Time for radical action against fossil fuels: global climate change is already here

After all, we reached our planet at a rapid pace, without waiting for the Apocalypse schedule that scientists had predicted. The "July of Hell'" is already rolling around the world. But it was just for starters.

The heat wave has engulfed the whole world. Rich countries and poor countries alike. You know, climate change does not care much about GDP per capita.

SUNSTROKE ON HUMANITY

The forest fires on the Greek island of Rhodes forced thousands of people to flee their homes. The Greeks of Rhodes were forced to leave their homes, abandon everything they had gained, and bid farewell to their small homeland.

On the other side of the planet, in Florida, the ocean has become extremely hot due to the heat. In the Florida Keys archipelago, surface temperatures jumped to +38.43 °C. I do not know what the world record is, but it is probably close. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the normal water temperature in this area at this time of year should be between +23 to +31° Celsius. Now coral reefs are doomed to destruction.

Coral reefs provide an ecosystem for tourism, fishing and coastal protection. The annual global economic value of coral reefs is estimated at $29.8-375 billion. Wave-resistant reef ridges protect shores from the destructive effects of sea waves and prevent erosion. I appeal to oil and gas businessmen and other large industrialists. If you do not care at all about the environment, calculate at least the damage in money and be horrified!

And no one even counted how many people were hospitalized worldwide for sunstroke in July 2023. But sunstroke is no joke. Often the skin burns. It can put you in a coma and even cause your heart to stop completely.

There has been enormous damage to crops and livestock. This is a direct blow to global food security. According to the World Weather Attribution, U.S. corn and soybean crops, Mexican cows, southern European olives and Chinese cotton were severely affected.

AND WHO DID ALL THIS?

It is understandable that so many days with extreme heat in July have something to do with climate change. Scientists agree on this. In particular, Isidine Pinto of the Royal Meteorological Institute of the Netherlands stated: “Temperatures in Europe and North America would be virtually impossible without the effects of climate change.” Not that it is news to me. I am just referring to the authority of the scientist and his institution.

A team of climate scientists calculated that the heat wave in Europe was 2.5 degrees Celsius hotter due to increased concentrations of greenhouse gases. For the same reason, temperatures in North America and China increased by 2 degrees Celsius and 1 degree Celsius, respectively.

What happens next? Nothing good. Scientists say that future heat waves will become increasingly likely if emissions to the atmosphere are not reduced. According to their calculations, if the average global temperature rises by 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, long periods of extreme heat will occur every 2-5 years. Already today, the average temperature of the planet has risen by more than 1.1 degrees Celsius. “As we continue to burn fossil fuels, we will see more and more impacts,” says Friederike Otto, a scientist from the Grantham Institute for Climate Change.

I believe every word of climate scientists. And it is not because I am under pressure from their authority. I believe for another simple reason – we can unfortunately watch all their forecasts live 24/7.

WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE URGENTLY?

The clock is ticking faster, there's no time left to save the planet. I therefore call on all governments to take radical measures. Yes, electric cars are becoming more and more popular around the world. Last year, 10.2 million electric cars were sold worldwide. This is 100 times more than in 2012. Of these, 5.9 million are in China, 2.6 million are in Europe, almost 1 million are in the United States, 131,000 are in South Korea, and 100,000 are in Japan. Well done, what to say, considering that more than 95% of all sold electric cars in the world are in these countries.

But what are the trends this year? Great Britain, Switzerland and Australia are beginning to introduce electric vehicle taxation. China stopped subsidizing electric cars in early 2023. There are problems in the world with the development of charging infrastructure. The price of raw materials - nickel and lithium – has risen. That is, the global market is again pushing the world to internal combustion engines! And this must stop immediately!

First of all, the use of fossil fuels should be taxed in a way that appeals to the most intransigent. On the other hand, create a most-favoured-nation regime for green energy. Let business at least because of such measures seek profit elsewhere.

Governments should not be afraid of tough measures! In 1987, the UN managed to persuade (or force?) ALL countries of the world to ratify the Montreal Protocol in order to stop the depletion of the planet’s ozone layer. Significant reductions in the production of chlorofluorocarbons and hydrofluorocarbons, which were used in aerosols, were achieved at that time.

And what is happening now? Ball deodorizers are comparable to aerosol deodorizers, but the ozone layer is projected to be fully restored by 2066, preventing global warming of 0.3 to 0.5 degrees Celsius by the end of this century. This is what we needed to prove!

And please don't stop donating to the environment. This is a cause for which no amount of money will ever be enough. I recently donated 100,000 euros to the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation for the protection of biodiversity, oceans, and forests. I also donated 1.1 million euros to the Albert II Foundation (environmental protection) of the Principality of Monaco. This is not the case for pitying or saving money for those who have it.