A record-breaking hot September in many countries followed several months that were globally the hottest ever. Our planet experienced its hottest August in recorded history, sounding an urgent alarm for climate scientists and environmental campaigners alike. This unsettling record joins an ever-expanding catalog of worrying climate patterns that have become all too familiar in our daily lives.
We’ve reached the levels of climate change we’ve been warned of for years. And it’s going to worsen if urgent steps aren’t taken.
Almost daily we see the terrifying extremes in temperature, weather, flooding, droughts, sea level rise, glaciers melting and more.
Climate change changes everything that was once normal.
If only we’d listened to Al Gore all those years ago or, even further, Eunice Foote in the 1800s.
And with all the evidence we see daily, people like the UK PM is abandoning all responsibility for the planet.
I hope to see #ClimateLeadership rise as a prominent hashtag to remind everyone leaders must take responsibility immediately and act with the greatest urgency.
Thank you for continuing as a dedicated climate warrior with all you do for awareness with the voice of experience, knowledge and trust.
This news comes on the heels of very disturbing events in governance in the USA 🇺🇸 as you have noted in prior newsletters. How do we move leaders including those in Congress to move to action rather than staying “stuck” in endless negotiations about 💰💰💰ongoing to another “deadline” on 11/17/2023? Many deny climate change even when it is obvious to voting citizens and especially the young who see their future lives in such peril. Do they have no vision forward at all that they continue to banter among each other, coming to no resolution on anything including who the leaders of governance are to be? I fear the stagnation in decision making most of all and know not how to change it. We continue to say “vote” yet more obstacles to that process arise every day on state levels as well as national. The wealthy including corporations must learn to live with less consumerism and more compassion for our fellow citizens of less means if we are to survive these cascading crises. Thank you for the updated factual information. We must continue to hope for resolution as difficult as it has become simply looking outside our homes to the skies and polluted air, deludges and alternately desertification around us, rising seas, polluted oceans, etc. We must come to agreements with one another that CLIMATE is our foremost priority or risk extinction.
You write : « Each leader in every country can do their part to tackle the existential threat of climate change. We all know what needs to be done, we have the technology, and we know it can be financed, but it all hinges on our leaders' capacity to prioritize, cooperate, and show political will. »
I want to see the positive effects of the planetary climate change and the positive reactions of everyone, be it a carpenter, a mechanic or a singer, to it.
You describe positive changes citing real remedies happening every day and every where like grape culture in the Netherlands and that’s reassuring. I also heard about it in Sweden. Adapting or changing is happening.
BUT, but, but ... there remains still many climate change deniers, those refusing to see or admit any natural evidence or there are also those modulating the extreme floodings and forest fires into normality...
We’re 10 million and elect our political representatives now in October, see what happens...
We certainly are in a precarious situation. Our leaders are not paying attention as well as ignoring us hoping we will surrender. While living in Texas I discovered legislator's staff had taken to leaving voice mail boxes full so we could not leave a message and not answering phones or disconnecting us. Our letters were answered with forms addressing quite a different topic. Albeit perilous, it seems demonstrations will be the only way forward. Along with the climate catastrophe, the citizens of the world are dealing with low wages, high food prices, insane medical costs, and higher rents. Hopping on my bus I ran into a shouting match between the operator and what appeared to be a newly homeless senior woman. Her possessions were blocking the aisle and I helped her get the bags off two stops later. Everyone is frustrated and trying to maintain a sense of dignity. Thank you, Alexander, for keeping us informed and offering us beauty and smiles as we attempt to cope. Good idea, Lizzie --> #ClimateLeadership
I was thinking about rising costs of everything. Health insurance premiums are going up yet again, I don’t even want to think about my electricity bill, rent is up 10%, food prices – well, if they didn’t raise the price they are selling their goods in smaller packages for the same price. This is not going to end well. I’m lucky to have found a good job, but so many are already struggling. Yes, even in rich Switzerland. And as ever it’s not the people/companies responsible for what’s happening that are suffering. Makes me sad and angry and … I feel a rant coming on. Thank you for all you do, Rena.
Yet there are still people who are denying climate change. October 3 and it’s going to be 77°F/25°C and that’s not a one off. I’m sitting on the train to Zurich as I type this. The sun is about to rise and in a few minutes we will pass the spot where the rising sun illuminates the Alps. I can’t believe we are destroying out planet at the rate we are. We have elections coming up on October 22 (Federal Parliament) and this is where we can make a difference. I saw Lizzie and Rena use #ClimateLeadership. That has to be the way forward. We can’t do this alone. Thank you for this well-written yet sobering piece.
We’ve reached the levels of climate change we’ve been warned of for years. And it’s going to worsen if urgent steps aren’t taken.
Almost daily we see the terrifying extremes in temperature, weather, flooding, droughts, sea level rise, glaciers melting and more.
Climate change changes everything that was once normal.
If only we’d listened to Al Gore all those years ago or, even further, Eunice Foote in the 1800s.
And with all the evidence we see daily, people like the UK PM is abandoning all responsibility for the planet.
I hope to see #ClimateLeadership rise as a prominent hashtag to remind everyone leaders must take responsibility immediately and act with the greatest urgency.
Thank you for continuing as a dedicated climate warrior with all you do for awareness with the voice of experience, knowledge and trust.
This news comes on the heels of very disturbing events in governance in the USA 🇺🇸 as you have noted in prior newsletters. How do we move leaders including those in Congress to move to action rather than staying “stuck” in endless negotiations about 💰💰💰ongoing to another “deadline” on 11/17/2023? Many deny climate change even when it is obvious to voting citizens and especially the young who see their future lives in such peril. Do they have no vision forward at all that they continue to banter among each other, coming to no resolution on anything including who the leaders of governance are to be? I fear the stagnation in decision making most of all and know not how to change it. We continue to say “vote” yet more obstacles to that process arise every day on state levels as well as national. The wealthy including corporations must learn to live with less consumerism and more compassion for our fellow citizens of less means if we are to survive these cascading crises. Thank you for the updated factual information. We must continue to hope for resolution as difficult as it has become simply looking outside our homes to the skies and polluted air, deludges and alternately desertification around us, rising seas, polluted oceans, etc. We must come to agreements with one another that CLIMATE is our foremost priority or risk extinction.
You write : « Each leader in every country can do their part to tackle the existential threat of climate change. We all know what needs to be done, we have the technology, and we know it can be financed, but it all hinges on our leaders' capacity to prioritize, cooperate, and show political will. »
I want to see the positive effects of the planetary climate change and the positive reactions of everyone, be it a carpenter, a mechanic or a singer, to it.
You describe positive changes citing real remedies happening every day and every where like grape culture in the Netherlands and that’s reassuring. I also heard about it in Sweden. Adapting or changing is happening.
BUT, but, but ... there remains still many climate change deniers, those refusing to see or admit any natural evidence or there are also those modulating the extreme floodings and forest fires into normality...
We’re 10 million and elect our political representatives now in October, see what happens...
We certainly are in a precarious situation. Our leaders are not paying attention as well as ignoring us hoping we will surrender. While living in Texas I discovered legislator's staff had taken to leaving voice mail boxes full so we could not leave a message and not answering phones or disconnecting us. Our letters were answered with forms addressing quite a different topic. Albeit perilous, it seems demonstrations will be the only way forward. Along with the climate catastrophe, the citizens of the world are dealing with low wages, high food prices, insane medical costs, and higher rents. Hopping on my bus I ran into a shouting match between the operator and what appeared to be a newly homeless senior woman. Her possessions were blocking the aisle and I helped her get the bags off two stops later. Everyone is frustrated and trying to maintain a sense of dignity. Thank you, Alexander, for keeping us informed and offering us beauty and smiles as we attempt to cope. Good idea, Lizzie --> #ClimateLeadership
I was thinking about rising costs of everything. Health insurance premiums are going up yet again, I don’t even want to think about my electricity bill, rent is up 10%, food prices – well, if they didn’t raise the price they are selling their goods in smaller packages for the same price. This is not going to end well. I’m lucky to have found a good job, but so many are already struggling. Yes, even in rich Switzerland. And as ever it’s not the people/companies responsible for what’s happening that are suffering. Makes me sad and angry and … I feel a rant coming on. Thank you for all you do, Rena.
Yet there are still people who are denying climate change. October 3 and it’s going to be 77°F/25°C and that’s not a one off. I’m sitting on the train to Zurich as I type this. The sun is about to rise and in a few minutes we will pass the spot where the rising sun illuminates the Alps. I can’t believe we are destroying out planet at the rate we are. We have elections coming up on October 22 (Federal Parliament) and this is where we can make a difference. I saw Lizzie and Rena use #ClimateLeadership. That has to be the way forward. We can’t do this alone. Thank you for this well-written yet sobering piece.