Increase in Natural Disasters and Climate Change: What Is the Reason?

Earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, and other natural disasters are all on the rise in both severity and frequency at an alarming rate. But why is that, exactly? The answer is rather straightforward and can be traced back to climate change. Let's make the details clearer.

How Does Climate Change Cause Disasters in The World?

The globe is slowly getting hotter which in turn modifies the behavior of nature. Some of the human activities such as fossil fuels combustion through coal, oil, and gas tend to release a lot of greenhouse gases. These gases tend to trap heat in the atmosphere. The overheating of our planet affects the environment in multiple ways. Here is how this affects nature:

1. Powerer Storms and Hurricanes: As Ocean waters get warmer, Hurricanes receive more energy, making them stronger and more destructive. This rise in energy is the main reason why there is an increase in the number of storms of the likes of Category 4 and 5.
2. Great Heatwaves: Hikes in global temperature and are also making heatwaves more frequent which poses several health and inefficiency problems when it comes to working. In addition, these increases in temperature are also causing sever droughts as well.
3. Fast-Moving Wildfires: Higher temperatures have made forests drier than ever before, and forests are more susceptible to wildfires. It is the same reason that places like California and Australia and the Med suffer from wildfires.
4. Heavy Rains: There has been a rise in the rate of rainfall and also a rise in the occurrence of floods. The primary reason is that warm air retains more moisture. This practice is causing the destruction of both homes and infrastructure leading to loss of people’s acceptance.
5. Rise in Sea Levels: The melting of polar ice caps has led to a major problem where the level of sea is continuously rising making several coastal regions vulnerable to flooding. This dramatically increases the danger of storms for the community living in coastal regions.

What is possible to do?

On the surface, problems do appear as if they are life-altering, but there are various ways to mitigate the impact. The first approach revolves around adopting the use of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power which decreases carbon emission. Others are environment-aligned policies such as increased afforestation and adoption of sustainability practices.

From improving infrastructure to helping cities recover from natural disasters to helping to raise awareness in response to the issues surrounding global warming, cities can do things proactively. Every small measure helps in saving Mother Nature for the next generation.

The Last Words

Undeniably, the alarming rate of increase in the frequency of natural disasters makes more sense when one acknowledges the implications of climate change. While it is impossible to solve every disaster in a day, taking the necessary steps can help in managing the disaster and curtailing climate change. However, the more we consider the effects of climate change on natural disasters, the better placed we will be deal with the consequences.

For more useful Insights:

How Climate Change Leads to More Storms and Floods

Are Future Disasters More Frequent? Nature's Wrath Ahead