[GWSG] Sensitivity varies; mindful action; farmers ask for deal; toothless dimming; health costs; women lead better; Thunberg at the House

[Tilley, Al]

1. Climate sensitivity is the global heating associated with a given increase of CO2. A study of heating 50 million years ago indicates that the sensitivity increased markedly as the CO2 levels rose instead of holding steady as we had supposed. (The cause seems to lie in changes in cloud formation.) We may be in for more heat than the models have suggested. https://phys.org/news/2019-09-ancient-climate-future.html?utm_source=nwletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-nwletter

2. Climate action needs to be taken carefully so that people understand what is being done and why, and so that they consent (on the whole). On the one hand we are threatened by a timidity which will do too little too late, and on the other a clumsiness or unfairness which will doom the action. https://theconversation.com/why-our-response-to-climate-change-needs-to-be-a-just-and-careful-revolution-that-limits-pushback-123588

3. A coalition of nearly 10,000 farmers and ranchers have called on congress to support the green new deal.  https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/09/18/watch-coalition-10000-farmers-and-ranchers-call-congress-pass-green-new-deal

4. Aerosols from burning fossil fuels have been responsible for masking heat. We had been concerned that this global dimming would cease a few days after we ceased to burn fossil fuels and that we would see a heat spike. A new study shows that we need not fear. The cessation of fossil fuel burning would not be immediate even with energetic emissions control. We do need to look at regional impact, such as in south-east Asia. https://www.carbonbrief.org/cutting-air-pollution-would-not-cause-near-term-spike-in-global-warming?utm_campaign=Carbon%20Brief%20Daily%20Briefing&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Revue%20newsletter

5. Climate-related health costs added 26% to the national medical bill in 2012. Health costs are not included in estimates of climate costs, but should be. https://phys.org/news/2019-09-tallies-huge-hidden-health-climate.html

6.  An Australian study found that the strength of a country’s climate action correlates with the proportion of women in national elected leadership. https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/2019/09/countries-with-more-female-politicians-pass-more-ambitious-climate-policies-study-suggests/

7. In the first clip Greta Thunberg, speaking at the House of Representatives, delivers her testimony on climate in less than a minute. Later she detects Rep. Garret Graves attempting to trap her in Republican rhetoric. She dismantles the cage. I do not know whether her gender gave her an edge, but she has it. Tomorrow’s global climate strike began with her alone outside her school on Fridays.  https://mashable.com/article/greta-thunberg-house-of-representatives-hearing/

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