The Defining Moment for Climate Change

An important read and call to action. Citing our circumstances in football terms, Bill McKibben calls for a Hail Mary Pass. Let's hope for a touchdown.

Bill McKibben, The Defining Moment for Climate Change

Already climate change -- in the form of a changing pattern of global rainfall -- seems to be affecting the planet in significant ways. Take the massive, almost decade-long drought in Australia's wheat-growing heartland, which has been a significant factor in sending flour prices, and so bread prices, soaring globally, leading to desperation and food riots across the planet.
A report from the Bureau of Meteorology in Australia makes clear that, despite recent heavy rains in the eastern Australian breadbasket, years of above normal rainfall would be needed "to remove the very long-term [water] deficits" in the region. The report then adds this ominous note: "The combination of record heat and widespread drought during the past five to 10 years over large parts of southern and eastern Australia is without historical precedent and is, at least partly, a result of climate change."

http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/174930/bill_mckibben_the_defining_moment_for_climate_change