Welcome back to our weekly climate newsletter. 

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has reportedly placed dozens of members of the Federal Emergency Management Agency on administrative leave.

The move came after they signed a letter to Congress warning that FEMA's capacity to respond to a major disaster was dangerously diminished. 

Released ahead of today's 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the letter alleged that the nation's top disaster relief agency is acting to reverse critical progress made since the deadly Category 3 storm hit the city of New Orleans.

"Our shared commitment to our country, our oaths of office, and our mission of helping people before, during, and after disasters compel us to warn Congress and the American people of the cascading effects of decisions made by the current administration," the more than 180 employees said on Monday, the majority of whom remained anonymous.

Since then, the number of signees has grown to 191, with 35 people named. 

By Tuesday some of the employees who had signed the letter had received notice informing them they had been placed on administrative leave, operating "in a non-duty status while continuing to receive pay and benefits," according to documents seen by The Associated Press.

The leave was effective immediately, the outlet reported, though the notice said the decision "is not a disciplinary action and is not intended to be punitive."

Acting Press Secretary Daniel Llargues previously told The Independent that the department was committed to "ensuring FEMA delivers for the American people."

"I am not surprised that some of the same bureaucrats who presided over decades of inefficiency are now objecting to reform; including many who worked under the Biden Administration to turn FEMA into the bureaucratic nightmare it is today," Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told Fox News Digital on Thursday. "I refuse to accept that FEMA red tape should stand between an American citizen suffering and the aid they desperately need."

And just one extra note: Reader nominations for our Climate 100 list close on August 31. Submit your unsung climate hero using this form. For a fuller explanation of the list see a little further down this newsletter.

Employees at the Federal Emergency Management Agency who signed an open letter criticizing the government have been put on administrative leave, according to reports. (The Associated Press)

Europe experienced its worst wildfire season on record this year

By Menelaos Hadjicostis

Hawaii coral reefs at risk due to sewage contamination

By Julia Musto

Nearly 80% of whale sharks in tourism hotspot have human-caused scars

By Stuti Mishra

Julia's must reads

The Independent is back with our Climate 100 List for the second year running.

We're once again asking our readers to get involved and nominate your unsung climate hero – someone who has made a significant contribution to protecting the environment through their work and deserves to be properly recognized for it. 

The list will be published next month, during the United Nations' Summit of the Future in New York, part of the 16th annual Climate Week NYC.

Submit your nominations for The Independent's Climate 100 List using this form – and stay tuned: the full list lands in mid-September.

The razor-sharp teeth that give sharks their cutting edge may be eroding 

– and humans are to blame.

Oceans are becoming more acidic due to rising carbon dioxide levels, making shark teeth structurally weaker and more prone to break.

The apex predators rely on their bites for survival, and losing them could pose a great risk to their survival in a warming world. Other animals may also be affected.

"It's a reminder that climate change impacts cascade through entire food webs and ecosystems," Maximilian Baum, a biologist at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, said.

CLIMATE IN NUMBERS

12

Exposure to heat waves over just two years could add up to a dozen extra days of age-related health damage

Employees at the Federal Emergency Management Agency who signed an open letter criticizing the government have been put on administrative leave, according to reports. (The Associated Press)

The Independent has launched a project to investigate the impact of foreign aid cuts on the developing world. The project receives funding from the Gates Foundation. All of the journalism is editorially independent.

FEATURED

Rohingya refugees face uncertain future 8 years after fleeing Myanmar: 'Are our lives not as important?'

By Alisha Rahaman Sarkar 

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