Hurricanes Have Become Deadlier, Especially for Socially Vulnerable

[OKIsItJustMe]

Hurricanes Have Become Deadlier, Especially for Socially Vulnerable

Landmark study in Science Advances reveals variation of excess deaths after hurricanes in the U.S. varied by hurricane season, geography, and social vulnerability

August 16, 2023

Over recent decades, there has been a large variation in cyclone-related excess deaths by hurricane, state, county, year, and social vulnerability across the United States, with 83 percent of hurricane-related deaths occurring more recently and 94 percent in more socially vulnerable counties. Results of a study by researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Colorado State University, Imperial College London, University of California Irvine, and Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health appear in the journal Science Advances.

The study exemplifies how variable the impacts of even the same tropical cyclone have been, driven differences in by demographic, economic, and social factors. Total excess deaths were particularly high in counties the largest proportion of minorities. Until now, there had been a critical knowledge gap about estimating post-cyclone excess deaths with a consistent methodology from a large-scale study covering the entire United States across multiple decades.

The researchers found that the single largest number of excess deaths was in Orleans Parish, LA, after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, with 719 excess deaths. followed by Harris County, TX, after Hurricane Rita in 2005 (309 excess deaths), Broward County, FL, after Hurricane Matthew in 2016 (185 excess deaths), and Nassau County, NY, after Hurricane Sandy in 2012 (178 excess deaths). Full results of the top-20 most impacted counties and associated year and hurricane can be found in the table below.

The most estimated excess deaths in a single year were during 2005, with 2,163 estimated post-tropical cyclone excess deaths, with 1,491 from Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Where probabilities of excess deaths were high, 83 percent of post-hurricane-force and 70 percent of post-gale-to-violent-storm-force excess deaths occurred more recently (2004–2019); and 94 percent were in more socially vulnerable counties.

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[Think. Again.]

1. Gee...

...I wish the President of the United States had the authority to declare something like an emergency when lives and property are being lost...

[OKIsItJustMe]

2. For individual storms? Sure! We do it all of the time.

However, although the situation is grave, unlike a storm, “Climate Change” will continue to be a continuing phenomenon, and must be treated as such.

[Think. Again.]

3. oh I see!

...it's like when there's a hurricane and we declare an individual emergency for each individual house that gets blown away, got it.

[OKIsItJustMe]

4. "There Are None So Blind as Those Who Will Not See"

Have you ever dealt with a climate “skeptic” who really doesn’t want to know about the science?

What we need is an ongoing source of funding, paid for by taxes, to support an ongoing situation.

That is just not the nature of National Emergencies as defined by “Public Law 94-142”

[Think. Again.]

5. I don't understand...

...why you referenced the legislation for terminating a national emergency, but I do agree with you that the funding (and all the other authorities) that could be made available through a Climate Emergency Declaration ARE exactly what is needed right now.

[OKIsItJustMe]

6. Keep reading...

The President can declare a National Emergency only for a limited period of time without cooperation from Congress, and even then, is not free to do anything (he or she) pleases.

[Think. Again.]

7. So...

...then what's the problem?

[OKIsItJustMe]

8. Trump said he would fund his border wall by declaring a "National Emergency"

Why didn’t he?

[Think. Again.]

9. He did...

...and he extended the declaration twice.

Biden rescinded the declaration the moment he got into office.

[OKIsItJustMe]

10. Precisely.

Declaring a “National Emergency” did not get the wall built.

[Think. Again.]

11. I see...

...let's not try everything we possibly can try to minimize the massive damage Climate Chaos will cause, because we might fail at trying.

I think you just broke my heart.

[OKIsItJustMe]

12. No... Let's not waste time on things which will not work.

Declaring a “State of Emergency” does not convey magical powers upon the President, and, frankly, is liable to piss a bunch of people off.

The Congress gets a say, and the next President can simply end the “State of Emergency.” (A lot of things which Barack Obama passed as “Executive Orders” were simply repealed by his successor. We need something that will last.

As you have observed, Joe Biden has done more to combat “Climate Change” in less than three years, than any other president has done in their full term. In part, that’s because he understands what it takes to get legislation through Congress. So far, he has chosen not to declare a “Climate Emergency” why not trust him in that decision?

[Think. Again.]

13. Because we need to take action, now...

..any action.

Declare a Climate Emergency.

And keep fighting for effective legislation.

And start a massive public engagement and education blitz to enlighten public perception of our true predicament.

And direct every agency and department in the Executive branch to begin a massive energy conservation campaign.

And "Public Domain" all fossil fuel industry property to enable an effective scaling back of CO2 emissions.

And work (HARD!) to transfer fossil fuel subsidies to non-CO2 emitting energy sources.

And keep coming up with any and all other ideas, plans, actions, and directives that might take us further and further away from this one simple addiction we have on burning fossil fuels.

And do it starting today.

Biden ran his Presidential campaign on the premise and promise of killing the fossil fuel industry.

Do it.

[OKIsItJustMe]

14. "Any action?"

Even geo-engineering which is not "Instantly Reversible!?"

[Think. Again.]

15. Cute.

[OKIsItJustMe]

16. PBS Video: Are climate change and clean energy policies included in Inflation Reduction Act working?

https://ga.video.cdn.pbs.org/videos/newshour/4f29ed8a-0ef0-4ff9-83ec-fde98be7b35f/2000381742/hd-16x9-mezzanine-1080p/bidenagenda-hls-16x9-1080p_739.m3u8

[Think. Again.]

17. "Amount of warming triggering carbon dioxide in air hits new peak, growing at near-record fast rate"

By Seth Borenstein
Published 4:52 PM EDT, June 5, 2023

https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-carbon-dioxide-hawaii-warming-194da356db37ff4d465c6ffebdf0e3fb

[OKIsItJustMe]

18. No surprise there

Decades ago, I looked at the Keeling Curve and saw that the rate of increase was accelerating.


The Inflation Reduction Act, by virtue of its uncapped tax incentives amounts to a continuing federal commitment to rolling out technology to combat climate change. Since citizens of “Red States” benefit financially, it will be politically difficult for legislators to cancel it. (In much the same way that although citizens in “Red States” were told they loathed “Obamacare” they do not want to give up benefits they got from the “Affordable Care Act.”)

NBC via Yahoo News: Red states see highest Affordable Care Act enrollment rates

[Think. Again.]

19. Yep...

So maybe we need to try everything we can to, at the very least, get ahead of the emissions increase.

Biden's 2 efforts so far have been phenomonal, but were getting impatient waiting for the hundreds more efforts, legislative and everything (anything) else, that it is going to take for him to keep his promises.

[OKIsItJustMe]

20. "Try everything we can..."

Everything we “try” will require time, effort, money and… political negotiation.

While I do not believe there is a “silver bullet,” I think it makes the most sense to focus our limited resources on approaches that show the most promise.

[Think. Again.]

21. I have to...

...disagree with that.

The severity and scope of the battle that we're in calls for an all-out, non-stop, proactive-to-the-max attack from all angles.

The stakes are too high to try to be "efficient" about this.

Let's get the job done and then we can look back at ways we might have saved money or effort, because if we don't get the job done, and soon, we will not be able to look back, at all.

Edited to add: there is plenty that can be done without any political negotiation at all.

[OKIsItJustMe]

22. We have a global problem which requires a global response

There are things which individuals can do to decrease their carbon footprint (for example.) Yeah, well, we’ve been told that for half a century now. (Really! “Carbon Neutral” is not a new concept!) And I try to do them (as I’m sure you do.)

Meanwhile:

• NPR: People are vacationing again on cruise ships following a COVID-19 decline
• Yahoo!Finance: Airlines Post Impressive July Traffic Numbers: An Analysis
• yahoo!finance: Driving Revival Fuels Profits for Beleaguered Ethanol Industry

You have expressed frustration because the President has not destroyed the fossil fuel industry. So far as the Right is concerned, he’s already doing that!

Washington Examiner: New evidence that Biden's war on fossil fuels will destroy communities

By James Rogan April 15, 2023 06:00 AM

Blah, Blah, Blah…

One of my favorite Mark Twain quotes:

“Behold, the fool saith, "Put not all thine eggs in the one basket" - which is but a matter of saying, "Scatter your money and your attention"; but the wise man saith, "Pull all your eggs in the one basket and - WATCH THAT BASKET." - Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar”
― Mark Twain, Pudd'nhead Wilson

[Think. Again.]

23. One of the MANY things....

...that the administration could (should) be doing is an intensive and broad-reaching public engagement/education/outreach campaign along the lines of the Race To The Moon, the Covid Vaccination and Masking campaign, the WW2 war effort (did you know the AdCouncil was an agency started specifically to gain public support for the war effort? Victory Gardens, scrap metal drives, Rosie the Riveter "We Can DO It!", and all that?)

Public support is crucial to a timely and successful transition and Biden doesn't need anyone's permission for a huge, creative, all-inclusive, years-long PR blitz.

My frustration stems from what is obviously a lack of serious effort to try everything we can to stop the burning of fossil fuels as quickly as possible.

And yes, the right will oppose anything we try, that's a given. They do that. Try anyway.

[OKIsItJustMe]

24. Because the COVID effort was so successful. Right?

Yup, everyone pulled together, and put on their masks, and now everyone is fully vaccinated with their free, life-saving vaccines. You know, it looked bad there for a while, but by all working together, we completely eliminated COVID-19 (just like we did with Malaria and Polio, decades ago.)


I would love to think that the problem was that people just don’t understand. Unfortunately, they do. They just don’t care.

In fact, some discouraging studies found that “skeptics” (on average) were better informed on “climate science” than people who accepted the science.

Pew Research Center: Why Some Americans Do Not See Urgency on Climate Change

In-depth interviews find some Americans consider crisis language overblown, leading to added skepticism of claims
BY GIANCARLO PASQUINI, ALISON SPENCER, ALEC TYSON AND CARY FUNK

As the Earth’s temperature continues to rise, fueling more intense storms and extreme weather, scientists are calling for immediate action to address climate change. However, climate change remains a lower priority for some Americans, and a subset of the public rejects that it’s happening at all.

To better understand the perspectives of those who see less urgency to address climate change, Pew Research Center conducted in-depth interviews with 32 U.S. adults who hold this view, including some who do not believe there’s evidence that the Earth is warming. Unlike much of our work on climate change, these interviews are not representative of all U.S. adults; rather, they are designed to provide deeper insight into the motivations and views of those most skeptical about climate change.

The interviews revealed that language describing climate change as a crisis and an urgent threat was met with suspicion by many participants. The disconnect between crisis rhetoric and the participants’ own beliefs and experiences drove doubt about the motivations of the people making these claims, sowing suspicion and deeper mistrust.

Interviewees widely rejected the national news media as a credible source for climate information. They see these outlets as presenting information that suits their own agendas. Interviewees generally expressed greater openness toward hearing from scientists on climate change because of their subject matter expertise. Still, participants stressed the importance of hearing factual statements from scientists rather than beliefs that may be shaped by their own political leanings or their research funders.

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[Think. Again.]

25. Excellent work!...

You've identified a serious problem we're facing in gaining public support for the energy transition!

Now, all the Biden administration has to do is follow up with an appropriate effort to diminish that problem! I believe there are intelligent people on his team, and there are always consultants who specialize in that kind of thing who are willing and eager to work with the White House!

See? There are LOTS of things the administration could (should) be doing to work toward keeping Biden's campaign promises!

Glad to have you on my side! You're doing great!

Keep at it and you'll quickly realize that there is a LOT more for Biden to do!

[OKIsItJustMe]

26. I would like to see him do more.

On the other hand, I’m impressed with what he has been able to accomplish so far, and don’t think he has been given enough credit for it. How familiar are you with what has been done?

Most disapprove of Biden’s handling of climate change, Post-UMD poll finds

Less than 3 in 10 Americans say they know a good or great deal about the Inflation Reduction Act, though many voters in both parties support some of its key climate programs

By Tony Romm, Scott Clement, Emily Guskin and Kate Selig
August 7, 2023 at 7:00 a.m. EDT

Nearly one year after President Biden enacted a sprawling package to combat harmful emissions and boost clean energy, his administration is struggling to demonstrate the law’s value to weary voters — and stave off a widening array of new political threats.

Most Americans — 57 percent — disapprove of Biden’s handling of climate change, according to a Washington Post-University of Maryland poll, which also finds that few adults say they know a good amount or great deal about the Inflation Reduction Act, a law that includes massive new investments in response to global warming.

The low approval and lack of public awareness underscore Biden’s top challenge entering the 2024 presidential race, as he tries to sell an unknowing electorate on an agenda that — in the eyes of the White House — has created jobs, boosted manufacturing and lowered costs for families.

…

Since taking office three years ago, Biden has described the planet’s rapid warming as an “emergency” warranting aggressive federal action. He has launched a White House office dedicated to climate policy, issued new policies in response to extreme heat, guided climate investments to the neediest communities and rolled back many of the deregulatory policies adopted under his predecessor, Donald Trump.

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With half of Congress fighting him (including the occasional notable Democrat) he’s accomplished a great deal. My first choice for President in 2020 was Jay Inslee, but, I doubt he would/could have accomplished much more than Joe Biden has done.


The Long-Term Strategy Of The United States

Pathways to Net-Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2050

November 2021

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[Think. Again.]

27. You've done it again!....

Yep, a very obvious failing of the work so far toward keeping Biden's promises is most definitely the distinct lack of public awareness, education, and engagement.

You make a great point there!