Opinion Today: The land’s revenge

Climate change lessons from a gaping crater.

View in browser|nytimes.com May 23, 2024 SUPPORTED BY AMERICA MAGAZINE By Eliza Barclay Climate Editor, Opinion From anthrax to mammoth remains, extraordinary materials are being unearthed as vast swaths of frozen land in Arctic regions thaw from global warming. In places like Canada and Alaska, the "slumps" of land caving in as it softens are relatively small. But in Siberia, there's an enormous crater in the permafrost that's widening even faster than anyone thought it would, with its cliff face retreating 40 feet a year, according to a new paper. As the land collapses, we're getting an illuminating look at Siberia's long-vanished animals along with the bodies of Gulag prisoners and other buried secrets of the past. In a guest essay published today, the writer Sophie Pinkham argues that the widening Batagaika crater should serve as a warning to Russia and the rest of the world of the toll of digging up and burning huge quantities of fossil fuels and exploiting the earth for precious minerals. "Permafrost melt is disfiguring land in many of the countries that bear the largest responsibility for the crisis — as if mocking the human error that led them to pillage the oil and minerals in the ground without considering the consequences," she writes. Yet still we behave as if we are undaunted by "the threat of greater disruption still to come with climate change," she notes. Read the guest essay: Katie Orlinsky Guest Essay A Giant Crater in Siberia Is Belching Up Russia's Past A yawning hole in the Siberian landscape should be a warning about the dangers of extraction. By Sophie Pinkham A MESSAGE FROM AMERICA MAGAZINE A Catholic President and a Jesuit Pope How does Joe Biden's Catholic faith influence his politics? How is Pope Francis changing the Catholic Church? Get a Jesuit perspective from America magazine. For over 100 years, America magazine has bridged the gap between the Catholic Church and global issues. With theological essays, political analysis, book reviews and more, America interprets the world for the church and the church for the world. From Congress to the Vatican: Get a smart, refreshing Catholic take on the news. Subscribe for $1 Here's what we're focusing on today: Editors' Picks Pamela Paul What Does Hollywood Owe Its Jewish Founders? The motion picture academy's museum finally acknowledges the industry's debt. By Pamela Paul More From Opinion Guest Essay A Nuclear Iran Has Never Felt More Possible Is 2024 the year that Iran finally decides it can no longer take chances with its security and races to build a nuclear bomb? By John Ghazvinian Guest Essay The 'Trump-Oprah' Voter Many Americans think of Donald Trump as a celebrity first and a politician second, no matter his record or offenses. By Kristen Soltis Anderson Guest Essay Pay Caitlin Clark What She's Worth In addition to being the right thing to do, it would be a sound investment in a league deserving of greater public attention. By Joshua Mendelsohn Forget the Polls, President Biden. Our Readers Have Some Strategy Ideas. Readers told us what they thought was missing from the president's re-election campaign. By Rachel L. Harris and Lisa Tarchak David Wallace-Wells America Is Losing the Green Tech Race to China The Biden administration seems to be in denial about China's staggering advantage. By David Wallace-Wells Western Europe Is Starting to Send a Vital Warning to Israel Netanyahu's government can't ignore what the world is saying about the need for a Palestinian state. By Thomas L. Friedman Does New York City Really Need More Smoke Shops? When it comes to weed, I'm getting cranky. By Neel V. Patel ADVERTISEMENT Damon Winter/The New York Times letters Justice Alito's Blame-the-Wife Defense Readers react to several articles about the upside-down flag flown at the justice's home. Also: The taco court case; G.O.P. denial of benefits; Equinox and equity. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. Games Here are today's Mini Crossword, Wordle and Spelling Bee. If you're in the mood to play more, find all our games here. Forward this newsletter to friends to share ideas and perspectives that will help inform their lives. They can sign up here. Do you have feedback? Email us at opiniontoday@nytimes.com. If you have questions about your Times account, delivery problems or other issues, visit our Help Page or contact The Times. ADVERTISEMENT Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. 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