As scientists finalize a long-awaited update on global climate research, recent extreme weather events across the globe have been startling: Historic rains and deadly flooding in central China and Europe. Dramatic heatwave in Canada, and tropical heat in Finland and Ireland. The Siberian tundra ablaze. Monstrous U.S. wildfires, along with record drought across the U.S. West and parts of Brazil.

 While climate modeling has evolved over the decades, scientists are still trying to determine how climate change will manifest in the years to come. Dr. Sharon George, Lecturer on Environment and Sustainability at Keele University, explains that we're already witnessing, in real time, "what climate change looks like."

 Dr. George points out that for years "scientists around the world have warned" of the impending dangers of climate change across the globe, and now "the frequency of these (severe weather) events is increasing and the severity is increasing as well." 

And while we're making strides, transitioning to cleaner forms of energy, Dr. George warns that "we need it to happen faster: every single molecule of CO2 that we put into the air will stick around for 100 years, doing its damage. Every day that we waste, talking about these things and not taking action is going to have a long-term effect. So we need fast action." Dr. George strikes an optimistic tone in her belief that we all have reason to be hopeful for our capacity to come together and rise to this global challenge. The worldwide response to Covid-19 has "shown us that we can adjust our behavior on a massive scale very quickly... whole nations changed their whole working patterns and behaviors to deal with a global combined problem to find a solution. And I think that gives us hope."

AFP