climate disasters
Canada in Flames
What’s causing the fires? What harm do they do? What should we do?
One of the world’s great disasters is unfolding, as fires have covered millions of acres in Canada, destroying pristine ecosystems and poisoning the air for millions of people. Something like seven million acres have already burned. The U.S. government’s response is to threaten Canada with tariffs, apparently as punishment for allegedly having poorly managed its forests. Instead, we should be partnering with Canada on forest management, and we should cut the greenhouse gas emissions that are ramping up the fire risk.
CONTINUE READINGNoem’s Disastrous Reign at FEMA
The post-Noem agency is in desperate need of rebuilding.
It’s going to be very difficult for a new DHS head to shift course given the message coming from the White House. But without a change in the direction, a weaker FEMA will increase the country’s vulnerability to the disaster risks posed by an increasingly unruly climate. Noem has done great damage to FEMA, leaving the country more vulnerable to disasters. Trump’s desire to abolish the agency isn’t helping. Among her failings, her damage to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) may not be the worst, but it’s far from the least. Restoring the FEMA will be a major undertaking and a heavy lift in an administration best known for agency destruction.
CONTINUE READINGWildfire Liability in California: A Primer
California has a unique approach to lawsuits against utilities for causing fires.
Like other states, California allows wildfire lawsuits against utilities based on negligence. When a plaintiff can prove that the utility was negligent – in other words, failed to exercise reasonable care – plaintiffs can recover for environmental damage, reforestation costs, and loss of profits. But California also allows recovery even when a utility did nothing wrong, under a theory called inverse condemnation. The PG&E bankruptcy made it clear that no-fault utility liability could threaten the financial health of the power system. The legislature created a new fund to deal with the problem.
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