Hannah Atkinson
With the world under the constant threat of natural disasters, which seem to be increasingly frequent due to the irreversible artificial damage caused by humankind, climate change is no longer a question but rather something very real that needs more attention and research investment. Hannah Atkinson highlights a few of the more recent “freak” weather incidents which have shaken the globe and even our own island.
Extreme weather events are, undoubtedly, increasing. Across the globe, there are mounting examples of floods and tornados, heatwaves and hurricanes. Our increasingly unstable climate is causing our weather patterns to shift, and the once predictable progression of weather throughout the seasons is now littered with fear and uncertainty. People are increasingly forced to flee their homes and move to neighbouring areas to escape these conditions – either due to the direct risk to life, or indirect effects, such as conflict over dwindling areas of viable land or resources. These people – sometimes dubbed ‘climate refugees’ by popular media – can lose their homes, their livelihoods, or their lives.
Can the blame for all this destruction really be placed at the door of climate change though?
Our increasing temperatures don’t lead to sunshine and pina coladas – they are the cause of the recent weather events brutalising the globe.
It’s hardly news that climate change is happening. The actions of humanity are causing our planet to reach boiling point, with global warming one of the most well-known, and most prominent, effects of our ever-increasing production of greenhouse gasses. Unfortunately, the romanticised notion this means nicer summer temperatures is as naïve as it is wrong. Our increasing temperatures don’t lead to sunshine and pina coladas – they are the cause of the recent weather events brutalising the globe.
Warmer air holds more moisture than cold air, and when more moisture is collected in the atmosphere, heavier clouds are formed. These clouds therefore cause heavier rainfall when they release the water. At best, this can mean a damp day for those who forgot their umbrella, but at worst, the consequences can be a lot more damaging.
Examples of this damage can be seen across the globe. Recent floods in the Valencia region in Spain have ravaged the area, leaving horrifying scenes of destruction and grief. Cars are piled up, houses are reduced to rubble, and suburban streets are now painted with layers of dirt and debris. With a death toll reaching over 200, the anguish in town is immeasurable, with the extent of the damage encapsulated by the local’s description – “we all know someone who has died”.
These events were made worse by the impacts of climate change. The hot, dry weather that scorched the earth in the months prior left the soil unable to absorb the water, and when the rain did fall it was 12% heavier than it should have been due to climate change.
Cuba has also been faced with destruction, as Hurricane Rafael (a category 3 storm), hit its borders and prompted the evacuation of 70,000 people. Mass blackouts followed as the winds and rain led to flooding, property damage, and electricity pylons littering motorways – checkpoints updating people of the damage that was done.
In the US, hurricanes Helene and Milton battered the coast of Florida and beyond, and caused at least 228 and 17 deaths respectively. Southern Brazil has also been dealing with unprecedented flooding, causing the displacement of 420,000 people in Rio Grande do Sul. During these events people are forced to flee, taking with them only the possessions they can fit in their cars, the loved ones they hold dear, and the hope that things will be alright. But if the climate crisis – the major driver of these events – isn’t dealt with, things will only get worse.
our island is hardly left unscathed by increasingly erratic weather.
In the UK we may not be experiencing weather on quite the same scale, but our island is hardly left unscathed by increasingly erratic weather. Increasingly, damp days and flood events are impacting the country, with these only expected to become more frequent. Under even a modest warming scenario of 2° (we are already at 1.36° warming), by 2050 61% more people will be at serious risk due to flooding. This is not good news.
Our infrastructure wasn’t built with extreme flooding in mind, and in the UK our drainage system isn’t equipped to handle the influx of water that follows a flood event. In fact, no part of our cities is equipped to deal with flooding. The impermeable surfaces we use in construction let water flow over the surface when the worst they’re dealing with is a little drizzle, but when confronted with the levels of rain we see today, water pools on the surface. With sewage systems saturated and rivers bursting at the seams, our drains are left drooling, spilling water over their sides. The flood water has no choice but to follow the scrambling masses seeking shelter and hiding in houses, cars and buildings.
The spread of this floodwater can cause harmful impacts on human health, collecting pathogens as it mixes with sewage and dirt in the sewage system before overflowing into the streets. Even when flooding doesn’t occur, the constant downpour of rain lets the damp get in. This seeps into cracked ceilings and well-worn trainers, the cold seeps into people’s bones, and the mould settles into homes to cause health issues such as fungal infections and respiratory issues. And once the mould is there, it’s very tricky to evict it.
The impacts of extreme weather are, undoubtedly, dangerous – and increasingly far-reaching. As our planet continues to warm, these conditions will only worsen, impacting more people and destroying more lives. Capping the Earth’s warming would prevent a further spiral of weather-induced impacts and help the planet to recover and restore its natural systems – an achievable goal, but not a goal we are currently on target to meet. Ultimately, action needs to be taken soon – before our chances to save our planet go up in smoke, or down the drain.
Hannah Atkinson
Featured image courtesy of Mika Baumeister via Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.
In article image 1 courtesy ofJohn Middelkoop via Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.
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