A 1.5ºC Warmer World Crystal Li

A 1.5ºC WARMER WORLD

How a seemingly small decimal could change life as we know it

Crystal Li

“There is no doubt that Climate Change is an existential threat,” explained Dr. Pam Reynolds, a chemistry teacher passionterrifying. We will likely see many of nature’s organized systems start to pass critical points of no return, triggering permanent modifications and transformate about sustainability. “Prediction of our tipping ing the peaceful normalcy that we enjoy right now. point is difficult.” As the sunshine reflects across the Boyd and Golan partnered with scientists glassy facades of metropolis skylines, an innovative and advocates for the technological installation that attraction was unveiled on September 21 upon the functions similarly to the carbon clock developed massive public art installation known as the Metro- by the Mercator Research Institute on Global Comnome located along the south end of Union Square. mons and Climate Change. The institution employs Gan Golan and Andrew Boyd, the two cre- data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate ative artists behind the project, introduced a digital Change (IPCC) special report on global warming of climate clock that counts down 1.5 degrees Celsius. Containing to an approaching “dooms- “When people start global warming to 1.5 degrees day”—the time we have left to control greenhouse gas emisto understand the Celsius is critical, say experts, to avoid some of the most severe sions enough to allow Earth a severity of the consequences of climatic fluctu67 percent chance of keeping the world under 1.5 degrees Celsius issues they tend to ations, including rising sea levels, flooding, loss of coral reefs, of warming. This design takes a become more and wildfires, and other disasters. step further into showing a visual deadline regarding how long the interested in The 1.5 degrees of warming refers to the Earth’s average temworld has left to act. The project becoming part of perature increase. This increase concurred with the city’s climate week and was intended to be an imaginative invitation that inthe solution.” - Sarah Kaplan (‘23) is measured from a baseline average temperature in the mid-tolate nineteenth century—when spires others to create their own climate clocks. the Industrial Revolution rocked into high gear, and “This is our way to shout that number from the people began burning fossil fuels on an unprecedentrooftops,” Golan announced just before the count- ed magnitude, inflaming climate change. “Several redown began. “The world is literally counting on us.” gional changes in climate are assessed to occur with As of October 22, we have approximately sev- global warming up to 1.5 degrees Celsius compared en years and 70 days to make changes. Just what would to pre-industrial levels, including warming of exour world be like if we did not meet that deadline? treme temperatures in many regions,” reported IPCC. When most people think of summertime’s hottest This growing problem is particularly close to days, they might imagine a sunny day where tempera- home for many of us. In early September this year, an tures reside around 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees extreme heatwave shattered temperature records in Fahrenheit). Sure, another degree or two may just be a numerous areas in Southern California. The dry, therlittle bit more uncomfortable, but that hardly feels like mal circumstances helped stoke new and existing fires. doomsday. Though the changes may not be directly ap- These intense events fit a long-term pattern toward parent for humans, scientists point out that we will no- more prolonged and more intense heat waves in Southtice some of the climate impacts we already recognize ern California, according to recently published studies. everywhere today begin to go from bad to downright

The Tower

“All of the fires in California, Oregon, and Washington are hurting our air quality too,” explained Sarah Kaplan (‘23), a member of Bishop’s sustainability club Go Green. “Unfortunately this unhealthy air will become a new normal as the earth keeps warming at this pace.” The IPCC also stated that human activities were the cause of roughly one degree of global warming. With all the greenhouse gases we have already put in the air, average temperatures will keep rising. Nevertheless, it also said that “these emissions alone are unlikely to cause global warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius,” suggesting that we still have a shot at drawing the line at 1.5 degrees. “When people start to understand the severity of the issues they tend to become more interested in becoming part of the solution,” said Sarah. As an active student knowledgeable about sustainability, Sarah explained that individuals can slowly introduce new habits into their daily routines like using reusable

products, walking and biking to places, eating less meat, and more. “You are constantly setting an example for the people around you and might provoke others to follow these same actions.” As a community, Bishop’s actively composts a lot of the food waste on campus and encourages reusable water bottles with our purified water stations. But there is so much more we can do. Sarah encourages students who are interested in learning more and getting involved to reach out or attend meetings. “We can all do things individually and as a campus community!” exclaimed Sarah. “Get involved, be informed, ask questions,” said Dr. Reynolds. “Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.” This is a big task to accomplish in such a limited amount of time. However, the future of our Earth is upon our shoulders. As the teenage activist Greta Thunberg said, “I want you to act as if our house is on fire.” We should all start worrying about how to put it out before it is too late.