Climate scientist says 2/3rds of the world is under an effective 'death sentence' because of global warming
Dr. Deborah Brosnan, a climate and ocean scientist, predicts that Earth will eventually become uninhabitable for humans given the grave state of the planet.
She said “Two thirds of Earth's population is under an effective ‘death sentence’ as global warming continues to worsen, bringing brutal heat waves, disastrous hurricanes and terrifying tornadoes that will eventually be too much for humans to handle. The point is that climate change is happening to everyone and in every region of the world."
“What everyone is missing about climate change is that it's not about saving the planet or about science: it's about people. Earth will survive – it'll be different, but it will carry on. Humans are the ones at risk.”
For those living on the coast, hurricanes have become far more intense in recent years. Rising sea levels drive increased flooding, far more brutal than the inundation . “Oceans have absorbed 90% of the excess heat from increased CO2 due to human activities,” Dr. Brosnan said. “We have primed conditions for more intense hurricanes. If water temperatures stay high, and there’s every evidence that they will, we can expect stronger and more rapidly intensifying hurricanes.”
Island nations will always feel the brunt of these disasters. Dr. Brosnan said SIDS—Small Island Developing States—like Grenada and St. Vincent in the Caribbean sea are "caught in a vicious cycle of having to choose between growth or recovery from the most recent natural disaster, which adds ‘crippling debt’ to the equation. Island governments know all too well how difficult it is to keep communities safe through a vicious storm and the frustration of rebuilding just to plunged back to square one after the next storm.
City dwellers are largely safe from the destructive forces of tornadoes and hurricanes but will likely swelter during extreme heat waves brought by climate change. More than 100 million Americans were under a heat advisory in 2023 with the south-west and parts of the west hit the hardest. “2024 is proving to be equally brutal and the heat waves are starting earlier in the season.,” Dr. Brosnan said adding “we, as humans, must act to offset this bleak future.”
US President Joe Biden in 2022 passed the Inflation Reduction Act(IRA), which was the biggest climate legislation in recent history, whereby green technology ramps up US investment in green technology by allocating $369 billion in funds through grants, loans and tax credits to public and private organizations. The ultimate goal is to lower carbon emission levels by nearly 40% by 2030. This is not enough according to Dr. Brosnan.
https://lnkd.in/ePqQ9MQa