5 soundbites from James Hansen's latest warning

James Hansen released his latest insights the other day. Reading them, I wondered how digestible the information is to the average person going about their day.

So, below I created a short summary where the headings are simple soundbites anyone can repeat at rally, birthday party, or wherever.

I also drafted an email, Bluesky post and text message. Feel free to copy and share Hansen's valuable information with a broader audience.

This is a bit of an experiment for me. Let me know what you think.

Hansen's article organized into five soundbites:

1. Global warming is happening faster.

For decades, the Earth warmed at a steady, predictable rate. Most people assume that pace hasn't changed, but Hansen’s data shows that since 2010, the speed of warming has increased by about 50%. We have moved out of a period of steady rise and into a phase of acceleration. As Hansen directly states in the report: "We are now in the period of accelerated global warming."

2. Cleaner air is making the ocean hotter.

This sounds counterintuitive, but for years, heavy shipping fuel created sulfate pollution in the air that reflected sunlight away from the Earth, acting like a giant shade for the ocean. In 2020, new regulations cleaned up that fuel. While this was positive for air quality, it removed that protective shade. Without those particles to bounce heat back into space, the oceans are now absorbing solar energy much faster than before.

3. We have already passed the 1.5°C limit.

World leaders still talk about keeping 1.5°C alive as a future goal. Hansen argues that based on the physics of the heat already trapped in our system, we have already reached that milestone. He states: "The 1.5°C limit is deader than a doornail." We are now on a fast track toward 2°C much sooner than official models originally predicted.

4. The Earth is holding onto twice as much heat.

For a stable climate, the amount of energy the Earth takes in from the sun should roughly equal the amount it sends back out into space. Hansen’s research shows that the energy imbalance has nearly doubled in just the last decade. The planet is soaking up excess energy, and that heat is being stored directly in our oceans.

5. Natural cooling cycles are no longer working.

In the past, natural weather patterns like La Niña would temporarily lower global temperatures. However, the background warming is now so intense that even these cooling phases are seeing record-high temperatures. The natural cycles of the Earth are being overwhelmed by greenhouse gases, meaning the cool years of the future will likely be hotter than the warm years of the past.

Tools to help share the info:

Email Draft

Subject: Important update on climate acceleration

Hi [Name],

I’ve been reading some recent analysis from James Hansen—the scientist who originally testified to Congress about the greenhouse effect in the '80s—and his latest report is significant. I am sharing a few key takeaways that help explain why global heating is accelerating.

1. Since 2010, the rate of warming has increased by about 50%. Hansen notes: "We are now in the period of accelerated global warming."
2. Ironically, cleaning up shipping fuel pollution removed a layer of particles that were reflecting sunlight away from the Earth. Without that shade, the oceans are absorbing heat much faster.
3. Hansen suggests we have already moved past the 1.5°C goal. We are now likely on a path to 2°C much sooner than expected.
4. Natural cycles that used to cool the planet are being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of trapped heat.

I found this helpful for making sense of the current climate data. Here's a link to Hansen's article.

Best,

[Your Name]

BlueSky Post

James Hansen’s latest update is a wake-up call. Since 2010, warming has accelerated by 50%. Hansen: "The 1.5°C limit is deader than a doornail." We’re on a fast track to 2°C; even natural cooling cycles can't offset the trapped heat.

https://jimehansen.substack.com/p/another-el-nino-already-what-can

Personal Text Message

I recently looked into a report by James Hansen regarding new climate data. Essentially, his research shows that global warming has accelerated by 50% since 2010. He says the 1.5°C goal is effectively behind us and we are approaching 2°C more quickly than anticipated. I thought you might find this interesting given recent trends. https://jimehansen.substack.com/p/another-el-nino-already-what-can

Thank you for reading.

My name is Sarah and I run Collapse2050 by myself. It is a passion project to explore humanity's frightening future - a topic traditional media ignores.

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