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Climate

Where Hurricane Beryl is Headed Next

On weekend weather, the U.K.’s election, and China EV tariffs

Where Hurricane Beryl is Headed Next
Heatmap Illustration/Getty Images

Current conditions: Rain storms prompted China to evacuate 240,000 in the east • A heat wave is breaking records in Moscow • Beachgoers along the Gulf of Mexico are cautioned to beware dangerous rip currents this weekend.

THE TOP FIVE

1. Fires rage in California as ‘very dangerous’ heat wave hits western states

More than 100 million people in the United States remain under heat alerts. A dangerous heat wave is baking the West, with temperatures expected to peak today and tomorrow. In some desert areas, temperatures could reach 115 degrees Fahrenheit. “It’s not your typical heat wave,” said Joe Sirard, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service. “This is a dangerous heat wave, this is a high-end heat wave. Very dangerous.” The heat, combined with high winds and dry conditions, have increased the risk of wildfires across California, where firefighters are already battling blazes. The Thompson Fire in Northern California scorched 3,700 acres and forced nearly 30,000 people to evacuate. “Oppressive” heat and humidity will also plague the Southeast today and tomorrow.

The Thompson Fire burns in Butte County. CAL FIRE

2. Hurricane Beryl makes landfall in Mexico

Hurricane Beryl is lashing Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula after devastating Jamaica. The system, which is currently a category 2 storm, has wind speeds of up to 110 miles per hour and is expected to bring a lot of rain and dangerous storm surge. Parts of southern Texas could feel the storm’s effects this weekend. At least 11 people have died in the hurricane and many buildings across several Caribbean islands remain without power.

3. Labour Party wins UK general election

The Labour Party won a landslide victory in the U.K.’s general election, which means that Keir Starmer is the new prime minister and 14 years of Conservative rule have come to an end. Starmer has vowed to transform the U.K. into a “clean energy superpower.” Here are some of his environmental pledges:

  • Establish a publicly owned clean energy firm.
  • Fully decarbonize the power sector by 2030.
  • Double onshore wind, triple solar power, and quadruple offshore wind by 2030.
  • Upgrade the grid and speed up clean energy projects.
  • Deny new licenses for exploring new oil and gas fields in the North Sea.
  • Ban the sale of new gas and diesel cars by 2030 and increase charging access for EVs.

The Green party saw its best election results ever, and quadrupled its representation in government.

4. EU raises tariffs on Chinese EVs

The European Union confirmed yesterday it will impose new tariffs of up to 38% on Chinese EV imports. When added to the existing duty of 10%, the tax could be nearly 50%. The move is intended to protect EU car manufacturers from an influx of cheap EVs but could also increase EV prices across the bloc because, while “Chinese EVs are a relatively rare sight on U.S. roads,” they're quite common in the EU, the BBC noted.

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  • 5. Germany makes balcony solar power a legal right

    Germany passed reforms that will guarantee people living in apartments have the right to install solar systems on their balconies. The new rule means landlords or other authorities will not be able to block the installations except for in exceptional circumstances. “The right to harvest solar power is thus legally enshrined,” Carsten Körnig, the head of the BSW solar power association, said in a statement. “This is tangible climate protection and is likely ot further increase acceptance of the energy transition.” More than half of Germany’s population lives in rented housing, Reutersreported, and demand for balcony solar-power systems soared in 2023.

    THE KICKER

    Scientists discovered three plant species in South America that are closely related to the tree that produces cocoa beans. The discovery could help researchers produce climate-resistant cacao trees, and protect chocolate production.

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    Politics

    The Climate Election You Missed Last Night

    While you were watching Florida and Wisconsin, voters in Naperville, Illinois were showing up to fight coal.

    Climate voting.
    Heatmap Illustration/Getty Images

    It’s probably fair to say that not that many people paid close attention to last night’s city council election in Naperville, Illinois. A far western suburb of Chicago, the city is known for its good schools, small-town charm, and lovely brick-paved path along the DuPage River. Its residents tend to vote for Democrats. It’s not what you would consider a national bellwether.

    Instead, much of the nation’s attention on Tuesday night focused on the outcomes of races in Wisconsin and Florida — considered the first electoral tests of President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s popularity. Outside of the 80,000 or so voters who cast ballots in Naperville, there weren’t likely many outsiders watching the suburb’s returns.

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    The Department of Energy has put together a list of sites and is requesting proposals from developers, Heatmap has learned.

    A data center and Nevada land.
    Heatmap Illustration/Getty Images

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    Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ Tariffs Loom
    Heatmap Illustration/Getty Images

    Current conditions: A rare wildfire alert has been issued for London this week due to strong winds and unseasonably high temperatures • Schools are closed on the Greek islands of Mykonos and Paros after a storm caused intense flooding • Nearly 50 million people in the central U.S. are at risk of tornadoes, hail, and historic levels of rain today as a severe weather system barrels across the country.

    THE TOP FIVE

    1. Trump to roll out broad new tariffs

    President Trump today will outline sweeping new tariffs on foreign imports during a “Liberation Day” speech in the White House Rose Garden scheduled for 4 p.m. EST. Details on the levies remain scarce. Trump has floated the idea that they will be “reciprocal” against countries that impose fees on U.S. goods, though the predominant rumor is that he could impose an across-the-board 20% tariff. The tariffs will be in addition to those already announced on Chinese goods, steel and aluminum, energy imports from Canada, and a 25% fee on imported vehicles, the latter of which comes into effect Thursday. “The tariffs are expected to disrupt the global trade in clean technologies, from electric cars to the materials used to build wind turbines,” explained Josh Gabbatiss at Carbon Brief. “And as clean technology becomes more expensive to manufacture in the U.S., other nations – particularly China – are likely to step up to fill in any gaps.” The trade turbulence will also disrupt the U.S. natural gas market, with domestic supply expected to tighten, and utility prices to rise. This could “accelerate the uptake of coal instead of gas, and result in a swell in U.S. power emissions that could accelerate climate change,” Reutersreported.

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