Scientists do not really know what weather extremes future generation may face. They can make educated guesses based on computer models and what they already know about past weather patterns. What everyone knows is that unless The World does something about the global warming that humanity is causing through the release of carbon into the atmosphere humanity will affect global weather patterns.
Some countries try to wriggle out of their responsibility by claiming that the World’s weather has always been cyclical. That is true but since the Industrial revolution the earth’s temperature has been rising and still is rising at a much faster rate than would happen naturally. This means that the Earth’s species plant and animal cannot evolve and adapt fast enough. If too many species die out the web of life will be affected. We will kill off humankind.
Even were we to realize in time, and do something to restrict our carbon guzzling ways, use green energy do away with the internal combustion engine, replant forests the weather will be affected by our previous profligacy.
Sea levels have already risen. The people of the Carteret Islands in the Pacific have evacuated one of their Islands because sea water has ruined the land and nothing will grow.
Too much rain water falling into the ocean will affect tides and currents which in turn will affect the weather. Polar ice is melting at an alarming rate causing further desalination of the oceans. Hurricanes, tornadoes, gale force winds are already affecting coastal communities much more frequently than hitherto. Rivers that were once lush and fertile are drying up. Communities in the Middle East are fighting over water rights. Monsoon areas are experiencing longer and more severe monsoon seasons, some low-lying areas such as Bangladesh spend much of the monsoon in flood conditions. Other regions are experiencing prolonged drought ask the Australians. Desertification is happening fast in some areas. Terrible heat waves are happening in formerly temperate climates. Wildfires are devastating other regions ask the Greeks and the Americans.
It is already happening and what are the World’s governments doing about it? Arguing that’s what. Arguing about who is going to cut and by how much. Worrying about whether developing nations are doing their bit. What they should be doing is cutting their own countries’ carbon emissions and investing in green energy. If enough countries did so they would shame the rest into joining in. They should not worry about their economies because there is money to be made in green technology and they will recoup their investments when those countries who are dragging their feet realize that the rest of the World has stolen a march on them.
What the clever clogs who deny the reality of climate change do not realize is that it will not only affect the developing countries but every country in the World. They may one day wake up to the fact that it will not take much of a rise in sea level for half of their own countries to be under the sea. What price then a consumer economy? We owe it to our grandchildren and their grandchildren to change our thinking now and sound the clarion call to save our Earth.
