Sweltering temperatures baking the globe this year, both on land and sea, have amplified the odds of the Earth setting an inauspicious record.
Driving the news: Months of hotter-than-normal weather have made the planet go from a 46.8% chance of having the warmest year on record at the end of July, to a greater than 99% chance of this outcome now, according to new data from NOAA.
The Energy Department this morning unveiledplans toprovide $7 billion to spur regional "hubs" for producing climate-friendly hydrogen.
Why it matters: It's the largest U.S. effort yet to spur production using renewables, nuclear energy, or carbon capture. But there's a long and uncertain road to the projects becoming reality.
A little more than a month remains before the start of the next United Nations Climate Summit, known as COP28, taking place in Dubai. But the already fraught talks are facing another potential obstacle: the threat of regional Mideast instability following Hamas' terrorist attacks in Israel.
Why it matters: At COP28, countries are tasked with weighing actions to close the gap between commitments to cut greenhouse gas emissions to date, and what is required to fulfill the aims of the Paris climate agreement.