A report released today by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows that 2018 is the fourth warmest year in a continued global warming trend
Hoda Baraka Global Communications Director said:
“The annual release of global temperature data from climate experts at NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are a red screaming alarm bell that we must stop the fossil fuel industry. Temperatures are rising year on year, breaking records everywhere, and causing untold damage across the world – meanwhile coal, oil, and gas companies intend to continue profiting from spewing their pollution into the atmosphere.
The science is clear, to have a realistic chance of limiting temperature rise to1.5C we must end the fossil fuel industry, starting today. 2018 was a year characterized by extreme weather events such as heat waves, droughts, wildfires, floods, storm surges and rising seas in many parts of the globe. The choice is to either continue propping up coal, oil, and gas corporations allowing these devastating climate impacts to increase in severity; or to choose solutions we already have and rapidly build equitable, decentralized and community-led 100% renewable energy systems.
Across the globe people are joining together to dismantle the power of the fossil fuel industry by cutting off their funding, stopping fossil fuel projects in their tracks, and building climate solutions. From the growing number of children striking from school, to the clean air movements sweeping across South and East Asia, to the movement for the Green New Deal in North America, citizens’ actions show that where governments fail, it’s up to the people to lead. A strong, wide-ranging global movement is growing. It’s made up of people already facing up to the impacts of climate change: Indigenous Peoples, workers, traditional communities, people of faith, young people and of concerned citizens everywhere. The NASA report shows that 2019 must be the year where we leave fossil fuels in the ground and drastically accelerate the rapid shift to sustainable, energy solutions.”