The Washington Post's Sarah Kaplan's article discusses and highlights the alarming state of the planet due to climate change. Extreme weather events such as heavy rainfall, heatwaves, and wildfires are occurring at an unprecedented rate.
Scientists assert that these events are unequivocally linked to climate change and will continue to worsen as global temperatures rise.
Kaplan emphasizes that the world is far from addressing the issue effectively and must drastically transform transportation, energy production, and food systems to mitigate further global warming.
The impacts of climate change are evident in various parts of the world, including floods in India and Japan, wildfires in Canada, and heatwaves in the United States and Europe. The connection between climate change and these disasters is well-established, and the need for urgent action is emphasized.
Kaplan mentions the role of warmer oceans in fueling hurricanes and disrupting ecosystems, particularly around Antarctica. Despite the scientific consensus and warnings from experts, carbon dioxide emissions reached a record high in recent years, and governments continue to approve fossil fuel projects that hinder climate goals. The author hopes that the growing severity of climate-related events will finally awaken society to the urgent need for action.
Kaplan emphasizes that human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, have caused a 1.2-degree Celsius (2.2 Fahrenheit) increase in Earth's temperature above preindustrial levels. If significant changes are not made in how we travel, generate energy, and produce food, the global average temperature could increase by over 3 degrees Celsius (5.4 Fahrenheit), leading to catastrophic consequences.
Kaplan interviewed multiple climate scientists who stress the urgency of addressing climate change. They explain that the current extreme weather events are not the new normal but rather a glimpse into a future that will be far worse if fossil fuel consumption continues. The return of the El Niño weather pattern and the arrival of summer in the Northern Hemisphere exacerbate the current season of simultaneous extremes.
The impacts of extreme rainfall and droughts are highlighted, emphasizing that poorer countries are often hit hardest by these events due to limited resources to cope. The article underscores that extreme weather on land is matched by scorching conditions in the world's oceans, with record-high sea surface temperatures. The warming and acidification of oceans have dire consequences for marine ecosystems, including coral reefs and fisheries.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) calls for countries to significantly reduce emissions by the end of the decade and eliminate planet-warming pollution by the middle of the century. However, global carbon dioxide emissions reached a record high last year, and new fossil fuel projects are being approved, making it difficult to achieve climate goals.
As Kaplan stresses: "The alarm bells are ringing for us."
(This article was summarized by ChatGPT)
Source: The Washington Post
https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/floods-fires-and-deadly-heat-are-the-alarm-bells-of-a-planet-on-the-brink/ar-AA1dMSkx
