We have been warned for many decades now but not taken enough notice. Too many people have believed those with self-interest, the politicians and petro-chemical industry, who have called it a hoax. Short-termism in governments has meant that countries have gone for immediate growth and lack of investment.
The results of this are obvious. The planet has warmed. We are already suffering from the effects of global warming. The air and seas are heating up. The effects of even minor increases are enormous. We are experiencing it.
Horrendous flooding
Heatwaves
Droughts
Forest fires
Glacial melt
Sea-level rises
Storms
Alterations in sea currents
Alterations in the jet stream
Already the effects are terrible. Great swathes of forests have been lost. Millions of animals have been burnt to death. Heatwaves have destroyed crops. Corals have been bleached. Species of plants and animals have migrated.
As this progresses huge areas will become uninhabitable resulting in mass migrations. Droughts, fires, storms, floods and loss of land will be more common.
The reason why is extremely simple:
There are too many of us;
We are burning too much coal, gas and oil that has raised the carbon dioxide levels;
We have been destroying too much forest and polluting seas so that the carbon dioxide is not absorbed and stored.
The solutions are equally simple:
We need to reduce our numbers;
We need to rewild the planet;
We need to reduce pollution;
We need to move to energy production that does not produce carbon dioxide.
Fortunately science has provided us with many of the answers.
We have family planning. We just need education (particularly of females) and governments to use rewards, policies and inducements to get the message across.
We have to promote green energies – such as tidal barriers, solar power, wind power and heat pumps.
We have to change building laws so that all new housing has heat recapture, proper insulation with solar paneling installed.
We have to change transport to either electric or hydrogen power.
We need to rewild, replant our forests and encourage biodiversity.
We need governments around the world to take things seriously and coordinate their efforts.
If we fail to take these measures we know what will happen:
Much greater bushfires, droughts, heatwaves and floods. Rising sea levels with flooding of cities. Mass migration of populations. Changing sea currents resulting in major changes in weather. Some places suffering extreme cold. Changes in air currents that will also change weather.
The effect on farming, human activity and nature will be catastrophic.