Target: Gerhard Adrian, President of World Meteorological Organization
Goal: Commit more resources to investigating connection between volcanos and the climate.
Hawaii, the Philippines, Peru, Japan, Costa Rica, Mexico, Russia, Italy, and Ecuador: what do these diverse regions have in common? They have all experienced increased volcanic activity in the past few weeks, with Ecuador also grabbing headlines for its extreme flooding events. The Philippines volcano, located in the infamous Ring of Fire, has sent many citizens fleeing. And the Italian supervolcano, which scientists feared could erupt after centuries of dormancy due to increased earthquakes, has the potential to thrust Earth into a cataclysmic global winter. Massive and prolonged volcanic eruptions are believed to have caused extinction-level events in the past.
The effects of rising sea levels fueled by climate change are likely contributing to the increased activity and the associated dangers. As glaciers melt and the seas elevate, more pressure is put on ocean floors. This pressure against Earth’s crust has been linked to upticks in volcanic activity. Despite the soaring risks, a study from the University of Cambridge reports that current climate science is underestimating and perhaps undervaluing the impact of volcanism on the rapidly changing world.
Sign the petition below to urge more study and investment in understanding the intertwined links between volcanic eruptions and climate change.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Mr. Adrian,
Volcanos can and are having an increasing impact on the global environment, and the warming planet in turn is upping the danger quotient from eruptions and other volcanic activity. The Hawaiian Islands, the Philippines, and Mexico are just some of the locations that have catalogued concerning rises in activity over the past month. And the critical danger posed by Earth’s many supervolcanos still lingers as well.
Please heed the calls of a recent geological study for a stronger commitment to incorporating volcanism more robustly into climate science. The seismic effects of the climate on volcanos—and volcanos on the climate—cannot and should not be ignored.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Arni Fridriksson
