Global warming appears to have shifted into a faster gear. After removing the effects of El Niño, volcanic eruptions, and solar cycles, researchers found that the planet has warmed at roughly 0.35°C per decade over the past ten years, compared with just under 0.2°C per decade from 1970 to 2015. The acceleration, which becomes visible around 2013 to 2015, appeared across five major global temperature datasets with more than 98% statistical certainty.
Unfortunately the problem with global warming is that it happens very slowly over time. Scientists were warning us of the impacts of global warming for at least a decade but we have somehow prioritized the short term gains and now we and our children will bear the fruits of our negligence.
They’ve been warning us with some urgency since at least the 1970s. There were concerns published about it in the late 19th century. By the early 1990s the warnings were loud and clear for everyone to hear.
– Rodney & Otamatea Times (1912)
There were cartoons about it in the 1900s, people had an idea about it pretty early on when rivers stopped freezing suddenly.
Yes, this makes us even more ignorant. At some point in the past I was kind of hopeful we as united humanity can overcome this problem, like with the ozone layer hole, but then these individualistic policies started to sweep over the world and people started to care about other problems more.
We needed to bring out pitchforks and torches to dethrone the ultra wealthy like… 30 years ago.
Scientists have warned us since the 80s - I can tell you that, I was there.
Yup, I was a small kid when my dad told me about it and he wasn’t even a scientist, just a teacher. We’ve known for a long time. Ignorance is no excuse.
When I was about 12 (late 90’s-ish), my asshole of a father sat me down and explained in detail how within my lifetime we’re going to see the end of global civilization by famine and war due to the oil running out, and how if anyone survived we’d never be able to build up to the same level of technology again as there isn’t another energy rich resource to exploit.
Fucking wanker still didn’t believe in climate change being real though, and he had a whole violent and shouty tantrum when he found out I did.
The narcissistic prick also went on to work in the oil sector and have more kids with his next wife.