By Staff
May 12th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
Global heating is likely to soar past internationally agreed limits, according to a Guardian survey of hundreds of leading climate experts, bringing catastrophic heatwaves, floods and storms.
Only 6% of the respondents thought the 1.5C limit could be achieved, and this would require extraordinarily fast, radical action to halt and reverse the world’s rising emissions from fossil fuel burning.
However, the experts were clear that giving up was not an option, and that 1.5C was not a cliff-edge leading to a significant change in climate damage. Instead, the climate crisis increases incrementally, meaning every tonne of CO2 avoided reduces people’s suffering.
We have yet to hear, read or be aware of an occasion when the Burlington MPP, Natalie Pierre spoke of Climate Change and what the provincial government was doing about an world wide emergency. For MPP Pierre, the photo op is the medium she chooses to get her massage out. Just what is the message?
The task climate researchers have dedicated themselves to is to paint a picture of the possible worlds ahead. From experts in the atmosphere and oceans, energy and agriculture, economics and politics, the mood of almost all those the Guardian heard from was grim. And the future many painted was harrowing: famines, mass migration, conflict. “I find it infuriating, distressing, overwhelming,” said one expert, who chose not to be named. “I’m relieved that I do not have children, knowing what the future holds,” said another.
“Climate change will not suddenly become dangerous at 1.5C – it already is – and it will not be ‘game over’ if we pass 2C, which we might well do,” said Prof Peter Cox, of the University of Exeter, in the UK.
Dr Henri Waisman, at the IDDRI policy research institute in France, said: “Climate change is not a black or white question and every tenth of a degree matters a lot, especially when you look at the socioeconomic impacts. This means it is still useful to continue the fight.”
Out of control fire burns in southeast Manitoba -May 8th, 2024
The scientists’ responses to the survey provide informed opinions on critical questions for the future of humanity. How hot will the world get, and what will that look like? Why is the world failing to act with anything remotely like the urgency needed? Is it, in fact, game over, or must we fight on? They also provide a rare glimpse into what it is like to live with this knowledge every day.
The climate crisis is already causing profound damage as the average global temperature has reached about 1.2C above the preindustrial average over the last four years. But the scale of future impacts will depend on what happens – or not – in politics, finance, technology and global society, and how the Earth’s climate and ecosystems respond.
The data reflects something we are all responsible for.
It is not as if we didn’t know – we have always known – we just aren’t at the point where we fully realize how much trouble we are in. Hopefully then we will begin to make smarter decisions and not panic and do really really stupid things. Do you know what the Provincial Climate Warming Plan is ?
And with the very real possibility of a Conservative government with no concern or plan re climate change, things will just get worse..
We need to really think about what kind of policies we will get with Poilievre at the helm….just look at what Conservative Doug Ford tried to do with our farmland and a new highway that is not wanted and to say nothing of the diminished role of the Power of the Conservation Authority.