Editor’s note: I’m taking a break from the news next week (wanna join me?), which means that there will be no news roundup published the week of Oct 10-16. The roundup will be back Tue Oct 17. Thank you for understanding.
In short:
- The UK could be at significant risk of gas shortages this winter.
- Hundreds of hospitals from Texas to Maine are at risk of hurricane flooding.
- By 2053 the Corn Belt will be too hot for corn.
Economy, supply chain, energy
Europe, as well as the UK, could be at significant risk of gas shortages this winter, especially if there is a late cold snap:
The letter, from UK energy regulator @Ofgem and dated Sept 30, involves a rather, but important, technical change in the UK electricity market.
*** But the key is the first paragraph of the "background" section, highlighted for your perusal ***. pic.twitter.com/VfeTiIVnQW
— Javier Blas (@JavierBlas) October 3, 2022
The Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB) pipeline started operations to bring Azeri gas to struggling Bulgaria and could service Serbia, North Macedonia, Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine.
How much does it cost to run your electrical appliances? Here are simple tips to save money.
Oregon built the first-of-its-kind renewable energy plant. Wheatridge Renewable Energy Facility is the first utility-scale project to combine solar power, wind power, and battery storage. It generates emissions-free electricity by using a 50-megawatt solar array and 300 megawatts of wind power, then stores up to 120 megawatt-hours in giant lithium batteries. In total, the project is supposed to be able to power about 100,000 homes.
OPEC+ will decide Wednesday if to cut output. The move might contribute to higher gas prices in the United States and inflation in general. Others believe those cuts would not make a big impact because their output had already been lagging (unless they agree to redistribute production targets or the Saudis step in to act alone):
Report: 85% of the world will live in the grip of stringent austerity measures by 2023. At least 75% of the global population (129 countries) may still be living under these conditions by 2025. As part of austerity measures, social protection programs are cut, teachers and healthcare workers are not paid, subsidies are eliminated, public services are privatized or commercialized, pensions and workers’ rights are reduced.
By 2053, the Corn Belt will experience at least one day with 125 F (52 C) or higher, and corn will struggle to grow. Corn production has already dropped this year. Iowa produces the most corn of any state, and corn for ethanol and livestock accounts for 63% of the US agricultural exports. Growers are trying to adapt by experimenting with Stock Cropper, by using strip tillage and cover crops, or by pivoting towards perennial plants like Kernza, a domesticated wheatgrass that can be harvested for 10 to 20 years after being planted.
Climate change, environment, extreme weather
Cat 4 Hurricane Orlene downgraded to a Cat 1 storm before hitting southeast of Mazatlan, Mexico. Authorities did not immediately report any damage, but along the coast, they suspended classes, closed seaports, and set up shelters. Southwest Mexico should expect heavy rain and watch for flash floods and landslides through Tuesday.
The complete journey of Hurricane #Orlene from development in the eastern Pacific to landfall over Sinaloa, Mexico this morning. pic.twitter.com/pe4EOuUe7M
— Zoom Earth (@zoom_earth) October 3, 2022
A couple of disturbances in the Atlantic could become Tropical Depressions in the next few days (the NHC link will have the latest):
10/2, 2 pm EDT- NHC is monitoring a pair of systems this afternoon. The eastern one is likely to become a tropical depression around midweek, and the western system could gradually develop over the next few days. More details: https://t.co/tW4KeFW0gB pic.twitter.com/jyMZ5hM3zT
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) October 2, 2022
Hurricane Ian could be Florida’s costliest storm with as much as $47 billion in insured losses, and will ‘financially ruin’ homeowners and insurers. Low-income residents will likely suffer the most.
While Cape Coral was an unsustainable paradise, a nearby community built with climate resiliency in mind endured Ian with no loss of power and minimal damage. Babcock Ranch is a solar-powered town 12 m northeast of Fort Myers. The streets are designed to flood so houses don’t. Native landscaping along roads helps control storm water. Power and internet lines are buried to avoid wind damage. This is all in addition to being built to Florida’s robust building codes. Some residents installed more solar panels on their roofs and added battery systems as an extra layer of protection.
Good neighbors (and a generator) saved a man who was cut off from his oxygen by the hurricane.
Harvard study: Nearly 700 hospitals from Texas to Maine are at risk of hurricane flooding. The areas with the greatest risk are Florida and Texas, where hurricanes occur regularly. Surprisingly, hospitals in the Northeast like New York and Boston are also susceptible to flooding. Researchers found that the longer a county was declared a disaster area, the higher the death rate for those with terminal illnesses. In light of the findings, robust evacuation plans are vital.
The 10 metro areas where a Cat 2 hurricane threatens access to hospital care most are:
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
- Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
- New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL
- Jacksonville, FL
- Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
California is entering the fourth year of extreme drought due to La Niña. Only a few consecutive “good water years” can break the spell. Gov. Gavin Newsom warned that Californians must adjust to a hotter and drier world.
As a way to adapt, LA is installing ‘flow restrictors’ to wasteful customers, and celebrities aren’t spared. A flow restrictor is a little metal disk installed over the pipes of chronic wasters, dramatically slowing down a home’s water flow. A residence becomes eligible for a restrictor when it has exceeded its water limit by 150% at least four times since December 2021.
In a first, the US appointed a diplomat for plants and animals. Monica Medina will serve as a special envoy for biodiversity and water resources, working on global matters related to these issues.
A recent study found that US cities increasingly integrate justice into climate planning and create policy tools for climate justice.
Health
The monkeypox outbreak in the US is slowing, but according to the CDC there is a chance that low-level transmission could continue indefinitely.
In good news, early figures show the efficacy of the Jynneos vaccine: the unvaccinated were 14 times more likely to become infected than those vaxxed. A first dose is already efficacious after two weeks, but immune protection is highest two weeks after the second dose.
A new model says Type 1 diabetes cases worldwide could double by 2040.
If living in a state with near-total abortion bans, be prepared to show extra documentation when buying medication from Walgreens or CVS. You can be turned away if you can not prove that the medication you’re buying is not going to be used to end a pregnancy, and you might need to try several pharmacies before finding one that serves you. People with chronic conditions have already been affected by these policies.
Russo-Ukrainian war and other shenanigans
Ukraine applied for fast-track NATO membership in response to Russia’s annexation of four Ukrainian regions. In a joint statement, nine members called on all NATO nations to support Ukraine’s application and to increase military aid to Kyiv. Czechia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia worry they’d be Russia’s next targets. Sweden and Finland are on track to join the alliance.
Ukraine forced the retreat of Russian troops from the strategic town of Lyman in the newly-annexed Donetsk region:
Former CIA director and retired army general Petraeus said Putin’s nuclear threat needs to be taken seriously, but the US and its allies would destroy Russia’s troops and sink its Black Sea fleet, all without the need to use nuclear weapons.
The Nord Stream pipeline stopped leaking. The leaks were likely the single largest methane release ever. The leaks serve as a warning that any one of the numerous gas, power, and telecommunication cables crisscrossing Europe could be a target. Norway, Denmark, Italy, and Poland have increased security and surveillance around their own undersea pipelines. Q&A from the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS): Security implications of Nord Stream sabotage.
Because things are not tense enough, North Korea launched a test missile that flew over Japan and landed in the ocean. Residents were told to take cover:
WATCH: Sirens wailed across Japan as people were told to seek shelter for a North Korean missile launch; the threat has now passed pic.twitter.com/6nCpZuebCk
— BNO News (@BNONews) October 3, 2022
And if you were wondering: the US defense secretary sees no imminent invasion of Taiwan by China but said China was trying to establish a “new normal” with its military activities around the island. The US is working to reopen channels of military communication with China.
The rest
Google launched the “Results about you” feature in the US, making it easier to request the removal of search results that lead to content with personally identifying information. People outside the US can still use the online form. The thread explains the new feature:
Today, we're rolling out the “Results about you” tool for Google Search, making it easy to request the removal of search results that lead to content with personally identifying information, such as your personal phone number, home address or email address… pic.twitter.com/8D4eZ3Jftv
— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) September 28, 2022
Never assume you will be rescued straight away (if at all) when calling for Search and Rescue: Lost hiker asked for help in Colorado. Rescuers told her to ‘hunker down for the night.’
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