Climate Change is a phenomenon that is evident globally and locally, with rising sea levels, changes in storm activity and warming seas all causing significant impacts on our island home.
Our vision of the future should include awareness of the impacts of Climate Change together with action in response to the increasing threats.
What kind of legacy do we want to leave for our children and grandchildren?
What is Climate Change?
Though we often think about human-induced climate change as something that will happen in the future, it is an ongoing process. Ecosystems and communities in the United States and around the world are being impacted today.
A collage of typical climate and weather-related events: floods, heatwaves, drought, hurricanes, wildfires and loss of glacial ice. (Image credit: NOAA)
Global temperatures rose about 1.98°Foffsite link (1.1°C) from 1901 to 2020, but climate change refers to more than an increase in temperature. It also includes sea level rise, changes in weather patterns like drought and flooding, and much more. Things that we depend upon and value — water, energy, transportation, wildlife, agriculture, ecosystems, and human health — are experiencing the effects of a changing climate.
Via Climate change impacts | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (noaa.gov)