A large countdown clock in New York City’s Union Square is now showing less than five years left before it hits zero, signalling an urgent warning about the worsening climate crisis.
The Climate Clock, which spans 80 feet across a building on East 14th Street overlooking Union Square Park in Manhattan, counts down the time humanity has to act before climate change’s most severe effects become unavoidable. As of Wednesday, the clock shows that the world has four years and 362 days left to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. This 1.5-degree limit is crucial because going beyond it could trigger irreversible damage, according to the Climate Clock’s website.
“The clock will continue to run down until it hits zero, at which time our carbon budget would be depleted and the likelihood of devastating global climate impacts would be very high,” the site says. “We must take action to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions toward zero as quickly as possible within this critical time window for action.”
Climate activists argue that ending the use of fossil fuels is essential to fighting climate change. Fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas are the largest contributors to climate change, responsible for over 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the United Nations.
Greenhouse gases trap the sun’s heat, causing global warming and altering weather patterns, the UN explains. This rapid warming, now faster than ever recorded, disrupts nature’s balance, posing serious risks to all life on Earth.
On Monday, the creators of the Climate Clock joined a global day of action, urging leaders to move away from fossil fuels. That day also set a new record for the hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth, as reported by the Associated Press.
