David Suzuki: We can not hide the consequences of global warming



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In recent months heat records have been broken around the world. At the beginning of July, the temperature in Ouargla, Algeria, reached 51.3 ° C, the highest ever recorded in Africa! Temperatures in the eastern and southwestern United States and in southeastern Canada have also peaked. In Montreal, people were submerged by temperatures of 36.6 ° C, the highest ever recorded, as well as extreme heat and humidity at midnight, an unpleasant experience shared by the people of Ottawa. Dozens of people died of heat-related causes in Quebec alone.

Europe, Eurasia and the Middle East also reached unprecedented temperature records. In northern Siberia, along the Arctic coast, the temperature was over 32 ° C on July 5, much higher than ever.

Abnormally high temperatures in the Arctic melt sea ice, exposing more dark areas to more heat than ice, causing feedback loops. These are exacerbated by melting permafrost releasing more methane and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. American meteorologist and geoscientist Nick Humphrey explains, "The weakening is causing the polar jet to become much more vague, with larger wavelengths. "And the modes of blockage where the waves are seated at the same place for weeks [and] favor extreme weather conditions (extreme cold compared to normal heat, extreme, very wet and drought)."

408 parts per million, global average temperatures have risen by 1.8 C since 1880, Arctic ice is declining by 13.2% per decade, sea level is rising by 3.2 mm a year on average and s & Accelerates as we continue to According to NASA: "Most of the warming has occurred over the last 35 years, 16 of the hottest 17 years ever recorded since 2001. Not only has the world been warmer than it has been in the past 35 years. year 2016 was the hottest ever recorded, but eight of the 12 months of the year, from January to September, with the exception of June, were the hottest recorded for those respective months. "

Equatorial zones are warming, creating drought, water shortages, agricultural losses and inhospitable conditions, we can expect to see more refugees flee to colder regions with better resources

Scientists and governments struggle against the essential measures to cope with the crisis and ensure that the planet's climate remains stable enough to ensure its health and survival.

Although some argue that the climate is changing, NASA scientists explain that evidence of past warming of ice cores, tree rings, ocean sediments, coral reefs and layers of sedimentary rocks show that "the current warming is occurring around ten times faster than the average rate of warming by glacial age recovery. "

We know the properties of trapping the heat of CO2 and other gases since the mid-1800s. Again, NASA points out, "There is no doubt that increased levels of greenhouse gases must warm the Earth."

The reasons we have not been successful in solving the problem have nothing to do with the lack of evidence. solutions. We have an abundance of both, but the industrial interests and their supporters in the media and politics (with those who have been duped into denial) have actively worked to minimize the problem and hinder progress.

In our book we present many known and emerging ways for governments, institutions, industry and individuals to solve the climate crisis. Many solutions are used or developed, but not fast enough to prevent a disaster. In Canada, we have federal and provincial governments that want to increase the infrastructure and development of fossil fuels in order to maximize the profits of a moribund industry and respond to the whims of short electoral cycles. . The fossil fuel industry continues to receive mbadive subsidies, including a multibillion dollar bailout for a US pipeline company, while clean energy receives much less support.

It is scary to consider global warming. the consequences we face in the years to come. But blocking solutions and continuing our dependence on fossil fuels will only make the inevitable even worse.

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