San Francisco Sends Climate Costs to Taxpayers as Liability Suit Idles.

When U.S. District Court Judge William Alsup dismissed San Francisco and Oakland’s climate liability suits against five of the world’s largest oil companies last week, his ruling ignored the central question of the suit: who should be responsible for paying for the impacts of climate change? In his earlier hearing, Alsup seemed to struggle with the idea that cities could even anticipate what those costs are, imagining them to be unpredictable and far in the future.

The cost of climate damage foisted upon the ratepayers.

But climate change adaptation costs are already piling up for the Bay Area cities. And in place of another way to raise money, San Francisco is sending a referendum to voters this November to vote on paying $425 million to repair the Embarcadero seawall, which is only a small part of a projected $5 billion long-term plan to upgrade the seawall to protect the city from sea level rise.

Globally, seas have risen 8 inches since industry started burning fossil fuels and forecasts predict 2 to 4 more feet of sea level rise this century.

Read the Climate Liability News story by Amy Westervelt - “San Francisco Sends Climate Costs to Taxpayers as Liability Suit Idles.”

Scientists call for action in fight against ‘fake news’

Legal scholars, social scientists, and researchers are joining forces in a global call to action in the fight against “fake news.”

Scientists need to join the fight against fake news.

The indictment of 13 Russians in the operation of a “troll farm” that spread false information related to the 2016 US presidential election has renewed the spotlight on the power of “fake news” to influence public opinion.

Read the Futurity story by Kevin Fryling - “Scientists call for action in fight against ‘fake news’.”

Millions spent on Great Barrier Reef projects against expert advice

Millions of dollars of Commonwealth money is being handed to tourism-linked groups for Great Barrier Reef protection, despite official advice recommending against the projects, or repeatedly finding them to be failing.

Government money being spent on protecting
the Great Barrier Reef contrary to official advice

The contracts include millions of dollars for tourism operators to cull out-of-control coral-eating crown of thorns starfish. Funds continue to be distributed, despite researchers employed to evaluate the program repeatedly finding it to have failed, and potentially having made the problem worse.

It also includes $2.2m spent on an unusual project involving giant fans installed on a small part of the reef to cool water down to prevent bleaching. Documents obtained by the Guardian reveal the government’s independent expert panel recommended against the project proceeding, finding the justification relied on claims that were “a major departure from reality” and that the fans could accidentally kill nearby coral.

Read Michael Slezak’s story from The Guardian - “Millions spent on Great Barrier Reef projects against expert advice.”

APRA’s Summerhayes says 'weight of money' now driving response to climate change

Australia's financial regulator says the transition to a low-carbon economy "is in motion" and local companies can opt to "float with the transitional current" or fight "against the rising tide”.

The market for so-called green bonds soared from $US11
 billion in 2013 to more than $US65 billion so far this year.

Geoff Summerhayes, an executive board member of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, told a seminar on Wednesday the transition would be motivated in part by the investments needed to achieve the Paris climate goals.

The World Bank estimates that sum to be worth $US22 trillion ($29 trillion) to hit the 2030 targets. Meanwhile, the market for so-called green bonds – earmarked for environmental or climate projects – had soared from $US11 billion in 2013 to more than $US65 billion so far this year.

Read Peter Hannam’s story in today’s Melbourne Age - “APRA’s Summerhayes says 'weight of money' now driving response to climate change.”