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An impromptu reminder about Climate Change. In case you missed it, it’s 38 degrees C in the arctic circle right now.
Thread. (1/N) https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2020/06/21/arctic-temperature-record-siberia/
Thread. (1/N) https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2020/06/21/arctic-temperature-record-siberia/
This is just the latest in a series of global weather events that are deeply worrying. Thawing permafrost leading to diesel spills for example?
2/N https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/09/russian-mining-firm-accused-of-using-global-heating-to-avoid-blame-for-oil-spill
2/N https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/09/russian-mining-firm-accused-of-using-global-heating-to-avoid-blame-for-oil-spill
Wildfires in Australia leading to tragic human deaths and huge numbers of wildlife dead also (estimated in the billions)
3/N https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jan/14/a-billion-animals-the-australian-species-most-at-risk-from-the-bushfire-crisis
3/N https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jan/14/a-billion-animals-the-australian-species-most-at-risk-from-the-bushfire-crisis
The list goes on. Futurologists when predicting the future often draw on things like “weak signals”. Well, the above seem like pretty strong signals to me! Our living planet’s climate is changing. It’s our fault.
4/N https://www.sitra.fi/en/articles/what-is-a-weak-signal/
4/N https://www.sitra.fi/en/articles/what-is-a-weak-signal/
Climate change is going to affect the whole planet. Floods, heatwaves, extreme weather… Food security issues, conflict, water scarcity. You name it. It’s going to be worse for poor countries.
5/N https://www.lancetcountdown.org/2019-report/
5/N https://www.lancetcountdown.org/2019-report/
Oh and by the way, poor countries are poor because of hundreds of years of extracting the wealth from them leading to massive inequality today. That’s partly why people are angry about racism.
6/N https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2017/jan/14/aid-in-reverse-how-poor-countries-develop-rich-countries
6/N https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2017/jan/14/aid-in-reverse-how-poor-countries-develop-rich-countries
Stopping climate change is going to be the biggest change any of us have ever seen. We’re going to have to do it in less than 15 years.
7/N https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14693062.2020.1728209
7/N https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14693062.2020.1728209
Are we ready? No. Bluntly speaking, we are drastically under prepared to do what’s needed.
8/N https://www.ippr.org/research/publications/we-are-not-ready
8/N https://www.ippr.org/research/publications/we-are-not-ready
But there’s still hope. Even in a world where COVID is causing massive disruption and tragedy, ideas like a green new deal offer us the best hope of building a better future.
9/N https://neweconomics.org/2019/04/a-green-new-deal
9/N https://neweconomics.org/2019/04/a-green-new-deal
We’re going to need to work really really hard. We need to do it all. Cities full of nature. Urban food growing. Renewable energy, and reduced energy use. Loads more cycling and walking. Less cars. Insulate the homes.
10/N
10/N
Yes I know. It’s lots to think about. Find people who you can talk to. Read. Think. Act. I deeply believe we can do this, and we can do it together. We must - for each and every one of us born and not yet born.
11/N
Shameless plug for my blog on this https://healthyyan.wordpress.com/2019/02/15/fragile-humanity/
11/N
Shameless plug for my blog on this https://healthyyan.wordpress.com/2019/02/15/fragile-humanity/
How have I even got this far without mentioning plastics, the oceans, the coral reefs, the amazon rainforest, the over 50% wildlife lost in 40 years…
I’ll stop there. Keep the faith people. Keep working at it. We can do this.
N/N https://www.worldwildlife.org/press-releases/half-of-global-wildlife-lost-says-new-wwf-report
I’ll stop there. Keep the faith people. Keep working at it. We can do this.
N/N https://www.worldwildlife.org/press-releases/half-of-global-wildlife-lost-says-new-wwf-report
Slight erratum, in retrospect tweet 2 may have overplayed the importance of the permafrost as the cause - but definitely seems to contribute! Error/N
