[GWSG] Heating oceans; Faustian aerosols; Exxon's double-vision; COP28 chaired by oilman; Nevada outlaws grass; trees over the lawn

[Tilley, Al]

1. About 90% of the excess heat from burning fossil fuels goes to the oceans, which hit record high temperatures last year. The land was shielded from that part of the heat, but in the oceans it generated “huge, long-lasting marine heatwaves that are already having devastating effects on underwater life.” https://phys.org/news/2023-01-scientists-alarm-ocean-temperatures.html



2. As we burn less fossil fuels (particularly coal) we lift less aerosols into the atmosphere, and they cease shielding us in what James Hansen calls our Faustian bargain. The hidden cost of the bargain is beginning to fall due, and his forecast for 2024 is 1.4-1.5 C of warming. https://mailchi.mp/caa/global-temperature-in-2022?e=6b45dc359d



3. Oil companies have known that they were impairing the climate since the 1950s and began organizing actions to prevent any interference with their operations. By the 1970s Exxon had accurate forecasts of carbon emissions and the rising global heat. An article in Science finds that Exxon’s analyses were at least as scientifically adept as any by academics or government scientists while the corporation worked to undermine the findings and their implications.  https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/jan/12/exxon-climate-change-global-warming-research



4. The United Arab Emirate, host of this November’s COP28, has named Sultan Al Jaber, CEO of the state oil company, to head the summit. https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/12/world/cop28-uae-sultan-al-jaber-president-climate-intl/index.html



5. Nevada is the first state to outlaw “nonfunctional” grass in such areas in the Las Vegas vicinity as office parks and street medians. The intent is to conserve water.  https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/drought-stricken-nevada-enacts-ban-on-non-functional-grass



6.  Replacing lawn grass with plants such as peanuts and ornamental sweet potatoes can save the water that might have gone to sprinkle the lawn and avoid the emissions which come with fertilizer and power lawnmowers. Adding shrubs and trees will sequester carbon and cool your property as well. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jan/13/time-to-branch-out-trees-put-lawns-in-the-shade-when-it-comes-to-tackling-climate-crisis?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

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