Even if countries meet the more aggressive goals of the Paris Climate Agreement, global warming could likely still trigger several climate “tipping points" that would drastically change life on Earth, according to a new study published in the journal Science on Thursday.
Why it matters: "Tipping points" refer to junctures in the climate system that, when crossed, can usher in irreversible changes. Tipping points include the near-complete melting of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet or the shutdown of the ocean current that includes the Gulf Stream.
The Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law last month by President Biden, includes around $370 billion for clean energy development and adoption. But it is not a venture capital fund, despite viral tweets to that effect.
Why it matters: $370 billion is a ton of taxpayer money, and it will deserve a rigorous review that begins from a place of common understanding — rather than from atop a strawman.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for counties threatened by the dangerous Fairview and Mosquito Fires Thursday, as firefighters across the drought-ravaged western U.S. battled scores of wildfires in the searing heat.
Driving the news: Both the deadly Fairview Fire in Riverside County and the Mosquito Fire in El Dorado and Placer counties that jumped a river Thursday are "threatening multiple communities and critical infrastructure, forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents," per Newsom's statement.
