Saturday, April 12News That Matters

Tag: infrastructure

Donald Trump Energy Emergency Sparks Controversy Over Fast Tracked Infrastructure Projects

Donald Trump Energy Emergency Sparks Controversy Over Fast Tracked Infrastructure Projects

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Fact Check
A new national energy emergency declared by former President Donald Trump has ignited fierce debate over the fast-tracking of major energy and infrastructure projects across the U.S. The United States Army Corps of Engineers recently compiled a list of hundreds of projects including oil pipelines natural gas plants, and mining operations potentially eligible for expedited approval. However after facing a wave of criticism from environmental groups the Corps removed the list and promised a revised version. The move has raised alarm among environmental experts who warn that bypassing standard review processes could lead to significant ecological damage, including the destruction of wetlands and contamination of drinking water sources. What Defines an Emergency? While federal law all...
Harnessing AI to Predict and Mitigate Climate-Induced Displacement: Study Reveals

Harnessing AI to Predict and Mitigate Climate-Induced Displacement: Study Reveals

Breaking News, Climate Actions
As the planet faces escalating climate change, extreme weather events like floods, storms, and landslides are forcing millions to abandon their homes and livelihoods. Understanding and anticipating these disaster-driven displacements has become more crucial than ever. To tackle this challenge, researchers are turning to a groundbreaking tool: machine learning. This sophisticated form of artificial intelligence (AI) is not just predicting displacement but also holds the potential to mitigate its impacts, transforming how we respond to the growing crisis. What Drives Forced Displacements? When we think of climate change, images of melting ice caps and drought-stricken lands often come to mind. Yet, another pressing consequence is the forced displacement of human populations due to inte...
How Climate Change Impacing Infrasturcture: Heatwaves Cause Major Problems for U.S. Infrastructure Study reveals

How Climate Change Impacing Infrasturcture: Heatwaves Cause Major Problems for U.S. Infrastructure Study reveals

Breaking News, Climate Actions
New York's Third Avenue Bridge got stuck for hours when its metal expanded in the heat, preventing it from closing. Roads have buckled on hot days in several states, including Washington and Wisconsin. Amtrak warned passengers about heat-related problems, leading to a daylong outage between New York and New Jersey. High temperatures pose a growing risk to power lines and rails, causing delays for the train system. The worsening heat is hitting an already troubled U.S. infrastructure system. The American Society of Civil Engineers gave U.S. infrastructure a grade of C- in its 2021 report. Despite some improvements, such as a reduction in the number of poor-condition bridges from over 12% to 7.5% in a decade, many bridges remain old and hard to maintain. Forty percent of the road system i...