With another year of record emissions, our 1.5 C climate goal has gone up in smoke. It’s time for a dose of climate reality. Even as COP29 continues, we should appreciate that incremental action is no longer sufficient and we urgently need to prepare for life on an increasingly volatile planet. My latest piece in Forbes explains what the science says about our current climate goals, why net zero matters more than ever in a warming world, and what actions governments, corporations and individuals should take.
It’s important to note that the data depicted in the climate spiral covers a relatively brief period, starting from 1880. In the broader context of Earth’s climate history, this timeframe is relatively short, which might limit the ability to derive definitive conclusions about long-term trends in global temperatures.
It is crucial to consider other significant indicators of climate change, such as rising sea levels, alterations in precipitation patterns, and the loss of biodiversity. These factors provide additional insights into the complex nature of climate change beyond the scope of the temperature anomalies depicted in the visualization.
Credits:
David Carlin – On @LinkedIn