NASA's Top Climate Scientist: U.S. South Could Become Uninhabitable

Well, it doesn’t come as a huge surprise to see this statement from NASA’s James Hansen, perhaps the top climate scientist in the world. But it’s a statement we seem to keep ignoring. Here’s the statement I’m referring to:

“Climate change — human-made global warming — is happening. It is already having noticeable impacts…. If we stay on with business as usual, the southern U.S. will become almost uninhabitable.”

us drought climate

See the following for some of our coverage on this matter:

  1. Sixty Year Drought on Southwest American Horizon
  2. American Southwest Heading for Permanent Drought
  3. America Experiencing ‘Exceptional Drought’
  4. Future Temperatures Could Exceed Human Livability

And here’s a look at the current drought monitor for Texas, which we’ve also covered pretty extensively lately (links below the image):

texas drought monitor

  1. Extreme Wildfires & Drought Strike Extreme Global Warming Denying State, Texas
  2. Hottest Summer Ever for Texas, Breaks US Record
  3. Rick Perry: Praying for Rain, Ignoring Climate Science (this was 2 months ago.. notice the image above from this last week)
  4. Mississippi River Floods, Texas Drought, and Global Weirding (& Food Prices/Crises)

Dr. James Hansen has a new paper out on global warming and climate science (and Monarch butterflies), but aside from tackling the science alone, Dr. Hansen also delves into the problems stopping us from addressing these problems. Here’s a piece of that:

There is ample evidence of growing climate disruption. But despite record or near-record heat and drought in the United States this past summer with simultaneous extreme flooding, and despite comparable extremes in China and elsewhere, there has been little public discussion of the connection of these climate extremes with human-made climate forcing.

The media are partly responsible for the silent summer, as they have mainly chosen not to examine connections between climate anomalies and human-made causes. A cynic may ask whether their silent summer is related to increasing right-wing control of media and large advertising revenues from fossil fuel companies.

… and another:

It is time for all of us to get Tea-Party-angry about what our political system has become and about the intergenerational injustice being perpetrated on young people.

Yes, I think it is!

Some of our posts on the need for strong climate change and global warming activism:

  1. Get Involved in Politics.. Hear Me Out (Going Green Tip #14)
  2. It’s Time for a Direct Action Comeback! (Now)
  3. It’s Not Just about Activism, It’s about Politics Too
  4. Funny Dancing Video & Insightful Commentary

For more from Hansen, check out his new paper or several highlights excerpted by Dr. Joe Romm over on Climate Progress.

 

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