Lethal Heating: 04/16/25

If you’ve been feeling like the weather’s getting weirder, storms more intense, and seasons out of whack - you’re not imagining it. One of the world’s most respected climate scientists, James Hansen, has released new evidence confirming what many of us already feel in our bones: climate change is accelerating, and the models we rely on are underestimating just how fast it’s moving.

Hansen’s latest paper, reveals that global heating is picking up pace - driven not just by carbon emissions, but also by a dangerous feedback loop as polar ice sheets melt. This is throwing the planet’s systems out of balance. Sea ice is hitting record lows in both the Arctic and Antarctic. Ocean warming is now so intense that even the fresh water from melting ice - once thought to momentarily buffer surface temperatures - is being overwhelmed.

For most Australians, this might seem like distant science. But it matters. A lot. There’s nothing between us and Antarctica except ocean. When ice sheets melt, sea levels rise. And that’s not just a problem for penguins and polar bears. It’s a threat to every coastal town in Australia - from the Torres Strait to Tasmania. It means more flooding, saltwater intrusion, collapsing insurance markets, and a housing crisis far worse than what we’re already facing.

Accelerated polar melt also disrupts the ocean’s conveyor belts - the currents that drive rainfall patterns, fish migrations, and seasonal stability. As these systems destabilise, we’ll see even more of what we’ve already been witnessing: flash droughts, bushfires in winter, collapsing fisheries and once-in-a-generation floods happening every other year.

But here’s the kicker: we’re not hearing a word about this from either major party right now. In the midst of an election!

Election silence on climate is deafening

Election talk is mostly about the “cost of living” and “housing affordability”. But no one seems to be connecting the dots: nothing threatens our cost of living more than climate change. It’s already making food more expensive, insurance unaffordable, and energy systems more vulnerable to extreme heat and storms.

Yet Labor and the Liberals are refusing to have a serious conversation about climate action. Worse still, they keep approving new coal and gas projects. It’s like putting more fuel on a house that’s already on fire.

Hansen’s paper should be front-page news. It shows the ice is melting faster than expected and that existing climate models are giving us a false sense of security. If we wait for them to catch up, we’ll have waited too long.

Real zero, not net zero. Urgency, not delay

We don’t need more greenwashing, nuclear power plants or vague 2050 promises. We need real zero emissions - as fast as humanly possible - and we need politicians with the courage to treat this like the emergency it is.

The science is clearer than ever. The silence from our so-called ´major parites’ is louder than ever. And the stakes - for our coastlines, our economy, and our kids - have never been higher. That’s why on election day I will be putting credible independents like David Pocock and Jessie Price first on my ballot paper. They care about our kids and country, not parties and power.

Links

Climate change is a public health emergency. The world is witnessing its intensifying effects - rising temperatures, melting ice caps, shifting weather patterns, an increase in extreme natural disasters, and now infectious diseases, including pandemics.

Climate change can increase the likelihood, frequency, and severity of pandemic diseases, according to scientific evidence.

1. The Ecological Connection

The relationship between climate change and infectious disease is rooted in the disruption of natural ecosystems. As forests are cleared and habitats are altered due to agriculture, urban development, or climate shifts, wildlife is forced to move into new territories. This migration increases contact between animals and humans, creating more opportunities for zoonotic spillover-the transmission of pathogens from animals to humans.

Viruses such as HIV, Ebola, SARS, and COVID-19 are all believed to have originated in animal populations. As global warming intensifies and biodiversity is lost, the natural barriers that once prevented such diseases from spreading are breaking down. In particular, species like bats - known to host a wide range of viruses - are moving closer to human settlements in response to environmental pressures.

2. Melting Permafrost and Hidden Threats

Another alarming factor is the thawing of permafrost in polar regions. These frozen soils, which have remained locked in ice for thousands of years, are now melting due to increasing global temperatures. Scientists warn that ancient viruses and bacteria, some of which humans have never encountered, could be released into the environment. While the full threat of these organisms is not yet known, they pose a potential health risk that could be difficult to predict or contain.

3. Changing Disease Vectors

Climate change also alters the behaviour and range of disease-carrying vectors such as mosquitoes and ticks. Warmer temperatures and longer wet seasons allow these insects to survive in areas that were previously too cold, spreading diseases like malaria, dengue fever, chikungunya, Lyme disease, and Zika virus into new regions. This means that populations with little to no immunity - and often limited access to healthcare - are now at greater risk.

4. Human Displacement and Public Health Strain

Extreme weather events such as hurricanes, wildfires, droughts, and floods are becoming more frequent and intense, forcing millions of people to flee their homes. Climate refugees often end up in crowded, unsanitary conditions where access to healthcare is limited. These environments are fertile ground for the outbreak and spread of infectious diseases.

At the same time, health systems in affected areas are being stretched thin. In regions already dealing with the effects of poverty, conflict, or underdevelopment, the added strain of climate disasters and infectious outbreaks can be devastating.

5. A Call to Action

The combined threats of climate change and pandemics demand a comprehensive, forward-thinking response. Here's what must be done:

Invest in Surveillance and Early Warning Systems
Global health organisations must enhance surveillance of animal and human populations in areas where spillover risks are high. Real-time data sharing and rapid response systems are essential for catching outbreaks before they spread.
Preserve Biodiversity and Ecosystems
Protecting forests, wetlands, and other natural habitats helps maintain ecological balance. It reduces the risk of wildlife coming into close contact with human populations and serves as a buffer against disease transmission.
Accelerate Climate Action
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is crucial. Transitioning to renewable energy, adopting sustainable farming practices, and enforcing environmental regulations can slow the progression of climate change and reduce its cascading health impacts.
Strengthen Healthcare Infrastructure
Governments must invest in building resilient healthcare systems that can handle the dual challenges of climate-related disasters and disease outbreaks. This includes improving access to clean water, sanitation, vaccines, and emergency care.
Promote Global Cooperation
Neither climate change nor pandemics respect borders. Solutions must involve international collaboration-through funding, research partnerships, and coordinated response strategies.

Summary

Climate change is a public health emergency. It is increasing the risk of pandemics. From melting ice and shifting ecosystems to displaced populations and overwhelmed health systems, the evidence is all around us. To protect our planet and ourselves, we must treat climate change and pandemic preparedness as two sides of the same coin. Only by addressing them together can we build a safer, more resilient future.