Future generations may well look back at 2015 as the year it became apparent that climate change was beyond our control.
- Since Earth Day 2014 atmospheric C02 levels have continued their relentless increase with the weekly average value for the first week in April increasing from 401.2ppm in 2014 to 403.4 in 2015.
- 2014 was the warmest year on record, with 9 of the warmest 10 years occurring since 2000. The 10th year was 1998, and exceptionally hot year which has been used by doubters to falsely claim that temperatures have not increased in the past 17 years.
- The maximum extent of Arctic sea ice this past winter was the smallest in the satellite record and was one of the earliest to reach its maximum extent. In spite of the Antarctic ice reaching a record maximum last September, the planet is continuing to lose total polar ice at a continuing rate which as averaged 19,500 square miles (50,500 square kilometers) over the past decade since the loss of Arctic ice far exceeds the ice gained in the Antarctic.
- Recent research shows that the large ocean currents (conveyor system) are slowing which could have drastic impacts upon climates around the globe and result in increased sea levels in some locations like the east coast of the United States.
- Last fall it was reported that the melting of the vast West Antarctic ice sheet was accelerating and is probably unstoppable. This spring new studies showed that the Totten glacier in East Antarctic is also shedding ice at an accelerated rate. In both cases, the cause is warm water is now moving under the ice and eroding its base. In each case, it is expected that it will take several centuries for the ice to melt, but the amount from each ice field will be sufficient to raise the ocean level by about 11 feet. The amount of ice on Antarctica is so great that it exerts a pull of gravity that causes the oceans to slope upwards toward Antarctica. Thus the loss of Antarctic ice will have a secondary impact of increasing sea levels especially in the northern hemisphere.
- Perhaps most ominously, there have been a number of recent reports about the melting of the arctic tundra, and/or the release of methane from melting tundra and warming arctic lakes. Some areas, especially in Siberia, violent eruptions of methane have apparently resulted in large craters in the peat lands. The frozen, partially decomposed Arctic peat lands contain vast amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Like the melting Arctic ice the relase of tunda methane can result in a self-perpetuating warming cycle.
- Last December delegates from around the world met at the 20th IPCC "Convention of the Parties (COP) ) in Lima, Peru. Once again, the results were under-whelming. Being unable to complete the task of preparing the framework for the upcoming December Paris meeting by their 4-day deadline, the conference lasted an additional two days before a last-minute compromise was reached. Basically, the convention rejected the approach of "legal" standards, such as the failed Kyota protocols, and substituted voluntary pledges to be submitted by the participating countries. Ironically, Peru obtains most of its electricity from hydro power driven by the melting Andean glaciers. As these glaciers are rapidly disappearing with a subsequent reduction of available electricity in Peru, large diesel generators had to be brought in to power the air conditioned tents used for the Convention.
Perhaps the most succinct critique of the Convention came from Pope Francis, who when expressing his disappointment with the outcome stated that "I think there was a lack of courage".
While there has been some welcome political progress in addressing climate change since Earth Day 2014, such as the agreement between China and the United States, and the recent Executive Orders by President Obama, they are regrettably too little and too late. Earth Day was intended as a day for all citizens to celebrate the Earth and restore and protect our common home. It was a day for citizen action, and the spirit of the remarkable first Earth Day inspired people to demand action from our elected leaders. The direct result was the greatest outpouring of environmental laws in history. Sadly, we seem to have become complacent, and feel that the task is either impossible, or not our responsibility. The first Earth Day proved that it is neither – the task is not impossible, and it is the responsibility of each and everyone of us!
