While those of us in the Northern Hemisphere are in the coldest part of the winter, it’s easy to forget about the dangerous potential of climate change in the years ahead. But keeping our eye South of the equator helps to prevent seasonal complacency. BBC reports that the state of Victoria is facing the hottest week since 1908, as temperatures exceed 43 degrees Celsius (109 F). The article went on to cite numerous sudden deaths, especially among the elderly, resulting from the relentless heat. So, for those hit by a cold snap recently, it’s important to look at climate change in its full global context. And of course it is also important for us not to only cherry pick extreme heat events as anecdotes without also providing the fuller context of overall trend statistics within annual and decadal time periods.
Two other recent reports that should help to debunk the tenacious few global warming deniers include continued retreat of glaciers worldwide and an extreme drought in California that has been predicted by climate change modelers.
Bottom line: Global climate change will vary across regions and time periods. But the overwhelming reality of greenhouse gases disrupting our climate’s balance toward a hotter future must not be lost in moments of cooler weather in isolated regions of the world.
Onwards in the Sustainable Energy Transition-
Tags: Australia, California, climate change, glaciers, heatwave