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<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font face="Calibri">1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Extreme precipitation events rose 7% in the latter half of the 20<sup>th</sup> century.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Global warming is the only known cause.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>
</font></font><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/17/science/earth/17extreme.html?emc=tnt&tntemail0=y"><font size="3" face="Calibri">http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/17/science/earth/17extreme.html?emc=tnt&tntemail0=y</font></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font size="3" face="Calibri">
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<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Calibri">2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Since 1980 extreme floods have tripled and extreme wind nearly so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Insurance companies, engineers, and architects are working to keep up with the weather.
</font><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/13/weekinreview/13rosenthal.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail0=y"><font size="3" face="Calibri">http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/13/weekinreview/13rosenthal.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail0=y</font></a></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><font size="3" face="Calibri"> </font></o:p></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font face="Calibri">3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>We might have more rational planning for climate change if we framed it as an insurance problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>We should mitigate and adapt as catastrophe insurance, even if we cannot be certain about the future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span></font></font><a href="http://www.grist.org/article/2011-02-15-government-insurance-should-insure-against-climate-change"><font size="3" face="Calibri">http://www.grist.org/article/2011-02-15-government-insurance-should-insure-against-climate-change</font></a><font size="3"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>What we should not do, but are doing in Florida, is to pass the cost of building in coastal areas on to the general population through their auto and home insurance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>That just encourages people to live where they should not and prevents effective adaptation preparation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>See pages 19 and 20 of the linked report.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Citizens Insurance, a Florida state entity and the largest insurer in the state, plans to pass along 45% of the costs of a large storm this year to non-policy holders through a per-account assessment (page 23).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>The person with a Subaru will pay as much as one with a Mercedes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Thanks to Don Lohman for finding this report.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></font></font><a href="https://www.citizensfla.com/shared/documents/HouseInsuranceAndBankingCommittee_01-12-2011.pdf"><font size="3" face="Calibri">https://www.citizensfla.com/shared/documents/HouseInsuranceAndBankingCommittee_01-12-2011.pdf</font></a></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><font size="3" face="Calibri"> </font></o:p></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font face="Calibri">4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>An abrupt cessation of aerosols would cause up to .9° C of warming, according to an article in
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Nature Climate Change</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span></font></font><a href="http://www.nature.com/nclimate/2011/110215/full/nclimate1044.html"><font size="3" face="Calibri">http://www.nature.com/nclimate/2011/110215/full/nclimate1044.html</font></a></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><font size="3" face="Calibri"> </font></o:p></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font face="Calibri">5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>The world added about 16 gigawatts of solar power in 2010, double the 2009 figure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Europe dominated in additions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Solar power costs have fallen by half in the last 3 years.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></font></font><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/14/us-energy-solar-idUSTRE71D4WJ20110214?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2Fenvironment+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Environment%29"><font size="3" face="Calibri">http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/14/us-energy-solar-idUSTRE71D4WJ20110214?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2Fenvironment+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Environment%29</font></a><font size="3"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Global wind energy increased 22%<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(35.8 gigawatts) last year, with Asia leading in growth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>New US installations dropped 50%.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>
Installed world wind capacity is now 194.4 gigawatts. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span></font></font><a href="http://www.gwec.net/index.php?id=30&no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5btt_news%5d=279&tx_ttnews%5bbackPid%5d=4&cHash=ada99bb3b6"><font color="#0000ff" size="3" face="Calibri">http://www.gwec.net/index.php?id=30&no_cache=1&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=279&tx_ttnews[backPid]=4&cHash=ada99bb3b6</font></a><font size="3"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>European offshore wind experienced record growth last year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span></font></font><a href="http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2011/02/wind-power-market-statistics??cmpid=WNL-Wednesday-February16-2011"><font size="3" face="Calibri">http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2011/02/wind-power-market-statistics??cmpid=WNL-Wednesday-February16-2011</font></a></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><font size="3" face="Calibri"> </font></o:p></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font face="Calibri">6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>US greenhouse gas emissions dropped 6% last year, thanks largely to the recession.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>We are now down to 7.4% over the 1990 level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span></font></font><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/17/science/earth/17emit.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail0=y"><font size="3" face="Calibri">http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/17/science/earth/17emit.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail0=y</font></a></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><font size="3" face="Calibri"> </font></o:p></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font face="Calibri">7.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Stephen Mulkey has set up a blog on climate for his students and for the general public.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>It is a sound and interestingly written source of information, and if you take a look you will probably have it on your favorites list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span></font></font><a href="http://intermountainclimate.wordpress.com/"><font size="3" face="Calibri">http://intermountainclimate.wordpress.com/</font></a></p>
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