Opinion:
¶ “11% Of The Military Budget Could Fund Enough Renewable Energy For Every Home In The US” • Just 11% of the Pentagon’s current $716 billion budget would pay to produce enough wind and solar energy to power every one of the 127.59 million US households. A Green New Deal could make energy bills a thing of the past. [National Priorities Project]
Climate strike in Perth. (Gnangarra, Wikimedia Commons)
World:
¶ “Germany Unveils $60 Billion Plan To Fight The Climate Crisis” • As tens of thousands took to the streets of Berlin to demand urgent action to tackle the climate crisis, Germany’s coalition government unveiled a €54 billion ($60 billion) package of policies to speed up the country’s transition to renewable energy and reduce carbon emissions. [CNN]
¶ “Climate Protests: Marches Worldwide Against Global Warming” • Millions of people around the world held a global climate strike on Friday, inspired by activist Greta Thunberg. Protesters across continents waved placards and chanted slogans in what could be the biggest ever demonstration over global warming caused by humans. [BBC]
Over four million people demonstrating (Reuters image)
¶ “Saudi Oil Facility Attacks: Race On To Restore Supplies” • While it is not clear who launched the attack on Saudi oil facilities, it is clear significant damage was done. Oil prices saw their biggest jump in 30 years on Monday, rising by nearly 15%. Despite this, Saudi Arabia says oil production will resume as normal by the end of September. [BBC]
¶ “After Stalling Last Year, Renewable Power Capacity Additions To Hit Double-Digit Growth In 2019” • After stalling last year, global capacity additions of renewable power are set to bounce back with double-digit growth in 2019, driven by solar PV’s strong performance, according to the International Energy Agency. [Modern Diplomacy]
Solar energy
¶ “Daimler And VW Saying ‘Auf Wiedersehn’ To Internal Combustion Engines, But Not BMW” • In an interview, the head of R&D for the Mercedes-Benz division of Daimler, said his company has no plans to develop next-generation internal combustion engines. Instead, it is focusing on development of electric powertrains and batteries. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “‘We’re Losing The Race:’ UN Secretary General Calls Climate Change An Emergency” • UN Secretary General António Guterres said in an interview with Covering Climate Now that he is counting on public pressure to compel governments to take much stronger action against what he calls the climate change “emergency.” [The Philadelphia Inquirer]
António Guterres (Mary Altaffer | AP)
US:
¶ “‘Worse Than Harvey’: Catastrophic Imelda Flooding Turns Deadly In East Texas” • Tropical Depression Imelda dumped catastrophic amounts of rain on parts of eastern Texas and western Louisiana. Houston’s Police Chief said the rainfall is worse than during Harvey two years ago, which was the most extreme rain event in US history. [Daily Beast]
¶ “Tropical Storm Imelda Will Likely Be Southeast Texas’ Fifth 500-Year Flood In Five Years” • Tropical Storm Imelda was incredible. Though it might be too soon to tell how climate change shaped the intensity and speed with which Imelda struck Texas, Imelda will likely be Southeast Texas’ fifth 500-year flood event in as many years. [The Texas Observer]
Flooding (Kim Brent | The Beaumont Enterprise Via AP)
¶ “AT&T Renewable Energy Purchases To Surpass 1.5 GW Of Clean Energy” • AT&T has announced that its renewable energy purchases will surpass 1.5 GW of clean energy capacity, the amount used by about 560,000 homes, with the addition of new Virtual Power Purchase Agreements. The agreements are with Invenergy and Duke Energy Renewables. [KFVS]
¶ “California, New York Sue To Block Trump Administration From Revoking Higher Auto Emissions Standards Waiver” • California and New York filed a lawsuit to try to block the Trump administration from revoking the states’ authority to set their own vehicle emission standards, a legal waiver established under the Clean Air Act. [CNN]
CA (Justin Sullivan | Getty Images North America| Getty Images)
¶ “Trump Will Hold Session On Religious Persecution Instead Of Attending UN Climate Summit” • When President Trump visits the UN on Monday, many world leaders will be participating in a summit meant to address climate change. Trump won’t be there. Instead, he is chairing his own session focused on worldwide religious persecution. [CNN]
¶ “Repeat Flooding Has Residents Asking: Is Houston Worth It?” • Harvey was the third “500-year” rain event to hit Southeast Texas in three years. This week, Tropical Storm Imelda also earned that distinction, dumping more than forty inches of rain on the area. And many residents are now asking themselves: Is Houston worth it? [Houston Chronicle]
Woman and child (Godofredo A Vásquez | Houston Chronicle)
¶ “Former Analyst Quit Over White House Efforts To Edit Climate Report” • Dr Rod Schoonover, a former State Department intelligence analyst who resigned in protest when the White House attempted to block his report to Congress, told CBS News why he believes the threat climate change poses to America’s national security is being silenced. [WCBI]
¶ “Three Mile Island Unit 1 Closes For Good, Unable To Run Profitably” • Three Mile Island Unit 1, the nuclear power station whose name has become synonymous with the nation’s worst nuclear accident, was closed for good on Friday. The 45-year-old nuclear reactor, located in Middletown, Pennsylvania, was losing money. [CBS News]
Have a satisfyingly perfect day.
geoharvey 