2023 expected to be hottest year on record
(CNS): Heatwaves have been reported around the world this month, from Bejing to Seville to Texas and beyond, another worrying sign of the gathering pace of global warming. El Niño conditions this year are expected to compound the situation and experts say that 2023 could be the hottest year on record. The mercury is also rising in Cayman as both air and sea temperatures exceed seasonal averages.
There were no tropical storms over the Cayman Islands during the first month of the hurricane season, but the heat is unrelenting, and changes in local as well as global weather patterns are leading to less frequent but heavier rains. Cayman’s average annual temperature has already risen by 2.2°F over the last 40 years.
According to Copernicus, the Earth observation component of the European Union’s Space programme, the global-mean temperature exceeded pre-industrial levels by more than 1.5°C in the first week of June 2023.
“The world has just experienced its warmest early June on record, following a month of May that was less than 0.1°C cooler than the warmest May on record. Monitoring our climate is more important than ever to determine how often and for how long global temperatures are exceeding the 1.5 degrees threshold. Every single fraction of a degree matters to avoid even more severe consequences of the climate crisis,” said Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) Deputy Director Samantha Burgess.
The long-term global warming will likely receive a further pulse of heat this summer from El Niño, a natural weather phenomenon that causes temperatures to spike. Even though it also tempers storm activity in the Atlantic, Cayman Islands National Weather Service Director John Tibbetts urged people not to be complacent.
In a service announcement reminding people to be prepared for any weather over this holiday weekend, Tibbetts said that storm forecasting would be challenging this season because there are separate dynamic weather events taking place and predicting the El Niño-La Niña cycle is not an exact science.
“At the present time, we don’t know how strong that El Niño will be,” he said. “However, the presence of El Niño would be good news for the Cayman Islands as it tends to hinder tropical cyclone development. This happens as El Niño generates additional vertical wind shear, and these strong upper-level winds weaken tropical cyclones as the upper circulation is blown away from the low-level centre.”
Nevertheless, rising sea temperatures in the Atlantic and the Caribbean could still fuel extremely intense hurricanes if the El Niño influence is not strong enough.
Even if Cayman escapes any major storms this season, the rising temperature and potential drought, intermittent heavy rain, king tides and increasingly unpredictable weather could make life challenging for those in areas prone to flooding. For people living without air-conditioning or who cannot afford to use it, the summer of 2023 could be unbearable.
The public is being urged to submit their comments on the government’s proposed Climate Change Policy before the end of the consultation period this evening.
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Category: Climate Change, Science & Nature, Weather
CO2 emissions from fossil fuels which contribute 85% of our energy use apparently must be reduced to zero by 2100 according to the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate).
All life is carbon based and the carbon for all that life originates from. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. All of the carbon in the fossil fuels we are burning for our energy today was once in the atmosphere as CO2 before it was consumed by plankton in the sea and plants on the land. Coal oil and natural gas are the remains of those planktons and plants and have been transformed by heat and pressure deep in the earths crust. Fossil fuels are organic and produced with solar energy. The earth would be a dead planet with no CO2 in the earths atmosphere. Talk about climate change. And yet the EPA ( Environmental Protection Agency ) has deemed this essential ingredient for life, a pollutant. For most of the history on earth the CO2 has been present in the atmosphere at much higher levels than it is today. Big picture, we are actually living in a low CO2 era.
Green houses’ on a large scale are actually having to inject more CO2 to improve plant productivity. CO2 is not the dirty word we have been told, “sold”.
It is the giver of life that it is.
Premier Panton has consistently presented himself as a champion for the environment and an advocate for “green energy” in his campaign and throughout his tenure. However, to truly make progress and fulfill these lofty promises, the time for talk is over. The Cayman Islands government should take immediate action by implementing positive policy changes.
Here are some suggestions for positive action:
–Make all equipment and materials used in green energy production and green retrofitting duty-free. This step would significantly reduce costs and encourage the adoption of environmentally friendly technologies.
–Eliminate fees associated with permits required for constructing and installing green energy initiatives. By waiving these fees, the government would further incentivize individuals and businesses to invest in sustainable practices.
–Extend duty-free status for solar cells and related equipment to all residents, not exclusively homeowners. This inclusive approach would encourage widespread adoption of solar energy and expand the benefits to a larger portion of the population.
–Waive Trade and Business license fees for local businesses specializing in green energy solutions. This would support the growth of such enterprises and stimulate the green energy sector.
–Waive work permit fees for employees working in green energy-related fields and businesses. This step would reduce barriers for individuals seeking employment opportunities in the green energy sector and demonstrate the government’s commitment to fostering a skilled workforce in this domain.
–Promote favorable financing options for green energy businesses. By offering accessible and advantageous financing, the government can facilitate the establishment and expansion of companies engaged in sustainable practices.
–Provide favorable financing opportunities to consumers for implementing green energy systems. This measure would enable individuals to invest in renewable energy solutions for their homes or businesses, driving the adoption of sustainable technologies at the grassroots level.
It is imperative for Premier Panton to translate his rhetoric on green energy and environmental protection into meaningful legislation and incentives. By taking these steps, the government can create an environment conducive to sustainable development and actively contribute to combating climate change and promoting a greener future. Not to do so is folly.
the reason for most of this global heat is gal godot.
I bet!
Hope someone is paying attention to the workers in the various fields such as gardening, landscaping and construction.
Interesting how these climate doomsday reports are never published in the middle of the world’s recent record-breaking winters.
However, the climate scientiest quickly caught on to that unfortunate jive and switched the term from “global warming” to “climate change” – but quick to revert to the former as it suits – as we can see by this very trending report in question.
– Who
CNS: The use of the term “climate change” is mostly for people who don’t understand, or don’t want to understand, the difference between global warming and weather. The average global temperature is rising (global warming) but that does not mean there won’t be extreme cold in some places (i.e. weather).
If you really want to understand and not just bang on about the evil climate scientists, you can start here: Global Warming Makes Winter Colder and Hotter — This Is How
Or: If the world is warming, why are some winters and summers still very cold?
@12:46:
The shrinking of polar ice caps and the retreat of countless glaciers provide compelling evidence of a discernible trend towards global warming. In enlightened circles and within the scientific community, the term “global warming” has been superseded by “climate change.” This shift in nomenclature acknowledges that the phenomenon encompasses more than just increasing temperatures and includes a broader range of climatic shifts such as warmer summers, colder winters, and a change in global weather patterns and ocean current circulation.
Observable phenomena like warmer summer temperatures, receding ice, and even colder winters all clearly point to an alteration in the Earth’s climate. However, while these changes are undeniably occurring, I remain skeptical that the shifts are solely attributable to human activity. It is understandable that humans prefer to believe that we have the power to influence and mitigate the course of this climatic shift, rather than accepting that we might be helpless to avert what could be a potential extinction-level event for humans. Nevertheless, we would be wise to embrace the principles of “Pascal’s Wager” in this context: if there is even a remote possibility that human activities contribute to global warming, it would be foolish and utterly irresponsible not to take proactive measures to address the issue, given that the stakes involve the very survival of our species.
You give humans far too much credit.
This planet is a beast and has endured far worse than anything seen in our lifetime or that of mankind in its entirety.
I see you’ve avoided the actual core of my question which relates to the timing of these alarmist “climate change” reports.
Quite similar to the preacher man that uses a well attended funeral to remind everyone of the realness of the fires of hell if they don’t repent of their sins before dying.
Hopefully this helps to illustrate.
– Who
CNS: Hmm, yes and no. The difference between the preacher and the climate scientists is that the former is sharing his unverifiable belief system and the latter is sharing the cumulative knowledge of decades of painstaking study. The “climate change is a religion” thing is too silly to discuss. The point that people are more willing to take notice when something has happened and they are focused on their own demise is probably the one you are trying to make.
However, I suspect you’re confusing news reports with scientific studies. The reports from scientists are consistent, whether it’s in the middle of a heatwave or a blizzard, because they understand the connection and the difference between climate and weather – something many people don’t fully grasp, including you, I think. You could remedy this by reading the links in the previous comment, or you could just choose not to understand.
Climate scientists are studying and producing reports all the time and trying to get governments and people to understand what is happening. Just because you don’t read them doesn’t mean they aren’t out there in academia – or in reputable or dedicated news outlets. If you only read the Daily Mail, you’re not getting the full picture.
You could try this online news source if you want to keep up.
So, to go back to the preacher analogy, there is an element of truth. The scientists say, and have been saying for the past five decades, that the Earth is warming and humans are causing this to happen. And the people say, “Phooey! You’re making it up.” And when the temperature drops in a particular part of the world, and the scientists say that this is because of global warming, the people say, “What do you know? You’re only scientists.” And then, at any time when the message starts to get through, the fossil fuel industry is willing to pour millions into a disinformation campaign (including political campaign money) so they don’t have to make any changes to their hugely profitable business.
So, yes, as the world experiences the hottest week on record and tips over the point of no return, it’s probably a good time to say, “Now do you believe us?” Because it’s only going to get worse if changes are not made.
In February 2021 the North American cold wave brought the lowest temperatures in decades to 80% of north America so its getting colder and hotter it seems.
CNS: Does “global warming” mean it’s warming everywhere?
Wow. So many climate scientists in Cayman. Who knew. 🤷♂️
July 4th, 2023 is officially the hottest day ever on planet Earth.
Actually it was the 3rd
Climate change deniers here = developers, contractors, investors, suppliers.
Also people who can think outside the narrative
CNS: Otherwise known as people who have absorbed the propaganda paid for by the fossil fuel industry and spread by conspiracy theorists on Twitter, and then congratulate themselves for what they call “critical thinking”. Madness.
For those of you who remember the 70’s. The science of the day was we were entering a new ice age by the turn of the century. We were told to save the trees and use plastics, now plastics are a problem. Science can be wrong and many scientists will agree that climate change is far from exact, as the last 50 years has demonstrated.
CNS: 97% of actively publishing climate scientists agree that humans are causing global warming and climate change. Using the tactics of the tobacco industry in the 1950s, the fossil fuel industry has done an excellent job of convincing people that the science is unsettled.
The myth of the 1970s global cooling scientific consensus
Abstract: Climate science as we know it today did not exist in the 1960s and 1970s. The integrated enterprise embodied in the Nobel Prizewinning work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change existed then as separate threads of research pursued by isolated groups of scientists. Atmospheric chemists and modelers grappled with the measurement of changes in carbon dioxide and atmospheric gases, and the changes in climate that might result. Meanwhile, geologists and paleoclimate researchers tried to understand when Earth slipped into and out of ice ages, and why. An enduring popular myth suggests that in the 1970s the climate science community was predicting “global cooling” and an “imminent” ice age, an observation frequently used by those who would undermine what climate scientists say today about the prospect of global warming. A review of the literature suggests that, on the contrary, greenhouse warming even then dominated scientists’ thinking as being one of the most important forces shaping Earth’s climate on human time scales. More importantly than showing the falsehood of the myth, this review describes how scientists of the time built the foundation on which the cohesive enterprise of modern climate science now rests.
thumbs up for cns!
And thumbs down for boomer climate change science denier.
And I bet all you whining alarmists drive to work in your big SUV’s with the AC on, wondering why more isn’t being done. Get off your butts and walk or cycle!
You first…
Boomer too old and or fat to do so.
Indeed there are many more residents walking, cycling, and eating plants these days. The latter being the single biggest personal shift in terms of reduction of contributed annual tons of GHGE, fresh water, and land use. A single frozen hamburger patty is roughly the equivalent 20lbs C02. Same throughput of driving 150 highway miles, with 660 gallons of fresh water used, about the same as leaving the shower on for over 5 hours. When you add in the health and animal welfare benefits, of eating plants there’s no better menu option.
Move along, you’ll be late for CrossFit
Atmospheric C02 levels are already 50% higher than pre-industrial levels at >422ppm (May 2023). The last time C02 levels were at these levels, it was the early Pliocene, 5,000,000 years ago. By 2100, C02 levels are forecast to be on track for 1000+ppm where exposed humans will be dizzy, have chronic headaches, and have difficulty breathing without supplemental oxygen. Last time c02 was there was 50,000,000 years ago. That’s if pollution and sequestration capacity remains linear. The +1.5’C Paris Agreement tipping point will be surpassed inside 3 years. Many species cannot adapt this fast, including most crops. All because humanity refused to read, accept the mitigation of eating plants, while faith-based Christians demanded proof. Death by irony.
so after the West has built themselves on cheap fossil fuels, developing countries must now invest in more expensive green energy to save the world. you really think people going buy that? this is why BRICS+ is going be a major economic force in the years to come.
Exactly – the 3rd world could care less about this. They don’t have the luxury that the 1st world does of worrying about their carbon output. They need fuel, and need it cheap, just to survive. Until renewables become cheap and reliable, this is going to remain a problem.
@9:12:
Excellent point!
Please allow me to expand on your excellent observation:
Until renewables become cheap, reliable, and readily available globally, this is going to remain a problem.
The Western economy is built on meat, dairy, pharmaceuticals, and fossil fuel hegemonies. These are all western industries, lobbyists, and narratives. Diesel engines could have been converted to clean hydrogen and ammonia fuel in the 1960s, but corrupt policy makers continue to stroke their donors and stakeholders. Has nothing to do with the BRICS, who contribute fractions of western per capita emissions – China less than half, India a tenth.
install more AC units
Learn to swim.
And Trump says fake news? The world needsto changetoday not tomorrow or 2026 or 2028 . You watch these storms grow bigger and stronger now
The key words are ‘on record’. Historically records have only been kept for a very short time since the beginning of human life. The so called scientific evidence that activists point to, say that mankind is contributing to global warning, but a key figure that is always missing is by how much? Is it 1%, 10%, 50% or what? I don’t doubt there is climate change, but I do doubt it will have the effects so many believe it will have. Nature has a way of keeping mankind in check. We are in an age of mass information flow but much is not true or it has been twisted to suit politics and government narratives.
CNS: This is what the fossil fuel industry has spent millions encouraging you to believe so that they can carry on making trillions. Then they tell you it’s all about the greed of academics and global warming is a hoax.
How is the current global warming trend different from previous warming periods in Earth’s history?
How Do We Know that Humans Are the Major Cause of Global Warming? – The Union of Concerned Scientists
Reuters-World hits record land, sea temperatures as climate change fuels 2023 extremes.
https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/climate-nears-point-no-return-land-sea-temperatures-break-records-experts-2023-06-30/
Everyone knew you were an uneducated simpleton at “so called scientific evidence”.
Not really a good way to start a debate is it? That’s your counter argument ‘everyone knew you were a simpleton’. Try something cogent with perhaps some facts rather than assume I have no education, then you might get my attention.
“The key words are ‘on record’. Historically records have only been kept for a very short time since the beginning of human life.”
No. That’s not how this works. Why do you think that is how it works?
“The so called scientific evidence that activists point to, say that mankind is contributing to global warning, but a key figure that is always missing is by how much? Is it 1%, 10%, 50% or what? “
Uh… why is it so called? Just because you don’t understand or believe it? How much do we need to officially be contributing for you to care? Should everybody align with YOUR threshold?
You say that nature has a way of keeping us in check but you call the evidence of this happening, “so-called” and twisted to suit politics and government narratives. You obviously think you have it all figured out so why even pretend to be open minded?
Talking about narratives, its ironic isn’t it?
Oh dear so it doesn’t agree with yours what a shame, but please tell me how it does work then instead of going the straw man route.
‘On record’ includes data from tree rings, ice cores, and sediment, giving us a longer view on climate change than just since humans have been around. The IPCC, a reputable group of scientists, affirms human activities are the main driver of recent warming. We’re talking more than 50% since mid 20th century.
I apologize if I came across condescending, hopefully this gives you a better understanding of the situation. Bless.
sorry CNS, but the science is far from settled – climate change is real, but the proposed solutions are not realistic
Relax Elvis. The world isn’t ending it’s just El Niño and we have been through them before.
Antarctic Sea Ice Reaches a “Record-Smashing Low”
The sea ice extent is nearly a million square miles below the long-term average for late June.
https://www.discovermagazine.com/environment/antarctic-sea-ice-reaches-a-record-smashing-low
Nature is adding fresh water to the oceans to reduce acidity and enable higher C02 absorption.
Says who… ?
Hasn’t it always?