[GWSG] Wildfires up; in CA and OR; prevent fires!; CH4 up; Heat X; water cyclex2; stability hastens; benefit of war

[Tilley, Al]

1. Wildfires are expected to increase 14% by 2030, 30% by 2050, and 50% by 2100. Wildfires are defined as “unusual free-burning vegetation fires that pose a risk (to) society, the economy or environment.” Countermeasures include controlled burning, firebreaks, grazing to remove ground vegetation, and restored wetlands.  https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/feb/23/climate-crisis-driving-increase-in-wildfires-across-globe-says-report-aoe

2. Human activity has increased the likelihood of weather conducive to wildfires on the US West Coast. “We found that when CO2 and aerosols from human activity were included, the chance of extreme conditions was 40% higher in those areas of California and Oregon where recent autumn fires have occurred. The jump was mainly because of an increase in temperature and fuel aridity and not an increase in wind speeds. In fact, we found anthropogenic climate change slightly decreased the frequency of strong, dry, offshore winds."  https://phys.org/news/2022-02-likelihood-extreme-autumn-weather.html

3. The UN warned that even our best efforts to control emissions will not protect us from a “dramatic surge” in wildfire conditions for the rest of the century. The fires themselves contribute to emissions and make further fires more likely. We are putting resources into managing fires when they start which would be better employed in preventing and reducing the fires.  https://phys.org/news/2022-02-world-brace-extreme-wildfires.html

4. The International Energy Agency reports that methane emissions from the energy sector were 70% higher than official estimates. China and India emit the most methane; Russia and the US are next.  https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/energy-sector-methane-emissions-70-higher-than-official-figures-iea-2022-02-23/?utm_campaign=Carbon%20Brief%20Daily%20Briefing&utm_content=20220223&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Revue%20Daily

5. Heat X in Detroit, MI, has prototypes of heaters using magnetic technology with common and non-toxic materials. Their water heater has passed the Underwriters Lab field evaluation for safety and manufacturability. As Heat X’s applications for cooking and for home and car heating produce heat with far less energy than conventional electric tech, they promise to increase energy efficiency remarkably and so to impact carbon emissions and aid the energy transition. https://climatecrocks.com/2022/02/23/is-this-heating-device-a-game-changer/

6. The climate crisis has at least doubled the estimates of the increase in the water cycle which sends fresh water to the poles, drawing it from the subtropics.  https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/feb/24/climate-change-is-intensifying-earths-water-cycle-at-twice-the-predicted-rate-research-shows

7. Last year’s IPCC report concluded that if we were successful in halting greenhouse gas emissions, heating would continue globally for only 3-5 years before stabilizing. The new and more hopeful estimate was given too little attention, in the opinion of the three scientists who wrote the linked article, so here it is again. Good news is worth repeating. https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2022/02/23/warming-timeline-carbon-budget-climate-science/?utm_campaign=Daily%20Briefing&utm_content=20220224&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Revue%20newsletter

8. No one who has experienced war would celebrate one. It does appear, though, that Putin’s invasion of Ukraine may serve to support the energy transition by causing difficulties for the gas and oil industry. The price of gas and oil will rise yet further than it already has, here and abroad, making renewables an ever better deal.  https://climatecrocks.com/2022/02/23/putins-carbon-tax-war-pushes-europe-and-us-to-faster-renewable-transition/

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