DANA from Valencia reminded us that climate change This is a serious problem that already exists. And while this meteorological phenomenon is nothing new, rising water temperatures in the Mediterranean have contributed to much more intense rainfall. So it is clear that global warming is the clear cause floods. But do they affect the country’s most polluting countries or does it have nothing to do with it?
We might think that because the countries that contribute the most to climate change, those that pollute the most are at the greatest risk. But this is not such a simple question. Changes are happening at the global level. The irresponsibility of some governments can affect us all, and unfortunately, it is the countries that pollute the least that are often the worst off.
This is the conclusion of a study recently published by scientists from University of Bristol. In it they focus on the group 57 countriesknown as small island developing states (SIDS is an abbreviation in English). Because they are small and unindustrialized, they pollute virtually nothing. However, flooding caused by climate change is happening and will continue to happen if nothing is done to address the problem.
Floods caused by climate change
Climate change is associated with extreme weather events. Some regions will suffer from severe drought, while others will suffer from flooding due to heavy rains. In addition, coastal countries may be underwater as sea levels rise due to melting ice caps. This is an unflattering situation that is especially harmful to small businesses. island countries in the Pacific, Caribbean, Indian Ocean and South China Sea.
According to research conducted by these scientists, it is estimated that nearly one in five people (20%) in SIDS are exposed to coastal or inland flooding. In addition, in particular, there are three of the 57 countries Tuvalu, Bahamas and Guyanawhere the percentage of victims will be 60%.
The study highlights that these are countries with very low levels of pollution. Therefore, floods resulting from climate change cannot be considered a consequence of the actions of its inhabitants.
The interior matters here too
This is not the first investigation of this kind. However, there is a difference with the others, since before only the effect coastal floodresulting from rising sea levels.
However, on the coast the population is more concentrated, so floods can be very dangerous. However, according to the authors of the latest study, 81% of people were affected by floods In these regions they live in the interior. We have seen from the example of DANA in Valencia that inland floods can also be very dangerous, so we must not ignore this.
What can be done?
It is clear that these countries can do little. Climate change is largely due to the greenhouse effect caused by excess emissions of polluting gases. They create a kind of blanket over the atmosphere that prevents solar radiation reflected from the Earth’s surface from dissipating into space. They keep the planet too hot.
Since SIDS are countries with very low levels of environmental pollution, it is up to the most developed and industrialized countries, such as the United States, to take action. Unfortunately, a government president who denies climate change is not a good starting point, and unfortunately, it could be detrimental to the entire planet.
Source: Hiper Textual
