How hot was last year?


In a recent Guardian article (7 January 2022 LINK) Bibi van der Zee reports that: "More than 400 weather stations around the world beat their all-time highest temperature records in 2021, according to a climatologist who has been compiling weather records for over 30 years." Also: "Ten national temperature records were broken or equalled in 2021, including the highest ever reliably measured on Earth." And: "Meanwhile, 2022 has begun with a number of records already shattered in the UK and the US in the first few days of the year."

This is not good news for the climate crisis. What may be even worse news is that 2021 is only part of a string of hot years and may well not be the hottest year ever, even if it ends up in the top five or six. The trend is upward, and it is far from clear that governments or citizens are taking the steps necessary to limit t in he increase.

The question is: what can individuals and organizations do, even if governments are not addressing the problem adequately?  People often look for quick technical solutions. Here is an example: "A new type of heat pump that may soon be rolled out in the UK could ease the shift for homes to low-carbon heating but is no quick fix, experts say. " Kaamil Ahmed writes in the Guardian (7 January 2022 LINK) that there could be catches, including the time it takes to train people to use the new technology. "Heat pumps work by taking heat from outside air and transferring it inside, but without making changes in a home most heat pumps cannot reach the same heat as the gas and oil boilers they would replace." The article emphasizes that insulation remains the best way of controlling heating costs and reducing the carbon footprint of the building. For a building with historic protection such as our church, installation has the disadvantage of being complex and expensive. Nonetheless it appears to be the best long-term solution for preserving God's creation.




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