Satellites orbiting Earth are providing data to precisely point scientists, companies and governments to sources of methane — a strong greenhouse gas.
Why it matters: Cutting methane emissions could help to slow global warming in the next few decades. But efforts to reduce methane hinge on knowing where and how much of the gas is being emitted — and whether companies and governments are responding.
Young activists from African nations are attending the COP27 climate summit to push for solutions to the climate issues burdening the countries that contribute the least to climate change.
Driving the news: Whether or not wealthy countries should help foot the bill for climate damages in highly vulnerable nations is one of the defining issues at this year's summit.
Nicole made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane on the east coast of the Florida peninsula, just south of Vero Beach, packing maximum sustained winds of 75 mph about 3am Thursday — leaving thousands without power.
The latest: About an hour later, Nicole weakened to a still-dangerous tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph as it moved over east-central Florida — bringing with it strong winds, powerful storm surge and waves as it dumped heavy rains across a large area, per the National Hurricane Center.
Hurricane Nicole knocked out power to thousands of customers in eastern Florida early Thursday, as the National Hurricane Center warned it would make landfall in the state "in the next couple of hours."
Threat level: The storm was bringing damaging storm surge flooding along the east coast of Florida, north to Georgia and South Carolina, along with heavy rain and damaging winds. Flooding was reported early Thursday in Port Orange and Palm Beach Shores, where a carpark was inundated with floodwaters.
New York and California voters had different stances on climate-related ballot measures in the midterm elections this year.
Why it matters: New York will have more than $4 billion in new climate change-related funding after approving its proposal, whereas California won't move to tax the rich to increase funds for environmentally-friendly production.
The U.S. is teaming up with philanthropic and corporate heavyweights to pitch a new — but controversial — carbon credit system to boost private finance for low-carbon energy in developing nations.
Driving the news: On Wednesday, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry — along with the Rockefeller Foundation and the Bezos Earth Fund — unveiled plans for the "Energy Transition Accelerator" at the COP27 summit.
A coalition of groups using satellite observations, artificial intelligence and machine learning revealed on Wednesday the most comprehensive facility-level accounting of global carbon emissions.
Why it matters: The information can be used by regulators, journalists and investors to put pressure on governments and corporations to cut their emissions.
Tropical Storm Nicole, currently spinning northeast of the Bahamas, is intensifying and is forecast to strike Florida as a hurricane late Wednesday.
Why it matters: The storm's large size, combined with an area of high pressure to its north, is likely to make it a far-reaching, high-impact event with damaging coastal flooding, dangerous winds and heavy rainfall across a broad region.
Context: Tesla's stock is down 52% so far this year. The electric vehicle company's market cap has fallen below $600 billion for the first time since June last year.
