Page 4 - aruba-today-20200910

A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 10 sepTember 2020
Think 2020's disasters are wild? Experts see worse in future

By SETH BORENSTEIN just a horrifying prospect."
AP Science Writer "The 2030s are going to be
A record amount of Cali- noticeably worse than the
fornia is burning, spurred 2020s," she said. University
by a nearly 20-year mega- of Michigan environment
drought. To the north, parts dean Jonathan Overpeck,
of Oregon that don't usu- a climate scientist, said in
ally catch fire are in flames. 30 years because of the
Meanwhile, the Atlantic's climate change already
16th and 17th named tropi- baked into the atmosphere
cal storms are swirling, a "we're pretty much guaran-
record number for this time teed that we'll have double
of year. Powerful Typhoon what we have now."
Haishen lashed Japan and Expect stronger winds,
the Korean Peninsula this more drought, more heavy
week. Last month it hit 130 downpours and floods, Ab-
degrees in Death Valley, dalati said.
the hottest Earth has been "The kind of things we're
in nearly a century. seeing are no surprise to
Phoenix keeps setting triple- the (scientific) community
digit heat records, while that understands the rules
Colorado went through a and the laws of physics,"
weather whiplash of 90-de- Abdalati said.
gree heat to snow this In this Aug. 17, 2020, file photo, Steve Krofchik cools off with a bottle of ice water on his head in "A lot of people want to
week. Siberia, famous for its Death Valley National Park, Calif. Associated Press. blame it on 2020, but 2020
icy climate, hit 100 degrees didn't do this," Dello said.
earlier this year, accom- say those were the good change from the burning gist Kathie Dello. "We know the behavior that
panied by wildfires. Before old days, when disasters of coal, oil and gas is clear, Even so, Cobb said the caused climate change."
that Australia and the Am- weren't so wild. and basic physics. sheer magnitude of what's Consider the world's en-
azon were in flames. "It's going to get A LOT "I strongly believe we're go- happening now was hard vironment like an engine:
Amid all that, Iowa's multi- worse," Georgia Tech cli- ing to look back in 10 years, to fathom back then. Just "We have injected more
billion dollar derecho — mate scientist Kim Cobb certainly 20 and definitely as the future of climate di- energy into the system be-
bizarre straight-line winds said Wednesday. "I say that 50 and say, 'Wow, 2020 was sasters is hard to fathom cause we have trapped
that got as powerful as a with emphasis because it a crazy year, but I miss it,'" now. more heat into the atmo-
major hurricane — barely does challenge the imagi- Abdalati said. "A year like 2020 could sphere," said World Me-
went noticed. nation. And that's the scary That's because what's hap- have been the subject of teorological Organization
Freak natural disasters — thing to know as a climate pening now is just the type a marvelous science fiction Secretary-General Petteri
most with what scientists scientist in 2020." of crazy climate scientists film in 2000," Cobb said. Taalas.
say likely have some kind Colorado University envi- anticipated 10 or 20 years "Now we have to watch That means more energy
of climate change con- ronmental sciences chief ago. and digest real-time di- for tropical storms as well as
nection — seem to be ev- Waleed Abdalati, NASA's "It seems like this is what we saster after disaster after changes to rainfall patterns
erywhere in the crazy year former chief scientist, said always were talking about disaster, on top of a pan- that bring drought to some
2020. But experts say we'll the trajectory of worsen- a decade ago," said North demic. The outlook could places and heavy rainfall
probably look back and ing disasters and climate Carolina State climatolo- not be any more grim. It's to others, Taalas said.q

Official claims pressure to alter Homeland Security intel

ports that President Donald Management. fending the president.
Trump might find objection- "Mr. Murphy is, put simply, a The complaint says Wolf,
able, including intelligence dedicated public servant who has been nominated
on Russian interference in who has had a laudable to be secretary by Trump,
the election and the threat career prior to the recent directed Murphy to cease
posed by white suprema- events that have led to the providing intelligence as-
cists. submission of this package sessments on the threat of
Brian Murphy says in a whis- to the OIG," his complaint Russian interference to the
tle-blower complaint filed states. "Prior to his current U.S. because it "made the
with the agency's inspec- circumstances, he had President look bad." Mur-
tor general that he was de- never had so much as a phy said he declined be-
moted for refusing to alter negative fitness report in his cause it would be a viola-
his intelligence reports in an professional career with the tion of his duties not to do it.
"illegal and improper" man- U.S. Government." He said Cuccinelli directed
ner. In his complaint, he alleges him to modify a section of a
In this June 28, 2019, file photo the Department of Homeland The former FBI agent and that former DHS Secretary report on white supremacy
Security (DHS) seal is seen during a news conference in Marine Corps veteran had Kirstjen Nielsen, current act- to make the threat appear
Washington. served as principal deputy ing Secretary Chad Wolf less severe, and to include
Associated Press. under secretary in the Of- and his deputy, Ken Cuc- information on left-wing
By BEN FOX in a whistle-blower com- fice of Intelligence and cinelli, repeatedly pressed groups to echo administra-
Associated Press plaint released Wednesday Analysis. him to change intelligence tion talking points around
WASHINGTON (AP) — An that he was pressured by In August, he was demoted assessments in ways that civil unrest following the
official at the Department agency leaders to suppress to assistant to the deputy would support administra- protests over the killing of
of Homeland Security said details in his intelligence re- under secretary for DHS tion policies or avoid of- George Floyd.q