The world has witnessed several catastrophic events recently showing the devastating effects of climate change and global warming. Scientists have been warning for years that the climate crisis would amplify the extreme weather and make it deadlier and more frequent.
This week, China’s central Henan province was devastated by floods considered the worst in 1,000 years. The provincial capital of Zhengzhou was pelted by nearly 200mm rain in an hour. In just three days, it received nearly a year’s worth of rainfall. Zhengzhou’s weather station called it a “once in a thousand years” downpour.
In the United States, a heat dome has covered much of the country during the hottest time of the year. There have been heatwave advisory affecting more than 13 million people and much of the country will witness above-average temperatures. The heatwave has already killed 200 people in North America as temperatures touched 46C this summer. The UK is also expected to bake in record-breaking hot weather and experience drier conditions this season.
A new analysis shows that the heatwave would have been virtually impossible without climate change. The researchers said the observed temperatures were so extreme that they lie far outside the range of historically observed temperatures. More than one billion marine animals on Canadian shores have likely died from the extreme heat. Scientists said this was a once-in-a-millennium weather event but could happen every five to ten years due to the weather changes.
Europe has also witnessed devastating floods in recent weeks. Germany and Belgium experienced heavy downpours in which more than 200 people lost their lives and 30,000 survivors were without power and drinking water. The worse is yet to come as they are bracing for every more rainfall. In India, more than 125 people have been killed in downpours and flooding. A recent report found out that India is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change and toxic pollution.
Despite the devastation, there has been no concrete action on climate change which has been debated and even shunned. It has become an issue of politics, economic gains and costs rather than a global crisis that affects us all and threatens our planet. As a result, we should be prepared to deal with the climate risks from increasingly frequent and intense extreme weather.
