PROGRAMMING NOTE:

Ida's Disparate Devastation Continues To Be Revealed: The magnitude of Ida's devastation across the northeastern U.S. became clearer Thursday, as the impacts of climate change revealed and exacerbated existing societal inequities. At least 46 people were reported dead as of Friday morning from Maryland to Connecticut, with the vast majority of those drowning in their homes or cars under the — in many places — unprecedented deluge of rain. Climate change caused by the extraction and combustion of fossil fuels is making extreme precipitation events worse and more frequent. The storm dropped 3-4 inches per hour from eastern Pennsylvania to southwest Connecticut — rates so extreme they essentially negate any difference between soil and paved surfaces and essentially all the rain becomes streamflow. At least 11 in New York City drowned in their basement apartments, highlighting the dangers of illegal basement apartments in the city. More than 800 people were rescued from flooding subways. About 1,300 miles away in Independence, Louisiana, four nursing home residents died after being 'housed' in a remote warehouse after being evacuated ahead of the hurricane. The storm, like Katrina, hit at the end of the month, when those who rely on retirement or government assistance have exhausted their financial resources. The dangers are worst for those experiencing homelessness and otherwise unable to evacuate, like Angelique and Wilfred Hebert who walked 15 miles to try to catch an evacuation bus but missed it and were forced to ride out the storm by a concrete pillar under a bridge. “It was the most terrifying thing I’ve ever been through,” Angelique told the AP. (AP, New York Times $, Washington Post $; Rain: Yale Climate Connections, E&E News, The Conversation; Basement apartments: New York Times $, New York Times $; Subway system & rescues: CNN, Climate Home, Gizmodo; Nursing home: NOLA.com, NOLA.com, NOLA.com, NOLA.com, AP, CNN; Unhoused people: (AP; Climate Signals background: Extreme precipitation increase)

People Of Color Hurt Worst By Climate Change, EPA Report Confirms: Historically excluded racial and ethnic groups, along with low-income and less educated populations will likely face greater harm from the impacts of climate change, an EPA report detailed Thursday. The study comes at the end of a week dominated by devastating climate impacts across the country. Under a scenario in which the world is heated by 3.6°F (2°C), Black people are 40% more likely than the general population to live in areas with the highest increases in premature deaths from climate-driven extreme temperatures and are 41% more likely to live in areas with the highest increases in premature deaths from fine particulate pollution like industrial soot (technically known as PM2.5). The report also concluded Hispanics and Latinos are 43% more likely to live in areas with the highest reductions in lost labor hours due to extreme temperatures, while American Indians and Alaska Natives are 48% more likely than the general population to live on land likely to be inundated by sea level rise. A separate report, also released Thursday, from the Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center determined more than 8,500 people die in a typical year from extreme heat driven by climate change, a number that could increase sevenfold in less than 30 years. Extreme heat currently costs the U.S. $100 billion annually in lost productivity, the Rockefeller report also found, a figure that could double in the next nine years. (Washington Post $; EPA: The Hill, Politico Pro $, Axios; Rockefeller report: Thomson Reuters Foundation, TIME, CBS; Climate Signals background: Extreme heat and heatwaves)

New Study Links Climate Change To Polar Vortex Destabilization: A first-of-its-kind study shows how climate change is causing, if counterintuitively, more periods of extreme cold in the central and eastern U.S. like the one that killed hundreds of people in Texas earlier this year. The research, published Thursday in Science, measured atmospheric changes to explain how the rapidly warming Arctic destabilizes the vortex that (usually) keeps frigid air held over the polar region, leading to more 'outbreaks' in which icy air dives down into lower latitudes. “It is counterintuitive that a rapidly warming Arctic can lead to an increase in extreme cold in a place as far south as Texas, but the lesson from our analysis is to expect the unexpected with climate change,” Judah Cohen, the study's author, told the AP. The study sheds new light on the Arctic blast that led to the failure of the Texas gas system and electrical grid, leaving residents to burn their furniture to stay warm. “The Texas cold blast of February 2021 is a poster child for the link between a changing Arctic and cold blasts in lower latitudes,” climate scientist Jennifer Francis told the AP. Francis, who helped pioneer the theory underlying the study, but who was not a part of the research added, “The study takes this controversial hypothesized linkage and moves it solidly toward accepted science.” (AP, Bloomberg $, The Conversation)

THE OIL LOBBY: Oil industry launches lobbying blitz as Congress targets fossil fuel subsidies (DeSmog) 

STO(N)CKS: Energy traders see big money in carbon-emissions markets (Wall Street Journal $), a fledgling natural gas exporter has become a meme stock (Wall Street Journal $) 

GREENWASHING: Regulators intensify ESG scrutiny as greenwashing explodes (Bloomberg $)

FOSSIL FUEL FINANCING: South Korean state groups back $127bn in global fossil fuel projects (FT $) 

OPINION: Big banks are funding climate disaster. Business needs to push back. (Barron’s)

(ENVIRONMENTAL) RACISM: Texas abortion ban comes as Black women leaders have been demanding reproductive justice (NewsOne), former prosecutor indicted over Ahmaud Arbery case, accused of helping shield suspects in fatal shooting (Washington Post $)

CALDOR FIRE: Officials express cautious optimism, but threats remain (KCRA Sacramento , Washington Post $, AP, NBC), dozens of homes destroyed by Caldor Fire (CBS Sacramento), Lake Tahoe wildfire seemed controllable, then it wasn’t (AP), weather slows California wildfire, but flames keep moving (AP), calmer winds aid California fire fight but hot weekend looms (AP, Wall Street Journal $), Sacramento-area air quality still affected by Caldor Fire. Wind shift could make things worse (Sacramento Bee $)

IDA: 'We're not out of this yet': At least 46 dead after flooding overwhelms NYC, Northeast (USA Today), storm heightens a sense of vulnerability to climate change. (New York Times $), deadly flash floods show how vulnerable New York’s infrastructure is to climate change (CNBC), New Yorkers got record rain, and a warning: storms are packing more punch (New York Times $), New York region's historic floods send deadly climate change lesson (Axios)

• NORTHEAST: Cleanup and mourning continue after Ida soaks Northeast US (AP, Washington Post $, AP, The Hill, Politico, NPR), at least 23 New Jersey residents died in the storm, governor says (CNN) 
• NYC: Ida turns New York City into a front line of extreme weather supercharged by climate change (CNN), Ida’s deluge renews calls for massive NY sea walls (E&E News), Eric Adams, New York's likely next Mayor, says he has ‘never witnessed something like this.’ (New York Times $), first-ever flash flood emergency warning issued for parts of New York City (The Hill), New York is particularly vulnerable to extreme storms. Here’s why. (New York Times $), as NYC reels from ida, its likely next Mayor faces fresh scrutiny on climate (HuffPost)
• MID-ATLANTIC: Inside the Annapolis tornado: how Ida powered this destructive storm (Washington Post $), local officials declare emergency in Maryland’s Anne Arundel (AP)
• LOUISIANA: 3 Jefferson Parish residents died from carbon monoxide-related exposure (CNN), life in Louisiana’s boot challenging, adventuresome post-Ida (AP), Louisiana's last inhabited barrier island bore the brunt of Hurricane Ida. Here's what it looks like now (CNN), for Louisiana fishermen, Hurricane Ida threatens a way of life (Washington Post $), access to gas continues to be one of Louisiana's biggest needs following Hurricane Ida (CNN), Louisiana high school sports meet a mighty opponent: climate change (New York Times $)
• OUTGAGES: On day 4 of Ida recovery, Entergy still can't say when most of New Orleans will get power restored (NOLA.com), those Entergy New Orleans maps aren’t true (Gambit), New Orleans power crisis: fix 2,500 broken poles in a swamp (Bloomberg $), 3 killed by carbon monoxide poisoning from generator use in Marrero (NOLA.com), New Orleans turns buses into cooling centers to help residents still without electricity (Washington Post $, NOLA.com)
• OIL & GAS: Feds responding to reports of oil, chemical spills after Ida (AP), 80% of the Gulf's oil and gas production is still offline after Hurricane Ida (Axios), one of the largest US petrochemical plants is spewing excessive smoke after Hurricane Ida knocked out its power (Buzzfeed)
• BIDEN: Biden says Ida shows 'climate crisis' has struck (AP), Biden on Ida recovery: ‘The nation is here to help’ (Washington Post $, E&E News, AP), Biden to detail storm response, survey damage in Louisiana (AP, Ebony, New York Times $)
• HELPING: Mutual aid groups give personalized help after Hurricane Ida (AP)
• WARNINGS & DEVASTATION: The storm warnings were dire. Why couldn’t the city be protected? (New York Times $), why was Ida so devastating as it flooded the Northeast? (AP)
• TORNADOES: New Jersey and Maryland slammed by tornadoes from Ida’s remnants  (Washington Post $)
• LONG DISTANCE THREAT: How Ida can be so deadly 1000 miles from landfall (AP explainer), how Ida’s inland path reveals hidden risk of hurricane floods (Bloomberg $)
• DISPARATE IMPACTS: 4 days after Ida, storm recovery is uneven across Louisiana (AP), many incarcerated people in Louisiana left behind in the wake of Hurricane Ida (Prism Reports)
• PHOTOS: The scene as remnants of Ida floods Northeast U.S. (Washington Post $, Axios, NOLA.com), aerial photos: the path of Hurricane Ida from Grand Isle to Livingston Parish (The Advocate), damaged bridge and flooded streets trap Barataria residents and complicate Ida recovery efforts (NOLA.com), first look at Port Fourchon, Pointe Fourchon, and more from Golden Meadow and Galliano (The Advocate)
• REPORTING WHILE BLACK: Criminal past revealed as arrest warrant issued for angry white man who attacked Black journalist (NewsOne)
• PUBLIC OPINION: Can Hurricane Ida move public opinion on climate change? (TIME)

AGENCIES: FEMA changes policy that blocked disaster aid for many Black families (The Hill)

EPA: EPA might water down its cleanup standards for Seattle’s only river (Grist)

DOI: IG investigating complaint against top BLM official (E&E News)

FED: Climate hawks pressure Biden to replace Fed chair (The Hill)

HOUSE: Ocasio-Cortez: Scrapping filibuster over abortion rights shouldn't be a difficult decision (The Hill)

SENATE: Schumer calls for action on climate after Ida flooding (The Hill)

WHITE HOUSE: Biden’s newest climate adviser reflects on task ahead (E&E News, Philip Duffy interview)

INFRASTRUCTURE BILL(S): Manchin calls on Democrats to ‘pause,’ cut $3.5 trillion spending plan, dealing potential blow to Biden agenda (Washington Post $)

POLITICS: Democratic governors push for climate programs in reconciliation (E&E News)

ELECTIONS: Abortion becomes a ‘huge motivator’ in governor races (Politico)

IMPACTS: Our future on a hotter planet means more climate disasters happening simultaneously (NPR), today’s Maine child will see a different state as climate warms (Bangor Daily News)

DROUGHT: The West's historic drought in 3 maps (CNN), will this California drought result in another expansion of water-thirsty orchards? (LA Times $)

WILDFIRES: What losing Paradise tells us about today’s blazes (The Verge), California tree nursery sees surging demand for trees after wildfires (Yale Climate Connections)

• DIXIE FIRE: Dixie Fire nearing 900,000 acres as evacuations shift (Sacramento Bee $), Dixie Fire damage at Lassen Volcanic National Park could keep some areas closed until next year (Redding Record-Searchlight)

HURRICANES: Severe flooding from hurricanes connected to climate change (WRAL)

BOOZE: Vintners despair after French wildfire ravaged grapevines (AP)

CARE: Care workers demand federal support as first responders in climate crises (Yes Magazine)

STATUS QUO: Global fossil fuel decline won't be fast enough to meet Paris climate goals (Axios)

ENERGY TRANSITION: Appalachia’s clean energy transition must address racial inequity, advocates say (Energy News Network)

RENEWABLES: WTO panel upholds Trump's tariffs on solar products (Politico Pro $)

METHANE: Satellites spot methane plumes over the U.S. caused by 'routine work' (Bloomberg $)

PLASTICS: Countries take steps toward curbing plastic waste in oceans (AP)

HYDROGEN: Platts launches hydrogen pump prices in Germany, Japan and California (S&P Global)

UTILITIES: Electric utility groups are wary of Democrats’ clean power ambitions (FT $)

GRID: How blockchain could help integrate rooftop solar and EVs into the grid (Canary Media), how the EU can get its grid ready for net zero (Energy Monitor)

CORONAVIRUS: How work patterns created during pandemic will affect future energy use (Axios)

CAFFEINE: Revitalizing Yemeni coffee (Atmos)

AGRICULTURE: How adding rock dust to soil can help get carbon into the ground (Yale Environment 360)

CARBON REMOVAL: The risky climate bet of using forests to remove CO2 (Politico Pro $)

FINANCE: As new signs of climate change emerge, here’s how you can invest in companies and funds that keep the environment safe (CNBC)

REAL ESTATE: London’s landlords cash in on demand for the greenest offices (Bloomberg $)

BITCOIN: Bitcoin uses more electricity than many countries. How is that possible? (New York Times $)

WILDLIFE: Global biodiversity conference opens in southern France (AP), nearly 30% of tree species in the wild are threatened with extinction, new report says (CNBC)

INTERNATIONAL: Behind the 'O-mentum' on Canada's campaign trail (Politico), Britain’s economy is already seeing a rapid shift due to climate change (CNBC), Denmark agrees on ownership structure for giant energy island (Bloomberg $), Germany’s politicians and industry need a ‘totally new way’ of collaborating to go green: BASF’s CEO (CNBC), U.K. joins Bloomberg-led group to fund India’s energy transition (Bloomberg $)

• When there's a will, there's a way: Building the foundation for municipal EV infrastructure (Utility Dive, Celeste Frye op-ed)
• As power grids wobble, the hunt is on for a fix (New York Times, Justin Gillis op-ed $)
• Corporate America is lobbying for climate disaster (New York Times, Paul Krugman column $)
• How to reach 50 percent zero-emission vehicles (The Hill, Christopher Knittel, James Stock, and Shanjun Li op-ed)
• Abortion allows us to determine our own futures (Prism Reports, Aimee Registe and Jasmine Yunus op-ed)
• Sea-level rise and hurricanes: In it for the long-haul (The Hill, John Nielsen-Gammon op-ed)

The Denier Roundup will return on Tuesday. Enjoy Labor Day!

Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up to receive Hot News every morning!

Send updates or feedback to nkauffman@climatenexus.org
Submit events and other items for consideration for a First Look using this form
Some articles require logins or subscriptions ($)