[GWSG] C sensitivity; banning i.c. cars; personal geothermal; legal issues of slr; smart Roman concrete; flood forecast; our hotter future

[Tilley, Al]

1.  A new analysis of the sensitivity of the climate to a doubling of the CO2 level indicates that we could be in for more warming than we had supposed.  The study included slow warming patterns not apparent in short-term historical records.  https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jul/05/hopes-of-mild-climate-change-dashed-by-new-research



2.  France plans to end the sale of gasoline and diesel autos by 2040.  Other countries, such as Holland, Germany (at least in some regions), and India are discussing earlier bans of internal combusion autos.  https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/jul/06/france-ban-petrol-diesel-cars-2040-emmanuel-macron-volvo



3.  Alphabet, Google's parent company, is launching Dandelion to develop geothermal energy units for homeowners.  While the initial installation cost of the units is high, the free power thereafter renders the cost per kilowatt hour lower than most other renewable sources.  http://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-geothermal-energy-google-2017-7



4.  The Florida Bar Journal discusses the legal issues surrounding sea level rise.  Does the state have responsibility for losses to coastal property?  What are the inland area's counties obligations to threatened or destabilized coastal communities?  How might coastal communities fund adaptation?  Next year's Constitution Revision Commission might address the problems.  Thanks to Jack Bizot for the article.  https://www.floridabar.org/news/tfb-journal/?durl=%2Fdivcom%2Fjn%2Fjnjournal01.nsf%2F8c9f13012b96736985256aa900624829%2Fb453243354a7b7688525814b00549bc0



5.  The Romans made concrete without rebar and without high processing temperatures.  Exposed to seawater, it got harder with time.  If we emulated them we might avoid some of the 5% of greenhouse gas emissions now contributed by producing Portland cement.  https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/jul/04/why-roman-concrete-still-stands-strong-while-modern-version-decays



6.  A new study anticipates a growing incidence of extreme flooding events along the coasts.  https://phys.org/news/2017-07-likelihood-extreme-sea.html



7.  The earth is already committed to a hotter future, and we need to anticipate life under those conditions even as we strive to reduce emissions.  https://theconversation.com/if-we-stopped-emitting-greenhouse-gases-right-now-would-we-stop-climate-change-78882?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=The%20Weekend%20Conversation%20-%2078006183&utm_content=The%20Weekend%20Conversation%20-%2078006183+CID_97830471a913c4c8133738cd83300691&utm_source=campaign_monitor_us&utm_term=If%20we%20stopped%20emitting%20greenhouse%20gases%20right%20now%20would%20we%20stop%20climate%20change  ?

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