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The warming of our planet is a legitimate cause for concern. We recently experienced the hottest July on record, and the report about it on RTÉ radio was so alarming that I had to stop my car and listen. It was not a repeat; this was new information, new reporting. Weather has now become headline news, rather than an afterthought.
One might think otherwise considering the wettest July on record we just had in Ireland, following a drought-stricken June. Our weather patterns are changing.
Last summer was the worst we had experienced until then. The Iberian Peninsula hasn’t been this dry in 1,200 years, and California suffered its worst “mega drought” in 1,200 years.
Goodell discusses how extreme heat affects our bodies, that our sweat system can only protect us up to a certain temperature, and beyond that, our bodies start to break down. Unfortunately, searing heat is becoming more common.
It seems that the age of fire has arrived. Canada, Portugal, and Greece are currently being ravaged by wildfires. The Canadian wildfires are the worst in history, with over 1,000 fires burning an area the size of Greece. A significant number of these fires are considered out of control.
Canada has also experienced droughts, despite its oceans and surrounding seas being warmer than ever. Hudson Bay is up to 3C warmer, the Pacific coast is between 2C and 4C warmer, and the Atlantic and Arctic coasts are up 5C from the average. These wildfires have even caused smoke to reach New York and Europe.
Portugal recently reported temperatures over 40C, leading to wildfires that have destroyed thousands of hectares and forced the evacuation of 19 villages. Heatwaves are becoming more frequent, intense, and spread out across seasons due to climate change.
As someone who lived in Australia, I remember the fear of bushfires burning close to the city and the lingering smell of smoke. The intensity of the heat and the destruction caused by burning trees is a vivid memory.
While parts of the Australian environment rely on wildfires, the recent fires have been different. The devastating bushfires in 2019 and 2020 burned 24.3 million hectares and resulted in billions of dollars in damage.
Every year, we see records being broken, with fires claiming more land, homes, and wildlife. Heat and fire will continue to be a part of our future. These times are challenging, but they serve as a reminder that we must address the climate crisis. Renewable energy is gaining prominence as we break our dependence on fossil fuels.
Hope is a powerful concept that we must hold onto, even in dark times. Walter Brueggemann, an expert in the Old Testament, describes hope as an absurdity that challenges prevailing beliefs about reality. In times like these, hope allows us to surprise ourselves and create a better future.
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