Sunny climate, stormy climate | Weekly Digest #43

We talk about the shutting down of UK's last coal plant, hurricane Milton and how Nagpur's famous oranges may be in danger

Hello folks!

Welcome to your weekly dose of climate news where I bring one sunny story that gives hope and two stormy ones that are a cause for alarm. Hope you like them!

🌞 Sunny news 🌞

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1. UK ends its tryst with coal after 142 years

What are we talking about?

• The Ratcliffe-on-Soar station, the last operational coal based power plant in England shut down on 30th September

• The UK was the birthplace of coal power, with the first coal power plant built in London by Thomas Edison. And now it has become the first major economy to become completely coal free.

  • A few smaller European nations (e.g. Sweden and Belgium) have achieved this milestone already, but UK is the first G7 country to get here.

Why does this matter?

• Coal is the dirtiest fossil fuel producing the most greenhouse gases when burnt.

• UK’s dependence on coal has been going down since the 1990s, first with the coming on natural gas (which was cleaner and cheaper) and then with the influx of renewables.

  • In 2012, coal still generated 39% of UK’s power. By 2023, it was just 1%

• UK has a target of generating 100% of its power from renewable sources by 2030 and this is a major step in that direction.

Sources for further reading

• UK to finish with coal power after 142 years (BBC)

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🌩️ Stormy news 🌩️

2. Hurricane Milton wreaks havoc, just days after Helene

Floodwaters in the Buccaneer Bay mobile home park in Lakeland, Fla., on Thursday.Credit: Nicole Craine for The New York Times

What is happening?

• Hurricane Milton wreaked havoc on Florida last week, just days after Helene ravaged North Carolina

  • At least 14 deaths have been linked to the storm, 1200 people rescued and more than 100 homes destroyed.

  • Some parts along the gulf coast saw serious flooding having received as much as 18 inches of rain.

  • 140+ tornadoes were also generated because of the hurricane that damaged more than 100 structures

  • Millions of people were without power for days after the hurricane struck.

  • The Florida national guard deployed more than 6500 workers.

Why does this matter?

• Experts say that human-induced climate change aggravated the storm making it “wetter and windier”.

  • Scientists and meteorologists agreed that Milton would have been a category 2 and not 3, if it weren’t for climate change. 

• Much like Helene that struck 12 days earlier, Milton met the scientific criteria for rapid intensification. Comparing this with historic data, it was found that of the 57 hurricanes that struck the coast of Florida, only Wilma in 2005 gained speed faster than Milton. 

Sources for further reading

• Hurricane Milton’s Impact: What We Know So Far (NYT)

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3. Climate change is now coming for Nagpur’s oranges

What is happening?

• Nagpur is known as the ‘Orange City’ for its famed production of high-quality mandarin oranges, that are also a valuable export commodity.

• In recent years, several factors, ranging from environmental changes to financial and logistical difficulties, have adversely impacted the sustainability of orange cultivation in the region.

• Climate change is adversely impacting orange cultivation. Mainly due to:

  • High temperatures: Temperatures are soaring to dangerous levels, particularly during the summer months affecting the trees’ growth, flowering, and fruit-bearing abilities.

  • Heatwaves, especially when they coincide with crucial stages of fruit development, can cause ‘fruit drop’, where the oranges fall prematurely before ripening.

  • Extreme weather events like sudden heavy rainfall that have become more common due to climate change cause soil erosion, water logging, and nutrient leaching.

  • Higher pest incidence: Citrus crops are sensitive to both excessive rainfall and drought, making them more susceptible to diseases such as ‘root rot’ and ‘mildew’. New pests, such as the Citrus psylla (Diaphorina citri), have become a major threat to orange crops.

Sources for further reading

• Human-induced climate change threatens Nagpur Oranges; can this heritage be saved? (Down to earth)

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You can read previous editions of the newsletter -

Sunny climate, stormy climate | News Digest #42

Sunny climate, stormy climate | News Digest #41

Sunny climate, stormy climate | News Digest #40

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