One reason why climate change doesnt energise politicians and the public is because we describe heating in terms of temperature. Saying the world has warmed by 1.2 degrees seems like a nice pleasant weekend. Here are some other ways to describe it... (1)
We pump 1,337 tonnes of CO2 into our thin and fragile atmosphere every second... (2)
How much energy was required to heat the world by 1.2 degrees. In terms of 'Hiroshima bomb equivalents' how many bomb loads of energy have been added? Sixty, 600, 6 million or 6 billion? (3)
The answer is 6.2 billion Hiroshima bomb equivalents, measured between 1955 and 2021, or 384 terrajoules. That is more than two bomb equivalents per second. (4)
We are heading rapidly towards the 1.5 degree threshold, beyond which the world's scientists writing in the IPCC Report believe tipping points could disastrously accelerate heating leading to "an unliveable future" for our children. (5)
We cannot simply adapt to this level of heating. Every person in every region can see what is happening. We have known for 30 years that we must stop burning fossil fuels. Yet our G7 politicians, meeting today, keep kicking the can of difficult decisions down the road. (6)
Biden opens a new Willow pipeline, Sunak flies short hops around the UK in a private plane or helicopter and plans new oil exploration, Germany and Australia open new coal mines, China and India expand coal production and use, financial markets pooh pooh renewable investment. (7)
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres pleads with leaders from the sidelines, but no one listens. Governments still subsidise fossil fuels and fail to invest properly in renewables. (8)
The COP process of meetings doesn't work. Incredibly, they have never actually discussed emissions. In 2023 the meeting president will be chair of the UAE national oil company. And fossil fuel lobbyists will be the largest contingent. (9)
The late James Lovelock said not long before he died at 102. (10)
But there are many options for political action immediately to slash fossil fuel use + decarbonise. We need G7 leaders to act collectively + boldly. And the male world of financial institutions to recognize inaction will destroy the global economy sooner than they think. (11)
All of these actions are doable with bold, collective action now. Please lobby your political leaders. (12) @LancetCountdown
And take action yourself. (courtesy @ProfMarkMaslin) (13)
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