Category Archives: Progress

After two weeks of tense negotiations at COP26 in Scotland, the world has a new international climate change agreement: the Glasgow Climate Pact.

The new document does not replace the landmark Paris Agreement, but rather bolsters it with increased clarity on key issues. One of the major stakes going into this years COP was a matter of degrees. The world is teetering on the edge of keeping alive the possibility of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Surpassing that threshold would be a death sentence for small island states and other vulnerable countries, and it all comes down to just how drastically nations are willing to cut their emissions. The pact gives added weight to the 1.5 degrees goal, and demands that countries do more to achieve it.

It also calls on rich countries to increase their financial support to help poorer nations adapt to rising seas and extreme weather, another priority for the meeting. And for the first time ever at a COP, the final text references coal and fossil fuels the leading causes of climate change that were formerly taboo on the international stage.

But reactions to the agreement from many climate advocates and experts were tepid at best. Its meek, its weak, and the 1.5 degrees C goal is only just alive, Greenpeace International executive director Jennifer Morgan said in a statement. But a signal has been sent that the era of coal is ending. And that matters.

Below, we take a look at the three major gaps in international progress on climate change going into COP26, and where they stand now.

Before COP26, a United Nations analysis found that the world was not on track to achieve the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees C, let alone the much safer goal of 1.5 degrees C. If countries met their 2030 emissions targets set prior to the start of the conference, the planet would still warm 2.7 degrees C by the end of the century.

After COP26, more countries have pledged steeper emissions cuts, but there is still a major gap in ambition between those pledges and what it would take to limit warming to 1.5 degrees C. Climate Action Tracker, a climate analysis firm, analyzed all of the official plans that countries submitted to the U.N. and found that if targets for 2030 were achieved, the world would still likely heat up by about 2.4 degrees C. The group also mapped out what it called an optimistic scenario, taking into account the less-official statements made by some countries that they will achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. In that case, the researchers found that the planet would warm by 1.8 degrees C.

Several other announcements made at the conference could improve the picture a bit more: More than 100 countries signed pledges to end deforestation and to cut methane emissions 30 percent by 2030. A few dozen countries pledged to phase out coal-fired power plants, though their timelines vary. Twenty-four countries and several major automakers agreed to sell only zero-emission vehicles by 2040.

In the end, the Glasgow Pact officially recognized that global carbon emissions have to be reduced by at least 45 percent by 2030 to limit warming to 1.5 degrees, and encouraged countries whose plans fell short of that target to submit new proposals by the end of next year. Thats a step forward, since otherwise countries would not be required to revisit their climate plans until 2025.

Perhaps the biggest question, post-COP26, is whether countries will follow through on the implementation of these pledges and plans. The U.S., for example, has a 1.5 degrees-aligned plan to cut emissions in half by 2030, but does not yet have policies in place that would allow it to achieve this.

Before COP26, it was taboo to talk about fossil fuels at U.N. climate summits. The phrase fossil fuel never made it into the final text of a conference agreement. Negotiators talked about cutting emissions, sure, but largely avoided the sources of energy that are the leading cause of those emissions.

This avoidance allowed a world of demand-side policies to expand renewable energy, electric cars, and other clean technologies. But that hasnt translated into a drop in supply. Oil and gas companies have plans to keep digging for the foreseeable future. Prior to COP26, a United Nations report that analyzed fossil fuel production plans of major economies warned that the world was on track to produce roughly 110 percent more coal, oil, and gas in 2030 than would be consistent with limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees C.

After COP26, the walls around the F words have started to crumble. During the conference, three dozen countries, including the United States, promised to stop funding fossil fuel projects abroad by the end of 2022. More than 40 countries pledged to phase out coal-fired power, the most carbon-intensive energy source, in the coming decades. The Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance was launched, spearheaded by seven countries who pledged to end new exploration and production of fossil fuels within their borders, and phase out existing production on a timeline thats consistent with Paris Agreement goals.

A draft text of the conference agreement released early last week even included the line, Calls on parties to accelerate the phasing-out of coal and subsidies for fossil fuels. In the final Glasgow Climate Pact, however, the language was watered down to call for phasing down the use of unabated coal allowing for coal plants with carbon capture systems and inefficient subsidies for fossil fuels a qualification with seemingly no agreed-upon definition.

Before COP26, the landscape of climate finance looked pretty bleak. Finance is one of the crucial pillars of the Paris Agreement: In Paris, poor countries agreed to limit their carbon emissions (despite having contributed the least to the climate crisis) as long as developed countries provided them with financial support, both to adapt to climate disasters and to switch over to clean energy.

So far, however, rich countries have been falling short. Despite promises to deliver $100 billion per year in grants, loans, and other forms of finance by 2020, developed countries were $20 billion short as of 2019. (Numbers from 2020 arent available yet.) According to a report released just before the conference, the $100 billion goal likely wont be met until 2023.

After COP26, the situation doesnt look much better. In Glasgow, countries were expected to chart a faster path to the $100 billion goal and plan how much finance should be allocated after 2025. Some new pledges were made: Japan promised an additional $10 billion, and Scotland made the first-ever contribution to a fund to compensate countries who have suffered from climate disasters. The final text of the conference agreement notes with deep regret that the $100 billion goal hasnt been met, and urges developed countries to follow through on the promise as quickly as possible. Still, negotiators for developing countries emphasized that $100 billion is not nearly enough. Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India said in a speech that rich nations should be supplying $1 trillion in finance by 2030, and a group of African nations urged at least $1.3 trillion every year after 2025. But no new finance goal was finalized.

Developing countries also want funds to be more evenly split between adaptation (helping them deal with sea-level rise and extreme weather events) and mitigation (switching to clean energy and cutting emissions). In 2019, only about 25 percent of climate finance went to adaptation projects. While the conference did see record contributions to a U.N. fund focused on adaptation $356 million that cash pales in comparison to what is needed. According to one U.N. study, the costs of adapting to climate change in developing countries has already reached approximately $70 billion per year.

The final text of the agreement urged developed countries to at least double their contributions to adaptation a good start. But developed countries will have to actually follow through.

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The progress (and failures) of COP26, in 3 charts - Grist

News Summary:

Report covers Waters progress on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives for 2020 through June 2021

Provides increased transparency and data with detailed disclosures in line with the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB)

Highlights Waters commitment and actions benefiting customers, employees, shareholders, and society throughout the COVID-19 pandemic

MILFORD, Mass., November 17, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Waters Corporation (NYSE:WAT) today released its 2021 Sustainability Report, highlighting companywide achievements such as reductions in environmental impacts, supply chain enhancements and diversity and inclusion initiatives. In addition, the report covers Waters COVID-19 response priorities that include ensuring the safety and well-being of its employees, helping to mitigate the public health crisis, and maintaining global business continuity.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211117005189/en/

Waters' 2021 Sustainability Report (Photo: Business Wire)

"As we look to a future beyond the pandemic, I believe Waters commitment to solve problems that matter has never been stronger," said Dr. Udit Batra, Waters President and CEO. "Our efforts are focused on ensuring we leave the world better than we found it, becoming more representative of the diverse society we live in and enhancing our long-term value through governance and oversight. We have made great strides, while also recognizing there is much more to do as we continuously strive for measurable progress."

In 2019, Waters announced its 2025 sustainability goals focused on reducing its environmental footprint, while making the world healthier and safer for generations to come. As part of its commitment to annual reporting, the newly released 2021 Sustainability Report highlights Waters progress towards those goals for 2020 through June 30, 2021.

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Highlights from the report include:

COVID-19 Response

Helped pharmaceutical researchers with rapid development of methods on Waters systems used to characterize the mRNA molecules that have become COVID-19 vaccines

Implemented safety measures that resulted in zero confirmed COVID-19 on-site transmissions across 82 global sites during the reporting period

Environmental

Reduced Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 6.4% year-over-year from 2019-2020 and by 9.7% from a 2016 baseline, Waters also began tracking Scope 3 GHG emissions for the first time during the reporting period

Social

Launched a new STEM program aimed at supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and inner-city high schools through hands-on, immersive experiences that combine scholarships, local mentoring, career coaching, and Waters innovations

Governance

Waters 2021 Sustainability Report offers greater transparency and data for its stakeholders. The report includes detailed disclosures in line with the Core Level of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Sustainability Reporting Standards, and for the first-time reporting information has also been aligned with the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) Standards for the Healthcare Medical Equipment & Supplies Sector.

Additional Resources:

About Waters Corporation (www.waters.com)

Waters Corporation (NYSE:WAT), the world's leading specialty measurement company, has pioneered chromatography, mass spectrometry, and thermal analysis innovations serving the life, materials, food, and environmental sciences for more than 60 years. With more than 7,400 employees worldwide, Waters operates directly in 35 countries, including 14 manufacturing facilities, and with products available in more than 100 countries.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211117005189/en/

Contacts

Media: Chris OrlandoCorporate CommunicationsWaters CorporationChris_Orlando@waters.com

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Waters 2021 Sustainability Report Highlights Progress on ESG Initiatives and Response to COVID-19 - Yahoo Finance

Elizabeth Kennedy Blackstone| The Daily Herald

Columbia State Community College will host an open house celebrating the $6.5M renovation of the John W. Finney Memorial Library Friday afternoon at 2.

My mothers father, John W. Finney, taught me to ride a horse before I could walk or so the family lore goes. He died (of a heart attack on a horse by the way…), far too soon after that in 1965 when I was four.I cant remember a lot except that he was quite loud, boisterous, gregarious, loving, friendlyall those things doubled. He had a big black car and a heavy foot on the accelerator; I loved riding with him.

He had a huge soft spot for young people (my brother and me happily included).He really did believe they are our future, and he channeled that into service on the state school board and a burning ambition to bring higher education to southern middle Tennessee.He used his editorial power at The Daily Herald and worked with other concerned citizens to make the dream a reality.Six months after his death, the Tennesseelegislature made Columbia the site of the states first community college.

Grandad spoke a lot about progress (I remember asking mother what progress meant because he said it a lot).

You cant stop it, and you would be a fool to get in its way, is how mother quoted him. He would be amazed and delighted at the enormous progress Columbia State has made over the years, at the countless lives that have been changed for the better, the new and exciting avenues explored, the Southern Tennessee Higher Education Center, and last but not least, the library that bears his name now taking the college into the 21st century with a complete redo embracing the digital age.

Now that's what I call PROGRESS! is what I think Granddad would say.

Elizabeth Kennedy Blackstone is a Columbia native.

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Column: Progress, Columbia State and my grandfather go hand in hand - Columbia Daily Herald

ACELYRIN Co-founder and CEO Dr. Shao-Lee Lin, M.D., Ph.D./ACELYRIN, Inc.

Not a year after emerging from stealth, Los Angeles-based ACELYRIN, Inc. announced a quarter-million dollars in Series B financing Tuesday morning, along with a splashy licensing deal.

Founded in December 2020 by Dr. Shao-Lee Lin and Robert F. Carey, ACELYRIN initially focused on immunology. The company set off on a quest to acquire promising drug candidates, one that led to Swedish biotechnology company Affibody AB and an antibody mimetic, interleukin-17A (IL-17A) inhibitor called izokibep.

In its inaugural licensing deal, ACELYRIN has obtained worldwide rights to izokibep, except developingand commercializingin selected Asian countries, including China, Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan, and commercializingin Nordic countries.

AyurMaya, an affiliated fund of Matrix Capital Management, Surveyor Capital, a Citadel company,and Westlake Village BioPartners, who provided the initial Series A funds, led theSeries B financing.The two are joined in this round by Cowen Healthcare Investments, Decheng Capital and OrbiMed, among several other blue-chip investors.

Izokibep will be a busy little molecule in the coming months. ACELYRIN is currently enrolling the asset in a pivotal trial to treat uveitis, a vision-threatening form of inflammation inside the eye. It is also enrolling a Phase IIb study, investigating izokibeps potential in treating a chronic form of arthritis called axial spondylarthritis (AS), which primarily affects the spine and enthesitesa specialized tissue that connects ligaments and tendons to the bone. Also on the horizon is a Phase IIb trial for a chronic inflammatory disease of the exocrine sweat glands called hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). Patients suffer from painful nodules and abscesses in the axilla, groin, and gluteal areas.

Izokibep is designed to overcome the limitations of monoclonal antibodies, Dr. Shao-Lee Lin, M.D., Ph.D., co-founder and chief executive officer of ACELYRIN told BioSpace.

A primary limitation is that only so much of a monoclonal antibody will fit into a single volume, necessitating multiple injections or even wearable infusion devices for IV administration, she explained. Izokibep as a molecule was designed with extraordinarily high potency. Its a very small molecular size, about a tenth of the size of an antibody, and together, these things enable high exposures, and the potential for enhanced tissue penetration all within a single subcutaneous injection.

Another benefit of izokibep is its strong safety record, as more than 300 patients have already been exposed to the drug through earlier trials.

That really confirmed the safety profile of this mechanism and this molecule in particularand supportedthe strategy of pursuing transformative efficacy by providing additional exposure, Lin said. She noted that the mechanism of action hadbeen traditionally safe with no dose-limiting toxicities identified thus far.

Izokibep will set the tone for ACELYRINs overall pipeline while allowing the company to expand its licensing parameters to consider earlier-stage assets.

We will be in ophthalmology, rheumatology and dermatology as a result, and we will pursue a strategy moving forward that includes building as many synergies as we can with downstream in mind, ensuring that were synergizing the potential physician call points, Lin shared. She added that because izokibep is providing the company with plenty of late-stage clinical activity, it gives us the freedom to potentially go a little bit earlier in the pipeline.

Affibody CEO David Bejker expressed his excitement about the partnerships potential.

As the innovators of izokibep, were honored to work with ACELYRIN to unlock this molecules potential and address promising new indications and solve unmet needs. In addition, we look forward to working with the ACELYRIN team to select additional targets and build new programs, in parallel with the development of izokibep, he said.

While ACELYRIN has deep experience in immunology, Lin said, You can anticipate that we would be interested in things that were in the clinical stage that we felt had some special opportunity to be transformative for those patient populations.

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ACELYRIN Scores $250 Million to Progress Innovative Antibody Mimetic - BioSpace

With the season about to commence, Wolves fans assumed the points would come easy, the defense hard.

Monday at Target Center, against the red-hot Phoenix Suns, it was the reverse. Missing too many shots and turning the ball over too often much of the night, the Wolves used defense to stay in the game, to lead late in the fourth. One game after a questionable effort in a one-sided loss in Los Angeles to the Clippers, the Wolves, as Karl-Anthony Towns said, never let go of the rope.

But, still, another loss, 99-96 to the Suns, the Wolves' second straight and eighth in nine games. The Suns won their ninth straight.

Up a point when D'Angelo Russell hit two free throws with 88 seconds left, the Wolves were outscored 8-4 the rest of the way.

"I'm proud of us,'' said Towns, who scored 35 points with 13 rebounds. "I thought we played a really tough game. We did a lot of great things.''

But not enough things.

Tightly contested all night, the game had 16 lead changes and 16 ties. Neither team ever led by more than seven points.

But in the end, the Wolves (4-9) couldn't contain Chris Paul, who scored 19 of his 21 points in the final 12 minutes. He and Devin Booker (nine of his 29 in the fourth) combined to score 28 of the Suns' 33 points in the fourth quarter.

"I thought defensively we were really good for the most part,'' Wolves coach Chris Finch said after the Wolves held the Suns (10-3) to 37.6% shooting, 7-for-31 on three-pointers. "We talked about getting better at the point of attack and I thought we did an excellent job of coming out and contesting shots.''

Unfortunately, the Wolves couldn't get enough shots to fall. Anthony Edwards was 2-for-11, though he did grab 12 rebounds, get six assists and block three shots. Russell was 7-for-21 for 22 points; he missed an open three-pointer with 5.6 seconds left and the Wolves down two.

After Russell hit two free throws with 1:28 left, Suns center Deandre Ayton (22 points, 12 rebounds) scored. Russell missed a 16-footer, then Booker hit a fadeaway with 46.8 seconds left.

At the other end Patrick Beverley scored on a put-back and was fouled. He went to the line with a chance to tie the game, but missed. Jaden McDaniels' offensive rebound gave Russell another chance, but his three-pointer missed. Then Paul hit two free throws with 19.1 seconds left. Russell scored on a drive on the ensuing possession, but the Wolves never scored again.

BOXSCORE: Phoenix 99, Timberwolves 96

"I feel like the Phoenix Suns are a great team, but we had it,'' said Malik Beasley, who scored 12 points off the bench. "We had the opportunity. We're still growing down the stretch, but we're proud of ourselves for battling.''

With the Wolves trailing by two, Russell missed a three-pointer with 5.6 seconds left. Edwards got the rebound but turned the ball over, his sixth and the team's 18th.

It may seem odd a team, 13 games into the season, is still talking about how hard it played after a loss. But it was a step. Now the key is to start stacking those kinds of efforts together.

"If we play a lot of games the way we played tonight, regardless of the shooting, we're winning a lot of these games,'' Towns said.

Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the final score of the game.

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Timberwolves see progress, but can't keep Suns from their ninth win in a row - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Parent engagement will be essential to continued progress in educational success, according to ROC the Futures ninth annual State of Our Children Report. Vigilance through the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond also is paramount.

Seventy percent of Rochesters young children are kindergarten-ready after participation in Rochesters pre-K programs, run by the Rochester City School District and community organizations, the report shows. High school graduation ratesfor the RCSD ninth grade cohort graduate in four yearsare up 21 percentage points, while college readinessthe percentage of RCSD graduates who are college-ready in Englishis up 11 points. College graduation is up as well. The percentage of RCSD graduates who complete college in four years has increased by 11 points.

Our work at ROC the Future has developed from raising awareness through practices such as pre-K family orientations to interventions like the Every Minute Matters campaignweve built so much on what weve learned over the years and used that knowledge to expand our work to include new systems and intentionally working for equity in all areas, says Jackie Campbell, director of ROC the Future, which was founded 10 years ago. Together with our conveners, we have significantly improved education outcomes in Rochester, but theres still so much more we plan to accomplish.

Among the areas identified in the report that need additional work are early grade literacy (RCSD third graders proficient on state assessment declined 6 points); college enrollment (the percentage of RCSD graduates enrolled in a two- or four-year college within one year of graduation is down 12 points) and RCSD faculty/staff of color down 3 points in teachers and 10 points in staff).

To ensure additional progress, the collective impact effort has identified parent engagement, in partnership with CauseWave and others, as a wildly important goal. Between now and June 2022,ROC the Futurewill ensure that its parents will engage with at least 6,000 families to ensure that the reopening period following COVID-19 is both responsive to unfinished learning and the gateway to long-term transformation, officials say.

We have a nationally ranked pre-K program that has seen improvements in preparing kids for a strong start and were working together to build and expand those efforts to lift our modest gains for early grade literacy, Campbell says. Our out-of-school programs have provided an additional layer of support that all students should have access to. We are nearing our goal of 80 percent high school graduation within the Rochester City School District. And parent leadership and engagement in decision-making are the new standards for success across the community.

Actions for partner organizations include identifying the essential elements of successful learning environments for children, deciding on priority actions and informing funding priorities.ROC the Futurealso hopes to develop strategies that improve student achievement by strengthening relationships; ensuring school systems meet the academic, social, emotional, and physical needs of children; and building community systems that empower and support children and families both inside and outside of school, the report says.

Together, we can make that goal attainable. Moving the needle on critical milestones such as middle-grade math, post-secondary education and career training is essential to creating a thriving future for our studentsbut we cant do it alone. Campbell says. It will take all of us, working together, to set us on a course of educational renewal that prioritize(s) the need of all students, regardless of race, ZIP code or circumstance. Rochesters children are counting on us.

At an event Thursday, Shaun Nelms, chair ofROC the Future, presented the ninth Annual State of Our Children Awards. The recipients include:

Tonia Burton at the Rochester Public Library, who received the Jacque Cady Annual Advocacy for Children Award, which honorsan individual for extraordinary accomplishment in advancing public policy or funding decisions for the benefit of children in the community, in furtherance of ROC the Futures mission to improve cradle-to-career outcomes for Rochesters children.As part of the award, the recipient selects an agency serving children ages 0-8 to receive a $5,000 donation, courtesy ofRochesters Child, an initiative of the Rochester Area Community Foundation in honor ofJacque Cady.

Allen Jackson,Cherriese Bufis,Heather Feinman,Patricia McKinneyandMichaela Wall received the Parent Leader Award.They exhibited exemplary leadership by engaging and partnering with other parents to support the success of the communitys children and families.

Parent Leadership Training Institute was recognized withthe Organizational Partner Award for itsexemplary leadership working with other organizations in collective impact and collaboration in support of ROC the Futures mission to improve cradle-to-career outcomes for Rochesters children.

We are happy to recognize the many individuals who are leaning in to support student success, Nelms says. ROC the Future is uniquely positioned to align the economic, educational, and community-based initiatives in our community to collectively address needs of our children. The State of Our Children (report) is more than a call to action. It is a commitment to ensure the sustainability of our city.

Launched 10 years ago, Roc the Future was established as an alliance of more than 70 local institutions and community partners, aligning resources and initiatives to improve academic achievement of Rochesters children. With a common agenda and outcomes, evidence-based practices, continuous communication and mutual reinforcement, mobilizing resources and increasing equity,ROC the Futurebelieves it creates an impact.

Since its inception, ROC the Future has represented our citys village, in the African proverb: It takes a village to raise a child, says Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren. By bringing key community stakeholders to the table and keeping them engaged in these important topics, ROC the Future is demonstrating that collective impact is critical to the success of any effort to overcome the challenges of our education system and provide our children the futures they deserve.

Smriti Jacob is Rochester Beacon managing editor.

Related

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Roc the Future highlights progress at 10-year mark - Rochester Beacon

Delegates attend the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

Delegates attend the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland

Sean Buchan has started every day of the past two weeks at his computer, tracking narratives about the COP26 U.N. climate summit.

He looks for claims like one about the electric cars ferrying dignitaries around Glasgow being powered by diesel generators. That isn't true: the cars were recharged by generators burning lower-emission vegetable oil.

"But that was subtly left out of the information when it was tweeted or posted, and it makes it seem like the whole of COP26 is running on diesel," Buchan said. "It's not false. But it is highly misleading."

Buchan, an analyst at the British climate-advocacy group Stop Funding Heat, is part of a global team of activists and online researchers that has been tracking false and misleading claims about climate change while world leaders have met in Glasgow.

The London-based Institute for Strategic Dialogue, which has long studied online extremism and terrorism, led the effort.

"Climate is being co-opted into this universe of antigovernment sentiment. It's being weaponized by groups that have extremist or conspiracist affiliations," said Jennie King, a senior policy manager at ISD who coordinated the team.

Her team's chief concern was that climate deniers and conspiracists alike would spread messages on social media that risked undermining the summit negotiations and, more broadly, global action to tackle climate change.

Buchan and King say they've witnessed how online influence campaigns can thwart public policy.

In 2009, climate scientists' emails were hacked ahead of another U.N. climate summit in Copenhagen. Climate deniers used the hack to manufacture a scandal known as "Climategate," fueling doubt in climate change and dealing a blow to the summit. In 2019, right-wing activists used social media to pressure European governments to drop their support for a U.N. global migration agreement by making it seem like opposition was widespread.

In both cases, "we were able to look back and go, 'wow, all of this coordinated activity put some countries into doubt,'" Buchan said. "What we're trying to do is catch things like that before or while they happen, so we can maybe find a solution before it derails an entire agreement."

Over the last year, ISD and its partners built what King calls an "early warning system: a set of dashboards to monitor climate discussions on Facebook, Twitter and other websites. Every day of the summit, analysts have been poring over the dashboards' constantly updating feeds of climate denialism, misleading memes and viral news articles.

King has sent out daily email bulletins to hundreds of subscribers, including climate organizations, media outlets, scientists, and policy makers about the narratives gaining the most traction.

King says before the summit started, she wondered whether she'd mainly see attacks on specific topics under negotiation, like carbon markets or curbing methane emissions.

Instead, "climate has absolutely become part of the culture wars," she said.

Many of the influencers the group has tracked are long-time climate deniers. Some are linked to the fossil fuel industry.

But increasingly, they include figures who post online all kinds of hoaxes and conspiracies. And those who've long claimed that climate change is a pretext for government overreach are pointing to similar false claims about lockdowns to stop the spread of COVID-19 both framed as authorities' excuses to strip people of their freedom.

"Language around things like climate lockdown is bleeding into spaces that were formed around anti-vax sentiment or around QAnon-affiliated arguments," King said.

"These are not communities that were particularly interested or dedicated to climate to begin with, but they have found a way to connect those other world views or ideologies with fear about the future of climate change response."

She says when misleading or outright false climate claims become embedded in this web of conspiracies, it makes them harder to fight. And that could hamper even more the world's ability to take big, bold action on a global crisis.

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These researchers are trying to stop misinformation from derailing climate progress - NPR

Worlds fastest street circuit F1 and FIA provide the current status on the Jeddah Street Circuit, as it races against time to host the first-ever F1 race in Saudi Arabia.

The Jeddah Street Circuit is a marvelous project and will reach its zenith on the first weekend of December when it hosts Saudi Arabias first-ever Formula 1 race.

There have been reports of delay at work, though, with suggestions the track might not be ready on time.

This has been rejected by F1s sporting director, Steve Nielsen, though, who is monitoring the progress on a day-to-day basis. He is happy with the progress being made and is optimistic of everything being ready, come December 3.

They are up against it.

They are literally working 24/7, as they have been for quite a long time now. I saw some more photos this morning and they have made huge progress. But still a lot to do.

So it really will be down to the wire, but they will get it done. Everything we need to put the race on safely we will have, Im confident of that.

Its an ambitious project it will be a great facility.

FIA Race Director Michael Masi will be traveling to the venue after the Qatar GP, to ensure there are no last-minute hiccups. He admits things are tight with the progress, but like Nielsen, is optimistic of readiness ahead of the race weekend.

As I said last week, Im confident it will be ready. The fact its a three-hour flight, it became quite convenient just to go there and have a look.

It was always going to be very close, theres no doubt about that. Everything Ive seen, the progress day-on-day and week-on-week has been amazing since I was there last, and Im looking forward to having another look.

Read More Jeddah F1: All you need to know about the street circuit for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

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Worlds fastest street circuit - What is the current progress of the Jeddah Street Circuit, set to... - The Sportsrush

The town of Blue River and the Colorado Department of Transportation are working toward a resolution on a chain-up area in town that would serve the needs of semitrailer drivers making their way through town while mitigating concerns of local residents.

CDOT is hoping to create an area on Colorado Highway 9 near the intersection with Whispering Pines Circle (near Blue River Town Hall) for semitrailer drivers to chain up before heading south over Hoosier Pass in the winter. Emily Wilfong, a spokesperson for the project, said the move is necessary to improve safety for truckers and other drivers making their way through the corridor.

Hoosier Pass is just a really intense pass to travel during inclement weather, so this just really provides truckers a safe place to chain up, Wilfong said. I think sometimes when we see noncompliance, its because they dont have a safe place to put chains on, so I think, overall, were hoping this will increase usage of chains. We do know that if youre not chained up during a chain law, theres so much opportunity for a crash to occur that snarls up traffic and completely breaks down the roadway. So our hope is to have a safety benefit for all motorists.

Earlier this year, Blue River officials began pushing back against the proposal, listing a number of concerns surrounding negative impacts to wildlife and wetlands along with other nuisances that could come as a result of the project, such as lighting at the station.

But for the past few months, stakeholders with CDOT and the town have been holding group sessions to discuss the concerns and come to a workable solution for everyone. Blue River Town Manager Michelle Eddy said the meetings have borne fruit.

In July, they came back after many discussions with a proposal that takes away what we would call a traditional chain-up station, Eddy said. We feel its headed in a good direction. Its still a work in progress, but its a lot more positive than it was a year ago.

The original proposal called for a 50-foot expansion on the west side of the highway to create a pullout area for trucks to stop during chain-up law periods. The new proposal is considerably scaled back. It would widen the roadway pavement by about 21 feet in order to create a bypass lane on the west side of the highway, which would serve as a safe pullout area for truckers to chain up in winter. During the rest of the year, the extra lane would give motorists space to move around drivers waiting to turn left onto Whispering Pines.

Changeable signage would likely be installed to inform drivers when the bypass lane is being used for chain-up operations and to reduce the speed limit, but Wilfong said there are currently no plans to add additional lighting to the area.

Wilfong also said CDOT is planning on creating a landscaping buffer within the project area, and that the department would be conducting an environmental analysis to consider potential impacts to wildlife, wetlands and more.

Eddy said the town still has some worries about the project, including how the towns small police department will be able to handle enforcement on the roadway and the lack of a chain-down station headed in the other direction through Blue River. Wilfong said CDOT hasnt yet identified funding for a chain-down station in the area, but the department is looking into developing designs for such a project to keep on the shelf until funding becomes available.

It is a priority for CDOT, too, because its not really practical for trucks to drive from there all the way to I-70 or wherever is safe to chain down, Wilfong said. Its being thought about.

Wilfong said officials hope to have final designs in hand by the end of next year, and construction could take place as early as spring or summer 2023.

Its been a collaborative effort, understanding that in a collaboration everyone has to give a little bit, Eddy said. I will say that so far, over the last several months, I do feel CDOT has heard our concerns, and I attribute that to the community coming together. Obviously, theres still work to be done, but were at least working together on this.

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Blue River, CDOT make progress on proposed chain-up area in town - Summit Daily News

Its November and Kentucky football fans are furious. Nothing especially new there thats a story that has played out countless times in the past several decades. But hang on.

Kentucky is 2nd in the SEC East. The Cats are 7-3 and have every possibility of having a 9-3 season, and Kentucky football fans are furious. Now that is different.

All but the most ardent Wildcats backer recognized a bit of an element of fools gold in the Wildcats 6-0 start. The loss to Georgia was humbling but expected. But then an ugly game at Starkville and a puzzling defensively-challenged loss to Tennessee and Kentucky was 6-3. Saturday brought a convincing win in Nashville, but apparently it wasnt convincing enough. The Wildcats, favored by 21 points, slumped after a 31-3 halftime edge and won 34-17.

Asked about the not-convincing-enough win on Saturday, Mark Stoops let a little frustration show.

Did you like (the score) the year before I got here? he asked.

No, Coach, nobody did. Beating Vanderbilt by only 17 points is a welcome change from the 40-0 home loss to the Commodores that put the finishing touches on the Joker Phillips era in 2012.

Frustration by Kentucky football fans, in an unconventional spot a winning SEC season in a productive season could actually be a good thing. It could show how far the program has come since 2012.

That said, there is the elephant in the room. Disgruntled fans are not without a point. Mississippi State is a very competent team. But the Kentucky secondary treated Will Rogers like a Vegas hotel treats a high roller. Meanwhile, UK QB Will Levis was throwing passes everywhere but to his receivers. Levis was sharp against Tennessee indeed, UK scored 42 points and held the ball for 46 minutes but found a way to lose. And the second-half effort against Vandy was balky.

But the big picture is clear. Their 5-3 record in the SEC may not sound particularly brilliant, particularly since Kentucky might have defeated the 5 worst teams in the SEC. But heres the thing: Its the second winning SEC season the Wildcats have posted since 1977. And the other was Stoops 5-3 SEC season in 2018. Kentucky has clinched its 6th consecutive bowl appearance. And unlike the only other run in recent memory that approached it the 2006-2010 run under Rich Brooks and Phillips the Cats havent spent the postseasons in the Liberty Bowl or the BBVA Compass Bowl. Kentucky has won the Citrus, Belk and Gator Bowl in the past 3 seasons. This season is perhaps most likely to end in the Outback Bowl, a game Kentucky hasnt seen since Tim Couch was under center in 1998.

But heres the rub. Kentucky fans, once thrilled by a 7-5 season, are starting to expect more. A pair of winning SEC seasons in 4 years leads fans to look beyond merely having a winning season. Working into the lower echelon of the Top 25 is nice, but Kentucky fans are starting to think about things like beating Georgia or winning the SEC. Not necessarily expecting to do either, but looking for signs that it might not be as unreachable as it once was.

In some sense, Stoops is a prisoner of his own success. For decades, Kentucky fans wanted 6 wins, any 6 wins, to land a bowl in literally anywhere. Poulan Weed-Eater Bowl? Big Blue Nation is there! Now, Kentucky fans see 6 or 7 wins as a floor, rather than a ceiling. And between those expectations and a tried and tested emphasis on recruiting, player development, and raiding the transfer portal, Kentucky is on the cusp of building a legitimately strong tradition.

So, angry fans? Bring them on. Complaints of not winning SEC games by enough touchdowns? Music to the long-suffering ears of BBN. Keep winning, keep raising expectations. The next act might be even crazier.

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Kentucky football: Spoiled football fans? Thats the surest sign yet of progress - Saturday Down South