According to a recent report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), 2021 was a record-breaking year for some major Climate Change Quotes indices – especially ones directly tied to the ocean.
While the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Quotes report suggests that the planet is at a critical tipping point, 2021 saw new records for greenhouse gas emissions, sea level rise, ocean acidification, and ocean warming.
The majority of the world’s oceans experienced a major marine heatwave in 2021, while overall ocean acidity hit a 26,000-year high. Further, as more ice at the poles has melted into the ocean over the past decade, sea level rise has doubled relative to the pace set between 1993 and 2002. The report also confirms that the years 2015 – 2021 were the warmest on record.
“Our climate is changing before our eyes. The heat trapped by human-induced greenhouse gases will warm the planet for many generations to come,” said WMO Secretary-General Professor Petteri Taalas “Sea level rise, ocean heat and acidification will continue for hundreds of years unless means to remove carbon from the atmosphere are invented.”
The continued progression of Climate Change Quotes has caused a combination of human suffering – such as food and water shortages – and billions of dollars in economic loss. Additionally, ocean acidification and warming cause marine habitats to deteriorate while sea level rise inundates coastal communities.
“Extreme weather has the most immediate impact on our daily lives. Years of investment in disaster preparedness means that we are better at saving lives … But much more needs to be done,” said Professor Taalas.
