It's backfiring big time
4/8/21 21:37![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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talkpoliticsPun unintended (or is it?)
As the world struggles with another summer with an extreme climate, experts are observing something unusual - this year the effects are more heavily pronounced in areas that used to be spared of this trouble in general.
Wealthy countries such as the US, Canada, Germany and Belgium are joining poorer and more vulnerable nations on a growing list of extreme weather events that scientists say are to a great degree linked to man-made climate change. So this is no longer just a problem for poor countries. It is very obvious that it is now a problem for rich countries as well. If they don't pay attention NOW, I don't know when they will.
China has been hit by severe floods, but hundreds have also drowned in Germany and Belgium, countries where such torrents are not so common. Canada and the US Pacific Northwest have been affected by freak heat waves, with temperatures above 40'C, accompanied by unusually intense forest fires. There's unprecedented heat and fires in Southern Europe at this very moment, too.
And the peak of Atlantic hurricanes and fires in the US is just beginning.
The US West is seeing its driest time since 1580 - based on soil moisture data and information from tree rings. This poses a risk of even stronger fires.
When poorer countries are affected, they are of course less prepared. For example, people cannot use air conditioners and can't go on holidays en massed and the damage is usually much greater. There are of course also victims to extreme weather in the wealthier countries, but fewer.
Although it is too early to say whether the summer of 2021 will set disaster records again, we are definitely witnessing extreme events caused by climate change in new territories now. The number of climate disasters this year has been slightly higher than the average for the recent few years. Last year, the new surprising heat record was registered in Siberia, where the population is small. But now it's happening in Portland, Oregon and British Columbia so it's receiving more media attention.
While the overall rise in temperatures is in line with what was predicted 20 years ago, the heat waves and floods are actually more extreme than expected. And there are no indications that this is going to get any better any time soon.
And we've done this to ourselves, basically.
As the world struggles with another summer with an extreme climate, experts are observing something unusual - this year the effects are more heavily pronounced in areas that used to be spared of this trouble in general.
Wealthy countries such as the US, Canada, Germany and Belgium are joining poorer and more vulnerable nations on a growing list of extreme weather events that scientists say are to a great degree linked to man-made climate change. So this is no longer just a problem for poor countries. It is very obvious that it is now a problem for rich countries as well. If they don't pay attention NOW, I don't know when they will.
China has been hit by severe floods, but hundreds have also drowned in Germany and Belgium, countries where such torrents are not so common. Canada and the US Pacific Northwest have been affected by freak heat waves, with temperatures above 40'C, accompanied by unusually intense forest fires. There's unprecedented heat and fires in Southern Europe at this very moment, too.
And the peak of Atlantic hurricanes and fires in the US is just beginning.
The US West is seeing its driest time since 1580 - based on soil moisture data and information from tree rings. This poses a risk of even stronger fires.
When poorer countries are affected, they are of course less prepared. For example, people cannot use air conditioners and can't go on holidays en massed and the damage is usually much greater. There are of course also victims to extreme weather in the wealthier countries, but fewer.
Although it is too early to say whether the summer of 2021 will set disaster records again, we are definitely witnessing extreme events caused by climate change in new territories now. The number of climate disasters this year has been slightly higher than the average for the recent few years. Last year, the new surprising heat record was registered in Siberia, where the population is small. But now it's happening in Portland, Oregon and British Columbia so it's receiving more media attention.
While the overall rise in temperatures is in line with what was predicted 20 years ago, the heat waves and floods are actually more extreme than expected. And there are no indications that this is going to get any better any time soon.
And we've done this to ourselves, basically.
(no subject)
Date: 4/8/21 18:46 (UTC)