Sometimes it is best to let the cliche speak for itself. All the talk of sustainability, and circularity can be construed as an economics first approach to a greener world, but in the background, there is a simple fact, this is our only planet. There is no planet B.
The toll that the Earth has paid for modernisation is only being fully appreciated now, and climate change is upon us. For all the climate denialism, the facts are available, and there are five important ones:Fact 1: It is getting warmer
What was once named ‘global warming’ is now referred to as climate change. This was done to reflect the broader scope of the problem rather than the focus on global average temperature. It also circumvents the denialists who say, “but some parts are getting colder!” The fact remains that the global average temperature is rising, the earth is now hotter by 1.3 degrees Celsius than pre-industrial levels. This affects the entire climate system, meaning hotter, colder, and more extreme weather globally. We are on course with the 5 degree celsius tipping point by 2040, and this requires immediate action.Fact 2: This is not natural
Earth has always had natural cycles of warming and cooling, but not like what we are seeing now. The 10 top hottest years ever recorded have all been after 2000, with records being beaten year after year. The correlation between the rising global temperature and the emissions of greenhouse gases aligns near-perfectly.
This is not natural, current climate change is due to human activities specifically the burning of fossil fuels, which has been done since the 18th century.
Fact 3: CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL
There is no room for debate, or denialism. Climate change is real, and the effects are unpredictable and extreme. An overwhelming 99% of scientists agree that climate change is being caused by human greenhouse gas emissions. There is no meaningful debate about the basic science of climate change. The basic knowledge that more CO2 in the atmosphere causes higher temperatures has been documented since the 1890’s. There has been a considerable effort by the fossil fuel industry to spread misinformation, between 2015 and 2019 $1 billion dollars were spent by the top five fossil fuel companies to lobby and spread misinformation about climate change.Fact 4: Climate change is bad
No, this does not mean a warm beach holiday, or better weather where you live. Global warming of 1.3°C has already caused severe damage to people and ecosystems, disproportionately affecting vulnerable communities. According to the IPCC, 3.3 to 3.6 billion people live in areas highly exposed to climate risks. By 2100, up to 75% of the global population could face life-threatening climate conditions, especially due to extreme heat and rainfall. Climate change is reducing food and water security, with falling grain yields and unpredictable seasons threatening agriculture. Even at 1.5°C warming, 8% of current farmland could become unusable, and fish production in tropical Africa may drop by up to 41%, worsening hunger.Fact 5, the most important one
This is fixable: There needs to be a considerable push towards renewable energy, which has shown to decrease the effects of climate change. Globally, production and consumption patterns need to change.
The facts may seem grim, but the reality is that this is fixable. Political will, citizen participation, and using collective power to change the status quo is needed to battle this existential threat. The cliche can be true, there is no planet B.
