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Rising temperatures due to greenhouse gas emissions will fundamentally change electricity consumption patterns in Europe. A team of scientists from Germany and the United States now analyzed what unchecked future warming means for Europe's electricity demand: daily peak loads in Southern Europe will likely increase and overall consumption will shift from Northern Europe to the South. Further, the majority of countries will see a shift of temperature-driven annual peak demand from winter to summer by the end of this century. This would put additional strain on European power grids, the study now published in the renowned US journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) suggests.

"It is fascinating to see how the response of electricity consumption to temperature changes is similar across European countries' peak and total electricity use seem to be smallest on days with a maximum temperature of about 22C (72F), and increases when this daily maximum temperature either rises or falls," lead author Leonie Wenz from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) explains. "We use this common characteristic as a basis for estimating future electricity consumption under climate change - that is beyond the current temperature range. That way, those European countries that are already experiencing very hot temperatures today serve as examples for the future of cooler countries. It turns out that electricity demand in Europe will shift from countries like Sweden or Norway to countries like Portugal or Spain. Concurrently, the annual peak load will shift from winter to summer in most countries."

Using hourly electricity data across 35 countries

"Quantifying the connection between heat and human behavior is at the frontier of climate change research. There now is ample evidence that when it's hot outside, air quality suffers, people are more stressed, aggressive, violent and less productive, mortality and crime rates rise. All sectors of the economy are affected by thermal stress, from the residential to the commercial, agricultural to the industrial sector. The main adaptation mechanism available to humans to combat high outdoor temperatures is a cooled indoor built environment, which in most settings requires the consumption of significant amounts of electricity. This increased demand for air conditioning will put pressure on electricity grids when it is hot outside and generation and transmission infrastructure are already strained," co-author Max Auffhammer from the University of California, Berkeley, adds.

The study is the first to use observed hourly electricity data across 35 European countries - which are connected by the world's largest synchronous electrical grid - to estimate how climate change impacts the intensity of peak-load events and overall electricity consumption. While previous work on the relationship between temperature and electricity consumption primarily focused on the US or single European countries and the overall consumption impacts, recent research suggests that the effects of changes in peak load may be much larger and costlier, putting the focus on times when the power grid is already stressed.

A fundamental challenge for transmission infrastructure and peak-generating capacity

"A few decades ago, no ordinary car in Europe had air conditioning, today almost every automobile has it - the same development will probably happen with buildings in Europe, yet not for reasons of comfort but due to necessity. People will need to cool down their environments to keep up their life and economic productivity," co-author Anders Levermann from PIK and Columbia University in New York concludes.

While the study indicates that the projected effect of climate change on European electricity consumption as a whole is nearly zero, the shift in spatial as well as seasonal electricity consumption will be a fundamental challenge for Europe, he argues: "This will have important ramifications for the transmission infrastructure, peak-generating capacity and storage requirements - to adapt to the warming that is already unavoidable due to past greenhouse gas emissions. The easiest way to limit the impacts of climate change remains to keep the Paris climate guardrail, that is to limit the temperature increase to well below 2 degrees Celsius."

Explore further: Climate change may overload US electrical grid: study

More information: Leonie Wenz el al., "Northsouth polarization of European electricity consumption under future warming," PNAS (2017). http://www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1704339114

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Electricity consumption in Europe will shift under climate change - Phys.Org

To say Lisa McConnell has been busy since the first of August is an understatement.

On that day, she took the reins from Jeff Kubel in her first day as Temeculas new chief of police.

I have not slowed down since the day I was promoted, which I love, she said.

Still, she carved out time to discuss her background, experience and priorities.

Q: Youre a Riverside County native?

A: Yes, I moved from Riverside to Murrieta in 2001.

Q: What excites you most about stepping into this new role?

A: I have a passion for policing and want to make a positive difference in the lives of the residents of our community. Im excited to interact with a diverse group of people within the Temecula area and encourage the men and women of the Temecula Police Department to be more engaged with the community.

Q: Can you share your top priorities for your tenure as chief of police?

A: We were just named the 13th safest city in the country and have routinely been ranked one of the safest cities.

I want to focus on maintaining that reputation while improving the communication, trust and partnership we have with the citizens we serve.

Engaging with the community is one of my top priorities. I would like to increase our involvement with the Boys and Girls Club, our Police Activity League and other community groups.

Q: Why did you choose to pursue graduate level studies psychology?

A: I obtained my bachelors degree in psychology before I joined the Sheriffs Department. I was interested in pursuing a career in counseling but, as fate would have it, I went into law enforcement.

Q: What value do you think that education brings to your work?

A: Understanding human behavior has helped me as a deputy on patrol and as a crisis negotiator.

Q: You sit on the board of directors of the nonprofit group project T.O.U.C.H. (Together Our Unity Conquers Homelessness). Do you see issues around homelessness as a priority moving forward?

A: Ive been involved with helping the homeless population since 2008. Being homeless is not a crime.

However, when we get complaints from concerned citizens about a homeless person, we respond to determine if a crime has been committed.

If we find the person is engaging in criminal activity such as trespassing, public intoxication, theft, vandalism, public urination, etc. we enforce the law and make arrests when possible.

But, if there is no violation of the law, our only option is to offer a homeless person resources to try to help them up and out of their homeless situation.

Q: How do you do that?

A: Our police department created a team to work on the issue of homelessness by reassigning four of our Problem Oriented Policing officers to a Homeless Outreach Team.

The Homeless Outreach Team works closely with the homeless and the citys pantry vendor, Community Mission of Hope.

The team employs a two-pronged approach: 1. a zero-tolerance stance on crime, and 2. a concerted effort to get law abiding homeless people the resources they need.

My involvement with Project Touch has helped me identify the many resources available to assist with the homeless population.

Q: Is there a goal you hope to achieve as chief of police?

A: My hope is we become more involved in our community. I believe community-oriented policing is effective.

I encourage neighborhood watch groups, and enjoy providing training and education to children, teens, families and seniors on various topics.

Q: Who, or what, inspires you?

A: Im inspired by survivors who are able to get back up, pick up the pieces and use the situation as a learning experience. These people refuse to let their circumstances define them.

Email: temecula@sduniontribune.com

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New chief talks about her background, experience and priorities - The San Diego Union-Tribune

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Education, Health and Human Behaviors diverse programming offers students powerful learning opportunities that are not readily available elsewhere, Interim Dean Paul Rose said.

In his interim role as leader of the school, Rose is focused on working collectively with faculty and staff to orient academic programs around student needs. A key component in fostering student success, he said, is the infusion of experiential learning opportunities into the programming, which covers education, health sciences, and behavioral science.

Students in the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior get a diversity of experiences from our wide range of disciplines, Rose said. We continue to expand opportunities for students through new programming and innovative learning environments.

Were particularly excited about the imminent launch of a public health graduate program, he said. This will add to our health science offerings and allow us to contribute public health leaders to the region. Additionally, our new nutrition laboratory is providing applied learning experiences for students in our growing nutrition program.

The school also prides itself on community engagement activities and outreach clinics that not only create hands-on experiences for students, but also provide tremendous value to members of the community.

Were grateful for the partners we have throughout the region and want to continue to build on those relationships, Rose said. These partnerships allow our students to become involved in the community and apply their knowledge in the field.

Also contributing to student success is the schools emphasis on student mentoring through faculty and professional advising, as well as research supervision.

Through strong mentorships, students are able to get the advice they need to be highly effective in achieving their goals, Rose said. Were enthusiastic about educating citizens who will contribute to their communities and become highly effective employees within the diversity of disciplines that our school represents.

Video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xzob-3xOm5Q&feature=youtu.be

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Diverse programming, experiential learning top of mind for interim dean - AdVantage News

Cries of Nazis, go home! and Shame! Shame! filled the air as Angela King and Tony McAleer stood with other counterprotesters at the recent free speech rally in Boston.

They didnt join the shouting. Their sign spoke for them: There is life after hate.

They know because McAleer and King were once young extremists themselves, before they co-founded the nonprofit Life After Hate to help former white supremacists restart their lives. To hear them talk about their pasts hints at what may be in the minds of those inside the far-right fringe groups whose actions have ignited raw, angry passions across the country. What are people thinking when they spew hate? Are they all true believers? Whats more, how does someone get that way?

The uncovered American faces of white supremacy and neo-Nazism were broadcast on TV and the internet for all to see at the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va., this month, which ended in violence and with one person dead. The forces that drew them there are not new.

Hate groups in the U.S. number 917 and have been on the rise for two years, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. It attributes the trend partly to the attention given to extremist views during the 2016 presidential campaign.

But people dont perceive extremist groups beliefs the same way. The term alt-right referring to a loosely organized group that developed in response to mainstream conservatism and has been associated with white nationalism and anti-Semitism was unknown to a majority of Americans in late 2016, according to a Pew Research Center survey. And familiarity rose in tandem with a respondents education about three-quarters of those with postgraduate degrees recognized the term, as did about 60 percent of college graduates. Among those with only a high school education, about a third had heard the term.

Those who study human behavior attribute hate speech more to deep personality issues than to a diagnosable mental illness. But theyre also intrigued by how the white supremacy movement is rebranding itself for the 21st century. The well-known racist symbols of white robes and hoods or shaved heads and torches have given way to a clean-cut subtlety for the millennial generation. With heightened tensions on all sides, theres a renewed interest in explaining how minds turn toward hate.

Tony McAleer attends the Fight Supremacy! Boston Counter-Protest & Resistance Rally on Boston Common on Aug. 19. McAleer spent 15 years as a recruiter for the White Aryan Resistance before co-founding the nonprofit Life After Hate. (Melissa Bailey/KHN)

I felt power where I felt powerless. I felt a sense of belonging where I felt invisible, McAleer, 49, said of the pull of white nationalism that led him to spend 15 years as a skinhead recruiter and an organizer for the White Aryan Resistance.

I was beaten at an all-boys Catholic school on a regular basis at 10 or 11, said McAleer, a middle-class kid from Canada, which left him with an unhealthy sense of identity.

King, 42, who grew up in rural South Florida, said she turned to white nationalism as a child, first learning racial slurs from her parents. Growing up, she questioned her sexual identity and didnt fit in. At 12, she said, a school bully ripped her shirt open, exposing her training bra and humiliating her in front of her classmates.

At that point, I decided if I became the bully, no one could do that to me, King said. She became a neo-Nazi skinhead at 15, and at 23 went to prison for three years for a hate crime. King had a tattoo of a swastika on her right hand; she has since covered it up with the likeness of a cat.

Young people with a troubled past are especially vulnerable, said psychologist Ervin Staub, of Holyoke, Mass., a professor emeritus at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst who studies social processes that lead to violence.

Why would people join groups like that? It usually involves them finding no other socially acceptable and meaningful ways to fulfill important needs the need for identity; the need for a feeling of effectiveness; the need for a feeling of connection, Staub said. Often, these are people who dont feel like theyve succeeded or had a chance to succeed across normal channels of success in society. They may come from families that are problematic or families where theyre exposed to this kind of extreme views of white superiority and nationalism. If you dont feel you have much influence and power in the world, you get a sense of power from being part of a community and especially a rather militant community.

Angela King participates in a counter-protest during what was billed as a free speech rally in Boston on Aug. 19. King, a former neo-Nazi who went to prison at 23 for three years for a hate crime, co-founded the nonprofit Life After Hate. (Melissa Bailey/KHN)

A 2015 report from the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (known as START) found that former members of violent white supremacist groups showed almost half (45 percent) reporting being the victim of childhood physical abuse and about 20 percent reporting being the victim of childhood sexual abuse.

The study by sociologist Pete Simi of Chapman University in Orange, Calif., suggests that influences on these followers may be related more to the groups social bonds than ideology.

Simi, an expert on violence and extremist groups who has interviewed hundreds of former believers, co-wrote American Swastika: Inside the White Power Movements Hidden Spaces of Hate with sociologist Robert Futrell of the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.

Now that these groups are courting millennials, theyve taken to changing their image, Futrell said.

Its an attempt to distance from the past when the picture in all our minds of a white supremacist was the KKK [Ku Klux Klan] with a hood and cape or a neo-Nazi with a shaved head and tattoos. Thats gone by the wayside over the last decade, he said.

Groups advocating white superiority have always preyed on young, impressionable people who are loners or had a traumatic thing in their background, Futrell said. Whats different now is the range of ways the white power movement is reaching them. The internet is a boon to those who are stigmatized and relatively powerless.

The alt-right has gained power online, as its proponents use Twitter, YouTube and other social media platforms to spread their message. A study last year from George Washington University found that white nationalists are heavy users of Twitter.

Yet while organizing has gone virtual, the power of a real-life crowd also fuels behaviors, said media psychologist Pamela Rutledge, director of the nonprofit Media Psychology Research Center in Newport Beach, Calif.

Theres a long history starting with [psychoanalyst Sigmund] Freud on the impact of crowd behavior and mob mentality, she said. People give up individual identity to support the norm of the group and affiliation with the group and end up behaving in ways they wouldnt otherwise individually.

In such tense conflicts, Futrell said, the natural cues that people use to understand appropriate behavior get skewed.

Its not surprising in a combustible situation, when people are on edge, once an aggressive move is made, it cues to others that its OK, he said. This is the norm at that moment, and they act.

Forensic psychologist Laurence Miller, of Boca Raton, Fla., said theres a misunderstanding about the motivations of those who join fringe groups that they have an ideology and search for a group when, really, its the other way around.

People will pick a belief system that best matches their personalities and their identities, he said.

But he emphasizes that humans are complex.In the Deep South, it was common for otherwise upstanding citizens mayors, sheriffs and judges, among others to be members of the KKK.

You can have people who put on a hood and march with a torch and take their kids to the playground, Miller said.

KHN reporter Melissa Bailey contributed to this story from Boston. It was first published Aug. 24, 2017, by Kaiser Health News.

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Childhood torment, social isolation can turn minds toward hate - The CT Mirror