The United Nations announced, “Climate breakdown has begun,” following the World Meteorological Organization’s that the northern hemisphere went through its hottest summer on record.
Dozens of massive fires are breaking out in Greece every day. The nation’s firefighting forces have been stretched to total capacity, and the government is currently appealing for help from surrounding countries. By the middle of this week, more than 700 firefighters in Greece were battling to bring a massive fire under control.
Muddy roads from an unusual desert rainstorm at the Burning Man festival stranded tens of thousands of people for days. “Exodus operations” began on Monday, but road conditions led to a five-hour traffic jam wait, even with a let up in the rain. During the flooding, festival goers were encouraged to conserve their food and water as they hunkered down.
Record rainfall caused heavy flooding in central Spain, shutting roads, subway lines, and high-speed train connections. Tens of thousands were evacuated in China amid heavy rains from Typhoon Haikui. In Brazil, over 3,000 were displaced and dozens killed in flooding from a cyclone. At least five were killed as flooding hit Turkey, Greece, and Bulgaria.
And yet another Atlantic hurricane developed rapidly from a category one to a category five storm. The warm waters of the Atlantic once again resulted in that surge. Hurricane Lee is expected to pack winds as high as 160 mph.
India experienced its driest August in over a century, triggering a spike in food prices. The country has seen a jump in food prices at 11%, and the surge is rippling out to the rest of the world. In May, India banned the export of some wheat products and then some rice products last month. Those conservation effects for India’s domestic economy significantly impact the economies of the developing world that rely on imported food from India.
Last week, the New York Times ran a special feature on America’s diminishing groundwater reserves. While climate change plays a role in that story, the greater story is mismanagement and inefficiency. Aquifers supply 90% of the country’s water resources, and they are being vastly depleted. Check this story out>>>> While you’re at it, see this one from the Washington Post noting how Pakistan is at the epicenter of a global wave of climate health threats. Check this story out>>>>
