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‘Venice Is On Its Knees’: Mayor Blames Worst Tides In 50 Years On Climate Change
Bill Chappell, NPR (Tweet)
Venice is on its knees," Mayor Luigi Brugnaro says, as the lagoon city is suffering some of the worst floods in its history. The highest tide in 50 years brought seawater that is threatening monuments and works of art in the historic city.
With more than 85 percent of the city flooded, Brugnaro says the Italian city is in a state of emergency. He's now asking Italy's central government for help, saying the damage to Venice is huge.
The water overwhelmed seawalls and smashed brick docks, shoving boats into streets and putting portions of landmarks such as St. Mark's Basilica and La Fenice Opera House underwater. While the crypt at St. Mark's was flooded, a member of its management board tells Italian news agency ANSA that the main concern is that water may have damaged the basilica's support columns.
5 Global Trends Shaping Our Climate Future
By Brad Plumer, New York Times (Tweet)
Renewable energy is set to overtake coal as the dominant source of global energy by 2030.
Offshore wind is experiencing dramatic growth.
SUVs are negating progress from electric cars.
Energy efficiency progress is slowing.
What happens in Africa is crucial.
Climate change lawsuits are not going away
Umair Irfan, Vox (Tweet)
Once viewed as a longshot tactic for spurring action on climate change, several of these lawsuits have overcome attempts to dismiss them. However, many remain in uncharted legal territory that are applying existing laws in new ways. And some courts, including the Supreme Court, have voiced their skepticism about the merits of these cases. At stake is billions of dollars in liabilities for fossil fuel companies and legal precedents that could burst the dam and pave the way for even more lawsuits.
Goodbye, America: Greta Thunberg to Sail Again After Climate Talks Relocate
By Somini Sengupta, New York Times (Tweet)
Greta Thunberg is sailing across the Atlantic, again. It’s much sooner than she had planned, but not before she makes her mark in the United States.
Ms. Thunberg, the 16-year-old Swedish climate activist, set sail from Hampton, Va., on Wednesday morning. This time, she’s hitching a ride with an Australian couple that sails around the world in a 48-foot catamaran called La Vagabonde and chronicles their travels on YouTube.
La Vagabonde will take roughly three weeks to reach Spain, where Ms. Thunberg hopes to arrive in time for the next round of United Nations-sponsored climate talks.
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