Last month was the hottest June on record in North America, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, and this unprecedented extreme weather is not showing signs of subsiding anytime soon.
Seattle broke its 100-year-old temperature record twice in two days. Only 44% of the city’s homes are air conditioned, according to a 2019 U.S. Census Bureau tally, making the heat unbearable for many.
Experts say the heat is also having disastrous environmental effects: The west experienced a “heat dome” that raised temperatures 30-to-40 degrees above normal.
These hot and dry conditions are a breeding ground for fires. Between Jan. 1 and July 4 of this year, California has experienced 4,599 wildfires that have burned 114.8 square miles, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. In the same time frame last year, there were 3,847 fires that torched 48.6 square miles.
Major bodies of water, like the Great Salt Lake and Colorado River, are also struggling this season, leaving officials and the public praying for rain.
In Washington, D.C., gridlock is stalling efforts to address the climate crisis. Lawmakers can’t agree on which measures to prioritize or how much to spend on combating global warming in the stalled infrastructure bill.
And while a bipartisan Senate deal to reduce the U.S.’ carbon footprint is in the works, many experts argue more aggressive action is needed to slow the progression of climate change.
On Thursday, the House approved a five-year, $715 billion transportation and drinking water bill, which contains significant climate change spending.
It proposed an investment of $18.5 billion in electric-vehicle charging stations, reducing carbon pollution, and making infrastructure resistant to extreme weather. However, the bill faces an uncertain future in the Senate.
Some lawmakers on both sides of the aisle say they’re committed to taking serious action.
It’s unclear if that can happen quickly enough to make a real dent in the climate crisis.
