistan mit der Regierungsbildung begonnen. Was noch? Ein besonderes Restaurant in Tokio. Moderation und Produktion: Jannis Carmesin Redaktion: Ole Pflüger Alle Folgen unseres Podcasts finden Sie hier. Fragen, Kritik, Anregungen? Sie erreichen uns unter wasjetzt@zeit.de. Weitere Links zu den Themen der Folge: TU Darmstadt: Polizei richtet nach mutmaßlichem Giftanschlag Mordkommission ein (https://www.zeit.de/gesellschaft/zeitgeschehen/2021-08/tu-darmstadt-vergiftungen-ermittlungen-verdaechtiger-stoff-polizei) Die Studie von World Weather Attribution (https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/heavy-rainfall-which-led-to-severe-flooding-in-western-europe-made-more-likely-by-climate-change/) Studie: Klimawandel macht Hochwasserkatastrophen wahrscheinlicher (https://www.zeit.de/wissen/umwelt/2021-08/studie-klimawandel-hochwasser-wahrscheinlichkeit) Afghanistan-Krise: Die mächtigen Herren Afghanistans (https://www.zeit.de/politik/ausland/2021-08/afghanistan-krise-taliban-vertreter-politische-akteure-uebersicht) DLF Nova: Menschen mit Behinderung steuern Roboter-Kellner (https://www.deutschlandfunknova.de/nachrichten/tokio-menschen-mit-behinderung-steuern-roboter-kellner)

Záplavy v Německu, Belgii, Nizozemsku a Lucembursku způsobily v červenci velké škody a mají na svědomí mnoho životů. Z nové studie skupiny World Weather Attribution vyplývá, že za to může i změna počasí. "Je to i kvůli lidské činnosti..," řekl klimatolog z Českého hydrometeorologického ústavu Radim Tolasz.

Gemeinsam mit Friederike Otto und ihrer Sturmtruppe der "World Weather Attribution" gehen wir diese Woche dem wütenden Wetter auf den Grund. Anstatt einfach nur einen reißerischen Post zu teilen, nehmen wir uns ein Beispiel an der Autorin und versuchen euch wirkliches Expertenwissen näher zu bringen. Zusätzlich liefern wir euch ein paar coole Tipps für heiße Sommertage. Für alle, denen ein Like verteilen im Kampf gegen den Klimawandel noch nicht aktiv genug ist: https://www.climateprediction.net/

As American troops exit Afghanistan, the Taliban continues to take control over more and more territory. On Thursday, President Joe Biden sought to reassure Afghan allies about the future of US-Afghanistan relations. And, more than two dozen scientists at the global World Weather Attribution group worked nonstop over the past week to determine whether the Pacific Northwest's record-breaking heat wave was caused by climate change. The answer was a resounding yes. Also, Erika Avellaneda, a 9th grader in Ottawa, Ontario, says it took 143 hours and 17 rolls of duct tape to create her detailed, two-piece prom dress.

Green Pulse Ep 34: The climate change detectives 20:49 mins Synopsis: The Straits Times analyses the beat of the changing environment, from biodiversity conservation to climate change. Every year we seem to be facing more and more extreme weather events. This year, it's been fires in Australia, Siberia and now the US West Coast. Record floods have caused havoc in China, while polar ice caps are melting faster. But can we link individual events to climate change? In this episode, ST's environment correspondent Audrey Tan and climate change editor David Fogarty speak with climate scientist Friederike Otto, who is the acting director of the Environmental Change Institute at the University of Oxford, and co-lead of World Weather Attribution, an international effort to analyse and communicate the possible influence of climate change on extreme weather events. For more climate news, follow Prof Otto on Twitter at @FrediOtto.  Produced by: Audrey Tan (audreyt@sph.com.sg), David Fogarty (dfogarty@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, & Penelope Lee Follow Audrey Tan on Twitter Follow David Fogarty on Twitter Edited by: Adam Azlee Follow Green Pulse Podcast series and rate us on: Channel: https://str.sg/JWaf Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWaY Spotify: https://str.sg/JWag Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/J6EV  Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Green Pulse Ep 34: The climate change detectives 20:49 mins Synopsis: The Straits Times analyses the beat of the changing environment, from biodiversity conservation to climate change. Every year we seem to be facing more and more extreme weather events. This year, it's been fires in Australia, Siberia and now the US West Coast. Record floods have caused havoc in China, while polar ice caps are melting faster. But can we link individual events to climate change? In this episode, ST's environment correspondent Audrey Tan and climate change editor David Fogarty speak with climate scientist Friederike Otto, who is the acting director of the Environmental Change Institute at the University of Oxford, and co-lead of World Weather Attribution, an international effort to analyse and communicate the possible influence of climate change on extreme weather events. For more climate news, follow Prof Otto on Twitter at @FrediOtto.  Produced by: Audrey Tan (audreyt@sph.com.sg), David Fogarty (dfogarty@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, & Penelope Lee Follow Audrey Tan on Twitter Follow David Fogarty on Twitter Edited by: Adam Azlee Follow Green Pulse Podcast series and rate us on: Channel: https://str.sg/JWaf Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWaY Spotify: https://str.sg/JWag Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/J6EV  Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.