Fire & Ice

It's now the turn of Russia to feel the wrath of the weather. The worst heatwave since records began 130 years ago have caused hundreds of wildfires to rage across the country and Moscow is covered with a thick blanket of chocking smoke. The temperature in the city is predicted to reach 40 degrees Celcius today, planes are diverted, offices closed and with air pollution 5 times above safe levels citizens fight to buy face masks; its Russia's worst heatwave for over a century and there's still no mention of climate change in the media. The effects are being felt beyond Russia; the hot weather has seriously affected the nation's wheat crop and exports are now restricted resulting in huge price rises on the world's markets. Maybe only when climate change begins to bite where it hurts most will nations serious address the problem, but then it will be far too late.

As if this is not enough, we learn today that a massive ice sheet two thirds the size of The Isle of White has broken off an glacier in Northeast Greenland; another sign that we are steadily approaching the long predicated tipping points beyond which there will be no way back.