[GWSG] Back to the Eocene; Pacific uncertainty; LA plan; climate emergency declarations; renewables dominate

Tue Apr 30 09:44:50 EDT 2019

1. Atmospheric chemist James Anderson, who contributed to the project of coping with the ozone hole, urges scientists to take public action in the climate crisis and universities to divest from fossil fuels. He warns that we are rapidly pushing the earth back toward the Eocene 33 million years ago, when there was no ice at either pole. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/2018/01/15/carbon-pollution-has-shoved-the-climate-backward-at-least-12-million-years-harvard-scientist-says/?fbclid=IwAR2SSW4pY3TfK7xwEaBcdopuaWZozo5fPQVALmirsXgR7boieobc9HZVz14#5530ddf1963e
[https://thumbor.forbes.com/thumbor/600x315/https%3A//blogs-images.forbes.com/thumbnails/blog_1405/pt_1405_9505_o.jpg%3Ft%3D1515992463]<https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/2018/01/15/carbon-pollution-has-shoved-the-climate-backward-at-least-12-million-years-harvard-scientist-says/?fbclid=IwAR2SSW4pY3TfK7xwEaBcdopuaWZozo5fPQVALmirsXgR7boieobc9HZVz14#5530ddf1963e>

We Have Five Years To Save Ourselves From Climate Change, Harvard Scientist Says<https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/2018/01/15/carbon-pollution-has-shoved-the-climate-backward-at-least-12-million-years-harvard-scientist-says/?fbclid=IwAR2SSW4pY3TfK7xwEaBcdopuaWZozo5fPQVALmirsXgR7boieobc9HZVz14#5530ddf1963e>
www.forbes.com
The level of carbon now in the atmosphere hasn't been seen in 12 million years, a Harvard scientist said in Chicago Thursday, and this pollution is rapidly pushing the climate back to its state in the Eocene Epoch, more than 33 million years ago, when there was no ice on either pole.

2. The uncertainly in predicting near-term global surface temperatures arises from an intrinsic variability in Pacific Ocean currents. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-09761-2
[https://media.springernature.com/m685/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1038/s41467-019-09761-2/MediaObjects/41467_2019_9761_Fig1_HTML.png]<https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-09761-2>

Uncertainty in near-term global surface warming linked to tropical Pacific climate variability | Nature Communications<https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-09761-2>
www.nature.com
The tropical Pacific covers a vast area, ~10%, of the Earth’s surface and is subject to intense ocean-atmosphere exchanges of momentum, heat, and moisture, thus playing a vital role in ...

3. Los Angeles has released an ambitious climate plan which features 55% renewable energy by 2025 and 100% by 2045. They plan to eliminate emissions from buildings by 2050. The plan features attention to environmental justice with health and jobs programs.  https://www.fastcompany.com/90340978/los-angeles-just-announced-its-own-green-new-deal-to-drastically-slash-emissions
[https://images.fastcompany.net/image/upload/w_1280,f_auto,q_auto,fl_lossy/wp-cms/uploads/2019/04/p-1-90340978-laand8217s-green-new-deal.jpg]<https://www.fastcompany.com/90340978/los-angeles-just-announced-its-own-green-new-deal-to-drastically-slash-emissions>

Los Angeles announces its new climate plan - fastcompany.com<https://www.fastcompany.com/90340978/los-angeles-just-announced-its-own-green-new-deal-to-drastically-slash-emissions>
www.fastcompany.com
While Congress talks about the Green New Deal, a version of it is already underway in L.A. The city may be known for its gridlock and smog, but it also has an ambitious plan to transform itself to ...

The LA Times provides further details, including the difficulties which lie in the way of implementing the plan. https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-garcetti-green-new-deal-los-angeles-20190429-story.html
[https://www.latimes.com/resizer/QiBEIuqlcmRYo3rIWaX96Ihg3yY=/1200x0/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tronc.s3.amazonaws.com/public/NX5PDBWH4FA63J5DOCGS7F6I7U.jpg]<https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-garcetti-green-new-deal-los-angeles-20190429-story.html>

L.A. Mayor Garcetti’s ‘Green New Deal’ would phase out gas-fueled cars - Los Angeles Times<https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-garcetti-green-new-deal-los-angeles-20190429-story.html>
www.latimes.com
Mayor Eric Garcetti's new sustainability plan imagines a Los Angeles where, by the mid-2030s, 80% of the cars run on electricity or zero-emission fuel.

4. Greenpeace in the UK has released its climate plan along with a survey indicating two-thirds of Britons consider us to be in a planetary climate emergency. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/apr/30/two-thirds-of-britons-agree-planet-is-in-a-climate-emergency
[https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/4249a65a14c4a96022902b2dce5df93f26ad3f86/129_0_4933_2960/master/4933.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctZGVmYXVsdC5wbmc&s=d119ee30704322b2ab1f89bae0d1f0df]<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/apr/30/two-thirds-of-britons-agree-planet-is-in-a-climate-emergency>

Two-thirds of Britons agree planet is in a climate emergency | Environment | The Guardian<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/apr/30/two-thirds-of-britons-agree-planet-is-in-a-climate-emergency>
www.theguardian.com
Two thirds of people in the UK recognise that there is a climate emergency and 76% say that they would cast their vote differently to protect the planet.

Scotland’s First Minister has declared that a climate emergency exists. She was inspired by meeting with student strikers. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-48077802
The Welsh government has also declared a climate emergency. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-48093720
[https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_news/944E/production/_106566973_climate2.jpg]<https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-48093720>

'Climate emergency' declared by Welsh Government - BBC News<https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-48093720>
www.bbc.com
A "climate emergency" has been declared in Wales following protests demanding politicians take action on climate change. The Welsh Government's Lesley Griffiths said she hoped the declaration ...

5. Climate News recaps the growing dominance of renewables in the energy market. https://mailchi.mp/climatenewsnetwork/fossil-fuels-outbid-by-renewable-revolution?e=ea792e87f2

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