‘The Interior Department is seeking senior scientists to lead five regional hubs of the Climate Adaptation Science Centers program.

But who wants to work for a Trump administration known for denying or downplaying climate science? And why is it filling the positions?’

Source: Trump Administration Places Want Ads for Climate Scientists | National Geographic

‘One of the biggest legal battles over climate change is now in limbo pending a decision from the Supreme Court’s chief justice, who last week took the odd step of halting the lawsuit to consider a stay.’

Source:  The Supreme Court stepped in to stall a climate lawsuit. That’s really weird.| Vox

‘…Across vertebrates, 16 to 33 percent of all species are estimated to be globally threatened or endangered. Large animals – described as megafauna and including elephants, rhinoceroses, polar bears and countless other species worldwide – face the highest rate of decline, a trend that matches previous extinction events.’

Source: Stanford biologist warns of early stages of Earth’s 6th mass extinction event | stanford.edu

‘(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump is backing off his claim that climate change is a hoax but says he doesn’t know if it’s manmade and suggests that the climate will “change back again.” ‘

Source: Donald Trump: Climate Change No Hoax, But May ‘Change Back’ | Time

‘The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned Monday that the planet had just 12 years to prevent irreversible, life-altering damage to the planet due to temperature increases. The Trump administration, meanwhile, has presented a labyrinth of convoluted views on climate change with a singular conclusion: Policy and regulation to protect the environment are unwelcome.’

Source: CAN DONALD TRUMP BE DEFEATED BY CLIMATE CHANGE IN 2020? THIS DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE THINKS SO | Newsweek

‘…For Alley, the engine of potential catastrophe is West Antarctica. The details are complex, but here’s a short version of what’s happening: warm water from the Southern Ocean is melting the underside of big glaciers like Thwaites and Pine Island, which, due to the unusual terrain there, have the potential to collapse quickly. (I wrote a much longer, more detailed account of the mechanics of ice sheet collapse here). If West Antarctica goes, that’s 10 feet of sea-level rise right there. Then if you add in ice loss from Greenland, a little from East Antarctica and other sources, you quickly get to 15 to 20 feet.’

Source: What’s Another Way to Say ‘We’re F-cked’? | Rolling Stone

‘We used aerial images of Mexico Beach taken before and after Hurricane Michael to assess the extent of the damage along a 1.2-mile stretch of the town. Of 440 buildings we could identify, 237, or 54 percent, were destroyed and 99, or 23 percent, were severely damaged — almost all of these were homes. ‘

Source: Hurricane Michael: One Mile of Devastation in Florida | The New York Times

‘A report issued Sunday by 91 scientists painted a stark portrait of how quickly the planet is heating up and how serious the consequences are. In response, the United Nations secretary general, António Guterres, warned world leaders, “Do what science demands before it is too late.”’

Source: The Climate Outlook Is Dire. So, What’s Next? | The New York Times

‘The authors found that if greenhouse gas emissions continue at the current rate, the atmosphere will warm up by as much as 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 degrees Celsius) above preindustrial levels by 2040, inundating coastlines and intensifying droughts and poverty. Previous work had focused on estimating the damage if average temperatures were to rise by a larger number, 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius), because that was the threshold scientists previously considered for the most severe effects of climate change.’

Source: Major Climate Report Describes a Strong Risk of Crisis as Early as 2040 | The New York Times

‘The resolution states that, “By systematically reducing meat and dairy consumption, the citizens of Berkeley can accomplish two objectives; substantially reducing our collective greenhouse gas emissions and serving as a model for other municipalities across the country and around the world.” The law does not yet have a start date, and the Berkeley city manager has been tasked with forming a plan for implementation.’

Source: Berkeley Passes ‘Vegan Monday’ Requirement – September 17, 2018 – SF Weekly