Chapter 1: Understanding the Current State of Climate Change

Recent years have illustrated a troubling trend in climate change, with summers in the Arctic warming at an alarming pace, significantly outpacing the global average. Notably, the last intact ice shelf in Canada collapsed last month, resulting in the detachment of an iceberg comparable in size to Manhattan.

Meanwhile, back in the United States, multiple states recorded scorching temperatures in July, shattering previous heat records. This abnormal summer coincides with a year that began with Antarctica reaching its highest recorded temperature, highlighting the escalating nature of climate disruption. Indeed, these events are unfolding in real-time!

In remarks regarding the recent ice shelf failure, Luke Copland, a climate expert and environmental scientist at the University of Ottawa, pointed out that this summer's temperatures have soared by as much as 9 degrees Fahrenheit above the average recorded from 1981 to 2010. He emphasized that the area where the massive iceberg broke off has been warming at a rate two to three times faster than the global average. Copland stated, “The rapid decline of ice shelves is directly linked to climate change,” and cautioned that other Canadian ice shelves are at risk of vanishing over the next few decades.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) corroborated this alarming trend in its July climate report, revealing that several states along the Atlantic coast experienced unprecedented heat. States such as Connecticut, Delaware, and Florida reported their hottest July on record, while cities like Baltimore faced 25 days of temperatures exceeding 90 degrees Fahrenheit, marking it as their warmest July ever.

However, the extreme heat is merely one symptom of a broader climate emergency. If the soaring temperatures weren't enough, other severe weather phenomena were also in play. The same July recorded above-average rainfall across the country, making it the third wettest year-to-date period in 126 years, as noted by NOAA.

“It was an unusually steamy month for the country — even for July,” NOAA remarked.

As the coastal states dealt with record-breaking heat, the Atlantic also saw a surge in tropical storms. July alone witnessed the formation of five storms, marking the earliest named storms in the Atlantic Basin on record. Among them was Hurricane Hanna, which struck Texas in late July, causing significant damage and setting the record for the earliest named 'H' storm to form in the Atlantic.

The indicators of a planet in distress have been evident for years. The current year continues a trend of the past five years, which have recorded some of the highest global temperatures in nearly 150 years, according to NASA's climate data. A recent study from NASA indicated that Earth’s climate is expected to keep warming throughout this century, aligning with previous estimates, despite a perceived slowdown in global warming rates.

Unfortunately, despite the increasing awareness and initiatives aimed at climate justice by consumers, corporations, and world leaders, the situation regarding greenhouse gas emissions remains dire. The concentration of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, has risen from 372 parts per million in early 2005 to 414 ppm this past June, as reported by NASA.

Over a longer timeline, spanning the last three glacial periods, the current CO2 levels are unprecedented. Even accounting for natural emissions, such as those from respiration and volcanic activity, the atmospheric CO2 concentration today is unlike anything seen in tens of thousands of years, breaking historic peak levels since 1950 and continuing to climb.

Furthermore, it’s not just temperatures that are rising; Arctic sea ice coverage has been steadily declining for the past 40 years. Scientists monitor the ice's minimum coverage during the warmer months, revealing a significant decrease from over 7 million square kilometers in 1980 to just 4.15 million square kilometers in 2019.

Our climate is in a state of emergency, much like other pressing issues that have defined this year — from the pandemic to systemic racism. Regrettably, the current administration, under President Trump, has shown little commitment to addressing these challenges, having formally withdrawn from the Paris Accord and rolled back crucial environmental regulations. How many more records must be broken before the climate crisis garners the attention it desperately needs?

The more pressing question remains: How many more records will be shattered before it becomes too late to act?

Chapter 2: The Implications of Climate Disruption

The first video, "Climate Protest Criminalization," explores the pushback against climate activism and the implications for future protests. It delves into the rising tensions between governments and activists as climate change becomes an increasingly pressing issue.

In the second video, "Can Extinction Rebellion's new brand of climate protest win people over?", discussions focus on the innovative approaches of Extinction Rebellion and their effectiveness in galvanizing public support for climate action.