The Manifest [ 13-Feb-26 8:40pm ]
They meet in boardrooms, islands, temples made of glass.
Their laughter oils the hinges that have never known a key.
The mentor's grin, the waiting jet, the children smuggled in last—
The manifest preserves the names that justice will not see.
No creed but appetite, no flag but chartered skies.
They harvest flesh like data, every victim numbered, never mourned.
The law kneels at wealth's altar and sanctifies the lies,
While Congress skims the manifest and asks who climbed aboard.
They dream of outliving empire in a bunker's private sun.
The world below turns feral as the safety nets collapse.
One falls—we call it justice, say our ritual is done.
But new wolves cut their teeth in shadow while their patrons softly clap.
The Walls They're Building Aren't for Our Safety [ 13-Feb-26 8:52pm ]Despite the pathetic lack of accountability, the Epstein files changed the calculus. What used to be dismissed as a niche conspiracy theory turned out to be a global system of trafficking involving people at the top. When a secret that large is proven true, the "mad" theories start to look plausible. What other huge lies are we being told? What else exists behind the curtain?
We see a pattern now. A group of powerful people shape the world to fit their needs. They tell the public to "move on" while they build doomsday bunkers in remote locations, private security forces, and tech replacements for human labor.
The amazing thing is they are building all this right in the open, and we're like, "nah, they cant really be planning for half of us to die, are they?"
submitted by /u/idreamofkitty[link] [comments]
This started about a century ago. When the Great Depression hit in 1929 there were some hard hitting films. In 1930 the Motion Picture Production (Hays) Code was introduced. It was not really followed or enforced until 1934.
I thought old movies were a sign of some creepy puritan way of life, but it a code forced upon the creative folks. It's like history has been unveiled for me after watching a couple of these movies - I quite liked Five Star Final by Mervyn LeRoy. The ending was quite relevant to our current times.
The word czar is being used again. A sad little man wants to make Hollywood great again. There are puritan laws being put in place, or are simmering. I hope I live long enough to see some better parts of history rhyme.
Here are a couple of articles talking about Pre-Code films:
As a result, some films in the late 1920s and early 1930s depicted or implied sexual innuendo, romantic and sexual relationships between white and black people, mild profanity, illegal drug use, promiscuity, prostitution, infidelity, abortion, intense violence, and homosexuality. Nefarious characters were seen to profit from their deeds, in some cases without significant repercussions. For example, gangsters in films such as The Public Enemy, Little Caesar, and Scarface were seen by many as heroic rather than evil. Strong female characters were ubiquitous in such pre-Code films as Female, Baby Face and Red-Headed Woman, among many others, which featured independent, sexually liberated women.[1][2] Many of Hollywood's biggest stars, such as Clark Gable, Bette Davis, James Cagney, Barbara Stanwyck, Joan Blondell, and Edward G. Robinson, got their start in the era.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-Code_Hollywood
Once the Code took hold, criminals had to be punished. Sex had to be implied, not shown. Topics like abortion, drug use, and interracial romance were completely removed.
https://filmdaft.com/what-is-pre%E2%80%91code-hollywood-meaning-history-film-examples/
submitted by /u/rematar[link] [comments]
Once more with feeling, a Metacrisis video [ 13-Feb-26 9:08pm ]Submission Statement: This video presents a novel way of understanding just how bloody complicated the Metacrisis is. Although it is titled with NZ, you can comfortably ignore that detail as most of the content relates to the global predicament. The graphic in this has been designed to try and capture as many of the issues we face, including about 60 topics ranging from "Finite Planet", "Psychological Drivers", "Deforestation", "Ice Melt", "Food Insecurity", "Civil Unrest", "Resource Depletion", "Health Problems", "Pollution", "Insect Decline" and so on. I think the video provides a pretty good introduction to the Metacrisis/Collapse/what-have-you, and then goes on to present a number of horrifying statistics, facts and figures highlighting the state of the planet, and showing how different factors and drivers inter-relate, all while using the graphic to illustrate this. Although it's from 2024, if you just imagine that things have only gotten worse since then, you'll be fine... oh wait you don't have to imagine that! If nothing else it does provide a good baseline for comparison so we can see how bad things are now, vs how bad they were back then. Here's a backup link to the video in the event of other technical issues: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEIm8gfExJ8
submitted by /u/Fruesli[link] [comments]
All things bright and beautiful need to be sustainable as well, says Church of England's new flower policy [ 13-Feb-26 5:38pm ]
Millions of flowers are used to decorate England's churches every year. Sandifan/ShutterstockAnyone on the flower rota at England's parish churches will now be reconsidering the way they do their arrangements, after Church of England leaders voted to use more seasonal and local flowers.
A motion to use sustainable flowers brought before the General Synod of the Church of England by the Bishop of Dudley, Martin Gorrick, was passed on February 12. The term "sustainable flowers" means using those that have travelled less distance, use less packaging and have been grown using without chemicals, high energy inputs or an excessive amount of water.
The General Synod, which considered the motion, is made up of all bishops plus representatives from every diocese, and includes the newly appointed Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah Mullally - who personally thanked those who brought the motion. The bishop said: "It is deeply theological, to honour the God who made the earth."
Parish leaders will now need to be updated about what needs to change in planning the flowers for the front of the church.
For most churches this will mean using seasonal foliage and local flowers in weekly worship, rather than buying those grown thousands of miles away or by using intense heating to grow blooms out of season.
These sustainable flowers may come from churchyards, gardens, donation buckets or offerings from local garden clubs or allotment holders.
The motion encourages all places of worship to source what is local and seasonal to them, wherever possible. It aims to phase out the use of floral foam, which has traditionally been used for flower arranging. And it links the theology of stewardship of creation and the planet to how to treat nature, promoting seasonal and compostable flowers and foliage.
It is likely to mean trying different techniques such as going back to some traditional methods used before floral foam was invented in the 1950s.
I was there to hear the bishop say that the decision to phase out floral foam is about moving away from single-use plastics and manufactured alternatives, towards simpler methods of display, such as vases, sticks and other reusable and compostable materials.
What the church does matters, it uses millions of flowers every year in its displays. Its impact goes far beyond the church doors.
If the around 12,000 Church of England parishes only averaged two bunches a week, that would be over 1.2 million a year and millions of stems. Additionally there are huge numbers used at church events such as weddings and funerals, and brought into churchyards. The church's decision could also drive more Fairtrade sales where local flowers are not available.
With this potential source of business changing, florists might be encouraged to provide plastic-free options, and consumers might be more aware when choosing their flowers - such as for St Valentine's Day and beyond.
What else is needed?Currently, even those who want to buy sustainable flowers will struggle to know what to look for. Details of the place of origin is rarely included on plastic wrapping and any independent verification of flowers meeting particular standards, for example Fairtrade, are rarely available to consumers. Fairtrade flowers do give more information to consumers, including place of origin and farm standards.
The Church of England's decision shows a need for providing consumers with more information on the ecological standards that flowers have been grown to, impact on soil, biodiversity and on the local economy.
Shane Connolly, CC BY
These are issues that the Sustainable Flowers Research Project, an organisation set up by me and David Bek, a professor of sustainability at Coventry University, have been working on for years. We also work with flower suppliers and buyers to create more sustainable policies on farms and in shops.
A current government-funded project with the Flower Growing Collective, a network of regional flower selling hubs, is providing new routes to market for more than 60 growers. It also is creating convenient wholesale access for florists to buy local flowers, without needing to trail around multiple farms.
Farmers who already supply seasonal flowers can be found through organisations such as Flowers from the Farm. Other useful guidance is also available to help people find more environmentally friendly flowers. And a new sustainable church flowers national award scheme will encourage and acknowledge the work being done.
Hopefully church flower arrangers around the country will embrace this new approach, and see it as changing with the times.
Jill Timms receives funding from the UKRI/Defra Farming Innovation programme and the ESRC Impact Acceleration Account. She is also an affiliate of Sustainable Church Flowers (SCF).
Football has a real fossil fuel problem - and it's not sustainable [ 13-Feb-26 5:38pm ]In 1958, Brazil won the men's Fifa World Cup in Sweden. The team, which included a 17-year-old Pelé, stayed in a modest country hotel and travelled by train or bus to small stadiums in cities such as Uddevalla and Göteborg.
Fan attendance was fairly low for that 16-team tournament. And so too was the the ecological impact of the event - especially compared to the 2026 World Cup which will see 48 teams and millions of supporters travel to and across North America.
For while football's global reach is often highlighted as a positive thing that brings the world together, the beautiful game risks having a rather ugly impact on the planet.
This is partly down to ambitious plans to expand almost every aspect of elite football - more money, more matches, more tournaments, more fans - that have accelerated over recent decades. This could be seen as a positive development for anyone who enjoys football, but it also has some problematic consequences.
The expansion of international competitions for example, has led to increasing carbon dioxide emissions from football-related travel as teams, supporters and media representatives fly around the globe following the game.
A recent study estimated that as part of the growing ecological footprint of international sport, global football now has a carbon footprint similar to that of Austria.
So the high number of international matches, as seen in the remodelled Fifa men's Club World Cup, the expanded men's Euros of 2024 and the forthcoming men's World Cup in 2026 challenges both the health of the players and the health of the planet.
These issues all point in the same direction - prioritising profit and growth over people and planet, and developing a dependence on the fossil-fuel economy.
There are plenty of examples. Oil-rich Saudi Arabia for instance, is often accused of sportswashing, but was named as host for the 2034 World Cup and continues to invest in the English Premier League. The 2022 Fifa World Cup in oil-rich Qatar was criticised for the environmental impact of new stadiums, new infrastructure and the use of cooling systems in the extreme heat.
Then there's Fifa's sponsorship deal with Aramco, a company estimated to be responsible for 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions since 1965. All of these are strong signs that fossil-fuelled growth in the economics of football has been normalised.
Some supporters and campaign groups have been criticising this development for a while now. But how is football responding?
Hope and glory?Well, recently Fifa announced the creation of its own "peace prize" to recognise those who "unite people, bringing hope for future generations". But while that ambition may sound admirable, the actions of global football suggest the opposite.
For instead of bringing hope, football is accelerating climate change through its a problematic dependence on fossil-fuel sponsorship. Research suggests that the sport also displays a distinct lack of support for those countries that are most severely affected by climate change.
There are though, some clubs doing their best to take environmental sustainability seriously. FC Porto, Real Betis and Malmö FF are all involved in the "Free Kicks" project, which requires clubs to assess their environmental performance in terms of things like energy savings and use of resources.
Their work shows that it is possible to combine top-level football with sustainable practices and good governance. And if Fifa is serious about bringing hope to future generations, it may want to learn from some of the people who have done precisely that.
The Qatar World Cup was controversial.
Fitria Ramli/Shutterstock
Reducing the size and frequency of large international events would be a good start. So too would organising fixtures in such a way as to minimise their carbon footprint.
If all of this means accepting a deceleration in the expansion of global football in a bid to become more sustainable, would that really be so bad?
After all, those who saw a 17-year-old Pelé in Sweden in 1958 did not know about the coming climate crisis. But the football they followed back then was a lot more compatible with sustainable development than the sport is today.
Daniel Svensson is affiliated with The Sport Ecology Group. He receives funding from The Swedish Research Council for Sport Science.
Britain's relentless rain shows climate predictions playing out as expected [ 13-Feb-26 5:37pm ]Large parts of the UK are experiencing relentless rainfall, with some places seeing rain for 41 consecutive days and counting. In Reading, in the south east of England, our university's official rain gauge has recorded precipitation on 31 consecutive days - unprecedented in records stretching all the way back to 1908.
The pattern has not just made 2026 a bit dreary. It also reveals one way in which climate change is making the already naturally variable (some would say gloriously variable) British weather increasingly extreme.
In those 31 days, Reading has received 141mm of rain, compared to the 30-year average over that period of just 58mm - well over twice what we would expect at the time of year.
Higher than average rainfall totals are expected, well, half of the time. This is just how mean averages work. But it's the nature of this current weather pattern that is so unusual, and is in keeping with the type of wetter winter situation for UK weather that climate scientists have been warning us to expect - even if we are still only just learning why exactly this is happening on a regional level.
Over the full breadth of a British year, the bigger picture is even more revealing. Last year, the UK was grappling with one of the hottest and driest summers on record. A succession of hot spells, combined with long periods that saw less than average rainfall, meant water supplies dwindled and widespread hosepipe bans were put in place.
As a whole, 2025 from spring onwards was exceptionally dry. Fast forward to the new year, and we're facing the opposite - weeks of rainfall and flooding. These extremes are what we expect to see in this part of the world, as heat builds up in the global atmosphere and oceans. For British people, this is what climate change right now feels like.
More rain, more intense rainWhat is causing this link between a warmer planet and wetter British winters? One fundamental link is in basic physics of the atmosphere as temperatures rise. Warmer air can hold more moisture - about 7% more for every one degree celsius of warming. This means that when it rains, on average it rains harder. Bigger, heavier downpours become more common.
Climate change is also disrupting the patterns of currents and cycles within the atmosphere and oceans that bring the UK much of its weather. As an island archipelago on the edge of three competing climate masses - the wet, mild Atlantic, the cold, dry Arctic, and the wildly variable temperatures of the Eurasian landmass - it is used to variability.
But one constant feature plays an oversized role in the type of weather we get: the jet stream - a ribbon of fast-flowing air high in the atmosphere. The position of the jet stream makes a big difference. Sometimes it flows to the north of Scotland, sometimes it is hundreds of miles further south towards Spain. This location matters, because the jet stream helps to blow whole weather systems - think of a big "bubble" of air carrying its own weather with it - from the Atlantic towards the UK.
Currently, the jet stream is positioned further south than typical for the time of year, steering consecutive wet and often windy weather systems directly towards the UK. At the same time, a high pressure system is sitting over parts of northern Europe, blocking the wet weather from moving further east.
The impact of climate change on the jet stream is complex, because this river of air circling the north pole from west to east is influenced by a lot of different factors. One thing we do know: the Arctic, at surface level, is warming faster than other parts of the planet. This means that the temperature difference between the poles and the equator, for air at lower levels at least, is not as big as it used to be. This may be influencing the jet stream to weaken and meander.
With less energy to push them along, these weather patterns can get stuck in one location, meaning that the systems of low air pressure associated with rainfall and storms can slow down or get stuck. When a system bringing rain parks itself over the UK for days on end, only to be followed by another system, and another, the result is relentless rainfall.
To complicate things further, high up in the atmosphere where the jet stream blows, climate change is actually making the temperature difference between equator and poles increase. This may be strengthening the speed and turbulence within the jet stream itself, and just adds to a complex picture of varying influence on UK rainfall.
The challenge of managing extremesThese rapid swings between drought and deluge pose serious practical challenges for everyone in the UK. Water companies must plan for both droughts and floods, even within the same year. Farmers face uncertain growing conditions, with crops rotting in the wet soil one month, and drying out in droughts a few months later. Infrastructure designed for the climate of the past may not cope with the extremes of the future.
Understanding these changes isn't just an academic exercise. It's essential for helping communities, businesses and governments prepare for what's coming. As Britain experiences these climate extremes at first-hand, it is crucial to build resilience into plans for hotter and drier summers, and warmer wetter winters.
Jess Neumann is a trustee of River Mole River Watch, a water quality charity who work with, advise, and receive funding from environmental and conservation organisations and agencies, water companies, commercial services, local authorities and community groups.
Hannah Cloke advises the Environment Agency, the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts, the Copernicus Emergency Management Service, local and national governments and humanitarian agencies on the forecasting and warning of natural hazards. She is a member of the UKRI Natural Environment Research Council and a fellow of the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts. Her research is funded by the UKRI Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council, the UKRI Natural Environment Research Council, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and the European Commission.
Could BYD's Manchester City Partnership Indicate A Scandinavian Sales Offensive? [ 13-Feb-26 7:21pm ]BYD recently entered a partnership with the Manchester City soccer (or football) club. This is one of the top teams in the Premier League. The partnership includes supplying BYD and DENZA vehicles, along with ESS batteries. In the heavily tribal world of soccer, this will likely gain some sales from ... [continued]
The post Could BYD's Manchester City Partnership Indicate A Scandinavian Sales Offensive? appeared first on CleanTechnica.
Blue Origin Wants To Pollute A Pristine Florida Waterway — Just Say No [ 13-Feb-26 7:19pm ]When I was in elementary school, my classmates and I learned how New England mill owners sited their factories near mighty rivers. We know now those factories dumped their waste directly into public waters without any consideration to the pollution and damage they were causing. Sulfite and phosphorus. Sulfuric acid, ... [continued]
The post Blue Origin Wants To Pollute A Pristine Florida Waterway — Just Say No appeared first on CleanTechnica.
Florida Legislation Would Ban Local Climate Policies [ 13-Feb-26 7:16pm ]The Florida legislature is considering bills that will ban local climate mitigation strategies it says are too costly.
The post Florida Legislation Would Ban Local Climate Policies appeared first on CleanTechnica.
Biodiversity loss increasing mosquitoes' thirst for human blood [ 13-Feb-26 7:03pm ]I have been worried about zoonotic disease since COVID19 and I know - duh, we all have - but before the pandemic I never gave it much thought. Now its easily in my top 5 concerns. This article talks about the growing population zones of one of the deadliest creatures humans have ever known.
Zoonotic disease in general is terrifying.
One of my favorite books is Rabid. It covers, well, rabies.
Another great book on this topic is Spillover, practically a companion to the famous collapse book Overshoot by Catton.
The Hot Zone was also great, dealing mostly with Ebola but with a general warning - this is going to happen again, far sooner than we will be ready. There's a TV show by the same name if you want more drama than detail.
New vaccines and new methods for producing them are very encouraging. I get every "jab" I'm told to every year. I may not think too much about my own life but that is no excuse to put others in danger.
At the very least - get vaccinated so you can live long enough to keep criticizing vaccines lmao
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The Epstein Class Agenda: Back to the Past with MAGA, and Fossil Fuels [ 13-Feb-26 6:27pm ]
Images confirm xAI is continuing to defy EPA regulations in Mississippi to power its flagship datacenters
Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company is continuing to fuel its datacenters with unpermitted gas turbines, an investigation by the Floodlight newsroom shows. Thermal footage captured by Floodlight via drone shows xAI is still burning gas at a facility in Southaven, Mississippi, despite a recent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ruling reiterating that doing so requires a state permit in advance.
State regulators in Mississippi maintain that since the turbines are parked on tractor trailers, they don't require permits. However, the EPA has long required that such pollution sources be permitted under the Clean Air Act.
Continue reading...
Rideence Africa Limited, a subsidiary of the Garden Real Group, is an integrated electric mobility solutions provider in Kenya. Rideence currently operates one of the largest electric ride-hailing fleet in Kenya. Rideence is also developing a nationwide charging network. The next big step as part of Rideence's strategy is now ... [continued]
The post Rideence To Start Local Assembly Of Electric Vehicles At AVA Plant In Mombasa, Kenya appeared first on CleanTechnica.
Doyne Farmer believes the world of economics has too many mathematicians and too few physicists, leading to inaccurate predictions.
The post Doyne Farmer Wants To Drag Economics Into The 21st Century appeared first on CleanTechnica.
We seem to be in a period of questionable energy practices here in the US with the continued usage of old and aging coal power plants, despite the fact that overreliance on coal is bad for climate change and coal combustion generates toxic air pollution that harms people. One alternative ... [continued]
The post 175 MW Energy Storage Project Launched In Maine appeared first on CleanTechnica.
One month is just that — one month. Tesla has been known to rebound from slow starts to quarters in the past. However, most of the hype around low Tesla sales in the first months of quarters in the past has been a misunderstanding — or misrepresentation — of how ... [continued]
The post Is Tesla Really In Trouble This Time? appeared first on CleanTechnica.
China's S2000 Stratosphere Airborne Wind Energy System (SAWES) has crossed an important threshold. This is an update on a report CleanTechnica featured 5 months ago. Last month, the megawatt-class airborne wind platform, operated by Beijing Lanyi Yunchuan Energy Technology Co., completed a grid-connected test flight in Yibin, Sichuan Province, confirming ... [continued]
The post China Floating Turbine Passes Testing & Completes A Grid-Connected Flight appeared first on CleanTechnica.
Welcome to Carbon Brief's DeBriefed.
An essential guide to the week's key developments relating to climate change.
DANGER DANGER: The Trump administration formally repealed the US's landmark "endangerment finding" this week, reported the Financial Times. The 2009 Obama-era finding concluded that greenhouse gases pose a threat to public health and has provided a legal basis for their regulation over the past two decades, said the New York Times.
RACE TO COURT: Multiple environmental groups have already threatened to sue over the administration's decision, reported the Guardian. The fate of the ruling is likely to ultimately be decided by the Conservative-majority Supreme Court, explained the New York Times.
'BEAUTIFUL CLEAN COAL': Separately, Donald Trump signed an executive order requiring the Pentagon to buy coal-fired power, a move aimed to "revive a fuel source in sharp decline", reported the Los Angeles Times. Despite his efforts,Trump has overseen more retirements of coal-fired power stations than any other US president, according to Carbon Brief analysis.
Around the world- CLIMATE TALKS: UN climate chief Simon Stiell said in a speech on Thursday that climate action can deliver stability in the face of a "new world disorder" while on a visit to Turkey, which will host the COP31 climate summit later this year, reported BusinessGreen.
- IBERIAN CATASTROPHE: A succession of storms that hit Spain and Portugal in recent weeks have caused millions of euros worth of damage to farmlands and required more than 11,000 people to leave their homes in Spain's southern Andalusia region, said Reuters.
- RISKY BUSINESS: The "undervaluing" of nature by businesses is fuelling its decline and putting the global economy at risk, according to a new report by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), covered by Carbon Brief. Carbon Brief interviewed IPBES chair Dr David Obura at the report's launch in Manchester.
- CORAL BLEACHING: A study covered by Agence France-Presse found that more than half of the world's coral reefs were bleached over a three-year period from 2014-17 during Earth's third "global bleaching event". The world has since entered a fourth bleaching event, starting in 2023, a scientist told AFP.
- 'HELLISH HOTHOUSE EARTH': In a commentary paper, scientists argued that the world is closer than thought to a "point of no return", which could plunge Earth into a "hellish hothouse" state, reported the Guardian.
7.4 gigawatts
The record amount of solar, onshore wind and tidal power secured in the latest auction for new renewable capacity in the UK, reported Carbon Brief.
Latest climate research
- Human-caused climate change made the hot, dry and windy weather in Chile and Argentina three times more likely | World Weather Attribution (Carbon Brief also covered the study)
- "Early-life" exposure to extreme heat "increases risk" of neurodevelopmental delay in preschool children | Nature Climate Change
- Climate change, urbanisation and species characteristics shape European butterfly population trends | Global Ecology and Biogeography
(For more, see Carbon Brief's in-depth daily summaries of the top climate news stories on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.)
Captured
China's carbon dioxide emissions have "now been flat or falling for 21 months", analysis for Carbon Brief has found. The trend began in March 2024 and has lasted almost two years, due in particular to falling emissions in major sectors, including transport, power and cement, said the analysis. The analysis has been covered widely in global media, including Agence France-Presse, Bloomberg, New York Times, BBC World Service and Channel 4 News.
Spotlight UK's 'relentless rain'This week, Carbon Brief takes a deep dive into the recent relentless rain and floods in the UK and explores how they could be linked to climate change.
It is no secret that it can rain a lot in the UK. But, in some parts of the country, it has rained every day of the year so far, according to Met Office data released this week.
In total, 26 stations set new monthly rainfall records for January. Northern Ireland experienced its wettest January for 149 years and Plymouth, in the south-west of England, experienced its wettest January day in 104 years.
Areas witnessing long periods of rain included Bodmin Moor in Cornwall, which has seen 41 consecutive days of rain "and counting", reported the Guardian. The University of Reading found that its home town had its longest period of consecutive rain - 25 days - since its records for the city began in 1908.
The relentless rainfall has caused flooding in many parts of the country, particularly in rural areas.
There were more than 200 active flood alerts in place across England and Wales at the weekend, with flood warnings clustered around Gloucester and Worcester in the West Midlands, as well as Devon and Hampshire in southern England. A flood "alert" means that there is a possibility of flooding, while a "warning" means flooding is expected.
"Growing up, the road to my school never flooded. But the school has already had to close three times this year because of flooding," Jess Powell, a local resident of a small village in Shropshire, told Carbon Brief.
Burst river bank of the river Severn in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. Credit: Alice Vernat-Davies
Climate link
While there has not yet been a formal analysis into the role of climate change in the UK's current lengthy period of rain and flooding, it is known that human-caused warming can play a role in wet weather extremes, explained Dr Jess Neumann, a flooding researcher from the University of Reading. She told Carbon Brief:
"Warmer air can hold more moisture - about 7% more for every 1C of warming, increasing the chance of more frequent and at times, intense rainfall."
The UK owes its rainy climate in large part due to the jet stream, which brings strong winds from west to east and pushes low-pressure weather systems across the Atlantic.
Scientists have said that one of the factors behind the UK's relentless rain is the "blocking" of the jet stream, which occurs when winds slow, causing rainy weather patterns to get stuck.
The impact of climate change on the jet stream is complex, involving a lot of different factors. One theory, still subject to debate among scientists, is that Arctic warming could play a role, explained Neumann:
Adaptation needs"As the Arctic warms faster than the tropics, the temperature gradient that fuels the jet stream weakens, causing it to become slower and wavier. Blocking patterns develop that can cause weather conditions to get stuck over the UK, increasing the likelihood of extreme rainfall and flooding."
Long periods of rain saturate the ground and can have adverse impacts on agriculture and wildlife.
Prof Richard Betts, a leading climate scientist at the Met Office and the University of Exeter, said that these impacts can have harmful effects in rural areas:
"The climate change-driven increase in flood risk is impacting food production in the UK. In 2024, the production of wheat, barley, oats and oilseed rape shrunk by 13% due to widespread flooding of farmland.
"Assistance with recovery after flooding is increasingly important - obviously, financial help via insurance and reinsurance is vital, but also action to reduce impacts on mental health is increasingly important. It's very stressful dealing with the impacts of flooding and this is often not recognised."
One key adaptation for floods in the UK could be to "integrate natural flood management, including sustainable urban drainage, with more traditional hard engineering techniques", added Neumann:
Watch, read, listen"Most importantly, we need to improve our communication of flood risk to help individuals and communities know how to prepare. We need to shift our thinking from 'keeping water out' to 'living with water', if we want to adapt better to a future of flooding."
'IRREVERSIBLE TREND?': The Guardian explored how Romania's emissions have fallen by 75% since the 1990s and have been decoupled from the country's economic growth.
UNDER THE SEA: An article in BioGraphic explored whether the skeletons of dead corals "help or hinder recovery" on bleached reefs.
SPEEDING UP: Through dynamic charts, the Washington Post showed how climate change is accelerating.
Coming up- 16-19 February: Sixth meeting of the subsidiary body on implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Rome, Italy
- 20 February: Webinar on the key findings from the International Energy Agency policy brief: the value of demand flexibility: benefits beyond balancing
- 20 February: UN day of social justice
- 22-27 February: Ocean Sciences Meeting, Glasgow, UK
- UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), national senior climate change expert | Salary: Unknown. Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh
- British Antarctic Survey, marine biologist | Salary: £31,183. Location: Antarctica
- Green Climate Fund, regional lead for resource mobilisation - Europe | Salary: $109,000. Location: Seoul, South Korea
- Scientific American, documentary film proposals | Up to $80,000 per commissioned film
DeBriefed is edited by Daisy Dunne. Please send any tips or feedback to debriefed@carbonbrief.org.
This is an online version of Carbon Brief's weekly DeBriefed email newsletter. Subscribe for free here.
DeBriefed
|06.02.26
DeBriefed 30 January 2026: Fire and ice; US formally exits Paris; Climate image faux pas
DeBriefed
|30.01.26
DeBriefed 23 January 2026: Trump's Davos tirade; EU wind and solar milestone; High seas hope
DeBriefed
|23.01.26
DeBriefed
|16.01.26
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The former Greens leader's appointment as CEO of the Australian Conservation Foundation raised eyebrows - but for him, the mission remains the same
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Sometime in the months after his shock defeat at last May's federal election Adam Bandt made a decision: his time in party politics was over.
Friends and colleagues had suggested the former Greens leader consider running for parliament again in 2028 - either returning to the lower house seat of Melbourne that he held for 15 years or putting up his hand for the Senate.
Continue reading...
Vietnamese electric vehicle maker VinFast is previewing its VF Limo Green in the Philippines, signaling its intent to enter the country's seven-seat MPV segment, although the model has not yet been formally launched. Local automotive publication AutoIndustriya.com reported that the Limo Green has been shown to the market and is ... [continued]
The post VinFast Teases Limo Green Electric MPV in Philippines, Formal Launch Expected in 1st Quarter appeared first on CleanTechnica.
To what extent do you think the next crisis will be caused by government debt? I've done my own calculations, and it turns out that global debt growth is 1.8 times faster than the economy. This can't possibly work in the long run, can it? For example a country like Japan the debt even grows 3,2x times faster than the economy (followed by countries like China, France and The United States with also numbers above 2x), who is paying for all of this? And how will it end?
submitted by /u/Think-Technician7681[link] [comments]
Huge thanks to my February sponsor, John Rember, author of the three-book series Journal of the Plague Years, a psychic survival guide for humanity's looming date with destiny, shaped by his experiences living through the pandemic in his native Idaho. Thoughtful, wry and humane, Journal 1 is a pleasure.
"Western countries see World War III coming…
"Western countries increasingly believe the world is heading toward a global war, according to results from The POLITICO Poll that detail mounting public alarm about the risk and cost of a new era of conflict… the vast majority of respondents think the world is becoming more dangerous."
https://www.politico.eu/article/world-war-iii-defense-spending-europe-poll/
"The US cannot be trusted to lead a critical minerals coalition…
"These are not negotiations between free and equal partners: they are proposals by a mafia boss. It's bizarre that the Trump administration is solemnly proposing a market-based mineral supply system while simultaneously threatening to annex Greenland after eyeing up its natural resources."
https://www.ft.com/content/bd8188b7-8a30-462c-92a2-786895a3b2ad
"Trump's policies will add $1.4tn to US deficit over next decade, watchdog says. Congressional Budget Office warns Washington's public finances are 'not sustainable'…
""There's no sugarcoating it: America's fiscal health is increasingly dire," said Jonathan Burks at the Bipartisan Policy Center. "Our debt is now 100 per cent of GDP, and rather than pumping the brakes, we are accelerating.""
https://www.ft.com/content/03a1bfe8-528a-4ac9-b586-05b1d9733d42
"US Household Debt Hits Fresh Record.
"Stress on household finances continues to pile up as Americans take on record levels of debt to keep up with the cost of living and low-income earners struggle to stay afloat on their loans and day-to-day spending."
https://www.tradingview.com/news/te_news:524708:0-us-household-debt-hits-fresh-record/
"Rally in corporate bonds prompts 'bubble' fears.
"Reward for taking extra credit risk falls to lowest in decades as investors hunt for yield… The gap between yields on triple B and A-rated global corporate debt has fallen to just above 0.3 percentage points, close to its lowest since before the financial crisis."
https://www.ft.com/content/e87f04d5-9a19-4776-b0bc-3a78770be894
"Beware the private-credit dark money infecting Wall Street…
"An unregulated, opaque market is potting soil for uncertainty, a market's worst fear, which matters in a global, tightly coupled financial system where a confidence crisis anywhere can become a confidence crisis everywhere."
"U.S. Shale Majors Take Fracking Global.
"U.S. shale producers are expanding overseas—from Argentina and Turkey to Australia and the UAE—as domestic shale basins mature and well productivity declines."
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/US-Shale-Majors-Take-Fracking-Global.html
"Detroit Automakers Take $50 Billion Hit as EV Bubble Bursts.
"U.S. automakers have been pumping the brakes on their electric-vehicle businesses for months, and the costs are piling up… EV sales fell more than 30% in the fourth quarter, after a $7,500 federal tax credit that had juiced U.S. sales expired in September."
"US House overturns Trump's Canada tariffs in rare bipartisan rebuke…
"Trump believes in the power of tariffs to force US trade partners to the negotiating table. But lawmakers are facing unrest back home from businesses caught in the trade wars and constituents navigating pocketbook issues and high prices."
https://www.france24.com/en/americas/20260212-us-house-overturn-trump-canada-tariffs-bipartisan
"Trump tariffs hammer volume of Scotch whisky exports to US.
"Scotch whisky exports to its most valuable overseas market have plunged in the wake of hefty tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump. The volume of Scotch shipped across the Atlantic fell by 15% between May and December…"
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/25850891.trump-tariffs-hammer-volume-scotch-whisky-exports-us/
"Britain is on course for its weakest decade of growth in a century, according to the latest GDP figures…
"As the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, himself admitted, the government has "no growth strategy at all." That is an astonishing confession. At a time when productivity is stagnant and businesses are buckling under high taxes and mounting regulation, ministers have no credible plan to grow the economy…"
https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/personal-recession-opinion-5HjdSH6_2/
"France slashes renewable energy targets, expands nuclear power with new law…
"The law, to be pushed through by decree on Friday after almost three years of bitter disagreement among lawmakers, also reverses a previous legal mandate to shut 14 reactors. That was a 2017 campaign promise of President Emmanuel Macron, who later changed course…"
"Italian PM vows to secure borders and approves bill allowing naval blockades.
"Italy's prime minister says her government will deploy every tool at its disposal to "guarantee the security of our borders" after approving a bill authorising naval blockades to stop boats from arriving in Italy during periods of "exceptional pressure"."
"Farmers to drive tractors into central Athens for mass protest…
"Farmers say their core demands remain unchanged: lower production costs, guaranteed prices for agricultural products, changes to regulations governing the ELGA state insurance system and full compensation for crop losses."
"Europe Rethinks Nuclear Weapons After US Delivers Reality Check…
"Europe has been fighting to keep an increasingly hostile US in NATO while countries race to rearm. And now for the first time since the end of the Cold War, European capitals are discussing how to develop their own nuclear deterrent, according to people familiar with the matter…"
"Ukraine-Russia war latest: Zelensky rules out referendum on 'bad deal' as European leaders gather in Munich.
"Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky says he will not present a "bad deal" to end the war for a referendum, and that his country will only hold elections once firm security guarantees and a ceasefire are in place."
"Russia Walks Tightrope to Curtail Credit Risk and Avoid Downturn.
"Governor Elvira Nabiullina's aggressive fight against inflation has left the Bank of Russia walking a tightrope between avoiding recession today and preventing stress in the banking sector from snowballing into a crisis tomorrow."
"Russia Memo Sees Return to Dollar System in Pitch Made for Trump…
"The high-level memo, which was drafted this year, details seven points where, in the Kremlin's view, Russian and US economic interests could converge following a deal to end the war in Ukraine. It sees the two countries working together to champion fossil fuels…"
"Russia is widening its recruitment of foreign workers as the country faces a deepening labour shortage driven by demographic decline and the war in Ukraine.
"The government estimates that Russia will need an additional 11 million workers by the end of the decade to sustain its economy."
"Why China's central bank won't save the country from deflation. It's not about the exchange rate any more…
"Unfortunately, another obstacle remains: bank profitability. Banks make money by borrowing cheaply and lending more expensively. But in China the margin between deposit rates and lending rates is at a record low of 1.4%…"
"China housing market shows no clear turning point as price declines continue.
"Mainland China's new and existing home prices posted a smaller month-on-month decline in January, but the annual drop widened, indicating a housing market that has yet to find a clear floor, analysts said."
"Japan seizes Chinese fishing boat inside its economic waters amid rift with Beijing…
"China's foreign ministry has yet to comment on the incident, which comes at a tense time for bilateral ties, weeks after Japan's prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, sparked a furious row over the future of Taiwan."
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/13/japan-seizes-chinese-fishing-boat
"Japan will soon learn how far Takaichi can ride her luck…
"Persistently weak growth, a rapidly ageing population, a nearly 35 per cent plunge in the yen versus the US dollar since February 2022, and the unwinding of globalisation add to Japan's struggles."
"North Korea warns of 'terrible response' over South Korean drone flights…
""I give advance warning that reoccurrence of such provocation as violating the inalienable sovereignty of the DPRK will surely provoke a terrible response," Kim said in a statement carried by Pyongyang's official Korea Central News Agency."
"Trade bellwether Singapore says global 'fragility' will hit economy.
"Singapore has warned that global economic "fragility"—driven by escalating trade tensions and geopolitical uncertainty—poses a significant risk to its growth in 2026. As an open economy whose trade volume is roughly triple its GDP, Singapore is often viewed as a global trade bellwether."
https://www.ft.com/content/c5cbc591-ea11-4245-b0a8-766a5d84ed10
"Pakistan expresses concerns over terror groups' presence in Afghanistan.
"Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, has reiterated the country's serious concerns over the continued presence of terrorist groups operating from Afghan territory, including TTP, BLA, and Majeed Brigade, Daesh-K and Al Qaeda."
"US readying another aircraft carrier for deployment amid Iran tensions…
"The move by the USS Gerald R Ford, first reported by The New York Times, will put two carriers and their accompanying warships in the region as Trump increases pressure on Iran to make a deal over its nuclear programme."
"The $108 Oil War: Can the Middle East Crash the World Economy?
"…A major regional escalation that targets energy infrastructure, such as that in Saudi Arabia or Iraq, or critical choke points, such as the Strait of Hormuz, would break the market's assumption that oil keeps flowing."
"Syrian army takes control of al-Tanf military base as US troops pull out.
"Syrian forces have taken control of the strategic al-Tanf military base near the border with Iraq and Jordan, the Syrian Defence Ministry has said, amid the withdrawal of a longstanding United States troop presence at the base."
"IDF Navy trains for conflict at sea, defends gas platforms after Hezbollah arrest.
"Hundreds of Israeli Navy personnel took part in a dayslong exercise that included infiltration scenarios, clashes with militants and drills to defend strategic assets such as offshore gas platforms, Israeli ports and key national infrastructure."
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rjtyljjwbx
"Israeli Soldiers Accused of Using Polymarket to Bet on Strikes…
"Shin Bet, the country's internal security agency, said Thursday the suspects used information they had come across during their military service to inform their bets… In recent months, Polymarket has been hit with repeated controversies about potential insider trading."
"Many killed in south Yemen as crowd linked with STC storms government building.
"A crowd linked to Yemen's separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC) has attempted to storm a local government building in the southeastern Yemeni city of Ataq, leaving several dead, according to local authorities and sources."
"Border towns bear the brunt of Ethiopia-Eritrea's rising tensions.
"As Addis Ababa and Asmara trade accusations, locals describe infiltration routes, military movements and growing anxiety along the Mekelle-Adigrat-Zalambessa corridor and the Humera-Hamdayet frontier near Sudan."
""Worse to come" in Sudan as famine spreads and war continues.
""We can only expect worse to come" in Sudan if the war is not stopped, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned the Human Rights Council on February 9, as famine conditions expand in the country facing the highest levels of hunger in the world."
https://peoplesdispatch.org/2026/02/12/worse-to-come-in-sudan-as-famine-spreads-and-war-continues/
"Children recruited into armed groups in DR Congo describe abduction, drugging and violence as call for greater action.
"Children recruited into armed groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have backed calls for greater action to bring those responsible to account after describing how they were abducted, drugged and witnessed horrific violence, Save the Children said."
"A member of Niger's ruling junta has urged his country's citizens to prepare for "war" with France, as relations with the former colonial power hit new lows.
"The military regularly has regularly said France is trying to destabilize the country since it came to power in July 2023…"
https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/318365-niger-must-prepare-for-war-with-france-says-junta-member
"South Africa's Ramaphosa says troops will deploy to tackle crime gangs…
"South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world, with approximately 60 deaths each day involving killings in wars between drug gangs in areas of Cape Town and mass shootings linked to illegal mining in Johannesburg's Gauteng province."
"Protesters clash with police over bid to restrict Argentina's labour rights.
"Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets in Argentina's capital, Buenos Aires, to oppose labour reforms that would restrict the right to strike and roll back employment benefits. Wednesday's demonstrations come as the country's Senate debates the legislation…"
"US-led oil sales from Venezuela to bring in $5 billion in months, energy chief Wright tells NBC News.
"Oil sales from Venezuela controlled by the U.S. have totaled over $1 billion so far and in the next few months will bring in another $5 billion, U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright told NBC News on Thursday. Much of the oil is being refined in U.S. refineries…"
https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/us-led-oil-sales-venezuela-215402892.html
"Russia to Send Oil to Crisis-Stricken Cuba…
""In the near future, it is planned to deliver oil and oil products to Cuba as humanitarian aid," the Russian embassy in Cuba told Russia's daily Izvestia. At the same time, the Russian ministry of economic development has recommended that Russians refrain from traveling to Cuba amid the "fuel emergency" in the Caribbean country."
https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Russia-to-Send-Oil-to-Crisis-Stricken-Cuba.html
"Mexico sends aid to Cuba as Sheinbaum walks diplomatic tightrope with US…
"The boats, carrying more than 800 tons in aid, arrived at the Caribbean nation two weeks after Trump signed an executive order allowing the US to slap tariffs on any country selling or providing oil to Cuba, effectively choking off fuel to the island."
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/12/mexico-cuba-aid-oil-trump
"AI could be used to trigger a new pandemic, intelligence chiefs warned…
""Rapid progress in AI - including genome language models already used to design novel bacteriophages - raises the prospect of misuse, enabling the modification or creation of synthetic pathogens that could challenge existing vaccine and medical countermeasure development paradigms," says a document being circulated to delegates."
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You can read the previous "Economic" thread here. I'll be back tomorrow with a "Climate" thread.
The post 13th February 2026 Today's Round-Up of Economic News appeared first on Climate and Economy.
Choice could prove difficult for Thames Water, which is trying to push through a water recycling scheme nearby
The first designated bathing water area on the River Thames in London has been shortlisted as one of 13 new monitored swimming areas across the country.
The Thames at Ham, in south-west London, was shortlisted as a new river bathing water after campaigners gathered evidence to show thousands of people use the river for swimming throughout the year.
Continue reading...Number of males at RSPB Abernethy rises to 30, after 'huge amount of work' by conservationists in Highlands forests
After decades of decline, there are signs of hope for the capercaillie, one of Britain's most endangered birds.
Populations of the charismatic grouse, which is found only in the Caledonian pine forests of the Scottish Highlands, have increased by 50%, from 20 males in 2020 to 30 in 2025 at RSPB Abernethy.
Continue reading...Report by Tony Blair Institute urges government to drop some green policies amid criticism of decarbonisation goal
Tony Blair's thinktank has accused Ed Miliband of driving up energy prices in his push to make Britain's energy supply more environmentally friendly.
The Tony Blair Institute (TBI) published a report on Friday criticising the government's green policies and urging the energy secretary to drop some of them altogether, including almost completely decarbonising the electricity system by 2030.
Continue reading...Doubling of fish biomass and rebounding of endangered species shows government measures starting to work, biologists say
The Yangtze River in China, which has been in ecological decline for 70 years, is showing signs of recovery thanks to a sweeping fishing ban.
The ban was made more effective by the implementation of "evolutionary game theory", which included finding alternative employment for fishers.
Continue reading...Stanhope, Weardale: One of the best gifts I've ever received is a microscope. Sixty years on, it's still a wonder to watch a mini rainforest in action
It was hard to resist running my fingers over the velvet carpet of moss that smoothed the drystone wall's jagged capstones. Six months ago, after four heatwaves and prolonged drought, these same mosses resembled brown, wizened threads of dried tobacco. Today they were an inch-tall emerald forest again, studded with yellow moss bell toadstools, saturated with overnight rain.
Wall-top mosses are resilient, and so is the microscopic life that thrives on them. I collected a few soggy green cushions to investigate later, for "here be monsters", though most are less than a millimetre long.
Continue reading...Award was presented as president directed Pentagon to buy billions of dollars' worth of energy from coal plants
Donald Trump was crowned the "undisputed champion of beautiful clean coal" during a White House ceremony on Wednesday, during which the president received a trophy after ordering the US defense department to purchase billions of dollars' worth of power from coal plants.
The award was reportedly granted by the Washington Coal Club, an advocacy group with financial ties to the coal industry.
Continue reading...
As I wrote yesterday, Tesla's sales are down considerably in several European markets so far this year. Now we have news out of China, and it isn't any better. In fact, whereas Tesla's sales were down 23% across the 12 markets analyzed in Europe, the company's EV sales in January ... [continued]
The post Tesla's Sales in China Drop 45% Year over Year appeared first on CleanTechnica.
This week's best wildlife photographs from around the world
Continue reading...Scientists believe we're seeing the largest loss of life since the dinosaurs - and it's a risk to the global economy. Governments and companies need to work together on solutions
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It feels like groundhog day: another week, another warning about the seriousness of the biodiversity crisis. This time it was the financial sector's turn, as on Monday a major report, approved by more than 150 governments, said that many companies face collapse unless they better protect nature.
From healthy rivers to productive forests, the natural world underpins almost all economic activity. But human consumption of the Earth's resources is unsustainable, driving what many scientists believe is the largest loss of life since the dinosaurs. And companies are not immune to the consequences.
'We've lost everything': anger and despair in Sicilian town collapsing after landslide
'It sounds apocalyptic': experts warn of impact of UK floods on birds, butterflies and dormice
Indonesia takes action against mining firms after floods devastate population of world's rarest ape
'We thought they would ignore us': how humans are changing the way raptors behave
Continue reading... Weatherwatch: The surprisingly complex science of ice skating [ 13-Feb-26 6:00am ]Pressure, frictional heating and a disordered layer of molecules on top of the ice make skating possible
Ice skating is counterintuitive: why should a narrow blade make it easier to slide over the ice? The science is surprisingly complex, but unscientific people worked out the practical application a long time ago.
William FitzStephen described how Londoners entertained themselves in freezing conditions in 1173: "Crowds of young men go out to play on the ice. Some of them fit shinbones of cattle on their feet, tying them round their ankles … and are carried along as fast as a flying bird."
Continue reading...
Electric Vehicle Sales Fell As Hybrid Vehicle Sales Continued To Rise In 2025 [ 13-Feb-26 4:51am ]About 22% of light-duty vehicles sold in 2025 in the United States were hybrid, battery electric, or plug-in hybrid vehicles, up from 20% in 2024. Among those categories, hybrid electric vehicles have continued to gain market share while battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles decreased, according to estimates from ... [continued]
The post Electric Vehicle Sales Fell As Hybrid Vehicle Sales Continued To Rise In 2025 appeared first on CleanTechnica.
Using Taxpayer Money, Trump Bails Out Coal Power Plants in Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, & North Carolina [ 13-Feb-26 4:50am ]Aside from denying that long established climate science is real, and the threats to humanity from global heating are great, the Trump administration is intent on doing all kinds of absurd things to pretend that fossil fuels are better than they are, and to line the pockets of fossil billionaires ... [continued]
The post Using Taxpayer Money, Trump Bails Out Coal Power Plants in Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, & North Carolina appeared first on CleanTechnica.
