International Cli-Fi Day is observed on April 20 every year. Cli-fi denotes climate change fiction. It is a genre distinct from the science-fiction or speculative-fiction genre. We all know that our planet is enduring the consequences of global warming due to the release of carbon emissions. Some authors investigate global climate change in their novels. There are a lot of films that deal with this topic and attempt to raise awareness about the dangerous consequences of climate change on our planet. It is of utmost importance that we change our current behaviours to sustainable practices to avoid the destruction of our species.
The background of International Cli-Fi Day
Fiction instructs us about the world we live in. Human beings are not the only inhabitants of Earth. We are surrounded by ecosystems full of various forms of life: plants, animals, fungi, protists, archaea, and bacteria. These diverse forms of life interact with each other in perfect synchronization. Human activities interrupt this ideal interaction, which has consequences for our planet. Nowadays, the genre of climate fiction or cli-fi is emerging and teaches us about the climate change crisis that will impact our lives for as long as we inhabit Earth.
In simple terms, climate fiction is stories or films that deal with climate change or stories about global warming. It is often speculative and tries to demonstrate how humanity would deal with a climate disaster in a world similar to our own or the future. Technology that has been built to combat climate change is often included. The term climate fiction is relatively novel. It began gaining prominence around 2010, in light of our more recent knowledge of the seriousness of climate change. Nowadays, more and more publications are surfacing about the topic.
The term ‘cli-fi’ was devised by freelance writer Dan Bloom in 2011 in a press release for Jim Laughter’s “Polar City Red — a Novel” dealing with climate refugees in a future Alaska. Bloom published “The Cli-Fi Report,” an online resource serving all things climate fiction. Climate fiction accentuates and intensifies the present and future risks of climate change in a way that reporting simply cannot.
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5 CONSEQUENCES OF CLIMATE CHANGE
Changes in rainfall
Due to climate change, many places have experienced variations in rainfall, the consequences of which are floods, droughts, or intense rain, as well as frequent and severe heat waves.
Changes in glaciers and oceans
The planet’s oceans and glaciers have also experienced changes due to climate change; oceans are warming and becoming more acidic, ice sheets are melting, and the sea level is rising.
Impact on human health
Climate change worsens air and water quality, increasing the spread of diseases, and modifying the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events.
Changes in littoral communities
Climate change elevates the sea level and threatens coastal communities and ecosystems.
Changes in geographic ranges
Changing ecosystems force animal species to migrate to other areas, which may contribute to changes in their lifecycle.
INTERNATIONAL CLI-FI DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | April 20 | Thursday |
| 2024 | April 20 | Saturday |
| 2025 | April 20 | Sunday |
| 2026 | April 20 | Monday |
| 2027 | April 20 | Tuesday |
