[inaudible conversations] good morning. The committee will come to order. We are here today to discuss the outlook for the 2019 wildfire season. As we know, its underway, certainly underway in my state. I know its underway in washington state, california most certainly, and weve all received [inaudible] yeah. West virginia, youre okay right now. But if you look at that map, that red in the southwest is something to Pay Attention to as well. Excuse me. Last week the National Interagency fire center released its monthly wildland fire potential outlook for june through september, and despite relief from the oppressive Drought Conditions this past winter, analysts predict elevated wildfire activity in california, oregon and washington among other areas in the country. Some of the stage is set for fire activity similar to indescribable damage and the staggering loss of life that we saw last year in northern california. We watched in horror as the camp fire engulfed the town of paradise, kil
Increase in Co2 Concentrations in the atmosphere. The link between c02 and rising temperatures is well established and this year Global Temperatures got an extra boost thanks to el nino, which brings warmer water to the surface of parts of the tropical pacific. That explains why february was 1. 77 degrees warmer than preindustrial temperatures, and why global average temperatures hit a record 1. 55 degrees above preindustrial levels over the last 12 months. It means we have temporarily at least breached the 1. 5 degrees threshold the world agreed to try and limit Temperature Rise to, to avoid the worst impacts of Climate Change. February 2024 was the warmest february on record globally, with an average temperature of 13. 54 degrees, above the 1991 2020 temperature. While this is remarkable, because, for instance, it is a tenth of a degree warmer than the warmest previous february, which was 2016, its not really surprising, because this has been the el nino year, where temperatures tend
From the old bailey, heres daniel sandford. The subject of a nationwide manhunt, this was Constance Marten and Mark Gordon Injanuary last this was Constance Marten and mark gordon in january last year, this was Constance Marten and Mark Gordon Injanuary last year, as they tried to evade the authorities following the birth of their newborn baby, victoria, who they were worried would be taken into care like their previous four children. On the 1st of march last year, police found victorias body in a shopping bag in a shed on a brighton allotment. Today, Constance Marten gave evidence in the witness box at the old bailey, are weeping as she said she and mark gordon love their children more than anything in the world. Asked if she had been crawl to baby victoria, Constance Marten said. Talking quietly and with a very well spoken accent, she described how she became estranged from her wealthy family because of a traumatic event in her childhood, arguments over her grandmothers will and beca
A member of this alliance. But even once that decision was made, none of this was easy, none of this was obvious. It has taken nearly three years of tireless diplomacy, together with extraordinary Secretary General of nato to achieve ratification by every nato member. Again, the determination of swedens leadership, the extraordinary diplomacy it has exerted, making sure every question was answered, every challenge met, every obstacle overcome, that is what brought us to today. Now, some doubted we would get here, we never did. Here we are. This of course is also built on an extraordinary foundation of partnership between sweden and nato that goes back many years. Sweden has long been an active partner with nato allies, training together, exercising, working together. Fundamentally, the reason this is such a strong powerful fit is because sweden embodies and promotes the core values that are at the heart of nato. Democracy, liberty, the rule of law. And it also brings unique capabilitie