extreme weather events
Newsletter
Credit: Jeyaratnam Caniceus/Pixabay
Heat waves and extreme weather highlight climate tipping points
Global temperatures hit unprecedented highs this week, raising alarms about the planet's future stability.
In short:
- Earth’s average temperature has exceeded 1.5°C above preindustrial levels since last July.
- Record-breaking temperatures led to deadly heat waves, wildfires typhoons worldwide.
- Scientists warn that these events indicate a weakening resilience of natural systems.
Key quote:
“The extreme events that we are now experiencing are indications of the weakening resilience of these systems. We cannot risk pushing this any further.”
— Johan Rockström, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
Why this matters:
Rising temperatures and increased frequency of extreme weather events threaten global ecosystems and human health. Immediate action to reduce carbon emissions is critical to prevent crossing irreversible climate thresholds.
Related EHN coverage:
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A new report is out on Hurricane Ian’s destructive path. The numbers are horrific
The category 4 storm was the costliest in Florida’s history. Storm surges rose as high as 15 feet and over 20 inches of rain fell on some communities.
Newsletter
Dannel Malloy/Flickr
'This makes my brain hurt': Connecticut used disaster aid to rebuild million-dollar homes
Owners of 62 homes worth at least $1 million received recovery grants after Hurricane Sandy when HUD weakened rules meant to make needy people the priority, POLITICO’s E&E News found.
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lezumbalaberenjena/Flickr
Winter storm brings 'once in a generation' cold, snow across the midwest
The Arctic cold front slicing through the Lower 48 triggered dizzying temperature plunges and thousands of cancelled flights.
Bro. Jeffrey Pioquinto, SJ/Flickr
What went wrong: Paeng's high death toll
For a country no stranger to tropical storms, the question, then, is why was Paeng so deadly?
Working Families Party/Flickr
Superstorm Sandy legacy: Recovery far from equal on NY shore
Even before Superstorm Sandy's floodwaters surged over New York City’s Rockaway Peninsula, there was an air of decay in Edgemere, a far-flung seaside neighborhood long pockmarked with boarded-up homes and vacant lots with waist-high weeds.
If you don’t already live in a sponge city, you will soon
Less pavement and more green spaces help absorb water instead of funneling it all away—a win-win for people and urban ecosystems.
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