Climate scientists say the magnitude and rate of sea ice loss this century is unprecedented in 1,500 years and issue a warning on the impacts of a changing climate.
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Here’s what’s at stake for the 21 kids suing the Trump administration over climate change
Arguments before the Ninth Circuit will decide whether the case goes to trial.
On Monday (Dec 11), a group of 21 youth plaintiffs currently suing the federal government over climate change will go before a federal court to argue that their case — which legal experts have classified as a groundbreaking piece of climate litigation — should be allowed to proceed to trial.
On the other side of the court will be lawyers for the Trump administration, who will argue that the mere process of preparing for trial — sifting through decades of government documents and communication with fossil fuel companies, among other things — would constitute an overwhelming burden.
Ultimately, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals will decide whether the case can move forward to trial — a decision that could shape the future of climate litigation for years to come.
Here’s what’s at stake for the 21 kids suing the Trump administration over climate change by Natasha Geiling, Think Progress, Dec 11, 2017
Also see:
In Kids’ Climate Lawsuit, Judges Question Government Effort to Get Case Dismissed by Nicholas Kusnetz, InsideClimate News, Dec 11, 2017
Though the Trump White House ignores climate change, the rest of the world isn’t neglecting the doomsday issue. A top-level gathering of global leaders in Paris is pushing ahead with plans to cool temperatures and shift economies at a hurry-up pace.
The meeting amounted to a two-fold jab at the White House. Everyone else is on board with an ambitious bid to cut weather-disrupting temperatures and switching to clean fuels. And, by the way, Trump is standing far outside the global mainstream on a turning point issue. To rub it in, France’s president and host adopted a not-so-subtle slogan: “Make Our Planet Great Again.”
For the record, the White House wasn’t invited. That rebuke was earned by the president’s decision to drop out of an international agreement reached in Paris two years ago to set goals and find the money to reduce the undeniable harm of rising atmospheric temperatures.
A global push on climate change thrives without Trump, Editorial Board Opinion, San Francisco Chronicle, Dec 15, 2017
As the world warms, the overall area of North America covered by snow is decreasing. One reason is because an increasing percentage of winter precipitation is falling as rain instead of snow in many locations. A Climate Central report found that between sea level and 5,000 feet in elevation across the Western U.S., a smaller percentage of winter precipitation is falling as snow.
However, the relationship is more complex at each local level. Rising temperatures can cause some individual storms to produce more snow, where temperatures are still well enough below freezing. That’s because for every 1°F rise in temperature, the atmosphere can hold 4 percent more water vapor. In turn, more water is available to fall as snow or rain.
North American Snow Cover on the Decline, Climate Central, Dec 13, 2017
Macron awards US scientists grants to move to France in defiance of Trump, AP/Guardian, Dec 11, 2017
In May 2000 all of the world's science academies created the IAC to mobilize the best scientists and engineers worldwide to provide high quality advice to international bodies - such as the United Nations and the World Bank - as well as to other institutions.
In a world where science and technology are fundamental to many critical issues - ranging from climate change and genetically modified organisms to the crucial challenge of achieving sustainability - making wise policy decisions has become increasingly dependent on good scientific advice.
The IAC is client-driven and works on a project-by-project basis. It has developed mechanisms and procedures to guarantee the scientific quality of its reports, the policy-relevance of its recommendations and the absence of regional or national bias. The IAC collaborates closely with the IAP - the global network of science academies, the InterAcademy Medical Panel, the International Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences, and the International Council for Science. The IAC Secretariat is hosted by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Arctic Report Card: Lowest Sea Ice on Record, 2nd Warmest Year
Climate scientists say the magnitude and rate of sea ice loss this century is unprecedented in 1,500 years and issue a warning on the impacts of a changing climate.
The Arctic experienced its second-warmest year on record in 2017, behind only 2016, and not even a cooler summer and fall could help the sea ice rebound, according to the latest Arctic Report Card.
"This year's observations confirm that the Arctic shows no signs of returning to the reliably frozen state that it was in just a decade ago," said Jeremy Mathis, director of the Arctic program at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which publishes the annual scientific assessment.
"These changes will impact all of our lives," Mathis said. "They will mean living with more extreme weather events, paying higher food prices and dealing with the impacts of climate refugees.
Arctic Report Card: Lowest Sea Ice on Record, 2nd Warmest Year by Sabrina Shankman, InsideClimate News, Dec 12, 2017
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