Photographers worldwide captured images of an Earth in distress in 2022. Reflected by parched soil, dust-swept prairies, depleted reservoirs and dry creek beds; felt through storms that brought land-engulfing floods; heatwaves with no seasons tied to them; as well as wildfires that burned through communities and national parks — including Yosemite with its iconic sequoia trees — photographers witnessed our planet eroding into inertia.
And it can be felt in the pockets of families whose property values fell precipitously as insurance policies reduced coverage to cover ever more costly natural disasters.
Plastic was never intended to be recycled, yet most of it ends up in landfills or incinerators, polluting cities, landscapes and waterways with litter. A San Francisco company hopes to change that with their plan to chemically recycle plastic back into its building blocks for potential oil extraction – but their plans have met strong opposition from environmental groups and powerful allies in Congress who see this effort as perpetuating climate-damaging fossil fuel use.
Plastic pollution isn’t limited to global waters; waste discarded in bodies of water can have long-term, harmful repercussions as this photo from India illustrates. Similar pictures have recently surfaced showing people swimming or fishing in ponds full of toxic cyanobacteria blooms that produce toxins that make people ill or even kill them.
Climate change isn’t only raising ocean temperatures; it is also altering coastlines as glaciers melt and landslides occur. A landslide in California recently forced residents to flee their homes while coastal communities across the U.S. struggle with rising sea levels and shifting weather patterns.
As the global community attempts to find ways to prevent climate catastrophe, activists have intensified their tactics. Scientists have become more visible during public demonstrations by locking themselves to White House and JPMorgan Chase doors and glueing themselves onto various surfaces as part of “Scientist Rebellion.” But their efforts are met by increasing scrutiny from policymakers who consider their tactics over-zealous.
John Kerry closed out week one of COP28 climate summit in Dubai by making an important statement: the U.S. supports a goal of reaching near-zero emissions by the end of this century. CBS News national correspondent Dave Malkoff joins CBS News’ climate panel discussion about this commitment, its effects, and whether it can prevent climate change’s worst consequences. Furthermore, new studies indicate that oceans are in an emergency state that could render them inhabitable within 15 years; all this and more await viewers on “The Big Story.” Don’t miss it on “The Big Story!”
