Hurricane Helene claims hundreds of lives across six states

Hurricane Helene has caused at least 221 deaths from catastrophic flooding, wind and storm surge, making it the deadliest U.S. hurricane since Katrina.

Dan Stillman reports for The Washington Post.

In short:

Helene’s landfall as a Category 4 storm in Florida caused widespread devastation across the southeast U.S.
The mountainous regions of western North Carolina saw the highest death toll due to severe flooding after 20 to 30 inches of rain fell.
The death toll is expected to rise as many individuals remain unaccounted for across six states.

Why this matters:

As climate change drives more intense hurricanes, communities face increasing risks of catastrophic damage from storm surges, flooding and extreme winds. Stronger, slower-moving storms mean greater threats to lives and property, emphasizing the need for better preparedness and resilience.

www.washingtonpost.com

Credit: Christine Veeschkens/Flickr

Antarctica’s latest geoengineering proposal could spark international conflict

As climate change accelerates Antarctic ice melt, a proposal to create an underwater “curtain” to block warm water from glaciers is raising concerns—not just about environmental impact but about the geopolitical fallout it could trigger.

Ellen Phiddian reports for Cosmos.

Keep reading...Show less

Read the Full Article on

cosmosmagazine.com

Senator Whitehouse puts climate change on budget committee’s agenda

For more than a decade, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse gave daily warnings about the mounting threat of climate change. Now he has a powerful new perch.

Hurricane Helene claims hundreds of lives across six states

Antarctica’s latest geoengineering proposal could spark international conflict

Wildfires and energy shortages push Ecuador to declare a national emergency

Amazonian city prepares for climate summit amid pollution and inequality

Wealthy nations and developing countries clash over climate funding at COP29

How to shift to environmentally conscious investments

Climate talks stall as negotiators debate funding for vulnerable nations

Trump's energy agenda prioritizes deregulation and exports, but faces limits

Op-ed: The common ground between labor and climate justice is the key to a livable future

The tale of “jobs versus the environment” does not capture the full story.

LISTEN: Pradnya Garud on the role of unions in climate justice

“They’ve been able to combine forces and really come forward to bring social and environmental change.”

Hydrogen hubs test new federal environmental justice rules

A massive push for hydrogen energy is one of the first test cases of new federal environmental justice initiatives. Communities and advocates so far give the feds a failing grade.

What’s hampering federal environmental justice efforts in the hydrogen hub build-out?

“Organizational change in large bureaucracies takes time.”

Los obstáculos para garantizar la justicia ambiental en los centros de hidrógeno federales

“El cambio organizacional en las grandes burocracias lleva tiempo”.

Los centros de hidrógeno ponen a prueba las nuevas normas federales de justicia ambiental

El impulso masivo a la energía del hidrógeno es la primera prueba de fuego de las nuevas iniciativas federales de justicia medioambiental. Hasta ahora, comunidades y activistas le dan una pésima calificación al gobierno federal.