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CLIMATE AND COLLAPSING NATURE
14/11/2024
Donald Trump is notorious for saying climate change is a hoax or misrepresenting the science. At COP 16 in Columbia, governments reviewed the manifestations of climate change across the world: huge fires in tropical forests including the Amazon wetlands, the collapse of carbon sinks across boreal wetlands in Alaska, Siberia, Canada and Scandinavia from fires and drought. These ecosystems are critically important in absorbing excess atmospheric CO2 from fossil fuel use. The evidence that global warming is causing widespread harm to Earth’s ecosystems is incontrovertible, but it is also a worrying positive feedback – as global temperatures increase, there are more droughts and fires and consequently greater damage to nature and biodiversity. The worldwide crises of global warming and biodiversity loss are not separate phenomena, but closely linked and interconnected.
We need to put as much effort into the protection of nature and biodiversity recovery as ending fossil fuel use. President elect Trump would do well to wise up to the science rather than adopting the slogans of denial and promotion of oil and gas extraction which he does. Sadly, and very worryingly for our planet, nature and ourselves, it seems doubtful that he will as he threatens to withdraw from the Paris climate accord. It is nothing short of terrifying and shockingly deplorable. Scientists don’t mind being questioned and criticised, indeed we encourage that but, Mr Trump, sweeping denial based on false data and dismissal of independently verified observations by scientists is unacceptable and in this case very dangerous to our wellbeing and even our survival.
The COP 16 President is quoted as saying repeatedly, and I believe vitally, that “There is a double movement humanity must make. The first one is to decarbonise and have a just energy transition. The other side of the coin is to restore nature and allow nature to take again its power over planet Earth so that we can really stabilise the climate.” This is notable in that it is a similar message to the 2023 climate summit in Dubai (COP 28). Moreover, for Cop 29 in Baku, Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres observed that dangers are underestimated because irreversible tipping points loom and the world still underrates the dangers of a catastrophic breakdown of the climate, shockingly exemplified by the destruction of the Amazon rainforest and the melting of the Greenland ice sheet. If Trump again withdraws the USA from the Paris Climate Accords treaty, that will be a major upset, although the rest of the world with wiser heads will likely prevail against such irresponsible tomfoolery.
We can all help by making adjustments in our daily lives – switching to renewable energy wherever we can, voting for political parties aware of the situation and prepared to act, joining wildlife protection, conservation and action groups, learning more about ecology and the way ecosystems work, protecting our local greenspaces, etc. etc.
Betts Ecology are acutely aware of the declines in nature and biodiversity and how they are linked to climate change. We, and many others, continuously work towards slowing, halting and hopefully reversing these trends wherever we can. To make speedy progress, these efforts need unflagging national and international collaboration, though. Mr Trump PLEASE NOTE!
