Public figures, including Pope, address climate crises

Once again, soaring temperatures astound experts. Zeke Hausfather from Berkeley Earth’s climate data project finds it “astonishingly unprecedented.” September now stands as the hottest on record, following previous records set in August and July. This September’s temperatures exceeded the prior record by 0.5 degrees Celsius, marking the most notable temperature surge ever documented.

While the UK witnessed an uncharacteristically wet summer and unusually warm early autumn days, the impact hasn’t been as severe as in other areas. However, floods, fires, and remarkably high temperatures are becoming more frequent. Recent crises include the overflow of Lhonak Lake in India and wildfires along with extreme heat in Tenerife.

The countdown to the forthcoming UN climate talks in Dubai, set for late November, has officially started. In an updated statement to his 2015 encyclical, Pope Francis emphasized that “the world in which we live is collapsing” and urged for a shift in the “irresponsible” lifestyle prevalent in the western world. More than 80 nations are pushing for the inclusion of a plan to phase out fossil fuels on the agenda of Cop28. However, notable leaders from major emitting countries like Joe Biden and Xi Jinping were notably absent from a summit called by UN Secretary-General António Guterres in New York last month.

António Guterres has cautioned about the active opposition from oil companies and states against efforts to shut down their fossil fuel operations. Saudi Arabia has been strategically investing in football to expand its influence and quell opposition. Saudi Aramco, primarily state-owned, reported a record profit of $161 billion last year, marking the highest earnings ever recorded by an oil and gas corporation.

The actions taken by oil companies and countries reliant on petroleum resources are disconcerting, yet the actions of wealthy nations’ governments still don’t align with their net-zero promises. Despite scientists expressing astonishment at the latest data, there’s no assurance that greenhouse gas emissions will stop escalating by 2025, which experts deem necessary to cap temperature increases at 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The UK’s climate ambitions appear to have waned under Rishi Sunak’s leadership. In the previous month, commitments to phase out petrol-powered cars and gas boilers were diluted, with ministers at the party’s conference employing provocative language to instigate public apprehensions about the affordability of decarbonization. Similar trends are noticeable in other governments, raising concerns about their level of commitment. Gordon Brown, the former UK prime minister, went beyond the current leaders of major Western nations by proposing a windfall tax on the oil and gas revenues of countries holding the largest reserves. Understandably, governments in some of the world’s poorest nations, facing the most significant threats from global warming despite contributing least to the issue, are feeling frustrated.

According to Pope Francis, amidst the alarming high temperatures, there remains a glimmer of hope. Responsible politicians have the opportunity to harness these conditions to drive momentum towards a faster shift to a more environmentally sustainable future.