Axios

Record-setting heat and hazardous air have already consumed much of the U.S. this summer, and the worst may be yet to come.

The big picture: The effects of a warming climate are no longer happening in the background. They're actively dictating and shaping our lives.

The next time your car breaks down, expect to fork over more money — and wait longer — for repairs.

Why it matters: Americans already face record-high debt after a long battle with inflation, and pricey repairs for vehicles they rely on to get around will likely only worsen the situation.

When a chemical plant in Port Neches, Texas, exploded on Thanksgiving eve in 2019, multiple people were injured, tens of thousands were evacuated from their homes and off-site property damage costs topped $150 million.

What's new: The plant's ultimate owners, private equity firms First Reserve and SK Capital Partners, will not be held liable, per a recent ruling by the Texas Supreme Court.

Earth recorded its hottest day on record on Thursday, making it the fourth straight to set or tie the record for warmest day globally.

Why it matters: The daily records are a symptom of the heat that human emissions of greenhouse gases are adding to the climate, combined with an El Niño event in the tropical Pacific Ocean.

The U.S. and the European Union took separate, tentative steps toward researching the complexities involved with deliberately interfering with the planet's climate to temporarily offset the severity of human-caused global warming.

Why it matters: The moves demonstrate the growing interest in and concern about geoengineering as the world hurtles toward exceeding the Paris targets, and climate change leads to more extreme weather events worldwide.

At least 45% of U.S. tap water is estimated to be contaminated with "forever chemicals," according to new U.S. Geological Survey research.

Why it matters: Exposure to certain levels of these synthetic compounds, referred to collectively as PFAS, has been linked to adverse health effects in humans and animals, including an increased risk of cancer.