CLIMATE CHANGE - Warming Arctic & Cold War Tensions

"Warming Arctic with less ice heats up Cold War tensions" PBS NewsHour 12/12/2020

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SUMMARY:  The Arctic is warming up at near-record speed, twice as fast as the rest of the planet due to climate change, according to the recently-released [NOAA] Arctic Report Card 2020.  Shrinking sea ice opens up the inhospitable far North to more human activity and old Cold War rivalry.  Special Correspondent Benedict Moran and video journalist Jorgen Samso report on the ‘new cold war’ from Nunavut, Canada.

REPORT CARD - Arctic Ice 2019

"What a ‘sobering’ report on Arctic ice loss means for global sea levels" PBS NewsHour 12/10/2019

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SUMMARY:  Tuesday marked the release of yet another stark report detailing how the increased warming of our atmosphere is transforming the planet.  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s annual Arctic Report Card includes some grim news for wildlife, native communities and global sea-level rise.  William Brangham talks to Dartmouth College’s Erich Osterberg about the impact of melting ice.

FLOODS - The American Midwest

"Flooding devastates parts of the Midwest after huge winter storm" PBS NewsHour 3/18/2019

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SUMMARY:  Parts of the Midwest are reeling from major flooding this week due to a massive late-winter storm.  Across Iowa and Nebraska, thousands of people had to be evacuated, roads and other infrastructure were destroyed and buildings were submerged by rising waters.  Rivers hit record levels in 41 places across the region, including 17 in Nebraska alone.  William Brangham reports.

"Roads, towns and livelihoods are washed away in Midwest floods" PBS NewsHour 3/22/2019

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SUMMARY:  Ongoing flooding across the Midwest has left thousands of homes damaged and vast swaths of farmland underwater.  Residents and public officials alike are trying to cope with washed-out roads, lost livestock, ruined crops, and a lack of supplies.  Meanwhile, weather experts are predicting a “potentially unprecedented” flood season.  Judy Woodruff speaks to Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts for more.