Unprecedented Climate Extremes Everywhere – “Normal” Has Changed
From scorching heatwaves to devastating floods, the past few years have seen climate extremes becoming more frequent and intense. These unprecedented events are forcing us to reconsider what we consider “normal” when it comes to climate and weather. Our past climate baselines no longer reflect the realities we face today or the future we can expect.
Key Points
- Rising Extremes: Extreme weather events, including heatwaves, floods, and storms, are increasing in frequency and intensity across the globe. What were once rare occurrences are now becoming a common part of our climate experience.
- Shifting Baselines: Our understanding of "normal" climate conditions is outdated. The climate is changing so rapidly that baselines from previous decades no longer accurately reflect the conditions we are now experiencing.
- Impacts on Planning: Governments, businesses, and communities need to adapt to this new reality. Planning based on historical data is no longer sufficient, and we need to develop new approaches that factor in ongoing and future climate change.
- Human Influence: The primary driver of these changes is human activity, particularly the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. To reduce future extremes, it is critical to cut greenhouse gas emissions and take meaningful climate action.
- Adaptation Strategies: It is crucial to update climate baselines and use more dynamic modeling to improve our preparedness for future extremes. Communities must also enhance resilience through infrastructure adaptation and improved emergency response strategies.
A Call for Urgent Change
The rising frequency of unprecedented climate extremes calls for a paradigm shift in how we perceive and prepare for climate risks. We must update our understanding of climate baselines, accelerate climate adaptation efforts, and aggressively cut greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate further disruptions.
