Climate change has brought focus to the fact that climatic measures show a compelling relationship with industrialization. Scientists have emphasized impacts that are intangible, such as small temperature degree changes and increases in sea level. A new report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) takes these effects one step further.
The panel report explains that along with what has been observed, an increase in extreme weather events is also on the horizon. The world has experienced a preview, with flooding in Thailand and the drought in Texas. These types of natural disasters carry a catastrophic price in human life and economic cost. Initial estimates of the flooding in Thailand put the costs at $3 billion or 0.9 percent of the country’s GDP.
Both drought and flooding pose severe threats in another aspect in that either can be prolonged events. The longer these conditions persist, the greater will be the damage. Recovery, at least a quick turnaround, becomes less likely. These facts make the warning of the IPCC report so sobering.
They threaten the existence of affected areas. The droughts of the Dust Bowl years occurred in a series of four major droughts in a 10-year period. It contributed to the Great Depression. This series of events shows that the consequences of climate change can strike at the heart of a nation and possibly cripple its recovery.
Flooding carries an even higher price. A flood potentially can occur in any of the 50 states. While some areas are more vulnerable, the effects of this natural disaster are staggering. Between 2000 and 2010, the annual economic costs of flooding were nearly $3 billion. An extreme example occurred in 1993, when costs topped $20 billion. About 75 towns suffered the ravages of the flooding, some of which were never rebuilt.
The IPCC report contains some startling forecasts about the frequency of these severe weather events. The report predicts heat waves will occur every other year by the end of the century, targeting the developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The United States and Canada can expect heavy rainstorms to increase threefold. If ever there was an urgent call-to-action, the IPCC report provides it.
