Prepare For The Storm

A sobering climate week meets a turbulent political one. Leading scientists argue that doom is being weaponized to stall action. Carbon capture is getting the myth-busting treatment. A federal judge rebukes mass firings of public workers. Senate Republicans block a transparency vote. And Australia’s first national climate risk assessment warns of lethal heat and rising seas. Read on, get angry in a focused way, then do something about it.

Climate doom helps the status quo. Mann and Hotez say why that matters

Disinformation is not just denial anymore. Michael E. Mann and Peter Hotez lay out how “doomer” narratives convince people that action is pointless, fracturing coalitions and handing wins to polluters and petrostates. It is a reminder that hope is not a vibe. It is a strategy built on science, organizing, and policy that cuts emissions at speed and scale.

“Doom-mongering convinces many would-be climate advocates that climate action is a hopeless cause.” Live Science

Call to action: Do not feed the doom loop. Share credible science, amplify local wins, and redirect despair into tangible work: join a climate group, testify at city council on building electrification, or help your union push for clean-energy job training.

Carbon capture is not a get-out-of-jail-free card

A clear-eyed explainer dismantles the fantasy that carbon capture and storage will let us keep burning fossil fuels like nothing’s wrong. Even under optimistic assumptions, CCS falls far short of what the planet needs. The only path that adds up is straightforward: cut emissions fast, then use limited CCS where it actually helps.

“There is no alternative to halting the production of carbon dioxide in the first place.” The Guardian

Call to action: When officials tout CCS to justify new oil and gas, call it out. Push your reps to back clean power standards, building retrofits, and transit funding. Support campaigns targeting public money that props up fossil infrastructure.

Judge: mass federal worker firings were unlawful

A federal judge found the Trump administration unlawfully directed agencies to fire thousands of probationary public workers, then restricted the fix after Supreme Court moves on employment relief. Agencies must correct personnel files and stop following the unlawful directive. It is a stark look at politicized purges and why due process in public service matters.

The ruling “makes clear that thousands of probationary workers were wrongfully fired.” Reuterslevels

Call to action: If you or someone you know was affected, document everything and contact a workers’ rights attorney or your union. For the rest of us, demand strong civil service protections at the state and federal levels and oppose retaliation bills aimed at public employees.

Senate Republicans block vote to release Epstein files

Senate Republicans voted 51-49 to table Sen. Schumer’s amendment that would have forced the release of files tied to the Epstein case, even as some in their party call for transparency. Public trust dies in the dark. The refusal to even take an up-or-down vote tells you plenty about selective transparency.

“We ought to release those files and trust the American people.” — Sen. Josh Hawley Axios

Call to action: Call both of your senators and ask how they voted. If they voted to table, ask them why. Demand timelines for document releases in abuse and corruption cases. Sunshine is a basic democratic tool, not a partisan prop.

Australia’s climate risk report is a wake up call

Australia’s first national climate risk assessment projects catastrophic heat deaths if warming exceeds 3 °C, with more than a million coastal residents at risk by mid-century. The country’s leaders say the findings will shape a tougher 2035 target. The broader lesson: every nation should be planning on the same time horizon, because impacts and costs escalate together. The Guardian

Quote: A “wake-up call” for anyone who denies the science of climate change. The Guardian

Call to action: Push your city and state to release climate risk maps and heat-mortality plans. Demand cooling centers, heat standards for workers, urban tree cover, and coastal resilience funded by those who profited from the crisis.

Closing thought

Despair is a luxury most people cannot afford. Organize where you are. Back policy that cuts emissions and protects workers. And keep receipts when leaders choose secrecy over sunlight. If this hit home, please share, like, and comment so more folks see it. Let’s build the storm shelter together.

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