Read the latest insights and analysis from the experts at Oil Change International.
Climate change and the right to breathe clean air are rapidly rising up the political agenda in the United Kingdom. The ruling Conservative Party is now attempting to weaponize these issues as part of a toxic culture war to prevent action on climate.
As deadly fires continue to rage out of control, scientists have confirmed that the record temperatures experienced in Europe, China and the US are due to human-induced climate change.
As leading climate scientists watch the devastating, breakneck speed of unfolding climate disasters unfolding across the globe – from record soaring temperatures to catastrophic flooding – many are aghast at how rapidly their worst predictions are being now being played out in real-time.
As I write, combat aircraft are being sent from the EU to Greece. Their mission is to help tackle the wildfires raging across the country, especially in the greater Athens area. The words #Heatwaves and #Climate emergency are currently trending on Twitter.
Leading climate scientists are becoming increasingly alarmed at the daily extreme weather events circulating the globe – from extreme catastrophic flooding to raging wildfires, and unrelenting extreme heat domes.
Timing, they say, is everything. Earlier this week, it was revealed that UK Government is drawing up plans to scrap its flagship EUR 11.6 billion climate pledge. At the same time, firstly last Monday, then last Tuesday and now the whole week has been recorded as the hottest on record. The UN now says "climate change is out of control."
So it has come to this. A nation on its knees, struggling to breathe under extreme heat and choking smoke. For millions of Americans this morning if you go outside, you will be be hit by a wall of smoke or unrelenting heat.
Ask anyone on the East Coast of Canada or the US recently about their air quality, and they will tell you the same story. They will tell you that the acrid choking air from Canada’s wildfires has made their lives miserable over the last few weeks, with residents experiencing the worse air quality in years.
The data does not lie. Climate scientists are deeply concerned about rocketing sea and air temperatures, occurring even before a predicted El Nino event in the Pacific, which normally fuels temperatures even further.
Although we are only in May, it has already been a brutal fire season in the Pacific Northwest of Canada and the USA. In Canada, millions have already endured record-breaking temperatures in excess of 90F (32 degrees) this month.
