Sting sends an SOS to the world

Share this exclusive warning sent by “Message in a Bottle” star ahead of COP26.

More than 40 years after his hit single with Police, Sting has recorded a powerful message of support for climate activists who share his Tyneside roots.

This exclusive recording from him uses his words and music to convey his concern to political leaders for “us, our children and for the planet”. It was in response to an approach from CAN member Jacky, who knew him back in the 70s.

Since “Message in a Bottle” was first released 40 years ago, the planet has warmed significantly:

• The seven years to 2020 have been the hottest on record, with 2020 and 2016 the hottest of all

• The world has grown hotter at a rate of nearly 0.2° C (0.36° F) per decade over the past 40 years

• Annual global temperature from 2000 to 2009 was 0.61° C (1.1° F) higher than average temperature for 1951 to 1980.

• If current rate of increase continues, the world will warm by 2° C (3.6° F) over the next century – above the upper limit of 1.5° C agreed by scientists and political leaders to be dangerous to exceed

A NASA spokesman said: “The last seven years have been the warmest seven years on record, typifying the ongoing and dramatic warming trend. With these trends, and as the human impact on the climate increases, we have to expect that records will continue to be broken.” July 2021 was officially the hottest month since records began 142 years ago.

This important message from Sting is released while the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow is ongoing, where world leaders are assembling to take action against climate change. Countries from all over the globe are being asked to work together in face of the climate emergency and come forward with ambitious 2030 emission reduction targets that align with reaching net zero by the middle of the century.

Here at Climate Action Newcastle we look forward to learning the outcomes agreed upon at COP26 and will be sharing updates throughout the next two weeks while the conference is ongoing.

Source

https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/climate-change-indicators-us-and-global-temperature#:~:text=Data%20%7C%20Technical%20Documentation-,Key%20Points,F%20per%20decade%20since%201979).

Gavin Schmidt, Director NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies - https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/2020-tied-for-warmest-year-on-record-nasa-analysis-shows

https://www.noaa.gov/news/its-official-july-2021-was-earths-hottest-month-on-record