Christmas and climate change
Most of us will remember this Christmas as one of the most “summery” we have had, at least in the most recent years.
It was a splendid, sunny day that facilitated the celebrations that many of us had with our families and friends. There was no rain and wind to spoil outdoor activities; neither was it cold.
And, from the forecast that our weathermen are giving, it looks likely that on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, the weather will be similar to what we had on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
After two years of restrictions due to Covid-19, at least the weather gave us a helping hand in returning to the pre-pandemic ways of celebrating.
It was not the same elsewhere. Just to mention two countries that have been given attention in the media these past few days, 28 people died in what has been described as “cold, storm chaos” in New York while, at the other end of the world, 17 died and many others were injured in Japan, which was hit by a heavy snowstorm.
It was certainly a different story than what we, in Malta, and other parts of Europe, experienced these past few days.
Here, we have had mild Christmases. But many of us have noticed that the whole of autumn was more like spring and the first few days of what is supposedly winter was not winter at all. Driving around on Christmas Day and Boxing Day we have seen people in T-shirts and shorts, and those who went for walks in the countryside ended up breaking a sweat, and removing any jackets and scarves they might have taken with them.
For many months and years we have heard so much about climate change. And it must be said that even in a tiny country like Malta we have experienced this phenomenon.
Many still do not see it happening, but there is so much evidence and in the past decades, especially since the turn of the century, we have seen many changes. Our summers have become more scorching, with heat waves that last longer and temperatures going up higher than the norm. When it does rain, we have seen water-bombs that have caused havoc and damage. The fact that, since the past summer, we have had very few days which we can describe as being cold is also more proof of this change we are experiencing.
Extreme weather situations have become the norm. And in spite of summits, conferences and meetings, it seems that the world does not really want to respond to this alarming situation. Targets that are established are pushed back, and many countries resist the idea that we need to change our lifestyle for Earth to remain inhabitable.
Some say it is already too late. The more optimistic believe that we are still in time. But action is needed to reverse the trend, if this is at all possible.
Our politicians should stop their patronising rants and start doing something.