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Disturbing observations of climate change, after 50 years of travel

Disturbing observations of climate change, after 50 years of travel

My first trip abroad took place in 1965, when I drove through the heart of Europe with my newlywed husband in a British Racing Green MGB roadster, top to bottom. I remember getting lost on quiet roads, unfolding crumpled maps that couldn’t be folded all the way back together, and looking for a payphone to call a technician.

We used a lot (and a lot) of gas as we strolled across the continent in our two-seater car – without seat belts. My husband smoked a pipe, even in restaurants, where we ate multi-course meals, most of which contained red meat and buttered potatoes. Back at the hotel we showered as long as we wanted without thinking about it, drank tap water and slept comfortably without air conditioning.

Fifty years later, travel has changed in so many ways and for so many reasons, as has my own behavior (and that of my former husband). I no longer take simple things like a cool summer night or seeing stars in a clear sky for granted.

I’ve collected some of the changes I’ve observed over the years, around the world. And in future posts I’ll discuss what, if anything, travelers can do about the problems.

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When I was growing up in Miami, the streets would sometimes flood during a hurricane. Now King Tides, the highest tides of the year, caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun, can turn streets into rivers – water rising from sewers and flooding parking garages – a regular occurrence due to rising seas and more intense storms. They can cause ‘sunny day flooding’ when it isn’t even raining.

In the nearby Everglades habitat, invasive species and pollution threaten the pristine sea of ​​grass. The park is affected by many sources of air pollution, including power plants, urban areas, agriculture and industry. Pollutants from these sources can damage the park’s natural and scenic resources, such as surface water, vegetation, birds, fish, and visibility.

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The number of people on this planet has roughly doubled since the mid-1970s, when I was working around the world. Living standards have also risen, so more people can afford to travel. Nice places have become uncomfortably crowded.

When I first visited Venice in the 1960s, the crowds were light, the weather was pleasant, cruise ships were nowhere to be seen along the Grand Canal, and tour groups were minimal. If you get up early enough, you can walk around the squares and drink an espresso, for yourself, apart from the locals.

Venice today: crowds, flooded squares. The city is sinking at a rate of 1 to 2 millimeters per year. Venice has introduced a day tripper entrance fee of 5 euros for visitors wanting to access the historic center on certain peak days, essentially requiring a payment to enter the inner city. It has also banned large cruise ships from entering Venice’s lagoon to protect the city’s fragile infrastructure.

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In the last century, I dived and snorkeled among spectacularly colorful coral, while glittering fish milled about. I never thought that this underwater beauty would disappear.

Today, bleached, dead white coral is seen everywhere – a die-off due to warming, polluted waters.

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The Amazon rainforest is called ‘the lungs of the earth’. I stayed in camps in Peru and Brazil, marveling at the lush plantings in different shades of green, and listening to thunderstorms that boomed through the night like explosions, and the screeches and howls of monkeys.

Today, an increasing portion of the Amazon rainforest is facing increasing deforestation due to logging, agriculture and climate change.

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In 1971 I was floating in it The Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth. This landlocked salt lake is bordered by Jordan to the east, the Israeli-occupied West Bank to the west, and Israel to the southwest.

Today, the Dead Sea is shrinking about one meter per year. Natural water sources have been diverted to other uses. Water replenishment also depends on rainfall – a rare occurrence in the desert.

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I visited Greenland in 2008. I was pulled through snow fields on dogsleds, and… did notice that the glaciers seemed to be melting into the sea.

Over the past two decades, the Arctic has lost about a third of its winter sea ice volume, largely due to a decline in sea ice that has continued in recent years, known as multi-year ice, a new study shows. The study also found that sea ice is likely thinner than previous estimates.

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I visited the Galapagos Islands in 1999. Invasive species and climate change threaten this pristine refuge for so many endangered species.

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Erosion, landslides and overtourism threaten the long-term survival of the ruins Machu Picchu.

Nowadays, people are looking for beautiful places like a historic shrine to check off their bucket list.

When I visited the Great Wall of China years ago, there was little crowd in the early morning.

Today, more than eight thousand miles of the wall suffer from natural erosion, vandalism, crowding and uncontrolled development.

When I visited Petra Jordan years ago, it seemed there were more camels and donkeys than tourists.

Today, erosion, natural disasters and tourism make the experience much less pleasant than in years past.

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The planet is approaching the point of reaching the 1.5 degrees Celsius increase since pre-industrial times – the point climate scientists have warned against exceeding. Global carbon emissions from fossil fuels have also been reached record highs.

In the next post, I’ll focus more specifically on surprising ways climate change is affecting travel today – and what travelers can do about it.

I recently spoke about travel and climate change at the New York Society for Ethical Culture. Check out the discussion on my YouTube channel, Places I Remember: Travel Talk with Lea Lane. For all travel topics, check out my award-winning travel podcast, Places I remember with Lea Lane.