February 8, 2023
News Story
by Tara Malhotra
Introduction:
2022 was the worst year for the environment, according to the National News. The world faced countless floods, devastating droughts, an increase in pollution, deadly earthquakes, and disastrous hurricanes. The driving factor behind these events was climate change, which causes extreme differences in the environment’s patterns and leads to unprecedented, severe natural disasters.
The United Nations (UN) found that millions of people had been displaced and became refugees in 2022 due to climate change. Global warming also resulted in the destruction of billions of acres of land. Over $30 billion was distributed by the World Bank Group to assist countries in reversing the climate crisis. Keeping these statistics in mind, the UN believes it is crucial to reflect on environmental issues in 2022 to learn from past mistakes and create plans that will properly combat global warming.
Pakistan Floods:
From June to October, harsh weather patterns caused by climate change fueled record-breaking flooding in Pakistan. The New York Times reported that Pakistan’s seasonal monsoon rains affected over 33 million people and killed almost 2,000. Much of the land was completely submerged, with the UN predicting that it would take months before the country dries up. Consequently, the government of Pakistan declared this a national emergency and called upon the international community for help. Governments around the world donated millions of dollars to Pakistan, but fixing the damage still cost $14.9 billion in total and the country suffered $15.2 billion in economic losses.
Image Credit: The United Nations
Hurricane Ian:
In September of 2022, Hurricane Ian hit parts of Cuba and the southeast United States, becoming the third-costliest weather disaster in the world. The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions found that climate change largely contributed to Hurricane Ian’s destruction, as it increased its strength and decreased its speed. The National Broadcasting Company reported 148 deaths were caused by the hurricane and five million acres of land were devastated. Wind gusts hit 130 miles per hour and rainfall reached 20 inches. The losses from the hurricane were around $113 billion. These numbers made Hurricane Ian the deadliest hurricane to strike Florida in 87 years.
Image Credit: Bloomberg
Megadrought:
As global warming continues, much of the planet’s water is evaporating and resulting in droughts, according to the United States Geological Survey. The most prominent example is the Southwestern North American megadrought that continued throughout 2022, marking its twenty-second consecutive year. In September of last year, Cable News Network published that Lake Mead—the largest reservoir in the United States—had its water level decreased by 170 feet since the megadrought started. The lake has lost more than six trillion gallons of water in total. If the lake keeps losing water, the Hoover Dam will no longer generate power, the Colorado River will stop streaming, and the Southwest would have an extensive water crisis.
Image Credit: NBC News
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