Arizona Science

It has been reported that climate change has generated a 'new normal' for our weather and our climate. True, but the new reality is less a single new climate than an ever-changing climate driven by the burning of fossil fuels and other human activities. The change is most noticeable at the global scale, but even in the Southwest the change is now firmly upon us in the form of unusually hot and severe drought, looming water shortage, widespread death of trees, unprecedented severe fire risk, dust storms, hotter heat waves and more. Climate change is likely driving the most pervasive and challenging transformations humans have yet faced. People from all walks of life will need to learn early and learn often how to adjust their plans and actions to the ever-changing new normal. Climate adaptation applied in concert with climate mitigation is the challenge of the century. In this Episode: Jonathan Overpeck, Thomas R. Brown Distinguished Professor, Regents Professor, Departments of Geosciences and Atmospheric Sciences, College of Science, Co-Director, Institute of the Environment, University of Arizona; Joaquin Ruiz, Vice President of Innovation and Strategy, Executive Dean, Colleges of Letters, Arts and Science, Dean, College of Science, Professor of Geosciences