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GENEVA (AP) — The U.N. weather agency is sounding a “red alert” about global warming, citing record-smashing increases last year in greenhouse gases, land and water temperatures and melting of glaciers and sea ice, and warning that the world's efforts to reverse the trend have been inadequate. “The latest State of the Global Climate report shows a planet on the brink. Fossil fuel pollution is sending climate chaos off the charts.”The latest WMO findings are especially stark when compiled in a single report. WMO said the impact of heatwaves, floods, droughts, wildfires and tropical cyclones, exacerbated by climate change, was felt in lives and livelihoods on every continent in 2023. And so, nothing gets done.”___Borenstein reported from Washington, D.C.___The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations.

Persons: ”, Celeste Saulo, “, ” U.N, Antonio Guterres, Topping, Jonathan Overpeck, wasn’t, Saulo, Kathy Jacobs, Andrew Weaver, ’, ___ Borenstein Organizations: GENEVA, World Meteorological Organization, WMO, Service, University of Michigan School for Environment, Sustainability, University of Arizona, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Washington , D.C, Associated Press Locations: “ State, Paris, Copenhagen, British, Washington ,, AP.org

☆ ‘Hot drought’ in the West is unprecedented in at least 5 centuries, study suggests
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Rachel Ramirez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The West’s recent heat-driven megadroughts are unprecedented in at least 500 years, new research shows. “Hot drought” — when extreme drought and heat occur simultaneously — has increased in severity and frequency over the last century due to human-caused climate change, according to a study published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances. While the previous study measured the length and width of the tree rings to gauge drought conditions, King’s research analyzed the density of the rings to measure how temperatures changed over time. “More dense rings mean warmer temperatures, and less dense rings mean cooler temperatures, typically,” King explained. “Water security and wildfire will become bigger problems until climate change is stopped,” said Overpeck, who was not involved with the study but has done research on hot droughts.

Persons: ”, Karen King, ” King, King, Jonathan Overpeck, Overpeck Organizations: CNN, University of Tennessee, University of Michigan’s School for Environment, Sustainability Locations: Knoxville, Pacific Northwest, Utah , Arizona, Colorado

Earth is exceeding its “safe operating space for humanity” in six of nine key measurements of its health, and two of the remaining three are headed in the wrong direction, a new study said. Earth’s climate, biodiversity, land, freshwater, nutrient pollution and “novel” chemicals (human-made compounds like microplastics and nuclear waste) are all out of whack, a group of international scientists said in Wednesday’s journal Science Advances. “We are in very bad shape,” said study co-author Johan Rockstrom, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany. Water went from barely safe to the out-of-bounds category because of worsening river run-off and better measurements and understanding of the problem, Rockstrom said. Political Cartoons View All 1157 ImagesIf Earth can manage these nine factors, Earth could be relatively safe.

Persons: ”, Johan Rockstrom, “, Rockstrom, it’s, –, ” Rockstrom, Jonathan Overpeck, ” Overpeck, Neil Donahue, Duke’s Stuart Pimm, Granger Morgan, ” “ I’ve, ” Morgan, Seth Borenstein Organizations: Potsdam Institute, Climate, Research, Biodiversity, ” University of Michigan, Carnegie Mellon, Twitter, AP Locations: Germany, Paris

☆ How much water is left in the Colorado River? Scientists and officials are scrambling to find out
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Ella Nilsen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

It’s a remarkable turnaround that will give back billions of gallons of Colorado River water to millions of people in the Southwest, primarily in Arizona and Nevada. Snow-covered peaks near the headwaters of the Colorado River outside Winter Park, Colorado, in March. Scientists estimate that Colorado River flows have decreased by about 20% compared to the early 20th century. “There are tough choices ahead,” Becky Mitchell, the Colorado commissioner for the Upper Colorado River Commission, told CNN. Bill Hasencamp, the manager of Colorado River Resources for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

Persons: It’s, Brenda Burman, “, Will Lanzoni, Jessica Lundquist, ” Lundquist, Jason Connolly, Jonathan Overpeck, ” Overpeck, you’ve, Brad Udall, Udall, ” Udall, We’ve, haven’t, “ What’s, ” Becky Mitchell, “ It’s, ” Burman, ”, Bill Hasencamp Organizations: CNN, Southwest, Central Arizona Project, of Reclamation, University of Washington, Rockies, Getty, University of Michigan’s School for Environment, Sustainability, Biden, UCLA, Colorado State University, Scientists, The Central, Commission, Colorado River Resources, Metropolitan Water Locations: Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, Rocky, University, Winter, , Colorado, AFP, Lake Mead, The Central Arizona, Scottsdale , Arizona, Phoenix, Metropolitan Water District, Southern California, Los Angeles

“From Day 1, President Biden has treated climate change with the urgency it requires,” Ms. Jean-Pierre said, pointing to measures like the Inflation Reduction Act, the most significant climate law in history. With research showing that recent heat waves in the United States and Europe would have been “virtually impossible” without the influence of man-made climate change, many climate experts said Mr. Biden needed to take a strong stand against new fossil fuels. Activists have long pushed Mr. Biden to do so, but the White House has expressed worries in the past about its authority to take such unilateral measures, fearing that they might be overturned in the courts. Instead, Ms. Jean-Pierre pointed to the ongoing benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act, which Mr. Biden signed into law last year but whose funding will continue flowing for years to come. It contains nearly $370 billion in tax credits to spur wind and solar power and electric vehicle battery manufacturing in the United States and incentives for purchases of electric vehicles, induction stoves and electric heat pumps.

Persons: Biden, Ms, Jean, Pierre, Mr, ”, Jonathan Overpeck Organizations: School for Environment, Sustainability, University of Michigan, White Locations: United States, Europe

☆ Exxon Mobil accurately predicted warming since 1970s, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

This was during the same time that the oil giant publicly doubted that warming was real and dismissed climate models’ accuracy. Exxon said its understanding of climate change evolved over the years and that critics are misunderstanding its earlier research. The Exxon-funded science was “actually astonishing” in its precision and accuracy, said study co-author Naomi Oreskes, a Harvard science history professor. And I’d say in that sense, our analysis really seals the deal on ‘Exxon knew’,” Supran said. “It was clear that Exxon Mobil knew what was going on,” Wuebbles said.

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