[GWSG] Flood ins.; heat & fertility; kelp robots; Indian renewables; looking far forward

[Tilley, Al]

1. The federal government is moving (again) to bring coastal flood insurance rates in line with the risks. Some rates in FL, for example, are expected to increase tenfold eventually. A similar move several years ago was retracted on protests from residents and developers. Rates on existing policies will begin rising in April. Rises are limited to 18% a year. So long as we subsidize the risk of coastal property we will find it difficult to deal with the sea level rise we believe is upon us. Thanks to Ed Brock for the story.  https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/24/climate/federal-flood-insurance-cost.html?action=click&module=Well&pgtype=Homepage&section=Climate%20and%20Environment

2. High temperatures can mean low fertility, for animals, insects, and humans. https://climatecrocks.com/2021/09/26/emerging-impact-global-warming-effect-on-fertility/

3. Startup Phykos proposes to use robotic vessels to tow kelp growing on a sunk rack to deep water where it will be released to sequester carbon. Each of the units can sequester as much carbon in a complete run as 250 trees, and do so more securely and much more quickly. Phykos will make its money by selling carbon offsets. That will have to become direct subsidies if this is not to be just another delaying device. The technology is still in development.  https://www.fastcompany.com/90680321/these-carbon-capturing-robotic-seaweed-farms-are-like-planting-forests-in-the-ocean

4. India has pledged to achieve 40% renewable power capacity by 2030. It now derives 38.5% of capacity from non-fossil fuels. The government believes that it can achieve 66% by 2030, outpacing its earlier pledge. https://www.livemint.com/industry/energy/govt-pulling-out-all-stops-for-150-gw-renewable-energy-capacity-by-2-oct-11632680526167.html
I needed some confirmation for India’s encouraging record and perhaps you do too. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_energy_in_India

5. Twenty years ago climate projections focused on 2100. More recently as the pace of change has quickened we have been more interested in 2030-50, for these are the years when we can still make a difference. Now a large English and Canadian team has looked beyond this century to the worlds we are fashioning for the long term. Their study includes some visualizations. “The Earth of our high-end projections is alien to humans.”  https://theconversation.com/our-climate-projections-for-2500-show-an-earth-that-is-alien-to-humans-167744

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.unf.edu/pipermail/gwsg/attachments/20210927/dc39526c/attachment.htm>