Can wild turkeys survive climate change?

Presented by Equinor: Your guide to the political forces shaping the energy transformation

Nov 23, 2022 View in browser   By Daniel Cusick and Arianna Skibell Presented by Equinor A flock of wild turkeys moves through a yard in Zelienople, Pa. | Keith Srakocic/AP Photo How long does it take to cook a wild turkey? It depends who you ask. A chef will suggest popping that bird in the oven for about two hours. Scientists, on the other hand, say it could be decades before North American turkeys are climatologically cooked. "We know climate change will impact all of our game bird species," Tim Lyons, an upland game researcher with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, told me for this story. "What we don't know is what these habitats are going to look like in 40 to 60 years," he said. "We should probably be thinking about that now instead of waiting until something happens." Native wild turkeys are tough birds. They survived European settlement, the clearing of North America's native forests, the rise of industrial agriculture and unfettered hunting through the early 20th century.   But in the last 17 years, the nation's wild turkey population has declined by 15 percent, or 1 million birds. Today, there are an estimated 6.5 million turkeys nationwide, a number that wildlife experts, conservation groups and hunting advocates are closely watching. Droughts, fires, and forests dying from pests and disease are squeezing many wild turkey populations, particularly in the West, said Mark Hatfield, national director of conservation for the National Wild Turkey Federation. And losing those habitats will only be compounded by warming temperatures. The decline in turkey populations isn't necessarily a catastrophe yet, Hatfield said. While wild turkeys are seeing their sharpest drops in the Southeast, a traditional stronghold, other regional populations are holding steady or even seeing some growth. Still, some of the fastest-growing turkey states are in cooler-climate places like Minnesota, Michigan, Maine and even Canada, which brings its own set of risks. Turkeys follow food, and the primary barrier to food is deep snow. One unseasonal blizzard can wipe out a growing flock. "If we're unable to maintain a climate-resilient ecosystem, there's no question turkeys will be negatively impacted," said Hatfield, who's family will have wild turkey for Thanksgiving on Thursday. His uncle shot it about 5 miles from his grandmother's Kentucky farm. Bon appétit.   It's Wednesday — thank you for tuning in to POLITICO's Power Switch. I'm your host,  Arianna Skibell.  Power Switch is brought to you by the journalists behind E&E News and POLITICO Energy. Send your tips, comments, questions to  askibell@eenews.net. PROGRAMMING NOTE: We'll be off for Thanksgiving this Thursday and Friday but back to our normal schedule Monday, Nov. 28.   A message from Equinor: The energy transition is the defining opportunity of our time. We all have a role to play. At Equinor, we're doing our part by growing our renewable energy portfolio and lowering emissions from production. By the time the global population reaches 9 billion in 2050, our goal is to have net-zero emissions. Discover more about Equinor at www.equinor.com/USA.   Listen to today's POLITICO Energy podcast Today in POLITICO Energy's podcast: Catherine Morehouse breaks down the politics behind a stalled Minnesota mining project that would deliver the critical minerals needed for clean energy technology. Russia's war The G-7 will announce a price cap on Russian oil. | Hannes P Albert/Pool/AFP via Getty Images The G-7 is preparing to announce a price cap of $65-70 per barrel of Russian oil, according to people familiar with the negotiations, write Barbara Moens and Jakob Hanke Vela. EU ambassadors were discussing the proposal today, as they have to sign off on the plan as soon as possible. The EU embargo on Russian oil kicks in on Dec. 5. Bloomberg later reported that the talks had "bogged down" but were continuing.   A message from Equinor:   Power Centers A researcher stands next to a glacier in Taylor Valley, Antarctica, last month. | Mike Scott/NZ Herald/AP Photos Hunt for the world's oldest ice A team of scientists will travel to the bottom of the world this week to search for the oldest ice on the planet, writes Chelsea Harvey. Finding an ancient ice core could help scientists prepare for the planet's climate future by providing insight into how the planet reacted the last time its atmosphere held high levels of carbon dioxide. Utility hesitation A new system of sensors can provide grid operators with real-time data on wind, temperature and humidity conditions, key information for boosting clean energy capacity, writes Peter Behr. But U.S. utilities have not welcomed this new technology, which could increase a line's power-carrying capacity by up to 44 percent. The reason is part bureaucracy, part apprehension — and part the utilities' bottom line. Subsidy war chest Europe is gearing up to launch an emergency subsidy push in an effort to stop the continent's industrial sector from being wiped out by U.S. rivals, write Jakob Hanke Vela and Barbara Moens . Europe is facing a double hammer blow from the U.S. as energy prices remain high due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine while Washington rolls out the domestic subsidies included in President Joe Biden's $369 billion climate law. in other news The sun. | NASA via Getty Images Dimming the sun to cool the planet? The scientists who study solar geoengineering don't want anyone to try it. But climate inaction is making it more likely. Russia-Ukraine war: Power outages have been reported across Ukraine after a new wave of strikes.   POLITICO APP USERS: UPGRADE YOUR APP BY DECEMBER 19! We recently upgraded the POLITICO app with a fresh look and improved features for easier access to POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Starting December 19, users will no longer have access to the previous version of the app. Update your app today to stay on top of essential political news, insights, and analysis from the best journalists in the business. UPDATE iOS APP – UPDATE ANDROID APP .     Subscriber Zone A showcase of some of our best subscriber content. Electricians installing solar panels on a house in Goodyear, Ariz. | AP Photo/Matt York, File Arizona regulators are delaying a vote on a community solar program, raising questions about how political shifts on the state utility commission will affect clean energy. Goldman Sachs has agreed to pay $4 million to settle SEC charges over how it constructed investment products on environmental, social and governance issues. Sonia Aggarwal,  one of Biden's  top climate aides and an instrumental player in shaping the president's climate goals, has left the White House. That's it for today, folks. Thanks for reading, and happy Thanksgiving!   A message from Equinor: The energy transition is the defining opportunity of our time. Our world needs energy to keep moving forward — but it must be affordable, reliable, and accessible. We all have a role to play. At Equinor, we're doing our part by helping accelerate the energy transition. We're growing our renewable energy portfolio and lowering emissions from production. We're already on the way to powering 2,000,000 New York homes with energy from the Empire Wind and Beacon Wind offshore wind projects. We're creating jobs, building tomorrow's infrastructure, and sparking new economic activity. But for us, that's only the beginning. By the time the global population reaches 9 billion in 2050, our goal is to have net-zero emissions. Discover more about Equinor at http://www.equinor.com/USA.     Mark your calendar! The fourth annual edition of the Future Sustainability Week will take place from November 29 to December 1. Take part in discussions about the most current and pressing sustainability policies together with our expert speakers. Join this three-day-long summit, either in Brussels or online, by  registering today !       Follow us on Twitter Arianna Skibell @ariannaskibell   Follow us

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