Current Climate: Facing A Summer Of Heat Waves And Hurricanes

This week’s Current Climate, which every Saturday brings you the latest news about the business of sustainability. Sign up to get it in your inbox every week.

Summer is less than a week old and already the heat waves are coming. This week, single-day temperature records were shattered throughout Texas, which is already putting a major strain on its electrical grid. Texas isn’t alone – cities across the country, from Hartford to Philadeplphia to St. Louis to Miami have all seen record high temperatures this month. And researchers warn that there’s more to come, as some forecasters estimate that 2023 may be the hottest year on record. Here are some tips for staying healthy in dangerous temperatures.

Heat may not be the only thing to worry about this summer. Despite a forecast of a below-average hurricane season, the National Hurricane Center has already identified the formation of two named Atlantic storms. One of them is expected to form into a Tropical Storm and the other expected to reach being a category 1 hurricane by Wednesday.

These types of storm systems only very rarely appear in June–and two haven’t formed near the same time in June since 1968. On top of that, there are currently two additional tropical clusters emerging near the Atlantic coast of Africa. Typically, the first hurricane of the season doesn’t form until August. Earlier this year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted there would be between 12 and 17 total named storms, but it remains to be seen if these earlier-than-normal formations mean there’s more on the horizon.

Housekeeping note: We have revamped the look and feel of Current Climate to make what we hope will be a faster read and more informative experience. Feel free to let us know what you think!

The Big Read

3M Reaches $10.3 Billion Deal With Public Water Suppliers Over ‘Forever Chemicals’

Manufacturer 3M and several water systems across the United States agreed to a $10.3 billion settlement over water pollution claims involving “forever chemicals,” which can contaminate water and impact the health and immune systems of those who digest them.

Read more here.

Discoveries And Innovations

The latest edition of Cars.com’s annual American-Made Index, which details just how much of a car model was made in the U.S., features models from EV company Tesla in the top four slots.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved the sale of chicken made from animal cells Wednesday, allowing two companies to reportedly bring “lab-grown” meat to upscale U.S. restaurants in San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

Hong Kong-based startup Clearbot is building small, self-driving boats that are capable of cleaning up plastic waste in the ocean.

A sweeping climate report says that Europe is the world’s fastest-warming continent, which has contributed to violent wildfires, drought conditions and a rise in heat-related deaths over the last several years.

The United Nations on Monday adopted a pact commonly known as the High Seas Treaty, which establishes the first-ever framework for governing practices like fishing, mining and oil extraction in international waters.