Three days in the past, at precisely 10:51 p.m. (Burgos time) on Thursday, June 20, the summer time solstice occurred. Because of the Earth’s translation across the Solar, and the inclination of the axis of rotation of our planet, on the time of the solstice the radiation from the Solar fell perpendicularly on the Earth’s floor within the Tropic of Most cancers.
That was the longest day of the 12 months in your entire northern hemisphere, and the night time from the twentieth to the twenty first was the shortest of all. As an adaptation by Christianity of a pagan custom (transferring it a number of days with respect to the astronomical occasion that originated it), between immediately Sunday and tomorrow Monday we’ll have a good time the Evening of San Juan, with its ‘purifying rituals’ comparable to the favored soar over the flames of the bonfires
Summer time, simply began, is the most popular season. However not as a result of we’re nearer to the Solar, since exactly our planet is now transferring via the furthest space of its elliptical orbit across the star: the explanation for the summer time warmth is within the higher angle at which the photo voltaic radiation hits. And why is it normally a lot hotter in our latitudes in the course of the second half of July and the primary half of August than proper now, across the solstice? In a simplified method, the explanation for that is that the planet has a ‘thermal inertia’ via which warmth will accumulate over the following few weeks.
All through the northern hemisphere this summer time is anticipated to as soon as once more be very popular and dry. Yearly common temperature information are damaged in comparison with the earlier one, and that is among the many penalties that the local weather disaster during which we’re immersed is having. The scientific consensus is overwhelming, since 99% of all meteorology and climatology specialists on the earth affirm that international local weather change is an unquestionable actuality, and that it’s also of anthropic origin: it has been attributable to humanity, primarily resulting from rising emissions. of CO2 and different greenhouse gases. Opposite to what some deniers declare, the present local weather disaster can’t be attributed to a change in photo voltaic exercise or geological components, as a result of, though it might not look like it to us, our planet has been immersed in its seventh ice age for two.5 million years. .
Essentially the most acceptable strategy to quantify this local weather change is to observe the ‘international temperature’, a median of the values which can be consistently measured all over the place on Earth: from the seashores to the best mountains, and likewise within the oceans. and the ambiance. This worth was 13.9° C in 1850 (within the so-called ‘pre-industrial period’) and since then it has been rising, very quickly over the previous few a long time. Till the tip of 2023 it had risen 1.1° C, and the whole lot signifies that the rise will attain 1.5° C lengthy earlier than 2050, the date anticipated in essentially the most worrying situations.
The results of the local weather disaster are already evident: hotter summers and colder winters, huge melting of ice on the poles and glaciers, alterations in ocean currents, more and more longer drought intervals, very fast thermal fluctuations at any time. of the 12 months, or torrential rains in all latitudes. This has severe results on well being, the transmission of infectious ailments, meals manufacturing, the financial system or migration crises.
We have to be properly conscious of this, do what we will to not contribute to CO2 emissions and demand an actual dedication from our rulers on this regard. In truth, the biggest survey ever carried out on local weather change has simply been revealed, the Individuals’s Local weather Vote 2024with a transparent conclusion: 80% of the world’s inhabitants needs their governments to undertake more practical measures to handle local weather change.
There are lots of methods to boost consciousness and protest. However what is mindless (along with being counterproductive) is finishing up assaults towards the historic and cultural heritage of humanity. There have already been too many instances of ‘local weather activists’ damaging (or trying to) artistic endeavors by Leonardo da Vinci, Boticelli, Vermeer, Goya, Monet, Van Gogh, Klimt, Picasso or Warhol, for instance.
The final (up to now) crime of this sort occurred simply 4 days in the past, when two activists sprayed orange powder paint on the spectacular megalithic monument of Stonehenge, southwest of England. The chosen place was not coincidental as a result of exactly a number of hours later, on the day of the solstice, the Solar rose to the left of the well-known Heel Stone, in its northwest space. To the numerous symbology that all the time surrounds such a particular second, this 12 months the traces of that absurd and regrettable motion have been added, which does nothing to assist fight the intense local weather disaster during which we dwell.
Regardless of the whole lot and everybody, I hope you benefit from the Evening of San Juan and this summer time that has simply begun.
