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 The headlines are sobering: 2014
was the hottest year on record – and the last 10 years are the hottest decade since
we began taking readings! The trend is clear, since WWII, mankind has grown in
population and economy, dumping fossil fuels into the atmosphere without
penalty.
The vast majority of those
who study climate say the Earth is in a long term warming trend that is
profoundly threatening and caused almost entirely by human activities.
They expect the heat to get much worse over coming decades, but already it is
killing forests around the world, driving plants and animals to extinction,
melting land ice and causing seas to rise at an accelerating pace. (NY Times,
Jan 17, 2015)
"These higher air and
ocean temperatures 'speed up' the water cycle, leading to increased droughts
and floods, more intense rainfall, and potentially stronger hurricanes and
typhoons. These changes to our weather and climate affect not only the
environment, but all of us, forcing us to either adapt to these more extreme
periods of heat, floods and drought, or to suffer the consequences. When
will this trend end? Only when we resolve to stop dumping excessive greenhouse
gasses into the atmosphere."
David
Titley, director for Center for Solutions to Weather and Climate Risk, Penn
State University
 We do see national commitments coming from around
the world to reduce CO2 emissions and pledges to achieve Net Zero greenhouse
gas emissions. The World Bank, International Union of Architects, numerous cities
and Pope Francis are calling for the end of fossil fuels by 2050 [ed: GENI.org version]. This will
be hard – and it is what is wanted and needed to avert further climate
consequences. What is your commitment?
In Partnership for the Planet, |
