An excerpt from the book Cranky Uncle vs. Climate Change, released Feb 25.
Every weather event is affected in some way by global warming, including the buildup of heat, more moisture in the atmosphere, and rising sea levels. A direct impact of the extra heat is more intense and frequent heatwaves.
Warming also accelerates evaporation of water from the ground and water sources. As the ground dries out, drought intensifies and fire danger increases. Extra evaporation also puts more moisture into the atmosphere, and warmer air can hold more water vapor. Both these factors result in heavier downpours. The warmer oceans also provides additional energy for hurricanes, making them more intense.
Weather is somewhat unpredictable, like rolling dice. Global warming increases the occurence and/or strength of many types of extreme weather. It’s like drawing extra dots on the dice, increasing the odds of a higher roll.
People often ask: “Was a specific weather event caused by climate change?” That’s the wrong question. A more appropriate question is: “Are weather events being affected by climate change?” The answer is yes, global warming is increasing the occurence and/or strength of extreme weather. As NOAA climate scientist Deke Arndt says, “weather throws the punches, but climate trains the boxer.”
Heatwaves are getting hotter, lasting longer, and happening more frequently. Globally, heatwaves are happening five times more often due to global warming.
The number of heatwaves is predicted to increase in the future. If we don’t reduce greenhouse gas emissions, heatwaves will become twelve times more likely by 2040. While heatwaves have happened in the past, they are becoming more likely under global warming. Climate scientist Marshall Shepherd (drawn below) explains the difference between climate and weather with the following analogy: “Weather is your mood, and climate is your personality.”
Deniers try to distract from the increasing risk of heatwaves by arguing that they have happened in the past, so today’s heatwaves are not influenced by global warming.
This argument commits the fallacy of jumping to conclusions. It’s like arguing that humans were dying of cancer long before cigarettes were invented, so smoking doesn’t cause cancer. The science is sending us a clear message: Heatwaves have happened throughout history, but global warming is increasing the frequency of heatwaves now and that risk will increase further in the future.
Cranky Uncle vs. Climate Change uses cartoons, climate science, and critical thinking to make sense of climate denial and misinformation. Guided by psychological research into how to refute misinformation, the book embraces a creative approach, using cartoons and visual analogies to make the science engaging and accessible to readers. The book is written and drawn by John Cook, a former cartoonist who now researches climate communication at George Mason University. Cranky Uncle vs. Climate Change will be published by Kensington Books on Feb 25. Sign up for latest Cranky Uncle news at crankyuncle.com.
Leave a Reply