- James Hansen, who has been warning of the dangers of climate change for a long time, is now calling for a serious look at geoengineering as perhaps the only way to keep climate change within tolerable limits. Others are understandably uncomfortable with this, but perhaps we're past the point where this can be avoided, especially when everyone's distracted by such petty things as wars.
- Researchers have found a dramatic increase in the numbers of flowering plants in Antarctica.
- The attacks on Canada's carbon tax continue, even as it seems to be working in changing people's behaviours. Unfortunately you can only fight populism so far; even the Manitoba NDP is now calling for an exemption for heating fuels. I still say if you want to do something about affordability it would be better to lower sales taxes. That way you improve affordability for everyone while still rewarding those who reduce their environmental impact, but there seems to be no appetite for that for whatever reason.
- Given that even in the best case scenario things are going to get worse, many jurisdictions are trying to limit development in vulnerable areas, but it's not easy.
- California's Department of Transportation has fired their deputy director of planning and modal programs, apparently for opposing new highway construction.
- On a (slightly) more positive note, researchers at the University of Waterloo believe they've found a feasible way to use captured carbon to make fuel. Probably not enough in itself, but it could help, especially with difficult sectors like aviation. There has also been an agreement reached at the global level to create a "loss and damage" fund, to be administered by the World Bank, but details remain to be worked out.
- A junior minister in the Netanyahu government, heritage minister Amihai Eliyahu, has been "suspended" from cabinet meetings after saying the quiet part out loud. I guess that kind of talk, at least in public, is too much even for Netanyahu; instead the plan is to remain directly in control of Gaza after the smoke clears. While some think the region could eventually be handed over to the Palestinian Authority, there's apparently not much appetite for that on the ground. Meanwhile, this conflict has set a grim record for the number of UN aid workers killed.
- Vancouver police are investigating several hate-related incidents in connection with the war. This includes a car being driven into a protest.
- Donald Trump is behaving as you would expect him to in the courtroom.
- Four men have been charged in the theft of an art installation at Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill. The installation, a solid gold toilet worth an estimated £4.8 million, has not been recovered.
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