Why is climate important, and why do we need to focus on the immediate climate change crisis? To answer this question, we must understand global warming. Climate change is not an overnight process but rather a period of change. Climate change has always been a part of the earth’s history as it marked significant transitions of humankind.
Future generations built their foundation from the earth’s natural resources. Climate change that took place once every few decades is now rapidly increasing due to the large consumptions of fossil fuels. The emissions released in the atmosphere due to fossil fuels consumptions are one of the leading causes of global warming.
Read About The Top Stories On Climate Change In 2021
In 2018 an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change presented a report that warned us to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The report estimates the current rise of 0.2 degrees Celsius of anthropogenic global warming. The report also indicates massive human indulgence as the cause of 1.0 degrees Celsius of global warming.
- Greece – One of the deadliest heatwaves to hit Greece, with temperatures soaring to 117F for more than a week. The heatwave turned into a lethal wildfire that claimed the forests in Evia, Peloponnese, Attica, and Athens. While many species of wildlife and forests succumbed to the wildfire, twenty people were injured and two killed. Evia is also the second-largest island of Greece, where 580 fires spread in the area.
- Spain – A snowstorm that cost nearly 1.4 billion euros hit Spain earlier in January while claiming the lives of four individuals. Storm Filomena has broken weather records since 1971 in the form of a historic blizzard. According to the New York Times, the heaviest snowfall since 1971 hit Madrid, causing damage worth billions. The storm lasted for days, resulting in over 50 cm of unusual snowfall.
- Texas – Immense snowfall causing temperatures to drop to -13 degrees Celsius in thirty-two years. The nightmare that left Texans amid electricity cuts in freezing temperatures. The lethal deep freeze claimed the lives of hundreds of Texans while leaving others to fend for themselves in the dark. The area most affected was the heart of the West Texas shale region in Midland. The snowstorm cost $196.5 billion, breaking the record of the costliest snowstorm.
- Canada – Experts have identified the climate change crisis as the cause behind Canada’s heatwave. The heatwave lasted for over five days and claimed the lives of 569 people. A “heat dome” traps hot ocean air that causes a heatwave. The La Niña is a complex weather pattern combined with high-pressure atmospheric conditions to cause the historic heatwave.
Climate is a documented weather pattern of a particular area. Data is collected over thirty years to determine the climate. These results then help in identifying various locations based on weather patterns. When this climate changes at a much higher speed, it becomes a cause for concern. Some of these concerns are listed above as natural disasters.
In 2021 we are witnessing unprecedented weather conditions that have rendered many of their lives. Studies have claimed human indulgence to be the leading factor in global warming resulting in millions of deaths worldwide. Presumably, it is time to take a step back and evaluate our methods of sustenance.
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