Global Flooding Crisis: Climate Change’s Widespread Devastation in Every Region

Introduction

Climate change is a global phenomenon that has given rise to a countless of environmental concerns, one of the most prominent being an increase in the frequency and intensity of floods. These catastrophic events, brought about by rising global temperatures and subsequent changes in rainfall patterns, are no longer confined to certain regions of the world. Instead, they now emerge as a major threat, consistently affecting multiple countries across the globe. From Asia to Africa, Europe to the Americas, floods have become a universal consequence of climate change, which is disrupting livelihoods, displacing communities, and devastating ecosystems. Consequently, understanding the causes, impacts, and potential solutions of climate change-induced floods becomes paramount as humanity faces the urgent need to mitigate and adapt to this pressing global crisis.

The Most Affected Countries across Regions due to 2023 Floods

In Asia, the most affected countries by floods in 2023 were China, India, and Pakistan. In China, heavy rains caused flooding in southwestern China in July, killing at least 15 people and displacing thousands. In India, heavy rains caused flooding in the northeastern states of Assam and Meghalaya. As of July 21, 2023, the death toll from the 2023 floods in India has reached at least 108 people. The worst-hit state is Himachal Pradesh, where at least 88 people have died. Other states that have been affected by the floods include Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, and Uttarakhand. The floods have also caused widespread damage to infrastructure and have destroyed thousands of houses. In Pakistan, heavy rains caused flooding in the northwestern provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab in July, killing at least 80 people and displacing thousands.

In addition, South Korea and Japan in East Asia, were hit hard due to floods, resulting in a tragic loss of life. At least 41 people lost their lives in South Korea and 12 in Japan due to these catastrophic events. Meanwhile, the Philippines in Southeast Asia was also severely impacted, with a death toll of at least 216. These floods left countless people displaced and in need of assistance.

In Africa, the most affected countries by floods in 2023 were Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Mozambique. In Rwanda, torrential rains caused flooding in western and northern parts of the country, killing more than 130 people and resulted in displacement of huge number of people. In Ethiopia, heavy rains caused flooding in the Oromia and Somali regions due to which 240,000 people were impacted and, at least 120 people died. In Mozambique, heavy rains caused flooding in the Zambezi River basin in February, killing at least 70 people and displacing over 100,000 individuals.

Europe: The most expensive natural hazard in Europe is flooding. Climate and socioeconomic developments are expected to make it worse in the future. In Europe, the most affected countries by floods in 2023 were Italy, Germany, and Belgium. In Italy, the deadly flooding that devastated much of northern Italy in late May, killing at least 15 people and displacing 40,000. In Germany, heavy rains caused flooding in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia in July, killing at least 180 people and displacing over 100,000. In Belgium, heavy rains caused flooding in the eastern part of the country in July, killing at least 30 people and displacing over 10,000. The latest report by the European Commission lists the European cities and nations with the largest anticipated losses from future floods. Germany was reported to have the highest danger of flooding for residential structures, followed by France, Italy, and Spain.

Americas: The floods have affected a number of countries in the Americas, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador. In North America, the most affected countries by floods in 2023 were the United States and Canada. In the United States, a series of storms caused flooding in the northeastern states of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania in July, killing at least 11 people and causing widespread damage. There is also emergency in Kentucky due to flash flooding. In Canada, heavy rains caused flooding in the western Canada and caused forced evacuations.

To conclude, the global flooding crisis caused by climate change is devastating every region. Increased rainfall, rising sea levels, and melting glaciers have worsened the situation. This has resulted in loss of lives, infrastructure destruction, displacement, and damage to ecosystems. Mitigation and adaptation measures are needed to address this crisis, and it requires a collective effort. This includes reducing emissions to mitigate climate change and implementing resilient infrastructure to adapt to the increasing risks of global flooding. It is imperative that governments, communities, and individuals work together to tackle this widespread devastation and protect the planet Earth.




Climate Change: A Threat to Global Food Security

Introduction

Climate change poses a serious danger to the global food security, due to its direct and indirect effects on food availability and production. Crop yields are declining as a result of rising temperatures and extreme weather events, which are causing a rise in food insecurity. Extreme weather conditions, natural calamities, and economic and social unrest can have a severe impact on food availability. It is crucial to lessen the effects of climate change in order to alleviate global food insecurity by lowering emissions, using more effective and sustainable agricultural techniques and funding initiatives that advance food security.

Global Food Insecurity

Food insecurity (FI) describes the lack of consistent access to enough food for every person in a household to live an active, healthy life. A significant problem the world is currently confronting is global food insecurity. It is a condition that is characterized by a lack of economical, nutritious, and safe food options, which can cause hunger and malnutrition. The number of people impacted by global food insecurity increased from 135 million in 53 nations in 2019 to 345 million in 82 countries in 2022, according to an article published by the World Economic Forum. Global food insecurity is exacerbated by climate change, which has an impact on food production and delivery systems by increasing food prices while reducing the availability of food. According to the World Bank, as a result of the conflict in Ukraine, supply chain disruptions, and the ongoing economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of people experiencing acute food insecurity has increased significantly. There are approximately two billion malnourished people in the globe, and by 2050, it is predicted that humanity will need 60% more food to feed everyone. To fulfill the expanding demand, however, the agriculture sector still lacks the necessary resources.

Impacts of Climate Change on Food Security

Food security is significantly and directly impacted by climate change. Due to changes in weather patterns, environmental disruptions and extreme weather events like floods and droughts, not only causes crop failure and famine, but also impacts and challenges the food security. The impacts of climate change on the global food supply are extensive. Food production is impacted by a variety of climate change-related factors including increased temperatures, more frequent droughts, decreasing soil fertility, floods and storms. Before the situation gets worse, action must be taken to curb food insecurity brought on by climate change. Governments and organizations on a local, national and international level must take proactive measures to develop food strategies that can better withstand climate variability in order to reduce the negative effects of climate change on food security. It can be accomplished through increasing investment in climate-resilient agriculture, promoting sustainable food systems i.e. including regenerative agriculture, improving food waste management and encouraging local food production. Furthermore, it is important to invest in adaptation and mitigation strategies that can help to reduce the impacts of climate change on global food insecurity.




United Nations’ Climate Justice Resolution: Outlining Legal Responsibilities around Climate Change

Introduction

On March 29, 2023, at the UN headquarters in New York, the UN General Assembly passed a historic resolution inviting the world’s highest court to issue a consultative opinion regarding the obligations nations have to address the climate problem. The adoption of the resolution marks an important step in the fight against climate change because it clarifies what responsibilities nations have under current international law to protect the rights of present and future generations from the negative effects of climate change. Vanuatu, a Pacific island nation was the driving force behind the resolution, which has experienced the effects of climate change and has declared its intention to request an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which was adopted by consensus and co-sponsored by more than 130 member countries. The adoption of the resolution came after a week of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warned that global average temperatures could rise by 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by 2030-2035, which demands serious climate action this decade.

Background

Developing nations and Island nations like Vanuatu, have made the least contributions to global greenhouse gas emissions, but they bear the brunt of unpredictable and extreme weather events like hurricanes, floods, droughts and extreme heat and floods that are impacting water and food security and driving forced migration. Last month, two category 4 hurricanes struck Vanuatu, an archipelago of islands 500 miles west of Fiji with around 325,000 inhabitants. This resulted not only in the displacement of residents but also extensive damage to infrastructure as well as water and power outages for many days. After a campaign started by a group of students from a Fiji institution in 2019, the Vanuatuan government began advocating for policy measures in 2021. Ishmael Kalsakau, the Prime Minister of Vanuatu appreciated the resolution and said, “Today we have witnessed a win for climate justice of epic proportions.” He added, “The historic resolution is the beginning of a new era in multilateral climate cooperation, one that is more fully focused on upholding the rule of international law and an era that places human rights and intergenerational equity at the forefront of climate decision-making.”

Significance of Climate Justice and the Role of ICJ

Climate justice is an important component to combat climate change because it emphasizes the disproportionate impact of climate change on the world’s most vulnerable communities. It underlines the need of dealing with the root causes of climate change and ensuring that those most impacted have a part in the whole process. Climate justice can contribute in a more equitable and just transition to a sustainable future. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) can play an essential role in achieving climate justice by serving as a legal platform for governments to address climate-related disputes and by providing advisory opinions on the issues. The United Nations chief Antonio Guterres of the General Assembly while addressing the delegates said, “Advisory opinions of the Court, the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, have tremendous importance and can have a long-standing impact on the international legal order. Advisory opinions can provide much-needed clarification on existing international legal obligations.”

Therefore, the resolution for global climate action is crucial as it urges that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) outline nations’ legal obligations relating to climate change and global warming. in addition, the resolution calls on that the ICJ issue an advisory opinion on the legal obligations of all the states to address the climate catastrophe, particularly their obligations to decrease emissions, assist vulnerable nations and take steps to protect human rights and nature. Moreover, the role of international organizations and other stakeholders must be considered to develop both global and regional solutions for addressing the climate related crises.

Conclusion

To conclude, the proponents of climate justice resolution believe that it may provide some avenues for enforcing climate regulations. The latest resolution will not only aid in bringing together various stakeholders to deal with the issues of climate change with strengthen collaboration, but it will also support local and international efforts that are aimed at climate justice.




Atmospheric Rivers in US

Atmospheric rivers are long, narrow regions in the atmosphere that transport large amounts of water vapor from the tropics to the mid-latitudes. These phenomena are often described as “rivers in the sky,” as they can bring enormous amounts of moisture to areas that are already prone to heavy precipitation.

In the United States, atmospheric rivers are a common weather pattern on the West Coast, particularly in California. These events can bring heavy rainfall and flooding, as well as snowfall in higher elevations. They can also contribute to the development of droughts by moving moisture away from other regions.In recent years, atmospheric rivers have become a more significant concern due to climate change, as warmer ocean temperatures can lead to more frequent and intense events. In early 2022, a series of atmospheric rivers hit the West Coast, causing severe flooding and mudslides in some areas.
With the most recent in a string of atmospheric river storms, California has been drenched, leading to floods and the forced evacuation of roughly 27,000 people in 10 counties. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimates that these columns may transport 7.5 to 15 times the typical water flow near the Mississippi River’s mouth.

Effects of the atmospheric river:

These columns of water vapor frequently fall as rain or snow when atmospheric rivers reach land. In most cases, atmospheric rivers are safe. Stronger storms provide the water supply favorable quantities of rain. Based on how much moisture they carry from the tropics to the mid-latitudes, atmospheric rivers are rated on a scale of 1 to 5. Nonetheless, category 4 or 5 atmospheric rivers that deliver a lot of rain can inflict catastrophic harm to people and property by causing major flooding and mudslides. In 2021, an atmospheric river flooded British Columbia with a month’s worth of rain in only two days, causing deadly floods and landslides, destroying entire villages, and cutting off access to the country’s major port.

Are atmospheric rivers widespread?

According to NASA, there are around 11 of these “rivers in the sky” existing on Earth at any given moment. The majority of atmospheric rivers are weak and unartful. In reality, they can deliver much-needed snow or rain. In California, which is suffering from a severe drought, one such storm last year caused mudslides, collapsed power poles, and blocked roads, but it also replenished depleted reservoirs and decreased the danger of wildfires by wetting the dry vegetation there. Studies have previously demonstrated that due to the overheated Earth, atmospheric rivers are bringing less snow in the northern Sierra Nevada, which is instead falling as rain. Flooding may result from some rain that runs off into rivers. Rain may occasionally fall on top of snow, hastening the melting process.




Climate Change And The Winter Weather

Climate change is causing winter weather to become increasingly unpredictable. As temperatures rise, winter storms are becoming more frequent and intense, leading to more severe flooding, blizzards, and other extreme weather events. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has found that winter temperatures in the United States have risen by 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit since 1895, and that the warming trend is expected to continue. Warmer temperatures mean that snowfall is decreasing, and snow cover is shrinking in many parts of the country. This means that winter storms are becoming more intense and unpredictable. In addition to increased winter storms, climate change is also causing more extreme winter weather. Blizzards are becoming more frequent and intense, and they are lasting longer. This is because warmer temperatures are creating more moisture in the atmosphere, which leads to more snowfall. Climate change is also causing more flooding in the winter. Warmer temperatures lead to more precipitation, which can cause rivers and streams to overflow. This can lead to property damage and even loss of life. Finally, climate change is causing more extreme winter weather events. In the past, extreme weather events such as blizzards and ice storms were rare. Now, they are becoming more frequent and intense. This is because warmer temperatures are leading to more moisture in the atmosphere, which can cause more extreme weather events. Climate change is having a dramatic impact on winter weather. Warmer temperatures are leading to more extreme winter storms, flooding, and other extreme weather events. This is why it is so important to take action to reduce our emissions and slow the effects of climate change.

Winter weather in Pakistan is highly variable from year to year. While some winters are mild and dry, others are cold and wet. Over the past few decades, the winter weather in Pakistan has been changing, with more extreme weather events occurring more frequently. The most noticeable change in winter weather in Pakistan has been the increased frequency of extreme cold weather events. Winters in Pakistan are now becoming colder and lasting longer, with temperatures dropping below freezing in some parts of the country. This extreme cold can have serious impacts on human health, as well as on the agricultural sector. Another noticeable change in winter weather in Pakistan has been the increase in extreme rainfall events. Heavy rain and snowfall can cause flooding and landslides, leading to destruction of property and loss of lives. The frequency of these extreme rainfall events has been increasing in recent years, causing significant damage to infrastructure and livelihoods. In addition to the increased frequency of extreme weather events, Pakistan is also experiencing changes in its winter season. Winters are now becoming shorter, with the cold season lasting only a few months instead of the traditional six months. This is leading to a decrease in the amount of snowfall in the northern parts of the country, and a decrease in the amount of rainfall in the south. These changes in winter weather in Pakistan are having a significant impact on the country’s economy and environment. The increased frequency of extreme weather events is leading to increased costs for the government and individuals, as well as increased risk of damage to infrastructure and livelihoods.

Additionally, the shorter winter season is leading to a decrease in agricultural production, as crops are not able to survive the shorter growing season. Overall, winter weather in Pakistan is changing, and these changes are having a significant impact on the country’s economy and environment. It is important for the government and individuals to take steps to mitigate the risks associated with these changes and to prepare for the future. Also, there is already the shortage of gas globally and in Pakistan as well and during winters it is indeed a complex issue with many contributing factors. The most significant factor is the increased demand for gas during the winter months due to increased heating needs. In addition, the production of gas can be hindered by colder temperatures, which can make it more difficult to extract gas from the ground. Additionally, the transportation of gas can be impacted by inclement weather, which can lead to supply shortages in certain areas. Finally, the global demand for gas has been increasing in recent years due to the growth of the global population, which further contributes to the shortage of gas in the wintertime.




Blue Economy And Its Importance

Blue Economy is an emerging concept that has become popular in recent years as an alternative to traditional economic models. It’s an approach to managing our relationship with the ocean and its resources in a sustainable and equitable manner. Blue Economy focuses on the use of the ocean’s natural resources in ways that benefit society and the environment, while respecting the limits of the ocean’s ecosystem. The blue economy is a new economic concept that is gaining traction as a possible alternative to the current economic system. It focuses on the sustainable use of the world’s ocean resources, and is designed to create a resilient and sustainable economy that is better able to cope with the effects of climate change. By looking at the ocean in a holistic, integrated way rather than simply as an economic resource. It seeks to ensure the long-term sustainability of marine ecosystems and the people who depend on them. The core of the blue economy is the notion of ‘blue growth’, which seeks to identify and create economic opportunities that are based on the sustainable use of marine resources and the services they provide. This includes activities such as sustainable fisheries, tourism, aquaculture, offshore renewable energy, shipping, and coastal and maritime infrastructure development. By taking a holistic view, the blue economy also looks at the social, environmental and economic benefits of these activities, in order to ensure that the benefits are shared across stakeholders. The blue economy is an ambitious concept but it has the potential to provide a significant economic boost to coastal and island nations, while also helping to protect the environment and reduce poverty. It is also an important concept for those countries that have already experienced

In Pakistan, the Blue Economy is of utmost importance. This is because the country has a large coastline of about 1046 km, which is home to a wide variety of marine and coastal ecosystems and resources. The country is also blessed with a large fishing and aquaculture industry, which is an important source of livelihood for many. Pakistan is also a major player in the maritime trade of the region. The Blue Economy is important for Pakistan for several reasons. Firstly, it can help to sustainably manage the country’s marine resources, which are vital to the livelihoods of millions of people. Secondly, it can help to reduce the pressure on the environment, as the use of sustainable practices can help to reduce pollution and the over exploitation of resources. Thirdly, the Blue Economy can help to create jobs and promote economic growth. Finally, it can help to promote the development of new technologies and services related to the ocean, such as marine tourism and renewable energy. The Blue Economy can be promoted in Pakistan through various measures. Firstly, the government should invest in research and development to better understand the ocean’s ecology and resources. Secondly, the government should create policies that ensure sustainable management of the ocean’s resources. Thirdly, it should promote the development of the fishing, aquaculture and maritime sectors, as these are key to economic growth. Fourthly, it should invest in the protection of marine ecosystems, through effective marine conservation and protection policies. Finally, the government should educate the public about the importance of the Blue Economy and its benefits, in order to create awareness. The Blue Economy has the potential to be a great source of prosperity and growth for the people of Pakistan. It is thus important that the government invests in the right measures and policies to promote it. This will help to ensure that the ocean remains a source of food and other resources, while also creating jobs and promoting economic growth.

In conclusion, the Blue Economy is of utmost importance to Pakistan. It can help to sustainably manage the country’s marine resources, reduce environmental pressures, create jobs, and promote economic growth. It can also help to foster the development of new technologies and services related to the ocean. Ultimately, the Blue Economy has the potential to bring economic and environmental benefits to the people of Pakistan.




UN Urges Countries to “Urgently” Increase Climate Funds

The UN warned on November 3, 2022, that the effects of climate change on the world’s most vulnerable nations could surpass attempts to adapt to global warming. This is despite the fact that “substantial” amounts of international financing have already been diverted for other projects.

Numerous emerging economies, which are least responsible for the greenhouse gases that cause global warming, are among those most vulnerable to the effects of the climate, including intensifying drought, flooding, and cyclones. One of the most challenging topics of the UN climate negotiations, which start their latest round in Egypt, is funding to assist them in adapting to accelerating consequences and reducing emissions.

Rich countries have fallen short of their promise to give underdeveloped countries $100 billion year, only giving them $83 billion in 2020. That $29 billion was only used in part for adaptation. Inger Andersen, the head of the UN Environment Programme, noted that this leaves a “yawning vacuum to be addressed” and that the real demands were roughly five to ten times more than the funding allocated in 2020.
While states have pledged to provide additional funds for countries that are vulnerable to climate change, richer countries have been accused of passing off other forms of help, such as humanitarian aid, as climate funding. According to Henry Neufeldt, author of the UNEP report, “some of that money — and we don’t know how much, but certainly a considerable percentage — is not genuinely adaptation or mitigation, it’s repurposed.”

But as the planet warms, the effects of climate change get more severe, and planning for them becomes more expensive.


UNEP increased its projections for adaptation from a year earlier, stating that by 2030, countries will require $160 billion to $340 billion yearly to boost resilience, increasing to $315 billion and $565 billion by 2050.
The UN issued a warning that the world was far from meeting the Paris Agreement goal of keeping global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels.




Disaster Management And Mitigation: A Case Of Pakistan’s Floods

To avoid disasters is not completely in our control, but their preparedness and addressing is. Disasters can be prevented and their effects on communities are minimized by coordinated responses. Disaster management experts are vital in reducing suffering, maintaining people’s means of subsistence, and enhancing social recovery. Disaster management: What is it?

Disasters can come in different forms. Industrial explosions or structural failures are examples of human-made disasters that are caused by errors made by humans. Earthquakes and floods are examples of physical events that result in natural disasters. Epidemics and armed conflicts are examples of complicated disasters. Whatever their shape, disasters cause community disruption and can have a significant negative impact on people, property, businesses, and the environment. They frequently exceed a community’s capacity for adjustment. The practice of efficiently anticipating and reacting to calamities is known as disaster management. In order to reduce the damage caused by disasters, resources should be strategically organized. The management of the duties associated with catastrophe prevention, readiness, response, and recovery also entails a systematic approach. It is now common knowledge that all hazards are natural and all disasters are the result of unfair anthropogenic interactions with nature. Although the latest flood has a different character compared to the one in 2010 the latter was a flash flood, while the current one is a river flood in both cases it can be argued that the damage caused by both disasters is a result of change.in demography and also ill-advised development policies throughout Pakistan. Some of the more immediate consequences of the latest disaster will be in the form of displacement, increase in illiteracy, unemployment, health crises, water and food shortages, infrastructure damage, loss of life, crop destruction, loss of livestock, water-borne diseases, urban migration and loss of social capital. Faced with these multifaceted challenges in such a short period of time, aid and humanitarian agencies must act and adapt quickly to alleviate the problems facing the millions of people who have been affected in recent weeks. Pakistan is vulnerable to most natural hazards. It is prone to floods, earthquakes, droughts and cyclonic storms. It is prone to famines and heavy monsoons. And let’s not forget the other kinds of disasters its residents inflict on each other the scourge of terrorism. With its second major flood in less than ten years, Pakistan is still having difficulty with the relief phase. It will be time to consider about disaster mitigation after this initial phase of assistance is finished.

According to how the Pakistani government has handled the flood situation so far, it is clear that our policymakers and the appropriate state institutions did not adequately reflect on the super-floods of 2010. Pakistan requires a lot of assistance from the international community, especially the biggest climate change contributors, but there is also much that has to be done domestically to make the nation more resilient to various climate-related disasters. The colonial administration actually increased the probability of moderate frequency-high intensity flood occurrences by constructing a complex water management system. Pakistan must enhance water drainage, but it cannot deconstruct its irrigation infrastructure. To reduce the intensity of flooding, obstructions that prevent natural drainage of waterways should be eliminated. Flood risk due to heavy rainfall will last for shorter periods of time because to improved drainage. This will thus minimise the severity of evictions, water-borne illnesses, and the loss of human and cattle life. In order to ease drainage and reduce flood damage, it is crucial that important infrastructure, such as highways and railway lines, have functional drainage ditches or other relevant architectural features.

Clearly, Pakistan has given very less attention to disaster-resistant infrastructure development. Smaller dams in Balochistan, for example, and other towns and cities’ already sparse infrastructure and community resources have apparently been destroyed or severely damaged. In its place, the nation is having uneven development with housing societies, hotels, and other infrastructure that encroaches on the floodplains. It is past time for our administrators and officials to stand up to pressure or enticement from influential vested interests and steadfastly reject any real estate developments on floodplains, like the profitable but problematic Ravi River project. Rather than playing a blame game, more attention should be given to preventive measures, risk analysis disaster management and mitigation. Despite the creation of national and provincial disaster management bodies, the nation’s institutional capacity to deal with climatic disasters remains poor. In order to enhance disaster management and preparedness efforts and make them more reactive, local areas must be involved, according to academics and development practitioners. To enable more effective early warning and vulnerability analysis, civil society and other local institutions can play a crucial role in data collection and information sharing.




Hurricane Ian: A Story Of Disaster

Introduction

Southwest Florida witnessed the landfall of Hurricane Ian, a Category 4 hurricane with winds of up to 155 mph (250 kms per hour). As a result, it ranks among the five strongest storms to ever affect the United States as a whole and the state of Florida. Over 2 million individuals lacked access to electricity throughout the state. Hurricane Ian is the type of storm that weather experts have long warned about that a hurricane may impact Florida’s western coast, where construction and population growth have taken place despite the greater risk of hurricane in recent years. There are chances that a significant area can be destroyed by catastrophic winds, severe rainfall, and storm surge caused by low pressure systems that force ocean water barriers offshore. Hurricane impacts in the United States are getting stronger due to multiple factors including climate change and human involvement through industrial carbon pollution which are making weather events more intense and weather patterns more complicated. Scientists are now unsure of whether the frequency of storms will change or not, but they are convinced that hurricanes strength and severity will keep on rising. Due to these tendencies, storms are becoming stressful in terms of material losses and human casualties.

The situation on the Ground

According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) tidal gauge data, sea levels in the areas of South Florida have already increased by nearly eight inches since 1950. As a result, the water base level is higher, allowing hurricane surge to extend a few inches higher and cover a larger area. As polar ice sheets melt more quickly due to warmer temperatures, researchers anticipate an acceleration of sea level rise in future. Hurricane Ian has claimed the lives of more than 100 people. In addition to human casualties, infrastructure has been severely damaged and the recovery is anticipated to cost insurers a heavy amount and $67 billion damage as per Bloomberg reports, which would make it the most expensive since Hurricane Andrew in 1992. While authorities in South Carolina started evaluating the damage from Hurricane Ian’s impact, rescuers looked for survivors among the wreckage of Florida’s homes that had been flooded. According to President Joe Biden, Hurricane Ian could end up being the deadliest hurricane in Florida history and may have caused “substantial loss of life.” In addition to causing damage to the area, hurricanes undermine public health, transportation, energy, water and sewer systems, as well as structures for manage flooding. The provision of vital services to communities and the maintenance of business continuity depend on these systems which are completely halted due to frequency and occurrence of hurricanes while affecting different dimensions of human security.

Factors Affecting Hurricanes

There is a consensus that storms like Ian have already been impacted by the sea level rise and increased temperatures over the past century, and that this impact may persist in the future. Weather that is hotter causes oceans to get warmer and strengthens hurricanes. The temperature of oceans is rising because of climate change, in addition to this greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere, as well as other factors such as excessive levels of physical air pollution can be attributed to human activities that have resulted in extreme weather conditions. Rapid intensification, which occurs when a storm’s highest wind speeds increase by 35 mph or more in a single day, is one of the most destructive characteristics of hurricanes. Early studies suggest climate change has already made rapid intensification more common. According to an IPCC study from 2021, “during the past four decades, the global frequency of fast intensification occurrences has probably increased.” Furthermore, despite the fact that hurricanes occur less frequently nowadays, but climate change has increased their intensity about 25% since 1979 as per NOAA report of 2020.


A threat from climate change originally appeared far off which is not true anymore. We are all too familiar with its appearance now. Every hurricane, intense downpour, flood, heat wave, wildfire, and drought demonstrates it more vigorously. Even the daily weather reflects climate change situation. The oceans and air are getting warmer, there is more water vapor in the atmosphere, and sea levels are higher as a result of climate disruption. These changes have altered the background conditions in which all weather happens. Here, Ian Hurricane is a good example. In order to lower the probability of the strongest hurricanes in the future, it is imperative to make immediate reductions in greenhouse gas emissions with an aim of halting global warming. Therefore, it has become crucial than ever before to develop resiliency and adapt to the changes that are unavoidable while also taking all reasonable precautions to save our globe from the disastrous effects of climate change resulting in bigger and destructive events.




Floods And Water-Borne Diseases In Pakistan

Water borne diseases do occur during the times of flood. People who got affected by the flood had already been traumatized by the flooding but now they are also facing diarrhea, skin infections, and other waterborne illnesses. Water-borne diseases in areas hit by recent record flooding as authorities stepped up efforts to provide clean drinking water to the hundreds of thousands of people who lost their homes in the disaster. Water borne diseases are spreading rapidly in flood affected areas and even in the in relief camps set up by the government across the country. According to a report released by health officials, more than 90,000 cases of diarrhea have been reported from one of the worst-affected provinces. Similarly, according to official data, 44,832 instances of malaria have been recorded since June of this year during the monsoon season. The latest development comes a day after Pakistan and the World Health Organization expressed concern over the spread of water-borne diseases among flood victims. Floodwaters continued to recede in most of the country, but many districts in southern Sindh province remained under water.

Almost half a million people displaced by the floods live in relief camps. In the provinces affected by the floods, thousands of medical camps have been set up in flood-hit areas to treat victims. A number of pregnant women living in flood-affected areas were also exposed to risks. A few days ago, Pakistan and the United Nations asked Pakistan for emergency funding of $160 million. Floods cause climate induced migration. According to initial government estimates, the devastation caused $10 billion in damage. In Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, and Punjab, there are currently more than 500,000 people living in relief camps as a consequence of internal displacement

Water borne diseases are causing serious health problems. Apart from food scarcity in the affected areas, there is a shortage of clean and hygienic water. Official medical teams have been sent in the relief camps and Non-Governmental organizations are also working to provide them with clean water and other facilities. Public is also donating and the Pakistan is getting foreign assistance as well but there are a lot more problems yet to come due to floods. Winters are coming soon and the displaced population would have to be protected by the cold as well or else they will catch cold. COVID cases usually rise winters and preventive measures for this are also needed to be taken.