Deal With IT's Secretary Victoria Nicholls writes a regular column in the East Kent Mercury:
The year 2016 is on course to be the hottest year on record. There has been an amazing acceleration in global temperature rises, far in excess of that which scientists expected. These temperature rises show that climate change is no longer a threat for the future, it is here and now. Climate change deniers, please take note! Each of the past 13 months has been the hottest globally on record for that month and the maximum extent of Arctic sea ice set a record low and the extent in May was the lowest for that month ever. India recorded its hottest day ever with the mercury reaching 51°C in Phalodi, Rajasthan and the temperature in Australia was 1.86°C above the average, beating the previous above average temperature of 1.64°C. The Great Barrier Reef suffered its worst coral bleaching, leaving only 7% untouched by devastating algal loss.
There has been an increase in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere in 2016 and this is expected to reach 3.1 parts per million. This is much more than the annual average increase of 2.1parts per million and leaves the total figure of 400 parts per million now probably unattainable.
Carbon dioxide levels are almost entirely responsible for the record temperature increase but El Niño, a natural climate phenomenon, must take some blame as it causes stored heat to be released into the oceans, affecting the whole world.
These figures surely make the connection between cutting emissions and the impacts of global warming.
No comments:
Post a Comment