CATALYST PLANET - 9 Climate Emergencies Around the World

Extreme weather conditions have made it difficult to ignore the pressing concerns that climate change presents.

Satellite view of Earth. The New York Public Library. Unsplash.

Over the past few months, many countries around the world have experienced extreme weather phenomena which are believed to have been caused by global warming. Collectively, there has been a temperature increase of two degrees Fahrenheit since the pre-industrial era; while that seems like a small number, scientists believe that this increase can contribute to the frequency of extreme heat conditions. This temperature can lead to devastating consequences, such as extreme flash floods, because the combination of hot air and hot water creates more moisture in the air.

Not only do these abnormalities make clear the rapid pace at which the Earth's climate is changing, but they also reveal the potential dangers of such changes. Here are nine countries that have already experienced such dangers due to climate change.

Canada

Burning trees in a forest. Landon Parenteau. Unsplash.

Canada has faced record-breaking temperatures this summer, enduring a heatwave that has caused at least 134 sudden deaths. Scientists believe that the most direct cause of this extreme temperature surge is something experts refer to as Omega-blocking— a slow-moving, high-pressure system that acts as a heat-dome. Perhaps one of the most shocking results of such heat has been the wildfires, one of which broke out in the town of Lytton back in June. On June 30, the town was swiftly evacuated, and soon after, the entire town was burned to the ground. Now, the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre is at the highest tier of its “national preparedness” scale, indicating that the country is low on personnel to combat fires.

2. Japan

River in Tokyo, Japan. Sanjog Timsina. Unsplash

After days of heavy rainfall, Shizuoka, Japan has been plagued with landslides that have destroyed homes and claimed lives. Search and rescue teams sifted through the rubble on the week of July 3, and while around 20 people were rescued from the disaster, many were found dead and hundreds are still unaccounted for. Due to the sheer amount of mud in the area, rescue teams have to do the heavy lifting by hand rather than using machines, which takes more time. These events have disrupted the supply of water and gas to remaining homes, leaving communities in disarray. Although the Shizuoka landslides have ceased for now, roughly 35,000 people in neighboring areas still remain on high alert, and some have even been advised to evacuate. Officials are still looking into the initial cause of these landslides, but it is believed to be partly due to the overflow of the nearby Aizome River.

3. Turkey

Forrest wildfire. Egor Vikhrev. Unsplash.

In southwest Turkey, wildfires have gotten so out of hand that residential areas and a power plant had to be evacuated. The Turkish defense ministry reported that it was evacuating people by sea while the fires neared the power plant, as high winds made the path of the fires unpredictable. Hydrogen tanks and flammable or explosive substances have been removed from the plant. Firefighters are working tirelessly to contain the flames, and officials report that almost 240 fires have been brought under control.

4. China

Sandstorm in the desert. Wolfgang Hasselmann. Unsplash.

In March, Beijing was hit with one of the country's most severe sandstorms in decades. The sand combined with the city's air pollution to produce an orange haze that obstructed much of the skyline. The dust was so thick that over 400 flights in and out of the city had to be canceled, and residents were told to remain indoors. When the same sandstorm first blew across Mongolia, 341 people were were deemed missing.

5. Germany

A flooded street. Jonathan Kempe. Unsplash.

In late July, much of Germany was struck with severe flooding that destroyed several towns and led to the closure of train lines and roads. Officials reported that the flooding took at least 173 lives, and search and rescue teams are still trying to locate missing people. In the German city of Koblenz—one of the hardest hit cities in the country—police reported that 155 residents were still unaccounted for, as of July 22. Weather forecasters say that Germany has not seen this much rain in at least a hundred years. While this may be short term, they warn that floods could become more frequent following the current trajectory of climate change.

6. India

Overhead view of a cyclone. NASA. CC BY 2.0.

Cyclone Yaas hit several communities along the eastern coast of India in late May, leaving devastation and destruction in its wake. Prior to the cyclone, residents had endured a full moon tidal surge that struck several homes directly on the coast. The cyclone only worsened the damage, leading to flash flooding in fields that many depend on for work. Due to COVID-19 closures, many are unable to travel to larger cities to seek out new jobs, and have been completely displaced by the flooding. Not only have the agricultural sectors of labor been disrupted by the cyclone, but several fisheries have also been disadvantaged because many boats are unable to sail due to the damage from the flooding. Ultimately, the impact of cyclone Yaas has completely altered the way of life for residents, and it is a long road to recovery for these communities.

7. Czech Republic

A ground tornado forming. Kelly DeLay. CC BY-NC 2.0.

In late June, the Czech Republic was struck by a tornado that destroyed several towns and injured over 200 people, with five found dead so far. The tornado brought hail the size of tennis balls to southeastern districts, flipping over cars and damaging roughly 1,000 homes. Local authorities have been scrambling to provide temporary accommodation to those whose homes had been affected, and tens of thousands of residents have been left without power. One witness described the aftermath of the tornado as “an apocalypse.”.

8. United States

Death Valley in the heat. Jack Prichett. Unsplash

The U.S. has encountered record-breaking heat throughout the summer, breaking world records left and right. In California, Death Valley hit 130 degrees Fahrenheit, and had the world's hottest 24 hours on record in July. Weather officials in the area are now on the lookout for potential thunderstorms, as lightning strikes in such dry heat could pose a risk for fires. In Portland, Oregon, cooling centers have been created for citizens to recover from being out in the heat. These centers will include water dispensers and “spraygrounds” to cool off guests amidst the state's numerous heat advisories.

9. Bangladesh

Monsoon clouds over Bangladesh. NASA. CC BY-NC 2.0.

Over the past few months, Bangladesh has been dealing with severe monsoons that have caused 145 deaths and affected over 5.5 million people. The monsoon flooding has been deemed the worst in two decades, and has primarily struck the northern and central parts of the country. Crops and livestock have been damaged by this disaster, and most victims lack necessities such as food and fresh water. Many shift the blame onto the government, which they claim has inadequately responded to the crisis and failed to support those displaced by it. Victims have been crowded into makeshift camps while dealing with the looming COVID-19 pandemic, making Bangladesh the 15th worst-impacted country in the world in terms of COVID-19 cases and deaths.

Ultimately, scientists predict that 2021 will end up being one of the top 10 warmest years for the Earth’s surface on record, especially after the recent heatwaves in the west. Further studies suggested that the heatwave was made at least 150 times more likely because of the effects of climate change, as the temperatures reach far beyond the range of typical observations. Without concrete action, experts expect that these abnormalities will only intensify over the years.