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With millions of people across five continents experiencing scorching heat last month, the European Union's (EU) climate agency, Copernicus <keyword id="19907392" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="climate-change" source="keywords">Climate Change</keyword> Service (C3S), confirmed on Monday that June was the warmest on record. It also marked the 12th consecutive month of <keyword id="20524196" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="global-temperatures" source="keywords">global temperatures</keyword> reaching <keyword id="22325521" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="1-5-degrees-Celsius" source="keywords">1.5 degrees Celsius</keyword> above the pre-industrial average. According to scientists at C3S, every month since June last year has been the warmest such month on record. In January, the world completed an entire year with the mean surface air temperature exceeding the 1.5-degree Celsius threshold. June was the 12th consecutive month with monthly average temperatures above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial average. At the 2015 UN climate talks in Paris, world leaders committed to limiting the global average temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial period to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. However, a permanent breach of the 1.5-degree Celsius limit specified in the <keyword id="20104670" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Paris-Agreement" source="keywords">Paris Agreement</keyword> refers to long-term warming over a 20 or 30-year period. Earth's global surface temperature has already increased by around 1.2 degrees Celsius compared to the average in 1850-1900 due to the rapidly-increasing concentration of <keyword id="20649149" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="greenhouse-gases" source="keywords">greenhouse gases</keyword> -- primarily carbon dioxide and methane -- in the atmosphere. This warming is considered to be the reason behind record droughts, wildfires and floods worldwide. According to new data, June 2024 was the warmest on record, with an average surface air temperature of 16.66 degrees Celsius, 0.67 degrees Celsius above the 1991-2020 average for the month and 0.14 degrees Celsius above the previous high set in June 2023. "The month was 1.5 degrees Celsius above the estimated June average for 1850-1900, the designated pre-industrial reference period, making it the 12th consecutive month to reach or break the 1.5-degree threshold," C3S said in a statement. It was also the 13th consecutive month of <keyword id="21477127" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="record-high-temperatures" source="keywords">record-high temperatures</keyword>, a result of the combined effect of the 2023-24 El Nino event and human-caused climate change. While unusual, a similar streak of monthly global temperature records happened previously in 2015-16. "This is more than a statistical oddity and highlights a large and continuing shift in our climate. Even if this specific streak of extremes ends at some point, we are bound to see new records being broken as the climate continues to warm. This is inevitable, unless we stop adding greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and the oceans," said Carlo Buontempo, the director of C3S. The European climate agency said the global average temperature for the last 12 months (July 2023-June 2024) is the highest on record, at 0.76 degrees Celsius above the 1991-2020 average and 1.64 degrees Celsius above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial average. The world's sea surface in June was also the highest ever recorded for the month. Several countries experienced record-breaking heat and devastating floods and storms in June. According to an analysis by Climate Central, an independent group of scientists and communicators based in the United States, more than 60 per cent of the world population faced extreme heat that was made at least three times more likely by climate change during June 16-24. Climate Central said the blistering heat in June impacted 619 million (61.9 crore) people in India, 579 million (57.9 crore) in China, 231 million (23.1 crore) in Indonesia, 206 million (20.6 crore) in Nigeria, 176 million (17.6 crore) in Brazil, 171 million (17.1 crore) in Bangladesh, 165 million (16.5 crore) in the US, 152 million (15.2 crore) in Europe, 123 million (12.3 crore) in Mexico, 121 million (12.1 crore) in Ethiopia and 103 million (10.3 crore) in Egypt. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), northwest India recorded its warmest June since 1901. India, which experienced one of its hottest and longest heatwaves, recorded more than 40,000 suspected heatstroke cases and over 100 heat-related deaths. The intense heat overwhelmed the water supply system and power grids, with Delhi grappling with a severe water crisis. According to the IMD, 11 states recorded 20 to 38 heatwave days -- up to four times the usual number of such days -- during the April-to-June period. The mercury breached 50 degrees Celsius in parts of Rajasthan, with night temperatures hovering around 35 degrees Celsius in many places. Temperatures were most above average over eastern Canada, the western United States and Mexico, Brazil, northern Siberia, the Middle East, northern Africa, and western Antarctica. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/reliance-jio-ipo-mukesh-ambani-led-telco-might-be-gearing-up-for-indias-biggest-ipo/articleshow/111519009.cms">Reliance Jio IPO – Mukesh Ambani-led telco might be gearing up for India’s biggest IPO</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/jio-vs-airtel-vs-vi-prepaid-plans-comparison-plan-benefits-and-price-comparison-after-tariff-hike/articleshow/111512587.cms">Jio vs Airtel vs Vi recharge plans comparison – plan benefits and price comparison after tariff hike</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/hp-envy-x360-14-review/articleshow/111407165.cms">HP Envy x360 14 review – feature-packed laptop with a sleek design</a>

June warmest on record; every month since July 2023 breached 1.5 deg C threshold

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Global warming and extreme heat will drive inflation higher, a new study says.</li><li>In the next decade, climate change could bump up food inflation by as much as 3.23% per year and headline inflation by as much as 1.18%.</li></ul>Climate change is turning up the heat on inflation.According to a new <a href="https://affiliate.insider.com?h=c073b0d8998961eebaa1b62e11bd34797c6d36067545222e939b069dc87c9f03&amp;postID=66018e91669ae113e1bf2c1d&amp;postSlug=climate-change-global-warming-extreme-heat-inflation-global-economy-impact-2024-3&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fs43247-023-01173-x">study</a> published in the journal Communications Earth &amp; Environment, the effects of global warming and extreme heat are expected to create persistent increases in headline and food inflation."We find that the temperature conditions projected for 2035 under future warming imply upwards inflationary pressures across all of the world," the researchers from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and European Central Bank wrote.That could bump up food inflation by as much as 3.23% a year on average globally, and push headline inflation up by as much as 1.18% in the coming decade. "Beyond 2035 the magnitude of estimated pressures on inflation diverges strongly across emission scenarios, suggesting that decisive mitigation of greenhouse gases could substantially reduce them," they wrote.Climate change has already begun <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/heatwaves-climate-change-global-warming-mega-shock-economy-market-outlook-2023-7">affecting parts of the economy</a>, driving up the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/housing-market-higher-home-prices-climate-change-air-quality-impact-2024-2">cost of housing</a> in high-climate-risk areas and stoking severe supply shortages in food commodities across the globe, from <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/europe-olive-oil-shortage-extreme-weather-heatwaves-prices-harvests-2023-9">olive oil</a> to <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/chocolate-west-africa-cocoa-beans-supply-crunch-prices-suppliers-commodities-2024-2">cocoa</a>.Food is likely to be the largest component of inflation to be impacted, the researchers wrote. The inflationary impact would be lopsided, too, with the largest pressures on countries in Africa and South America.Those pressures could be curbed with the right policy approach, but the researchers also warned that if emissions are not reduced, it means the inflationary impacts will only worsen."Under a best-case emission scenario, exogenous pressures on inflation are only marginally larger in 2060 than in 2035, but a worst-case emission scenario would cause pressures on food inflation exceeding 4% [per year] across large parts of the world," they said.

Climate change and extreme heat will drive inflation higher, study says

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Biden and Trump diverge sharply on climate policy as the 2024 election nears.</li><li>Republicans are emphasizing fossil fuels; Democrats push renewable energy.</li></ul>President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump couldn't be farther apart when it comes to climate action.Trump has said he'd "drill, baby, drill" for fossil fuels that are causing the climate crisis, an issue that isn't mentioned once <a target="_blank" href="https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/2024-republican-party-platform">in the platform adopted</a> by the Republican National Convention this week in Milwaukee. Trump and his pick for vice president, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jd-vance-elon-musk-tesla-electric-vehicle-tax-credit-oil-2024-7">are both climate deniers</a>. By contrast, the Democrats <a target="_blank" href="https://democrats.org/news/dnc-releases-2024-party-platform-draft-outlining-historic-record-and-bold-agenda-for-president-biden-and-vice-president-harris-to-finish-the-job/">unveiled a platform</a> that said it would build on the Biden administration's unprecedented spending on renewable energy and the green workforce while cracking down on the oil-and-gas industry.A lot is at stake for the planet this election. America emits more greenhouse gases than any country except China, and leading climate scientists say it needs to slash greenhouse-gas emissions in half this decade if there's any chance of keeping global temperatures below catastrophic levels. Meanwhile, 2024 <a target="_blank" href="https://climate.copernicus.eu/copernicus-june-2024-marks-12th-month-global-temperature-reaching-15degc-above-pre-industrial">is on track to be the hottest year on record</a>, fueling extreme heat that's killed dozens already this year as well as Hurricane Beryl in parts of the Caribbean and Texas.But will it matter in November?In a <a target="_blank" href="https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/climate-change-in-the-american-mind-politics-policy-spring-2024/toc/3/">survey</a> of 1,031 US adults, including 896 registered voters, taken from April 25 to May 4, about 62% of the registered voters said they would prefer a candidate who supports climate action. But when pollsters asked registered voters to indicate how important various issues were to them, global warming ranked 19th out of 28 issues Issues like free and fair elections, abortion, and healthcare were the top priorities for respondents. Plus, most respondents said they hadn't heard about Biden's signature climate law, the Inflation Reduction Act.The <a target="_blank" href="https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/climate-change-in-the-american-mind-politics-policy-spring-2024/toc/3/">survey</a> suggests that while concern about the climate crisis is on the rise in the US, other issues are top of mind for voters this year, Edward Maibach, the director of the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication, told Business Insider. The center conducted the survey with the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication.Maibach added that most Democrats, along with moderate and younger Republicans, want the US to do something about the climate crisis. But Republicans are very unlikely to factor the issue into their voting decisions, and the most conservative wing of the GOP has grown more opposed to renewable energy and electric vehicles over the past few years."Plenty of conservative Republicans in recent years have thought that moving the country towards a clean-energy future was a good idea for reasons totally unrelated to climate change," Maibach said. "Now they are increasingly moving away from that position, in large part because of what the elites and media pundits in their party are telling them."The findings are similar to those of the Pew Research Center. A 2023 survey indicated that Republicans <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2023/06/28/what-americans-think-about-an-energy-transition-from-fossil-fuels-to-renewables/">prioritized developing fossil fuels</a> more than they did renewable sources like wind and solar. That's a change from 2020, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2023/06/28/climate-change-appendix/">when a majority of Republicans in a Pew poll</a> said renewable energy should be prioritized over oil, gas, and coal.There was one caveat: A majority of Republicans ages 18 to 29 in the 2023 survey said the country should focus on renewables. The findings are based on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2023/06/28/climate-change-methodology/">Pew's annual surveys</a> of a nationally representative sample of more than 10,000 US adults.Meanwhile, Americans are increasingly unlikely to say they would buy an electric vehicle. Pew, in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/06/27/about-3-in-10-americans-would-seriously-consider-buying-an-electric-vehicle/">a separate survey from May of more than 8,600 adults</a>, found that 29% said they would consider purchasing an EV — down 9 percentage points over the past year. The share of Americans who said EVs are better for the environment than gas vehicles also dropped by 20 percentage points from 2021, largely due to Republicans.<h2 id="e1a3476e-1597-4af9-83b2-ab1cb1f05539">The majority of Americans support climate action</h2>Maibach said the shift among Republicans shouldn't distract from the fact that the majority of Americans support many of Biden's climate policies. These include implementing tax breaks for people who buy solar panels and energy-efficient vehicles and appliances; providing funding for transitioning the economy away from fossil fuels by 2050; cracking down on methane emissions from the oil-and-gas industry; and paying farmers to adopt practices that store more carbon in the soil.Trump and GOP leaders, on the other hand, have said they would roll back many of those policies. Karoline Leavitt, the Trump campaign's national press secretary, argued that America was "caving to the radical demands of environmental extremists at home while begging" its adversaries to produce oil for us abroad, "creating the worst inflation crisis in generations."While Biden has enacted the most sweeping climate policies in US history, the country has <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-top-natural-gas-exporter-amid-europe-energy-crisis-security-2022-5">simultaneously become the world's largest exporter of natural gas</a>, and crude-oil production <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/us-oil-crude-production-record-opec-cuts-russia-saudi-arabia-2024-3">has set records</a> for six years in a row. American oil-and-gas companies <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/exxon-shell-big-oil-221-billion-profit-record-biden-outrageous-2023-2">also earned record profits</a> in 2022 following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which scrambled global energy markets.Maibach said it was distressing that conservative leaders and media pundits went negative on renewable energy and EVs, especially because investing in them is key to making America economically competitive with China, which dominates supply chains for green technology like solar panels, batteries, and critical minerals.But Alec Tyson, an associate director of research at Pew, told Business Insider that in such a polarized political climate, a candidate's stance on any one issue won't be enough to sway voters anyway."We saw no change in Biden's ratings on climate before and after the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, including among Democrats," Tyson said. "What that suggests is in this polarized environment where many folks have strong feelings about either Joe Biden or Donald Trump, it's very hard to change attitudes based on a single policy or issue."

What Americans say they want on climate versus what Biden and Trump are offering 

Unfavourable atmospheric conditions make it challenging to observe <keyword id="6354781" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="antarctica" source="Orion">Antarctica</keyword> from space. Nevertheless, while visualisations have portrayed the frosty continent as seemingly endless expanses of white ice, a new study has revealed that this is merely a facade for what lies beneath the surface. Antarctica might be a vast <keyword id="1352757" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ice-sheet" source="Orion">ice sheet</keyword> today, but it wasn't always so. Portions of the southern continent once featured expansive trees, forests, and even animals. However, approximately 30 million years ago, shifting climate conditions encased the region in ice, leaving the landscape suspended in time. Comparing historical <keyword id="47552" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="radar" source="Orion">radar</keyword> data of the area with satellite images unveiled an ancient hidden paradise, located over two kilometres beneath the current surface. It includes extensive lakes and rugged river-carved hills and valleys. Stewart Jamieson, the principal author of the study, likened the 32,000-square-kilometre terrain to the Snowdonia region in northern Wales. The researchers estimate that this submerged land hasn't seen daylight for at least 14 million years, and a wealth of ancient landscapes remains to be unearthed. At present, this enigmatic subterranean landscape is even less familiar than the surface of Mars, as Jamieson points out. Despite remaining undiscovered for so long, <keyword id="6361617" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="climate-change" source="Orion">climate change</keyword> also poses a threat to this vast, Kerala-sized <keyword id="10265" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="snow" source="Orion">snow</keyword> globe world. However, the fact that it lies hundreds of kilometres inland from Antarctica's icy periphery and has remained untouched by previous warming events provides some hope. "We are now headed towards developing atmospheric conditions akin to those that prevailed between 14 to 34 million years ago when it was three to seven degrees Celsius warmer," the study cautions. Nevertheless, pinpointing the "tipping point" beyond which we will lose control over the thawing process is challenging. Comprehending the concealed landscape will enable researchers to fathom how ice behaves in Antarctica, providing us with more insights into how the continent might respond to future climate change. With melting rates in the region accelerating over recent decades, this knowledge is unquestionably valuable. The findings of this study have been published in Nature Communications and can be accessed <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-42152-2" data-type="tilCustomLink">here</a>.

South Pole Secret! Massive network of prehistoric valleys, lakes and hills found deep under Antarctica

In a concerning development driven by the relentless advance of <keyword id="6361617" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="climate-change" source="Orion">climate change</keyword>, our nights are growing hotter – and not in the way we would hope. Reports from multiple weather agencies have confirmed that August 2023 has entered the annals as the hottest month ever recorded. This alarming statistic cements this year's position as one of the warmest among an already increasingly hot 21st century, providing stark evidence of our planet's unwavering warming trend. However, the more evident consequences such as escalating sea levels and the extinction of species may not directly impact many individuals unless it affects their homes or puts their species at risk of vanishing. Nevertheless, a recent research study has disclosed that climate change is influencing other, seemingly mundane facets of our daily lives. Research from Columbia Public <keyword id="6354750" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="health" source="Orion">Health</keyword> has established a direct correlation between elevated temperatures and a surge in hospital admissions related to alcohol and substance-related disorders. The United States is observing an escalating pattern of excessive episodic drinking and the occurrence of alcohol-related fatalities and illnesses, particularly among middle-aged and older adults. Additionally, drug overdose fatalities have increased by over fivefold since the close of the 20th century. Researchers delved into how temperature affects hospital admissions linked to alcohol and various drugs, including cannabis, cocaine, opioids, and sedatives, in the state of New York. They analysed data encompassing 671,625 alcohol-related hospital visits and 721,469 substance-related hospital admissions spanning two decades, while also factoring in daily temperature and relative humidity records. Using statistical models, they contrasted days with high temperatures against adjacent days with lower mercury levels to gain insight into how short-term climate-related occurrences, like hotter days, impact hospital admissions. The findings disclosed that a 75th percentile surge in daily minimum temperature across a 0-6 day interval was linked to a 25% increase in hospital admission rates. Concerning substance-related disorders, elevated hospital admissions were only evident when nighttime temperatures escalated to the 50th percentile, rather than at higher temperatures. Moreover, the study proposed that a temperature threshold for substance abuse might exist because, beyond a certain temperature, people are less inclined to venture outdoors. The data demonstrated that these discoveries were consistent across different age groups, genders, and levels of social vulnerability. Nonetheless, the researchers acknowledge that their study possibly underestimates the association between rising temperatures and substance use disorders, as extremely severe disorders may have resulted in fatalities even before a <keyword id="4656143" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hospital-visit" source="Orion">hospital visit</keyword> became possible. Further investigation is warranted to explore the role of pre-existing health conditions exacerbated by alcohol and/or substance use combined with elevated temperatures. The detailed findings of this study have been published in Communications Medicine and can be accessed <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43856-023-00346-1" data-type="tilCustomLink">here</a>.

Temperature's Toll: Hospitals see a surge in drug and alcohol abuse-related visits on hotter nights, study reveals

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Climate change has become one of the more polarizing issues dividing Americans in recent years.</li><li>Biden and Trump have starkly different approaches in their handling of climate issues.</li></ul>For millions of Americans, there's nothing more important than the well-being of the environment.From the protection of lakes and streams to the battle to curb greenhouse gas emissions, many voters in the upcoming US presidential election want to see the federal government play an active role in climate issues.But some voters also oppose stronger federal oversight of the environment, arguing that the economic benefits of increased oil drilling is paramount — while also dismissing global agreements on climate change as detrimental to the country's autonomy.One thing is clear though: the lion's share of voters believe that climate change is real.The latest quarterly survey from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication revealed that <a target="_blank" href="https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/climate-change-american-mind-beliefs-attitudes-fall-2023.pdf">72% of Americans believed that climate change was occurring</a>, while only 15% disagreed. That same survey showed that 58% of Americans felt global warming was caused by humans, while 29% believed it was a natural occurrence.And the divergence in views on the cause of climate change has hardened political divides in recent years, with Democrats largely pushing for more protections while the GOP has been more receptive to energy interests who have largely opposed such rules.Here's a look at President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump's positions on climate — which is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-climate-change-young-voters-environment-greenhouse-emissions-ev-2024-5">poised to be a defining issue for Gen Z and millennial voters</a> this fall.<h2 class="premium" id="24b5896f-83f5-4b23-b6a1-42591ce94e58">Where Joe Biden stands on climate</h2>Biden has sought to position himself as one of the most pro-environment presidents in US history, following in the footsteps of his onetime boss, President Barack Obama.Under Obama, the US joined the Paris Agreement, an international treaty which was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-did-us-agree-to-paris-climate-deal-2017-5">crafted to significantly reduce the level of greenhouse emissions</a>. But President Donald Trump withdrew from the plan while in office, blasting it as detrimental to the US economy.On the same day as his January 2021 inauguration, <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-rejoins-paris-climate-accord-and-who-revokes-muslim-ban-2021-1">Biden rejoined the Paris climate accord</a>, putting the country back in line with nearly 200 countries that pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions.That same day, Biden also revoked a key presidential permit for the Keystone XL oil pipeline, a project championed by Trump but opposed by many Democrats, environmental groups, and an array of Native American communities.In September 2023, <a target="_blank" href="https://alaskabeacon.com/2023/09/06/biden-administration-cancels-last-leases-in-alaskas-arctic-national-wildlife-refuge/">Biden canceled seven Trump-era oil and gas leases in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge</a> (ANWR), which contains some of the most pristine lands in the country.Biden has also pushed through new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules that will limit tailpipe emissions from future trucks and passenger vehicles and strengthen the reporting requirements of methane emissions from oil and natural gas operations.<h2 class="premium" id="f1ae9709-788e-4028-b531-939bd28ae611">Where Donald Trump stands on climate</h2>Trump's staunch opposition to the Paris Agreement is well-known.During his first term in office, he rolled back key environmental protections, opening up lands to logging and even <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/01/09/energy-efficiency-climate-change-biden/">weakening efficiency standards for dishwashers and lightbulbs</a>.In April 2024, Trump suggested to a group of wealthy oil executives assembled at Mar-a-Lago that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/05/09/trump-oil-industry-campaign-money/">they should collectively raise $1 billion to help him win a second term</a> in order to dismantle regulations that they oppose, according to The Washington Post. Per the newspaper, Trump then stated that such a sum would amount to a "deal," as the executives would avoid more stringent rules with him in the Oval Office.Trump has also railed against Biden's strong support of electric vehicles, arguing that their ramped-up production will hurt the economy. The ex-president hopes that such a message will gain steam in places like Michigan — the Midwestern battleground state where he hopes to upset the incumbent in November.The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.project2025.org/policy/">Project 2025 proposal</a>, which outlines what Trump would do early in a second term, spells out the approach that his administration would likely take regarding oil and gas production — which the former president strongly advocated for while in office.Two of goals for a Trump-run Department of Energy: "Unleash private-sector energy innovation by ending government interference in energy decisions" and "Stop the war on oil and natural gas."

Is the climate your top issue? Here's a guide to each candidate's stance.

<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/one-planet"></a><div type="image" title="Youth plaintiffs and supporters hold up signs after the Navahine vs the Hawai'i Dept of Transportation court hearing in Honolulu, Hawaii on January 26th 2023." height="1333" width="1778" msid="103875058" hostid="261" sizebytes="231934"></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>Hawaiian youth advocates sued the state's transportation department over greenhouse-gas emissions.</li><li>The lawsuit is part of a growing movement of young people taking climate action in the courts.</li><li>Extreme weather caused by the climate crisis threatens Hawaii's environment and cultural traditions.</li></ul>When Taliya Nishida was 10 years old, her home on Hawaii's Big Island was struck by a deluge of flash floods. The roads near her family's off-grid house were washed out under several feet of water, and Nishida sat helplessly in their truck as they tried to get to her aerial-silks practice."I was so scared that I told my mom, 'I don't want to die,'" Nishida, now a sophomore in high school, recalled. "I know that may sound dramatic to some, but it's truly how I felt because I was just that scared of our truck being pushed away from the water."As global temperatures rise, <a href="https://www.insider.com/california-weather-whiplash-floods-drought-getting-worse-atmospheric-rivers-2023-1">flash floods</a> and <a href="https://www.insider.com/2021-a-year-of-natural-disasters-and-unprecedented-climate-crises-2021-12">other natural disasters</a> have worsened in recent years, and as an island nation, <a href="https://www.insider.com/hawaii-waikiki-beach-sea-level-rise-2019-4">Hawaii is particularly vulnerable</a> to the effects of extreme weather.In August, <a href="https://www.insider.com/maui-wildfires-before-after-photos-show-lahaina-destruction-2023-8">wildfires devastated parts of Maui</a>, <a href="https://www.insider.com/wildfires-devastated-maui-tourists-can-help-by-not-visiting-2023-8">displacing</a> thousands of people and destroying historic sites.Amid the escalating climate crisis, Nishida and 13 other Hawaiian youth advocates sued the Hawaii Department of Transportation in 2022 over transportation-related greenhouse-gas emissions. The lawsuit is part of a growing international movement of young people taking climate action in the courts, including in <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/14/us/montana-youth-climate-ruling.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Montana, where a group of youth plaintiffs won a landmark lawsuit</a> in August that compels the state to take climate change into account when considering fossil-fuel projects.The lawsuit, Navahine F. v. Hawaii Department of Transportation, is scheduled to go to trial next summer."I feel like many things are at risk of being lost, not only physically, but also memories," Nishida told Insider. "Our shorelines are getting lost by rising sea waters, and the time to make memories with the things around us is shortening because we don't know how long it's going to be here for."<div type="image" title="Taliya Nishida" height="1666" width="2222" msid="103875059" hostid="261" sizebytes="177390"></div><h2>Youth advocates are leading the charge</h2>While Hawaii has a number of environmental laws on the books, including ones aimed at curbing pollution and ensuring land protection, greenhouse-gas emissions from the island nation's transportation systems have increased in recent years. Transportation emissions made up the largest share of energy-sector emissions in Hawaii in 2017, according to a 2021 <a href="https://health.hawaii.gov/cab/files/2021/04/2017-Inventory_Final-Report_April-2021.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> by the Hawaii Department of Health.The youth plaintiffs' lawsuit seeks to change that."There's a clear problem with respect to how the state is operating its transportation system," Andrea Rodgers, the senior litigation attorney at Our Children's Trust and cocounsel for the youth plaintiffs, said. "The young people are seeking a declaration from the court that not only do they have constitutional rights to a life-sustaining climate system, but the state has an obligation to reduce its greenhouse-gas emissions."Because people under 18 can't vote and typically don't have the money to lobby legislators, they have very limited political power, Rodgers said. Many of the youth clients she represents have done "everything in their power" to communicate with policymakers, whether it's through testifying in legislative hearings, meeting with government officials, or putting up signs on street corners, she said."What I think is unique about young people is they're fresh from their civics classes and learning about the role of the government," Rodgers told Insider. "I think why they're turning to the courts is that they're seeing their fundamental rights get infringed upon by their political branches, so they're turning to the courts to protect themselves."<div type="image" title="Youth plaintiffs gather before the start of the Navahine F. v. the Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation hearing at the First Circuit Environmental Court in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, on January 26, 2023. Pictured left to right: Kaʻōnohi P.-G., 16, KawahineʻIlikea N., 13, Taliya N., 15, Navahine F., 15, Mesina D.-R., 15, Kalā W., 19, Rylee K., 15, and Kawena F., 10." height="1333" width="1778" msid="103875061" hostid="261" sizebytes="209836"></div><h2>Relying on nature</h2>Nishida decided to take action after she saw the devastating effects of the climate crisis firsthand.She and her family live off-grid in Waimea on the Big Island, miles away from the nearest town. That means they rely on solar panels and water catchments for virtually all of their electricity and water. Nishida said her parents chose to live off-grid as a way to "be part of the island and connect to their roots."The family's reliance on natural resources has left them especially vulnerable to extreme weather events. During droughts, there's little water in their catchment, so they've used "drastic methods" to conserve water, like limiting showers to no more than a couple of minutes to flushing toilets with buckets of water they hauled from town, Nishida said.Nishida said things are only getting worse: The island has experienced more droughts and she's seen more trees uprooted by storms and flash floods. <div type="image" title="Flash floods near Taliya Nishida's home" height="1816" width="2420" msid="103875062" hostid="261" sizebytes="709212"></div>One of Nishida's treasured memories is going to the beach with her family. Now she fears those outings are at risk of disappearing."When I was little, I would go to all these different beaches, and there'd be tons of people with lots of space," Nishida said. "But more recently, there have been higher tides, so there's less space on the beach for people to play and have fun with others."When Nishida first heard about the lawsuit against the Department of Transportation from her mother, she knew this was her chance to contribute to a larger cause."I realized I had never done anything prominent to help my climate," she told Insider. "I thought that by joining this, I can be one small voice in a sea of problems."<h2>A culture at risk</h2>Climate change threatens not only Hawaii's natural environment but also its <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-to-be-responsible-respectful-tourist-hawaii-photos-2022-7">Native Hawaiian culture</a>, which has endured existential threats from <a href="https://www.nps.gov/locations/hawaii/colonization.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European colonization</a> and the United States' <a href="https://2001-2009.state.gov/r/pa/ho/time/gp/17661.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">annexation</a> of its islands in 1898.Extreme weather like heavy rains and droughts have damaged traditional kalo, or taro, farming practices, which, in turn, jeopardizes food security on the islands. Hawaii's coral reefs have <a href="https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dar/habitat/coral-reefs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shrunk</a> by up to 50% in recent years, leading to degraded coastal protection that threatens traditional diets.<div type="image" title="Navahine Fukumitsu in her family's lo'i kalo (taro patch) in Hakipu'u, Hawaii their family has farmed for over 10 generations." height="1503" width="2000" msid="103875063" hostid="261" sizebytes="267440"></div>Rising sea levels eat away at what limited land there is in Hawaii to use for farming and encroach upon cultural traditions. For example, higher tides are washing out traditional burial sites along the coast, leaving both emotional and physical damage in their wake.In the face of the threats to their homes, Nishida and the other youth advocates are fighting to preserve their culture and ways of life."The climate on this island is what feeds us," Nishida said. "There's a Hawaiian saying that translates to, 'Land is chief, man is servant.' Everything that humans need to survive, it all comes from nature. Without nature, then humans as a society, we have nothing."

'I don't want to die:' How 14 youth advocates in Hawaii are fighting climate change by taking the state to court

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="12048094" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="artists" source="Orion">Artists</keyword> and creatives can be key resources to getting people to act on <keyword id="11896311" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="climate-change" source="Orion">climate change</keyword>.</li><li>The "Culture: The missing link" event at <keyword id="12037021" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="cop26" source="Orion">COP26</keyword> will explore how artists can communicate the message.</li></ul><a href="https://juliesbicycle.com/why-we-exist/people/alison-tickell/">Alison Tickell</a>, founder and CEO of <a href="https://juliesbicycle.com/">Julie's Bicycle</a>, said that we must pay attention to how we're damaging the planet, and she thinks artists can help communicate that message in powerful ways. Her UK-based nonprofit mobilizes the <keyword id="12313303" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="arts" source="Orion">arts</keyword> and culture sector to take action on the climate crisis."No amount of data, science, or technology can ever make us feel the world in the same way as art can," she told Insider. "Art and culture have a huge role to play in breathing life into climate issues and to inspire people to take action." Tickell is chairing an event titled, "Culture: The missing link," at the <a href="https://ukcop26.org/">UN Climate Change Conference UK 2021</a> (COP26) in Glasgow on November 5, which will explore the key role of arts and culture in climate transformation. The session, which is a partnership with the <a href="https://www.britishcouncil.org/">British Council</a> and <a href="https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/">Arts Council England</a>, will show how artists and musicians from around the world are developing sustainable work and a climate-driven creative practice, she said. The discussion will feature a variety of artists, activists, and environmental experts, including author <a href="https://www.elifsafak.com.tr/home">Elif Shafak</a>, <a href="https://www.fridaysforfutureindia.com/">Fridays For Future India</a> founder Disha Ravi, scientist and climate communicator <a href="https://www.fridaysforfutureindia.com/">Ed Hawkins</a>, and others. Musician and EarthPercent ambassador <a href="https://twitter.com/lovessega?lang=en">Love Ssega</a>, poet <a href="http://www.selinanwulu.com/">Selina Nwulu</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/novaruth/?hl=en">Nova Ruth</a> will perform, and there will be a screening of a film showing artists and activists from around the world.The event will also highlight how <a href="https://www.seasonforchange.org.uk/">Season for Change</a>, a cultural program that's striving to inspire climate action, has engaged organizations and communities across the UK."We want people to be inspired and ignited by the many ways that artists are using their voice to raise awareness of climate issues," Tickell said. "And, in tandem, to understand that culture really is the missing link in driving climate action. Why? Because humans are driven by emotions and the arts make us feel." Because artists offer culturally specific perspectives and are embedded within their communities, such as through libraries, galleries, or theaters, they're well-positioned to drive local action on climate change. Public art, for example, gives people a way to engage with their environments. "We're witnessing an incredible creative surge within local communities everywhere, inspired by climate and environmental issues," Tickell said. "From city gardens to low carbon arts festivals, from pedal-powered music shows to nature-inspired poetry performances."Grassroots efforts using arts and culture can help citizens understand the unique climate challenges their communities face and inspire them to take action, Tickell said. But donating to local arts and supporting them in other ways is just as important as engaging with creatives. "Artists also need professional support through policy and funding, which is aligned to environmental concerns. How on earth can they thrive otherwise?" she said.

How the arts and culture sector can drive climate-change action

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Mexican long-nosed bat is a key pollinator for the plant used to make tequila.</li><li>The bat faces extinction as temperatures rise, habitats disappear, and food sources dwindle.</li></ul>Growing tequila's main ingredient could get much harder for farmers, as climate change threatens one of its key pollinators — bats. Weber Azul agave, the main ingredient in tequila, is a plant native to Mexico. It thrives in the country's harsh, dry conditions and grows with almost no water — but its most important pollinator isn't quite as sturdy. The Mexican long-nosed bat, key to growing Weber Azul, is facing extinction. And if the species disappears, your margarita might go with it. "You wouldn't have tequila if you had no bats, because that's the only thing that pollinates the agave plant that makes tequila," Ron Magill, the communications director and a wildlife expert at Zoo Miami, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/22/us/margarita-tequila-agave-climate-crisis/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told CNN</a>.By law, tequila must be made in one of five states in Mexico. That means farmers can't opt to grow Weber Azul in another region and still call their product "tequila," further underscoring the importance of the plant's main pollinator. Native to Mexico and the Southeastern US, the Mexican long-nosed bat migrates between the two regions annually, <a href="https://www.krqe.com/news/new-mexico/mexican-long-nosed-bat-recovery-plan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to New Mexico radio station KRQE</a>. In the US, the bat is facing a lack of habitat, roost sites, and food, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service. In Mexico, warming temperatures threaten the species, according to CNN. "Mexican long-nosed bats are important pollinators that feed on the nectar and protein-rich pollen of more than 50 species of plants in the southwest," Jade Florence, a biologist with the Fish and Wildlife Service, <a href="https://www.fws.gov/press-release/2023-01/draft-recovery-plan-available-mexican-long-nosed-bat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said in a press release</a>. To combat the threats facing the long-nosed bat, the Fish and Wildlife Service released a <a href="https://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/Mexican%20Long-nosed%20Bat_Draft%20Revised%20Recovery%20Plan_30Nov2022.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">draft plan</a> last month to save the endangered species. The government agency is <a href="https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/species/8203" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accepting public comment</a> on it through early March. According to the Fish and Wildlife Service press release, the plan involves preserving, restoring, and managing the long-nosed bat's habitat, while also protecting and restoring food sources. Additionally, the plan calls for public education on the species.Still, the path forward for both the Weber Azul agave and the Mexican long-nosed bat key to its survival is unclear — and rapidly changing weather conditions pose an increasing threat to both species. "With extreme weather in conjunction with unpredictability, it's so hard to predict where this is going to go in the future," food and environment scientist Omanjana Goswami told CNN.

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