Climate change is taking a heavy toll on the state of California which has been witnessing high temperatures that are disrupting normal life. The temperature of the water in Scripps Pier, San Diego, has been recorded at an all-time high in more than a century of record keeping, and this state of affairs is not a healthy sign. Wildfires have wreaked havoc burning down thousands of acres of greenery, destroying infrastructure, and displacing people from their homes and animals from their natural habitats.
The Los Angeles Times reports that the heat waves have affected lives of the ordinary people and have disturbed the electrical systems in Los Angeles. Many areas had to go without electricity and they are reeling under severe hot conditions. Some species of birds have died due to the heat.
Global warning cannot be wished away
Scientists and policymakers are worried about the trend of high temperatures in California. They are opening up about the influence of climate change on the environment. A section of the scientific community had, in the past, linked heat waves to global warming.
Their apprehensions appear to be turning into reality and it is necessary to check emission of greenhouse gases in order to reverse the trend.
Fossil fuels have been identified as the culprits. When they burn, they produce CO2 which leads to global warming and imposing bans on such fuels can help to contain this evil. Many countries plan to eliminate the use of fossil fuels and have gone in for electric cars in a big way.
As a climatologist Michael Anderson has said, earlier heat waves in California used to be an occasional event but today, it is more frequent. In the opinion of Nina Oakley, another climatologist, the impacts of climate change are visible and cannot be wished away. Greenhouse gas acts like a blanket which affects the cooling of the Earth. Gov. Jerry Brown, while discussing the devastation in Redding remarked that while people are trying to do their best, nature is very powerful.
High sea surface temperature shows a trend
According to the San Diego Union Tribune, a record of sea surface temperature was maintained by Scripps Oceanography since August 1916. It has been part of its scientific research and the latest reading of 78.6 degrees on Wednesday at the Scripps Pier broke the earlier record of 78.4 degrees in1931. Above average temperatures of the ocean have been observed along the entire San Diego County coastline, and there does not seem to be any plausible explanation for this.