Where We Stand

Wildfires, hurricanes, floods and heat waves. These past few years have seen a dramatic increase in natural disasters, and with the grim predictions for the future, it’s impossible to doubt the effects of global warming. Elle delves into the state of the planet and the crucial role women play in its outcome. From the indelible women leading climate action across the globe to the inspiring ideas already in motion, now is the time to take a stand for our planet

- Margaret Wappler

The images of climate change seem straight out of a Hollywood science fiction movie: Raging wildfires that eat a football field per second. Floods that wipe away whole towns. Skies so heavy with air pollution that children wear masks to step outside.

Except that it’s all true — and some of the images come directly from my own life. Last October, when the Tick Fire erupted in Los Angeles, I watched as ash drifted past my back deck. The air smelled like burning chaparral tinged with something more chemical – charred plastic, from our homes, cars, and whatever else the Tick Fire had engulfed. My son’s preschool, which takes place outdoors, was cancelled due to poor air quality, not for the first time. And it likely won’t be the last: California experienced the deadliest and most destructive wildfires in its history in 2017 and 2018, and it’s getting worse. Analysing environmental data from the last 30 years, scientists predict that over the next two decades, as many as 11 U.S. states are predicted to see the average annual area burned increase by 500 percent.