Unsettling Observations Of Climate Change, From 50 Years Of Travel

My first trip abroad was way back in 1965, driving through the heart of Europe with my newlywed hubby in a British Racing Green MGB roadster, top down. I remember us getting lost on uncrowded roads, unfolding rumpled maps that didn’t quite refold, and seeking a phone booth to call a mechanic.

We used up lots (and lots) of gas as we meandered around the continent — without seat belts — in our two-seater car. My husband smoked a pipe, even in restaurants, where we consumed multi-course meals, many featuring red meat and buttered potatoes, Back at the hotel we’d shower for as long as we wanted without a thought, drink the tap water, and sleep comfortably without air-conditioning.

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

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

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When I was growing up in Miami, streets sometimes flooded 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 gushing up from the drains and flooding parking garages —a regular occurrence due to rising seas and stronger storms. They may cause “sunny day flooding” when it isn’t even raining.

In the nearby Everglades habitat loss, invasive species and pollution are threatening 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 harm the park’s natural and scenic resources such as surface waters, vegetation, birds, fish, and visibility.

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The number of humans on the planet has approximately doubled since the mid-1970s when I was tooling around the world. The standard of living has also gone up so that more people can afford to travel. Nice places have become uncomfortably crowded.

In the 1960s when I first visited Venice, crowds were few, the weather was pleasant, cruise ships were nowhere to be found along the Grand Canal, and guided tours groups were minimal. If you got up early enough you could walk in the piazzas and sip an espresso pretty much to yourself aside from the locals.

Venice today: crowds, flooded piazzas. The city is sinking at a rate of 1-2 millimeters a year. Venice has implemented a “day-tripper” entry fee of 5 euros for visitors who want 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 sailing into the Venetian lagoon to protect the city’s fragile infrastructure.

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In the previous century I would dive and snorkel amid spectacularly colorful coral, glimmering fish darting about. I never thought about this underwater beauty vanishing.

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 varied shades of green, and listening to thunderstorms that boomed through the night like explosions, and the screeches and howls monkeys.

Today, more and more of the Amazon Rainforest faces increasing deforestation due to logging, agriculture and climate change.

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In 1971 I floated in 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 at around three feet a year. Natural water sources have been diverted to other uses. Replenishing the water also relies on rainfall—a scarce occurrence in the desert.

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I visited Greenland in 2008. I was pulled on dog sledges in snow fields, and did note that the glaciers seemed to be melting into the sea.

Over the past two decades, the Arctic has lost about one-third of its winter sea ice volume, largely due to a decline in sea ice that persists over several years, called multiyear ice, according to a new study. The study also found sea ice is likely thinner than previous estimates.

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I visited the Galapagos Islands in 1999. Invasive species and climate change are threatening this pristine haven for so many endangered species.

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Erosion, landslides and over-tourism threaten the long-time survival of the ruins at Machu Picchu.

Today crowds are seeking magnificent spots like historic sanctuary to check off their bucket list.

When I visited the Great Wall of China years ago, crowds were scarce in the early morning.

Today, 0ver thirteen thousand miles of the wall suffer from natural erosion, vandalism, crowds and unchecked development.

At Petra Jordan, years ago when I visited, it seemed that camels and donkeys outnumbered tourists.

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

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The planet is coming close to reaching the 1.5 degrees Celsius rise since pre-industrial days — the point that climate scientists have cautioned against exceeding. Global carbon emissions from fossil fuels also reached record highs.

In the next post I’ll focus more specifically on surprisiing ways that climate change affects 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. Also, for all travel topics, check out my award-winning travel podcast, Places I Remember with Lea Lane.

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