New York, Charleston, Los Angeles, Seattle, Miami. These coastal cities are cultural hubs of their respective parts of the country, iconic metropolitan centers and jewels of American civilization. They’ll likely be underwater in 50 years if we don’t do something about rampant global climate change, too.
The science is clear: the climate is changing. Scientists have some minor disagreements about what, specifically, is causing this, but one thing is clear: human activity is a driving factor. The massive deposits of greenhouse gasses made by industrial factories and gas-powered vehicles from cars to planes are causing a gradual increase in temperature. That temperature increase seems benign on paper, a few degrees here and there over the annual average.
However, even these small changes are having big ripple effects out into the world’s weather.
Texas Frozen, Then Flooded
In February 2021, Galveston, Texas, a coastal town on the Gulf of Mexico, was in the grips of an unprecedented winter storm. Snow fell on the beach, ice clogged the roads, and some people died of the freezing cold. The power was out for days at a time, leading to horrible conditions in the region. The city of Galveston is also a common target for hurricanes. In fact, one of the deadliest hurricanes in human history struck Galveston in 1900.
This is a microcosm of what the world, at large, can expect in the future if climate change isn’t addressed. The weakening of the jet stream that holds back the polar vortex will continue as the temperature averages rise, around the world. This, in turn, will allow the polar vortex to drift, causing the Midwest to freeze even as the ice caps are melting in the dead of winter.
This will be followed up by more and more intense hurricane seasons, the rising temperatures fueling the natural tropical storms that form over the oceans.
The Cost of Our Future
Some governments have balked at the cost of endeavors geared at stopping global climate change. The millions, sometimes billions, required for some programs can certainly sting. However, the cost of repairing cities from whiplashing deep freezes and hurricane flooding is significantly more expensive than even the most advanced measures to address climate change.
This isn’t to say things are hopeless. The planet is far from doomed. However, if we don’t get our act together, and soon, it’s going to be a really dismal place to live, really soon. It’s not even about the next generation: this very generation could reap the seeds of its own inaction if we keep sitting on our hands.
