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NASA space studies director calls situation grim as global temperatures rise
Theo Hayes
NASA space studies director calls situation grim as global temperatures rise
HAS OUR FUTURE REPORT. THEO: 2021 SAW QUITE A FEW DISASTERS AND EXTREME ENTVES, DROUGHTS, FIRES AND HURRICANES. NASA ALONG WITH NAOA STUDIED THE DATA AND SAYS THE EARTH'S TEMPERATURES AREWO T DEGREES HOTTER THANHE T 19TH CENTU ARYND MAKES IT HOTTER THAN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS. >> IT'S HOT ENOUGH FOR IT TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON LOCAL WEATHER AND LOCAL EXTRES.ME 'RWEE SEEING MORE INTENSE HEAT WAVES LEIK THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST EVENTS IN JUNE THIS YEAR AND WEE 'RSEEING MORE INTENSE PRECIPITION,AT WHEN IT RAINS IT RAINS HARDER AND SAW THAT PARTICULARLY WITH HURRINECA IDA INHE T NORTHEAST, FOR INSTAE.NC TH:EO GAVIN SCHMIDT SAID THESE EVENTS WILL GET WORSE IF WE DON'T GET CARBON DIOXIDE TO ZERO, BURNING DEFORESTATION AND LANDFILLS HAVE LED TO HIGH CO-2 LEVELS. GAVIN: WE'RE EMITTGIN 10GAIG TONS OF CARBON IN THE ATMOSPHERE EVERY ARYE AND 10 TIMES 10 TO THE NINE TONS OF CARBON EVERY YEAR AND IS AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT. THEO: THE PANDEMIC WAS GOOD FOR CO-2 WITH FEWER CARSN O THE ROAD. THANKS TO TECHNOLOGY AND SATELLITES LIKE NASA'S LANDSET 9 AND NOAA'S SATELLITE, THEY TRACK THE DATA ANDE H SAYS THERE IS A SILVER LINING. GAVI IN:F WE SPTO EMITTING CARBON DIOXIDE THE TEMPERATURES WILL STOP GOING UPND A OUR FATE IS IN OUR OWN HANDS. TH
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NASA space studies director calls situation grim as global temperatures rise
Theo Hayes
The director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies told said the situation is grim when it comes to global temperatures.From droughts to fires and hurricanes, there were quite a few disasters and extreme events in 2021.NASA, along with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, studied data and said that when it comes to the earth's temperatures, it's 2 degrees hotter than it was in the late 19th century, which makes it the sixth-hottest year on record with the last eight years hotter than ever."That's large enough for it to be having an impact ... on local weather," said Gavin Schmidt, director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies. "We're seeing more intense heat waves, like the Pacific Northwest events in June. We're seeing more intense precipitation, when it rains it rains harder, particularly with Hurricane Ida in the Northeast, for instance."Schmidt said these events will continue to get worse if carbon dioxide levels don't come down to zero emissions. Burning fossil fuels, deforestation, landfills and other activities have led to high carbon dioxide levels."Right now, we are emitting about 10 gigatons of carbon into the atmosphere every year, so that's 10 times 10 to the nine tons of carbon — that's an enormous amount," Schmidt said.Schmidt said the pandemic was good for carbon dioxide levels because there was a decrease with fewer cars on the roads."During the COVID-related lockdowns, everybody kind of stayed at home, we didn't drive. We saw a decrease of about 6% in terms of global carbon dioxide emissions. So, we would need to do a lot more than that to get to net-zero," Schmidt said.Thanks to technology and satellites, like NASA's Landsat 9 and NOAA's GOES-T, scientists are able to track all the data.And though the situation sounds like gloom and doom, Schmidt said there is a silver lining."If we stop emitting carbon dioxide, then the temperatures will stop going up, and so that means that our fate is in our own hands. It's not out of control, it's within us as a society to control how that goes out in the future," Schmidt said.
NEW YORK —

The director of the told said the situation is grim when it comes to global temperatures.

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From droughts to fires and hurricanes, there were quite a few disasters and extreme events in 2021.

NASA, along with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, studied data and said that when it comes to the earth's temperatures, it's 2 degrees hotter than it was in the late 19th century, which makes it the sixth-hottest year on record with the last eight years hotter than ever.

"That's large enough for it to be having an impact ... on local weather," said Gavin Schmidt, director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies. "We're seeing more intense heat waves, like the Pacific Northwest events in June. We're seeing more intense precipitation, when it rains it rains harder, particularly with Hurricane Ida in the Northeast, for instance."

Schmidt said these events will continue to get worse if carbon dioxide levels don't come down to zero emissions. Burning fossil fuels, deforestation, landfills and other activities have led to high carbon dioxide levels.

"Right now, we are emitting about 10 gigatons of carbon into the atmosphere every year, so that's 10 times 10 to the nine tons of carbon — that's an enormous amount," Schmidt said.

Schmidt said the pandemic was good for carbon dioxide levels because there was a decrease with fewer cars on the roads.

"During the COVID-related lockdowns, everybody kind of stayed at home, we didn't drive. We saw a decrease of about 6% in terms of global carbon dioxide emissions. So, we would need to do a lot more than that to get to net-zero," Schmidt said.

Thanks to technology and satellites, like NASA's Landsat 9 and NOAA's GOES-T, scientists are able to track all the data.

And though the situation sounds like gloom and doom, Schmidt said there is a silver lining.

"If we stop emitting carbon dioxide, then the temperatures will stop going up, and so that means that our fate is in our own hands. It's not out of control, it's within us as a society to control how that goes out in the future," Schmidt said.