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Tag: Climate Change

  • Al Gore-Backed Website Tracks Worst Climate Offenders

    Al Gore-Backed Website Tracks Worst Climate Offenders

    A new website is designed to shed light on the worst climate offenders and polluters throughout the world.

    The website, Climate TRACE, harnesses “satellite imagery and other forms of remote sensing, artificial intelligence, and collective data science expertise to track human-caused GHG emissions with unprecedented detail and speed.”

    The website works much like Google Maps, or other mapping software, allowing users to zoom in and see exactly what organizations are the top polluters in their area.

    Climate TRACE is backed by Al Gore, a long-time climate activist, as well as Google.org, Benificus Foundation, Generation Investment Management partners, Schmidt Futures, and Patrick J. McGovern Foundation.

    The website says its goal is to provide the information decision makers need:

    Climate TRACE’s emissions inventory is the world’s first comprehensive accounting of GHG emissions based primarily on direct, independent observation. Our innovative, open, and accessible approach relies on advances in technology to fill critical knowledge gaps for all decision makers that rely on the patchwork system of self-reporting that serves as the basis for most existing emissions inventories.

    Individuals can try the website here: https://climatetrace.org/

  • Google Earth Engine Is Now Available to All Businesses and Governments

    Google Earth Engine Is Now Available to All Businesses and Governments

    Google has made its Earth Engine available to all governments and businesses as an enterprise-grade Google Cloud service.

    Google Earth Engine is a tool for “planetary-scale environmental monitoring.” When Google released it in 2010, it was primarily for scientists and NGOs. As climate change becomes a bigger threat, however, the company wants all governments and businesses to have access to it.

    “Over the years, one of the top climate challenges I’ve heard from businesses, governments and organizations is that they’re drowning in data but thirsty for insights,” writes Rebecca Moore, Director, Google Earth, Earth Engine & Outreach.

    “So starting today, we’re making Google Earth Engine available to businesses and governments worldwide as an enterprise-grade service through Google Cloud. With access to reliable, up-to-date insights on how our planet is changing, organizations will be better equipped to move their sustainability efforts forward.”

    The tool should be a powerful asset in the fight against climate change.

  • The Next Corporate Real Estate Trend: Climate-Proof Locales

    The Next Corporate Real Estate Trend: Climate-Proof Locales

    The global pandemic has significantly changed the corporate real estate scene, but climate change may be poised to have an even greater impact.

    According to Axios, multiple companies are beginning to change locations, move headquarters or acquire new real estate in areas believed to be insulated from the effects of climate change. Conversely, this has meant that some locations that have been home to iconic businesses for years are seeing them move out.

    For example, Charleston, SC has seen an iconic hospital moving from its downtown home of 165 years to higher ground, after multiple floods impacted it.

    Similarly, Hewlett Packard Enterprise is moving from hurricane-vulnerable Houston to Spring, TX after it experienced flooding in 2016 and 2017.

    Spirit Airlines is also adding a campus in Orlando, FL, to compliment its Miramar location. Not only will the new location be less vulnerable to hurricanes, but Axios says the new campus will be hardened specifically to resist any hurricanes that might hit it.

    With scientist warning that many of the effects of climate change may be unavoidable at this point, it’s a safe bet that climate change will increasingly factor into the corporate decision-making process. While this may come at a significant cost for coastal areas, inland locations may be poised for a real estate boom as companies move inland.

  • India Plans to Be Net-Zero by 2070

    India Plans to Be Net-Zero by 2070

    India, the third-largest pollution emitter, has announced plans to be net-zero by 2070.

    The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) is currently underway, with nations discussing ways to address the current climate crisis. According to Bloomberg Green, India has come out swinging, making the most ambitious commitment of any country yet.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the country’s intentions, including its plan to increase its non-fossil fuel power capacity to 500 gigawatts and use renewable resources to provide half the country’s electricity by 2030.

    “India’s pledges are significantly more ambitious than its current NDC,” said Ulka Kelkar of the World Resources Institute India, referring to Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris accords. “These will take the country on a low-carbon development pathway and give strong signals to every sector of industry and society.”

  • Top Tech Firms Backing Groups Fighting Climate Legislation

    Top Tech Firms Backing Groups Fighting Climate Legislation

    Despite their stated support for efforts to combat climate change, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and Disney support groups fighting such legislation.

    According to The Guardian, lobby groups are actively fighting the $3.5 trillion budget bill that Democrats are trying to pass. The bill contains some of the most comprehensive measures to fight climate change.

    In spite of the bill seemingly lining up with companies’ support for such climate efforts, lobby groups are working hard to sink the bill.

    “Major corporations love to tell us how committed they are to addressing the climate crisis and building a sustainable future, but behind closed doors, they are funding the very industry trade groups that are fighting tooth and nail to stop the biggest climate change bill ever,” said Kyle Herrig, president of Accountable.US, which was responsible for the analysis.

    The Guardian reached out to the companies in question, none of whom denied their backing of the lobby groups or disavowed the lobbyists’ efforts. None of the companies indicated they had any plans to review their position either.

    “Hiding behind these shady groups doesn’t just put our environment at risk – it puts these companies’ household names and reputations in serious jeopardy,” Herrig said.

  • Microsoft Joins LF Energy to Decarbonize the Grid

    Microsoft Joins LF Energy to Decarbonize the Grid

    LF Energy, a Linux Foundation nonprofit, announced that Microsoft is joining its efforts to decarbonize the grid.

    LF Energy’s goal is to help combat climate change by decarbonizing the energy grid, and eventually the economy. Microsoft has joined the LF Energy Foundation, and one of its executives has been chosen to be General Member representative to the foundation’s governing board.

    The very ethos of open source and LF Energy is that we can accomplish digital paradigm shifts faster, more securely, and with less costs to the bottomline. We are better together than going at it alone. That collaborative might is needed now more than ever to decarbonize our power grid and, eventually, our economy to save the planet from climate change.

    Against that backdrop–and the urgency we face with climate change–we are thrilled to announce that Dr. Audrey Lee, Senior Director of Energy Strategy at Microsoft, has been elected to serve as the General Member representative to the LF Energy Foundation Governing Board.

    Microsoft has also said “that, by 2030, 100% of its electricity consumption, 100% of the time, will be matched by zero carbon energy purchases.”

    Such a large, influential company joining LF Energy is a big win in the fight to combat climate change.

  • TSMC Will Be Carbon Neutral By 2050

    TSMC Will Be Carbon Neutral By 2050

    TSMC has announced it plans to be carbon neutral by 2050, a major achievement for the world’s largest chip foundry.

    Computers, cellphones and tablets are part of daily life for most people, yet few think about the amount of energy that goes into making the semiconductors that run popular electronics. TSMC, as the world’s largest chip foundry, produces an astonishing 15 million tons of carbon pollution, according to Ars Technica. That figure puts it well beyond the output of many countries.

    TSMC is determined to do something about it, vowing to be carbon neutral by 2050. In the short term, the company plans to flatten its emissions growth by 2025.

    “TSMC is deeply aware that climate change has a severe impact on the environment and humanity. As a world-leading semiconductor company, TSMC must shoulder its corporate responsibility to face the challenge of climate change,” Chairman Mark Liu said in a statement, according to Ars.

  • Wind Energy Was the Big Winner in 2020

    Wind Energy Was the Big Winner in 2020

    Wind energy was the big winner of 2020, accounting for the single largest segment of new energy capacity added in the US.

    Governments around the world are looking at climate-friendly energy options in a desperate attempt to stave off the worst impacts of climate change. Wind, solar and nuclear are some of the most popular options, but wind is clearly gaining major traction in the US.

    According to a report by the Department of Energy (DOE), “more wind energy was installed in 2020 than any other energy source, accounting for 42% of new U.S. capacity. The U.S. wind industry supports 116,800 jobs.”

    More than 10% of in-state electricity was generated by wind in 16 states, with the Midwest benefiting the most. Iowa saw 57% of its electricity generated by wind power, while Kansas, Oklahoma, North and South Dakota all got at least 30% of their electricity from wind energy.

    One of the big factors driving wind energy’s adoption is reduced cost, thanks to improved technology. Wind turbine prices have dropped “from $1,800/kW in 2008 to $770–$850 per kilowatt (kW) now.”

    The DOE’s report is good news for the future of environmentally friendly energy.

  • Bill Gates Pledges $1.5 Billion for Climate Change if Infrastructure Bill Passes

    Bill Gates Pledges $1.5 Billion for Climate Change if Infrastructure Bill Passes

    Bill Gates has pledged some $1.5 billion to help combat climate change if President Joe Biden’s infrastructure bill passes Congress.

    Climate change has become one of the biggest crises facing humanity, with governments and companies alike looking for solutions. The Biden administration has been pushing a major infrastructure bill forward, one that includes funding to help combat climate change.

    Bill Gates’ climate fund, Breakthrough Energy, will match $1.5 billion in government funds, if the bill passes, in an effort develop green technologies. 

    “Critical for all these climate technologies is to get the costs down and to be able to scale them up to a pretty gigantic level,” Gates told The Wall Street Journal, via The Verge.

    If the infrastructure bill fails to pass, Breakthrough Energy will likely invest the $1.5 billion in Europe and Asia instead.

  • Dutch Court Orders Shell to Slash Carbon Dioxide Emissions

    Dutch Court Orders Shell to Slash Carbon Dioxide Emissions

    In a groundbreaking court ruling, a Dutch court has ordered Royal Dutch Shell to slash emissions far more than it was planning.

    As governments and corporations grapple with climate change, oil companies are in a difficult position. The oil industry has been one of the primary drivers for the current climate crisis, and companies have responded differently to the changing landscape. Some, such as Exxon, are going so far as to take a page out of Big Tobacco’s legal playbook in an effort to shift blame, downplay the danger and maximize profits as long as possible. Others, such as BP, are pivotingas fast as possible to renewable energy.

    In the case of Shell, the company had already committed to cutting its carbon dioxide emissions 20% by 2030. A court in The Hague ruled that didn’t go far enough, and ordered the company to cut emissions by 45% in the same period.

    Donald Pols, director of Friends of the Earth Netherlands, praised the decision: “This is a monumental victory for our planet, for our children and is a stop towards a liveable future for everyone.The judge has left no room for doubt: Shell is causing dangerous climate change and must stop its destructive behaviour now.”

    Roger Cox, lawyer for Friends of the Earth Netherlands, added: “This is a turning point in history. This case is unique because it is the first time a judge has ordered a large polluting company to comply with the Paris Climate Agreement. This ruling may also have major consequences for other big polluters.”

    The ruling is sure to spark fear in other corporations, and open the door for litigation against companies that are not doing enough to abide by the Paris Climate Agreement.

  • Microsoft, Linux Foundation and Others Launch The Green Software Foundation

    Microsoft, Linux Foundation and Others Launch The Green Software Foundation

    Microsoft, the Linux Foundation, Accenture, GitHub and ThoughtWorks have launched The Green Software Foundation to promote sustainable software development.

    Software development may not be the leading contributor to climate change, or even come up in most conversations about it, but estimates place data center electricity usage at 1%. Over the next decade, data center electricity usage is expected to increase to 3-8% of global usage.

    Microsoft and its fellow organizations founded The Green Software Foundation nonprofit with the intention of building “a trusted ecosystem of people, standards, tooling and leading practices for building green software.” The foundation will work to help the information and communications technology sector meet its Paris Climate Agreement goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030.

    “The scientific consensus is clear: the world confronts an urgent carbon problem,” Microsoft president Brad Smith said. “It will take all of us working together to create innovative solutions to drastically reduce emissions. Today, Microsoft is joining with organizations who are serious about an environmentally sustainable future to drive adoption of green software development to help our customers and partners around the world reduce their carbon footprint.”

    The foundation outlined its three primary goals:

    Establish green software industry standards: The foundation will create and publish green software standards, green patterns and practices across various computing disciplines and technology domains. The group will encourage voluntary adoption and help guide government policy toward those standards for a consistent approach for measuring and reporting green software emissions.

    Accelerate innovation: To grow the green software field, we need to nurture the creation of trusted open-source and open-data projects that support the creation of green software applications. The foundation will work alongside our nonprofit partners and academia to support research into green software.

    Drive awareness and grow advocacy: If we want companies to build greener applications, they need people who know how to build them. As such, one of our key missions is to drive widespread adoption of green software across the industry through ambassador programs, training and education which leads to certification and events to facilitate the growth of green software.

  • Elon Musk Offers $100M Prize for Carbon Removal

    Elon Musk Offers $100M Prize for Carbon Removal

    Elon Musk is offering $100 million in prizes in the fight against climate change, promising it to inventors who come up with ways of removing carbon from the atmosphere.

    Carbon removal is one of the more promising ways of fighting climate change. Pulling carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and oceans, and then trapping it in rock or other materials, promises to be one of the most attainable methods of slowing climate change and reversing the warming of the planet.

    To aid in that goal, Elon Musk is putting up $100 million as incentive to inventors, according to Reuters.

    “I don’t think we are currently doomed…if we keep going, complacent, there is some risk of non linear climate change,” said Musk, when introducing the $100 million in prizes.

    The incentives will last for four years, through Earth Day 2025.

  • Apple Announces $200 Million ‘Restore Fund’ to Remove Atmospheric Carbon

    Apple Announces $200 Million ‘Restore Fund’ to Remove Atmospheric Carbon

    Apple and its partners have launched a $200 million “Restore Fund” aimed at removing carbon from the atmosphere.

    Apple has been working for years to reduce its carbon footprint, committing last year to have its entire supply chain carbon neutral by 2030. The company, along with Goldman Sachs and Conservation International, is taking it a step further with the Restore Fund initiative.

    Restore Fund’s goal is to naturally address climate change by investing in forestry projects that will remove at least 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere every year. Apple also wants to prove the endeavor can be a viable financial success, something that will provide incentive for other companies to invest in climate change.

    “Nature provides some of the best tools to remove carbon from the atmosphere. Forests, wetlands, and grasslands draw carbon from the atmosphere and store it away permanently in their soils, roots, and branches,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives. “Through creating a fund that generates both a financial return as well as real, and measurable carbon impacts, we aim to drive broader change in the future — encouraging investment in carbon removal around the globe. Our hope is that others share our goals and contribute their resources to support and protect critical ecosystems.”

    The Restore Fund builds on an existing working relationship between Apple and Conservation International. Apple has been using 100% responsibly sourced fibers for its packaging for the last three years. The company has also been working with Conservation International to protect and restore forests, grasslands and wetlands.

    “Investing in nature can remove carbon far more effectively — and much sooner — than any other current technology. As the world faces the global threat climate change presents, we need innovative new approaches that can dramatically reduce emissions,” said Dr. M. Sanjayan, CEO of Conservation International. “We are excited to build on our long-standing partnership with Apple and believe the groundbreaking approach with the Restore Fund will make a huge difference and benefit communities around the world with new jobs and revenue that support everything from education to healthcare.”

  • 2021 IBM Call for Code Tackles Climate Change

    2021 IBM Call for Code Tackles Climate Change

    IBM has announced its 2021 Call for Code challenge, with the theme of tackling climate change.

    IBM’s Call for Code is currently in its fourth year, and calls on developers and problem-solvers to tackle some of the world’s biggest issues. This year, the theme is climate change, with IBM inviting developers to submit solutions on three sub-themes: zero hunger; clean water and sanitation; and responsible production and green consumption.

    A major theme of the Call for Code challenge is the use of open source software, and this year is no different. IBM is emphasizing solutions built on “Red Hat OpenShift, IBM Cloud, IBM Watson, IBM Blockchain, atmospheric data from IBM’s Weather Company, and developer resources and APIs from partners like Intuit and New Relic.”

    IBM is building on its decades-long environmental advocacy, in the hopes that participants will be able to help address one of the biggest challenges the world is currently facing.

    “Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time, and we must apply our collective ingenuity and cutting-edge technologies to make a lasting difference,” said Ruth Davis, director of Call for Code, IBM. “Together with our ecosystem of partners, IBM will work with the winning team to incubate and deploy their solution in communities where it’s most needed, just as we’ve done with past winners. I encourage every developer and innovator around the world to seize this opportunity through Call for Code to change our climate trajectory.”

  • Cloud Computing Could Eliminate 1 Billion Metric Tons of CO2 Emissions by 2024

    Cloud Computing Could Eliminate 1 Billion Metric Tons of CO2 Emissions by 2024

    International Data Corporation (IDC) has published new research that indicates cloud computing could eliminate 1 billion metric tons of CO2 emissions by 2024.

    Climate change is increasingly coming front-and-center as an issue for governments and companies alike. One of the promises of cloud computing is the potential to be more environmentally friendly.

    IDC has quantified just how much cloud computing could positively impact the environment, concluding it could eliminate 1 billion metric tons of CO2 emissions between 2021 and 2024.

    Much of this is due to the increased efficiency that comes with aggregated computing resources, and the ability to use economy of scale to improve cooling and power utilization. Another important factor is the ability of cloud computing to shift workloads around the globe, including to areas where renewable energy are more widely used.

    “The idea of ‘green IT’ has been around now for years, but the direct impact of hyperscale computing can have on CO2 emissions is getting increased notice from customers, regulators, and investors and it’s starting to factor into buying decisions,” said Cushing Anderson, program vice president at IDC. “For some, going ‘carbon neutral’ will be achieved using carbon offsets, but designing datacenters from the ground up to be carbon neutral will be the real measure of contribution. And for advanced cloud providers, matching workloads with renewable energy availability will further accelerate their sustainability goals.”

    Cloud computing has already been kicked into overdrive as a result of the pandemic, enabling remote workers to stay productive regardless of their location. IDC’s latest report adds further impetus to cloud adoption, making it the responsible option for climate-friendly companies.

  • IBM Will Reach Net Zero Greenhouse Emissions by 2030

    IBM Will Reach Net Zero Greenhouse Emissions by 2030

    IBM has set a major new goal, planning on reaching net zero greenhouse emissions by 2030.

    Companies large and small are making climate change an important part of their agenda. Especially with the Biden administration bringing the US back into the Paris Agreement, companies can no longer afford to go about business as usual without also factoring in their environmental impact.

    IBM is the latest company committed to addressing climate change, with plans to reach net zero greenhouse emissions by 2030.

    “I am proud that IBM is leading the way by taking actions to significantly reduce emissions,” said Arvind Krishna, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, IBM. “The climate crisis is one of the most pressing issues of our time. IBM’s net zero pledge is a bold step forward that strengthens our long-standing climate leadership and positions our company years ahead of the targets set out in the Paris Climate Agreement.”

    To reach its goal, the company plans on reducing its greenhouse gas emissions 65% by 2025, against its base year 2010. Renewable resources will also make up 75% of its electricity worldwide by 2025, and 90% by 2030. Finally, the company will use carbon capture and other technologies to remove emissions equaling or exceeding what it generates.

    As one of the biggest names in tech, IBM’s announcement serves as an example for other companies to follow.

  • HPE Wins Contract to Build Supercomputer For NCAR

    HPE Wins Contract to Build Supercomputer For NCAR

    Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) has won a $35+ million contract to build one of the fastest supercomputers for the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR).

    NCAR is US “federally funded R&D center focused on advancing knowledge of geosciences, including meteorology, climate change, and solar activity.” The organization’s work is more important than ever as the threat from climate change continues to increase.

    The new system will be housed at NCAR’s Wyoming Supercomputing Center in Cheyenne. The system will be a major upgrade over the existing one, providing almost 3.5X faster speed. The supercomputer will go operational in 2022 and help NCAR create digital models of various weather effects to better understand them.

    “This new system, powered by Hewlett Packard Enterprise, is a major step forward in supercomputing power, providing the scientific community with the most cutting-edge technology to better understand the Earth system,” said Anke Kamrath, director, Computational and Information Systems Laboratory at the National Center of Atmospheric Research. “The resulting research will lead to new insights into potential threats ranging from severe weather and solar storms to climate change, helping to advance the knowledge needed for improved predictions that will strengthen society’s resilience to potential disasters.”

  • Elon Musk Donating $100 Million Toward Best Carbon Capture Idea

    Elon Musk Donating $100 Million Toward Best Carbon Capture Idea

    Elon Musk is donating $100 million toward efforts to find the best way to capture carbon emissions.

    As climate change begins to take a toll, many are turning to efforts to capture and safely store carbon dioxide (CO2) as a solution. In fact, this is naturally occurring phenomenon, with CO2 deposits safely stored in rock formations around the globe.

    There are additional advantages to carbon capture and storage (CCS), including the cost and removal of additional pollutants. According to Earth Institute, Columbia University, “the technology also reduces pollutants like sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxide, and particulates. And the best part is that it costs only $40 for per tonne of CO2.”

    With President Biden recommitting the US to the Paris Agreement, CCS could be an important step toward bringing carbon emissions within the target levels. Elon Musk is willing to put his own money toward helping find the best way achieve wide scale CCS.

    We will be monitoring this story and provide updates as those details become available.

  • 5G Deployment Could Be Bad For The Environment

    5G Deployment Could Be Bad For The Environment

    A report by France’s High Council on Climate has warned that 5G deployment could lead to a major spike in CO2 emissions.

    Carriers around the world are racing to deploy the next generation of wireless networks. 5G is seen as a revolutionary upgrade, not only for consumers, but also for the enterprise. The speeds 5G provides will help lead to advances in edge computing, AI, autonomous vehicles and private networks.

    Unfortunately, the advances 5G brings may come at a cost to the environment. According to the High Council on Climate’s report, 5G deployment could lead to as much as 3 to 7 billion extra tons of CO2 in the atmosphere, according to France 24.

    “We request a moratorium and our request is even more relevant today, now that the high council has said that we need to assess the technology’s environmental impact before deploying it,” said Éric Piolle a lawmaker with Europe Écologie-Les Verts, the French Green party.

    It remains to be seen if France will put a hold on 5G deployment, although it seems unlikely at this point.

  • Bill Gates Backing Tech That Could Replace Fossil Fuel For Manufacturing

    Bill Gates Backing Tech That Could Replace Fossil Fuel For Manufacturing

    Despite the many alternatives to fossil fuel, one segment of the market that has struggled to embrace them is manufacturing. Thanks to a company Bill Gates is backing, that may be about to change.

    Heliogen is a solar-energy company that is looking to revolutionize manufacturing, thanks to an innovative way of implementing solar panels. By angling the solar mirrors so as to focus all of them on a single point of a tower, they act like a giant magnifying glass, generating ultra-high heat.

    According to a press release, the company has achieved a breakthrough: for the first time commercially, a temperature of at least 1,000 degrees Celsius has been reached with solar energy. Previous solar technology had only been able to reach 565 degrees Celsius. The company plans to ultimately reach 1,500 degrees.

    As a byproduct of the process, Heliogen can thermo-chemically split water, creating green hydrogen. The company sees it as an additional opportunity for manufacturing companies, as the byproducts can be used for transportation, heavy equipment or resold to a variety of industries.

    Until now, fossil fuel alternatives have been more expensive, making it a tough sell for manufacturing to switch over. If Heliogen’s plans are successful, its tech could be the first viable fossil fuel alternative for the industry, not only helping it go green, but saving companies money in the process.

    “The world has a limited window to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Bill Gross, CEO and Founder, Heliogen, and Founder and Chairman, Idealab. “We’ve made great strides in deploying clean energy in our electricity system. But electricity accounts for less than a quarter of global energy demand. Heliogen represents a technological leap forward in addressing the other 75 percent of energy demand: the use of fossil fuels for industrial processes and transportation. With low-cost, ultra-high temperature process heat, we have an opportunity to make meaningful contributions to solving the climate crisis.”

    “Today, industrial processes like those used to make cement, steel, and other materials are responsible for more than a fifth of all emissions,” said Bill Gates. “These materials are everywhere in our lives but we don’t have any proven breakthroughs that will give us affordable, zero-carbon versions of them. If we’re going to get to zero-carbon emissions overall, we have a lot of inventing to do. I’m pleased to have been an early backer of Bill Gross’s novel solar concentration technology. Its capacity to achieve the high temperatures required for these processes is a promising development in the quest to one day replace fossil fuel.”

  • Sharknado 3: Does Global Warming Make It a Hit?

    Sharknado 3 is coming. The third installment of the ridiculous film series starring Tara Reid and Ian Ziering is bringing on more guest stars than ever.

    Bo Derek is joining Sharknado 3 as Tara Reid’s mother, whole David Hasselhoff will play Ian Ziering’s father. The jokeof casting two people who made their careers running along the beach was apparently too much to resist.

    The cast will also include Jerry Springer, NSYNC’s Chris Kirkpatrick, wrestler Chris Jericho, Mark Cuban, and Ann Coulter.

    But to the point: How has Sharknado lasted this long? They certainly didn’t expect to. Back in 2013, when the first film was coming to SyFy, Sharknado writer Thinder Levin was asked:

    “Has the shark disaster movie run its course, or are we just ramping up?”

    Levin replied:

    “It’s called Sharknado. I think the shark genre has reached its natural and logical conclusion.”

    But Levin described the plot of the film with a straight face, insinuating that such a thing just might be feasible.

    “In the movie an unprecedented hurricane sweeps up the Pacific coast from Mexico towards L.A. driving all the sharks in this part of the ocean before it. The hurricane floods the streets of L.A., which is woefully unprepared for a hurricane. (Up to this point, it’s all fairly accurate and something we should be thinking about, disaster preparedness-wise). Naturally these floodwaters are filled with sharks! And then, as often happens, the hurricane spins off tornadoes over the ocean. As anyone would expect, the tornadoes suck up thousands of sharks. This all just seems like common sense to me…”

    Levin also warned Glenn Beck not to be “one of those sharknado deniers,” saying, “it could happen anywhere, really.”

    Then MSNBC got a full dose of Levin’s tongue-in-cheek when they asked: “How does someone create something as original as this?”

    Levin’s reply might have some people doing a double take.

    “You know we just felt it was time that the world was alerted to the perils of global warming and bio-meteorology, so it was just a matter of doing our research and getting the facts out to everybody.”

    The fact is, people don’t understand the weather, and they don’t understand climate change. They hear the phrase “global warming,” but see the snow falling deeper and more frequently than ever. The idea of freak weather and climate events is just not that far out of the realm of possibility.

    Does that mean that people actually believe that a “sharknado” could happen? No. But it does mean that this idea came along at jsut the sort of time that it could possibly have made it three films deep.