Heat stress in the southern Great Barrier Reef last year triggered “severe and widespread bleaching to levels not previously recorded,” the team of Australian scientists behind a new study concluded.

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Over 40% of individual corals monitored near a southern Great Barrier Reef island perished last year due to extensive coral bleaching, a new study has revealed.

Following a mass bleaching event that started in early 2024, a group of Australian scientists studied the health of 462 coral colonies at One Tree Island, a protected coral cay situated in the southern part of the Australia’s iconic reef. 

The team from the University of Sydney carried out research in four phases over a period of 161 days, starting in February, and then again in April and May. By the time the last assessment was carried out in July, 44% of the bleached colonies were dead. Some coral genera, such as Acropora, experienced up to 95% mortality rate. Only 92 coral colonies escaped bleaching entirely.

The mass bleaching event – the seventh such event on the Great Barrier Reef since 1998 and the fifth since 2016 – was the most widespread and “catastrophic” outbreak to hit the reef system, the study concluded.

Coral bleaching occurs as a heat stress response from rising ocean temperatures, which drives algae away from coral reefs, causing reefs to lose their vibrant colours. While a bleaching event is not directly linked to corals’ death, more frequent and intense heat stresses make corals more vulnerable to diseases, slowing down their recovery and limiting their ability to spawn.

One of the marine biologist behind the study described the scenery as “really devastating.”

“I have gone from being really sad to being really cranky. We have been trying to get the message across about climate change for ages,” Maria Byrne, who works at the University of Sydney, told the Guardian.

Co-author Ana Vila Concejo, said the study is “a wake-up call for policymakers and conservationists.”

“The resilience of coral reefs is being tested like never before, and we must prioritise strategies that enhance their ability to withstand climate change,” Concejo, who works at the School of Geosciences, said.

Under Threat

In August, a study warned that this generation will likely witness the demise of Australia’s iconic Great Barrier Reef unless rapid, coordinated, and ambitious action is taken globally to reverse climate change.

Scientists came to this conclusion after looking at recent sea surface temperature trends. They found that the extreme ocean heat recorded between January and March in 2017, 2020, and 2024 – the hottest year on record globally – was the highest in 400 years. These extremes, caused by anthropogenic influence on the climate system, pose an “existential threat” to the reef’s ecosystem.

At this rate, the study concluded, the reef is at risk of experiencing “near-annual coral bleaching,” which would “further threaten the ecological function and outstanding universal value of one of Earth’s greatest natural wonders.”

Located off the coast of Queensland, the Great Barrier Reef is the largest in the world. It covers an area of about 344,400 square kilometres (133,000 square miles), more than the UK and Ireland combined. It is renowned for its biodiversity, housing thousands of species of marine life. 

According to the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), approximately half of the reef’s coral cover has been lost since 1995, with recent bleaching events further exacerbated by extreme weather patterns linked to climate change.

Global Mass Bleaching Event

Last April, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) and the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) confirmed that the world is undergoing its fourth global coral bleaching event.

In October, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) confirmed that the current mass coral bleaching event affecting over 50 countries worldwide, including Mexico, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia, and Australia, is now the largest event ever recorded.

Coral reefs are extremely important ecosystems that exist in more than 100 countries and territories and support at least 25% of marine species. They are integral to sustaining Earth’s vast and interconnected web of marine biodiversity and provide ecosystem services valued up to $9.9 trillion annually. They are sometimes referred to as “rainforests of the sea” for their ability to act as carbon sinks by absorbing the excess carbon dioxide in the water. 

According to the most recent report by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN), the world has lost approximately 14% of corals since 2009. 

Featured image: Tourism and Events Queensland.

You might also like: Why Elevating Indigenous Voices Is Crucial to Protecting the World’s Coral Reefs

The post Southern Great Barrier Reef Affected By ‘Catastrophic’ Bleaching: Study appeared first on Earth.Org.

In November, the UN chief warned that a second US withdrawal from the Paris accord would undermine global efforts to halt climate change, which scientists say is only possible through drastic reductions in emissions.

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Newly sworn-in President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the Paris climate deal on Monday, placing the nation alongside Iran, Libya, and Yemen as the only countries in the world outside the accord.

“I’m immediately withdrawing from the unfair, one-sided Paris climate accord rip-off,” Trump said as he signed the executive order at his rally at a downtown Washington arena ahead of his inauguration. “The United States will not sabotage our own industries while China pollutes with impunity,” he added.

It is the second time the US, the world’s second-largest greenhouse gas emitter behind only China, withdraws from the deal. Months after taking office for the first time in 2017, Trump signed an order to withdraw from the pact, a move President Joe Biden promptly reversed on his first day in office in 2021.

The latest withdrawal is likely to take effect within a year.

196 countries signed the Paris Agreement in 2015 in a bid to strengthen the global response to the growing threat of climate change. The deal set out a framework for limiting global warming to below 1.5C or “well below 2C” above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century. Beyond this limit, experts warn that critical tipping points will be breached, leading to devastating and potentially irreversible consequences for several vital Earth systems that sustain a hospitable planet.

In November, days before Trump’s election victory, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned of the potential repercussions of a Trump presidency on international climate targets and policies. He said the progress on the Paris Agreement could suffer a major setback if the US were to leave the international treaty for a second time.

“The Paris agreement can survive, but people sometimes can lose important organs or lose the legs and survive. But we don’t want a crippled Paris agreement. We want a real Paris agreement,” Guterres said. “It’s very important that the United States remain in the Paris Agreement, and more than remain in the Paris agreement, that the United States adopts the kind of policies that are necessary to make the 1.5 degrees still a realistic objective.”

‘Drill, Baby Drill’

On Monday, Trump also signed an executive order halting offshore wind lease sales and pausing the issuance of approvals, permits, and loans for both onshore and offshore wind projects, AP reported.

The newly sworn-in president repeatedly opposed renewable energy, particularly offshore wind. Instead, his second mandate is expected to reflect his campaign pledge to “drill, baby drill” for oil and gas.

During his inaugural address, Trump also declared a “national energy emergency” that would allow him to reverse many of the Biden-era environmental regulations and open up more areas to oil and gas exploration. However, the US hit new oil production highs under the Biden administration and it is currently producing more oil than any other country at any other time.

“America will be a manufacturing nation once again, and we have something that no other manufacturing nation will ever have — the largest amount of oil and gas of any country on earth — and we are going to use it.  We’ll use it,” he said. “We will be a rich nation again, and it is that liquid gold under our feet that will help to do it.”

Trump also said he would revoke what he called the “electric vehicle mandate,” an Environmental Protection Agency rule requiring auto manufacturers to cut greenhouse gas emissions by half in new light- and medium-duty vehicles starting in 2027.

Unpopular Moves

Over 5,000 state and local leaders in the US have pledged to uphold the goals of the Paris Agreement. Together, they represent 63% of the US population and 74% of the country’s GDP. Governors in 24 states and territories, representing approximately 55% of the US population and 60% of its economy, have also pledged to work to secure America’s net-zero future.

Separately, a new poll conducted by The Associated Press in collaboration with NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that Trump’s anti-climate agenda is not popular among Democrats and Republicans alike, with only about two in 10 US adults saying they are somewhat” or “strongly” in favor of withdrawing from the Paris agreement, and about half of Americans opposing it altogether.

The poll also found that only about four in 10 voters in the 2024 presidential election said US energy policy should focus on expanding production of fossil fuels, while 55% said they believe it was better to focus on expanding use of clean energy, such as solar and wind.

Off Track

The burning of coal, natural gas, and oil for electricity and heat is the single-largest source of global greenhouse gas emissions, the primary drivers of global warming as they trap heat in the atmosphere and raising Earth’s surface temperature.

Scientists have long warned that slashing emissions is the only way to keep to lower the projected temperature increase, but the US departure from the Paris accord now risks undermining global climate efforts to do so.

In 2024, recently confirmed as the hottest year on record and the first year that the average global temperature exceeded 1.5C above its pre-industrial level, the World Meteorological Organization warned that the world is “more likely than not” to surpass the Paris 1.5C global warming threshold by 2027. Meanwhile, the UN Environment Programme said current emissions reduction pledges put us on track for a temperature increase of 2.6-3.1C over the course of this century.

A survey of 380 IPCC scientists conducted by the Guardian last May also revealed that 77% of them believe humanity is headed for at least 2.5C of warming.

Featured image: Wikimedia Commons.

The post Trump Withdraws US From Paris Climate Agreement For Second Time, Halts Leasing and Permitting For Wind Energy Projects on Inauguration Day appeared first on Earth.Org.

Atmospheric CO2 concentrations are now 51% higher than before the onset of the Industrial Revolution.

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A record year-on-year growth of concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere last year has put the world off track to keep global warming below the key 1.5C target, the UK’s Met Office said last week.

CO2 concentrations rose 3.58 parts per million (ppm) in 2024, far exceeding the weather forecaster’s prediction. The record rise is inconsistent with the 1.8ppm annual increase the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – the world’s most authoritative – said is needed to limit warming below the goal set out by countries in the 2015 Paris Agreement.

The substantial increase is mostly due to record high emissions from fossil fuel combustion, weaker carbon sinks – particularly in tropical forests – and an exceptionally active wildfire season throughout 2024, the forecasters said. Destructive wildfires were triggered by widespread hot and dry conditions, influenced partly by the return of the El Niño weather pattern and other factors, including the effects of climate change.

More on the topic: Destructive Wildfires At Least Three Times More Likely Due to Climate Change, Report Finds

Global CO2 emissions from fossil fuels have increased by more than 60% since 1990, currently standing at 425.40 ppm. Atmospheric concentrations are now 51% higher than they were before the onset of the Industrial Revolution.

Carbon dioxide, a by-product of burning fossil fuels, biomass, land-use changes, and industrial processes such as cement production, is the principal anthropogenic greenhouse gas in the atmosphere, responsible for about three-quarters of planet-warming emissions, followed by methane and nitrous oxide. 

Methane – a gas mainly associated with fossil fuel use, agriculture and waste – is responsible for 25% of global warming. It is 84 times more potent in trapping heat in the atmosphere than CO2 over a two-decade period and it possesses a 100-year global warming potential 28-34 times that of CO2. Global methane emissions have been on the rise and atmospheric concentrations of the potent gas are now more than 165% higher than pre-industrial levels in 1750.

Nitrous oxide is the third-most significant human-caused greenhouse gas, mainly associated with the use of nitrogen fertilizer and manure from the expansion and intensification of agriculture. Atmospheric concentrations of this gas are now 25% higher than the pre-industrial level of 270 parts per billion.

Off Track

Last year, the World Meteorological Organization warned that the world is “more likely than not” to surpass the critical global warming threshold by 2027, while the UN Environment Programme said current emissions reduction pledges put us on track for a temperature increase of 2.6-3.1C over the course of this century. A survey of 380 IPCC scientists conducted by the Guardian last May also revealed that 77% of them believe humanity is headed for at least 2.5C of warming.

Last year, the hottest year on record, also marked the first calendar year that the average global temperature exceeded 1.5C above its pre-industrial level. While this does not signal a permanent breach of the critical limit, which scientists say is measured over decades, it sends a clear warning to humanity that we are approaching the point of no return much faster than expected.

The Earth has already warmed 1.3C. According to scientists, every fraction of a degree of warming matters, with every additional increment of global warming causing “clearly discernible increases in the intensity and frequency of temperature and precipitation extremes, as well as agricultural and ecological droughts in some regions.”

The post Record Rise in CO2 Concentrations in Atmosphere Puts World Off Track For 1.5C Warming Goal: Met Office appeared first on Earth.Org.

Lee Zeldin, a former Republican congressman Trump picked to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, faced questions on climate change, regulations and energy production during his confirmation hearing at the US senate.

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Lee Zeldin, president-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, on Thursday hesitated to answer questions about the agency’s role in reducing US reliance on fossil fuels, despite acknowledging that climate change is real and a threat.

During his Senate confirmation hearing, which lasted little over three hours, the former Republican congressman faced questions on climate change, regulations and energy production.

Democratic Senator Ed Markey questioned Zeldin, 44, about the role of the EPA. Citing a comment Zeldin made in 2016, Markey asked if he still believed it was the agency’s job to reduce US reliance on fossil fuels.

“In an ideal world, we would be able to pursue the cleanest, greenest energy possible,” Zeldin said, without directly answering the question, prompting Markey to say his change of tone was driven by “politics, and not the science.”

The senator then questioned Zeldin on a 2007 Supreme Court ruling – Massachusetts v EPA – which Markey said “mandated” the EPA to regulate greenhouse gases as air pollutants. “Do you accept that as a mandate?” the senator asked.

“I just want to be accurate and in citing Massachusetts v EPA, the decision does not require the EPA, it authorizes it,” Zeldin replied.

In the ruling, the Supreme Court held that the agency has indeed the authority to regulate greenhouse gases as air pollutants under the Clean Air Act. It did not mandate specific regulations but authorized the EPA to consider regulating greenhouse gases if they pose a threat to public health and welfare, effectively granting the agency the power to address climate change through regulatory action. However, the court also ruled that the EPA could not refuse to exercise this authority for policy reasons, and could only do so “if it developed a record of evidence either showing that greenhouse gases did not in fact contribute to climate change, or alternatively offering a reasonable explanation as to why the agency’s actions would be inappropriate.”

You might also like: Trump’s Pick for Energy Chief Chris Wright Vows to Back All Forms of Energy During Confirmation Hearing

Fossil Fuel Dependency

During the hearing, Zeldin acknowledged the reality of climate change, contrasting with previous EPA leaders under the Trump administration and Trump himself, a climate denier who repeatedly dismissed climate change as a “hoax.” The president-elect has threatened to reverse many of President Joe Biden’s climate policies, including the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) – the largest climate bill in the country’s history – and EPA regulations targeting emissions from vehicles.

But Zeldin refused to directly address the need to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

Fossil fuels – natural gas, coal, and oil – are the single-largest source of global greenhouse gas emissions, the primary drivers of global warming by trapping heat in the atmosphere and raising Earth’s surface temperature. The International Energy Agency has urged countries to halt new gas and oil field projects, arguing that this is the only way to keep the 1.5C-compatible net-zero emissions scenario alive.

“The American people elected President Trump last November in part due to serious concerns about upward economic mobility and their struggle to make ends meet,” Zeldin said. “We can, and we must, protect our precious environment without suffocating the economy,” he added, emphasizing the need for an approach that supports all sources of energy.

Questioned by Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse on his ties to a “climate denial front group,” Zeldin vowed to maintain independence from the fossil fuel industry.

“There is no dollar, large or small, that can influence the decisions that I make, who has access to me and how I am ruling in my obligations under the law,” he said.

Anti-Climate Agenda

During his time in Congress between 2015 and 2023, Zeldin supported just 14% of key pieces of environmental legislation, according to a scorecard by environmental group the League of Conservation Voters.

The former Representative from New York voted against Biden’s IRA. He also opposed clean water and clean air protections and the EPA’s methane pollution safeguards, and he campaigned against a ban on petrol cars in New York by 2035 that Trump is not threatening to terminate.

In a statement issued by the League of Conservation Voters, Senior Vice President for Government Affairs, Tiernan Sittenfeld said the stakes for the climate and future generations “could not be higher.”

“Trump made his anti-climate action, anti-environment agenda very clear during his first term and again during his 2024 campaign. During the confirmation process, we would challenge Lee Zeldin to show how he would be better than Trump’s campaign promises or his own failing 14% environmental score if he wants to be charged with protecting the air we breathe, the water we drink, and finding solutions to climate change,” Sittenfeld said. 

In November, following Trump’s decision to have Zeldin lead the EPA, the former congressman wrote on social media X (formerly Twitter) that he was “looking forward” to take up the position “to unleash US energy dominance, make America the AI capital of the world, bring American auto jobs back home, and so much more.”

Featured image: Gage Skidmore/Flickr.

More on the topic: Environmentalists Weigh In on Trump Cabinet Picks

The post Trump’s EPA Pick Lee Zeldin Says Agency Authorized, Not Required, to Regulate Greenhouse Gas Emissions appeared first on Earth.Org.

A staunch defender of fossil fuel use and vocal critic of climate alarmism, Wright is expected to fulfil Trump’s campaign promise to “drill, baby, drill” and undo many of his predecessor’s biggest clean energy achievements.

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Chris Wright, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the energy department, reiterated his support for the fossil fuel industry during his confirmation hearing on Wednesday, while also acknowledging that climate change is a “real and global issue.”

Wright, who is the CEO of fracking company Liberty Energy and has no political experience, told US senators that his first priority is expanding domestic energy production, including liquefied natural gas (LNG) and nuclear power.

“To compete globally, we must expand energy production, including commercial nuclear and liquefied natural gas, and cut the cost of energy for Americans,” Wright said on Wednesday as he accused the Biden administration to have “viewed energy as a liability instead of the immense national asset that it is.”

In January 2024, outgoing President Joe Biden announced a “temporary” pause on pending LNG export permits to allow the Department of Energy to review their economic and environmental impacts. Last week, he also issued a decree that permanently bans new offshore oil and gas development across 625 million acres of US coastal waters. 

During the nearly 3-hour hearing, which was interrupted several times by protesters shouting slogans condemning the fossil fuel industry, Wright also voiced support for solar energy and carbon capture technologies and said he would focus on expanding transmission lines to stabilize the US grid, Bloomberg reported.

Questioned by California Senator Alex Padilla about a previous comment he made on social media, where he dismissed the link between climate change and wildfires as “hype,” Wright said he stands by his past comment, adding that he believes climate change is a “real and global phenomenon.”

Padilla’s state is currently battling with massive blazes that have killed at least 24 people and swept through 40,000 acres in the greater Los Angeles area – an area larger than San Francisco – destroying entire communities and more than 12,300 structures. They are on track to be one of the costliest blazes in US history.

“I’ve studied and followed the data and the evolution of climate change for at least 20 years now. It is a global issue. It is a real issue. It’s a challenging issue, and the solution to climate change is to evolve our energy system,” Wright said.

Since his nomination, Wright won support from many conservative figures from the fossil fuel industry in recent weeks, including Oklahoma oil and gas billionaire Harold Hamm, a major Trump donor and informal advisor, and Mike Sommers, president of the American Petroleum Institute.

He is expected to win a majority in the 100-member, Republican-controlled Senate, and step down from his position at Liberty once confirmed.

Fossil Fuel Agenda

A staunch defender of fossil fuel use and vocal critic of climate alarmism, Wright, 60, is expected to fulfil Trump’s campaign promise to “drill, baby, drill” and undo many of his predecessor’s biggest clean energy achievements, steering the department back to America’s roots in oil and gas production.

“President Trump shares my passion for energy,” Wright said on Wednesday. “And if confirmed, I will work tirelessly to implement his bold agenda as an unabashed steward for all sources of affordable, reliable and secure American energy.” These included oil and natural gas, which underpin the US economy; coal, as well as low-carbon sources like nuclear power, hydropower, wind, solar and geothermal power, he added.

The burning of coal, natural gas, and oil for electricity and heat is the single-largest source of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. These are the primary drivers of global warming as they trap heat in the atmosphere and raising Earth’s surface temperature.

Coal, the cheapest and dirtiest fossil fuel, is the single-largest source of carbon emissions, responsible for over 0.3C of the 1.2C increase in global average temperatures since the Industrial Revolution. It is also a major contributor to air pollution. 

Despite recognizing climate change as a global issue, Wright also said there is no such thing as “dirty energy or clean energy” but rather different sources of energy with different tradeoffs.

In a video posted on LinkedIn in 2023, Wright denied that there is a climate crisis or that we are in the midst of an energy transition.

“Carbon dioxide does indeed absorb infrared radiation, contributing to warming,” Wright said. “But calling carbon dioxide ‘pollution’ is like calling out water and oxygen, the other two irreplaceable molecules for life on earth,” he said in the video.

Criticism

Several environmental advocates have condemned Trump’s choice. Jackie Wong, senior vice president for climate and energy at the Natural Resources Defense Council, called Wright’s nomination a “disastrous mistake,” describing him as “a champion of dirty fossil fuels.”

“The Energy Department should be doing all it can to develop and expand the energy sources of the 21st century, not trying to promote the dirty fuels of the last century. Given the devastating impacts of climate-fuelled disasters, DOE’s core mission of researching and promoting cleaner energy solutions is more important now than ever,” Wong said.

Featured image: video screenshot.

More on the topic: Environmentalists Weigh In on Trump Cabinet Picks

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Last year, the city saw 35 record-breaking high temperature events, including the highest absolute maximum temperature for March, the warmest April on record, the warmest first half-year on record, and the highest number of hot nights for August.

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In line with the global trend, Hong Kong just recorded its hottest year since at least 1884, when the city first began tracking temperature trends.

The annual mean temperature stood at 24.8C, 1.3 degrees above the 1991-2020 normal, according to the Hong Kong Observatory’s yearly climate report published Monday. The annual mean minimum temperature and annual mean maximum temperature were respectively the highest and second highest on record.

September 17 saw the highest daily temperature of the year at 35.7C, one of the eighth highest on record, the Observatory said.

35 Temperature Records

In 2024, Hong Kong saw a total of 35 record-breaking high temperature events. These included the highest absolute maximum temperature on record for March at 31.5C, the warmest April on record with temperatures significantly above normal, the warmest first half-year on record, and the highest number of hot nights for August.

A weaker northeast monsoon also made October warmer than any other October on record, and the warmest autumn from September to November, according to Monday’s report.

These high temperatures were attributed to various factors like warmer sea surface temperatures, stronger southerly flows, and weaker monsoon patterns, according to the city’s Observatory.

Global sea surface temperatures remained at record highs from January to June last year. In the latter half of 2024, the temperatures were the second-warmest on record for that time of year, after 2023.

Hotter Days, Hotter Nights

“There were 52 Very Hot Days, 50 Hot Nights and two Extremely Hot Days in Hong Kong in 2024, respectively ranking one of the third highest, one of the fourth highest and one of the eighth highest on record,” the Observatory said on Monday.

For people living in places like Hong Kong, summer heat is nothing new. In the city, temperatures soar above 30C (86F) for most part of the year, which feel even higher when coupled with high humidity levels. Yet, heat-related illnesses here are on the rise.

A study conducted by researchers at the University of Hong Kong and published last year found that heatwaves in the city over the past decade, 18 in total, may have contributed to 1,677 excess deaths.

As of 2022, Hong Kong had already warmed 1.7C compared to pre industrial times and is on track for 3.4C of warming by the end of the century, according to independent climate research organization Berkley Earth.

The increase in extreme heat is a direct result of our warming planet, which is driven by greenhouse gasses that trap heat in the atmosphere. This raises Earth’s surface temperature, leading to longer and hotter heatwaves.

Prolonged exposure to high temperatures without sufficient rest or cooling breaks can result in heat exhaustion – with symptoms including heavy sweating, weakness, dizziness – and heatstroke – which is marked by a high body temperature, confusion, and loss of consciousness. It can be life-threatening if not promptly treated.

But in a rapidly warming world, another issue is emerging: nighttime heat.

High nighttime temperatures are detrimental to human health, as they prevent the body from recovering from daytime heat. This not only disrupts sleep, which can negatively affect physical and mental health, cognitive function, and life expectancy, but it also increases the risk of illness and mortality.

A 2020 study by the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) found that five consecutive “hot nights,” defined as when temperatures rise above 28C (82F), would raise the risk of death by 6.66%.

With climate change, nights are not just getting warmer; they are also heating up faster than days in many parts of the world. According to a Climate Central analysis published last year, between 2014 and 2023, 2.4 billion people experienced an average of at least two additional weeks per year where nighttime temperatures exceeded 25C. Over 1 billion people experienced an average of at least two additional weeks per year of nights above 20C and 18C.

Supercharged Typhoons

29 tropical cyclones developed over the western North Pacific and the South China Sea in 2024, in line with the long-term average of about 30, and 13 of them reached typhoon intensity.

Despite issuing tropical cyclone warning signals on seven occasions, the events resulted in little to no damage in Hong Kong, contrary to places like the Philippines, Taiwan, and China.

Following a period of low tropical cyclone activity in the South China Sea in August, tropical cyclone Yagi emerged in the northern region on September 3 after wreaking havoc in the Philippines, where it killed 21 people.

Within 24 hours of its appearance, Yagi rapidly intensified from a severe tropical storm to a super typhoon. It reached its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 230 kilometers per hour (142 miles per hour) on September 6, marking it as the second most potent tropical cyclone in the South China Sea since 1950.

Supercharged by warmer ocean waters, tropical storms are intensifying more rapidly globally, with winds increasing by 56 km/h (about 35 miles per hour) in a 24-hour period. Rapid intensification leaves less time for authorities to issue warning systems, putting coastal communities in great danger.

Yagi’s death toll surpassed 500 people across Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and the Philippines. Thousands of homes were damaged or destroyed, with Vietnam and southern China bearing the brunt.

More on the topic: What Are Tropical Cyclones? Hurricanes and Typhoons, And Their Link to Climate Change, Explained

In November, Hong Kong experienced three back-to-back tropical cyclones – Yinxing, Toraji, and Man-yi – an unusual occurrence so late in the typhoon season. This led to the issuance of tropical cyclone warning signals for all three episodes, a first for November since 1946. Yinxing brought strong winds, prompting the city’s latest No. 8 Gale or Storm Signal since 1946.

Tropical cyclones – which get their energy from warm ocean water – are strengthening and become ever more destructive because of warming seas. The likelihood of storms reaching major hurricane or typhoon status has also increased significantly over the past decades.

Featured image: Kyle Lam/hongkongfp.com

The post Hong Kong Breaks 35 Temperature Records in 2024, Hottest Year in City’s History appeared first on Earth.Org.

The ongoing, wind-fed fires have killed at least 24 people and swept through 40,000 acres in the greater Los Angeles area – an area larger than San Francisco – destroying entire communities and more than 12,300 structures.

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While two of the largest fires that have been sweeping through more than 40,000 acres in the greater Los Angeles area for a week are still largely uncontained, preliminary estimates of damage and economic losses signal the ongoing LA fires could be the costliest wildfire disaster in US history.

Three fires were still active on Monday evening, though the smallest of all, the Hurst fire, was 95% contained. The Palisades fire, the largest of five major blazes affecting the area in the last week, has burned nearly 24,000 acres and was only 14% contained on Monday evening. Meanwhile, the Eaton fire, which has burned over 14,000 acres through Pasadena and the areas near the Angeles National Forest, was only 33% contained.

An abundance of dry vegetation owing to a prolonged drought in the region, combined with hurricane-level Santa Ana winds, have created the “perfect storm” for the fires to spread rapidly.

The winds, a typical occurrence in southern California this time of year, are forecast to return on Tuesday following a few days of quieter condition, increasing fears of “explosive fire growth.”

Costliest Disaster in US History

While government agencies have yet to provide damage estimates, private commercial weather forecasting agency AccuWeather on Monday increased its preliminary estimate of total damage and economic loss of $250 billion to $275 billion “due to what has occurred and what is to come.”

“AccuWeather expert meteorologists are warning families, businesses, emergency officials and fire crews throughout Southern California to prepare for another round of extreme fire risk as stronger Santa Ana winds return to the region on Monday,” the firm said in a statement. “Due to the AccuWeather forecast, in addition to what has already occurred and expected long-term impacts on people’s health and the economy of the region, AccuWeather experts are increasing their preliminary estimate of total damage and economic loss of $250 billion to $275 billion.”

AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said the estimates are based on the fact that fires occurred in densely populated areas around Los Angeles, which are home to “some of the highest-valued real estate in the country.”

State Farm, California’s biggest insurer, refused nearly 70% of policy renewals in a ZIP code central to Pacific Palisades last year and dropped nearly 4,000 policies across the Palisades and other LA zip codes.

According to data from the California Department of Insurance reported by Euronews, insurance companies declined to renew 2.8 million homeowner policies in California between 2020 and 2022. Over half a million of these were in Los Angeles County.

‘Nothing Left’

The fires have killed at least 24 people and destroyed more than 12,300 structures, leaving residents in a state of shock as they are confronted with apocalyptic scenes upon returning to their neighbourhoods, only to find that the fires have consumed everything.

“I came here with the intention of bringing something home. But there’s literally nothing,” Palisades resident Ricky Gordon told the Guardian.

Mike Geller, 48, told ABC News he was “in shock” as he walked among the rubble of Palisades Village, where almost every home has been destroyed by the fires. “I’m not even sure how I’m talking to you. I’m absolutely in shock. I’m just going through the motions. It hasn’t really set in yet.”

More on the topic: 3 Facts About California’s Climate That Explain the LA Fires

Featured image: Photo: CAL FIRE_Official/Flickr.

The post LA Fires Could Be Costliest Blaze in US History With Over $200bn in Losses appeared first on Earth.Org.

While the exact causes of the ongoing Los Angeles fires are still under investigation, there is no doubt over the role California’s climate played in exacerbating the fires, fueling their rapid intensification and spread.

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The ongoing, wind-fed LA fires have killed at least 24 people and swept through 40,000 acres in the greater Los Angeles area – an area larger than San Francisco – destroying entire communities and more than 12,300 structures.

Meanwhile, millions of people are being exposed to dangerous wildfire smoke as toxins from burning homes, cars, chemicals, plastics and fuels fill the air. 

California Governor Gavin Newsom told NBC News on Sunday that the fires were likely to be the worst natural disaster in US history “in terms of just the costs associated with it.” Over the weekend, private forecaster AccuWeather increased its preliminary estimate of financial losses from the blazes from $250 billion to $275 billion.

For days, experts have talked about “a perfect storm” of climate conditions that have fueled the devastating fires. Earth.Org takes a closer look.

1. It is the first time that LA sees “extremely critical” fire weather in January

It is now clear that a lethal combination of high temperatures and very low humidity, dry vegetation, and strong offshore Santa Ana winds has fuelled the deadly LA fires, allowing them to grow and spread much faster than they could be contained. For context, very fast fires are responsible for more than 75% of the structures that burned in the US from 2001 to 2020.

For Douglas Kelley, a land surface modeller at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, these multiple factors creates “a perfect storm” for the wildfires to grow.

But while the Santa Ana winds – dry, warm winds originate from the western desert interior of the US and push towards southern California – are typical for this time of year, the abundance of dry vegetation isn’t.

As meteorologist Eric Holthaus explained, “The National Weather Service defines ‘extremely critical’ fire weather as sustained winds in excess of 30 mph and relative humidity of less than 10% in the presence of drought conditions and temperatures warmer than 70 degrees. This is the first time in history these criteria have been met anywhere in the United States during the month of January.”

Speaking with The Atlantic, Glen MacDonald, a geography professor at UCLA, said the concept of fire season no longer applies to Southern California. “You can have a fire any month of the year,” he remarked last week.

2. California is in a drought

When the fires started on January 7, Los Angeles County was tinder dry after experiencing its hottest summer in at least 130 years and receiving only 0.16 inches (4.1mm) of rain since last May.

Overall, Southern California is currently experiencing “abnormally dry” conditions following two winters of heavy rainfall in 2022 and 2023, with nearly 2.2 million people living in areas affected by a drought.

The region typically sees the bulk of its precipitation between October and April. “You’d have to go to the late 1800s to see this dry of a start to the rainy season,” MacDonald told The Atlantic last week.

Much of Los Angeles County is currently under “severe drought” conditions, with soil moisture in the area in the bottom 2% historically for this time of year, according to NASA.

When prolonged dry spells occur, vegetation becomes parched and highly flammable, transforming forests and grasslands into tinderboxes waiting to ignite. The scarcity of moisture not only dries out plants but also increases the likelihood of human activities, lightning strikes, or other ignition sources sparking fires.

Once a fire starts in these arid conditions, it can spread rapidly and uncontrollably due to the abundance of dry fuel and low humidity levels typical of drought-stricken areas.

More on the topic: Drought Conditions Affecting All US States Except Alaska and Kentucky, Greatest Number on Record

3. Climate change is influencing fire activity in North America

Climate change is amplifying extreme weather events, including wildfires.

Both the frequency and intensity of wildfires have more than doubled in the last two decades, as more frequent hot, dry, and windy conditions create the perfect fuel. And when the ecological, social and economic consequences of wildfires were accounted for, six of the last seven years were the most “energetically intense.”

Rising global temperatures, driven primarily by the burning of fossil fuels and other human activities, have contributed to an increase in “fire weather” days by drying out vegetation and soils and lowering humidity levels. Globally, wildfire seasons are now roughly two weeks longer, on average, mostly by enhancing the availability of fuel through heat and dry conditions.

The average wildfire season in Western US is now 105 days longer, burns six times as many acres, and sees three times as many large fires – fires that burn more than 1,000 acres compared to the 1970s, according to non-profit Climate Central.

In California, researchers have linked the climate emergency to a 172% increase in burned areas since the 1970s, with projections indicating a continued spread of wildfires in the years to come. Climate change has also increased the risk of extreme daily wildfire in the state by 25% on average, a 2023 study pointed out.

19 of the 20 largest wildfires in the state’s history have occurred since 2003 and half of them in the past five years, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

“These devastating fires are not only occurring with greater intensity but are also striking earlier than Southern California’s typical fire season, highlighting how climate change is reshaping fire regimes – the characteristic patterns of wildfire in a region,” said Kimberley Simpson, a fellow in nature-based climate solutions at the University of Sheffield’s School of Biosciences.

Featured image: California Fire Department/Flickr.

You might also like: 17 Largest Wildfires in US History

The post 3 Facts About California’s Climate That Explain the LA Fires appeared first on Earth.Org.

Membership in the alliance “caused confusion regarding BlackRock’s practices and subjected us to legal inquiries from various public officials,” the firm said last Thursday as it announced its departure from the Net Zero Asset Managers initiative.

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BlackRock, the world’s largest investment management corporation, announced last week it will leave a key international group of asset managers committed to reaching net zero emissions amid a recent Wall Street firms exodus.

The group, which manages assets worth some $11.5 trillion, said the decision to leave was prompted by pressure from public officials and legal inquiries.

The New York-based firm has long been at the center of attacks from conservative lawmakers for embracing what they call “woke” policies. In a report published last month, Republican-led House Judiciary Committee said it had found “evidence of collusion” between “left-wing activists and major financial institutions” to “impose radical environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals on American companies.”

In November, Texas sued Blackrock and investment firms Vanguard and State Street for allegedly breaching antitrust laws by adopting green strategies that suppress coal production, leading to higher electricity prices.

Membership in the Net Zero Asset Managers initiative “caused confusion regarding BlackRock’s practices and subjected us to legal inquiries from various public officials,” the firm said last Thursday as it announced its departure.

The alliance launched in December 2020 to support the asset management industry to commit to a goal of net zero emissions in order to mitigate financial risk and to maximize long-term value of assets. The group currently has over 325 signatories managing more than $57.5 trillion of assets, according to its website.

BlackRock’s exit comes on the heels of a trend where major Wall Street banks are stepping back from climate initiatives ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration later this month.

The six biggest banks in the world’s largest economy – Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, Citi Bank, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, and JPMorgan – recently quit the Net-Zero Banking Alliance, the sector’s biggest climate coalition. While not directly citing it as an influencing factor, the banks have for some two years been the focus of a Republican-led campaign against environment, social and governance investing.

Analysist say the moves send a clear signal to the market that climate change has become even less of a priority for Wall Street.

Enabling Deforestation

In 2020, BlackRock made headlines when its CEO, Larry Fink, said the firm would start making its investment decisions with climate change in mind. Fink sent a letter to clients promising to exit the coal sector and “play a constructive role” in supporting the Paris Agreement.

However, environmental NGO Friends of the Earth at the time accused the company of conspicuously neglecting to include a promise to stop investing in companies that cause deforestation.

According to a report the NGO released a few months later, BlackRock, Vanguard and State Street had either abstained from or voted against corporate shareholder resolutions to fight deforestation a total of 16 times. While not all of those resolutions would have passed even with their support, the report said the votes sent a signal to executives in those companies that big investors do not consider protecting the world’s rainforests to be a priority.

The post BlackRock Quits Major Net Zero Alliance Ahead of Trump Inauguration As Number of Wall Street Lenders Shying Away From Sustainability Efforts Grows appeared first on Earth.Org.

2024 saw three record-warm seasons, a new record high for daily global average temperature, and an average of 41 additional days of “dangerous heat” worldwide.

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Earth’s temperature hit new milestones in 2024: reaching record-breaking levels and rising to more than 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.

That last year was going to be the warmest on record became clear a few months ago, when global temperatures did not fall as predicted after El Niño subsided last June. The weather pattern, which is associated with the warming of sea surface temperatures in the central-east equatorial Pacific, pushed global temperatures “off the charts” in 2023, making it the hottest year on record.

But while conditions in the equatorial Pacific returned to normal mid last year, global temperatures did not.

“All of us who made projections at the start of the year underestimated just how warm 2024 would be,” said Zeke Hausfather, a climate scientist at Berkeley Earth.

Instead, 2024 saw its hottest boreal winter (December 2023-February 2024), boreal spring (March-May) and boreal summer (June-August) on record, a new record high for daily global average temperature, and an average of 41 additional days of “dangerous heat” worldwide.

No countries was spared by the heat, according to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service’s end-of-year analysis, with all continental regions except Antarctica and Australasia recording their warmest year. As Yoko Tsushima, a climate scientist at the UK’s Met Office, remarked in an article on Nature, “[t]he warming is almost everywhere.”

Sea surface temperatures remained at record highs from January to June, following the trend from late 2023. In the latter half of 2024, the temperatures were the second-warmest on record for that time of year, after the previous year.

You might also like: 2024, Hottest Year on Record, Marks ‘Decade of Deadly Heat’

Breaching the Paris Goal

On Friday, the EU’s Earth observation programme also confirmed another earlier prediction: that 2024 marked the first calendar year that the average global temperature exceeded 1.5C above its pre-industrial level.

The critical 1.5C threshold was established at the 2015 COP21 climate summit, when 196 parties signed the legally binding Paris Agreement. They agreed to keep limiting global warming to below 1.5C or “well below 2C” above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century. Beyond this limit, experts warn that critical tipping points will be breached, leading to devastating and potentially irreversible consequences for several vital Earth systems that sustain a hospitable planet.

But temperatures in 2024 were consistently higher than the Paris threshold, with the exception of July. The average for the year stood at 1.60C above pre-industrial levels.

While this does not signal a permanent breach of the critical limit, which scientists say is measured over decades, it sends a clear warning to humanity that we are approaching the point of no return much faster than expected.

Last year, the World Meteorological Organization warned that the world is “more likely than not” to surpass the critical global warming threshold by 2027.

As Samantha Burgess, Strategic Lead for Climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, put it, “We are now teetering on the edge of passing the 1.5ºC level defined in the Paris Agreement and the average of the last two years is already above this level.”

Greenhouse Gases

In 2024, greenhouse gases saw their highest annual atmospheric levels ever recorded.

Carbon dioxide concentrations reached 422 ppm, 2.9 ppm higher than in 2023.

A by-product of burning fossil fuels, biomass, land-use changes, and industrial processes such as cement production, CO2 is the principal anthropogenic greenhouse gas in the atmosphere, responsible for about three-quarters of planet-warming emissions. Global CO2 emissions from fossil fuels have increased by more than 60% since 1990, with concentrations in the atmosphere now 50% higher than they were before the onset of the Industrial Revolution.

Meanwhile, methane concentrations reached 1897 ppb, 4 ppb higher than 2023.

The gas – mainly associated with fossil fuel use, agriculture and waste – is the second major greenhouse gas after CO2, responsible for 25% of global warming. It is 84 times more potent in trapping heat in the atmosphere than CO2 over a two-decade period and it possesses a 100-year global warming potential 28-34 times that of CO2.

Global methane emissions have been on the rise and atmospheric concentrations of the potent gas are now more than 165% higher than pre-industrial levels.

The burning of coal, natural gas, and oil for electricity and heat is the single-largest source of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. These are the primary drivers of global warming as they trap heat in the atmosphere and raising Earth’s surface temperature.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has urged countries to halt new gas and oil field projects, arguing that this is the only way to keep the 1.5C-compatible net-zero emissions scenario alive.

Extreme Weather Events Are Getting More Frequent and Intense

Copernicus also concluded that 2024 was the year with the highest atmospheric water vapour content on record. As atmospheric water vapour levels increase, heavy rainfall events will become more intense.

Combined with record heat in the oceans, the abundant supply of moisture contributed to the development of major storms, including tropical cyclones.

In the Atlantic, all hurricanes that occurred between June and November were intensified by climate change-driven ocean warming, an attribution analysis concluded.

The same study also concluded that hurricanes in the past five years “were 8.3 mph (13.4 km/h) faster, on average, than they would have been in a world without climate change.”

Attribution studies quantify climate change’s influence on an individual weather event, often in the immediate aftermath of a heatwave, storm, or flood. Often, these scientific analyses highlight how much more rare it would be for such an event to occur in “a world without climate change.”

“Humanity is in charge of its own destiny but how we respond to the climate challenge should be based on evidence,” said Carlo Buontempo, Director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service. “The future is in our hands – swift and decisive action can still alter the trajectory of our future climate.”

Featured image: Kyle Lam/hongkongfp.com.

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