Wrong, Bloomberg, Texas “Deniers” Are Right, Climate Change Had Nothing to Do with Hurricane Beryl
Bloomberg recently published an article which said Hurricane Beryl in particular, and other natural disasters which commonly hit the state, are symptoms of climate change, and that Texas’ pro-fossil fuel policies are partly responsible. Bloomberg’s article is wrong, a classic case of blaming the victim, Texas residents, for something that is 100 percent beyond their control, the weather. Beryl was not the earliest hurricane or tropical storm to ever hit Texas, some media reports to the contrary, and despite modest warming, data show no trend in worsening hurricanes or other extreme weather events in Texas or nationally. In short, contrary to Bloomberg’s unsubstantiated assertions, there is no “signal,” that climate change is causing or contributing to weather disasters in Texas.
In the article, “Hurricane Beryl Makes a Mockery of Texas Climate Deniers,” by opinion editor, Mark Gongloff, Gongloff used Hurricane Beryl as the news hook writing:
On Monday [July 8], the state [Texas] was slammed by the third incarnation of Hurricane Beryl, which had been re-re-fueled by bathtub-warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico after wreaking havoc on several Caribbean islands, Jamaica, and Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. It made landfall south of Houston as a Category 1 hurricane, bringing high winds, a storm surge and heavy rainfall, and leaving millions without power in sweltering heat.
That much of Gongloff’s story was accurate, but then he goes completely off the rails, writing:
Pop quiz time: Which US state is the most vulnerable to climate-fueled weather disasters and soaring home-insurance costs but is also growing rapidly and has a government hostile to the very concept of climate change? The most obvious answer is Florida, with its hurricanes and floods and anti-woke, stunt-loving governor. The correct answer, however, is Texas.
No other state has suffered more climate-related damage over the past several decades than the Lone Star State — not even Florida, California or Louisiana. Home-insurance costs rose more in Texas than in any other state last year and over the past five years, according to S&P Global. And though Governor Ron DeSantis has outlawed the mention of climate change in Florida, Texas’ aggressive pro-global-warming policies have real teeth and will continue to do real harm. Especially to Texas.
While it is true that Texas likely suffers more weather-related disasters than almost every other state when one counts hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, and flooding, that is because of its unique location (vis-à-vis natural weather patterns), size, and increasingly demographics with more rapid development in regions prone to extreme weather hazard; the number and severity of extreme weather event has not changed.
Long-term trends show no increase in extreme weather as fossil fuel development and use has proceeded apace, despite modest warming. By contrast the state has benefitted tremendously from the development and use of fossil fuels, a significant reason why job, economic, and population growth is strong. Indeed, the top four industries by revenue in Texas are, in order, gasoline and petroleum wholesaling, oil and gas extraction, petroleum refining, and gasoline and petroleum bulk stations which, by themselves, produced more than 1.13 trillion in revenue for the state in the most recent year. This doesn’t account for the billions more in revenue produced by the chemical refining industry, which produces plastics, fertilizers, pesticides, lubricants, and other fossil fuel-based products in broad and common use across Texas, the United States, and the world as a whole. As high as the cost of natural disasters are in Texas, which Gongloff pegged at $350 billion since 1980, those cost are dwarfed by the benefits delivered by fossil fuels over the same period. Indeed, the revenue generated by gasoline and petroleum wholesaling alone in the most recent year, 486.5 billion is greater than the cost of weather-related disasters over the entire 44-year period of Gongloff’s accounting.
And of course, it is unclear that long-term climate change contributed to any of the weather-related costs Texas has suffered since 1980, because there is no evidence it has made hurricanes, tornados, flooding, or wildfires worse or more frequent.
Let’s deal with Beryl and hurricanes more generally, first. Contrary to what has been implied in some reports, Beryl was not unprecedented. On June 26, 1986, Hurricane Bonnie made landfall in south Texas, dumping more than 13 inches of rain, spawning tornados, and killing four people. For those counting, June 26 is almost two weeks earlier than July 8. Also on June 30, 2010, Hurricane Alex made landfall just south of the Texas coast in Soto la Marina, Tamaulipas, Mexico, delivering heavy rains, winds, tornadoes, and flooding to the Texas coast and the Rio Grande valley. Six other named storms have made landfall in Texas in June since 1980 alone – and this doesn’t count any that did so before 1980. In case anyone is wondering, the great Galveston Hurricane of 1900, 124 years of global warming ago, remains the deadliest natural disaster in Texas and U.S. history, claiming as many as 12,000 lives.
Concerning hurricanes more generally, real world data clearly show that there has been no increase in hurricanes or major hurricanes as the planet has modestly warmed
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Millions More Spent on Pritzker's Illinois Clean Energy Program
The state of Illinois is pumping millions of tax dollars more to develop a clean energy jobs program in underserved neighborhoods.
The Clean and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), which was signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker three years ago, funds programs that create clean energy jobs statewide.
Pritzker said the Climate Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program prioritizes underrepresented populations and Illinoisans living in communities that have historically faced economic and environmental barriers.
“Climate Works will provide participants the direct hands-on support and resources that they need to build a career in the clean energy trade while further bolstering our world class workforce development infrastructure,” said Pritzker.
The nonprofits HIRE360 and the 548 Foundation will receive nearly $14 million in taxpayer funding to expand its clean energy careers training program to reach 1,000 graduates in the next 36 months and to place grads into trade programs.
Jay Rowell, executive director of HIRE360, expects the funding will allow the organization to expand its workforce development program to cover all 102 of Illinois’ counties.
“It will allow us to provide the specialized training that individuals need to enter the green trades and build sustainable careers,” said Rowell. “Jobs in clean energy are the future for our state.”
As outlined in statute, the pre-apprenticeship program consists of three regional centers serving the North and Chicago metropolitan area, Central Illinois and Southern Illinois.
While state officials note that people of color, women and other populations have historically been significantly underrepresented in apprenticeship programs, a new study says some may be left behind.
The study, published in Political Geography by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, suggests the state, in attempting to redress historical wrongs, used blinders to define equity in CEJA, which led to perceived injustices for downstate rural, often white communities.
CEJA calls for 100% clean energy in Illinois by 2050.
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Critics Say Small Farmers Are Real Target Of Danish Livestock Emissions Tax
As Denmark prepares to become the first country in the world to tax farmers for livestock ’emissions’, critics say the real goal is to consolidate control over the food supply and shift to corporate-controlled ‘Pharma Food’
A ‘deal’ was reached on June 24th between the Danish government and representatives of the farming industry and unions.
The tax, which specifically targets methane emissions by cows, pigs and sheep, will take effect in 2030, pending final approval by the Danish Parliament, The Associated Press reported.
Beginning in 2030, farmers will be required to pay a tax of 300 kroner (approximately $43) per ton of carbon dioxide equivalent. This will increase to 750 kroner ($108) by 2035. After a 60 percent tax deduction, the respective amounts will be 120 kroner ($17.30) and 300 kroner.
CNN, quoting Denmark’s “green think tank” Concito, reported that Danish dairy cows emit, on average, 5.6 tonnes (6.2 U.S. tons) of CO2-equivalent emissions per year. This would result in a tax of 672 kroner per cow ($96) in 2030 and 1,680 kroner ($241) in 2035.
The respective emissions figure for all Danish cows is an average of 6.6 tons of CO2-equivalent annually, according to the AP, which reported that the Danish government aims to reduce the country’s ‘greenhouse’ emissions by 70 percent from 1990 levels by 2030, citing Taxation Minister Jeppe Bruus.
According to CNN, the proceeds from the tax will be used to support the agricultural industry’s ‘green’ transition in the first two years, including the investment of 40 billion kroner ($3.7 billion) for measures including reforestation and establishing wetlands.
After two years, the tax will be “reassessed.”
Denmark is a significant exporter of pork and dairy products, CNN reported. Agriculture is the country’s largest source of ‘greenhouse gas’ emissions. The AP reported that, as of June 2022, there were nearly 1.5 million cows in Denmark.
Proponents of the tax emphasized that Denmark is the first country to enact such a policy, characterizing it as a step toward greater environmental ‘sustainability’.
“We will take a big step closer in becoming climate neutral in 2045,” Bruus said.
“We are investing billions in the biggest transformation of the Danish landscape in recent times,” said Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen in a statement quoted by CNN. “At the same time, we will be the first country in the world with a (carbon) tax on agriculture.”
According to Torsten Hasforth, Concito’s chief economist, “The whole purpose of the tax is to get the sector to look for solutions to reduce emissions,” CNN reported. Hasforth noted that farmers could, for instance, change the feed they use, as part of their efforts to reduce emissions.
The Danish Society for Nature Conservation called the tax “a historic compromise,” in remarks quoted by the AP. The organization’s president, Maria Reumert Gjerding, said:
“We have succeeded in landing a compromise on a CO2 tax, which lays the groundwork for a restructured food industry — also on the other side of 2030.”
And Ben Lilliston, director of Rural Strategies and Climate Change at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, told PBS NewsHour that methane emissions are “a huge problem … a huge challenge.”
He argued that while methane remains in the atmosphere for fewer years than CO2, it has “about 80 times the potency.”
“If you reduce methane, you can get more near-term results and allow us to have a little longer of a window to reduce carbon dioxide emission,” Lilliston said.
Denmark’s ‘carbon’ tax was enacted despite recent farmers’ protests throughout Europe, including large protests in Brussels, the de facto capital of the European Union (EU) and center of EU policymaking.
The farmers voiced grievances over new environmental regulations and the corporate takeover of European farming.
In recent years, EU member states such as Ireland and the Netherlands have also pursued plans to limit farming and cull livestock, leading to protests in those countries.
New Zealand planned to enact a ‘carbon’ tax, set to take effect in 2025. The tax, passed by the country’s previous center-left government, was repealed last month by New Zealand’s new center-right governing coalition, according to the AP.
Criticisms are now being levied against Denmark’s new ‘carbon’ tax, with some experts arguing that it amounts to an added burden for the agricultural sector — particularly small farmers.
CNN quoted Danish farmers’ association Bæredygtigt Landbrug, which described the new policy as a “scary experiment.”
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Consent bid for huge wind farm off Scotland's east coast
A total absurdity
ONE of the largest floating offshore wind projects in the world has taken a step closer to becoming a reality with the submission of the consent application for its offshore array to the Scottish Government.
The Ossian project is being co-developed off the east coast of Scotland by a partnership comprising leading Scottish renewable energy developer, SSE Renewables, Japanese conglomerate Marubeni Corporation and Danish fund management company Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners.
At up to 3.6GW of installed capacity, Ossian would be among the largest floating offshore wind farms globally. Once operational, it would be capable of generating enough energy to power up to six million homes annually.
Development lead Rich Morris said: “We have submitted a comprehensive environmental impact assessment report to the Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate, and we’re committed to continuing engagement with the statutory consultees and wider stakeholder community.
“We are confident this submission will support the timely delivery of the UK’s largest floating offshore wind farm, ensuring Ossian is ready to take full advantage of ongoing grid reforms and National Grid ESO’s move to a ‘first ready, first connected’ model. We have worked hard to reach this significant milestone.”
Ossian has consulted with regulatory and industry bodies across nature conservation, fisheries, aviation and shipping and navigation to ensure the application is reflective of their views.
Extensive surveys have also gathered large amounts of data relating to the wind farm array. This includes Ossian’s collaboration with other ScotWind developers to document the habits of bird populations in the wider North Sea region. The survey involved aircraft collecting high-definition images across an 11,550sq km area in the North Sea.
A year-long data gathering campaign collecting information relating to wave height, currents, tides, and sediment movements was concluded earlier this year. The data and samples provided are crucial to understanding the engineering properties of the seabed across the vast site.
Copies of the report will be available to view at libraries in Stonehaven, Carnoustie and Dunbar from July 23 as part of a public consultation. It can also be viewed online at marine.gov.scot/node/23264.
https://www.thenational.scot/news/24453880.consent-bid-huge-wind-farm-off-scottish-east-coast/
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http://dissectleft.blogspot.com (DISSECTING LEFTISM)
http://edwatch.blogspot.com (EDUCATION WATCH)
http://antigreen.blogspot.com (GREENIE WATCH)
http://pcwatch.blogspot.com (POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH)
http://australian-politics.blogspot.com (AUSTRALIAN POLITICS)
http://snorphty.blogspot.com (TONGUE-TIED)
https://immigwatch.blogspot.com (IMMIGRATION WATCH)
http://jonjayray.com/short/short.html (Subject index to my blog posts)
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Jim Hansen and his twin
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