A couple of key words in today’s globally acknowledged short-list of worldwide threats are noticeably missing in this US government’s officially allowed lexicon. Though the words and concept seem taboo under this administration, most everyone in USA is aware of their reality and threat in our local and national environs. “Climate Change” is happening.
Climate change is a recognized threat regardless of politics. People everywhere are suffering its planetary impact in some ways physically, financially, even existentially. Wildfires in Europe, Americas, worldwide; floods from glacial collapses in the Himalayas, Rockies, Alps, Andes; droughts in Africa, Asia, Australia, Americas; rising oceans globally from melting Arctic and Antarctic icebergs
threatening small island states and cities’ actual existence – are all viewed as effects of increasing climate change.
Today, here in these Southern Appalachian Mountains, we are solemnly observing the second anniversary of the destructive, “thousand-year storm" Hurricane Helene, that in September 2024 devastated our region and many lives, houses, workplaces, livelihoods, our futures for living here. We are still trying to recover, and we remain daily fearful of the next such storm in this changed climate.
Yet elite financial leaders of the world’s G20-wealthiest countries met here a month ago to hold forth on global economic affairs but never included “climate change” in their official meetings and statements. Hosted by the U.S. Treasury Secretary in my hometown of Asheville in Western North Carolina, the meeting’s official photos highlighted scenic views of our beautiful Appalachian ranges as backdrops hiding the local and global economic and diplomatic crises.
The U.S. government’s message was that everything is fine, that the US government has given great support to rejuvenate this devastated region. But still two years later everything is not fine for this mountainous region and many of us individuals living and working here. The U.S. government has not given the help it originally promised and falsely claimed at the G20. We want the tourism but not the lies.
Everything is likewise not fine for the world. Most all the G20 visitors, though apparently abiding by observance of U.S. banned topics, came from countries threatened by climate change.
Then, in other news, the people of Nepal and Tibet were overwhelmed by cataclysmic floods from Himalayan Mountains glaciers cracking from increasing global heat caused by climate change. The catastrophe was treated as just another passing story with no noted climate connection added to the G20’s global economic agenda.
The climate reality is that now in the WNC mountains, we no longer assume hurricanes won’t affect us disastrously hundreds of miles inland. People of Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, though contributing hardly any to global warming, can no longer presume the glaciers high above their settlements will not melt. For almost four decades now Maldives and many island nations, also Manhattan and other island cities, have become daily cognizant of warming ocean water steadily rising to threaten their existence.
On the world stage, at the United Nations General Assembly this past week, at world diplomacy’s largest annual gathering, a Climate Summit was held, the day after the U.S. president spoke against climate change. The next day another high-level diplomatic meeting addressed “Existential Threats Posed by Sea Level Rise.” Throughout all the global gatherings at UN headquarters, “Climate Week 2026” was taking place in the host New York City.
Now a month after the global G20 meeting, this mountainous Western North Carolina region that functioned as beautiful theatrical backdrop is observing the second anniversary of the devastating Hurricane Helene that roared in from far-away oceanic coasts to leave us still trying to recover. We do want sustainable tourism in our beautiful place, but not a cover-up of the continuing need for help to rebuild and recover.
The other day a man stopped me as I was leaving a neighborhood gathering and remarked, “Keep writing. My wife and I like reading your opinions.” Though surprised, not knowing his political views, I responded that my current topic would be our anniversary of Hurricane Helene and climate change. He then whispered, “I wish you would also write: ‘the emperor has no clothes.’”
In contrast, the covered-up power of “climate change” does have real substance. Now it’s time not to deny but to address climate change.
Elizabeth “Liz” Colton, Ph.D., an author, educator, diplomat, Emmy Award winning journalist covering news worldwide, currently teaches diplomacy & media/strategic communications for UNITAR and international universities’ global courses. She also serves as Board-Chair of Reporters Sans Frontieres/Reporters Without Borders RSF-USA/North America.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Opinion: Remembering Hurricane Helene, recognizing climate change, regardless of politics
