Climate Action for Associations reposted this
Climate Scientist | Distinguished Professor, Texas Tech | Chief Scientist, The Nature Conservancy | Author, SAVING US
The Earth’s average temperature was more than 1.5°C warmer than preindustrial levels over the last 12 consecutive months. Does that mean we've passed the Paris goal? NO. The global average must be above 1.5°C for more than a decade for that to happen. So what DOES it mean? 1️⃣ With a full year on the board, we're that much closer to the threshold. As one person said: this year is orientation. Do we want to take the course? 2️⃣ This year (which feels very extreme) will be merely an average year at 1.5C. Let that sink in. 😬🔥 Here's the most important thing. 1.5C and even 2C (the Paris agreement actually lists two thresholds) are not magic numbers. We won't be fine if we end up at 1.499, and it won't be all over if we end up at 1.51. What the science says is this: "Every bit of warming matters. Every action matters. Every choice matters." The more carbon we produce, the worse it gets. The faster we cut emissions, the better off we'll all be. The greatest uncertainty in determining how bad it will be is US. Our future is in our hands.
Bruce Pope
2w
Will emission reduction over next 25 years decrease current global av temperatures? If not, then perhaps we had better adapt our forestry, fishery, agricultural and transport methods sometime soon.
The quicker we stop chopping forests and the faster we take actions towards afforestation, the better we will be. Who will absorb the emissions? Just cutting emissions won't be enough. The messaging too has not been right for years. Too one dimensional and narrow.
Will Howard
2w
“Earth's average temperature topped 1.5°C over the last 12 consecutive months.” I don’t think this really what you meant to write (?)
"Does this mean we have passed the Paris goal? NO. The global average must be above 1.5C for more than a decade for that to happen." With this type of logic--obviously wrong, and dangerous when communicated to the broader public--global temperatures during the next 12 months could be 4C, and some "influencers" would still claim the Paris goal is achievable. 🤯 https://www.linkedin.com/posts/keiserrichard_the-last-12-months-have-broken-records-like-activity-7216646175771275265-K3_P
S. I.
2w
ST🛑P V🚫TING ✍️ 4 CLIMATE 🥵 $ SCIENCE 🧪 DENIERS‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️
The world has anyhow to deal with the increasing water and climate related risks. High ambition pathways show that much can be reached in reducing flood risks, improving water security by reducing water use and pollution, restoring wetlands and ecological quality, reducing subsidence and salinization in deltas and coastal zones, improving water efficiency in agriculture, contributing to reducing migration and conflict risks. https://www.pbl.nl/en/publications/geography-of-future-water-challenges
With the combined effect of urban 'heat islands' plus climate change, millions of city dwellers around the world could have already experienced 2C or higher for the last 12 months relative to per-industrial levels. Delhi, India is just one example. Delhi 'unbearable' as temperatures near 50C https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c166xxd4y36o
Oliver Bäte
3d
Thanks for your easy-to-understand synthesis of the situation. As you say, “every action matters.” It is not unlike the basic financial principle of saving early in life to benefit from compound interest. Contributing now to clean energy usage allows us all to benefit from a safer environment, not to mention save money.
Thanks Katharine Hayhoe. The media and marketing world are gradually catching up with this urgent message. But could do ALOT better in influencing human behaviour (every day people in society not just employees) to introduce changes. Reduce meat consumption Shop local Repair shops / teach how to repair Reduce fast fashion Walk/cycle/train Learn how to grow your own food Identify water as a precious resource Reduce ♻️ Reuse ♻️ Repurpose Market Green tech. In fact, shout about it! Whilst tougher reporting standards and legation continue to push through to businesses, the general public can too play a bigger part. That starts with education in schools, responsible advertising, responsible parenting, social media influencers stepping up their game and many more.
Think broader, act deeper, regenerate TODAY ThinkActRegenerate.com
2wKatharine Hayhoe which solutions action sets do you recommend? Project Drawdown? Project Regeneration? Speed and Scale? Rewiring America? What are the design solution approaches you suggest people get involved in? Circular Economy? Regenerative Business? Doughnut Economics?