What's happening?

June 2023 was the hottest month in recorded history. 4 July was, for a few hours, the hottest day in 120,000 years, before 5 July and 6 July took over. In total, some 10,000 climate records have been broken in the last 30 days.

These numbers have been written about in newspapers. But for most who read them, they have very little meaning.

Photos of wildfires on Greek islands have also been in newspapers. But they have not shocked many. Tourists are still arriving on the island RhodesA large Greek island known for both its ancient ruins and beach resorts. even though it is on fire.

Some think that we have not been able to deal with climate changeLong-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. Human action is a major cause of climate change. because humans are naturally set up to think that everything will turn out fine in the end.

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Most people think it is most important to deal with problems they can see and feel now. We often forget about or cannot imagine problems that will affect us in the future.

But others think the real problem is world leaders and company bosses. Most countries want to keep their economyThe way that money flows through a country, which affects wages and the cost of living. growing - so nobody wants to be the first to stop burning fossil fuelsFuels made from decomposing plants and animals, including coal, natural gas and oil. These fuels release carbon dioxide, causing global warming. to make energy.

But there are some who say we are thinking about the future. Ten years ago, just 15% of the electricity produced in the UK came from renewableEnergy sources, such as wind and solar power. sources. By the end of last year, this had shot up to 58%.

This is not enough to solve the crisis, they admit. But it shows we are moving in the right direction.

Yes! We have known about climate change for many years. We also know what we could do to slow it down. But many people have still not changed how they live.

No! We may be acting slowly, but we are making steps to change how we live and slow down climate change. We are thinking about the future of the planet.