Catastrophic floods are ravaging the Hudson Valley, while an intense heat dome hovers over Phoenix. Miami is experiencing ocean temperatures as high as 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and even Vermont is seeing an unexpected deluge and Delaware a rare tornado. These events would have been considered abnormal just a decade ago, but now they are happening simultaneously. Governor Kathy Hochul of New York has referred to this as “our new normal,” highlighting the impact of climate change on extreme weather.
Over the past month, major cities across the country have been blanketed in smoke from Canadian wildfires, Texas and Oklahoma have faced a deadly heat wave, and parts of Chicago have been flooded by torrential rains. These events are not simply a figment of our imagination, nor are they a result of smartphones making us more aware. Jeff Berardelli, chief meteorologist and climate specialist for WFLA News in Tampa, confirms that extreme weather is indeed on the rise.
And it’s only going to get worse. This year, a powerful El Niño in the Pacific Ocean is expected to release more heat into the atmosphere, fueling even more severe weather worldwide. As Mr. Berardelli warns, “We are going to see unprecedented events this year that surpass anything in modern history.”
However, despite the increasing frequency of storms, fires, and floods, climate change remains a peripheral issue for most voters. According to a recent NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll, only 8% of Americans consider global warming the most important issue facing the country. As climate disasters become more common, they seem to be losing their shock value. A study from 2019 suggests that people may accept extreme weather as the new normal within just two years.
Anthony Leiserowitz, director of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, acknowledges the complexity of the issue and the challenge it faces in competing for attention in a world filled with dynamic and uncertain events. Climate change is not just a complicated problem; it is also a problem that demands significant sacrifices, something many people are not eager to accept.
Lilian Lovas, a 77-year-old Chicago resident, has witnessed the impacts of climate change in her city. However, she consciously avoids the news to maintain a positive outlook. While she votes and tries to do her part, she feels that the situation is out of her control. Similarly, Kristina Hengl, a 51-year-old retail worker in Chicago, believes that weather extremes are part of a natural cycle and doesn’t consider herself knowledgeable enough to pass judgment.
Despite the alarm bells sounded by climate scientists, there are few signs of the widespread social changes required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change. Paul Slovic, a professor at the University of Oregon who specializes in the psychology of risk and decision making, explains that people recognize climate change as a problem but are reluctant to embrace the necessary solutions. The comfort and convenience offered by using energy sources with high carbon emissions stand in the way of adopting sustainable alternatives.
Last week, which researchers claim was the hottest day in modern history, a record number of commercial flights emitted substantial amounts of planet-warming gases into the atmosphere. As communities continue to rebuild in disaster-prone areas and the majority of energy is still generated by fossil fuels, the cumulative effects of greenhouse gas emissions are becoming increasingly evident worldwide. The planet has warmed by an average of 1.2 degrees Celsius compared to preindustrial levels, resulting in a wide array of extreme weather events.
Studies have shown that climate change has worsened events such as deadly floods in Pakistan in 2020, the 2021 heat dome in the Pacific Northwest, and Hurricane Maria’s impact on Puerto Rico in 2017. Climate scientist Michael Mann emphasizes that climate change is not a far-off threat but a present reality that we are experiencing through these extreme weather events.
In the United States, the frequency of weather disasters causing over $1 billion in damage is on the rise, according to Climate Central’s analysis of NOAA data. From 1980 to 2022, the average time between these catastrophic events has decreased from 82 days to just 18 days. Climate change is pushing these events to new levels, highlighting the urgency for action and the need to prioritize recovery and prevention efforts.
Human activity has had a profound impact on Earth’s ecosystems and climate to the extent that scientists are considering declaring a new geologic time period called the Anthropocene. With global emissions still rising, scientists warn that we have a limited amount of time to change our trajectory before the consequences become catastrophic. It is a pivotal moment in both Earth’s climatic and political history, and urgent action is required.
In the United States, climate change has become a polarized issue, with Republican leaders often doubting established climate science and promoting fossil fuels. However, there is hope that each new climate-related disaster will push Americans toward action. A recent survey by Yale found that a majority of adults are concerned about climate change and support federal initiatives to combat global warming and promote clean energy. Even in conservative states like Florida, an increasing number of residents, including Republicans, believe that humans are causing climate change.
As Bill McKibben, a veteran climate activist, suggests, there may come a point where the frequency of disasters forces people to recognize the urgency of the situation. However, time is running out, and it is crucial to prioritize climate action now.
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