This graphic from The Guardian depicts what a world at 4 degrees Celsius (above pre-industrial levels) will mean for humanity.
If it looks grim, it is. The red zone, as we have been warned repeatedly, including densely populated India, Southeast Asia and Asia Pacific, Sub-Saharan Africa including the Horn of Africa and Yemen; a big chunk of South America including northern Brazil, the Amazon, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia, Guyana(s), and Suriname; almost all of Central America, will be rendered uninhabitable. Southern Europe may desertify. Some parts of it are already experiencing the arrival of the Sahara. Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, the Balkans. The yellow zone won't be spared either, especially in those regions nearest the equator.
The graphic anticipates a general migration out of the tropical and then temperate zones, humanity heading ever poleward. It mistakenly suggests that agriculture will be possible across northern Canada, Scandinavia and Russian Siberia. Two problems with that. The soils in that region are poor to marginal. Second, climate change will not shift the Earth's axis. The more intense sunlight that has enabled us to grow enough crops to foolishly expand to 8 billion is in the equatorial and temperate zones.
Leaving pandemics aside for the moment, this graphic depicts the world that humanity is on course to achieve. I realize "achieve" may sound inappropriate but, hey, we know or ought to know that this is where we're heading.
Extinction Rebellion is scheduled to emerge from the Covid-19 fog on Friday with the release of a new video, "The Troublemaker." Here's a trailer.
We know the future looks dark. But it could get dark very quickly.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem to be coming on faster than we imagined. If anything we appear to be falling dangerously behind.
ReplyDeleteFor some time I've thought the 2020s would be a decade marked by the onset of severe heat events. The predictions of climate science that were greeted with skepticism just a decade ago are becoming our new reality.
Canada, fortunately, has the "latitude advantage." That gives us opportunities if we're clever enough to take advantage of them.
As I type this I can hear a water bomber climbing out of Skaha Lake in order to soak the fire behind Okanagan Falls. The bush here is as dry as dust.
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ReplyDeleteAny smoke issues, Toby?
For those closer than I am, yes. We are also getting smoke from Washington State.
ReplyDeleteThe smoke is floating over Alberta. One can clearly smell it as well. A few people at coffee were calling it haze....don.’t you just love that word? Anyong
ReplyDeleteThe smell isn't the problem, Anyong. What we have to worry about is the particulate matter that damages our lungs.
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