Independent analyses by NASA and NOAA confirm that Earth's global surface temperatures in 2019 ranked as the second-warmest since 1880. Temperatures were 2°F (1.1°C) warmer than the late 19th century, second only to 2016.

This data continues the planet's long-term warming trend, with the five warmest years on instrumental record all occurring in the last five years. More information is available at NASA's press release.

While the public now grasps the serious threat of global warming, a clear path forward remains elusive. Drawing from his book, *Under the Influence: Putting Peer Pressure to Work*, Robert Frank proposes that leveraging behavioral contagion can make addressing climate change less daunting than many believe.

Robert H. Frank is the Henrietta Johnson Louis Professor of Management and Professor of Economics at Cornell's Johnson Graduate School of Management. He previously wrote the "Economic View" column for *The New York Times*.

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Professor Stefan Rahmstorf recently delivered a compelling lecture titled "Why the Ocean is Important to Everyone."

His presentation underscored the critical role marine ecosystems play in influencing global climate, weather patterns, and biodiversity. Rahmstorf highlighted the ocean's vital importance for sustaining both human well-being and the planet's overall health, emphasizing the urgent need for conservation.

Join us live on March 19, 2025, with New York Times bestselling author Paul Hawken to explore carbon, the planet's most versatile element. Often maligned as a climate change driver, carbon is, in fact, essential for all life.

In his new book, "Carbon: The Book of Life," Hawken offers a panoramic view, exploring carbon's omnipresence, its life-giving power, and future possibilities. He illuminates the subtle, inseparable connections between nature, carbon, and ourselves.

Speakers include Paul Hawken (Environmentalist; Author; X @PaulHawken) and Lesley McClurg (Science Reporter, KQED).

Stark global temperature rise predictions and the urgent need for climate action are taking an immense emotional and psychological toll on scientists. Inspired by The Guardian's "Hopeless and Broken: Climate Scientists Despair," climate attorney Raya Salter and IPCC Lead Author Dr. Ruth Cerezo Mota discuss their personal experiences with this despair.

Dr. Cerezo Mota, a climatologist with over 15 years in climate modeling, shares her work's real-world impacts and the challenges of political resistance, funding, and public apathy. Despite these hurdles, her motivation fuels vital research.

For more, visit Dr. Cerezo Mota's bio, Raya Salter's bio, or the FacingFuture Library.

Join us for an online talk with acclaimed environmental journalist Eugene Linden, author of nine non-fiction books. He will discuss his new book, *Fire and Flood*, which examines how business interests have historically obscured scientific warnings and hindered climate action. Linden, whose *Winds of Change* won the Grantham Prize, previously covered environmental issues for *Time*.

In *Fire and Flood*, Linden reveals how big money prioritizes short-term profits over long-term threats. He details the insurance industry's dramatic shift, now retreating from high-risk regions like Florida and California due to unmanageable fire and flood risks. This signals a broader business awakening to the urgent need for rapid climate action as long-term consequences become immediate.

Paul Hawken's "Regeneration: Ending the Climate Crisis in One Generation" proposes a holistic approach to solving the climate crisis. This framework suggests that regeneration—restoring ecosystems, communities, and planetary health—can heal a "broken world."

The book advocates for placing life and human connection at the center of decision-making to achieve this goal, aiming to resolve the climate crisis within one generation.

Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac outline two distinct futures for 2050: one if we fail to meet Paris Agreement climate targets, and another if we achieve a carbon-neutral, regenerative world. They emphasize that immediate action is crucial to address our climate emergency, presenting this as our final, defining choice.

Figueres, a Costa Rican diplomat with 35 years of experience, served as Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change from July 2010. Her extensive background highlights the urgency of this pivotal moment.

Source: The RSA, March 4, 2020.