Two New Climate Reports: Human-Caused Climate Change Turned Up the Heat
Two new climate reports found human-caused climate change turned up the heat for nearly 2 billion people this summer across the planet.
The climate central extreme heat report says in the US alone, 32 US cities had at least 30 extra risky heat days. The unrelenting temperatures also sparked Europe's worst wildfire season on record and Canada's second worst. So, the overall picture is not good here.
"I've been studying climate change for over 20 years now, and so there's very little that can surprise me. But when I saw the numbers rolling out about how many people around the globe were affected by climate change this year, I was surprised. There were three days this summer when half the globe's population was experiencing temperatures that were strongly influenced by climate change. And every day from June through August, nearly two billion people across the planet were experiencing climate warm temperatures."
"I mean, these numbers are just enormous. And it's really a sign that climate change isn't something that's happening in the realm of science. It's not something that's just happening in the realm of politics. It's happening in our daily lives right here, right now, every day this summer."
"And you know, we were kind of showing some footage of people fanning themselves, trying to kind of stay in those water parks outside, which is kind of the the mid level of extremity. But risky heat temperatures can lead to death, especially if you're elderly and the AC goes out, if you're an infant, you get locked in a car. You know, all these kind of circumstances we may not think of directly can be life-threatening because of the heat."
"You know, we spoke about devastating wildfires in California. You also have floods in Texas that caught people there by surprise, kids at a camp. So, what are the long-term impacts of what we're finding according to the data?"
"Yeah. Well, we've seen some of those impacts this summer across the globe. Here in the US, uh, in July, within the same week or two week period, we had four massive flood events, including the ones in Texas that you just mentioned. But within that same, you know, week or two, there were devastating floods in North Carolina, Chicago, as well as in New Mexico. Um, and then there's the wildfires. So, Canada is experiencing its second worst wildfire season on record. Europe is experiencing its worst wildfire season on record."
"Um, and across Europe, a new study that just came out today, just this morning, found that climate change contributed to more than 16,000 heat related deaths across the continent just this summer."
"So, I mean, these things are there are these long-term consequences, right, for the people who are directly affected, but sooner or later, that's going to be all of us. you know that you may not be feeling this this summer or next summer, but eventually if we continue to burn fossil fuels and warm the planet, more and more of us are going to be affected by these extreme weather events."
"And just last few seconds because we are out of time, what are we supposed to do about it as individuals? What can I do? What can you do?"
"Yeah. Well, we can all um cut emissions, right? Stop burning fossil fuels. And we need to also ask the same of our nation. So those are some of the most important things we can do."
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