George Burman - 3-17-2019 - Drought, floods have common cause

Drought, floods have common cause

March 17, 2019
 

In the Fresno Bee (March 13) a letter from Rod Jenson pointed out his confusion about some of the statements made about climate change; specifically, more droughts or more flooding? The answer is that we will see both, and a lot more catastrophic events caused by our production of atmospheric carbon. There will not only be drought, but fires that will make 2018 seem like a friendly marshmallow roast. There will be flooding the likes of which we have never seen. Sea levels will rise, crop production will fall and millions will starve.

It is unfortunate that what we are now seeing as the many aspects of global climate disruption originally were called “global warming.” That made it seem pretty benign, as if we could cope by no longer wearing long-sleeved shirts. Then we would get a freak snowstorm in June somewhere and folks would run about saying “this can’t be global warming, it is all a hoax!”

There will never again be a “new normal.” The Earth’s atmosphere, oceans, and natural environment are spinning out of control, and we seem oblivious. There might be some hope if our politicians embraced things like the Paris Climate Accord and the Green New Deal, but I doubt that they will. Even if they do, and we somehow immediately eliminate all fossil fuel production and use, worldwide, we will see a 2-3 degree (C) increase in the global temperature. Even that will be devastating, but maybe survivable.

Sometimes I am glad that I am 79 years old, but I cry for our children and grandchildren.

– George Burman, Fresno

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