Displaying items by tag: global warming

Wildfires have been ravaging Chile's Valparaíso region, leaving hundreds missing and over 120 dead. President Gabriel Boric has described them as the worst disaster since the 2010 earthquake. The fires erupted during a heatwave, engulfing seaside towns normally cooled by sea breezes. Strong winds fuelled the blaze, quickly engulfing hillside communities. Drone footage reveals widespread destruction, with many unable to escape. Authorities are prioritising rescue efforts, with volunteers assisting those displaced. Nearly 15,000 homes have been damaged, and entire neighbourhoods razed. Boric has declared a state of emergency and imposed a curfew. Investigations are under way to determine if the fires were intentional.

2023 has been declared the hottest year on record by European agency Copernicus, which monitors climate data. The average temperature increase was almost 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, a significant jump. Several factors contributed to this record-breaking heat. Elevated greenhouse gas emissions, primarily carbon dioxide, played a major role, trapping heat in the Earth's atmosphere. Additionally, natural climate patterns like El Niño and La Niña influenced regional temperatures and weather events. The consequences of this extreme heat are far-reaching. It leads to more frequent and severe weather events, including heatwaves, droughts, wildfires, and intense rainfall - posing serious threats to ecosystems, agriculture, and human populations. International agreements, like the Paris Agreement, aim to limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels. Achieving these goals requires a collective commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, transitioning to renewable energy sources, and implementing sustainable practices across various sectors. The report underscores the importance of addressing climate change promptly to mitigate its impacts and protect the planet's future.

The UN climate change conference in Dubai, hosted by the United Arab Emirates, is on the verge of a significant breakthrough in addressing climate change. The UAE negotiating team expresses 'cautious optimism' that COP28 will commit to gradually reducing and possibly eliminating fossil fuels over the coming decades. This is a remarkable shift, as fossil fuels were rarely discussed at previous climate conferences until COP26 in Glasgow in 2021, where the focus was on phasing down coal. While the commitment in Dubai may not set a specific expiry date for fossil fuel use and will probably allow for ‘abated’ fossil fuels with carbon capture, it represents a historic acknowledgment of the need to address the primary source of climate change. Sultan al-Jaber, COP28 president and head of UAE state oil company Adnoc, has been advocating for a fossil fuel phase-out; this underscores the significance of addressing climate change even in such a major oil-producing country. Interestingly, the number of delegates representing fossil fuel interests has quadrupled compared to COP27: see

On 13 November a government-led initiative saw citizens planting seedlings in Nairobi, even under heavy rain, following the declaration of a public holiday dedicated to tree planting. This effort, part of president William Ruto's pledge to plant 15 billion trees by 2032, aims to increase forest cover and combat the effects of a severe drought in the Horn of Africa. The tree planting day was intended as a patriotic contribution to national climate change efforts. However, Ruto's environmental commitment is under scrutiny due to his controversial decision to end a nearly six-year moratorium on logging. This move, which he argues is necessary for job creation and practical use of mature trees, has met criticism from environmentalists. Despite the environmental impact, the forestry and logging sector is significant for Kenya's economy, employing many people directly and indirectly. The decision to lift the ban reflects the government's struggle to balance environmental conservation with economic and employment challenges amidst high inflation and unemployment.

The sixth Paris Peace Forum, on 10 and 11 November, will focus on four different topics. Emmanuel Macron, along with Barbadian PM Mia Mottley and several African leaders, will assess the progress of the ‘Paris Pact for People and the Planet’, launched in June, which aims to provide substantial funding to combat poverty and climate change, in preparation for December’s COP28 in Dubai. An appeal will be launched to address the ‘collapse’ of ‘all ice surfaces on a global scale.’States affected by glacier loss, such as Nepal and Kyrgyzstan, will participate, as will China and India. Although Russia, a major Arctic actor, will not participate due to the conflict in Ukraine, the Elysée asserts that this will not be an obstacle to cooperation between other countries. Macron will also preside over the fifth Christchurch Call Summit, launched with New Zealand after the terrorist attack in Christchurch in 2019, aiming to enhance efforts to ‘combat terrorist and violent extremist content online’. Another top priority for Macron is to regulate digital platforms and artificial intelligence.

The UK has experienced its joint-warmest September since record-keeping began nearly 150 years ago. The record-breaking month was characterised by an exceptionally warm first half, featuring the year's hottest day and seven consecutive days with temperatures above 30°C in parts of the UK, an unprecedented occurrence for September. Scientists attribute this heatwave primarily to climate change, though natural factors like El Niño and ocean circulation changes have also played a role. The rise in greenhouse gas emissions, primarily from burning fossil fuels, is a major contributor to this record-breaking heat. As we confront these alarming climate trends, the need for urgent ambitious climate action becomes even more critical. With global climate talks (COP28) scheduled for December, the necessity of addressing climate change's devastating effects is paramount. This record-breaking heat serves as a stark reminder that climate change is a global crisis that demands immediate attention and action.

Following last week’s article about Antarctica, a recent study has linked a world-record heatwave there to climate change. In March 2022 temperatures in an area of east Antarctica, known as ‘Dome C’, reached -10°C, 39°C above normal. It was the most intense heatwave ever recorded on the planet. The study identified a ‘highly unusual’ weather pattern that brought warm and moist air from Australia, intensifying the heatwave. Climate change made the heatwave 2°C worse. This event raises concerns that climate change is impacting Antarctica, which was once considered relatively shielded. Scientists say that these heatwaves, which occur naturally to some extent, will become even hotter due to climate change. They have also warned of rising sea levels and the potential for Antarctica to stop acting as a refrigerant for the planet and start ‘acting as a radiator’. The study was published in the peer-reviewed journal Geophysical Research Letters.

Satellite data has shown that the sea-ice surrounding Antarctica is well below any previous recorded winter level, a worrying new benchmark for a region that once seemed resistant to global warming. An unstable Antarctica could have far-reaching consequences, polar experts warn: its huge ice expanse regulates the planet's temperature, as the white surface reflects the sun's energy back into the atmosphere and also cools the water beneath and near it. Without its ice cooling the planet, Antarctica could transform from Earth's refrigerator to a radiator. The ice that floats on the Antarctic Ocean's surface now measures less than 17 million sq km - that is 1.5 million sq km of sea-ice less than the September average, and well below previous winter record lows. That is an area of missing ice about five times the size of the British Isles. Since the 1990s, the loss of land ice from Antarctica has contributed 7.2mm to sea-level rise: even modest increases in sea levels can result in dangerously high storm surges that could wipe out coastal communities.

On 11 August Christian Climate Action (CCA) held a prayer vigil outside the headquarters of the Catholic development agency CAFOD. They prayed for and with the charity to consider their banking arrangements. The core plea of the prayers was for CAFOD to close their bank account with Barclays, the biggest funder of fossil fuels in Europe. They held up signs such as ‘Praying for CAFOD to stop banking with Barclays, who fund climate chaos’ and ‘Barclays, the ecocide bank’. Some members of CAFOD came out and joined the vigil and other CAFOD volunteers stopped to talk. This followed a similar vigil outside Christian Aid recently, which led to that charity closing its Barclays account. There will be a series of vigils in the coming months at charities which bank with Barclays, including World Vision, BMS World Mission, Tearfund, and Leprosy Mission. CCA also spread their message at the Greenbelt Festival.

Researchers, including those from the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia, say that lightning-ignited wildfires produce large emissions of carbon, nitrogen oxides and other gases, playing a key role in the climate crisis. Previous studies already found that the global occurrence of lightning flashes may increase due to global heating over land and in the oceanic region of south-eastern Asia. A warming planet could lead to more ‘hot lightning’ strikes in many parts of the world. Hot lightning bolts are much more likely to spark wildfires and the climate crisis could lead to more wildfire-inducing ‘hot lightning’. Lightning strikes of all kinds could increase by 30% by 2100, researchers say,and a new model suggests major ice sheet collapse will happen before the Paris Climate Agreement temperatures are reached.