Are We Screwed?

It is no longer a question if we are experiencing climate change, we are in it and we have a choice of how severe it can get, according to the IPCC.

Recently, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [IPCC report] released the 2018 report. At the rate of our current greenhouse gas emissions, the global temperature is projected to increase by 1.5ºC between 2030 and 2052. The goal proposed by this report is to reduce these emissions as to not surpass a 1.5ºC increase. The more threatening higher projection of a 2ºC increase can cause damage to marine biodiversity, fisheries, and ecosystems, and their services to humans. If the average temperature increases to 1.5ºC, the IPCC and other reports predict permanent changes.

These changes include extreme water level rise that swallow cities, specifically in underdeveloped countries if we continue with current practices. This report, and similar ones, have also talked about how the frequency and severity of natural disasters will increase in response to climate change. We can already see evidence of this in wildfires in the US. Even more recently, the number of California wildfires is increasing, along with the severity. The number of acres burned per year in Millions for 1950 was only around 0.5, and as of 2017, that number is now up to more than 1.4 with scientists saying climate change will cause them to become more extreme and prevalent.

The main point addressed is that by 2030 we need to cut emissions in HALF and become carbon neutral by 2050 in order to not exceed the 1.5ºC increase. Carbon neutral means making CO2 emissions net zero through offsetting processes -- such as planting trees (which take up CO2).

This sounds scary, because it is scary. Climate change is thought to be a future generations problem, but it is happening NOW. There is hope since we have the resources and ability to address this issue still. We need to educate our friends, neighbors, governments, or anyone else who lives on the planet, so they are aware of what is happening. Once people know about an issue and the severity of the issue, actions can and will be made towards helping fix it. Each small step towards a sustainable life adds up when millions of people act.

How do we know all of this?

IPCC Report

California Fires

Blog post by Energy and Climate Committee.