http://commondreams.org/news/2015/12/31/ten-weather-extremes-defined-hottest-year-ever-recorded?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=email_this&utm_source=email

Thursday, December 31, 2015

Ten Weather Extremes That Defined Hottest Year Ever Recorded

From droughts to floods to mega-storms, extreme weather over the past 365 days raises disturbing questions about future of climate chaos

by Sarah Lazare, staff writer

The hottest year in recorded history is coming to a close with a wave of extreme weather and ecosystem shifts, from unprecedented flooding in the United Kingdom to dangerous deluges in South America.
Looking back at 2015, it is clear that such extremes are not the exception, but have been the rule for the past 365 days and beyond. Such weather is linked to this year's exceptionally strong El Niño, which is tied to human-made global warming.
Communities on the frontlines of climate change have long warned that resultant floods, droughts, and mega-storms are already bringing death, displacement, and food insecurity to people across the globe, particularly those who are poor, Indigenous, or living in the global south.
Here are ten freakish weather extremes in 2015 that raise the alarm about climate chaos in 2016 and beyond—and underscore the urgency of strong and effective adaptation, mitigation, and emissions reductions policies.http://commondreams.org/news/2015/12/31/ten-weather-extremes-defined-hottest-year-ever-recorded?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=email_this&utm_source=email