Desdemona Despair

Blogging the End of the World™

This weather is not normal. And it will only get worse. “How many more lives must be destroyed by historic hurricanes, floods, and wildfires before the government admits that climate change is a problem?”

By Emily Atkin 7 September 2017 (New Republic) – The days leading up to Hurricane Harvey’s landfall in Texas last week were some of the most nerve-wracking in meteorological history. Forecasters watched helplessly as a true monster storm—one that would eventually become the most extreme rain event in recorded American history—moved toward Houston, the country’s […]

Nitrogen cycle in coastal waters: Hamburg Harbor becomes a nitrate hotspot

By Tim Schröder 3 August 2017(Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht) – Nitrogen compounds are an important factor in the production of algal biomass. The team led by biologist Kirstin Dähnke from the Institute of Coastal Research at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht has been carrying out extensive Elbe nitrogen measurements for this reason.These measurements have shown that regions upstream from […]

A third of wells shut down at site of troubled natural gas facility in California

By Brian Melley 12 September 2017 LOS ANGELES (Associated Press) – The largest gas storage facility in the West halted using a third of the wells pumping methane underground at high pressure just weeks after it resumed operations following a blowout that crippled it for nearly two years.Southern California Gas Co. said Monday it notified […]

For first time in 300 years, there’s not a single living person on the island of Barbuda – “Climate change is here to stay. It’s a reality, despite all of the naysayers.”

By T.J. Raphael 14 September 2017 (PRI) – Barbuda has been left completely devastated by Hurricane Irma. An estimated 95% of Barbuda’s structures are damaged, and the entire island of around 1,800 people has been evacuated. “The damage is complete,” says Ambassador Ronald Sanders, who has served as Antigua and Barbuda’s ambassador to the U.S. […]

Hurricane Irma makes its mark in weather records

By Bob Henson 12 September 2017 (Weather Underground) – Some of the worst impacts of Hurricane Irma were still coming to light on Tuesday, a day after the National Weather Service wrote its final advisory on the storm. Irma’s unique place in weather history is already clear, though. Phil Klotzbach (Colorado State University) released a […]

Irma pushes Florida’s poor closer to the edge of ruin

By Jay Reeves 14 September 2017 IMMOKALEE, Florida (Associated Press) – Larry and Elida Dimas didn’t have much to begin with, and Hurricane Irma left them with even less.The storm peeled open the roof of the old mobile home where they live with their 18-year-old twins, and it destroyed another one they rented to migrant […]

Gay people to blame for Hurricane Harvey, say evangelical Christian leaders

By Lucy Pasha-Robinson 6 September 2017 (The Independent) – A number of Christian leaders have blamed LGBT people for causing Hurricane Harvey.Despite overwhelming evidence that supports climate change as a factor in the devastating storm and subsequent flooding, a handful of evangelical leaders have ludicrously suggested the LGBT community are to blame. Minister Kevin Swanson, […]

U.S. military is still preparing for global warming even though Trump said to stop

By Tara Copp 13 September 2017 WASHINGTON (Military Times) – The Pentagon has continued to take steps to defend its military bases against extreme weather despite direction from President Donald Trump to stop preparing for climate change. In March, President Donald Trump rescinded all climate-related federal agency actions directed by President Barack Obama. The Obama-era […]

Volcanic eruptions drove ancient global warming event

Warming event that took place 56 million years ago led to significant ecological disruption and could shed light on modern climate change By Sarah Nightingale 30 August 2017 RIVERSIDE, California (UCR Today) – A natural global warming event that took place 56 million years ago was triggered almost entirely by volcanic eruptions that occurred as […]

Mexico withdraws Hurricane Harvey aid offer after Trump fails to send condolences for their earthquake – U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson calls hours later

By Lucy Pasha-Robinson 13 September 2017 (The Independent) – Mexico has withdrawn its offer of aid to US victims of Hurricane Harvey after a 8.1 magnitude earthquake hit the southern states of Oaxaca and Chiapas, killing 96 people. A statement released by Mexico’s Foreign Ministry said the aid would now be redirected to help those […]

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