Many places are becoming increasingly unlivable. And around one-quarter of humanity is already dealing with drought and associated food insecurity. By 2070, one-fifth of the planet could become too h… [+4167 chars]

In 2025, extreme weather will drive more people from their homes. Governments have no plan. Where will they be welcome?

Wired

The Climate-Driven Diaspora Is Here

In 2025, we will see a fundamental transformation in the language of climate politics. Were going to hear a lot less about reducing emissions from scientists and policymakers and a lot more about pha… [+5275 chars]

The term “reducing emissions” has outlived its usefulness, a crutch to soften the blow that’s being exploited by greenwashers. Now it’s time to get real.

The Fossil Fuels Conversation Needs a Hard Reset

A consortium of global law enforcement agencies led by Britains National Crime Agency announced a takedown operation this week against two major Russian money-laundering networks that process billion… [+8213 chars]

Plus: Russian spies keep hijacking other hackers’ infrastructure, Hydra dark web market admin gets life sentence in Russia, and more of the week’s top security news.

US Officials Recommend Encryption Apps Amid Chinese Telecom Hacking

For many of the people served by the humanitarian sector, 2024 has been the worst of times. The most recent UN estimates of those forced to flee violence and disaster is a record of 120 million, a fi… [+3638 chars]

The opportunity for artificial intelligence to actually do some good has arrived—if it can be redirected toward where it’s needed most.

More Humanitarian Organizations Will Harness AI’s Potential

The tundra keeps burning and its transforming the Arctic
The tundra keeps burning and its transforming the Arctic
 / Its a vicious cycle. Rising temperatures are stoking wildfires in the Arctic, wh… [+4775 chars]

Wildfires have transformed the Arctic, according to the latest report card on the region. It’s both a cause and a symptom of climate change.

The Verge

The tundra keeps burning and it’s transforming the Arctic

Meta turns to nuclear energy for its AI ambitions
Meta turns to nuclear energy for its AI ambitions
 / Its the latest tech company to jump on the nuclear energy bandwagon.
Meta is turning to nucle… [+3492 chars]

Meta says it wants to bring more nuclear energy to electricity grids to power its data centers.

Meta turns to nuclear energy for its AI ambitions

Oil giants blocked a treaty to curb plastic pollution, but countries will try again
Oil giants blocked a treaty to curb plastic pollution, but countries will try again
 / A proposal to set limits o… [+5015 chars]

A group of oil-producing nations blocked a treaty to curb plastic pollution, but countries will try again to reach an agreement in 2025.

Oil giants blocked a treaty to curb plastic pollution, but countries will try again

The internet is forever. But also, it isnt. What happens to our culture when websites start to vanish at random?
Bys.e. smith
Dec 18, 2024, 1:00 PM UTC
Every few days, I open my inbox to an email … [+12586 chars]

The promise of the internet is that it would last forever. But that has proven to be largely untrue, as huge swaths of the web are vanishing, quickly and at random.

The quickly disappearing web

Combined insights from 10 models of the worldwide climate suggest that temperatures are rising faster than previously expected.
The alarming finding, published today in Environmental Research Letter… [+3557 chars]

Ten climate models and a machine learning approach offer an alarming new timeline for the rate of climate change.

Gizmodo.com

AI Model Indicates Global Temperatures Will Rise Faster Than Expected

Theres a field in Wiscasset, Maine (Population 3,742) protected by armed guards. On the field is a chain link fence surrounding a pad of concrete. On the pad are 60 cement and steel canisters that co… [+13991 chars]

Nuclear waste is spread across 94 different nuclear sites in the U.S. and has no permanent home. Big Tech is going to add more to the pile.

Where Will All of Big Tech’s Nuclear Waste Go?

What do you do? You wack the C.E.O. at the annual parasitic bean-counter convention. Its targeted, precise, and doesnt risk innocents. Those lines reportedly come from a notebook found in the possess… [+3840 chars]

Another piece of potential evidence has been brought forward by authorities.

Police Say They Have Their Hands on the Alleged Healthcare CEO Killer’s Notebook

At a depth between 3.7 and 6.8 miles, the worlds hadal zonesnamed after Hades, the Greek god of the underworldare the deepest parts of the oceans. Marine biologists have now uncovered a predator adap… [+3201 chars]

The newly discovered predator sheds light on the surprising creatures that have evolved to thrive in some of the world's most extreme environments.

Killer Ghost Shrimp: Scientists Discover a New Predator Lurking in the Atacama Trench

Elon Musk, America’s wealthiest oligarch, tweeted an endorsement of Germany’s AfD political party and many Germans aren’t happy with that fact. Why? It probably has something to do with AfD’s racism,… [+4309 chars]

Musk has a history of supporting far-right causes in the U.S. Now he’s going international.

Elon Musk Says Only Far-Right Extremist Group ‘Can Save’ Germany

In a world flush with hazardous air pollutants, there is one that causes far more cancer than any other, one that is so widespread that nobody in the United States is safe from it.It is a chemical so… [+25088 chars]

Companies use formaldehyde for everything from making furniture to sterilizing food. Industry has repeatedly thwarted government efforts to limit its health risks.

Formaldehyde Causes More Cancer Than Any Other Toxic Air Pollutant. Little Is Being Done to Curb the Risk

New funding could help vulnerable countries prepare for the worst impacts of climate change
Richer countries have pledged to give a record $300bn (£238bn) to the developing world to help them prepar… [+5285 chars]

A deal is salvaged at the UN summit as poorer nations are promised record funding for climate action.

BBC News

Landmark $300bn for poorer nations in COP29 climate deal

A key negotiator for the group of small island nations who walked out of the UN climate talks on Saturday, pushing them close to collapse, has told BBC News that the group was ready to leave the summ… [+4060 chars]

A key negotiator with the group that pushed climate talks close to collapse speaks to the BBC about what happened.

'We were ready to leave climate summit' - negotiator tells BBC

Some UK social media users have been pouring milk down their sinks and toilets in protest at the trial of a new feed additive that claims to significantly reduce the emission of methane gas in dairy … [+6423 chars]

The new additive aims to cut down on methane emissions from cows, but some have raised safety concerns.

Why has an additive called Bovaer sparked controversy online?

The alleged assault happened at a school in north Belfast in November
Three young Muslim girls at the centre of a racial bullying row have been told by their north Belfast school it is not safe for … [+5806 chars]

Three children have not been back to the Belfast Model School for Girls since an alleged assault there in November.

School tells Muslim girls it’s ‘not safe’ for them

Heledd Roberts is one the Welsh influencers encouraging people to dispose of their waste responsibly
Social media influencers have been brought in to tackle the problem of fly tipping in Wales, whic… [+3997 chars]

Litter pickers say the situation is depressing as the cost of removing dumped rubbish nears £2m.

Influencers fight fly tipping as problem worsens

The WhatsApp message was from the chief negotiator of one of the most powerful countries at the COP climate gathering. Could I stop by for a chat, he asked.
As his team hunched over computers eating… [+10148 chars]

What it means for the global climate effort if another superpower comes to the fore, just as Trump steps back

Cop29: US out, China in - the future of climate talks?

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is to attend his first meeting of the British-Irish Council, which is being hosted in Edinburgh on Friday.
The Labour leader will hold talks with Scottish First Minis… [+2674 chars]

The prime minister will meet with John Swinney and other heads of government in the Scottish capital.

PM to attend British-Irish Council in Edinburgh

Dianne Morgan's home backs on to a coal tip in Cwmtillery which caused a landslide following heavy rain during Storm Bert in November.
Residents who saw a coal tip landslide narrowly miss their home… [+4857 chars]

After a coal tip landslide narrowly missed their homes, residents say are worried about a risk of another.

Landslide residents want to leave their homes

Mark Drakeford said the budget was a "real opportunity" to "reinvigorate public services"
Healthcare in Wales is being offered hundreds of millions of pounds more next year to tackle record high wai… [+3117 chars]

All Welsh government departments to be offered more cash from April under budget plans.

Health to get £600m boost in Welsh budget

Time Magazine has named Donald Trump as their person of the year for the second time. 
"For marshaling a comeback of historic proportions, for driving a once-in-a- generation political realignment, … [+2590 chars]

The Republican president-elect also won the award in 2016 when he first won the presidency.

Time names Donald Trump person of the year for second time

Eleri Jackson set up an online fundraising page to help cover the thousands of pounds worth of flood damage to her local rugby club in Newport.
A rugby club which failed to find adequate insurance c… [+3730 chars]

The club failed to find insurance cover after it was flooded in 2020, and has been hit again.

Rugby club devastated by Storm Bert had no insurance

The age of social media has ushered in an abundance of annual food and drink trends, from tart cherry juice-based sleepy girl mocktails to cheese-covered pickles (known as…wait for it…"chickles"). Wh… [+5695 chars]

We asked six powerhouse chefs what they expect -- and want -- to see in 2025.

CNET

6 Chefs Predict 2025 Cooking Trends: AI Recipes, African Grains and Pickling

The two biggest climate polluters in the world are China and the United States.
The U.S. is preparing for a second presidential term for Donald Trump, who has called climate change a hoax and federa… [+6689 chars]

As a new Trump administration signals a retreat on climate action, China is stepping up. China is the biggest producer of climate technologies like electric vehicles and solar panels.

How will China impact the future of climate change? You might be surprised

The U.N.'s top court begins hearings Monday on the legal obligation of countries to fight climate change.

Landmark climate change case will open at the top U.N. court

MADISON, Wis. U.S. wildlife officials announced a decision Tuesday to extend federal protections to monarch butterflies after years of warnings from environmentalists that populations are shrinking a… [+6775 chars]

U.S. officials decided to extend protections to monarch butterflies after warnings from environmentalists that populations are shrinking and the beloved pollinator may not survive climate change.

Monarch butterflies will get federal protections as a threatened species

More than 50% of youth in the United States are very or extremely worried about climate change, according to a recent survey
 in the scientific journal The Lancet.
The researchers, who surveyed ove… [+6038 chars]

A recent survey finds that more than half of young people aged 16-25 are highly worried about climate change. Some universities are now trying to help them navigate those emotions in class.

College students get emotional about climate change. Some are finding help in class

The small town of Carrboro, North Carolina is suing one of the country's largest electric utilities, Duke Energy, over climate change.
While states and cities have filed lawsuits against big oil com… [+5559 chars]

A small North Carolina town is suing Duke Energy for costs from climate change, claiming the utility knew its fossil fuel power plants were heating the planet and deceived the public.

A North Carolina town is suing utility Duke Energy over climate change

To consider how climate change could cause some extinctions, imagine a tiny mountain bird that eats the berries of a particular mountain tree.
That tree can only grow at a specific elevation around … [+4418 chars]

A new study projects biodiversity threats if global warming speeds up. Under the most extreme scenarios, about one in three species could be facing extinction by the end of the century.

How many species could go extinct from climate change? It depends on how hot it gets.

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) The top United Nations court will take up the largest case in its history on Monday, when it opens two weeks of hearings into what countries worldwide are legally required… [+4357 chars]

The hearings come after years of lobbying by island nations who fear they could simply disappear under rising sea waters,

A landmark climate change case will open at the top U.N. court

MIAMI One of the deadliest and most costly hurricane seasons ever seen in the Atlantic officially comes to a close on Saturday.
The six-month season brought 18 named storms and 11 hurricanes, five o… [+4710 chars]

The six-month season saw an above-average number of storms. Scientists say climate change is leading to more powerful and deadly hurricanes that can affect inland communities far from the coasts.

The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season was the deadliest in nearly two decades

If you're hoping to wake up on Christmas morning to white fluffy stuff on the ground, there's a chance you might get your wish.
Christmas magic won't bring snow to the majority of the country, but s… [+5588 chars]

A few parts of the country may get a white Christmas in 2024, but the majority will not. And in the future, shifts in weather patterns driven by global warming may make them even less likely.

Dreaming of a white Christmas? There's hope, depending on where you live

President-elect Donald Trump talks a lot about "unleashing American energy" specifically oil, which he likes to call "liquid gold."
And based on his nominees for key energy posts, there's every indi… [+7247 chars]

Trump promised to "drill, baby, drill." What does that actually mean for the U.S. oil and gas industry – and other types of energy, too?

Under Trump, an 'all of the above' energy policy is poised for a comeback

Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day.
Today's top st… [+5532 chars]

President-elect Donald Trump picks Pam Bondi as attorney general after Matt Gaetz withdraws from consideration. And, Putin says Russia tested a new intermediate-range ballistic missile on Ukraine.

Trump's new pick for attorney general. And, Russia's message to NATO countries

Anna Goldman, a primary care physician at Boston Medical Center, got tired of hearing that her patients couldn't afford the electricity needed to run breathing assistance machines, recharge wheelchai… [+5107 chars]

Doctors in Boston got tired of writing letters to power companies asking them to help vulnerable patients. Then they realized the solar panels on the hospital roof might offer a solution.

Why these doctors started writing medical 'prescriptions' for solar power

TORONTO Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced the biggest test of his political career after Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, long one of his most powerful and loyal ministers, resigned fro… [+6172 chars]

The stunning move raised questions about how much longer the prime minister of nearly 10 years — whose popularity has plummeted due to concerns about inflation and immigration — can stay on.

Canada's finance minister resigns, posing biggest test of Trudeau's political career

Presidents love to claim they have a "mandate" after winning an election.
"[T]he beauty is that we won by so much. The mandate was massive," President-elect Donald Trump said of his 2024 presidentia… [+9883 chars]

There's a long history of presidents claiming that their win means the will of the people is behind their agendas. But elections are rarely full-throated endorsements of a candidate's every policy.

Trump claims a 'massive' mandate, but presidents often overread their victories

A new version of the song "Do They Know It's Christmas" is out today November 25. And it's already stirred up a bit of controversy.
British rocker Bob Geldof was the driving force behind the first v… [+5925 chars]

The singers have criticized "They Don't Know It's Christmas" for perpetuating "damaging stereotypes" of Africans as a charity case. Bob Geldof defends the song. We went to Kibera for comments.

Ed Sheeran and Fuse ODG rebuke Band Aid charity song. We ask Kenyans to weigh in

Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day.
Today's top st… [+6789 chars]

ABC News agreed to a $15M settlement in a defamation lawsuit with President-elect Donald Trump. Here's a look at why. And, multiple factors have led to renewed hope for an Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal.

ABC News' $15M settlement with Trump. And, renewed hope for an Israel-Hamas ceasefire

For some U.S. drivers, this year's hottest car accessory is a chunk of black plastic.
Ford and Rivian gave one to each of their EV owners for free. General Motors is selling one for more than $200. … [+15180 chars]

The auto industry is embracing Tesla's charging technology in order to share its vast Supercharger network. This is going to be a slow transition — expect to see a lot of adapters.

Tesla won the plug war. Enter the age of the EV charging adapter

Climate change has intensified hurricane wind speeds by an average of 19 mph in 84% of North Atlantic hurricanes between 2019-2024, according to new research that links warming ocean temperatures to … [+919 chars]

Climate change has intensified hurricane wind speeds by an average of 19 mph in 84% of North Atlantic hurricanes between 2019-2024, according to new research that links warming ocean temperatures to storm intensity for individual hurricanes. 

This year, Hurr…

Slashdot.org

The New Climate Math on Hurricanes

The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Guardian: Montana's top court on Wednesday held that the state's constitution guaranteed a right to a stable climate system and invalidated a law barring regulators from considering the effects of greenhouse gas em…

Montana Supreme Court Upholds Right To 'Stable Climate System' For Youngsters

Deep in the Canadian Arctic, scientists and entrepreneurs brave sub-zero temperatures, whipping winds and snowstorms to drill holes through the sea ice to pump out the seawater below and freeze it on… [+1063 chars]

An anonymous reader shares a report: Deep in the Canadian Arctic, scientists and entrepreneurs brave sub-zero temperatures, whipping winds and snowstorms to drill holes through the sea ice to pump out the seawater below and freeze it on the surface. The group…

A Controversial Plan To Refreeze the Arctic is Seeing Promising Results

Amazon Web Services is partnering with startup Orbital Materials, which used artificial intelligence to create a new material specifically designed for separating carbon from hot air exhaust in data … [+600 chars]

Amazon's data centers could soon double as carbon capture machines, offsetting the harmful effects of the massive amounts of energy required to run them. From a report: Amazon Web Services is partnering with startup Orbital Materials, which used artificial in…

Amazon AI Data Centers To Double as Carbon Capture Machines

the thawing Greenland Ice Sheet threatens to unbury these dangerous relics
FTFA:
New research suggests that as early as 2090, rates of ice loss at the site could exceed gains from new snowfall. And… [+209 chars]

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Space.com: NASA scientists conducting surveys of arctic ice sheets in Greenland got an unprecedented view of an abandoned "city under the ice" built by the U.S. military during the Cold War. During a scientific flight …

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