The Arctic Tundra’s Tragic Transformation

Current conditions: A bomb cyclone and atmospheric river are expected to bring “a firehose” of moisture and damaging winds to the eastern U.S. today • A former rugby star died in flooding from Storm Darragh in England • There is now a 55% chance of La Niña developing between now and February, but if the weather pattern does emerge, it will be weak and brief.

THE TOP FIVE

1. Trump promises ‘fully expedited’ permitting in exchange for $1 billion of investment

President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday rocked the energy world when he promised “fully expedited approvals and permits, including, but in no way limited to, all Environmental approvals” for “Any person or company investing ONE BILLION DOLLARS, OR MORE, in the United States of America,” in a post on Truth Social. “GET READY TO ROCK!!!” he added. Trump has frequently derided regulatory barriers to development, including in his announcements of various economic and policy roles in his upcoming administration. He did not support his announcement with any additional materials laying out the legal authorities he plans to exercise to exempt these projects from regulation or proposed legislation, but his post attracted criticism from environmentalists, with the Sierra Club describing it as a “plan to sell out communities and environment to the highest bidder.” Trump’s appointed co-deregulator-in-chief had a different take: “This is awesome 🚀🇺🇸,” Elon Musk wrote on X.

2. Malibu fire grows, remains uncontained

Powerful Santa Ana winds are fanning the flames of the Franklin Fire in Malibu, California, which remained 0% contained as of early this morning. So far nearly 3,000 acres have been charred. Thousands of people, including celebrities like Dick Van Dyke and Cher, have been forced to evacuate the city. Much of Southern California is under a red flag warning because of the winds and a lot of potential fuel in the form of dry vegetation.

Mario Tama/Getty Images

“The hot and extremely dry wind conditions that are driving the Franklin Fire are similar to what we saw just a few weeks ago with the destructive Mountain Fire in Santa Barbara,” said Alex Hall, director of UCLA’s Center for Climate Science. “It’s a sobering reminder that we must learn to live with wildfire, especially as the fires become larger and more intense with a changing climate.”

3. EIA expects U.S. energy use to reach new record highs

The U.S. Energy Information Administration expects power consumption in the U.S. to reach new record highs this year and next. Here are some key takeaways from its latest Short Term Energy Outlook:

• In 2024, power demand is expected to rise to 4,086 billion kilowatt-hours, up from 4,012 billion kWh in 2023, and rising to 4,165 billion kWh in 2025.
• Renewables will account for about 23% of power generation this year, rising to 25% next year.
• Meanwhile coal will drop to just 15% this year and next, down from 17% last year.
• Natural gas is expected to see a bump from 42% last year to 43% this year, but is projected to fall to 40% in 2025.

4. Monarch butterfly may be added to endangered species list

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is proposing that the iconic monarch butterfly be listed as a “threatened” species under the Endangered Species Act so that it may be better protected. Monarch numbers have declined between 80% and 95% in recent decades due to climate change, habitat loss, and insecticide exposure. Western populations face a near 100% risk of extinction by 2080 if current trends continue, and eastern monarchs face a 56% to 74% chance of extinction. “Additional habitat and protections are needed to ensure the species is conserved for future generations,” the agency said in its announcement. The public will be able to comment on the proposal until March 12. Reuters noted that the ESA helped save other species from the brink of extinction, including the bald eagle and California condor.

A tagged monarch butterfly. Brett Billings/USFWS

5. Scientists say Arctic tundra has become a carbon source

NOAA’s 2024 Arctic Report Card concluded that the Arctic tundra is now emitting more carbon dioxide than it is absorbing thanks to thawing permafrost and wildfires. This means the tundra is no longer a carbon sink, as it has been for thousands of years, but a carbon source. “Increasing surface air temperatures are causing permafrost to warm and thaw,” the report stated, adding that permafrost temperatures this year were the highest ever recorded. “Once thawed, permafrost carbon can be decomposed by microbes and released into the atmosphere as greenhouse gases.” At the same time, increased wildfire activity in the region has contributed significantly to rising emissions. The region’s soils and permafrost contain at least 1.4 trillion metric tons of carbon, or about 60% of all the carbon stored in the Earth’s soil.

THE KICKER

“Excessive heat” was the second-highest ranking news topic to be Googled worldwide in 2024. “Hurricane Milton” ranked fourth.

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