Quick, easy-to-follow round-up here >
https://theconversation.com/6-reasons-why-global-temperatures-are-spiking-right-now-215140
And some more details, for October specifically >
https://www.theclimatebrink.com/p/october-on-track-to-smash-prior-monthly
Another excellent write-up of the latest science, with some simple but startling graphs >
https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/advance-article/doi/10.1093/biosci/biad080/7319571?login=false
Me: Please summarise the following conclusion, suitable for a science class of 15 year olds
ChatGPT: Global warming is causing increasingly severe problems, including the possibility of societal breakdown. By the end of the century, 3 to 6 billion people, a significant portion of the world's population, may face unlivable conditions due to severe heat, limited food, and high mortality rates caused by climate change.
To tackle these issues, we need to see climate change as a systemic, existential threat rather than just an environmental problem. It's just one part of a broader environmental crisis that includes biodiversity loss, water scarcity, and pandemics. We should address the root causes of ecological overshoot, which results from excessive human demand on Earth's resources.
To do this, we must challenge the idea of endless growth and overconsumption, advocating for resource conservation, waste reduction, and a circular economy. Prioritizing human well-being, sustainability, and climate justice is essential. We should transform the global economy to achieve a fair distribution of resources and stabilize the human population through voluntary family planning and women's education.
These changes require significant transformations but can be achieved through gradual yet significant steps. Scientists emphasize that extreme weather events are already happening, and we need immediate action to prevent further warming. Focusing on both carbon reduction and ecological overshoot is crucial for the long-term survival of our planet and all its inhabitants. This is our moment to make a significant, lasting impact and create a legacy of positive change.
Me: please summarise for a brief statement to parliament
ChatGPT: "Honorable members of Parliament, it is imperative that we address the escalating global warming crisis with urgency. We are facing severe consequences, including extreme weather events, food and water shortages, and potential societal breakdown. To safeguard our future, we must transition to sustainable practices, reduce resource consumption, prioritize human well-being and climate justice, and work towards a fair distribution of resources. Our actions now will determine the fate of our planet and future generations. Let us rise to the challenge with determination and courage to create a legacy of positive change."
(for fullsize graph: rightclick - open image in new tab)
Katharine Hayhoe( twitter): Talking Climate - How to Catalyze Change in a Warming World (University of Vienna) from 24 mins to 50 mins (followed by a Q&A) ...
This year has been marked by record-breaking weather and climate extremes. Its relentless heatwaves, uncontrollable wildfires and unprecedented floods are fueling a growing concern for our shared future.
Climate anxiety often leaves us feeling overwhelmed and powerless; paralyzed rather than activated.
How can we overcome this impasse to catalyze transformative action?
Join Katharine as she discusses how sharing information that not only underscores the imminent risks of inaction but also highlights the potential of attainable, effective solutions can power constructive and collective action.
We're gonna need a cooler planet ... things aren't letting up, and 2024 promises to be even hotter ...
If you have coral reefs on your bucket list, best to go snorkelling in the next few months! 🤿
https://www.ft.com/content/3041e388-f1a5-4bee-a756-fa58e8fd639c?sharetype=blocked
https://twitter.com/LeonSimons8/status/1722492767786422564?s=20
Peppered with c-bombs from the start!
Hope?
TLDR; by ChatGPT >
The 2015 Paris agreement advocated for temperature increases to remain "well below 2°C", citing escalating risks of extreme weather, rising sea levels, and ecological damage beyond this threshold. The urgent quest to limit global warming to 1.5°C remains technically possible, but the practical likelihood of achieving this goal is rapidly diminishing.
2023 might be the warmest year on record, with numerous days surpassing the 1.5°C benchmark. Despite intermittent emissions reductions, the needed 43% drop in greenhouse gases by 2030 remains elusive, with emissions only marginally decreasing yearly since 2015.
Encouragingly, renewable energy adoption is rapidly growing, yet significant leaps in policy, technology, and societal action are needed to accelerate the shift away from fossil fuels and mitigate the impending climate crisis. We need swift and aggressive measures to triple renewable energy capacity and reduce energy intensity to safeguard the 1.5°C goal and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2023/11/can-we-still-avoid-1-5-degrees-c-of-global-warming/
Meanwhile ...
While emotions can spur support for climate policies, they also risk overwhelming people, leading to inaction or distress. The challenge lies in linking emotional responses to actionable plans. Scientists who previously aimed for objectivity are now expressing their emotions to convey the gravity of the situation, as a moral obligation to warn humanity (despite facing accusations of alarmism).
There is a need for collective responsibility, urging an end to fossil fuel usage and advocating for renewable energy. Improved communication is vital, but the core issue lies in political inaction over the fossil fuel industry's impact, despite decades of clear warnings.
https://atmos.earth/climate-scientists-fear-the-uncharted-territory-earth-has-entered/
35 mins, so one to WATCH LATER >
Cinematic-style trailer to accompany the latest UN Emissions Gap Report 2023 >
Excellent animation: https://twitter.com/hausfath/status/1726675379237294507?s=20
Fossil fuels need to stay in the ground, so the best way for Mr Average to facilitate this is to VOTE!
I still think we need global co-operation to force all manufacturers to take back what they produce, so all items include the cost of recycling built-in. This would have huge implications - prices, particularly of electronics, would rise massively, encouraging repair and re-use. Recycling would become a major growth sector for jobs and economies, along with large investments in R&D for sustainable methodology (doughnut economics).
When our (grand-)kids ask why we didn't do more, here are the best of the modest practical changes we can make, cos, science, innit? > Quantifying the potential for climate change mitigation of consumption options
(right-click, to open images in new tab)
🖤
