‘The world may already have crossed a series of climate tipping points, according to a stark warning from scientists. This risk is “an existential threat to civilisation”, they say, meaning “we are in a state of planetary emergency”.’

Source:  Climate emergency: world ‘may have crossed tipping points’ | The Guardian

‘The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) says the increase in CO2 was just above the average rise recorded over the last decade.’

Source: Climate change: Greenhouse gas concentrations again break records | BBC

‘Great whales are the carbon-capture titans of the animal world, absorbing an average of 33 tons of CO2 each throughout their lives before their carcasses sink to the bottom of the ocean and remain there for centuries, according an article in the December issue of the IMF’s Finance & Development magazine. A tree, by contrast, absorbs no more than 48 pounds of the gas a year.’

Source: One Whale Is Worth Thousands of Trees in Climate Fight, New Report Says | Time

‘Students and alumni from Harvard and Yale disrupted the annual football game between the two elite universities on Saturday, occupying the field in New Haven, Connecticut, at half-time and demanding the colleges divest from investment in fossil fuels.’

Source: Harvard and Yale students disrupt football game for fossil fuel protest | The Guardian

‘NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Climate change activists stormed the field at the Yale-Harvard football game on Saturday afternoon, disrupting the game at halftime in a protest to call attention to the universities to divest their investments in fossil fuels.’

Source: Climate Change Protesters Disrupt Yale-Harvard Football Game | The New York Times

‘The EcoSwing consortium designed, developed, and manufactured a full-size superconducting generator for a 3.6 megawatt wind turbine, and field-tested it in Thyborøn, Denmark.’

Source: Superconducting wind turbine chalks up first test success | Phys.org

‘On Nov. 2, 21 of the 37 air quality monitoring stations in Delhi registered in the “severe” category. Since then, the city has been grappling with its worst-ever pollution crisis. On the Air Quality Index, an international metric used by public health officials that accounts for a range of major air pollutants, any reading above 100 is considered unhealthy. In some areas of Delhi this week, the AQI recorded well over 900 according to daily bulletins by India’s Central Pollution Control Board.’

Source: As Delhi Chokes On Smog, India’s Health Minister Advises: Eat More Carrots | NPR

‘A young indigenous land defender has been shot dead and another wounded by illegal loggers in Brazil’s Amazon.’

Source: Brazil: Amazon land defender killed by illegal loggers | BBC

‘…A kind of toxic debt is embedded in much of the infrastructure that America built during the 20th century. For decades, corporate executives, as well as city, county, state, and federal officials, not to mention voters, have decided against doing the routine maintenance and deeper upgrades to ensure that electrical systems, roads, bridges, dams, and other infrastructure can function properly under a range of conditions. Kicking the can down the road like this is often seen as the profit-maximizing or politically expedient option. But it’s really borrowing against the future, without putting that debt on the books.’

Source: The Toxic Bubble of Technical Debt Threatening America | The Atlantic