Category: Earth/Climate science

Why Natural Disasters Are Not Natural

Why Natural Disasters Are Not Natural

02/29/20

“Why are natural disasters never really natural?”

When a massive hurricane, flood, or wildfire hits an area, it often gets described as a natural disaster. However, the factors that make these disasters such as economic devastation, infrastructure loss, and community displacement, are not from natural factors. Rather, these are from the results of years, decades, and in some cases centuries of bad planning, corrupt leadership, and systematic discrimination.

Take New Orleans during Katrina as an example. While the city was built in an area that was safe from flooding, it was surrounded by floodplain wetlands. When it expanded under U.S control, the Army Corp of Engineers made sure to build levees to protect it. In the 20th century, the government built a wide variety of levees and dams to protect coastal cities, which ended up devastating the sediment carrying process and destroying many natural flood barriers. This was further compounded by the U.S Army Corp of Engineers miscalculating sea-level rise and rate of subsidence for the new levee which caused it to sink 5 ft further into the ground. Combine this with the fact that more vulnerable populations were placed closer to harm’s way and the impact of global warming gon making hurricanes stronger, and you get a very unnatural Hurricane Katrina Disaster. This is just one illustration of Why Natural Disasters Are Not Natural.

Why Weather Forecasting Will Become More Important for Society With the Advent of Climate Change

Why Weather Forecasting Will Become More Important for Society With the Advent of Climate Change

02/28/20

“Why will weather prediction become critical for future climate resilience?”

Climate change is going to make extreme weather events much more common. And since disasters can occur with a short-term notification, the ability to forecast and respond quickly can make a humungous difference. For example, people learning about an upcoming heavy rainfall can plan ahead and give themselves the proper protection, or if emergency responders can monitor how dry and windy weather conditions will be then they can prepare for a potential wildfire. These are just two of the many reasons Why Weather Forecasting Will Become More Important for Society With the Advent of Climate Change.

How Urban Sprawl Can Lead to Flooding Vulnerabilities

How Urban Sprawl Can Lead to Flooding Vulnerabilities

02/23/20

“How can urban sprawl lead to flooding vulnerabilities?”

Urban sprawl is infamous for causing an untold amount of problems in cities. When cement is poured over floodplains, the local area loses its water absorption capacity and becomes more prone to runoffs and flash floods. An example of this was the massive damage inflicted upon the city of Houston in late 2017 from Hurricane Maria, much of it exacerbated from its urban sprawl. This is How Urban Sprawl Can Lead to Flooding Vulnerabilities.

Sea-Level Rise and Urban Planning

Sea-Level Rise and Urban Planning

02/22/20

“Why does sea-level rise need to be included in urban planning?”

Sea-level rise from climate change is becoming an increasing concern for urban planners and officials. Because of this, all new urban designs must factor in how their plans will adapt to sea-level rise, whether it be using seawalls or sponge cities. This is how Sea-Level Rise and Urban Planning are connected.

Image credit http://www.wlrn.org

How Climate Migration Can Impact Housing Affordability

How Climate Migration Can Impact Housing Affordability

02/21/20

“How can climate migration impact housing affordability?”

More and more people are leaving their long-held homes in response to climate stress. These people often move to nearby areas en-masse. Often times these new places do not have enough housing stock to accommodate the new arrivals, resulting in a market pinch, increasing the cost of living dramatically. For this reason, climate-safe areas will need to vastly increase their housing stock to accommodate future residents. This How Climate Migration Can Impact Housing Affordability.

Wet Seasons

Wet Seasons

02/16/20

“When is the season wetter than normal?”

Everything in this world must strike a balance. Just like there are seasons that are drier than average, there are seasons that are wetter than average. With climate change, these Wet Seasons are being driven out of whack.

Dry Season

Dry Season

02/15/20

“What are seasons with little rain?”

Seasons all over the world are quite dynamic. Periods with little rain are often called Dry Season and are one of the primary causes behind droughts and wildfires.

How Land Loss From Sea-Level Rise Can Harm Economies

How Land Loss From Sea-Level Rise Can Harm Economies

02/12/20

“How can the loss of coastal land lead to economic devastation?”

The coast is the basis of life for many communities. whether it be catching fish, trade in ports, or money from tourism. However, as global temperature levels climb, so will the sea-level. This will engulf land around coastal communities, severing them from their income source, resulting in financial ruin. This is How Land Loss From Sea-Level Rise Can Harm Economies.

Salinity Loss

Salinity Loss

02/11/20

“Why is a body of water losing salinity levels a bad thing?”

The amount of saltwater in this world is massive. Standing at around 1.386 billion cubic kilometers, saltwater makes up 97.5% of all water on this planet. However, as freshwater rain and river overflowing spills into saltwater and creates Salinity Loss, the environmental and economic damage can be long-lasting.