This story was originally published by The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration.
First, Americans, let’s congratulate ourselves for having used the power of our vote to create an opportunity for meaningful progress on climate going forward.
Joe Biden’s victory in the recent presidential race ushers in a new era of domestic progress and global cooperation. It allows us to begin to repair some of the damage that was done by Donald Trump’s presidency during the past four years — damage inflicted both to our own efforts to address the climate crisis and to our reputation on the world stage.
But make no mistake. As a climate scientist, I know all too well that we are running out of time to avert climate catastrophe.
In fact, we’ve already run out of time. It’s too late to protect everyone.
From “zombie storms” in superheated oceans to wildfires so widespread and intense that they’re creating “smoke waves” that blanket the country, befoul the air and endanger public health, to an unprecedented Atlantic hurricane season that can be tied to a bathtub-warm tropical Atlantic, the past year alo... Read more
