An Unvarnished Truth
As you can tell by now, I am addicted to “hopium” when it comes to climate change measures. But on March 19, 2024, a global warming update from the highest source somewhat lessened my permanent “blue sky” long term expectations.
As reported on the AP website, The World Meteorological Organization and the U.N.’s official weather agency, in a “State of the Global Climate” report, it sounded a “red alert” for the world to embrace. Because of the “record-smashing increases last year in greenhouse gasses, land and water temperatures and the melting of glaciers and sea ice. . .the world’s efforts to reverse the (global warming) trend have been inadequate.” There is a “high probability” that 2024 will be another record-hot year. The goal to limit planetary warming to 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit from pre-industrial levels is therefore in jeopardy. “Never have we been so close - albeit on a temporary basis at the moment - to the 1.5 degree C lower limit of the Paris Agreement on climate change,” said Celeste Saulo, the agency’s secretary-general. He went on to say the climate crisis is, “The defining challenge that humanity faces.”
The twelve month period beginning March, 2023, averaged 2.81 degrees Fahrenheit while calendar year 2023 was 2.66 degrees Fahrenheit. “Earth is issuing a distress call,” the report continued. The AP article reminded readers that last year, 90+% of ocean waters experienced heat wave conditions at least once; glaciers monitored since 1950 lost the most ice on record while the Antarctic sea ice retreated to its lowest level ever.
However, the U.N. agency referred to a “glimmer of hope” when it said clean energy capacity rose almost 50% from 2022. As the days passed since the stunning red alert, I did not monitor a single news station mentioning the above. I am still trying to get my arms around the lack of climate-crisis attention, and the first thing that comes to my mind is that present day issues continue to matter more than those we have to speculate about. We are certainly not even close to approaching the world’s end, but there is no doubt our planet is inching downward into a climate abyss. Humans deserve a better effort by those that govern.
The sad evidence continues in the wrong direction because humanity has always determined that the environment is for the taking and must adapt to us vs. the other way around. As I observe the U.N. becoming more and more dire in its warnings, one of the most immediate concerns for our nation is the near and far consequences of border migration. Unlike climate change, everyone knows immigration is here to stay and we worry about the long term ramifications. But not in the light I wish to share.
First, some statistical truth to form an image of what our states are faced with: There are 48 southern crossing locations at various points along the 1,951 mile U.S. and Mexico border. For decades, this has been the busiest border in the world with its 330 airport, seaport and land (167) ports of entry, as evidenced by our nation being the world’s primary destination of international immigrants these past 50 years. The number of foreign born people in our country increased from 12 million in 1970, to 50 million in 2020. Each year, our southern border allows more than 300 million people, 90 million cars and 4+ million trucks to cross over in both directions.
In December, 2023, the U.S. Border Patrol encountered close to 250,000 migrants, highest on record. In May, 2022, that number was 224,000. An unbelievable surge at the southern borders began in late 2020 that led to a record 1.73 million encounters in fiscal 2021, 2.76 million in fiscal 2022 and 2.8 million in fiscal 2023. Would you believe it was from about 200 countries? In December, 2023, the U.S. Census Bureau predicted the following month would see international migration add one person to our nation’s population every 28.3 seconds! 86% of the U.S. 2022 population increase was attributed to the rise of legal migrants.
Relating to that last sentence, know that of the annual U.S. citizen applications, about 23% are approved, 2-3% denied, leaving roughly 73% pending. I don’t have time to research how many of those pending applications have accumulated over the last few years. We’re not in this alone. Our neighbor to the north saw 2023 as the highest population growth rate since 1957. 98% of the Canadian increase was due to permanent and temporary international migration: 472,000 permanent and 805,000 non-permanent migrants. As Canada confronts a housing shortage and affordability problem, going forward, its federal government will restrict immigration. And, across the pond, in 2022, 5.1 million immigrants relocated to Europe from non-Europeans nations, which was a 117% increase over 2021. Economic, environmental, political and social drivers made that happen.
Climate change has already jeopardized the livability of over one third of the world’s population; and since 2008, 21.5 million humans have been displaced as a consequence per year. Consider this global dynamic: Around four billion people generate 89% of emissions, and even though the remaining four billion people contribute about 12% of greenhouse gas, they suffer 75% of the climate impacts causing them to eventually relocate either within their home nation, or away from it. It is clearly understandable that since 2008, an annual average of 21.5 million people have been displaced due to human caused planet damage.
Bottomline: Due to our ageless botched, understaffed immigration system, migrants are arriving in the U.S. in larger numbers, and from more African, Asian and Latin countries than ever before. These people simply want a safe place to live and work, and a better education and future for their children. Most of us would do the same if we were in their minds and received the same misinformation about what America has to offer. Imagine how this situation will worsen as crisis-causing carbon becomes more and more the displacement driver? In any case, there is no humanitarian way of saying “Go back to where you came from,” and proudly look at yourself in the mirror at the same time. As far as the ultimate solution is concerned, I am at a loss of words.