[GWSG] Tree loss; Germany's heroic plan; Sydney under water; India threatened; Miami's stiff upper lip; Toxic Tides; scientists on AR6

[Tilley, Al]

1. Since 2000, the world has lost about 10% of its tree cover. The carbon released is much larger than had been estimated. Carbon emissions from deforestation have doubled in the last 20 years; they were expected to decrease slightly.  https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/feb/28/deforestation-emissions-far-higher-than-previously-thought-study-finds-aoe

2. Germany is taking steps toward aligning their energy policies with the path to 1.5C of heating. The move would increase energy targets and produce nearly 100% renewable energy by 2035. This is not yet even pending legislation, but it indicates at least a belief that the target is attainable and an intent of the Economy and Climate Minister Robert Habeck to move toward it. “The most important step would be to curb our gas-hunger. We will very soon present a gas-reduction plan, in order to reduce our vulnerability,” Habeck said.  https://www.cleanenergywire.org/news/germany-aims-100-green-power-2035-will-present-gas-reduction-plan?utm_campaign=Daily%20Briefing&utm_content=20220301&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Revue%20newsletter

3. The area of Sydney, Australia, along with much of the rest of the northern part of the country, has been hit by persistent flooding. The insurance premiums have become so steep that the government has instituted its own reinsurance program, which will shift the risk load to the population in general, much as Florida has done with the state-managed Citizens Property Insurance. Tom Davies, a leading industry consultant, said “As the climate changes, and the weather becomes more extreme, I think we’ll have to accept that in some places you just can’t treat the risk. We’ll have to retreat.” https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/mar/02/lismore-businesses-that-couldnt-afford-insurance-premiums-face-huge-flood-damage-bills

4. The Indian Express observes that the IPCC’s AR6 (Assessment Report 6) part 2 implies that large portions of India could become unlivable, depending on whether emissions are controlled. https://indianexpress.com/article/india/heat-humidity-sea-rise-to-make-india-uninhabitable-if-emissions-not-cut-7795338/

5. The Miami Herald records reaction to observations in the AR6 part 2 that Florida is an example of maladaptation, and that we should face a likely retreat from coastal areas. The reaction is chin up, but something of a straddle. The state is putting nothing into reducing emissions; in Jacksonville, it is a forbidden topic among city authorities, who are still bent on subsidizing development of our flood plains. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/article258869528.html

6. UCLA’s Laura Cushing observes that as the sea rises it will carry with it new pollution. “There are refineries, sewage treatment plants, power plants, legacy hazardous waste sites, Superfund sites, cleanup sites.” She is working on the Toxic Tides project to map hazardous facilities and to provide census information on areas likely to flood. Her comments apply to most developed coastal areas, and her project should be widely mirrored as part of comprehensive planning. https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2022/03/sea-level-rise-could-bring-toxic-floods-to-california-coast/

7. Leading scientists recount what they consider the key insights of the IPCC’s AR6 part 2. Their brief reactions are surprisingly varied, reflecting their complementary interests.  https://www.carbonbrief.org/scientists-react-what-are-the-key-new-insights-from-the-ipccs-wg2-report?utm_campaign=Daily%20Briefing&utm_content=20220302&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Revue%20newsletter

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.unf.edu/pipermail/gwsg/attachments/20220302/a355fdef/attachment.htm>