Natural disasters intensify as Earth’s temperature rises
People frequently worry about the future of the climate, but unfortunately, its effects are currently seen today, according to information from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The changes in the climate have different effects on people and the environment, and its effects vary from one place to another across the globe, NOAA information says.
Wildfire
A catastrophic wildfire happened on the island of Maui in August of 2023 taking at least 100 lives, according to earth.org, and. federal officials estimated damages at $5.5 billion, with over 2,200 structures destroyed.
Rainfall in Hawaii decreased by 18 percent over the last 30 years, reports the earth.org website. “Although Maui generally enjoys wet and rainy weather conditions, climate change is having a negative impact on how rainfall occurs, triggering rare drought conditions and water shortages,” the site continues.
Heatwave and drought
Haley Thiem, a meteorologist and science writer for climate.gov said in an article, Mexico is experiencing a long-term drought because of lack of rain. Thiem said this occurrence intensified the heatwaves, which caused agricultural distress water scarcity.
In June 2024, Mexico and its neighboring regions experienced high temperatures causing heat-related deaths of 125 people, says the World Weather Attribution’s website. Along with its effects on the community, it also led to power outages and the decline of water availability, says WWA.
“Burning of fossil fuels made the 5-day maximum temperature event about 1.4 degrees hotter and about 35 times more likely,” says WWA information. The website also says heatwaves are among the deadliest events [in nature]. In addition, the ongoing drought intensifies the effects of climate change, the website continues.
Flooding
In September 2024, several countries in Europe experienced flooding from Storm Boris, which “dropped a month’s worth of rain in 24 hours,” says the Center for Disaster Philanthropy’s website. Homes and establishments were destroyed, and thousands of people were evacuated and displaced, and there were about 26 casualties from the disaster, the website continues.
According to Melissa Denchak from an article on the Natural Resources Defense Council’s website, flooding can be caused by heavy rains, storm surges, sudden snow melt, overflow of coastal or inland waters and how humans manage and maintain their waterways.
Typhoons and hurricanes
In November 2024, several typhoons hovered around the Philippines in less than a month, says WWA. According to an article written by HHI Resilient Communities from Harvard Humanitarian Initiative’s website, 151 lives were lost and about 8.8 million Filipinos were impacted from this disaster.
The National Centre for Atmospheric Science says typhoons gain strength in warmer temperatures. “The higher the humidity in warmer air, the warmer sea surface temperatures and the changes in large-scale circulation, could lead to stronger storms,” NCAS explains.
Coral bleaching
According to Coral Guardian’s website, the main cause of coral bleaching is ocean warming. Derek Manzello, a NOAA CRW coordinator, said in an article, “As the world’s oceans continue to warm, coral bleaching is becoming more frequent and severe.” Along with the rising temperature, overfishing, pollution and coastal development are some of the causes of corals, says Coral Guardian information.
Since 1860, the temperature of the ocean’s surface has increased by 0.5 celsius, reports the Coral Guardian. “The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicts an increase in average air temperature of 1.5 celsius by 2030 to 2050,” the website continues.
Sea level rise
In an article from climate.gov, Rebecca Lindsey, a senior science writer and editor, explained the sea level has risen globally for about 8-9 inches since 1880. She said it is caused by the glaciers and ice sheet melting due to the warming of seawater. “In
2023, [the] global mean sea level was 101.4 millimeters above 1993 levels, making it the highest annual average in the satellite record,” she said.
Alyssa Parry, a senior from Utah majoring in marine biology, said there are two different ways people can look at the condition of the climate. As a Latter-day Saint, she said there will be a lot of natural disasters as people near the final days.
From a scientific perspective, “We’re causing a lot of natural disasters, more worse than they have been in the past,” she explained.
Parry, who also serves as the Ocean Stewards Club president said, “We do beach clean-ups, and we collect over 20 lbs of waste.” Doing so makes a little difference, but being a steward and being sustainable is part of the solution, she continued. “Every piece of plastic you pick up is one less plastic on the beach,” Parry added.
Parry said she hopes people will have the mindset of a good steward by taking care of all the things around them. “Heavenly Father gave us dominion, and we have to treat [the world] with respect, and we have to use [it’s resources] wisely,” she said.
“It starts with you,” said Dean Murcillos, a senior from the Philippines majoring in business management, supply chain. People can make a great difference in the world with a small action like recycling, he said. “I hope people will be active and proactive” in taking care of the environment, he continued.
Angela Kate Cruz-Murcillos, a senior from the Philippines majoring in biology, said she also hopes people would practice stewardship and accountability as they use the resources available to them. She said they do not have to be advocates, but they should be more aware of their actions to take care of the environment.
Cruz-Murcillos also emphasized being mindful in taking care of the environment would let people better appreciate what the environment can give them. “If we give something positive to the environment, it will have a positive impact on us too,” she said. Sharing a quote from Mahatma Gandhi, she said, “Earth provides enough for every man’s needs but not every man’s greed.”
Gerome Romero, an alumnus from the Philippines who majored in biochemistry, said there is nothing wrong with being involved in helping conserve the Earth. “Be proactive and have the initiative to do small things to make a difference," he continued.