This is what death by poisoning looks like
A study just released by the World Meteorological Organization puts atmospheric levels of the three main greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, at 149%, 262% and 124% respectively over pre-industrial levels, their highest level ever. Greta Thunberg echoes the theme in a tweet, raising the study’s visibility to reflect its gravity.
To be blunt we are poisoning the planet, and ourselves by saturating the atmosphere with chemical compounds generated from the indiscriminate combustion of fossil fuels and chemicals used in a range of industrial activities, along with transportation and energy production that has created a climate emergency that already threatens our survival as a species. What we are doing is so crazy that perhaps it is not surprising that some people still deny the scientific evidence of what seems like the plot of a sci-fi B movie.
The lifting of lockdown has seen the highest emissions growth in history. Anyone who thought that the sharp drop in industrial activity during Covid offered hope of a better future was mistaken: despite a respiratory pandemic whose effects were aggravated by pollution levels, we have learned nothing, nor do we seem interested in doing so.
Many emissions seem to come from feedback loops: as average temperatures rise, massive fires and the activity of certain…
