There is no IF Anymore

More than 125 years ago, Swedish scientist Svante Arrhenius discovered that atmospheric emissions were causing Earth's climate to warm—a trend he predicted would continue.

Initially, Arrhenius viewed this warming positively. He believed shorter, milder winters would benefit cold regions like his native Sweden.

While some scientists of that era may have shared Arrhenius's optimistic view, scientific consensus has dramatically shifted. For decades, researchers have warned that without reducing greenhouse gas emissions, our planet faces serious consequences. Rising temperatures could trigger more frequent and severe tornadoes, floods, wildfires, and coastal erosion.

Past scientific reports often framed climate warnings with the conditional if, giving humanity time to change course. They cautioned that failing to reduce emissions or continuing to use harmful chemicals and pesticides would damage ecosystems and potentially disrupt our food supply, our health, and our planet's health.

Our New Reality

A changing climate is no longer a future possibility. It's our present reality. This was highlighted in an Earth Day 2025 PBS broadcast, Alaska's Vanishing Native Villages, which reported that Alaska is warming up, as much as four times faster than most of the rest of the world.

"Our ancestors said one day we would come upon this day," said Agatha Napoleon, a climate change coordinator for the tribal Native Village of Paimiut, on Alaska's far west coast. "I didn't think it would happen in my lifetime."

The tribe now recognizes that survival requires relocating to higher ground. This difficult task is complicated by uncertainty about preserving their way of life and livelihood after moving.

These dramatic changes aren't limited to small Alaskan villages. A recent Wall Street Journal article, "Why Florida's Condo Owners Are So Desperate to Sell," tells of a retired couple – one of hundreds - who moved to Florida just a few years ago, initially finding it to be paradise. Enjoying golf and swimming, they found life in Florida was laid back and easy.

Now they have decided to leave and have sold their condo at a $20,000 loss. Why? Their insurance rates doubled after a recent hurricane. They faced $7,200 in special assessments to upgrade their building for climate resilience, and their HOA fees increased by 25 percent.

"Florida was paradise," the couple said. "It was superb, but things changed." What changed is that the future they thought was possible if changes were made never materialized.

This doesn't mean we cannot slow, potentially even stop our changing climate. Some business leaders, like Bill Gates, even see our current situation as an opportunity.

While wealthy countries may hesitate to make massive capital investments, "the countries that build great zero-carbon companies and industries will be the ones that lead the global economy in the coming decades. Whoever makes big energy breakthroughs and shows they can work on a global scale and be affordable will find many willing customers in emerging economies."

I agree with Gates, and I remain optimistic. That’s why I end every email with the following:

Choose to be optimistic.  While we may not be able to make it perfect, we can make it better!

 -Steve