Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree National Park is famous for its scenery and unique plant life, particularly the “Joshua trees” (which are actually huge succulents) that have grown in the Mojave Desert for more than 2 million years. Research published in 2020 found that if global greenhouse gas emissions continue at their current rate, less than 1% of the plants in this national park will survive.
If drastic measures are taken to reduce emissions and the impact of the climate crisis, less than 20% of the iconic trees’ habitat would remain. We’re already seeing damage in real time: Forest fires have already burned millions of the Joshua trees, a sign of what may come.
