The main purpose of this ongoing blog will be to track global extreme or record temperatures related to climate change. Any reports I see of ETs will be listed below the main topic of the day. I’ll refer to extreme or record temperatures as ETs (not extraterrestrials).😉
Main Topic: Michael Bloomburg Comes Through on Climate
Dear Diary. Despite all the bad news on climate mitigation in association with Trump and his cadre of greedy billionaires, there remains some rich people who really care about our society and environment. While Elon Musk appears to be concentrating on going to Mars and government efficiency, which will hurt middle and lower-class people, one billionaire is trying his best to keep our climate intact. That would be Michael Bloomberg.
Michael Bloomberg has offered to fund the U.S. portion of the Paris Accords, or what the U.S. was paying into the endeavor before Trump pulled out of this essential treaty. Yes, there are some very rich people out there who are willing to funnel vast amounts of money towards good societal causes. Good on you Mike!
Personally, I don’t condone a society that allows people to horde enough money such that they become billionaires, but that is the current capitalistic political reality that we must deal with going through the rest of the 21st century.
Here are more details from Climate State:
Bloomberg to fund U.S. part of the Paris Agreement
Published On: January 28, 2025
As the largest economy, the US is typically the biggest contributor, accounting for around 21% of the budget.
In response to President Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, billionaire Michael Bloomberg quickly stepped up to fill the funding gap left by the U.S., ensuring that the UNFCCC could continue its mission to combat climate change despite the loss of American financial support. This move underscores the ongoing commitment of various stakeholders to address global climate issues, even in the face of political shifts.
Bloomberg’s funding pledge is expected to significantly boost the UN climate organization’s budget, helping to support efforts to address the global climate crisis.
“We deeply appreciate the generous support from Bloomberg Philanthropies and the leadership shown by Mike Bloomberg,” said Simon Stiell, United Nations Climate Change Executive Secretary.
“While government funding remains essential to our mission, contributions like this are vital in enabling the UN Climate Change secretariat to support countries in fulfilling their commitments under the Paris Agreement and a low-emission, resilient, and safer future for everyone.”
Trump’s second exit from Paris and Bloomberg’s second intervention
In a series of executive orders, Trump announced the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Agreement and the cessation of international climate funding, alongside other significant policy shifts, including the withdrawal from the World Health Organization.
Under President Biden, the US rejoined the Paris Agreement on February 19, 2021, reversing Trump’s withdrawal in 2017. It will take about a year for the new withdrawal to take effect – and when it does, the US will join Iran, Libya and Yemen as the only UN countries outside of it.
Bloomberg Philanthropies, along with other U.S. climate action financiers, has pledged to cover the annual contributions owed by the U.S. to the UNFCCC, although specific funding amounts and details about the other participating funders have not been disclosed.
“From 2017 to 2020, during a period of federal inaction, cities, states, businesses, and the public rose to the challenge to uphold our nation’s commitments – and now, we are ready to do it again,” Bloomberg in a statement.
The increasing devastation from climate-fueled disasters, such as the California wildfires, highlights the urgent need for a comprehensive climate strategy, while simultaneously showcasing the economic advantages of clean energy as costs decrease and job opportunities expand nationwide, transcending political divides.
Bloomberg’s commitment to collaborate with states, cities, and companies aims to uphold the U.S. climate commitments globally, focusing on the accountability of subnational leaders to monitor and report progress over the next four years. This initiative underscores the importance of coordinated efforts across various sectors to address climate change effectively.
Here are more “ETs” recorded from around the planet the last couple of days, their consequences, and some extreme temperature outlooks, as well as any extreme precipitation reports:
Here is More Climate News from Tuesday:
(As usual, this will be a fluid post in which more information gets added during the day as it crosses my radar, crediting all who have put it on-line. Items will be archived on this site for posterity. In most instances click on the pictures of each tweet to see each article. The most noteworthy items will be listed first.)