The extreme highs in atmospheric carbon continue to
occur. This week is virtually certain to
surpass 408 ppm, and therefore the month as a whole is virtually certain to
surpass 407.6 ppm, a new historic high, and probably more than 4 ppm greater
than last year. If trends continue, the
increase in ppm will probably set another new record, being much greater during
the first five months of this year than last year’s average gain of 3.05 ppm
(my off-the-cuff estimate so far is 3.5 ppm).
To repeat, this is a greater increase and percentage increase than that
during the last comparable el Nino. This
calls into question, I repeat, whether our present efforts (as opposed to those
to which Paris climate talks committed) are really doing anything significant
to avoid “business as usual.”
Meanwhile, Arctic sea ice extent is far below even the
previous record low for this time of year.
The apparent cause is increased sea and air temperatures plus favorable
melting conditions in both the North Atlantic and North Pacific, partially
supplemented by unusually early “total melt” on land in both Canada/Alaska and
Scandinavia/Russia. Unless present
weather trends sharply change over the next 3 months, new record Arctic ice
lows are as likely as not, and “ice-free” (less than 1 million sq kilometers)
conditions are for the first time a (remote) possibility.
Finally, here are the climate change thoughts of the Republican
candidate for next President of the United States, with commentary (which I
echo) from David Roberts:
[The excerpt starts with footage from a press conference, followed
by an introduction, followed by Trump’s speech]
This is ... not an energy speech.
Trump now arguing that coal mining is a delightful job that people
love to do.
Trump wants the Keystone pipeline, but he wants a better deal --
'a piece of the profits for Americans.'
Facepalm forever.
'We're the highest taxed nation, by far.' That is flatly false,
not that anyone cares.
75% of federal regulations are 'terrible for the country.' Sigh.
'I know a lot about solar.' Followed by several grossly inaccurate
assertions about solar.
I can't believe I just got suckered into watching a Trump press
conference.
And now I'm listening to bad heavy metal as I wait for the real
speech. This day has become hallucinatory.
Speech finally getting under way. Oil baron Harold Hamm here to
introduce Trump.
Oh, good, Hamm explained energy to Trump in 30 minutes. We're all
set.
Here's ND's [North Dakota] own Kevin Cramer, representing the oil
& gas industry. Thankfully, he's gonna keep it short.
What even is this music?
Trump loves farmers. 'Now you can fall asleep while we talk about
energy.' Wait what.
Trump now repeating Clinton coal 'gaffe,' a story the media cooked
up & served to him. Awesome, media.
Honestly, Trump sounds like he's reading this speech for the first
time. Like he's reacting to it, in asides, as he reads it.
Trump promises 'complete American energy independence --
COMPLETE.' That is utter nonsense.
This is amazing. He is literally reading oil & gas talking
points, reacting to them in real time. We're all discovering this together.
Clinton will "unleash" EPA to "control every aspect
of our lives." Presumably also our precious bodily fluids.
Trump is having obvious difficulty staying focused on reading his
speech. He so badly wants to just do his freestyle-nonsense thing.
Can't stop laughing. He's reading this sh** off the teleprompter
& then expressing surprise & astonishment at it. Reading for the 1st
time!
He can't resist. Wandering off into a tangent about terrorism.
Stay focused, man!
Oh, good, renewable energy gets a tiny shoutout. But not to the
exclusion of other energies that are "working much better."
We're gonna solve REAL environmental problems. Not the phony ones.
Go ahead, man, say it ...
(1) Rescind all Obama executive actions. (2) Save the coal
industry (doesn't say how). (3) Ask TransCanada to renew Keystone proposal.
(4) Lift all restrictions on fossil exploration on public land.
(5) Cancel Paris climate agreement. (6) Stop US payments to UN climate fund.
(7) Eliminate all the bad regulations. (8) Devolve power to local
& state level. (9) Ensure all regs are good for US workers.
(10) Gonna protect environment -- "clean air & clean
water" -- but, uh, not with regulations!
(11) Lifting all restrictions on fossil fuel export will,
according to right-wing hack factory, create ALL THE BILLIONS OF US MONIES.
Let us pause to note: this is indistinguishable from standard GOP
energy policy, dating all the way back to Reagan. Rhetoric unchanged.
"ISIS has the oil from Libya."
Notable: not a single mention of climate change, positive or
negative. Just one passing reference to "phony" environmental
problems.
And this, in the Senate and House of Representatives, is
what keeps the US from far more effective action on climate change. To slightly alter George Lucas in the Star
Wars series, this is how humanity ends most of itself --- to thunderous
applause.
That is all.
