Our climate crisis

The fact that the stability of our planet is at a turning point is largely down to human activity since the mid-20th century. Most of the warming of our planet occurred in the past 40 years, the last seven years being the warmest. The global average surface temperature has risen by about 1.18°C since pre-industrial times and climate scientists predict we will face more than 4°C of warming by the year 2100 at our current trajectory. According to some estimates, that would mean that whole regions of Africa, Australia, United States, parts of South America north of Patagonia, and Asia south of Siberia would become uninhabitable by flooding, direct heat, and desertification.

At the time the Paris Agreement was made in 2016, limiting the level of warming to an increase of 2°C was the global goal. However, even if countries stuck to their current pledges, we would still be well off-track to reach that goal. All of this occured in just one generation, and the window to change our course is closing rapidly. However, if we make the necessary drastic changes to how corporations operate, to governmental policies and our personal consumption of resources, we can bring hope to our own lifetimes and for future generations.