The News Is Dire
Climate Change Report A Call For Local Action
In early October the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a harrowing report. A key statement by the panel warns that “limiting global warming to 1.5°C requires rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society.”
The report includes more than 6,000 scientific references from climate scientists. Many decades ago the warning bell on this issue was sounded. It is now clanging.
In the United States, the Trump Administration had been and continues to unravel its full assault on the environment. The following is a partial timeline – which does not include all the rollbacks and new orders:
• February 2017: President Trump orders the EPA to dismantle the Clean Water Rule
• June 1, 2017: The U.S. withdraws from the Paris Climate Agreement
• October 4, 2017: It is revealed that the EPA plans to repeal the Clean Power Plan
• Ongoing: The administration continues to roll back environmental protections on national monuments
• January, 2018: The administration announces it is doing away with air emissions policy, which dictated how major sources of hazardous air pollutants are regulated
• August, 2018: The administration announces a freeze on fuel efficiency standards and nullifies federal rules on coal power plants
• September, 2018: A report from this administration predicts 7 degrees of global warming by 2100, while rolling back Obama-era policy requiring oil and gas companies to monitor and mitigate release of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, from wells
• October, 2018: Trump responds to IPCC report, “It was given to me. And I want to look at who drew it. You know, which group drew it. I can give you reports that are fabulous and I can give you reports that aren’t so good.”
The panel gives us until 2030 – barely 11 years – before the planet will reach the critical 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, to make monumental changes to reduce the risk of extreme drought, wildfires, floods and food shortages. We are already seeing the consequences from the 1° C of warming with Arctic Sea ice shrinking, extreme weather and rising seas.
The report notes dire differences between containing warming to 1.5° versus 2°. At 1.5°C of warming, 6 percent of insects, 8 percent of plants and 4 percent of vertebrates will lose half of their geographic range. At 2°C those numbers climb to 18 percent, 16 percent and 8 percent, respectively.
Insects provide pollination for crops and the risk to food shortages is real. There is a similar equivalent for coral reefs in which a 1.5° rise in temperature destroys 90 percent of coral reefs. A 2 percent rise will wipe them out entirely.
It is predicted that a 2° increase will lead to higher levels of acidity in the oceans, decreasing the oxygen content harming marine biodiversity. The half-degree difference can mean sea ice-free summers in the Arctic happening every 100 years at 1.5°, versus every 10 years at 2°C.
We risk significant impacts on our own health as ozone and heat-related deaths are projected to increase. We are already locked into changes due to the temperature increase that has already occurred.
By 2050, we need to cut our emissions to zero. In order to achieve this we need monumental efforts right now. Denver has already committed to 100 percent renewable electricity and will need to work quickly to make this happen by 2030.
Last month I contacted Aurora Mayor Bob LeGare requesting a meeting to discuss climate change and committing Aurora to 100 percent renewable electricity. Unfortunately Mayor LeGare responded with, “the topic you have raised is not one of my priorities.” We cannot afford to wait for our politicians to get on board with this crucial issue. We need them to be bold and to act now. Please join me by contacting the mayor at blegare@auroaragov.org and ask him to commit Aurora, just to the east of Park Hill, to 100 percent renewable electricity.
In addition to asking Aurora to get on board we need to push the State of Colorado, other cities and county governments across the state, business, industry and each individual to convert to clean electricity and energy and lifestyle changes.
Each of us needs to make personal changes to save the planet and avert serious threats to our own wellbeing. We must push our political leaders to take action, and boldly.
We need to heed the ringing alarm bell on climate change. Our time is up.
Tracey MacDermott is chair of the board of Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. Active in the Registered Neighborhood Organization for many years, MacDermott was the 2012 recipient of the Dr. J. Carlton Babbs Award for Community Service. She was trained as a Climate Reality Leader in 2017, and is currently the statewide chair of the Climate Reality Project for the 100% Committed Campaign.