There's "an atmospheric river bearing down on the world’s fifth largest economy," Bill McKibben observes, and yet banks still lend money to fossil fuels.
"Three years ago—in the wake of the Greta-inspired mass uprising of young people around the world—Bank of America apparently felt it had to make some gesture, so it chose a pretty easy route to demonstrate its newfound greenness. It said it would no longer lend for new coal mining or coal-fired power plants or for new oil exploration in the Arctic. These were seen to be beyond the pale because…well, they are. They represent some of the most egregious possible insults to this planet.
But last week they said, never mind. If you want some money for a new coal mine, our window is open again. If you’re an oil company that feels like searching for oil in the Arctic now that you’ve melted it, we can make a deal."
— Bill McKibben, "Bank of America to World: Just Drown Already": Finance capitalism as a suicide machine, The Crucial Years, February 5, 2024
Here's that atmospheric river, flooding Los Angeles.
Neither is the NYT keeping pledges
"In 2021, in response to growing concerns about the fossil fuel industry’s role in climate delay, The New York Times pledged to ban oil and gas companies from sponsoring 'its climate newsletter, its climate summit or its podcast ‘The Daily.’'
But it appears there are limits to that pledge. Because last week, The Daily aired an ad from BP touting the petroleum giant’s climate credentials."
— "'The Daily' runs a greenwashing BP ad": The Daily promised to end fossil fuel sponsorships in 2021. BP promised to stop “corporate reputation advertising” in 2020. Emily Atkin and Arielle Samuelson, HEATED, February 6, 2024Aren't there also droughts and fires in California?
Yes. Climate change causes extreme weather, both dry and wet.
2023 Arizona heatwave
Extreme heat wave bound for Phoenix and Southwest could be worst ever: It’s already hot and set to get much worse. Numerous heat records are at risk next week and probably beyond. Ian Livingston, Washington Post, July 7, 2023
2023 Nevada heatwave
Las Vegas Could Break Heat Record Amid Scorching Temperatures Across U.S.: "The most intense period is beginning,” the National Weather Service said. Ken Ritter and Julie Watson, Associated Press, July 15, 2023
2022 California drought
"Kelsey Hinton, the communications director of Community Water Center, a group advocating for affordable access to clean water, said that urban communities — which typically get water from the state's reservoirs — don't seem to understand the severity of the drought in the way that rural communities do, where water could literally stop flowing out of the tap the moment their groundwater reserves are depleted.
But advocates say government officials are also focusing on the wrong approach. They say voluntary residential water cuts are not the solution, and that restrictions should be mandated for businesses and industries that use the vast majority of the state's water.
* * *
The perception in California right now is it's no secret any longer that drought is linked with climate change," Gable told CNN. "But there has been no effort to curtail the industries that are using the most water, which are coincidentally the industries that are also sending out the most emissions that are fueling the climate crisis."
— California is in a water crisis, yet usage is way up. Officials are focused on the wrong problem, advocates say, Rachel Ramirez, CNN, May 15, 2022
2022 California wildfires
'Like An Inferno:' U.S. West Burning At Furious Pace So Far: Even small fires that once would have been easily contained are extreme threats to life and property because of climate change. Marcio J. Sanchez and Brian Melley. Associated Press. May 13, 2022.
2021 California wildfires
"Dangerous Air: As California burns, America breathes toxic smoke," Alison Saldanha, Farida Jhabvala Romero, Caleigh Wells, and Aaron Glantz, CAP Radio (Sacramento), September 28, 2021
2020 California wildfires
Wildfire-weary Californians, ‘tired of this being normal,’ consider uprooting their lives, Ray Sanchez, CNN, September 22, 2020
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