WRI Digest: Impacts of El Ni?o, a Flood Prone Future & the US EPA's New Power Plant Rules

The Impacts of El Ni?o Go Far Beyond Water

The effects of this year’s El Ni?o are dominating the headlines. Reports point to the weather phenomenon’s role in a recent drought that stifled the Panama Canal’s essential maritime cargo, record-breaking heat waves in South Asia, and devastating floods in Africa and Brazil.

But while most stories focus on El Ni?o’s effects on temperatures and rainfall, its full impacts ripple out to energy, air pollution, human health and more. And climate change is expected to intensify both the frequency and severity of the weather pattern. A tour of Colombia, Indonesia and South Africa lay bare the many disruptions El Ni?o can bring. Read more.

Preparing for a Flood-prone Future

Kenya is experiencing devastating flooding this week, leaving hundreds dead and displacing more than 200,000 people. Across the ocean, Brazil’s communities are grappling with similar destruction.? The floods are tragic, but what’s worse is that they’re the kinds of events expected to become even more damaging in the future. WRI’s Aqueduct Floods data tool finds that the number of people impacted by both riverine and coastal floods will likely double from 2010-2030. The good news? Granular data allows governments, communities and businesses to map areas most vulnerable to escalating flood risks and take action now. Read more.

4 Things to Know About US EPA’s New Power Plant Rules

Last month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Biden administration made monumental steps in reducing toxic planet-warming pollutants from power plants. Coal-fired power plants now have a clear directive: Reduce emissions by nearly 90% by 2040 — or cease operations. Read more.

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