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You know climate change threatens the planet — but your bank account?

  • Hurricane Patricia is expected to reach the Mexican state of Jalisco Friday evening as a dangerous Category 5 hurricane capable of causing catastrophic destruction.
  • A number of states and several business groups prepare to sue the EPA over climate change rules.
  • Scientists say summer of 2015 saw the hottest temperatures in more than 4,000 years.

Could this giant 3D printer stop climate change? [National Geographic]

You may be familiar with this amazing technology. It is a 400-million-year-old solar-powered device that extracts CO2 from the atmosphere and converts it into material useful for construction.

First observations of the least understood species in the world [UPI]

For decades this species was misidentified as dwarf version of Bryde’s whales. But DNA testing in 2003 confirmed the species’ genetic uniqueness. Until now, scientists had not studied the species live in the wild.

Patricia becomes strongest hurricane ever recorded [The Weather Channel]

Hurricane Patricia is expected to reach the Mexican state of Jalisco Friday evening as a dangerous Category 5 hurricane capable of causing catastrophic destruction. Residents and authorities in Mexico are rushing to prepare for what is being called the strongest hurricane ever.

Dark clouds approach and waves break off the coast of Mexico. Photo by Rhett Butler.
Dark clouds approach and waves break off the coast of Mexico. Photo by Rhett Butler.

They found that the status of these 14 species should be changed [Mongabay]

This study re-assessed the conservation status of 38 amphibian species that an earlier study had determined might meet IUCN criteria for listing as Threatened species.

A new marine reserve bigger than the state of California [National Geographic]

A tiny island country in the western Pacific Ocean has approved the creation of an enormous marine reserve that will protect 80 percent of the Palau nation’s ocean.

Could climate change slash income around the world? [Christian Science Monitor]

A study finds evidence that climate change is tightly linked to economic performance. If global warming continues, about 77 percent of the countries on the planet will see a per capita income fall.

Three nations, three successful approaches to curbing deforestation [Mongabay]

The Amazon rainforest spreads across nine of South America’s twelve countries. Those with the largest portions — Brazil, Colombia and Peru — each approach tropical forest conservation in a different way.

Meneria Metalmark (Amarynthis meneria) in Manu, Peru. Photo by Rhett Butler.
Meneria Metalmark (Amarynthis meneria) in Manu, Peru. Photo by Rhett Butler.

These states plan to sue the EPA over climate change rules [Tree hugger]

A number of states and several business groups prepare to sue the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over the rules to cut carbon emissions, which is expected to set off a large number of law suits.

Hottest summer Earth has seen since the Bronze Age [CNN]

While scientists are sure that our planet has definitely experienced he hottest summer since detailed records have been kept, they’re not quite sure just how long it’s been. But their research points to this year’s temperatures being the hottest in more than 4,000 years.

 

MONGABAY HIGHLIGHTS

Strange pit-digging bird seems poised to beat the odds

Conservation success stories are rare. Too often we read of the losing battles: local extinctions and irreversible biodiversity losses, often at the expense of shortsighted exploitation-for-profit schemes. Refreshingly, the plight of the maleo is different.

Solar power is great…when it’s not a threat to natural areas

Solar farms need a vast amount of land. A new study found that most big solar energy installations in California are located within biologically rich scrub- and shrublands and threaten wildlife habitats.

This amendment could be most serious threat to Brazil’s biodiversity

New drive to end genetically modified Terminator seed ban could succeed, making Brazil the first nation to defy global moratorium on crops with built-in sterility.

Indonesia’s growing toxic smoke levels trend on Twitter

An announcement to prepare military ships and vessels to evacuate haze-hit residents as a last resort to the devastating smoke emanating from wildfires and underground hotspots was made shortly after the residents took to Twitter, imploring the government for more action.

Smoke rising from an area of forest and oil palm in Riau in June 2015. Photo by Rhett A. Butler
Smoke rising from an area of forest and oil palm in Riau in June 2015. Photo by Rhett A. Butler
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