BANGOR DAILY NEWS • January 19, 2024
New data released earlier this month confirm that last year was the hottest ever recorded — and that the jump in global temperatures was higher than expected. Hotter temperatures contribute to more frequent and more intense storms, along with melting sea ice in Arctic regions, which means rising sea levels. Those rising sea levels swamped Maine’s coastline from Washington to York counties last week. The worst predictions aren’t really predictions any more. They are reality. We have got to figure out how to balance concerns about new energy sources and energy infrastructure with the reality that if we don’t do more to reduce our impact on the planet, we may have little recourse against the damage that will continue to spread across our state. ~ Susan Young