The matter of climate change is hanging in the balance right now as global negligence continues to harm the planet, and foreboding circumstances lie in wait. And with a record average temperature of 67.4 degrees Fahrenheit, 3.4 degrees above the 20th-century average, 2024 represents an ominous new chapter in the saga of human ecological disturbance.

Michael McKinney, professor and director of environmental sciences at UT, said the data trends are incredibly worrying and suggest that a negative turning point is approaching. He noted that unusual weather phenomena are markers of severe climate change.

“Most modeling shows that we have kicked the can down the road as long as we can, and we’re going to reach an inflection point in the next 20 or 30 years that will see things digress heavily,” McKinney said. “Storms and weather catastrophes are becoming much more prevalent as time goes on, and it’s just the tip of the iceberg.”

McKinney said that debates no longer take place over whether or not hurricanes are caused by climate change. Warming ocean waters lead directly to the formation of cyclones, and the dryness caused by warming air temperatures is the culprit behind wildfires. Both of which are seeing increases in frequency and severity right now.

Linda Kah, associate professor of earth and environmental sciences at UT, said greenhouse gases are the leading contributor to climate change. Carbon dioxide accounts for over 50% of the total, followed by methane and other substances. Automobile emissions, industrial activity, and natural emissions are the three leading sources of gases.

“They let heat into the Earth system but then trap it inside. Like a greenhouse roof, these gases are critical to maintaining warm temperatures on Earth, but they can also be detrimental to life on Earth when they trap in too much heat.”

Kah also said that milder effects will be seen as climate change progresses. Droughts and periods of rain will increase in duration, which will affect farming, and the poles will get colder as the equator gets warmer.

The rising temperatures have severely impacted other corners of ecological and urban stability. McKinney said invasive species and city air conditions are becoming more problematic.

“Most people don’t consider that, but right now, we’re getting many more invasive species as a result of rising temperatures,” McKinney said. “Most invasives are tropical or subtropical, and the rise in temperature allows them to migrate up here from southern regions.”

And on the matter of urban disturbances, McKinney said breathability and temperature spikes are huge causes for concern as cities already struggle with such issues.

“We have the principle of urban heat concentration where we see cities running about five to 10 degrees hotter than the surrounding rural areas, and with that in mind, it’s important to think about what climate change can do,” McKinney said. “Then, considering the breathability, it’s important to think about what we can do.”

McKinney specializes in mitigation, meaning he and his colleagues are tasked with slowing down climate change. UT’s Office of Sustainability’s mitigation measures include using LED lighting in all buildings, converting its coal steam plant to natural gas, employing mass transit, building green spaces, and obtaining Leed Certification for all buildings.

“Green infrastructure utilizes renewables wherever it can to decrease our footprint, and we try to practice what we preach here on campus,” Mckinney said. “In fact, our new Animal Resources building on the Agriculture Campus employs a green roof with vegetation that absorbs emissions.”

Beyond just the infrastructural measures put in place, though, Kah said that individuals like students need to get involved wherever possible. She said that the fix to climate change is complex and long-term, if possible, and does not come down to any one solution like driving electricity or curtailing industry.

“The most important thing for all of us, I think, is to recognize the complexity and learn enough to question the full range of our actions (or the actions of our politicians),” Kah said. “Climate change occurs over the long-term, and the “fix” will be long-term as well. We cannot permit our natural desire to “just get through” a semester, or a year or an election cycle to think that any of this has a quick fix.”