Surpassing 1.5 C

The year 2024 broke the record set in 2023 as the hottest year on record, as reported by NOAA, NASA, the European Copernicus Climate Change Service, Berkeley Earth, and the UKMET Office. There were 14 straight months of record-breaking global temperatures from June 2023 through July 2024, and July 2924 was likely the hottest of any month since 1850 when record keeping began.

Human-induced climate change is one of the most devastating challenges that humanity has ever faced—and time is running out. For over 200 years, humanity has powered itself with fossil, including oil and coal. During this time we’ve seen incredible “progress”, but at an equally if not greater incredible cost.

When burnt, fossil fuels release carbon dioxide, which acts like a blanket over the planet. As the amount of carbon dioxide increases, the planet warms, sea levels rise, and extreme weather tragedies becomes common. A whole range of impacts, including fires, floods, extreme heat and drought become more likely and severe.

This is only the beginning. If humanity does nothing, these impacts will worsen. Large swaths of the world’s population will be forced to flee devastate regions. Some small island nations will completely disappear. The magnitude and range of impacts means that everyone will be affected one way or another.

Change is inevitable. Now that we have undoubtedly entered the Anthropocene, how our planet will change is up to us. Humanity is destroying our biosphere; humanity can rescue it by changing behavior.

Scientific research shows that we can avoid the worst impacts of climate change if we limit warming to under 2º C. To do so, we need to create a much cleaner economy by mid-century or sooner. Fossil fuel profiteers, their enablers and their stenographers must stop preventing rational and sane action before it’s too late.

Full stop.