Sounds horrid, but we have to confront reality. The Jacaranda FM website quotes this warning by researchers at University of Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology: “Human society will be faced with the devastating combined impacts of multiple interacting climate hazards by century’s end.” In fact, the six simultaneous catastrophic climate disasters have already begun.
What Are These Six Simultaneous Catastrophic Climate Disasters?
Their names are drought, heatwave, wildfire, heavy rainfall, flooding, and ocean superstorm. Therefore, “human society will face devastating combined impacts of multiple interacting climate hazards,” says Hawaii researcher Erik Franklin.
These life-threatening forces are the consequence of overloading the atmosphere with carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases. The catastrophic consequences begin with rising temperatures in normally dry regions, Erik Franklin explains. Then drought, heatwaves, and disastrous wildfires follow as we have seen in California. Wetter climates have their own problems with heavy rainfalls and flooding.
Ocean Deadly Superstorms Build Their Havoc
Catastrophic superstorms are perhaps the worst of the six simultaneous catastrophic climate events. This is because of the unstoppable fury of surges. Their savagery on reaching land is increasing as ocean levels rise. Once-safe havens are now helplessly open to inundation.
Climatologists previously studied the six simultaneous catastrophic climate disasters in isolation. This partly obscured the combined impacts of concurrent events. If we pass the 2ºC milepost, then New York runs the risk of simultaneous extreme rain, sea level rise and storm surges every year.
However, tropical coastal areas will suffer most in terms of health, food, water, economy, infrastructure and security, warns Erik Franklin. While temperate zones close to polar regions, such as Tasmania, and parts of Canada or Russia will escape the worst.
“In general, Greenland appears to be the least impacted by multiple climate hazards under the worst case scenario,” he adds wryly. “It may be time to start buying real estate in Greenland.”
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Preview Image: New Jersey Hurricane Sandy 2012
