Antony Blinken is a good decent man and I’m relieved to know that the climate crisis is real to him. The US lost much during the prior disastrous administration. Biden, Blinken and the rest of the administration have much work to do to catch up. As always, Alex, thank you for your voice and wise words.
Your recent newsletter was very informative and I'm glad you jumped on "long-term economic growth". My sentiments exactly. I'm sorry the island nations are stressed about their futures. But complaining to other nations is probably too late for them. I don't know but the speed of geologic scale that may have only begun and turning the ship around once we've hit the brakes may be decades or longer to recover these tropic wonderlands. So I wish them well.
Hi Jim, thank you. Unfortunately, the rising sea levels can only be slowed down but can't be stopped. Two massive ice-shelves on both sides of the Antarctic have passed tipping points and over time these will melt and raise the sea levels up to some seven meters. We talk about many centuries here, but at the same time, Greenland and glaciers all over the world are also melting. The present annual speed of sea-level rise is just a few millimeters and that is not only because of melting but also because of the expansion of the warmer ocean water. At the end of this century, the sea level could be like one meter higher, but it is hard to predict especially since we don't know what action governments will take to halt climate change, nor will it be the same at each coastline (a bit counterintuitive, but the ocean is not like a bathtub where the water rises just as much on all 'shores' once you step into the bathtub). Long before the end of the century, many islands will have disappeared. Some Pacific islands already had to be abandoned because of higher sea levels in combination with stronger winds and thus a higher surge.
I know that we have to look forward and act NOW, but I can't shake all those missed opportunities. The ones before we hit that tipping point that you mention in one of your replies. We've known what to do for decades. Sorry, but sometimes that really makes me angry.
On the plus side, I followed "Circularity and The Race to Zero - Exponential Climate Action Summit III" on YouTube for the entire 6 hours and there are so many great ideas, initiatives and projects out there. That made me feel really hopeful. And I think I finally understood what "Circularity" really means in this context. There are two initiatives that I really want to get envolved in. I consider that a way forward as well - I mean finding something you feel passionate about and to get involved in that Race to Zero.
Not sure how I feel about COP26 - too many egos (not just people's but also country's) at play. Hoping to be positively surprised.
I liked how you made it personal talking about your island at the start, adding what David Kabua said and then closing with that beautiful sunset. Wat een mooie foto! (I knew that phrase would come in handy at some point.)
Antony Blinken is a good decent man and I’m relieved to know that the climate crisis is real to him. The US lost much during the prior disastrous administration. Biden, Blinken and the rest of the administration have much work to do to catch up. As always, Alex, thank you for your voice and wise words.
Thank you Dawna, and yes, there is lots of catching up to do but I am happy to see that at least the climate crisis is now recognized as a crisis.
Your recent newsletter was very informative and I'm glad you jumped on "long-term economic growth". My sentiments exactly. I'm sorry the island nations are stressed about their futures. But complaining to other nations is probably too late for them. I don't know but the speed of geologic scale that may have only begun and turning the ship around once we've hit the brakes may be decades or longer to recover these tropic wonderlands. So I wish them well.
Did that make sense? I'm not a great writer.
Hi Jim, thank you. Unfortunately, the rising sea levels can only be slowed down but can't be stopped. Two massive ice-shelves on both sides of the Antarctic have passed tipping points and over time these will melt and raise the sea levels up to some seven meters. We talk about many centuries here, but at the same time, Greenland and glaciers all over the world are also melting. The present annual speed of sea-level rise is just a few millimeters and that is not only because of melting but also because of the expansion of the warmer ocean water. At the end of this century, the sea level could be like one meter higher, but it is hard to predict especially since we don't know what action governments will take to halt climate change, nor will it be the same at each coastline (a bit counterintuitive, but the ocean is not like a bathtub where the water rises just as much on all 'shores' once you step into the bathtub). Long before the end of the century, many islands will have disappeared. Some Pacific islands already had to be abandoned because of higher sea levels in combination with stronger winds and thus a higher surge.
Thank you for this!
I know that we have to look forward and act NOW, but I can't shake all those missed opportunities. The ones before we hit that tipping point that you mention in one of your replies. We've known what to do for decades. Sorry, but sometimes that really makes me angry.
On the plus side, I followed "Circularity and The Race to Zero - Exponential Climate Action Summit III" on YouTube for the entire 6 hours and there are so many great ideas, initiatives and projects out there. That made me feel really hopeful. And I think I finally understood what "Circularity" really means in this context. There are two initiatives that I really want to get envolved in. I consider that a way forward as well - I mean finding something you feel passionate about and to get involved in that Race to Zero.
Not sure how I feel about COP26 - too many egos (not just people's but also country's) at play. Hoping to be positively surprised.
I liked how you made it personal talking about your island at the start, adding what David Kabua said and then closing with that beautiful sunset. Wat een mooie foto! (I knew that phrase would come in handy at some point.)
Thank you Evelyne, great that you followed the Race to Zero!
🌻🙏✍
thank you Lizzie!