Wholl-Stop-the-Reign-0.mp3
Wholl-Stop-the-Reign-0.mp4
Wholl-Stop-the-Reign-I.mp3
Wholl-Stop-the-Reign-I.mp4
Wholl-Stop-the-Reign-II.mp3
Wholl-Stop-the-Reign-II.mp4
holl-Stop-the-Reign-Unplugged-Underground-XVI.mp3
holl-Stop-the-Reign-Unplugged-Underground-XVI.mp4
Wholl-Stop-the-Reign-intro.mp3
[Intro]
I want to “no!”
… who’ll stop the reign
(Whoa woe oh)
Who’ll stop the pain
[Verse 1]
Do you find it hard to believe
No one wants to relieve
As the children die
No one even asks why
[Chorus]
I want to “no!”
… who’ll stop the reign
(Whoa woe oh)
Who’ll stop the pain
[Verse 2]
Another day another disease
Greedy do as they please
As the suffering mounts
Nothing else counts
[Chorus]
I want to “no!”
… who’ll stop the reign
(Whoa woe oh)
Who’ll stop the pain
[Bridge]
Reigning down on the poor
(Can we take that much more)
In a drought of know doubt
(Reigning down evermore)
Does it make you want to shout
[Break]
Shout out!
(Who’ll stop the reign)
[Chorus]
I want to “no!”
… who’ll stop the reign
(Whoa woe oh)
Who’ll stop the pain
[Outro]
So oh oh oh
(Who’ll stop the reign)
A SCIENCE NOTE
Not only was 2024 the hottest year on record, but it also set a record for the number of people displaced, including in the U.S.
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The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported that 2024 was the hottest year on record, with global temperatures averaging 1.55°C above pre-industrial levels. This unprecedented heat contributed to the acceleration of glacier and sea ice loss, leading to a rise in sea levels. The temperature exceeds the 1.5°C limit set by the Paris Accord which is an important threshold for triggering tipping points. Nine tipping points have likely been crossed in the last 5 years. Tipping points are Critical Milestones that directly impact the rate of acceleration in climate change by multiplying the number and intensity of feedback loops. Identifying and understanding these tipping points is crucial for climate science and policymaking. Crossing multiple tipping points could lead to a domino effect, resulting in a much more rapid and severe climate change than currently projected.
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The WMO also noted that extreme weather events in 2024, such as heatwaves, floods, and storms, displaced more than 800,000 people and caused significant crop losses. In the U.S., displacement was driven by multiple climate disasters, including an unprecedented hurricane season, widespread flooding, and prolonged heatwaves.
Hurricanes Helene and Milton were among the most devastating storms to make landfall in 2024, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate in coastal regions, particularly in Florida, Louisiana, and the Carolinas. The hurricanes caused extensive infrastructure damage, with some communities still struggling to rebuild months later. Meanwhile, record-breaking flooding in the Midwest, exacerbated by heavier rainfall and rising river levels, displaced thousands of residents, washing away homes and farmlands.
As 2025 began, the crisis continued with massive wildfires in California, driven by persistent drought and extreme heat. Entire towns were forced to evacuate, with some residents losing their homes permanently due to the rapidly spreading blazes. The Midwest and Southeast were also hit hard in March 2025 by one of the worst tornado outbreaks in recent history, leaving entire neighborhoods uninhabitable and displacing thousands. The increasing frequency and intensity of these disasters underscore the growing impact of climate change on population displacement in the U.S. and the urgent need for stronger adaptation measures.
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Additionally, a study revealed that ‘climate whiplash’—abrupt shifts between extreme wet (violent rain) and dry conditions—is increasingly affecting major cities worldwide. This phenomenon complicates disaster preparedness and recovery efforts, underscoring the urgent need for global action to adapt to these changes.
Mass, velocity, and density determine the severity of extreme rain events, and all three are increasing as both wind and rainfall intensify. The interaction of these factors amplifies flow forces, with wind and water forces scaling proportionally to the square of velocity. This means that as wind speeds rise due to more intense heating or heavier rainfall, the resulting damage increases exponentially. According to drag physics, force is proportional to density times the square of velocity.
For example, a 20-mile-per-hour wind exerts four times the force of a 10-mile-per-hour wind, while a 40-mile-per-hour wind exerts 16 times the force. At 50 miles per hour, the force is 25 times greater, and at 60 miles per hour, it is 36 times greater than at 10 miles per hour. When factoring in density, the impact becomes even more severe: water is approximately 800 times denser than air, meaning that a 10-mile-per-hour water flow exerts 800 times the force of a 10-mile-per-hour wind.
As climate change accelerates, increasing flow velocities will lead to exponentially greater destructive forces. While the precise extent of future velocity increases remains uncertain, the consequences are already visible—overwhelmed flood and sewage systems, collapsing hillsides, and widespread infrastructure failures. Without urgent adaptation measures, these escalating forces will continue to cause greater damage to communities and ecosystems.
The increasing frequency of extreme rain events is occurring alongside cycles of severe drought, creating a destructive feedback loop. Prolonged drought leaves the land parched and less able to absorb water, making it highly susceptible to erosion, flash flooding, and landslides when heavy rains arrive. This combination intensifies devastation, as dry, compacted soil repels water, leading to rapid runoff, more severe flooding, and long-term degradation of topsoil, which further reduces the land’s ability to recover.