Arguments
2017 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #19
Posted on 13 May 2017 by John Hartz
A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook page during the past week.
Editor's Pick
Global Climate Policy in an Uncertain State of Flux
What would happen if the US leaves the Paris agreement? It would be a big blow to global cooperation, especially since the US is the top emitter after China, and is also by far a bigger emitter per capita than China and most other countries. Credit: Bigstock.
It was thus heartening that US citizens are protesting against their government’s climate change policies.
It is also important for people and governments in the rest of the world to strengthen their resolve to fight climate change, rather than to relax now that the US leadership is refusing to do its part.
The best solution would be for the US to remain in the Paris agreement, and go along with other countries to meet and improve on their pledges and enable international cooperation to thrive.
That is not going to happen. So we may have to wait at least four years before another US administration rejoins the rest of the world to tackle climate change. Let’s hope it will not be really too late by then to save the world.
Global Climate Policy in an Uncertain State of Flux by Martin Khor, Inter Press Service (IPS), May 8, 2017
Links posted on Facebook
Sun May 7, 2017
- Here is how global warming could spell an end to the clash of the ash by Paul Melia, New Irish News, May 6, 2017
- Cities best armed to fight climate change - U.N. climate chief by Astrid Zweynert, Thomson Reuters Foundation, May 4, 2017
- Extreme Weather Flooding the Midwest Looks a Lot Like Climate Change by Phil McKenna, InsideClimate News, May 6, 2017
- Arctic Sea Ice Keeps Scraping the Bottom of the Barrel by Brian Kahn, Cimate Central. May 3, 2017
- Fossil fuel giants poured millions into Trump’s inauguration. Now it’s paying off. by Rachel Wilson, Center for Public integrity/Grist, May 2, 2017
- What happens when scientists stand up for science by Brian Martin, The Conversation AU, May 5, 2017
- Mississippi River cresting in flood-hit Illinois, southern Missouri by Eric Levenson, CNN, May 7, 2017
- River constriction and wetter climate leave area vulnerable to more frequent major floods by Bryce Gray, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 6, 2017
Mon May 8, 2017
- Amazon rainforest faces double jeopardy by Tim Radford, Climate News Network, May 6, 2017
- The Jersey Shore Would Rather Fight Flooding With Walls Than Retreat by Christopher Flavelle, Bloomberg Businessweek, May 4, 2017
- Oil company Santos admits business plan is based on 4C temperature rise by Helen Davidson, Climate Change, Guardian, May 4, 2017
- Investors worth $20 trillion call for climate change action by Mathew Dunckley, Sydney Morning Herald, May 8, 2017
- Can the US legally weaken its Paris Agreement climate pledge?, Guest Post by Jonathan Church, Carbon Brief, May 8, 2017
- EPA dismisses half of key board’s scientific advisers; Interior suspends more than 200 advisory panels by Juliet Eilperin & Brady Dennis, Energy & Environment, Washington Post, May 8, 2017
- Study: to beat science denial, inoculate against misinformers' tricks by Dana Nuccitelli, Climate Consensus - the 97%, Guardian, May 8, 2017
- Trump shadow hangs over climate talks opening by Matt McGrath, Science & Environment, BBC News, May 8, 2017
Tue May 9, 2017
- Cyclone Donna strongest May cyclone to hit Southern Hemisphere, Newshub (NZ), May 8, 2017
- Inequality is Toxic: How Economic and Social Disparities Drive Climate Change by Susan Holmberg, Roosevelt Institute, May 8, 2017
- Planet could breach 1.5C warming limit within 10 years, but be aware of caveats by Graham Readfearn, Planet Oz, Guardian, May 8, 2017
- Global Climate Talks Start with Tiny U.S. Delegation. Here’s What to Watch by Zahra Hirji, InsideClimate News, May 9, 2017
- China warns Trump: leaving Paris accord risks bad deals at G7, G20 by Karl Mathiesen, Climate Home, May 9, 2017
- Emmanuel Macron tells Donald Trump he'll defend 'important' Paris climate change deal, ABC News (AU), May 8, 2017
- Trump Misled Americans by Making False Claims About Paris Climate Agreement by Vanessa Schipani, Alternet/FactCheck.org, May 9, 2017
- Trump will punt decision on the Paris climate agreement until after the G7, Spicer says by Chris Mooney, Energy & Environment, Washington Post, May 9, 2017
Wed May 10, 2017
- Wild Weather and Climate Change: Scientists Are Unraveling the Links by Nicola Jones, Yale Environment 360, May 9, 2017
- ‘We all knew this was coming’: Alaska’s thawing soils are now pouring carbon dioxide into the air by Chris Mooney, Energy & Environment, Washington Post, May 8, 2017
- Arctic Nations to Meet Amid Unsettled U.S. Stance on Climate Change by Henry Fountain, New York Times, May 9, 2017
- Earth could break through a major climate threshold in the next 15 years, scientists warn by Chelsea Harvey, Energy & Environment, Washington Post, May 9, 2017
- Ocean oxygen decline greater than predicted by Tim Radford, Climate News Network, May 10, 2017
- Historic flooding in Quebec probably linked to climate change: experts by Michelle Lalonde, Montreal Gazette, May 9, 2017
- G7 seen urging Trump to stick with climate pact at summit by Alister Doyle & John Irish, Reuters, May 10, 2017
- Can coastal cities innovate their way out of sea level rise? by Ineke Mules, Deutsche Welle (DW), May 9, 2017
Thu May 11, 2017
- Are methane seeps in the Arctic slowing global warming? by Randall Hyman, Science (AAAS), May 8, 2017
- Arctic Nations May Confront U.S. on Climate Change by Margaret Kriz Hobson, ClimateWire/Scientific American, May 10, 2017
- Explainer: Dealing with the ‘loss and damage’ caused by climate change, Multiple Authors, Carbon Brief, May 9, 2017
- SkS Analogy 3 - The Greenhouse Effect is Like a Cloudy Night by Evan, Skeptical Science, May 9, 2017
- US Glacier national park losing its glaciers with just 26 of 150 left by Oliver Milman, Guardian, May 11, 2017
- The Doomsday Glacier by Jeff Goddell, Rolling Stone, May 9, 2017
- California set an ambitious goal for fighting global warming. Now comes the hard part by Chris Megerian, Los Angeles Times, May 11, 2017
Fri May 12, 2017
- Deciding Arctic future in Fairbanks and Bonn, Ice-Blog, Deutsche Welle (DW), May 11, 2017
- California set an ambitious goal for fighting global warming. Now comes the hard part by Chris Megerian, Los Angeles Times, May 11, 2017
- A Parable From Down Under for U.S. Climate Scientists by Justin Gillis, Climate, New York Times, May 8, 2017
- What Does Statistically Significant Actually Mean? by Dikran Marsupial, Skeptical Scince, May 10, 2017
- Finland voices concern over US and Russian climate change doubters by Patrick Wintour, Arctic, Guardian, May 11, 2017
- US signs international declaration on climate change despite Trump's past statements, by Connor Ginnegan, ABC News (US), May 11, 2016
- More errors identified in contrarian climate scientists' temperature estimates by John Abraham, Climate Consensus - the 97%, Guardian, May 11, 2017
- Did Global Warming Really ‘Pause’ During the 2000s? by Robinson Meyer, The Atlantic, May 12, 2017
Sat May 13, 2017
- Renewable hydrogen could fuel Australia's next export boom after CSIRO breakthrough by Rebecca Turner, ABC News (AU), May 11, 2017
- Bannon is pulling one over on Trump. There is zero reason to exit the Paris climate accord. by David Roberts, Energy & Environment, Vox, May 8, 2017
- Irreversible ocean warming threatens the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf, Phys.org, May 11, 2017
- Citizens’ Climate Lobby - Pushing for a price on carbon globally by BaerbelW, Skeptical Science, May 12, 2017
- Global Climate Policy in an Uncertain State of Flux by Martin Khor, Inter Press Service (IPS), May 8, 2017
- EU and China to hold summit on June 2, focus on climate by Robin Emmott & Alissa de Carbonnel, Reuters, May 12, 2017
- The Media Is Failing Miserably to Challenge Trump on Climate Change by Emily Atkin, New Republic, May 11, 2017
- Coffee's Fate Is Getting Jittery as Climate Change Puts Growing Areas at Risk by Georgina Gustin, InsideClimate News, May 12, 2017
The 'leadership of the moment' in the USA deliberately trying to gain competitive economic advantages by acting less responsibly needs to be addressed.
It is established international policy that when the leadership of a region is failing to act responsibly the international community collectively strives to Correct the Behaviour or Minimize the Damage done, including efforts to unseat the damaging undeserving leadership.
In this case, a deliberate desire by the 'leaders of the moment' in the USA to try to Win by getting away with behaving less responsibly should be addressed by carefully targeted trade sanctions (surgically impacting the wealthy people hoping to gain most by the attempt to be less responsible). This approach has been applied to North Korea and many other nations. It now appears to be required regarding the current irreponsible and damaging leadership of the USA and its intensely negative action plans.
All kinds of riches in those links. Of particular interest were updates on the state of methane. I didn't know Arctic methane seeps could have anything to do with slowing emissions. Weird!
Also Antarctica, where there's always room to increase my knowledge.