There is no separating environment and climate. This June 5th, World Environment Day, we acknowledge that the changes we have made – and go on making – to our climate are having devastating effects on the environment. Protecting the climate is protecting the environment – and keeping our planet liveable. If we don't halt runaway climate change and reverse the warming trend, a lot of us may not be around to worry about the rest.
COP30 in Brazil ended without a mention of the need to phase out fossil fuels, in spite of growing damage from climate warming impacts. These UN negotiations have to be reshaped, the influence of the fossil fuel industry reduced while the transition to a low-carbon world speeds on elsewhere.
Given the heated times we live in, (in all the senses of the word) it was highly unlikely that this year's State of the Cryosphere Report would bring good news about the impacts of climate warming on our frozen regions. Global ice loss is not letting up any time soon. On the contrary. Ten years after the signing of the Paris Agreement, ice and snow loss is accelerating. If anything should convince the delegates attending COP30 in Brazil of the need for ambitious and urgent action, this latest assessment of the state of our frozen regions should. This is not just about ice and snow. As the Report's title says: Ice Loss = Global Damage.
The Ice Blog 