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The climate crisis is no longer a thing of the past, a myth that doesn’t exist or a possibility that has an unlikely outcome. The climate crisis is happening now. From the 2020 Australian wildfires that grabbed the attention of people from across the globe to the more recent Texas freeze earlier this year, we can no longer deny that ever changing temperatures are starting to hit us harder. In the words of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), ‘Scientific evidence for warming of the climate system is unequivocal.’ [1]
The ‘Australian wildfires were declared among the 'worst wildlife disasters in modern history' … a report….commissioned by the World Wide Fund for Nature Australia said more than 46 million acres were scorched and an estimate in January (2021) said 1.25 billion animals were affected.’ [2] Furthermore, it has been concluded that ‘a “polar vortex” was responsible for the freezing conditions in the US state of Texas last month, UN weather experts said...before warning of a worrying increase in global carbon dioxide levels.’ [3] To add, Kenya are currently facing record breaking rainfall that is devastating communities leaving them struggling to survive. Around 233,000 people have been affected by the floods in Kenya, and more than 116,000 displaced’. [4] Scenes have also recently emerged online of cyclone Tauktae destroying homes in Kerala’s Kasaragod in India. Disha Ravi, climate activist from India retweeted a video of the cyclone ripping a house from it’s legs. She puts the cards on the table explaining that, ‘This is the human cost of climate change. People lose their homes in the blink of an eye.’ [5]
NASA has stated that ‘The planet's average surface temperature has risen about 2.12 degrees Fahrenheit (1.18 degrees Celsius) since the late 19th century, a change driven largely by increased carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere and other human activities. Most of the warming occurred in the past 40 years, with the seven most recent years being the warmest. The years 2016 and 2020 are tied for the warmest year on record.’ [6]
These are just a few examples but a quick dive onto the internet doesn’t tell us anything except merely confirming this crisis. Even though we may not see it on doorstep doesn’t mean that the effects aren’t being experienced elsewhere. Let’s stop denying it and teach the next generation how to combat and prepare for this crisis so that they can help those affected.
[1]https://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/
[3]https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/03/1086752
[5] https://twitter.com/disharavii/status/1393585455661154306