Aug 14, 2023 at 6:13 AM Update: 11 minutes ago
Due to climate change and the natural phenomenon El Niño, a disaster year is coming, according to the Red Cross. The organization already provides above-average emergency aid after natural disasters. But the Red Cross fears that demand will only increase in the coming year.
It has been clear for some time that the natural phenomenon El Niño is forming, because the sea water along the equator in the Pacific Ocean is warming. The peak of El Niño usually comes in December. The natural phenomenon is therefore named after the Christmas child.
In large parts of the world this has an effect on the weather. For example, El Niño has increased the risk of heat and drought in many parts of the world. Some parts of Asia and South America are more likely to receive a lot of rainfall, which in turn can lead to flooding.
All in all, the Red Cross is bracing for a “season full of cyclones, floods and life-threatening heat”.
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‘In Europe we see what extreme weather will cost’
The aid organization expects to have to expand all over the world and hopes that the impact of this natural disaster on people will remain as small as possible.
Meanwhile, with floods, landslides and wildfires around the world, the effect of climate change has been clearly visible in the news in recent months, says Derk Segaar, the Red Cross’ Head of International Aid.
“In Europe, we are now seeing what extreme weather is doing: it takes human lives, houses are destroyed, nature is literally on fire,” says Segaar. Climate change and the last time El Nino showed itself strongly, led to the warmest year on record in 2016.
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‘We don’t see many natural disasters in the Netherlands’
Segaar points out that many wildfires remain underexposed, especially in countries further away from the Netherlands. “We read much less about the deadly heat in Iran, disease outbreaks in Bangladesh and floods in Vietnam.”
We get less of it, while people in these vulnerable countries are often hit hardest, he emphasizes. “People are sometimes still recovering from a previous disaster or conflict. And then the next misery is already imminent.”
The Red Cross is currently calculating where a possible flood or cyclone will have the greatest impact. The aid organization already wants to strengthen houses there, prepare water for when drought strikes and inform farmers so that they can harvest their crops before the land floods. “This can save lives,” says Segaar. “And it’s much less costly to act now than it is to act afterwards.”
2023-08-14 04:13:00
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