2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #48
A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the
Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Nov 26, 2023 thru Dec 2, 2023.
Story of the Week
CO2 readings from Mauna Loa show failure to combat climate change
Daily atmospheric carbon dioxide data from Hawaiian volcano more than double last decade’s annual average
Just above this column on the weather page of the Guardian’s print edition is the daily atmospheric carbon dioxide readings from Mauna Loa in Hawaii, the acid test of how the world is succeeding in combating climate change. A week before the 28th annual meeting of the United Nations Framework Climate Change Convention opens in oil-rich Dubai, it makes depressing reading.
At the time of writing it is 422.36 parts per million. That is 5.06ppm more than the same day last year. That rise in 12 months is probably the largest ever recorded – more than double the last decade’s annual average.
To give some perspective, exactly a decade ago the concentration was 395.64ppm. Then the scientific community worried about the effect on the weather if we were to pass the 400 mark. Now we know: the result is catastrophic heatwaves, storms, droughts, floods and rapidly increasing and unstoppable sea level rise.
The figures underline the fact that after 27 annual meetings of the convention, all the efforts of nearly 200 member states to tackle the menace of the climate crisis have been a failure, so far. The situation continues to get worse ever more rapidly. There is no sign of carbon dioxide levels going down, let alone reaching the “safe” level of 350ppm.
Click here to access the entire article as originally posted on The Guardian's website.
CO2 readings from Mauna Loa show failure to combat climate change Daily atmospheric carbon dioxide data from Hawaiian volcano more than double last decade’s annual average by Paul Brown, Environment, The Guardian, Nov 24, 2023
Articles posted on Facebook
Sunday, Nov 26, 2023
- Newcastle port blockade: paddling activists take part in one of the biggest climate protests in Australia’s history Rising Tide’s weekend occupation of shipping channel urges the government to raise fossil fuel taxes and stop new coal project by Jordyn Beazley, Australia News, The Guardian, Nov 24, 2023
- Why ‘climate havens’ might be closer to home than you’d think A refuge isn't something nature hands us, but something we have to build ourselves. by Kate Yoder, Climate, Grist, Nov 20, 2023
- CO2 readings from Mauna Loa show failure to combat climate change Daily atmospheric carbon dioxide data from Hawaiian volcano more than double last decade’s annual average by Paul Brown, Environment, The Guardian, Nov 24, 2023
- How AI could power the climate breakthrv 27, 2023ough the world needs by Clare Duffy & Rachel Ramirez, Road to COP, Business, CNN, Nov 26, 2023
Monday, Nov 27, 2023
- Peru has lost more than half its water reserves as glaciers rapidly melt, Story by Reuters, World, CNN, Nov 23, 2023
- Green growth or degrowth: what is the right way to tackle climate change? by Mark Fabian, Environment, The Conversation UK, Nov 26, 2023 [Note: This article is part of a series by The Conversation, Getting to Zero, examining Australia's energy transition.]
- Electric heat costs way less than reports say, new data suggests Electrification nonprofit says annual federal report on winter-fuels costs is misleading and leaves out critical nuance by Dharna Noor, US News, The Guardian, Nov 26, 2023
- Climate economics has let us down by Andrew Dressler, The Climate Brink, Nov 27, 2023
Tuesday, Nov 28, 2023
- Revealed: Saudi Arabia’s grand plan to ‘hook’ poor countries on oil Climate scientists say fossil fuel use needs to fall rapidly – but oil-rich kingdom is working to drive up demand by Damian Carrington, Environment, The Guardian, Nov 27, 2023
- Giving Tuesday by SkS-Team & Baerbel Winkler, Skeptical Science, Nov 27, 2023
- At a glance - Evidence for Global Warming by John Mason & Baerbel Winkler, Skeptical Science, Nov 28, 2023
- The many contrasts of oil-rich UAE, host of the global climate talks The United Arab Emirates, host of COP28, is building solar projects that could power a small city. It is also ramping up its oil production capacity like never before. by Chico Harlan, Climate, Washington Post, Nov 26, 2023
Wednesday, Nov 29, 2023
- Cop28 host UAE planned to promote oil deals during climate talks Leaked briefing documents for meetings with governments contained ‘asks’ from state oil firm by Damian Carrington, Environment, The Guardian, Nov 27, 2023
- Most people don’t realize how much progress we’ve made on climate change The rapid rise of renewables and EVs has already put us on a safer path. by Dana Nuccitelli, Policy & Politics, Yale Climate Connections, Nov 27, 2023
- COP28 leader hits back at allegations he used climate talks to strike oil deals by Angela Dewan, Climate, CNN, Nov 29, 2023
- Science denial is still an issue ahead of COP28 by Stefan Rahmstorf, RealClimate, Nov 29, 2023
Thursday, Nov 30, 2023
- Seven things to watch out for in world leader speeches at Cop28 Leaders including Narendra Modi, Rishi Sunak, Emmanuel Macron and Lula will share their climate plans in Dubai on Friday and Saturday by Joe Lo, Politics, Climate Home News, Nov 29, 2023
- Climate anxiety is real. Meet three therapists who are helping people cope with it. by Josh Kurtz, Energy & Environment, Rhode Island Current, Nov 27, 2023
- Clearing Skies: Opening a New Path on Climate and the Future Adapting to climate change does not address the societal systems and values that spawned the current crisis. What’s needed is “systemic adaptation” that fundamentally changes our economy, our politics, and our priorities in ways that put community and the planet first. Opinion by James Gustave Speth. Climate, Yale Environment 360, Nov 28, 2023
- The climate crisis explained in 10 charts From the seemingly inexorable increase in atmospheric CO2 to the rapid growth in green energy, we explore the data as Cop28 begins by Damian Carrington Anna Leach Paul Scruton & Harvey Symons, Environment, The Guardian, Nov 30, 2023
Friday, Dec 1, 2023
- As Temperatures Rise, Dengue Fever Spreads and Cases Rise With temperatures and rainfall increasing, the mosquitoes that carry dengue viruses are extending their range. More than 4.5 million cases have been reported this year, and global climate models project an additional 2 billion people could be at risk of infection by 2080. by Vaishnavi Chandrashekhar, Yale Environment 360, Nov 30, 2023
- Where the World Is (and Isn’t) Making Progress on Climate Change Emissions from electricity and transportation are projected to fall over time, a new report finds, but industry remains a major climate challenge. by Brad Plumer & Nadja Popovich, Climate, New York Times, Nov 30, 2023
- Suggested sessions of EGU24 to submit abstracts to by Baerbel Winkler, Skeptical Science, Nov 30, 2023
- Countries pledge $400m to set up loss and damage fund Germany and Cop host UAE led contributions to get a fund for climate victims up and running, in an early win for the Cop28 presidency by Matteo Civillini, Politics, Climate Home News, Nov 30, 2023
Saturday, Dec 2, 2023
- A Giant Inland Sea Is Now a Desert, and a Warning for Humanity, Opinion by Jacob Dweyer, New York Times, Nov 28, 2023
- Weather experts in Midwest say climate change reporting brings burnout and threats by Elizabeth Rembert, Nationaal, Harvest Home Media/NPR News, Nov 29, 2023
- WHO’s annual malaria report spotlights the growing threat of climate change, Staff, News Release, World Health Organization (WHO). Nov 30, 2023
- Ohio Fails to Pass Restrictions on College Teaching About Climate Policies The legislation, written to fight the “woke fiefdom” of higher education, doesn’t have the votes to pass the Ohio House. by Dan Gearino, Politics & Policy, Inside Climate News, Dec 2, 2023
Posted by John Hartz on Saturday, 2 December, 2023