World leaders, especially rich countries, should act with the same urgency for the nature, biodiversity and ecological crisis as with the pandemic, where they can mobilise huge amounts of money and collaborate to create vaccines in just a year (“Do more to fight climate change, G7 urged,” Gulf Today, June 13). I am supporting those environmental campaigners who rallied noisily and colourfully on Saturday in Cornwall to urge G7 leaders to do far more against climate change and biodiversity loss.
Climate change has already had observable effects on the global environment. Glaciers have shrunk, ice on rivers and lakes is breaking up earlier, plant and animal ranges have shifted and trees are flowering sooner.
The scientists had predicted these effects in the past would result from global climate change, which are now occurring. Dozens of demonstrators dressed entirely in red — representing the accelerating rate of species’ extinctions — led the procession through Falmouth behind a banner reading: “G is for greenwashing.”
Others held placards bearing various slogans, including “deeds not words”.
Global climate is projected to continue to change over this century and beyond.
The extent of climate change effects on individual regions will vary over time and with the ability of different societal and environmental systems to mitigate or adapt to change.
This trend is projected to occur even in regions where total precipitation is expected to decrease, such as the Southwest.
Joseph Bush
By email