A heatwave in the Arctic and the collapse of the Conger ice shelf in East Antarctica bring warnings that climate breakdown could be accelerating. There are signs of melting at weather stations near the north pole, with temperatures 30C above normal. In Antarctica, temperatures are 40C up. While the Conger ice shelf is too small to cause significant sea-level rises, its collapse points to growing instability. These weather events do more than offer proof of the dangers of global heating. They also risk triggering changes that could accelerate the disruption.
When policymakers and the public are focused on war in Ukraine and the rising cost of living, it is hard to be reminded of the existential threat posed by rising temperatures. But the extent to which climate has faded from consciousness in the months since the UN conference in Glasgow is frightening. If we are to avoid the worst effects of global heating, with around half the world’s population said by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to be highly vulnerable, it is imperative to make drastic changes to our global energy system.
