Carbon pollution is contributing to climate disasters that will only get worse unless we take action.
Across the globe, extreme weather is becoming the new normal.
- Record hurricanes
- Destructive wildfires
- Deadly heatwaves and drought
- Torrential rains and flooding
- Intense winter storms
From season to season and year to year, weather events that were once rare occurrences are now increasingly commonplace.
Why is this happening?
Human activity is causing rapid changes to our global climate that are contributing to extreme weather conditions.
When fossil fuels are burned for electricity, heat, and transportation, carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that traps solar radiation, is released into our atmosphere.
Over the past century, massive increases in carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gas emissions have caused the temperature on our planet to rise. That spike in global temperatures is fueling climate disasters that will only get worse unless we take action. Experts warn that we are running out of time to dramatically cut pollution to avoid climate catastrophe.
Read on to learn more, find out what Earthjustice is doing to help the planet change course, and how you can help.
1. Hurricanes are becoming more intense
Storm systems draw their energy from warm ocean water
Hurricanes are growing more powerful as global temperatures rise because these storm systems draw their energy from warm ocean water.
In September 2022, major hurricanes struck Florida and Puerto Rico.
Hurricane Fiona dumped unprecedented levels of rain and caused catastrophic damage, leaving Puerto Rico residents without electricity or drinking water.
Days later, Hurricane Ian rapidly intensified as it headed towards the Florida coast, giving residents little time to prepare. Scientists warn that this will become more common as our climate warms: storms will not only become stronger, but they will intensify faster.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts that we’re in for another “above average” hurricane season in 2022 — the seventh in a row.
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2. Wildfires burn longer and wider
Larger fires in hot, dry years
Wildfires have always been a natural part of life in the western United States. However, as this region grows hotter and drier, wildfires are growing in size, ferocity, and speed.
In recent years, California has become ground zero for meteorological turmoil. With record dry, hot conditions across the state, seasonal high winds (known as Diablo in Northern California and Santa Ana in the southern part of the state) caused destructive wildfires to grow and spread at an unprecedented rate.
California wildfires burned more than 4 million acres in 2020 — an area larger than Connecticut — making 2020 the biggest fire season in state history. The five largest fires on record in California have occurred in the last three years. The Camp Fire in 2018 — California’s most destructive, and deadliest, wildfire in history — destroyed an average of one football field worth of land every three seconds and killed 68 people, according to CAL FIRE.
And it’s not just California. Oregon, Washington, and Colorado have also seen explosive fires that have forced thousands to evacuate, claimed lives, and destroyed homes and businesses. Experts are warning that widespread drought across the West will fuel another dangerous fire season in 2021.
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3. Extreme heat gets hotter
Heat waves pose health risks and strain our energy system
As global temperatures rise, the hottest temperatures — and the number of areas impacted by extreme heat — are also rising. That means more scorching hot days in more places.
Take the Texas cities of Austin and Houston, for example. Over the past 50 years, Austin has seen the number of days with temperatures above 100°F increase by one month, while Houston has recorded an additional month with temperatures above 95°F. In California, temperatures are estimated to have increased 3°F in the past century.
Through 2100, scientists predict hotter temperatures and more frequent and intense heat waves in every region of the U.S., according to the Union of Concerned Scientists.
Extreme heat increases demand for air conditioning, fueling carbon pollution and putting a strain our energy system that can lead to blackouts. It also poses a serious health threat, especially for the most vulnerable.
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4. Drought conditions persist
Moisture evaporates from waterbodies and soil
Higher temperatures also lead to drier conditions. When global temperatures rise, moisture evaporates from waterbodies and soil.
Droughts in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world have become more severe and long-lasting thanks to climate change.
In fact, the American West is currently in the midst of a mega drought that ranks among the worst in the past 1,200 years. Much of the region is currently facing "extreme" or "exceptional" drought conditions.
5. Warmer temperatures drive increases in precipitation
Areas that have historically trended toward heavy precipitation will get wetter
Warmer air increases evaporation, which means that our atmosphere contains an increasing amount of water vapor for storms to sweep up and turn into rain or snow.
Just as drier areas are likely to get drier with rising global temperatures, those areas of the world that have historically trended toward heavy precipitation will only get wetter.
In the contiguous United States, rainfall in 2018 broke records, with an average of 36.2 inches falling over a 12-month period — more than 6 inches above average.
6. Sea level rise causes flooding
Oceans are warming; land ice is melting
As the planet warms, ocean waters are also warming — and expanding. At the same time, warmer temperatures are causing land ice — think glaciers and ice caps — to melt, which is adding water to the world’s oceans.
As a result, average global sea level has increased eight inches in the last 150 years.
Right now, the Atlantic coast of the United States and the Gulf of Mexico are experiencing some of the highest sea level rise in the world, which, combined with record rainfall, has led to catastrophic flooding.
7. Winter storms hit harder
Trapped water vapor leads to heavier snowfall
Even as climate change raises average global temperatures, that doesn’t spell the end of winters. Overall, winters are getting milder and shorter; but recent winters have brought intense snowstorms and record-breaking frost.
As a result, average global sea level has increased eight inches in the last 150 years.
While it may seem contradictory, climate change may be contributing to more extreme winter weather. As the warming atmosphere traps water vapor later and later into the year, that precipitation leads to heavier snowfall when the temperatures do drop.
Another factor is the rapidly warming Arctic, which some scientists believe is weakening the jet stream and causing disruptions of the polar vortex. The polar vortex refers to bands of wind and low air pressure near the North Pole, which normally lock cold air over Arctic. When those bands break down, icy air can escape south in the form of freezing winters.
In 2021, record-breaking snowstorms knocked out power for nearly 4.5 million homes in Texas as icy conditions and heating demands overwhelmed much of the region’s power supply. More than a hundred people died, and the storms caused an estimated $295 billion in damage.
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What can we do?
There is a solution: Break free from fossil fuels
Americans across the political spectrum are feeling the urgency of our climate deadline and calling for action on a scale that matches the threat. We need bold and equitable climate solutions to move towards a pollution-free, 100% clean energy future.
Our attorneys use the law and partner with climate leaders and communities on the frontlines to:
- Move beyond fossil fuels, by keeping fossil fuels in the ground and cleaning up pollution.
- Clear the way for clean energy, by setting ambitious climate goals, removing barriers to clean energy, and electrifying our economy.
- Make sure everyone benefits by centering environmental justice and expanding access to clean energy in every community.
- Take on the next frontiers, by protecting climate forests, promoting climate-smart agriculture, and stopping the petrochemical buildout.
This fight to preserve a livable planet touches everyone. Together, we can drive transformative change in service of the earth and justice for its people.
Take action today
Nearly 25% of the U.S.’s carbon emissions come from fossil fuels pumped or mined from lands and waters that belong to the public. It doesn’t have to be this way. The federal oil, gas, and coal leasing program is broken, and reforming it is crucial to meaningfully address climate change.
Earthjustice’s Clean Energy Program uses the power of the law and the strength of partnership to accelerate the transition to 100% clean energy.