UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned Tuesday that rising sea levels will "soon swell to an almost unimaginable scale with no lifeboat to take us back to safety," highlighting the dire threat the crisis poses to Pacific Island nations.
The big picture: Guterres' forecast of a "worldwide catastrophe" coincides with the release of reports from the United Nations and the World Meteorological Organization that detail the acceleration of rising sea levels — and its "severe and disproportionate impacts" on Pacific Islands.
The hottest weather of the summer is likely Tuesday in Chicago, with a widespread area of sizzling conditions from the Midwest to the Mid-Atlantic.
Threat level: The unusually hot air mass for late August already smashed records in the Southern Plains, and is focused on the Midwest, Ohio and Tennessee Valleys before shifting Southeast, breaking historical benchmarks.
An environmental advocacy organization called for the investigation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. following the resurfacing of an interview where his daughter said he cut a dead whale's head with a chainsaw.
Why it matters: The former presidential candidate may have committed a felony by transporting a marine mammal skull, the Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund said.
Heat-related deaths in the U.S. rose 117% between 1999 and 2023, with more than 21,500 people succumbing over that time, according to a new analysis of Centers for Disease Control data.
The big picture: Heat waves are getting longer and more intense, and as temperatures continue to rise from climate change, planners in at-risk areas should expand access to hydration and public cooling centers and make other accommodations, researchers wrote in JAMA.
Why it matters: The frenzy of pushback since plans surfaced to develop sports amenities and lodging at nine state parks underscores the galvanizing force of Florida's natural resources in a state often characterized by its divisions.
A who's who in the climate VC and founder world have organized behind Kamala Harris — and trying to boost clean tech's election-season political strength.
Why it matters: "There's a substantial amount of political power and sort of latent capacity that has been untapped among the emerging climate industrialists," says Shomik Dutta, co-founder of the firm Overture.
Hurricane Hone swept past Hawai'i over the weekend, lashing the Big Island with heavy rains as emergency officials said a high wind warning would remain in effect for several areas through 6am Monday local time.
The big picture: While the Atlantic hurricane season is experiencing a brief lull, parts of the Pacific are very active.
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