Collapse Catch-Up 4/23/23

Welcome to the 10th edition of Collapse Catch-Up, a weekly newsletter that catches you up on the latest signs that we are living through the collapse of global industrial civilization.

This week we have news about record-breaking heat waves, unprecedented ice loss, fossil fuel expansion, ocean pollution, marine life extinction, widespread diseases, and geopolitical tensions. Let’s dive in…

Extreme Weather

Asia is going through a record heat wave like none before. The massive heat wave is affecting 1 in 3 people on the planet and breaking high-temperature records in several countries. Thailand, for example, topped 45°C for the first time in history, and Laos reached its highest temperature ever at 42.7°C.

India also had high temperature records in cities like Bankura and Kolkata, which reached 43.7°C and 40°C, respectively. At least 13 people in India died of heat stroke. Meanwhile, in China, over 100 weather stations broke their monthly high temperature records. And Bangladesh had its highest temperature in 58 years at 40.4°C.

Weather historian Maximiliano Herrera described it as the “worst April heat wave in Asian history” and also said “it will just get worse.”

This is just a taste of what El Niño is going to bring over the next few years. Last week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) declared an El Niño watch, saying there’s a 62% chance of El Niño developing between May and July.

Scientists are warning that El Niño will significantly boost global warming and cause more record-high temperatures in 2023. Climate scientist Bill McGuire predicts that the global high temperature record will be broken this year, and again next year.

There is ample evidence that he is correct. The equatorial tropical Pacific is rapidly transitioning to an El Niño state, and sea surface temperatures are as much as 0.3°C hotter than last year.

In the Western United States, states are already dealing with the consequences of record snowpack, brought by a series of atmospheric rivers last winter. In Utah, Governor Spencer Cox declared a state of emergency because of ongoing flooding as the snowpack melts.

And in California, farmers are losing crops and cattle as Tulare Lake, which had been dry for decades, overflows into surrounding areas. As temperatures rise, the flooding is going to get much worse.

Climate Crisis

One of the main consequences of extreme weather brought about by climate change is lower crop yields, and it’s already beginning. Right now, rice production is about to have its largest shortfall in two decades.

This is the result of heavy flooding across China and Pakistan last year, and it’s likely to get worse. According to this study, rice has the highest probability of simultaneous crop losses during an El Niño event.

According to the UN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the melting of European glaciers is literally “off the charts.” And it’s not just European glaciers. Greenland is seeing unprecedented ice loss, and the Antarctic ice sheets are melting three times faster than they were 30 years ago.

At this point, the accelerating melt of the ice sheets is unmistakable, causing sea levels to rise faster than ever in recorded history. Currently, sea levels are rising twice as fast as they were in the 1990s and will cause catastrophic coastal flooding in the coming decades.

In a press conference, WMO chief Petteri Taalas said that when it comes to glacier melting and sea level rise, “We have already lost.” He also said extreme weather “may continue until the 2060s, independent of our success in climate mitigation.”

Very little climate mitigation is being done, anyway. The G7 recently vowed to hasten the shift to renewable energy, but there’s a big difference between vows and action. They couldn’t even agree on a timetable to phase out coal, the use of which continues to rise.

In Texas, clean energy is thriving with the state leading the nation in electricity from solar and wind, but the Republican government is attempting to stop that with a slew of bills designed to punish renewables and prop up fossil fuels.

The oil giant, Shell, has published a series of energy security scenarios. Interestingly, the data shows that to keep temperatures below the 1.5°C climate goal, fossil fuel growth would have to end immediately, but don’t expect Shell to shut down any time soon. It’s CEO recently said that cutting oil and gas production is not healthy.

Meanwhile, two new reports show that although major banks claim to be acting on climate, they’re continuing to finance fossil fuel expansion. The fact is, banks and fossil fuel companies will never voluntarily reduce their profits to save the planet. Only governments can force them to do the right thing.

And only people in large enough numbers can force governments to do the right thing. Unfortunately, most people aren’t sufficiently motivated to take action. Part of this is due to a new type of climate delay being pushed in the mainstream media.

According to a study published in Communications Earth & Environment, the groups who oppose acting on climate change are using a new tactic called “response skepticism.” Rather than denying climate change (which is getting very difficult to do), they’re complaining about the economic costs and personal sacrifices that would be necessary to stop it.

Unfortunately, this is a very effective strategy as many people, who are already struggling in a difficult economy, are unwilling to reduce their standard of living for the sake of the planet.

And many companies continue to assure people that they don’t need to reduce their standard of living. Instead, they just need to start using more “green technology” like electric vehicles, and it looks like the electric vehicle market is going to expand rapidly in the 2020s.

Tesla says it’s next generation of vehicles will be 50% cheaper, and several companies are launching new electric vehicles that are up to 30% cheaper than average new-vehicle prices. Meanwhile, the world’s largest battery maker has announced a major breakthrough that will allow them to create batteries with twice as much energy.

Although these developments could be good for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, many of us see green energy as just another way to extend the life of an ecocidal system.

Pollution

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch has gotten so huge that it now has its own ecosystem. According to a study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, dozens of species of coastal creatures have been able to survive and reproduce on the 620,000 square-mile patch of garbage.

Pollution in the ocean has gotten so bad that it’s reaching deep into ocean trenches. According to a study published in Nature Communication, researchers have detected PCB chemicals at the bottom of the Atacama Trench off the coast of South America. PCBs were banned worldwide in the 1980s, yet researchers found them in every sediment sample they took.

All this pollution is effecting marine animals of all kinds. For example, dolphins off the coast of Japan contain mercury that is 100 times the safe level for human consumption. We can only imagine the number of sea creatures that are getting sick and dying from mercury and other toxic chemicals.

Air pollution also continues to get worse all around the world. In Thailand, about 2.4 million people have sought treatment for medical problems linked to air pollution since the start of the year. Currently, air pollution is responsible for about 1 in 5 deaths worldwide.

Biodiversity

Scientists continue to warn that our planet is in the midst of a sixth mass extinction as Earth’s wildlife run out of places to live. As biologist Paul Ehrlich explained, to maintain a middle class American lifestyle for everyone on the planet, we would need five Earths.

So until the global economy starts shrinking, the sixth mass extinction will only accelerate. And in fact, it will likely accelerate even if the economy starts shrinking as current greenhouse gas levels could eventually lead to as much as 10°C of warming over the next few centuries.

As the oceans warm, marine life is facing an extinction not seen since the end of the dinosaurs. The consequences will be devastating. Humans benefit from ocean life in ways that most people know nothing about. For example, a new study published in Nature Communications explains how kelp forests provide hundreds of billions of dollars in value through fisheries, nutrient cycling, and carbon removal.

Another part of the Earth system that is far more valuable than most people realize are the tropical forests, which help sequester carbon and provide rain. Unfortunately, huge swaths of the Amazon are being clearcut to make way for crops and cattle. According to a report by the Energy Transitions Commission, it will cost at least $130 billion per year to protect the most at-risk areas.

Disease

Top scientists in the United Kingdom are warning that another pandemic is inevitable and that the UK is not ready. Sir John Bell, a leading immunologist, says the UK needs to build a more resilient healthcare system. Instead, the NHS is falling apart and completely unprepared for the next pandemic.

One of the most likely causes of the next pandemic is bird flu (H5N1), which has been decimating animal populations all around the world. Recently, more than 3,300 sea lions in Chile died from bird flu. Scientists in Chile also found two dolphins infected with bird flu.

One of the latest outbreaks of bird flu is in Montana, where over 80,000 birds have been culled. Officials are warning people to keep themselves and their pets away from dead birds. The more humans get infected with bird flu, the more likely it evolves in ways that allow it to spread from human to human.

Economy

Despite unemployment being at its lowest level in over 50 years, most Americans are still unhappy with the economy because most jobs don’t pay enough for people to save anything. New research from the Federal Reserve shows that one in four Americans have no savings at all. Meanwhile, the economy is showing more signs that a recession is near.

One field where workers are particularly unhappy is nursing. According to a study from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, about 100,000 nurses left the workforce due to the pandemic, and another 600,000 are considering leaving by 2027. This is causing a national health care crisis that will only get worse unless something is done to encourage nurses to keep their jobs.

Geopolitics

Tensions between Eastern and Western nations continue to rise. Last week, the former president of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, threatened that Russia will arm North Korea if South Korea decides to supply arms to Ukraine.

NATO secretary general, Jen Stoltenberg, says all member countries have agreed that Ukraine will join NATO once the war is over. Russia has called this a red line that must not be crossed, so they will likely do everything in their power to prevent it.

Meanwhile, Russia and China continue to strengthen their relationship. Putin recently met with China’s defense minister in Moscow. China has refused to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but they still say that they won’t be providing Russia with any weapons.

Recently, China conducted several days of military exercises to practice for a confrontation with Taiwan and the United States. Once the war games were over, the USS Milius sailed through the Taiwan Straight to demonstrate the US commitment to supporting Taiwan.

The U.S. has also been conducting war games. They were facilitated by the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) think tank, whose top donors include several war industry giants, so it’s little surprise that they concluded that Taiwan must be armed to the teeth.

Conclusion

That’s all for this week! Let me know if I missed anything or if you have any feedback.

I share this news to remind you that if you haven’t started preparing for the collapse of civilization, now is the time to start stockpiling supplies, learning basic skills, and making friends in your local community. As the world falls apart, it’s important that we help one another.

If this news made you feel anxious, please visit this page for a list of resources that can help.

You can also get this newsletter by subscribing to my newsletter on Collapse Survival Site. Until next time,

— Alan