Global warming is accelerating at an alarming rate, with temperatures rising faster than ever before. Extreme weather events that were once considered localized phenomena are now becoming more frequent and widespread, including in cities like New York City.
A month ago, New York City was shrouded in orange skies, signaling that this climate horror was no longer confined to the American West. Despite the air quality index improving, New Yorkers found solace in the fact that the extreme weather conditions were not affecting their daily routines.
However, last weekend, the effects of global warming hit closer to home as the Hudson Valley experienced supercharged rain and devastating floods. Although it was technically considered “upstate,” it was only a few miles north of the city. Even so, New Yorkers continued to downplay the severity of the situation and found comfort in the fact that the worst of it was happening elsewhere.
Unfortunately, these extreme weather events are becoming more commonplace around the world. Recent floods in Himachal Pradesh, India, and Japan have caused significant damage, while Spain experienced rapid flooding that swept cars backward through traffic. Heatwaves have also plagued regions like Texas, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, with temperatures reaching record-breaking highs.
The consequences of global warming are not limited to land. Marine heatwaves are on the rise, threatening coral reefs and marine life across the Caribbean. Additionally, wildfires in Canada are burning at an unprecedented rate, surpassing California’s record-breaking season in 2020.
Despite these alarming events, society seems to have become desensitized to the severity of climate change. Recent research suggests that people may accept extreme weather as the new norm within two years. This acceptance is not a sign of resilience but rather a grim adaptation to ongoing disasters.
This normalization of extreme weather events can be seen in the lack of media attention given to deadly heatwaves in India, Pakistan, and Europe. Even when the death toll surpasses previous benchmarks, society fails to acknowledge the severity of these events and their long-term impacts.
Climate scientists have become adept at contextualizing extreme events as “normal” and predicted outcomes of climate change. However, this message of predictability does little to reassure the public. The near future holds more frequent encounters with unprecedented events, and it is becoming clear that no region is immune to the devastating effects of global warming.