The new administration has a mandate for responsible government, decency, and truth-telling. This can be encapsulated in its policies to deal with climate change. It enters office with, apparently, the largest collection of climate experts in history. This is good, because it is going to be tough to solve the climate change problem, which isContinue reading “President Biden sets the correct tone on climate change from the word “go””
Category Archives: Uncategorized
What a moment
Last Wednesday was remarkable in the United States. Many were shocked but no one should claim to have been surprised. I have done my best to ignore the outgoing president lately but I saw enough of his speech to understand that he instigated the storming of the Capitol by his supporters; and I know enoughContinue reading “What a moment”
Pathways to sustainable land use and food systems
by Ansa Heyl, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis The findings of a new report by the Food, Agriculture, Biodiversity, Land-Use, and Energy (FABLE) Consortium, suggest that integrated strategies across food production, biodiversity, climate, and diets can meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The second global report ofContinue reading “Pathways to sustainable land use and food systems”
The Precipice, by Toby Ord
I was sure that I’d first heard Toby Ord interviewed by Sean Carrol on his Mindscape podcast — but I can’t find it to link to. If/when I do, I’ll add here. The following is from a story in The New Yorker, How Close Is Humanity to the Edge? by Corinne Purtill (21 November 2020):Continue reading “The Precipice, by Toby Ord”
Biden names a “climate tzar”
Good. Good that this position is being created; good that it’s going to John Kerry (a former Secretary of State, former US Senator, and 2004 Democratic nominee for president). Kerry has been involved in the high-level climate scene since at least the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. More from BBC News online;Continue reading “Biden names a “climate tzar””
The Atlantic tackles Cliodynamics with an interview of UConn professor Peter Turchin
“Peter Turchin, one of the world’s experts on pine beetles and possibly also on human beings, met me reluctantly this summer on the campus of the University of Connecticut at Storrs, where he teaches. Like many people during the pandemic, he preferred to limit his human contact. He also doubted whether human contact would haveContinue reading “The Atlantic tackles Cliodynamics with an interview of UConn professor Peter Turchin”
Vienna was attacked today
There was an attack in the heart of old Vienna, the Innere Stadt, reportedly by several individuals with long guns. We are shocked and saddened in solidarity with our friends and the city we called home for 2 years. May they catch these guys, whoever they are. May it never change the fun-loving character ofContinue reading “Vienna was attacked today”
Good morning, California!
Air quality is currently a bit sub-par in Santa Barbara. Of course, we’re very lucky not to be closer to the fires responsible for it. We meant to go for a hike in the Santa Ynez mountains over the weekend but the trail was closed due to fire risk; I suspect because the authorities wantContinue reading “Good morning, California!”
Temperature volatility affected crop yields of yesterday; it does today; it likely will tomorrow
Volatility in the stock market causes alarm, why not in the climate? It certainly does when it shows up in the weather! A couple of days ago, the American public radio broadcaster, NPR, carried a report of a centimeter or so of snow on the ground in Ft. Collins, Colorado, some 48 hours after theContinue reading “Temperature volatility affected crop yields of yesterday; it does today; it likely will tomorrow”
Modeling ancient history to inform the future
I wrote this as a blog post for Nexus, IIASA’s research blog. It’s based on the paper that Glen MacDonald and I recently put out in ERL. Find the original post here. The climate of the western half of the North American continent, between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific coastal region, is dry byContinue reading “Modeling ancient history to inform the future”
Marcus James Thomson, Ph.D. 