In our last post, we passed along the shocking news that there's been a 40% decline (die-off) in phytoplankton (the base life of all life) since 1950 -- now accelerating at a rate of about 1% per year(!) -- because of the heating impacts of global warming.

This unprecedented threat to the survival of most life this century is the result of decades of reckless, fossil fuel-addicted greenhouse gas emissions by rich nations like the U.S. (25% of historic global emissions despite only 5% of world population) and Canada (international climate negotiation obstruction, overt tar sands 'development', home base for 75% of global mining industry).

Meanwhile,

those least responsible for the climate crisis are being hit first, hardest, and are least able to 'cope'.  Hundreds of millions are suffering from climate change-related impacts around the world.  Hundreds of thousands die each year.  4 billion are vulnerable NOW.  This summer (2010):
 

• Africa -- Severe drought. 10 million hungry or starving. Unknown deaths and suffering. Epic humanitarian crisis.

• Pakistan -- Massive floods. Record heat. 1/5th of country/160,000 square miles under water. 20 million+ affected. 1,600+ deaths. 20 million homeless. Epic humanitarian crisis.

• India -- Record heat. Flash floods. At least hundreds dead.

• N. Korea -- Massive floods. Tens of thousands of acres of farmland submerged. Unknown deaths.

• Latin America -- Floods, mudslides, downpours. At least hundreds dead.

• China -- Major mudslide. 150 million affected. 1,100+ deaths. 12 million previously suffered months-long drought, now displaced by mass-flooding. Tens of billions damage.

• Russia -- 1,000-year record heat wave. Intense smog from hundreds of wildfires. Tens of millions affected. Triple death rate -- Thousands dead, 300 people a day. Millions of hectares of wheat crops (1/3) compromised. Grain exports banned. Billions damage. Prices up globally. Radiation threat. Global warming reversal: President Dmitri Medvedev announced that in 14 regions of the country, "practically everything is burning. The weather is anomalously hot."  "What's happening with the planet's climate right now needs to be a wake-up call to all of us, meaning all heads of state, all heads of social organizations, in order to take a more energetic approach to countering the global changes to the climate."  Oymyakon in Eastern Siberia, one of the coldest places on Earth, with winter temperatures dropping to as low as - 90 F, was + 90. In the evening.

Know what else?

It's happening right here in North America RIGHT NOW: Russia: Deadly Heat Wave, Pakistan: Floods, U.S.: 1480 Records, Joseph Romm, Climate Progress.

MORE

• BlogSanity -- Climate Change Human Impact Report: Hundreds of Millions Suffering, 4 Billion Vulnerable NOW
• Article -- Pakistan: A Sad New Benchmark in Climate-Related Disasters, N. Gronewold, NYTimes
• Article -- UN Chief: Pakistan Floods Worst Disaster I've Ever Seen
• Article -- We're Hot as Hell and We're Not Going to Take it Anymore, Bill McKibben
• Blog -- Global Boiling Fuels Disasters in Nuclear Nations, Brad Johnson, Think Progress
• Article -- Floods, Mudslides on 3 Continents, as Droughts Hit Africa, Mark Tran, The Guardian
• Blog -- Russia: Deadly Heat Wave, Pakistan: Floods, U.S.: 1480 Records, Climate Progress
• Blog -- Media Wakes Up: Russia's 1,000-Year Heatwave, Pakistan's Katrina, Climate Progress
• Article -- Russia's Climate Problem is Our Problem, Tyler Hamilton, Toronto Star
• Blog -- Shocking Projected Temp Rise in Canada This Century, Tyler Hamilton, Clean Break