The extent of #Arctic sea ice across the Hudson Bay is currently the 2nd lowest on record. This can moderate some of the coldest air moving south from Canada.
Each line represents one year from 1979 (purple) to 2023 (white). 2024 is in red. Data from NSIDC using satellite observations.
Scientists who study our planet's changing climate and environment are scared by what their findings show them. They're terrified.
I'm frightened too, as you probably are. So what is wrong with our leaders? Don't they care what's happening to us? *
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More than 450 polar scientists met in late November for an emergency summit in Australia. Their findings were summarized in a statement that included a plea for the world to take coordinated action to protect the future of Antarctica and the rest of Earth.
What happens in the Antarctic doesn't stay in the Antarctic. The warming there, which is nearly twice as fast as the rest of the world, has consequences well beyond the region.
Melting ice from Antarctica, primarily as a result of climate change, is a major factor in sea level rise. The southernmost continent currently loses around 17 million tonnes of ice every hour – equivalent to a giant ice cube measuring 260 meters [853 feet] on each side.
The rate of melting appears to be accelerating too. Satellite imagery suggests that Antarctica is losing ice six times faster than it was 30 years ago. Even East Antarctica, once thought to be relatively stable and immune to change, is starting to show signs of extreme upset, such as heatwaves and huge melting events.
"Nowhere on Earth is there a greater cause of uncertainty in sea-level rise projections than from East Antarctica," said the scientists in their statement.
"The East Antarctic Ice Sheet alone holds enough water to raise global sea levels by approximately 50 meters [164 feet] if completely melted. Implications for our coastal cities and infrastructure are immense," the statement continues. "Runaway ice loss causing rapid and catastrophic sea-level rise is possible within our lifetimes. Whether such irreversible tipping points have already passed is unknown."
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Excerpts above taken from these two articles:
1️⃣ https://www.thecooldown.com/outdoors/southern-hemisphere-polar-scientists-antarctica/
2️⃣ https://www.iflscience.com/emergency-warning-for-antarctica-issued-by-nearly-500-polar-scientists-76915
* Rhetorical question. You know the answer.
#Science #Environment #Climate #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #ClimateEmergency
Why are we still addicted to fossil fuels?
We know that our leaders MUST choose to quickly stop burning coal, oil, and gas. It's the only chance we have of preserving some vestige of a livable environment and a functioning civilization.
However, getting off fossil fuels is HARD. Partly because burning them is so extremely profitable, but also because there's simply no easy way to replace all that cheap and productive energy.
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Eighty percent of our energy comes from fossil fuels. That’s all primary energy, not just electricity, but also transport, heating, and all industrial processes.
People like to focus just on electricity, mainly because it's easier that way. But when you add the other parts of our energy system to the mix, it gets a lot more complicated.
Decarbonisation plans so far have focused on the easiest bits, like feeding renewable energy into the electricity grid as and when it’s available.
But, as more renewable energy is added, it will get progressively harder to cut carbon emissions – as there are huge parts of industry that are entirely dependent on fossil fuels.
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FULL ARTICLE -- https://reclaimedsystems.substack.com/p/were-still-hopelessly-addicted-to
#Politics #History #Economics #Science #Environment #Climate #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis
Heartbreaking:
14 Animals That Were Declared Extinct in 2023
https://wealthofgeeks.com/animals-declared-extinct-2023/
These extinctions are a stark reminder of the urgent need for conservation efforts and to preserve our planet's delicate ecosystems.
In a devastating blow to global biodiversity, several animal species have been officially declared extinct as of 2023. These extinctions are a stark reminder of the urgent need for conservation efforts and to preserve our planet's delicate ecosystems. Data researched by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) reveals these animals, and we...
Nearly all of Ethiopia’s old-growth forest has disappeared.
This tells the story of Ethiopia’s church forests–pockets of lush biodiversity that surround hundreds of churches—and efforts to protect them.
The Church Forests of Ethiopia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fGe-CPWZlE
OK Doomer: Heat Index in Brazil Hits 137F (58.5C)
It's official, red alerts have gone out across the entire country of Brazil as the heat index hits 137F. The high temperature combined with humidity has made it impossible for most people to carry out their normal lives. There's already reports of power outages. People can't work. They can't run errands. They can barely sleep. It's not even summer there yet
Amazon deforestation linked to long distance climate warming
Science X
Deforestation in the Amazon causes land surfaces up to 100 kilometers away to get warmer, according to a new study. The research, by a team of British and Brazilian scientists, led by Dr. Edward Butt at the University of Leeds, suggests that tropical forests play a critical role in cooling the land surface—and that effect can play out over considerable distances
https://phys.org/news/2023-10-amazon-deforestation-linked-distance-climate.html
Deforestation in the Amazon causes land surfaces up to 100 kilometers away to get warmer, according to a new study. The research, by a team of British and Brazilian scientists, led by Dr. Edward Butt at the University of Leeds, suggests that tropical forests play a critical role in cooling the land surface—and that effect can play out over considerable distances.
Climate Groups Back Efforts to End Tens of Billions in Foreign Fossil Fuel Subsidies
Jessica CorbettOct 30, 20231
5–7 minutes
Over 250 climate groups from 30 countries published an open letter on Monday urging governments that endorsed a global pledge at the United Nations summit in Scotland two years ago to support new efforts to cut off subsidies for foreign fossil fuel projects
https://www.commondreams.org/news/oecd-foreign-fossil-fuel-subsidies
Zack Labe
Bread and Circuses
MU-Peter Shimon 🀄
Hannu Ikonen, MD
Markus Feilner (has moved)
Robert Sanscartier