Saturday, May 16, 2020

Climate Change is Back in Town


Actually, it has never left; the corona virus put it aside for a while.
The thing is, both have to be tackled with the same urgency.  They are both a threat to human survival, and both have the potential of destroying economies. 

The latest on the topic of climate change is that we're already in a crisis that was thought to take decades to happen - namely, part of the world is now on the brink of intolerable heat and humidity.

In my country, the summers are hot; the temperatures usually reach  an average of 30-35 degrees Celsius. This week they got to over 40. There's talk of 50 degrees Celsius in many parts of the world during the upcoming months. It's an anomaly when it occurs in a populated area (in the desert, it's probably common). That's scary, very scary!

In the last few years, heat waves of this sort were spotted in India, Irak, Australia, South Arabia.
Intolerable heat  might bring about , among other things, increased migration from hot places to cooler ones, and thus a change in world geography and demography.



Baghdad - Irak.

I often think about islands. There's a constant threat hanging over them - their getting 'swallowed'  by waters through the melting ice in Antarctica,  and wonder if it's too late, if there's nothing to be done to prevent this upcoming disaster.




41 comments:

  1. This is really compelling, and also very interesting. We all need to think seriously about this. It is thoughtful of you to share this with us, thank you for doing that. I always learn so much reading your posts.

    Wishing all the Best!

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    1. Thank you for your kind words. We certainly need to take the matter of climate seriously.

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  2. We live in scary times... you are right, we should do more about it. 40 degrees sounds unbearable, such a heat! I prefer cooler weather, but for few years our Summers are getting hotter and there is less rain. Hope we can gind sone remedy for that. Have a lovely day and stay safe and healthy!

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    1. In cold weather one puts on an additional sweater and keeps going. But 4o-50 degrees Celsius, if it's more than a short heat wave, then it's the end I'm afraid.

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  3. There is a consensus in much of the scientific community, Duta, that we have already passed the tipping point.

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    1. In the video on the Baghdad heat, we see showers installed on the street. Is this the future that awaits us, will there be water for these 'cooling' showers? I'd better not think about it.

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  4. Climate change is scary as we think of rising sea levels.

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    1. I hope you don't live by the sea, Christine. Rising sea levels post threat to homes and people.

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  5. Oh my gosh! It was over 40 degree C, if it reach 50 degree C, oh no! It means half way to boil.

    Take care, Duta.

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    1. Yes, Evi, it is as bad as it sounds. It means boil and cook of our body cells.

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  6. Don't worry, Duta. God has good plans for you.

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    1. Thank you, Sandi. It's good to know that. I believe in God, put my Trust in Him.

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  7. I live in a Desert and we've had some crazy weather here that is unseasonable and peculiar for a Desert. There were times our Family and Friends in such places as Alaska and Pennsylvania or New York had hotter days than Arizona! Climate Change will make a Pandemic seem like an easy task, that said, Nature did seem to have a remarkable Healing during the Pandemic, didn't she... and recover from so much harm Man has done while we were all forced to Pause! Perhaps there is a deep Lesson in that, if we paid attention?

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    1. I totally agree with you. The weather is crazy; Nature has indeed benefited from the pandemic.The lockdown imposed on Man has brought healing to the much harmed Nature.

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    1. Definitely. We should also do something about it , but it seems we're helpless.

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  9. This really is a timely point. We shouldn't forget about the climate issue. It isn't going anywhere and will probably continue to be an extreme challenge long after they come up with a covid vaccine. Nature seems to be doing its thing more aggressively than ever and that tells me something too.

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    1. It doesn't let you forget. Here we've got 40 degrees Celsius since last week. You're , of course,quite right about the challenge thing.

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  10. I started teaching in the 70's. Climate change was a topic then. The depressing part is nothing has happened. The United States did introduce the clean air act and the clean water act in the early 70s and it has made a difference.

    However greedy corporations have undermined both laws. The big culprit in climate change is probably big oil. Oil producing countries go for the money and back off when alternate energies become reasonably priced. I recycle and try not to be wasteful. The piper will have to be paid by all of us.

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    1. That's interesting info about the two acts: air act, and clean water act.
      Sadly, the climate change topic has become depressive, as nothing constructive has been done about it.

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  11. Here in Las Vegas we get temps of 100 to 118F or 40-50C all Summer long. We always have and I've been here for 35 years. Of course I live in the desert so it's gonna be hot. I really don't enjoy the Summer time here.

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    1. Summers with temperatures of 40-50C are hardly enjoyable.
      I suppose the town now is more like a ghost town,with things closed because of the coronavirus.

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  12. Definitely an important subject... one that can't be ignored, even though there are still many sceptics around. How much more evidence is needed!
    Good for you Duta

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    1. It's frustrating, as they say there isn't much one can do about it. We're "past the tipping point" (commenter David).

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  13. As individuals, we probably cannot do much about it. I Wonder myself how it would end up...

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    1. Well,we'd better pray to God. Only He can help. I believe in God, and that gives me Hope.

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  14. And we had very unusual rains for the past 3 days, heavy rains. Plays havoc with the crops.

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    1. Nothing seems normal anymore; the rains are heavy (your place), the heat is unbearable(my place).

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  15. Our weather in Europe changed too ! Last year I was in Poland and other Easter countries and had 30° and the year before in Stockholm, Helsinki and St. Petersburg also over 30° even in our rainy and cool Belgium we have now 30° in summer and it is the second year we had no winter at all. I have to say I don't care, I am happy when the sun is shining ! It has rained too much here !

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    1. Like you, Gattina, I'm not a fan of cold winters, but of sunny, warm summers. But 40 degrees Celsius? Really!

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  16. Duta, I admit to having checked for the conversion from Celsius to Fahrenheit and boy was that a shocker to learn it was 104 degrees. When we lived in VA, the summers were hot and the weather often cited the heat index which many days was in the high 90s to 100 degrees. It's one of the reasons we decided to relocate to New England, besides being closer to family members. We worked outside in the heat but often stopped by mid-day. I will take cold temperature over hot ones anytime.

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    1. So , now you see what I'm talking about.
      Lucky you that you could relocate to a place with normal temperatures!

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  17. For some time now weather patterns all over the world/globe seem to be different.
    I'm really not sure what the answer is, but I fear that when the powers that be, wake up (come to their senses) we will be way past the tipping point.

    All the best Jan

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    1. The world gets a lot of 'wake up' calls, but they are ignored, and nothing is done to save the planet.
      It's a very sad reality.

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  18. Sadly, things seem to get worse. We've got temperatures of over 40 degrees Celsius during the entire week. That's vert hard on us!

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  19. Despite being born in August, supposedly the hottest month of the year, I cannot deal with heat at all. It makes me really groggy. I definitely prefer cooler weather like 40 degrees F or lower if possible. It never really gets cold here in NC though. Wen I lived in ND, we got down to 23 degrees F below! Hope you're doing well, and please stay safe. RO

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    1. Well, it seems the world, or at least part of it, is becoming hotter each year.
      Bat wishes to you, RO!

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  20. HI Duta, oh dear, that sounds hot, Hope its been cooling a little!! I have been hearing good news about Israel and markets and places opening, hope you are well and that the climate will even get better after we humans have left things alone for a while during our "at home orders". Many blessings and a Good Shabbos to you!!💙

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    1. Thank God, today we have lower temperatures, and we're probably going to have some rain too.
      Next month it will be a test month - the numbers will show us whether the virus is on decline or not (after re-opening of places and lifting of restrictions).

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  21. Hi lady. Missed your informative post. My fault for not dropping over to read. I will plead less time has been afforded me as we lost our caregivers for my now 101 MIL. I feel we do have a change in the weather but looking back at historical lows and highs we have been in this at other times. With closing the places throughout the USA during this Pandemic our air quality has improved more than expected. One of the good things from this virus. I do feel China tried to hide the spreading thus the world mistook the dangers and did not prepare. Tennessee has open up most of it counties with restrictions and our county Davidson will enter Phase II of the opening. We due to the density had a higher number of cases thus the delay in opening up our county. Peace Be With You.

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    1. You are right about air improvement tks for your comment.

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