We have heard such things before. What at first glance deserved huge headlines got a mention but not much attention. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and many competent authorities tell us that strong action against climate change is acutely urgent. As we move forward, we may be missing the Paris target of keeping global warming as close as possible to 1.5 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average, and possibly another target of two degrees. We are seeing the consequences unfolding around us, just as climate scientists have been predicting for decades. Droughts are getting worse, along with cyclones, hurricanes and floods. Extreme fires raged in North America and Mediterranean countries, as well as in Australia. The ice is melting. The sea will rise only a little, but enough that major storms threaten coastal communities everywhere with flooding or severe erosion. (Ralph Evans)