Happy Nice Mall

These days when climate change is such a pressing issue, people often think it’s the main cause of animal and plant extinctions. It is true that it will play an increasingly destructive role. But for now, the biggest driver is humans taking over or changing the habitats of wild animals on land and sea.

This dynamic was fully exposed Wednesday, when federal officials announced a number of new extinctions. In total, they said 22 animals and one plant should be endangered and removed from the endangered species list.

It can be a glimpse into the future. The announcement came amid the worsening global biodiversity crisis. threatens to wipe out a million species, in many decades.

I’ve spoken to biologists, federal wildlife officials, activists, and bird watchers. Some drowned as we spoke. Many hoped that these extinctions would be a lesson to humans. Please read full article here.

quotation: “Each of these 23 species represents a permanent loss to our nation’s natural heritage and global biodiversity,” said Bridget Fahey, who oversees species classification for the Fish and Wildlife Service. “And it’s a sobering reminder that extinction is a result of human-induced environmental change.”

Join us at Glasgow climate talks

World leaders will gather in Scotland in November for the next round of international climate talks, COP26, and you can be there. Join us at The New York Times Climate Hub to explore one of the most pressing questions of our time, face-to-face or online: How do we adapt and thrive in a changing planet? tickets nyclimatehub.com.

A low carbon economy can be a bargain

By the end of the century, more frequent and severe natural disasters could shrink the eurozone economy by 10 percent if new policies are not introduced to mitigate climate change, according to a new report. by comparison, transition costs not more than 2 percent of the gross domestic product.

Oil spills into Gulf after Hurricane Ida

Hurricane Ida, which hit the coast of Louisiana at around 150 miles per hour this summer, appears to have caused a spike in oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration began using satellite imagery to monitor oil spills a decade ago. Normally, the agency detects about 25 leaks per month nationwide. However, in the two weeks after Ida, authorities released a total of 55 leak reports for the Bay alone, including one near a fragile nature reserve.

It highlights the vulnerability of the region’s offshore oil and gas infrastructure to intensifying storms caused by climate change. one can see interactive map of leaks in my article with my colleague Blacki Migliozzi.

quotation: “Old pipelines will unravel, move and drift into other things,” said Frank Rusco, Director of Natural Resources and Environment at the Federal Office of Accountability. “There’s a really dangerous situation out there.”

Biden’s first big move to regulate greenhouse gases

The Biden administration has finalized a deal. critical climate change regulation prevent the use of planet-warming chemicals used in refrigeration and air-conditioning.

According to official estimates, the Environmental Protection Agency rule will reduce chemicals known as hydrofluorocarbons by 85 percent over the next 15 years. It will also help meet President Biden’s goal of roughly halving America’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

This is the key to American credibility. When world leaders meet at the global climate summit in Scotland in November, the United States will be expected to make progress in its efforts to reduce emissions. So far, the Biden administration has several other policies completed in place.

Also important this week:

United States from Friday nationwide experiment in climate adaptation: Forcing Americans to pay something closer to the true cost of the individual risk of flooding, which increases as the planet warms. The change will be felt most sharply in cities and towns around Tampa Bay, where some homeowners will eventually see federal flood insurance costs increase tenfold.

Federal officials say the goal is fairness—many homeowners far from shore, whose flood insurance premiums often exceed their risk under the old pricing system, will see their rates fall. But another goal is to help homeowners in distress areas understand the extent of the risk they face and perhaps lessen the human and financial burden of disasters by moving to safer ground.

Lawmakers from both sides are lining up to block the new rates, which will be implemented gradually over the next few years. But if the new system continues, it could have profound ramifications for coastal real estate—changing where Americans build homes and how much they’re willing to pay for them.

I spoke with landlords facing huge jumps in insurance bills in Florida, elected officials who oppose the changes, and flood experts who insisted they were late. Whoever wins flood insurance challenge It previews an important truth about large-scale efforts to reduce Americans’ exposure to climate change: Not everyone will be happy with the outcome.

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