The most recent revision of the U.N./IPCC Climate Report, issued on Aug. 9, which one U.N. official has called “A Code Red for Humanity,” is worth paying attention to. Gone are many of the climate models’ guesses and estimates of earlier revisions, as the science and models have improved such that the authors can say, without doubt, that climate change is here and happening now, and that humans are responsible due to our massive releases of greenhouse gasses through the burning of fossil fuels. Most surprisingly, if we were to somehow immediately stop the release of all such gasses now, the planet will still keep warming for another three decades. That means, more common heat waves, severe weather, wildfires and floods.
There was a hint of optimism in the report, in that, if we effectively reduce our emissions quickly, through implementation of a carbon tax and transformation of our carbon-rich economic sectors to clean energy sources, we could possibly limit the global temperature rise to 1.5C from the start of the Industrial Revolution, beyond which we might lose the ability to effectively adapt to the anticipated future climate changes.
John Kennington, Cottonwood Heights
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