This past month has been unprecedented in climate news, with record CO2 levels, warnings of irreversible tipping points, and the urgent need for action. Despite some positive developments, the overall situation is dire, highlighting the necessity for collective efforts to combat climate change and protect biodiversity.
This isn't going to be like one of my normal videos. I don't have a script or fancy production elements. All I've got is this notebook with some notes in it. And that's because this past month has not been normal. The title says it all. I've been doing this job for eight years as a climate communicator, and I've been following the climate space for a long time before then. This is undoubtedly the worst month that I've ever seen when it comes to climate news.
In this post, I want to discuss why this month has been so incredibly bad and delve into the information ecosystem surrounding climate change. I will also share how I've been coping during this challenging time. It's important to note that while I will focus on the negative aspects, there were also positive developments this month. However, the negatives vastly outweigh the positives.
The first significant headline was that the world has hit a new peak concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere. While this isn't new—this has happened every year for decades—the jump from 2023 to 2024 was particularly alarming, with an increase of 3.5 parts per million. This is the largest single-year jump we've ever seen.
Two main factors contributed to this increase:
Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, recently stated that overshooting the 1.5 degrees Celsius warming threshold is now essentially locked in. This aligns with advice from the UK Climate Change Committee, which indicated that we need to start planning for a two-degree warmer world as soon as 2050. The trajectory towards this level of warming is primarily due to insufficient climate action.
The State of Climate Action 2025 report revealed that while we know the right solutions and are implementing them, we are not doing so quickly enough. In some sectors, such as steel production, we are moving in the wrong direction.
The most sobering news this month was the publication of the Global Tipping Points report from the University of Exeter, which indicated that we have likely crossed the first global tipping point: warm water corals can no longer sustain themselves in increasingly warm oceans. This has led to a negative feedback loop for these ecosystems.
Additionally, we are nearing other tipping points, such as the dieback of the Amazon rainforest. The loss of coral species and their ecosystems reflects a broader pattern of biodiversity loss. According to the WWF's State of Nature report, global wildlife populations have decreased by 73% since 1970.
Other concerning developments include:
As a climate communicator, I have been processing this overwhelming month. The frequent criticism of my work is that I can present too optimistic a view of climate change. However, I strive to provide contextualized optimism, acknowledging the seriousness of the problem while highlighting solutions that are being implemented.
George Marshall's book, "Don't Even Think About It," discusses how our brains are poorly wired to deal with climate change, leading many to feel overwhelmed and hopeless. This binary thinking—viewing the climate as either stable or not—can be unhelpful. The reality is that the impacts of climate change are nonlinear, and we must continue to strive for solutions.
Despite the dire news, I believe in the importance of community action. I recently joined Planet Wild, a community of nearly 15,000 people who fund biodiversity projects. This crowdfunding initiative allows individuals to contribute to meaningful projects that protect and restore nature.
The first hundred people to sign up using my code "Simon10" will receive a month of support for biodiversity projects paid for by me. This initiative exemplifies how collective action can make a difference.
This month has been incredibly challenging, both personally and professionally. As I navigate the complexities of climate communication and the emotional toll of the news, I remain committed to advocating for action and solutions. We must continue to push forward, recognizing that the survival of our species and the planet depends on our collective efforts.
In the face of overwhelming challenges, we must keep moving forward, supporting one another and striving for a better future.
Thank you for reading, and let's continue to work together for the planet.
