By Jordan A. Bowman & Marian Orlousky
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
February 26, 2021
“Please make no mistake, climate change is the biggest threat to security that modern humans have ever faced. I don’t envy you the responsibility that this places on all of you and your governments… There is no going back.”
– Sir David Attenborough, February 23, 2021
For those who have paid attention to news headlines, statements like Mr. Attenborough’s are undoubtedly familiar. The call for climate action has grown considerably as increasing evidence ties climate-warming trends to human activities. From scientists, to politicians, to conservation organizations including the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), the consensus has become clear: immediate and substantial action must be taken to prevent or minimize the most drastic impacts of climate change.
Yet as these conversations continue, it has also become clear that discussions about climate change can be complicated and confusing. As we continue our series on climate change and its effects on the Appalachian Trail (A.T.), we thought it would be important to lay the groundwork for some of the key topics we will cover over the next several weeks.