Action needed now

I wonder if you  heard the sobering news that came out of Alaska last week?

For the first time since records began, the temperature in this US state, part of which lies inside the Arctic Circle, rose to ninety degrees Fahrenheit.
When one takes into account the fact that, at this time of the year, the normal temperature in Alaska is around fifty degrees, that is a mind-boggling increase.

The outcome?
Not only is the ice melting on an unprecedented scale, but the state's economy is suffering accordingly.
In addition, thousands of puffins are dying . . . the fish they need for sustenance are moving further north to avoid the warming seas.

But Alaska isn't alone, let's switch our attention to Greenland.  Here the story is equally serious.

It's hard to accept that the huskies in this picture are paddling through water that, until quite recently, comprised a firm surface of frozen snow . . . climate change has reduced the surface area to water.

Wouldn't you agree that we are, in effect, on board 'The Titanic', fast approaching the iceberg of climate destruction.   However, instead of concentrating on the approaching iceberg, we're most of us fixated on our current political chaos.
When some new climate revelation hits the headlines, we briefly register shock.  But, all too quickly, this is pushed into the background and our attention goes elsewhere.

"We shouldn't be talking about 'climate change', it's a 'climate crisis'," declared the UN Secretary General's representative recently.  "This isn't about the future," she insisted, "this is about today, adaptation and resilience are urgently needed now."

True, in this country, although the temperatures are rising, we're not faced with the prospect of losing our homes to rising water levels, as are the inhabitants of Bangladesh.

However, as the waters rise around the planet, so the amount of habitable land is shrinking and the world's population is growing.

What's more, the turbulent weather is worldwide, only this week fatal floods hit northern Spain  . . .  we are all in this together.

So, let's follow the guidance of the young people, and take the UN's advice to heart.
As Sir David Attenborough told MPs in the House of Commons yesterday, the climate crisis must be at the forefront of every consideration, making it the key motivation in all we do . . . reducing our carbon emissions, eating less meat, making fewer journeys, and, above all, treating our irreplaceable planet with the care and respect it deserves.
Time isn't on our side.

May I leave you with the thoughts conjured up by a very sobering video from the southern hemisphere.  Click here to see just what it is that we've activated . . . and let it inspire you to do something about it.