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☆ Australia braces for severe bushfires as Sydney swelters under record September heat
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Tara Subramaniam | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The threat of intense bushfires looms over New South Wales as record spring temperatures and high winds fan the flames of more than 60 blazes already burning in Australia’s most populous state, authorities have warned. Several cities along the east coast saw record spring temperatures Tuesday, according to Australia’s Bureau of Meterology (BOM). Sydney, the NSW capital, was expected to record its hottest September day ever Wednesday, with BOM forecasting a high of 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit). “The climate influences driving increased risk of bushfire this season are widespread,” said AFAC CEO Rob Webb. On Tuesday, BOM declared an El Niño weather event was underway, which typically results in a warmer, drier spring and summer and an increased risk for bushfires.

Persons: Miriam Bradbury, “, we’ve, ”, Rob Rogers, Rob Webb, climatologist Zhi, Weng Chua, BOM, Karl Braganza Organizations: CNN, Bureau, NSW, Fire Service, Facebook, ABC, Australasian Fire Authorities Council, ”, 9News Locations: New South Wales, Australia’s, Sydney, NSW, Queensland, Tasmania, Australia, Tennant, Northern Territory, New Zealand, ” Australia, El, BOM

☆ Strong winds fan bushfires as Australia battles spring heatwave
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Renju Jose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Strong winds and a rare, intense heatwave in early spring fanned dozens of bushfires across Australia's southeast, prompting extreme fire danger warnings on Wednesday for the greater Sydney region, home to more than 5 million people. Parts of Australia are sweltering in an unusual five-day burst of spring heat, forecast to last until Wednesday, pushing temperatures well above the September average. After three years of heavy rains and frequent flooding, Australia is bracing for a warm and dry southern hemisphere spring and summer in 2023. On Tuesday, Australia's Bureau of Meteorology declared an El Nino weather pattern, typically associated with wildfires and droughts, was underway. Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney; Editing by Sonali PaulOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Renju Jose, Sonali Paul Organizations: NSW Rural Fire Services, Greater, Sydney, Meteorology, El, Fire, Thomson Locations: Australia's, Sydney, New South Wales, NSW, Greater Sydney Region, Australia, Tasmania, El Nino, Sydney's, Turkey

☆ Peru president proposes international pact to combat El Nino effects
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Peru's president Dina Boluarte addresses the 78th Session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York City, U.S., September 19, 2023. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz Acquire Licensing RightsSept 19 (Reuters) - Peruvian President Dina Boluarte proposed the creation of an international pact to tackle the effects of the El Nino weather phenomenon, speaking on Tuesday to world leaders gathered at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Boluarte urged increased collaboration to ease the effects of the weather phenomenon, which the country's central bank has said remains a risk to the local economy and inflation. Reporting by Valentine Hilaire and Marco Aquino; Editing by Kylie MadryOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Dina Boluarte, Eduardo Munoz, Boluarte, Valentine Hilaire, Marco Aquino, Kylie Madry Organizations: General Assembly, REUTERS, El, United Nations General Assembly, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Peruvian

☆ Indonesia parliament committee approves higher 2024 budget of $216 bln
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

President Joko Widodo's budget for 2024, his final year in office, targets expenditure at 3,325.1 trillion rupiah ($216.27 billion), up 6.45% from 2023's outlook to account for higher energy subsidies amid rising global oil prices. The fiscal budget proposal was approved by the budget committee chaired by Said Abdullah. Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati highlighted the risk of rising global crude oil prices to the budget next year. The committee approved a revision to the total energy subsidies by about 2% higher to 189.1 trillion rupiah versus 185.9 trillion rupiah in the initial proposal. For 2024, the budget assumes a lower inflation at 2.8% versus 3.1% in 2023'outlook and a slightly higher economic growth at 5.2% compared to 5.1% in the 2023's outlook.

Persons: Joko, Said Abdullah, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Sri Mulyani, Josua Pardede, Josua, Stefanno Sulaiman, Kanupriya Kapoor, Martin Petty Organizations: El, Finance, Bank Permata, El Nino, Thomson Locations: El Nino, JAKARTA, Indonesia's

☆ Sydney issues total fire bans as spring heatwave grips Australia
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Renju Jose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Parts of Australia are sweltering in a five-day burst of uncommon spring heat, forecast to last until Wednesday, pushing temperatures up by as much as 16 degrees Celsius (60 Fahrenheit) above the September average. More than 500 firefighters and emergency personnel are trying to tame 61 fires across New South Wales state as of Tuesday morning, with 13 not yet contained, authorities said. Twenty-one schools in New South Wales, mostly in the state's south, have been closed. "Due to hot, dry and windy conditions forecast throughout the day and overnight, several parts of (New South Wales) will experience high fire danger," fire services said on Facebook. Temperatures could reach 34 degrees Celsius (93.2 F) in Sydney on Tuesday, just shy of the September record of 34.6 degrees Celsius (94.28 F) in 1965.

Persons: Renju Jose, Michael Perry Organizations: Sydney, Facebook, Meteorology, Thomson Locations: Australia's, Australia, New South Wales, Sydney, El Nino

☆ Strong Winds Fan Bushfires as Australia Battles Spring Heatwave
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Renju JoseSYDNEY (Reuters) - Strong winds and a rare, intense heatwave in early spring fanned dozens of bushfires across Australia's southeast, prompting extreme fire danger warnings on Wednesday for the greater Sydney region, home to more than 5 million people. Parts of Australia are sweltering in an unusual five-day burst of spring heat, forecast to last until Wednesday, pushing temperatures well above the September average. There have been no reports of property damage or injuries though more than 100 people had to sleep in their cars, media reported. After three years of heavy rains and frequent flooding, Australia is bracing for a warm and dry southern hemisphere spring and summer in 2023. On Tuesday, Australia's Bureau of Meteorology declared an El Nino weather pattern, typically associated with wildfires and droughts, was underway.

Persons: Renju Jose SYDNEY, Renju Jose, Sonali Paul Organizations: NSW Rural Fire Services, Greater, Sydney, Meteorology, El, Fire Locations: Australia's, Sydney, New South Wales, NSW, Greater Sydney Region, Australia, Tasmania, El Nino, Sydney's, Turkey

Hedge funds and other money managers purchased the equivalent of 41 million barrels in the six most important petroleum futures and options contracts over the seven days ending on Sept. 12. The net position in all products had fallen to 155 million barrels (71st percentile) on Sept. 12 down from 177 million (80th percentile) on Aug. 15. Short positions in NYMEX WTI slumped to just 21 million barrels on Sept. 12, the lowest for more than a year since June 2022. U.S. NATURAL GASInvestors remain ambivalent about the outlook for U.S. gas prices – torn between depleting inventories and the prospect of a warmer-than-average winter driven by a strong El Niño. The prospect of reduced consumption and slower export growth is weighing on gas prices and has kept them range bound for the last three months.

Persons: Richard Carson, bullishness, NYMEX WTI, Investors, John Kemp, David Evans Organizations: Department of Energy, Strategic Petroleum Reserve, REUTERS, ICE, U.S . diesel, Fund, distillates, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Freeport , Texas, U.S, Saudi Arabia, Europe, China, distillates, Saudi, Cushing, Oklahoma, NYMEX, distillates ., East Asia, North America, Pacific

Farmers across the agrarian heartland that makes Thailand the world's second-largest rice exporter should be poised to benefit. These pressures on the sector, reported in detail for the first time by Reuters, are squeezing debt-laden Thai farmers despite tens of billions of dollars in subsidies over the past decade. Successive governments have spent 1.2 trillion Thai baht ($33.85 billion) on price and income interventions for rice farmers in the last decade, estimates Somporn. The average Thai farmer's income has dwindled. Unstable income for Thai rice farmersIn the years since Sripai followed her family into the paddy fields, the challenges have multiplied, but current prices offer a rare opportunity.

Persons: Somporn, Sripai, Danai Saengthabthim, Srettha Thavisin, King Chulalongkorn, Nipon Poapongsakorn, Thailand's, KNIT's, Yingluck Shinawatra, Yingluck, Devjyot Ghoshal, Pasit, Katerina Ang, Kay Johnson Organizations: Farmers, Reuters, Research, Knowledge Network Institute of Thailand, Bank for Agriculture, Agricultural Cooperatives, Agriculture, El, National Water Resources, Thailand Development Research, Nipon, Thomson Locations: Thailand, Kaeo, Chai, India, East, Asia, Africa, Rice, Chai Nat, Bangkok, Bangladesh, Nepal, Vietnam

☆ Sydney Marathon runners hospitalized as Australia swelters in unusual spring heat wave
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Reuters —A sweltering heat wave in Australia took its toll on runners in the Sydney Marathon on Sunday, with 26 people taken to the hospital and about 40 treated for heat exhaustion by emergency services. Large parts of Australia’s southeast, including Sydney, are experiencing a spring heat wave, the national weather bureau said, with temperatures Monday expected to peak at up to 16 degrees Celsius (60 Fahrenheit) above the September average. The rising heat wave has been building in the country’s outback interior over the weekend and is likely to last until Wednesday across the states of South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. Temperatures in Sydney’s west are expected to hit 36 degrees Celsius (96.8 Fahrenheit) on Monday before dropping to about 22 degrees Celsius (71 Fahrenheit) on Thursday, the weather bureau forecasts showed. Scientists warn that extreme weather events like heat waves are only going to become more common and more intense unless the world stops burning planet-heating fossil fuels.

Persons: ”, Sydney Marathon Steve Markham, El Niño, El Organizations: Reuters, Sydney Marathon, Meteorology, Opera House Locations: Australia, Australia’s, Sydney, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Sydney’s

☆ Australia swelters in spring heat wave, temperatures set to break records
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Renju Jose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Crowds of people enjoy the beach as parts of Australia's east reached their hottest day in more than two years amid temperatures which rose to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), in Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia, March 6, 2023. Australia is baking through a rising heat wave which has been building in the country's outback interior over the weekend and is likely last until Wednesday across the states of South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. The Bureau of Meteorology said it expected several early spring records were likely to be broken over the next few days, calling the heat "very uncommon for September". Temperatures in Sydney's west are expected to hit 36 degrees Celsius (96.8 F) on Monday before dropping to about 22 degrees Celsius (71 F) on Thursday, the weather bureau forecasts showed. The heat wave has also elevated the risks of fires with several regions given 'high' fire danger ratings, and authorities urging residents to prepare for bushfires.

Persons: Jaimi, El Nino, Renju Jose, Michael Perry Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Meteorology, Sydney, Thomson Locations: Australia's, Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Sydney's

☆ Thailand to roll out more populist policies this year, says prime minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Srettha Thavisin, Thailand's prime minister, arrives at Thai Parliament in Bangkok, Thailand, on Monday, Sept. 11, 2023. Thailand will dole out 560 billion baht ($16 billion) to its 55 million adults in the next six months to spur domestic demand and investment, with new Prime Minister Srettha pitching the revival of a sluggish economy as his government's top priority. Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on Monday his government will be rolling out more policies by the year's end to lower living costs, including gradually reducing electricity prices and raising the minimum daily wage. The economy is expected to grow 2.8% this year, but Srettha has a target of 5% annual growth. "In addition to lowering cost of living is increasing wages," he said, adding that an announcement could be expected in November.

Persons: Srettha, Srettha Thavisin Organizations: Thai, Southeast Locations: Thai, Bangkok, Thailand, El

☆ Thailand to roll out more populist policies this year - PM
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Electric poles with electrical and telephone cables are seen in Bangkok, Thailand, August 9, 2017. "In addition to lowering cost of living is increasing wages," he said, adding that an announcement could be expected in November. Srettha, a real estate mogul and political newcomer, has come under fire in parliament for policies the opposition say lack clear direction. But the PM has said the policies would be fiscally responsible. He also plans to meet top business executives during his U.S. trip to draw more investment to Thailand.

Persons: Athit, Srettha Thavisin, Srettha, Chayut Setboonsarng, Panarat, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Thai, Southeast, United Nations General Assembly, U.S, Thomson Locations: Bangkok, Thailand, Rights BANGKOK, El, Africa, New York, China, United States

☆ Ten countries and territories saw severe flooding in just 12 days
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-16 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

Hong Kong CNN —September started with a typhoon that ripped through Hong Kong, uprooting trees and flooding the city. People walk past houses destroyed by heavy rain and flooding in Derna, Libya, on September 13, 2023. Elsewhere in Europe, a separate storm – Storm Dana – saw torrential rain across Spain, damaging homes and killing at least three people. Esam Omran Al-Fetori/Reuters An aerial view of the devastation after flooding caused by Storm Daniel on September 15. Abdullah Mohammed Bonja/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images This satellite photo shows the extent of Derna's flooding on September 12.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, ”, Jung, Eun Chu, Esam Omran, Chu, they’ve, Storm Daniel, Angelos Tzortzinis, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Theodoros Skylakakis, “, Megala, Giannis Floulis, Dana –, Cross, Martin Griffiths, Ciaran Donnelly, Amr Alfiky, Ayman Al, Zohra Bensemra, Yousef Murad, Muhammad J, Abdullah Doma, Ahmed Elumami, Jamal Alkomaty, Abdullah Mohammed Bonja, Omar Jarhman, Ali Al, Saadi, Haikui –, Saola, Haikui, Maria Clara Sassaki, Rick Cinclair, Phil Klotzbach Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, UN, City University of Hong, Getty, Greek, CNN, International Committee, International Rescue, United Arab Emirates, Reuters Volunteers, Reuters, Elalwany, Anadolu Agency, Reuters Workers, Planet Labs PBC, AP, AFP, CNN Brasil, Worcester Telegram, Gazette, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University Locations: Hong Kong, Libya, City University of Hong Kong, Derna, Europe, Greece, Palamas, AFP, Megala Kalyvia, Turkey, Istanbul, Bulgaria, Spain, Libyan, Shahhat, Asia, Taiwan, China, Shenzhen, Americas, Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazilian, United States, Nevada, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Leominster , Massachusetts, El

☆ Australia swelters in 'uncommon' spring heat ahead of likely El Nino event
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, Sept 16 (Reuters) - Large parts of Australia were in the grips of "uncommon" spring heat on Saturday, the nation's weather forecaster said, forecasting that record temperatures could be set on Sunday. The heat burst came after the forecaster said this week that indicators of an El Nino weather event had strengthened and it would likely develop between September and November, bringing hotter, drier conditions to Australia. The weather bureau said the "early period of heat" in many parts of the country was "very uncommon during September". "Record September daytime and nighttime temperatures are expected from Sunday through Thursday across inland areas of South Australia, New South Wales and northeast Victoria." Another local, Danielle Vangou, was worried about runners in the Sydney marathon, set to take place on Sunday.

Persons: El Nino, Bella Callaghan, Danielle Vangou, Sam McKeith, Cordelia Hsu, Tom Hogue Organizations: New, Kingsford Smith Airport, Meteorology, Facebook, Sydney, Thomson Locations: Australia, Sydney, Australia's, New South Wales, El Nino, South Australia, Victoria, Bondi, Turkey

☆ Over 95% chance of El Nino conditions from January to March 2024, US forecaster says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Adnan Abidi/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 13 (Reuters) - There is a more than 95% chance that the El Niño weather pattern will continue through the Northern Hemisphere winter from January - March 2024, a U.S. government forecaster said on Thursday, bringing more extreme conditions. "In August, sea surface temperatures were above average across the equatorial Pacific ocean, with strengthening in the central and east-central Pacific," the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) said. El Nino is a warming of ocean surface temperatures in the eastern and central Pacific, and can provoke extreme weather phenomena from wildfires to tropical cyclones and prolonged droughts. On Tuesday, Australia's weather bureau said that El Nino indicators had strengthened and the weather event would likely develop between September and November, bringing hotter and drier conditions to Australia. "Despite nearly the same ensemble mean amplitude as last month, the shorter forecast horizon means that the odds of at least a 'strong' El Niño have increased to 71%," CPC said.

Persons: Adnan Abidi, El Nino, Chris Hyde, Brijesh Patel, Seher Dareen, Rahul Paswan, Sharon Singleton Organizations: REUTERS, Prediction Center, El, El Nino, CPC, World Meteorological Organization, India, Thomson Locations: Ballia District, Uttar Pradesh, India, U.S, Pacific, South Africa, Southeast Asia, Australia, Brazil, Asia, Africa, Bengaluru

☆ Add the climate crisis to the long list of things messing up supply chains this summer
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The climate crisis is throwing a wrench into already messy supply chains. Climate change and the El Niño weather phenomenon are affecting water levels in the Panama Canal. The situation is serious this summer because of a historic drought affecting rainfall that feeds into the Panama Canal. Advertisement Advertisement Watch:Droughts aren't a new phenomenon at the Panama Canal — climate change has been associated with unpredictable weather for years. Supply chains were already in chaos from COVID-19, geopolitics, and rising costs in ChinaTo be sure, the vessel congestion at the Panama Canal is troubling because it adds to the existing stress on the world's supply chains.

Persons: Nari Viswanathan, Viswanathan, Project44, Stephen Lamar, Jon Davis, Donald Trump, Biden Organizations: Service, American Apparel & Footwear Association, CNBC Locations: Panama, Washington, El, COVID, China, China . Washington, Beijing, India, Vietnam

Monrovia NSU CHALLENGER bulk carrier transits the expanded canal through Cocoli Locks at the Panama Canal, on the outskirts of Panama City, Panama April 19, 2023. REUTERS/Aris Martinez Acquire Licensing RightsSept 12 (Reuters) - The Panama Canal could further reduce the maximum number of vessel transits authorized per day if a drought that has hit the waterway this year continues, its administrator said on Tuesday. In a move to ease the bottleneck of ships waiting, the canal has recently changed its reservation system to allow more non-booked vessels to pass and to give priority to the ships waiting the longest. The head of the Panama Canal Authority, Ricaurte Vasquez, said the waterway would opt for reducing daily transits if needed, before planning any further cut to authorized vessel draft, which affects shippers the most. PROLONGED DROUGHTVasquez said that even though this drought has not been the most severe Panama has ever seen, it could be very long.

Persons: Aris Martinez, Vasquez, Ricaurte Vasquez, Marianna Parraga, Gary McWilliams, Timothy Gardner Organizations: Monrovia NSU CHALLENGER, REUTERS, Aris, Panama Canal Authority, Thomson Locations: Cocoli, Panama, Panama City, Pacific

Hedge funds and other money managers purchased the equivalent of 98 million barrels of futures and options based on crude over the seven days ending on Sept. 5. Short positions in NYMEX WTI had been reduced to just 30 million barrels on Sept. 5 from 136 million barrels on June 27. In the last 10 shorting cycles, shorts have fallen to an average of 24 million barrels. Following their repeated extension, the cuts are set to remove a total of 245 million barrels by the end of December if implemented in full. Related columns:- Hedge funds buy U.S. crude as stocks fall (September 4, 2023)- Depleting U.S. crude inventories lift oil prices (August 31, 2023)- Prospect of strong El Niño weighs on U.S. gas prices (August 30, 2023)John Kemp is a Reuters market analyst.

Persons: Bing Guan, Brent, NYMEX WTI, Cushing, bullishness, John Kemp, Susan Fenton Organizations: Angeles Refinery, California Air Resources Board, OPEC ⁺, ICE, bearishness, Henry, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Angeles, California, Carson , California, U.S, Saudi Arabia, Brent, WTI, NYMEX, Chartbook, Russia, Saudi, Cushing, Oklahoma

“I would not expect things to slow down anytime soon.”NOAA has been tracking billion-dollar weather disasters in the United States since 1980 and adjusts damage costs for inflation. Political Cartoons View All 1152 Images“Exposure plus vulnerability plus climate change is supercharging more of these into billion-dollar disasters,” Smith said. NOAA added eight new billion-dollar disasters to the list since its last update a month ago. “This year a lot of the action has been across the center states, north central, south and southeastern states,” Smith said. Stanford University climate scientist Chris Field called the trend in billion-dollar disasters “very troubling.”“But there are things we can do to reverse the trend," Field said.

Persons: Adam Smith, ” Smith, “, Smith, ”, Craig Fugate, Katharine Jacobs, Jacobs, Chris Field, Seth Borenstein Organizations: Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, Emergency Management Agency, El Nino, University of Arizona, Stanford University, Twitter, AP Locations: Hawaii, United States, America, California, Midwest, Minnesota, Nebraska , Missouri , Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan , Wisconsin , Ohio , Tennessee, Georgia, Northeast, Pennsylvania, Missouri , Illinois, El

It was the 54th day this year that the official reading at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport made the mark, eclipsing the previous record of 53 days set in 2020. An extreme heat warning remained in effect, with temperatures forecast at 111 F (43.9 C) on Sunday and 106 F (41.1 C) on Monday. The daily average temperature of 97 F (36.1 C) in June, July and August passed the previous record of 96.7 F (35.9 C) set three years ago. In July, Phoenix also set a record with a 31-day streak of highs at or above 110 F (43.3 C). As of Saturday, Phoenix has tallied 104 days this year with temperatures over 100 F (37.7 C), Salerno said.

Persons: Matt Salerno, ”, Salerno, Phoenix Organizations: PHOENIX, Phoenix Sky Harbor, National Weather Service, Phoenix, World Meteorological Organization, El Nino Locations: Phoenix, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, El, Maricopa County

☆ Recent Category 5 hurricanes add to a growing trend powered by warmer oceans
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Rachel Ramirez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

“It is very likely that there are more Category 5 storms now than there were 40 years ago,” Kossin told CNN. Rapid intensification has been happening more and more as storms are approaching landfall, making them harder to prepare for. Hurricane Idalia rapidly intensified by 55 mph in 24 hours before landfall along Florida’s Big Bend as a Category 4 hurricane late last month. “There is little doubt that the exceptionally warm ocean waters we’re seeing have a human fingerprint on them,” Kossin said. “Jova is sitting in the middle of this, and the warm water certainly fueled the rapid intensification,” he added.

Persons: Hurricane Lee, Lee, Kevin Reed, Jim Kossin, ” Kossin, Reed, It’s, ” Reed, Hurricane Idalia, John Kaplan, Jova Organizations: CNN, Hurricane, North Atlantic, Stony Brook, University of Wisconsin, Street Foundation, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration Locations: North, Stony, Madison, Brooklyn, North Pacific

☆ Column: US wind power generation breaks out of summer doldrums
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Gavin Maguire | Thomson Reuters | Gavin Maguire Is The Global Energy Transition Columnist. He Was Previously Asia Commodities | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

REUTERS/Nick Oxford/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLITTLETON, Colorado, Sept 8 (Reuters) - After months of low wind speeds in several key wind farm areas, U.S. wind power generation hit its highest levels in nearly five months in early September as wind speeds picked up. The remaining states recorded an average wind generation drop of 7.1%, which contributed to a 3.1% decline in total national wind generation in the January to May period. The shortfalls in wind power have been evident in the output data of major U.S. power pool markets. Reuters Image Acquire Licensing RightsAs these markets cover over 30 U.S. states as well as the areas with the largest concentrations in wind power generation in the United States, the declines in wind power in these power pools had a direct impact on national level wind output, with knock-on effects for power generation mixes across the country. Similarly, any sustained recoveries in wind power generation totals from these key areas will lead to a commensurate rebound in U.S. power generation totals, and may allow for utilities to pare back use of natural gas and other sources of power to make way for more non-emitting wind power supplies.

Persons: Nick Oxford, Ember, El Nino, Gavin Maguire, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: REUTERS, LSEG, Reuters, Reliability, of Texas, El, Climate Impact, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, U.S, Thomson Locations: Big Spring , Texas, U.S, LITTLETON , Colorado, Texas, Texas , Iowa , Oklahoma , Kansas , Illinois, North Dakota, United States, pare, El Nino

☆ World food price index back at two-year low despite rice surge -FAO
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Megan Varner/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsPARIS, Sept 8 (Reuters) - The United Nations food agency's world price index fell in August to a new two-year low, reversing a rebound seen the previous month, as a decline in most food commodities offset increases for rice and sugar. The Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) price index, which tracks the most globally traded food commodities, averaged 121.4 points in August against a revised 124.0 for the previous month, the agency said on Friday. The July reading was initially given as 123.9 in a rebound from a two-year low in June. The drop in the overall index reflected declines for dairy products, vegetable oils, meat and cereals, despite a jump in FAO's rice benchmark to a 15-year high following Indian export restrictions, the agency said. In contrast, the agency's rice index surged by almost 10% month-on-month as India's decision in July to ban Indica white rice exports disrupted trade at a time of tight availabilities ahead of new-crop harvests, FAO said.

Persons: Megan Varner, Gus Trompiz, Hugh Lawson, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: Community Assistance Center, REUTERS, Rights, United, Agriculture Organization's, FAO, El, European Union, Thomson Locations: Atlanta , Georgia, U.S, United Nations, Ukraine, Oceania, Canada, FAO

☆ Bangladesh’s worst ever dengue outbreak a ‘canary in the coal mine’ for climate crisis, WHO expert warns
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Helen Regan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Dengue-infected people are treated at the Mugda Medical College and Hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on August 7. The global number of dengue cases has already increased eight-fold in the past two decades, according to WHO. As the climate crisis worsens, mosquito-borne diseases like dengue, Zika, chikungunya and yellow fever will likely continue to spread and have an ever greater impact on human health. Mahamud said the climate crisis and this year’s El Nino weather pattern – which brings warmer, wetter weather to parts of the world – are worsening the problem. Calling these outbreaks a “canary in the coalmine of the climate crisis,” Mahamud said “global solidarity” and support is needed to deal with the worsening epidemic.

Persons: Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Tedros, “, ”, Mohammad Ponir Hossain, ” Tedros, ” Kabirul Bashar, Raman Velayudhan, Abdi Mahamud, Mahamud, ” Mahamud Organizations: CNN, World Health Organization, WHO, Mugda Medical College, Hospital, Reuters, Dhaka –, ” WHO, “, South America Locations: Bangladesh, El Nino, Dhaka, Nino, Peru, Florida, Asia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Africa, Chad

☆ Climate change: The world has just experienced the hottest summer on record
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —As heat waves continue to bake parts of the world, scientists are reporting that this blistering, deadly summer was the hottest on record – and by a significant margin. The planet experienced its hottest June on record, followed by the hottest July – both breaking previous records by large margins. August was also the warmest such month on record, according to the new Copernicus data, and warmer than every other month this year except for July. The global average temperature for the month was 16.82 degrees Celsius – 0.31 degrees warmer than the previous record set in 2016. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty ImagesCountries in the Southern Hemisphere have also experienced startlingly warm winters, with well-above average temperatures recorded in Australia, several South American countries and Antarctica.

Persons: Copernicus, It’s, ”, António Guterres, Petteri Taalas, Richard A, Brooks, Patrick T, Fallon, El, Samantha Burgess, CNN Burgess Organizations: CNN, Northern, United Nations, “, World Meteorological Organization, Getty, Southern, North Atlantic Locations: United States, Europe, Japan, Tokyo, AFP, Phoenix , Arizona, Australia, Antarctica, Atlantic, Pacific, Florida

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