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Category Archives: Environmental Law

Extreme Heat -The Economic and Social Consequences for the US

Report via The Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center – The United States has historically faced periods of extreme heat, but climate change over the next 30 years could make these events more frequent, widespread, and severe. Under prevailing late-twentieth-century climate conditions, around 5 percent of the current population—roughly 16.5 million people—could expect to  experience 100+… Continue Reading

Solar Energy Could Power 40% of US Electricity by 2035

Energy.gov: “The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today released the Solar Futures Study detailing the significant role solar will play in decarbonizing the nation’s power grid. The study shows that by 2035, solar energy has the potential to power 40% of the nation’s electricity, drive deep decarbonization of the grid, and employ as much as… Continue Reading

Animals ‘shapeshifting’ in response to climate crisis, research finds

The Guardian: “Animals are increasingly “shapeshifting” because of the climate crisis, researchers have said. Warm-blooded animals are changing their physiology to adapt to a hotter climate, the scientists found. This includes getting larger beaks, legs and ears to better regulate their body temperature. When animals overheat, birds use their beaks and mammals use their ears… Continue Reading

Predicting, Managing, and Preparing for Disasters Like Hurricane Ida

National Academies: “…Today, communities across Louisiana and Southeastern coasts are emerging from the shadow of Hurricane Ida. The storm has left New Orleans without power, surrounding areas flooded, and thousands evacuated from their homes. Since Hurricane Katrina swept through Louisiana almost exactly 16 years ago, the National Academies have helped produce scientific insights and recommendations… Continue Reading

UN Environment Program: “…One-third of all food produced in the world – approximately 1.3 billion tonnes – is lost or wasted every year. Globally, if food waste could be represented as its own country, it would be the third largest greenhouse gas emitter, behind China and the United States. The resources needed to produce the food… Continue Reading

21st-Century Storms Are Overwhelming 20th-Century Cities

Wired: “In just a few hours on Wednesday night, between 6 and 10 inches of rain fell on New York City—more than has fallen on San Jose, California, in the past year. Water rose in basement apartments and leaked through roofs. Rain streamed into subway stations and pooled on the tracks. The remains of Hurricane… Continue Reading

The Atlas of Mortality and Economic Losses from Weather, Climate and Water Extremes (1970–2019)

World Meteorological Organization (WMO) – “An overview of impacts from weather, climate and water extremes globally from 1970 to 2019 based on disaster data from the Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT). Disaster statistics are conducted for the 50-year and decadal periods at the national, regional and global scales.  A special section on the disproportionate impacts that… Continue Reading

New State of the Climate report confirmed 2020 among three warmest years in records

“…New high temperature records were set across the globe. The report found that the major indicators of climate change continued to reflect trends consistent with a warming planet. Several markers such as sea level, ocean heat content, and permafrost once again broke records set just one year prior. Notably, carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the… Continue Reading

How plants have influenced human societies

The Harvard Gazette: “In March, Batsaki, executive director of Harvard’s Dumbarton Oaks research institute, library, museum, and garden in Washington, D.C., and a group of colleagues launched the Plant Humanities Lab — a digital repository of information and narrative storytelling on the historical and scientific lives of plants like the peony, turmeric root, and the… Continue Reading