Week ending Friday, October 29, 2021

Climate Warnings

The world is now on track for 2.6 degrees Celsius of warming above pre-industrial levels based on current pledges by world leaders to cut emissions, according to the United Nations. The prediction comes as a survey of nearly 90,000 climate-related studies revealed that 99.9 percent of all atmospheric scientists agree that global heating is being caused by human activities, especially greenhouse gas emissions. “This report is another thundering wake-up call. How many do we need? The emissions gap is the result of a leadership gap,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres told reporters. “The era of half measures and hollow promises must end.”

Earthquakes

Several were injured when a magnitude 6.5 temblor caused scattered damage across northeastern Taiwan. • Earth movements were also felt in northern New Zealand, Los Angeles, California’s central coast and around the West Texas  cities of Midland and Odessa.

La Niña Impacts

The strengthening La Niña ocean cooling across the Pacific may add to Asia’s energy crisis as the pattern typically brings below-normal temperatures during the Northern Hemisphere winter. China and other countries are already grappling with surging fuel prices and power shortages that have curbed some industrial production. A bitterly cold winter could increase the demand for heating and make the energy shortage even more acute, industry experts warn. NOAA predicts La Niña will peak at moderate strength early next year, bringing cooler and wetter weather to parts of the northern U.S. and much of western Canada. Drier and possibly warmer weather may prevail in the south, forecasters say.

Nasty Invaders

Dozens of troublesome buzzards have mysteriously laid siege to a North Carolina town, where their acid vomit, toxic feces and general carousing have become a nightmare for residents. Droppings of the scavengers that have invaded the town of Bunn can strip paint from a car, and their seemingly intentional projectile vomit is often aimed at approaching people or other creatures, according to the News and Observer daily. Local naturalist Kathy Schlosser says the practice is a means of escape as it lessens the birds’ weight to allow a quick takeoff.

Eruption Desperation

The relentless flow of lava from the most violent and damaging eruption in Spain’s history claimed more structures and land. The collapse of La Palma’s Cumbre Vieja volcanic dome was accompanied by earthquakes and surges of lava that have so far covered 900 hectares and destroyed well over 2,000 structures. One local official pleaded with the military to bomb the volcano in a desperate attempt to stop the lava. The U.S. bombed Hawaii’s erupting Mauna Loa volcano in 1935 with dubious success.

Migration’s End

Climate change appears to be causing many migratory birds to spend between 50 and 60 fewer days in their historic African wintering homes, and new research says some may soon stop migrating southward from Europe entirely. Writing in the journal “Global Change Biology,” scientists from Britain’s Durham University say records from 1964 to 2019 reveal that some species are arriving at their wintering grounds later in autumn and departing earlier in spring. “In the traditional migration destinations of sub-Saharan Africa, a reduction in the time migratory birds spend there could have implications … such as insect consumption, seed dispersal and pollination,” lead author Kieran Lawrence said.

Tropical Cyclones

High winds and downpours from Hurricane Rick uprooted trees and damaged roads in the Mexican state of Guerrero. • Typhoon Malou passed directly over the remote Japanese island of Iwo Jima.

Dist. by: Andrews McMeel Syndication©MMXXI Earth Environment Service