Global Warming is here. Every day we are living with the impact and the effects of climate change will become more severe in the near future.
In 2023 in South Texas, we are experiencing the hottest summer on record. San Antonio's high temperatures have hit or exceeded 100 degrees 51 times so far in 2023. The record for most triple-digit days was set in 2009, when San Antonio reached 100 degrees on 59 days. If you look at the ten-day forecast, we are on track to blow that old record out of the boiling water.
Look at the trend and it’s clear: the Alamo City is experiencing hotter days and more of them.
What’s life going to be like in San Antonio when the city is clocking 110-degree days on a regular basis? Or 120? This is the city’s future if climate change isn’t addressed now with decisive and direct action.
Climate change is caused by the burning of fossil fuels and dumping the resulting carbon into the atmosphere. All that additional carbon in the air is trapping the solar radiation and making the planet heat up. The average global temperature has increased by about 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) since the late 19th century. This may not seem like a lot, but it is enough to cause significant changes in the climate.
Melting glaciers and ice sheets: Glaciers and ice sheets are melting at an alarming rate. This is causing sea levels to rise, which is threatening coastal communities around the world.
More extreme weather events: Climate change is causing more extreme weather events, such as heat waves, droughts, floods, and wildfires. These events are causing damage to property and infrastructure, and they are also taking a toll on human health and safety.
Changes in plant and animal life: Climate change is causing plants and animals to migrate to new areas in search of suitable habitats. This is disrupting ecosystems and causing some species to go extinct.
What are some possible solutions for stopping and reversing climate change?
Guest:
Jeff Goodell is a contributing writer at Rolling Stone and author of the book The Heat Will Kill You First: Life and Death on a Scorched Planet.”
He is the New York Times best-selling author of six previous books, including The Water Will Come: Rising Seas, Sinking Cities and the Remaking of the Civilized World. As a journalist, he has covered climate change for more than two decades and is a 2020 Guggenheim Fellow.
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*This interview will be recorded on Thursday, August 17.
